Category: KPOP

[Review] Fame – RIIZE

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Back in November 2025, RIIZE made their comeback with their second single album, Fame, which featured the title track of the same name. Unfortunately, I was unable to review the track at that time. But as the saying goes, better late than never. Before Fame, RIIZE also returned earlier in 2025 with the studio album Odyssey (yet to be reviewed) and the title track Fly Up.

Fame tackles hip-hop once again, with the song described as ‘rage hip-hop’. While it isn’t the usual style of music I would listen to (the primary reason I have taken a while to review this track), I do appreciate the combination of rage beats and rhythm, hip-hop influences, and the shrillness of the electric guitar (though this did get much at times). The resulting instrumental features robustness that makes the song bold, while the electric guitars brought an alternative-esque influence to Fame. On the vocal front, it was solid all around. I liked the amount of vocals you got in Fame, in comparison to rapping. It felt balanced and well-rounded. I liked the emotional heft RIIZE poured into Fame, and that you also get out of the song. I also liked their control against the paced nature of the song. The rapping in this song was also pretty good, especially the lower register spoken parts. Stronger hooks and melodies would have reinforced the song. I know it isn’t common, especially in hip-hop songs, but Fame needed something memorable to hold my attention and bring me back for more.

Fame explores the desire for love and emotion over fame and fortune. I think the video explores two sides of each member, even though they are one person. One side is the ‘fame’ version of the group. We see them on screen, on the sound stage, and in front of the cameras in the video, though this version is portrayed as quite suffocating (very close shots of their faces, cameras right into their personal space, in a closed room, performing while their surroundings are on fire). The other side is the ‘behind the scenes’ version of RIIZE that we see for the majority of the video – they perform on the big spinning platform, and they appear to be in rehearsals (based on the more casual outfits). This side is allowed to explore those emotions and the idea of love. In the end, it appears that the desire for love and emotion prevails, as the small room off the side of their spinning platform, where we see the fame version of the members in some scenes, explodes.

The performance for Fame is pretty good. While it was an intense routine, I liked how it complemented the song’s pacing. The best part has to be the outro/dance break we get at the end of the performance. The way the members came at us was peak intensity.

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

[Review] BANG BANG – IVE

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Ahead of their upcoming comeback with their second studio album, Revive+, later this month, IVE pre-released the new single BANG BANG yesterday. BANG BANG attempts to join a list of successful pre-release singles in IVE’s repertoire, like Kitsch, Either Way, Off The Record and last year’s REBEL HEART.

Previously, I noted that I haven’t been a big fan of IVE’s songs that have taken an edgy route. Though I think I am warming up this sound profile from IVE, given that I did (and still do) enjoy Accendio and TKO. And while I didn’t review XOXZ favourably at first, the song has grown on me a bit since then. The only outlier appears to be 2023’s Baddie. BANG BANG joins the list of edgy songs I like from IVE. And in my books, it also joins the list of the group’s successful pre-releases. BANG BANG‘s attempt at edginess feels quite sophisticated and sleek. It is also quite fun, with the old Western influences adding some intriguing flair to the song. The club beat and bass make the track hit hard and drive it forward. I do think BANG BANG could have done with less clanginess. It feels the void during some parts, but it just makes BANG BANG feel, well, unnecessarily clangy and clunky. Vocally, IVE does well in the song. But the true shiners in BANG BANG are the rappers, REI and GAEUL. Their part in the second verse was very impressive, with REI getting a chance to show off her rapping and GAEUL following through without disrupting the song’s flow.

Based on the music video, the members appear to be outlaws, as indicated by the wanted posters. But instead of going into hiding or living in fear of being caught, IVE is very much out and about, living life boldly and without concern. At one point in the video, the members were practically dancing behind a police officer without a care in the world or fear of being caught. Though I am not sure what to think about the floating train – no theories there. As usual, the members look fantastic, with their visuals on full display (see the featured image as evidence).

From the members’ sensual moves to the more upbeat chorus, this routine definitely delivers impact and intensity. But the defining moment of the choreography is when LEESEO is front and centre, and the dance leans to the left in a rolling motion. Very cool, and again, super impactful.

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

[Review] Adrenaline – ATEEZ

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ATEEZ made their comeback yesterday with their 13th mini-album, Golden Hour: Part.4, and the title track Adrenaline. It is the first comeback since last year’s In Your Fantasy era in Korea and their Ash era in Japan. The group is currently on their In Your Fantasy tour, which kicked off mid-last year and will continue through to April of this year.

With a title like Adrenaline, the song essentially promises a rush that will get your energy up and going. The verses kick it off, or continue the song, on a strong note, while the pre-choruses build the suspense. Adrenaline does a fine job of setting itself up. I wished I could say the same about the choruses. Admittedly, Adrenaline‘s centrepiece starts off strong, with heightened, bombastic EDM synths that feel well-rounded and logical. But it just ends there, and I find it incredibly frustrating that there is no follow-through. The centrepiece needs the extra support of a second part to feel like a satisfying, complete release of energy that Adrenaline has been building up to. I thought the bridge was handled well by the members, but the vocal processing was a tad overdone for my liking. This could have been said about a few other parts of Adrenaline as well. I did like the return of the chorus synths for the instrumental break, with an added pitting synth to drive the part forward. And for the final part of Adrenaline, I liked the direction, but the way it was produced felt a little too easy. Some more explosive synths to give the outro its last hurrah would have done the job.

The music video for Adrenaline is a powerful and impactful. There are some solo shots throughout the music video that made me go “wow,” for the way they complement the song’s powerful nature and highlight the members’ looks. HONGJOONG looks at the start with his eye patch being one of these shots. YEOSANG’s swept-back blonde hair look is another, as well as the aerial shots of WOOYOUNG at the end of the video (for obvious reasons). Post-production really lifted this video, as well. The only thing I thought was a bit funny was the lack of aggression from HONGJOONG, when he was supposed to shout “Turn the thing off“. The vocals just do not match the calm expression shown at that time.

As for the choreography for the comeback, I really liked the intensity, aggressiveness, and power they brought to, and gave off during, the performance. The presence of the dancers also heightens all of this. That whole dance break that coincides with the instrumental break was super cool, with YUNHO’s floor part being the biggest highlight of the performance. I also liked the choreography’s outro, with it leading the song to a strong ending on stage.

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

[Review] Grenade – ONEUS

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Earlier this year, it was announced that ONEUS would be leaving RBW Entertainment this month and that the group would have one more comeback under the label. That comeback, Grenade, occurred 2 weeks ago, and the group continues to promote as a four-member lineup, as SEOHO is currently completing his military enlistment (having enlisted prior to their last comeback, X). However, it was recently revealed that all five members had signed with B-WAVE Entertainment, and the group would continue their promotions together.

Grenade strives to be an edgy, hip-hop dance song. But it ultimately underwhelms and feels flat in pretty much all regards. The foundation was okay, with the instrumental opting for a bouncy and percussive production. This is probably the only thing Grenade has going for it, but even that was lacking. It needed much more to make Grenade feel a lot more appealing. There wasn’t anything to give it some oomph or detailing to make the instrumental exciting. The backing just felt stuck in neutral gear and stayed the same from start to finish. It doesn’t help that the members were pretty much the same in Grenade. Their delivery, whilst consistent with past tracks, just felt hollow here. Grenade doesn’t offer much in terms of hooks, opting for a spoken repetition of the song title as the primary hook. It is rhythmic, but that is more so the result of the instrumental than the hook. Melody-wise, nothing really stuck out for me. It really pains me to write such comments for ONEUS, especially since we know what they are capable of. That standard was just forgotten in Grenade.

The music video is okay. It fits the brief of being dark and edgy, just like the song. There just wasn’t much in the video to comment on. The most I can speak of are their outfits (which had a traditional Korean influence that felt like a callback to ONEUS’ peak eras of Lit and LUNA), some dynamic camerawork, and the post-production effects at the end (LEEDO turning to dust and HWANWOONG catching fire). The latter adds a mysterious vibe to the video.

The choreography for Grenade exudes a tough, edgy vibe. It also plays into the song’s rhythmic side. But because of the song, I just didn’t find the routine to be that exciting. There was definitely potential, just held back by the music itself.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

[Review] LOVEPOCALYPSE – ZEROBASEONE

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ZEROBASEONE is officially back with their special mini-album, RE-FLOW (yeah, I checked the articles to be sure this time) and the title track LOVEPOCALYPSE. Previously, the group had pre-released the singles Running to Future (yet to be reviewed) and ROSES ahead of this special comeback. RE-FLOW could potentially serve as ZEROBASEONE’s final release after two and a half years, as they approach their scheduled disbandment date in March 2026. Presently, the members are connecting with their fans (ZEROSES) on their Here & Now tour throughout Asia.

As mentioned in my review of ROSES, songs released by a group ahead of the inevitable are often sentimental ballads dedicated to the group’s fans. But just like the pre-release track, ZEROBASEONE flips the script by making an upbeat drum-and-bass track their final song. I liked the addition of guitar, which just makes LOVEPOCALYPSE a little more electrifying and powerful. Still, there is some commonality with the ballads mentioned earlier: LOVEPOCALYPSE‘s lyrics bring a sentimental touch and are written in a way that is anything but for the fans. Anyhow, what makes LOVEPOCALYPSE even more special is the way the chorus is executed, bringing back fond memories of their debut track In Bloom. This is quite a nice touch to LOVEPOCALYPSE, taking the group full circle with their release. I also really liked how the vocals surge with the music in the chorus. It has impact, though it could have been better capitalised, with a stronger melody and hook, to make LOVEPOCALYPSE an even more prominent song in ZEROBASEONE’s discography. Despite that minor desire, LOVEPOCALYPSE ultimately celebrates ZEROBASEONE and ZEROSE’s bond, and it succeeds in doing just that.

For LOVEPOCALYPSE‘s music video, I am glad we see the actual members in some form (though an actual music video would be nice). For this video, we see footage of the members from their tour. To break up the footage, there is animation of a person (assuming to be ZEROBASEONE) falling from an asteroid, finding a blue rose (which transformed into their light stick – this transition amazed me) before the world collapses. But in this process, the person holds onto the blue rose they found, and at the moment of collapse, they are reborn into a planet of blue roses.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] Mono – i-dle ft. skaiwater

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Please bear with me as I catch up on some of the more recent KPOP releases from the last couple of weeks. First up is i-dle, who made their comeback last week with the single Mono, featuring British rapper skaiwater. It is their first release since Good Thing and the solo comebacks from YUQI (with M.O) and MIYEON (with Say My Name).

Musically, Mono is a pleasant number, and I quite enjoyed it. However, this wasn’t my first impression of the mostly English song (there was one line sung by SOYEON in Korean, which I think was intentional, to retain the true meaning of the Korean phrase). At first, I thought Mono‘s monotonous approach would be far too dull for my taste. Even after the first listen, I wasn’t sure about the subtlety of their delivery and the minimal melodies. But after a couple of repeats, I can say I find the melodies, hooks, and that subtle nature of their vocals quite appealing. The minimalist yet trendy instrumentation also spoke volumes, rounding out Mono nicely. skaiwater’s featuring was interesting. Whilst the rest of Mono was quite sterile, their slurred lines add a bit of texture and murkiness to the song. It stands out and gives Mono a little reprieve from the monotone direction it adopted. But the part was so brief, I didn’t think it was necessary. But that was only a minor detail. The other big part of Mono is its lyrics, which promote inclusivity and self-expression, regardless of your demographic.

There were some creative choices in the music video that didn’t make much sense to me at first, but they clicked into place by the end. For example, the prominent focus on rotations and circles, the large cone that is constantly drilling and whirling throughout the video. Turns out, these elements form circular patterns (i.e., patterns within a circle that is arranged around a central point). The monochrome aesthetic predominates for most of the video, showing that everything (and everyone) is the same regardless of our differences.

The stylists for this era of i-dle’s career have done an amazing job. All their looks over the past week on the music shows have been stunning, and they form a memorable part of their comeback for me. As for the choreography, I enjoyed how well the routine complements the music. It was so soft, yet had a subtle impact. I also like how skaiwater’s part was retained for the performance, giving the opportunity for all of the members to participate in a dance break.

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

[Review] 404 (New Era) – KiiiKiii

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As I mentioned previously, I would return to review the 2025 rookies I had already covered on the blog before Rookie Fortnight if I had time. Unfortunately, time escaped me. But I thought it would be nice to wrap up Rookie Fortnight with a review of one artist I specifically named in that previous post. The artist in question is KiiiKiii, who made a timely comeback this week with 404 (New Era), the title track from the group’s second mini-album, Delulu Pack, which dropped on Monday this week.

404 (New Era) is a UK house-inspired track that draws on the 90s club sound and inspiration from the Y2K era, combining energy and nostalgia. It is a lot of fun and definitely infectious in many ways. The production was hard to pass up, and the song’s hook was super catchy. It had a lot of drawing power, despite being delivered in a spoken manner. I can already feel that this track will only grow on me from here on out. I also like the attitude the members exude throughout 404 (New Era), which is reminiscent of voguing (suitable for the era the song draws its influences from) and catwalk/modelling vibes. 404 (New Era) would have been better if the members had been allowed to add a bit of individuality. I think that got lost in the way the song was executed. But that is only a minor issue in an already great track.

The music video opens with the members celebrating the incoming now-upon-us 2026, before the video shows the members hanging out in Sydney, Australia. I guess the members are wishing for a new era, based on scenes of them making a wish and revisiting past eras throughout the video, including Y2K and the 60s/70s. I find it a bit funny that the ’90s/’00s is now associated with the ‘retro’ ’60s/’70s, just because I was alive during the Y2K era. My age aside, I like how they bring these eras together through a fashion photoshoot over a simple white background that reminds me of Calvin Klein ads from the 90s. But the colour and vibrancy from these shots bring out some modern flair to the video as well.

As mentioned earlier, 404 (New Era) has a bit of a voguing influence in the song. And I see a bit of that in the way the members execute the different moves in the performance. Their synchronisation also makes the routine look cooler, and I enjoyed the cutesy vibes the members subtly add to the performance.

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

[Review] Champagne Poppin’ – KANG YUCHAN (A.C.E)

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In March 2025, it was announced that A.C.E. would not renew their contracts with Beat Interactive, their home since their 2017 debut. It was also announced that the group could continue to use the name A.C.E for future promotions, which suggests hope for a comeback. However, since then, the members have signed on to different companies. KANG YUCHAN (the focus of this post) signed on with WAY BETTER: the home of from20, Hello Gloom, Lim Se Jun (formerly of VICTON) and YYJ. Following this, he made his solo debut after eight years active in KPOP with the single, Champagne Poppin’.

A full English song is on-brand for WAY BETTER. I just didn’t expect an all-English song to be the first out of the gate for KANG YUCHAN. Is it a bad move? Not at all. I really liked the song. Champagne Poppin’ is a sleek and groovy number, with the synth work being the song’s strongest asset. In addition to being sleek and groovy, it also exudes elegance and maturity. I really appreciated the smoothness of the chorus, thanks to KANG YUCHAN’s vocals, the tight synth production and melodies. Though I would have liked something more pronounced to give the chorus something stronger to remember Champagne Poppin’ by. And while I enjoyed the smoothness, it made Champagne Poppin’ feel overly consistent and neutral. The R&B-influenced vocals throughout the song were one of the creative choices that I mentioned before. I really liked this approach, but I also think they add to this issue. KANG YUCHAN’s vocals simply glide over the instrumentation and don’t really anchor itself in it. While the rapping in the second verse was also a neat surprise, I can say the exact same thing about it. Overall, it is a decent debut track. But Champagne Poppin’ just needed something more.

KANG YUCHAN plays a bad boy in the music video for Champagne Poppin’. At the police station after being arrested, KANG YUCHAN runs into the lead female character played by PARK HEE JUNG, who has also been arrested. They end up establishing a relationship in the short time they are held in the police cell, before somehow escaping and overpowering the officers. They then go on the run, taking an old storekeeper hostage in her shop and stealing money from the bank. Essentially, they become a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde. In the end, they celebrate their spree and their capture by the police. I liked the story, but thought the ending was pretty tame. I think more of their spree and them running off together would have been a good story (though it doesn’t fit the Bonnie and Clyde story).

Unfortunately, Champagne Poppin’ was not promoted on music shows, and a dance practice video didn’t drop until the middle of his 1st mini-album promotions in November 2025. From that dance practice, the performance was more freestyle than structured. That being said, the performance was laid-back and chill, whilst also cool and smooth.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Flip The Coin – NEWBEAT

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Another group to have joined the ranks of rookies in 2025 is NEWBEAT. They are a 7-member male group, consisting of Park Min-seok, Hong Min-sung, Jeon Yeo-yeo-jung, Choi Seo-hyun, Kim Tae-yang, Jo Yun-hu, and Kim Ri-woo, under Beat Interactive. They debuted in March 2025 with the single Flip The Coin from their first studio album, RAW AND RAD.

Flip The Coin sees NEWBEAT debut with a hip-hop song that draws on 90s influences. And at a glance (which has been my exposure to the song until today), Flip The Coin nails the era and then some. The rapping, a major method of the song’s delivery, was pretty strong. But upon further inspection, Flip The Coin has its flaws. But before we get to those, I will mention that I enjoyed the detail in the instrumentation: the piano in the background of the first verse and final chorus, and the grungy electric guitars and brass during the bridge. They gave Flip The Coin some extra flair. Back to the flaws: since the 90s influence has been done so many times, the song needed something hooky to draw me back to it. Listening back to it, I can see why I never remembered much of the song. There was just nothing memorable or catchy enough in Flip The Coin to bring me back. Furthermore, the shouty motif didn’t help; it drained the song of its ability to connect and thus appeal. As a result, Flip The Coin was left behind and didn’t capture too much fanfare from me.

Truthfully, I have no clue what the music video is about. We see the members play two versions of themselves: a futuristic one and a mythologically inspired one. Both sides appear to be competing against each other at the peak of their worlds, though I have no clue what. I have no idea what the turntable that requires a tooth to operate is meant to represent. Past the confusion, the visual aspects of the music video are what I thought were cool. The post-production work was very detailed and cool-looking. I also liked the dark nature of the music video. It gave off a mysterious, intriguing vibe. I also liked the fast-paced camera work and transitions, which made the music video dynamic to watch.

As for the performance, I quite liked the intensity and energy the members brought to their routine. You could see the bouncy hip-hop influences come to life in the performance. The bridge was definitely the coolest moment of the routine, with the performance turning into a brief yet exciting hype dance battle.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

[Review] ZOOM – USPEER

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Next up on Rookie Fortnight is USPEER, a 7-member female group (Yeo Won, So Ee, Si An, Seo Yu, Da On, Chae Na, and Roa) who made their debut in June 2025 with the single ZOOM. They were formed under WM Entertainment (the home of OH MY GIRL and ONF). However, this year they transferred to MW Entertainment after their contract with WM Entertainment ended.

Truthfully, the primary reason I haven’t reviewed USPEER yet is that I wasn’t a fan of their debut track. There were some good moments in ZOOM, which I will expand upon in a moment. But the biggest blocker for me was the 2 forms of the drawn-out “ZOOM” that kicked off the song, and that appeared in the chorus. The former, in my opinion, did not do a great job of setting up the song, while the latter became quite obnoxious over time. Elsewhere in ZOOM, I didn’t think their cutesy flair fit the harsh, hefty synths and instrumentals. The verses also do not add much to the song – I honestly couldn’t remember anything from the verses for the purposes of this review (and this comment literally follows several repeats of ZOOM to prompt some thoughts. But there is some good in ZOOM. The pre-choruses showed potential, especially since they provide ZOOM with melodic material and give the vocalists a chance to showcase their abilities. I also didn’t mind the middle bit of the choruses (the part sandwiched between the elongated “ZOOMs”, which featured some rock influence). The bridge was also a nice peak for ZOOM. Production-wise, those harsh, hefty synths and instrumentals mentioned earlier worked well, adding robust textures and solid intensity to the song.

ZOOM‘s music video is another video featuring a teenage/school theme. Though their take is somewhat unique in focusing more on sports and after-school activities. I enjoyed the video’s brightness, which works well with the song’s energy. Similarly, the same could be said about the sports/after-school focus. Other than that, not much else to discuss on the music video front.

The routine does a decent job of showing off the members’ youthful charm, but in a slightly edgier motif that complements the song overall. Nothing really stands out in the performance, though I did appreciate the smoother moves during the pre-chorus and the slight hip-hop influence on the bridge.

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

[Review] Plot Twist – AtHeart

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As mentioned yesterday, Rookie Fortnight will officially be over once I get the necessary number of reviews out to cover a fortnight. Until then, expect more reviews from the 2025 rookies. Next up is AtHeart, who debuted in August 2025. They are a 7-member female group under Titan Content, consisting of Michi, Arin, Katelyn, Bome, Seohyeon, Aurora, and Nahyun. Their debut was with the single Plot Twist. Prior to Plot Twist, they also released their pre-debut single, Good Girl (AtHeart), in May 2025.

Among all the rookies, I don’t remember much about AtHeart. Listening back, I could tell by. Plot Twist leans more toward the minimalist, subdued side of KPOP. That being said, Plot Twist does have some bounce to its instrumentation through its synth work, which was a nice touch. But beyond that, it is a song that keeps to itself and doesn’t evolve beyond what has been described. As for their delivery, AtHeart does boast a good set of vocals. But I wish Plot Twist were a bit more developed to truly showcase AtHeart’s capabilities. The song had melodies, but nothing memorable. Instead, the minimalist, subdued approach described earlier makes the song’s melodies faint and barely noticeable. Thus, the members sound rather monotone throughout AtHeart. Charming, but not great as a first step to get people to notice you. Similarly, Plot Twist‘s hooks were barely present, weakening the appeal of the Plot Twist overall. It also doesn’t help that the song is severely short and ends abruptly.

The music video opts for a mysterious, eerie vibe, which makes sense once you consider the song’s meaning. The song is about wanting to push someone away, but as a plot twist, they end up falling for the other person. The video ends up portraying the “wanting to push someone away” scenes by showcasing the classic “love, marry, kill” game with a clear preference for killing someone (via the member with an axe), ‘an ick’ as something toxic (via the gas mask), and someone who is sick with someone who isn’t of sound mind (via the member who thinks they are getting married on the beach). There are other creepy scenes throughout the music video, such as the final scene where only one member is present in the group meeting, which makes me think that everyone else was her multiple personalities, and that only she prevails as she chooses the love plot twist.

Watching the performance version of Plot Twist, I still get those creepy vibes from the music video. Once you get over that, the performance was actually pretty decent. I really liked the inclusions of the twists during the pre-choruses, as well as the incorporation of the jumps to complement the bouncy synths during the chorus. The intensity during the chorus was also intriguing in the context of a minimalist, subdued song.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Album Review] PLEASURE (Special Mini Album) – TREASURE

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TREASURE’s PLEASURE is a special mini-album released back in March 2025. It featured four songs: the title track YELLOW, the previously released track LAST NIGHT (December 2024), and two additional side tracks. Overall, it is a mini-album that brings out a brighter side of TREASURE through pop tracks and a ballad.

PLEASURE followed their 2024 KING KONG single release and precedes their official third mini-album LOVE PULSE, which was released in September 2025 with the title track PARADISE.

PLEASURE Album Cover

1. YELLOW (Title Track) – Click here for YELLOW’s full review. (7.5/10)

2. SARURU (사르르) – SARURU is such a lovely and sweet-sounding pop single. The members’ vocals and rapping, as well as SARURU’s lyrics, are the main drivers of these vibes. As for the instrumentation, we get a bubbly, bright band sound, with the last sequence ticking into pop-rock vibes. The drumming makes for some nice foot-tapping momentum. Overall, SARURU is a nice track from the group. (8/10)

3. WHATEVER WHENEVER – WHATEVER WHENEVER is a stunning acoustic-driven ballad. I enjoyed the group in a more sentimental light, and their vocals and rapping were quite emotionally raw in this track. This was a massive, charming point of the song. The melodies, particularly in the choruses, have that swaying effect that I love and look for in a ballad. But what got me was the final chorus, where all the members sing together. It just makes WHATEVER WHENEVER hit harder, and gives the song its ‘cherry on top’. (9/10)

4. LAST NIGHT – Click here for LAST NIGHT’s full review. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.1/10

TREASURE’s teaser image for PLEASURE.

[Review] ROSES – ZEROBASEONE

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ZEROBASEONE will soon wrap up their activities as a nine-member group in March this year. With that being two-ish months away, there is time for one last album release from the current ZEROBASEONE lineup (I have read there is a possibility that ZB1 could continue with some members renewing their contracts, while others leave). Ahead of the release of the special mini-album, RE-FLOW, comes the pre-release track ROSES. ZEROBASEONE previously pre-released another single, Running to Future, which followed their September 2025 comeback with their NEVER SAY NEVER studio album (led by ICONIK).

When groups release a song ahead of the inevitable, it’s usually a sentimental ballad dedicated to their fans for supporting their careers. For ZEROBASEONE, they changed the script with ROSES. They keep the ‘dedicated to fans’ bit, but do so through a very energetic, powerful rock song. The energy is definitely memorable, and I liked the oomph that it gives ROSES. I found the percussion to be a super dynamic part of the track, while the hip-hop flourishes that appear along the way are refreshing and welcome changes to give ROSES more flair. Vocally, the members bring their A-game to the track, on par with the instrumentation’s energy. The brightness of the track exudes a sweetness that makes the members sound fond of who they are singing to (i.e., ZEROSES – the name of their fan club). The major problem with ROSES is its length – it is just too short. It feels incomplete the way it ended, and that disappoints me. Surely, they could have gone further with what could be one of their final singles!

It would have been nice to see the members in the flesh in the music video. But I guess they are too busy with their Here & Now Tour and final activities. What we got instead was a pleasant animation showing two individuals (one is ZEROBASEONE and the other is their fans) coming together to create roses (a recurring image in the music video). It essentially shows the bond between the group and their fans, with a nice continous loops of roses growing at the end to show that the bond is forever.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Crown – EXO

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I have yet to review any of this week’s new releases, so I am pausing Rookie Fortnight over the weekend to bring you reviews of the big releases from the past week. Kicking things off is EXO’s long-awaited comeback with Crown. With SEHUN completing his military enlistment in 2025, all EXO members became available for a full group comeback. Unfortunately, XIUMIN, BAEKHYUN, and CHEN were excluded from the comeback due to their ongoing conflict with SM Entertainment. Thus, only SUHO, LAY, CHANYEOL, D.O, KAI, and SEHUN were announced as the lineup for the comeback. However, in the lead-up to the comeback, LAY had to withdraw from promotional activities for the new album, REVERXE, due to “unavoidable circumstances”.

ICYMI – EXO’s last comeback was in 2023 with Cream Soda (the title track) and their 7th studio album, EXIST. That comeback did not feature LAY or KAI, but did include XIUMIN, BAEKHYUN, and CHEN, along with the rest of the EXO members.

Crown launches right into its bombastic sound, thanks to the harsh metal guitars and epic trap percussion that form the song’s backdrop. This is a promising start for the new song, and I enjoyed how this bold energy keeps reappearing in Crown‘s choruses as the song progresses. Between the choruses are verses that I don’t remember too much of. I think the material was a little lacklustre compared to Crown‘s centrepieces, so it doesn’t have as much appeal. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t a terrible aspect of the song, but the verses pale in comparison to that bold energy of the choruses. Like most SM tracks, Crown’s bridge is to die for. It is brief, but SM songs excel in this, and Crown is no different. The rapping was also a strong aspect of Crown. What made me nervous about the comeback was the absence of two prominent vocalists. And truthfully, I feel their absence in Crown. SUHO, D.O and LAY do hold their ground, but there is something with BAEKHYUN and CHEN’s vocals that could have elevated Crown.

Some people did not like the use of AI in the music video, which is a fair opinion. Some parts did look a little cheesy, such as CHANYEOL on fire and the members/soldiers on the inside rim of the crown. But I didn’t mind its use. Parts look more epic as a result, which adds to a memorable feel. I noticed that the members’ powers in this video match those in their MAMA music video. CHANYEOL with fire; D.O causing an earthquake back then and breaking a tombstone in this video; SUHO playing with water; LAY helping plants grow/heal; KAI teleporting himself and the members and dancers; SEHUN causing buildings to crash and turning them into dust storms. They use these powers to battle (not sure who, though) their way to the throne, with the dark concept turning golden once they reach the top.

Just like the rest of the comeback, EXO leans into a bold performance. That chorus move where they lean back and form a crown with their hand is quite a statement. The same can be said about the ending. I also like how they include a throwback to their WOLF choreography with the tree during the bridge.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] Waste No Time – XngHan&Xoul

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There weren’t just rookie groups in 2025. There were also rookie soloists, like SEUNGHAN. Following his removal from RIIZE, it was announced that SEUNGHAN would make his solo debut as part of a dance crew named XngHan&Xoul, under the new stage name XngHan. His solo debut single, Waste No Time, dropped in July 2025. He is joined by two professional dancers, Kyohong and Yul, who make up the Xoul aspect of the project name (with the possibility of this aspect changing).

Waste No Time falls into the pop-EDM mixed genre, with an upbeat drive that propels the song forward. I really liked the contrast between the light synth work and the heavy bassline. The various flourishes (clangy drums, brass, heavy trap) that pop up throughout the instrumentation keep the song engaging and prevent Waste No Time from becoming overly consistent. That is the risk of such a tight production like in Waste No Time. XngHan himself does a great job vocally and rapping-wise, with his voice gliding over the background. The falsettos lend well to this, and I also enjoyed the overall brightness he brings to Waste No Time. He also helps make the “I don’t wanna waste no time, wanna waste no, I don’t wanna waste no time, no more” hook quite catchy and fun. While the smoothness is an asset, the song lacks some punch. That is the only thing that holds back the song. Otherwise, Waste No Time is a strong solo debut track.

The music video begins with XngHan trying to memorise a choreography in the dance practice room. He is then joined by Xoul, and they get right to business, wasting no more time with practice. This allows them to go out, hang out and go on a road trip together. This complements the lyrics of Waste No Time, which expresses the message of not letting go of the present and moving forward without hesitation. I also enjoyed the bright, vivid colours of the music video, which worked well for the summery period when the song was released.

The trio delivers an awesome performance for this project. Their chemistry really made the choreography cohesive and smooth, while the footwork and sharp arm movements made the routine pop. I hope we get to see more of this XngHan&Xoul lineup together in the future.

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

[Review] You Never Met – uneverm8t (idntt)

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2025 also saw the beginning of a new 24-member (!) male group, idntt. Under ModHaus, which is home to tripleS (a 24-member female group) and ARTMS, the group is slowly unveiling its members through subunit releases. The first subunit, uneverm8t, debuted in August 2025 with 3 title tracks, one of which is You Never Met (the focus of this post). I will come back to review the other two tracks, Storm and Boytude, on another occasion, as well as the debut of idntt’s second subunit, yesw8are.

Just a quick side note: the way tripleS and idntt carry out their activities confuses me. I just don’t know why the unit releases are marketed under their respective full group name (which makes me think the entire tripleS and idntt lineup has made a comeback or officially debuted). Then, when I check out the new material, I think it is a different group, which has led me to push them aside to focus on other groups. Anyhow, this is not the point of the review. Just note, I will be trying to engage with more of tripleS’ and idntt’s work into the future (including the massive tripleS backlog).

So, back to You Never Met: it starts with a chant that doubles as the chorus opener later on. It then brings in some old-school glitchy hip-hop and modern electronic flourishes as its instrumentation. I enjoyed the dynamic flair of the instrumentation, which drives the song forward and adds a lot of energy. Beyond that, however, You Never Met never really catches on. While there were some good vocals and rapping (JUHO’s powerful rapping and TAEIN’s autotuned lines were probably the strongest moments in You Never Met), they largely don’t go anywhere. There is also very little catchiness to the song. The chant should have been the song’s prominent hook, but it felt very flat upon delivery and didn’t feel buoyant enough compared to the instrumentation. Similarly, the melodies were fine, but doesn’t have much of a memorable ring. You Never Met also feels short, with ‘a blur’ being a good way to describe the entire song, if I am being honest. This is despite it going for almost three minutes. I wish You Never Met was much stronger elsewhere to complement the instrumentation, which was definitely its strongest asset of all.

The mixture of 90s video-style shots and cleaner, modern shots throughout the video complements the song’s profile of old-school and modern flourishes. I also liked their casual, urban outfits that we see the members wear when they meet up and hang out. Similar to SEVENTEEN’s Ready To Love music video, I question the need for the members to perform in the ‘rain’ towards the end of the video, but I guess it gives something to mention in the otherwise ‘seen before’ music video.

The synchronisation and sharp movements make it a cool performance. Interestingly, the verses did a better job of showcasing their performance skills than the chorus. But I think that is because musically, the material is better in the verses (as mentioned earlier). The only thing I don’t like is how unmatching and awkward the first few seconds of the performance were, when the instrumentation was relatively stripped back and there was just chanting.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10