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.

Letting Go – DAY6

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I should find new ways to start off my reviews. They all sound the same… DAY6 is back after debuting last year with Congratulations. Since then, they have been performing gigs in South Korea and also around the world. Earlier this year, member Junhyuk was withdrawn from the group for personal reasons, and I believe JYP Entertainment had yet to make a statement regarding this. This leaves only 5 members in the band. Also DAY6 confirmed that they will be promoting on music shows for this comeback, as opposed to their debut, which JYP Entertainment claimed that they would not promote to keep it authentic. Guess who gave in JYP. But it is nice to see them back and performing on the stage.

So the song, I think it is great.  Everything seems to be up to the standard that Congratulations had set. The vocals, the rapping, the instrumental. Everything was great. The song itself sounds like its story that it has intended for the audience to hear. It sounds like a person reflecting on a relationship that just had to end or the end was unavoidable. And I like the song for that element. I also love the instrumental. The continuous drum beats and guitar strings during the chorus is probably my favourite part of the song. It gives the song that strong feel and impact that I tend to talk about. It is a powerful song, while the message may be a little soft. However, I just cannot pinpoint what is missing in the song. The song has this one thing missing from it that I think would make the song 10 times more better, but I just cannot work it out. Every time I listen to the song, I have this thought and try to dig my way through the song trying to find what is missing, but I can’t (unless the song is intended to be that way – more that later). But overall, I think this is a great song.

Music video. It is interesting and fits the feel of the song. There isn’t anything “loud” or bold in the video, which suits the song really well. Not exactly keen on the many copies of the members, but still, it makes the video very interesting. Now, there is a theory about the video and song that I think makes sense (but may not actually by the true meaning of the video). As I mentioned above, the song may have been intended to be left “empty” as the one of their members was announced that they were to leave the band. Fans seem to comment on how the song was like a message of “letting go” of this particular member. Junhyuk, also plays the keyboard, and in the background in some scenes when the band is together, there is actually a keyboard there, standing by itself. A sign that they must let go, but they just cannot. It also seems like the many copies of the members seem to mean that however the other try to fill  his void, they just cannot replace me like that. Really interesting and totally make senses with that one piece of evidence. Whatever the meaning of the video is, I think what fans have theorised is exceptionally sad and would make sense given the rumours that surrounded his departure.

Overall, interesting video and great song. But what are your thoughts on the video? What do you think is the meaning behind the video, because writing this makes me feel sad 😦 8.5/10

Good For You – Eric Nam

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Eric Nam has returned to the stage. It has been a while since we heard from Eric Nam. He last promoted at the start of last year with I’m Okay and has since been active as a reporter, gaining a lot of popularity through this. 2016 started with a collaboration between him and Wendy from Red Velvet with their song, Spring Love. And now, just a few weeks later, he has dropped his second mini album since his debut in 2012 with Good For You.

Lovely song. His husky vocals match the hard (and quite loud) piano notes really well. He changes the tempo of his voice to give the song a lot more depth. His husky vocals give the song that extra dimension, which sounds really good. It was also quite soft and easy going on the ears, a change from the pop songs and more upbeat songs that I tend to listen to. For a ballad, there is a kick to it that makes it catchy. It is definitely more rhythmic than other ballads. There are different a really strong RNB vibe channelling through the song, which I think makes it so good. I think an important reason to why I like this song so much is due to the fact that I have been wanting to listen to a new ballad like song. I have found a few, but this just came out at the right time.

Music video wise. Not that memorable. I have watched it a few times, and I barely remember anything from it. So, let’s have a refresher and let me make some comments -goes watch the video- It seems Eric Nam is a radio broadcaster and that there are many people who enjoy listening to his channel. But I think people find it a great source of encouragement and the music (i.e. the song playing) really makes people feel good about themselves. We have a dancer (who falls so gracefully), a cafe owner, a girl who works endlessly and another girl who just broke up with a partner. They all listen to the song and it helps them go on with a smile. It is as if the song is “Good For You”. I did enjoy watching the video, though as I mentioned above, it isn’t memorable. But I do have one more complaint. Eric Nam playing the piano. He seems to be rocking a little too much to the song. Not a rock song, but a ballad. Love his enthusiasm, but it just doesn’t fit.

Overall, great song and good video. 8/10

Liar Liar – Oh My Girl

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After releasing one of the best songs of the year, last year, Oh My Girl is back. Closer is by far (and still is) one of the best songs I have ever heard in KPOP to date. Yes, I am going that extra mile to say that. They have taken a break and have returned with a brand new mini album for all of us, so let’s get cracking.

The girls go back to the cute concept with a funky and catchy song. The instrumental of the song reminds me of the marching drums in Cupid. The song is quite upbeat already (with the instrumental only), but adding the vocals, there is more depth to the song and it makes it sound even more retro. Vocally and the rap were all really good and stood out. The level of instrumental and vocals was perfect. As I said before, the song is super catchy. I probably know when the girls would sing “Liar Liar” because I am singing along at that part (since it is a line that I can understand – the life of an international fan) and only that part. Play it now and I will slay the “Liar Liar” part. While I think it is a good song, it does seem to lack the appeal needed in KPOP. It has that KPOP feel to it, but it doesn’t sound like something that would be a hit with the audience over there. Beside it being catchy, it really doesn’t draw you in. That is my only complaint with the song, but overall, I thought it was a really good song.

Music video is amazing. So colourful. Such boldness in the set. The cuteness in terms of the concept is channelled from the bright but bold colours present throughout the video. Beside I love how the girls portray the lyrics. I believe they are singing about a guy who they know is cheating on them, but in the video the song shows the girls knowing that everyone is dating the same person. Really confusing, but off the bat, I thought it was very interesting. The girls hide pictures of their “guy” in anyway possible without anyone seeing, arousing suspicions of everyone around them. Like I said, confusing, but it reels me in. Really enjoyed the scene where they are all at the table, with their hands behind their backs, holding onto the picture of the same guy. And the girl with the sunglasses. Highly creative, but I don’t think it is that practical. And that is one massive bed.

Dance wise, it is so cute. But I have a question! Why are they wearing roller skates? They dance around in them and it confuses me. I don’t recall them skating around the stage.  But they are probably are just wheels stuck to some shoes.

Overall, great song, video and dance. Loved it all. 8.5/10

Remember That – BTOB

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BTOB has finally returned after a highly successful year last year. The last year allowed the boys to sweep the ballad awards at the start of the year, for the previous year (there was so much grammatical errors there, don’t judge). And once again, BTOB has returned with a Spring ballad to warm everyone’s hearts. Solo wise, Sungjae and Minhyuk have been enjoying a lot of popularity through their acting. Not exactly sure of the other members, but I have seen them here and there, every now and then.

Once again it is a RNB ballad. My same opinion applies: I preferred hip hop and pop music BTOB. However, this is an excellent song that sounds really good. The song has this very sweet vibe to it (despite the lyrics singing the total opposite, as the song reminds of the happy times they once had and cannot get back). While listening to the song, I cannot help but smile, as it has the tune which you would associate with happy memories. Or at least, that is what happened to me. I think that is due to the vocals. There is no hint of sadness in their vocals and that brings that sweet vibe into play. Vocally, this song is stunning. Even Ilhoon took a stab at singing. Sure, he isn’t the best singer out there (he is their main rapper), but he manages to sound really good and suits the song really well. I would have thought that Minhyuk would sing instead, but he stuck to rapping the very last part of the song. Sungjae, Eunkwang, Changsub and Hyunsik all sound really good (mentioned it already, but you must know). Peniel, still a little confused on his role in the group, but those small lines he gets really fit his voice and rap really well. The instrumental also gives off that Spring feel, which I really like (It is Autumn and cold here. I need the sun and warmness. This song delivers). Overall, great song.

This is a nice video, but a little boring to watch. Minhyuk reflects upon his past relationship when Spring comes rolling by. He unlocks the room, as if he is unlocking his memory bank. Inside the room there are objects that he associates with those happy, but at the same time, heartbreaking moments. The other members just look pretty and end up noticing the Spring rolling through. Though it looks like they are experiencing the exact same thing and having the exact same feels. Love the use of the cherry blossom, which is used to symbolise the Spring (and is often used as symbol of love in a lot of Korean associated media). The wind was really nice (and probably felt nice, especially under all that nice sunshine). Minhyuk’s and Jo Bo Ah’s (the lead actress) acting was pretty good, but it did make the video feel very dead. Their chemistry wasn’t protrayed as well and the addition of the members made it feel very detached from the song. Just my thoughts though.

The dance… Yeah, there wasn’t much of a dance. Finally, ballads without the dance. I smell the fresh air already. It was actually more like “movement around to microphone stands to get everyone a chance to stand in the middle and have the spotlight on them”.

Overall, I think it was an excellent comeback. Definitely a song to “remember”. 9/10

 

Borders – Amber (F(x))

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The next SM Station release. Just to put it out there, I am not going to review every single SM Station release, just stand outs. Now for this particular review, I have been asking all week whether it should be reviewed or not. My major consideration is: is it KPOP? Not in my opinion. But I can’t seem to let this song go without reviewing it. This release is written and sung by Amber from f(x). We have been hearing rumours of a solo comeback and this is probably what the rumours were on about. While not a comeback, it is great to see Amber back in the solo car.

And why are I am so glad to see Amber back in the solo wagon? Well, f(x) has amazing music, but most of the time, Amber is very limited to a certain sound and pop style. We really don’t see Amber shine 100% and show her true talents. Not saying that she doesn’t do that in f(x), just she shows her talents and her 100% in a f(x) style. This is  track that I would describe as a  RnB infused with many different genres that sound like bliss. And it is all in English. And when you think it is the pinnacle of the whole comeback, you are wrong. The lyrics, her vocals and rapping are all so amazing. It really reflect upon the message she is trying to deliver. It is a song that you need to listen to. Sometimes words cannot describe things, and this is one of those times. The song talks about being yourself and that sometimes being on that “rough path” is the only way to get to your destination. As I said her vocals were amazing (for those who say she cannot sing, this proves you wrong). Her husky voice really brings the song to a whole new level. Even the instrumental is really impressive and love the different electronic sounds and influences I can here.

Music video wise, I love it. We see Amber sitting in a cube structure. And the cube acts like borders or the “pressures from the outside” closing in on her. I love it when she sings about her mum, you see this caring image of a mother (doing her job right) and supporting her daughter/son in the video. We see two different people. One guy is depressed and one fixated on her body. While we do not see the aftermath with the girl, who I assume managed to pull through after she realized what she is putting herself into, the guy we see attempts to take his life at the climax of the song. However after, we see him smiling and looking into the distant at the exact spot of his attempted attempt on his life. The video ends nicely with another mother/child seen. I find this a truly beautiful video with the mother/child scenes probably the most powerful.

Overall, a beautiful message within a beautiful song and video. Just listening to the song and watching the video renders me speechless. 10/10

 

One Shot One Kill – UKISS

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It has been a while since we heard from UKISS. But we did hear some shocking news from the band when Eli announced suddenly that he was married AND expecting a child on the way. Not saying that the news was bad in anyway, it just caught everyone off guard. UKISS has also been busy in Japan and it has been over a year since their last domestic (Korean) promotions. This is not their Korean comeback however, but just another Japanese comeback.

I am genuinely confused about this song. When I first heard the title of the song, I thought they went for an electronic or EDM based song. It also sounds like something masculine and dangerous. I honestly had James Bond channelling through my mind. However instead we got… a love song? Rather disappointing. The song does not sound as great. It just sounds like a complete mismatch waiting to happen. The vocals in my opinion do not suit the song. It seems to be more drawn out than anything. However the rapping is really good and with the combination of the instrumental had an “Uptown Funk” kind of feel to it (actually applies to the whole video). Talking about the instrumental, it gave the song a really nice retro sound. Even the dance break was just those retro sound, not a single electronic sound in the dance break (there might have been a little bit, but it was after the dance break) and I am going to give them props for that, since I think the instrumental was really good as well. Vocals and the mismatched initial thoughts just didn’t lineup.

The retro video fitted really well with the song. But like the song, I thought of a 007 theme video or spy themed. Anyway, with what we were delivered, the retro themed went throughout the video. From the sets, to their attire to the walking canes. Actually, walking canes aren’t retro, but they fit really well with this video. And that is all I have to say about the video….

Dance wise, thought the use of the canes were cool but a bit messy. Thought the dance break was cool. While we didn’t really see much of the dance in the video, I did manage to fine snippets of a live performance at one of their fanmeets in Japan, and I can say, I think it is amazing dance.

What we got was not what I expected and that is quite disappointing. But they managed to pull it off (with the odd complaint) and it sounded/looked good. 6.5/10

Find Me – Jung Hyosung (Secret) ft. D.Action

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It has been quite some time, but as a die hard fan for the group Secret, I (and all their fans) have all be requesting a comeback from the girls. 2015 was focused primarily on solo work, with a few group appearances here and there. Hopefully 2016 will be more group work. But in the mean time, we have been gifted with a solo comeback from Hyosung herself. It has nearly been a year since we last saw her on stage, with her last promotions being Into You.

Compared to my thoughts last year for her comeback, I am going to say this once and once only. DROP EVERYTHING AND LISTEN TO THIS SONG!!! Too forceful? Yeah, but really, listen to this freaking song. This is the exact song that I want from her. Powerful but still feminine. It is a really nice pop track that has a really solid instrumental. But I love the small things in the song more. Those addictive drum beats and flute whistles are just spot on and really give the song that extra dimension. The song, especially the chorus, is highly addictive (Yep, I have been singing along to the song as soon as I first heard it). The song starts off slow, but at the right volume, the chorus sounds so amazing. As soon as the beat drops, I was in awe. Only one minor thing, the entire rap section done by D.Action from Untouchable (who happens to be from TS Entertainment as well) could have been left out. It suited the song, but it wasn’t necessary. What we have is amazing already.

Music video is beautiful. Her figure is amazing (even though all her fans preferred her before her diet). And the dresses that she where for this video are amazing. The dance set as well is amazing and beautiful. Beside the sets and the dance, the rest of the video sees Jung Hyosung have magical powers or something. On top of that, her reflection shows her tied up, when she is free. It seems like to show if she was taken away or bound to something. We see her also around some water. A little confusing and I am as lost (or distracted by her) as a sheep without Bo Peep. Editing the video is really good. Timed everything to the beat of the song, which made it look really good.

Dance wise, I thought it was amazing. Love the arm waves she makes when the flute whistle comes along.  Dance fitted the beat of the song really well. I thought the dance was quite sexy, but still had that dance element. Once again, TS Entertainment has put too many back up dancers on the stage, so the stage looks quite crowded though. But oh well.

Overall, excellent comeback which is what I wanted to see from her. Amazing. Jaw Dropping. High recommended. 9/10

Fly – GOT7

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GOT7 has finally returned with a brand new song and mini album. This time they will be “flying” straight into the hearts of all their fans and to new heights with their new releases. I am totally digging everything in this album. Everything is to a high standard, but let’s stop here before I review the whole song in this one paragraph.

But let’s continue here. This song is amazing. I cannot believe my ears every time I listen to it. It just captivates me and my ears. It wasn’t the same feeling I got when I first heard the song. It wasn’t as blown away with the song (after all I placed If You Do) as one of the top songs of 2015. It didn’t impact or wow from the start. But many listens later, I am dragging my jaw that happened to drop due to this amazing song. It is definitely a song centred around their rappers. The whole vocal line (minus JB) got snubbed in this song, and that was very disappointing. Jackson and Mark stood out the most in the song, and they definitely got their time to shine (particular Mark, who seems to get a small part of each song before).   But regardless of the uneven line distribution, the song managed to show off all rapping and vocals equally. I don’t know which genre to classify the song as. There is definitely dance sounds in there, but more of a mash up of pop and electronic. It is a track that I would recommend to everyone out there. It is catchy and addictive (all terms are understatements. Trust me, I am obsessed with this song at the moment). A hit waiting to be discovered.

If you have no watch the trailer for the mini album, then you are going to get very lost. Nothing in the music video makes sense without the trailer. And while the bulk of the plot is within the trailer, I can’t really make a comment. The trailer is 6 minutes long and to talk about it would be about the length of a review. So what we have in the music video, is that Jinyoung wants to “fly” but is unable to do so. Everyone around him seems to be able to “fly” but he can’t. But he tries and realizes when it is too late (i.e. when he is falling down) that it was a bad idea. And then he wakes up. Now I am 100% sure that the flying is meant to be a metaphor but instead the music video leaves it as a superpower that everyone has. The graphics is very cool and the editing for the video only is good. Plotwise, the editing ruined it. But them filming their dance scenes in the wide open space at what I assume is an airport made the video look quite cool. Yeah, it was lacking, but it had that cool effect going on. And it makes sense. Overall, quite hard to put a number on this video, but what we are presented with was good. Just if more was added and the plot not ruined by the editing, the video would have been amazing.

GOT7 does it again with the dance. Not as memorable compared to Just Right or If You Do, but this still makes them look cool. Totally in sync. The song gives them a lot of freedom with the dance, and I feel like they chose was was best of them and one that suited the song 100%.

Not exactly perfect, but it getting there. I liked majority of it. What we need from the guys (and very cliche) is a hard hitting song. Fly was getting there and I can feel it with their next set of release. 8/10

One Of These Nights – Red Velvet

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Red Velvet has returned with a brand new album, The Velvet and a brand new music style. They had a very successful last year with their promotions of Dumb Dumb and Ice Cream Cake, showing the industry their mass following and popularity. A force not to be reckoned with.

Now, this is a ballad. I was expecting a dance track or something with a pop feel to it. This caught me (and probably everyone in the world) off big time. And I totally do not dig this style from them. I love them with a loud or pop concept, not slow and monotone.  It was flat and very weak from the girls. At least there is one good thing from the girls. Their vocals, while not be the most appealing to draw my attention to the song, were pretty good vocal work wise. Their harmony was pretty good. But that is all. Nothing else about the track I like. It was too slow and felt drawn out too much to listen to. No matter how hard I try, I get distracted when I listen to the track. It just had no appeal. The instrumental was nice and all, but for the most part it seemed like it lacked an instrument or two, to make it better and more appealing. As you can tell, not exactly keen on this song (more like I don’t like the song at all).

The music video was by far more interesting than the song itself. I love the concepts t that the girls have in their videos and this one is like no other. It draws your attention to it and makes you guess what is going on. Now, I am going to turn it into a serious topic and that above comment is going to make me seem ignorant. Someone has found a connection between the video and the Sewol Ferry incident which occurred nearly 2 years back. While it can be disputed, I read the theory and thought it was rather interesting. Do I agree with it? I don’t even know. I can’t decide. If is true, than the video becomes quite sad for me. But the concept is extremely smart and it would be  a video I would love to go back to pick out the details. If it wasn’t, well, damn, the video is still interesting to watch. If you have not read the theory, click here and decide for yourself. Do I still like the video regardless? Yes, it is a very interesting concept and it probably tells a story that we have all yet to see properly. But what do you think? Is it just a coincidence or is there really a connection with the tragedy?

Dance wise… I can’t watch the performances. I have this thing with ballads and dances. They don’t really go together. This song is far too slow and very “depressing” to listen to. A dance have never and might never pair well with the song. I think the girls look stunning on stage though. If that counts…

Overall, not digging the song, but the video has me going back and forth. I probably contributed most of the views. Hahaha… 5.5/10 (Most of the marks went to the video). 

Sketch – Hyomin (T-Ara)

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Hyomin from T-Ara is finally back with another solo comeback. This time she has gone for a more sensual comeback. It has been two years since we last saw her promote as a solo artists. T-Ara did return last year for a very short while with a nice comeback, but sadly that was short lived. T-Ara has been busy with a China tour in the past few months.

I am quite torn with the song. Some parts suited her voice really well, but other parts were not that suitable for her. The vocals were first of all at a much higher key that what some singers even sing. Not the easiest song for people to sing and Hyomin doesn’t have a great of a voice to sound great. Out of all the parts, those where there were back up vocals were where she sounded most stable. Parts without the back vocals just sounded like she was straining her voice. And obviously it gets worse when she is trying to “sing live”. I did however like the instrumental of the song. Pretty calming and also very flow (something I don’t think I found in her voice). I know she is trying to sound sensual, but I can name tonnes of other songs where the pitch is not as high and still such a sensual comeback. It was also quite a slow song that kind of deterred me from wanting to go back to it. Don’t get me started on the English though. A lot more work can be done with the pronunciation. I know English is not her first language, but if you plan to include in your song (and have it has a huge chunk of your song), you better sound comprehensible. Parts of me want to say this is a nice song to listen to, but other parts just don’t want to hear it. I feel like it had a lot of potential, but maybe the choice of singer wasn’t ideal. Don’t kill me.

19+ rating… Oh I hate you. You put yourself on the corner of the videos when I barely see anything that provocative or controversial. Yes, I understand her standing there with no shirt on and covering her breast isn’t the best thing little kids should be exposed to. And for that I do agree with the 19+ rating for that. But beside that small section of the video, the rest of it didn’t seem to be what we were promised. Nam Goong Min plays the male in the video and while he does have a nice body, I sensed a lot of awkward chemistry between them. The song was slow, but it seems like everything was a little too slow in the video. Understand? Them falling for each other was interesting to watch, but those up close and personal scenes were such a bore. Not that I was expecting full on sexual scenes, but we were promised a steamy video. Yet, it seemed like I just got a cold shower. Hmmm… Lastly, I am quite surprised that his shirt stayed on throughout the video. Shouldn’t he too take off his shirt? That might increase views a bit, probably add a little bit more steam to the video. Now I am not saying Hyomin isn’t hot or anything (cause she is and those covering breast scenes caught me off guard), just I think a shirtless guy (especially Nam Goong Min) would make it a lot more sexual, don’t you think?

Dance wise, wow. I can feel the KPOP world getting ready the banning stickers on majority of the dance moves. I think the dance suits the song quite a bit. Quite sensual, quite slow. A little over the top in my opinion. Way too much focus on certain areas of her body instead of her face. But still, a really nice dance.

Overall, the comeback was okay. Some parts were a miss for me, other were great. So I guess I take the average of both. 5.5/10

 

[DOUBLE REVIEW] Breathe + Hold My Hand – Lee Hi

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POLL BELOW!!!

Afer 3 years, YG has let Lee Hi out of his dungeon. Only kidding. Only kidding. It has been 3 years since her last album, but don’t fret. She is finally back with a brand new mini album, titled as Seoulite. This mini album and this promotional run features 2 title tracks, Breathe and Hold My Hand. Both of which will be reviewed today!!!

Breathe is a slow ballad track. And damn is it beautiful or what? The whole time listening to this song, I was captivated by her wonderful vocals and the beautiful instrumental which accompanied the song. The song was free flowing and just felt like perfection to my ears. I read the English translations for most songs I review but this one… The words just roll off the page and I think that is the beauty of the song. Regardless of whether I read the lyrics or not, Lee Hi captured the right emotions and expressed them in the song. It’s one of the few songs where the monotone throughout the song suits it so well. The chorus deviates a little from the rest of the song, but it just adds to that emotion. Beautiful is probably the only word to describe it.

Hold My Hand is a jazzy number that sounds equally as good as Breathe. Her voice definitely fits the jazz genre and this is just evidence of that. “Let me hold your hand…” That line started off the song really well and the rest of the song fell into place after that. It is a much brighter song, which I thought suited her age more. The husky voice just did wonders in this song. Okay, I think it is more like I love the song, but I love the chorus even more. Highlight of the song for was (obviously) the chorus. And the way the song ended was just amazing. The soft “again”s were really nice and added a very fancy feel to the song.  The bridge as well, as a really nice change compared to the rest of the song, but done amazingly right. Okay, I think I am just repeating myself. Both songs equally amazing.

The music videos were both equally amazing. The video’s camera work was probably the best I have ever seen in KPOP. The shots just fitted the song really well. The video goes from Lee Hi singing to shots of random people who are quite sad or upset. Highlighting that “sigh” she sings so often about. The room which she sings from looks like heaven. Well not literally, but as if she was an angel from above, looking down on these people. There were a lot of shots of her on the roof and a few shots look down onto the roads, so I guess it is like she is an angel looking down? That’s my take on the video. Hold My Hand had a really unique video, where we are actually the guy and we see Lee Hi. It is shot with a video game (but like 90s video games) feel to it. A little random, but it looks pretty unique and amazing at the same time. The graphics were really cute nonetheless. The spinning around at the chorus probably was my favourite part of the video. Mainly because we got to see Lee Hi all cute and happy (totally the image I associate with her).

There is a dance for Hold My Hand, but her live singing captivates me a little too much. Hehehehe…

Overall, beautiful comeback that probably raises the bar for all.

Breathe – 10/10

Hold My Hand – 10/10

So, Lee Hi fans… Which song did you prefer more? Should you “Hold My Hand” or just “Breathe”? (lame puns) VOTE BELOW!!!

Mirror – Fiestar

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Fiestar has returned with their latest mini album and title track, Mirror. This is their first comeback since members Yezi and Cao Lu have shined the light back onto the girls through their solo promotions. Yezi recently made her solo debut with song Cider, due to her increase in popularity due to Unpretty Rapstar. Cao Lu has been hitting it big with her participation on variety TV shows. With the new popularity, the girls and their company decided a comeback was needed to embrace the new love (and that is has been about one year since their last promotions).

Mirror, once again, has become another underrated track for the group. This sad dance song is really good and I thought it neared perfection (hmm… Like yesterday). At first I thought a dance song with a more upbeat feel and sound would suit the girls more. However I was kind of shocked they went with a song that sounded darker than their last. But the sound sounded amazing upon first listen and now I totally dig it. I am going to say that the emotions in their vocals are very subtle. It just feels like they are singing a song. There really isn’t much more to their voice and it is all rather flat. Also very distant. The vocals are probably my only complaint. The rapping though was amazing. Yezi usually have this tough and strong sound to her, but here she managed to fit her rapping into the song. The song was soft and her rapping complimented just that. It sounded fragile, just like what the song was all about. It probably has to be one of the few rapping sequences that fit perfectly with the song it was in. The chorus was catchy. The “save me, save me” and “baby baby” are just constantly replaying in my head. Also Cao Lu got more lines. Our prayers were answered.

Love the imagery of the music video. The use of the cracked mirror was just too good in my opinion. Loved it how they stood there holding the piece and then the editor just edited in the reflection. Oh boy, I just totally made it sound like it was stupid. But it wasn’t. It was completely amazing. The darkness of the video is like no other. The only probably I found with the video is the formula that they used. It just seemed to be too similar to their last music video. The dance set and the cinematography for those scenes were nearly the same and I kind of got bored of it. It just made the video seemed generic. Everytime we watch a new video, we expect something different. Same formula is okay, but the girls needed something to spice the video up and make it into an instant hit. Maybe a more interesting set and better camera work?

As for the dance, mega disappointed. It was such a sensual sounding song that it had so much potential into being turned into dance that could have rivaled other sexy dances like Something by Girls Day or Alone by Sistar. I did love the squats they did in the chorus, but beside that, it was really boring.

Song was amazing. Video and dance let the comeback down. I honestly thought the girls would get more attention, but it seems like it will become another forgotten song for the girls. 6/10

Seasons Of The Heart – Seo In Guk

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Seo In Guk, probably a name in the distant past. Well, for those who don’t remember him, he is a famous actor in South Korea, who appeared in Reply 1997 and Master’s Sun. But did you know that he is also a singer? You probably did and that was really cliché way of introducing him to people who barely know of him or just know him as actor! But yeah, he is a singer and it has been ages (almost three years) since he last came back. Since his last comeback, he has been active as an actor, singing in OSTs and Japan.

Another song I have yet to listen to. So everything you will be reading today is just first impressions. The song has very nice melodic flow to which makes it sound pretty amazing. You know me and ballads, and this is one of the ballads that I think has finally be done right and to perfection as well. Damn, I miss his voice. His vocals in this are top notch and I am completely satisfied listening to his voice from the very start to the end of the song. The extremely soft piano start accompanies his voice, and both the instrumental and his vocals build up as the song gets closer to the chorus. I think it is a good song to listen to. Let’s move along with the review.

Moving to the music video, I think it is a pretty smart video. It takes the nice idea that the song presented (i.e. the heart changes like how the season changes) and did a pretty good job at depicting it. One moment we see them arguing, the next we seem them kissing. And damn, were there a lot of kisses in this video or what? The elevator scene is just a prime example. As people get on the elevator, the couple is seen arguing. As the same people get off the elevator, the couple are smooching each other. Pretty extreme, but it is a fail proof way of displaying what the song is about without dragging it out too long and turning it into a mini movie.

Overall, I think it was an excellent song and video. Pity it isn’t being promoted. 10/10

Kingdom – B.A.P

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Yep, B.A.P are back. Just not in Korea, but Japan. This is their first original release and their first comeback in Japan since 2014. The song is a part of an album titled as Best. Absolute. Perfect, and is their first official full length album in Japan to date.

The song is honestly pretty good. The song is exactly what I think the band should actually come back with. The same concept and just a little more power. B.A.P is known for their dark, powerful and strong concepts and songs. This just plays homage to some of those song. The violins in the song and the orchestral feel really sound cool and nice in the song. Plays very well with their vocals as well. The rapping is good. But as I mentioned, the song needed a little more power. I am not 100% sure about how Japan likes their songs, but this does have that dead feeling attached to it. And I mean, the song just doesn’t hit you across the face or have an impact upon you. It can be described as “tame”. Another thing that is starting to bug me. Unfortuately, when I am listening to B.A.P songs, a lot of the time I am trying to figure out the portion of the song that Daehyun sings. I know. I love his voice, but I feel like Youngjae can take over some of his lines. Jongup is improving a lot as well, so he should get a few more lines. As I said, I love Daehyun’s vocals, but sometimes (and this goes for many bands/groups, not just B.A.P), the line arrangement should not be biased towards one member, but a more even spread. There are bands where one member is given only one line and the excuse is “because they don’t sing well”. I find it usually these members that have the most unique voices and fits songs that the main vocalist can barely sound great in. Anyway, before the rant gets way too long. Song is pretty good.

As for the music video, boy, does that dead feeling come back strong. Lack of colour really fitted in with the rest of the video, gives it that more urban feel to the video. As for the plot… we really need to talk to these writers…. The boys of B.A.P seemed to hatch this plan that involves this car. Great. Probably stealing it or something. But the idea is to skip the plan and have the guys confront this big boss. Okay… They plug in some lights, have the big bosses henchmen conveniently bend backwards due too the bright light and the band casually make their way to the throne. Okay… And then proceed to wave a white flag and then they all celebrate. Ummm.. I am sorry. Did I miss out on a large portion of the video or something. What in the world did I just watch? Make utter no sense? I am going back and there isn’t anything to do with the plan, why they are going to take over the big bosses throne. And big boss, you ran because your henchmen are pathetic. This video reminds me of the cringe worthy dramas that I see consistently in Korean entertainment. I literally cannot speak right now, just by retelling you what I saw. Now, there maybe another video out there (like the fuller version), but I don’t know if it exists of not, because the video I am watching (linked below) is marketed as a the music video. A very big whup whup for the video.

Dancing was okay. Not as expected. Too boring to watch. Nothing cool. But hey, they do add that more masculine vibe to the video and song.

Song was the best part of the whole comeback. Dance is okay. Music video was a downright disappointment. I cannot put it any other way. 4/10

Spring Love – Eric Nam & Wendy (Red Velvet)

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A brand new song from SM station has just been released (but like last week). I am starting to really like this new idea (which I did have initial doubts to) as the artists of SM (who are not kept in their dungeon) are not usually able to collaborate with other artists unless they are within the same company. This biweekly thing that they have going on allows us to see unique and really cool collaborations with different artists. This time around, Wendy from Red Velvet and solo artist Eric Nam (both who have or will make their respective comebacks) have come together to perform such a nice song.

Actually, nice might be an understatement. But it probably the only way to describe the song without turning it into a EDM style track or make it seem like it is a totally another genre. Moving away from that awkward intro, it isn’t necessary the best song out there, but what we get is sufficient enough to please a lot of fans. Particularly those who have been yearning for a solo work from Wendy and a solo comeback from Eric Nam (all in due time). Their voices go well with each other and them together gives off this happy tune, which the song is trying to portray. The soft guitar sounds that make up 90% of the instrumental, with the other 10% are the drums to give it some bass and dimension, really do give off that Spring feel. When I listen to the song, I can just imagine singing it with my lover under the beautiful trees that are sprouting nice flowers. Wind breezing over us and the blue sky as blue as ever. And that obviously makes me want to smile! Great feelings from the song!

As for the video, I liked it. There is only one small complaint with the video. As I said I loved it, and these videos turn out to be very artistic. They are unique video with different transitions, that fit in well. So in this case, the pages flipping added a really nice rustic and vintage vibe to the video. Fits in totally well. But the one thing that did not fit in were the over-the-top and unnecessary effects that were added post production. Bubbles popping really did not need the effects of it occurring in cartoon form. Them playing the piano, we can use our brains that they are playing musical notes and not some farm animal sounds. It just turned what I thought was a great video into some kid like and just plainly un-needed. Rant over. Complaint over. Everything else was great!

Great song and video. 9/10

Unfortunately, I am behind with a lot of reviews. This one was meant to be released a few weeks back and they have been piling up. I am getting to them, just been so busy. Easter is around the corner (or actually right in front of us) and I will be using the week I have off as some time to catch up on these reviews.

Knock – KNK

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Let’s add a new band to the review list! KNK is a boy group that is currently under YNB Entertainment, which also houses Noel and BESTie. They are made up of 5 members: Kim You Jin, Park Seung Jun, Jeong In Seong, Kim Ji Hun and Oh Hee Jun. They made their official debut on the 16th of March. Surprisingly for a newly debut band, they have already established their fanclub: Tinkerbell. But let’s move along now.

The song is pretty nice to listen to. It doesn’t blow me away, but the song probably shows a lot of potential in itself and the band as well. The song starts off with a nice piano medley and very soothing vocals. The song starts to get a little more impactful with more harmonies and stronger vocals. As the song progresses along, the song starts to build up pretty well. The chorus just smacks you across the face (well, it did for me). It just sounds extremely powerful, but in a subtle way (is that just polar opposite then?). Their vocals sound very mature,  powerful and as if they have been performing for a very long time. The rapping fits very well with the song. It adds to that powerful nature of the song. Suprisinly, when I watch over the music video, I find that they way they intergrated their name into the song quite smart. It flowed very well and doesn’t sound like they over advertising themselves (cough-Brave Sound-cough-JYP back in the day-cough). I am coming down with a cold. Actually, it sounds like it was meant to be a part of the song. Saying all of that, great song. Very hard to see any flaws in it.

The music video was pretty good. Once again, not enough to make it amazing, but it had its charm. The powerful and dark vibe carries through from the song to the video. The sets were phenomenal. Yeah, we see them a lot, but the way they used the sets for their solo shots and dance scenes were pretty much their “style”. It just fits them really well. Usually, you see that certain scenes don’t fit in or the sets didn’t just suit the video. But here, wow. The lightings in background emphasised them and made them that much manlier and stronger. That very typical “Let’s look for her when she is obviously gone” scenes where they run around and look completely lost when they probably are still in their houses were in the video and I can say I was a little disappointed in that. I expected maybe a different way to present that scene.

The dance is pretty good as well. Yet again, not the most jaw dropping choreography I have seen to date, but damn, it is still pretty good. When they walk around in the circle, with their chest held up high, that seemed very good. Their movements were very sharp. The dance just showed off their manliness and oozed with charisma. That ending (when they are rapping) looked awesome and cool.

Overall, I think it is a very good debut with great aspects and all. They have so much potential and I think they will do well for a very long time. One thing I will say: check out their mini album. They have good tracks on it. As for this one: 9/10