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] Mr. Vampire – ITZY

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Very early on in January 2024 and ahead of the official release of their BORN TO BE album release (led by the title track UNTOUCHABLE), ITZY also pre-released the single Mr. Vampire. Today, I will be reviewing this single. This was the second pre-release from the album (not including the solo releases that are also featured on the BORN TO BE album), with the first being the single that shares the same name as the album, BORN TO BE.

My thoughts on Mr. Vampire is fairly simple. Instrumentally, Mr. Vampire is a fun song to me. I quite enjoyed the percussion that features throughout the track. There are also some harps (in full and rather choppy later on) and whistle-like synths in the chorus (which I find to be quite familiar, but I just cannot pinpoint where I have heard something similar). These all help Mr. Vampire‘s backing piece to be engaging and intriguing to me. In terms of the members and their input into Mr. Vampire, that is where the song unravels for me. It is a fair effort from the group, but the melodies are incredibly dull and the vocal work feels strained. Nothing from the members pings me as memorable. In fact, all of it (if not most) was pretty forgettable. I wished what the members had to offer in Mr. Vampire was striking enough to be on par with the instrumentation. Or just even compelling enough to get a better reaction out of me. But as it stands, the instrumentation was by far the most memorable aspect of the song, and the rest of Mr. Vampire just … well… disappears.

The music video appears as dull as the song did. While I did like the colour palette that was used in the video and the close-up shots of the members do look real nice, there just isn’t anything more to the video (apart from the performance aspect of the release, and even then the song weighs this down as well) that sticks out. I also noticed some poor editing in the later parts of the video, where the lip-syncing just does not match up to the song. I understand the song is about falling in love, but I would have liked a touch of that vampire concept in the video. Maybe a bit of blood or some symbolism that represents the mythological creature.

As mentioned prior, the choreography for this pre-release was also bland and dull. But it is slightly better than the music video. From what I can see, there are vampire references in the routine and the chorus part of the choreography had a slight dynamic touch and sharpness that I was looking for in the other parts of this Mr. Vampire release.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

[Album Review] Two Rabbits (1st Mini Album) – MAMAMOO+

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After a single and single album release, MAMAMOO+ have finally released their first mini-album, Two Rabbits, in August 2023. It features the title track dangdang. I used to review most (if not all) of MAMAMOO’s album releases, so I thought maybe that should also be extended out to MAMAMOO+ releases, as well. While admittedly MAMAMOO+ releases have not been as compelling as their parent group releases, I still know that I will have a good time with anything related to MAMAMOO. As such, I will return one day to review their single album releases from earlier in the year which featured the single GGBB. But for now, here is my review on Two Rabbits.

Two Rabbits Album Cover

1. Intro: Two Rabbits (Intro: 두 마리 토끼) – It is a short intro to the mini-album, but the backing to Two Rabbits had good rhythm and a peaceful vibe, while Solar and Moonbyul did a really good job at complementing this with light playful and calming melodies in their vocals and delivery, respectively. It makes for a good start to the mini-album. (8/10)

2. dangdang (댕댕) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for dangdang. (7.5/10)

3. I LIKE THIS – MAMAMOO+ keeps to the playful vibe in I LIKE THIS. We go down a jazzy and groovy direction with the instrumentation, which was quite engaging. They throw in some other elements into the mix to make it a fun sounding track, like addition of brass during the second verse and some funky synth work in the instrumental break/bridge of the song. What I also like in I LIKE THIS are Solar and Moonbyul’s light and delicate vocals, which I found to be super enjoyable. Moonbyul does step away briefly to amp up her delivery for the rapping in the second verse, but this made sense to complement the change in momentum that the background to the rapping had. Just like the title, I really liked this. (10/10)

4. Starry Sea (별이 빛나는 바다) – The vocals are the memorable aspect of Starry Sea for me. Both Solar and Moonbyul do an amazing job, especially in the chorus, where it was so easy to get lost in both of their powerful and delicate deliveries. Elsewhere, the melodies are stunningly beautiful and I found myself swaying along to these melodies. Starry Sea is also nicely instrumented with acoustic guitars, a light touch of synth and some saxophones at the very end of the song. The beach sounds were also a nice addition. (9/10)

5. Save Me (지구에 혼자 남게 된다면) – A few weeks prior to the release of this mini-album, MAMAMOO+ also pre-released the single Save Me. I had intentions to review Save Me separately, but it slipped from my mind. Anyhow, Save Me is a R&B ballad with stunning vocals and amazing rapping. These are just common synonyms to use when referring to anything MAMAMOO related! I like the retro vibes that come from the instrumentation. I didn’t expect as much synth work in this song, but it helped made the song feel fuller and added some intricate detailing to the backing. Overall, a very pleasant and mild release. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10

Two Rabbits Teaser Image

[Album Review] Fever (4th Mini Album) – LUCY

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LUCY made their comeback in August 2023 with their 4th mini-album, Fever. Today, I am finally getting around to reviewing Fever, which comes after finally getting around to reviewing the title track on this mini-album, Haze. 3 additional songs also feature on the mini-album. Altogether, Fever is definitely another top album from 2023, which is why I nominated it for Best Album of 2023 in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Unfortunately, the chance to support LUCY in the annual event has passed. But do check out why I nominated the album by reading this album review.

Fever Album Cover

1. Hot! (뜨거) – Hot! embraces a more energetic rock sound than usual. It doesn’t come as a surprise to me, as they had venture down the more usual sound that we hear from KPOP band. The addition of prolific guitars and slight presence of EDM also pushes the boundaries even further for LUCY in this song. Yet, they still keep true to themselves with the continuous presence of the violin and their signature vocals. Yet, the former was processed in a way for Hot! that allows it to fit in and feel part of the rest of the upbeat and lively initial track. (8/10)

2. Haze (아지랑이) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for Haze. (10/10)

3. Magic – What really stood out for me in Magic was the good time vibes. The entirety of this track had me smiling and doing a small bop in my chair. I really like the violin solo, which takes Magic on a jazzier direction. I also liked the use of the violin as accent within the background. Everything else, from vocals to melodies to the band instrumentation, came off as balanced and made Magic a super easy listen. (8/10)  

4. So What (내버려) – The rock emerges again, but takes a heavier and grungier turn in So What. There is such a dramatic flair to the song that makes it so dynamic. The violin itself blends in so well. Adding to that are the solid and well-executed vocals from all of the members, with a particular mention to Sang-yeop who really kills it in So What. But all members, not matter if they contribute via the softer moments or as part of the chorus, added to the dynamism of So What. The chorus is also quite memorable, especially thanks to the melody that gives it drive and so much punchy character. All of this makes for another unforgettable track from the band. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9/10

Fever Teaser Image

[Review] Bad News – KISS OF LIFE

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Making their first comeback in November 2023 is KISS OF LIFE, who returns with their second mini-album, Born To Be XX, and the title track Bad News. The latest release from the new female group, which is nominated for Best New Female Group in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards (voting is now closed), follows on from their debut with Shhh in July of this year.

Kicking off Bad News is the guitar twang, which makes for quite a unique sound. As the song progresses to the end, we hear the emergence of a rock vibe alongside that twang. This was a nice development in Bad News, giving that extra oomph to the end to single the final moments. But it also added an extra texture to the song to further its appeal and make it a cooler sound. In addition to the instrumentation, the definite strong vocals and confident rapping we get from the members of KISS OF LIFE really makes Bad News captivating and hard to put down. The boldness and charisma that comes off these vocals and rapping sends a clear message that they are not a group to mess around with and highlights their potential in this industry. Belle’s vocals, in particular, was show-stopping in this song, especially as we get into ad-lib territory. There is also an abundance of hooks to remember the song by, as well. Overall, Bad News definitely shows me that KISS OF LIFE to watch out further in this new generation of KPOP.

The music video for Bad News sees the members stand up for themselves and what they see is right. And I think the Bad News is that they are not afraid of the repercussion that could entail (I think). Not entirely sure of the latter point, but I feel like that is why the home videos and lyrics about the website are about. Anyhow, the video features the members standing up to (what I assume) is a bad ex, a bully, a rude person in an audience and a creep on the train. The members, when confronted by the police, protest against the injustice that they face as a result of standing up for themselves. At the end of the video, it seen that the above are just personal matters and that there is something larger at play. It appears the police chase and riot are a cover for the members to spread out some different news. We see a photographer pick up a top secret document and is engrossed by it. This is followed by some CCTV footage of the members at a rich person’s house, searching through the house. Overall, an interesting concept.

The song really sets up the choreography aspect of the comeback. The performance was super dynamic and engaging to watch. The confidence and sassy attitude was definitely there and probably gave the choreography an extra edge to enjoy. I also really liked the originality of the boxing ring formed by the dancers in the first chorus.  

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

[Album Review] Feel Me (3rd Single Album) – Golden Child

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Golden Child’s November 2023 comeback with Feel Me came and went quite quickly. And that is quite disappointment given their last comeback (Replay & AURA) was over a year ago when Feel Me came out. But before we forget about said comeback completely, I will be reviewing the single album in which Feel Me is featured on and shares a title with. Feel Me (the single album) is very consistent release, with Feel Me (the song) and the single album’s addition 2 side tracks all earning the same song rating. Read more on each song below!

Feel Me Album Cover

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

2. Blind Love – One of the things I really liked about Blind Love was the feel-good vibe and bright exterior that the instrumentation and members exudes from the track. It makes it become an enjoyable single. The instrumentation takes on very peppy pop sound that is super vibrant. I also like the slight groove thanks to the presence of the guitars. The vocals are very polished and the melodies are easy to listen to, both of which embodies that pop sound so well. (9/10)

3. Dear – We remain in the pop realm for the final track on this single album. It is quite an upbeat track and I can imagine a very cool dance routine to this track. What makes Dear a little different to the above tracks is that it has an emotional tingle to, which makes it a more heartfelt release. That being said, I do find myself smiling to the song each time I listen to it. I find all the members singing in the final chorus to close out Dear to hit it home, given some thoughts I have about Golden Child and their future. I think that might a topic of discussion for another day. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9/10

Feel Me Teaser Image

[Album Review] The Name Chapter: Freefall (3rd Studio Album) – TXT

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The next album to be reviewed on the blog is TXT’s 3rd studio album, The Name Chapter: Freefall, which dropped on 13 October 2023. Featured on the album is the title track Chasing That Feeling, the TXT version of Back For More and TXT’s Summer collaboration with the Jonas Brothers, Do it Like That (all links to their respective reviews can be found below within the album review). Those three tracks are alongside 6 additional new tracks. As a whole, The Name Chapter: Freefall is another strong album from the group. There are some really good and strong songs on the album, so definitely check out this album. It might be one TXT’s most sold albums to date, but I think it deserves a bit more attention than what I think it got (which wasn’t much).

The Name Chapter: Freefall Album Cover

1. Growing Pain – The album kicks off strong with a rock track. Growing Pain is a metal-based hard rock track that has an energetic and intense vibe. The guitar work is definitely amazing, particularly during the bridge. The members do a decent job with their vocals in Growing Pain. They do suit the style, but I am describing their vocals as decent as I felt some parts were underbaked. The chorus also felt repetitive. I wished there were ad-libs or something to really give (at the very least) the final chorus that ‘last hurrah’ vibe. It could have really helped close Growing Pain out strong. (8/10)

2. Chasing That Feeling (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for Chasing That Feeling. (7/10)

3. Back For More (TXT Version) – I have previously reviewed Back For More (featuring Anitta). Most of my thoughts will carry over to the TXT version. Click here for the review of Back For More. (9/10)

4. Dreamer – TXT takes it down a notched with Dreamer, a paced R&B track. Everything in this track felt very standard R&B. But it is done so well that I find myself drifting away with everything in it. I did like the vocals in this track, with the members going with a higher and/or airer tone. In its own way and in the context of Dreamer, the vocals did feel rather bold. (7/10)

5. Deep Down (머리에 솟아난 뿔은 나의 왕관이었다) – Out of all the side tracks on this album. Deep Down is my favourite. It starts off quite atmospheric and maintains that aesthetic throughout the track. The chorus brings in a Jersey Club beat, but keeps it lowkey to match up with the atmospheric aesthetic I just spoke about. The members also match their tone and delivery to be at a similar level to create a cohesive and riveting club track. (10/10)

6. Happily Ever After – Happily Ever After is probably the most recognisable side track, given how much TXT and HYBE pushed it on their social media. It is undoubtedly a fun single, with the chorus and its lead-in being the most memorable aspect of the song (which you can thank TXT’s social media for). Happily Ever After also features a Jersey Club beat, but uses it in a way that feels bright and vibrant. Their vocals are also super sweet sounding and I liked how they maintained it at a light level. (8/10)

7. Skipping Stones (물수제비) – When I first heard the song, Skipping Stones took me back to DAY6 vibes. It might be the indie-rock approach that is taken in Skipping Stones, which in itself is an amazing backing piece. Even some of TXT’s vocals remind me of DAY6 (though the more you listen to the song, you find TXT’s colours coming through). I also like how it is super easy to listen to and enjoy, making it feel like a song you can easily put on repeat and listen to time and time again. (9/10)

8. Blue Spring – Blue Spring is another indie rock track. This time around, no one other than TXT comes to mind when I listen to this song. And it makes sense, given that this is a fan song for their fans (MOAs). I am loving the raspy vocals and the oomph the instrumentation carries. You can feel the heartfelt emotions behind their vocals, which I am 100% sure makes for greater emotional impact for both TXT and fans alike. (9/10)

9. Do It Like That (with Jonas Brothers) – Click here for the review for Do It Like That. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

The Name Chapter: Freefall Teaser Image

[Review] SEVEN SINS – DRIPPIN

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DRIPPIN’s April 2023 release SEVEN SINS has been on my ‘to review’ list for quite a while now. I have attempted to start a review for SEVEN SINS a few times since April, but it never eventuated into something I could post. But finally, after almost a year from its release, I am finally getting around to reviewing it. SEVEN SINS follows on from the group’s November 2022 release, The One (which was nominated for Best Rock Song of 2023 in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. In case you are wondering, it fell within the eligibility period for the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards and voting has now closed).

For me, the plainness of SEVEN SINS is one of the reasons to why I never felt motivated to prioritise the song for review. It is a solid track, opting for a slow jam type of vibe. I would even go to the lengths of being successful at achieving the goal of being that, partially thanks to the dragged-out melodies of the song, such as the primary hook of SEVEN SINS. But this ultimately dulls down the potential of SEVEN SINS for me. I will admit that the vocal delivery from the members of DRIPPIN was very well executed, and was by far one of the best aspects of the song in my opinion. Contributing to the SEVEN SINS’ overall plainness is the constant etchiness and clangy, which sounds feels like something we have heard before. For me, the lack of innovation holds back on the dynamism of SEVEN SINS. Furthermore, the more paced instrumentation (as a result of the melodies) did call for something a little more heightened down the line to really drive interest in the song. And that never eventuated. It isn’t all bad news for the backing of SEVEN SINS, with the groovy backing to the bridge thanks to the bass, being quite cool. The bridge also serves a memorable “99 Problems” line. While I do get the intentions of what SEVEN SINS should have been, improvements are needed to SEVEN SINS to increase its memorability and get me more excited for the song.

The music video for SEVEN SINS was a positive aspect of the comeback. I can’t remember exactly what my first impression of the video was, but there is a lot going on and there is a mysteriousness to it all that makes it intriguing to watch. The video opens with JUNHO falling into a never-ending hole, before we see the members embrace the seven sins as they interact with one another. JUNHO is the first member to interact with another, so this might play into the lore that DRIPPIN has where JUNHO was a villain. This could be an after-life situation, as his villainous side did supposedly die in their previous video. Aside from the plotline, the aesthetics of the video was really well done and this helped draw more attention to the video.

Despite it being a slow jam type of song, the choreography for SEVEN SINS definitely has a powerfulness to it. What they did well is find a balance between that and the slowed momentum of parts of SEVEN SINS, and never let one taking over the other. All of this made this performance worth watching and highlights the calibre of the team’s performance and dancing skills.   

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

[Review] Haze – LUCY

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One of the nominees for the Most Underrated Song of 2023 as part of the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards was LUCY’s Haze. And today, I will be telling you why. Haze was released back in August of 2023 as part of their Fever mini-album that was also released on the same day. While I had intentions to review it much earlier, I never got around to reviewing it unfortunately. But that changes today. This is the first time I am reviewing a LUCY release since PLAY in 2022.

I honestly do not remember my first impression of Haze. But I definitely remember ‘rediscovering’ the track a while after its release and falling for it, just in time to nominate it as part of the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards (which voting has now ended). There is so much to enjoy in Haze. The soaring vocals sound sublime. The energy from the rock instrumentation really bolsters up the song, while the continuous unique presence of the violin in this band’s composition and the additional strings gives Haze another dimension and to further the already mentioned effect of both vocals and band instrumentation. The “Ah-ha” at the start of the chorus has such a memorable ring to it and is such a blissful moment in the song. The melodies throughout the song were also equally as memorable. But what got to me and really won me over was the sentiment of the song. Not even considering the lyrics, the vocals in Haze just carries such an uplifting and encouraging tone, along with a tinge of emotions that almost got to me. And this is the exactly what you get when you read the lyrics. All of this convinced me how amazing Haze is. And given how it hasn’t got the attention it deserves, it was nominated for Most Underrated Song by me for 2023.  

If the emotion tinge to the vocals weren’t enough to tip me over, the music video did. And for your information, it wasn’t the relatable struggles of study pressures, being bullied or not succeeding at something that you have attempted so many times that was portrayed in the music video by the students. It was actually that montage of LUCY performing together on the field in a circle, engaging with one another that got to me. There is something about this that reminded me of simpler times, hanging out with friends and having a blast with one another. Me getting emotional over that part doesn’t negate the rest of the video, however, with the acting out of the struggles being well displayed. And with the uplifting lyrics, each student saw a happy ending. The haziness was also a nice effect over the video. The post-credit ending of the music video was a bit of a wildcard, as it alludes to Boogie Man, a future release (at the time) which dropped in December 2023. I will be back to review that release at a later date.

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

[Review] NO MORE (MA BOY) – SISTAR19

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SISTAR19 is a duo subunit from the Summer KPOP queens SISTAR, consisting of HYOLYN and BORA, who debuted way back in 2011 with Ma Boy. They made one comeback as a subunit with Gone Not Around Any Longer in 2013. 11 years on since that last comeback, HYOLYN and BORA have regrouped for a comeback and dropped their new single NO MORE (MA BOY) yesterday.

SISTAR19 were very much known for their two distinct hits back in the day, so I was a little unsure how they would navigate the industry a decade on since their last release. But with what I heard in NO MORE (MA BOY), my concerns were truly invalid. The new song really slides right into the current soundscape of the industry with little resistance. NO MORE (MA BOY) kicks off with an synth intro that takes me back to the disco era. For me, this was a very bold star, reminding me of diva-like tracks. And for SISTAR19 to embrace this association makes logical sense. HYOLYN’s vocals are heavenly here, as well. Moving from the intro, the verses feature a funky beat and solid vocals from both HYOLYN and BORA. That’s right, BORA sings in NO MORE (MA BOY) and doesn’t actually rap at all. Her part is brief in the first verse, but she has a more substantial presence in the second verse. Both sound very confident and sexy, which is definitely a hallmark for SISTAR19 songs. Maybe some rapping could have made NO MORE (MA BOY) better, though. What makes NO MORE (MA BOY) a little more interesting than your typical pop song is that the song’s pre-choruses and choruses sound the same. There are some differences, such as the Korean lyrics at the end of each part. But on the whole, both repeats the catchy repetition of ‘No No … No. Nobody’s perfect‘. The main difference is that the pre-choruses see a more stripped back instrumental that allows you to really focus on the vocals, while the choruses goes into the funky and groovy energy a lot harder. While it does leave the song a little empty, I do find that NO MORE (MA BOY)‘s hook and centrepiece (and by large, the song itself) is super simple, direct and effective here.

The music video showcases the sexiness that we know SISTAR19 can pull off. There is a few looks that the pair pull off effortless, such as the sexy cowgirl and the winter looks. Apart from that, I didn’t find much else to the music video. In addition to those looks are the choreography shots, which I will touch on below.

The choreography looks great. I felt this part of the comeback would have been a tall order to fulfil, given that Ma Boy had the infamous body wave and Gone Not Around Any Longer went really sexy. Here, the main move of the entire routine was simple and could potentially become the next iconic dance move that SISTAR is constantly known for. The rest of the routine is quite dynamic. I also do like how they pay homage to their last comeback with the presence of the table, which is used in the routine differently to their former performance.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10 [Updated on 3 March 2024 due to calculation error]

[Review] DASH – NMIXX

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Also making their comeback yesterday was NMIXX, who returned with their 2nd mini-album Fe3O4: Break. Featured on the mini-album is the title track DASH – the focus of this review. But in addition to DASH, the new mini-album also features the pre-release single Soñar (Breaker).

DASH is a very strong effort from NMIXX and is probably one of their best tracks yet! The song intros with DASH‘s catchy main hook (‘I wanna dash, I wanna run it‘), and this initially introduces us to a sassy and confident tone from the group. Also from the get-go, the hip-hop influence is definitely alive and helps gives DASH a nice bounce that I felt encapsulates a more urban style of hip-hop to the song. From there, we move into the verses, which features funky guitar that helps keeps that hip-hop influence alive and solid vocal works from the members. The pre-choruses brings an R&B colour to the song and serves as one of the strongest aspects of DASH. A particular mention has to be given to Bae, whose vocal tone here was just so enticing. We are then taken back to the chorus, where the catchy main hook continues to build on you, and the choruses within the song also features some strong vocals that wasn’t part of the main hook that opens up DASH. For the bridge, the group re-introduces the concept of MIXX pop with a change up that I am actually not troubled by. The change to grungier rock vibes but more vibrant vocals actually felt cleaner and not as jarring as NMIXX’s past MIXX pop tracks. Kyujin’s ending line ‘Um, I just want to continue my pace‘ is pretty iconic and stayed in my mind even after DASH wrapped. I quite liked their new song and the energy that they are showcasing in DASH. Very exciting.

The music video features three main settings – the prison, the street and the pastel clouds. Personally, I feel like there is a story that connects them altogether somehow. But I am clueless as to what that story is. But standalone, I liked the individual components of each part. And considering the song, the three settings work really well with the music that comes about during each respective part. I am also warming up to the styling. At first, I thought they looked a bit awkward with the headwear. But the more I watch the video, the less I am put off by them.

With the hip-hop influence coming from song, I was expecting some complex foot work. While the choreography doesn’t really feature that at all (I am a little disappointed by the omission), I feel like they did a really good job with making the choreography complex with the other half of their bodies. The small details and intricate moves that uses their arms and upper body actually makes this a cool routine and hard to look away.

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

[Review] Good Morning – YENA

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Making her comeback yesterday was YENA, who returned with the single Good Morning and the mini-album of the same name. This is YENA’s first comeback since the release of Hate Rodrigo (which I have yet to, and probably won’t get around to, reviewing). For those who missed it, Hate Rodrigo ended up being quite controversial, as the music video featured images of Olivia Rodrigo (who, if you cannot tell by the title of the song, is the subject of the song) and this was seen as being a trademark and copyright issue. The music video ended up being taken down and re-edited to remove the images, but by then the public was not positively receiving the song as it was perceived to be about hating the famous pop star. In the end, the comeback was cut short and we haven’t heard much from YENA until yesterday.

For Good Morning, YENA takes us down an energetic and powerful pop rock/punk sound, which is bound to wake you up if you have a groggy morning. It definitely takes us back to her debut, which was of a similar sound. It is just Good Morning is very much amped up and bolder. I personally really enjoyed that rush of adrenaline and exhilarating feeling that comes right off the instrumentation of Good Morning. As for YENA’s vocals, one of her strengths is that she sounds extremely youthful, bright and sweet. This always contrasts well with the punk and intense rock vibes, and creates an interesting dynamic. Some female groups and artists have tried to pull it off in the past, but I don’t think anyone has ever been as successful with this style. And Good Morning is another great example to YENA’s repertoire. I also liked the airier and stripped back approach of the bridge, which gives YENA a chance to showcase a different side of her vocals, and I like how it gave her an opportunity to push the boundaries a bit with her vocals. Overall, Good Morning is thrilling and is a great dose if you are looking for a pop/punk rock sound.

The song is about ‘letting go of yesterday’s concerns and tomorrow’s worries while welcoming a good morning’ (taken from SOOMPI). And we see that in this video. We see her either travelling from or to work on the train, with one of the carriages set up to look like an office. We then see that this is like a dream sequence, with her waking up at midnight and see office workers outside her window – how scary indeed! From there, we see her tackle her worries. The masked dancers, I guess, represent her worries and she pulls the microphone from the stone (as a play on the story of The Sword in the Stone) to fight off her worries, which was successful in the end. She manages to fight back and scare them away. Parts of the video looked very cool, while other parts were cutesy and funny. She and the team behind the music video definitely know what they are doing and pulls it off well.

The choreography looks good. YENA doesn’t really participate as much as I had hoped. Instead, she spends most of the time with her microphone and singing live. That being said, the way she is interwoven into the choreography (executed by the dancers) was clever. There was also chemistry between her and the dancers, which is a good thing for the viewers to see.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 2nd Week of January 2024

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Welcome back to the Weekly KPOP Charts for the second week of January 2024. As mentioned last week, I will be offline from mid-January to mid-February once again, and have for the last week been preparing scheduled posts to be published whilst I am away. So I will be making this post a short one so I can continue doing that. In terms of plans for the blog over the coming weeks:

  • I will be posting my final review for new releases this Wednesday (17 January 2024). This should give me time to cover NMIXX, YENA and SISTAR19’s new releases before I go on my break.
  • From 18 January 2024 to 11 February 2024, I will be releasing scheduled posts. I am aiming for one a day, but that depends on the number that I can draft before I go on my break.
  • I will resume normal posting on the blog on 12 February 2024.
  • Weekly KPOP Charts for the 3rd, 4th and 5th Weeks of January 2024 have been cancelled. I will resume tracking for a Weekly KPOP Charts post for the 1st Week of February (4 – 10 Feb), which will be posted once I am back.
  • The results for the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Charts will be delivered at the end of February (date to be confirmed).

So without any further waste of time so I knock out some more scheduled posts, here is the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 2nd Week of January 2024. Wish you the best and see you again in February!

FINAL DAY – 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards

If you have yet to vote in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards, you will need to vote now by clicking the link here to support your favourite artists, songs and performances of 2023. Voting closes 11:59 PM on 15 January 2024, which is literally tomorrow!

Non-Korean Song by a KPOP Artist of the Week

The highest non-Korean song by a KPOP artist each week is considered the Non-Korean Song of the Week. For the 2nd Week of January 2023, that song is E.SO’s Perfect Crime, which ranks in the 32nd position this week. You may recognise E.SO as former Berry Good member Seoyul.

The Charts

Congratulations to ITZY for debuting at the top of the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 2nd Week of January 2024 with their latest single UNTOUCHABLE. For more of the charts, keep on scrolling down below.

Pos.SongArtistChange
1UNTOUCHABLEITZY(NEW)
2Boogie ManLUCY(▲ 36)
3QuizJeong Sewoon(▲ 26)
4REWINDB1A4(NEW)
5BIBORASF9(NEW)
6Our StoryCMDM(▲ 49)
7dOpamineOnlyOneOf(NEW)
8ANTI HEROICU(▲ 47)
9MineCHAERYEONG (ITZY)(▲ 46)
10To. XTAEYEON (SNSD)(▲ 16)
11BORN TO BEITZY(▲ 22)
12Fall In Love AgainP1Harmony(▼ 5)
13LingeringRyeowook (Super Junior)(▲ 42)
14We Are ISoyeon (LABOUM), Wooseok (PENTAGON)(▲ 41)
15Crazy FormATEEZ(▼ 7)
16CRUSHZEROBASEONE(▲ 20)
17Do ItYOUNGJAE (GOT7)(▲ 18)
18I Wanted To Be LovedDIVINE(▲ 37)
19DominanceAIDEN(▲ 36)
20Dreamy OceanSunyoul (UP10TION)(▲ 31)
21Love 119RIIZE(▼ 8)
22MEGAVERSEStray Kids(▼ 11)
23LALALALAStray Kids(▼ 21)
24NOBODYJeon Soyeon ((G)I-DLE), Winter (aespa), LIZ (IVE)(▼ 15)
25Crown On My HeadYEJI (ITZY)(▲ 40)
26RUN AWAYRYUUJIN (ITZY)(▲ 29)
27Yet, ButYUNA (ITZY)(▲ 28)
28SnowballBOL4(▲ 27)
29WATCH ITTHE BOYZ(▼ 24)
30Be There For MeNCT 127(▼ 27)

[Album Review] TEENFRESH (3rd Mini Album) – STAYC

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STAYC’s POPPY is nominated for Best Non-Korean Song by a Korean Artist (Japanese). Support POPPY and your other favourite acts by clicking here to vote today.

Over the last month, STAYC’s Bubble has really grown on me. So much so, if I had a crystal ball to tell me of this growth, I would have nominated it for Best Pop Song in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Anyhow, this growth has led me to review the album in which Bubble is included on, TEENFRESH. It is also my first time reviewing a STAYC album. The mini-album features a total of 6 songs, including 3 versions of Bubble and 3 additional side tracks. Let’s see how the rest of the mini-album stacks up to the title track.

TEENFRESH Album Cover

1. Bubble (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for Bubble. (8.5/10)

2. Not Like You – For Not Like You, I enjoyed the moodier tone (relative to Bubble) we get from the instrumentation. But while I did enjoy it, I wished there was more development in the song as it progresses. Not Like You suffers from a consistency issue for keeping to close to the moodier energy as the song went along, and I wished that had more to offer. The chorus, whilst fine now, dulls down each time I listen to the song. Even the end of the song sounds a bit too alike to the verses. On the flip-side, I think we get a great showing of vocals from YOON and ISA in the pre-choruses. (7/10)

3. I Wanna Do – We go down a contemporary R&B direction with I Wanna Do. Upon reflection, there isn’t anything innovative in I Wanna Do if you were to compare it to songs of a similar soundscape. But the vocals, melodies and nostalgia of the instrumentation is on point. And all of that makes it hard for me to turn away from I Wanna Do. (8.5/10)

4. Be Mine – Probably the most interesting track on this mini-album is Be Mine, which has a familiar retro pop vibe to it. The bounciness of the instrumental was quite a cool aspect of the song. The bright vocals do have a slight R&B tinge to it, whilst the hazy rapping in the second verse was very intriguing. All of this cohesive comes together to create a good side track on this mini-album. (8/10)

5. Bubble (English Version) – Refer to my full review on Bubble above.

6. Bubble (English & Sped Up Version) – Refer to my full review on Bubble above.

Overall Album Rating – 8/10

TEENFRESH Teaser Image

[Review] Angel Eyes – NCT 127

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I know a lot of my reviews lately have been related to NCT, with the most recent reviews being the 4 tracks that had an ’archiving video’ from NCT’s 4th studio album Golden Age, the album review for that particular album, and NCT 127’s special winter single Be There For Me. But ahead of the album review for their fifth studio album Fact Check (released back in October 2023), I will also be spending some time to review the b-side Angel Eyes from the Fact Check album, which also got a full length-track video.

My thoughts on Angel Eyes are super simple. Angel Eyes is a straightforward pop track with great vocals and rapping from all of the members. The pop rock instrumentation is extremely likeable. I personally felt the instrumentation was very clean and crisp, which heightens the pop rock energy and the members’ contributions to the track. Angel Eyes exudes a fun vibe, with my mind picturing everyone is having a blast with one another. It feels wholesome and pulls me in quite easily with its simple melodies. The chorus features everyone singing together, almost coming off in a chanty like manner. While that is sometimes a hit or miss, it works extremely well here in Angel Eyes. It is one of the best side tracks off the Fact Check album and I highly recommend you check it out.  

The track video is rather simple. It shows the members performing live on a stage that is floating in a river near the city. Some shots of the cityscape at night, and the members are casually dressed with evidence of a nice breeze. It would have been cooler to see the members have a bit more fun, but they do look like they are enjoying their time out there on the river.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

[Review] Quiz – Jeong Sewoon

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Support your other favourite artists, songs and performance in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards by clicking here to vote today.

A week ago, Jeong Sewoon made his first solo comeback in almost two years with his 6th mini-album, Quiz, and the title track of the same name. His last comeback was in 2022 with the single Roller Coaster.

Quiz is a cute mid-tempo pop track, with some well-executed vocals from the soloist. The vocals have such a pleasant demeanour to them, and I really like the warm and comforting vibe that he exudes. I liked that he used a variety of techniques and styles to delivers the lyrics, and this helped made Quiz more interesting. The light and easy-going instrumental adds a bubbly charm that works well with Jeong Sewoon’s charms. Quiz‘s melodies have a nice bounce to it, particularly when it comes to the choruses. But while everything was enjoyable altogether, the lack of pull from Quiz isn’t there and this may cause the song to disappear into the crowd of other KPOP releases coming out this month. Let’s hope I am wrong, but it is already starting to look that way for Quiz no matter how much I praise the other aspects of the song.

The music video aspect of the comeback showcases Jeong Sewoon’s cutesy and boyish charms that has stuck with him since his debut. Watching this video and hearing the song together made me smile. And that is one of the greatest responses you can get. Quiz is about comparing the life and world to questions on a test or quiz, and I liked the scenes in which Jeong Sewoon is “studying” whilst going around the neighbourhood. But the best bit comes in during the credits, where Jeong Sewoon is in a bit of a pickle when an orange falls out of the bag he is carrying on his scooter, especially when he goes to retrieve one that just dropped beforehand.

Similar comments can be made about the choreography for this comeback. Cutesy and boyish. Jeong Sewoon doesn’t really participate much, with most of the routine being performed by the dancers. But I liked how the microphone stand ends up being incorporated into the choreography whilst Jeong Sewoon moves away from it briefly to pull the audience into the performance as part of the finale of the song. I thought that was a nice change of pace to the routine.

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

[Review] dOpamine – OnlyOneOf

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Support your other favourite artists, songs and performance in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards by clicking here to vote today.

OnlyOneOf makes their comeback today with their latest single dOpamine and mini-album Things I Can’t Say Love. It is their first comeback since March’s seOul drift (which was featured on their previous mini-album seOul collectiOn) and their BL drama Bump Up Business (which the entire group was casted in, but was led by Nine and Mill).

What I got out of OnlyOneOf’s latest release was that it puts us back in the previous familiar OnlyOneOf territory. And I am all for that! Right off the bat, the airiness and lightness of the vocals in dOpamine, opposite a drum and bass-like instrumental makes for an aesthetic environment. And we have previously got aesthetic sounds from OnlyOneOf through their more well known tracks like libidO. There are some more interesting parts in dOpamine that I am instantly drawn to more than others. But that doesn’t mean the rest of the song isn’t good enough (though I think some improvements on the production side to really bring the vocals and instrumentation together better would have really helped out, especially during that first verse). Personally, I really liked the pre-chorus, which introduces some guitar work into the mix. Junji’s perfectly executed vocals really adds the cherry on top. The chorus features a really nice concentration in the instrumentation, making the track feel sharper and dynamic, which I found to be a good call. The abruptness and glitchy style of the bridge was also a nice yet welcome change up in momentum, which I felt was needed so that dOpamine doesn’t come off repetitive. Overall, the positives outweighs the weaker parts of dOpamine, which honestly is quite a good song in itself.

Abs galore is the first thing I will say about this music video. I really do like it that OnlyOneOf consistently pushes the boundaries in some form through their releases, and that they do it again by showing off their sexier side. I do hope that it is voluntary and that no member is forced into the concept if they are uncomfortable. Beyond that, the music video is a rather standard formula of close ups (the whole middle portion of the video did feel more so an abs showcase) and choreography scenes. But complementary-wise, the video works well with the song.

The choreography looks good. Nothing stands out on its own, but the entire routine together has impact and boldness, which contrasts with both the entirety and component-level of the aesthetic environment I spoke about earlier.

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