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.
Next up is TO1, who made their comeback yesterday with No More X. This is the group’s second release under the name TO1 following Son of Beast, and their fourth release overall since their debut under the group name TOO back in 2020 (they rebranded earlier this year when their two co-managing companies had a conflict with one another).
No More X amps up the aggression compared to their previous comebacks, going for a more powerful and dynamic EDM backing. It is abrasive and rough around pretty much every corner. However, I also detect an air of typicaliness from the song, as it feels like your standard song from male groups nowadays. That being said, I still appreciate the blastful energy, aggression and rough textures that are present throughout the entirety of the song. No More X is just isn’t innovative. There is a still fair bit of the song I quite liked. No More X starts off with the main hook, the very catchy ‘Dum Dum Dum‘. It doesn’t appear so at first, but once it presents itself in the chorus, you come to the realisation that it is catchy and also adds a somewhat fun tone to the song. The dance instrumental break we got was probably the most promising part of the instrumentation, feeling quite vibrant. I also quite liked how grabbing the layer of instrumentation, hook and rapping was in the final moments of No More X. It seemed like there was a lot going on in that moment, but I found it to be a bold part of the song. The rest of the song is pretty much standard raps and vocals. There isn’t anything wrong with it, but I think they could have pushed themselves in the song more to make it even better. Overall, No More X seems to be a decent song, though I feel the producers/groups could have done more to make it even better.
The music video for No More X was pretty good. From what I understand (and from what I have read), TO1 becomes beast in this music video via some wine. We see the before (i.e. the scenes in which the members are wearing white and have this white light shining throughout the windows), and the aftermath of developing into a beast (i.e. the scenes in which the members are wearing black). I like this play of opposites. I do think the outdoor scenes when the members are wearing their black outfits (and hence have converted to the dark side) could have been a bit more edgy, with the choreography scene shot at night and in the rain being a good example of what they should have aimed for. But I think what we got did a good job of wrapping the song up in a visual manner.
I also thought the choreography for this comeback was fantastic. I like X formation that appeared during the first pre-chorus, and the X’s incorporated via their arms throughout the choreography. Highly relevant. I also enjoyed the boxing moves and the dance break was very powerful and fitting for the instrumental sequence we got in the song.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
It is time to get back into review mode. There is a lot to catch up on over the last two weeks and before that, but let’s start on more recent releases and work our ways backwards. For this post, I will be focusing on LABOUM’s Kiss Kiss, which officially dropped yesterday. Kiss Kiss is a notable release for the group for a number of reasons. Firstly, the release marks seven years since the group’s debut. Secondly, it is the first release since the release of Firework back in 2019 (they did release a single titled CHEESE in 2020, but never promoted it). Kiss Kiss also follows the resurgence of Journey to Atlantis (one of their 2016 singles) earlier this year; is their first release as a four-member group since Yujeong’s exit from the group, and is their first release under Interpark Music Plus. Definitely a number of changes and milestones.
Pretend there is a spectrum. One end of the spectrum is the group’s earlier cutesy work, such as the recently popular Journey of Atlantis or Hwi Hwi. On the other end, you would find the group’s more refined and mature comebacks like Fireworkand Between Us (the latter song grew on me considerably since I reviewed it). Somewhere along the middle is Kiss Kiss. In a perfect world, Kiss Kiss would have taken the best of both worlds and created a really nice blended track, and I would have fallen for the track as both ends of the spectrum are favourite sounds from the group. But the resulting Kiss Kiss we did get doesn’t hit the mark. It is a pleasant track, so it isn’t all bad news. But I think that is the furthest extent I would go with describing the song. Kiss Kiss is rather forgettable, and I found that I had to really focus on the song to really get something out of it. The instrumental, while soothing and pretty, did not have any memorable elements within it, leading to a background that felt like a grey blur. If you were listening to Kiss Kiss casually, the instrumental won’t draw your attention. Likewise, the vocals were really nice when you focus on them and have a sweetness to them that made me smile. But the melodies just don’t pull you in as much. Solbin’s rapping was a nice touch and was well incorporated into the softer sound of Kiss Kiss. But like the vocals, not really something to pull you in. The hooks were weak and forgettable, as well. I wish each element really stood out from afar/if you were to listen to the song casually. If this was the case, I am sure I would have found myself gravitating back to the song. But Kiss Kiss just doesn’t do that and may become a victim of the skip button.
The Kiss Kiss music video looks good. It isn’t the most interesting music video, and the sets did look quite cheap (I think the main choreography one is one that we see often). But there were some good shots in there and their visuals were very strong. Like the song, there is a pretty and sweet aesthetic to this video, which made it pleasant to watch. I liked the post-production additions to the video, but I thought the style the producer/editors opted for suited a more cutesy style/concept than Kiss Kiss‘s concept (which I would say is slightly more mature).
The speed at which the choreography was at made the song seem more upbeat than what it felt like if you were to listen to the song by itself. I actually quite liked that. It gives off a different feel, and makes the song a little more inviting (but not enough to really change my thoughts above). I liked the ‘Kiss Kiss‘ part of the choreography (the one that outros the chorus).
Song – 6/10 Music Video – 7.5/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 6.9/10
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.
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.
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
Nominees for Best New Female Group of 2021 | HOT ISSUE | LIGHTSUM | MAJORS | PIXY | PURPLE KISS | TRI.BE |
Nominees for Best New Male Group of 2021 | Ciipher | ENHYPEN | EPEX | JUST B | KINGDOM | MIRAE
Nominees for Best New Female Soloist of 2021 | Joy (Red Velvet) | Kwon Eun Bi | Lisa (BLACKPINK) | | Rosé (BLACKPINK) | Wendy (Red Velvet) | Yuqi ((G)I-DLE) |
Nominees for Best New Male Soloist of 2021 | D.O (EXO) | HOSHI (SEVENTEEN) | Kai (EXO) | | Kim Woojin | Youngjae (GOT7) | YOUNG K (DAY6) |
Best Delivery Award Categories
Nominees for Best Vocals of 2021 | BTOB for Show & Prove | Baekhyun (EXO) for Hurt | IU for My Sea | | Jongho (for Kingdom Legendary War Performances) | Mamamoo for Where Are We At | | Pentagon for Lovesick Boys (Lovesick Girls Cover) |
Nominees for Best Rapper of 2021 | Bobby (iKON) for U MAD | Changbin (Stray Kids) for DDU-DU DDU-DU cover | | CL for Spicy | Do Hanse (VICTON) for Take Over | | I.M (MONSTA X) for God Damn | JESSI for What Type of X |
Best Speciality Award Categories
Nominees for Best Band of 2021 | DAY6 | IZ | LUCY | N.Flying | ONEWE | W24 |
Nominees for Best CO-ED Group of 2021 | 777 | AKMU | CHECKMATE | HyunA & DAWN | K-TIGERS ZERO |
Nominees for Best Subunit / Unit 2021 | BDC | Even of Day | NCT 127 | NCT DREAM | WayV | WJSN The Black |
Rising Star and Most Underrated Artist Categories
Nominees for Rising Star of 2021 | aespa | Brave Girls | ENHYPEN | ONF | STAYC | WOODZ |
Nominees for Most Underrated Artist of 2021 | A.C.E | BDC | Dream Catcher | fromis_9 | Kim Sejeong | ONEUS |
Best Artists of the Year Categories
Nominees for Best Female Soloist of 2021 | CHUNG HA | HyunA | IU | Jeon Somi | JESSI | Kim Sejeong | Sunmi |
Nominees for Best Male Soloist of 2021 | Baekhyun (EXO) | Ha Sung Woon | Kang Daniel | Kim Jae Hwan | Taemin (SHINee) | Wonho | WOODZ |
Nominees for Best Female Group of 2021 | aespa | Brave Girls | Dream Catcher | (G)I-DLE | ITZY | OH MY GIRL | STAYC |
Nominees for Best Male Group of 2021 | Golden Child | ONEUS | ONF | SEVENTEEN | Stray Kids | THE BOYZ | TXT |
PaPage 1 – Artist Related Categories Page 2 – Choreographies, Visuals, Performances Related Categories Page 3 – Song Related Categories
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
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.
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)
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 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:
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:
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
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
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).
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:
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.
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
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
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
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.
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!
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)
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
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
KPOPREVIEWED 