Author: kpopreviewed

Hi, my name is Tony and I am the man behind the site, kpopreviewed. Currently an university student who wants to introduce people to KPOP and if you are already into KPOP, different groups and bands.

[Review] Season of Memories – GFriend

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GFRIEND is nominated for Best ‘Return To Stage’ in the 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support GFRIEND by voting today!

January is supposed to be a celebratory month for GFriend, as it serves as the anniversary of their debut. And while GFriend was strong enough to continue celebrating this for years to come, Source Music unexpectedly announced that the group would be disbanded in May 2021. Since then, Eunha, SinB, and Umji have redebuted as VIVIZ, YUJU and YERIN have debuted as solo artists, and SOWON has transitioned into acting. However, earlier this year, the former female group banded together to bring us Season of Memories to celebrate their 10th anniversary. It is also GFriend’s first release since MAGO in November 2020, which also (unknowingly at the time) served as their farewell song.

To me, Season of Memories doesn’t offer that GFriend sound, which I remember being disappointed about. There would have been a significant benefit in revitalising GFriend’s signature sound, particularly for a single meant to celebrate their 10th anniversary. This would have helped keep the song in listeners’ minds longer (such as mine), and is probably why I have not written a review for it sooner. That being said, re-listening to Season of Memories for this review, it is a pretty release from the group. I really enjoyed the combination of the guitar and piano in the background. It felt very clean and is reminiscent of a soft pop JPOP release. I appreciated the subtle upbeatness, grooviness and brightness it brought to the song. As for the members, they sounded very pleasant throughout the track. I particularly enjoyed the harmonies that form part of Season of Memories‘ leading hook, and the crispness of SinB’s vocal-only sequence in the bridge. The melodies also had a pleasant quality, and I really appreciated the warmth in the member’s tone.

The music video sees GFRIEND aboard a train as time slows down, with all the members running into one another, running alongside and supporting each other – just like old times. And just like old times, we see the members regroup on stage. It would have been nice to see them back on a real stage, rather than some that appears AI-generated or added in post-production, as this would have better conveyed the nostalgia and symbolism of such a moment. But overall, it was a nice, pleasant music video that brought GFRIEND back to us in one video.

Just like the song and music video, the performance offers us the chance to see GFRIEND back on stage, and I am completely content with just that idea. It was a good performance, but lacked the distinct GFRIEND factor that they had in previous performances (though this can probably be put down to the song). I am sure, however, that fans are appreciative of the final part of the dance, which is a homage back to their Rough days.

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

[Special] 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards – Nominations + Voting Opens

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Welcome to the combined announcement of nominations and voting form post for the 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards!

Like previous years, I have put forward the nominees to you, which I will announce today. 2025 was another challenging year to propose 5-6 nominees per category—so many other artists, songs, and performances deserve nominations. It was to the point where I had to expand some categories to 8 nominees! But per usual, there can be only one winner.

Voting has officially begun – Click here to vote!

So, without further ado, I present the nominations for the 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

There are a fair number of categories to cover, so I have split them over three pages under this post. You can find links to the pages at the top or bottom of each page or navigate to them via the numbers at the bottom of the page.

Voting has begun – Cast your vote today!

Page 1 – Artist Categories (this page)
Page 2 – Performance, Stages & Visuals Categories
Page 3 – Song & Album Categories

Artist categories

Best New Artists of 2025

Best New Male Group of 2025 Nominees: AHOF, AxMxP, CLOSE YOUR EYES, CORTIS, IDID & KICKFLIP.

Best New Female Group of 2025 Nominees: Baby DON’T Cry, HEARTS2HEARTS, ifeye, izna, KiiiKiii & KIIRAS

Best New Male Soloist of 2025 Nominees: BEOMGYU, HAECHAN, KANG YUCHAN, MARK, SUNGJIN, XNGHAN

Best New Female Soloist of 2025: CHAEYOUNG, DAYOUNG, IRENE, MINNIE, NANA, YEJI.

Best Subunit & Best Non-Korean Artist in KPOP of 2025

Best Subunit of 2025 Nominees: BSS, CxM (S.COUPS x MINGYU), HxW (HOSHI x WOOZI), Red Velvet – IRENE & SEULGI, UAU & ZOONIZINI

Best Non-Korean Group in KPOP of 2025: &TEAM, KATSEYE, NIZIU, ONE OR EIGHT, WAYV & XG.

Most Underrated Artist & Rising Star of 2025

Most Underrated Artist of 2025 Nominees: 8TURN, AMPERS&ONE, CRAVITY, ifeye, RESCENE, XLOV

Rising Star of 2025 Nominees: ALLDAY PROJECT, DAYOUNG, EVNNE, izna, NMIXX & WOODZ

Best Delivery (Band, Rap & Vocal Performance) of 2025

Best Band Performance of 2025 Nominees: AxMxP for I Did It, DAY6 for Maybe Tomorrow, LUCY for Where’s Your Love, N.FLYING for Everlasting, QWER for Dear & Xdinary Heroes for Beautiful Life.

Best Rap Performance of 2025 Nominees: ASA & RUKA (of BABYMONSTER) for DRIP, CHANGBIN (Stray Kids) for BURNIN’ TIRES, G-DRAGON for TOO BAD, JENNIE for like JENNIE, MARK (NCT) for 1999 & PARK WOO JIN (AB6IX) for NAME TAG.

Best Vocal Performance of 2025 Nominees: DOYOUNG for MEMORY, ONF for The Stranger, ROSÉ for toxic till the end, SEO EUNKWANG for Last Light, WENDY for Sunkiss & WOODZ for I’ll Never Love Again.

Best Soloists & Groups of 2025

Best CO-ED group of 2025 Nominees: ALLDAY PROJECT, KARD & SIKKOO

Best Female Soloist of 2025 Nominees: JENNIE, JISOO, LISA, ROSÉ, TAEYEON & WENDY

Best Male Soloist of 2025 Nominees: BAEKHYUN, G-DRAGON, JIN, J-HOPE, KAI & ONEW.

Best Female Group of 2025 Nominees: aespa, BABYMONSTER, ILLIT, ITZY, IVE, LE SSERAFIM, NMIXX & TWICE

Best Male Group of 2025 Nominees: ATEEZ, BOYNEXTDOOR, ENHYPEN, NCT DREAM, TXT, Stray Kids, TWS & ZEROBASEONE

There are a fair number of categories to cover, so I have split them over three pages under this post. You can find links to the pages at the top or bottom of each page or navigate to them via the numbers at the bottom of the page.

Voting has begun – Cast your vote today!

Page 1 – Artist Categories (this page)
Page 2 – Performance, Visuals & Comeback Categories
Page 3 – Song & Album Categories
Pages: 1 2 3

[Weekly KPOP Chart] Week 2 of December 2025

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Welcome to the next Weekly KPOP Chart post for Week 2 of December 2025, which spans from December 7 to December 13, 2025.

As mentioned last week, I made a special announcement during the week – the annual KPOPREVIEWED Awards! I still have a bit of work to do on it to get it ready and go live tomorrow, so that will be the focus for the remainder of today. But check back tomorrow on 17 DECEMBER 2025 for the nominees and voting form, where you can cast your vote to decide who will win each category!

[UPDATE ON 15 DECEMBER 2025] The announcement of nominees and voting form will now be announced/published at midnight 17 December 2025 AEDT. I apologise for the delay.

Until then, here is the Weekly KPOP Chart post for Week 2 of December 2025.

What else am I listening to?

Each week, I spotlight a song not on the Weekly KPOP Charts that I’ve been listening to over the past week. This week’s song is very recent, fromis_9’s LIKE YOU BETTER. More specifically, it is a pop-punk version of the song by an AI group, EVNFALL, that I found online, which I have been listening to on repeat.

Non-Korean Song of the Week

Each week, the top-ranked non-Korean Song on the Weekly KPOP Chart is spotlighted (as this is an area I haven’t been focusing on as much on my blog lately). The non-Korean song of the past week is TXT’s Can’t Stop.

The Chart

Stray Kids’ DO IT is back in the top spot this past week. Congratulations again to Stray Kids!

Pos.TitleArtistStatus
1Do ItStray Kids(▲ 1)
2DIVINEStray Kids(▼ 1)
3RED (Beggin’)VERIVERY(NEW)
4LOOK AT MEALLDAY PROJECT(NEW)
5NOT CUTE ANYMOREILLIT(▲ 25)
6Lemonade FeverCRAVITY(▼ 3)
7PUT IT BACKONF(▲ 4)
8BEAT IT UPNCT DREAM(▼ 2)
9FORMULAALPHA DRIVE ONE(NEW)
10DYTITZY(NEW)
11PromiseDOYOUNG (NCT)(NEW)
12FAMERIIZE(▲ 9)
13SUPERPOWER (Peak)xikers(RE-ENTER)
14ICUXdinary Heroes(RE-ENTER)
15Hollywood ActionBOYNEXTDOOR(▲ 8)
16CreepSAN (ATEEZ)(NEW)
17Slide To MeYUNHO (ATEEZ)(NEW)
18SPAGHETTILE SSERAFIM ft. j-hope (BTS)(▲ 2)
19XCLOSE YOUR EYES(RE-ENTER)
20TUNNEL VISIONITZY(▼ 10)
21Can’t StopTXT(▼ 4)
22PanoramaTAEYEON (SNSD)(▼ 15)
23The ReasonYIM SIWAN (ZE:A)(NEW)
24ONE MORE TIMEALLDAY PROJECT(▼ 20)
25PinocchioAHOF(▼ 12)
26BANG BANGKIIRAS(NEW)
27Blue ValentineNMIXX(▼ 19)
28Talk To YouYEONJUN (TXT)(▼ 19)
29OVERDRIVETWS(▼ 10)
30Back To Life&TEAM(RE-ENTER)

[Review] Promise – DOYOUNG (NCT)

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Similar to JUNGWOO with SUGAR the other week, DOYOUNG also made a comeback the day after beginning his military service on 8 December 2025. The new single, titled Promise, follows his second studio album, SOAR, led by the single Memory.

Unsurprisingly, DOYOUNG offers Promise as a ballad, a parting gift for his fans while he goes on hiatus to express his gratitude for the love and support he has received. Given his past work, I trust DOYOUNG to deliver an engaging ballad. And he does just that in Promise. The vocal performance in this one is spectacular. DOYOUNG is a formidable vocalist, and so such a performance is definitely within expectation. I particularly liked how his vocals build in Promise, helping create the engaging song as hoped. The melodies were charming, and I liked how they gave Promise some variety, avoiding becoming an overly consistent ballad that just repeats the same elements a couple of times and then calls it a day. As for the instrumentation, the backing is more typical of a ballad, with piano, strings, and percussion. But it complements DOYOUNG by building alongside his vocals. Overall, Promise is a beautiful ballad which I am sure fans and listeners will find comforting.

The music video centres on DOYOUNG returning home (presumably after an extended absence), rediscovering an old houseplant, setting it aside, and then going on with his life. One rainy day, he hears something fall to the ground outside and discovers the houseplant there. He takes it back inside, realising that he has taken it for granted, and begins to look after and care for it. That includes drawing some eyes on the pot (cute) and bringing it around with him as he goes on about his daily life. When it comes time for him to leave again, he realises the conditions will be harsh for the plant, so he builds a contraption to control the plant’s climate. The plant gifts him a flower, which he puts on a ring and takes on his adventures outside the house. At the end, he returns home with the plant, and another flower is in bloom. I think the parallels between the houseplant and his fans throughout the video are apparent, particularly at the end, when his fans will be waiting for him upon his return from military enlistment.

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

[Review] RED (Beggin’) – VERIVERY

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At the beginning of the month, VERIVERY made their first comeback in 2 years with their new single, RED (Beggin’). Their last comeback was in 2023 with Crazy Like That. Since then, one member (DONGHEON) completed his military service, 3 members (DONGHEON, GYEHYEON and KANGMIN) participated in Boys II Planet, and it was announced that most of the group re-signed with their current company (Jellyfish Entertainment) until the end of 2026.

VERIVERY’s comeback is fierce, aiming to make a strong impression after being absent from the industry. I wouldn’t be surprised if many fans and casual listeners had thought the group disappeared into the abyss, given that a 2-year hiatus period doesn’t bode well in the KPOP industry. Personally, I think VERIVERY has done well in this comeback. RED (Beggin’) is a fast-paced and robust drum-and-bass song, which features a familiar, yet memorable, interpolation of The Four Seasons’ Beggin’ in its chorus. I think this was a clever move from the producers, with something familiar in the mix that many people can latch onto. The vocal work was very clean and polished, while the rapping gives RED (Beggin’) a really nice kick. Altogether, these elements left quite an impression on me when I first checked out the song, and I have been digging it ever since. Perhaps more bass or possibly having the current bass feel a little fuller in RED (Beggin’) would have rounded out this song nicely.

According to the blurb in the YouTube description box, the music video opens with the group celebrating in the past, only for an alert to warn them of unidentified avian creatures approaching Earth. The music video then takes us to the present day, where VERIVERY find themselves stuck in the city, targeted by the avian creatures and unable to escape. Despite being on the run, VERIVERY do try to make the most of the situation by continuing filming ‘their youth’ as the final title card states. In the end, they board an elevator, which the blurb states ‘symboliz[es] a new future that awaits VERIVERY’. In addition to this storyline, I think we also see scenes where the avian creatures get to them, creating an alternative ‘what if’ scenario for the video to explore.

As for the performance, I thought it was good. I liked how they conveyed the fierceness of the song I mentioned earlier in their routine.

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

[Album Review] The Star Chapter: SANCTUARY (7th Mini Album) – TXT

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A year on from its release, it is finally time for a review of TXT’s 7th mini-album, The Star Chapter: Sanctuary. Led by the single Over The Moon, the mini-album features 6 songs in total. Overall, it was a really strong effort from TXT. Had some of the songs been longer, as I was left wanting more from most of the songs, I think the mini-album would have been much stronger. But as is, it was still an excellent mini-album to check out.

Earlier in 2024, TXT released their 6th mini-album, Minisode 3: TOMORROW (led by the single Deja Vu). Since the release of The Star Chapter: Sanctuary, TXT has returned with the digital single Love Language; their 4th Korean studio album The Star Chapter: Together (led by the single Beautiful Strangers); and their 3rd Japanese studio album, Starkissed (led by the single Can’t Stop).

The Star Chapter: Sanctuary Album Cover

1. Heaven – For me, Heaven was a really nice pop song. I liked the dreamy atmosphere within the song and the stunning vocals from TXT throughout this opening track. I also love that the melodies were pleasant and hummable. While I want to give Heaven a 10/10 because it deserves it, I am not sold on the way it ends. In a matter of seconds, the momentum building in Heaven was cut short, and it felt deliberate, as if the producers were told the song could only be in the 2:30-minute range. I was left wanting more, so I don’t think I can give Heaven its 10/10 it truly deserves. (9/10)

2. Over The Moon (Title Track) – Click here for my full review of Over The Moon. (7.5/10)

3. Danger – Following on the title track, we see TXT take on an edgier vibe with Danger. I really enjoyed the low-key chorus, with the really catchy “You got me in Danger, Danger, Danger” on repeat in my head. I also enjoyed the very sexy, deep, raspy ‘What you doin’ to me?” that followed the choruses. This definitely takes me back to some of the music I grew up on. The subtle, groovy underlay in the instrumentation ties everything nicely together and also helps make Danger sound alluring. (9/10)

4. Resist (Not Gonna Run Away) – The “I can resist” line is quite a memorable opener and makes quite a presence in Resist. The instrumental was also quite cool, with the fresh guitar, thumping beats, alluring synths and (what sounds like) hand drumming. It all came together to create a stunning backing for TXT to bring Resist (Not Gonna Run Away) to life. (8/10)

5. Forty One Winks – Forty One Winks is quite a groovy R&B dance number. I do like the old-school vibes of the song, as well as how consistent the track is. TXT executed their vocals well, especially those small ad-libs throughout the song. I would have liked to hear more of Forty One Winks, given its short length of just 2:30 minutes.(8/10)

6. Higher Than Heaven – Finishing off the mini-album is Higher Than Heaven, a bright and fun rock track. Everything about the track is dynamic, and I love that consistent aspect of Higher Than Heaven. TXT’s vocals were very refreshing, and the instrumentation was just so uplifting and energetic. My favourite bit has to be the post-chorus, with the ascending ‘High’, which leaves quite a strong impression. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

TXT’s teaser image for The Star Chapter: Sanctuary

[Review] NOT CUTE ANYMORE – ILLIT

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Two weeks ago, ILLIT made their surprise comeback with NOT CUTE ANYMORE. Well, it was a surprise, for me at least, because I didn’t see any pre-comeback promotions for this release. NOT CUTE ANYMORE is ILLIT’s first Korean comeback since Do The Dance earlier this year.

NOT CUTE ANYMORE takes on reggae-pop, but in a very beige manner. For a group that has been dependent on a cute sound since their debut, the reggae-pop could have been a very unique direction for them and/or their discography. Considering the intent of the song, making NOT CUTE ANYMORE sound beige was intentional (more on this in the music video section). But this ‘beige-ness’ ends up being so thick in NOT CUTE ANYMORE that it makes it challenging to engage with the song, even for the purposes of this review. It extends from the minimalist instrumentation to the small vocals the members deliver in this song (which, in the end, make them sound cute). One thing that did come out of this, though I am not sure it is a positive, is that the beige is so prevalent that it does become a memorable part of the song. On a more light-hearted note, the combination does give NOT CUTE ANYMORE the catchy line “I’m not cute anymore” from the chorus, but that doesn’t do enough to make up for the rest of the song.

Despite trying to leave behind their cute image in the music video for a more edgy and mature look, the video for NOT CUTE ANYMORE portrays their attempt as a cute act and shows us that ILLIT cannot simply shake this cute image off. This was the whole point of the song, and so what we see in the music video is a strong portrayal of this concept. I just wish the song did this more engagingly. I liked how colour-wise, the music video is very toned down, complementing the beige sound, but also the notion that looking edgy and mature is not a colourful thing.

Watching the performance, I find myself smiling at their failed attempt at being edgy and mature. I liked how some of the members smile in one moment and, the next, are expressionless and serious. It brings the concept into the performance quite well.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Review] Put It Back – ONF

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Another mid-November comeback that I have yet to review (until today) is ONF’s Put It Back, the lead single off their 9th mini-album, UNBROKEN. Put It Back follows the release of the first part of their 2nd studio album, ONF: My Identity, and its title track, The Stranger.

Put It Back is good, but not great compared to ONF’s past hits. There are some elements that I really like that have me coming back to Put It Back. The super funky instrumental was the first thing that really jumped out at me. The concentration of prolific guitar twang and plucks makes Put It Back super cool and groovy. The hip-hop elements were also nicely handled throughout the song. Clear vocals and rapping are also present. The biggest problem I have with Put It Back is the lack of that really memorable hook and/or melody that becomes a defining feature of the song, as per their past hits. The “Put It Back” line that opens the chorus and its repetition as the post-chorus hook just doesn’t have that same ONF feel and boldness to stick with you, even after the song ends. This is most likely the result of decoupling ONF from Hwang Hyun, a long-term collaborator with ONF who has been behind many of ONF’s past songs.

The music video for this comeback was fairly straightforward, which I suspect is because budgets were cut back. For the most part, it featured close-up shots of the members, with the camera very close to them, as well as choreography shots around the stadium. The former offers what felt like a direct, unfiltered view of the members, which is a cool aesthetic. At the same time, with the latter, I appreciated how the production team used lighting, post-production and the outfits to give off different vibes and make it seem like entirely different locations.

ONF’s synchronisation and the smoothness of the ‘Put It Back‘ moves at the start of the chorus were the standout elements of their performance. Both were very cool to watch and appreciate.

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

[Special] 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards – Coming Soon

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With the end of 2025 fast approaching, it is time we celebrate the year that has just passed. And what better way to do that than by the 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards! Welcome to the annual event, where you (yes, YOU!) get to choose who were the best of the best in the year that has just passed.

What does the 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards entail?

Per usual, I have done the hard and challenging job of selecting the nominees for the 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. In a couple of days, the nominees will be announced and the voting form will open. Your votes (and your votes only) will determine who is the best of 2025 in the following categories:

  • Best Group/Soloist (Female/Male)
  • Best New Group/Soloists (Female/Male)
  • Best Subunit
  • Best Delivery (Vocal/Rap/Band Performance)
  • Rising Star
  • Most Underrated Artist
  • Best Non-Korean Artist in KPOP
  • Best Group Dance Performance (Female/Male)
  • Best Solo Dance Performance (Female/Male)
  • Best Special Performance
  • Best ‘Return to Stage’
  • Best Stage Presence
  • Best Looks
  • Best Concept
  • Best Music Video
  • Best Cover
  • Best Western Song By a KPOP Artist
  • Best Japanese Song by a KPOP Artist
  • Best Collaboration
  • Best Song per Genre (Ballad/Electronic/Pop/R&B/Rock or Band/Rap or Hip-Hop)
  • Best Remixed Version
  • Most Underrated Song
  • Best Album

Per usual, Best Song and Artist of 2025 award winners will be decided based on fan nominations (you will be able to pick up to 3 songs and 3 artists each when voting opens) and my Weekly KPOP Charts. Both will be weighted equally (50% each). Your nominations will also help determine the Most Popular Song and Artist of 2025 awards. More details regarding voting will be published when voting opens!

Make sure to follow me on Twitter (I know it is called X, but I still call it Twitter), Facebook and Bluesky (this is a new one for me!) for updates and reminders to vote.

When will it all occur?

Key dates for the 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards include:

  • Announcement Post – 10 December 2025 (this post!)
  • Nominations Announcement and Voting Opens – 17 December 2025 [DATE UPDATED!]
  • KPOPREVIEWED’s Choice (My choice!) – 31 December 2025
  • Voting Closes – 17 January 2025 [DATE UPDATED!]
  • Winner Announcement – 15 February 2026

What is the eligibility period for the 2024 KPOPREVIEWED Awards?

  • An artist is eligible for nomination in any category (including Best Artist of 2025) if they had a comeback between 1 November 2024 and 31 October 2025 (inclusive).
  • A song is eligible for nomination in any category (including Best Song of 2025) if it was released between 1 November 2024 and 31 October 2025 (inclusive).
  • An album is eligible for nomination provided it was released between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025 (inclusive).
  • A performance is eligible for nomination provided it was performed between 1 November 2024 and 31 October 2025 (inclusive).

What will fans not be voting on?

Any category based on the blog (i.e., Most Viewed Song and Album Review in 2025) and my Weekly KPOP Charts (i.e., Most Number 1 Songs in 2025), as well as Best Side Track of 2025. That’s all me!

Next up: Check the blog on 17 December 2025 for the nominees and voting form (which will open on the same day and remain open for a month)!

[Review] LOOK AT ME – ALLDAY PROJECT

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Making their comeback yesterday was ALLDAY PROJECT, with their self-titled debut mini-album. The mini-album does feature their recent single release ONE MORE TIME, but it is led by the single LOOK AT ME, which also dropped yesterday.

After a successful debut with FAMOUS and a comeback with ONE MORE TIME, I am disappointed with LOOK AT ME. From the nursery rhyme-based chant in the chorus (which makes the song sound childish) to the plain instrumental elsewhere in the song, everything pretty much felt a downgrade in comparison to their previous singles. LOOK AT ME is also relatively short in length, and that hindered its ability to actually develop into something decent. On the flip side, I did find some aspects of LOOK AT ME to be decent, so it isn’t all bad news for the song. The bass was appreciated, as was the rapping by ANNIE, BAILEY and TARZZAN in the second verse. TARZZAN also does well in the bridge. But overall, I very much prefer their more recent single ONE MORE TIME over LOOK AT ME any day.

From what I can gather from the music video, ALLDAY PROJECT is the centre of attention, breaking free from the rest of the world and garnering attention in the process. Some trampoline bounces, cool-looking close-ups, and nice editing/post-production make for a decent video. I felt the song limited the video’s potential. For example, the brown tones of the video complemented the music, but felt so boring and dull.

While the performance has been a strong point for ALLDAY PROJECT, I don’t necessarily think it was much of a highlight in this comeback. While we have not seen a performance for LOOK AT ME yet, the music video usually steps in to highlight the key points of the choreography. But aside from the ADP signage, I don’t remember much of the choreography from the video. I might return once we see a performance, in case there is more to it.

Song – 5.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.3/10

[Review] Lemonade Fever – CRAVITY

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Despite CRAVITY’s Lemonade Fever being out for a month now, I am actually excited to finally get a chance to review the new single. Lemonade Fever is the title track of CRAVITY’s Dare to Crave: Epilogue, the repackaged version of their 3rd studio album, Dare to Crave, that was released in June this year. Alongside that album, CRAVITY released Set Net G0?! as the title track.

Lemonade Fever stands out of the pack with its energetic groove and funky underlay, pushing forward a dynamic and upbeat dance profile. Great rapping and vocals feature throughout Lemonade Fever, with easy-on-the-ear pop melodies that help make the song approachable. Lemonade Fever is very much an underrated track and should have received more attention. Needless to say, CRAVITY did well with the song, but it wasn’t any of the already mentioned aspects of Lemonade Fever that grabbed my attention. That came down to the second half of the chorus, with the distorted guitar. The deepness, the harshness and abrupt nature of this second half was such an unexpected change up and contrasting element to the rest of Lemonade Fever. Yet, it works extremely well as a centrepiece to the song. Overall, I enjoy repeating Lemonade Fever, but there is something about that second half of the chorus that just manages to tickle my brain, particularly when it comes out of the blue.

The music video and lyrics to Lemonade Fever sees the members liken the attraction and pull towards a lover to the sweet taste of lemonade. The music video features the members enjoying the sweet taste of the beverage and shares this enjoyment with the people around them. Though, I think it gets out of hand at a certain point, with lemonade leaking all around the station, and it turning people exposed to a zombie. Slightly confusing, but still a fun and lighthearted video to enjoy.

The performance for Lemonade Fever encapsulates the funky and groovy elements of the song for majority of the choreography. But when it comes to the contrasting sequence of the song, the members turn serious (to complement the deepness and harshness) and give off more mature vibes. I did enjoy the entire performance, but particularly that same part in the routine.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.2/10

[Album Review] DRIP (1st Studio Album) – BABYMONSTER

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Less than a year since their debut, BABYMONSTER released their 1st studio album, DRIP, in November 2024. And more than a year later, I am finally reviewing it. DRIP featured two title tracks: one sharing the same name as the album and CLIK CLAK. The album also features the pre-release track FOREVER (released in July 2024), a remix of their debut single BATTER UP, and 5 side tracks. There are some terrific songs on the album, and others that were questionable. But I was nonetheless excited for their first studio album and satisfied with how far they had come in the first year of their career.

Since the release of DRIP, BABYMONSTER embarked on their first world tour, released the single HOT SAUCE (which I have yet to review) and returned with their second mini-album, WE GO UP, featuring the title track of the same name.

DRIP Album Cover

1. CLIK CLAK(Title Track) – Click here for my full review of CLIK CLAK. (5/10)

2. DRIP (Title Track) – DRIP has definitely grown on me since its release. Thus, I am willing to bump the song rating by 0.5. Click here for my full review of DRIP. (8/10)

3. Love, Maybe – Following the two title tracks, I did not expect to hear an intimate ballad. But that is what Love, Maybe is. BABYMONSTER puts their stunningly emotional vocals over a minimalistic guitar-led instrumental to make a beautiful track. I don’t have much to say aside from that BABYMONSTER nailed it. (9/10)

4. Really Like You – I quite like the old school hip-hop vibe that Really Like You gives off. The track is softer than the title tracks, serving as a nice bridge between the ballad preceding it and the rest every time I listened to Really Like You. The same goes for the music video that I forgot to review. (8/10)

5. Billionaire– Billionaire was quite a surprise for me. R&B kicks off the song, and I really enjoyed the guitar work in the track. It gives off a distinct Latin flair that feels very unique and mature. I also really enjoyed the vocal work in this one, with the members keeping their voices low. It adds to those mature vibes already mentioned. The rapping gives Billionaire its edge and reminds us of BABYMONSTER’s hip-hop roots. The deep vibrating synth during this part and the bridge was spectacular. (9/10)

6. Love in My Heart – Click here for my review of Love in My Heart. (7/10)

7. Woke Up in Tokyo (Ruka & Asa duet) – The rappers of BABYMONSTER come together to give the album, and us, an English/Japanese track. With RUKA and ASA at the helm, I expected something powerful. What I didn’t expect was a hip-hop rendition of a nursery rhyme. Safe to say, Woke Up In Tokyo is not my cup of tea, and I’m not sure the album needed this track. But here we are. (5/10)

8. FOREVER – Click here for my review of FOREVER. (8/10)

9. BATTER UP (Remix) – Per usual, I don’t review remixes and include a rating for them on album reviews. But I would like to point out how much 2010s nostalgia the remix instrumental brings to me. For my thoughts on BATTER UP, click here for my review of BATTER UP.

Overall Album Rating – 7.4/10

BABYMONSTER’s teaser image for DRIP

[Weekly KPOP Chart] Week 1 of December 2025

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Welcome to the next Weekly KPOP Chart post for Week 1 of December 2025, which spans from November 30 to December 6 2025.

Okay, that fourth thing from last week kind of did snowball this week. But I did manage to get a little more out than last week, so that should count for something. Anyhow, in addition to (hopefully) more reviews this week, keep your eye out for a special announcement on 10 December 2025 (this coming Wednesday). Until then, here is the Weekly KPOP Chart post for Week 1 of December 2025.

What else am I listening to?

Each week, I spotlight a song not on the Weekly KPOP Charts that I’ve been listening to over the past week. This week’s song is aespa’s Drama.

Non-Korean Song of the Week

Each week, the top-ranked non-Korean Song on the Weekly KPOP Chart is spotlighted (as this is an area I haven’t been focusing on as much on my blog lately). The non-Korean song of the past week is, once again, CLOSE YOUR EYES’ SOB (with IMANBEK).

The Chart

Stray Kids’ second lead single from their mixtape DO IT, DIVINE, ranked in the top spot this past week. Congratulations again to Stray Kids!

Pos.TitleArtistStatus
1DIVINEStray Kids(▲ 1)
2Do ItStray Kids(▼ 1)
3Lemonade FeverCRAVITY(▲ 8)
4ONE MORE TIMEALLDAY PROJECT(▲ 2)
5Say My NameMIYEON (i-dle)(▲ 13)
6Beat It UpNCY DREAM(▼ 1)
7PanoramaTAEYEON (SNSD)(NEW)
8Blue ValentineNMIXX(▲ 13)
9Talk To YouYEONJUN (TXT)(▲ 4)
10TUNNEL VISIONITZY(▼ 6)
11PUT IT BACKONF(▼ 2)
12Saturday PreacherCHA EUNWOO (ASTRO)(RE-ENTER)
13PinocchioAHOF(RE-ENTER)
14White Memoriesfromis_9(NEW)
15ChooseATEEZ(NEW)
16SOBCLOSE YOUR EYES (with Imanbek)(▲ 7)
17Can’t StopTXT(RE-ENTER)
18RAINBOWHIGHLIGHT(NEW)
19OVERDRIVETWS(▼ 3)
20SPAGHETTILE SSERAFIM ft. j-hope (BTS)(RE-ENTER)
21FameRIIZE(▼ 18)
22FOCUSHearts2Hearts(▼ 8)
23Hollywood ActionBOYNEXTDOOR(▼ 8)
24WE GO UPBABYMONSTER(▼ 7)
25I DON’T CAREBaby DON’T Cry(RE-ENTER)
26PSYCHOBABYMONSTER(▼ 4)
27StretchU KNOW YUNHO (TVXQ)(NEW)
28SugarJUNGWOO (NCT)(▼ 21)
29Good StuffKarina (aespa)(NEW)
30NOT CUTE ANYMOREILLIT(▼ 22)

[Album Review] Tipi-Tap (6th Mini-Album) – Kep1er

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Next up for an album review is Kep1er’s Tipi-Tap mini-album, the group’s 6th. Leading this five-track mini-album is the title track, which gives the album its name. Both the Tipi-Tap song and mini-album mark Kep1er’s first Korean release since June 2024’s Shooting Star and the studio album Kep1going On, as well as Kep1er’s first release as a 7-member group (following the departure of MASHIRO and YESEO, who redebuted as part of MADEIN).

More recently, Kep1er released their first Japanese mini-album, Against the World (led by YUM), and their seventh Korean mini-album, Bubble Gum, (led by the single of the same name).

Tipi-Tap Album Cover

1. sync-love – First song out of the gate is sync-love, a hyper-pop track, which features some really cool synth work and rapping work from HIKARU.I really liked how pronounced both these elements were throughout the track. Contrasting them are the less-pronounced vocals and the backing to the vocal’s sequences, but they bring such a nice grounded and R&B touch to the song. I also really enjoyed the outro, with the autotune filtering of DAEYEON’s lines and HIKARU’s acapella line. Overall, a strong start to the mini-album. (9/10)

2. TIPI-TAP (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of TIPI-TAP. (6/10)

3. Drip – Out of all the different aspects that make up Drip, it is the chorus that speaks the most to me. It is so catchy and addictive, even though the main hook is just simple repetition. That and the combination of the tight beats during the refrain was super cool. I did wish there was a bit more to the rest of the instrumentation. I also like the mature vibe of the vocals, which complements the mature-leaning lyrics well. Also, Drip has HUENING BAHIYYIH performing the more substantial rapping part and completely nailing it. (8/10)

4. Bitter Taste – Aside from the title track, Bitter Taste is probably the second most skippable song to me. I just don’t remember anything from it, even after listening to the song to write this review. After really focusing in on the song, the only thing I do get out of it is that it has dreamy instrumental and vocal moments. Unfortunately, nothing else stands out to me that I find worth mentioning here. (6/10)

5. Heart Surf – Heart Surf also has a dreamy and soft vibe to it, but it is the vocal work and harmonies in this song that set it apart from the previous song. The flow of the vocals and the song overall was extremely nice. I love the subtle piercing nature of the ‘Just stop the motion’ line just before the choruses. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.4/10

Kep1er’s teaser image for Tipi-Tap

[Review] Panorama – TAEYEON (SNSD)

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Earlier this week, TAEYEON made her comeback with her first Korean compilation album, Panorama: The Best of TAEYEON, to celebrate 10 years as a solo singer. That was 2015 with the I (ft. Verbal Jint), though this album only features a solo version of her solo debut track. Leading the 23-track album of TAEYEON’s past hits and title tracks is the new single, Panorama. This comeback comes 1 year after her Letter To Myself comeback in November 2024.

Panorama starts off with soft piano and guitar in a ballad-like intro. It slowly builds towards the first chorus, which adds in the presence of drums before slowly building up again and bursting into the proper form of Panorama – a pop-rock single. From there, Panorama maintains the same momentum and energy before easing out at the end. The second chorus, however, launches right into the pop-rock sound and doesn’t feature a build-up in its first half. As with any of her solo songs, each section features her stunning vocals, keeping you engaged and entranced. While I quite enjoyed the choruses’ melodies, I wished the verses had something similar. The chorus really takes away a lot of the focus, and while the verses were good, they just didn’t have the same impact as the chorus. Overall, it is rare for any of TAEYEON’s songs to go wrong, and Panorama is another song that proves it.

The music video opens with a young female entering TAEYEON’s bookstore. The latter hands the younger a book and proceeds to stare at the younger customer whilst she reads it. Not creepy, but this sparks a smile from the younger customer and a friendship blooms from there. As they go on a road trip, it becomes clear that the pair share common interests and care for one another (particularly TAEYEON). As the video goes on, it is revealed that the younger girl is, in fact, the younger version of TAEYEON, taking possession of TAEYEON’s red umbrella that we see TAEYEON use at the start and throughout the video. While this felt very apparent from the onset of the video, I did quite like the reveal. I also like the scene where TAEYEON holds a battered version of the umbrella as she watches the younger girl, symbolising the hardships she endured on her journey to where she is today.

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

[Review] TUNNEL VISION – ITZY

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It has been almost a month since ITZY made their comeback, but I am finally getting around to reviewing their comeback single. The five-member group from JYP Entertainment returned in November with their 11th mini-album, TUNNEL VISION, led by the title track of the same name. It is the group’s first release since their Korean comeback with Girls Will Be Girls in June and their Japanese comeback with ROCK & ROLL in October. The group will also be embarking on their third tour next year.

Even after a couple of weeks after the release (enough time for the song to grow on me), TUNNEL VISION (as a song) doesn’t do it for me. The opening vibrant synth is intriguing enough to get me started on the song, and the edgy vibes and hefty beats of the instrumental were promising. But once the song ends, I find myself moving on from TUNNEL VISION as if it didn’t just play, or it never really existed. One of the most significant issues with TUNNEL VISION is its overly consistent nature, in which the song feels the same from start to finish. There is no buildup of momentum and/or energy, which holds back and exacerbates the lack of appeal of TUNNEL VISION for me. Similarly, the members fail to stand out in the song. The chorus and hip-hop influences were probably the most pronounced aspects of TUNNEL VISION, but the choruses’ chant felt dull and unexciting, and the hip-hop influences didn’t stick with me. I know I sound negative about TUNNEL VISION. But given that the song hasn’t grown on me or left any impression, I don’t see how I can be anything but that about it.

The song’s lyrics are about staying focused and not letting others cloud your line of sight to the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’. Conceptually, this was another interesting aspect of the song. With this in mind, the music video shows paparazzi, darkness, GPS systems blowing up, and other obstacles that prevent the members from moving forward. But this doesn’t stop them; the members push through everything. Even after the car accident and almost getting run over by a train (representing the hurdles to achieving their goals), they demonstrate their unrelenting focus, no matter what happens. I have to say, the car accident scenes, where the members are flying out of the car, and the train scenes were pretty epic moments in the music video and looked really cool. Likewise, the ending shot (see featured image) of the members at the tunnel’s end was super cool. The eyeball scenes though, had a creepy vibe, which is right up my alley.

As for the performance, ITZY does it again with their strong choreography skills. I really liked the ‘tunnel vision’ moves they did in the chorus. Two of them are memorable: one hand kept straight and the other in a wavy motion, raised to their face along their line of sight, while the other involves the members looking through a triangle formed by their hands. I also like how they incorporate the ‘crown’ at the end of the routine – it keeps me sticking around to the end.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10