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.

[Special] 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards – Coming Soon

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Award season has crept up on us again as we find ourselves in November/December. And per usual, it is time to announce that the KPOPREVIEWED Awards is coming back for 2022. For those who have not been following the blog, I have been holding a little award ceremony on this blog each year since 2013. The winners in the first few years have been determined my personal choices. And over the last few years, the the KPOPREVIEWED Awards have evolved to being determined by a mix of fan votes and me!

This year, it is all happening again! I set the nominees, but it is you that will get to decide the Best Groups/Soloists, Best Performances etc. As for Best Song and Best Artist, both you and I will have a 50/50 split in saying which song and artist was the Best of Best in 2022.

Eligibility Period

For this year, the eligibility period for song and artist nominations is between 25 October 2021 to 31st October 2022. That means if your favourite artist released music on or between these dates, they have been considered by me for nominations. And if your favourite song release happens to have dropped between these dates, it is eligible for the Best Song of 2022 award.

As for albums, any albums released between 25 October 2021 to 30th September 2022 were considered for the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

Any song release or artist who makes their first comeback of the year following 31st October 2021 will be considered as part of next year’s KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Any albums released after 30th September 2022 will be considered in next year’s KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

Awards

What awards will you get to vote for and determine the winner for? I have broken it down into 3 groups:

  • Fan voted categories – these awards are determined by your fan votes.
  • Mixed – these awards are determined by a 50/50 split of fan votes and myself.
  • KPOPREVIEWED categories – these awards are determined by myself only.

*Split into male and female categories
#Split into Japanese and Western categories

Fan Voted Categories

  • Best New Artists of 2022*
  • Best New Soloists of 2022*
  • Best Soloists of 2022*
  • Best Groups of 2022*
  • Best Band Performance of 2022
  • Best Rap Performance of 2022
  • Best Vocal Performance of 2022
  • Best Subunit of 2022
  • Most Underrated Artist of 2022
  • Rising Star of 2022
  • Best Dance Performance (Group) of 2022*
  • Best Dance Performance (Soloist) of 2022*
  • Best Special Performance of 2022
  • Best Cover of 2022 (NEW)
  • Best Music Video of 2022
  • Best Concept of 2022
  • Best Comeback or Reunion of 2022 (NEW)
  • Best Outfits of 2022
  • Best Stage Presence of 2022
  • Best Pop Song of 2022
  • Best Electronic Song of 2022
  • Best R&B Song of 2022
  • Best Rock Song of 2022
  • Best Rap or Hip-Hop Song of 2022
  • Best Ballad of 2022
  • Most Underrated Song of 2022 (NEW)
  • Best International Song by a KPOP artist of 2022#
  • Best Collaboration of 2022
  • Best Album of 2022

Mixed Categories

  • Best Song of 2022
  • Best Artist of 2022 (NEW)

KPOPREVIEWED Categories

  • Best Side Track of 2022
  • Artist(s) with most Weekly KPOP Charts Wins for 2022
  • Song(s) with most Weekly KPOP Charts Wins for 2022.
  • Most Viewed Album Review of 2022
  • Most

Key Dates

So, when is it all happening? See the list of dates below. And don’t worry, I will be constantly reminding you throughout the 1.5 month period in which the voting page will be open!

  • Announcement of 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards (this post) – 16 November 2022
  • Nominations Announcement – 20 November 2022
  • KPOPREVIEWED Choice – 21 November 2022
  • Voting Period Opens – 12:00 AM AEDT 26 November 2022
  • Voting Period Closes – 11:59 PM AEDT 6 January 2023

And the announcement of winners? I am aiming to get that out on 31st January 2023, but that isn’t a finalized date just yet, as I am on break that week prior to that. Might have to move it to some time in February if I am pressed for time, but I will advised of a more formal date as we get closer to the end of January 2023.

[Review] Tap Tap – VERIVERY

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Monday saw a lot of comebacks. And so, there is a lot to tackle. For this next review, I will be focusing on VERIVERY’s return, which to me was an unexpected comeback. I didn’t see much promotion ahead of the comeback, which was why I was surprised to see their new release on my feed yesterday. Though, me being on leave last week might have caused me to miss the articles. Anyhow, VERIVERY’s newest song is titled Tap Tap and is featured as part of their 3rd single album, Liminality – EP. Love. This is their first comeback since the release of O and Undercover earlier in the year.

I will be honest here. I didn’t have high hopes for the song in the moments before clicking on the music video to check it out yesterday. And this simply is due to the fact that their more recent releases have been underwhelming and less than memorable. But I was genuinely surprised with how much I enjoyed Tap Tap. This more lively side of VERIVERY instantly boosts Tap Tap‘s appeal. If you follow my blog closely, you will know that I have an affinity for these types of songs. The pop choruses were energetic, fun and quite catchy – descriptors that I have not used for a VERIVERY release for quite some time now. I just enjoy the feel-good energy that comes from such choruses and they just want to make me dance. Unfortunately, it isn’t all good news for Tap Tap. While the choruses were the highlight of the song, Tap Tap‘s hip-hop centric verses dragged the song down, thus counteracting some of the appeal the pop choruses had given Tap Tap. There is a strong contrast that is so blaring obvious and unsettling. While I have praised contrasting sounds within the same song in the past, the issue with the contrast in Tap Tap is that there isn’t cohesion between the two parts. The pop rock pre-choruses does help bridge the two sides of the song to a degree, but it doesn’t do enough. I personally could have done without the hip-hop verses, as a result. There isn’t anything wrong with Tap Tap being a full fledged pop song. Vocally and rapping-wise, Tap Tap was a solid effort from the group. It is not the most memorable offering in the industry at the moment and I think there was room for the group to amp themselves up. But I really like the rap-speak that opens up the pre-choruses. Overall, I think Tap Tap would been a great song had it kept to the pop style that was on display during the choruses.

I quite enjoyed the fact the entire music video was lighthearted and showed the members having fun. While parts of it were definitely staged, it didn’t feel unnatural. A complete change to their last music video, where the setting and atmosphere was much weightier and darker toned. I liked the comic elements that the post-production department have added to the video, whilst the home video styled parts made the video feel more natural. I quite liked the Friends inspired start and scenes for the second chorus. I think this is the first time I have seen the 90s show in a KPOP music video. The collages also looked cool. Overall, a well-rounded music video.

I liked how the choreography embodies both the hip-hop and pop sides of the song, and works well within the boundaries that have been set by the song. It makes for a decent performance that encapsulates both the more serious nature of the hip-hop influence during the verses and the more fun nature of the choruses.

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

[Review] Last Scene – CHEN (EXO)

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For this next review, I will focus on a new release from this week, just so I don’t fall behind with the new releases whilst also reviewing past songs. But despite it being only one day into the working week, there are already quite a large number of songs to choose from to review. In the end, I have settled on CHEN’s Last Scene as the first release of the week review. Last Scene is also the title of his third mini-album and his first solo release since Shall We? in 2019. Originally scheduled for a 31 October release, Last Scene was postponed due to the tragic events in Itaewon during the Halloween weekend.

It comes as no surprise to me that CHEN once again delves into the ballad genre with Last Scene. And I love that he embraces the ballad genre each time. Ballads tend to get a bad rap, just because many find them boring, empty and commonly associated with a sad emotion (and no one likes being sad!). But I like them for a number of reasons. I won’t get into the specifics to why I personally like ballads as this would be a tangent from the review. But put simply, I love the idea of getting lost and taken away by ballads (and other slower types of songs). And I feel that CHEN and Last Scene does just that wonderfully. Listening to Last Scene, you can definitely hear how much of the balladry style showcases his vocals the best. The husky and raspy tones behind his vocals give the ballad such a mesmerizing element at the start, while his vocals just effortlessly drifted me away as the song progresses. The classical orchestral backing to Last Scene was just so enchanting and felt quite flowy. The violins were my favourite part of the instrumental and they really captivate my attention whilst listening to the song. However, the best part of Last Scene to me is the way in which CHEN’s vocals soared and followed the trajectory as the instrumental builds. It just gives body and intensity to Last Scene, and just allows the song to speak volumes.

The music video features Park Hae Soo, who for most of the video, is behind the wheel. Combined with CHEN’s vocals and the song itself, you could feel the heartbreaking emotion behind his facial expressions quite prominently. Between shots of Park Hae Soo driving, we see footage of his partner (for this music video) wandering on the beach and very much in an emotional state as well. Based on the lyrics, we can tell that the pair had broken up. Park Hae Soo does make the decision to return to the same beach, presumably to hopefully rekindle with his partner. But once he gets there, she is no longer there. This goes back to the idea behind the title of the song, that their last scene together had already passed and now everything is to fade away.

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

[Review] Alone – HIGHLIGHT

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As mentioned yesterday, I am back on on the reviewing train starting from today. And I kick things off with a review for a comeback from last week. HIGHLIGHT, the 13-year-old quartet (formerly known as BEAST/B2ST), returned on 7 November 2022 with the new single Alone and their fourth mini-album After Sunset. This comeback follows the group’s comeback with their the single DAYDREAM and fourth studio album of the same name.

HIGHLIGHT goes down the funky and groovy roots of KPOP with this new release. More particularly, the mature side of those roots. This isn’t anything new in this day and age (Alone checks many of the boxes of such releases, such as heavy bass, funky guitar work etc.), but I do still find Alone alluring to a degree. The key part in that sentence is the ‘to a degree’, however. There could have been so much more potential to the song had Alone became more dynamic as it progresses, just so the song can be even more riveting and ear-catching. Instead, it just stuck to a neutral drive for majority of the song, which ultimately dried up Alone‘s appeal. It was a massive missed opportunity, in my opinion, for the melody to not really develop and concentrate. I was also quite disappointed when Alone just looped it back to the same initial chorus in its final moments, instead of a final hurrah to close out the song. A suggestion I kept on thinking about whilst listening to Alone is that the song could have benefited from a more hard-hitting and full-fledged rap sequence. I know former member Junhyung’s departure was a big blow for the group at the time, and I appreciate that HIGHLIGHT has not forced any of themselves to fill in the shoes of main rapper that Junhyung’s absence has created. But I feel after two releases with no substantial rap sequences, it is time we reintroduce the element back into their repertoire, just so Alone is more dynamic. We do get a rap-speak like motif from Doojoon in the second verse, but it just wasn’t enough to scratch that craving. On a more positive note, Alone does display a solid set of vocals from the four members. I liked it when the members went with low tones and this subsequently brought forth husky and raspy vocals from some of the members. Overall, I think my thoughts from the DAYDREAM review stands for Alone – ‘… sounds like your typical dance track. Nothing more, nothing less.’.

Alone depicts the darker side of falling in love, which is an interesting topic to approach. Visually, we see the world around the members come literally crashing down or breaking apart, which is largely caused by the absence of their partner. Based on the lyrics, I don’t think the members have broken up with their partners. It is just the members are completely infatuated with their partner, that even a small absence can lead to disastrous outcomes. I did like how the sets were largely simple in this video, with the focus just being on the members and whatever was to be destroyed in the set. Also, HIGHLIGHT looks amazingly stunning throughout this video. They do not look like they have been around for 13 years whatsoever.

The choreography looks great. It focuses on that mature side of the song that I pointed out earlier. Nothing too mind-blowing individually. But as a whole routine, it looks sleek and neat.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 1st & 2nd Weeks of November 2022

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Apologies for my absence over the last two weeks. I will be posting two Weekly KPOP Charts posts (one for the 4th Week of October and another for the combined 1st and 2nd Weeks of November 2022). I will be back to posting reviews starting from tomorrow.

Welcome back to the present with the Weekly KPOP Charts posts for the 1st and 2nd Weeks of November 2022 – a period spanning from the 30th of October to the 12th of November 2022. Due to my absence over the last two weeks for personal reasons, I have combined the 1st and 2nd Weeks of November together to form one week to limit the impact on the Weekly KPOP Charts segment (and hence the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards – again an announcement will be made in coming days about this). This is the first time this has happened in KPOPREVIEWED history! We will back to usual one-week Weekly KPOP Charts next week and reviews from Monday (i.e. tomorrow). Until then, here are the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 1st and 2nd Weeks of November 2022.

Recap & New Releases of the Week

As mentioned above, I was absent during the 1st and 2nd Weeks of November 2022. As a result, I was unable to write or post any reviews over these two weeks.

However, there were some releases during my absence including:

  • Bad Cupid – YOUNITE
  • Remembered – Park Bom
  • LIMBO! – NATURE
  • Alone – HIGHLIGHT
  • Unknown – Jeongmin (BF)
  • Young Boy – NINE.i
  • Lights – Kim Jonghyeon
  • Big Revolution – J-JUN ft. SUGIZO
  • DREAM – SEVENTEEN
  • TAPE – Shinwoo (BLANC7)
  • Poison Rose – CRAXY
  • Draw (MY TIME) – ICHILLIN’
  • KOONG – Yong Junhyung
  • Back In Vogue – AlexA
  • Hair Cut – Xdinary Heroes
  • Journey For Myself – Jeong Eunji (APINK)
  • Only You – Gaho
  • Dawn – Kevin Oh
  • Dearest – Ryu Sujeong
  • VAGABOND – TRENDZ

Throwback Corner

This week’s throwback corner belongs to LOONA’s Why Not?, one of the two singles released by LOONA in 2020. I had a inkling for a fun LOONA song this week and Why Not? was the first one to pop into my mind. Many listens later and here is where Why Not? lies this weeks.

Non-Korean Release of the Week

This week’s Non-Korean Release is OnlyOneOf’s Zurui Onna, ranking in the 19th position for these two weeks. A review for Zurui Onna is coming soon, so keep monitoring the blog for that review in an upcoming International Song Reviews post.

The Charts

Congratulations to Rie (from OnlyOneOf) for topping the Weekly KPOP Chart for the 1st and 2nd Weeks of November 2022 with because. This is Rie’s and OnlyOneOf’s first release to top the Weekly KPOP Chart segment on my blog. Congratulations once again! For more of the charts, keep on reading.

1st & 2nd Week of November 202230th Oct – 12th Nov 2022
Pos.SongArtistStatus
1becauseRie (OnlyOneOf)(▲ 78)
2CASE 143Stray Kids(▼ 1)
3LoveableJo Yuri(▲ 32)
4PARTY ROCKCRAVITY(▲ 15)
5Brand NewXIUMIN (EXO)(▲ 31)
6UnderwaterKwon Eunbi(▲ 73)
7YouthKIHYUN (MONSTA X)(▲ 11)
8VISIONDreamcatcher(▲ 18)
9La SenoritaMustB(▼ 1)
10Shut DownBLACKPINK(▲ 47)
11Give Me Your TMIStray Kids(▲ 1)
12Stay For MeHYUK (VIXX) ft. Seo In Guk(▲ 52)
13SprayWEi(▲ 66)
14Nxde(G)I-DLE(▼ 8)
15HELLOTREASURE(▼ 5)
16Sugar RushKep1er(▲ 63)
17ILLELLAMAMAMOO(▲ 33)
18Drip N’ DropMIRAE(▲ 61)
19Zurui OnnaOnlyOneOf(▲ 60)
20CHILLStray Kids(▲ 20)
21Same ScentONEUS(▲ 58)
22The AstronautJIN (BTS)(▲ 12)
23ANTIFRAGILELE SSERAFIM(▼ 19)
24ChildhoodTHE ROSE(▲ 42)
25Yummy YummyQueenz Eye(▲ 54)
26LET IT SHINECN BLUE(▼ 10)
27NITROPark Ji Hoon(▼24)
28Young & WildTEMPEST(▲ 51)
29Burn With LoveLapillius(▼ 5)
30HUSH RUSHLEE CHAE YEON(▼ 28)

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:

  • Like Psycho – We;Na
  • Back Then – Kim Jae Hwan
  • Same Scent – ONEUS
  • All Day – Bernard Park
  • SURRENDER – Lee Changsub (BTOB)
  • LET IT SHINE – CNBLUE
  • Dance Whole Day – ONEW (SHINee)
  • Blue – Jackson Wang (GOT7)
  • KISS YOU – RAVI (VIXX)
  • DUMB DUMB DUMB – RAVI (VIXX)
  • Again – Hwang Minhyun
  • NOBODY LIKE YOU – Kim Jaejoong (JYJ)
  • LUMINOUS – LOONA
  • Sunflower (P.E.L) – Choi Yoojung (Weki Meki)
  • The Blinding Past – DIA
  • Nirvana Girl – Sorn ft. Yeeun
  • Moonlight – AB6IX & Reiley
  • Shut Down – BLACKPINK
  • 2 Baddies – NCT 127
  • Childhood – THE ROSE
  • Rose – mimiirose

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 4th Week of October 2022

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Apologies for my absence over the last two weeks. I will be posting two Weekly KPOP Charts posts (one for the 4th Week of October and another for the combined 1st and 2nd Weeks of November 2022). I will be back to posting reviews starting from tomorrow.

As per the title at the top of the page, this post is the Weekly KPOP Chart for the 4th Week of October 2022 – the week spanning 23rd to 29th October 2022. I cannot remember why I did not post this particular Weekly KPOP Chart at the time. I suspect it was most likely because time slipped away from me, which is always the case – I have been working on the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards at the time before I had to take some time away from the blog. An announcement for this will come at a later date. In the meantime, here is the first of two Weekly KPOP Charts post for today.

Recap & New Releases of the Week

During the week of the 23rd to the 29th October 2022, I posted a variety of reviews focusing on solo debuts and comebacks that I had not covered in the months beforehand. These include: KIHYUN’s Youth, BAEKHO’s No Rules, LEE CHAE YEON’s HUSH RUSH, PARK JI HOON’s NITRO, JIN’s The Astronaut, JO YURI’s Loveable, KINO’s POSE, YERIN’s ARIAa and the solo releases by the OnlyOneOf members released thus far (YooJung’s begin, KB’s be free, JunJi’s be mine and Rie’s because). I also posted the review for (G)I-DLE’s Nxde and the album review for aespa’s Girls.

Other releases from the week include:

  • Fallin’ – Doyoung (NCT) & Kim Mina
  • I Still Miss You – Hwang Chi Yeol
  • It’ll Be Alright – Roy Kim
  • Attitude – ATBO
  • Tick Tick Boom – CLASS:y
  • ZEALOUS – CLASS:y
  • Hymn to Love – EPEX
  • Birthday – Ten (NCT)
  • AMAZON TFN
  • Dance On – ALICE
  • Rum Pum Pum – VIVIZ
  • Generation – Acid Angel from Asia (TripleS)
  • Yummy Yummy – Queenz Eye
  • Bizzare Story: Get Out – PinkFantasy
  • Sweet Sorrow of Mama – BIBI
  • Carnival – ABLUE
  • Young & Wild – TEMPEST
  • Give Me Your TMI – Stray Kids

Non-Korean Release of the Week

During the 4th Week of October 2022, the Non-Korean Release was ENHYPEN’s Make The Change, a Japanese single featured from their first studio album in Japan. Make The Change also serves as the theme song for the 2nd season of Saikou no Obahan Nakajima Haruko.

The Charts

Congratulations to Stray Kids for topping the Weekly KPOP Chart for the 4th Week of October 2022 with CASE 143 – the third week in a row for both Stray Kids and their latest release. For more of the charts, keep on reading.

4th Week of October 202223rd Oct – 29th Oct 2022
Pos.SongArtistStatus
1CASE 143STRAY KIDS(=)
2HUSH RUSHLEE CHAE YEON(▲ 64)
3NITROPARK JI HOON(▲ 11)
4ANTIFRAGILELE SSERAFIM(=)
5No RulesBAEKHO(▲ 27)
6Nxde(G)I-DLE(▼ 1)
7BetterMAMAMOO+ ft. BIG Naughty(▲ 56)
8La SenoritaMustB(▲ 58)
9Make The ChangeENHYPEN(▲ 35)
10HELLOTREASURE(▼ 4)
11Password 486BIGONE(▲ 55)
12Give Me Your TMIStray Kids(NEW)
13Uh-HeungDKZ(▲ 35)
14my abandoned loveDef. (JAY B – GOT7)(▲ 52)
15CrackLee Jin Hyuk(▲ 39)
16LET IT SHINECN BLUE(▲ 44)
17DICENMIXX(▼ 2)
18YouthKIHYUN (MONSTA X)(NEW)
19PARTY ROCKCRAVITY(▲ 33)
20FIREEXID(▲ 30)
21Your VoiceiKON(▲ 45)
22Can’t Stop ShiningTEMPEST(▲ 31)
23We FreshKep1er(▼ 12)
24Burn With LoveLapillus(▼ 4)
25IcarusRoaD-B(▲ 11)
26VISIONDreamcatcher(▲ 5)
27Akane Iro ni Somaru Sora no ShitaRyeowook (Super Junior)(▲ 39)
28When I Get OldCHUNG HA & CHRISTOPHER(▲ 38)
29ZEALOUSCLASS:y(NEW)
30LimboJun (SEVENTEEN)(▼ 17)

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:

[Review] because – Rie (OnlyOneOf)

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I end the week of long of reviews focusing on solo comebacks and debuts with a focus on OnlyOneOf and the solo works that the group has been pumping out monthly since June of this year. For those who were not aware, OnlyOneOf embarked on a undergrOund idOl project, where each member releases a single each month. First up was YooJung with the single begin, followed by KB’s be free and JunJi’s be mine. The focus of this review is Rie’s because, which actually dropped a few days ago. Mill and Nine’s releases will come out in November and December, and I will be reviewing those once they come out. Aside from solo work, we last saw OnlyOneOf through their skinz promotions earlier in the year and more recently their second Japanese single Zurui Onna.

because is a soft pop rock song, which is without a doubt, on trend for 2022. And with my preference towards pop rock, it has fast become one of my favourite tracks from the project thus far (with the other favourite being KB’s be free). Whilst I must admit that the pop rock instrumentation was pretty standard, I like how perfectly it pairs with the rest of the elements of because. The melodies, when paired with the instrumentation, feels drifty and light. It makes for a soothing and atmospheric effect to come about, which is a wonderful effect to have come from a song like this. And naturally, the vocals that brings the melodies to life, fits in wonderfully. Rie doesn’t necessarily show off anything powerful in because, but he does a great job of showcasing his strengths by making because so inviting and warm to listen to. I quite like it especially when Rie’s vocals soar towards the end, which gives because a bit more oomph towards the end. This also doubles as a clever tactic to prevent because from feel overly consistent or flat. Altogether, you have a captivating piece that shows off Rie. Now, the song isn’t exactly perfect. I feel like because could have used more grit, maybe via an electric guitar solo in the background (rather than in the foreground of the instrumental), would have been ideal. Obviously, because doesn’t call for anything too crazy or intense, but something to accent in the background would have been nice. That would have potentially been a ‘cherry on top’ moment to take the song to a whole new level. But as it is, because is already an amazing track.

We start off the music video for because where we left off in the be mine music video, where the two characters (played by Rie and JunJi) lean in for a kiss at the café. However, due to a misunderstanding between the two, the pair fights. My guess is that this misunderstanding is present in that initial pool scene, which kind of represents the experience of a relationship (based on the lyrics). JunJi emerges from the pool and invites Rie to join him, suggesting that he is he is experienced in this department. But Rie is a lot more reserved and hesitates. And this causes the misunderstanding and fight to play out. That leaves Rie in tears, during which he reflects on the happy memories that the two have built together (i.e. the events of the be mine video, plus that extra set of scenes where Rie takes a photo of JunJi which results in an impromptu modelling session and lands the pair in bed together again). In the end, Rie joins JunJi in the pool and they make up. Interestingly, this video is probably the sexiest out of the four we have gotten so far and Rie/JunJi’s chemistry is really amazing to watch. It is the only video out of the four so far to actually feature a proper kiss scene between the characters

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

[Review] be mine – JunJi (OnlyOneOf)

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I end the week of long of reviews focusing on solo comebacks and debuts with a focus on OnlyOneOf and the solo works that the group has been pumping out monthly since June of this year. For those who were not aware, OnlyOneOf embarked on a undergrOund idOl project, where each member releases a single each month. First up was YooJung with the single begin, followed by KB’s be free. In August, we saw the release of be mine by JunJi, which is then followed by Rie’s release. Mill and Nine’s releases will come out in November and December, and I will be reviewing those once they come out. Aside from solo work, we last saw OnlyOneOf through their skinz promotions earlier in the year and more recently their second Japanese single Zurui Onna.

This next release in the undergrOund idOl project takes on R&B, though for a brief second I thought be mine was going down a balladry route with the piano. But when the piano started to get jerky, I could tell that the producers and JunJi had other plans for be mine. I liked that each of the tracks we have heard thus far all have a different colour and genre, allowing each member to make their track their own. And so far, the tracks have been great. However, be mine is probably the most generic and the least appealing of the four (i.e. YooJung to Rie’s) released at the time of writing this review. I just don’t find it as compelling as the rest, and to be honest, the song got lost in the crowd at the time of its release. I actually had very little memory of this track before writing this review. While that probably doesn’t sell be mine, it is still a decent track. And if you like a standard nonchalant R&B track, then be mine might be for you. I quite like the rapid pulses of beats that we get in the instrumentation, in particular. It adds a bit of dynamic flair to the song, which keeps in line with the other undergrOund idOl tracks we have gotten thus far. But it isn’t really enough to bring it up to that bar set by begin and be free, for me. Vocally, it is probably one of the strongest tracks of the project thus far, which makes sense given that JunJi is one of the lead vocalists of the group. I also did like the rapping that was mixed into be mine, which gives the song a bit more appeal than a straight forward R&B track. be mine might not be the most compelling track, but it was still a fair effort for JunJi.

In my last music video breakdown for KB’s release, I mentioned that KB had been hurt previously and I feel like JunJi’s music video might give a hint to why that is the case. I believe that KB and JunJi were on a date at YooJung’s café (maybe this is where YooJung and KB first saw and fell for each other). A new member appears, Rie, who stops by to order something. Both JunJi and Rie share a smile exchange, before Rie leaves the store, going about the rest of his day. JunJi ditches KB (and probably hurts KB in the process, which leads to why he chooses not to be with YooJung in the be free music video) and runs after Rie. Don’t know if he confesses or just invites Rie to hang, but Rie pretty much agrees, much to JunJi’s excitement. And then the rest is history. The pair hang out and have some fun with each other. And at the end, they seem to go to the next level in their relationship by sharing a kiss at the café. Again, this video sets up the events in Rie’s music video, which follows the release of be mine. I quite liked the golden colour of the video, which matches well with the R&B side of the song. From the lighting in the café to the sunshine, it creates a warm atmosphere in the video.

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

[Review] be free – KB (OnlyOneOf)

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I end the week of long of reviews focusing on solo comebacks and debuts with a focus on OnlyOneOf and the solo works that the group has been pumping out monthly since June of this year. For those who were not aware, OnlyOneOf embarked on a undergrOund idOl project, where each member releases a single each month. First up was YooJung with the single begin. Following that release, KB makes his solo debut with be free, which came out in July. be free is followed by releases from JunJi Rie. Mill and Nine’s releases will come out in November and December, and I will be reviewing those once they come out. Aside from solo work, we last saw OnlyOneOf through their skinz promotions earlier in the year and more recently their second Japanese single Zurui Onna.

Given the moodier release of YooJung’s begin, I was quite surprised of the likes of be free. Obviously, there is no rules when it comes to solo releases (let alone this undergrOund idOl project), so the expectation that be free by KB would fall in line with begin was completely unjustified on my end. be free goes for a funkier pop release, which I am completely down for. The energy that is exuded from be free is a complete stand out for me. It is the type of track that I would not mind having a boogie to, regardless what I am doing. be free also comes off as straightforward and no-nonsense, as a result of this energy, tackling that funky vibe from the very first second through to the final second of the three and a quarter minutes be free spans for. The guitar work in this song was just on point, bringing both that funky and a bass element to the song. Again, this does wonder for the song, giving it depth and dimension that helps makes be free feel more immersive. The chorus was super duper catchy, and I would not mind having it on repeat constantly. I liked the vocal work, with the filtering that comes through in the chorus giving be free more zing and texture, which further makes the chorus feel appealing and fun. We do get a bit of a taster towards some rapping in the bridge of be free, and I wished the song built on this a bit further. I think a rap sequence, as dynamic to the rest of the song, would have taken be free to the next level. Overall, an instantaneous highlight from the project (even though we are just two songs in) that just makes me want to dance.

For those who missed the breakdown of the first video of the project, YooJung’s character developed a crush on KB’s character, but was hesitant in making a move. KB, on the other hand as depicted in this video, is a lot more open (which further supports the theory that YooJung’s character was closeted, whilst KB’s character was open/out of closet/confident). We see KB return to YooJung after that drunken night, but for some reason also appears to be hesitant about making a move (I think we find a reason later on). We then find out that KB constantly returns to to the restaurant in the past for YooJung himself and finally decides to make a move one night. This leads to the beginning of a relationship between the pair. However, after a night together, KB decides to leave, with the description of the music video on YouTube citing that he does not want to be hurt again (and I believe we find out why in the next video – JunJi’s be mine). YooJung is left alone, feeling confused at the end. I find the role that lighting plays in the video to be interesting. Just an observation, but KB appears to be cautious and hesitant in the night time (possibly as a result to be being hurt at night in the past), and is a lot more clear-headed during the day time. This may have lead him to collect his feelings that leads him to leave YooJung, whereas his desire to be with YooJung appears to only come about at night (Note that when he notices the crane after his drunken night, he does immediately search out YooJung – that only occurs at night). Overall, an interesting story that definitely comes together in this video, but the ending was a bit hurtful in my opinion.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] begin – YooJung (OnlyOneOf)

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I end the week of long of reviews focusing on solo comebacks and debuts with a focus on OnlyOneOf and the solo works that the group has been pumping out monthly since June of this year. For those who were not aware, OnlyOneOf embarked on a undergrOund idOl project, where each member releases a single each month. First up was YooJung, who made his solo debut with the single begin (and is the focus of this review). Following YooJung, we have also seen releases from KB, JunJi and most recently Rie. Mill and Nine’s releases will come out in November and December, and I will be reviewing those once they come out. Aside from solo work, we last saw OnlyOneOf through their skinz promotions earlier in the year and more recently their second Japanese single Zurui Onna.

Aside from their more recent singles, I am not familiar with any of the OnlyOneOf members and their music. So I am quite interested to hear what the individual members have to offer through this project. begin was a great start to the whole thing. It is a mid-tempo pop track, with an instrumental that is predominately synths and percussive elements. What I liked about the track is that it isn’t a heavy dosage of synths, nor do the synths go down that noisy or abrasive route that you might liken to a ‘heavy dosage of synths’. Instead, I find begin to be quite pleasant and easy on the ears. Interestingly, when I factor in the vocals, I have considered describing begin as soothing (provided you play it at a lower volume, which I have done). It is at odds with the idea of ‘predominately synths and percussive elements’, but it gave off that tone to me. All of this can be attributed to the synths choice (i.e. not abrasive or noisy), but also the balance that is created with the percussive elements. These percussive elements added oomph and depth to the song, which allowed the synths to not feel as heavy and transformed begin into a likeable track. YooJung’s vocals were quite nice throughout, with a slight husky tone which does wonders alongside the instrumental. My understanding is that YooJung usually takes the role of main dancer in the group, so his vocals are not as strong as other artists or members in the group. But begin has his vocal tone in mind, and opted for a piece that complemented his skills and abilities. My only qualm about begin is that I felt the song could have gone the extra mile to be an even more riveting piece. Maybe stronger melodies or hooks would have brought begin up, even though the ‘Begin begin begin‘ at the start of the chorus was quite catchy. Overall, a neat start to both YooJung’s solo offerings and the project overall.

Even though this is a completely new project and offering from the group, the music video (and subsequent videos) expands the group’s focus on their LGBT themes. This moody video sees YooJung play a restaurant worker who develops a crush on a character played by KB. His shyness (and potentially closeted status, as theorized by a few viewers and the short description of the music video on YouTube) prevents him from making a move, instead leading him to sneak glances at KB while the latter isn’t watching. We are not told of KB’s motives in this video, aside from there being a mutual connection to some degree (and we find out the extent of this connection in his solo release). One day, a drunk KB corners YooJung and YooJung takes him home to make sure he is okay/safe. Nothing happens, with YooJung pretty much hesitant during the whole ordeal from the previous night to the morning. KB wakes up the next day and notices the cranes that YooJung has folded, which brings him back to YooJung at the end of the video. We don’t know what happens next, but this is answered as part of KB’s release. Aside from the storyline, I do like the moody aesthetic and atmosphere that comes about from the video, and the cinematography makes this video come together in a subtle artistic manner.

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

[Review] ARIA – YERIN

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Next up on the blog and as part of the focus on solo debuts and comebacks this week is YERIN, who we all may know as a former member of GFriend. Following the disbandment of GFriend in 2021 and her subsequent departure from Source Music, YERIN signed on with Sublime Entertainment. She made her solo debut back in May of this year with the single ARIA and mini-album of the same name.

YERIN’s solo debut track, put frankly, is a song that is too consistent throughout. From start to end, ARIA felt all the same. And I find this to be quite disappointing, as I feel that ARIA had the potential to really go far. The bubbly synth choice was vibrant and bright, just in time for Summer (at the time of release). The bass gives the song oomph. YERIN’s high-pitched saccharine-like vocals suited the stylistic approach that the instrumental had opted for. Joining them together, you get a punchy number. But unfortunately, there is not much else to ARIA. Each time I finish listening to ARIA, those were the only aspects of the song that I could take away. With repeated listens, the bubbly synth choice, the heftiness of the bass and the high pitched vocals just ended up being generic and dry. I wanted more out of ARIA, but I just couldn’t find that something more. The melodies and hooks, which are usual elements I look to, just weren’t enough, and so ARIA became less memorable with each listen and soon dropped off my list (and is hence why it has taken so long for me to review the song). Even giving some time for ARIA to brew hasn’t helped much. Returning the song after five months, it is just all the same for me. Maybe that is why the song ended up being so short (spanning only two and a half minutes), saving us from three minutes plus of the same. ARIA needed to go up and down, and have interesting flair to have been able to stand out.

The music video definitely had a lot more going on. I counted a total of 6 different sets (not including changed lighting or background), double of the elements that I noted to be from the song. I really liked the brightness and pop of colours that the video featured, and YERIN looks very cute and beautiful throughout the video. I did like how the editing kept up with the music, which helped created a more dynamic atmosphere and accompaniment to the song.

The choreography was okay for this comeback. I felt some of the moves were a bit ordinary and plain, but it did the job well at matching with the energy and bright atmosphere that the song had. I wasn’t really expecting a mind-blowing or captivating performance piece, but I felt the choreographer could have just made the performance a bit more dynamic given the synth choice that ARIA had..

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 6.7/10

[Review] POSE – KINO (PENTAGON)

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As mentioned yesterday, there are a few more solo debut reviews that I want to knock out over this weekend. This review is focused on KINO’s solo debut, POSE, which dropped at the start of August of this year. For those who do not know, KINO is one of the nine members that make up the male group PENTAGON and I believe he is the first member of the group to debut as a solo artist. Prior to POSE, we last saw KINO through PENTAGON’s group promotions for Feelin’ Like.

As a solo debut track, POSE is definitely a good foot forward. It is a groovy and sleek dance track that pushes a mature and sensual agenda. Don’t worry if you think that POSE is either a safe track or is more on the typical side in the grand scheme of solo work in the KPOP industry. I had those exact same thoughts when POSE came out. But knowing KINO’s strong performance skills, POSE is definitely material that KINO can really work with to show himself off (more on that later on in the review). On top of that, there were a number of elements within POSE that I really enjoyed. I enjoyed the smooth melodies that KINO brings to life with his whispery-like vocals. It pulls the song along, and contrasts really nicely with the groovy bass-heavy beat in the background of the chorus. It also hones into that sensual energy very well. I also like how the second half of the chorus features an amped up set of instrumentation and the ‘Aah’ that KINO adds to the sequence. It gave POSE more body and oomph. As for the verses, I liked the heavy thumping and the autotune present within it. They acted as detailing and added more depth to the verses, which helped keep the verses interesting and not feel too mainstream (in terms of execution). I also liked the brief stints of vocal layering in the bridge, which adds dimension and more depth to POSE. Similarly, the delayed launch into the final chorus and that gasp we hear added gives character to POSE. I did wish the character was heard earlier on, but better late then never. Overall, POSE definitely does a good job of setting up KINO’s solo career. I do hope that KINO can show more of himself as a soloist in the future, whilst also being active as part of PENTAGON. It will be interesting to see what he comes out with next.

I am fairly confused to why this video’s views only just passes the half million mark. Better marketing and promotions in the lead up to the release should have happened to bring more people to this video, CUBE Entertainment! And here are just some of the reasons to why people need to watch this video! The music video was quite moody and artistic, encapsulating that sensual and mature feel of POSE very well. It did a great job of highlighting the parts of the choreography and KINO is dressed in outfits that just showcases KINO and his moves so well (i.e. tight clothing to really emphasis the body waves and looser jackets to show off the flowy moments of the choreography. And KINO is just charismatic and alluring throughout the video, it was very hard to keep your eyes off him.

Without a doubt, the performance is a sexy one. There were body waves and sexy touches throughout the performance – all of which is essential to a sexy routine. What I did like about it is that it doesn’t push the boundaries, but feels captivating enough to watch nonetheless. That slow drag across the fingers over the forehead/nose in the second chorus was probably the most impactful part of the choreography, for me. KINO had some sexy stares at and glances towards the camera that really sells the performance, but also showcases KINO’s performance abilities and the ability to make the stage his own.

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

[Review] Loveable – JO YURI

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The next solo artist review (don’t worry, I have some more reviews for solo debuts lined up for tomorrow and the weekend) is for JO YURI, who made her solo comeback at the start of this week with Loveable. It is the title track from her second single album, Op.22 Y-Waltz : in Minor, which also dropped on the same day as the single. This release follows her earlier 2022 comeback, Love Shhh!, which I really enjoyed.

I feel that JO YURI is on a roll with her 2022 releases. Love Shhh! was a bright and energetic track that really appealed to my own personal taste and was a definite improvement from her solo debut with GLASSY. Loveable continues that momentum with another bright and energetic song. But it isn’t as great as previous track, to be honest. Loveable‘s verses didn’t have anything memorable to them, which left them behind and forgettable. I wished there was an element or two within the verses to give them a somewhat memorable tinge. This was much needed, especially since the choruses opts for a heftier set of percussion and vocals that had some oomph, which overtook and overpowered the verses by a long mile. I did appreciate the difference between the chorus and the verses, but I also felt the chorus could have had a stronger hook to balance out the song a bit better. The catchiest bit of Loveable comes in the post-chorus hook, i.e. the “Aah, Na Na Na“. It was so catchy and extremely vibrant that it was the only part of Loveable that I took with me the first time I heard the song and still cannot get out of my head. So much so that I feel the post-chorus hook also overtakes and overpowers the chorus, just like how the chorus did the same to the verses. Hence, I feel that balance that I mentioned a moment ago is critically missing from the song. The bridge for Loveable gave a really pleasant moment to the song, between forgettable and powerfully memorable sequences. Jo Yuri surely displayed her vocals throughout the song. Overall, I liked Loveable, but its weight towards one or two sections in the song made it feel unbalanced.

The music video depicts JO YURI as a neighbourhood lookout, who notices the community is feeling down and work behind the scenes to make everyone feel valued and happy once again. She starts out with the young boy, who was trying to pop balloons with a slingshot. He misses and his confidence takes a stumble, but JO YURI helps him out by shooting the balloons from afar to boost his confidence and help him win the big teddy bear. The pink sniper was a bit overkill, but I think the intention is the point here. She then notices a young man feeling deflated, but that he also had a bit of fun with bubbles. So she decides to use the local fountain to generate a lot of bubbles to make the community feel bright and lively again. It was a cute video and a sweet story to tell, even though it attempted to be cutesy when it didn’t need to.

The chorography was quite good. I love the whole routine during the song’s catchiest hook. It definitely matched the energy and and vibrancy of that part in the song. I could have done without the high tables, I think. They don’t add much value to the performance and they easily could have done without them

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] The Astronaut – JIN (BTS)

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The focus on soloists this week on the blog is quite timely, given the biggest release this week is without a doubt the solo debut of one of the members of the biggest KPOP group at the moment. JIN (from BTS) is the logical choice as the next member of the 7-member group for solo promotions, given that he is expected to be the first member to officially enlist into the military (which I believe will happen some time in the next two months). However, just before he does leave, JIN gives us The Astronaut, the title of his solo debut track and the focus of this review.

You may notice right off the bat that the track feels very Coldplay. Well, you notice and thought right, as both JIN and Coldplay co-wrote The Astronaut. If you pay close attention, you can hear Chris Martin contributing to the song via some of the backing vocals, as well. With this partnership in mind, it does not surprise me that The Astronaut is a pop rock song with a hint of synths. And it is a very beautiful one, at that. It isn’t one of those vibrant and upbeat pop rock songs that I think KPOP has geared towards more. Instead, The Astronaut opts for a slower pace that draws out the song in a captivating and stunning manner. I am glad that the slow pace doesn’t draw out the song to the point of boredom, which easily could have been the case. As for the vocals, I am quite entranced. JIN isn’t the person to come to mind when it comes to vocals in BTS, so I was interested in hearing what he has to offer in terms of his official solo work. In The Astronaut, we get to hear a heartfelt and profound tone from JIN. He utilised his lower tone so well in the song to captivate me. I also enjoyed the moments in the song where his vocals become wispy, which helped make The Astronaut more appealing and dimensional. The Astronaut was incredibly thought out and played towards JIN’s strengths. Sadly, it will be a while until we hear from JIN again, but The Astronaut leaves me (and a lot of listeners) quite satisfied for the next while.

While the song’s lyrics appear to have been written for the fans, the story that was told in the music video was so nice and equally as fitting for The Astronaut‘s lyrics. Essentially, JIN plays an alien, who was left to fend for himself when his spaceship crashed into Earth. During his time on Earth, he befriended a young girl who he hanged out with often. A lot of his fondest memories was with her, where she taught him pastimes and he taught her to ride a bike. One day, the spaceship starts beaming up a light which I guess is a call for Alien JIN to return to his home planet. He leaves behind the young girl who was looking for him with a bike (but not after leaving her with his helmet) and makes his way to the spaceship. When he reaches it, however, he realizes that he made Earth his home and reflects on his time with his friend. He ultimately makes the decision to stay behind and returns home. When the young girl rings the bell on the bike at the end, he see a smile on his face, showing us that he is happy with the big and spontaneous decision.

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

[Review] NITRO – PARK JI HOON

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Park Ji Hoon also made his solo comeback on the same day as the release of the last review. For this solo artist, who has been active for 5 years (on the music front – he was also previously a child actor, which extends his years active beyond 5 years), his new single is titled NITRO and is featured as the lead song from his 6th mini-album, The Answer. We last saw Park Ji Hoon on stage through his Serious comeback, back in October of last year.

The standout aspect to NITRO is its chorus. There was a subtle groove to it, which I quite liked. This, on top of the synthwave backing, was pretty strong centrepiece. The deep “Mmmh” and vocals we do get from PARK JI HOON exuded a mature and sensual vibe, which I also enjoyed. And the oomph that comes from the chorus is what I have been craving from a PARK JI HOON release, as it feels more aligned with his earlier works during his early days as a solo artist which had oomph. Unfortunately, the rest of NITRO is pretty forgettable and plain (and relatively dry). We still got synthwave during the verses and other parts of the song, but it wasn’t as riveting. PARK JI HOON’s husky/raspy vocals could only do so much, so I wished there was a stronger melody to the first verse. I am glad he reverts to rapping for the second verse, but there isn’t much rhythm to it for me to find memorable or (at the very least) alluring enough. His rap is also kept low and in a rap-speak delivery mode, which I felt was too safe for NITRO. Something something more upbeat, punchy and dynamic could have potentially been more eye-opening and given some lift to NITRO. His high note in the bridge was probably the second best moment of NITRO as it felt very clean and well-executed. But it is sandwiched between the same two non-memorable repeats of what felt like the verse, and so I often forgot about its existence. It does make for a nice surprise each time I listened to the song. Overall, NITRO had the foundations and centrepiece to a really good song. It just wasn’t evolved enough elsewhere in the song.

I admit the start of the video where PARK JI HOON is spewing blood was quite an opening. It definitely got me interested to see how or why this scene exists. So essentially, a mysterious figure kidnaps him and forces him to swallow a mysterious bullet. PARK JI HOON then proceeds to run, whilst the bullet weakens him. He gets pretty far and probably realizes the end is coming. The mysterious figure, which is revealed to be PARK JI HOON himself, shoots the PARK JI HOON with the bullet in his system and we presume this is the end. Well, I wished the video ended here as the shooting just ends the storyline. Slightly messy, but not as confusing as what actually did happen. The shot PARK JI HOON wakes up alive, so that bullet made him immortal? We aren’t given an explanation to what it all means, nor about the existence of the second PARK JI HOON. So, we are left with even more questions. Though I can potentially see some parallels with the sexy lyrics of NITRO. Other than that, I did like the darkness of the video and the contrast with the bright white scenes (which I assume was a depiction of Heaven).

Not this most riveting routine to date, but it was good to watch nonetheless. He is a good performer, and I feel like this routine did a decent job of highlighting that. I did like the sensual vibes that the chorus had when the moves were slowed down.

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

[Review] HUSH RUSH – LEE CHAE YEON

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Making her solo debut a few weeks ago is LEE CHAE YEON, who is probably most well-known for being a member of the now disbanded IZ*ONE. Since return to her original company (WM Entertainment, the home of OH My GIRL and ONF), it has been fairly quiet for the soloist. That is up until the 12th October, where she made her debut with HUSH RUSH, which is featured on the debut mini-album of the same name. LEE CHAE YEON is also the older sister of ITZY member Lee Chaeryong.

While I think HUSH RUSH is a fair track to debut with, I am a little disappointed with the end product that emerged. To me, it was plagued by a simple issue that easily could have been resolved by the producers. Put simply, the track sounds pretty much the same from start to end. Consistency might be a player here, but I do not think this is the cause of the issue. Rather, I found the song didn’t differentiate between chorus and verses/pre-choruses. Hence, HUSH RUSH sounded too alike between parts and this ultimately resulted in a neutral and consistent feeling. Some additional definition would have been helpful in this regard. We did get a dash of it, but for some reason it was delayed in the chorus. A slightly different instrumental would have been enough to also resolve the issue. But the slightly different instrumental that the producers did go with was quite minute, and so it was hard to really differentiate the chorus from the rest of the song. Aside from that, however, I thought the rest of HUSH RUSH was executed well. It was quite pleasant and LEE CHAE YEON did a good job of portraying this. Her vocals had this silky texture and brought a nice pop of colour and energy to the song, especially during the parts of the chorus were defined. The pop melodies were quite simple, and sure they could have been more riveting. But they did aid in giving off that pleasant vibe in HUSH RUSH. I liked the tiny uttered repetition of “I love it” that was added to the instrumental of the chorus, and the autotuned “Oh yeah” that you here faintly throughout the background of the song. Nice detailing that added a bit more depth to HUSH RUSH. I do feel that “And now, the breakdown” line was unnecessary, since nothing dynamic really came after it. It just stuck out like a sore thumb in this song. But overall, HUSH RUSH is pleasant and good foot into the industry for LEE CHAE YEON.

I am a bit confused about the video. LEE CHAE YEON is portrayed as a vampire in the video. But she gets to spend the latter half of the video outside, under the sun. That isn’t the issue though. In order for her to spend some time under the sun or “get closer to the humans” as the video puts it, she drank a garlic drink. Now, folklore pretty much says vampires and garlic doesn’t mix. So, I am not sure if I can follow the logic there. Though, I guess it is folklore and you can make up anything about it. Otherwise, it is a fun video that complements the pleasant nature of HUSH RUSH. I commend the video on trying to show the meaning of the song. Essentially, from my interpretation of the lyrics, LEE CHAE YEON (the vampire version) experiences love for the first time, and she really wants to feel it again. She likens it to wanting to be outside under the sun or again.

While I do think the pleasantness of this pop song does limit the extent of her performance, LEE CHAE YEON did an awesome job with the choreography. There was a hint of sexiness to it, but also an energetic kick to it, at the same time. I love the bounce and quick moves to the chorus routine. But most importantly, I think LEE CHAE YEON still managed to show off her performance skills with this routine. You could tell she was a performer through this choreography.

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