Casual reviews of KPOP songs, music videos & dances
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.
GOT7 managed to remain a group, as evident through their GOT7 and NANANA comebacks earlier this year, even after the members going their separate ways. But since the members ventured to different companies, I have dropped the ball when it came to two members – JAY B and Yugyeom. Today’s review focuses on JAY B’s (sorry, Yugyeom fans, you got to wait a little longer) recent solo comeback, go UP, which is featured on his second solo mini-album Be Yourself. This follows his solo debut last year with Switch It Up, later comebacks with B.T.W (ft. Jay Park) and Sunset With You, and the recent signing with CDNZA Records.
go UP deep dives into old-school funk, with what I would describe as a fun and energetic track. To be honest, my knowledge into the funk genre is fairly limited (aside from some Bruno Mars, a few other well known hits that have topped the charts and the use of the adjective ‘funky’ when describing groovy numbers), but go UP manages to succinctly and straightforwardly sum up my understanding of the genre. It features slivers of brass, the plucking of bass guitar strings and an unrelentless amount of percussion to really bring the song to life. I believe this is all pretty standard of the funk genre, but it doesn’t change the fact that go UP is still a fun and enjoyable track, nonetheless. What really attracts me to the song is JAY B himself, who does a strong job of successfully encompassing go UP‘s energetic profile, by going through different vocal techniques to help aid the song’s liveliness. You have his usual raspy vocals that he has shown off in his R&B releases, but we get some really cool falsettos along the way (i.e. the verses) and some cool ad-libs (such as that final ‘yes‘ in the strings of yes’ from the second verse). Together with the instrumental, JAY B definitely makes sure that go UP‘s energy is the star of the track, and makes sure that you emerge from this song having a great time.
JAY B starts off the music video floating in mid-air at a port, observed by an older gentlemen and a younger boy, accompanied with the narration ‘This is how we are getting funky in Seoul, South Korea’. We then cut to the aftermath of a party, which JAY B is waking up from. I can’t help but think the older gentlemen and the younger boy are like some sort of guardian angel for JAY B, as they feel very judgmental with their plain expression as JAY B stumbles around. But they do not say no to a good time, as they join the crowd that JAY B attracts during the day time that gets bigger and bigger as the video progresses. And it is so good of a time that so many people getting high off that energy, causing that barge to lift up from the water, similar to the floating JAY B at the start of the video. Overall, I thought the video did a good job of bringing go UP‘s energy to life in a visual sense. And JAY B looks really good throughout the video. We also get to see some of his b-boying skills towards the end of the video, as well.
The choreography for this comeback was fun. Fun in both a movement manner and a expressive manner. I notice that some movements were stiff and small, but it looks intentional and helps give off an entertaining profile. His facial expressions were on point throughout the performance and gave off the impression that he was genuinely having fun. That shoe toss on the end was definitely just right for the performance, as well.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
I am gearing up to review ENHYPEN’s latest mini-album, Manifesto: Day 1. But before I can proceed with writing and post that album review, I need to review the second single from the album that also got a music video and promotional treatment, ParadoXXX Invasion. Alongside ParadoXXX Invasion, the mini-album also featured the title track Future Perfect (Pass the MIC).
ParadoXXX Invasion follows the same veins of the title track in that it is a hip-hop track. But I am of the opinion that ParadoXXX Invasion could have potentially been a much stronger title track. Simply because I find ParadoXXX Invasion to be a more well-rounded track. But there would be a need for some changes to make it even better. The song brings forth a very old-school hip-hop type of feel that I feel is quite vibrant and powerful in its own right. The beat got me nodding along to the music and you can feel the unmissable energy coursing through the song. The hooks were catchy (more so than the title track), and ParadoXXX Invasion left a memorable ring in my head after the song is over. And I feel this song is better aligned with the Summer period in which it was released in. However, ParadoXXX Invasion isn’t exactly ready to be a title track just yet. The rapping was definitely executed well, but I think ParadoXXX Invasion could have had more substantial rap sequences to take the song to the next level, just so that hip-hop energy is very concentrated and more impactful. There was no bridge or peak to the song, which was a bit disappointing. The ending was just another repeat of the choruses we heard earlier in the track, with no added ad-lib or intensification to the instrumental (similar to my main complaints with Future Perfect). A bridge would have allowed the song to build up to that. But overall, the hip-hop energy is what sold me on ParadoXXX Invasion and its potential to be a better title track.
Given a few factors (namely the school on a truck beginning), I feel the concept of this music video is a ‘school’s out’ type of scenario. That is my guess. But regardless what is the official concept of the video, the music video for ParadoXXX Invasion did two things quite well. Firstly, it really encapsulated that hip-hop feel in a very cool and a not-in-your-face manner. I quite liked that, and it made it enjoyable to watch alongside the song. The second was that is shows off a very youthful side to ENHYPEN. Their visuals and energy throughout the video was quite refreshing. I feel this thanks to the fact that the music video felt a lot more carefree and freestyle to a degree. Some of the video is shot in a sunny outdoor location, but yet in a very industrial setting. Other parts were shot in the studio (i.e. indoor locations/alleyway) worked well with the song’s hip-hop roots (i.e., back alleyways and thrift-like stores).
The choreography was quite cool and vibrant. The hip-hop influences is also quite evident. The energy the members put in really paid off and made the routine very appealing to watch.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.4/10
Starting off the week is NMIXX, the latest rookies under JYP Entertainment. For those who missed their debut (it was very hard to miss, but just in case you did), NMIXX made their debut with O.O in February this year. Yesterday, they returned with their first comeback – the single album is titled Entwurf, while the title track for the comeback (and focus of this review) is titled DICE.
Given the likes of O.O and hearing that DICE would be of a similar formula, I think the bracing yourself for the likes of DICE would be an appropriate response. The mash up style that NMIXX is going to be known for at this rate begins from the very beginning, with a short-lived and unnecessary theatre-like beginning. I thought it was an opening for the music video, but it made its way into the actual song. Things started to look up ever so briefly for DICE, with the first verse and chorus being perfectly fine. The first verse, which brought a hip-hop tinge to the song, flowed well into the Latin inspired chorus. I found the two parts used similar deep tones, which might have been the common string. The rapping in the first verse was fine and dynamic. The delivery in the chorus, on the other hand, attempted to hype you up by being shouty and loud. While there was some charm to this, it disabled any attempt for a hook to form. Instead, I find DICE‘s chorus to be memorable thanks to the instrumentation. The second verse is where DICE starts to crumble for me and become erratic. At least, they were being explicit with their change with the ‘NMIXX Change Up‘ transition. We are initially treated to a different, intensified and darker rap verse. It had potential to be good on its own (Kyujin’s ‘Big Wave, Big Wave‘ line was quite memorable). But its presence in DICE just didn’t click for me. We then continue back to the Latin influence with an overly explosive set of vocals from Lily. Again, this was pretty good. It is the flick between the rap to the Latin influence that doesn’t sit well with me in this section. The second pre-chorus bypasses the chorus and goes into an instrumental break, which is a whole different style altogether. I am not surprised by this difference, but the synths (one of them reminds me of ITZY’s WANNABE) was a bit sparse and weak. Something tighter, more intense and exhilarating would have served DICE better, just so the momentum of the song is continued. Similarly with the final chorus. I loved that we returned to the Latin infusion, but as it is the final chorus, it needed a bit more to end DICE on a high note.
I quite liked the circus -like machinery at the start of the video. It was definitely intriguing intro and looked very cool. The video then takes us through MIXXTOPIA (another universe in KPOP), which has its own theatre, a colourful Dr. Suess-like outdoor and a dark whirly location. The latter is quite cool, but I feel like this is a bit mixed up. I would expected the hip-hop and rap parts of the song to feature in that dark whirly location, while the Latin influence segments of the song (as they are brighter segments of DICE) to be associated with that Dr. Suess like outdoor set. Not the other way around. But to each their own. Not exactly sure what the ending signifies. But overall, it was a visually pleasing video to watch.
The choreography aspect of this comeback was top notch. No particular move really stood out, but I liked the routine as a whole piece. Just like the song, there is a lot going on. But all showed potential for the group in the performance aspect.
Song – 5.5/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 6.9/10
Another album review for you all. LOONA made their comeback back in June of this year with FL!P that, a special summer mini-album. The release features the title track Flip That and the single POSE, alongside another 3 side tracks and an introductory instrumental track. The latter named single was released as part of the group’s participation in Queendom 2, which they finished as the runner-up (after WJSN).
FL!P that was a standard length mini-album, but it just felt short. It doesn’t feel like a six track mini-album, for some odd reason. I kind of wished there was more to it. But still, a catchy title track and one of the side tracks might be able to sneak away with the title of best side track of the year. Read on to find out which one song that is, and let me know if you agree with me.
FL!P that Album Cover
1. The Journey – The Journey sets the scene for this special mini-album. It first starts off very ethereal natural sound, as if you are looking into a mystical forest in a fairytale. The synths build from here into quite a bass-heavy and boisterous piece that brings a whole heap of dynamic flair to the track, but the incorporation of the Flip That instrumental in the background (and more upfront and whole in the final moments of this instrumental track) hints at more delicate and sweeter undertone to the mini-album.
3. Need U – I quite enjoyed Need U’s chorus, which felt very minimal but also fulfilling at the same time. I also liked how the minimalism also comes through the members’ vocals and melodies, which made the chorus speak much louder than how it sounds. The verses, whilst less memorable, also had a minimalistic vibe. But every time I revisit them, I find they set up the choruses quite well. My only gripe about the song is the cutesy spoken line ‘You make me shine’ you hear in the chorus. I don’t agree with its presence, as it just stuck out like a sore thumb for me and detracted from the rest of the song. (8.5/10)
5. Pale Blue Dot – The bass that opens up Pale Blue Dot really pulls you in. And I am so happy that it did. The bass leads you to a thumping verse backing that is so pretty thanks to LOONA’s delicate yet vibrant vocal work and melodies of the song. The pre-chorus builds the song up in an epic fashion, yet also keeping the LOONA touch. What you don’t really expect the simplicity of this song’s chorus. But somehow it works and I am loving it. The ‘Ooh Ooh Ooh’ was super catchy and fun. The second run at the chorus incorporated more instrumentation, building the liveliness of the song. The drumming in the bridge and Chuu’s soaring vocals was definitely an amazing peak for (you guessed it) my favourite side track from this mini-album. (10/10)
6. Playback – Playback brings us back to a more typical sounding mid-tempo pop ballad. The melodies were on the plainer side, but there was still a decent swaying motion/effect coming out of this song. Unfortunately, Playback wasn’t as riveting as the producers had intended to be. I think this is partly due to the fact that Playback follows on from Pale Blue Dot. No matter what song that comes after the preceding track, it all would have felt plainer and dull. But at least the synths in this track gave it a more vibrant feel, which allowed to feel and sound suitable as a follow-up track. (7/10)
The next album to on the reviewing block of this blog is HUTA’s (who is otherwise known as Lee Min Hyuk from BTOB) second studio album, BOOM. This album, alongside the title track of the same name, was released at the end of June of this year and features another eleven tracks. This is HUTA’s first major Korean release since completing his military enlistment, participating on the Kingdom: Legendary War and making a few comebacks with his fellow BTOB members through the singles Show Your Love, Outsider and (most recently) The Song.
All the songs on BOOM (the album) basically were all strong showing from the soloist, with the album receiving a 8.2/10 rating and most songs earned a 8/10 from me. This is quite consistent for the wide range of songs that HUTA had put on the album. I commend HUTA for doing this, as it proves to me (and all his fans and the listeners of BOOM) that he is more than just a rapper (not that he needed to as I am totally aware of his potential through BTOB’s works and his first studio album). Just through this album, we can easily see that he is capable of releasing an intense and powerful number that aligns with his rapper image, or flipping the switch to release some thing more delicate and peaceful.
BOOM Album Cover
1. I’m Rare – Kicking BOOM (the album) off is the short track I’m Rare, which packs a punch with its super energetic electronic instrumentation. I quite enjoyed how the song developed as it progressed, moving from a mid-tempo pace to a fast-paced track. This helped hyped the track and the album’s opening, which in turn got me excited for what is to come. HUTA’s rapping was quite dynamic and heightens the energy of the song, rounding out a very strong start to the album. (8/10)
3. Shadow – Third track into the album and I think we are treated to the album’s standout track. Shadow focuses on HUTA’s vocals, moving away from the rapping that dominated or stood out in the preceding two tracks. His vocals took a lowkey approach. They never really went further than how he started. While this might be something I raise as an issue usually, it worked well with the 80s synth-based instrumentation. That itself had the right amount of momentum to propel the song forward, but at the same time not feel too filling or intense. The melodies that HUTA brought to life with his vocals were quite chill and easy on the ears. I enjoyed everything from Shadow. (10/10)
4. Dear My Spring (넌 나의 봄이야) – Dear My Spring follows up Shadow and the two songs sounded quite similar in some regards. But the main difference between the two songs is that Dear My Spring is a lot sweeter sounding, and this basically came down to two aspects. Firstly, HUTA’s vocals brought a smile to my face and was quite soothing throughout the song. This works well with the topic of spring, which is what the song is based on. Secondly, the instrumental features a more acoustic feel which is synonymous with the Spring season, rather than an 80s synth instrumental. (8/10)
5. Secretly (그대가 모르게) – Secretly is a lovely track to follow the sweetness of the preceding track. HUTA sounds very charming and romantic in Secretly. I quite liked the bounce to the instrumental, and how it developed from just a simple piano instrumental piece into a livelier piece thanks to the addition of other instruments. All of this helped make Secretly more appealing to listen to. (8.5/10)
6. Is It Love? (사랑일까요) – Is It Love? is another romantic song on the album. It also doubles as a duet with fellow BTOB member, Lee Chang Sub. HUTA starts off the song with deep vocals, and subsequently reverts to his lovely vocals. Lee Chang Sub serenades with his vocals. I particularly liked it when Lee Chang Sub’s vocals peaks in the chorus, provides a high note and ad-libs to the end of the song. It was also nice to hear some rapping from HUTA in this song, especially since that has not been much rapping throughout this romantic side of the album. I wished there was a more memorable melody to the song, however. (7.5/10)
7. Firework (위험해) – Firework begins with a rather sinister yet moody atmosphere. Once Firework reached the chorus, it changed itself up by going with an upbeat and slightly groovy house based instrumental. I really liked how engaging HUTA was in the chorus. There was a lot of personality and energy that he himself puts into the chorus, which made it stand out for me. Firework also features a really cool bridge, where HUTA was given an opportunity to intensify his rapping and delivery in a more natural manner. This gave Firework a bit of edge and definitely helped the song finish on an enticing manner. (9/10)
8. Real Game (Like Messi) – Real Game brings a more consistent and dynamic energy to the album. It is a short number, spanning only just over 2 minutes. But I quite liked how it gets straight to the point, launching right into the chorus and the aforementioned energy. And I liked how it doesn’t let up. HUTA follows through with a consistent delivery of his lines, yet his rapping just intensifies everything to just be so alluring. I know we were constricted by time, but I would have liked the ending just to have a bit more oomph to close out the song appropriately. (8/10)
9. Us Together (우리 함께 걸어요) – We revisit the likes of the first half of the album with another sweet song. I find Us Together to be nicely instrumented with the pop instrumental it went for. A bit plain, but it works well with the rest of the song. HUTA showcases soft vocals throughout, which sounded very soothing. A different instrumental would have easily overpowered the vocals. There is also rapping in the song, which might make you think would have done the overpowering instead. But HUTA was careful in approaching the rapping in a suitable manner for Us Together and the sweeter pop sound of the song. (8/10)
10. Red Wine – When I first saw the title of this song, I was expecting a more mature track. While the R&B genre that Red Wine did go for is typically mature, Red Wine was more so upbeat and bright. The synths gave the song a subtle disco tinge, which ended up being quite fun to listen to. The brass detailing was also a highlight in this song. HUTA’s delivery also adds to this, and this helped make Red Wine a fine song to listen to. If anything, I wished there was stronger hooks in Red Wine, as I felt the hooks we got in Red Wine were lacking. (7.5/10)
11. Stay (기다리고 있어) – Stay was previously released in Japan, as the lead single from his solo debut mini-album in Japan. For this album and its release in Korea, it was rewritten with Korean lyrics. Everything in this song can be described as nice and pleasant, which is all very much different to the likes of BOOM (the title track). But aside from that, there wasn’t really much else to comment in the song. (7/10)
12. Hello and Bye (끝 눈) – Completing the 12-song length studio album is Hello and Bye. It is another pleasant number, this time tapping into the balladry side of music. I liked the dreamy nature of the instrumentation, which is made up of piano, a bit of percussion and a light sprinkling of synths. HUTA’s vocals a very soft and fitting for the ballad genre in this song, particularly when they get breathy. Overall, it closes the album on a very soothing and calming note. (8/10)
[Update: 8/07/2023]Apologies if this post looks different than usual. I realized that I actually had written another weekly KPOP chart post over the top of the one for the 3rd Week of September 2022. I don’t remember my specific comments I wrote in the original post, but I have restored the videos/songs featured in the different segment and took a picture of the charts that I have on record.
Welcome to the Weekly KPOP Chart post for the 3rd Week of September 2022, returning to the usual Sunday transmission. Per usual, today’s Weekly KPOP Chart post is going to be a quick one. So keep on reading the recap of the last week and I hope to see you soon with another review!
As for this week’s non-Korean release of the week, we have TXT and iann dior’s collaborative single, Valley of Lies. It ranked in the 11th position this past week.
The Charts
Congratulations to IVE for topping the Weekly KPOP Chart for the 3rd Week of September 2022 with AFTER Like. For more of the charts, keep on reading.
As promised in the previous International Song Review post to increase the frequency of these reviews, I am back with a new International Song Review post for another six releases by our beloved KPOP artists. In that previous post, I reviewed non-Korean songs released by Momoland, BM (from KARD), Mark Tuan (from GOT7), THE8 (from SEVENTEEN), JAMIE and SEVENTEEN. In this post, I will be focusing on releases from ITZY, Mark Tuan, Jackson Wang, CIX, Golden Child and WOOSUNG. Let’s go!
Voltage – ITZY
Back in April of this year, ITZY released their first original Japanese single, Voltage. One of the aspects of Voltage that I really enjoyed was the electrifying energy that came from the song for me. It isn’t as in your face as it could have been, but holding it back definitely helped make it more impactful from how I see the song. The pop rock influence was very cool and fulfilling. The brassy synths were cool, as well. The vocals and rapping were substantial and definitely added bit of attitude and sass to the song, which took Voltage to a different level for me. I have no qualms with the eventuating girl-crush vibe that comes from Voltage, mainly because it is was well executed. My only criticism I personally have is that Voltage lacked a centric hook – one that usually makes their Korean releases more memorable and addictive. Had Voltage found a centric hook like that, this would have been a 10/10 song for me.
There were some good editing and post-production throughout the video. You might even call it seamless. It, combined with the motorcycle rider concept, helped create an edgy and cool vibe, as well. However, there were some questionable examples of post-production, as well. Namely Lia’s solo scenes with that glassy and snowy background was pretty awful. I don’t know what was the purpose of her scenes, given that the other scenes involved the night time or some sort of darkness in the background. The choreography was pretty cool and definitely worked well with the energy coming off from Voltage. I wished there was a more angsty vibe from the choreography and stage performances, just to give Voltage more oomph.
Overall Rating – 8.5/10
lonely – Mark Tuan (GOT7)
Mark Tuan is going to be a recurring artist in this segment over the next few posts, as he has been quite busy with his solo releases. lonely was released back in March of this year. It too jumps on board with the rock trend, though it steers away from the current pop rock trend of KPOP. However, I am not talking about an electrifying form of rock with headbanging potential. Instead, lonely is quite an emotional song, where the singer realizes his true feelings for his lover following their breakup. You can definitely feel the emotions from his vocals as well. There is still a degree of charge from the rock influence, which helped made lonely quite impactful, particularly since since it emerged out of nowhere. Usually you can tell from the pre-choruses of emerging influence, but Mark Tuan just skips the pre-choruses altogether. The combination with the synths and bass gives off more of a trendy vibe. Altogether, lonely is a strong solo track without the need of using a powerful backing.
The music video is quite simple, with a white backing, some fog, some black paint marks (couldn’t tell what the paint marks were trying to show/say), a black couch and Mark Tuan dressed in a black outfit. The video itself was almost a one-shot video, but there was some editing part way and in the bridge. But with such a video, the focus is on Mark Tuan and the passion he puts behind the delivery of the song within the music video. This, along with the fact that I am a sucker for simplicity, makes the music video for lonely very appealing to watch.
Overall Rating – 9/10
Blow – Jackson Wang
Fellow GOT7 member Jackson Wang has also been busy this 2022 with a few new solo singles under his wing. Today, I am reviewing Blow, which was released at the end of March. Blow is an example of my personal favourite style of pop rock genre combination that I am into. The beat is just so stompy, while the actual rock components of the song give off a grungy vibe. The pre-chorus has that head-banging potential, while the chorus really concentrates that stompy factor that I already mentioned with everything else instrumentally. And this is on top of being memorable with the background ‘Oh-Oohs‘. The bridge featuring Jackson’s falsetto was very sleek, while the follow-up autotuned ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star‘ provided a different colour yet familiar atmosphere that came about from the preceding sections of the song. I think it is safe to say that I am still digging Blow, after all these months.
Blow is about being addicted to and unable to escape from a toxic partner. And I feel we get an abstract showing of this idea. The music video depicts an old style roadshow (maybe of the circus variety, and thus The Greatest Showman vibes). Jackson, along with the dancers, are performers of the show. The conditions are quite dusty and old looking, suggesting these are the victims of the toxic partner (which I am assuming the grand show person of the roadshow). It is one massive interpretative dance party, before Jackson leaving, suggesting that he realizes and leaves the grip of the toxic partner. I found the use of smoke to depict the ‘blowing’ to be quite clever and fits in with the rest of the video’s concept. I also like how the choreography within the music video really picked up on the energy of the song and how the space was used.
Overall Rating – 9.6/10
Pinky Swear – CIX
Also at the end of March, CIX released their third official Japanese single. Titled Pinky Swear, it is a pop track that is a completely different offering to what CIX puts out in Korea (see the recent 458 for an example of CIX’s Korean work, if you are unfamiliar with the group). Pinky Swear is a lot brighter as a song and falls on the pleasant side of pop music. It is fun and upbeat, but a lot more traditional and typical. Decent melodies, vocals and rapping are also a feature in Pinky Swear. I do like the sweetness the vocal brings to the song, which helps add a cheerful factor to the song. It does lack a memorable hook, relying on a smooth melody to really key the song into my memory bank. As a result, Pinky Swear does slip away from me (and I nearly forgot about it when I was planning the segment). I much prefer their pre-release, Wondering, which I felt would have been a better fit as a promotional track for CIX when you consider their Korean work, as it potentially could have been aesthetic.
Pinky Swear‘s music video is quite colourful and plays well into the pop side of the song. The colourfulness adds a level of sweetness to the visuals of the song. Plus with the presence of sugary visuals (i.e. donuts and candy), I feel like the video almost teethers into the saccharine territory. Thank god, we aren’t seeing sets made out of candy and sugary treats. The members show off cute and loveable visuals, which I am sure fans would enjoy. Though, I do find it amazing that in a matter of five months, the members are seducing with a more sensual and masculine appeal in their recent Korean comeback. The choreography was quite nice and enjoyable. I love the smiles they all bring to the performance, which adds to the song just as well.
Overall Rating – 7.9/10
RATA-TAT-TAT – Golden Child
RATA-TAT-TATA is a more recent release (relative to the other releases in this post). It dropped as Golden Child’s second official Japanese single in May. It is a definite improvement from their debut Japanese single, which was quite cringy when I think back to it. The title of this song also hints at a similar potential for this song, but I am thankful that was not the case. RATA-TAT-TAT is a fast paced dance track, especially as the chorus hits. The instrumental for RATA-TAT-TAT definitely has an oomph factor and feels meatier, which boosts the song and makes it quite badass. But it is still not at the same caliber as their Korean releases. There was a strong showing from the members. The rapping showed a slightly more aggressive side. The vocals were well incorporated into the song but I wished there was more of a wow factor to the vocal line. Joochan’s high note was pretty impressive, though. RATA-TAT-TAT‘s hook was catchy. Overall, I had fun listening to RATA-TAT-TAT.
The music video for RATA-TAT-TAT goes for an edgy concept, but fails to really hit the mark. Shot in an industrial setting and with an underground race car theme, it feels all pretty cliché and ‘done before’ for a male group. I feel like keeping the video simple with the members in leather jackets and dark lit rooms would have done the job fine. I wished there was more to the video. The choreography is a much better fit for the song. While I really did like the fast pace of the movements (which goes well with the fast pace nature of the song), I also commend Golden Child on their sharpness and synchronisation. The fast pace also brings about some aggression, which is a pretty decent addition to the routine.
Overall Rating – 7.6/10
Phase Me – WOOSUNG (THE ROSE)
Another May release, but this time it is WOOSUNG’s Phase Me. Like the song’s at the start of this post, Phase Me finds it squarely in the rock genre as well. But Phase Me‘s instrumental also has a groovy vibe to it, particularly in the chorus. Part of me really enjoys the groovy nature of the song as it brings a uniqueness to the music scene, but a part of me felt the song could have gone with a completely stronger rock sound had it continued the momentum of the rock in the first verse (and not met with an anti-drop). WOOSUNG’s vocals are very clear and crisp throughout Phase Me, which I appreciate. He brings out the husky and raspy nature of his vocals in this song, which felt so alluring and captivating. I also liked how the song is short but sweet. While it does feel like a blur, Phase Me felt very satisfying, fulfilling and complete.
The moth concept was very interesting, but it makes sense. Moths are insects that are unphased when there is light around. In the music video, Woosung plays two roles. One is an actual moth. In the darkness and during the sunset, he emerges to sing the song. When there is light (i.e. that ending), he is attracted to it and just stares at it. I do find the eyes a bit freaky, but Woosung plays a moth well. The second role is where he plays the light, which attract the dancers in a similar fashion to how moths are attracted to light. This section was a lot more sensual. To add to the sensual themes of the video, Woosung spends a lot of time shirtless, but I think it works with the themes of the video.
Following the pre-release of Pink Venom last month, BLACKPINK is back with their official comeback single Shut Down and the studio album Born Pink. Prior to Pink Venom, the group’s last comeback was back in 2020 with single Lovesick Girls and their first studio album, The Album.
The most memorable aspect of Pink Venom, for me, ended up being the fact that song was just so alike to many of their past singles. And I believe this was a common theme of other people’s thoughts on the pre-release as well. It appears that BLACKPINK and their producers have caught on, as Shut Down sounds vastly different from the group’s past releases. The biggest game changer to Shut Down was the La Campanella strings sample, which definitely gave off a refined and sophisticated feel to the song. But as one would expect with a BLACKPINK and YG song, there is still a strong hip-hop influence. Together, they created an intriguing piece that came out to be quite decent. However, I did wish the instrumental picked up a bit as the song progresses, just to give Shut Down a more dynamic flair. I kind of expected something extra to happen towards the end of the song, as we were given a pretty consistent background piece throughout the first and second runs of the verses/choruses. The bridge does seem to allude at a potential change in momentum and energy, but Shut Down eventuated into an even more sluggish ending. As for the members, I thought they did a fine job with their rapping and vocals. The rapping was definitely exciting and there was some good sequences and flow. The vocals were more on the forgettable side, but it was still appreciable. Good news, the hooks in Shut Down do have a memorable ring to it, and this helps Shut Down loads in my books. Overall, Shut Down is a much better track compared to their pre-release and a much appreciated new sound profile to their discography.
There appears to be a lot of references to their oldest music videos in Shut Down‘s very own music video. Some of the references that I picked up on include the Jennie’s tank, Rose’s light-piece swing and Lisa’s katana from their DDU-DU DDU-DU music video and Rose sitting on top of the planet Earth from their WHISTLE music video. The billboard that Jisoo takes a selfie in front also features a scene from the DDU-DU DDU-DU music video of herself. Aside from those references, I continually enjoy the presence of the black and pink coloured items and themes throughout their music videos. I don’t know why and I feel like it pretty much cliché now, but I still find the references to their name in the video to be quite interesting. I also liked the roller door and alleyway set, as well, for this music video. The colour from their outfits were also a refreshing visual as well.
The choreography for this comeback looks fantastic. It was tough and I liked how they were imaginary smashing or slamming things on the ground or their hands in time with the ‘Shut Down‘ mentions in the song. I particularly like the clock hands that preceded the clap of the hand in the chorus. I would definitely like to see what else BLACKPINK has in store for the rest of the routine.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.4/10
NCT 127 have made their grand return with their new single and will be dropping their fourth studio album tomorrow, with both title track and album sharing the same name 2 Baddies. This is the NCT unit’s first comeback in the release of Favorite (Vampire) back in October of last year. Since then, we have seen comebacks from NCT DREAM and some of the members undertake solo ventures through the NCT Lab.
2 Baddies feels very comfortable for NCT 127. Described as a hip-hop dance track, this is the main style of music that the group has been putting out for their title tracks and it is pretty much in the wheelhouse of the group. Aside from the questionable main hook of the song (i.e., the ‘2 Baddies 2 Baddies 1 Porsche‘) and the title of the song, I do find 2 Baddies is on the safer side of this style. Just nothing really surprised me with this release. Given that this is NCT 127, 2 Baddies would naturally be heavily rap focused and I believe the song features some pretty decent rap verses. I did think the verses was holding back in terms of energy and dynamism, but each rapper brought their own degree of coolness to 2 Baddies. Per usual, I am more drawn to the vocals and the pre-choruses really showed off the vocal lines of the group really well. The vocals contrasted well with the rappers, allowing 2 Baddies to feel quite balanced. We also get that balance with smooth vocals at the beginning and hype energy from the rappers in the second half of the bridge. However, I kind of wished Taeil’s high note soared higher and longer, as I just wanted a few seconds more of his high note to really give 2 Baddies a wow factor. 2 Baddies peaks with its chorus which is its chanty anthem-like approach and the instrumental does feel relatively more explosive when we reach the choruses. As mentioned, I think the lyrical component of the hook is terrible, but I do find the actual rhythm to have a ring and feel somewhat catchy. And knowing me, this might help 2 Baddies grow on me with more listens. The final sequence of 2 Baddies might also be able to help, as I thought closes out the song on a very fulfiling and memorable note. Overall, 2 Baddies was appreciable for a NCT 127 track and an energetic listen. But it also doesn’t bring anything new to the table.
The whole 15 second intro to the music video was probably one of the best editing works in KPOP to date. The way those individual scenes came together to a flawless sequence was amazing. This amazing editing work continues throughout the video and helps glue the video together. Though, I wished we saw more of that intro style within the video as well. The rest of the music video features neon lights, a lot of car and racing references, fluorescence paint. It all looked pretty cool. All members looked great, with Jaehyun really distracting me throughout this video with his visuals. Some of the members even took off their shirts, which I am sure fans are enjoying!
I didn’t see anything mind blowing or insane in this routine through the music video, but I think the choreography did a great job of picking up the energy and making the song feel more dynamic. Especially that ending, where I felt the routine helped hype up the song in its final moments.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.1/10
I also begin this week off with another review for a release that I had missed. This time it is a song and the artist in question is DRIPPIN. They made their comeback back in June of this year with ZERO and the single-album Villain: Zero (which I will be reviewing at a later date). Prior to their June comeback, we also saw DRIPPIN this year through their VILLAIN promotions (and their third mini-album of the same name).
VILLAINwas all aboard the funky train, which most of KPOP was on for a while. Since that comeback, it seems like DRIPPIN moved with the crowd and transferred to the rock train. The rock in ZERO‘s instrumentation is a different to what we have heard so far from the ongoing trend, as far as I can remember. ZERO feels quite intense, but in a more subtle manner. There is also this grungy feel to the instrumentation, which adds a different dynamic. This brings a powerful and hefty energy to the table, but I actually wanted more. I personally felt ZERO could have upped the ante with a more electrifying feeling. And they could have done this by featuring prominent electric guitar riffs as accent pieces in the background for some parts. This would have balanced out the heaviness of ZERO, which there was a lot of. A prime example of the heaviness is in ZERO‘s instrumental break, where the heavy thumping and deep guitar work together to bring about an intense environment. The brighter and more vibrant brass offsets this, makes the instrumental break more interesting and brings a bit of flair to the song. Moving on, ZERO really showed off the group’s vocals. The members who handled the pre-choruses impressed me with their delivery. But the standout is Yunseong, whose vocals following the instrumental break left me in awe. I felt the chorus could have been more dynamic, simply because the hooks that we did get felt weighty to a degree and doesn’t really drive the song forward as much. But over time, they ended up being quite catchy and definitely got me chanting along to the song. Overall, ZERO is a neat comeback for the group despite it following the same trends as everyone else. It could have been better, but what we got definitely suffices.
The music video for ZERO links up to VILLAIN. My guess is that the events we see in the ZERO sets up the events in VILLAIN. We see the origin story of the members, who have been locked away for some unknown reason. But they are closely monitored by cameras and guards, indicating they are dangerous. As the video progresses, the members gain the upperhand and escape from the facility they are confined to, leading the events in the VILLAIN music video. The ending of this video is the start of their VILLAIN music video, in case you did not notice. In particular, we see the origin story of Junho, who has some deep childhood trauma. He is woken up by one of the other members and the memories of his childhood seemed too much to handle, so he released his emotions in an explosive manner via fire (which played a part in his childhood trauma) and escapes from the facility with the other members. That scene at the end as the members watch the burning building crash down (presumably the facility) looked very cool.
The choreography definitely looks good. The members did a great job of looking tough and intense on stage. There was intensity in the choreography behind the different moves and parts of the routine were satisfyingly powerful. I enjoyed the dance break that aligns with the instrumental break in the song.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.3/10
It is a short one today, but an album review nonetheless. The album in question belongs to WONHO, who made his comeback in June with FACADE (his 3rd mini-album) and CRAZY (his latest title track). FACADE features a total of three full tracks (one of them being the title track itself), and an intro and outro instrumental track (both of which is not factored into the final rating of the album). This is his first release since his first single album OBSESSION and EYE ON YOU.
I feel like some explanation for the intro and outro tracks is required to give some them (and potentially the entire mini-album) context, as they felt very random. But I will admit they do flow into the title track (in the case of the intro track) and flow from the Korean version of last year’s Japanese winter single (in the case of the outro track) in a somewhat logical fashion. But when you consider the middle section of the mini-album together (i.e. the three tracks that I have included ratings for), FACADE felt like a hodge podge. And given the small length of the album, this feeling is more so broaden out to the whole mini-album, as well.
FACADE Album Cover
1. INTRO: 9AM – The start of 9AM gives off haunting vibes, which I am all down for. I love a bit of eerie and mysteriousness, and I feel 9AM really concentrates all of that in its instrumental piece. It definitely got me intrigued with the rest of the mini-album.
3. CLOSE – Following the very groovy and sensual CRAZY is the more atmospheric and ambient CLOSE. This is another all-English pop song from the artist (and KPOP in general) that attempts to appeal to the international audience. And I think WONHO did a good job. His vocals were quite prominent and straight forward in the track. But it still managed to pair well with the riveting (to a degree) softer synth instrumentation. There was still a bite to the song thanks to the beat present in the pop instrumentation. While CLOSE is pleasant, I did find the song to be linear, which dulled its appeal slightly. I think more drifty melodies and smoother vocals could have boosted CLOSE. (7.5/10)
4. White Miracle (Korean Version) – Winter Miracle was originally released in Japan at the end of last year, but I never got the chance to review the Japanese single. As it is part of this mini-album as well, I will be reviewing the Korean version instead. There isn’t a whole lot going on in White Miracle aside from an apparent sweetness to the song. It makes sense given that this was a Winter single released ahead of last year’s Christmas holiday. WONHO does sound quite decent. But apart from those aspects, the song is pretty much in neutral gear and doesn’t deviate from this sameness. So, the track is a skippable number in my opinion. (6/10)
5. OUTRO: 9PM – While we started off the album in a Halloween-like spirit, we end off with an instrumental piece that gives off Winter Wonderland vibes. 9PM felt very comforting, special and warming. I found this thoroughly interesting, but it works well given the previous track (i.e., the previous track’s original period of release matches the vibes of this song).
Welcome to the Weekly KPOP Chart post for the 2nd Week of September 2022. I am posting this a bit later usual on a Sunday as I had some adulting things to do. And there are more things to do (why does no one tell you about the amount of boring adulting stuff you have to do when you are an adult :|). So there won’t be anymore reviews today. But there will be some song and album coming out tomorrow and onwards.
Recap & New releases of the Week
The number of reviews this week reduced unfortunately as I spent a lot of time resting as going to the office for work is very tiring business. But I did cover some new releases, including ONEUS’ Same Scent and KIM JAE HWAN’s BACK THEN. I also posted a review for APINK CHOBOM’s Copycat and album reviews for SEVENTEEN, TXT, iKON, ATEEZ and ASTRO.
Other releases from the week includes:
Sparkling Night – PENTAGON
Like Psycho – We;Na
All Day Bernard Park
SURRENDER Lee Changsub (BTOB)
LET IT SHINE – CNBLUE
Dance Whole Day – ONEW (SHINee)
Blue – Jackson Wang (GOT7)
Throwback Corner
This week’s throwback song is SF9’s Now or Never, which I think has previously been featured on this segment already. But it is one of their best songs and I don’t think I need to explain any further. It emerged as part of a SF9 binge that I had this week.
Non-Korean Release of the Week
This week’s non-Korean release of the week is CRAVITY’s first ever English language single, Boogie Woogie. It ranked in the 9th position this week. At this stage, Boogie Woogie will not be getting a full review under the International Song Reviews segment due to the lack of an official music video. It is yet to be seen whether CRAVITY’s upcoming release will be getting an album review. But if it does, Boogie Woogie would most likely be reviewed there.
The Charts
Congratulations to ONEUS for topping the Weekly KPOP Chart for the 2nd Week of September 2022 with their latest release – Same Scent. For more of the charts, keep on reading.
