Casual reviews of KPOP songs, music videos & dances
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.
Known for their horror theme comebacks (I previously formed video theory posts regarding their horror ‘Nightmare’ series featuring the music videos of Fly High, You & I, Chase Me and Good Night), Dream Catcher has made their horrifying return today with PIRI. This is the group’s first comeback since their What promotions back in Septemeber. Since then, the group made their Japanese debut with the Japanese version of What and also released another single (Over The Sky) for their fans in celebration of their 3rd year anniversary since debut.
PIRI, after a very quick Google search, is a Korean instrument made from bamboo, which is often heard in Korean folk music. I am not 100% sure but it seems like PIRI opens up with a whistling sound, which I think could be an actual piri instrument. But it is used as a detail, on top of the group signature rock instrumental sound. It is another intense song that really showcases another powerful side of the group. I did like the moments where the rock instrumental was stripped away for a soft piano. But the best bit was when the instrumental went for a full rock out during the chorus. The vocals were superb in the song. But the rapping is what caught my attention, once again. We all know how good Dami is, as per the group’s previous comebacks, but Dami is joined by Gahyeon in this song and she gives Dami some competition. Overall, PIRI is another amazing song from the group.
I think of the reason why I am drawn to Dream Catcher comebacks is for the visuals. Sure, the song is always a selling point but to this date, no other girl group has attempted the horror concept to a successful degree. In this video, the group is trying to make their way out of the mansion and come across haunting corridors and objects. Connected corridors that lead to the same spot, creepy dolls that turn their heads by themselves, multiple ringing phones and ticking clocks and a TV that shows a second version of yourself. I find the contrast between the darkness in the plot scenes and the brightness form the choreography scenes very interesting for this video.
I thought the choreography for this comeback was quite cool. Dream Catcher always has fitting dance moves for their rock-influenced songs. I like the many waves they made during the verses and the introductory sequence looked really cool. I also liked the touch of power they gave during the chorus.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
There are many groups from smaller companies that just don’t the attention they deserve. Many of which releases amazing songs that deserve a place on charts but never get the chance. One of these many groups is TST (formerly known as TopSecret). TST has returned to the stage with Wake Up. This is the group’s first comeback since their amazing Paradise comeback last year. Once again, they have returned short with one member, as Wooyoung has taken some time off to focus on health recovery.
Wake Up is a very bright and youthful song. It is the type of song that makes you want to smile within the first few seconds of the song and the energy is quite appealing. It does fall under the category of a typical pop song but it is done in a way that leaves me wanting more. I really liked the instrumental of the song. It was slightly funky and had retro elements that remind me of what KPOP actually used to be. Actually, the song reminded me of Infinite’s Man In Love and I think this song could have been part of Infinite discography. The vocal work for this track was pretty good. But it was the rapping was the highlight for me. The rapping here is definitely my preferred style and boosted the song’s appeal to a whole new level for me. Overall, Wake Up is a very energetic track that I will be continually returning to in the future.
The music video doesn’t have the same budget as some of the other music videos we have seen where the budget is obviously much higher. But they seemed to do a good job with handling that aspect. I am not sure if they actually built sets for this music video. In fact, the setting felt pretty much a contemporary art gallery. And I think is even more impressive than a high budget video if it is done right (and guess what, I think it is). I would have liked something more to really drive up the appeal of the video. But for something to fit an all smiling and positive energy song, this is already quite nice.
One could say their performance is fitting for the song. Youthful and fun. And I pretty much agree with that. But I can see the side of how it is quite cheesy and cliche. As a standard pop song, you would be constricted in terms of style and I guess this is what happened here. Maybe they could have gone for a more chill and laid-back approach.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 6.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.2/10
We recontinue the ‘Past Album’ review segment this week with B.A.P’s One Shot mini-album, which was released back in 2013. The group’s second mini-album features Rain Sound and One Shot, the release’s main title track. One Shot also gained attention for its plot-twisting alternative ending and choreography. It is also what I would deem as one of their most iconic songs to date. Currently, the future of B.A.P is up in the air with the departure of Bang Yong Guk and Zelo (B.A.P’s rappers) announced last year. But regardless of what the future may hold, B.A.P has given us an outstanding discography that should not be missed!
One Shot Album Cover
1..Punch – Starting off the album is Punch. It is best described as an impactful song based on its meaning and its sound. The song is about standing up against those who think lowly of you. That already is loaded with a deep message! The music reminds me of a boxing match. The crowd goes wild in some parts and they seem to be close by. On top of that but the music does get you pumped up for what is to come. Throw in the vocal and rapping work of the members, in particular, Daehyun and Yong Guk’s and this song speak volumes on its own. (8/10)
3. Rain Sound (Pre-Release Track) – I was under the impression I had previously written a review for Rain Sound, but it turns out that wasn’t the case. Rain Sound is presented to us as a ballad and it seems to focus on more of the vocals than the rapping, which isn’t a normal thing from what I could remember B.A.P doing back in the day. The vocals were very good, at the time from memory and I liked the softer approach with the rapping, which once again allowed for the shift in focus. The instrumentation also featured acoustic guitars and thumping drums, which I thought were extremely notable in a song like this. Listening to the song now, you can tell how much the group has developed in both technique and sound. (8/10)
4. Coma – Embedded into the One Shot music video, we have Punch and Coma. Coma is extremely fitting to the video for its very dramatic instrumentation and sound, which I think is the main highlight for this track. I also like how serious sounding the track is, which makes you wonder what the song is about. The vocals are quite good, with all the members standing out. Both rappers sound amazing, but I think Yong Guk stands out once again as his raspy voice fits into the song’s atmosphere quite well. I did like how they got Son Ji Eun (former member of Secret) to feature in this track but did feel out of the blue for me. (8/10)
5. 0 (ZERO) – I really liked the melody of Zero as it has this flowy nature to it that felt so smooth. I liked the pop vibes from the instrumental, especially the guitar in the background, which I thought was nice. It compliments the vocals of the members. I did like how the rapping took a more melodic approach and kept itself in the background of the song, allowing the vocals to be the flourishing component of the song. The song overall has a very nice melody, which makes it a nice song to end the album with. (8/10)
Finally, after a year’s wait, Taemin has finally returned to South Korea with his second mini-album and title track of the same name, WANT. His last Korean comeback was back in 2017 with the sexy Move and Day and Night. But Taemin wasn’t completely absent from the scene in the year break from his solo Korean works. In fact, he participated in SHINee’s 10-year anniversary comeback last year and also released a solo album in Japan.
The first thing that popped into my head while listening to WANT was how perfectly suited Taemin was for this track. In fact, it fits extremely well into his portfolio of songs so far. It is a powerful track but the powerfulness into explicitly apparent. Instead, it takes a subtle approach, which is similar to what Move ended up demonstrating. Want has this element of funkiness to it, which I thought was alluring. The song is described to be ‘space disco’, which I think is a new genre to really discover. His vocals are amazing in this song as they sounded flawless throughout the track. My favourite bit has to be the peak at the very end of the bridge (and the end of the second verse). It caught me off guard as it doesn’t fit the atmosphere but it left an impression on me where I ‘wanted’ more of the song.
How aesthetically pleasing is this music video? I am extremely amazed at the quality and work put into this video. The song calls for an aesthetic video and that is what we definitely got. The video seems to play on temptation, which is essentially what the song is about. We got Taemin acting all sexy and homme fatale throughout the video as if he is tempting fans with his sexiness. The inclusion of snakes in the video hints back at the temptation of Eve. The sets were elaborate and looked breathtaking, especially that final choreography scene with the big screen behind him and the dancers.
The dance takes on sexy once again. It is what Taemin does best. His movements are rather sharp when needed but smooth when it is time to be tempting, which I think was quite fitting for this entire comeback. The dance looks quite complicated yet Taemin manages to pull it off effortless, especially during the choruses, which I quite liked form the music video.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 10/10
The performance It is expected to be an intense year with new groups debuting from 2 of the Big 3 (YG Entertainment and JYP Entertainment. Note that SM Entertainment hasn’t confirmed any debuts as of yet). And kicking off this particular competition is JYP Entertainment, with their brand new five-member female group, ITZY. The group is made up of Yuna, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, Lia and Yeji. You may find Ryujin familiar as she earned first place in the MIXNINE survive show for the female side, while Chaeryeong would be familiar due to her presence of SIXTEEN. The group made their debut earlier today with DALLA DALLA.
DALLA DALLA is a hip-hop techno infused track that really grabs your attention for its trend instrumental from the very start. And I like this uniqueness about the track as it is something you haven’t heard in KPOP at all yet. And as expected, the song is very catchy with its addictive melody and lyrics just practically in front of you the entire time as you listen to the track. It is vibrant and it surely does pop from the rest of the competition. I thought the vocals were good, while the rap gave the song more intensity that I had expected. But that isn’t a bad thing as I thought it was cool. I also like their message of self-confidence in the lyrics. However, that ‘Keep your chin up. We got your back‘ line during the bridge felt too cheesy for this song. I had expected some sort of chanting as we progressed through the song but what we got didn’t fit the song’s vibes in the end. Apart from that, it is a fun song.
The music video is a good opener to really introduce the girls in a visual manner. However, I couldn’t help but think how mediocre the entire video was when you reflect back on it. It just didn’t have any memorable moments. But I did like the graphics that were used for the different sets. I also liked their edginess, while keeping that direction that JYP girl groups tend to have (look at TWICE at the moment and Miss A’s earlier days).
The performance accompanying this debut is quite good. From what I can see in the music video, it is energetic, bold and well suited for the song. They also seem to go with some complicated moves, which I think looks good. I am excited to see the whole performance in full!
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 6.5/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
It is time for another album review (though this one should have been released yesterday). And the artist I have been dying to delve into their discography is ATEEZ. I, unfortunately, did not get around to reviewing their first mini-album but I thought I did. Don’t you hate it when you have those moments? Anyway, I will return to do their first mini-album sometime in the future but until then let’s have a closer look at Zero To One, which features the title track, Say My Name.
3. Desire – I find this song very interesting. It is mainly the instrumental that does a lot of the intriguing appeal work for me. The start is distorted in a way that really sets the aesthetic tone of the song. The verses felt the song was going to be upbeat and energetic. But the fake drop featured in the chorus really gives it an unexpecting twist that makes the song appealing. The vocals and rapping were nice. But I think the best part of the song has to be the bridge, which was very motivating to listen, and it also started this adventurous tone in the instrumental, which I thought was another great twist in the song. (9/10)
4. Light – Light features a jazzy R&B instrumental, which I think is ideal for a café setting. The song is slower paced than their previous tracks on the album, which I think is also quite nice. I like how the rappers sang or rap-sang in the song. The main rapper who had the raspy voice was just perfect for this song and his part stood out the most for me. I think the song a little on the mediocre side but it was still nice to get something a little more wholesome and softer from the group. (7/10)
5. Promise – Promise is a more typical approach to an EDM dance track. But it does a good job of showcasing the members in both areas of vocals and raps. That high note was really cool and the rapping was, as usual, giving the song that needed level of intensity. The song had a very vibrant instrumental and the drop made the song feel energetic. I also thought the song was very addictive with its strong and dominant hook. It may be a standard route but it is still quite good. (9/10)
6. From – Based on the information I gather for these reviews, From was actually a pre-debut single for the group that was omitted from the first mini-album (though I am not sure why). There is also a music video for this song, which you can view here. Listening to the song, you get laid back vibes and light-hearted despite it going for the EDM route. I liked the vocals, especially in the pre-chorus and the rapping also standout. (8/10)
It is Sunday, so it is time to find out which artist and song topped the charts off this week! As you may know, I tend to do an album review alongside the Weekly KPOP Charts (heads up for those who don’t know), but due to more unforeseeable circumstances for this week, I will publish that post tomorrow. Apologies once again. But everything should be back on track for next week!
Taking their spot on the very top of the charts for the 1st Week of February 2019 is GFriend’s Sunrise, almost a month after its release. No by CLC also rose the same amount of positions to take its place in the second position. Last week’s number 1 song, All Night by ASTRO, dropped to the third position. Seventeen’s Home and Cherry Bullet’s Q&A finish off the top 5 for this week. For more of the charts, scroll down below!
4th Feb – 10th Feb 2018
Title
Artist
Status
1
Sunrise
Gfriend
(▲ 2)
2
No
CLC
(▲ 2)
3
All Night
ASTRO
(▼ 2)
4
Home
Seventeen
(▲ 1)
5
Q&A
Cherry Bullet
(▼ 3)
6
Lonely Night
KNK
(▲ 4)
7
La La Love
WJSN (Cosmic Girl)
(▲ 5)
8
Valkyrie
ONEUS
(▲ 9)
9
Say My Name
ATEEZ
(▲ 6)
10
Getting Closer
Seventeen
(▲ 1)
11
U Um U Um
Hyomin (T-ARA)
(▲ 2)
12
Gotta Go
Kim Chungha
(▲ 9)
13
%%
APINK
(▼ 5)
14
MILLIONS
Winner
(▲ 5)
15
We Must Love
ONF
(new)
16
TicToc
NEONPUNCH
(=)
17
Loca
Favorite
(▼ 8)
18
HALA HALA
ATEEZ
(▲ 20)
19
I’m OK
iKON
(▲ 5)
20
Ya
Lee Minhyuk (BTOB)
(▼ 13)
21
Ring Ring Ring
VERIVERY
(▲ 6)
22
Only U
IMFACT
(▲16)
23
I Wanna Know
Roh Taehyun (HOTSHOT)
(▼ 5)
24
Why
Kim Hyun Joong
(new)
25
Rooftop
N.Flying
(=)
26
Dream About U
NATURE
(▼ 4)
27
Days Gone By
DAY6
(▼ 4)
28
Candle Light
NCT Dream
(▲ 9)
29
Love Shot
EXO
(▼ 15)
30
Gone
Lee Changsub (BTOB)
(▼ 1)
Songs leaving the charts this week are:
Days Gone By – DAY6
Gone – Lee Changsub (BTOB)
The Best Thing I Ever Did – TWICE
Love Shot – EXO
Hair In The Air – Yeri (Red Velvet) x Renjun, Jeno & Jaemin (NCT)
See you all next week. And I will be back with an album review and songs reviews tomorrow!
Last month, ATEEZ returned with their first comeback since their debut, Say My Name. As part of the teasing process for their comeback and second mini-album (album review coming later this weekend), the group had released a Performance Video for the track HALA HALA, which lasted 1:29 minutes. Now, almost a month later, the group has released a full music video (or another performance video) for entire HALA HALA track that was also featured alongside Say My Name on the Treasure Part 2: Zero to One mini-album.
I liked how the song first started off soft. Knowing ATEEZ and the tracks they have done so far, this softer start really creates a tense atmosphere. It gradually builds up, peaking off during the pre-chorus vocal part. Vocals here were superb and this showcased more of the group on that side of things. The chorus has one of those fake drops, which I think was an interesting choice and definitely gives the song some aesthetics. The rapping in the second verse and bridge was perfectly rough for the song. And I liked how they changed the final chorus up to really give the song that peak ending. I think the song was a really good track to follow up with. The hip-hop influence was strong and I felt like this further extends their potential. It isn’t your typical song, so I understand how this may not be for everyone. But for someone who is looking for a new group to follow, this song just solidifies the need to pay attention to ATEEZ.
I will be completely honest. The black outfits, along with the mask and wide brim hats really give me the creeps. It is actually quite mysterious. The same outfit appeared in the Say My Name video but I am still a little confused on why they don the outfit in the earlier video. They do take it off towards the end, showing a smear of blood on the corner of one of the member’s mouths, so I guess the idea of vampires has to be thrown into the possible theory mix. This video just leaves me with more questions. Apart from that, I thought the performance video was well put together.
I don’t know about you but I wanted more stomping in the performance. The song was perfect for just that. But everything else we got was equally as good. I really liked that slow fist slash that appeared during the first pre-chorus. I thought that was rather cool to watch. The chorus itself looked dynamic and the entire performance does a good job of showcasing their skills in dancing.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
It has been almost 5 years since we last saw Kim Hyun Joong on the stage in Korea. But due to Japanese promotions and a number of scandals, he put his solo career on hold. On top of that, he also enlisted in the military and completed his duty in 2017. And now, he has returned with his new mini-album, New Way and the title track, Why. This is his first comeback since Beauty Beauty was released in 2014.
Why is a completely different sound to what Kim Hyun Joong used to release as a solo artist in the earlier in the decade. It is a vocally driven ballad. I personally did not expect this vocal style from him. Sure, I knew he could sing but not in this manner. The song gives off Roy Kim or John Park vibes, which I thought was a very interesting approach. I also liken his vocals to those artists. He doesn’t nail it perfectly but he is in that vicinity if we were to put all vocalists onto a spectrum of some sort. I liked the soothing nature of the ballad but I felt like the instrumental could have been a little bolder. I wanted a stronger orchestral touch to the song, which I think could have helped the song to sound more emotionally driven. Overall, Why is a nice song. It could have been more but it was still good nonetheless.
The music video was also quite interesting. We see Kim Hyun Joong and a female break up and they part ways. He spends a lot of his time walking in his chosen direction and this continues until the final chorus, to which he turns back and starts running in the direction of his former companion. But he lost her in the crowd and it comes until then that their relationship is no longer possible. The music video also features French (correct me if I am wrong) subtitles for all of the Korean that he sings but English subtitles when he sings words or phrases in English. Don’t really understand the point of that but thought it was intriguing. Another thing I noticed is that a lot of the people in the background are staring at him throughout the video. That has never bothered me before but I guess it is a lot noticeable due to the slow nature of the video.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.4/10
After their release of an absolute favourite, Complete, ONF has returned with We Must Love, their latest title track. It has been 8 months since the release of the previous track, which has set the bar extremely high in regards to the high quality of the title tracks for the group. Since their last promotions, the group have been relatively quiet with the exception of their Japanese debut back in July 2018 with the Japanese version of On/Off.
We Must Love is not a relatively quiet song, however. In fact, it is a dance track with smashing instrumental. It doesn’t necessarily pop as much as Complete but it has a show-stopping chorus which I am already hooked to. The instrumental for the chorus is staggered in a way that is unique. It is quite profound and the combination with the vocals from the main vocalists definitely makes it a highlight. I also like the piano featured within the verses, which made them feel very different from the chorus. The vocals here are equally as amazing as the chorus. On top of that. I also enjoyed the squeaky post-chorus instrumental hook, which provided the song with energy. But my absolute favourite part of the song has to be the rapping. I thought the instrumental in this section was perfect. I really enjoyed the dramatic buildup and it really highlights the rapper’s voices. We Must Love is a must love song, based on how much I have enjoyed it so far.
I find the music video quite confusing as all the members are all over the place. And I think time travel might be an element within the storyline of the video. The members used to all be part of this group in this futuristic place. But one of the members (the guy wearing the aqua jumper) uses a wrist device to travel to a different time era, to which he runs into himself at the local train station, identifiable by the barcode tattoo. I assume the other members too travel to this other time period in search of the missing member but instead run into his old self, who doesn’t recognise them. That’s my take on the video but I am not too sure. It is still a good video with amazing scenery shot in the video. It is also filmed in Hue, a beautiful city in Vietnam.
Interestingly, the performance video for their comeback has already been released. This is highly unusual due to the fact that the performance video is usually released either a few days or weeks after the actual music video release. But this gives us a great insight into their performance, which looks amazing. The dance break looks really cool and the synchronisation of the performance really makes it stand out even more.
Song – 9.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 9.2/10
It is Thursday and I am finally getting around to publishing the first post for this week! It was Lunar New Year on Tuesday, so it has been a relatively slow week on the music scene and hence the lack of reviews. But today, we are going to jump start this week with an album review from CLC. The album was released last week and titled as No.1 (pronounced as No One). It contains the title track, No, that I am enjoying quite a bit in the past week or so. But what about the rest of the album? Let’s find out!
2. Show – Show is one of the tracks that could have had potential as the title track. It is a little more mainstream, compared to the actual title track, which is more in your face. There is a lot of nice hooks in this track that are well appreciated, resulting in a very catchy track. The rapping in this track is spectacular and gave the song some added intensity. I liked how the vocals weren’t really as in your face. Instead, they were quite soft, complimenting the instrumental in their respective parts. I think if those were amended, the song would have been a 100% standout. I did like how they incorporated some of that electronic transitional effects. (9/10)
3. Breakdown – I liked how paced and sexy this track sounds. I personally don’t remember CLC doing anything as sensual as this, so this is quite nice. The song tackles the R&B side of music quite successful. I liked the sound of glass breaking, which gives the song some texture. I also quite liked the low bass in the background, which felt like a humming effect. I also like the trumpet brass, which added that extra needed detail to really make the song pop out. Vocally, this is a strong song despite it being more on the weaker side of things. (8/10)
4. Like It – I would describe Like It as a mash-up of the sensual side that we got from Breakdown (see above) and their current edgy style that fans are enjoying. The result of this mashup sounds good but I can see why it is chosen as a side track and not the title track. I thought the hip-hop instrumentation was quite nice. Also the instrumental, combined with the hooks of the song make the song quite addictive and ear-catching. I liked how tough the rap sounded and the vocals were quite good. (7.5/10)
5. I Need U – I Need U is undeniably the brightest song of the bunch. And it is a great energetic dance track to end off the album. It feels like a Western song based on the melody of the track. I really liked the saxophone in the background during the post-chorus hook. It is quite subtle, but it manages to become a highlight of the track for me. I thought the vocals were nice, especially when they all sing together during the hooks. The rapping was unexpected as it took a softer approach. I am torn about this because I did expect it to be a little rougher to really tie the song together. But the soft approach still works exceptionally well. (9/10)
Many male groups that have been active for a number of years so far have reached that stage where their members have started to enlist into the military, a mandatory requirement for all males in South Korea. However, not many do send-offs like BTOB does. Changsub enlisted earlier this year and in December 2018,, he made his solo debut through the mini-album, Mark. Now, Minhyuk (or HUTA) is due to enlist in the coming week and has bid farewell with the release of HUTAZONE, his solo debut album, which features two title tracks (and is the focus of this album review). I personally hope that they continue doing this for all the members who enlist as this is an excellent way to say farewell for the next 2 years, whilst also leaving a treat for fans.
HUTAZONE Album Cover
1..Hutazone (Intro Track) – Opening the album is the track that shares the same name as the album. HUTAZONE is a great taster for the audience, showcasing his vocals and raps. But not only that we get a range of vocals and raps, which I think is quite impressive. It also gets you into the mood for the album, going with an R&B infused hip-hop track. But the music doesn’t spoil what is come. It just merely introduces the album, which I quite like. (8/10)
3. You Too? Me Too! (너도? 나도!) (ft. Jeon Soyeon ((G)I-DLE) – For some reason, this party sound, which is very vibrant and colourful, is quite unexpecting. I particularly like the high-pitch vocalisation in the background for the post-chorus hook. It gives the song that quirky feel on top of the fun vibes. I like his vocals in the song, especially when it was slightly husky. I also liked Soyeon’s featuring in the song as the song suited her tone and delivery quite well. (9/10)
4. Pretend Like I Don’t Care (아무렇지 않은 척) – Pretend Like I Don’t Care takes a step back and goes for a vocally driven song (however, he does rap in the song. Just the rapping felt more like a featuring). I liked how the instrumental sounded piano, giving the song a sweet sound. His low notes were shown off during this song and those were my favourite parts of the song. It is definitely interesting to see a change in pace for Minhyuk with such a song. (8/10)
5. This Must Be A Dream (ft. Yoook Sungjae (BTOB)) – This Must Be A Dream is a duet with Minhyuk and fellow BTOB member, Sungjae. It is a nice jazzy-influenced ballad to really showcase their harmonies and voices. I also liked Minhyuk’s rapping in the song. It didn’t feel needed, but it was still good. It isn’t the standout track for me though, but I am sure some fans (Melodies and co.) will think otherwise. (7/10)
6. Falling Flowers (화) (Interlude) – It was this Interlude that got me writing this album review. Falling Flowers is the hidden gem on the album. It only goes for a minute or so, but it is the best minute or so on the album (no offence to any of his amazing tracks on the album). His vocals are spectacular in this track. It brings chills to me when I think of this song. The instrumental is equally as profound and impactful. (10/10)
7. Fallin’ – Following the previous song, I did not expect something so cheerful right off the start. I expected some easing to occur. But nonetheless, it is another energetic and fun sounding track that really catches on quickly. Once again, both his vocals and rapping stands out in this track. I quite like its pop-centred and colourful instrumental, even though it did feel slightly squeaky. I also liked that xylophone ending. It is something different and refreshing. (8/10)
8. All Day (Korean Version) – All Day is a single that featured on Minhyuk’s Japanese solo album which he released last year. For this album, he obviously had it rewritten in Korean. To me, it is another passable track on the album. I liked how it flowed but it was necessary interesting. I think the most catching moment of the song was the synthesizer keyboard in the instrumental. (6/10)
10. Tonight (With Melody) (Title Track) – The second title track on the album is Tonight. The song, as suggested from the title, is for BTOB’s fans. It is another fun track. But this one was more light-hearted than the other tracks we have heard of the same nature. Everything about the song is quite likeable but it doesn’t feel memorable for me (though I would think fans would say otherwise). Watching the live performances for this track, I liked how the track was designed to let the fans sing along, which lives up to the ‘With Melody’ part of the title. (7.5/10)
11. Waiting For You – Bring his Minhyuk’s album to a close is Waiting For You, which I thought was a pleasant track to really tie everything together. It brings his vocals and raps together, once again, but in a way that it feels like a send-off. Not serious like his title track nor fun like his other tracks on the album. In a way, it is touching. The instrumental was very appealing due to the violins in the background. I quite liked this song. (8/10)
It is that time of the week again! The time where we find out which artist and song topped the charts for the week. And this time I am not late but on schedule. Hopefully, I continue to be on time in the weeks to come because it does throw my agenda off completely for the week.
Speaking about agenda, there will be no reviews or other posts this Monday (tomorrow) or Tuesday due to the Lunar New Year. I will be with my family during those days and will not be near a computer to write any reviews. And with that, I would like to wish everyone a new year filled with luck, prosperity, wealth and health. Happy Lunar New Year from KPOPREVIEWED!!!
And now, the song that topped the charts for this week is ASTRO’s All Night, which rose up 11 positions. Following behind them is Cherry Bullet’s Q&A, which remained steady in the second position since the last week. GFriend rose up one position to take out the bronze podium with Sunrise, while CLC disapproves with No in the fourth position. Finally, SEVENTEEN’s Home, which was last week’s Number 1 song, finds itself in the fifth position for this week. For more of the charts, scroll down below!
27th Jan – 2nd Jan 2019
Title
Artist
Status
1
All Night
ASTRO
(▲ 10)
2
Q&A
Cherry Bullet
(=)
3
Sunrise
Gfriend
(▲ 1)
4
No
CLC
(new)
5
Home
Seventeen
(▼ 4)
6
Only U
IMFACT
(▲ 1)
7
Ya
Lee Minhyuk (BTOB)
(▲ 8)
8
%%
APINK
(=)
9
Loca
Favorite
(=)
10
Lonely Night
KNK
(▼ 4)
11
Getting Closer
Seventeen
(▲ 7)
12
La La Love
WJSN (Cosmic Girls)
(▼ 7)
13
U Um U Um
Hyomin (T-ARA)
(▲ 6)
14
Love Shot
EXO
(=)
15
Say My Name
ATEEZ
(▲ 5)
16
TicToc
NEONPUNCH
(new)
17
Valkyrie
ONEUS
(▼ 4)
18
I Wanna Know
Roh Taehyun (HOTSHOT)
(▼ 6)
19
MILLONS
Winner
(▼ 2)
20
Faker
LU:KUS
(▲ 16)
21
Gotta Go
Kim Chungha
(▼ 18)
22
Dream About U
NATURE
(=)
23
Days Gone By
DAY6
(▲ 4)
24
I’m OK
iKON
(▲ 1)
25
Rooftop
N.Flying
(▲ 8)
26
Turn It On
Laboum
(▲ 2)
27
Ring Ring Ring
VERIVERY
(▼ 17)
28
Blue
Onew (SHINee)
(▲ 3)
29
Gone
Lee Changsub (BTOB)
(▲ 6)
30
First Sight
Heize
(▲ 6)
Songs leaving the charts this week are:
Miracle – GOT7
Turn It On – Laboum
Blue – Onew (SHINee)
Blue Rose – UP10TION
Thank you once again and hope to see you all next week!
What makes IZ*ONE unique,, in comparison to I.O.I and Wanna One, is that they incorporated trainees from Korea and Japanese members from AKB48. This allows the project group to debut in Japan, which their other Produce 101 counterparts have yet to do. And this event occurred last week with IZ*ONE making their Japanese debut with I Want To Say I Love You or Suki to Iwasetai. The actual song isn’t available until later this week but as the music video has been revealed in full, I thought we might as well have a closer listen/look at it.
My experience with the JPOP culture and industry is very limited. But Suki to Iwasetai does remind me fondly of the sounds and music that I commonly associate to mainstream JPOP, particularly girl groups. I don’t know how to exactly describe this particular JPOP sound, however, so that ends that observation. But I did like the piano and violins in the background during the chorus. Talking about the chorus, I also enjoyed the small blast of energy they give us. I did think the vocals were nice. They didn’t seem as clear as their Korean releases but it works with this JPOP sound that I have linked to the song. And the combination of the vocals and instrumental does make the song quite catchy. There is a side to me where I think they could have gone beyond this but it was a good track to start off their careers in Japan, from what I know of.
The music video is the main element of this debut that I wanted to talk about. I really liked the colours in this video. The backgrounds and scenery the producer chose for this video was definitely a highlight of the video, as they looked spectacular. The cinematography also complimented the choreography and amazing scenery. I liked how that choreography scene with the light strobes was set up. Aesthetics through the roof. I also thought the landfill set looked really cool and pretty with the colours. But my question is – did they really film at a landfill site? But once again, aesthetics.
There might be two choreography version to this debut, which I think is really interesting. The first would have to be the one performed on the road, whilst the second one is with the long coats. And I thought both were equally cool looking and definitely left a longing impression of their style.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
NEONPUNCH made their comeback yesterday with TicToc. This is the group’s first comeback since their debut single, Moonlight. Since then, the only major piece of news that has affected the group was in regards to Terry leaving the group for unspecified reasons. However, NEONPUNCH has been able to remain as a 5-member female group due to the addition of the Dohee this year.
The first thing that comes to mind when I listen to TicToc is that it is a rather fun song. There is no serious tone to the song whatsoever. Instead, it gets onboard the 90s train and really pops with its vibrant sound. I thought the ‘Na Na Na‘ was a very memorable part of the song and it definitely is my pick for the catchiest moment of the song. I thought the lead up to the chorus was quite nice and dynamic. The chorus was a little disappointed, as I expected something a little more loaded and energetic. But it was still good enough for the song. I thought the vocals were really nice on this track, going nicely with that said vibrancy. I think the song could have done with a longer and intensified rap sequence, as that could have kicked it up a notch. But I quite like TicToc as it is right now.
It seems like the main theme for this music video is time warps, as that is what we are thrown into at the very start of the video. Besides that, the emphasis is largely on clocks, which I think makes the most sense given the title. I liked how fast paced the scenes were in the video, matching the fast tempo of the song. I also thought many of the closeup shots made the members look pretty and highlighted their visuals.
I think the choreography during the ‘Na Na Na‘ part was really well done. It kind of has what it takes to be the next trendy move. As for the rest of the choreography, there really isn’t anything memorable to mention. It was nice but quite passable for the most part.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 6.5/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
It is time for another album review! SEVENTEEN made their return to the stage with Home last week, which is featured on their 6th mini-album, You Made My Dawn. The album also features Getting Closer, which the group previously performed at some of the awards shows they were invited to. The album also refocuses on the 3 units of the group (Vocal, Hip Hop and Performance) and I will be having a closer look at each of these songs.
You Made My Dawn Album Cover
1..Good To Me – Kicking the album off is Good To Me, which is an R&B dance track that really brings out the vocals and rapping capabilities of the group. I really liked the chorus for its rush of energy and the melody that portrays. But while I do like their execution and the song overall, I did think it was standard in comparison to the title track and the pre-release track, which are tracks that really stand out for their uniqueness when it comes to Seventeen’s discography. (7.5/10)
3. Hug (포옹) (Vocal Unit) – We now turn to the individual units of Seventeen. Hug focuses on the vocalists in a light that is quite delicate and fragile, which isn’t anything we usually get from the members. I liked the acoustic nature of the instrumental, which provides a feeling of warmth throughout the song. I was expecting it to pick up but I liked how they kept with the guitar throughout the track, as this lets us focus on the vocals of the Vocal unit primarily. (8/10)
4. Chilli (칠리) (Hip Hop Unit) – Chilli attempts to spice the album up. And it manages to just do that. Like I have mentioned numerous times before, I am not a major fan of autotune. But I personally do not mind it in this song. It contributes to the instrumental and creates what I think is a fun sound. It does maintain that hip-hop feel that the unit promises to bring along. The track also manages to be quite upbeat but in a rather subtle way, which I think is one of its appealing points. I also enjoyed the soft delivery from each of the members. (8.5/10)
5. Shhh (Performance Unit) – I think out of the three unit tracks on the album I am most satisfied with Shhh. The main reason to why that is the case is that while the Performance Unit focuses primarily on their dancing, the 4-member team also manages to bring good vocals and raps to the song. And their track has a very attractive instrumental that really fits their main goal. It is upbeat and techno, like their previous tracks. But that is also an aesthetic appeal to the track, which I quite liked. (9/10)
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