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.
Welcome to the second week of June 2018. Just a very quick update that I have one more exam left before I am on my break. Once the exam is finished up, I will be doing a lot of posting on this site, so prepare yourselves for that. On top of that, it is rather cold and wet where I live at the moment, so I don’t think I will be venturing out anytime soon, meaning more time on the computer and the site!
Still on top of the charts for the 3rd week straight is Bingle Bangle (by AOA). Also remaining steady in fourth and fifth position from last week is Lady by Yubin and DKDK by Fromis_9, respectively. Only the second and third position changed from last week with Complete by ONF and Take Me Higher by A.C.E rising from their respective positions last week. For more of the charts, you can scroll down below!
BTOB and Taeyeon (SNSD) will be making their comeback next week so you may expect them to be on the charts next week.
10th Jun – 16th Jun 2018
Title
Artist
Status
1
Bingle Bangle
AOA
(=)
2
Complete
ONF
(▲ 6)
3
Take Me Higher
A.C.E
(▲ 12)
4
Lady
Yubin
(=)
5
DKDK
Fromis_9
(=)
6
Light
Wanna One
(▼ 4)
7
DDU-DU DDU-DU
BLACKPINK
(new)
8
Get It
PRISTIN V
(▼ 1)
9
I Want You
SHINee
(new)
10
Time Of Sorrow
VICTON
(=)
11
Wind
BOL4
(▲ 19)
12
LATATA
(GI)-DLE
(▼ 3)
13
Fake Love
BTS
(▲ 4)
14
You & I
Dream Catcher
(▼ 8)
15
Tulips
Snuper
(▲ 3)
16
Good Evening
SHINee
(▼ 13)
17
Strong
WJMK
(▲ 32)
18
Fallin’ In Love
Woo Jinyoung & Kim Hyunsoo
(new)
19
Clover
LONGGUO
(new)
20
No More
UNI.T
(▲ 5)
21
Travel
BOL4
(▼ 5)
22
Bonnie & Clyde
24K
(▲ 12)
23
Hocus Pocus
PTL
(▲ 17)
24
Time For The Moon Night
GFriend
(▼ 4)
25
Call Your Name
JBJ
(▼ 4)
26
That Day
Lovelyz
(▼ 15)
27
The Feeling
BTOB
(new)
28
Dramatic
NTB
(▲ 5)
29
OMG
Halo
(▼ 10)
30
Grapes
Busters
(new)
Songs leaving the charts this week (and will not be appearing on the charts starting next week) are:
Baby – The Rose
The Light – IMFACT
Scentist – VIXX
Call Your Name – JBJ
Easy – Wheein (Mamamoo)
Snapshot – IN2IT
Thanks for the great week and hope to see you next week!
BLACKPINK is officially back. And finally, it isn’t a single. Instead, this is BLACKPINK’s first comeback with an actual mini-album. DDU-DU DDU-DU (뚜두뚜두) is the lead title track off their first mini-album, Square Up. Their last comeback was As If It Is Your Last, which was released back in June 2017. Since then, they did release a mini-album of their past hits in Japan and also released a very questionable lightstick.
DDU-DU DDU-DU has already topped the charts in South Korea and I can see why. First listen in and I was already enjoying the song. It takes on the hip-hop sound which their respective company centres around and they turn it into something that BLACKPINK can only release. I love the bass and the beat in the song, which really hypes up the song. The verses are made up of raps, while the pre-chorus focuses on the vocals. Can I just take a moment to just point out how the members sound flawless in this song, especially Jisoo and Rose during the pre-chorus. However, the standout section of the entire song has to be the chorus itself. I really like how simple it sounds but also it also presents a really catchy sounding instrumentation. I also like the change-up at the end with the exotic/foreign feel and the fast-paced flute (not too sure of the instrument), which ended the song on a bold yet strong note.
To me, the music video is BLACKPINK’s version of I Am The Best. The entire video shows BLACKPINK as strong and fierce women, which goes hand-in-hand with the song’s message. But there were some scenes that made me think of 2NE1’s famous video. The entire video is definitely on another league with me liking every single scene and set. I really liked the giant chessboard, the Audrey Hepburn/rain scene, the chandelier, the post-apocalyptic dance set and literally everything else that I haven’t listed. Each member looked flawless and bold with their stylistic choices.
It seems like the ‘gun’ dance that opens up the chorus (and occurs at the main hook) is going to be the next big thing. Actually, the entire choreography during the chorus looks amazing, with the group not holding back on the fierceness. While the entire performance isn’t out yet, I have high expectations. From what I saw in the music video, I think I can confidently give a rating.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 10/10
I have been holding onto a number of album reviews for a while now and have decided to release them before I forget about their existence. For this particular week, I wanted to focus on VIXX’s Greek mythology trilogy, which was released back in 2016. The review for Zelos was published on Monday, Wednesday for Hades and Friday (today) for Kratos.
Here is just a very brief rundown of the album release. Kratos was released in October of 2016 and is the final part of their Greek mythology trilogy. Kratos is the Greek God of War, which formed the basis of their concept and song lyrics. The title track of this album was The Closer, which I reviewed previously. Kratos, along with the other two singles, was combined in November to form the VIXX 2016 Conception Ker (a compilation album of their trilogy).
2. Desperate – Opening the song is a very dramatic yet haunting introduction which fits perfectly into VIXX’s portfolio. And this same haunting effect followed throughout the verses. However, what I really liked is how the song sudden turned into an EDM based chorus in a matter of seconds. It was unexpecting but it does really make the song intense enough to become memorable. Both the vocals and the raps were perfect and it is an example of a song that has me coming back for more. (10/10)
3. Shooting Star –To me, Shooting Star felt like your standard pop song. There were few elements in the song that did leave me intrigued such as how the vocals were presented and how Ravi’s raps appeared throughout the song (instead of being condensed in a single section). The song just didn’t have enough to become memorable and have me coming back. Despite that, it was still a decent track. (7/10)
4. Good Night & Good Morning – The song is about wanting to break up. It is a lot softer in terms of volume as compared to their previous song, going with an R&B type of feel. Ravi opens up the song by singing, which is a rare event in the VIXX discography world. The touch of autotune was nice. Once again, I thought the vocal work was pretty nice, with Leo’s vocals during the chorus is the most memorable. There was also a pause towards the end of the song which made you assume that it was finished. I personally thought the song could have ended there, with the extra bit being an ‘excess’. (7/10)
5. Romance Is Over (로맨스는 끝났다) – This song is your standard ballad to have on any album. It showcases good vocals. Within the instrumental, I liked the drums and how it helps create a nice build-up to the chorus. Ravi’s rap was also quite fitting for the song, fitting neatly into the more delicate instrumental. My only issue with the song is the abrupt ending in the instrumental. But other than that, another good song. (8/10) Overall Album Rating – 8.2/10
You may have heard about it on the various news sites that report KPOP news. MIXNINE’s male group will not be making their debut as previously planned. Plans fell through and it allowed some groups to make their comeback or (in this case) make their debut. Woo Jin Young and Kim Hyun Soo both come from Happy Face Entertainment, home of Dal Shabet and Dream Catcher. Ranking in 1st and 14th place respectively, the two definitely have potential and their company is not putting their appearance to waste.
Falling In Love is their main title track for their debuting promotions. And while the song takes on that tropical sound once again, there were a few quirky moments embedded in the instrumental which really gave the song a fun and vibrant feel. Kim Hyun Soo sounds awesome vocally, which his parts reminding me of a good Summers day. Jinyoung has a deeper voice, which gave the song some nice contrast between the two members. I would have expected him to feel a little awkward (his voice is more fitting for serious and ‘dark’ songs, in my opinion) but he manages to settle into the bright song quite nicely. I did like the bridge, where Jinyoung sang and Hyunsoo rapped for a few seconds, that was nice. The chorus had a nice hook. Nothing that is instantly memorable but with a few more listens (and rainy days here), I will be playing the song a few more times to remind me of the nice warm days of Summer.
It was a good video to watch. Once again, the Summer vibes could be felt from different aspects of the video, from their expressions to the sun shining outside. The video also features Yoohyeon from Dream Catcher, whom the duo fall in love with as soon as they see her. I like the chemistry between the artists and while it was kind of cliche, everything felt quite nice.
I personally think they could have put their backup dancers in something a little more nicer than oversized white shirts and brown shorts. It was a nice routine to watch. The only thing that annoys me is that Hyunsoo should lose the glasses because it makes him look like he is exaggerating his facial expressions. But that might because of the performance I am watching.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 7.5/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
With the recent disbandment of JBJ, a few of the members have announced that they will be launching their solo careers. Jin Longguo is the first member to embark on a solo career post-JBJ, with his solo debut track dropping earlier today, titled as Clover. It features very well known hip hop artist Yoo Mi Rae. For those who don’t know Longguo is one-half of the duo Longguo & Shihyun and is currently under Choon Entertainment.
Clover is a decent R&B track. It isn’t the best track out there but it is still something that I wouldn’t mind putting on every now and then to unwind. The R&B vibes that come from this track do put you in an easing state, with the instrumental being its main driver. His vocals, while they were good at some points, it felt like he was pushing himself at other parts. His section of the bridge (before final chorus) was probably his best moment. The song wasn’t that memorable, with his chorus not being that catchy, despite the presence of the repetition of the song’s title. I did like Yoo Mi Rae’s featuring, as her voice compliments this R&B style so well. I also liked how her sections did not feel like it was going overtake Longguo’s vocals as her past songs may be indicative of her potential to overtake. Overall, it was okay.
The music video was kind of dry for my taste. But I felt like the music video complimented the song nicely, fitting in with its laidback vibe. I like how the colours of the video and the clothing that he wore were also fitting for that vibe. There just wasn’t anything else engaging about the music video to really make me want to watch it.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 6/10 Overall Rating – 6.6/10
I have been holding onto a number of album reviews for a while now and have decided to release them before I forget about their existence. For this particular week, I wanted to focus on VIXX’s Greek mythology trilogy, which was released back in 2016. The review for Zelos was published on Monday, Wednesday (today) for Hades and Friday for Kratos.
Here is just a very brief rundown of the album release. Hades was released in April of 2016 and is the second part of their Greek mythology trilogy. Hades is the Greek God of the Underworld, which formed the basis of their concept and song lyrics. The title track of this album was Fantasy, which I reviewed previously. Hades, along with the other two albums/singles, was combined in November to form the VIXX 2016 Conception Ker (a compilation album of their trilogy).
2. Love Me Do – Once again, I like the upbeat vibes of the song, which do give the song some energy. The song just feels repetitive by the time you get to the end. However, the song doesn’t really let go, which I think is an important charm of the song. There are some other elements of the song which I liked. There is a sensual sound to the song, which is part of the appeal of the song. I thought both Hyuk and Hongbin sounded really nice in this song, alongside the great vocals from the other members. Overall, Love Me Do is one great side track for the group, fitting in with the dark vibes of Fantasy.(8/10)
3. Butterfly Effect (나비 효과) – The song had a mid-tempo instrumental despite falling into the ballad domain. The song had some good vocals and sounded like a nice confession song. The rap sequence was nice and I liked the roughness that it gave the song. The song just didn’t really appeal to my personal taste and felt like a standard ballad in my mind. (6/10)
Please note these special posts are designed to be long and may require some time to read (if you plan on reading the entire post).
In some cases, some groups extend their promotional period by promoting a new song. And in some of these cases, the groups also released a music video for the follow-up song. Usually, these music videos are released after I have published my album review and hence I don’t go back to do a separate review (as I have already done a short one for the song). So, I dedicate this week’s special post to return to some of those missed music videos and do a quick rundown.
Initially, my plans for this post would be over two weeks. Unfortunately, I don’t think there is enough for two weeks. So I have scrapped the second week and will do the entire list of 6 songs today. I may return to do more ‘Missed Reviews’ special posts in the future, in case I find myself in a similar position.
Lady – Golden Child
As part of their Miracle album promotions, Golden Child followed up their It’s U promotions with Lady, which received a 9.5/10 rating on the respective album review. I actually think the group, despite their youthful charms, can do extremely well with this mature concept. The heartbreak can be seen throughout the video, as the members deal with their one-sided love. While dancing on top of a building has been done before, it looks really good here. I feel like when the members all sing together, the video could have focused entirely on all the members in the choreography shots (like for the first chorus) as they enhance the epic sound of the chorus. But overall, it is one good video that compliments the song perfectly.
Black On Black – NCT 2018
I wanted to review Black On Black like a normal song-mv-performance review, however, they didn’t get around to promoting the track until weeks after the album (and album review) was released. On the album review, the song was given a 7/10 ranking. Black On Black was a relatively simple video, which showcases a very complex choreography. The members were all wearing black, fitting for the song’s title. What I did like was the set of the video. Despite it being the one set, it was shown in 3 different lighting settings, which made it feel like 3 different sets entirely. I know the ending was meant to show all the member but I found the random zoom up into Taeyong’s belt really odd. Other than that, pretty good video.
Yestoday – NCT U
It was clear that NCT received a large budget for their multiple music videos and I guess there was enough left over for a 6th music video. Yestoday is sung by NCT U (made up of Taeyong, Doyoung, Lucas and Mark) and received an 8/10 rating. It is okay to say that I like this music video more than some of the others? Because I was very impressed with what was given to us. While the song had this jazzy feel, I felt like the video was more edgy, which I thought was a great contrast. Simplicity was the key but they did a lot of the video post-production which made it likeable and interesting. I liked the random inserts of images that flash by throughout the video.
SObeR – Suzy
At the time of writing any of the reviews, I don’t think I was aware of any news that Suzy had shot three different music videos for four of her tracks. The first of which is SObeR, which received a 9/10. And with that title, it kind of makes sense that the video will be set partly in a bar. To me, it was a ‘fun’ themed video, where Suzy acted wild and drunk, in order to woo her interest. In the end, she confessed that she wasn’t sober, which I guess could be a fun game at the club (PS. Not a club person here). I thought the various sets or places she filmed at had this elegant vibe which suits Suzy, who is considered to be South Korea’s top actresses. I also liked it how she didn’t go over the top in this video, which could easily have occurred. But it kept to her image and ended up being a nice video to watch.
Teenager – GOT7
This is the one video released last year which I never got the chance to look at. Teenager was featured on GOT7’s 7th mini-album (7 for 7) and I gave the song an 8/10 rating. The video focused primarily on the choreography. Despite that, it was still a high-quality video which I thought it was rather cool to watch. I really liked the visual effects that were shown at the start of the video. I like how the video cuts between black and white to colour. Also liked how the background complimented the hip-hop style of the song, while also adding an edge. The members also looked good (including Jinyoung’s golf pants). It is a simple video done well.
One and Only One – GOT7
One and Only One is the pre-release single for GOT7’s 8th mini-album, released earlier this year. It received an 8/10 rating, as well. What we have isn’t technically a music video. Rather, it showcases the song for a minute and that is all. I did like the blue background and how simple the video was (like above). I think if we got a longer video with some flashing lights and maybe a few different colours in the background, along with Hyolyn actually featuring the video and some choreography, the video would have been amazing. Or at least, what I think the video could have been.
Distance – CLC
Distance is a single off their 7th mini-album and the accompanying music video was released after promotions for Black Dress ended. In the respective album review, Distance received a 7/10 rating. The music video, on the other hand, would have received something much higher. I don’t know how to exactly describe the video. It can either be about heartbreak or something more sinister. The cutting of the rope can be about breaking up and physical distance. But the members disappearing, the blindfolding and just the fact they wear white alludes to something else. I have no idea what it is, though. On top of that, I thought it was a really nice video that complimented the softer nature of the song.
Thanks to all who stuck around to the end. This wraps up this special post (for the time being as I may bring it back as more music videos or songs accumulate). I will be back in two weeks time with special posts dedicated to even more music videos, so do keep an eye open for those! (Or make it easier by following me!)
As mentioned over the weekend, I will be going back to review some songs that I have missed over the past month. Today’s review is Strong, a collaboration between WJSN (Cosmic Girls) and Weki Meki. A total of 4 members make up their project group: Seola and Luda (from WJSN) and Choi Yoo Jung and Kim Doyeon (from Weki Meki). While I am not exactly sure as to why they collaborated, it may be the female version of YDPP, who ended scoring a CF deal with Pepsi.
I thought it would be an interesting collaboration and my expectations for the project single skyrocketed given how much I enjoyed YDPP’s Like It Love It. But the song ended being more boring and typical. It is still listenable, so don’t worry. However, I think the song could have been more dynamic and interesting. The song did have some strong moments and I wished the song built on top of these moments. Yoojung’s rap was pretty good, giving the song some momentum and managed to make it less repetitive. The chorus had a nice melody, which can become someone’s new ringtone. I just wasn’t impressed with the singing. Maybe it was the amount of energy that the song could have used via the vocals which could have given the song some more life into it. The pre-chorus was just a little too dramatic for my taste. Overall, Strong isn’t my cup of tea.
The music video goes into the cutesy side of KPOP. And while there have been some great cutesy videos from KPOP, I think this one misses the mark. While I like the sets and the colours of the video (which was all very vibrant and bold), I didn’t enjoy the acting. It was awkward and felt too exaggerated in some parts. And the addition of the serial killer in the background and long-haired Grudge lady was an attempt to serve as the humorous relief. But instead, they add to the video’s exaggeration.
I think the cutesy concept worked the best in the performance. I thought the choreography was nice and it didn’t seem to be as exaggerated as the music video turned out to be.
Song – 5/10 Music Video – 4/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 5.1/10
SHINee is still celebrating their 10 year anniversary with another part of their 6th full-length album, The Story of Light EP. 02. The title track for this part of the album is I Want You and you can expect an album review for the second part in the weeks to come. They previously released the 1st part of their 6th album (which I have reviewed) and the title track, Good Evening, two weeks ago.
I Want You continues the EDM sound with the song entering the tropical house genre of EDM. The song is good, with great vocals and raps from the members. The harmonies heard at various sections of the song (like the pre-chorus and chorus) really gave the song some identity and profile. Taemin’s high note is just extremely smooth. The chorus was moderately catchy and it uses melodies as the main driving point and hooks as its memorable pitch towards the audience. My only concern with the song is that it falls within ‘typical’ territory. I personally don’t find anything unique or memorable enough for my memory bank. Instead, it is plain and a standard song. Don’t get me wrong, I like the song. Just compared with Good Night, I Want You falls behind it.
I am not sure of the connection between the two videos that SHINee has released thus far. I am interested in knowing how they connect. My guess is that they get sucked into some odd world when they look and reach into the well. But apart from that, the videos don’t really connect. Parts of the music video for I Want You takes a more humorous approach, particularly the scene where Onew is smiling while being sprayed by the glass. Actually, most of the video seems a little far-fetched. The video does have strong retro vibes with the hazy filtering and the use of green screen. I personally thought it was a good video, as well.
There isn’t a live performance for the song yet. However, I think there might be enough to write this section within the music video. Really liked the dance move during that instrumental break during the chorus. Also, I liked the ‘Oh Nah Nah’ moves for the pre-chorus (?). Overall, the dance was extremely fitting for the song and the members seemed more connected to their performance this time around.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.8/10
I have been holding onto a number of album reviews for a while now and have decided to release them before I forget about their existence. For this particular week, I wanted to focus on VIXX’s Greek mythology trilogy, which was released back in 2016. The review for Zelos will be published Monday (today), Wednesday for Hades and Friday for Kratos.
Here is just a very brief rundown of the album release. Zelos was released in April of 2016 and is the official start to their Greek mythology trilogy. Zelos is the Greek God of Jealousy and Rivalry, which formed the basis of their concept and song lyrics. The title track of this album was Dynamite, which I reviewed previously. Zelos, along with the other two albums/singles, was combined in November to form the VIXX 2016 Conception Ker (a compilation album of their trilogy).
2. Six Feet Under (늪) – The song is quite vibrant and upbeat, similar to Dynamite title track. However, it keeps to VIXX’s true side of darkness through the lyrics and it’s instrumental gives off an edgy vibe. The pre-chorus is quite mysterious (in a good way). The way the line ‘Six Feet Under, That’s Enough‘ is sung throughout the song is super addictive. I also liked the vocal work in the song. Likewise, I felt the rapping was intense and you are basically thrown into it, which works wonders. (8/10)
3. Farewell Hands (손의 이별) – This is a ballad, which is about parting ways after losing chemistry in a relationship. The vocals are really well done, conveying the heartbreaking emotions well. The English lyrics that is scattered throughout the song seem to be well fitted for the song. There is a nice melody, particularly during the chorus which sounds nice. The instrumentation is quite standard, which seems to be the only thing that I can hold against the song. Other than that, the song is still fairly decent to listen to. (8/10)
As I mentioned yesterday, I am returning to do some reviews of songs that I have missed out over the last few weeks. Today’s focus is on PTL’s Hocus Pocus which was released almost a month ago. Planetarium Records (PTL) is a 5 member project group currently under a company of the same name. The members consist of Jinwoo, Villian, Gaho, Moti and June. Information on the group is quite limited so I don’t have much else to offer besides that they released songs earlier in the year (Blind and Blah).
I happened to stumble across the group when the song first came out and knew I had to review it. Apologies it took so long. Hocus Pocus is one damn catchy song that always blows my mind when I listen to it. It takes on the R&B and hip-hop genre quite nicely. For those who don’t know, I don’t really review songs from artists who do these genres unless they are big KPOP artists. But Hocus Pocus definitely has great energy and a groovy atmosphere that was hard to pass up. I thought the instrumental was extremely dynamic, with the muffled bleeping at the start of the song really intriguing. The raps and vocals in the song are quite good, part of the reason why I decided to put this on the ‘To Review’ list. The verses and the chorus really pushed the song along, with the latter being a very catchy part of the song. It may not be appearing on my Weekly KPOP Charts but I can assure you I have been listening to the song every single week.
The video seems to show the members trapped inside the confines of this place. But I guess it shows the members making the most of it. As you can tell, I have no clue what is going on in the video. I assuming Yoda, Zeus and Buddha make an appearance for a reason (at the very start of the video on the sheets of paper). However, it was a decent video. Despite not having heard of the group or the company before, it seemed like they had a decent budget for the video as it appears to be high quality and the sets didn’t seem to be on the cheap end of the market. The energy in the song was also channelled nicely through the video, which makes them a good match.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 7/10 Overall Rating – 8.2/10
Just one week ago, Wanna One dropped their very first special album. Light is the main title track for this album release and it also features 4 songs, produced by well known artists in the industry and is performed by a special unit of members. Zico, Heize, Nell and Dynamic Duo collaborated with Wanna One for this album. It is the group’s best album yet in my opinion and it is definitely an album that sets the bar high for any future release.
2. Kangaroo (캥거루) (Triple Position – Kang Daniel, Kim Jaehwan & Park Woojin) (Prod. By Zico) – It isn’t surprisingly to hear this song was produced by Zico, mainly because the song just screams out his presence. It grew on me since the first listen and has become a really catchy song with its upbeat and hip-hop vibes. I thought the song played towards the strengths of each member (in both rapping and vocal domains). I thought the chorus was quite lively and it was a song that brought some happy energy to the somewhat serious album. (9/10)
3. Forever and A Day (영원+1) (Lean On Me – Hwang Minhyun, Yoon Ji Sung, Ha Sungwoon) (Prod. By Nell) – This particularly song was a beautiful ballad. Right after my first listen, I scrambled to figure out what the lyrics meant because it was so heartfelt and the emotions poured in the song really drove the song. For those who don’t know, it felt like the farewell song we expect them to release when they come to the end of their contracts. I love the song’s swaying effect that can be felt right in the melody. But what I love the most about this song is how it has given me a chance to hear some amazing vocals from the group. In particular, Sungwoon’s. Because let’s be frank, he has yet to shine in any of Wanna One’s songs. (10/10)
4. Hourglass (모래시계) (The Heal – Ong Seongwoo & Lee Daehwi) (Prod. By Heize) – Another song that really hits you in the feelings. The R&B song is heartfelt and beautiful, as well. Like the previous song, it too can be mistaken for a farewell song (check out the lyrics, they are amazing yet incredibly sad). Both member’s vocals were on point. I really like Heize’s featuring in the song, which further adds emotions into the song. The harmonies at the end were nice and the piano leading out of the song was great. My favourite part would have to be the entire second verse, with Seongwoo’s rapping and Daehwi’svocals at the ‘Don’t let yourself cry’ line. (10/10)
5. 11 (No. 1 – Park Jihoon, Bae Jinyoung, Lai Guanlin) (Prod. By Dynamic Duo) – While I have loved or enjoyed so far on the album, I felt that 11 was the weakest song on the track list. I don’t exactly hate the song but it just doesn’t appeal to my taste. It takes on a hip hop and R&B vibe, while also keeping to a sensual sound. I personally find this interesting because they have chosen some of the youngest members to perform the song and it also gives us a chance to experience some variety in their sound. Dynamic Duo’s featuring was nice and Jinyoung’s vocals stood out for me. Other than that, I wasn’t into the song. (7/10)
Can anyone believe we have already reached June? It is insane how fast time is going by. Welcome to this week’s chart post for the 1st Week of June 2018. I just wanted to start off by apologising for an error in last week’s chart. 30th position for last week was, in fact, Call Your Name by JBJ (I had incorrectly typed in YDPP’s song twice). I only noticed last night and I have updated the charts, which you can check out here.
Maintaining the top spot from last week is Bingle Bangle by AOA. Also remaining steady from last week is SHINee’s Good Evening (in the 3rd position). The rest of the top 5 are new entries for this week. Wanna One’s Light takes out the second position, Lady by Yubin takes out the 4th position and DKDK by Fromis_9 takes out the 5th position.
While there are no massive jumps this week, a number of songs remained steady from last week. In addition to AOA and SHINee in the top 5, PRISTIN V and HALO remained steady with their respective songs. This is pretty much a rare thing to occur.
Next week we hope to see SHINee’s second title track on the charts. Also possibly making their appearance next week is BTOB’s pre-release single and BLACKPINK!!!
For more of the charts, scroll down below!
3rd Jun – 9th Jun 2018
Title
Artist
Status
1
Bingle Bangle
AOA
(=)
2
Light
Wanna One
(new)
3
Good Evening
SHINee
(=)
4
Lady
Yubin
(new)
5
DKDK
Fromis_9
(new)
6
You & I
Dream Catcher
(▲ 5)
7
Get It
PRISTIN V
(=)
8
Complete
ONF
(new)
9
LATATA
(GI)-DLE
(▼ 3)
10
Time of Sorrow
VICTON
(▼ 6)
11
That Day
Lovelyz
(▲ 7)
12
love4eva
LOONA yyxy
(▼ 2)
13
Selfish
Moonbyul (Mamamoo) ft. Seulgi (Red Velvet)
(▲ 10)
14
How R U Today?
N.Flying
(▼ 6)
15
Take Me Higher
A.C.E
(new)
16
Travel
BOL4
(▼ 11)
17
Fake Love
BTS
(▼ 15)
18
Tulips
Snuper
(▲ 3)
19
OMG
Halo
(=)
20
Time For The Moon Night
Gfriend
(▲ 11)
21
Call Your Name
JBJ
(▲9)
22
Snapshot
IN2IT
(▼ 8)
23
Scentist
VIXX
(▲2)
24
Only One
UNB
(▲22)
25
No More
UNI.T
(▼ 12)
26
Teenager
Samuel ft. Lee Ro Han
(▼ 14)
27
Sense
UNB
(▼ 10)
28
Blooming Day
EXO-CBX
(▼ 6)
29
Salty
Kanto
(▼ 9)
30
Wind
BOL4
(▲5)
Songs leaving the charts this week (and will not appear on the charts starting next week) are:
Sense – UNB
Only One – UNB
What Is Love? – TWICE
Blooming Days – EXO_CBX
Love Tint – Hyeongseop x Euiwoong
Honestly – Eric Nam
Potion – Eric Nam ft. Woodie Gochild
Still Love You – Lee Hong Ki (FT Island) & Yoo Hwesung (N.Flying)
Lo Siento – Super Junior ft. Leslie Grace
When Spring Comes – Yu Seon Ho
Thirsty – Mad Clown & Ailee
Gangsta – NOIR
Thank you once again and hope to see you all back next week.
Over the next few weeks, I will be attempting to catch up on the many reviews in which I have missed out. BOL4 is in the midst of their promotions for their latest mini-album. The mini-album has two title tracks, Travel and Wind. I have already reviewed Travel (and Starlight) when it first came out. Wind‘s music video was released later on and I have been waiting for its release before writing a full review.
Wind is a ballad that mixes with BOL4’s indie sound. The way Jiyoung sings this song is pretty childish, however, I mean that in a good way. It felt like a child singing it, which gave the song innocence and a delicate vibe. Her vocals are good, so don’t misunderstand my initial statements with her vocals. The only issue that I have with the song it is quite dry and doesn’t progress much. The instrumental started off with just a very subtle orchestral sound and repetitive triangle tinging in the background. It does increase in volume as it goes on (ever so slightly). However, it wasn’t enough to give the song that momentum. Instead, I try my best to stay focus on the song. I personally don’t understand why it is a title track, as it feels like a standard sidetrack on the album. Starlight was a much better candidate.
The music video seems to also be shot in the same place as Travel and Starlight was shot. However, it shows a love story made up in Jiyoung’s mind. The male counterpart in the video is played by Jisoo and they meet in the laundromat after he tosses a blanket (or white shirt) on top of her by accident. And then a who imaginative sequence begins with the two dating and falling in love. Even though it was imaginative, the ending shows the possibility of the two actually falling in love when Jisoo gives Jiyoung the coin. It was honestly a nice video and the slow-motion that was applied to the video paired well with the slow tempo of the song.
Song – 6/10 Music Video – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.4/10
Seventeen has been hugely popular in Japan for some time now. And now they have returned to Japan to make their official Japanese debut. The group recently released their first mini-album there, titled as We Make You. The title track is an original Japanese single, Call Call Call. The album also features Japanese version of some of their Korean side tracks.
For those who don’t know, I practically am a major fan of Seventeen and their work. Since their debut, they haven’t disappointed with any of their title tracks. And it seems like their Japanese releases hold the same effect on me. Call Call Call is a fast-paced dance track that fits in really well with their Korean portfolio. The song has some rock elements on top of the dance elements, which gives the song some drive and momentum. Their vocals are really great. But I think the true stars of the song are the rappers in the song. The entire hip-hop team had amazing sections from S.Coups and Wonwoo’s starting lines to Mingyu’s extremely addictive whisper-ish type of line. The song is super catchy and with its release a few weeks back, it has been a song I have been replaying constantly. It makes me wonder what their next release in Japan would be (since most artists tend to deviate from their Korean sounds in Japan and make their music more appealing for the Japanese audience).
Great music video as well. It was clear that they would go with a phone concept, given the title of the song. I liked how they mixed up the units and still split up into three small groups, like opposing gangs waiting for that phone call from their lover. We have neighbourhood boys (Vernon, Jun, Dino, Joshua), the ‘suited up’ dudes (Mingyu, S.Coups, Hoshi and Seungkwan) and the motorbike gang (Woozi, Wonwoo, The8, Jeonghan and DK). And the competition for the phone call was really intense. I really like the umbrella grab that someone from the ‘suited up’ group did and the Woozi transition with Mingyu’s punch.
Another section of the video that I really liked was the choreography. Seventeen doesn’t let you down in that aspect. I really liked how they moved into their different formations. Favourite part would have to be Wonwoo throughout the first chorus in the music video. Actually, the entire chorus was quite cool to watch.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
With the recent news that the supposed male group formed through YG Entertainment’s MIXNINE was not going ahead, a number of the groups associated announced their long-awaited comeback. A.C.E marks their return with their first mini-album, Adventures in Wonderland. The album consists of their previous main title tracks (Cactus and Callin’), along with the latest title track, Take Me Higher. The group has also returned with 4 members only, as Chan is promoting as part of UNB.
If you were expecting something like their previous title tracks (like me), you will be surprised with what the group went with. I don’t want to describe as the song as traditional, but compared with their EDM tracks, this song does sound rather traditional. There are no electronic synths or EDM elements in this song. Instead, it employs more of a pop sound. That ebing siad, I am really enjoying the song (partly due to its unexpected sound). The chorus of the song reminds me of Human Nature feel-good type of song. It just makes you want to smile. On top of that, the song zones right into the vocal abilities of the group and it shows how good their voices are. On top of that, the rapping fitted perfectly into the song. While the rappers tone was deep, it was well-paced to match the tempo of the song, which makes it fit in nicely. Overall, Take Me Higher was a another pretty good song, just not what I had expected.
To match the tone of the song, the video brings on colour and a playful concept. And from the start, it was a nice video to watch. I did notice that some of their outfits in the video seemed to be purposely allowing some skin to show. I personally thought it looked rather odd in this video (though I guess it makes sense for a video released in Summer). But besides that, it was a good video fitting for the song.
Their performance was quite good. On top of that, I think they performed live in the performance I am watching, which seems to be a huge feat, given how jumpy their performance is. I really liked the second half of the chorus when they get into the diagonal formation.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.2/10
KPOPREVIEWED 