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.

[Review] GOOD SO BAD – ZEROBASEONE

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ZEROBASEONE is back, returning on Monday with their 4th mini-album, CINEMA PARADISE. The lead single for this comeback is GOOD SO BAD. It follows ZEROBASEONE’s earlier 2024 comeback with You Had Me At Hello, led by the singles SWEAT and Feel The POP.

GOOD SO BAD kicks off the week strongly, in my point of view. I was drawn to the song within the first couple of seconds with the electronic muffling of the chorus. This sets up the song exceptionally well. From there, GOOD SO BAD follows through, eventuating it into a great song. This is as good as a first impression gets! I really enjoyed GOOD SO BAD’s electronic synth-pop instrumentation. It is so good that I wouldn’t mind listening to the instrumental version of GOOD SO BAD on loop. There were a few things within it that stood out to me. The first is the retro touches the instrumental had channeling through itself. The second is the forward trajectory of the instrumentation. Both of these, along with some excellent bass, really made the choruses pop out. Smooth melodies also help make GOOD SO BAD feel so satisfying. Put it all together, you get GOOD SO BAD flowing like butter, giving the new song its major selling point. The vocalists brought those smooth melodies to the table, sounding vibrant throughout the rest of the song. The lightness of their vocals made GOOD SO BAD approachable. As for the rapping, I enjoyed the pace of the rapping. The delivery still had a bit of a punch at times, but all fitted in nicely with the song’s tempo. The only lacking part of GOOD SO BAD was the ending, which felt like it was missing elements to draw it to a close. A cliché high note or ad-libs would have been an easy way to signal the end is coming. We got some in the bridge, but it felt too early. If done right, it would have closed out the song in a clean, simple, and satisfying manner and earned the perfect rating from me.

I was surprised to see Yoo Ji Tae feature as a novelist or writer in the music video. He begins the video by writing a line that says to let go of the special someone due to the pain they bring. But the video flips the script, with ZEROBASEONE falling in love with that special someone in a movie or show. In the lyrics, the song tells us to hold onto that special someone (unlike what was written by Yoo Ji Tae’s character in the initial seconds of the video). A singular line in the song’s chorus says it all – “The whole universe is saying ‘Don’t let her go’“. As the movie or show develops, something causes Yoo Ji Tae’s character to rewrite the script to change from ‘letting go’ to ‘Don’t let her go’. In the end, it is revealed that he is the writer of the movie or TV show that ZEROBASEONE acted in throughout the video. I thought it was a fun video with a unique but clever storyline. I also really enjoyed the vibrancy and youthfulness the members brought to the video, which made everything else feel bright and full of life throughout the video.

Like the song and video, I liked the vibrancy and energy the members brought to this performance. The routine also had a fun and light-hearted element, making it feel approachable. This made the whole routine worthwhile to watch. Their synchronisation and how easily they made the choreography flow were probably my highlights.

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

I am unsure if this is the right word to describe the overall song, but what comes to my mind is the word ‘sonic’. But yeah, GOOD SO BAD feels sonic and I like it.

[Album Review] TEMPEST Voyage (5th Mini Album) – TEMPEST

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As you know, I am still very behind on the album review front. So many posts I speak about scheduling or drafting ahead of time are actually album reviews. TEMPEST’s 5th mini-album, TEMPEST Voyage, is next up on the list for a review. Released in March of this year, the mini-album consists of 4 songs, including the leading single LIGHTHOUSE and the follow-up single THERE.

TEMPEST Voyage Album Cover

1. LIGHTHOUSE (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for LIGHTHOUSE. (8/10)

2. THERE – I can see why THERE was selected as the second promotional single from this mini-album. The song starts off soft and mellow but builds as it goes along. The bass defines the instrumental, like a throwback to the late ‘00s and early ‘10s KPOP. This is particularly true when the background throws in more of a pop-style synth and beat towards the end of the song. It changed the song’s dynamic and prevented the track from going into a consistent comatose. TEMPEST’s vocals were nice and melodic, making the track super smooth. You can also feel the emotions behind the members’ vocals throughout THERE. (8/10) 

3. B.O.K – B.O.K is my pick for the best song on this mini-album. The guitar riff holds the track up well. Its constant presence in the song does make B.O.K a tad consistent. But I am not upset with this, as it does develop into a rock sound when it reaches the chorus. This development just uplifts the song and makes the track memorable in my mind. The synths used in B.O.K works in harmony with that rock sound, and the combination of the two really melds together nicely. The members also did well in the track, with their vocals feeling balanced with the rest. Again, it is an emotional track, and TEMPEST has done an outstanding job of conveying those emotions to us. (9.5/10)  

4. SLOW MOTION – Finishing up this short mini-album is SLOW MOTION. The instrumental has this playful vibe, which translates into a feel-good vibe. I quite liked the atmospheric touch the bridge had. My biggest wish for the song was that the members’ vocals were a little punchier. They felt a tad misaligned with everything else in SLOW MOTION. I appreciate the melodic feel, but the members could have leaned more into that playful vibe with their vocals. Also, the pre-chorus could have called for more dynamism from the relevant members. This part of the song had a wild edge, given that it is the most ‘erratic’ part of the song. But what we got felt a little weighty and plain. (7/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.1/10

TEMPEST Voyage Teaser Image

[Album Review] The Winning (6th Mini Album) – IU

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I feel like this particular album review is long overdue. Apologies if you feel the same way with IU’s The Winning. This mini-album was released in February this year as the soloist’s 6th mini-album. But the comeback was teased way back in January of this year through the pre-release single Love Wins All. This was followed up with the actual lead single of the mini-album Shopper. The side tracks Holssi and Shh.. also had music videos, so I have reviewed them separately more recently. With one additional side track on the mini-album without a music video (thus reviewed in this post), The Winning features 5 songs in total.

IU is undoubtedly a digital queen, with most (if not all) of her comebacks rising to the top of the digital charts. I think the only song that didn’t hit number 1 on the South Korean charts recently is Shopper, but I think that is because the pre-release Love Wins All overshadowed it. So, it should come as no surprise that this will likely be one of the best mini-albums of the year, at least in my books. My personal rating on the mini-album (down below) already sets it up to achieve that, if not the Best Album of 2024 (hint hint). I was impressed with all the songs on the mini-album except for one. If you have been reading the IU reviews on my blog, you probably already know which song that is. But in case you haven’t, continue reading to find out which songs I really loved and which song I didn’t.

The Winning Album Cover

1. Shopper (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for Shopper. (9/10)

2. Holssi (홀씨) – Click here for the review for Holssi. (6.5/10)

3. Shh… (ft. Hyein from NewJeans and Wonsun Joe & Narration by Patti Kim) – Click here for the review for Shh…. (10/10)

4. Love Wins All – Click here for the review for Love Wins All. (10/10)

5. I stan U (관객이 될게) – IU flips the script in this song. Usually, it is the fans that are stanning their favourite idol, like IU. But in I stan U, IU expresses that she is stanning us, encouraging and empowering us to do what we want. I enjoyed the pop feel that the song brings, with a slight touch of rock to the mix, just to give the song some edge. IU’s vocals are really nice. I like how she goes soft at certain parts as if whispering to us. This makes the song feel even more personable and more impactful for listeners. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.1/10

The Winning Teaser Image

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 3rd Week of August 2024

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Welcome back to another Weekly KPOP Chart post! This is a short post today, as I have a fair bit to do—chores and adulting—the usual boring stuff. I also want to spend some time today working on some posts that I could schedule during the week should I be recovering from a long work day. There was a lot of that last week. So, let’s get going—here are the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 3rd Week of August 2024.

Non-Korean Song of the Week

As my focus on this blog is primarily on KPOP songs, I draw attention to a particular song that isn’t in Korean in this part of the Weekly KPOP Chart post. That song is the top-ranking non-Korean song on each Weekly KPOP Chart post. Last week’s non-Korean song is one of KATSEYE’s Touch. It ranks in the 11th position this week.

The Charts

TAEMIN’s Sexy In The Air is the top song on the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 3rd Week of August 2024. Congratulations TAEMIN!

PositionSong TitleArtistChange
1Sexy In The AirTAEMIN (SHINee)(NEW)
2Don’t Worry, Be HappySF9(NEW)
3See That?NMIXX(NEW)
4Supersonicfromis_9(▼ 3)
5Chk Chk BoomStray Kids(▼ 2)
6WalkNCT 127(▲ 10)
7FOREVERBABYMONSTER(▲ 45)
8dummyARrC(▲ 56)
9Brought Back The HeatENHYPEN(▼ 3)
10XO (Only If You Say Yes)ENHYPEN(▲ 27)
11TouchKATSEYE(▲ 14)
12Ice CreamJEON SOMI(▲ 52)
13If I’m S, Can You Be My N?TWS:(▲ 35)
14Strawberry RushCHUU(▼ 5)
15GoneBANG&JUNG&YOO&MOON(▼ 7)
16JUSTICEDreamcatcher(▼ 5)
17Sweet DreamsRed Velvet(▲ 35)
18BlessedHA SUNG WOON(▲ 46)
19ObsessionLOUDI(▲ 45)
20RosesJAEHYUN (NCT)(▼ 16)
21DandelionJAEHYUN (NCT)(▼ 14)
22CosmicRed Velvet(▼ 12)
23MOUNTAINSStray Kids(▼ 11)
24LegendKAVE(▲ 40)
25Klaxon(G)I-DLE(▼ 3)
26Tell My MommaKARD(▼ 24)
27Tiger (New Flavor)n.Ssign(▼ 4)
28Tongue TiedKEY (SHINee)(▲ 18)
29You&MeSUPER JUNIOR-D&E(▲ 35)
30Don’tLEE CHAE YEON(▼ 15)

[Review] Sexy In The Air – TAEMIN (SHINee)

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TAEMIN was another comeback that kicked off the week. He returned for the first time since his Guilty era and leaving SM Entertainment, signing on with BPM Entertainment (home to VIVIZ, HA SUNG WOON, BADVILLAIN and a few others) for his solo work. He will continue with SM Entertainment for SHINee promotions. TAEMIN’s latest title track, Sexy In The Air, is featured on his 5th mini-album, Eternal.

Sexy In The Air is probably the most TAEMIN-coded title to date. We all know when TAEMIN’s appeal is most robust, and I feel like a song titled Sexy In The Air calls out that. Intriguingly, the track can be split into two. The first half features a groovier electronic style that feels trendy and upbeat. The second half leans more toward a hip-hop style. Tied together by the title and lyrics, these halves make for an interesting dynamic. But it works, in my opinion, bringing two sides of TAEMIN into one song. Even the transitional part between the two halves felt very clean. TAEMIN himself does an excellent job with his vocals. I like how we are treated to vocals in both halves of the song. I lowkey would have expected the hip-hop side of the song to have more of a spoken motif. But his vocals on either side of Sexy In The Air were smooth and sultry. The choruses and hooks in the song were catchy, though I would have liked something more developed from TAEMIN. The choruses and hook felt a little too simple and safe, especially for a song that innovates like this one. But I guess putting two distinct styles into Sexy In The Air, where the song can easily be split in half, is a gamble, so having other elements of the song feel safe does help reign it in.

Sexy is indeed in the air throughout TAEMIN’s music video for this comeback. Part of this comes from the choreography we see throughout the video—I will speak to the choreography in the next section of the review. Another part of the sexy appeal is TAEMIN’s charismatic looks and outfits, such as the one in the featured image of this post. I will admit that the clean and crisp feel of SM Entertainment’s music videos is missing in this one (no-brainer as SM Entertainment is not behind this video). But TAEMIN’s presence compensates for that. The man knows how to captivate and does it well in this video.

We all know where TAEMIN excels during his comebacks, and Sexy In The Air doesn’t deviate. His whole choreography routine was just so captivating to watch. From the footwork to the synchronisation to the punchy moves that fit the groovier style from the first half and the bouncy moves that fit in with the hip-hop style in the second half. All of this was amazing to watch. The best part definitely has to dance solo he has at the end of the routine.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] See That? – NMIXX

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NMIXX returned with a new mini-album titled Fe3O4: Stick Out this past week, led by the single See That?. It follows the January release of Fe3O4: Break and DASH.

Even after a few days, See That? remains underwhelming. The new single takes a page from the hip-hop genre but lacks excitement or character. I blame the under-utilisation of their vocals. NMIXX’s vocals have been a significant asset of theirs and have brought me on board with the MIXX pop venture they debuted with. But the material their producers had given NMIXX to work with in See That? was just lacklustre and failed to provide See That? any additional energy. This is disappointing, especially since I enjoyed the hip-hop direction they were going with in See That?. That is something I don’t say often, but I genuinely thought the song’s instrumentation was quite good and that there was potential behind the beat. I believe some buoyancy and vibrancy from the members could have made See That? better and more alive. My favourite bit probably has to be the second verse’s addition of guitars that brought a rock and country twang hybrid sound to the song. This is where NMIXX sounded the best, there was a bit more vibrancy to the music, and I could hear the parallels between this sequence and their past songs. It was a pity that they reverted to the song’s chorus following this sequence, an extension of all that underwhelmingness. It wasn’t all bad news for the choruses, though. There was some interesting delivery in the repetition of some words, which was nice and gave me something to highlight in the song. The same can’t be said about the ending. The instrumental was a little too consistent (sans the second verse) for the length of the track, so a conclusion to See That? was not satisfying, nor did it feel like it was reached.

The music video shows the members taking on a grungier look than usual, fitting the song’s hip-hop vibe. The videos seem to be a lot darker, which matches up with the song’s tone. While I didn’t get what was happening, I liked the post-production. There were parts of it that looked cool, especially when the video zooms out. The same can be said about some of the sets. The lighting and blue colour scheme look slightly more vibrant when the song hits the second verse (i.e. when the song becomes slightly more vibrant). It was a clever way of infusing that into the visuals and not departing too far from the rest of the video. The ending of the video was eerie, and I applaud Sulyoon’s acting in this part of the video.

Despite not being the central part of the comeback, I must say that the choreography was really cool. It embodies the hip-hop vibe really well. I quite like the bounce to the routine. I also like the parts where it turned slightly cutesy and fun, giving it a bit of freshness and a different form of energy. But like in the music video, they didn’t depart too far from the hip-hop roots of the rest of the routine.

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

[Review] Don’t Worry, Be Happy – SF9

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I’m unsure if I am starting to become out of the loop with KPOP news, but SF9’s comeback surprised me. It came out of the blue one day 2 weeks ago when SF9 dropped their first music video teaser. The lead single of this comeback is titled Don’t Worry, Be Happy and is featured on their 14th mini-album, FANTASY. This comeback is the first time the group is promoted as a 5-member group – consisting of Youngbin, Inseong, Yoo Taeyang, Hwiyoung and Chani. ZUHO left FNC Entertainment (though he remains part of the group, but plans for participating in this comeback apparently fell through), while Jaeyoon and Dawon are currently serving their military enlistments.

Don’t Worry, Be Happy is a pleasant pop number. It has the necessary elements to make it a dance track, while the funky and groovy undertones in the instrumentation bring out a cheerful and happy pop demeanour. The latter is perfect for Don’t Worry, Be Happy, whose lyrics advocate being happy for a former partner while letting go of your feelings for them. The pleasantness I mentioned before comes from everything instrumental-wise being light and not in your face like other funky and groovy tracks. The same can be said about the song’s melodies and hooks. As so much of Don’t Worry, Be Happy does come off as pleasant, I want to pull up a discussion I wrote in another review recently. Pleasantness can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it fits in with the intent and messaging behind Don’t Worry, Be Happy (which is understandable as to why the producers would go down this direction for this track). On the other hand, the pleasant nature of Don’t Worry, Be Happy limits the song’s potential to be different and stand out. While it is good, Don’t Worry, Be Happy does come off like every other pop song, making it standard and generic. The same can be said about the members. I found them to also be another pleasant constant in Don’t Worry, Be Happy. While they sound good throughout the song. But in keeping with the pleasantness of the song, this somewhat stifles the members’ potential, and we don’t get to hear anything interesting from them. Overall, pleasant is good and appropriate in Don’t Worry, Be Happy, but it does come with some set-backs.

The music video concept for Don’t Worry, Be Happy is a user manual for getting over a breakup. Based on what I see in the video, the recommended steps are to visit the diner serving food that erases memories, go to the coin laundry for a fresh start, take your car for a wash to wash the pain away, leave one last message to your former lover on the pay phone, and celebrate your breakup. The SF9 members become happier as the video progresses, so these steps will work for everyone else.

The choreography isn’t the most memorable piece from the group, but I think it fits the bill. It also feels relatively light, which works with the pleasantness of the song. This also helps bring a refreshing vibe into the choreography, which works for this time of the year.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] Shh.. – IU (ft. HYEIN (NewJeans), JOE WON SUN & Narr. by Patti Kim)

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It has been a couple of weeks since I posted my review for Holssi. In that review, I promised a review for another side track off IU’s sixth mini-album, The Winning. That song in question is Shh..., which features IU (of course), HYEIN from NewJeans, JOE WON SUN and Patti Kim (as a narrator). Following this review, I will combine all the pieces (including a brief review of one final track) to form an album review post for The Winning. Definitely long overdue, but better late than never.

Shh.. is quite a unique track that piqued my interest when the mini-album was first released. My interest in Shh.. has simmered since then, as the mini-album did fall out of rotation. But this has nothing to do with the track itself; other comebacks replaced the mini-album in my playlists and listening rotations. The uniqueness of Shh.. stems from the sound profile it had tapped into, a slow, jazzy R&B style brought to our ears with some rock band instrumentation. This combination was quite prolific and oozed so much charisma musically. IU’s familiar vocals fit into this jazzy style so well, and I enjoyed the vibrancy she brought to her own track. If I were hearing the track for the first time and playing a game of ‘Guess who sang the song’, I think my mind would have been drawn to IU as she is the only artist in KPOP who would probably be daring to release a song of this niche and do it so well. Shh.., it doesn’t only feature IU, however. Shh.. also features HYEIN from NewJeans, JOE WON SUN, and narrator Patti Kim. Most are probably familiar with HYEIN because she hails from the popular girl group NewJeans. I quite like the freshness and youthful tone she brings to the song. JOE WON SUN and Patti Kim are probably the more unfamiliar names – the former is a soloist who was also once part of a Korean rock group, Roller Coaster. The latter is a retired Korean singer who was popular back in the 1950s and 1960s. JOE WON SUN’s vocals had an incredible nasal sound, bringing so much character to Shh… Patti Kim’s narration ends Shh.. with an airy and suspenseful tone, which makes it all the more intriguing and forces me to investigate the track further.

The collaborative nature of Shh.. continues into the music video, as well! Alongside IU, we see Tang Wei in the music video. Now, I will not pretend I know what the music video is about. So, I have relied on some interpretations I found on the Internet to help develop my own understanding. Essentially, the video speaks to the complex relationship between a mother (played by IU) and her daughter (played by Tang Wei). The versions of the pair we see in the video do not co-exist with one another but are instead a depiction of the two coming to terms with their relationship. There is a lot of emotion when the pair meet on the streets/in the car, and IU and Tang Wei’s acting throughout the video (but particularly in the car) was very profound. While catching up, the pair shows each other that they have each ‘hidden’ each other throughout their life, for one reason or another, as mentioned in the text on the orange background. For Tang Wei, she had hidden her mother in a warm place, as depicted in the video, under the floorboards. The warmer colours under the floorboards depict love, and the fact we see a younger version of Tang Wei with IU in this scene shows how much the daughter loves the mother despite whatever has happened between them. Conversely, IU confesses during the music video that she has hidden Tang Wei before. The location where IU had hidden her daughter in the car’s boot is colder and isolating. This probably depicts that the mother had done something to the daughter that filled her with regret and sadness. At the end of the video, the beginning of IU/Tang Wei’s story recurs, but with another mother and daughter pair. I feel like a lot is happening in the video regarding storytelling and emotions. Still, the way it is depicted is really artistic and feels entirely meaningful for those who can relate to the relationship being shown.

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

[Album Review] House of Tricky: Trial and Error (3rd Mini Album) – xikers

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xikers is gearing up for another comeback early next month. So, I thought I would take this opportunity to finally review their last album, House of Tricky: Trial and Error. Released in March of this year, House of Tricky: Trial and Error features the title track We Don’t Stop, the second promotional single, Red Sun, and 3 additional side tracks. Per usual, the link to the full review for the title track is below, as well as my thoughts on the 4 other songs the mini-album also features. Overall, another positive mini-album from xikers, proving to me (once again) why they should be on our radars.

House of Tricky: Trial And Error Album Cover

1. Trial and Error (whereabouts) – The mini-album starts with an instrumental piece that lasts just over 30 seconds. The electronic synths and breathy vocalisation create a haunting vibe that builds tension towards the first full track.  

2. We Don’t Stop (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for We Don’t Stop. (8.5/10)

3. Red Sun – Red Sun was selected as the second promotional track from this era. Unfortunately, I will not be reviewing Red Sun separately despite it having its own performance video. Hearing the instrumental end of the song and considering the energy that Red Sun exudes, it is clear to me that this track is more of a performance piece. However, that doesn’t stop me from appreciating the rest of Red Sun. Hip-hop returns in Red Sun, but with more of a hype intent to it. Every time the chorus of Red Sun pops on my playlist, I find myself really getting into MINJAE and SUMIN’s punchy rapping and its flow. SUMIN, in particular, reminds me of BOBBY from iKON in both a visual and rapping sense in the song. Aside from the rapping, the song also features some good vocal moments. They provide some stability, but I wish they did this in a way that maintains the hype energy from the rapping rather than slowing down the song. (8/10)

4. Supercalifragilistic – The rush of energy that Supercalifragilistic gives is what kept me repeating this side track. The heavy bass, groovy beats and intense EDM backing have the adrenaline coursing through my body. It’s bold and super-defined, never letting up at any moment during the track. Definitely, a track you would be expecting at the height of a night at the club or a rave. But if there was any moment in which Supercalifragilistic did let you down instrumentally, the members were there to pick it right up. Their vocals and rapping were top-notch. Yechan’s rapping in the second verse is one of the best examples of this top-notch delivery. Seeun, Junmin, Yujun and Jinsik’s flow when it came to the ‘Get up on the flow… You know what you want? …’ part of the chorus is definitely another. While the anthem ending is done regularly in KPOP nowadays, Supercalifragilistic’s anthemic ending was just the icing on the cake for me and maintains the adrenaline-inducing energy throughout the track to the song’s end. (10/10)

5. Every Flavor Jelly (온갖 맛이 나는 젤리) – Every Flavor Jelly’s placement after Supercalifragilistic was not ideal, especially since I tend to expect the succeeding song on any album to exceed the song prior. Unfortunately, this expectation impacts my thoughts (and this review) of Every Flavor Jelly. I thought the song’s arrangement was a bit messy. I’m unsure why, but Every Flavor Jelly could have been a little tighter to achieve a cleaner and tidier profile. The members continue to be energetic and intense as per the previous tracks (which I like), though they could have been clearer in their delivery and not slur their words as much as they did in this song. That energy and intensity the members put into the song became lost during Every Flavor Jelly’s choruses. The central piece felt paced, holding the members back from realising their full potential in this song. (7/10)

6. Break A Leg – Closing out the mini-album is Break A Leg, a rock-influenced track that takes you back to the early 2000s. A great throwback, with guitar riffs that bring out some great textures and forward propulsion. The vocal work was solid. JINSIK’s part in the bridge was awesome and was a perfect peak for this track. For the most part, the rapping was solid, as well. I wish the members with a whinier rapping style didn’t sound as whiny in this song. Some of it was warranted, but I felt there was too much of it. I do think Break A Leg had the potential to go further. But it was still pretty good as it is. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

House of Tricky: Trial And Error Teaser Image

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 2nd Week of August 2024

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Welcome back to another Weekly KPOP Chart post! It also been back to my normal routine and work wiped me out mid-week (hence why I didn’t post for two nights). Hoping that won’t be the case for this week (though to be honest, there is a high probablity it will happen again). I have been preparing some extra posts over the last day and will continue to do so today to reduce the impact of work on my ability to write and post reviews – especially since I am very late on some aspects of the blog (Did anyone figure out where the time has gone? How are we already in August?). Anyhow, here is a simple Weekly KPOP Chart post for the 2nd Week of August 2024. Let’s go!

Non-Korean Song of the Week

As my focus on this blog is primarily on KPOP songs, I draw attention to a particular song that isn’t in Korean in this part of the Weekly KPOP Chart post. That song is the top-ranking non-Korean song on each Weekly KPOP Chart post. Last week’s non-Korean song is one of JAEHYUN’s pre-release singles, Roses. It ranks in the 4th position this week.

The Charts

fromis_9’s long awaited comeback with Supersonic lands in the top song on the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 2nd Week of August 2024. Congratulations to fromis_9!

PositionSong TitleArtistChange
1Supersonicfromis_9(NEW)
2Tell My MommaKARD(NEW)
3Chk Chk BoomStray Kids(▼ 2)
4RosesJAEHYUN (NCT)(NEW)
5JJAMStray Kids(▲ 1)
6Brought Back The HeatENHYPEN(▲ 7)
7DandelionJAEHYUN (NCT)(NEW)
8GoneBANG&JUNG&YOO&MOON(▼ 5)
9Strawberry RushCHUU(▲ 33)
10CosmicRed Velvet(▲ 12)
11JUSTICEDreamcatcher(▲ 54)
12MOUNTAINSStray Kids(▼ 9)
13SHOCKALL(H)OURS(▲ 4)
14CuriousUNIS(▲ 21)
15Don’tLEE CHAE YEON(▲ 50)
16WalkNCT 127(▼ 4)
17DiveYOON SAN-HA (ASTRO)(▼ 9)
18I Do I DoKARA(▲ 47)
19SUPERPOWERBLITZERS(▲ 46)
20Bye,ByeSons (F.Cuz)(▲ 45)
21Bloom(G)I-DLE(▲ 44)
22Klaxon(G)I-DLE(▼ 8)
23Tiger (New Flavour)n.SSign(▲ 42)
24DebutKATSEYE(▲ 20)
25TouchKATSEYE(▲ 1)
26CRUSHIVE(▲ 39)
27POM POM POMwoo!ah!(▼ 8)
28POSE!LIGHTSUM(▲ 37)
29My TypeLee Sunghoon (WINNER Hoony)(▲ 36)
30Te QuieroKISS OF LIFE(▲ 37)

[Double Review] Dandelion + Roses – JAEHYUN (NCT)

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Earlier this week, JAEHYUN (from NCT) pre-released two songs, Dandelion and Roses, before his upcoming solo debut on 26 August. The music video released alongside the two songs features both tracks, creating a unique situation. Because of this, I will review both songs, Dandelion and Roses, in a double review format.

Dandelion

If you want to listen to Dandelion’s full version – click here.

Dandelion is a bright, mid-tempo R&B track with a good rhythm and a pronounced beat that brings out an upbeat energy. But despite being the more upbeat track of the two songs, Dandelion’s mid-tempo pace makes it feel standard and generic. As such, I feel it falls behind in the ‘appeal’ department. Don’t get me wrong, Dandelion is still a good song, but it’s just not as strong in this area as compared to the next song. I did appreciate the brief spurts of the string synth towards the end of the song, which served well as a strong hallmark of the impending end of Dandelion alongside JAEHYUN’s ad-libs. On the topic of JAEHYUN’s vocals, it must be mentioned that he was clear throughout this track, and the melodies made Dandelion feel smooth. The latter actually contrasts nicely with the backing of the song.

Roses

If you want to listen to Roses‘ full version, click here.

The stand-out element that gives Roses an edge is the chorus. The choruses sounded so good, especially the choral vocals echoing JAEHYUN’s delivery of the song’s title. It just makes Roses so impactful and memorable. The melodies also evoke a sensual swaying motion, making the song stick even more in my head. JAEHYUN’s airy delivery and the variety of sounds throughout Roses strengthen the song. His falsettos just oozed so much charisma. Thanks to the synths, the instrumental features some extra texture, making Roses a compelling listen. All in all, Roses was just the superior track by my standards – so much so that I returned to Roses more times throughout this week than compared to Dandelion.

Music Video

The music video features a small segment of each song. First up is Dandelion, which is the brighter portion of the video. It looks at the idea of love blooming. The contextual text at the bottom of the screen, while the images flash at the start of the video, speaks to this. We see a couple holding hands and embracing each other while JAEHYUN is all smiles and hangs out with small children. The children’s presence suggests purity and innocence, which we associate with the idea of new love. At the mid-point of the video, JAEHYUN takes a dive, and we see a quick montage of the couple pulling apart and releasing each other’s hands (amongst other things). From there, we enter the Roses portion of the music video, which takes on a darker and moodier atmosphere. Captioning this section of the video is the line ‘Even the things that love can hurt you‘, giving you a strong idea of what Roses is about. Here, JAEHYUN (who looks very handsome during this portion of the video) stands on top of a building at night with the cityscape behind him. I liked the idea of the bounce that he and the background people do, emphasising the choral parts of the choruses. The video ends with JAEHYUN taking another plunge, which may represent the idea of new love and love being a source of pain occurs in a continuous cycle. The contrast between the two sides of the music video made for an interesting watch, and the concept was quite unique.

Dandelion
Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

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

[Review] Tell My Momma – KARD

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It has been over a year since May 2023’s ICKY. Since then, they have been on a world tour, and BM released his first solo mini-album, Element, led by the single Nectar (which features Jay Park and is a single I have yet to review – check back in the future for that review). Earlier this week, the co-ed group returned with Tell Me Momma.

I will always support artists trying something new, but it must be compelling enough to get me coming back. Tell My Momma is KARD’s most subdued and softest title track yet. It is an interesting deviation from their usual output, which has been much more intense and powerful. When they hadn’t gone down that route, they kept their music upbeat, which has enticed me to return for more. Tell My Momma ventures into new territory but doesn’t compel me to return. I found everything up until the BM’s section to be quite good. JIWOO’s opening lines made for a good start, and the first run at the chorus built up the song with a heavier beat. But when the song reverted to the verse for BM’s rap, Tell My Momma became stuck for the rest of the track and never found its way out of the same sound. Very quickly, it became unexciting and bland. From there, I found the melodies and hooks to be forgettable. The instrumental felt generic and offered nothing new or different to make Tell My Momma interesting. While the arrangement of Tell My Momma enables a greater focus on JIWOO and SOMIN (the group’s vocalists, who both sounded decent throughout), it also served as a double-edged sword for BM and J.Seph. Underwhelming delivery with autotune used to ‘fit them into’ with the song, constriction of their parts, and generally poor usage of the two rappers just didn’t help the song grow on me. Truthfully, I held myself back from making these exact comments immediately after Tell My Momma‘s release on Tuesday. I hoped (for KARD’s sake) that Tell My Momma was a slow grower, even if it did so slightly. But unfortunately, the song has not budged from these thoughts even days after Tell My Momma’s release and I found no reason to hold onto these thoughts. I doubt it would change into the future.

Just like the song, the music video for Tell My Momma felt generic and didn’t offer anything that I thought was interesting—just closeups and choreography scenes. The video could have been a little creative, perhaps building on the fourth wall perspective we got during BM’s solo shots and extending that to the other members’ shots. I think that would have made the video interesting. Besides that, all four members looked good throughout the video despite all going blonde for this comeback. I liked how there was still variety in their looks, which helped the members bring a bit of individuality to the all-blonde concept they have going on. There were also some visually appealing shots, especially of JIWOO and the outside of the building where the video is predominantly shot.

The song’s softer tone and slower pace allow KARD to explore a somewhat sensual energy in its choreography. It is definitely not full-blown sensual, but the swaying movements do bring on a flirty atmosphere and a subtle sensual touch, which goes hand-in-hand with the song’s lyrics about taking the next step in a relationship.

Song – 5.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

[Album Review] WHU IS ME: COMPLEX (1st Mini Album) – HUI (PENTAGON)

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A month ago, I finally got around to reviewing HUI’s solo debut single Hmm BOP, which was released very early on in 2024. In that post, I confirmed an album review would be coming your way. It has taken a little extra time than what I had hoped for, but said album review is finally here. Hmm BOP is featured on HUI’s first mini-album, WHU IS ME: COMPLEX, and is amongst four songs on the mini-album.

While it is a bit early days for me to probably say this, but I reckon HUI has one of the best album releases in 2024. Two songs on the mini-album recieved 10/10 (find out which ones down below) and the other two were also quite strong singles. To me, this highlights two key points. Firstly, HUI deserved solo promotions many years backs. The fact that it took 8 years to finally hear about a solo debut for HUI is ridculous. Secondly, he is a really good artist and definitely deserves some attention.

Continue reading the album review for WHU IS ME: COMPLEX.

WHO IS ME: COMPLEX Album Cover

1. Hmm BOP (흠뻑) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for Hmm BOP. (10/10)

2. MELO (ft. PARK HYEON JIN) – The instrumental of MELO is definitely the winner. Piano and dreamier elements served as the underlying layer in MELO’s background. But it becomes very robust and complex with its funky synths, detailing and deliberately placed pauses. My favourite bits are actually the instrumental bits following the choruses, when all of the above is given to us in isolation. Now don’t misunderstand my words – the rest of the track is definitely solid. HUI’s vocals are smooth and sound so blissful throughout MELO. No surprises there. Park Hyeon Jin’s featuring grounds the song and gives MELO a bit of stability and balance. (9/10)

3. Cold Killer (ft. JINHYUK (NOWADAYS)) – Cold Killer takes us into rock territory with a deep and grungy rock style that feels fitting for HUI’s repertoire. Unfortunately, I personally felt the main vocalist underdelivered slightly. His delivery lacked a bit of angst that would have worked well in Cold Killer, and I wished his vocals soared a little more at various points throughout the song. On the other hand, I lowkey expected a spectacular high note to really peak off the song, and HUI definitely delivered that during the bridge. There are some more high notes at the very end, which helped end Cold Killer in an awesome and intense manner. JINHYUK from NOWADAYS (a newly debut group under CUBE Entertainment which I will get around to reviewing) provides Cold Killer with its rap sequences, which complemented the rock sound so well. The addition of scratchy rock-esque synths was clever. (8/10)

4. A Song From A Dream (봄이 오면 겨울은 지나가) (ft. WOOSEOK (PENTAGON)) – In the final track, we see HUI reunite with fellow PENTAGON member WOOSEOK. Staying in the rock realm but taking on a ballad approach, A Song From A Dream allows HUI’s vocals to shine so beautifully. The vocal parts in the bridge, the pre-choruses and choruses are just solid evidence of this. The way he harmonises with himself in the bridge and pre-choruses was just so captivating. But what gave A Song From A Dream an edge for me is the featuring of WOOSEOK and how it fits in so well with HUI’s delivery of the song. WOOSEOK’s vocals and rapping give off additional passion to what HUI already offers us, while the energy and chemistry the pair brings to the song makes it reminiscent of past PENTAGON songs and pulls A Song From A Dream altogether to be a highly recommended track. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.3/10

WHU IS ME: COMPLEX Teaser Image

[Review] Supersonic – fromis_9

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It has been over a year since we last heard from fromis_9 through their #menow comeback and Unlock My World album. While a comeback for this group should have been sooner, it took one member (Chaeyoung) to complain publicly in May about their lack of comebacks for their company to announce the group’s comeback for this month. That resulted in the release of Supersonic, which is the focus of this review.

It took me two listens to fall for Supersonic. I acknowledged how good the song was on the first listen, but Supersonic hit really hard upon the second listen. It has been on repeat since. The instrumental is a relatively simple aspect of Supersonic. The pulsing Miami bass beats give Supersonic so much body, while the percussive synths are wonderfully light yet textural enough to give the track added vibrancy. One of the things that surprised me was how much I enjoyed the consistent instrumental. It was all very similar throughout Supersonic. Normally, I would have commented on how it negatively impacts the quality of the song. But the producers of Supersonic do just enough in that space to ensure it doesn’t feel that way. A good example is the backing of Jiwon’s part in the second verse. It ‘roughened’ the trajectory of Supersonic briefly, with Jiwon’s lines delivering her lines perfectly. Talking about delivery, the standout elements in Supersonic are the members, who were extremely charming throughout. Once Supersonic‘s chorus started, Supersonic felt like a fromis_9 song to me. DM flashed into my mind during my first listen, and it is always the first song that comes to mind when I think of fromis_9’s sound. The melodies of the two songs are different, but their delicateness is a common factor throughout both songs. The dragged-out words in the opening line of the chorus were done so well and emphasised a refreshing vibe in the song. Supersonic manages to also infuse a slightly edgier vibe to it, which was intriguing. Even the ‘Super Super, Supersonic, Supersonic‘ rap-speak hook was done so softly (which aligns with the idea of fromis_9’s sound being delicate) but yet so punchy simultaneously. Put all of this together, and Supersonic is a strong addition to fromis_9’s repertoire.

The video captures Supersonic‘s refreshing vibes extremely well. The slight breeze in the music video, the group’s casual attire, and the water explosions provide a sprinkle in the final set of choreography scenes. All of this just makes Supersonic an ideal video for the summer season. The members themselves look amazing throughout the video. I just kind of wished there was a bit more to the video. It just doesn’t feel complete to me. But truthfully, I am not entirely sure what the music video lacks.

Choreography-wise, I thought it was good. That delicateness that I mentioned in the song portion of this post felt reflected and worked nicely with the song’s vocals. The first move during the ‘Super Super, Supersonic Supersonic‘ part was somewhat familiar – NewJeans’ Super Shy came to mind. BUT fromis_9 took it in a completely different direction after that move, so don’t get me wrong. I also liked how the members ended the performance, standing in a singular line and walking off to the sides like models as the song finished.

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

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 1st Week of August 2024

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Welcome back to another Weekly KPOP Chart post! I took the last two days to pack up my things and return home (and get my life in order now that I am back at home—which included clearing out a fridge of food that had gone off while I was away on sudden personal business). Before I head off for the night (as I am back to waking up early for work from tomorrow), I thought I would sneak in the Weekly KPOP Charts for the first Week of August 2024.

Non-Korean Song of the Week

As my focus on this blog is primarily on KPOP songs, I draw attention to a particular song that isn’t in Korean in this part of the Weekly KPOP Chart post. That song is the top-ranking non-Korean song on each Weekly KPOP Chart post. Last week’s non-Korean song is, once again, JEON SOMI’s Ice Cream. It ranks in the 10th position this week.

The Charts

Stray Kids’ Chk Chk Boom returns to the top song on the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 1st Week of August 2024. Congratulations to Stray Kids!

PositionSong TitleArtistChange
1Chk Chk BoomStray Kids(▲ 2)
2Sweet DreamsRed Velvet(▲ 15)
3GoneBANG&JUNG&YOO&MOON(NEW)
4MOUNTAINSStray Kids(▲ 15)
5Ice CreamJEON SOMI(▲ 6)
6JJAMStray Kids(NEW)
7WhoJimin (BTS)(▲ 20)
8DiveYOON SAN-HA (ASTRO)(NEW)
9TANG TANG TANG90TAN (BTOB)(▼ 2)
10SABOTAGEKWON EUN BI(=)
11T.P.OYOUNGJAE (GOT7)(▲ 49)
12WalkNCT 127(▼ 9)
13Brought Back The HeatENHYPEN(▼ 12)
14Klaxon(G)I-DLE(▼ 2)
15FOREVERBABYMONSTER(▲ 1)
16ABCDNAYEON (TWICE)(▲ 14)
17SHOCKALL(H)OURS(▲ 43)
18No Sad Song For My Broken HeartK.Will(▲ 23)
19POM POM POMwoo!ah!(▲ 41)
20LOSERNIve(▲ 40)
21Pretty MobCSR(▲ 39)
22CosmicRed Velvet(▲ 2)
23Last NightJEONGHAN x WONWOO (SVT)(▲ 29)
24XO (Only If You Say Yes)ENHYPEN(▼ 15)
25ZOMBIEEVERGLOW(▲ 35)
26TouchKATSEYE(▲ 34)
27Perfect StormYAMASHITA TOMOHISA ft. TAEHYUN (TXT)(▲ 33)
28BURN ITFT ISLAND(▲ 32)
29COOL DownDIGNITY(▲ 31)
30PICKYJANG YEEUN (ft. Bang Yongguk (BANG &JUNG&YOO&MOON))(▲ 30)

[Review] Gone – BANG&JUNG&YOO&MOON

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It has been a long time coming, but it brings great pleasure to say that B.A.P has reunited! It has been six years since the group disbanded upon leaving their former company, TS Entertainment. Today, the group reunites as a quartet: BANG Yong Guk, JUNG Daehyun, YOO Youngjae, and MOON Jongup. Fellow former member ZELO is not part of this comeback due to his military enlistment. However, I saw a message of support from ZELO in the comments to the music video released alongside their new single, Gone (which leads me to believe we might see five members together in the future). Gone is the lead single off their new mini-album Curtain Call.

Gone is very unlike any B.A.P release I have heard before (as far as I can remember). It is much more sentimental, which makes perfect sense given the lyrics convey nostalgia as well as the thoughts that this moment with each other may be their last. In Gone, the music is a lot more subdued than usual for the group (for reasons already mentioned), and there is more focus on acoustics and band instrumentation. I actually quite enjoyed this, especially since the lesser presence of synths sounded refreshing. The softer sound also enables the group to showcase their vocals, which they all do quite well in Gone. While it isn’t that powerful as I had hoped for, you can really hear the passion behind each member in Gone. I have always thought that each member of B.A.P was born to be on stage. The passion and subtle emotion that delivery in Gone is testament to that. JUNG DAEHYUN and YOO YOUNGJAE’s vocals were strong and steady as always. I liked how softer BANG YONG GUK sounded in Gone, and his vocals parts brought nice texture to the song. But the standout member, in my opinion, is MOON JONGUP. I haven’t really paid attention to MOON JONGUP’s outputs since 6 years ago, but he needs to keep up with whatever he has been doing as he has shown the greatest improvement in the group with this release. My only critique about the song is that the melodies could have been a bit stronger and more developed to be more memorable. But aside from that, it was great to hear B.A.P again (sans ZELO) in Gone after 6 years.

The video sees the members reunite and hang out with one another. The video opens up with the members meeting in a diner. They have their banter in the diner before going onto a road trip to a stage where they will perform with one another again. They stop at a service station that has a sign that says ‘Closing Down, Thank you for the last 12 years‘, which is represents the time that has passed since their debut in 2012. While raiding the service station, the video snaps to a Korean barbeque restaurant which sees the members, again, enjoying a meal and each other’s company before we are taken to the stage where we can see the members perform for the first time in a while. The KBBQ scene does highlight some nerves they have since they are returning to the stage after a long time. The video ends with the members back at the restaurant, pleased and proud with the resulting music video on their phone. Despite the song’s lyrics as mentioned above, the members remain with one another at the restaurant, telling us that this wouldn’t be the last time we see the members together again.

To match the sentiment of the song, the choreography for this comeback is rather flowy. And I like how logical that is. Most of the dancing itself was handled by the dancers, allowing the members to focus on the vocal work that comes with a song like Gone. But the parts the members do participate in had this powerful aura to it that reminds me of their past.

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