Category: JPOP

[International Song Reviews] IVE, Kep1er, STAYC, YENA, ITZY

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It has been almost a year since I posted an International Song Review post, a segment where I do mini-reviews for non-Korean songs released by some of our favourite KPOP artists. While I have covered some non-Korean songs this year, I have practically neglected this area of the blog, unfortunately, due to time pressures. Over the coming weeks, I will be looking to revive this segment to cover some great releases I have yet to cover on the blog and have chosen not to write in a separate standalone song review format.

Today, I will review non-Korean songs released in the last year by IVE, Kep1er, STAYC, YENA, and ITZY.

All Night – IVE ft. (SAWEETIE)

Language: English
Release Date: 19 January 2024
Release Type: All Night (1st English Single)

IVE’s All Night is a remake of Icona Pop’s song of the same name and is marketed as their debut English single. The dance-pop instrumentation was fine, and Saweetie’s rap part was my favourite sequence in All Night. But I question what value IVE add to All Night. Yeah, their parts ring in my mind for a bit. But the members had no separate lines, and they all sang together for the entirety of the song. The promotional material could have easily said it was just one singer singing in the track, and I wouldn’t have known the difference. Furthermore, their vocals were oddly plain and lacked any characteristic that allows us to call it an IVE track. They were literally stripped of any identity in the song. There were some ad-libs towards the end, but they were very in the background, and I didn’t notice them until today.

As for the music video, most of it was IVE and Saweetie stuck in a small windowless office. If the video ventured anywhere else, it was either to the office lobby, the hallway or the elevator. Surely, the music video could have been a little more exciting and featured some choreography. I don’t think I am asking for much here. As for the performance, it was okay. Again, it was plain. But the members were all smiles, making the routine feel and look much better.

Overall Rating – 5.9/`10

Grand Prix – Kep1er

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 22 November 2023
Release Type: FLY-HIGH (3rd Japanese Single)

Ending Kep1er’s busy 2023 was the release of Grand Prix. While most of Grand Prix was simply fine, the chorus was a big miss for me. I appreciate that it tries to be different, but it was just too much of a disruption from the flow and energy the verses were building up. The weightiness and heaviness didn’t match the brighter vibe the verses were going for. The dragged-out refrain just ended up feeling sluggish and felt awkward. To revisit an earlier point, ‘simply fine’ doesn’t mean that Grand Prix‘s other parts are okay. The verses didn’t have much to grab onto and were largely forgettable. But considering the entirety of Grand Prix, the verses were not the weakest parts of the song. Sorry that I don’t like this song, but I would recommend their more recent Shooting Star comeback in Korea.

As for the music video, it is obvious and logical to go with a racing concept. While it did, I expected more of the video to focus on the members in a car or the race track potentially, rather than in a store selling toy race cars. Also, their outfits could have better aligned with the concept. For the choreography, I thought it was a good form of edgy when it comes to the chorus. I may not like the song, but I can see past that to appreciate the performance.

Overall Rating – 5.9/10

LIT – STAYC

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 6 December 2023
Release Type: LIT (3rd Japanese Single)

To be honest, I also don’t remember too much of LIT after nine months. Relistening for the purposes of this review, I recognise LIT‘s potential, thanks to its catchy chorus. However, the final product played it fairly safe. The instrumental keeps to plain synths and a cutesy sound, thanks to those twinkling sounds in the background of the choruses. Most Japanese tracks by KPOP artists follow this formula. Rarely does it work. More often than not, like in LIT, it feels constricting and forced. The members appear to contribute to this cutesy demeanour with their playfully toned delivery, though I am not as upset with this as it is their hallmark in KPOP. The ad-libs and the follow-up to the first and second choruses were definitely the best parts of the song, which is where the relevant members break away from the consistency of the track and do their own thing. I think the instrumental could have been reframed to be slightly edgier, which could have given LIT a breath of new life.

The music video shows the members enjoying their lives, reminding us it can be lit wherever you are. The choreography was okay, and there was nothing groundbreaking or new from the group here.

Overall Rating – 7/10

DNA – YENA

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 7 February 2024
Release Type: DNA (2nd Japanese Single)

YENA’s DNA is her first original Japanese single. Based on her solo releases in Korea, DNA‘s venture into the pop-rock genre isn’t much of a surprise to me. What surprised me is how muted the song comes across despite the presence of a rock band alongside YENA in DNA. I am unsure what caused it, but I keep feeling an imaginary barrier prevents DNA from realizing its full potential. The fact that DNA doesn’t sound electrifying weakens the song’s appeal for me. Her vocals were solid and consistent throughout DNA, but the thought of it coming off plainly and too sweet also lingers. This dampens the appeal of the song further but doesn’t do as much compared to the instrumentation.

The music video shows YENA rocking it out with the band in the background. Her attire fits the JPOP landscape well, ticking the cutesy and edgy boxes. The post-production was an intelligent move from the production team, as the various sketches and effects give the video a little more than just the industrial-esque backgrounds.

Overall Rating – 7.4/10

Algorhythm – ITZY

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 15 May 2024
Release Type: Algorhthym (3rd Japanese Single)

Personally, I enjoyed Algorhythm. The upbeat deep house instrumental was quite remarkable, and their delivery was fun and classy. Had they stopped after the second run of the chorus, I think I would have been fine with the track—though I can’t promise that I wouldn’t comment about its length if that were the case. The change-up that we get right after the second chorus was really unnecessary. It was obnoxiously abrasive and loud (relatively speaking, which says a lot if that comment is coming from me), which did not complement the rest of the song. And that is a pity, as I liked everything except the change-up instrumental break. It does make for a good performance piece, however.

For the music video, the first half features the members as robots. The glitches during this section made the footage look rather cool. Halfway through the video, it is revealed that the members were simply shooting a fun video within the music video, after which they attempted to go on a holiday (I presume). But when you think the video ends, the members disrupt that thought and have a dance break at the airport. Interesting concept. As for the performance, it is the best out of the five releases that form this post. The routine started off doll-like, and then the moves became much more human-like. But the peak of the routine is undoubtedly the powerful dance break, which is aligned with the disliked instrumental break.

Overall Rating – 8.5/10

[Review] WISH – NCT WISH

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This is another review for a newly debuted group: NCT WISH, the final subunit of NCT. They are officially the designated Japanese unit of NCT (like how WayV is the designated Chinese unit of the broader group) but have been active in South Korea (where they are co-managed by SM Entertainment) and Japan (where they are co-managed by AVEX TRAX). The six-member unit, consisting of Sion, Riku, Yushi, Jaehee, Ryo, and Sakuya, made its debut in February of this year with the single WISH. I will return in the near future to review their more recent single Songbird.

Despite being from one of KPOP’s biggest companies, the main reason why I hadn’t reviewed NCT WISH’s debut single, WISH, before today was that I never really connected with the song. Five months later, I feel the same way about it. Don’t get me wrong – WISH isn’t a bad song. It just needs to be better in some departments. WISH is a buoyant dance track with a youthful tone, which suits the group’s current charms and stage in their careers. To complement the WISH‘s youthful tone, it remained light all throughout (for a dance track), which sets it apart from other NCT releases (which nowadays tend to be heavier in both tone and punch). I enjoyed the combination of synths and piano/keyboard in the background, particularly in the pre-chorus, as it had a calmness to it. I also feel there is a bit of funk and groove to the instrumental in the chorus, which was a good direction for WISH to head in. However, I think the producers of WISH missed an opportunity here to capitalise on the funk/groovy elements. This could have made the song go ‘further’, adding definition and colour to the song to make it more memorable. Another element that I thought was particularly weak was the melodies, which have implications on their vocals and rapping. The melodies in the verses were bland, and this resulted in the song downplaying NCT WISH members’ individuality. When the members sang together in the choruses and during the shoutier chants like “Future is in my hands…“, the group had a better hold of my attention. But this was short-lived for one reason or another.

Music videos for the Japanese and Korean versions of WISH were released simultaneously. Both videos contained a mixture of the same and different scenes to tell the same story. If you knew about it, this would have made watching both refreshing. In both music videos, the members of NCT WISH act as not-so-great Cupids. They fall from the sky, inadvertently making an arguing couple fall for each other once again. When they intentionally try to pair a couple up, the two music videos tell you they aren’t great at their jobs. In the Japanese version, one of the members stole a guy who was gifting his partner flowers and positioned him in front of another lady in hopes of encouraging the potential couple to make a move on each other. This ultimately failed when the partner caught her guy on his knee later on, causing them to fight. At the end of the Japanese video, one of the members intentionally shoots his love bullet at a dog. The dog becomes infatuated with the guy, and this leads to another couple forming a relationship – just not the one they intend to pair up. In the Korean version, another member shoots a love bullet into a tree, and this causes one person from the potential couple to fall in love and make out with a tree. At the end of that video, one of the NCT WISH members dives in front of the love bullet, causing the female protagonist to fall in love with him instead. It turns out, as she saved his life earlier in the video and came across her again, he had fallen for her. I really enjoyed the members’ reactions to these different developments and thought the music video was fun to watch.

The choreography for WISH was exciting to watch. I like how it portrayed the group’s youthful charms, as teased out in the song. But they didn’t do it as cringingly as some of their other counterparts, which I appreciate. I really liked the routine during the song’s chanty sequences, which highlights both their synchronisation and sharp movements—which are strong attributes in all of NCT choreographies.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Special] KPOPREVIEWED’s Personal Favourite Songs from the 1st Half of 2024 & more

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One of the first posts after 30 June each year is my ‘Personal Favourite’ post. Each year, to help round out the first half of the year, I post a list of my personal favourite songs from the 1st half of the year. As we are now in July 2024, it is time to post my personal favourite songs from the 1st half of 2024 (with a few extra tidbits).

For this year’s post, I am following what I did last (and the year before that) year, as I quite liked how that turned out. In addition to the usual list of 10 songs (which are in no particular order and not related to my reviews as songs do grow immensely on me) for the first half of 2023, I will also be posting two songs from the November – December 2022 period I personally liked and 3 non-Korean songs (i.e. English, Japanese etc.) by Korean artists that caught my attention so far this year. So without further delays, here are the list of my personal favourite songs of the year thus far (in no particular order, of course).

From November – December 2023

Personal favourite non-Korean songs of 2024 thus far

Personal favourite KPOP songs of the year so far (January – June 2024)

[International Song Reviews] Anne Marie and Minnie ((G)I-DLE), LE SSERAFIM, ITZY & CHEN (EXO)

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Another International Song Review post is here. Last time I covered MISAMO’s Do Not Touch, from20’s Bad Revenge, SEVENTEEN’s Ima – Even If The World Ends Tomorrow – and The Rose’s Back To Me. This time, I am covering Anne Marie and Minnie ((G)I-DLE)’s Expectations, LE SSERAFIM’s Perfect World, ITZY’s Ringo and CHEN’s Light Of My Life.

Expectations – Anne Marie & Minnie ((G)I-DLE)

Language: English
Release Date: 9 March 2023
Release Type: Expectations (Digital Single)

I start off this post with Anne Marie and Minnie’s collaboration single, which I was promptly reminded of last week when they (and Expectations) were nominated for Best Collaboration at the 2023 MAMA Awards. For me, Expectations is very much on trend with the current sound of pop music in the Western world. I really like the instrumentation, which has an addictive vocal synth in the background, some really refreshing guitar work and the slight punkish pop rock sound in the chorus. Both Anne Marie and Minnie’s vocals are quite good and sound well-rounded. The bridge is probably a really good example of this. As for the chorus, the centrepiece of Expectations feels like an anthem, both easy to follow and easy to commit into our minds. I like how the instrumental makes way for the vocals at certain points within Expectations, allowing the vocals to have moments of impact. Overall a strong showing from the pair, with a song that has an impactful message telling you to go on your own way, rather than following the expectations of everyone around you.

The music video is a miss for me. I think I watched it once when the song was first released, but I definitely have not gone back since then. It is super cheap, and I think the company behind this video (Warner Music Korea) could have done a lot better. It honesty looked like two random rooms were chosen on the fly and the producers just gave a microphone to the pair to sing into. No additional styling or budget was given to give the rooms some life or identity. At least, there was some post production to the video, but even that was pretty ordinary.

Overall Rating – 7.1/10

Perfect Night – LE SSERAFIM

Language: English
Release Date: 27 October 2023
Release Type: Perfect Night (Digital Single)

Perfect Night is the newest track in this post, dropping only just yesterday. I would describe Perfect Night to be a pretty track, thanks to subdued instrumentation consisting of the twinkling synths, trap beats and the rhythmic guitar. This formula unfortunately doesn’t push any boundaries and doesn’t offer the usual upbeat energy that LE SSERAFIM puts behind their title tracks (which I kind of was hoping for in this collaboration – more on this in a moment). In fact, the instrumentation remains pretty much the same through and through. On the flip side, however, I found that LE SSERAFIM’s smooth and light-on vocals went quite well with the instrumentation subdued nature. Again, this is through and through Perfect Night. I think with that comment, you can probably guess that I found Perfect World to be quite consistent. As usual, I say consistency can be a good thing. But in the case of Perfect Night, I find the consistency to be a problem, where that multiple listens to Perfect Night might wear off the current charm and prettiness that I get from the song. At the moment, I find this new song to be “just nice”, but I don’t know if that is how I would describe the song the more I listen to it.

As mentioned above, this release is actually a collaboration with the game Overwatch 2. Essentially, LE SSERAFIM are celebrities in this virtual world, and the OVERWATCH characters make their way to watch LE SSERAFIM’s performance of Perfect Night. The characters experience some problems, such as bumper to bumper traffic and forgetting the tickets. But having abilities, the characters bypass these issues quite easily. But the video ends happily with the characters enjoying the LE SSERAFIM concert. I also like the slight node to Fearless with the dance studio that LE SSERAFIM started in for this music video. As for the choreography for this release, it looks quite nice and matches up with the prettiness that the song embodies.

Overall Rating – 7.8/10

RINGO – ITZY

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 18 October 2023
Release Type: RINGO (1st Japanese Studio Album)

RINGO is a fairly new release that I haven’t actually checked out yet. So my thoughts on RINGO here will be my first impression. RINGO is a very in-your-face type of song, kicking off with some bold beats. I like the Latin tinge and the bombastic feel that RINGO brings to the table. The chorus concentrates all of this into a singular strong central piece, which comes off as both memorable and intense. The hooks were fantastic, as is the dance club energy that comes off RINGO‘s centrepiece. However, the disappointment aspect in the chorus, for me, were the vocals. They felt very shouty and was definitely pitched higher than what it needed to be. This approach makes me nervous for the group, because it makes things more difficult for the group and creates a needless form of tension in the song. Yes, the members needed to be heard over the bombastic energy coming off the background, but surely the producers could have been a lot clever about how to approach this. On the other hand, Ryujin’s rapping, particularly, in the second verse, leaves me impressed. Overall, I do like what RINGO has to offer and there is enough in the track for me to enjoy and remember the track by. But I think better execution in terms of production would have made RINGO feel more at ease.

RINGO is about forging one’s story, rather than following a story that is already set out for them, such as in the fairytales. The word RINGO is the Japanese word for ‘apple’, and the music video begins with the infamous fairytale of Snow White (which we all know features an apple). The bitten apple in the story turns into a sword and shield, the very same sword and shield that is later held by Lia. This represents that the members don’t need a prince charming (or another ‘saviour’) to help them out. Instead, we see the members protect themselves when they are under fire and finding their own way out of situations. We also see the members pick their own apple and taking a bite out of it, regardless of if it is forbidden or poison, going against the fairytales to create one’s one story. The choreography for this release is equally as strong and powerful as the song and story behind the music video. I like the many apple biting references and also that power walk that kicks off the final chorus.

Overall Rating – 8.5/10

Light Of My Life – CHEN (EXO)

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 17 August 2023
Release Type: Polaris (1st Japanese Mini Album)

In the lead up to the release of Polaris, CHEN dropped a single from the mini-album each week. This ended on 17 August 2023, when CHEN dropped the final and lead single Light Of My Life and the full mini-album. Light Of My Life is another beautifully executed and really well-done ballad to add to CHEN’s repertoire of ballads. But what I like about Light Of My Life is that it doesn’t conform to the ballad numbers that CHEN has previously released before in Korea. Instead, he opts for a mid-tempo band instrumentation and some orchestral touches in the instrumental, which is distinct from his previous tracks that were just orchestrally instrumented. The band instrumentation really helps make the track more powerful, in my opinion. It added some punchy moments that we haven’t heard in CHEN’s ballads in the past. The band instrumentation also allows CHEN to really show off his vocals and give Light Of My Life so much more oomph. When the combination of the instrumentation and his vocals peaks in Light Of My Life, you find these to be the most powerful moments in the song, and are truly breath-taking. Overall, a breath-taking number.

The music video features CHEN at two locations – the more memorable location (in my opinion) is on the moon. I thought the moon was a clever concept. The song’s lyrics features a message of finding the light, which implies that someone is in darkness. And the source of light in the night (which is when we commonly find ourselves in the dark) is the moon. So having CHEN sing on the moon, with the light shining of him is a clever way to represent light in the darkness. The second location is the city scenery, which were briefer moments in the video. CHEN doesn’t look sad in these scenes, even if the lyrics do feel emotionally charged. Instead, I think these scenes represents finding one’s way. And the only way to do that is if you get up and move about. For me, this was a super nice video to watch and works perfectly with the song.

Overall Rating – 9.6/10

[International Song Reviews] MISAMO (TWICE), from20, SEVENTEEN, The Rose

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Aside from last weekend, I have been churning out song reviews for the releases of our favourite KPOP artists that are not in Korean. Most recently, I covered JUN’s PSYCHO, TFN’s ICE CREAM, Mark Tuan’s Everyone Else Fades and TXT & the Jonas Brothers’ collaborative single Do It Like That. This week, I turn my attention towards songs from TWICE’s first subunit MISAMO, from20, SEVENTEEN and The Rose.

Do Not Touch – MISAMO (TWICE)

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 14 July 2023
Release Type: Masterpiece (1st Japanese Mini Album)

MISAMO sees the Japanese members of TWICE (Mina, Sana and Momo) come together to form a trio in Do Not Touch. For me, the song is another case of “more could have been done”. Do Not Touch definitely has drive thanks to its beats, synths and guitar work. I also like the moodier vibes that Do Not Touch feature heavily of. It is a different side to the trio worth exploring more in the future, simply because I don’t think TWICE’s sound allows for it. The members doing a decent job of bringing the song’s hooks and melodies to the table, with some good harmonisations and solid vocal work through Do Not Touch. The rapping in the form it takes in Do Not Touch actually fits quite nicely with the rest of the song as is. However, Do Not Touch has a heavy dullness to it, which I wished was shaken off. I personally think sharper beats, more memorable melodies that build off that and a bit more vocal variation from the members would have removed the dullness felt and given Do Not Touch a much needed boost in the oomph department.

What the song lacks, the music video definitely makes up for. Everything from the fashion, to the styling, to the looks throughout the video are all very striking and thought provoking, which matches perfect with the art gallery/museum concept they had going on. The detailing and the colours at times really pop out,. Altogether, the memorability of Do Not Touch‘s music video is definitely through the roof. The moodier and mature vibes of the song come off quite well in the choreography, with the performance going down a slightly sensual path. In addition to that, the choreography also features an artsy aesthetic, which looks amazing in practice and I find to also be quite memorable.

Overall Rating – 8/10

Bad Revenge – from20

Language: English
Release Date: 5 April 2023
Release Type: Bad Revenge (Digital Single)

Despite not reviewing it last year, from20’s Chemical was definitely on my radar and ended up being nominated for Best International Song by a Korean Artist (Western) of 2022 in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. But I am not going to let from20 (former member of BIGSTAR under the stage name Raehwan) escape my blog this year. Bad Revenge was the soloist’s first release of the year. While Bad Revenge doesn’t necessary top Chemical, it is still a good song in its own right. Bad Revenge features a 80s retro synth backing which instantly convinced me to return for more when it was first released. In addition to that, from20’s vocals are great in Bad Revenge. However, I think some more vocal oomph could have taken Bad Revenge to the next level. I did like the vocal parts at the end of the song, which comes as an appreciative change in vocal colour and tone. Otherwise, Bad Revenge easily could have become overly consistent and that doesn’t always lead to a good outcome. I guess my final comment about Bad Revenge is that the song could have used more polishing the lyrics department, but that is a super minor thing and doesn’t take away from the listening experience that was Bad Revenge.

from20 spends most of the music video without his shirt on, and I am sure fans are loving that aspect of the music video. In addition to that, he is also fighting bad guys and works out in this video, determined to get to some happiness (as represented by the bottle in the middle of a laser field with the word “HAPPY” on it). I think there is a story somewhere in this video, but I find myself plugging in a lot of the missing information with my imagination. While that does give viewers some flexibility in terms of interpretation, I think this particular music video needs a few more details to it. The choreography looks very nice. I liked the groovy factor it brings to the table.

Overall Rating – 8/10

Ima (Even If the World Ends Tomorrow) – SEVENTEEN

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 23 September 2023
Release Type: ALWAYS YOURS (1st Japanese Compilation Album)

Ima (Even If the World Ends Tomorrow) features a pleasant pop rock background. I really like how the guitar riffs is upfront, while the drumming propels the song forward. There is a bit more to Ima, including the string elements, the touch of synths in the background, the more dramatic drumming in the pre-choruses, the piano in the bridge. Each of these elements builds an the pop rock sound to make Ima even more beautiful sounding. Aside from the instrumentation, the group continues to focus on their vocals and melodies in Ima, which sets a solid foundation in making the song a beautiful one. I guess the one thing I really wanted from Ima that did not eventuate is a peak in the vocals. They kind of left to the instrumental, which I think is fine. But I think some of the members could have had a stake in that to take Ima to the next level.

The music video shows an end of the world event playing out, where everyone around the SEVENTEEN members are running to safety and their surroundings are on fire etc. But somehow, SEVENTEEN sees the beauty in all aspects of this, embracing the “now” and focusing on what time is left on their friendship, not worrying about the future as expressed in Ima‘s lyrics. In the story, some members hang back and do not participate in the evacuation, while other members sought or helped others to safety (but end up backing away to focus on their friendship with one another – such is the case of DK and Mingyu). Overall, a pretty music video and works well with the song. The choreography for Ima brings a smile to my face, as it embraces the pleasant side of the song. The members’ smiles whilst performing Ima also helps give off that smiling effect. Majority of the dance moves are a lot smoother than SEVENTEEN’s usual work, matching with the melodies of the song quite well.

Overall Rating – 8.7/10

Back To Me – The Rose

Language: English
Release Date: 23 September 2023
Release Type: DUAL (2nd Studio Album)

While I don’t cover them nearly enough on this blog, The Rose is probably one of the best band acts currently associated with the KPOP industry. They only release music that represents themselves, and there isn’t anyone holding them back from showing this. Back To Me is a quintessential rock ballad track. Nothing more, nothing less. This pure rock sound that comes about in Back To Me is what I want out of the rock sounds in KPOP and I am glad that The Rose are the ones to deliver it. The build up in instrumentation are definitely the highlights of the song. Adding layers to Back To Me are the vocals from Woosung and Dojoon, who both sound emotionally charged and bring angst with their delivery to give Back To Me more impact. Their delivery definitely adds more oomph and meaning to the song’s message of wanting one’s ex to return, despite the screw ups caused by the person singing. Back To Me‘s chorus, with its entirety also serving as the main hook, is super catchy and memorable, as well.

The music video basically features the members in full on rock mode. I like how straight forward it is, encapsulating the energy and tone of the song very well. I would have liked more variation in the video, however. Maybe different scenery, just to give it a bit more layers. But what we got was pretty good.

Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[International Song Reviews] JUN (SEVENTEEN), TFN, Mark Tuan (GOT7), TXT & Jonas Brothers

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Another International Song Reviews post. This was supposed to be posted yesterday, but I was feeling very tired for some reason (like to the point where I could barely open my eyes at the grocery store, where there is a lot of stimuli that should have kept me awake). Decided to have a nap for an hour to write this post, but ended up over-napping to dinner. But I am feeling awake right now and ready to tackle the post, which will cover releases from JUN (from SEVENTEEN), TFN, Mark Tuan (from GOT7) and TXT and Jonas Brothers collaboration single! This post follows on from my review of Stray Kids’ Social Path (ft. LiSA), TXT’s pre-release single Back For More (with Anitta), Jung Kook’s newest release 3D (with Jack Harlow) and aespa’s Better Things.

PSYCHO – JUN (SEVENTEEN)

Language: Chinese
Release Date: 4 July 2023
Release Type: PSYCHO (4th Digital Single)

JUN’s PSYCHO is an instant like for me and I found myself playing the song constantly to relive the amazing instrumentation, vocals and atmosphere within PSYCHO. The entirety of PSYCHO is very well executed by JUN and the producers, but the best part has to be the chorus. Firstly, the transition from pre-chorus to chorus is flawless. With the chorus, the rhythmic bass beats and the twinkling instrumental elements creates such an alluring and hypnotic effect that pulled me in for more. The combination also creates this haunting feeling which goes so well with the PSYCHO theme that JUN features as the concept for this comeback. The instrumental bridge serves as an extension of what we hear in the background of the chorus, with further work to it to make it edgier and more suspenseful. This leads into the outro where JUN uses his raspy tone in a shouty manner that sounds so good. PSYCHO is definitely one of the best songs of the year, in my books.

Whatever you think of JUN as part of SEVENTEEN, on-camera or behind the scenes, put that to one side. His acting in this video is so good, playing a psycho so well. The editing definitely helps, but props to JUN, who is also an actor (in case you didn’t know). In addition to his acting, JUN has his body on display throughout the video and looks amazing in all the outfits we see him in. The video ends on a very interesting note, with the car looking like it is going to run into him. Amazing editing here, as I don’t think JUN was actually going to be hit in the car. As for the choreography, I really like how that hypnotic vibe was carried through with the twirling finger in arm move. I also really like the idea of the exaggerated smile within the choreography and basically the rest of the routine. There might be enough for a dance performance nomination at the end of the year (hint hint).

Overall Rating – 9.8/10

ICE CREAM – TFN

Language: Spanish
Release Date: 17 August 2023
Release Type: ICE CREAM (2nd Spanish Single)

After last year’s onslaught of multiple singles and releases, TFN has been very quiet in 2023. Prior to ICE CREAM‘s release, the group only released one single and one mini-album (both of in Japan) this year. Anyhow, what makes ICE CREAM super interesting is that it is a Spanish release, which to me felt like the next logical market for KPOP to expand into, simply because of the massive Latin influence KPOP had a few years back. Aside from the different language (which isn’t a first for KPOP believe it or not), I really like the pompous energy and beats in ICE CREAM. It makes for a super fun and dynamic listen. The brass elements adds to all of this, as well. The vocal and rapping work was equally as bombastic as the instrumentation, which isn’t a bad take on the song. They actually work well with the instrumentation. My only problem with ICE CREAM is that because it starts off and maintains the same energy throughout, the song does get repetitive towards the end. The instrumental break, which goes for a more dance approach to its instrumental – different yet fitting, does help cut the repetition. Altogether, ICE CREAM sounds like a song you would hear at a party. And given all within it, I wouldn’t mind celebrating to it.

As just mentioned, the music video is set at a poolside party, which is a fair call. That is where ice cream would taste best on a summery afternoon. It also looks like the pool is attached to a nice set of villas. The only time the setting changes is for the dance break/end of the song, where the daytime becomes night time and the villa becomes to the setting (not the poolside). Aside from that, the video features some fun closeups of the members. However, I wished there was more to the video. For the most part, the choreography could have been more dynamic and fun. Instead, we got pretty weak delivery from the members (I don’t know if they were tired or being cautious of something, but it looked like minimal effort was being put into the performance) and the moves that look like the choreographer had put together moments before the music video shoot. The most dynamic bit of the choreography was during the dance break, which looked cool. I wished the rest of the routine was just as dynamic and upbeat as the dance break.

Overall Rating – 7.4/10

Everyone Else Fades – Mark Tuan (GOT7)

Language: English
Release Date: 1 September 2023
Release Type: Everyone Else Fades (Digital Single)

The newest release on this post is Mark Tuan’s Everyone Else Fades. As soon as I listened to this song, I knew I had to cover it on the blog in the near future! Well, I have elected that day in the near future to be today. For the most part, Everyone Else Fades fits within the R&B pop genre. But it is the presence of rock in the chorus, that I like the most in the track. It gives the preceding line to the chorus “Everyone else fades into the background” so much more impact and delivers some oomph to the track, which in turn helps the track resonates with the listener. Mark Tuan’s vocals throughout Everyone Else Fades felt very raw yet soothing, delivering a heartfelt message of being around a person they love and having the focus be on them. with everyone else fading into the background. The harmonies stay in my mind after the song finishes and the impact of the central line keeps on replaying in my head. It is definitely a relatable and meaningful song, and also an effective one, as well.

The music video features Mark Tuan and actress/model Davika Hoorne at the beach. Despite the video featuring both of them, I like how it was edited to ensure that Davika Hoorne was the focus, which helps emphasise the lyrics and its message. The lack of other people in the video also helps. Even Mark Tuan, who should have been the focus of the video given that it is his song, felt delegated to the background during those shared shots. Don’t come at me though, as the video does offset this with solo shots of Mark Tuan elsewhere in the video, and I would like to know the meaning off the floating papers, as I felt that was pretty intriguing elements during his shots. But overall, it is a music video that picks up the message and gives effect to it quite well.

Overall Rating – 9/10

Do It Like That – TXT & Jonas Brothers

Language: English
Release Date: 7 July 2023
Release Type: Do It Like That (Digital Single)

Due to my massive backlog of songs to review, I hadn’t had a chance to review Do It Like That yet. This collaboration single between TXT and the Jonas Brothers (which I found to be quite unexpected pairing) is such a fun, light and fluffy listen, making it appropriate for the summery season where you don’t want something too heavy. Instead, Do It Like That is a very easygoing number that remains upbeat all throughout. I like the use of falsettos and bright tone to the instrumentation to maintain the song’s lightness. It actually took me a while to figure out that the different between the band and the group, they just sound so alike to me in Do It Like That. Not entirely sure if that is a good thing, but I wasn’t bothered by that. Overall, a neat collaboration between TXT and Jonas Brother.

The music video is fairly simple, with the Jonas Brothers playing their instrumentation whilst singing and TXT was dancing whilst singing, over white background. This to me matches the simplicity and lightness of the song. Anything more would have felt a bit too much for the song. The outfits worn by the two artists popped out over the white background, which was a nice effect to have in the video. It would have nicer to see TXT and Jonas Brothers interact with one another, but that would have only been possible had they come together to shoot the video (which was not the case). As for the choreography, the parts we did see in the music video (i.e. the chorus sequence designated for becoming a TikTok trend) is not complex by today’s standard. But it wasn’t until we saw the entire routine on their Lollapolooza stage did I fully realize how fun and lighthearted the choreography was. I quite liked it and how fitting it felt for Do It Like That.

Overall Rating – 8.5/10

[International Song Reviews] Stray Kids ft. LiSA, TXT with Anitta, Jung Kook ft. Jack Harlow & aespa

Posted in International Song Review, JPOP, Western POPTagged , , , , , 10 Comments

Songs in Japanese, Chinese, English or (more recently!) Spanish by our favourite KPOP artists are continually being pumped out this year, especially since the appeal of these artists internationally are growing exponentially. So much so that I am still behind. I am taking a break from covering some slightly older releases from earlier on this year, and look forward to cover some more recent non-Korean language releases – Stray Kids’ SOCIAL PATH, TXT’s Back For More, Jung Kook’s 3D and aespa’s Better Things. Last weekend, I looked at songs from SEVENTEEN’s VERNON, ATEEZ, TWICE and IVE.

Social Path – Stray Kids ft. LiSA

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 6 September 2023
Release Type: Social Path / Super Bowl (1st Japanese Mini Album)

Social Path is one of two songs in this post that has reached the top of my personal Weekly KPOP Charts, which is uncommon for non-Korean tracks given I do dedicate most of my music-listening time towards KPOP releases. Social Path is actually more English, with the rapping only featuring Japanese. Social Path features rock influences on top of the usual presence of synths in Stray Kids, and does so in such a straightforwardly manner. With the chorus being the most recognisable, the rock influences comes off very cleanly. Talking about the chorus, I had the vocal melodies of the central piece stuck in my brain, leading me to humming and revisiting Social Path quite often. Similarly, I found the vocals and rapping from all members of Stray Kids to be very clean and straightforward, as well. LiSA’s featuring in the track really helps adds more vibrancy and to the song, and she balances out the song quite well with her sharp vocals. But ultimately, the best part of Social Path is when both Stray Kids and LiSA joins forces to lead into the final chorus. It is a such a simple yet effective highlight of the song, worthwhile after such a strong buildup.

Despite it being an intense and energetic track, Social Path speaks to what they had to sacrifice in order to be where they are now (i.e. their younger years, freedom, privacy etc.). To me, the lyrics hits hard, especially when you consider the recent stories of privacy invasion and their companies basically owning their lives. Throughout the video, we see the members struggle with being followed, chased and surrounded by people who has their face covered in paper bags with question marks on them, which most likely represents the negative comments and haters on the internet. LiSA is trapped in a cage for most of her parts. But Stray Kids come together to fight this nightmare and join LiSA to rise to the top and conquer the fiery world. The choreography was pretty good. The chorus routine is memorable and I really like the huddle just before the final chorus.

Overall Rating – 8.8/10

Back For More – TXT ft. Anitta

Language: English
Release Date: 15 September 2023
Release Type: The Name Chapter: FREEFALL (3rd Korean Studio Album)

Back For More is the second song that has risen to the top of my Weekly KPOP Charts. It was also first performed at the MTV Video Music Awards that occurred mid-September and serves as a pre-release single for their upcoming third Korean studio album, The Name Chapter: FREEFALL (which will be released later this month). Back For More is a solid pop track, featuring a funky underlay throughout the track and some really cool cymbal flourishes as we head into the main parts of the song. The melodies and hooks are also quite straightforward, but catchy and addictive. Just like the song, their vocals are very solid throughout Back For More, coming off as alluring the more you listen to Back For More. I also really like their vocal homage to Michael Jackson towards the end of Back For More via the ad-libs. As for Anitta, I do like how her part attempts to change up the momentum slightly and create a different atmosphere. It is what I thought Back For More needed to avoid the overly consistent issue (that is until I heard the TXT version, which my preferred version now). But Anitta herself just seems to be plugged in and doesn’t really meld with the rest of song. I also really dislike the soft taps in the background of her part, distracting me away from the song.

I thought the music video for Back For More was simple, with the members performing the track on stage and ‘behind the scenes’ in the music video in navy suits. I guess I would wish for a bit more variety, maybe different coloured suits, just to give the music video a bit more depth. The choreography for the comeback was super cool, with the members showcasing a bit more of a mature and sleek energy in the routine. The best bit is the Michael Jackson sequence in the choreography, which they all pull off effortlessly.

Overall Rating – 8.7/10

3D – Jung Kook (BTS) ft. Jack Harlow

Language: English
Release Date: 29 September 2023
Release Type: 3D (2nd Solo Digital Single)

Jung Kook’s solo release, once again, is the most recent release in this post. I really like the early 2000s influence that is going on in 3D, throwing us back to when Justin Timberlake was starting out as a solo artist. It is the era that I grew up in, and so 3D plays towards the nostalgia I have for that era. The percussion and soft beats make it an easy listen. Jung Kook himself sounds very charismatic throughout 3D and pulls you into the track further. The whispery pre-choruses were an excellent shift in vocals, adding to the momentum of the track in a subtle and soft manner that fits the rest of the song. We also see the return of rapper Jung Kook in 3D, which is exactly what I had hoped for when I passed the first verse and entered the chorus for the first time. I did think he could have incorporated something with a little more definition as the song tracks along, just to give 3D some more oomph and flair. Jack Harlow features in the song and also brings adds more rapping to 3D. While I do like the flow and added rapping, I did think Jack Harlow’s section was quite cringy. But for the most part, I really liked 3D and that Jung Kook is definitely psyching us up for his solo album (which he has said is coming out later this year).

As for the music video, I found it a bit boring. Jung Kook obviously looks fantastic in the video and I am sure fans are swooning over his visuals and style in the video. And the early 2000s style is pretty strong in this video. But I do like my music videos with a bit more to them than just visuals, and I don’t see anything more but visuals in this video. Also, someone pointed out that Jack Harlow mentions ABG in his rap, but there were no ABG in the shot at that particular moment. As for the choreography, it is another great routine from Jung Kook. This one has an edge over Seven, with both Jung Kook and the dancers doing a lot more interesting moves for 3D.

Overall Rating – 8/1`0

Better Things – aespa

Language: English
Release Date: 18 August 2023
Release Type: Better Things (1st English Digital Single)

Better Things isn’t aespa’s first full English track, but it is their first original English single for the Western market. I do like how refreshing the instrumentation feels, which makes it a good release for the Summer season that it was released in. It is quite a rhythmic background piece, but I did think it needed some flourishes or a bold element to it. It just chugs along in the background and doesn’t really go or do anything further than that. As such, Better Things does become dull and dry towards the end. The melodies and hooks share a similar issue, but I don’t think it was as bad as the instrumentation. At first, they are catchy and simple, making Better Things another easy listen. But as the song goes on, it just feels like a repeat of what we had heard earlier from the girl group. But the addition of the sleek rap-speak in the bridge and the added vibrancy to the vocals throughout does add more to the track, and this helps makes it less repetitive. Overall, Better Things is a fair track from the group. Not as striking as I wished it could be, but pleasant enough.

The music video follows on from the Better Things sitcom that was released in the lead to the release of this track. I somehow missed this, so I am going off what I understand. The fish that appears from in the video comes from a device that appears in the sitcom. From there, the members follow the fish and discover brand new worlds in a rainforest, under the sea and on an island. I do like the summery colours that featured in the video and the striking blue of the choreography set that offsets these warmer colours. Complementing the more mellow sounds of Better Things, the choreography features softer moves. While it isn’t as bold or sharp as compared to their other works, the routine is just as captivating and pairs well with the song.

Overall Rating – 8/10

[International Song Reviews] VERNON (SEVENTEEN), ATEEZ, TWICE, IVE

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As you can see, I am determined to cover more songs by Korean artists (or those who have a connection with the KPOP industry) that aren’t in the Korean language. Last weekend, I reviewed songs from KANG DANIEl, Golden Child, AB6IX and THE BOYZ. This week, I am reviewing VERNON’s BLACK EYE, ATEEZ’s LIMITLESS, TWICE’s HARE HARE and IVE’s WAVE.

Black Eye – VERNON (SEVENTEEN)

Language: English
Release Date: 23 December 2022
Release Type: Black Eye (Digital Single)

Going over my records during the week, I realized that VERNON’s Black Eye (which was released at the very end of last year) had not yet been reviewed on my blog. So, here is the review! Black Eye is a straight forward pop-punk track that brings forth a nostalgic feel, This song style is one that suits VERNON super well, and his delivery throughout Black Eye proves just that. VERNON’s hoarse vocals is perfect for the genre and I liked the oomph he gives to bump the song upwards. I did wish there was a bit more to the song instrumentation, just to take it to the next level – maybe a solo guitar moment would have been ideal. I also wished the f-word wasn’t bleeped out (this would have potentially helped the song become bolder) and the lyrics were not written to feel like an angsty barely-of-age adult thinking they are cool in their rebellious phase against the world. A more mature outlook would have been better recieved. But overall, Black Eye was definitely a strong solo track from VERNON.

Now that I put my thoughts on the lyrics into words, I can’t help but think VERNON channeled this mentality for the music video. It changes my way of looking at VERNON in the music video (especially when he is very close to the camera), which I had originally thought was a good showing of a more angsty and rebellious side of the SEVENTEEN member. Other than that, the video does a good job of channeling the energy and pop-punk vibes of Black Eye.

Overall Rating – 8/10

Limitless – ATEEZ

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 22 March 2023
Release Type: Limitless (2nd Japanese Single Album)

Again, Limitless is another song that I had realized that there was no review for. But that will change today. My understanding is that the song also serves as part of the OST for an anime titled Duel Masters Win. I don’t know too much about that anime, but the instrumentation of Limitless does fit the bill of an anime soundtrack. The synth work in Limitless has a forward trajectory and momentum that made it sound very cool from the get-go. When Limitless amps up in the chorus, the addition of the drumming percussion makes the track feel explosive. The electrifying rock back to the rapping in the second verse was also very exhilarating. As for the members, I wished there was a bit more character to their vocals and rapping. Everything felt held back in the track when it came to the members and it does dull out Limitless. A more robust melody and vocal line would have taken the chorus to new heights, and more oomph would have channeled more explosive energy into the song. The vocal part I did like was the pre-chorus, which featured a keyboard/piano like riff that just helped add a fragile tinge to the song, which I felt complemented Limitless‘ lyrics of embracing the limitless power and inner strength everyone has.

The music video sees the members go to the gym and participate in some sports like archery and fencing. I think the archery and fencing touches on the lyrics. They are sports that are usually seen as low-key and not as ‘active’ compared to the likes of basketball and soccer. But they do require just as much skill and technique, and the effort and inner strength one must find and input to play and win at archery and fencing pays off just as much as those other sports. As for the gym scenes, I think fans of the group will be swooning and loving those scenes. The choreography aspect of Limitless looks okay. But I expected something a bit more bombastic for this song and that expectation wasn’t fulfilled. The hand-off of the microphone to Hongjoong was probably my most favourite bit of the performance.

Overall Rating – 8.1/10

Hare Hare – TWICE

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 31 May 2023
Release Type: Hare Hare (10th Japanese Single)

Hare Hare continues TWICE’s success in the Japanese market with another bubbly and fun-sounding JPOP track. I found the track to be super catchy and that it brings back that brightness that featured in TWICE’s earlier works. Timing-wise, the brightness works really well with the summery season that it was released in. I would like to hear a tropic remix of the track, as I think that would work really well with the way Hare Hare sounds. While it is clear that I very much enjoyed the song, Hare Hare doesn’t necessarily bring anything new to the table. But it is still a great and enjoyable song. My only complaint about Hare Hare is the bridge. The breakdown did not fit the rest of the song whatsoever. If the producers somehow maintained that bubbliness that Hare Hare is quite consistent on elsewhere in the song, I think the breakdown would have been more successful and appreciable.

The music video works very well with the song, channeling the song’s bubbly and fun sound. The presence of the emojis, bubble words and the adorable bunnies around the members adds a neat cuteness to the visuals. The members also do a great job of channeling the same vibes from the song forward with their facial expressions and acting. I did think the platform on the soccer field needed a rethink. It was awfully plain and just didn’t fit the rest of the video. The choreography was super cute and fun, just like the song. It also channels the bounciness that featured in the instrumentation of Hare Hare, while the pre-chorus/bridge infuses a bit of sophistication and matureness to the routine to complement where TWICE is at with their careers.

Overall Rating – 8.5/10

WAVE – IVE

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 31 May 2023
Release Type: WAVE (1st Japanese Mini Album)

IVE’s WAVE serves as the group’s debut single in the Japanese pop market. For an entrance piece into an international music scene, WAVE was pretty good. There are some weak points to the song, like the not-so memorable verses, the lack of character from the members in the song overall, the odd intersection in the instrumentation of the bridge, and the missed opportunity to really heighten the song in the final chorus/moments of WAVE. But WAVE is catchy enough thanks to its repetitive yet monotonous hook (which I found to be charming the more I listen to WAVE, though it was the wrong move to continue on the monotonous nature in the rest of the song) and there were some strong moments that helps compensates for those weaker points. For example, I really like the hypnotic vocalisation that follows the first verse (by Liz) and second chorus (by Gaeul) of the song. The percussion and strumming guitar instrumentational also does a lot in WAVE in terms of making it more exciting (more than what the members added to the song) and moves WAVE along, while the whiplashes in the background makes off an interesting punctuation in the song. I did think (and this might be due to the music video) think the ending was lacking, just because I expected there to be some sort of concentration in the music. But instead, we got a repeat of what we heard already.

The music video for WAVE features IVE as squash players, patrons relaxing at the pool and rock stars. The first concept was quite fresh, given I don’t think any KPOP music video has gone with the squash concept before. Everything else was pretty much done before. But the video still highlights IVE’s amazing visuals. As for the choreography, I think there was opportunity for the group to do something bolder. What we got looked great, but the chorus calls for confidence and model-like. But instead, we got small movements which doesn’t appear to capitalise WAVE as well.

Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[International Song Reviews] KANG DANIEL, Golden Child, AB6IX & THE BOYZ

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It’s time for another International Song Review post. Last time, I covered Kep1er, DRIPPIN, New Hope Club & P1Harmony. & WayV. Today, I will be reviewing KANG DANIEL’s Wasteland, Golden Child’s CRAYON, AB6IX’s FLY AWAY and THE BOYZ’s Delicious.

Wasteland – KANG DANIEL

Weeks prior to his SOS comeback earlier this year, KANG DANIEL teased his return with the single WASTELAND, an all-English side track from the same mini-album that SOS was part of (Realiez). To me, WASTELAND adopts a familiar style that I personally associate with KANG DANIEL. His music is quiet and never-in-your-face, yet very impactful and rhythmic at the same time. And that is what we get in WASTELAND. The backing takes on a slightly grungy form of alternative rock and has such a memorable haunting vibe that. By itself, the backing of WASTELAND already captivates me already. Throw in KANG DANIEL’s vocals, and you pretty much have a solid song. His vocals are quite interesting, as they are quite soft in sound, but firm in terms of delivery. His ad-libs, whilst do sound distant, does give the song some hype energy. I am also with everyone when we chat about the lyrics of WASTELAND, which KANG DANIEL himself says is about “betrayal of a firm faith and the moment of realizing it“.

To complement this dark messaging and sound, the music sequence (which serves as the ‘music video’ component of the comeback takes on a dark vibe as well. The short version is an extension of the scene in SOS where KANG DANIEL is captured by ‘death’, while the long version is an extension of the scene in which (I believe) is in hell. Both scenes work extremely well with the song and concentrating the darkness that KANG DANIEL exudes in the lyrics of WASTELAND.

Overall Rating – 8.6/10

CRAYON – Golden Child

It has been a while since we have heard from GOLDEN CHILD. Their last released covered on my blog was their AURA mini-album from last year. In April of this year (and literally their only release so far this year) is their 3rd Japanese single CRAYON. It is a powerful dance track with very intense and crunchy synths serving as the background. I quite enjoyed the emergence of guitar riffs in the pre-chorus, which adds a refreshing element to the song and allows CRAYON to feel not as reliant on synths as previous Japanese tracks of there have been. I did think the the vocals and rapping were a let down. While CRAYON does give us some melodic material to enjoy, but I felt that it didn’t feel as bold or loaded as it could have been. Likewise, the rapping was a fair element in the song, but it largely lacked anything memorable. For me, I would have liked to hear the vocals soar a bit, and the rapping deliver some more intensity. This in turn would have made CRAYON come off as a stronger piece.

As for the music video, it was a stylish 3 and half minutes, with a lot of black and white in the sets and outfits. The most colour we got in the video was in the more casual outfits that were neutral camo-like colours. I did want more out of the video, but it works. As for the performance, it is a powerful piece that works well with the song.

Overall Rating – 7.3/10

FLY AWAY – AB6IX

AB6IX made an ‘under the radar’ release in Japan back in May of this year with FLY AWAY, their first Japanese single since their debut in Japan in 2021. I describe FLY AWAY as an ‘under the radar’ release because I don’t remember it being promoted on social media and I only knew of the song through the list of KPOP releases on Reddit. Anyhow, FLY AWAY is a pleasant pop release from the four-member male group. It has a nice upbeat soothing synth-line as its instrumental. The vocals and rapping pretty much follows the same direction, with an equally soothing and enjoyable brightness to their vocals and WOOJIN’s rapping stays pretty much in a vocal manner for most of the song. He does manage to go into more of a rapping motif during the bridge that worked well with the rest of the song, but it was short. Unfortunately, while FLY AWAY is all very nice, it doesn’t have much of a longevity aspect to it. I pretty much forgot about the song after I took it out of my Weekly KPOP Chart system, and even after listening to the song for the purposes of this review, I am not inclined to return to it once it wraps up.

As for the music video, it too lacks that memorable aspect and is easily forgotten. It looks like 3 members (DONGHYUN, WOOJIN and WOONG) are hiding from DAEHWI, who is using drones to look for the members. But everything about this release is pleasant, so think hide-and-seek type of finding (and ignore the lasers and worried looks at the end of the video). Interestingly, there is no choreography to this release. Instead, the members just stand around and sing towards the camera for their group scenes.

Overall Rating – 7.1/10

Delicious – THE BOYZ

Also released in May of this year is THE BOYZ’s Delicious. Compared to their other tracks, Delicious is rather flat and also lacks that longevity element that I spoke about above. However, Delicious does have a bit more to it, which helps in the appealing department. The vocals exude a laid back vibe here that sounds comforting and inviting. The melodies follow a similar frame and has a nice ring to it. The instrumental was uneventful and rather generic for the most part, but I did like the splashes of synths and guitar in the verses. ERIC’s rapping in the second verse was probably the best aspect of Delicious.

Concept-wise, this feels very typical for a Korean act going into Japan. Instead of their more intense image that the group adopted in past Japanese singles or in their previous Korean single (ROAR) prior to the release of Delicious, the group adopt a more casual, brighter and almost cutesy demeanour for this release, which I feel does feel like the expectation in the Japanese pop industry. Obviously, the bigger driver from the brighter concept is the song choice, but it is also something we have seen often when Korean songs/videos are remade for the Japanese market. Choreography-wise, my thoughts above is pretty much aligned. It works well with the song, but it is many steps away from their other performance pieces.

Overall Rating – 7/10

[International Song Reviews] Kep1er, DRIPPIN, New Hope Club & P1Harmony & WayV

Posted in JPOP, MPOP, Western POPTagged , , , , 5 Comments

Welcome to another International Song Reviews post. Last time I covered Japanese and Western releases from NCT Dream, Jackson Wang, Amber Liu and TVXQ. This post will cover Japanese, Western and Chinese releases from Kep1er, DRIPPIN, P1Harmony (who collaborated with British pop trio New Hope Club) and WayV, of which were released earlier this year (or in the case of WayV, released in the final days of the 2022).

I Do! Do You? – Kep1er

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 15 March 2023
Album: Fly-By (2nd Japanese Single Album)

I Do! Do You? is a neat track. The instrumentation is very groovy and cheerfully upbeat, tapping into the current trends of KPOP (not sure is this is a trend in Japan though). Their vocals strikes a balance by bringing in a cutesy and youthful tinge without ever stepping into cutesy territory (which is a direction that I would believe the song easily be directed towards. More definition would not have hurt to give the song more boldness The melodies and hooks are catchy and fun, complimenting the grooviness of I Do! Do You? that I already highlighted. But I do find I Do! Do You? to be somewhat linear and it gets slightly boring as it progresses, as it is just a repeat of whatever we heard earlier on in the song. A pleasant single, overall. The music video sees one member falling for a guy, with the rest of the group envisioning themselves in the main members’ stories. The rest of the group helps her get ready for the party, but is left heartbroken after the guy ends up asking another person out at the party. This leads the group to stick up for their heartbroken member and leave the party in unison. I read somewhere that this video does feature some shoplifting and violence, which I thought was a funny takeaway (but factual, as they do occur) from the video. Asides from that, it was a fun and enjoyable video to watch. As for the choreography, I thought it was okay. The moves were rather soft and this leads to the choreography looking a little weak. I am not looking for sharpness or over-the-top energy. I just think the moves could have been slightly stronger to look better from our point of view as the audience.

Overall Rating – 7.4/10

Hello Goodbye – DRIPPIN

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 15 March 2023
Album: Hello Goodbye (2nd Japanese Single Album)

DRIPPIN’s Hello Goodbye continues the group’s clear distinction between their Japanese and Korean releases. Just compare the likes of bright pop rock sound in Hello Goodbye with their darker and intense SEVEN SINS Korean comeback from earlier in the year. However, I do feel like we stepping closer to what DRIPPIN usually releases in Korea with the more prolific and heavier presence of rock in the song, particularly around the choruses. It gives the song’s strength and power, which is something DRIPPIN does focus on when they promote domestically. The vocals and melodies were, once again, nice. I found this department to be fairly straightforward, so I wished there was a more interesting element in it. You can hear the positivity and vibrancy behind their vocals, but it doesn’t feel enough. The filter over the opening of the second verse was a step in the right direction, but it did feel a little cliché. The one thing I do think Hello Goodbye does lack outright is something memorable. Yes, the melodies are nice, but there isn’t anything really pulling me back that isn’t the satisfying rock energy in the instrumentation. And there are other songs out there that delivers both that rock energy and that memorable element(s), so Hello Goodbye has a tough job. As for the instrumentation, it is great to see the smiles on the members’ faces and the group hanging out/having fun. But there isn’t anything else to the video, which makes it one of those where you only got to watch it once. As for the choreography, it was a good showcase of what to the group has to offer in terms of lighter tone and vibrant energy. But nothing really stands out to me.

Overall Rating – 7.5/10

Super Chic – New Hope Club & P1Harmony

Language: Western
Release Date: 24 April 2023
Album: Super Chic (Digital Single)

I like how unexpectedly fun and feel-good Super Chic is. The old-school vibes of Super Chic felt nostalgic. The vocals from both New Hope Club and P1Harmony were light-hearted and breezy, with the falsettos and higher pitched tones being a memorable aspect of Super Chic. The melodies were quite smooth and flowed along quite well, while the hooks were catchy. I particularly enjoyed the entirety of the pre-chorus, which was punchy in comparison to the rest of the song and had notable lyrics about sweetness. The rapping in the bridge, which was partially in Korean, was a nice change of momentum. But the two groups made it work and blend it in with the rest of Super Chic by maintaining a pace that is aligned with the rest of the song and the rappers didn’t stray away too far from the rest of the song. Overall, Super Chic was a great collaboration that I don’t mind bopping to. The music video shows the two groups coming together to record this song and then behind the scenes shots of P1Harmony’s concert in New York City (which New Hope Club supported the group at). But this wasn’t the first and last time the pair had joined forces, as the two groups have performed with one another before and P1Harmony also supported New Hope Club’s Seoul stop of their tour (which occurred after the release of Super Chic).

Overall Rating – 8.5/10

Phantom – WayV

Language: Chinese
Release Date: 28 December 2022
Album: Phantom (4th Mini Album)

I return to 2022 briefly to cover the final song of this post – WayV’s Phantom. It was the first release by WayV in over two years and also follows on from the announcement of Lucas’ hiatus (which later concluded with him leaving WayV/NCT). I found Phantom to be quite an intriguing single that was pulled off well by the WayV members. The thumping percussion in the verses had nice rhythm and I liked how the pre-choruses ramped up the song towards the choruses. The choruses features the cliché yet fitting choir vocals and orchestral strings in the background to give off a heavier and more profound suspenseful feeling, while the synths helps bring a modern textural feel to Phantom that compliments the intensity and mysteriousness that Phantom is endeavouring in bringing to our minds whilst listening to the song. The deep vocals in the verses and the flow of the vocals elsewhere was helps glides the song along, despite the instrumentation. I do feel like Phantom lacks a more impactful rap sequence that could have delivered the song more bite. What we got from YangYang was great, but I wanted more of it. As for the music video, I quite liked the sets for the solo and choreography scenes. It works well with the concept the group was going for and brings forth a creepy and mysterious atmosphere. Choreography-wise, Phantom had intensity, and the members’ brought charisma to the stage. While it is doesn’t top the likes to their more widely known routines like Kick Back, it was a strong showing, as always.

Overall Rating – 8/10

[International Song Reviews] NCT DREAM, Jackson Wang, Amber Liu & TVXQ

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Time to continue with another International Song Reviews post. Last time, I began the coverage of 2023 releases such as STAYC’s POPPY, Jung Kook’s SEVEN, Stray Kids’ The Sound and TWICE’s MOONLIGHT SUNRISE. Today, I continue the coverage of 2023 releases with this post focusing on NCT DREAM, Jackson Wang, Amber Liu and TVXQ’s Japanese and English songs. Don’t worry, those 2022 releases that I had intended to cover are still on my to-do list and I will get back to them eventually. On with today’s review!

Best Friend Ever – NCT DREAM

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 8 February 2023
Album: Best Friend Forever (1st Japanese Single)

Compared to their Korean discography (particularly their recent ISTJ comeback), Best Friend Ever is a lot plainer and traditional in terms of its sound. There isn’t anything wrong with this at all, however. And I feel like Best Friend Ever proves just that. Best Friend Ever is a mid-tempo pop dance track that sounds sweet and pleasant, complementing the song’s lyrics of being able to do anything with someone by your side. The melodies, vocals and rapping are all incredibly pleasant, which helps showcase a more down-to-earth profile. The chorus has a very nice ring and I liked the addition of electric guitars at the end of the song. I thoroughly enjoyed Best Friend Ever and this less-aggressive side of the group. However, I do think Best Friend Ever could have done a bit more without disrupting the pleasantness of the track, just to give it more flair. The music video complements the song quite well, showing a more friendly side and interactions to the group. The music video also did a nice job with the set designs, particularly the choreography shots. They were colorful, but not so loud nor lacking. I also like the homey sets, which just makes it feel inviting and comforting to watch. As for the choreography, the group’s synchronisation was top-notch, and I liked the playful vibes the start and end of the routine had.

Overall Rating – 8/10

Cheetah – Jackson Wang

Language: Western
Release Date: 24 April 2023
Album: Cheetah (English Single)

When I first checked out Cheetah a few months back, I got massive Michael Jackson vibes from this song. And even months on, that vibe is still present. Compared to past tracks that I have reviewed from Jackson Wang, his vocals in Cheetah sounds the least like him. Instead of his usual raspy and deep vocals that we know of his past solo and GOT7 works, he opts for a much smoother and higher pitched vocals. You really have to focus on the vocals to figure it out it is delivered by Jackson. The instrumentation is super groovy and retro-like, which was super cool. The start also featured what felt like instrumental moments that you would expect to hear at a live stage of Cheetah. The melodies and hooks were all very catchy and Cheetah is another successful solo song from Jackson Wang. The music video shows Jackson Wang becoming one with the cheetahs. They scratch and bite him, before he joins them in song and dance (the latter forms part of him trying to get away, but it seems like they always have a grasp on him). In the end, he turns into one of them, before the video shows someone else sitting at the throne. This probably symbolises the cheetahs (i.e., the individual Jackson sings about) setting their eyes on their next victim. But this new person is dressed in all white, as opposed to the all-black outfit Jackson was wearing, so I guess he isn’t as hurt compared to Jackson. As touched on a second ago, the dance moves were nicely choreography and form part of the story in the video. The chemistry between the Jackson and the dancers makes the routine super cool and intriguing to watch.

Overall Rating – 9/10

No More Sad Songs – Amber Liu

Language: Western
Release Date: 05 May 2023
Album: No More Sad Songs (English Single)

I honestly do not have much to say about No More Sad Songs. I just really like how No More Sad Songs (by Amber Liu, (f(x)) member) is such an easy going song to listen to and get into. The melodies, the instrumentation and the vocals are sound very simple and straightforward, but it is so effective. Paired with a chorus that makes you want to have a bit of a dance, No More Sad Songs is actually one of my favourite releases of the year thus far. The music video shows Amber Liu embracing that desire to dance by doing so in public with some dancers. I feel shooting this video alone takes confidence and I applaud her and the dancers for that. The music video can also be interpreted as using the song and dance to get through those hard times and to stop relying on those sad songs that represent the hurt and sadness that someone is going through. The choreography that we do see in the music video isn’t anything spectacular, but it works in the video just as well.

Overall Rating – 9.2/10

PARALLEL PARALLEL – TVXQ

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 1 February 2023
Album: PARALLEL PARALLEL (Japanese Single)

In a change from last year’s darker and rock-sound Epitaph single and subdued mid-tempo UTSUROI single, PARALLEL PARALLEL steps into upbeat territory with a more fun and energetic track. For the most part, I enjoyed the song. The vocals and rapping were a solid effort from the duo (though some polishing wouldn’t hurt), with YUNHO’s “Taste a little like that” line in his solo parts being quite memorable. Pop emerges in the choruses and twists the song’s direction slightly, but it was an appreciable change to PARALLEL PARALLEL. Even that aforementioned upbeat nature and the electronic instrumentation of PARALLEL PARALLEL creates a lively and appealing atmosphere. However, as the song progresses, everything felt like it was stuck in a loop and this points towards the possibility that PARALLEL PARALLEL doesn’t eventuate to anything. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t. PARALLEL PARALLEL had some good potential, yet it was let down by the repetitiveness and lack of a climax. The instrumental break/bridge combo in PARALLEL PARALLEL, which was the perfect opportunity to change it up and give us that climatic moment failed to do any of that. The music video was a bit dry in my opinion. There was a playful vibe to it and the energy does translate well from song to visuals in the video, but that wasn’t enough to change the fact that the sets all looked the same and the solo shots were very boring. Also their styling felt ordinary. Similarly, the choreography doesn’t really live up to the likes of their past work. I am not exactly expecting the pair to blow our minds each time. But I felt the choreography was a bit too held back.

Overall Rating – 6.7/10

[International Song Reviews] STAYC, Jung Kook (BTS), Stray Kids, TWICE

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Welcome back to another International Song Reviews post. Last week, I continued the coverage of 2022 releases, including Japanese songs from ITZY, LOONA and Rocket Punch, and an English from JAMIE. During this week, it dawned on me that we are already in the latter half of 2023 and I haven’t reviewed any 2023 non-Korean releases yet. Pretty behind schedule, if you also just noticed. So, today, I am going to start my coverage of 2023 non-Korean releases (and return to the existing 2022 songs in later posts). In this post, I will be covering two Japanese songs released by trendy Korean artists (STAYC & Stray Kids), one English song from earlier on in the year (TWICE) and one very fresh English-language release that dropped just yesterday (Jung Kook’s solo debut).

Poppy – STAYC

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 23 November 2022
Album: POPPY (1st Japanese Single)

Before you say it, yes, STAYC’s POPPY is technically a 2022 release. But it was not eligible as part of the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards, so I am considering it as part of the upcoming 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards (and hence have included in my list of 2023 songs). For me, the strongest aspect of POPPY was its chorus, which was definitely catchy and addictive. I really liked the slightly monotonous and breathy approach that the producers and members utilised in the first half of the chorus, followed up with a very vibrant set of melodies in the second half. Combined with the quirky and bouncy synths, POPPY ended up being a very cool and fun track from my point of view. Elsewhere in the song, we got strong vocals and rapping from the group. Altogether, POPPY is a successful extension of their discography and highlights their pop style. The music video is indeed colourful, which works well with both the song and the Japanese market. It creates a playful atmosphere, which appeals to the latter as well. I did like the retro flair the music video, bringing in a 90s element to the video. But I aloo enjoyed the modern special effects that were used to help fill out the background. The choreography feels catchy and fun, just like the song and music video. There is also a more apparent cutesiness to the choreography, which I don’t find too overbearing to watch.

Overall Rating – 8.4/10

Seven – Jung Kook (BTS) ft. Latto

Language: English
Release Date: 14 July 2023
Album: Seven (Digital Single)

I figured I prioritise Seven’s review, given it is one of the biggest comebacks of this past week and it could potentially take months for me to actually review Seven per the usual schedule. But before we begin, I am genuinely surprised Jung Kook’s solo single would be in English (and that there is an explicit version). It was quite unexpected when I checked out the songs yesterday, but I am not upset about it. There is a lot to like in Seven. I really enjoyed the up-tempo nature of the song, with the glitchy beat really driving the song forward. This instrumentation works really well with Jung Kook’s vocals, with the pairing of these elements feeling well-rounded and balanced. The ‘Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday‘ hook is very catchy and Jung Kook makes this roll along so effortlessly. The verses are very clean and straight-forward. Latto makes an appearance in what is supposed to be the bridge of Seven. While I am not too troubled by this featuring, I was not entirely fond of the sound effects she was adding to the song. I felt that this should be been maintained in the explicit version, rather than the clean version.

As for the music video, it was unexpectedly a funny watch. Throughout the video, we see Jung Kook chase after Han So Hee after the pair had an argument. He wants to make amends, while she is not having it. We see these events transpire over dinner, in a flooded laundromat, on a train and a very stormy day. At one point, Jung Kook supposedly dies whilst chasing after her. We cut to his funeral, in which he miraculously wakes up and Han So Hee reacts by giving him the biggest eye and head roll. In the end, Han So Hee does relent and forgives him, and the pair walks away into the distance. Jung Kook also preformed Seven on Good Morning America, so the comeback does have some choreography to it. It isn’t anything major or epic, but it shows Jung Kook’s stage presence and style.

Overall Rating – 9.1/10

The Sound – Stray Kids

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 28 January 2023
Album: The Sound (1st Japanese Studio Album)

Just like how I said POPPY is a successful extension of STAYC’s discography above, the exact same comment can be applied here for The Sound and Stray Kids. The Sound is your classic Stray Kids track, complete with a full dosage of intensity and ‘noisy’ synths that people have previously described Stray Kids comebacks. I do find that The Sound is a lot more electrifying and the chorus is probably their most in-your-face effort to date. The group nails the vocals and rapping aspects of the song, which isn’t much of a surprise for me. Though, I am appreciative that the members can still be heard over the instrumentation. Otherwise, the combination of intensity and synths could easily drown out the group. If I had to be critical of anything, I am bit disappointed at the short length of the track. it just felt like it was over so soon. But on the flip side, they did pack a lot in and pulled it off. The music video depicts two sides of the group. On one hand, the group lives a peaceful life. But ever so slowly, the members can feel the presence of energy that shows the group’s more intense and powerful side. I liked how the music video depicts the energy as a tornado and intense storm (which they can see in the distance). The special effects were super cool, especially the effects that depicts the sound energy and the moments in which the house is being ripped apart by the storm. Choreography-wise, I like the clock-like formation, the group’s embracement of the song’s intensity by incorporating vibrations into their performance and the group’s command of the stage.

Overall Rating – 9/10

MOONLIGHT SUNRISE – TWICE

Language: English
Release Date: 20 January 2023
Album: Ready To Be (12th Mini Album)

Another reason to why I am looking at 2023 releases now in this segment is that I am slowly getting around to writing album reviews for certain releases which include an English song that was pre-released or promoted as part of the comeback, which is very much a growing trend in KPOP nowadays. And TWICE’s MOONLIGHT SUNRISE is on that list of songs that I need to review before I write the album review. All my thoughts on MOONLIGHT SUNRISE in this review comes after the song has grown on me a lot. MOONLIGHT SUNRISE does indeed sound pleasant and has a decent ring to it. But my craving for something more out of MOONLIGHT SUNRISE still stands. However, it lacks the energy and punchiness that makes it a prolific TWICE track. It feels constricted and limited, which leaves the song deflated and monotonous (but not in a good way like in POPPY). As the song progresses towards its end, we do get a teaser of what MOONLIGHT SUNRISE potentially could have been like, with JIHYO and NAYEON’s soaring vocals and ad-libs really helps bring life back into the song. Had the song mirrored similar energy in its body and gone further in the end, then MOONLIGHT SUNRISE would have been set up to be a much better track. But as it is, even though decent enough, MOONLIGHT SUNRISE still feels lacking. For the music video, it showed off the visuals of the members really well and I enjoyed the purple hue that was quite prominent. The group appears to be appealing to their lover to come by, which we do see happen at the end with the car rolling up by the love heart lock house. Honestly, however, I haven’t really returned to the music video since its release, just because there isn’t too much in it to pull me back. On the other hand, the choreography was a very big positive for this pre-release. The group shows a more mature energy and executed the moves so well. I also enjoyed the synchronisation and smoothness, particularly during chorus.

Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[International Song Reviews] ITZY, JAMIE, LOONA & Rocket Punch

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A much shorter gap than compared to last time again! Not yet ‘on a roll’ status, but I am hoping to smash out more of these International Song Reviews posts over the next few weeks to make sure I catch up on them as soon as possible. Last time, I focused on DRIPPIN, Rocket Punch, Kep1er and KANG DANIEL’s international releases from 2022. Today, I am still focusing on 2022 releases, but the attention is focused on ITZY’s Blah Blah Blah, JAMIE’s 3D Woman, what appears to be LOONA’s final song ever (:( aka. LUMINOUS) and Rocket Punch’s DokiDoki Love. Let’s go!

Blah Blah Blah – ITZY

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 5 October 2022
Album: Blah Blah Blah (2nd Japanese Maxi Single)

Ahead of their impending Korean comeback at the end of the month, it is time that I review Blah Blah Blah, ITZY’s latest Japanese comeback track which was released in October 2022. Blah Blah Blah is a song that shows off a more intense side of the group. The instrumentation of Blah Blah Blah definitely feels more abrasive and textural. However, I am particularly not a fan of the more typical and squeakier synths that were used as bookends in the introduction and end of Blah Blah Blah and post first chorus. The members did a great job with their vocals and rapping. The more chanty approach helped made Blah Blah Blah charming and appealing, as well. As for the music video, I really liked the colours in the video. The music video primarily used black and white in its sets. But the members’ outfits and some post-production elements present in the latter half of the video introduces small amounts of colour that really pop out. ITZY themselves looks amazing throughout the video, and I liked how the video’s concept brought out their intense and fierce sides. The choreography was definitely cool, and shows off a confidenct and sassy side which works well with the rest of the comeback.

Overall Rating – 8.3/10

3D Woman – JAMIE

Language: English
Release Date: 5 October 2022
Album: One Bad Night (3rd Mini Album)

JAMIE made her comeback with 3D Woman, in October of last year, following on from her Pity Party release from earlier on in 2022. The track showcases a mature sound and side of JAMIE. It features a slow and sensual vocal delivery from JAMIE, and an alluring and hypnotic trap instrumentation. It does get repetitive as it progresses, but it is still a strong foot forward for JAMIE. However, had the final chorus not been too much of a repeat of the what we heard earlier in the song, 3D Woman could have been a bold hit. As for the music video, I didn’t know exactly what was going on. But it was definitely a sexy music video to watch. My best guess about the plot is that the video depicts JAMIE as a femme fatale, who is part of a group of empowered and confident woman. A guy at a club is seen making a move on a particular lady at the club (whom I think is identified as a possible new recruit at the start of the video), but three ladies whom are at the club with JAMIE get in the way and drag her away from the guy. The guy ends up being distracted (and later gagged and bounded) by JAMIE, while the lady whom he was making a move on taken away and recruited to be part of the team of empowered and confident females. The video ends with as a group of ladies, including the newly recruited lady, walking by the bound and gagged guy. She takes one look at him and leaves him behind with her new friends.

Overall Rating – 7.4/10

LUMINOUS – LOONA

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 28 September 2022
Album: LUMINOUS (2nd Japanese Single Album)

As mentioned above in the introductory paragraph to this post, LUMINOUS potentially could have been LOONA’s final song ever following the group’s lawsuit against and departure for Blockberry Creative earlier this year. There may be potential for a regroup, as the members have predominately stayed with one another as they signed with new companies. But I guess, we will have to wait and see. Back on topic, LUMINOUS is an awesome track. I really like the bold energy that came off the song and the confidence that the song instills on you (which without a doubt works extremely well with the lyrics). LUMINOUS has drive and this really helps make the song appealing for me. Admittedly, the instrumentation is a bit repetitive and the vocals could have been through less processing. But the combination of both manages to offset each other and create that bold energy that I already mentioned. In terms of the music video, I am not a fan of the portrait frame. I think their previous Japanese track (Hula Hoop) was also shot in a similar manner. I guess it helps with the current form of videos we see (i.e., short form) and relates to the mobile phones (product placement perhaps?) in the video. The catwalk feel of the video matches up with the song very well and I like how their members’ message of confidence on the catwalk gets heard by the ordinary people/their fans who become confident as the video progresses. The choreography did look good, but I think better sychronisation would have made the performance I saw look better.

Overall Rating – 7.9/10

DokiDoki Love – Rocket Punch

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 5 October 2022
Album: DokiDoki LOVE (1st Japanese Studio Album)

DokiDoki Love is a track I did not expect to enjoy as much as I did when it was part of the Weekly KPOP Charts post. simply because it sounds very cutesy in passing and that isn’t my cup of tea. As usual, there is always exceptions to this and DokiDoki Love is probably one of the most recent additions to that exception list. I just remember finding the chorus super catchy and fun one day, and DokiDoki Love‘s appeal snowballed from there. The synth instrumental and subsequent pop energy that comes off the song was extremely likeable, and the members did a good job at executing the song. Come to the think of it, the song is quite summery – well suited for the current season (or in my case, my desire for the summery season). My favourite part of the song, overall, was the post-bridge/pre-final chorus Doki Doki chant. Brief, but it was a memorable part of the song. The music video was very bright and colourful, which is what you expect with this type of song. It is more on the typical side, but it works. Similarly, the choreography is cutesy and upbeat, exactly what you would expect with this type of song. Overall, a solid comeback.

Overall Rating – 8/10

[Special] Personal Favourite Songs from the 1st Half of 2023 & more

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As already mentioned prior to my break, one of the first posts after posting the outstanding Weekly KPOP Charts will be the annual ‘Personal Favourite’ post. Each year, to help round out the first half of the year, I post a list of my personal favourite songs from the 1st half of the year in July of each year. As we are now in July 2023, it is time to post my personal favourite songs from the 1st half of 2023 (with a few extra tidbits).

For this year’s post, I am following what I did last year, as I quite liked how that turned out. This means in addition to the usual list of 10 songs (which are in no particular order and not related to my reviews as songs do grow immensely on me) for the first half of 2023, I will also be posting two songs from the November – December 2022 period. And I will be posting 3 non-Korean songs (i.e. English, Japanese etc.) by Korean artists that caught my attention so far this year. So without further delays, here are the list of my personal favourite songs of the year thus far (in no particular order, of course).

From November – December 2022

Personal favourite non-Korean songs of 2023 thus far

Personal favourite KPOP songs of the year so far (January – June 2023)

[International Song Reviews] DRIPPIN, Rocket Punch, Kep1er & Kang Daniel

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Here we go, another International Song Reviews post. This time around, the gap between this and the preceding post is a tad shorter than last time – 6 weeks. Still not great, but definitely better than 6 weeks. I definitely want to increase the frequency of these posts to make sure I can catch up on these international songs, but so much to review at the same time. This post will focus on more 2022 Japanese pop releases, this time from DRIPPIN, Rocket Punch, Kep1er & Kang Daniel – three of which are debut singles.

SO GOOD – DRIPPIN

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 18 May 2022
Album: SO GOOD (1st Japanese Single Album)

DRIPPIN made their Japanese debut back in May 2022 with the single SO GOOD. Both the song and music video is a 180 degree change in direction, in comparison to their Korean releases (which are a lot darker and intense). From the get-go, SO GOOD is a lot perkier, colourful and brighter in all regards. It is definitely nice to see DRIPPIN in this lighting. Unfortunately, the entire package (i.e. song, music video and choreography) doesn’t offer much or anything new. It is pretty much a standard pop release that conforms to the Japanese market where colour and brightness is a major player. The instrumental for the most part is pretty generic. Even the whistles, which I usually find to be a nice touch in other songs, is a bit bland here. I did like the combination of the electric guitars and drumming we get at the very start of the song, and wish SO GOOD explored more of this in its body. The more dramatic marching drum and zippy synth combination we get in the dance break does help refresh the instrumental, and is another area in which the producers could have explored with the group. The hooks in SO GOOD were also pretty lacking. On the more positive side, SO GOOD does feature solid vocals and some strong rapping which helped drive the song forward. As for the music video, the members come off happier and cutesy in the colourful sets and bright lighting. I did like how the music video toned down the lighting/colour and opted for a moodier affair when it came to the dance break. As for the choreography, nothing stands out much here.

Overall Rating – 6.6/10

Fiore – Rocket Punch

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 29 June 2022
Album: Doki Doki Love (1st Japanese Studio Album)

Following their Japanese debut with Bubble Up! back in 2021, Rocket Punch returned last year with two Japanese singles. The first of the two is Fiore, which is another great single from the group. I practically enjoyed everything in Fiore. The verses came off as a pretty, thanks to the light melody and the retro touch the synth backing had. I enjoyed how clean and catchy the chorus felt. It was a simple yet effective centrepiece of this song that I remember enjoying. I also liked the squawky synth used as part of the dance break of Fiore. It was interesting and different, and stood out as a result. I liked that the producers held back on it and kept it contained, as it easily could have been too much and too weird for the song. Fiore also had a solid showing of vocals and rapping. As I said, a lot to like in this track. The music video emphasised the pretty side of the track, with the members performing and posing in a set that was styled with an abundance of flowers or outside in the beautiful nature of green fields and a forest. The members themselves also looked cute in their outdoor outfits and stunning in their red dresses. Similar comments on prettiness and cuteness can also be made about the choreography can also be made.

Overall Rating – 7.8/10

Wing Wing – Kep1er

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 3 August 2022
Album: FLY-UP (1st Japanese Single Album)

Out of the four songs featured on this post, Kep1er’s debut Japanese single Wing Wing is the weakest of the bunch. I was not much of a fan of Wing Wing when it was released and that sentiment still stands. But let’s begin with the positives – i.e. two aspects of Wing Wing that I actually enjoyed. The first was the pre-choruses, which was a great showcase of vocals and nice ramp up to the choruses. The second was the instrumentation, which had a nice vibrant and dynamic feel to it. The rest of the song doesn’t follow through. The verses were quite boring, but I appreciate the efforts the rapping took to help offset that with its energy. The choruses were questionable, and I blame the hooks for leaving this impression on me. The opening hook to the chorus became annoying very fast. Then came a solid first half of the chorus which also had some robust energy. But that soon became overwhelmingly empty thanks to the unnecessary dragging out of the song’s main hook. As for the music video, it was fairly generic There was some good post-production effects in the video. If anything, I think the cutesiness could have been dialed back. There were some things going on in the background that felt distracting. As for the choreography, Wing Wing‘s definitely fairs better than the song itself. I liked the energy that comes off the dance moves and how it also manages to show off Kep1er’s performance skills at the same time. It is a pity that the song is unable to do that.

Overall Rating – 6.4/10

Joy Ride – Kang Daniel

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 5 October 2022
Album: Joy Ride (Japanese debut mini-album)

The final song for this particular post is KANG DANIEL’s solo debut Japanese single, Joy Ride. Of the four songs in this post, Joy Ride is definitely the strongest of the bunch. The biggest drawing point of the sng is that it feels fitting for Kang Daniel and his discography. I liked the smooth and light approach to pop rock that Joy Ride took. The genre doesn’t come on strong until we get to the choruses, where it definitely makes an impression with its start-stop beginning. Kang Daniel’s vocals are definitely a highlight in this song, keeping the track light. And they also brought a smile to my face. I also liked his background high note at the end of the song (I am presuming it belongs to Kang Daniel). The catchiest moment of Joy Ride comes during the post-chorus moment, and this definitely makes the song ring in my head even after it finishes. The introduction of synths in the bridge as an instrumental break was quite interesting. As for the music video, it shows Kang Daniel having fun and enjoying life with friends, which I guess he likens to the thrill and fun of a joy ride. While we don’t see any choreography for this particular release in the music video, we are treated to the dance practice. If you hadn’t notice, the song features some car sound effects, such as car keys jangling, the engine starting and the beeps you hear when a car unlocks (or locks). In this choreography, the soloist and the dancers uses this to their advantage, incorporating car movements into part of the choreography. The dancers also start off in a car’s windshield formation with Kang Daniel as the driver. As for the rest, we get an urban hip-hop style which is definitely Kang Daniel’s style overall.

Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[International Song Reviews] Stray Kids, WEi, OMEGA X

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I think it is time for another International Song Reviews post, with the last one being from 10 weeks back and covering Japanese releases from THE BOYZ, BoA and TWICE. This time around, I will be covering Japanese releases from Stray Kids, WEi and OMEGA X. I would like to stress that these songs are from last year (not this year – I will get to them eventually), as I am still catching up on the many releases that I just didn’t cover last year due to time constraints. I am hoping for another post in a couple of weeks, so I am hoping I can get around to the 2023 release soon. But for now, here are my thoughts on Your Eyes (by Stray Kids), Maldives (by WEi) and Stand Up! (by OMEGA X).

Your Eyes – Stray Kids

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 1 June 2022
Album: Circus (2nd Japanese mini-album)

Your Eyes features a different sound for Stray Kids, who are usually known for their electronic dance tracks (see their lead single Circus from the same mini-album that features Your Eyes). It is a soft ballad that expresses their feelings about being in love and the anxiousness and happiness in their relationships. It shows Stray Kids in a more delicate manner, as one expects when it comes to ballads. The track is also purely vocally driven, and this allows the members to bring a sweeter colour and approach to their tone. The piano driven instrumental was soothing and calming. Altogether, Your Eyes was a dreamy number.

The music video is shot in a first person’s perspective, with the camera capturing the members who act as boyfriends to the person watching the video. I am sure fans have enjoyed this, as it gives them the opportunity of seeing the members up close and in such a loveable light. The video feels personal and works well with the song (in terms of both sound and lyrics). For me, I am not affected by this stuff. It isn’t my cup of tea, but I enjoyed watching the members smile and looked down to earth in this video. For Stray Kids, however, I can imagine this video coming back to haunt them (possibly a few years down the track where they are more matured). We have seen their reaction to the video at release. Just imagine the hilarity that would come about when they are reminded of the video’s existence later on in their careers. Their former labelmates, GOT7, also went through a similar thing with their debut teasers a few years back.

Overall Rating – 7.6/10

Maldives – WEi

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 11 August 2022
Album: Youth (1st Japanese mini-album)

WEi’s first Japanese single, Maldives, is a upbeat pop track that dabbles into some groovy territory with its instrumentation. The energy was great, and the vocals and rapping altogether was quite pleasant. It elicit feelings of a good time, which is the point behind the track – dreaming of paradise in the Maldives. However, there is a bit of typicalness to the song that held me back from completely liking the song. I felt like the producers could have done more to innovate Maldives into a better track. Maybe have more funky undertones to the song, or create a killer hook to the song to make it more memorable. As it is, Maldives is a fine song and a nice listen. But it quickly disappeared from my mind when it was out of my listening rotations (i.e. Weekly KPOP Charts segment on my blog, and I boil that down to lack of a memorable hook.

The music video is what I had expected. The video shows the members having a good time, spending time at the beach and in each other’s company. I am not sure if the group actually shot the video at the Maldives (I guess not due to the lack of scenery that would indicate a Maldives beach was chosen), but the beach location in which they chose felt appropriate nonetheless. Even the forest scenes we see in the video had a fresh vibe to them, something you would expect in Summer. The setting for the indoor choreography scene was pretty generic (I recognize the background from other videos) and I wished something better was chosen here. The choreography itself was also on the typical side. But I did like the fun and playful undertones present behind some of the moves.

Overall Rating – 7.3/10

Stand Up! – OMEGA X

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 24 August 2022
Album: Stand Up! (1st Japanese Mini Album)

Prior to the revelation that OMEGA X was being mistreated and abused by their former company (and the subsequent lawsuit ended in their favour), OMEGA X made their Japanese debut with the single Stand Up!. It is another fun dance track with funky and groovy undertones, making it super upbeat and suitable for the Summer season in which it was released in. The melodies and vocals were all very pleasant, as well, making it an enjoyable listen. Like the previous song above, I think Stand Up! lacks that memorable factor. Listening to the song now, I wished the raps in with a little more oomph. The track was pretty neutral overall, and I think some harder rap lines would have helped boost the song up and created a more eventful atmosphere. But what we got was still a great and fun listen.

Just like the music video preceding this review, this video shows the members having fun with one another at the beach. The main difference is that we get a different lead in – one of the members was bored of their original summer, and with the help of VR, he is taken to an alternative summer which was much more fun and exciting. This video also features some more urban locations, such as the skatepark and surfing activities, which do feel a little more summery. As for the choreography, I felt that it was light and flowy, whilst also being upbeat and playful.

Overall Rating – 7.5/10