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[Review] PLAY – LUCY

December 29, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged LUCYLeave a comment

LUCY is nominated for Best Band Performance for their PLAY release in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support LUCY, and your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today!

There are a few releases that I have nominated in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards this year that I have yet to review, and I am hoping to review some of them before the year ends. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to review all of them by the end of the year, so apologies in advance if I don’t post a review for your favourite group or song. First up is LUCY, who is a four member male band that I first reviewed last year as part of the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards rush at the end of last year, but the band has been active since 2020. This year, I have nominated them for Best Band Performance once again, but for their 2022 single, PLAY. It is the title track from the band’s first studio album release, Childhood, which was released in August of this year.

PLAY starts off with a soothing and soft band background that almost mimics a soft ballad or a very soft pop rock track. When we get to the chorus, the instrumentation amplifies. But it is more of a mild amplification that retains the sentiment and soothing tone that started off PLAY, whilst also keeping the track light and airy. At the same time, the amplification also brings a burst of brightness to the song that helped give PLAY a bit more to talk about and I found to be quite appealing and enjoyable. The second verse and chorus repeats exactly what we heard in the first verse and chorus combination, but we do get a brief second of children laughter before the second chorus (which complements the meaning behind the song – more of this in the next section of the review). I liked the ‘echo’ that comes into play during the bridge of PLAY, giving the sense of depth. I also enjoyed the inclusion of the children’s “Na Na Na” and more laughter. This time around, it fits into the larger picture that is PLAY. In addition to the band instrumentation, LUCY’s unique addition of violin is present throughout PLAY, but I wished the violin was a bit stronger and more upfront. This would really allow LUCY shine even brighter. As for the vocals, I really like the nasally tone that the members brought to the song. And this gives PLAY a memorable tinge. The melodies unfortunately didn’t have the same effect. They were pleasant, but they just were not enough to make PLAY more memorable. Overall, a really nice track. Some improvements could be helping in bumping my PLAY‘s appeal. But still a great listen nonetheless.

PLAY presents the message to embrace your childhood, even as an adult. And that is what we see happen in the video. The video features a typical Korean salaryman, who could be in his late 20s or 30s, and whose life is quite grey and dull (which is the literally theme of the start and end of the video). When he slides down the slide at the start of the video, he enters a world full of colour and brightness. But he is only wearing black, representing his detached and deflated mood and feelings. Whatever he does, wherever he goes, he just can’t seem to get out of this mindset. And I don’t blame him. Adulting pressures are definitely hard and not advertised. On the train, he is thrown side to side and squashed by people. At work, he is scolded by his manager. At work parties, he is left with a burnt piece of meat despite being the one cooking it. When he boards the taxi, he wants to be in his own world. And while at the shops, he is emotionless and dejected from the world. But in the midst of all of that, we also see a child version of him, who embraces his youth and childhood, and the world instantly looks better. Sometimes we just need to think back to our childhood to remind ourselves of what life used to be. The child him is running around and having fun, interacting with the band. He is having parties with his co-workers and even enjoying his taxi ride. In the end, the salaryman slides down the slide, returning us to the beginning of the video with the grey colour scheme. He still looks sad and deflated, but you can hear a lady call out to him (presumably his mother), and a smile presents on his face soon after. And I quite like this conclusion, that it is a reminder that at the end of the day, whilst we are all adults, we are still a child because we are someone’s child. So embrace the childhood, as to many of us, it is inherently part of our lives already. Quite a nice and pleasant music video, with a beautiful reminder at the end.

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

[Album Review] OK Episode 1: OK, NOT (5th Mini Album) – CIX

December 28, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged CIX2 Comments

Support CIX in the Best Overall Artist and Song categories of the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards by clicking here to vote and nominate today!

One of the final album I am looking at the end of this year belongs to CIX. OK Episode 1: OK, NOT is the group’s fifth mini-album to date, dropped in August of this year and features a total of four songs (including the title track 458). It is a mini-album that I knew I had to write a review for once I vetted the album to see if it is worth writing an album review for. Wonder why? Keep on reading to see my thoughts on this amazing and mind-blowing release.

1. Without You – For me, the blend of hard and soft tones really makes Without You stand out for me. The verses were predominately the softer moments of the song. It was delicate and fragile at times, which the members did an amazing job of showing. The choruses are obviously when the song goes in hard, with the pop rock side of the song coming to life in the main chorus while a splash of EDM comes through during the post-chorus hook (which was quite catchy). The dynamic between this makes the song super interesting. A standout from the beginning. On a side note (and this doesn’t factor in with the rating that will follow), but I felt the performance aspect for this song went in too hard and felt mismatching for the overall piece. (10/10)

2. 458 (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for 458. (8/10)

3. Bend The Rules – Bend The Rules brings together groovy guitar and intriguing synths to create an unexpected mix. If you were to pull the two sides of the instrumentation apart, you would not think they would work well with one another. But somehow, they come together quite well and I really enjoyed it. Bend The Rules is definitely well delivered. The vocals brings a smooth element to the song, while the rapping gives Bend The Rules a more intense feel. An interesting combination that works well on many fronts. (9/10)

4. Drown In Luv – Closing up the mini-album is Drown In Luv, which has an amazing instrumental arrangement. It is a combination of classical instrumentation and soft pop rock. Again, a combination that doesn’t sound like it works. But you got to give Drown In Luv a try, because it does! Vocally, it is stunner and puts CIX on full display. Interestingly, it is when the members come together to repetitively deliver the title that was the ultimately highlight, with the rest of the song following through. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.3/10

[Review] Uh-Heung – DKZ

December 27, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged DKZLeave a comment

DKZ is nominated for Rising Star and Most Underrated Song (for Cupid) in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support DKZ and your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today.

Final song review of the year! And the honour this year goes to DKZ! DKZ has had a very big year in 2022. They rose on the charts with their biggest hit yet, Cupid, and scored their first music show win since their debut in 2019 with their latest single, Uh-Heung. Both of these aspects played a part in earning them a nomination in the Rising Star category of the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Today, I will be reviewing that latest single, Uh-Heung, which was released in October of this year.

Uh-Heung is a 180° turn around from DKZ’s other 2022 comeback (Cupid). That previous comeback was all bright and bubbly. Uh-Heung, on the other hand, is all dark and intense. While I do enjoy a change in sound or style, I did hope that DKZ was going to pull off something unique, given dark and intense is pretty ordinary territory for male groups in KPOP. Unfortunately, I don’t think they pulled off something unique. Uh-Heung had all the basic hallmarks of a typical male release. However, there are aspects of the song that still allowed me to enjoy Uh-Heung, however I still believe it is firmly rooted in that ‘typical territory’. The greatest appealing aspect of the song is he presence of the guitar at the start of the song. It started off the dance track in a very cool and refreshing manner. It hooked me in from the start and reeled me in for the rest of Uh-Heung. Interestingly, the guitar is replaced in the second verse with some traditional Korean instruments, which I thought was okay. It wasn’t as interesting or riveting as other examples of traditional instrumentation in an intense dance track as I felt like it was overpowered by the synths. But it was a decent effort. If I had it my way, I would have stuck to one or the other (preference is the guitar work at the start of the song), as it does create a bit of a mix-bag. The second big thing about Uh-Heung is the intensity of this track, which I find to be full-on, especially in the chorus. It felt like the tempo increased out of nowhere. But the increase created a very cool and robust backing that got the adrenaline running in your body. I also really like the rappers’ line that bridges the pre-choruses and choruses together. There was something quite invigorating from those lines that launched into the chorus and made it more intense and epic. Talking about rapping, both Jaechan and Sehyeon really shined in this song and showed off raspy tones that matched the intense side of Uh-Heung. The anthem-like chant at the end of Uh-Heung was also a great way to end off the intense track, by intensifying the track in a way that successfully caps it off. Overall, while DKZ does turn to typical territory in Uh-Heung, the group and their producers managed to make Uh-Heung shine enough for me to really enjoy the song.

Something I didn’t mention in the song component of the review is that Uh-Heung is the sound that a tiger makes, and there are tiger sounds throughout the song to further intensify the song. With this in mind, it makes sense for a tiger component to appear in music video. For Uh-Heung, the tiger comes at the start of the video, when we see Jaechan running away from something that looks like tiger (based on the shadow). Later on, we see Jaechan being cornered by someone donning a motorcycle helmet that has tiger prints over it, which is later revealed to be Jaechan himself. But what does this mean? Well, Soompi’s says the song ‘delivers the message of walking one’s own path with confidence and bravery in a world rife with temptation and fear’, and I think that the two Jaechan’s are one person – one that is walking with confidence and bravery, while the other is tempted and in fear from the world. Guessing on the intensity of the song, confident and brave Jaechan wins. The rest of the music video is quite cool, aside from the inflatable tube men we get in the background of one of the choreography scenes. They looked funny (as they always do) and don’t really add much fear or power to the video (though the messages written on them might say otherwise).

The intensity follows through in the choreography aspect of the comeback. And while the moves where the members go ‘Uh-Heung‘ definitely adds to the intensity and powerful energy, the constant repeats of it did feel a bit cringy. I much prefer the scratch move, which was less cringy and more subtle.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Album Review] Jack In The Box (1st Studio Album) – j-hope (BTS)

December 26, 2022December 18, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged BTS, j-hope (BTS)Leave a comment

j-hope is nominated for Best Male Soloist, Best Rap Performance (for Arson), Best Rap or Hip-Hop Song (for MORE) and other categories in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. BTS is also nominated for Best Stage Prescence and Best Special Performance. Support j-hope and BTS, along with your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today.

Another long overdue album review is finally here. Cast your mind back to earlier this year when BTS confirmed that they would be focusing on solo ventures in the foreseeable future. Soon after, j-hope was confirmed to be the first member to release new solo music following the announcement. Come June, j-hope released his first studio-length album, Jack In The Box, featuring the title track Arson, the pre-release single MORE, and 8 other singles. I was a bit hesitant about reviewing this album, as I am not a big fan of rap or hip-hop music, which is what j-hope has released in the past. But after deciding to just do it, Jack In The Box proved to be much more than rap or hip-hop music. Continue reading to see what else j-hope had to offer in Jack In The Box.

1. Intro – The intro to the album isn’t an instrumental piece like most other introductory tracks. Instead, for Jack In The Box, the intro was a segment of the narration of the mythical story of Pandora’s Box. The narration zones into the part of the story, where after releasing all the darkness and evil from the box, Pandora discovered hope. Soon after, the narration cuts out.

2. Pandora’s Box – While on topic, Pandora’s Box is the next track on the album. And it is a hip-hop track that goes in hard. There is a fair bit of angst behind j-hope’s delivery in the verses, which equates to a very passionate and intense track about his life as an idol. The chanting chorus was definitely the peak of the track, and leaves a deep impression on you in the final moments. (8/10)

3. MORE (Pre-Release Track) – Click here to read the full review for MORE. (8.5/10)

4. Stop (세상에 나쁜 사람은 없다) – Stop follows on neatly from MORE, continuing that urban-like feel that was present in MORE. When I listen to this track, I can imagine a music video of j-hope rapping whilst walking down the street. The track explores the topic of human nature, and I liked how he included audio of an arrest going on in the background. Going back to that idea of a music video, it sounds like he could walk past the situation and observe it play out in the music video. Other than that, Stop is a lot more laidback and finishes up quicker than you expect. (8/10)

5. = (Equal Sign) – Equal Sign flaunts both vocals and rapping over a hip-hop instrumental that I found to be quite refreshing and easy on the ears. I also like the funky undertones Equal Sign had, thanks to that bass. I really enjoyed how smooth yet deep j-hope’s vocals, which contrasted really nicely to the rapping in the first half of the song. The way he sung reminded me of the chorus of Where is The Love, an equally (pun unintended) hopefully track. (10/10)

6. Music Box: Reflection – Heavy breathing, which I presume is j-hope was catching his breath, is played alongside the music box tune and some scratchy and dark synths. The music box tune and synths are two clashing opposites, but they come together to really create what felt like a deep interlude for the album.

7. What If … – I really liked how the piano/keyboard starts off striking (which is a sample from Shimmy Shimmy Ya by Ol’ Dirty Bastard) and is slowly incorporated into the background of the grungy hip-hop beat. It was quite a smooth incorporation. Given the grungy hip-hop, What If… brings back rapper j-hope, who goes down low and brings us a raspy tone to the mix. (8/10)

8. Safety Zone – j-hope brings soulful R&B to the album through with Safety Zone. And it makes sense, as the lyrics expresses j-hope’s desire for a ‘safe zone’ where he can clear headed and step away from his stressful life. I really liked the ‘Ooo’ in the background and the soulful vocals that come through at the end of the song. It makes Safety Zone a lot more emotive and yearning. His rapping was slow and paced in this song, which helped him expressed his confusion over where his ‘safe zone’ is. Overall, a well put together track that made me feel for j-hope. (10/10)

9. Future – Future was quite a change up in terms of sound, when you compare it to the rest of this songs on it. Future is a lot more upbeat, cheerful, playful and vibrant. And this works really well with the song’s more hopeful lyrics. I also like how j-hope sounds like he has a smile on his face whilst recording the song. There is a bit of a child’s choir in the background, which was a nice touch to the song. (8/10)

10. Arson (방화) – Click here to read the full review for Arson. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!!

December 25, 2022December 24, 2022Posted in SpecialTagged AB6IX, aespa, Baek Ye Bin, BDC, cignature, CIX, EPEX, Lee Bo Ram, Lee Su Jeong, Lee Woo, MIRAE, Moonbyul (Mamamoo), NCT, NMIXX, Punch, Red Velvet, WEEEKLY, WEi, YOUNITELeave a comment

As you may be already aware, I am currently on a break from the blog to spend some time with family and friends this Christmas. But this does not mean I can’t celebrate the holidays with you, as well. And I do this by sharing a whole bunch of festive themed songs that our favourite and beloved KPOP artists (and companies) have released this year.

Again, I wish you all a Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays full of joy, laughter and the company of family and friends. If today is business as usual for you or you don’t celebrate the festive season, then I hope today goes seamlessly for you.

And given that from tomorrow we are in an awkward limbo state between Christmas and New Years (honestly, what do we do in during this period?), I will also wish everyone a happy new year.

See you all with new reviews/posts in 2023!

[Review] Strawberry Cake – Xdinary Heroes

December 24, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Xdinary HeroesLeave a comment

Xdinary Heroes is nominated for Best New Male Group and Best Band Performance in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support Xdinary Heroes, and your other favourite artists, songs, and performance by clicking here to vote today!

I guess if you are seeing a review for a side-track, you can confidently say that an album review is coming you way. In order to complete the album review for Xdinary Heroes’ 1st ever mini-album, Hello World, which was released back in July of this year (and features the title track Test Me), I need to review Strawberry Cake, a single from the mini-album that was selected for follow-up promotions. In terms of the album review, it isn’t scheduled until very early 2023. So keep your eyes open for that. But for now, here is another Xdinary Heroes’ review, this time for Strawberry Cake.

When you think of a song titled Strawberry Cake, you might think of something sweet or even potentially cute sounding. While that would be quite a stretch for Xdinary Heroes, who has ventured through the different styles of rocks since their debut, I was expecting something more along the lines of pop rock for this track (best of both worlds). Instead, Strawberry Cake delves into a punkish style of rock and spins the idea of a Strawberry Cake into a partner that acts sweet, but ends up being fake and a liar. I liked the paced lurching momentum the verses had, and the ramp-up to the chorus was clean. The chorus was a bit unexpected. With the shouty ‘Strawberry Cake‘ that kicked off the chorus, I expected the song to follow through with a robust and blastful punk rock piece. But instead, there is no drop and that expectation does not eventuate. Rather, we get an instrumental piece that serves like an anti-drop that we tend to find with EDM songs. It was an interesting flip and one that I find to help make Strawberry Cake come off as unique. Towards the end of the chorus, we do get into that blastful trajectory, but it doesn’t get too far, keeping in in-line with what Strawberry Cake has given us thus far. This ‘anti-drop’ like approach does allow the focus to be put on the members and their vocals. I really like the oomph and passion they put behind their vocals in this song, which speaks volumes and express the discontent and upset message behind the lyrics of the song. Overall, an unexpected twist to Strawberry Cake, but one that displays Xdinary Heroes’ creativity and individuality.

I understand that Strawberry Cake is just additional promotion for the group and doesn’t necessarily require a full fledged music video like the title track. But the difference between Test Me and Strawberry Cake‘s video is pretty night and day. Test Me had a video that was filmed with CGI technology, while Strawberry Cake was virtually empty. It is more of a performance piece than anything else. Strawberry Cake was shot in a train carriage, packing the group (and their instruments) into a very tight narrow space for all of the video. It doesn’t highlight the punkish sound that I mentioned nor does it add value to the side track. The video could have gone with a simple plot line featuring a relationship breakdown to aid the lyrics, or some sort of visual effect to really amplify the song’s sound/style. Just something to give the video Strawberry Cake a bit more body than just the group playing their instruments (though I appreciate the passion they are putting into the performance aspect of the video).

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

[Album Review] SHINING UP (2nd Mini Album) – TEMPEST

December 24, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged TEMPESTLeave a comment

TEMPEST is nominated for Best New Male Group and Most Underrated Song (for Can’t Stop Shining) in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support TEMPEST, and your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today!

As mentioned yesterday, my album review for TEMPEST’s SHINING UP is the next album review coming your way. And here it is. SHINING UP is the second mini-album from TEMPEST, following their debut earlier on the year. The lead single from the mini-album is Can’t Stop Shining. And alongside the title track, the mini-album features Young & Wild and two additional new songs. Following this comeback, TEMPEST more recently returned with the track DRAGON and their third mini-album, On & On. I have yet to decide whether On & On will be the focus of a future album yet, but I will make that call in the neat future. In the meanwhile, here are my thoughts for the SHINING UP, which end up delivering on the promising start we got through both Young & Wild and Can’t Stop Shining.

1. Young & Wild – Click here to read the full review for Young & Wild. (9/10)

2. Can’t Stop Shining – Click her to read the full review for Can’t Stop Shining. (9/10)

3. Only One Day (하루만) – Only One Day is a pleasant pop track. I enjoyed the way the song started with the piano and the soft atmospheric tone, before we incline to the pop chorus. I really liked the soft airy approach of vocals in the chorus and the guitar that peeks through. I like how the rappers balance out the track by providing a bit of intensity to their portions of Only One Day. Overall, a pleasing and enjoyable track. (8/10)

4. START UP – We enter funky territory with START UP, and this is fun and energetic track that I am digging. And at this very point in time (this review is being pre-written at 1 am in the morning to post over the holidays), I am definitely appreciating this injection of energy and dynamism that just really makes you feel alive. I love the groovy guitar work and the other details in the instrumental. TEMPEST also make the song feel very animated and entertaining with their energy-filled delivery. A very bold but awesome way to end off the mini-album. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] Young & Wild – TEMPEST

December 23, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged TEMPEST1 Comment

I intend to post an album review for TEMPEST’s second mini-album, SHINING UP, tomorrow. This mini-album was released back in August of this year and is lead by the single Can’t Stop Shining. Following the release and promotion of Can’t Stop Shining, TEMPEST followed up with promotions of another single from the mini-album, Young & Wild. And this follow-up promotion also featured a music video of some sort, which makes it eligible for a review in its own right. Hence why we are here today.

In addition to the title track, Young & Wild convinced me to actually put the mini-album onto the review list. Well, to be precise, with this song opening the mini-album, there was very little convincing required. Opening up Young & Wild are some very cool and impressive rapping that did not rely on instrumental whatsoever. A strong impression from the very first few seconds speaks volumes to me. Then the vocals followed through (with some additional raps), all of which occurring over a tropical styled instrumental that felt fitting for the Summer season that KPOP was slowly getting out of in August, when the mini-album dropped. All is looking good thus far. However, it is the pre-choruses was what sealed the deal for Young & Wild for me. We get a rush abrasive pop-rock energy from the guitar riffs that caps off the verses in a trendy fashion and electrifies the song further as we lead into the choruses. The choruses was just as promising, following the pre-choruses with satisfying energy and momentum allows Young & Wild to give off cool vibes. I like the bit of hype they tack on to the end of the choruses. I also really liked the slightly shouty touch the vocals had throughout the chorus. It was well controlled and complemented that energy that I just mentioned. The bridge brings the best of Young & Wild‘s vocals and rap (though the latter was brief) in my opinion with Hyuk ending it with some really cool ad-libs. We then return to the chorus, which keeps up the hype energy and closing out the very cool opener to the mini-album.

The music video that we got for Young & Wild was more so a performance video, with the choreography being the main focus. There isn’t much else to the video other than choreography, though there was some closeups, which doesn’t allow the video to feel exactly like a choreography video at the end of the day. The set was pretty basic, featuring stone pillars, a circular platform in the background, a bright central light and white sandy floor. All of which contrasted well with the black background. Similarly, the members’ were donned in white outfits, with black accents and accessories being used to match the video.

Just like the song, the choreography for this single was cool. The sychronisation was insane, and I really liked the oomph the members put behind some of the moves (i.e. when they are stomping or during some of the chorus moves). The legwork and footwork was definitely impressive.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] Back Down – P1Harmony

December 22, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged P1Harmony2 Comments

Support P1Harmony in the Best Overall Artist and Song categories of the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards by clicking here to vote and nominate today!

As flagged the other day, another P1Harmony review is finally here. Following their Doom Du Doom and HARMONY: ZERO IN promotions, the group more recently returned with their fifth mini-album release last month, HARMONY: SET IN, which is led by the single Back Down (the focus of this review post).

P1Harmony turns back to a very energetic form of hip-hop energy for this comeback. We have heard the group tackle the hip-hop genre in similar fashion before in the past (e.g. Do It Like This). It just Back Down goes in a bit harder and it doesn’t ‘back down’ in anyway as the song progresses, which I appreciate. It is a hype track from start to end, and doesn’t stray away from its foundation. I personally quite enjoyed Back Down. The rapping in the verse was quite cool. The first verse could have been a bit more thrashed out, but the second verse rap had a more of a memorable tinge to it. The vocally sung pre-chorus was a definitely a highlight and showcases the vocals of Theo and Keeho quite well. I really like the swing they brought to the song, which helped made Back Down a little more interesting and gave Back Down a sense of depth. Then comes the choruses, which were rather catchy. The chorus is the main reason why I have pushed the review to be written much sooner than other releases. It does get a little repetitive (and hence one-dimensional), especially when the same refrain is repeated for the final chorus without much change. I wished they had added something to the final chorus, just to signal the end, like a high note of some sort. But overall, Back Down manages to show the consistent potential that P1Harmony has in the industry.

I think of this music video a bit of a villain origin story for some of the members. Unfortunately, after accidently plugging in the wrong wires into the wrong holes, the entire P1Harmony are zapped. A fight ensues between the two halves of the group, one of which is determined to press the button, while the other half is advocating for the button to not be pressed. A dance battle and fight follows. But in the end, two sides become diplomatic. But it turns out fate has other plans when a light fixture comes crashing down and hits the button instead of any of the members. The entire group is zapped again, leading them to pass out. Afterwards, the group regains consciousness, correctly swap the wires and plug them in correctly, before all pressing the button. But the video cuts out right afterwards, so we don’t know what the button actually does. I know what a rollercoaster ride of a video. But I managed to find it interesting and thought it was a fun one. I really liked their outfits throughout the video.

The choreography was pretty decent. It wasn’t exactly the most memorable routine out there. But it does have its charm and fits in with the hype and hip-hop energy that Back Down exudes. Not exactly sure if I am describing the moves correctly (do I ever?), but I liked the fight- blocking moves that come during the choruses.

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

[Review] Hype Boy – NewJeans

December 21, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged NewJeans2 Comments

NewJeans is nominated for Best New Female Group, Best R&B Song (for Attention) and Best Group Performance (Female – for Hype Boy) in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support NewJeans, as well as you other favourite songs, artists and performances by clicking here to vote today.

In addition to Attention, NewJeans also pre-released another single prior to the release of their NewJeans mini-album and their official debut single, Cookie. The single in question (and the focus of this review) is Hype Boy, which ended up going viral in South Korea for their choreography for the track.

Just like Attention, I didn’t pay much attention to Hype Boy when it was first released. I only started to pick up on the pop song as its performance started to go viral and was continuously covered by other artists. Since then, I have grown accustomed to the song and quite enjoy it. Structurally, it is a fairly simple song, made up of 2 sets of alternating verses and choruses. The producers chose to make the verses and choruses consistent and repetitive, which really helps make Hype Boy memorable. But there is more to the song that makes it memorable. Hype Boy begins with this interesting warped synth loop, which I still find quite intriguing. Similar (can’t tell if they are the same) warped synths present itself in the chorus, creating an equally interesting backdrop to the chorus. In addition to the warped synth, the chorus also features a heavier dose of percussion (in comparison to the verses), bright vocals and a unique and vibrant melody that just pulls you into the song. Together, the chorus ends up being quite an ear-catching central piece to the song. As for the rest of Hype Boy, there were some really good melodies and a strong showing from the members in the vocal department. But as the main attraction of Hype Boy was very much the chorus, you don’t really remember much from the verses. However, I did like the descending pre-chorus melody that led into the chorus. Overall, Hype Boy is short, simple and memorable.

As far as I can tell, there are four music videos and 2 performance versions for Hype Boy‘s promotion. I guess watching all of this would repeat the song enough times to have it literally engraved into your mind. Each music video tells a story that is centric to one or two members. The first video to be released focused on Minji, who falls in love with a friendly guy and changes herself so that he pays attention to her more. But in the end, he doesn’t remember who she is. The next video features a story line that focuses on Danielle and Haerin, who both fall in love with the same guy and he ends up two-timing the pair, ultimately lead the girls to choosing friendship over a relationship with the same guy. The third video features Hyein, who falls for a guy who ends up making fun of her and her group. The final video focuses on Hanni, who falls for someone over the internet, but it is not who she had expected. All of these videos feature a central theme of falling in love with a hype boy, but it just doesn’t pan out the way they had expected it to be in their head. I liked how each video converged onto one party, despite it all can be viewed as standalone. A really cool and unique concept.

The dance for Hype Boy is probably the most viral aspect in KPOP in 2022. Everyone was dancing it at one point in this year. And I don’t blame them. The entire chorus routine looks super cool (I will not attempt to name the move or describe it, as I just won’t do it justice), and the members bring a refreshing energy to the performance, making it addictive to watch. Altogether, it made me nominate Hype Boy for Best Group Choreography for female groups in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.2/10

[Review] Attention – NewJeans

December 20, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged NewJeans2 Comments

NewJeans is nominated for Best New Female Group, Best R&B Song (for Attention) and Best Group Performance (Female – for HypeBoy) in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support NewJeans, as well as you other favourite songs, artists and performances by clicking here to vote today.

I am finally getting around to reviewing more songs from NewJeans. For those who have missed their debut, they officially kicked off their career back in July of this year through the release of their third single Cookie and self-titled mini-album. But ahead of the release of Cookie, NewJeans also pre-released a number of singles. One of them is Attention, which (if we are speaking in chronological order) was NewJeans first release. It was an unexpected one, as the music video for Attention dropped without notification, to the surprise of fans and new listeners alike.

Personally, I didn’t pay attention it it as much when Attention was first released. But over the last few months, my attention for Attention has really picked up. So much so that Attention is currently being nominated for Best R&B song in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. When you first tune into Attention, you don’t get a sense that the track is actually an R&B track. The choppy sound effect at the start of the song (which reminds me of a crowd of some kind) seems like the start of something pop-like. But when more of the dreamy style instrumental start filtering in, I find Attention starts too smooth out like an R&B track. A more pop energy comes through the instrumental as Attention progresses. Altogether, you get a pretty chill and wispy track. When the vocals start and as the song progresses, everything becomes subdued and I quite enjoyed this effect. There was a nice display of vocals skills for the new group, and the melodies had a memorable tinge to it. But the highlight of Attention comes during the opening line of the chorus, when the members beautifully drag out the ‘Attention‘ in “You got me looking for attention“. At the time of release, I didn’t think much of it. But as time went on, it just more stunning. Attention does repeat itself and all the elements that I have describe, but I just haven’t seem to gotten to that point where I have gotten bored of the song. A great hallmark for any song. Overall, Attention has stole my attention (pun intended) and I really enjoy the track to this day.

I am not exactly troubled by the fact the group is very young, but I am not exactly sure if the concert at a bar is the best place to start off their first music video. It seems a bit questionable, in my opinion. But hey, I will leave the production to the producer. They clearly have a plan in mind. All the other scenes in the video, with the members getting ready for the day and spending the day shopping, was perfectly fine. The choreography scenes in and around the stadium looked good and fits the chill vibe of the song (no flashing lights, no boxed or studio sets). Everything was lowkey and this worked well with the song.

The choreography for this comeback was pretty good. Nothing too crazy, with smoothness being a priority in this routine to match the smoothness that comes from the song. I did liked how the outstretched arms and hair flicks accentuates the opening line of the chorus.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Beautiful Christmas – Red Velvet & aespa

December 19, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged aespa, Red Velvet1 Comment

Red Velvet is nominated for Best Group Performance (Female) for the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards, while aepsa is nominated for Best Female Group of 2022. Support Red Velvet and aespa, along with your other favourite KPOP artsists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today.

If you have not been made aware of it yet, we are currently in the festive month of December. So it is time to put those Santa outfits on and bring out the Christmas tree. Red Velvet and aespa have the right idea. They have joined hands for a collaborative single Beautiful Christmas, which dropped last week. This new single serves as the title track of the upcoming 2022 Winter SM Town: SMCU PALACE album that will drop the day after Christmas. I guess some of the songs are not exactly Christmas themed, which I believe was the case for last year’s SM Town album.

As per most Christmas-themed songs, Beautiful Christmas exudes a lot of that festive energy that brings a smile to my face. And you know me, I won’t say no to an upbeat track that makes me want to get up and have a boogie, which is also what Beautiful Christmas makes me want to do when it comes to the chorus (more on that in a second). It has the classic tropes of the Christmas holiday such as sleigh bells, Christmas carol references in the lyrics and twinkling percussion. But Beautiful Christmas also features some brass and some deep piano notes, which to me, added a fun vibe to the song. Going back to the chorus, I really enjoyed the sing-along shouty style of the first half of the chorus. It was simple to get right into and just radiated so much positive energy. But it is the second half of the chorus, with the shouty chant that wins me over. I also like how they broke it up between groups for the first two line, before coming together for a third line. Elsewhere, great vocals featured throughout the song, with Wendy and NingNing delivering the peak of Beautiful Christmas with their high notes. The rapping (in the second verse) was a little standard for my liking, but it still fitted into the song. As for the rap-speak in the bridge, that was cringy. My only other gripe about this song is the lyrics. Not something I usually pay attention to, but ‘To my friends and to my family, You mean to me the Christmas time” just doesn’t make any sense and sticks out a sore thump as it is the line that peaks off the song. And given that it delivered to us by Wendy who is a native English speaker, it is a bit embarrassing. But that is just me being picky. Overall, the upbeatness and energy of Beautiful Christmas just wins me over.

Christmas and Winter Wonderland are the two themes running throughout this video for quite obvious reasons. And it is a nice video to compliment the likes of Beautiful Christmas. I did notice a few things (both positive and negatives) that I want to point out. I found Yeri’s “I Like Winter” to be quite cringy when she sings that Winter. It is such an expected pun knowing that aespa was involved in this release, so it came as no surprise to me. NingNing really needs to loosen her facial muscles, particularly for that high note. It looked like she was disinterested from the whole thing at the point. It is quite disappointing, as she was pretty much all smiles throughout the video. Similarly, not too sure why there were some serious facial expressions throughout the video. It was not the time nor place for that! On the most positive side, I really liked the sets that were built for this music video. It all looked really cool and super detailed. I also liked the red dresses that both groups donned during some of the choreography scene. It looked very cute.

I don’t think the choreography for this release is supposed to be taken too seriously. But it is a simple routine that expressed the positivity and upbeatness of the song quite well. I pretty much enjoyed it.

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

[Album Review] HARMONY: ZERO IN (4th Mini Album) – P1Harmony

December 18, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged P1Harmony2 Comments

Support P1Harmony in the Best Overall Artist and Song categories of the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards by clicking here to vote and nominate today!

The next album to get a review on my blog is P1Harmony’s HARMONY: ZERO IN, which was released way back in July of this year. This mini-album is lead by the title track Doom Du Doom, which I finally got around to reviewing earlier this week. It also features an additional five songs. The release of HARMONY: ZERO IN follows the group’s comeback from earlier on in the year (DISHARMONY: FIND OUT and the title track Do It Like This). More recently, the group returned with their fifth mini-album and the single Back Down, which I have already reviewed and will be posting said review on a nearby date. As for now, here is my review for HARMONY: ZERO IN.

1. Doom Du Doom (둠두둠) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of Doom Du Doom. (8/10)

2. Black Hole – Black Hole follows the title track with heavy and intense hip-hop energy. The rappers had amazing delivery, whist their segments appeared to have bouncy undertone (which I enjoyed). As for the vocals, there was solid display throughout the verses and the bridge. What really stole the limelight for me within Black Hole are the chanty choruses (which I thought was charming and playful), and the ‘Na Na Na’ hooks. Very memorable elements that stay in your head even after the song is completed. (8.5/10)

3. Yes Man – Yes Man continues on with the fun sound from the title track through the pop genre. The instrumental was zomewhat memorable, with that flute-like synth really coming through during the chorus as a nice instrumental centrepiece. Aside from that, I quite enjoyed the simplicity of the song’s hooks. It really speaks volume. The raps were playful (I am sensing a theme). However, I felt like Yes Man could have done more. (7/10)

4. Swagger – Swagger was a pretty cool song. I expected it to just zone right into the hip-hop genre (just based on its title – I really should stop judging the book by its cover). But Swagger also features a bit of soul influence, which made Swagger to be quite high-spirited and continue this fun theme that is coming through each track in its own way. The addition of brass (the instrument of fun) was also a nice touch to highlight this. Overall, quite a clean and groovy track. (8/10)

5. Mirror Mirror – If you want to know what part of Mirror Mirror should be iconic, I point to the delivery/drag of the title in the chorus. Definitely an impressive display of vocals from the vocalists. The rest of the song follows through. Strong raps, smooth vocals elsewhere, a groovy instrumentation that all makes Mirror Mirror another cool and strong track on this mini-album. I really enjoyed the hype energy that the members contributed to in the chorus, and the epicness of the bridge of Mirror Mirror. (8.5/10)

6. Different Song For Me – Ending the album is Different Song For Me, which is very much a different song to the rest of the album. I would argue this is the album’s most ‘serious’ sounding track. All the tracks on this mini-album have been fun or playful individually, while Different Song For Me takes the form of a pop rock ballad. Different Song For Me definitely had some great instrumental moments, such as during the pre-chorus. The vocals were superb and captivating. An amazing end to the mini-album, if you ask me. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 2nd Week of December 2022

December 18, 2022December 18, 2022Posted in Weekly ChartsLeave a comment

Welcome to the Weekly KPOP Chart post for the 2nd Week of December 2022. There is a bit more than usual to cover today, so I am going to get right to it. Keep on reading to see the winner of this past week on the Weekly KPOP Charts!

Plan for the rest of 2022

2022 has been a very full on and over-whelming year for me, especially the last few weeks. And I am looking forward to having a bit of a break.

Unfortunately, this means there will be no reviews for any new releases for the rest of the year. Any major release will be reviewed upon my return in early 2023. However, this doesn’t mean I will stop posting altogether. I have scheduled a bunch of song and album reviews whilst I am away, so you will still see new reviews for songs and albums that have been released for some time that I haven’t reviewed just yet.

This also means that this will be the final Weekly KPOP Charts that will be posted in 2022. We still have the 3rd and 4th weeks of December left in the 2022, and I will be posting the Weekly KPOP Charts for those weeks when I am back in 2023.

Reminder for the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards

A reminder that you can still vote in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards as the voting page will not close until 11:59PM AEDT 6 January 2023! New leaders have emerged in a range of different categories just in the last week alone – all because of fan voting. At the time of voting, there is just under 2.5k votes already casted. So get voting to make sure your vote counts!

Recap & New releases of the Week

I made a bit of an effort to review some new releases this week. And when I say an effort, I mean two reviews. One of them will be posted tomorrow, while the other (NCT DREAM’s Candy) was posted on Friday. MINHO’s Chase, THE BOYZ’s All About You, P1Harmony’s Doom Du Doom and Xdinary Heroes’ Hair Cut were also reviewed this week. On the album review front, I posted the album reviews for Kim Jae Hwan and CHUNG HA‘s album releases from earlier on in the year.

Other releases from the week includes:

hate my home – polar
Let me out – Lee Jinsol
companion – SEOWOONYUL
Gift For You – WEi
Beautiful Christmas – Red Velvet & aespa
Celebrate – Super Junior
too late – Chunji (Teen Top)
Trick or Treat – PIXY
HUGS – BRANDNEW MUSIC
SNOW SNOW SNOW – BRANDNEW MUSIC

Throwback Corner

This week’s throwback song is ASTRO’s Call Out. I stumbled across ASTRO’s performances of Call Out at their concerts on YouTube and they are so much fun. The song is super catchy, as well! The continuous encore of the final section of the song during the concert performances was hilarious!

Non-Korean Release of the Week

This week’s non-Korean release of the week is FNC Artists’ Sing Along. It ranks in the 2nd position this past week. It is a super fun and catchy song that was released in Japan two weeks ago as part of the FNC KINGDOM concert (FNC Entertainment’s company concert) that will be occurring in Japan some time in the remainder of this year. The lineup of Sing Along includes representatives of FT ISLAND, CN BLUE, SF9, N.Flying, Cherry Bullet, P1Harmony and (I believe) JUNG HAE IN.

The Charts

Congratulations to Xdinary Heroes for topping the Weekly KPOP Chart for the 2nd Week of December 2022 with Hair Cut. For more of the charts, keep on reading.

	2nd Week of December 2022	9th Oct – 15th Oct 2022
Pos.	Song	Artist	Status
1	Hair Cut	Xdinary Heroes	(▲ 71)
2	Sing Along	FNC Artists	(▲ 49)
3	All About You	THE BOYZ	(▲ 5)
4	Chase	MINHO (SHINee)	(▲ 50)
5	WHEN I MOVE	KARA	(▼ 4)
6	Forgive Me	BoA	(▲ 23)
7	Young & Wild	TEMPEST	(▲ 75)
8	Beautiful Christmas	Red Velvet & aespa	(NEW)
9	Candy	NCT DREAM	(NEW)
10	CHILL	Stray Kids	(▲ 72)
11	Back Down	P1Harmony	(▼ 6)
12	Nirvana	KANG DANIEL ft. pH-1 & WDBZ	(▼ 3)
13	Selfish	YooA (OH MY GIRL)	(▼ 9)
14	Tap Tap	VERIVERY	(▼ 7)
15	because	Rie (OnlyOneOf)	(▲ 37)
16	The Astronaut	JIN (BTS)	(▲ 1)
17	Youth	KIHYUN (MONSTA X)	(▼ 2)
18	Groove Back	JYP ft. Gaeko (Dynamic Duo)	(▲ 59)
19	Flash	Shinhwa WDJ	(▲ 11)
20	ANTIFRAGILE	LE SSERAFIM	(▲ 50)
21	Loveable	JO YURI	(▼ 7)
22	Melody	YooA (OH MY GIRL)	(▲ 60)
23	Sweet Sorrow of Mother	BIBI	(▲ 59)
24	Nxde	(G)I-DLE	(▲ 9)
25	The One	DRIPPIN	(▼ 22)
26	Journey For Myself	Jeong Eunji (APINK)	(▲ 35)
27	Last Scene	Chen (EXO)	(▲ 47)
28	Gift For You	WEi	(NEW)
29	Fallen	Seo In Guk	(▲ 53)
30	Mirage	XEED	(▲ 52)

Songs leaving the charts

The following songs have wrapped up their nine week run in the charts system, and will no longer be on the charts starting next week:

SUPER BOARD – Stray Kids
my abandoned love – Def. (GOT7 JAY B)
Nxde – (G)I-DLE
Panorama – Lee Chanhyuk (AKMU)
ANTIFRAGILE – LE SSERAFIM
I Like You – N.Flying
Zurui Onna – OnlyOneOf
Spray – WEi
Akane Iro ni Somaru Sora no Shita – Ryeowook (Super Junior)
When I Get Old – CHUNGHA & CHRISTOPHER
Boys Like You – ITZY
CHILL – Stray Kids

[Album Review] Bare&Rare Pt. 1 (2nd Studio Album) – CHUNG HA

December 17, 2022December 16, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged CHUNG HALeave a comment

CHUNG HA’s Killing Me is nominated for Best Music Video and Best Pop Song in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support CHUNG HA and your other favourite artists, songs and performance by clicking here to vote today.

Another long overdue album review is finally here. CHUNG HA made her comeback in July earlier this year with the lead single Snapping, which features as the title track of first part of her second studio album, Bare&Rare. Alongside Snapping, there are seven other tracks on the album, all of which will be reviewed today. It follows the release of her first studio album Querencia in 2021 and Killing Me single from late last year. More recently, we have seen CHUNG HA in collaborative singles like When I Get Old (with Christopher) and Color Me (with JUNNY). This first part of the second studio album proves to be top-notch and continues the strong impression that she left on me through her first studio album. More on the songs below.

1. XXXX – XXXX gives Bare&Rare a bold start, with the deep vibrating synth to kick off the song. This for sure leaves an impression on you. The rest of the song continues its dark tone, repeating the same deep and low vibrating synth, along with some trap beats. CHUNG HA sounds good in XXXX and she delivers her lines in a seductive and alluring manner, which I think makes sense with her intent of the song – which was to tease her haters and those who wrong, whilst also promising to return as a stronger person. (8/10)

2. Sparkling (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Sparkling. (9/10)

3. Louder – Next up is a pop track that has a funky and groovy undertone to it. Louder is simple, its feel-good and its just brings forth a positive mindset. CHUNG HA makes this song a pleasant one with her vocals, while the instrumental has a bouncy dance tinge to it, which I quite enjoyed. Personally, I am not a big fan of the children voices in the background to bulk up the final chorus. I liked the intent of it, but I felt like the kids made Louder feel quite childish. CHUNG HA is a mature artist and I wished she maintained that persona in Louder’s final moments. (8.5/10)

4. Crazy Like You (ft. BIBI) – Crazy Like You is such a moody song, but I am all for it. I really liked the slow swaying melody to this track, and how all the percussion adds texture to the song. There is also a bit of a rock influence to the song, which I would have liked the song to explore more of. CHUNG HA sounds great, and she really shines with this style of music. BIBI, while was great in her portion of the song, was heavily under-utilised. She was ideal for this song and could have brought more to Crazy Like You, but we never got to see what that would have eventuate to as we barely heard from her. (8/10)

5. California Dream – We get another pop track through California Dream, and it delivers funky and groovy undertones once again. I love how subtle this track is, keeping to itself and never overwhelming. It is extremely pleasant and is quite enjoyable on the ears. I am loving the way the ‘반짝반짝한”(which roughly translates to ‘Sparkling’ in English) rolls off CHUNG HA’s tongue and starts of the chorus. This one is a charmer. (9/10)

6. Good Night My Princess – As I had expected, Good Night My Princess is a ballad. And this one has special meaning to CHUNG HA as it is an ode to her mother. With that context in mind, I feel it is kind of rude to say anything other than praises for this track. But CHUNG HA doesn’t give me much opportunity to say anything negative, as it was a breathtaking pop ballad. The instrumental was dreamy and soothing, and I am loving the guitar work. CHUNG HA herself was captivating and sound beautiful throughout Good Night My Princess. (9/10)

7. Love Me Out Loud – Love Me Out Loud returns to the pop focus of this album. But this one is much more profound, going down the dance pop route. I mean, nothing says dance pop more than the piano or keyboard we hear in the song and those hollow synths. I like the way the chorus soars, courtesy of CHUNG HA herself, which (I think) made me go wow the first time I heard the song. She also made me go wow, again, for the bridge. Two wows. I think it is safe to say with such a song in a corner, CHUNG HA is definitely someone who belongs to the pop genre. (10/10)

8. Nuh-Uh – Final song on the album is Nuh-Uh, which is probably the most experimental she gets on this album. The chorus was definitely a scene-stealer, with the flute work, the repetitive beats, trap elements and CHUNG HA’s attitude with some of her lines and a much lower tone delivery. I also found it to be quite intense, concentrating everything around it into an amazing centerpiece. Elsewhere in Nuh-Uh, we also get a deeper influence of traditional instruments and R&B. It is definitely a cool closer to the album. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.7/10

[Review] Candy – NCT DREAM

December 16, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged NCT, NCT DREAM2 Comments

NCT DREAM is nominated for Best Sub-Unit and Best Male Group in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Glitch Mode is nominated for Best Concept and Best Music Video, while Beatbox is nominated for Best Pop Song, Best Male Group (Choreography). Definitely an all-rounder group. Supper NCT DREAM, their songs, and all your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today.

NCT DREAM officially makes their comeback today with a special Winter mini-album, titled Candy. The same-titled single (the focus of this review) leads the mini-album. The single is also a remake of H.O.T’s Candy, which was released way back in 1996. This is the group’s first comeback since their Glitch Mode and Beatbox comebacks from earlier in the year.

Given that Candy (NCT DREAM’s version) is a re-recording of the original (cue the comparison), the newer version is fairly same as the older version. The melodies haven’t changed and NCT Dream retains the upbeatness of the original song. However, there are some distinct differences with the newer version that I actually liked more so than in the original. The main difference I could hear instantly is how much more modern the instrumental is. While it is similar enough for listeners to gain a bit of familiarity and nostalgia from NCT DREAM’s version, I enjoyed the extra intensity that the producers had put into NCT DREAM’s version. This definitely helps modernise the 1996 hit to current times and gives Candy a lot more oomph, which in turn makes way for some awesome execution from NCT DREAM. Talking about execution, I also find NCT DREAM’s vocals and raps to be a lot more polished than the original. I guess we can attribute that to advances in technology since 1996 – a lot has happened since then. The second verse gets an extra (super intense) rap sequence and I liked that NCT DREAM did not opt for as much overlap between vocals and raps as H.O.T had incorporated. They do bring that overlap into play later on in the song, but it is a lot cleaner and more refined than the original. Maybe it is a generational thing as I didn’t grow up during that era (I was born a few months after the song’s original release) and I am used to the modern style of KPOP, but I definitely prefer NCT DREAM’s version of Candy by a long mile.

When you think of H.O.T’s Candy, the group’s terrible outfits come to mind. Or at least, I thought they were terrible. It is the main thing that I still cannot wrap my head around until this day – how the colourful overalls and massive oven mitts got approved. I guess it was to fit the more vibrant and upbeat style of Candy, but boy do they look awful. I am glad that NCT DREAM’s stylist did not opt for the same style choices. However, H.O.T’s outfits were iconic in the end, and so NCT DREAM’s outfits were influenced by the look from 1996. Jeno’s massive trapper hat looks like it could have been lifted from that era. But as it is just an influence and their outfits do look fairly tame, I am fine with that. Other than that relief, the music video’s candy manufacturing set reminded me of Glitch Mode‘s technology set. And per usual, I really liked the colours. Some parts however were cringy to me.

At the time of writing, there was no official stage for NCT DREAM’s version of Candy. They are however confirmed to perform the single at the 2022 KBS Music Festival, which is being held today. But from what I can see, the choreography retains some of the key moves from the original version, but also intensifies the moves to match the intensified music we get in the newer version.

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