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[Review] ABCD – NAYEON (TWICE)

June 15, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged NAYEON (TWICE), TWICE3 Comments

Two years on from her solo debut with the widely successful POP!, NAYEON has returned a solo artist with her new single ABCD and 2nd mini-album titled NA.

NAYEON throws us all back to the early 00s with ABCD. Within a matter of seconds of recognising the the strong presence of the hip-hop and R&B influence from that era in ABCD, I was very much into the song. The verses pays nice homage to the era. But I loved that NAYEON goes even further when it came to the chorus, which I put down to amazing replication of said era. So much so that it took me right back to the music that I was exposed to while growing up. Her vocals were really well done throughout ABCD, and I do really liked the slight spoken nature of the chorus. All of this (i.e., her execution and delivery) exuded a lot of natural charisma and personality that helps make ABCD very addictive and attractive to me. As for the instrumentation, I liked the strummy and plucky nature of the guitar throughout the verses. I also found that additional string instrument (which I have no idea what it is) to be very intriguing, but in a good way. The chorus brings out more of a dance pop and hip-hop colour in its instrumental, finishing off with fast beats that definitely is a throwback to that 00s era. The music video version of ABCD features a dance break that (in its current form) slides effortlessly into the song. I personally think it could have gone harder to give NAYEON more opportunity to showcase her performance skills, but it is a pity that the official studio version doesn’t feature any of it whatsoever. It didn’t disrupt the flow or needless break the song. Aside from that, however, I am definitely impressed with ABCD on many levels and how nature NAYEON comes off in the song.

Throughout the music video, NAYEON is portrayed as a show-stopper. Everyone throughout the video becomes engrossed when NAYEON walks by, to the point that it is causing car accidents as we saw at the start of the music video. I honestly don’t blame them – I too would be in awe if NAYEON was to walk by me on the streets one day. I liked the idea of no matter the era or location, NAYEON’s presence is always the talk and focus. Her various looks throughout the music video were all stunning, my favourite is that long red dress. Very striking. Just like the song, I liked how some of the shots reflected that 90s vibe quite well. I do have one issue with the music video, however. The CGI text that appears in the video (‘A Girl Named NAYEON’, ‘Crossing the Cosmos’) cheapens it and felt totally unnecessary. It didn’t help they looked like WordArt.

The performance for this comeback is amazing. She really showed us a more mature side with the choreography, which suits the song. The hip-hop influence also comes through quite well. I really liked the chorus routine, particularly when those fast beats came through. Great to see the dance break on stage. I did like how the routine in the music video was a little more daring. It definitely pushes the boundaries, but doesn’t do it a very in your face manner.

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

[Review] CoinciDestiny – Weki Meki

June 15, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Weki MekiLeave a comment

In case you are unaware, another group has sadly disbanded this past week. The group in question is Weki Meki, who made their debut back in 2017 with I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend and released music up until 2021. Their final release (prior to this one) was Siesta. Almost 3 years on from that release. their company Fantagio confirmed that Weki Meki will be disbanding after releasing one final single, CoinciDestiny, which dropped this week. I wish the very best for Weki Meki’s 8 member lineup in all future endeavours.

Disbandment songs, knowing that disbandment is the only thing to come after it, are hard to review. Given that it is the last confirmed song in a group’s career, it would always be harsh to say anything that isn’t positive, especially since the group has (more than likely) put everything behind the song to bring closure to themselves and their fans. CoinciDestiny makes the job much easier, with Weki Meki delivering a sweet and sentimental sound in their final track. It isn’t their most dynamic or catchiest track ever, but I am sure long time fans would enjoy the straight forward nature of the pop song. For me, I enjoyed that straight forward side to the vocals, with a hint of rapping in the second verse. Nothing too heavy, suitable for the occasion. The chorus has a nice slight definition added to clearly differentiate the different parts of CoinciDestiny, and the hook that follows the main chorus had a nice ring to it. The instrumentation, whilst admittedly plain, did give CoinciDestiny some substance, something that would have been lacking should Weki Meki had walked down the balladry route for this final release. But I don’t think that style would have suited Weki Meki as well as CoinciDestiny did. There is supposed to one additional comment (which I have already alluded to above) that is not as positive like the rest of the review. But on this occasion, I am not going to entertain that thought. I am just grateful that the group got to release one final song, a privilege not many other KPOP groups get unfortunately.

Watching this music video (and taking note of some of their past videos), it is clear to me (and probably everyone else) that their company had dropped the ball when it came to Weki Meki. I would probably go one further to suggest that perhaps the company didn’t even want a music video (or possibly even a final song), but Weki Meki pushed for it. That is purely speculation from me, but I would think that Fantagio would have given a bigger budget for this release had it been their idea. This is further backed up with the rumours circulating around that the members self-produced this last release (including the music video). Anyhow, the music video sees the members search for and find clues that bring them back together one last time. It fits the sentimental tone of the final song. The videos ends with the members are running away together as it fades out, which I am sure fans will find meaningful as a final scene.

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

[Review] Revenge – (G)I-DLE

June 12, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged i-dleLeave a comment

If you can’t already tell, me reviewing the side tracks that have music video so closely to one another is a sure sign that an album review is coming up. For (G)I-DLE, the album in question is 2, their 2nd studio length album. An album review for 2 can be expected this weekend. I reviewed Wife last week and Super Lady was reviewed a couple of weeks after its release. Whilst going over the album for the album review, I did realize I forgot to cover one song that also got the music video treatment – Revenge, the second song on the studio album 2.

Revenge is another short song, clocking under 2:30 minutes. Listening the song a couple of times for this review, I am still caught off guard by how short it actually feels. But despite it being short, (G)I-DLE manages to still pack a fair bit into the song. Revenge features two big influences in its instrumental – the rock in the choruses and a Latin sound that backs SOYEON’s rap sequence in the second verse. There is a bit of a groovy touch to the first verse, but I put that in the realm of rock as well. As for the execution of vocals and rapping, (G)I-DLE did well in Revenge. MIYEON’s vocals stood out the most in the song, with her vocals clear and powerful. SOYEON’s rapping sounded quite sleek and I prefer her charisma in this delivery than her other deliveries in the past. The only part I am not exactly sure of is MINNIE’s part in the second pre-chorus. It just seemed a bit too high pitched, relative to the rest of Revenge. I do think Revenge could have benefited from a stronger melody to really pull the song together and give this shorter song a memorable element. The chorus itself served as a decent central point to anchor and pull us in, but it didn’t last for long (based on how I completely forgot about song prior to the upcoming album review). Something similar can be said about the “La La La‘ at the end, but I not sure if that can be categorised as a hook given its brief and at the end of the song. Overall, Revenge is a good song and serves (G)I-DLE well for the most part.

The music video is age restricted due to the domestic violence and murder scenes in the video. Am I allowed to say that? Not sure. Oh well, spoilers ahead. I have to say, this is one interesting music video. Essentially, it begins with an explosion involving Shuhua as the victim (i.e., Victim Shuhua) and her partner. Another character played by Shuhua comes into the picture as the detective to investigate the explosion. The suspects she is investigating are patrons or workers at the hotel in which the explosion occurred – Minnie (a celebrity), Soyeon (the maid), YUQI (a musician) and MIYEON (another detective). It turns out each person (sans Detective Shuhua) became involved when MINNIE was seen running away from Victim Shuhua’s room, shocking YUQI. SOYEON also comes from the same direction, suggesting she showed MINNIE the what had happened in the room, and MIYEON became looped in after seeing the aftermath of this encounter between everyone. Later on, it was revealed what has been happening to Victim Shuhua – she was a domestic violence victim. However, she fights back with the help of her new friends. I quite like this montage of events, from the POV of the partner. Victim Shuhua hits him back enough to draw some blood, YUQI knocks him out with her guitar. The partner then wakes up to see SOYEON pouring gasoline over the partner, MIYEON stabs the partner to incapacitate and MINNIE lights the match to set the place alight (which probably prompted the explosion). Later on, SOYEON is seen disposing of the body, while MIYEON removes evidence (i.e. the pen she uses to stab her friend’s partner) as she questions MINNIE earlier on in the video. Victim Shuhua stays in the hotel room and becomes a victim in the explosion, probably to pin everything on the dead partner (whose body was later discovered, leading to this investigation). As for detective Shuhua, we see her piecing the events in the video together. But once it clicks, she doesn’t proceed to arrest anyone, letting everyone get away with the revenge murder. Violence of any kind and murder is never the answer, but it made for an intriguing storyline in this instance and I really liked how dark it is. I do feel like the video has a few gaps, and I wished the video was longer to accommodate those missing details to tell a more complete story.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

I case you can’t see the music video for its age restriction, but want to hear the song still.

[Review] ZOMBIE – EVERGLOW

June 10, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged EVERGLOW1 Comment

EVERGLOW makes their comeback today with a creepy song titled ZOMBIE. It is their first comeback since last year’s SLAY, which ended a 20 month hiatus. Since that comeback, the group has been on tour in the US, Europe and Japan.

My first thought that ran through my mind when listening to ZOMBIE for the first time is that EVERGLOW’s signature synth-heavy club sound is no more. ZOMBIE is the first track that doesn’t rely so heavily on synths, opting for acoustics in the verses and a very simple yet alluring beat that brings forth a creepy atmosphere in the choruses. There was missed opportunity to build ZOMBIE into a more EVERGLOW sounding track by really amping the second half of the chorus. That easily could have slipped into an intense synth drop or club sound and ZOMBIE could still return to the acoustics in the second verse and bridge. Instead, we don’t get much out of the follow through and this makes ZOMBIE a little too consistent for my liking. ‘Too consistent’, in this case, means ‘unexciting’. Similarly, the vocal work in ZOMBIE is all similar, and so that ‘too consistent’ continues to prevail. Though the way the producers added definition via the whispery vocals in the background was pretty cool. So was the vocal work in the bridge, which was a stilling moment for me. I do like how the group kept their vocals low throughout the song, which complements that creepy atmosphere that I mentioned above. ZOMBIE‘s melodies and hooks were sleek and subtle, which is complementary to the same atmosphere above. However, I do miss the punchiness past EVERGLOW hooks have given us and the melodies do get sluggish as the song progresses. The brief drum beats and touch of strings at the end were very nice detail in the song Overall, ZOMBIE is a very different sound to what the group put out in the past. And based on the above, mixed feelings come to mind. At the moment, I feel like ZOMBIE is alright song, but I think more listens could change that (though I am not exactly sure which side I would lean then).

On the surface, the music video appears to tackle the social issues of becoming addicted to our smartphones, turning us into zombies. The members are still seen moving about with their phones, but the way they move mirrors how a zombie would feel. When you consider the lyrics of ZOMBIE in tandem, the members sing about how the emotions from a heartbreak with their former lover can turn them into zombies. The phones in the video might represents the remnants of the former lover in the members’ lives, such as memories stored in photos, videos and past messages. Their phone may also contain their former lover’s phone number, which the members could be wanting to call and reach out to. All of these memories and desires ultimately prevent them from moving on, reverting them to a zombie form. If the problem persist, it creates a void (i.e., blackhole) within them, which makes them very dangerous. I did like the spooky feel of the video, with the sterile environment of a hospital working well with that mindset. The only aspect I am unsure about is the wind storm at the end of the video.

While the song isn’t their most dynamic or intense one yet, ZOMBIE‘s choreography is actually quite good. The synchronisation definitely grab my attention and this added to the creepy factor of the comeback. The members all donning the same black hair colour and similar white dresses on their showcase stage also contributes to that same creepy factor. The “Ra Ri Ra Ri Ra” part of the routine looks to be my favourite aspect of the choreography.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] SPOT! – ZICO ft. JENNIE (BLACKPINK)

June 10, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged BLACKPINK, Jennie (BLACKPINK), ZicoLeave a comment

2024 has seen a few collaborations drop. But I don’t think any got as much fanfare as SPOT! did, which sees ZICO and JENNIE (from BLACKPINK) join forces. Both artists are widely popular in their own right. ZICO is a very familiar name when it comes to collaborations and JENNIE is widely known for being part of BLACKPINK and her solo works, as well. SPOT! dropped at the end of April, so apologies for only getting around to reviewing it now.

I will be honest – I didn’t pay much attention to the song when it was released. I can’t remember the exact reason, but I just never really turned my attention to it. As such, time allowed SPOT! to develop on my mind. And now, SPOT! is a song I cannot get out of my head. The songs’ two major hooks are extremely catchy. JENNIE’s vocal hook is probably the song’s primary hook and it is executed in a way that really demands your attention. Some might call it forceful – had I reviewed the song back in April, I probably would have said just that. But the vocal hook now feels very bold and I liked how it developed into a shoutier line. The hype and buildup within just that one line is definitely grabbing. ZICO’s repetitive rapping that follows the choruses (i.e. the “Up and down, Round and round, Everybody hit the spot“) follows through from the energy of JENNIE’s part. The backing maintains that hype energy and adds further excitement. Elsewhere in the hip-hop song, ZICO and JENNIE executes their parts just fine. You’d expect a good rap sequence from ZICO in his songs, and JENNIE adds some extra colour in SPOT!. Talking about colour, I quite like how fun that pitchy and windy synth at the end was. It was one of the elements that I remember being unsure about. But once again, time has allowed it to grow on me, just like how SPOT! did.

The music video sees both ZICO and JENNIE have a casual time alone, with one another and in the company of others. I am glad they managed to get JENNIE in the music video, which isn’t always the case for collaborations. This usually creates a void in those music videos. But for SPOT!, this was not the case, given the presence of both artists. I quite liked JENNIE’s parts. For some reason, I don’t think I ever connect JENNIE to such a causal fit or atmosphere, given her more elegant visuals on stage and at events. So, it was quite refreshing to see in her in that style and environment. ZICO’s parts add fun to the video and I like how he could do that in any situation, as evident throughout the video. Not the most memorable music video ever, but it does the job and keeps the casualness of SPOT! alive.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Album Review] THE FUTURE IS OURS: FOUND (8th Mini Album) – AB6IX

June 9, 2024Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged AB6IX2 Comments

AB6IX is the next artist on the album review block, with today’s focus being on the group’s January 2024 THE FUTURE IS OURS: FOUND mini-album release. It features a total of five song, including the title track GRAB ME. All the songs on the mini-album demonstrates AB6IX’s ability to tackle a range of genres and gives us (the listeners) some appreciated variety to enjoy. Some songs were okay, others were really good. As usual, check out the album below to see if you have any favourites. THE FUTURE IS OURS: FOUND follows on from AB6IX’s May 2023 THE FUTURE IS OURS: LOST mini-album (which featured the title track LOSER).

1. WHISTLE – Kicking off the mini-album is a hip-hop based track. This comes through the chorus most prevalent, but there is also an interesting slight country twang in the backing of the start/end of the song. WHISTLE also features a good balance of vocals and rapping, which I appreciated. However, I wished there was a bit more of a dynamic flair to WHISTLE, which could have really lifted up the song to a whole new level. Presently, the song does not sound like it is going anywhere in its current form. A more dynamic instrumentation could have built up the song and given it direction. Also, some of the rapping in WHISTLE (such as WOOJIN’s follow ups to Donghyun’s lines in the second verse, most of the choruses, the repetitive start of the bridge) would have come off as more naturally sounding (and not forced) with a more dynamic backing. (7/10)

2. GRAB ME (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for GRAB ME. (9/10)

3. TRAVELLER – TRAVELLER sees AB6IX venture down the pop rock direction and was a track that got stuck in my head from the very first listen. I particularly really liked how punchy the track was, especially during the choruses, thanks to the instrumentation. Strong vocals from all members and rapping from WOOJIN also add energy and intensity to the song. I also liked the DAEHWI and WOOJIN pairing in first part of the first/second choruses, as well as how everyone joined in for the last chorus. It also definitely helped that the melodies were catchy, as well! (10/10)

4. ALL NIGHT – R&B makes an appearance on the mini-album via ALL NIGHT. I liked the groovy energy that underlines the song, building on the lo-fi beats that the track features. The vocal work in this track is superb, with the falsettos in the song being the ‘cherry on top’. Despite being quite good as it is, I did feel like ALL NIGHT was missing something. I just cannot pinpoint what that could be. Also, not a big fan of the abrupt ending. If there is one thing in KPOP songs that don’t sit well with me, it is abrupt endings. (8.5/10)

5. ILY (I LOVE YOU) – The mini-album finishes off with a ballad in the form of ILY. It begins with DONGHYUN and WOONG’s vocals, which I personally thought were stunning. The rest of ILY follows through with some nice vocals and rapping that works well with the ballad motif. You can definitely hear the heartwarming tone of the song come through via ILY’s vocals and melodies. The chorus features a ‘ily, ily, ily’ repetition, which came off as a very simple yet effective hook for the song. The softness of this hook also contrasts well with the tinge of rock we got in the background. ILY is a lovely way to end the album. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10

*THE FUTURE IS OURS: FOUND* Teaser Image

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 1st Week of June 2024

June 9, 2024Posted in Weekly ChartsTagged Stray KidsLeave a comment

Welcome back to another Weekly KPOP Chart post. A decrease in coverage this week – only three song reviews and an album review since the last Weekly KPOP Charts. This upcoming week promises songs from INFINITE, cignature, EVERGLOW, CSR, SUPER JUNIOR, Candy Shop, SUNMI, NAYEON (from TWICE) and more. We are also going to hear WEKI MEKI’s final release before their disbandment 😦 . That I will make sure to review as soon as it out. Per usual, you will have to wait to see who else I can get around to covering in the new week. Until then, here is the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 1st Week of June 2024.

Throwback Song of the Week

Each week I pick a song from the past to feature in this segment. It is recognition for the fact I listen to more than just the currently charting songs. And revisiting these songs are truly a blast from the past. Plus, I am hoping that this segment introduces new listeners to some great songs that I have enjoyed from my many years of listening to KPOP.

Another 2NE1 centric week for me with FALLING IN LOVE being the throwback song of choice this week!

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 the Korean language in this part of the Weekly KPOP Chart post. That song is the top ranking non-Korean song on each Weekly KPOP Chart post. The past week’s non-Korean song of the week is, for the fourth week in a row now, Stray Kids’ Lose My Breath (featuring Charlie Puth) and ranks in the 1st position this week.

The Charts

In addition to being the top non-Korean song of the week, Stray Kids’ Lose My Breath (ft. Charlie Puth) is also the top song for the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 1st Week of June 2024. Congratulations to Stray Kids.

Position	Song Title	Artist	Change
1	Lose My Breath	Stray Kids ft. Charlie Puth	(▲ 6)
2	Shooting Star	Kep1er	(NEW)
3	Accendio	IVE	(▼ 1)
4	Feel The POP	ZEROBASEONE	(▲ 15)
5	Armageddon	aespa	(▼ 2)
6	BADVILLAIN	BADVILLAIN	(NEW)
7	WORK	ATEEZ	(▼ 3)
8	Little Light	DOYOUNG (NCT)	(▲ 6)
9	Girls Never Die	tripleS	(▲ 51)
10	KING KONG	TREASURE	(▼ 4)
11	Supernova	aespa	(▼ 10)
12	SPOT!	ZICO (BLOCK B) ft. JENNIE (BLACKPINK)	(▲ 32)
13	HEYA	IVE	(▲ 10)
14	Give Me That	WayV	(NEW)
15	FREAK	YUQI ((G)I-DLE)	(▲ 45)
16	Fatal Trouble	ENHYPEN	(▲ 36)
17	Youth2Youth	EPEX	(▲ 4)
18	Flower Rhythm	ARTMS	(▲ 42)
19	MONA LISA	Soojin	(▲ 18)
20	One Kiss	RIIZE	(▲ 40)
21	Mars	Doh Kyung Soo (D.O – EXO)	(▲ 26)
22	Nectar	BM (KARD) ft. Jay Park	(▲ 38)
23	Bye My Monster	ONF	(▼ 7)
24	How Sweet	NewJeans	(▼ 16)
25	MAESTRO	SEVENTEEN	(▲ 35)
26	200	Mark (NCT)	(▲ 34)
27	Straight Line	Kep1er	(▲ 31)
28	Air	ARTMS	(▲ 32)
29	Impossible	RIIZE	(▼ 20)
30	hey! hey!	TWS	(NEW)

[Album Review] Un: SEEN (2nd Mini Album) – EVNNE

June 8, 2024Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged EVNNE1 Comment

Ahead of their comeback in 2 weeks time, I thought it might be a good time to square away the album review for EVNEE’s January 2024 comeback with Un: SEEN. It is their 2nd mini-album, following on from their debut with Target: ME and TROUBLE. Un: SEEN features a total of five tracks, one of which is the title track UGLY (which you can find the link to its review down below). Overall, it is a fair mini-album. There are some goods and some so-so songs (like the title track) on it. This mini-album doesn’t dampen my thoughts on EVNNE, however, and so I am eagerly looking towards 17 June 2024 when their 3rd mini-album drops. But until then, here are my thoughts on Un: SEEN.

1. UGLY (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of UGLY. (6.5/10)

2. SYRUP – Hip-hop emerges as the primary sound in SYRUP. Its verses and pre-choruses are definitely highlights for me, particularly when it came to JIHOO’s line “Bad, Bad, Bad Taste” and the opening line to the chorus “Yeah, We be dippin’ to my flow”. The rapping was good (as highlighted by JIHOO’s line mentioned). The vocals weren’t as memorable. The chorus was probably SYRUP’s weakest sequence, as it took the song in more of a pop direction and didn’t necessary capture the hip-hop tone built up in throughout the verses and pre-choruses. (7/10)

3. K.O. (Keep On) – Oh, why was K.O. not chosen as the title track for this mini-album? There was a lot to like in K.O.. The bass and dynamic energy from the backing made K.O. upbeat and brought forth a bouncy effect. The strong vocals and rapping from the members gave the song punchiness that helped make the track memorable. But it is the “K.O.” lines following the main portion of the first and final choruses that got me hooked. It was quite an earwormy hook. Also, the more paced approach in the midst of the synths and energy was very interesting and brought forth a very cool contrast in the song. (9/10)

4. Chase – The rumbling dull scratching sound that features in the background of verses was quite distracting for me. It was so distracting that I actually can’t help but ‘find the sound’ throughout the rest of the song, taking away precious attention from the other parts. The pre-chorus removes the sound temporarily, making it the clearest part of the song (and hence is my favourite aspect of Chase). It returns in the choruses, but it muffled out by the rest of the instrumental, so I am not too fussed with its presence there. When I can pull my attention away from the instrumentation, I do find Chase features strong vocals from the members. The rappers were top-notch in the bridge and definitely know how to build energy in that brief moment. I also liked the alluring nature of the chorus, though dampen by the distraction. (7.5/10)

5. Festa – As the saying goes, save the best to last. Festa is definitely a straight forward pop track. But it is done right and well. I really liked the bright feel-good energy that comes from the song. The synths are textured in a very comfortable manner and the familiar nature of the keyboard was fun. The vocals and rapping from all members were super strong, and I particularly like the moments where they all come together in Festa. The hooks are simple, but definitely catchy. Festa had me dancing in my chair, a reaction that no song on this mini-album has gotten out of me! (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8/10

[Review] BADVILLAIN – BADVILLAIN

June 8, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged BADVILLAINLeave a comment

I don’t cover debuts close to their actual debut date anymore due to time slippage on my part and constraints. But while I am not reviewing BADVILLAIN’s debut on the exact date that they debuted on, I do think the same week is much better than many months down the track (by which the group has probably made a comeback). BADVILLAIN made their debut at the start of this week as a seven member female group under BPM Entertainment (the home of VIVIZ, TAEMIN, Ha Sung Woon, REN and many others) with the track titled after themselves.

Listening to BADVILLAIN a couple of times now following their debut, and my thoughts on the song have remained very consistent. BADVILLAIN definitely has potential with an intriguing string-based instrumental and some fierceness exuded by the members. The former definitely grabs my attention and creates such intensity and suspense once you are immersed in it. When the more electronic profile of the instrumentation comes into play towards the end of the track, it made BADVILLAIN interesting and gave even more life to the song to close it out on a relatively high note. That fierceness the members bring comes through the rapping, some of which was really good and other execution of rapping in BADVILLAIN was les effective. On the other hand, the vocals parts of the song hold some promise, adding further suspense and intensity to BADVILLAIN. But despite the potential behind BADVILLAIN, the song was held back for a number of reasons – weak hooks, lacking melodies and the noticeable absence of oomph in the song. Had the song featured more robust hooks, melodies and oomph, BADVILLAIN could have been a knock out of the park. The benefits wouldn’t just stop there – the members would have sound much stronger and powerful, as well, which would have shined a brighter light at the members. But instead, we are left wanting more despite knowing how good the track was set up to be.

That fierceness that I mentioned above is definitely visually portrayed in the music video for BADVILLAIN. Their close ups, outfits, facial expressions and body language definitely showcases their powerful and confident personalities/concept, which I thought was pretty cool. Talking about cool, there is one scene in the video that definitely made me go wow in the moment. At the start of the second chorus, it looked like it was only the members on the set. But then the light switched on as we were launched into the chorus, a whole group of dancers around the members appeared out of nowhere. Definitely an awesome moment that makes me want to go back to the video and watch it. I did wish there was a story line to pull everything together, as the members were caught in the beginning. What were they caught doing? What is their mission? What revolution are they starting? These are questions buzzing in my mind as I watched the video that I want answers to. Given KPOP’s love for a story lore, I think this video could have been one of those.

The same can be said with the choreography, regarding fierceness. It came through the most towards the end of the routine when the song adopts that electronic profile I mentioned above. The rest of the routine was fine. Nothing really stands out, but it was a good routine to introduce us to BADVILLAIN.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Lose My Breath – Stray Kids ft. Charlie Puth

June 4, 2024Posted in Western POPTagged Stray Kids3 Comments

I know I haven’t been covering any international songs as of late. There also hasn’t been an International Songs Review post yet this year. Those posts will be restarted soon. But in the meanwhile, I will be continuing my alternative approach of covering certain international releases in the standard song review post. I know I was supposed to review another release ahead of this one, but I have decided to push ahead with Stray Kids’ Lose My Breath (ft. Charlie Puth). Lose My Breath was released on 10 May 2024 and serves as the group’s first official English single.

If you are not aware, Lose My Breath has been the top ranking non-Korean song for a couple of weeks now on my Weekly KPOP Charts, and it has ranked in high positions on the charts. So it is probably safe to say that I do like the song. However, time has been on its side. My initial thoughts on Lose My Breath weren’t exactly the most positive. It took me a couple of listens to make out the members’ individual voices. Because everyone sang so high up, everyone (including Charlie Puth) sounded so alike. For a group like Stray Kids who do have distinct voices, this stripped the semblance of personality and individuality from the song. When I did manage to make out everyone’s voices, Changbin’s stood out the most. He sounded so good (and was very disappointed upon realizing that he had the least amount of lines in the song). The neutral gear of Lose My Breath was interesting aspect of the song. While it did allow for a more melodic approach to the song, I also felt it made Lose My Breath too similar through and through. Even the bridge, which had Charlie Puth (in his version) do something oomph to his delivery, didn’t alleviate the similar sound. It was a similar case in the Stray Kids version, with the rapping in the bridge. But as mentioned above, Lose My Breath has definitely grown on me and I do appreciate it a lot more now. The melodic approach that we hear allows Stray Kids to explore a more mature and emotional sound. The softer instrumental also support this direction, with the guitar riff being my favourite (and most memorable aspect of the song). You can feel the delicate and vulnerable state of the group via their vocals, particularly in the pre-choruses and choruses. And over time, the melody has ear-wormed its way into my mind and I find myself humming out the melody.

Based on what I can gather, Stray Kids portray merpeople in the music video. Based on the lyrics of Lose My Breath, they are experiencing the emotions of love and longing for someone, giving them enough reason to escape the ocean and go onto land. With that in mind, it makes sense for a recurring presence of water in the video and gives context to some of the styling that the members are donning throughout the video (i.e., the white outfits and ear attachments). It also explains the scene in which Felix is struggling until he and the other members finds water. The only part I was bit unsure about are the fireworks at the end. I might be reading too much into it, but I did feel the sound effects and presence of fireworks was only there to close out the visual media and didn’t add much substance to the video itself.

Stray Kids did well and I like how the choreography felt approachable, compared to their harder choreographies that they perform for their Korea/Japan comebacks. I quite liked the contrasting parts of the choreography, which demonstrated balance and complemented the music well. There were a mixture of sharper moves that felt snappy and gave the performance some oomph vs. slower moves that felt dragged out.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Review] Shooting Star – Kep1er

June 3, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Kep1er3 Comments

Kep1er was supposed to wrap their promotions next month as a group, following the expiration of their 2.5 year contracts that began from their Girls Planet 999 days. But after almost a years worth of negotiations (where at one point renewal was supposed to be off the table), it has been agreed that Kep1er will reform as a 7-member group (with Mashiro and Yeseo opting to not renew their contracts) following a final concert next month. Ahead of that bittersweet moment, Kep1er has returned with their 1st studio album, Kep1going On, and the title track Shooting Star.

When the biggest problem the track is that it feels too short, you are probably doing something right. It has only been a couple of hours since the song’s release, but I have really enjoyed Shooting Star. And I am with the crowd when this is their best title track yet! I really like the straight forward pop that the verses featured. The whispery pre-chorus (that is backed up with the harsher and contrasting autotuned backing vocal) in the first verse and at the end of the bridge was very aesthetic and cool. I have definitely heard it before somewhere, so the idea isn’t necessarily original. But it feels very refreshing as part of Shooting Star. The chorus features an exciting rush of energy from the synth work that makes Shooting Star thrilling and exciting. The melody and hook is very pleasantly straight-forward (I mean that in a good way) and catchy, which makes Shooting Star‘s centrepiece a memorable piece. The momentum following the first chorus is followed up well with some really good rapping from Dayeon and Hikaru. The bridge of the song brings out a dreamy aesthetic that fits in well with the rest of Shooting Star. In terms of the vocals, I like the effortless side of them and the slight emotional tone the member bring. The latter helps makes the song feel a little more impactful and meaningful, and this definitely came through the lyrics as well. But as mentioned in the beginning, I just feel Shooting Star wraps up too quickly. Part of me feels like it is the right spot to end Shooting Star at, but I kind of also want more. Minus that small dilemma (which might be more of a personal preference), I am extremely impressed with Shooting Star.

I liked the idea of likening the members to the stars in the night sky and shooting stars throughout the video. I also liked the sets in the video. But I am also of the opinion that the video feels too simple for this comeback. I think ‘more’ is an appropriate word to use here, as in ‘more’ could have been done in the video to really give make it more meaningful, impactful, memorable etc. One thing that the video could have potentially done better to fulfil the above is be more aesthetic. More abstract thinking could have really given the video a deeper and thought provoking outlook, which would complement the lyrics and tone of the song.

I quite liked how graceful the routine was for this comeback. It fits in with Shooting Star‘s momentum really well. I also liked the chorus routine, particularly the hand movements during the ‘Da Ra Ra‘ part. It is literally the part of the music video (and performance) that my mind keeps on returning to. Their formations in the routine are also quite memorable, particularly those where one member is in the centre and the other members surrounds them quite closely,. This emphasises how close and tight they are with one another.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 5th Week of May 2024

June 2, 2024June 2, 2024Posted in Weekly ChartsTagged aespaLeave a comment

Welcome back to another Weekly KPOP Chart post. Another uptick in the coverage this week – 6 songs and 1 album were reviewed since the last Weekly KPOP Charts. This coming week will new songs and album releases by WayV, Kep1er, BADVILLAIN, Han Seungwoo, TWS, GHOST9, ONE PACT, NCT DREAM, CRAVITY and more. Per usual, you will have to wait to see who I can get around to covering in the new week. Until then, here is the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 5th Week of May 2024.

Throwback Song of the Week

KISS OF LIFE’s cover of Brown Eyed Girls’ Sixth Sense (and a rewatch of LOVELYZ’s cover of the same song) have made the epic song this week’s throwback song of the week.

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 the Korean language in this part of the Weekly KPOP Chart post. That song is the top ranking non-Korean song on each Weekly KPOP Chart post. The past week’s non-Korean song of the week is, for the third week in a row, Stray Kids’ Lose My Breath. It features Charlie Puth and ranks in the 7th position this week. Once again, I have posted the Stray Kids version of the song down below.

The Charts

aespa’s Supernova is back on the top of the Weekly KPOP Charts for 5th Week of May 2024. Congratulations again to aespa!

Position	Song Title	Artist	Change
1	Supernova	aespa	(▲ 4)
2	Accendio	IVE	(▼ 1)
3	Armageddon	aespa	(NEW)
4	WORK	ATEEZ	(NEW)
5	Now	ONEUS	(▼ 3)
6	KING KONG	TREASURE	(NEW)
7	Lose My Breath	Stray Kids ft. Charlie Puth	(▼ 4)
8	How Sweet	NewJeans	(▲ 10)
9	Impossible	RIIZE	(▲ 16)
10	1 to 3	SUHO (EXO)	(NEW)
11	I Like The Way	Kim Woojin	(▲ 21)
12	Backseat	Hyunjun	(▲ 53)
13	Could It Be	YUQI ((G)I-DLE)	(▲ 23)
14	Little Light	DOYOUNG (NCT)	(▲ 55)
15	Colors	Solar (MAMAMOO)	(▲ 11)
16	Bye My Monster	ONF	(▲ 13)
17	Pitter-Patter-Love	FANTASY BOYS	(▲ 60)
18	Earth, Wind & Fire	BOYNEXTDOOR	(▲ 32)
19	Feel The POP	ZEROBASEONE	(▲ 11)
20	But I	Solar (MAMAMOO)	(▲ 2)
21	Youth2Youth	EPEX	(▲ 10)
22	Home	Lim Young Woong	(▲ 48)
23	HEYA	IVE	(▲ 20)
24	Cheese	SUHO (EXO) ft. WENDY (Red Velvet)	(=)
25	Ride The Vibe	NEXZ	(▲ 27)
26	Spell	SEVENTEEN Performance Team	(▼ 14)
27	Q&A	HyunA	(▼ 18)
28	C’est La Vie	CRAVITY	(▲ 47)
29	SING!	BEWAVE	(▼ 23)
30	Beautiful MAZE	DRIPPIN	(▲ 47)

[Review] 1 to 3 – SUHO (EXO)

June 1, 2024Posted in KPOPTagged EXO, Suho (EXO)1 Comment

Also ending the week is SUHO, who makes his official solo comeback with the mini-album 1 to 3 and the title track of the same name. This follows on from the pre-release single Cheese that SUHO released a couple of weeks back, which features WENDY from Red Velvet.

SUHO takes us back to the 70s with 1 to 3, a rock track that features disco and funk influences. The funky guitar work and bass riff makes 1 to 3 quite a unique and exciting track. So does the synth organ that forms part of the backing. Altogether, we have another fun track in 1 to 3, with an instrumental that grabs your attention alone. SUHO’s vocals glides along the instrumentation quite nicely, and I find his delivery and melodies heightens the energy that comes off the instrumentation of 1 to 3. The chorus is definitely testament to the latter. It is also extremely upbeat and catchy, as a result, and this has me tapping alongside the music as I listen to the song. I also love how dreamy the bridge got, which helps give 1 to 3 some variety within its mix. If I could ask for more out of 1 to 3, I would have liked a bit more range from SUHO, as I felt a ‘holding back’ presence from the soloist. I also wished the instrumental had a chance to really rip and go wild, via an instrumentation break. I think that would have taken the song to ‘home run’ territory. Overall, 1 to 3 is a really great, funky and unique track from SUHO.

SUHO sings about breaking free from social norms and going on his own individual path in 1 to 3. And that is exactly what we see in the music video. At the start of the video, we see SUHO aboard a spaceship that is flying in the same path as everyone else. But soon after starting the video, SUHO takes control of the ship and breaks away from the same path as everyone else. Whilst away from everyone else, he is able to explore and discovers that there is much more to the world via that alien or robot mask he finds on a planet. I think he dons that mask at a later point in the video, which coincides with the animations that feature throughout the video, signifying the birth or creation of something new. The video ends with SUHO flying away and all the other spaceships following behind him. I really like the space theme that is happening in the music video. The song also calls for something a little dynamic, and we get that via the unsteady and rough camera shots of SUHO and the band scenes throughout the video.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.4/10

[Review] WORK – ATEEZ

June 1, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged ATEEZ2 Comments

Yesterday, ATEEZ made their comeback with their 11th mini album, Golden Hour: Part 1, and the title track WORK. This new release from the 8-member group follows on from their THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL studio album from December 2023 (led by the single Crazy Form), their Japanese single Not Okay (yet to be reviewed) and their viral Coachella performance.

WORK steps away from ATEEZ’s usual powerful electronic based dance tracks. Instead, it opts for a much lighter and fun hip-hop sound that suits the group. We have heard fun from ATEEZ before, with the most recent example I can think of on the top of my head being The Real. But here, the production is toned down quite a bit without the presence of ATEEZ’s usual strong and dynamic synth work. I liked the playful vibes WORK exudes, particularly thanks to the presence of that dulled flute sound. These playful vibes also shines ATEEZ in a new light. As part of the change in sound, ATEEZ is able to showcase even more rhythmic rapping and melodic vocals than ever before in WORK. And as a result of that, WORK has a catchy centrepiece that re-emphasises that lighter and fun sound. I also like how JONGHO’s vocals still manage to pierce through the chorus, which does give WORK some dimension and depth. But while WORK has the above positive aspects to it, the biggest problem I have with WORK is that it doesn’t go anywhere. WORK is definitely missing its peak, and so it feels rather monotonous when you consider the entirety of the track together. We do get a bit more to the song in the outro, but it isn’t as satisfying as previous outros they have done in the past. Because of this, I haven’t really taken to WORK since its release yesterday. Maybe some more listens can help grow the song further on me. But for now, it feels like any other day at the office to me.

That fun nature of WORK is definitely present throughout the music video. The video sees the members hustle to make more money and then enjoy their wealth. JONGHO buried underground (sans his head), YEOSANG and YUNHO’s obsession of the chicken that lays golden eggs, and HONGJOONG and MINGI’s battle with the monster made of money are some of the unserious parts of the video that stood out for me. SEONGHWA’s ostrich ride could have been one of them, but the ‘fueling up’ scene stuck out at me for the wrong reasons. When together, they either embrace/celebrate the money (with MINGI’s purple suit reminding me of Willy Wonka), the hip-hop side of the song or are busy flipping burgers to make more money.

The choreography for WORK is solid. Unfortunately, it doesn’t strike me as their best routine ever. But I think that is more so the collateral they had to pay to fully embrace the lighter and fun hip-hop sound that is WORK.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] KING KONG – TREASURE

May 31, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged TREASURE2 Comments

Almost a year following the release of their REBOOT studio album and the track BONA BONA, TREASURE has finally made their long awaited comeback with their new single KING KONG. It has also been recently confirmed that KING KONG won’t be the group’s only release of the year, with another comeback due later in the year. But until then, here are my thoughts on KING KONG.

KING KONG is bombastic, to say the least. For the most part, I really enjoyed KING KONG. From electronic instrumentation to the delivery with many layers of oomph to it, the resulting product that is KING KONG feels powerful and vigorous. The song opens with some crunchy beats and a sing-talk motif that I am not unimpressed with. I kind of thought it gave KING KONG‘s verses a stylish vibe. The pre-choruses of KING KONG focuses on vocals and melodies, which I also enjoyed. This is then followed by a catchy chorus, with a slightly groovy second generation influence on the instrumentation and some shouty yet delivery. The second verse features a rap breakdown that needlessly stripped away the cool instrumentation that KING KONG had featured thus far. The length of the breakdown disrupts the flow of the song and deprives us from the momentum and drive that the earlier parts of KING KONG had. The bridge sees the returns of the vocals and that is the part of KING KONG that I am continuously returning. Partly because of the vocals, but also what comes next. The best part of KING KONG has to be the really angsty and gritty tinny instrumental break that just grabs your attention. From the top of my mind, I think KING KONG‘s instrumental break surpasses all other instrumental breaks. KING KONG then finishes with the usual anthem affair that YG Entertainment songs close out with. I am not against it this time around, but I think something less repetitive would have been better. Overall, KING KONG isn’t without its weakness. But it is still a beast of itself.

The music video appears to pay homage to King Kong himself and potentially other big monsters. There are a few scenes that sees the members appear to serve as the King Kong in their universe, like through the presence of the beastly eyes some of the members have and how some scenes position the members on top of a building that mimics the infamous scenes of the King Kong movies where the infamous King Kong had scaled the city buildings. I also really like the set made of the big skeleton. Not sure where the other scenes lead us, but I am sure they are all related. I also like the styling of the members throughout the music video. They all look very stylish and cool.

The choreography for this comeback is super cool, just like the other elements of this comeback. I liked how they mimicked some of the famous King Kong moves/poses throughout the choreography, which further highlights the beastly and powerful nature of the choreography. And that dance break is definitely the highlight of the routine!

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Review] Wife – (G)I-DLE

May 27, 2024May 29, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged i-dle2 Comments

Ahead of my album review for 2, I need to review (G)I-DLE’s pre-release single Wife. This single dropped a week prior to the release of Super Lady, the title track from 2 and another hit of (G)I-DLE’s.

Over time, Wife has become 2024’s guilty pleasure song for me. There is no way I will bragging about or showing off the song’s opening lyrics (‘I cook cream soup, taste is Coco Loco‘) to my friends or peers. At first, Wife was an odd song to me, as well. Musically, it didn’t fit (G)I-DLE’s repertoire at all and felt like a step away from their powerful title tracks. But Wife has become more fun sounding and catchy number with more listens and as it ages. The bubblegum pop is earwormy, and the song’s hooks are quite addictive with repeat plays. As time has gone by, I have also learnt that Wife has a deeper meaning, with the lyrics mocking the traditional stereotypes of a wife. This aligns with (G)I-DLE’s usual themes in their tracks that have repeatedly addressed and broken the social norms and expectations of what a ‘lady’ is supposed to be. The childish sound of the song also contributes to the mockery, and I feel that sets up the track quite cleverly. That being said, Wife definitely isn’t (G)I-DLE’s best work. But it is a really fun gem.

The mockery continues in the music video. From a glance, the music video appears very plain (but this is deliberate), aside from a striking element in the members’ looks. Their first look sees the members dressed in a striking blue green wig and white shirt, pants and shoes. In the second look, the wig turns white and the attire turns green. No matter what look, there is always something that blends them into the white background. The emptiness in the music video, as well as the blending into the background, signifies a wife without any interests, other than cooking and cleaning – the very traditionalist and stereotypical expectations a man has for a wife. The members also don’t lipsync until the very end of the video/song, where the lyrics are ‘I Don’t Wanna Wife, Wife, Wife‘, which further highlights their messaging of not wanting to be that traditionalist and stereotypical wife.

The choreography feels less of a mockery, with the members looking to have more fun. But there moves that still looked childish and elementary, which probably is their way of continuing that mockery in this final element of the release.

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