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[Review] A Sleepless Night – CNBLUE

October 21, 2024October 27, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged CN BLUE2 Comments

We haven’t heard CNBLUE’s name for a while. Their last comeback was in 2021 with Love Cut. Earlier this week, CNBLUE made their first comeback in 3 years with their 10th mini-album X and the title track, A Sleepless Night.

A Sleepless Night is a straightforward mid-tempo rock track, and I appreciate its purity. However, it falls short of three minutes, as with many songs in KPOP nowadays. Nothing wrong with this trend (though I did not expect CNBLUE to conform to it), but a recurring complaint I have made this year is that certain songs needed more to feel substantial. That isn’t the case with A Sleepless Night‘s length. The mid-tempo nature of the music keeps it paced, making it feel longer than it is. Vocally, YONGHWA sounds good. It is definitely nice to hear him (and the rest of the band on the instruments) after a long while. A definite trip down memory lane for me. But while the straightforward rock and nostalgic vocals help make A Sleepless Night appealing to me, I think it could have used something to be more defining of itself to attract more and new listeners to this incredible band. After all, it would be great to see them resurge with their classic hits like I’m A Loner, Love, Cinderella, and a personal favourite of mine, Between Us. An argument can definitely be made about A Sleepless Night sounding generic, and I potentially could have passed on A Sleepless Night if I had listened to it in passing without knowing who it was by.

Like the song, the music video for A Sleepless Night is also straightforward. For the most part, the members are trapped in a small room. This depicts the hold that the lingering memories and longing for their past love have on them. In the room is an unkept bed, which highlights their inability to sleep due to these feelings and longing (i.e., a sleepless night). There is probably more to the broken glass, but it expresses their frustration to me. When the group are together, they perform the song. I like the scenes where the trio is performing in a triangle formation, facing each other whilst the camera is spinning around them. It is simple, and the black-and-white filter carries through the video’s tone to the group scenes.

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

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 3rd Week of October 2024

October 20, 2024Posted in Weekly ChartsTagged AB6IXLeave a comment

Welcome back to another Weekly KPOP Chart post! Another quick one today, so let’s get right to it!

What else am I listening to?

Replacing the ‘Throwback Song’ segment of the weekly KPOP chart posts is a ‘What else am I listening to?‘ segment in the world of KPOP. It is the same thing, but framed in a way that should eliminate the idea that a more recent song (say released in the last year) is a ‘throwback song’. This week’s song is LABOUM’s HWI HWI.

Non-Korean Song of the Week

As this blog focuses primarily on KPOP songs, I want to draw attention to a particular song that isn’t in Korean in this part of the Weekly KPOP Chart post. That song will be the top-ranking non-Korean song on each Weekly KPOP Chart post. The highest-ranking non-Korean song for the week is Rosé (BLACKPINK) & Bruno Mars’ APT., which ranks in the 10th position. I know some Korean is in the song, but they are limited to a few recurring lines. The rest of the song is in English, so I considered it to be a non-Korean song.

The Charts

AB6IX’s NVKED ranks in the top spot on the 3rd Week of October 2024’s Weekly KPOP Charts. Congratulations to AB6IX!

Position	Song Title	Artist	Change
1	NVKED	AB6IX	(▲ 14)
2	A Sleepless Night	CNBLUE	(NEW)
3	GOLD	ITZY	(NEW)
4	MEOW	MEOVV	(▲ 58)
5	LOVE, MONEY & FAME	SEVENTEEN ft. DJ Khaled	(NEW)
6	NEMONEMO	YENA	(▼ 5)
7	CRAZY	LE SSERAFIM	(▲ 14)
8	RIZZ	Yoon Seobin	(▲ 64)
9	Dangerous	BOYNEXTDOOR	(▲ 50)
10	APT.	Rosé (BLACKPINK) & Bruno Mars	(NEW)
11	GGUM	YEONJUN (TXT)	(▼ 5)
12	GOOD SO BAD	ZEROBASEONE	(▲ 32)
13	Mantra	Jennie (BLACKPINK)	(▲ 59)
14	Off The Mask	YUTA (NCT)	(▲ 23)
15	Cherry	Gyeongree	(▲ 57)
16	Get Loud	KISS OF LIFE	(NEW)
17	SAD SONG	P1Harmony	(▲ 8)
18	Electric Shock	KANG DANIEL	(▲ 31)
19	Call Me Back	NOMAD	(▲ 53)
20	See That?	NMIXX	(▲ 7)
21	LOVE ATTACK	RESCENE	(▲ 51)
22	UP	KARINA (aespa)	(▲ 34)
23	Pleasure Shop	KEY (SHINee)	(▲ 13)
24	Run Away	TZUYU (TWICE)	(▲ 48)
25	TTYL	Loossemble	(▲ 35)
26	Starry Night	FIFTY FIFTY	(▲ 32)
27	Hello, My First Love	The Wind	(▲ 45)
28	NA	HWASA (MAMAMOO)	(▼ 10)
29	POP UP	Dragon Pony	(▲ 9)
30	Illusion	ISHA	(▲ 42)

[Review] Colors – Solar (MAMAMOO)

October 19, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged MAMAMOO, Solar (Mamamoo)2 Comments

Way back in April, Solar from MAMAMOO made her solo comeback with her second mini-album, Colours, and the title track, But I. Ahead of that release, Solar gave us a snippet of Colors, the first song from the mini-album, as a teaser for the comeback. A performance video for Colors later dropped. Finally, after six months, I am reviewing Colors in the lead-up to the album review for Colours.

Colors is totally different from Solar’s title track. That is one of the things I admire about Colors. It sets out to be bold and delivers in significant style. But I tapped into balladry and rock (the former is what you expect from Solar, but the rock influence wasn’t too far of a reach), whereas Colors delved into the house genre. It is a new sound profile for Solar that admittedly took a few listens to grow on me. Even now, it isn’t the song I would actively search for to listen to, but I still appreciate it. Colors is a suitable track for the club setting with its heavy stomping beat. The instrumental is unapologetic in many regards, and Solar (the sole lyricist and composer of the song) ensures the song is kept that way. All of her vocals in Colors are delivered in a very spoken manner. Definitely an interesting choice for a main vocalist. However, amid the spoken delivery was a stretched-out squeal in the first chorus. It took a few listens for me to enjoy it (and the song in general), but it is one aspect of Colors that I now look forward to when I listen to the song. Overall, Colors shows us a different yet fun side of Solar.

For this review, the music video and performance aspect of the review will be merged together, given the only official video for Colors is a performance video. Described as the first KPOP release with voguing from start to end, I find the video embodies the song quite well. It is both bold and fun in many ways. A big part of the video is the ballroom house aspects (from the House of Love to the choreography), which I enjoyed. Solar did a fantastic job herself – it didn’t feel like a first attempt. I liked how the video was also full of colour via the outfits and club set but was not necessarily in-your-face about it. I liked this refinement; it didn’t make the whole release feel too noisy. I could see the video being just that, had there been too much colour or a dynamic light show (some of the reasons I find clubs too overwhelming).

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

[Review] GOLD – ITZY

October 18, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged ITZY5 Comments

ITZY also returned this week with GOLD, the title of their 9th mini-album and latest title track. GOLD is also the first comeback in over a year to feature LIA, who went on hiatus last year due to anxiety. Glad to see LIA back on stage! This comeback follows ITZY’s 8th mini-album, BORN TO BE, and the single UNTOUCHABLE.

GOLD‘s powerfulness stands out to me. The opening kicks us off with an intro that just grabs your attention. It’s not perfect, as I keep thinking the vocals sound a little slurred during this part. But it definitely pulls you in. Moving onto the chorus, the clashing cymbals accompanying the hefty and prolific beat make it robust and hard to miss. It contributes to a bombastic result, and I appreciate that side of GOLD. However, all this power also acts as a double-edged sword. The powerfulness of the chorus and intro dominates GOLD, with the last remnants of the “It’s like gold” hook lingering faintly in the background (and that is only if I really pay attention). The rest of the chorus feels minute in comparison, and the verses are just forgotten. Listening closely, the hip-hop influence in GOLD is adequately maintained, even though the members’ delivery was lacklustre past the intro. The electric guitar strings were an interesting percussive element in GOLD, but the energy of the song’s central piece drowned its presence in both verse and chorus. The instrumental break was empty and stripped everything bold. Overall, I am genuinely perplexed with how GOLD weighs itself down and wish it was more balanced for better enjoyment.

It would help if the lyrics made sense. They probably do in Korean (given it is a Korean song), but the English translation feels like a hodgepodge of words strung together to say something. Based on the music video, I guess the members liken themselves to gold in the lyrics, as well as everyone else. Hence, at the end of the video, gold eggs are found in the place of the members and all the other people in the background. Aside from that interpretation, I did like how the music video embraced that bombastic side of the song. There were explosions, dramatic light shows, and even cracks opening on the ground. The CGI and practical effects were cool, even if the other elements felt random.

GOLD sounds better on stage, at least the one I watched to see the choreography for this comeback. There is a lot of head-banging and swinging arms in this one. But while it sounds like there is a lot of freestyling, the routine is still quite sharp and well-synchronised. I also quite like the configuration of the song’s intro. Also, the members look like they are having fun with this routine, even though it looks exhausting.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] MEOW – MEOVV

October 17, 2024October 16, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged MEOVV2 Comments

Over a month ago, MEOVV made their debut with the single MEOW. The five-member female group is the first under THEBLACKLABEL, a label founded by YG Producers Teddy and Kush. Their lineup comprises Sooin, Gawon, Anna, Narin, and Ella. THEBLACKLABEL is also currently home to TAEYANG, JEON SOMI and BLACKPINK’s Rosé (who will be making her long-awaited solo comeback in December).

To be honest, my initial impression of MEOW wasn’t great. A month after its release, I am not yet convinced that MEOVV is the next big thing in KPOP based on MEOW. I recognise some potential behind the group and the song, but neither has won me over nor really put the group on my radar other than that they are attached to one of the Big 4 entertainment companies. Let’s focus on the positives. I have come around to the vocals. When MEOW does give us some melodies, SOOIN and ELLA pull it off well. Something a little more vibrant could have helped MEOW be more appealing (more on this in a second), and I think these vocals, through the melodies, could have been the best conduit for that. I can sense the edginess behind the choruses and the heavy hip-hop influence, and I believe MEOVV could take this to higher levels with the right song. The flute-like instrumental at the end of the song was a great addition and gave the song a little something different to end off the song. The biggest problem with MEOW, for me, is its heaviness. From MEOW‘s main refrain to the serious tone the members exude, it is pretty suffocating. This ultimately served as a barrier for me to get into the song. As mentioned before, the song needed some vibrancy to it. We don’t need much that disrupts the edginess that the group has going for them. But we needed something to balance out MEOW, at least to have it appear in my books.

When I see the music video, I cannot help but think it is a YG video that has been gutted. The quality is there, just like any other YG-produced music video. But many elements that usually make you go wow in a YG video are missing. Instead, MEOW‘s music video attempts to be minimalistic. That can be an aesthetic when done right, but I don’t think it was achieved here. It just feels empty. Instead, the video relies on the members to fill up the space. I like the edgy vibe the members exude through their outfits and demeanour. But it just wasn’t enough. The scenes where the members dance with the Big Foots were a bit fun.

The choreography for MEOVV’s debut was quite powerful and aggressive, making for a compelling case for the group. I did not expect the performance to be as aggressive for some reason, but I guess it makes sense, given the group’s roots and the hip-hop influence on them. That whole dance break at the end of the routine is very worthwhile to watch.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7/10

[Review] LOVE, MONEY & FAME – SEVENTEEN ft. DJ Khaled

October 16, 2024October 17, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged SEVENTEEN3 Comments

Kicking off the week was SEVENTEEN, who returns with their 13th mini-album SPILL THE FEELS and the title track LOVE, MONEY & FAME (ft. DJ Khaled). We last heard from SEVENTEEN through their 17 IS RIGHT HERE compilation album, led by the single MAESTRO and supplemented by the unit tracks LALALI (Hip-Hop team), Spell (Performance team) and Cheers To Youth (Vocal team). While the mini-album features JEONGHAN and JUN, both are sitting out of promotions of LOVE, MONEY & FAME and their upcoming world tour due to their military enlistment and acting career in China, respectively.

Pleasant was the first impression I had when I listened to LOVE, MONEY & FAME. And since its release two days ago, that impression has barely shifted. It definitely sounds nice and is an easy listen. The song is more vocal-focused than most of their other title tracks, with only VERNON delivering LOVE, MONEY & FAME‘s lone rap sequence. The melodies are enjoyable. The R&B and hip-hop-styled instrumental feels streamlined and sometimes feels dry. Beyond that, I don’t have much to say about LOVE, MONEY & FAME. This is the first time I have been left with little to say about a SEVENTEEN comeback, which feels disappointing. We all know that SEVENTEEN can do so much more, so LOVE, MONEY & FAME feels underwhelming. As you can tell from the song title, LOVE, MONEY & FAME also features DJ Khaled. It has been a while since I have heard his music. While he did come together with SEVENTEEN to make a pleasant song, his line at the start and end of the song was harsh relative to the rest of LOVE, MONEY & FAME, which truthfully started LOVE, MONEY, & FAME on a not-so-good note for me. I wished it wasn’t as full-on in the final product so that it goes with the rest of the song.

LOVE, MONEY & FAME conveys that love comes first, no matter the other options (like money and fame). The video depicts the members putting love first, no matter the circumstance. It could be a car crash or pile-up, an evacuation on a plane, a daytime robbery, or even bouts of fame as depicted in THE8’s heroic scene, WOOZI’s phone call on an interview show, or by JUN walking away from the glamorous lifestyle. All the members choose love in the end. I quite like the montage at the end of the staircase – it gives off maturity in a way that doesn’t overdo it. The members also look quite good in those scenes.

The choreography was good. I liked how the routine captured the easy-going nature of the song and the R&B and hip-hop influence. It also had a nice bounce. It does feel simpler and more casual than usual, but I think these are inherent characteristics that the routine had to lean into due to the music. But it was still a good performance nonetheless.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] NVKED – AB6IX

October 15, 2024October 15, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged AB6IX1 Comment

I have been so busy with work (and recovering from the overwhelming work) that I completely missed the news that AB6IX (amongst other artists) was making a comeback. During the past week, the four-member boy group returned with the single NVKED and their 9th mini-album, BORN LIKE THIS. It follows their GRAB ME and The Future is Ours: Found mini-album and a special mini-album consisting of the latest batch of the group’s solo tracks from their recent world tour.

NVKED is probably the most unexpected song title for a KPOP group. I was surprised to see it on my YouTube subscription page with the group’s name attached. But rather than being nude, NVKED is a song about being confident and open. But there is more to NVKED than the surprising title. I like the music because of how simplistic yet simultaneously fun and upbeat it is. Funky instrumentation sets up the song to be quite entertaining and energetic. Nothing too complicated here, which helps NVKED achieve its straightforward and easygoing vibe, as already mentioned. The members cleanly deliver NVKED with their vocals and rapping. I particularly enjoyed the falsettos in the chorus, which effortlessly adds complexity to the straightforward pop song. The simplicity of the hooks helps make this part of NVKED stand out even further. The vocals in the bridge from all the members were another part of NVKED that I put on repeat. Overall, NVKED is a well-rounded track that is a great listen when you want something more energetic but not something too loud.

Like the song, the video does not feature nudity. Instead, it looks like the members are preparing for a party—choosing an outfit, decorating the place, and then partying it up with alcohol and friends. There really isn’t much else to the video, which does make it a bit bland. They could have done a bit more with the premise of the video, like have the member do something exciting in the lead-up to the party (other than reading the newspaper) or give the party some more flair (rather than have it look so basic).

I really enjoyed this performance. I like how it embraces the funky and upbeat nature of the song and makes the routine look like a blast. Everything felt lively, fun, and more, from the choruses to the ending. Their live vocals throughout the performance are super stable, considering the routine, which highlights their performance abilities.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8.1/10

[Review] NEMONEMO – YENA

October 14, 2024October 12, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged YENA1 Comment

YENA returned to the stage just under two weeks ago with NEMONEMO. It is her first Korean comeback since January’s Good Morning. She also released new music in Japan.

NEMONEMO cannot have come around at a more perfect time. I have been pretty run down the last couple of weeks because of work. However, one of the things that has helped increase my energy levels has been NEMONEMO. The dopamine hit NEMONEMO delivers and the hyper energy from the fast-paced instrumental really impacted me as the listener, especially when the song unexpectedly popped up on the queue. The overly bright synths and the cutesy energy YENA packs into the song also help. Interestingly, this combination should have made NEMONEMO feel artificial and excessive, and I would generally avoid this type of song (with the usual exception or two). But there is something about YENA that somehow makes NEMONEMO okay and standable. It could be that this is YENA’s style, and I know I should expect that. It could also be how YENA still makes it feel like a substantial song. The bridge brought a nice infusion of vocals into the mix, and the verses felt similar. The choruses were fun, and NEMONEMO‘s hook was addictive. My main concern with NEMONEMO is actually its repetitiveness. I can see myself getting tired of the song quite quickly if it were on repeat, which is why I have gone out of my way not to have it on repeat. But for now, listening to NEMONEMO has been a blast.

NEMONEMO compares love to a square. Falling in love should be akin to something warm, fuzzy, and soft. However, YENA has difficulties appealing to her to-be boyfriend, so she describes their love as more like a crooked square. Squares are more rigid and so don’t fit the descriptors above. Plus, a crooked square is nowhere near perfect. In the video, he is more occupied with his phone while she tries to get his attention. He also makes her jealous by meeting other people and is too popular to notice her. So, she hatches a plan to get his attention by kicking a ball (or a cube in the video) into him. As he is rushed to the ambulance, she runs after him and worries about him, which makes him notice her in the moment and fall in love with her. At the end of the video, the guy is revealed to be Park Myungsoo. Overall, cute video.

Just like the rest of the comeback, the choreography is cute. YENA looks the part, too! The square is also present throughout the performance, and some rigid moves resemble a square’s qualities. Also, the fan chants for this comeback were insane.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 2nd Week of October 2024

October 13, 2024Posted in Weekly ChartsTagged YENALeave a comment

Welcome back to another Weekly KPOP Chart post! I am posting this a little later in the day (due to being a couch potato this weekend), which clashes with the time I usually set aside to work on other parts of the blog. So that I can get back to doing that, I will cut this introduction short and get right on it! Here is the Weekly KPOP Chart for the 2nd Week of October 2024.

What else am I listening to?

Non-Korean Song of the Week

As this blog focuses primarily on KPOP songs, I want to draw attention to a particular song that isn’t in Korean in this part of the Weekly KPOP Chart post. That song will be the top-ranking non-Korean song on each Weekly KPOP Chart post. The highest-ranking non-Korean song for the 2nd Week of October 2024 is NCT DREAM’s Rains In Heaven, which ranks in the 5th position this week. Rains In Heaven was previously the non-Korean song of the week during the 4th week of August, and the 1st and 4th weeks of September 2024.

The Charts

YENA’s NEMONEMO is the top song, ranking in the top spot on the 2nd Week of October 2024’s Weekly KPOP Charts. Congratulations to YENA!

Position	Song Title	Artist	Change
1	NEMONEMO	YENA	(▲ 36)
2	Melt Down	DAY6	(▲ 14)
3	Nice Guy	BOYNEXTDOOR	(▲ 24)
4	Smoke	JAEHYUN (NCT)	(▲ 61)
5	Rains In Heaven	NCT DREAM	(▲ 60)
6	GGUM	YEONJUN (TXT)	(▲ 9)
7	UNO	MADEIN	(▲ 58)
8	SOS	FIFTY FIFTY	(▲ 3)
9	Weekend	DRIPPIN	(▲ 31)
10	Light Up	3Piece	(▲ 55)
11	Back Again	CHANYEOL (EXO)	(▲ 54)
12	Automatic	VANNER	(▲ 53)
13	illang (Firework)	ILY:1	(▲ 52)
14	KILL ME	LEE DAE HWI (AB6IX)	(▲ 51)
15	NVKED	AB6IX	(NEW)
16	Why So Serious?	BAO	(▲ 12)
17	Just Better	A.C.E	(▲ 48)
18	NA	HWASA (MAMAMOO)	(▼ 9)
19	Combo	RIIZE	(▼ 16)
20	Supersonic	fromis_9	(▼ 12)
21	CRAZY	LE SSERAFIM	(▼ 20)
22	New Woman	LISA (BLACKPINK) ft. Rosalia	(▼ 3)
23	Trick	Kim Boa	(▲ 42)
24	Day That I Died	Woosung (The Rose)	(▲ 41)
25	SAD SONG	P1Harmony	(▼ 23)
26	Roses	JAEHYUN (NCT)	(▼ 20)
27	See That?	NMIXX	(▼ 2)
28	beat drum	ONEW (SHINee)	(▼ 5)
29	Classified	OH MY GIRL	(▲ 4)
30	Joy Of Missing Out	AleXa	(▲ 35)

[Album Review] Beautiful MAZE (4th Single Album) – DRIPPIN

October 13, 2024October 12, 2024Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged DRIPPINLeave a comment

DRIPPIN returned in April of this year with the single album Beautiful MAZE. Today, I am reviewing it. The lead single off the album shares the same name and is featured alongside two other tracks. To me, Beautiful MAZE (referring to the single album) has a case of ‘another track should have been the lead single’ – continue reading to find out which song should have been in place of the Beautiful MAZE single. More recently, DRIPPIN returned in August with yet another single album titled and led by a single with the shared name Weekend.

1. Beautiful MAZE – Click here for the full review of Beautiful MAZE. (7/10)

2. Get LOUD – Get LOUD is an upbeat track that steps the single album up with its funky and fun instrumentation. I noticed and enjoyed a 90s tinge in the mix. I liked how the choruses have a lot going on in their instrumentation yet are still cohesive. The rapping in Get LOUD had some punchiness, while the vocals did a nice job of bringing the melodies to life. Stronger hooks could have made Get LOUD a contender for title track status. (8/10)

3. Black Mirror – On the other hand, Black Mirror is already a contender for title track status. The song went super hard in the funkiness department. To the point where Black Mirror boasted of its influence and never once held itself back. DRIPPIN’s vocal work and rapping were superb throughout Black Mirror and a highlight listening to the song. The melodies and hooks were super catchy. This should have been the title track for this single album, and it would have been a smashing hit. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Cheers To Youth – SEVENTEEN’s Vocal Team

October 12, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged SEVENTEEN, SEVENTEEN Vocal Unit1 Comment

I am finally finishing reviewing the newer songs from SEVENTEEN’s 17 is Right Here compilation album. Last up on the list is SEVENTEEN’s vocal team’s Cheers To Youth. Previously, I reviewed the album’s main title track MAESTRO, the Hip-Hop team’s LALALI and the Performance team’s Spell singles. As it is a compilation album, the rest of the two-disc album consists of the Korean versions of all their Japanese singles and every Korean title track released over their careers thus far. And finally, getting around to reviewing the new songs off the album is timely since the group is gearing up for their next comeback ON MONDAY! So more SEVENTEEN to come!

Cheers To Youth delves into the J-Rock genre with a wholesome message that everything will be okay. I really enjoyed this single a lot. There are a few great moments in Cheers To Youth that I must point out. The upbeat instrumentation is definitely the song’s strongest asset. Still, I particularly love the funky direction that bridges the soft piano opening of the song and the launch into the J-Rock genre. It was an entertaining sequence and really lifted up the song. JOSHUA’s part in the second verse when the electric guitar steps up was another moment I found myself gravitating towards repeatedly. The “My, my, my” that follows the second chorus (noting the first chorus occurred during the intro) was also another moment that I found so soothing and peaceful. Elsewhere in Cheers To Youth, I found the vocals, melodies and choruses to be extremely comforting and uplifting, which suits the song’s message mentioned earlier. Overall, Cheers To Youth is a lovely song with a positive message to reflect on.

The video features the five members facing their own internal struggles with themselves. WOOZI has social anxiety that prevents him from going outside, DK is a student in a pressurised education system who is worried about underperforming, JOSHUA is an office worker who is constantly on the lookout, SEUNGKWAN struggles with loneliness, and JEONGHAN worries that he isn’t enough and that there is always something wrong with him that needs fixing (taken from ichsanjulian-ed4so’s YouTube comment). But together, they join the Tiny Issue club, where they can speak to their internal struggles and help each other through them. With each other, WOOZI goes outside, DK is awarded for his academic successes, JOSHUA is praised by his co-workers, JEONGHAN feels better about himself, and SEUNGKWAN (along with the rest of the team) gains life-long friendships with one another. At the end of the video, the club invites a sixth member, a tiger, representative of fellow member HOSHI, whom the song was inspired by.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Album Review] Beautiful Shadow (8th Mini Album) – ONF

October 10, 2024October 7, 2024Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged ONF1 Comment

ONF made their Beautiful Shadow comeback in April, led by the single Bye My Monster, which is still a fantastic track after just over six months. Joining the title track are four additional side tracks – all of which were just as high calibre as Bye My Monster. You might think that I am a bit 10/10 happy with this mini-album. But honestly, no side track was skippable. And being a bit trigger-happy with the 10/10s has led to this mini-album being my blog’s highest-rated release in 3 years! Only two albums have received the same rating – TAEMIN’s Want and Kim Sung Kyu’s Won’t Forget You. But it isn’t the highest-rated album on the blog ever – only one mini-album has achieved that (guess which one). But for now, here are my thoughts on Beautiful Shadow.

1. Bye My Monster (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of Bye My Monster. (9.5/10)

2. Aphrodite – ONF goes funky in Aphrodite with an electronic instrumentation. It definitely made the track fun. Some moments stray away from the funkiness, such as the dramatic and serious outro and when all the members sing together throughout the bridge. All brought a slightly different dynamic to Aphrodite but didn’t disrupt the flow or energy that the song and members were exuding. Speaking of the members, they brought strong vocals and rapping, intensifying the song even further. (9/10)

3. BREATH, HAZE & SHADOW – Changing up the flow of the mini-album is this middle song. Following the intense and funky Aphrodite and preceding the pop Chemical Type, BREATH, HAZE & SHADOW takes us into the balladry domain. The instrumental is composed of strings and piano, making a beautiful background. The vocal work from all the members was superb, and I loved how powerful they got towards the song’s end. You can definitely feel all of the emotions in the song. Stunning is definitely how I would describe the song. (10/10)

4. Chemical Type – Following the ballad, Chemical Type definitely packs a lot of oomph in its instrumentation. The pop track had me vibing along to the song. And from this, I had a lot of favourite moments in Chemical Type. The very unfiltered, vibrant instrumentation in the choruses was one of the highlights I enjoyed. The electric guitar that came through in the end felt like icing on the cake. The “My my chemical type” rings in my mind even after the song ends. WYATT’s part in the second verse, which moves between rap, vocals and then back into rapping, was another highlight. The rest of the vocals were powerful and complemented the oomph packed into the song. (10/10)

5. Slave To The Rhythm – I remember being intrigued by the title of the final song. It sounds like a very conceptual track that needed a slinky instrumental to feel alluring and commanding. The groovy synth bass was a vibe and had everything I had hoped for the track. There is a disco influence in Slave To The Rhythm, which was an appropriate era to draw upon. The instrumental break at the end was my favourite, but the dramatic ending was a close second. I liked how ONF’s vocals just glided along, and this highlighted the rhythm. Another 10/10 for this mini-album. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.7/10

Teaser image for *Beautiful Shadow* / *Bye My Monster*

[Review] I Like The Way – KIM WOOJIN

October 9, 2024October 5, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged KIM WOOJINLeave a comment

It took KIM WOOJIN just about two years to make his solo comeback between his debut with Ready Now and Still Dream in 2021 and his first comeback with On My Way last year. For his second comeback earlier this year with I Like The Way, it took him only eight months to return. Today, I will finally review I Like The Way, the lead single off his 3rd mini-album of the same name.

It has taken me many months to finally write a review for I Like The Way, which might indicate my thoughts on the song. But don’t—I actually do like I Like The Way. I didn’t pay much attention to the track when it was first released. But there is something about the unfiltered groove in I Like The Way. Once it caught my attention, I couldn’t get enough of it, and it stuck around. The bass and beat in this song were excellent, and the guitar work was fantastic. There wasn’t anything meddling with the instrumentation, which made it feel simple and such an attractive element of I Like The Way. As for KIM WOOJIN’s vocals were consistently well-executed and sounded very fresh, even 6 months after the song’s release. The way KIM WOOJIN accompanies the instrumental in the verses was my favourite part and my pick for the most memorable moment of the song. The melodies and hooks were also catchy and added more to the addictiveness side of the track. My only wish for I Like The Way was the ad-libs were punchier. Some of the ones we got in the song felt a little forced and unnatural.

In the lyrics of I Like The Way, KIM WOOJIN sings about how certain people drive him to do better and prove his worth. It is a bit ambiguous as to who he is referring to. It could be the fans, which is a natural choice of persons for the song to be about. However, based on what is depicted in the music video, the people in masks represent the haters and try to get to him to hold him back. They have surrounded him with cameras, whispering in his ear, smashing his car or chasing after him. But throughout the video, he out-manoeuvres them and does everything he can to hold them back so he can get back on stage.

The choreography looks good. KIM WOOJIN shows off his performance skills quite well in this routine. His live vocals are stable, which is a definite highlight of the performance. I don’t have much else to say about it, but I like it when the choreography becomes more intense.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.5/10

[Album Review] HOW? (2nd Mini Album) – BOYNEXTDOOR

October 8, 2024October 7, 2024Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged BOYNEXTDOORLeave a comment

Still in April, we have BOYNEXTDOOR’s 2nd mini-album, HOW?, next up for an album review. It features the title track Earth, Wind & Fire, five additional side tracks, and the English version of the title track. The mini-album finishes the trilogy of releases the group debuted and returned with in 2023 – WHO? and WHY…. It is a strong mini-album release for the group and a great listen, overall.

Since their April comeback, BOYNEXTDOOR made another comeback with the new mini-album 19.99, the pre-release Dangerous and the title track Nice Guy. It is so recent the group is still promoting it.

1. OUR – BOYNEXTDOOR starts the mini-album with a hip-hop track (no surprises here). OUR is mid-tempo paced, which I am on the fence about. I would have loved for OUR to pick itself up as it progressed. I felt the track was missing BOYNEXTDOOR’s excitement that they have managed to infuse into their releases, and the more serious and subdued nature just didn’t feel representative of the group. But on the flip side, I recognise that had OUR picked itself up as desired, it would have lost the incredible flow, melodies, and execution that the members pulled off in OUR. (8/10)

2. Amnesia – While Amnesia does have a similar mid-tempo pace as the previous song, I felt a slight presence of the members’ personalities in the track. And this made the song more appealing to me. I really liked the softer, whispery tones they use in the choruses, which reflect well with their perspective of their relationship (i.e., they find themselves regretting fights in a toxic relationship but find themselves having ‘amnesia’ after things ease and returning to the relationship as if nothing happens). The sing-song rapping in the chorus had a nice rhythm to it. (9/10)

3. So Let’s Go See The Stars – BOYNEXTDOOR brings a touch of retro to the mini-album through the synths used in So Let’s Go See The Stars. In addition, some rock also makes a welcomed presence, bringing some excitement to the song. The melodies, rhythm and the members’ tone were delightful, fueling a nice and sweet song. I genuinely get the good vibes of a late-night drive with your crush to watch the stars and enjoy the peacefulness of each other’s company. (8.5/10)

4. Earth, Wind & Fire (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for Earth, Wind & Fire. (7.5/10)

5. l i f e i s c o o l – As mentioned previously, there is a playfulness to BOYNEXTDOOR’s songs that I associate with them. And we really delve into that in l i f e i s c o o l. It is a very chill and easy-to-follow track for the most part. Everything just feels very carefree, and I love that for them. However, right at the end of l i f e i s c o o l, just when you think the song has wrapped up, LEEHAN changes up the song to bring in a jazzy motif through his solo moment. It is definitely a big change in contrast to the rest of the song, but it is a memorable one. (10/10)

6. Dear. My Darling – Whilst the shortest track on the mini-album, Dear. My Darling is a recommended listen. The track is a rock ballad with blissful vocals from all members and swaying melodies I seek out in all ballads. My only complaint about Dear. My Darling is that it is too short! (9/10)

7. Earth, Wind & Fire (English version) – See above for my review of Earth, Wind & Fire.

Overall Album Rating – 8.7/10

*HOW?* / *Earth, Wind & Fire* Teaser Image

[Review] Spell – SEVENTEEN’s Performance Team

October 7, 2024October 12, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged SEVENTEEN, SEVENTEEN Performance Unit2 Comments

Two weeks ago, I started reviewing SEVENTEEN’s unit singles from their compilation album, 17 is RIGHT HERE, released in April of this year. I reviewed the Hip-Hop Team’s LALALI first. Today, I will review the Performance Team’s Spell. I will be back to review the Vocal Team’s Cheers of Youth later this week to be ready to review SEVENTEEN’s next comeback, which is happening in just over a week.

Spell is a sophisticated and elegant dreamy number. It is an interesting sound for the Performance Team, whom I associate with more intricate beats and heavier sounds that lend well to becoming a dance-centric performance track. But I am all for exploring different sounds, and Spell is a successful venture for the unit. The instrumental is soft, uniquely utilising percussion and Afrobeats to help create that dreamy aesthetic that we all feel from Spell. Also soft were the quartet’s vocals, which were superbly hazy and tranquil throughout Spell. Catchy hooks also help make the song even more appealing, even if some of it (the “Adila kiya akiya shurapoeh“) was a made-up language for the song. While listening to the song previously, there were times when I felt the members’ vocals took me away, just like you expect a good dream would do. But while the dreamy motif was a constant throughout Spell, I liked it when their vocals tapped into their lower and deeper registers. It was a good and subtle move from the producers to ensure Spell didn’t stay consistent, which could have been a real danger for this song. From how I heard it, they managed to just do enough to stop Spell from feeling dull and like it didn’t go anywhere. But I do think there is room in the song to do more. Nonetheless, Spell is a very different and unexpected direction for the Performance Team. But one that does pay off.

That dreamy aesthetic is carried over into the music video. The video features a tarot card concept, with the members each being a character on a card (see the featured image for this post)—THE8 being The Heart, HOSHI being The Wings, DINO being The Arrow, and JUN being The Apollo. The outdoor scenes, the sets, the outfits, and the makeup donned by the four members all have this dreaminess that puts you in awe and captivates your attention, just like the song does. Definitely a stunning video and one I recommend you check out down below.

As this is a Performance Team track, a choreography is attached. To match the song, it is smooth and features many soft movements. The Performance Team also adds sexiness to the routine, which just works wonderfully with the song. You can hear the fans go wild during these moments in the stage performance SEVENTEEN has uploaded for our viewing pleasure. But the choreography isn’t the only element to take away from the performance. Their smouldering looks and alluring vibe must also be mentioned and highlighted. It is a big part of the routine and highlights the members’ charisma and charm.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.1/10

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 1st Week of October 2024

October 6, 2024Posted in Weekly ChartsTagged LE SSERAFIMLeave a comment

Welcome back to another Weekly KPOP Chart post, this time for the 1st Week of October 2024! I am expecting work to knock me down for the next week, so I will be scheduling some more reviews over the weekend for the week ahead. I have already got two ready, and will be working on more today and tomorrow (got a public holiday – woo!). As for new releases, I will see what I can get around to writing. Anyhow, on with the Weekly KPOP Chart for the 1st Week of October 2024.

What else am I listening to?

Replacing the ‘Throwback Song’ segment of the weekly KPOP chart posts is a ‘What else am I listening to?‘ segment in the world of KPOP. Basically the same thing, but framed in a way that should eliminate the idea a more recent song (say released in the last year) is a ‘throwback song’. And I am riding the wave of 2NE1’s reunion concerts with this week’s song – UGLY.

Non-Korean Song of the Week

As this blog focuses primarily on KPOP songs, I want to draw attention to a particular song that isn’t in Korean in this part of the Weekly KPOP Chart post. That song will be the top-ranking non-Korean song on each Weekly KPOP Chart post. The highest-ranking non-Korean song for the 1st Week of October 2024 is JAEHYUN’s Roses, which ranks in the 6th position this week. Roses was previously the non-Korean song for the 2nd Week of August 2024.

The Charts

LE SSERAFIM’s CRAZY is the top song for the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 1st Week of October 2024. Congratulations to LE SSERAFIM!

Position	Song Title	Artist	Change
1	CRAZY	LE SSERAFIM	(▲ 7)
2	SAD SONG	P1Harmony	(▲ 2)
3	Combo	RIIZE	(▲ 13)
4	Algorithm	CHUNG HA	(▲ 5)
5	Curious	UNIS	(▲ 28)
6	Roses	JAEHYUN (NCT)	(▲ 50)
7	Steady	NCT WISH	(▲ 49)
8	Supersonic	fromis_9	(▲ 12)
9	NA	HWASA (MAMAMOO)	(▼ 8)
10	Teddy Bear	JINHO (PENTAGON)	(▲ 46)
11	SOS	FIFTY FIFTY	(▲ 11)
12	Electric Shock	KANG DANIEL	(▼ 9)
13	Wavy	Yerin	(▲ 43)
14	Dancing On The Road	KINO (PENTAGON)	(▲ 42)
15	GGUM	YEONJUN (TXT)	(▼ 10)
16	Melt Down	DAY6	(▼ 2)
17	GOOD SO BAD	ZEROBASEONE	(▲ 1)
18	Run Away	TZUYU (TWICE)	(▼ 5)
19	New Woman	LISA (BLACKPINK) ft. Rosalia	(▲ 10)
20	Boyfriend	Nam Woohyun (INFINITE)	(▲ 36)
21	That’s Enough	VROMANCE	(▲ 35)
22	Pleasure Shop	KEY (SHINee)	(▼ 20)
23	beat drum	ONEW (SHINee)	(▲ 1)
24	Tell My Momma	KARD	(▼ 13)
25	See That?	NMIXX	(▲ 3)
26	Starry Night	FIFTY FIFTY	(▲ 28)
27	Nice Guy	BOYNEXTDOOR	(▼ 15)
28	Why So Serious?	BAO	(▲ 28)
29	Easy Dance	HUI (PENTAGON) ft. KWON EUNBI	(▲ 7)
30	Sexy In The Air	TAEMIN (SHINee)	(▲ 26)