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] MUSE (2nd Studio Album) – JIMIN (BTS)

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JIMIN’s second studio album, MUSE, is the next album to be reviewed on the blog. It was released in July last year and features the title track WHO as well as the pre-releases Smeraldo Garden Marching Band and Closer Than This. This album was released after JIMIN enlisted in the military in December 2023, and as a result, no promotions for MUSE occurred. However, that didn’t stop it from rising to the top of Billboard’s Global 200 (a first for JIMIN) and remaining there for 2 consecutive weeks.

Overall, I would categorise this as a fair KPOP album. There are some decent and strong side tracks on the album, but the title track weighed the studio album down for me. My thoughts on WHO can be found in its own review (link below), while my thoughts on the other tracks, including the pre-releases, are included in this post below.

MUSE Album Cover

1. Rebirth (Intro) – It now strikes me as odd to see a track that goes for 2.5 minutes long and be branded as an intro track, since the length of actual tracks has dwindled down over time. Anyhow, the album begins with Rebirth, a very atmospheric instrumental piece that is heightened by JIMIN’s angelic vocals and harmonies with those in the background. I enjoyed the warmth and comfort that is exuded from Rebirth, both of which make for a beautiful start to the album. (9/10)

2. Interlude: Showtime – From the intro, we jump right into the interlude track. Showtime feels like a cheerful circus or local fair tune, and directly leads us into the next track.

3. Smeraldo Garden Marching Band (ft. LOCO) – One of the tracks I have unfortunately not reviewed in full is JIMIN’s Smeraldo Garden Marching Band, which was released as a pre-release track ahead of the release of MUSE and WHO (the title track). I wasn’t a fan of it when it was first released, but Smeraldo Garden Marching Band has grown on me over time. It is probably one of the most cheerful tracks I have heard from JIMIN in a very long time, but I appreciate the brightness and marching band tune that the song is based on. JIMIN’s vocals are quite calming, and the chorus melodies have become quite fun and catchy. However, I feel like LOCO’s presence was the weak link in the song. I have never enjoyed his featuring in this song and thought it was lacklustre at best. (8/10)

4. Slow Dance (ft. Sofia Carson) – Slow Dance is a really nice R&B song to just, well, dance slowly to. There is a beat to it, but Slow Dance still oozes a smooth and velvety vibe simultaneously. The guitar work and bass contributed to this, but I liked how pronounced these elements were in the background. JIMIN does a good job of balancing out Sofia Carson’s higher-pitched vocals. I did wish her solo bits had a bit more bite to them, though I really liked the falsettos she slipped into during her part. Both JIMIN and Sofia closed out the song in a very satisfying manner through Slow Dance’s final chorus and outro. (9/10)

5. Be Mine – We return to the Latin influences that dominated KPOP heavily a few years back with Be Mine. I find this single to be a pleasant number, thanks to both the beautiful guitar work in the instrumentation, the slightly hefty beat and JIMIN’s vocals. His vocals shone in Be Mine, particularly through the harmonies featured towards the end. The chorus is also quite catchy, which helps make the track more memorable. (8.5/10)

6. Who (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for Who. (7.5/10)

7. Closer Than This – So, I completely missed the fact that Closer Than This had a music video. It shows JIMIN writing the lyrics of this song, seeing some sites and some memories he has created as part of BTS and his solo career. As for the song, Closer Than This is a pleasant pop song, telling his fans not to worry and that he (and the other BTS members) will be back soon. Instrumentally, it is very standard. However, I really enjoyed JIMIN’s sweet vocals in Closer Than This, which made the message more effective. I also liked it when Closer Than This switched it up slightly to include the young kids’ vocals at the end. That got to me. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

MUSE Teaser Image

[Review] poppop – NCT WISH

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Continuing with the supposed SM Entertainment theme is my review of poppop, NCT WISH’s latest single from their new mini-album of the same name. It follows after Dunkshot and Steady from their 1st mini-album, Steady (all of which I have yet to review).

I found poppop to be an okay song. There were aspects that I didn’t enjoy, while there were parts that I liked. The chorus appears to be the most decisive part of poppop, and I completely get why. Launching right into rapping was very unexpected, and the vocal processing applied to the members’ shouty rapping voices in the chorus made the centrepiece feel obnoxious. But this choice of vocal processing was more widespread than just in the chorus, and made most of the other rapping sequences throughout poppop feel subpar. But not all rapping in poppop was disappointing. I don’t feel the same way about poppop‘s final chorus, where all the members do their shouty rap to close out the song. This part felt dynamic, and the vocal processing was less prominent than in earlier parts. I also liked the monotonous “pop, pop, pop” hook in the song, which followed the choruses. This just added a slight deep tone to the song, which offset the bright and bubbly tone of the rest of poppop. The vocal parts in the song were also a strong aspect, but better melodies would have enhanced the song’s quality. And while not as affected, they didn’t escape the vocal processing mentioned, and certain parts still sounded off.

The music video shows SION making a move on someone he has a crush on via message. However, after spending time with the other members of his group, he is almost late for the date. He makes it in time, with the other members running after him and wishing him luck. It’s a cute video, and NCT WISH does a good job of showcasing their youthful charm in the video. Talking about charms, the bubbly charms that appear throughout the video, and to SION once he gets confirmation that the other person is interested, contributed to the cuteness aspect of the music video. Though the scene associated with the second half of the bridge took an odd turn, with what I can assume was (but probably isn’t) the members sacrificing one of the charms for a successful date.

The performance for this comeback was quite good. Again, I enjoyed the “pop, pop, pop” move that accompanies the song’s hook, and I also liked the routine that closed out the song. The end is where the routine really picks up and really puts NCT WISH’s skills and talents on par with the rest of NCT for me.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] Walls Don’t Talk – KAI (EXO)

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A couple of weeks ago, KAI teased his long-awaited return to the stage since Rover and his military enlistment with the single Adult Swim. There are only a couple more sleeps until KAI releases his 4th mini-album, Wait On Me. But ahead of that, KAI unexpectedly dropped another music video for another side track, Walls Don’t Talk, from the new mini-album on Tuesday.

Similar comments regarding Adult Swim can be transferred to Walls Don’t Talk. But I think Walls Don’t Talk has a slight edge over the former song. The minimalistic sound profile that Walls Don’t Talk goes for creates a seamless number. The song’s more consistent and tighter beats made it feel punchy, but I would have loved to hear more in the instrumentation. Repeat listens of Walls Don’t Talk have made, once again, the song’s instrumental feel very linear and neutral. Actually, I might even go to the extent of saying repeated listens have been ‘drying out’ the song for me. There have been a lot of songs with similar effects recently, so Walls Don’t Talk needed something fresh and different for it to stand out. The variety in Walls Don’t Talk actually comes through KAI’s delivery. He showcases nice vocals throughout Walls Don’t Talk, but I liked his rapping and spoken moments more in this song. It added a different tone to the song, which helped it feel a little more engaging.

For a while, I thought Walls Don’t Talk was the actual title track from the upcoming mini-album. I have since realised I was wrong, but this misinformed thought has influenced my perception of the music video. Essentially, I am trying to soften the fact that I still find the home video style the music video goes for disappointing. I have praised this motif previously, but it didn’t feel appropriate for a title track, as that is what I thought Walls Don’t Talk was at the time. It also generally looked incredibly low-budget for SM Entertainment standards. The only element that impressed me was KAI himself, who looked amazingly sexy in a tropical place in Japan.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Overall Rating – 6.9/10

[Review] Baby, Not Baby – SEULGI (Red Velvet)

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For some reason, in my mind, I have been reviewing just only SM Entertainment releases. That isn’t true, but I will be continuing this mindset with more SM Entertainment releases from the last couple of weeks to still review. One of them is SEULGI’s long-awaited solo return with Baby, Not Baby, the title track off her 2nd mini-album, Accidentally on Purpose. Her last solo release occurred in 2023, where she debuted with 28 Reasons (title of both her solo debut mini-album and debut single).

Baby, Not Baby is a cool song. It has a complete different aesthetic and sound to SEULGI’s debut single, showcasing variety in her discography and confidence in doing something different. Baby, Not Baby is a pop dance track, with a blend of orchestral and rock elements that come together to give the song a groovy and funky sound profile. I like the boldness that comes from the instrumental, especially when the orchestral elements give off a dramatic flair. This complements well with SEULGI’s sassy and attitude-heavy delivery style. Altogether, Baby, Not Baby has so much oomph and character. In addition to be sassy and attitude heavy, SEULGI manages to infuse a lot of charisma into her vocals, which just makes Baby, Not Baby‘s hooks very appealing and catchy. Personally, I was searching for a rap sequence of some kind, perhaps someone featuring in the song who could have given Baby, Not Baby more edge and heightened that sassiness mentioned earlier. While I did like the vocal-forward approach of the song and SEULGI does slip into a rapping motif at time (although briefly), I just felt that was a missing piece of the puzzle that is Baby, Not Baby.

The song itself is about how someone may appear innocent and pure to their lover, but they might not be in reality. The music video portrays SEULGI doing something innocent and cute, but then she switches it up to show her wild side soon after. For example, at the start of the video, she appears injured and about to be hit by a car. But she ends up smashing the car to get someones attention. In the next scene, she gives out free hugs to people in the mall, but no one wants one. She throws a fit, but uses that to capture the ‘perfect selfie’ and disregards everyone around her. We see her smash up a shop soon after. Overall, SEULGI’s acting was pretty good and I enjoyed watching the bold nature of the music video. The video did well in bringing that edgy factor that I wanted in the song to life in a visual manner.

I liked how engaging the performance from multiple standpoints. SEULGI showed off a very confident and sassy vibe that made the focus on her more exciting. I liked how the dancers added to the stage presence of the performance. And the moves showed off a mature and sexy vibe, without it going into that stereotypical domain of showing skin or looking explicit.

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

[Review] STUNNER – TEN (NCT)

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Last month, TEN (from NCT and WayV) returned to the stage with his second solo mini-album and title track of the same name, STUNNER. It is his first solo release since his official solo debut last year with Nightwalker (which I never got around to reviewing) and, the mini-album, TEN.

STUNNER is a great R&B pop number that shows off TEN’s mature vibe. The latter is definitely the track’s strongest asset, and the producers definitely took great advantage of this. His vocals and rapping were really nicely done. In addition, I liked the groovy sound profile that comes with STUNNER, which is another reason I found the track to be quite appealing. This just melds so well into the R&B pop genre and TEN’s style. But as the song progressed, I would have liked a little more to the instrumentation. By the time we got to the end of STUNNER, the instrumental sounded the same as everything that proceeded before we got to that bit and felt neutrally geared. Given this is TEN, a likely solution could have been the incorporation of an edgy instrumental break that keeps to the R&B motif, which then could have doubled as a dance break. But where STUNNER felt stagnant, certain parts of the song made up for it. The start of the pre-choruses, when the vocal lines were packed in, were an instantaneous highlight that caught my attention from the first listen. The simply spoken repetition of the song’s title in the post-chorus hook was also super catchy. Overall, STUNNER falls slightly short of being a stunner, but definitely had the potential to reach that status.

The music video sees TEN play a man with a magnetic charm that no one can resist. Everywhere he goes, the people around him are physically drawn to him. Even in the inanimate objects in his home have a hard time copying with his magnetic charming and are also drawn to him. It was quite a cool concept. But while the concept was cool, I did think the visuals could have been a little more complementary to the sound profile of the song. Mature yes, but I felt the music video really understated the groovy nature of STUNNER.

Through his stage performances for STUNNER, I could see TEN’s stage presence and chemistry with his dancers. This made for a strong and captivating performance, which is already powerful thanks to the defined body waves and sharp movements that make up the routine.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Weekly KPOP Chart] Week 2 of April 2025

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Welcome to the next edition of the Weekly KPOP Chart posts. This time, it is for Week 2 of April 2025, which spans 6 to 12 April 2025.

Today will be a quick one, so I will get right to the Weekly KPOP Charts. here we go!

What else am I listening to?

Each week, I spotlight a song not on the Weekly KPOP Charts I have been listening to last week. This week, the song in question is U-KISS’s TICK TACK.

Non-Korean Song of the Week

Each week, the top-ranked non-Korean Song on the Weekly KPOP Chart is spotlighted (as this is an area I haven’t been focusing on as much on my blog lately). The non-Korean song of the past week is LISA’s FUTW.

The Chart

MARK’s solo debut single 1999 ranks in the top spot this past week! Congratulations to MARK!

Pos.TitleArtistStatus
11999MARK (NCT)(NEW)
2BEBESTAYC(▲ 2)
3BLUEZEROBASEONE(▲ 11)
4VVVTHE BOYZ(▼ 2)
5StunnerTEN (NCT)(▲ 3)
6YELLOWTREASURE(▲ 5)
7AirYEJI (ITZY)(▼ 4)
8WANTSolar (MAMAMOO)(▼ 7)
9I DO MEKiiKii(NEW)
10HOT MESSEVNNE(RE-ENTER)
11High HorseNMIXX(RE-ENTER)
12Burnin’ TiresCHANGBIN & I.N (Stray Kids)(▼ 2)
13MessKang Daniel(NEW)
14earthquakeJISOO (BLACKPINK)(RE-ENTER)
15LOVE RACESF9(▲ 4)
16+82 Pressin’MARK (NCT) ft. HAECHAN (NCT)(RE-ENTER)
17TRUMANHAN & FELIX (Stray Kids)(RE-ENTER)
18CHESTJUST B(▼ 9)
19The StrangerONF(RE-ENTER)
20HOTLE SSERAFIM(▼ 7)
21FUTWLISA (BLACKPINK)(RE-ENTER)
22BTGKiiiKiii(▼ 16)
23BREATHExikers(=)
24KNOW ABOUT MENMIXX(RE-ENTER)
25The ChaseHearts2Hearts(▲ 3)
26Beautiful LieXdinary Heroes(▼ 11)
27PanicBEOMGYU (TXT)(▼ 12)
28SimmerNEXZ(NEW)
29ESCAPEBANGCHAN & HYUNJIN (Stray Kids)(RE-ENTER)
30BAMBOLATEN (NCT)(NEW)

[Album Review] BLESSED (8th Mini Album) – HA SUNG WOON

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The next album for review is HA SUNG WOON’s 8th mini-album, BLESSED. It was released in July 2024 and was his first major music release since finishing his military service. BLESSED features 5 songs, including the title track of the same name. I have always been excited to review his new music and albums, as he had some great solo tracks since his Wanna One days. While I don’t think that sentiment is as strong on this mini-album, there are still a few singles on BLESSED that I quite enjoyed.

The last HA SUNG WOON release I reviewed was his 7th mini-album, Strange World, which featured the title track Focus. It was released prior to his military enlistment in 2022.

BLESSED Album Cover

1.  Blessed (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for Blessed. (7/10)

2. I Wanna – The first side track on the mini-album is I Wanna, which is a softer pop number. I really enjoyed this one, thanks to its pleasant vibe. Even as the song picks up and adds new elements, this was a constant in I Wanna. HA SUNG WOON sounds so nice throughout the track, and the melodies just make this such an appealing number. (9/10)

3. All I Need (ft. ERIC of THE BOYZ) – All I Need is such a vibrant number, stepping up the energy, beat and colour of the mini-album. I like the dominance of the piano in the verses, and the drumming just gives All I Need so much momentum. I wish there was more variety when it comes to the melodies. I liked how brighter HA SUNG WOON’s tone is, but he sounds similar throughout the song. This slightly dampens the liveliness of the song for me. ERIC from THE BOYZ appears briefly in the song during the second verse. His quick delivery does add to the song’s momentum and forward drive. (9/10)

4. I Already Lost You – HA SUNG WOON delves into pop rock for I Already Lost You. This is another strong number from the soloist, and I enjoy it thanks to its pleasant vibe. I Already Lost You is a bittersweet song, reflecting on a partner one likes but knows they cannot be with them. I liked the build-up to the chorus and how profound the chorus sounded once the rock elements kicked in. The resulting energy is perfect and well-balanced for HA SUNG WOON’s vocals. (8.5/10)

5. Mystery – Mystery makes for a decent dance track. This was an impression I got from the song after so long not listening to it. But repeat listens to Mystery made me quickly realise that it is also the mini-album’s most skippable track. I don’t remember much of it since it sounds quite similar instrumentally and vocally through and through. This ends up making Mystery sound very neutral and stagnant. The extra bass that comes into play is a nice touch and gives the song some heft. But it doesn’t do much to make the song more appealing. (6/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.9/10

BLESSED Teaser Image

[Review] Check Pattern – SUNGJIN (DAY6)

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Due to my poor time management, I have yet to review a few 2024 releases. One of them is SUNGJIN’s (from DAY6) solo debut with Check Pattern and the studio album 30. Today, I am finally reviewing Check Pattern, which will make things much easier when reviewing 30.

Check Pattern is a stunning rock ballad. I remember it being so captivating when I first checked it out upon its release, and it remains captivating even to this day. There are a few reasons for this. The flow of the song is one of these reasons. I love a song that can really hold my attention, and Check Pattern does it well. The moment I find myself captivated by the rest of the song, the flow pulls me along. I love how the pre-choruses deliberately still the song slightly before returning to the chorus. This gives Check Pattern some natural rhythm that helps it become a neutral piece. Another reason for Check Pattern’s captivating appeal is SUNGJIN himself. The hoarseness of his vocals just gives Check Pattern some emotional impact and tone. There is also a warmth to his vocals that I find very comforting. But the main reason I am so captivated by Check Pattern is its lyrics. It speaks to the emotions of meeting and separating from the person we are meant to be with for various reasons in life and the hope of meeting each other again one day. This was very thought-provoking, as it made me think about my experiences.

This is my attempt to explain the music video, as the idea is a little abstract and hard to explain in words. I might not have it 100% right, so I do recommend you watch this equally stunning and captivating music video to make sense of it. It shows SUNGJIN as a director, bringing a play that depicts the song’s lyrics to life. The play shows the audience (including us) the abovementioned emotions from many walks of life. Essentially, one person is in one season/location and the other in a different season/location. There is an idea that both know each other and want to meet but just can’t because they are in different times, places, or circumstances. They come close to meeting on some occasions (depicted by the hands reaching out). But they just can’t get there (as shown by the hands close to touching). However, like how the song speaks to the wish or idea of meeting the other person again, the play shows a happy ending where the individuals meet and be with one another. I love how this story was drawn from people’s experiences that they wrote down for SUNGJIN (as shown at the start of the video).

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

[Review] 1999 – MARK (NCT)

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SM Entertainment has been teasing MARK’s solo debut album since what felt like forever. The album was announced in May 2024, with the intentions to release the album in February 2025. But it was later announced that the album would be delayed to April 2025 to “ensure a better quality”. Since the announcement last year, MARK released three singles – 200, Fraktsiya ft. LEE YOUNG JI and +82 Pressin’ ft. HAECHAN. All these singles are included on MARK’s debut studio album, The Firstfruit, which is led by the single 1999.

MARK’s 1999 (and the rest of the album) has been out since Monday. But don’t take the time it has taken me to write this review as an indicator towards my thoughts on 1999. I have been really enjoying 1999 since my first listen. The fantastic blend of grand orchestra, funky guitar, brass sounds and whistling with the modern soft beats drew my attention from the get-go. It sounds like there is a lot going on in the background, but they all came together to create such a cool and unique instrumental backing. MARK impresses with his vocals in 1999. The melodies that come through during the chorus helps make 1999 smooth and velvety, overall. This gives 1999 a very unique style and I just love that. The chorus ends up being such a strong drawing point of the song, for me, thanks to the catchy repetition hook ‘99 yeah 99‘. I would gladly replay the song to just listen to the chorus. His rapping in 1999 is great, though it isn’t as memorable as compared to the vocal work. Even his rap-speak motif was more memorable than his actual rapping sequences. The end of 1999 is also a rather weak moment of the song. I do like how it attempts to give 1999 its last hurrah and close out the song in an a dynamic and energetic manner, but I felt the rapping here and instrumentation was a little muddled. Had 1999 closed out with a stronger, bolder and satisfying end and MARK’s raps were memorable throughout the song to the same level as his vocals were, 1999 would have been the near-perfect song.

My best guess of what is going on in the music video involves MARK traveling back in time to 1999 when it all started for him (i.e., his birth year). I am assuming he goes back to show the world what they are currently have to offer. And he brings all of his music (including his own debut studio album) to help him make his mark. I like the different MARKs we see in the video, from the time traveling MARK who is the main show, 1999 VJ MARK who helps spreads the news, and Fraktisya MARK who is flying the UFO/hockey puck. I also like the little inclusion of Canada MARK and New York MARK, which speaks to his birth country and childhood.

The blend of different instruments lends well to an interesting performance piece. I like the start of the routine, with the dancers emerging from behind MARK in a contemporary fashion. The chorus routine looked very cool. I liked how clean the execution was, and I am digging the “99 yeah 99” move (especially when it involves moving around the stage, as it just depicts the smoothness so well). I am also impressed with the footwork involved, particularly during the final sequence of 1999.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.2/10

[Review] BREATHE – xikers

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The last time we heard from xikers was through their WITCH era from their House of Tricky: Watch Out mini-album. A review for WITCH is long overdue, as is the mini-album. But that is not why we are here today. This past week, xikers released their 5th mini-album, House of Tricky: Spur, with the lead single BREATHE. As you can tell by the title of this post, that is today’s focus.

I might have a theory as to why I haven’t gotten around to writing a review for WITCH just yet (aside from time being a factor). BREATHE seems to confirm this theory – xikers’ output hasn’t been the same as in their earlier days. BREATHE is a loud and textural hip-hop dance track. While crunchy, it lacks personality, something xikers’s music featured a lot of in their debut year. Instead, I find it now just feels like any other song from a male group. BREATHE‘s instrumental conforms similarly. I did like the boisterous instrumental break we get in the bridge. Some of xikers’ rapping in BREATHE is powerful and prolific. But for some of the other rappers and the entirety of the vocal line, I don’t even remember anything from them. The repetitive ‘Breathe, Breathe‘ chant also doesn’t do much for me. Overall, BREATHE is not xikers’ best foot forward, especially since we know what they are capable of.

The music video opens with a scene showing HUNTER becoming possessed by the other members, passing on their fiery charisma. From then on, everyone is literally on fire (a visual representation of that fiery charisma). We see some members developing superpowers and being on fire (which might explain why SEEUN is holding a BBQ lamb chop). Set-wise, I think the exhaust set looked cool. The plain green background also looked good, especially with the black outfits – a classic pairing.

The accompanying choreography for this comeback looks super cool. I liked the intensity and robust nature of the choreography. With the energy going into it and how it never let up, the routine looked like a workout. My favourite bit has to be the dance break we get in the bridge, serving as the peak of the entire routine.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Review] BEBE – STAYC

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STAYC returned a few weeks ago with their 6th single album S, and the new single BEBE. Today, I am getting around to writing a review for it. This is STAYC’s first release since GPT in October of last year.

BEBE is a strong track from STAYC. It is probably their most serious and mature-sounding title track yet. Their delivery of BEBE has so much attitude and sassiness, which is a whole new side to the group (for me, at least). I like the sing/rap-talk style the members use throughout the track. It helped make BEBE feel jam-packed and loaded, driving the song forward. This is further heightened by BEBE‘s instrumental, which carries a bold and prolific club vibe with so much oomph and style. I also like how the instrumentation doesn’t hold back or get in the way of the members. The hooks made BEBE catchy, and so I have been constantly revisiting BEBE since its release. Everything in BEBE melded together really well, creating a very cohesive track. I am a bit uncertain about the end, which to me felt abrupt. But at the same time, I am unsure if they could have ended it another way to maintain the bold nature of BEBE.

You will notice a consistent theme of me liking everything in the music video. I like how a part of the video shows the members strutting the stage in their outfits. It just fits the vibes of the song so well. I also enjoyed how the footage revolves around fashion, and the members looked fantastic. The sets were simplistic, allowing the focus to be on the members. I liked the framing over ISA and YOON’s lines in the first choruses and the whole magazine-like filter applied to J’s opening line at the start of the second verse (probably my favourite bit of the entire video). Everything was very cool.

I liked the stomping move they do at the start of the choruses. Something about that move and the flirty arm on the neck move got me. I thought better synchronisation between the members would have enhanced the overall performance. But what we got looks excellent!

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Weekly KPOP Chart] Week 1 of April 2025

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Welcome to the next edition of the Weekly KPOP Chart posts. This time, it is for Week 1 of April 2025, which spans 30 March to 5 April 2025.

Once again, there is not much to update on this week. It has been the usual for me, working and scheduling some posts for the week ahead to give me some reprieve during the week (which I have been grateful for). I am glad I have also worked out a method to get posts published. It isn’t much, but I hope it ties us over during this busy period.

Although, I am once again shocked at how fast time has gone. Where did the last three months go? What have I been doing over the previous three months?

Anyhow, we are here for the Weekly KPOP Charts for Week 1 of April 2025, so let’s go!

What else am I listening to?

Each week, I spotlight a song not on the Weekly KPOP Charts I have been listening to last week. This week, the song in question is NCT U’s Baby Don’t Stop.

Non-Korean Song of the Week

Each week, the top-ranked non-Korean Song on the Weekly KPOP Chart is spotlighted (as this is an area I haven’t been focusing on as much on my blog lately). For the past week, the non-Korean song of the week is j-hope’s MONA LISA.

The Chart

MAMAMOO’s Solar and her comeback single WANT ranks in the top spot this past week! Congratulations to Solar!

Pos.TitleArtistStatus
1WANTSOLAR(NEW)
2VVVTHE BOYZ(▼ 1)
3AirYEJI (ITZY)(▲ 2)
4BEBESTAYC(▲ 7)
5MONA LISAj-hope (BTS)(NEW)
6BTGKiiKii(NEW)
7Adult SwimKAI (EXO)(NEW)
8StunnerTEN (NCT)(NEW)
9CHESTJUST B(NEW)
10Burnin’ TiresCHANGBIN & I.N (Stray Kids)(▼ 6)
11YELLOWTREASURE(▼ 9)
12PanicBEOMGYU (TXT)(▼ 5)
13HOTLE SSERAFIM(RE-ENTER)
14BLUEZEROBASEONE(▲ 6)
15Beautiful LieXdinary Heroes(▲ 2)
16TOO BADG-DRAGON with Anderson .Paak(RE-ENTER)
1796ersHxW (SEVENTEEN)(RE-ENTER)
18PYTHONGOT7(▲ 3)
19LOVE RACESF9(▼ 6)
20REBEL HEARTIVE(RE-ENTER)
21Like JENNIEJENNIE (BLACKPINK)(▼ 9)
22All My PoetryCLOSE YOUR EYES(NEW)
23BREATHExikers(NEW)
24BURNARTMS(NEW)
25CINEMALEE KNOW & SEUNGMIN (Stray Kids)(▼ 16)
26Baby, Not BabySEULGI (Red Velvet)(RE-ENTER)
27The Starry NightONEWE(▲ 2)
28The ChaseHearts2Hearts(RE-ENTER)
29Doctor! Doctor!ZEROBASEONE(RE-ENTER)
30STRESSCHUNG HA(RE-ENTER)

[Album Review] WITNESS (2nd Mini Album) – ALL(H)OURS

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My first review for ALL(H)OURS was for their comeback single, SHOCK. In that review, I mentioned that I would review their debut track (and potentially mini-album) in the future. I still haven’t got around to that. But in a fitting style, ALL(H)OURS’ first album review is for the mini-album that features the title track SHOCK—their second mini-album, WITNESS. It was released in July 2024 and features a total of five songs.

Overall, I found the mini-album a consistent release, showcasing an EDM and hip-hop sound profile throughout most of the release. For a new group to whom I haven’t really dove into yet, this is a decent showing from the new group. More recently, ALL(H)OURS released their 3rd mini-album, Smoke Point, which features the tracks Graffiti and Gimme Gimme. I haven’t reviewed these as well. But at the very least, a review for Gimme Gimme is on the cards.

Until then, here are my thoughts on WITNESS.

WITNESS Album Cover

1. WITNESS – ALL(H)OURS kicks off their mini-album with the instrumental track WITNESS, kickstarting the release with a powerful rave-like track. It doesn’t hold back and has the adrenaline coursing through your body. I find it refreshing because we don’t hear all that many rave-like tracks in KPOP, though I admit it isn’t for everyone. It isn’t my usual go-to form of EDM. But on this mini-album, knowing what comes after, WITNESS does a good job of launching right into the rest.   

2. SHOCK (도깨비) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for SHOCK. (9/10)

3. PSYCHO MANTRA – The group leans towards an aggressive and abrasive sound profile in PSYCHO MANTRA. There are a few other sides of ALL(H)OURS that I will touch on in a second, but these two are the ones that I remember most vividly from the song. The aggressiveness comes out during the chorus when the rappers go shouty, and the abrasiveness comes through via the EDM/rock-influenced instrumentation and distorted vocals that form part of the background. We get some sleekness and smoothness from the vocal line, but it is very short-lived since the rappers get the limelight in PSYCHO MANTRA. Overall, it’s a cool song. (8/10)

4.’Bout That Issue – ‘Bout That Issue showcases both the vocals and rappers in a more balanced manner than the previous song. And from this, I can tell that ALL(H)OURS has a strong line of both. We also hear much more of that hip-hop genre in this song since the instrumental isn’t overwhelming. I actually appreciate that a lot, considering the song before this one. I find ‘Bout That Issue to be intriguing thanks to that vocal melody in the chorus. There is something very familiar about that I cannot pinpoint where I have heard it before. I also like the “’Bout That Issue” repetition that forms the song’s main hook. (8/10)

5. Blah Blah – Blah Blah gets the EDM and hip-hop balance just right. It also gives us some dramatic percussion/drumming, which makes the song cooler. I did think the vocals and rapping could have been stronger in this song. The members’ delivery didn’t hit the spot for me and they kept their styles very safe. Had they gone further, I think Blah Blah would have been a killer track. (7/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8/10

ALL(H)OURS’ teaser image for WITNESS

[Review] WANT – SOLAR (MAMAMOO)

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It has been almost a year since SOLAR made her solo comeback with But I and Colors. Earlier this week, she returned with her new single WANT and her second single album of the same name.

Right off the bat, I really enjoyed the feel-good vibes that WANT exudes, particularly during the choruses. This definitely makes for a great impression. Considering her the main singles from her last release (linked above), the thought that WANT felt a little ordinary did cross my mind. But WANT still manages to hit the right spots for me. I found WANT‘s hooks to be very catchy and earwormy. The song’s dance-pop instrumental is fun, bright and bold. I find myself nodding along to the beat every listen since its release. Solar’s vocals really shone throughout the song, especially when it came to the ad-libs during the final chorus. It shouldn’t come as a surprise given her widely known powerful vocals. But she really impressed me here with her spectacular high notes. I do feel like the verses were weaker moments of WANT, simply because I don’t remember too much from them. But the choruses (for reasons mentioned above) compensated for the verses, given how prolific they were. Overall, a decent song from Solar.

I am on the fence when it comes to the music video. It showcases the good-vibes from WANT. But I didn’t find anything enticing about the video to make me want to revisit the video in the future. I did like the classy hotel setting the entire video was shot in. But Solar’s outfits were rather plain and didn’t match the vibe of the location. She does look good (as she always does), but it is the pairing of outfits and location that gets me.

The choreography also encapsulated those same feel-good vibes that I keep on mentioning. But unlike the music video, I think it did a good job of this. I enjoyed the lightheartedness of the moves and it brought a smile to my face. Solar focuses on her live vocals for the performance (which makes it one to watch!), but does participate in the choreography to help keep it engaging (for me, at least).

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] Adult Swim – KAI (EXO)

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Just over a month after his discharge from the Korean military, KAI is back on the music scene. He is due to release his fourth mini-album, Wait On Me, later this month. But ahead of the mini-album, he is teasing us with a pre-release single, Adult Swim. We last saw KAI through his Rover comeback.

My comments about minimalism have been recurring recently. If you have not been tuning in or are visiting the blog for the first time, here is my recent hot take — a minimalistic sound can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can be a vibe. In KAI’s Adult Swim, the minimalistic sound comes off as both suspenseful and sensual. KAI follows this vibe with a deep, monotonous repetition of the song title in the chorus that some could describe as alluring. For me, this was the most memorable part of Adult Swim. On the other hand, a minimalistic sound can also draw out an empty and lacking feeling. And honestly, that is what I feel and think the most about Adult Swim. The minimalistic sound makes the song feel plain and uneventful. This had implications, such as that I don’t remember much from Adult Swim besides the chorus. A few repeats tonight did help bring the ending of Adult Swim to the forefront, where more drumming percussion and a melody come into play. But while conceptually, it was a good addition to help make the song more interesting, it didn’t work out that way. Both kept in line with the rest of the song’s plainness and didn’t do much to make Adult Swim exciting. It also doesn’t help that it was very brief.

Firstly, it is great to see KAI back on our screens. He is an excellent performer, and his presence was missed over the last year or so while he was in the military. In the music video, we see KAI hanging out with his friends by the pool, which continues throughout the video. A bit standard, though. KAI looks great in the video, but I wished he had a wider variety of outfits besides the blue and grey crop tops. We saw glimpses of other outfits (and him being shirtless), but they were brief. Instead, the blue and grey crop tops looked very similar, so I thought he wore the same crop top for the entire video.

Based on what I saw in the video, I have a similar comment to the one I made above—it is great to see KAI back on stage. His moves in this routine find a really nice balance between sharp and fluid motions. It also feels a lot freer and less of a routine. The moves accompanying the ‘Shake, shake it for me‘ part in the bridge look fun and will probably be my pick for my favourite moment in the choreography.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] MONA LISA – j-hope (BTS)

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ICYMI – j-hope returned from his military enlistment in October last year. As soon as 2025 started, he got right back to releasing new music. These include two singles titled LV Bag (by Don Toliver, “Speedy” and j-hope, ft. Pharrell Williams) and Sweet Dreams (ft. Miguel). Last week, he dropped his third single of the year, MONA LISA. He has also embarked on a worldwide concert tour.

MONA LISA is a straightforward hip-hop and R&B track. The word ‘straightforward’ is the key phrase to note. Execution-wise, I thought the song was fine. j-hope does a great job with his sing-rap delivery and the trap-based instrumentation was very clean. MONA LISA does have some ring to it, enough to make the song earwormy for some. But not me, unfortunately. There is just nothing exciting in MONA LISA. And that is the consistent theme I get from the song. Everything in the track, including the aforementioned delivery by j-hope and the instrumentation, feels very safe, lacks excitement and fails to do anything to grab my attention etc.. At the end of the day, I found MONA LISA to be a listen once and never again. There is just nothing enticing enough in MONA LISA that gets me coming back for more.

The music video is also relatively simple. Shot in a very contemporary art gallery, the video features j-hope and his dancers performing the song’s choreography. The location makes perfect sense, given the lyrics likens a special someone to a masterpiece. As for the choreography, it is pretty good and complements the straightforward hip-hop sound MONA LISA features. j-hope is quite flirty throughout the routine, which helps make the video engaging. Its not like they could have relied on the song for this). I enjoyed the one-shot-esque style of the video.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10