Author: kpopreviewed

Hi, my name is Tony and I am the man behind the site, kpopreviewed. Currently an university student who wants to introduce people to KPOP and if you are already into KPOP, different groups and bands.

[Album Review] IN生 (In Life) (1st Repackaged Studio Album) – Stray Kids

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Stray Kids kicked off their domestic promotions this year with the release of God’s Menu and GO生 (Go Live) in June. After three months, the group returned with the repackaged version of GO生, now titled IN生 (In Life) and headlining the new album is Back Door. The group has since spent the last month promoting Back Door on the weekly music shows, earning two trophies along the way. On top of that, the group also managed to top my personal Weekly KPOP Charts three weeks in a row. Big feats, if you ask me. And per my usual horrible timing, as Stray Kids is about to wrap up their Back Door promotions, I slide in with an album review for IN生. I have a lot to say about each song, so without any further delays, here are my thoughts on IN生.

IN生 (In Life) Album Cover

1. The Tortoise and The Hare (토끼와 거북이) – The repackaged album starts with an extended version (or full-length version) of the Go Live intro track from the original album. In that version, however, there was no references to The Tortoise and The Hare fable. In this version, the entire song is extended to feature that fable and this makes the track so much more fun. Following the lyrics and having that context really made the song a lot more captivating. I am unsure if that was the intention of the inclusion of the well-known story, but that is what I got from it. This bumps up the song’s appeal slightly, so I am willing to increase the song’s rating. However, majority of my comments from the Go Live review still stands. Click here to have a read of that review. (8/10)

2. Back Door (Title Track) – Given how much the song has grown on me throughout the one and half months since its release, I do feel that the 8/10 rating that I gave Back Door originally is not representative of my current thoughts about the song. I will bump it up to a 9.5/10 and update the review in an upcoming segment (sometime next year). Click here to read the full review for Back Door. (9.5/10)

3. B Me – The group tones down the energy with B Me. However, the group maintains the heaviness of the song preceding it so far thanks to the electronic instrumental. While that might be a good thing (as Stray Kids has definitely shown us that they can be versatile with heavy sounds), the instrumental for B Me lacks excitement for the majority of the song and this unfortunately drags down the song for me. It is without a doubt that the song’s instrumental was toned down to low excitement levels for the sake of the vocals and raps, which were posed with this emotive hip-hop style. Personally, I don’t mind the vocals and raps. The issue remains with the instrumental. For some odd reason, the song picks up suddenly infusing the ending with all this energy that could have been distributed throughout the earlier sections of the song. The energy and excitement rises exponentially out of nowhere and it is wasted as it has nowhere to go to. (6/10)

4. Any (아니) – As a person who doesn’t like autotune as much as others, you might expect me to dislike Any. But I don’t. The autotune in Any is quite appealing and one of the song’s strongest selling points. Take Bangchan and Felix’s ‘Blurred lines yeah yeah yeah, So many so many any anything ani aniyaya’ for example. It is the one line that is really keyed into my memory (and I am sure it is also keyed into your memories as well). Without the autotune, that one line (and the song in general) would be completely different and potentially not as dynamic or memorable as it was with the autotune. Similarly, the same can be said about the chorus. Unfortunately, the other parts of the song (verses and bridge) aren’t as memorable and were largely forgettable. (8/10)

5. Ex (미친 놈) – From the top of my head, Ex is probably their most emotional pop ballad release so far. The lyrics and the impression that Ex leaves on the listener definitely feels that way. I will say that this was probably my favourite side track on the repackaged album as the instrumentals feels quite soothing and calming. That is an odd description for a song about remembering one’s Ex and the slight angst that you do hear in some parts of the song (i.e. Changbin’s ‘yok yok yokhae’ post chorus). But that was what the instrumental felt like to me. The song also puts forward the group’s vocals, with all members singing or rap-singing. It definitely highlights the fact that Stray Kids is also a group full of vocalists which they have shown previously in the last. Sure, they are strongest with their heavy and more loaded dance tracks. But Stray Kids do have potential in the ballad realm of music. (10/10)

6. We Go (Bangchan, Changbin, Han) – I am sure that many fans are excited for a 3RACHA song. And boy, do they go in a very different direction to what they produce for Stray Kids themselves. We Go goes for a hip-hop vibe. It feels dark and very intense from the get-go. Jisung and Changbin’s rapping during the verses were both breathtaking (and I am sure it also took their breath away as well!). Chan brings some vocals to the mix, going with the more classical autotuned effect to fit in with the song. And his parts provide us with some opportunities for relief, so that we can recover from the slayage the other two members’ rap sequences dealt to us. (9/10)

7. Wow (Lee Know, Hyunjin, Felix) – To me, Lee Know, Hyunjin and Felix were the subunit that I had no expectations for. Mainly because I don’t know what to expect from these three members. This track had no input from the 3RACHA members, which left me more in the dark about what to expect. What Wow ended up being was another intense dance track that feels like it could easily been passed off as a Stray Kids track. There is nothing wrong about this, as the trio do end up infusing some of their own personality into the song that is all about developing feelings for someone they have known for a while. Felix’s ultra-deep and rough voice adds an additional depth layer to the song that really grabs your attention. The contrast between the impact that Hyunjin’s raps and the smoothness of his vocals was very cool. Lee Know’s promotion to main vocalist for this track is also a blessing! My favourite bit has to be when the three members sing the line ‘Just wanna be with you’ just prior to the final chorus. (9/10)

8. My Universe (Seungmin & I.N ft. Changbin) – It was expected that Seungmin and I.N’s unit track would be something vocally centric. It would have been quite a surprise if they went for something else. The vocals were quite vibrant and taps into their youthfulness. It radiates positivity energy, even though I couldn’t understand the lyrics upon first listen. The pop ballad and synth mixed instrumental isn’t anything that special. But I am glad that there is still room for relief from the harshness and intensity that the previous two songs brought to the album. My Universe also features Changbin, who brings some rapping to the song. It was a nice touch and adds something extra to an admittedly one-dimensional track. But it is still a great listen. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

I have previously reviewed the rest of the IN生 album in my GO生 album review. Click here to have read that album review!!

Back Door / IN生 (In Life) Teaser Image

[Review] Hello – Chen (EXO)

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Chen made it onto the headlines of the KPOP industry and related media for his surprise announcement of marriage and (at the time) upcoming entrance into fatherhood. A little later into the year, Chen got married in a private ceremony and also became a father to a young girl. Congratulations to Chen and his wife! Since the shock announcement until now, Chen has been absent from the industry (though I do remember him popping up in the congratulatory video for BoA’s 20 year anniversary). However, a week ago, SM Entertainment announced the (another!) surprise comeback for Chen with Hello, which dropped today. This is his first solo comeback since the release of Shall We? and his first music release since EXO’s Obsession.

Within a matter of seconds (yep, not even a full listen to the song), I was admiring Chen’s voice and the song (in general). Hello is such a beautiful sounding song. It falls into the realm of britpop, taking on more of a ballad profile, which is expected for Chen. I really love the combination of the piano, drums and electric and acoustic guitars throughout the song. Very traditional instruments, but they all blend together spectacularly for Hello and in a very wholesome type of way. I also love how the britpop aspect of the song gives the chorus a kick, which makes the song so much more appealing. Chen’s vocals effortlessly delivers the song’s melodies and you can definitely hear the emotions in his voice. Hopefully, I am selling the idea that I enjoyed Hello. This reaction was pretty much guaranteed, given how Chen had previously impressed me with Shall We? and even more so with Beautiful Goodbye. Before I proceed with the rest of the reviews, I think I need to address the lyrics of Hello here (and not in the music video portion of the video). The emotions we hear in his voice during stems from the lyrics, which is pretty much his fears and concerns that experienced whilst wanting to say hello to fans since (what I would assume) the announcement. It actually made me emotional and Hello just felt so much more impactful, as a result.

For a ballad like this, the music video needs to be slow to compliment the song. And that is exactly what the pace of the music video was. For the first half of the video, we simply find Chen pacing around his apartment. Other than a lighting change, there wasn’t much to it the first half. My guess this was some time after leaving a lover. The world went on (i.e. the lighting changed signifying that time went by) and for whatever reason, he didn’t take action (though clearly, he still remembers this lover). In the end, he decides to write a letter to express interest. However, when he starts to write the word ‘Hello‘ to say hello to his lover, time starts to slow down due to his hesitation that he expresses throughout the lyrics of the song. The second part of the video see his possessions in his apartment start floating around. I am not exactly sure what this means exactly, but my guess is that time is coming to a definite as we shortly see those items break apart. This tells us time has stopped completely. However, Chen makes to the end of the pier at the very end, where life is quite sunny. This might signify that he moved on to continue writing the letter. However, the very end shows him in a greyscale world, similar to the greyscale we got when time came to a stop earlier on in the video, and the final few lines indicate that he did not move on from the word ‘Hello‘ that was the start of his letter. This is just my take on the video though, so I may be wrong.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

[Review] G.B.T.B – VERIVERY

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Once again, I have taken two days off from the blog. Back on the review grind!

VERIVERY returns rather unexpectedly with their third installment of their FACE it trilogy, which they started at the very start of the year, with the release of Lay Back (the promotional track) and Face Me (the group’s third mini-album) The group then released Thunder (the promotional track) and Face You (the group’s fourth mini-album) after their participation on Road To Kingdom. Now, the group returns with G.B.T.B (Go Beyond The Barrier) and their fifth mini-album (and third overall this year), Face Us. It is definitely been one busy year for the group.

When I heard the teaser for G.B.T.B, one thought I had was that VERIVERY and their company kept the most epic sounding track for their last installment of this trilogy. And I am glad they stuck with this epic sound, instead of misleading us with the teaser (which has been done before). G.B.T.B‘s main selling point is its powerful and intense sound, as evident when we approach the chorus. Admittedly, it took a few listens to get into it, especially since it initially felt like it went over too quickly. The entire chorus revolves around a two chanting hooks (the initial one being more shouty) and an instrumental that you could call clickity clackity ‘noise’. Maybe that last description isn’t the most appealing way to go about it. But that is what I had in mind whilst listening to the song the first time around (and it kind of stuck with me). I am a little torn when it came to the verses. The first verse should have continued the energy and momentum opening chorus. But it just straight up ignored the preceding chorus that started off the song. For the second verse, it contained one of the most impressive rap sequences I have had heard this year. Hats off to Dongheon and Hoyoung for rapping at that speed. Regardless of whether he was comprehensible or not, going at that speed takes a lot of skill and confidence. For the pre-choruses, the members bring a nice smoothness to the song, acting as the ‘calm before the storm’ (that is the chorus). The vocals return for the bridge and then it is followed up with a EDM styled dance break. I wished the dance break had a little more substance and meat to it, as this felt a little too airy and isn’t as satisfying. Overall, VERIVERY impresses once again with G.B.T.B, though it still had its flaw.

The music video featured a slightly different version of the song. The chorus at the very the start of song appears slightly muffled, as if the members are singing with something blocking the sound waves from getting to us. We get a similar effect just prior to the second chorus of the song, which is then followed up with a member running into and breaking the glass barrier allowing the song to be heard at full volume once again. It is a very intriguing start and definitely hooked me onto the music video. As for the rest of the video, the post-production was cool especially when it came to the floating glass shards. I also like their spaceship-like set. I wished we saw more of it.

Without a doubt, the performance for G.B.T.B is super powerful. It seems like they definitely picked up on some refinement and powerful skills during Road To Kingdom and it is all paying off. They don’t hold back in any part (aside from when the music smoothes out for the vocals). When it comes to the smoother parts, I really liked the movement of the hands right at the end of the vocal parts of the bridge. A small detail, but something that spoke volumes. Just like the powerful chorus did in terms of energy and intensity.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] Daisy – Pentagon

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After appearing on Road To Kingdom, each male group that participated in the show has managed to make a comeback (unlike the Queendom counterpart – Park Bom has yet to make a comeback after her appearances on the show). Some made their comebacks right after leaving the show, whilst others took a bit of time. Pentagon is part of the latter category, becoming the final group part of the Road To Kingdom lineup to make their long-awaited comeback. Today, the group returned with member Yanan (and without Jinho, who has enlisted into the military) with Daisy and their 10th mini-album, We:th.

One listen to Daisy and I am already hooked to the song. It is an alternative rock track, with a bit of a upbeat zing to it. This upbeatness is quite refreshing and makes the song quite unique in its own way. Because of this, Daisy feels pretty much like a Summer track when it comes to the verses, before the rock kicks in when it comes to the chorus. What I really like about Daisy is how vocally driven it is. The rappers do a good job as well, but they aren’t the main stars of the song unfortunately. That title is given directly to the vocalists. Interestingly, I don’t find that one member sticks out over the other. It is very hard to find the vocalist that really stands out the most. But each member does an neat job of emotionally rocking out with their vocals. Hui and Hongseok each bring a raspy nature to their parts of the chorus. The other members bring a nice huskiness to their parts. The song is super catchy, especially with the post-chorus hook. The singing-chant that forms the bridge was also a really epic sequence, adding to the song’s power, intensity and energy. I do feel that the members missed an opportunity to throw in some high or power notes into Daisy, particularly when it came to the end to give the song a more fulfilling climax. However, the final chorus that we got managed to showcase even more of that power, intensity and energy that I mentioned before in its own way. I just feel that it could have been enhanced even more with that high/power note.

I mentioned above that the song feels like a Summer track during the verses. That is a very optimistic outlook, which isn’t shared with the lyrics. Daisy was all about the emotional feelings one experiences after an heartbreak, which is polar opposite to ‘sound’ that I got from the song. However, I felt the music video nails the emotional side of the song, whilst also channeling some of that rock energy that the song actively pushes out. The music video’s lighting is quite dark, which would be the type of feelings one would be experiencing after heartbreak. Their acting was pretty good and I felt like the anger portrayed during their individual scenes (where I am guess they are dancing) were really good. We see a glimpse at the end that these dark and emotional feelings do not stay forever and the passage at the end says that ‘In the end, we return to your most innocent state, which can lead to another beginning. Sorrow lasts a second, but what we share in our universe is eternal‘. I think that these final lines really wrap up the story neatly and creatively, even though it was simple.

I love that even though the song is quite emotional, the rock sound still enables the powerful performance that we know Pentagon is capable of. What I really like was how they passed around the daisy (i.e. their hands) at the end of the performance, representing an ending similar to the music video (i.e. Kino’s hand blooms).

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9/10

[Review] Make A Wish (Birthday Song) – NCT U

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It has two years since we saw a full group comeback from NCT. And during those two years since that comeback, we have seen NCT’s lineup grow with the debut of WayV (the group’s Chinese subunit) and the addition of Shotaro and Sungchan (who both have been confirmed to debut in a future subunit). Now with 23 members in total, the group have banded together to release their second full group comeback and album, NCT 2020 Resonance Pt. 1. The first promotional track from the album is Make A Wish (Birthday Song), which features Taeyong, Doyoung, Jaehyun, Lucas, Xiaojun, Jaemin and Shotaro.

It has been very clear that NCT’s releases have been more experimental than any other SM group. This gives the group and its subunits a slight edge, as we would never know exactly what we should be expecting with each comeback. Make A Wish (Birthday Song) pretty much confirms this logic. It is unlike any other song put forward by NCT before. It has been described as a dance pop track with a hip hop beat and an addicting whistling sound. And you can hear each part of that description throughout the song in some capacity, as they don’t mess around with any of those components. And yet, Make A Wish manages to still twist and turn in a manner that results in the song coming off as different and at times, quite unexpecting. Personally, it isn’t my personal taste in music. But like the group, I would like to say that my taste for hip-hop centric releases have grown considerably over the years, and I can appreciate Make A Wish‘s sound. The NCT U members for this song manage to show off great vocals and raps. And each infuse a bit of unique style, adding to the appeal of the song. Unfortunately, when I turn my attention to the song’s main hook (i.e. the chorus), the infusion of hip-hop instrumentation and the drawn own style of vocal delivery just doesn’t work for me. It drowns out the energy and momentum that the song had built during the verses. As a result, the chorus feels sluggish. Maybe my taste for hip-hop hasn’t really grown that much. But I felt that something a little more dynamic and punchy would have been a better chorus.

Make A Wish features a Middle Eastern flair in the visual department. While it did add a nice colour pallete to the music video, I didn’t think the Middle Eastern flair was particularly necessary. I personally do not have anything against the Middle Eastern influence. I just felt most of their outfits were more suited for an urban concept and think an urban influence would a nicer choice. SM Entertainment wows me with their post-production, once again. The holograms of the members appearing on the platform in which the hooded figures are dancing around, along with the disappearing members right at the end looked so cool. Set-wise, I really like the chandelier that the members were hanging off from, as well.

The performance suits the music, which was expected. I like how the moves are slower during the more drawn out moments of the song and faster when they aren’t bounded by the music. It also seems like the members are given a chance to be a little more personable and fun towards the end of the performance (based on what I say in the music video). I feel this more carefree style matches up with the song neatly and provides a way for the performance to not be purely serious.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Review] COOL – Weki Meki

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Sorry for the many days late review.

Making their comeback this past Thursday was Weki Meki, with their fourth mini-album, New Rules. Leading Weki Meki’s attempt to write some ‘New Rules’ in the KPOP industry is COOL. This is also Weki Meki’s third comeback of the year, following Dazzle Dazzle released back in February and Oopsy, which was released back in June.

Their 2020 tracks have been a mix bag thus far. Dazzle Dazzle was probably my pick for one of their best title tracks ever, while Oopsy stepped away with a more generic release that ended up being quite forgettable post-review. COOL steps back into the area which Dazzle Dazzle lies on the spectrum of Weki Meki releases, which is definitely some good news for this group. The song has this edgy club beat opening that is quite promising. It is a very strong part as it left a strong impression on me. I really like the rap-singing that occurs during the first verse. It gives COOL a unique spin. The song takes a bit of a melodic detour for the pre-chorus, before going back to the club beat for the first part of the chorus. The chanty style of their delivery workers really well with the chorus. The vocals that follow the chant sequence of the chorus really pop out and show off some vocal flair from Suyeon (‘Keep It Coming Baby~’) before we proceed to some settled down vocals from other members. The second verse was more vocally centric, allowing it to become different to the first verse. Many songs these days have pretty repetitive verses, which dulls out the song. Suyeon, once again, shines for her vocals. For the bridge, the members returning to rapping with a stripped instrumental backing before we are launched back to the final chorus, which just pops even more. Overall, COOL lives up to its name and can be accurately described as one of their coolest songs yet!

The music video comes off fierce, which it fitting for the song. I really enjoyed it. I really like their white jumpsuits on the black/dark background. The minimalist vibes from those choreography shots were so strong and powerful. I really like the other ‘dark’ scene, when the members are dancing on individual platforms. That looked really cool and took the video to a whole new edgy level. Their individual shots looked awesome and I liked how the shadows on the wall behind them (earlier on, in the video) were not of them, but of the object they were holding. That probably has symbolism. But that imagery alone looked cool.

I like this performance. Not only do we see some attitude, but it seems like Weki Meki fully embraces their mature side, which is 100% fitting for the song. I really like the powerful direction of their moves, which really made the performance captivating to watch. I also liked the energy, which also fits in with the club vibes of the performance.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.9/10

[Album Review] Never Gonna Dance Again: Act 1 (3rd Studio Album) – Taemin (SHINee)

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The next album on the reviewing list for this weekend is Taemin’s latest and third Korean studio album release, Never Gonna Dance Again: Act 1. The album was also released a month ago and Taemin has since ended promotions for the new album, which include the release and promotion of Criminal as the title track, and 2 KIDS as the pre-release single. Taemin has also been quite busy with promotions as part of SuperM, as the group has just released their first studio album as well. Some have said that SuperM’s album release cut short promotions for Never Gonna Dance Again: Act 1, but that isn’t something we are here to discuss. Rather, we are going to have a deep dive into the side tracks on the album.

Never Gonna Dance Again: Act 1 Album Cover

1. Criminal (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Criminal. (10/10)

2. Black Rose (일식) (ft. Kid Milli) – Black Rose isn’t as intense as Criminal, but it has this subtle epic factor to the song that makes it very worth listening to. The subtle epicness of the song comes from both the main artists of the song (Taemin) and the featuring artist (Kid Milli). Kid Milli adds what I like to think as ‘hype’ to the song, similar to what we used to hear in R&B and rap songs from the Western industry back in the 00s. It isn’t an energetic sequence, but he keeps it rather subtle. You can feel that it is there and that it was the intended direction of Kid Milli’s featuring. Taemin adds a velvety smoothness to the song that makes Black Rose that more captivating to listen to. And pulling the two parts together is this dark, theatrical and almost gothic sounding instrumental, which is stunning to listen to. Criminal may have started off the album strong, but Black Rose following the title track makes the album’s start even better! (10/10)

3. Strangers – Taemin does aesthetics like no other artist. Strangers is testament to that. Strangers is another captivating song. The instrumental for this track is just on another level. Haunting, clever and engrossing are three different terms to describe one item, but three very suitable terms for this song. The simplicity makes it haunting. The use of footsteps to match with the lyrics is clever. And everything comes together to engross you. I really like how the song builds up. It never reaches a climax, but its this lack of climax that makes the song’s momentum to be aesthetic. Taemin once again is smooth with his vocals and the melodies are super catchy. (10/10)

4. Waiting For (해몽) – Not only is Taemin known for aesthetics, but his solo releases always have a flair to them that makes it hard for any other artist or group to pull off. For Waiting For, the instrumental has tango-influenced instrumentation. It is a unique flair, sexy and just another captivating drawing point to another song on the album. And this is a song that I would love to see a live performance for. It is perfectly crafted to remind us that this is a KPOP song once we get to the chorus, but still has the ability to pull us back to the tango instrumentation. Unfortunately, the song lacks strong hooks to really make that KPOP-aligned chorus memorable and catchy. But that is the only flaw of Waiting For. (9/10)

5. Famous (Korean Version) – I have previously reviewed the Japanese version of Famous. Click here to read that review of Famous. (8.5/10)

6. Clockwork – Clockwork is the type of song that takes you places when you close your eyes whilst listening to the song. It is a ballad that really shows off Taemin’s vocals (those high notes at the end were unbelievable). And like any good ballad, you can hear Taemin’s emotions as he sings about missing someone all the time. The instrumental is haunting, but it isn’t posed as dark like the previous songs on the album, which makes it stands out. The use of the ticking clock as part of the instrumental was, once again, clever. And so were those barely noticeable synths used to bring the song to its climatic point. (9/10)

7. Just Me And You – Just Me And You opens the album to an upbeat final chapter. Aside from changing the album up, Just Me And You attempts to be impactful with its slow paced thumping and pop sound overall. Unfortunately, I don’t think the song hit that mark perfectly. It gets to that level, but the slowness causes any momentum created to fizzle out. The song’s pop genre alignment is also nothing that special, it makes the song more typical. The trap elements make the song slightly messy, stealing the attention away from Taemin’s vocals. And top it off, the song lacks any strong hooks to really help bolden the song. I feel that Just Me And You is the weakest song on the album. One that I would frankly skip over. (6/10)

8. Nemo (네모) – Nemo features the R&B genre. Taemin has done R&B before but has done so in a fashionable manner. Nemo comes off more as more of your typical R&B release from any other artist. There are a number of elements in this song that bump it ahead of Just Me And You. The first has to be Taemin’s vocals, who sounds effortlessly amazing. I feel that there was some smoothness to his voice that wins me over. The 90s vibe of the instrumental was also quite nice. I also really like the start to the choruses in Nemo, which adds a bit of excitement to the song and feels like an end-goal that I would definitely sit through the song for. (7.5/10)

9. 2 KIDS (Pre-Release Track) – Click here to read the full review for 2 KIDS. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.7/10

Never Gonna Dance Again: Act 1 Teaser Image

[Weekly Chart] 2nd Week of October 2020

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As promised today, you have an album review and song review post coming you way today. In addition to those reviews, we have the Weekly KPOP Charts, which is obviously this post. I know I have been promising to catch up on some reviews that I have missed. They will eventually come, though I don’t know yet. I have been growing tired a lot earlier lately. I am also working on some other posts, such as OST reviews and International Song Reviews that should be out some time in the near future. We will see in a couple of weeks whether I have been too ambitious. But in the meanwhile, more reviews, album reviews and this Weekly KPOP Chart post!

Per the now regular format, I will quickly run through the songs that have had a big jump. The biggest jump this week belongs to J.Y Park and Sunmi’s When We Disco, which is in its final week on the charts and jumps up 41 spots. Other songs experiencing a big jump (i.e. more than 30 positions) are ONEUS’s To Be Or Not To Be and UP10TION’s Light.

For the top five this week, we start again from the bottom of the top end of the charts. WJSN CHOCOME’s unit debut single, Hmph!, debuts in the fifth position. EVERGLOW’s La Di Da rises from last week’s fifth position into this week’s fourth position. Stray Kids’ Back Door, which has been sitting on the top of the charts for three weeks now, has moved down two positions. BLACKPINK’s Lovesick Girls rises into the Top 5 into the second position this week. And the newest addition to the top ranking song of the week is Golden Child’s Pump It Up! For more of the charts, scroll down below.

  4th Oct – 10th Oct 2020
Title Artist Status
1 Pump It Up Golden Child (new)
2 Lovesick Girl BLACKPINK (▲ 18 )
3 Back Door Stray Kids (▼ 2)
4 La Di Da EVERGLOW (▲ 1)
5 Hmph! WJSN CHOCOME (new)
6 I Believe Bae Jinyoung & Kim Yo Han (▲ 23)
7 Whale Kim Sejeong (Gugudan) (▲ 7)
8 The Stealer The Boyz (▼ 4)
9 When We Disco J.Y. Park & Sunmi (▲ 41)
10 Shine Together SF9 (new)
11 Twilight WEi (new)
12 I LOVE YOU TREASURE (▼ 10)
13 BOCA Dream Catcher (▲ 28)
14 Flame CRAVITY (▼ 6)
15 Bon Voyage YooA (Oh My Girl) (▼ 5)
16 TO BE OR NOT TO BE ONEUS (▲ 33)
17 Helicopter CLC (▲ 10)
18 Shoot The Moon BDC (▼ 6)
19 Feel Good (SECRET CODE) fromis_9 (▲ 29)
20 Think of Dawn GHOST9 (▲ 1)
21 Light UP10TION (▲ 37)
22 GUNSHOT KARD (▲ 4)
23 RIDE KNK (▼ 6)
24 Obliviate Lovelyz (▲ 11)
25 Goblin (Favorite Boy) A.C.E (▼ 16)
26 Beautiful Scar Lee Eun Sang ft. Park Woo Jin (AB6IX) (▲ 2)
27 Sukhumvit Swimming ONF (▲ 13)
28 Bad Idea MOONBIN & SANHA (ASTRO) (▼ 9)
29 MADE FOR TWO VAV (▼ 22)
30 Criminal Taemin (SHINee) (▼ 24)

Songs leaving the charts this week are:

  • Sacrifice – Han Seungwoo (VICTON)
  • Sukhumvit Swimming – ONF
  • When We Disco – J.Y. Park & Sunmi
  • 100 – SuperM
  • We Ride – Brave Girls

Thanks all and see you in the next post later today!

[Album Review] Bon Voyage (1st Mini Album) – YooA (Oh My Girl)

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Sorry for the absence from the blog for the past few days. I have been a bit tired and had some personal stuff to deal with. But I am hoping to get back on track with one album review, one Weekly KPOP Chart post and one review tomorrow. In the meanwhile, here is an album review which I should have written one month ago when it was first released. I am talking about YooA’s debut mini-album, Bon Voyage. The album features the title track of the same name, which has wowed me for its uniqueness and refreshness. And while the feeling still remains for her title track, the rest of the songs on the album are as promising as the title track. So, without any further ado (and before I fall asleep again), here is my deep dive into Bon Voyage (the album).

Bon Voyage Album Cover

1. Bon Voyage (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Bon Voyage. (9.5/10)

2. Far – Far instantly stands out for me for YooA’s crisp vocals. And that is a very strong selling point. Far features a bouncy tropical EDM instrumental. For me, I find it relatively nice and light for an EDM track. There is some intensity when it comes to the chorus, which I really liked (though I wouldn’t be surprised if some people mistook it for just plain old simple ‘noise’). I like the inclusion of the metallic xylophone in the verses, helping pose the song (with the tropical EDM) as refreshing and suitable as a Summer heat (and also to follow Bon Voyage). To me, it isn’t the strongest song on the album, but it isn’t too far from that title. (8/10)

3. Diver – YooA adds both funky pop and some attitude to the album through Diver. It might not be an intended infusion of attitude, but her vocal style in Diver comes off like so and this is more of the YooA that I am used to when it comes to performances. I really like the energy that comes from the song, instantly picking up from the more subdued energy from the previous two songs. The chorus stands out for its catchiness and the instrumental is quite colourful in its own way. Overall, Diver is a fun and strong song for YooA and her album. (9/10)

4. Abracadabra – You will be kidding yourself if you don’t agree that Abracadabra’s chorus is its main drawing point (or the weakest point in the song, depending on how you perceive the song). YooA literally is the driving force in the chorus, with the instrumental more so just a background piece and doesn’t amplify the melody (which isn’t present in the first half of the chorus – as the song’s main hook is more spoken than sung). It is definitely an intriguing yet risky style that draws me in and ends up working out perfectly. The second half of the chorus is more vocally driven, with a melody brought in to ensure that the song is balanced. We also get a bit of YooA as a rapper in this song, which pushes her boundaries effortlessly. (10/10)

5. End of Story – Ahh… the mandatory ballad on any KPOP album. For YooA, it comes in the form of a beautiful piano piece. Her vocals are husky and very innocent sounding. I would say it is almost child-like. I really like her harmonies with the backing vocals, which adds an extra level of depth to the song. I do feel like her vocals in End of Story might be overpowering, covering up the beautiful piano which I think should have had more moments to stand out. But still, a very nice song to end the album with. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.9/10

Bon Voyage Teaser Image

[Review] Pump It Up – Golden Child

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The next group making their comeback this week is Golden Child, with Pump It Up! This is the male group’s third comeback this year, following the likes of Without You and One (Lucid Dream) this year. Golden Child also participated in Road To Kingdom, but was unfortunately the first group to be eliminated from the show. They also held an online concert (due to the ongoing pandemic) and also participated with their labelmates as With Woolim for a special single, Relay. Phew! That is quite a lot of work for Golden Child, who continues to push themselves with each activity. Let’s see what Golden Child has in store for this comeback.

Pump It Up is an upbeat pop track and return to Golden Child’s more youthful sounds and roots. If you weren’t a fan of their more mature and serious change up over their last three comebacks, then I am sure you will be glad with Pump It Up‘s sound. Coming from those mature sounds, however, does make this new song feel more powerful. And this additional oomph to their song pretty much works in their favour. The instrumental is quite lively and energetic, with the guitar riffs and slight retro touch (there is a bit of the song that reminds me of Jackson 5’s ABC 123) definitely helping to bring the song to life. There are fantastic vocals during this song. The chorus and bridge were very solid sequences, while the final moments of the pre-chorus contained harmonies that I thought were a fantastic addition to the song. The rapping had the right amount of energy to them and felt fitting for their lively sound. I would have liked more rapping, but I am fine with the serving they have provided to us. Aside from that, I wonder why Pump It Up was released in Autumn/Fall. It feels more aligned for the Summer season, given its energy and refreshing change back to their original sound. I also reckon that Pump It Up would have been a hit if it was released this past Summer. I am not sure how the song would play out in Autumn/Fall, but I am definitely on the side of it being another Golden Child hit nonetheless!

The members of Golden Child break up into smaller groups for this comeback for majority of the video. And there was quite a bit going on that made me laugh. Some members were watching a horror movie at the cinema, others were filming the movie. There were some getting ready for a upcoming live broadcast over the radio waves, while others were eagerly awaiting a meal, just to be disappointed with a mini meal (this reaction made me laugh). Video games and scratchy lotteries were also played. The members reconvened as a group to work hilariously in an office and also were pilots for brief moments throughout the video. It was a fun and exciting video worth watching. I love the splash of colour that the video had, with the red in one of the choreography shots and the yellow on vibrant blue shopping containers in another set of choreography shots.

The choreography looks as vibrant and fun as the music video did. The opening looked fun. As I also mentioned the song section of this review, I noticed how much more powerful this lively sound was and how this would be advantageous for the group. And that perceived powerfulness was definitely apparent when it came to the chorus of the song. Their mature concepts/sound has refined their synchronisation and made their performance look more polished. I also really like the cascading effect they did with their formations when it came to the harmonies just prior to the choruses.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.5/10

[Review] Hmph! – WJSN CHOCOME

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I somehow missed the announcement that WJSN would be making a comeback as a quartet subunit and the subsequent releases of the teaser images for this following unit debut, so their comeback pretty much came out of the blue. I only caught on once I saw the first music video teaser over the weekend. But nonetheless, I am glad to see WJSN back, even though it is just Soobin, Luda, Yeoreum, and Dayoung. The unit is named WJSN CHOCOME and their debut single is titled Hmph!.

As soon as I heard the Hmph! today, the disco pop that is heavily featured in Hmph! reminded me of Orange Caramel’s infectious singles. And I am loving it. It has been a while since we had an Orange Caramel comeback (their last release was in 2014 with My Copycat and I personally doubt that the unit will ever return with both Rania and Lizzy now signed to different companies), so this release definitely tickles my fancy – one could say!. Hmph! has a similar infectious appeal and the song is definitely quite addictive. The verses had a healthy amount of autotune to their voices. Usually I am against the use of autotune and have only liked it certain cases. Humph! seems to be one of those ‘certain cases’ as each of the four members actually sound quite nice throughout the song and it was (mostly) unnoticeable. The chorus brings the cutesy repetition of the title at the start, before the saxophones are brought into play, bringing more of that Orange Caramel appeal to the song. By far the best part of the song, in my point of view. I will be completely honest that the bridge did dull out the song for me, as I think they could have continued the song’s momentum with a more dynamic touch for the bridge. But I am glad that we ended up returning to the catchy chorus once again before Hmph! concluded, repumping the energy and infectious appeal back one last time.

The opening of Secret (one of their best songs ever!) started off the music video for Hmph!, so the video intrigued me from the very start. The music video can be described as a blast of colour. This isn’t an issue, as that is expected with a cutesy sound like this. And boy, WJSN CHOCOME doesn’t mess around with this cutesy concept. It is as if they have been holding back whilst promoting as WJSN! It felt natural to these members, unlike some other cutesy concepts where the members are just horrible at acting cute or overly exaggerating to the point where it just becomes cringy. To be critical, I would like to have them tone down the outrageousness. For example, I would not recommend waking anyone up with three trumpets and an iron. That blow up the person’s ear drums and give them significant burns.

For the choreography, I thought the cutesy twist on the Hmph! was really nice. The entire chorus routine seems fun. There isn’t much else from what I saw in the music video. But basing on what I saw, I think the performance would be suitable and fitting for the song.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9/10

[Review] Twilight – WEi

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Also kicking off the week alongside SF9 (and a few other releases) is a newcomer. Making their debut today with Twilight and the mini-album Identity: First Sight is WEi. This is a six-member male group under OUI Entertainment. The lineup is quite remarkable as most member have previously debuted already in some capacity. The six members are: Jang Dae Hyun (current soloist and former member of Rainz), Kim Dong Han (current soloist and former member of JBJ), Kim Yo Han (current soloist and former member of X1), Yoo Yong Ha (former member of 1THE9), Kang Seok Hwa and Kim Jun Seo (former member of 1THE9). Each member also hails from either Produce 101 series, YG’s MIXNINE and MBC’s Under Nineteen. Quite an extensive resume and definitely something worth getting excited for.

Not sure about you but I had expected something with more heft or load for their debut track. I just feel that the song underwhelms at first impression, when it should of had a greater impact as you would want for the debut track. I am a little hesitant to say that the song is lackluster overall at this stage, considering that I do have a feeling that the song might end up catching on down the road (more on that in a second). Aside from first impressions, Twilight does manage to showcase potential behind this new group. I did think the vocals were solid (the ‘tu dududu‘ are probably my favourite parts) and the rapping provided some much needed oomph to the song. However, I do think the vocals could have been enhanced with some punchier lines and much stronger melodies. For the playful pop instrumental, the lightness of the song is both a flaw and a strength. I have already mentioned the flaw caused by the lightness (i.e. my opening sentiment of the song). However, the lightness does make the song feel comfortable and pleasant on the ears. That inkling of Twilight potentially growing on me presents itself through the whistles that form part of the instrumentation. I am unsure why they would have such an effect, but it is something that I personally have been going back for. The heavy thumping is also a strong point, providing some of that heft I wanted more of. The acoustic guitars in the bridge were quite nice and helped clear the board to make the final chorus a little more dramatic. Overall, Twilight is a decent debut track. There are some concerns that I have, but who knows if they will even be a thing after more replays of Twilight.

Aside from adopting the typical choreography and closeup formula, the music video features pretty cool set designs that really lifts up the quality of the video. But other than adding a level of coolness to the video, there really isn’t much else to the music video. To say that they help make the music video more captivating will be a reach. There was one standout setting for me. It went to that one particular setting they used twice – a twilight style of lighting and a night-time style of lighting. The difference between them is night and day (pun intended) and each brings a different dynamic. However, I am not sure if it is a rooftop of a building or a stage within a studio.

I noticed during their showcase that some members were holding onto their belts/hand their hands in their pockets, whilst others didn’t. I don’t think that was due to any injuries, as all arms were used in some capacity throughout the performance. It might just have been a consistency issue, which should be rectified to make the performance look slightly more polished. But other than that, it was a good routine. It went intense at the right moments, but quickly reverted back to something that feels more fitting for the rest of the song. I particularly like how much energy they put into their final chorus, which was the best part for me.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

[Review] Shine Together – SF9

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The week before and the week after Chuseok (a national holiday in South Korea) are extremely loaded with comebacks. We have already bid farewell to the week before, with many comebacks and debuts that I am still trying to catch up on. But KPOP isn’t going to wait around for that. Kicking off the week after is SF9 with the release of Shine Together. It is the title track of the group’s second special single album, Special History Book, which was released today to celebrate their fourth anniversary together as a group and with their fans, FANTASY. This is also the group’s latest comeback after Summer Breeze.

Shine Together is a touching song, where the members express their gratitude to their fans who have been with them for the past four years. If you are expecting a dance track of some kind (and that is what SF9’s title tracks have mainly been) or striking in some manner, Shine Together won’t be fulfilling as the song is more of a mid-tempo ballad. Though, I would think they might get away with a slow paced routine. But if you are looking for a song that showcases their vocal abilities, then Shine Together is the right song for you. They express their emotions quite well, making the song feel warm and inviting to the listener. To fit in, the rappers go with a somewhat soft approach. There was some heft when it comes to Zuho’s rap sequence in the bridge, but this helps build a climax to the song. But I like that they managed to retain some speed, which helps pushes the song along. For the instrumental, it is very atmospheric. It doesn’t feel like your typical pop ballad approach. Instead, the piano and other instrumentation come together to cohesive work with the vocals and rapping to be a warm track that I am sure fans and listeners will find lovely and warm. It is your optimal instrumental for a song of gratitude and happy memories. If I were to be harsh for SF9 and their fans regarding this song (and I don’t want to, given the touching context behind it), I do find that Shine Together is lacking a strong melody. It is a bit wishy-washy during the chorus and I would have liked something with a little more catchiness to make the song more memorable. That being said, I don’t think that is the purpose of the song and Shine Together is fine as it is.

There are a lot of references to SF9 prior today including posters of a few of their previous comebacks, snippets of their concert (which features their fans), their debut mini-album, fan letters, amongst other items. Other than that, we see the members record Shine Together in their makeshift studio and reflect as a group by watching their concert video. It is very endearing and I am sure fans will really like the video. I particularly like how Zuho and Rowoon remade their symbol with polaroids, sticky notes of messages and their fan letters. Definitely meaningful and fitting for their anniversary celebration. I also like how the music video feels fitting for the fall season, which Korea is currently in. At the very end, we see the credits roll by. But instead of credits, I believe we see the names of each member of their fanclub, making it extra special as the music video does mention that it was made in conjunction with the fans.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

[Double Review] Refresh + I Believe – Zico & Kang Daniel / Bae Jin Young & Kim Yo Han

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For the first time ever, I am putting together two songs by two different sets of artists into a double review format. For today’s double review, I will be focusing on Zico and Kang Daniel’s collaboration, Refresh, and Bae Jin Young and Kim Yo Han’s collaboration, I Believe. The reason why I am group these two songs together is because they form part of the 2020 Pepsi and Starship collaboration, which has been occurring lately. Refresh was released back in April of this year for the For The Love of Korea part of the collaboration, while I Believe was released two weeks ago as part of the Heritage Project part of the collaboration. The four artists join a long list of other popular KPOP artists who have participated in the Pepsi and Starship collaboration, including Eunha and Ravi, Ong Seong Woo, and Hongbin and Hyungwon.

Not only does Refresh features the likes of both Zico and Kang Daniel, the song is also co-produced by Steve Aoki. That in itself means that this is a pretty star-studded lineup for a two and half minute song. Both Kang Daniel and Zico sings during the verses, with Zico adding some raps to the song later on in the second verse. These parts were decent, but they don’t really scream out Zico or Kang Daniel in any way. The pre-chorus hook was pretty decent as it gives the song some life and memorability, before dropping a half squeaky and half screechy type of synth in the chorus. Not really the most likeable synth out there, but it has its charm. The saving grace of Refresh is the heavy thumping bass. It probably shows how easily you can satisfy me, but the thumping really added momentum to Refresh for me and accented the right parts at the right times for me.

I Believe is actually a remake of a ballad OST by Shin Seung Hoon, which was released for My Sassy Girl (who remembers this movie?). Bae Jin Young and Kim Yo Han’s version gives it a trendy and fun retro spin, featuring a heavy amount of 80s synthesizer in its instrumental. I have no issues with this style as the instrumental brought a smile to me. They keep the melody from the original and also incorporate some raps, which genuinely surprised me. The song ended up being quite memorable and catchy for me, thanks to the collaborative nature of all the song’s elements. Aside from all the positivity that I am writing about the song (and the positivity that the song brings), I have nothing else to say about the song (and this is a good thing).

For Refresh, the theme was loving Korea (i.e. it was the ‘For The Love of Korea’ project) and there was a lot of traditional influence in the music video. The production value for Refresh was extremely high based on the visual effects that were utilised. I think it was a very suitable music video for Refresh, given the concept of the project and the appearance of both Zico and Kang Daniel in the video. I also liked their outfits and the product placement of Pepsi felt light and suitable. Kang Daniel makes a second appearance in the Pepsi and Starship collaboration project at the start and end of the I Believe music video. While we hear a bit of the Refresh instrumental, Kang Daniel starts a game on an old arcade that segueways into the main body of the music video that features the actual artists of the song. As for Bae Jin Young and Kim Yo Han, the video depicts them having fun whilst alone. I like how they incorporated the 90s filter of a circular frame and the white-washed lighting that many might remember from 90s KPOP music videos. Even their fashion looks like it could have been from that era (though some of it has been modernise to fit the current 20s). I also noticed that both videos acknowledged current events, with a little nod to face masks and elbowing in place of a hug or high-five.

Both songs are quite danceable. However, only I Believe has a proper choreography routine. Based on the music video, it looks pretty good but isn’t anything impressive. The pair do put in a lot of effort for an one off performance and that really lifts the look of the choreography by a lot.

Refresh – Zico & Kang Daniel
Song – 8/10
Music Video – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

I Believe – Bae Jin Young (CIX) & Kim Yo Han (WEi)
Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Double Review] Plant + Whale – Sejeong (Gugudan)

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While I am catching up on more recent reviews (barely even scratched the surface of that list), I am also keeping in mind some of the older releases which I haven’t reviewed yet. One song that falls into this ‘older’ category and has been continually emerging on my playlist at the moment is Kim Sejeong’s latest single, Whale. It was released mid-August and follows the release of Plant. That one was released 2 months prior in July of this year. Both songs haven’t been reviewed yet, so I am going to do it one go in this double review format.

Plant is a ballad, an expected starting point for the solo career of the main vocalist of any group, not just Gugudan. It is a features a pleasant orchestral instrumental, which can be broken down into nice strings and soothing piano. It is extremely slow paced, so it isn’t my preferred type of ballad. But it was still a good one, nonetheless. An interesting observation is that it never climaxes, despite it does do some building to reach that orchestral touch. Another interesting observation is that the song feels relatively short despite doing for almost four minutes. But all of that is okay as Sejeong captivates us with her vocals. They are beautiful and really helps elevate the ballad into an elegant piece.

Whale opts for a little more upbeatness but remains very light for the entirety of the track. But it incorporates a more pop aligned instrumental, which features some nice acoustic guitar and mid-tempo percussion. It reminds me of a number of songs, such as Jeong Eunji’s recent solo comeback, AWay, and AKMU’s Dinosaur. As a result, it feels typical. One good thing about the track is nice Kim Sejeong sounds in the song. I really like the entire bridge of the song, which features a short yet sweet high flutey note at the very end (and the entire sequence is in English). Unfortunately, the song doesn’t earn a 10/10 from me though. When it was first released, it was easily forgettable due to its lightness and typical nature. That bars the song from getting the highest ranking as that thought does linger to this day (and I quite like/recognise it now everytime it pops up on my phone/playlist).

The slow pace of the music video for Plant compliments the slowness of the song. I quite liked that. As for the meaning of the video, I pinched the following interpretation from a YouTube comment (courtesy of kyu). Essentially, Sejeong is lonely in this world. The plastic bags she encounters throughout the video (i.e. the plastic bags in her mobile home, the plastic bags that are floating about while she was in the car and the plastic bag art display in the abandoned warehouse that she dances around) represents the negative thoughts, perceptions and words that she has to deal with. The plant that she grows in her mobile home is essentially the only thing not in a plastic bag and represents positivity in her life, hence why she is smiling at the end. For Whale, there isn’t really a music video. Instead there is a ‘live clip’ that acts as a music video. It is an okay video, focusing on Sejeong and her singing. I would have liked if her company put a bit of money towards a music video, as Whale deserves something with a little more substance. The live clip was pretty unfocused and had this yellow hue hazy filter which dulled the experience for me.

Plant
Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

Whale
Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Album Review] Love Synonym #1: Right For Me (1st Mini Album) – Wonho

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As per the Sunday schedule, it is time for another album review. And the focus on today’s album review is Love Synonym #1: Right For Me a.k.a. Wonho’s debut mini-album. Featured on this album are both the Korean and English versions of the title track, Open Mind, and the pre-release single, Losing You. To avoid duplication, I will only be including the reviews of those respective songs once and only consider one version of them each for the overall album rating score that I give at the end of the album review. But for the other songs on the mini-album, continue reading onwards!

Love Synonym #1: Right For Me Album Cover

1. Open Mind (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Open Mind. (9/10)

2. I Just – Blissful is how I would describe I Just. It is a very stunning song that demands your attention. It is a rather simple song, as the instrumental doesn’t go further than its pop ballad direction. Nor does the song incorporate any complex melodies or vocals, opting to repeat the same smooth sailing melody that is brought to your ear’s courtesy of Wonho’s oozing vocals. Its simplicity and repetitiveness shouldn’t be seen as a flaw though. It is still a wholesome track that I couldn’t stop replaying. I particularly loved the ‘Oh I’ hook, which made the song very memorable for me. (10/10)

3. Lost In Paradise – I found Lost In Paradise to be a generic track. I do admit that the preceding track did set the bar high and those expectations just wasn’t not met. There were some good moments, such as his solid vocals, catchy lyrics and falsetto approach leading into the chorus. But the instrumental really dragged down the track for me. It was one of those ‘heard before’ instrumental that didn’t excite me. For some uniqueness points, there was the repetitive high pitch squeaky synths that felt ‘one of a kind’. But they were an odd touch to the song. (6/10)

4. Losing You (Pre-release Track) – Click here to read the review for Losing You. (10/10)

5. Interlude: Runaway – The interlude steers the album in a completely different direction. It is largely an instrumental piece, thus I won’t be including it in my final review score. Following three tracks, Runaway steps into a more intense and upbeat domain of music, similar to how Wonho set up the album with the title track and what I expected more of on the album. However, I question its purpose. There is only one new track following this one (the English version of the title track and Losing You features right). But it is a good introduction and segue way into the next track.

6. With You – With You steps back into the upbeat domain of music, as suggested by the preceding interlude. There were moments in With You that reminded me of the level of aesthetic usually reserved for Taemin. And these were really strong moments that I really enjoyed. However, the song manages to stray away from the Taemin mindset when the beat drops, opting for something a little harder than what I associate with Taemin and more so with Wonho. His vocals are extremely nice and follow the same pattern as suggested by the music. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come off as iconic as the title track or I Just. But it still a good song, nonetheless. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

Love Synonym #1: Right For Me Teaser Image