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[Special/Awards] 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards – KPOPREVIEWED Choice

November 3, 2021November 15, 2021Posted in Award Ceremonies, Special5 Comments

Sorry for the slight delay. There was a lot of mistakes in my images that I needed to redo.

Welcome all, to the announcement of the KPOPREVIEWED Choice post for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. In this post, I will be presenting to you who I personally think should be the winners in each category of the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. The KPOPREVIEWED Choices below are selected from the nominations that I had posted last week. Please note that the KPOPREVIEWED Choices are irrespective of the reviews that I have posted throughout the year – simply because my thoughts on artists and songs can change throughout the year.

But remember, these are not the final winners! You get to decide that in a fan vote! That will begin mid-November, so keep your eye out for the public voting post/link which I will publish in Mid-November.

As mentioned in the previous posts about the awards, the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Award is part of the 2021 Critics Award Circuit. Announcement of nominations was made by The 555 Review, 108 Ent and deforestedmusic (including Seoul Music Critics Nominations and the 2021 Online KPOP Music Critics Awards) last week for their respective award ceremonies, with more coming your way this week.

This week The 555 Reviews And 108 Ent have announced the winners for their respective awards alongside me! So make sure you check out who won in their awards as well!

The post is very image-heavy, so if you prefer, a reader-friendly version on Google Sheets is included so that you can see who/what the KPOPREVIEWED Choice for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards is. Click on the link below.

READER-FRIENDLY VERSION OF NOMINATIONS LIST (Now showing the KPOPREVEWED Choices)

Also, due to the number of categories, I have elected to split this post into three pages.

To view the ARTIST-RELATED categories (including Best Male and Female Soloists, and Best Male and Female Group, collectively the Artists of the Year categories), stay on this page and keep on scrolling.
To view the CHOREOGRAPHIES, VISUALS and PERFORMANCE RELATED categories, click here or click to the second page at the bottom of this post.
To view the SONG-RELATED categories, click here or click to the third page at the bottom of this post.

So without further ado, I present to you the KPOPREVIEWED Choices for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

Best New Artists Award Categories

Best Delivery Award Categories

Best Speciality Award Categories

Nominees for Best Band of 2021
| DAY6 | IZ | LUCY | N.Flying | ONEWE | W24 |

Rising Star and Most Underrated Artist Categories

Best Artists of the Year Categories

PaPage 1 – Artist Related Categories
Page 2 – Choreographies, Visuals, Performances Related Categories
Page 3 – Song Related Categories

Pages: 1 2 3

[Review] MAVERICK – THE BOYZ

November 2, 2021November 2, 2021Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged THE BOYZ6 Comments

Returning this week is THE BOYZ with their new single MAVERICK. This is the group’s first comeback since the release of THRILL RIDE, which just came out in early August and has been a hit for me ever since (even scoring a nomination for Best Song of 2021 in the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards – shameless plug right here). Let’s see if MAVERICK is up there with other great THE BOYZ singles.

As much as I really want to be ‘head over heels’ for MAVERICK, especially since I really enjoyed the likes of THRILL RIDE, I can’t really say I do. It is another song in which I had listened to with a straight face and equally stiff body. It isn’t a terrible song, as I always say. But it just doesn’t have that same level of excitement that THRILL RIDE threw at me. MAVERICK attempts to stand out with a bolder, darker and intense hip-hop sound, contrasting significantly with their brighter and upbeat hip-hop sound in their previous comeback. To a degree, they hit that brief. But instrumentally, I did not find MAVERICK as dynamic or unique as it could have been. Instead, I thought the backing for MAVERICK was pretty ordinary. There were some attempts to be explosive and bombastic, but nothing memorable stuck out at me. I feel like the same can be said with the vocals and rapping. The feeling I got from the members was rather muddled. Some parts I liked, such as bridge and the very epic high note we got in MAVERICK, or the vocal singing parts in the pre-chorus/chorus. Other parts felt dull and dry, such as the monotonous delivery of the song’s main hook (I had high hopes for ‘I’m a Maverick‘ when I first heard it, but the hopeful effect faded as it appeared throughout the other choruses, especially the final chorus). Or just unpleasant, like the squeamish ending to the words in the first rapping sequence that kicked off the song. Overall, MAVERICK doesn’t exceed any standard set by THRILL RIDE or their other past hits. But it was still bearable.

The trailer for this comeback sets up the premise of the music video. The members are part of this game, where the game has one rule – to not follow any rules. The person who wins the game is the Maverick. I am not too sure what the rules were, though I wonder if they are the lyrics featured on their teaser images. I assume the members have to kill one another in order to win. Anyhow, it seems that Eric is the winner and hence the Maverick, as he is the last member to appear on the screen. But there seems to be a plot twist at the end with the word/rule ‘Protect yourself from what you want’ appearing on the screen before the lights are out. We do get to see Eric make a quick glance over his shoulder upon this revelation, wary of what is about to come. I really liked the action in this video, along with the cinematography and acting from the members. It is different, intense and definitely a video to watch.

The performance does not disappoint, and I am not surprised. THE BOYZ have aimed high with their performances, and I did not expect anything otherwise. I really liked the powerful nature of this performance, with the choreography looking quite bold and dynamic. I don’t think it is their best work, but you can definitely tell of the effort and energy put behind this routine.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 9.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 6.2/10

[Album Review] Sticker / Favorite (3rd Studio Album / 3rd Studio Album Repackaged) – NCT 127

November 1, 2021Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged NCT, NCT1274 Comments

As mentioned earlier this week, I would be fast-tracking the album review for Sticker and Favorite this weekend. Sticker (both album and title track of the same name) was released mid-September, while Favorite (the repackaged version) and Favorite (Vampire) (the title track from the repackaged album) was released at the end of October/a week ago. In total, 14 songs were released on these two albums. As a bit of a spoiler, NCT 127 shows many different sides of themselves on this album. I am sure there is something for everyone out there, even if you despise Sticker (the title track). I found some hidden gems on here myself, so no doubt you will as well.

1. Favorite (Vampire) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Favorite (Vampire). (9/10)

2. Sticker (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Sticker. (5.5/10)

3. Love On The Floor – Love On The Floor is one of my favourite sidetracks from both the original and repackaged album, and I highly recommend it. This hip-hop synth track is so sleek and feels quite stylish. The beat and particular synths used in this song have this ‘don’t mess around’ type of attitude to it, similar to the demeanour of a model on a runway. With this in mind, I feel that Love On The Floor is a background piece to a fashion show of some kind every time I listen to the song, with the models being NCT 127. That would be a cool concept, and I am sure NCT 127 would nail the visual component and the choreography component as well. Vocally, I think there are some amazing vocals and harmonisation in this song, while the rapping adds edge and intensity to the song that would make this a song not to miss, especially if you are after something with a lot of styles. (10/10)

4. Lemonade – Lemonade is an interesting song and is a bit complicated to explain. In earlier drafts, I have attempted to break down the song in layman’s terms, but it was a bit too much and I don’t think I did Lemonade justice. The best way I can think of to describe the song is that it is a bit of a rollercoaster. The trap hip-hop track has some slow points, and then more intense and explosive sequences that seemingly come out of nowhere. But despite it being a wild ride, the song sounds more cohesive and fleshed out compared to Sticker. Extra points are given the rapping, which added to the already dynamic nature of the song. The vocals also stood out, with the harmonisation added definition to the repetitive one-hook, ‘Taste like lemonade’, making it more memorable for me. (8/10)

5. Breakfast – Breakfast diverts away from EDM and hip-hop for a funkier tune. The instrumentation to this song is very cool and has a fair bit of energy jammed into it. It doesn’t explode, but instead is exuded when the drop in the chorus comes into play and as instrumental literally bounces it out. Vocally, it is a strong song with smooth vocals throughout. I wished the rapping had a bit more to it and wasn’t held back, as I think this would have boosted the song up. (8/10)

6. Pilot – Pilot features another bouncy synth instrumentation, but it feels a bit more refined. It might be because Pilot is steered towards more of an R&B nature. It is still a fun and bright song, highlighting their vocals. Once again, harmonisation is used in this song, and I quite liked its presence in this song. It makes the song appear tighter and cohesive, overall. The rapping takes a bit of a backseat for this song, with it being there but not as memorable as the vocals were. Personally, I don’t feel much listening to the song. But breaking it down for this review, Pilot seems decent. (7/10)

7. Focus (같은 시선) – To me, Focus and Pilot are quite similar. The major difference with Focus is that the smoothed-out instrumentation and overall delivery from the members are more mature and sultry, whereas Pilot has an upbeat nature to it. Once again, the vocals are very impressive throughout Focus, with the element doing a fantastic job of captivating and charming me. The rapping at the end was also quite good. Unfortunately, the rapping in the bridge was the song’s weakest element. It just didn’t sit right with me and I don’t think it went with the rest of the song. (8/10)

8. The Rainy Night (내일의 나에게) – The Rainy Night is an amazing ballad. Firstly, it activates the swaying effect that I mention comes from good ballads. Secondly, the vocals are stunning throughout The Rainy Night. I hate to be a broken record, but the harmonisation in this song makes it dreamy and captivating. Thirdly, the piano instrumentation is rather delicate and stood out from underneath the vocal work we got from the members. It added a more beautiful touch to the song, on top of the vocals that we got. (9/10)

9. Far – Far returns the album to the very more familiar EDM territory that NCT is known for. It isn’t as intense as their more well-known tracks, and Far is a bit slower than those tracks as well. But Far is definitely intriguing. It sounds adventurous and unfamiliar, but dynamic and strong as one would expect from an NCT 127 dance track. The rapping has oomph to it, with the abrasiveness of the rapping standing out. The vocal ad-libs in this song are amazing and show-stopping. (9/10)

10. Bring The Noize – As cringy as the spelling of ‘Noize’ is, it was quite obvious what direction this track would go in. It is powerful, intense and definitely a song that would naturally come from NCT 127. The members sound fantastic in this song, with both the rapping and vocal delivery really selling the song for me. Jaehyun is the standout member in this song, with both his solo parts sounding very cool. His second sequence, in particular, was definitely something on the next level! The shouty style of the song’s main parts and the bass in this song are also icing on the cake for me. (10/10)

11. Magic Carpet Ride – It is amazing that seconds before this track, NCT 127 was in very ‘noisy’ territory as some might say and within seconds of this track, they are in very different territory. The first word that I thought of when I heard Magic Carpet Ride was dreamy. And that word has remained as an accurate description of the song with every listen I have given it. I really liked the softer instrumentations and the overall vocal package in this song. A highly recommended song on this album! (10/10)

12. Road Trip – Road Trip has nice mellow instrumentation and brings out a youthful sound from the group. It is nicely upbeat and has this cute tone that feels wholesome. It isn’t a standout track, but it definitely is charming. If you want really want a break from the intensity that NCT 127 usually brings to the table, then Road Trip will be a pretty decent way to cut that tension and energy. (8/10)

13. Dreamer – A similar comment as the final sentence in Road Trip’s paragraph can be applied to Dreamer. But I think Dreamer nudges ahead by a point for various reasons. I liked the slightly funkier vibes that Dreamer exudes, especially during the verses. The instrumentation is memorable and fun. The sing-song nature of the song makes Dreamer super easy to get into. I also feel like they did a good job of showing off vocals. The rapping was also a solid element to the song, adding to the fun and upbeat dynamics of the song. (9/10)

14. Promise You (다시 만나는 날) – Promise You is a very atmospheric synth-pop retro track that is a beautiful ender to the album. I liked the beat of this song and the dreamy/soothing nature of the vocals. The fast and continuous motion within the instrumentation keeps the song going. Johnny’s rap-speak sequence is unique but has its own merits to be in this song. The other members sound hopeful and warm throughout the song. As I said, a beautiful ender. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 4th Week of October 2021

October 31, 2021Posted in Weekly ChartsLeave a comment

Another busy week has just passed, and as usual for a Sunday, I look back on the week with a Weekly KPOP Chart post. It was a busy week in KPOP with a whole bunch of new releases, majority of which (even the ones I have reviewed yet) have charted in this week’s Top 30. It was also busy with the announcement of 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards nominations. If you haven’t looked that that yet, click here. I will be back later in the week to announce the KPOPREVIEWED Choice for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards, so keep an eye out for that as well.

Also remember that other KPOP review blogs have posted their yearly nominations for their own awards (as part of the 2021 Award Circuit). Here is a handy list of the blogs posting their own awards:

The 555 Review Awards
10/10 Music Awards
2021 deforestedmusic Awards
Seoul Music Critics Association Awards
Gayo Music Festival 2021
2021 Golden Tunes

The above awards will be announcing their winners next week/in the coming week. And there are a few more awards nominations posts coming your way!

New song releases of the week

As mentioned at the start, majority of the new releases have made it onto the charts’ Top 30. But here is a quick rundown of the releases from the past week:

bugAboo – bugAboo
Favorite (Vampire) – NCT 127
FACE ID – Epik High ft. GIRIBOY, SIK-K, JUSTHIS
Butterfly Effect – BOL4
Space – BOL4
GHOST – DREAMNOTE
Do 4 Me – EPEX
TICK TOCK – JUST B
Don’t Teach Me – Ailee
Fire Saturday – SECRET NUMBER
Rollercoaster – DKB
Serious – Park Ji Hoon
Places – John Park
XOXO – Jeon Somi
Tell Me – Taeho (IMFACT)
Frost – TXT

Throwback corner

This week’s throwback song is thanks to Nam Woohyun’s recent solo return with Calm & Passion. I had to revisit A Song With Me as a result of the soloists comeback, which was the title track for his last solo comeback in 2019.

Non-Korean Release of the Week

This week’s Non-Korean song of the Week is LOONA’s Hula Hoop. I had it on repeat during the week after I reviewed it last weekend!

The Charts

Congratulations once again to SEVENTEEN, who remains in the top spot for this week with Rock With You. For more of the charts, scroll down below.

	4th Week of October 2021	24th Oct – 30th Oct 2021
Pos.	Song	Artist	Status
1	Rock With You	SEVENTEEN	(=)
2	Favorite (Vampire)	NCT 127	(NEW)
3	bugAboo	bugAboo	(NEW)
4	Don’t Teach Me	Ailee	(NEW)
5	Tamed-Dashed	ENHYPEN	(=)
6	Sticker	NCT 127	(▲ 74)
7	TICK TOCK	JUST B	(NEW)
8	DDARA	Golden Child	(▲ 13)
9	Vibin	Youngjae (GOT7)	(▲ 1)
10	WAITING	WOODZ	(▲ 13)
11	VIVACE	LIGHTSUM	(▲ 26)
12	GHOST	DREAMNOTE	(NEW)
13	Deja Vu	ATEEZ	(▲ 5)
14	be	Eunhyuk (Super Junior)	(▼ 1)
15	Zombie	PURPLE KISS	(▲ 1)
16	Serious	Park Ji Hoon	(NEW)
17	LOCO	ITZY	(▲ 17)
18	Do 4 Me	EPEX	(NEW)
19	BAD LOVE	Key (SHINee)	(▼ 13)
20	California Love	Donghae (Super Junior) ft. Jeno (NCT)	(▼ 13)
21	Dimples	WOOSUNG (The Rose)	(▲ 59)
22	MADONNA	Luna (f(x))	(▲ 6)
23	Red Lights	Bangchan & Hyunjin (Stray Kids)	(▲ 23)
24	Take Over	Do Hanse (VICTON)	(▲ 2)
25	The View	Stray Kids	(▲ 10) (FINAL WEEK)
26	Black Crown	KINGDOM	(▼ 18)
27	Fire Saturday	SECRET NUMBER	(NEW)
28	Calm & Passion	Nam Woohyun (Infinite)	(▼ 13)
29	Sober	N.Flying	(▲ 29)
30	Run	LUMINOUS	(▲ 23)

Songs leaving the charts this week

After nine weeks, the following songs are no longer eligible for the Weekly KPOP Charts:

Outsider – BTOB
Hate That… – Key (SHINee) ft. Taeyeon (SNSD)
life vest – Kim Jeong Uk
Movin’ – MCND
Talk & Talk – fromis_9
Lemonade – Lee Eun Sang
MI CASA SU CASA – Heo Young Saeng (SS501)
Changer – A.C.E
Alive – ASTRO
Life Is Beautiful – ONEUS
LOOP – I.M (MONSTA X)
Not Friends – Ryan Jhyun & Heejin, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, Yves (LOONA)
Dizzy – W.A.O
Savior – Lee Hi ft. B.I
The View – Stray Kids

[Review] Tick Tock – JUST B

October 30, 2021October 31, 2021Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged JUST B2 Comments

Also making their comeback on Wednesday of this week was JUST.B. Their first comeback since their debut with DAMAGE comes in the form of the single TICK TOCK and their first single album, JUST BEAT. Let’s see if TICK TOCK has what it takes to put JUST B on the map, following the likes of DAMAGE, which has managed to secure the group their nomination for Best New Male Group in the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards (voting will open mid-November).

If I have to answer that above proposition right away, I would have to say no. TICK TOCK, as JUST B’s second step into the industry, doesn’t really live up to the same standard as DAMAGE had set for them. To me, TICK TOCK is not a bad or terrible song. But long story short, TICK TOCK is just rather stagnant and plain. Despite all the abrasive synths and edginess that comes from the song, TICK TOCK‘s instrumentation sounded one-dimensional and lacked charm. It was pretty much neutral throughout, with nothing memorable or worth mentioning. The exact same could be said about the vocals and rapping. The member just didn’t infuse much character or personality, and hence TICK TOCK just doesn’t come off as a strong release. There, however, seems to be two somewhat decent elements to the song, but it isn’t really enough in hindsight to rescue the song from the pits of the song’s boring nature. The first element in question is the song’s repetitive ‘Tick Tock‘ hook. At first, it came off very monotone like the rest of the song. But as usual, a few repeats of TICK TOCK since its release has shown some hope for the song’s repetitive phrase. But it isn’t as strong as many other hooks in KPOP. The second is the glitchy effect in the song’s background. While I did like the effect in the song, I don’t think I can get past the rest of the dull instrumentation to really dig back into the song. It is quite disappointing, but there is (hopefully) next time for the group to show something of DAMAGE‘s calibre or more.

From what I understand, the video is all about tackling your own fears and getting that feeling of fear controlled. The video begins with the members in these futuristic machines that place the members into their worst fears or situations. Fires, lack of sight or not knowing what is happening around you, darkness, being chased by someone, underwater and loneliness (the mirror scenes) are fears or situations that the video zones into. I am not sure what the butterfly represents, but it seems to help the members overcome the fear – maybe its presence evokes a sense of calmness. But anyway, once the time is up, the members are pulled from their scenarios and wake up, with their fears controlled. I quite like this concept, if I interpreted it correctly. The sets looked industrial and futuristic, which helped with the edgy appeal.

The choreography for this comeback is its strongest element by far. I really enjoyed the impact the entire hook sequence had on stage, with said sequence consisting of their Tick Tock hand movement, the zombie walk and the vibrating bomb. The bridge was cool, with the x formation.

Song – 5.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating -7/10

[Review] Don’t Teach Me – Ailee

October 29, 2021Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Ailee3 Comments

With the big post of the week out the way, it is time to return to the usual programme of reviews. And there is a lot to cover this week. For this post, I will be looking at the long-awaited return of Ailee, who returned on Wednesday with Don’t Teach Me and her third studio-length album, Amy. This is Ailee first release since the pre-release single Make Up Your Mind from earlier on in the year, which is also featured on this album. This release also marks her first major release under THE L1VE, which is also home to Wheein (of Mamamoo).

Don’t Teach Me delves into the old swing genre with its brassy and old-style instrumental that just has this golden yet vintage glow. You will very much know that I enjoy brass elements, especially when it is used in upbeat applications. And so Don’t Teach Me ticks that box instantly. When the song hits the chorus, the instrumental makes me want to get up and dance. I had to refrain from doing so, or else there would be no review! What makes Don’t Teach Me even better is Ailee herself. It has been a while since we heard a powerful display of vocals from Ailee, and she just takes Don’t Teach Me to the next level. At the start of the song, Ailee’s vocals (paired with minimal piano) added suspense to the song and intrigued me into listening further to Don’t Teach Me. When we get to the choruses, Ailee really throws powerful vocals at us, as we get to the end of the segment. This naturally adds definition and oomph to the song that just takes the song to the next level. I think the song could have used some more interesting hooks. The ‘Please Don’t Teach Me‘ hook that follows the second and third choruses felt somewhat one-dimensional and didn’t really feel like it matched the rest of the song. It worked well, but I think Don’t Teach Me would have been a vastly better song with something bolder and punchy. But overall, Don’t Teach Me is a fantastic comeback from Ailee. It has been a while since we heard from her in this light and it was definitely satisfying to finally get something so.

Unfortunately, the music video didn’t fare as well as the song. While the setting, outfits (and damn, does Ailee look great throughout this video) and concept match the song and its lyrics wonderfully, I found the video to be dry. Essentially, the video is about Ailee making a statement to ‘all the boys who think they can control a woman’ and hence makes all the heads turn in her direction. I wished they did something more with all those people in that ballroom, that would have made the video a bit more interesting. However, there was one ballroom segment which I thought was pretty cool. At the start of the final chorus, Ailee’s vocals and energy broke a mirror and statue in time with the music. It was a clever and fun nod to both the message of the song/video and Ailee’s powerfulness.

The performance itself was quite good. There isn’t anything really special about the performance, but I liked that it was well-fitted to the song and had an element of fun to it as well. Ailee offset the lack of something special with her live vocals, which is still something to be in awe of.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 3rd Week of October 2021

October 28, 2021Posted in Weekly Charts2 Comments

Welcome to a delayed edition of the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 3rd Week of October 2021. I couldn’t focus on the Weekly KPOP Charts segment on Sunday as I was focusing on more important things (aka. the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards).

For those who may have missed it, the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards was announced on Sunday, and the nominations were posted yesterday! If you haven’t checked who is nominated yet, click here to see which artists, stages, choreographies and songs were nominated in the annual awards!

Check back next Wednesday for the KPOPREVIEWED Choice of the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards (aka. who I think should win in each category). But remember, the winner is ultimately chosen by you in a fan vote, which will open in mid-November. For now, here are the Weekly KPOP Charts.

The Charts

Congratulations to SEVENTEEN, who have topped the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 3rd Week of October with Rock With You. Scroll down for more of the charts!

	3rd Week of October 2021	17th Oct – 23rd Ocr 2021
Pos.	Title	Artist	Status
1	Rock With You	SEVENTEEN	(NEW)
2	Love Cut	CNBLUE	(NEW)
3	DOOR	Kwon Eun Bi	(▲ 23)
4	ICONS	HOT ISSUE	(▲ 30)
5	Tamed-Dashed	ENHYPEN	(=)
6	BAD LOVE	Key (SHINee)	(▲ 1)
7	California Love	Donghae (Super Junior) ft. Jeno (NCT)	(▲ 73)
8	Black Crown	KINGDOM	(NEW)
9	Glassy	Jo Yuri	(▲ 20)
10	Vibin	Youngjae (GOT7)	(▼ 7)
11	Work Work	Lee Jin Hyuk	(NEW)
12	Blue	Wonho	(▲ 68)
13	be	Eunhyuk (Super Junior)	(NEW)
14	Life is Beautiful	ONEUS	(▲ 52)
15	Calm & Passion	Nam Woohyun (Infinite)	(NEW)
16	Zombie	PURPLE KISS	(▼ 4)
17	Thunderous	Stray Kids	(▼ 13)
18	Deja Vu	ATEEZ	(▲ 29)
19	strawberry moon	IU	(NEW)
20	VENI VIDI VICI	CRAVITY	(▲ 52)
21	DDARA	Golden Child	(▼ 20)
22	Changer	A.C.E	(▲ 3)
23	WAITING	WOODZ	(▼ 10)
24	CHERRY	AB6IX	(▲ 3)
25	Savage	aespa	(▲ 3)
26	Take Over	Do Hanse (VICTON)	(▼ 4)
27	B.T.W	JAY B (GOT7) ft. Jay Park	(▲ 53)
28	Eternal Sunshine	ATEEZ	(▼ 20)
29	That Feeling	Seungmin, Donghyun, Jaehyun (Golden Child)	(▲ 51)
30	Surfin’	Lee Know, Changbin, Felix (Stray Kids)	(▼ 20)

Songs that are leaving the charts

The following songs have wrapped up their nine weeks of the charts and will no longer be eligible on the charts:

After We Ride – Brave Girls
TRIGGER – VERIVERY
FLEX – T1419
Thunderous – Stray Kids
Spicy – CL
Door – Kwon Eunbi
Hurting U – Changjo (Teen Top)
SPLASH – MIRAE
B.T.W – JAY B (GOT7) ft. Jay Park
ONLY – Lee Hi
Lullaby – WOODZ
Behind U – HALF (Jihun – KNK) ft. YunGGi
Is It Raining? – V-Hawk
SOOP – Jenyer ft. Heo Gayoon

[Special/Awards] 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards – Nomination Announcement

October 27, 2021November 3, 2021Posted in Award Ceremonies, Special6 Comments

Welcome, all to the announcement of nominations for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards! As mentioned on Sunday, this year the Awards will be slightly different to previous years. For an explanation of what is happening, click here to have a read of the schedule for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

As mentioned in the previous post, the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Award is part of the 2021 Critics Award Circuit, which is currently underway with the announcement of nominations by The 555 Review, 108 Ent and deforestedmusic for their respective award ceremonies. As a result, the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED are happening a month earlier than usual, which means the eligibility period for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards is now between 30 November 2020 to 24 October 2021. Songs released after 24 October 2021 will be considered in next year’s KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

These nominations are based on my thoughts and preferences from the year that has just passed. I have considered a wide range of acts, songs, albums, stages, videos etc. (including those I have not reviewed) as part of this year’s awards. Also, these awards are irrespective of the reviews that I have posted throughout the year – simply because my thoughts on artists and songs can change throughout the year.

PS. I tried to do something different this year with the announcement of nominees, by including pictures for the songs, artists and visuals nominated this year. I hope you can read them. I know for some, particularly the songs/album categories, the wording might be a bit too small. Don’t fret (or get angry at me). I have included a reader-friendly version on Google Sheets, which you can view by clicking the link.

READER-FRIENDLY VERSION OF NOMINATIONS LIST

Also, due to the number of categories, I have elected to split this post into three pages.

To view the ARTIST-RELATED categories (including Best Male and Female Soloists, and Best Male and Female Group, collectively the Artists of the Year categories), stay on this page and keep on scrolling.
To view the CHOREOGRAPHIES, VISUALS and COMEBACK RELATED categories, click here or click to the second page at the bottom of this post.
To view the SONG-RELATED categories, click here or click to the third page at the bottom of this post.

So without further ado, I present to you the nominees for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

Artist Categories

Note: Pentagon’s Lovesick Girls cover was uploaded at the start of November 2020. However, I didn’t view the video until December 2020, and hence why it is eligible for Special Performance and Vocal awards.

Artists of the Year Categories

Page 1 – Artist Related Categories
Page 2 – Choreographies, Visuals, Comeback Related Categories
Page 3 – Song Related Categories

Pages: 1 2 3

[Review] Favorite (Vampire) – NCT 127

October 26, 2021Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged NCT, NCT1274 Comments

Also making their comeback today is NCT 127, who returns with Favorite (Vampire). This comeback sees the release of the group’s repackaged version of their third studio length album, which also shares the first name of the title track. It follows the release of Sticker, which I didn’t enjoy and actually have forgotten about since reviewing it back in mid-September. Let’s see how Favorite (Vampire) fairs, Also, on a side note, with the release of the repackaged album, you can expect an album review for both Sticker/Favorite this weekend!

Without a doubt, I would choose Favorite as my preferred track between the two releases from the group this year. Favorite flowed a lot better and felt more cohesive than the earlier track. However, this doesn’t mean I am 100% into the song. I am more so 99% into the track (plot twist much?). The issue lies within the instrumentation, as I don’t really like the wispy synth whistles in the instrumentation. They get better as the song progresses, and they might very well grow on me. But when I hear it for the first time every time I have replayed the song, I find them to be unsettling. Aside from that, I think Favorite was a really great track. It taps into R&B pop and has this smoothness to it, which I enjoyed. I also liked the more profound and normal whistling in the song (even though they did bring a certain level of dullness to the song), along with the trap elements that make up the background for the more rap-centric (rap-spoken) sequences, which added both and edgy vibe and kick to the song. They could have used less of the whistling, but it wasn’t the worst thing in the world. I think the worst thing in the world in the context of Favorite would be the dubstep breakdown. I am glad that didn’t make it into the final cut of the song (it was only in the music video, and I presume in the upcoming performances as well). If it did, it would have been unnecessary and obnoxious to listen to. Moving away from that, I thoroughly enjoyed the vocal works. Again, the smoothness comment can be applied here, and to the melodies which the members bring to life. The harmonies take it to the next level, while the two-syllable delivery they used at the end of the choruses made the song memorable for me. Overall, Favorite is definitely the superior track in comparison to Sticker, and is definitely a strong improvement from the mentioned last release.

The members (or at least some of the members) are vampires in this music video. The idea of it works really well with the music, from how I see it. The R&B pop song was very mature sounding, and I feel that the portrayal of the members as vampires was also quite mature as well. We don’t see any Count Draculas, and we don’t see any stereotypical portrayals of vampires as per folklore or stories depict them to be. I guess this mature vibe comes about because the song is about a relationship that is inevitably going to end, even though their partners are everything to them. While I think the vampire idea is great, I would like to see the concept be a more prominent feature in this music video. Also, I didn’t like the use of CGI in this video. It wasn’t the case across the board, but some parts looked noticeably synthetic. Thankfully, the dance sets balanced it out and made it seem less so.

The performance aspect of this comeback looks quite good. I really liked the two lines of members during the final moments of the chorus, and how they seemingly got into that formation. The dance break was quite dynamic, led by Taeyong, Mark and Jaehyun.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] bugAboo – bugAboo

October 25, 2021Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged bugAboo1 Comment

We kick off this new week with the debut of bugAboo. This is a new female group, currently signed under A Team Entertainment, consisting of six members (Eunchae, Yoona, Rainie, Cyan, Choyeon and Zin). They make their first step into the KPOP industry with a self-titled track and their first single album (also self-titled).

bugAboo (the song) thrives on its vibrant and energetic tone. And I am all for it. The instrumentation for bugAboo is an attraction, with the dance track exuding the very familiar but powerful funky energy during its prominent moments. But aside from the funkiness, I really liked the brass in bugAboo. The boldness from the brass at the start in particular was very intriguing and got me interested in the song. From what I understand, the song has combined the famous works of Ennio Morricone into the dance track, and I think the brass is the first evidence of this (I had to Google this, but Ennio Morricone is a famous Italian composer, orchestrator, conductor and trumpeter, who is most well known for music scores in film, most notably The Good, the Bad and the Ugly), though I am not too sure. I am more certain of the wild-west twang we get in the pre-chorus and instrumentation in the bridge being pieces of Ennio Morricone’s works in this song. bugAboo is also a strong showing of vocals. I really enjoyed how clear and crisp the members were in bugAboo. I was essentially sold when the first member started singing (Yoona, I believe) and was pulled into the song further by the subsequent members and their harmonies. I do think the rapping could have been a bit more substantial in this song, as I felt bugAboo called for more edginess. The chorus was fun and super catchy from the get-go, with the hook on full repeat in my head. The dramatic change in tone in the bridge was very interesting. It came out of nowhere, but it somehow fitted in and worked well with the rest of the song. Overall, bugAboo’s debut with their self-titled song was an amazing step into the industry, and I am definitely intrigued to see what the group will do next!

You can tell that their company has put a lot of money behind the group based on this music video. Hopefully, it pays off and their subsequent comebacks don’t suffer as we have recently seen with some other acts. The music video seems to be a bit of a playful hint at Halloween, with a spooky but fun theme throughout. I got a bit of Ghostbuster vibes at the end of the video, which I quite liked. Based on the official description of the storyline, the members find their main source of fear to overcome it (definitely nice to have an official description for the video, especially when the storyline is masked amongst the fun and playful tones). Overall, it was still a good video to watch and enjoy.

The group had their debut showcase a week in advance of their official release date, giving us insight into their routine before the music video (usually, it is the other way). Even though there was a mistake in their first performance, I am very surprised at their confidence and stage presence. There is a lot of potential from the group members from this stage alone. With the dance moves, I really liked the hand flicking over their heads for the song’s main hook. I was also surprised they pulled off the pyramid on stage (though I won’t be surprised if their performance is amended in the future to omit this, as I can see it being dangerous) and I loved the whip around at the very end of the performance.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9/10

[Special] 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards – Announcement

October 24, 2021October 31, 2021Posted in Award Ceremonies, Special2 Comments

It might be a tad early this year, but I am proud to unveil and announce the beginning of the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Once again, we are approaching the end of the year and it is time to look back at the year (ish) that has just passed. This year, things are happening in a slightly different order than previously (if you haven’t noticed, this particular post is coming out a month in advance than usual). More will be explained below.

The 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards will be part of the 2021 Critics Award Circuit, which is also soon to get underway. Keep your eyes out on other KPOP review blogs for their upcoming announcements. Think blogs that were part of the KPOP Songs of Summer collaboration that happened earlier this year, if you are wondering which specific blogs to look at. As those blogs post their awards posts, I will link to them here.

The 555 Awards of 2021: Nominations
10/10 – Music Critics Association Nominations
2021 deforestedmusic Awards Nominations

Okay, so now here are the details. I have once again added a bunch more categories to the awards this year. You will find out what they are in the coming days. This is on top of the many older categories such as Best New Artist, Best Artist, Best Choreography, Best Music Video etc. categories. And fan voting will still be a thing, so you will definitely still get to have your say in the final winners of each category.

In terms of eligibility for this year, any artist/song nominated will need to be active/released between 30 November 2020 and 22 October 2021. This will include songs such as ENHYPEN’s Given-Taken, Kai’s Mmmh, GOT7’s Last Piece (releases that occurred on 30 November 2020), up until track’s such as SEVENTEEN’s Rock With You and KINGDOM’s Black Crown (releases that occurred up until 22 October 2021). Any songs before the 30 November 2020 date were considered as part of the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards, and any songs released after 22 October 2021 will be considered in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

See below for the Key Dates for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards (all times are based on my local time, AEDT):

24 October 2021 (i.e. today) – Announcement of the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards (this particular post in question!)

9 PM (27 October 2021 (this coming Wednesday) – Announcement of the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards nominees

9 PM 3 November 2021 – KPOPREVIEWED Choice of the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards nominees – I usually hold off on announcing the KPOPREVIEWED Choice until I post the Winner Announcement post early in the new year. But this time, I will be posting who I think the winners should be in a week after the announcement of the 2021 KPORPEVIEWED Awards nominees.

12:00 AM 15 November 2021 – Public voting opens

11:59 PM 31 December 2021 – Public voting closes

(Date TBC) January 2022 – Announcement of 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards Winners

So based on the above, coming up very soon is the announcement of the 2021 KPOPREVIREWED Awards Nominees. Until then, have a great day/start of the week!

[International Song Reviews] TWICE, MONSTA X, Stray Kids & LOONA

October 24, 2021March 20, 2022Posted in JPOP, Reviews, Western POPTagged LOONA, MONSTA X, Stray Kids, TWICE5 Comments

It is another edition of the International Song Reviews segment. Last week, I posted an ISR consisting reviews for Ten, Jackson Wang, WAYV, Yuqi and 2PM. This week, I will be focusing on another set of releases brought to you by TWICE, MONSTA X, Stray Kids and LOONA. I am keeping this post to just four tracks today, rather than the usual five, so I can focus on some other things today. As this post have a lot to cover, let’s get started!

The Feels – TWICE

I listened to this full English song when the music video dropped at the start of this month. I didn’t think much of it then (and honestly I never returned to it until today). But I have to say, the ‘Boy, I know you got the feels‘ repeated one-liner hook is so damn catchy. It somehow gotten stuck in my head since that first listen, even though it was very much delayed. Anyhow, The Feels is a funky pop track, and listening back I am surprised I didn’t return to the track sooner. It is a very vibrant and colourful track, suitable for my personal taste and TWICE’s overall discography. I really enjoyed the energy that comes from it. The members sound fantastic, and I just love the elongation of the word ‘feels’ in that hook. My only gripe about the song is Chaeyoung’s lines in the pre-chorus. They just didn’t feel like a perfect fit. I liked the music video, but it isn’t that special. The theme seems to be prom-queens, but it seems to be more than that with the red carpet and stage sets. Regardless of what the theme is, The Feels music video is fun and pleasant to watch. For the dance, I thought it was great. Again, nothing special with it. But it works wonderfully with the music. (8/10)

One Day – MONSTA X

A month prior to the above song’s release, MONSTA X released another all English track titled One Day. Since then, the group has been confirmed for a Korean and Western comeback in the next two months, so do expect to see more of MONSTA X on the blog. Now, back to the song in question. One Day is an atmospheric yet simple synth-heavy ballad that I quite enjoyed. One Day really does a good job of presenting stillness and comes off as soothing and calming. The instrumental also comes off as dreamy. For the vocals (which appears to be the song’s sore point for some), I thought MONSTA X did a really nice job. I did think they could have pushed themselves more to be even more expressive, but their delicate tone and emotional touch fits the bill perfect for the song’s meaning and overall sound. The melodies were stunning, as well, adding to this. Both the song and music video features Shownu, who recently enlisted into the military. It was definitely nice to see him one more time. Unfortunately, Hyungwon was missing from the group shots for this music video for unknown reasons. For the music video, I liked the simplicity of the video as well. I also liked the mature visuals that the members gave off. They look good and somehow the mature vibes fitted in with the idea of the song being a ballad for me. (8.6/10)

Scars – Stray Kids

Knowing fully what Stray Kids is capable of, Scars is quite underwhelming for me. Coming off the high of their recent Korean comeback, I would have liked to hear something with the same level of impact and energy. But Scars didn’t deliver this. It doesn’t mean that Scars is a bad song, however. But it is definitely not their best. Scars was a pleasant EDM track – nothing more, nothing less. The members opted for a sentimental tones that sounds nice. But once again, nothing more, nothing less. Vocally, the sentimental tone came naturally and actually sounded quite good. Rapping wise, I thought it was plain. The EDM sound that Scars opted for attempted to add impact, but it more so fizzled out once that impact is delivered. Hence, everything came together to contribute towards an underwhelming and not-so-memorable track. For the music video, it seems like the members are running away (well, more so slowly walking) from ghostly apparitions. They seek shelter in a caravan and kick start a device that repels the ghosts during the night. Then, the story kind of repeats itself and doesn’t really resolve. I hope there is a second part to this, as I think it could potentially be an interesting story to dive into. The choreography for this comeback was quite good, fitting in with the sentimental and mature tones of the song. It doesn’t hit hard, but there was some intensity in the choreography that was quite satisfying to watch as well. (7/10)

HULA HOOP – LOONA

I was quite nervous to hear that LOONA’s company is in the financial red, which puts a massive question mark over the group’s future. But seeing LOONA still pumping out music is a bit of a reassuring sign. Mid-September saw the group release their first original Japanese single, HULA HOOP. It is a dance pop track that is very chirpy and energetic. Actually, in comparison to their debut track which I would say is the equilavent of this track (Hi High, if you are wondering), HULA HOOP seems to let its go a bit. Nothing wrong there, if I am being honest, but I do miss the certain aesthetic that we associate with the group when it comes to their tracks. I liked their vocals and the hooks throughout HULA HOOP quite a bit. They are fun and definitely cutesy. This isn’t usually my cup of tea, but as I always say, there are exceptions. The music video is very unique, with everything moving in an upward direction. I will give them points for that. But I also feel that the video overwhelms us with all the post production applications. It made everything feel a bit much. In the midst of all the overwhelming graphics, you can see a lot of throwbacks to the group’s previous releases through the images, outfits and props (including some of their pre-debut works). No surprises come in the choreography. I enjoyed the fun and energetic side of the song, and the synchronisation between the members makes the performance cooler (as always). (8.2/10)

[Review] ICONS – Hot Issue

October 23, 2021Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged HOT ISSUE2 Comments

At the end of September, HOT ISSUE made their first comeback with ICONS. This follows their debut, GRATATA, from April earlier this year. For those who missed their debut, the female group is made up of seven members and are currently under S2 Entertainment.

HOT ISSUE tones down the aggression in ICONS, going with a generic hip-hop sound in this dance track. When I compare their debut and comeback tracks, I cannot help but think that ICONS felt more so like a step backward. It isn’t a massive set back for the group if I was being honest, but it doesn’t really show off much of the group or offer anything original to really talk about. I would say that the rapping and vocal delivery was quite solid throughout, with the pre-chorus being the most vivid part of ICONS for me. But the generic nature of the song doesn’t really help to emphasise that. When the chorus dawns, we are left with an overly generic and forgettable centrepiece that makes you question where the boldness from their debut track had gone. Obviously, I wished that the chorus was more dynamic, as that would have done wonders for ICONS. We do get a peek of some potential dynamism in the final chorus with the extra layer of instrumentation. While that could have benefited from some remoulding as well, I think it is what could have applied to the earlier choruses to give them that additional appeal. A stronger hook would also be helpful, as well, as the one we got was pretty generic and was not enticing.

For the music video, it is one of the many videos that you can watch it once and you can probably describe it reasonably well without ever returning to watch it again as a refresher. It is pretty generic is what I am trying to say, with the closeup and choreography adopted for this video. The sets didn’t offer much assistance in making this video cooler. The outfits were okay. They did bring forth a badass tone, but they aren’t the most stunning outfits ever.

I feel the boldest aspect of the comeback is the performance. While the verses also share the same generic description as the song and the video, the routine in the chorus felt like it went a bit harder than the rest, which I think is a positive outcome to have, at least somewhere in the midst of all the plainness.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 5/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 5.2/10

[Review] Rock With You – SEVENTEEN

October 23, 2021Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged SEVENTEEN4 Comments

The next comeback is one that I am really excited for. Of course I am talking about SEVENTEEN and their comeback today, Rock With You. The new song is featured on their ninth mini-album, Attacca. This release follows their Ready To Love comeback earlier on in the year, which was followed up with their side track Anyone. On a side note, Jun and The8 are not part of the promotions due to schedules in China. However, they were part of the album recording and the music video shoot, so you can expect to still see them in some capacity during the Rock With You era.

Over many recent reviews, I have continually saying I want more from the songs. And I feel that SEVENTEEN’s Rock With You delivers that ‘more’ that I am desiring. Rock With You takes on a pop rock sound that has a lot of great and vibrant energy. This alone is enough as a selling point to the song. Sure, I acknowledge the fact that they could have turned up the dial with some of the rock elements to make the song even better. But that doesn’t mean the song is not satisfying enough. I do question the use of the squeaky bed spring synths in the pre-chorus, but I am glad they are masked by the rest of the instrumentation and it doesn’t become a distraction. Rock With You is quite a vocal track, with the rapping taking a bit of a backburner in this song. There is still a bit of rapping, but it makes up only a small portion of the song. And I think this is a good call. Rock With You has that rock influence, and the rappers bring either a raspy or hoarse voice to the song when they sing. Both goes hand-in-hand, adding texture to the song. S.Coup, in particular, handles his part of the bridge really well, despite having all the instrumentation stripped away for a brief second. Another good call here, as it makes the final chorus explosive. But his vocals also had a delicate touch to the song. The rest of the group do an amazing job on the vocal front. Melody-wise, Rock With You is quite strong in this department, and this enables the song to be very catchy and addictive. Overall, another amazing song from the group.

The music video is fantastic. I really like the fast paced nature of the song, which matched the tempo of the song. I found that it helped amp up the vibrancy and energy of the video. I liked the used of the ripped borders around the image, and how those images were used as transitional elements in the video. I also quite liked the sets, especially the stage. It just felt fitting for the song and looked perfect in this video. I also quite enjoyed the camera work in this video, especially when they shot the members from the side during the choreography shoots. It added an ‘up close and personal’ type of feel to the video, making it as if we are watching them from the side of the stage.

I really enjoyed the performance. The choreography was just fitting and perfect for the song, as expected from SEVENTEEN. The energy that comes from this performance is so cool. But what really makes this performance even better was the ad-libs we got at the end of the stage performance. It heightens everything that is already in the song and adds hype to the final part of the performance.

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

[Review] Black Crown – KINGDOM

October 22, 2021Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged KINGDOM3 Comments

Yesterday, I finally got around to reviewing KINGDOM’s July release, KARMA. Just almost 5 months late. But don’t worry about their next review! As promised in KARMA‘s review, I will be looking at KINGDOM’s comeback, from yesterday, today. It is titled Black Crown and is from their third mini-album since debut, History Of Kingdom : Part Ⅲ. Ivan.

Black Crown opts for a similar foundation as their previous title tracks. But there is a bit more to this song, thanks to the additional few types of synths used in the foundation. It isn’t a great deal to make this song better, but it is enough to set it apart from the pack. What does make Black Crown better is the use of the choir chanting and the orchestral instrumentation. They definitely gave the song flair and very epic energy that makes it hard to miss on your playlist. There are also some other influences in the song. There is a bit of sampling of a ballet track of some sort throughout. which complimented the orchestral flourishes Black Crown had. It also added a bit of a creepy vibe to the song. Black Crown also had some dance synths embedded in the song (hear the very brief synth just heard at the start of the final chorus). I kind of wished they explored this side more, as could have taken Black Crown to the next level and help differentiate the track from their previous titles even more. Unfortunately, the rest of the song is a bit disappointing. The vocals were good, though I am not keen on the non-memorable melodies and shouty delivery of the chorus. Third time around, I am getting sick of it this chorus style from the group. Honestly, and this applies to the entire song, the producers really need to start exploring new genres for the group (or their producers need to be changed). There is a lot of consistency between the releases thus far, and if this continues, I fear that any appealing factor the group has will be dulled and the songs will become forgettable. Overall, I liked Black Crown‘s added elements, but the rest of the song is lacking and falling into a repetitive pattern with the rest of their main releases.

It appears that GF Entertainment has use a large chunk of their budget in their previous music videos. This unfortunately left Black Crown looking very cheap and low-budget. I would have preferred the music video to not have any green screen scenes, as they were the cause of the cheapness. I would have been fine with the ruin sets, and the story involving the two versions of KINGDOM, as they fight for the crown/protect the crown (depending on which side you are on). It also appears like the idea of the crown has awaken the evil side of member Ivan. As expected, the video focused on the King of Snow member (Ivan), who according to KPROFILES is named after King Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible). That would explain the snow (Russia has a lot of snow) and the ballet sample in the song (Russia is quite known for their ballet). Based on the ending of the video, we will be focusing on a Korean emperor. Based on KPROLFILES, the emperor in question is ‘Dangun, the legendary founder and king of Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom’, and the member in the centre of this is Dann.

I think the only negative aspect of the performance has to be the amount of people on stage. There was so much dancers, it kind of muddled and made the performance messy for me. But aside from that, the start of the choreography looked very cool. The dragging of the female dancers was a really nice way to get them off the stage. The lifting of the members throughout the choreography added an artistic touch to the performance, as well.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.7/10

[Review] KARMA – KINGDOM

October 21, 2021October 22, 2021Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged KINGDOM3 Comments

Before I zip ahead to review KINGDOM’s comeback tomorrow, I thought I take a time to finally review KARMA, the male rookie’s first comeback that occurred back in July of this year. For those who missed it, KINGDOM is a new seven-member male group under GF Entertainment who debuted at the start of the year with Excalibur. After KARMA, the group made their second comeback in their careers with Black Crown today, which I will review tomorrow.

I feel that KARMA is a bit of an improvement for KINGDOM. But I do think the song is still in lukewarm waters and hasn’t grown on my much since its release mid-year. I found the base of KARMA to be pretty much similar to Excalibur (i.e. the EDM in the chorus felt the same and the powerfulness of the song in on par with their debut song). It isn’t necessarily a bad thing for this song, but I guess was hoping for something a lot more different to what we have already from them. But that is only the background of the background. I was actually quite satisfied with everything else. I quite like what the producers did in the foreground of the song. I am referring to the traditional oriental influence that KARMA has, and I quite liked its ongoing presence in the song. Again, it isn’t original, but it definitely adds a memorable factor to the song. My only critique here was to tone down the powerful dominance of the plain EDM in the chorus, just so the traditional elements could also be heard more cleanly. The mention of improvement at the start of this section of the review also extends to the vocal elements. I thought the vocals were a lot more dynamic this time around, even though someone sounded slightly screechy. The rapping in this song had a very cool factor to it, which I quite liked. Overall, a definite improvement. I haven’t listened to Black Crown just yet, but I hope it is another step in the right direction for the group/

In my Excalibur review, I did mention I was worried they were going to redo the same music video for each king that the members are supposedly based on. While it seems like they essentially did just that for this music video (with focus on the Chinese Emperor, Chiyou), it actually came off as a stunning visual piece and I am not bored of it. Maybe by the last king, I would be bored. But for now, I will backtrack on that comment. Overall, this was a really captivating video. I loved the traditional elements that featured in the video, from the sets to the outfits. The members definitely look amazing and aesthetic in their traditional gear. I am definitely looking forward to next king (possibly the Snow King, based on clues from the ending?). On a side note, I am not keen on their choreography outfits. They looks bulky and tiresome to deal with.

Adding to the traditional feels, I really liked the use of the fans in the performance. They added both a wow factor and a pretty element to the routine. I also liked the moments in which the members were being carried, namely the bridge of the song and the ending. Not only did they add height to the performance in the literal sense, I felt it was a fitting way to end the performance, given their regal concepts.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10