Category: KPOP

[Album Review] Last Romeo / Be Back (2nd Studio & Repackaged Album) – Infinite

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As the album contains 14 tracks, this album review has become quite lengthy. 

This week’s ‘past album’ review (I really need a new name for this particular series) is Infinite’s 2014 releases Last Romeo (which featured the title track Last Romeo) and Be Back (which featured the title track Back). I chose Infinite for today as they tend to have a number of cool non-title track hidden in the midst of their album releases, alongside that amazing title track they return with each time. This album is not an exception, with my attention immediately drawn to Last Romeo when it was first released. The album also contains releases from subunits and solo members, some of which hadn’t even had their respective debut at the time.

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Season 2 Album Cover

2. Last Romeo (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Last Romeo. (8/10 – TImes have changed, so I bumped up the original 7.5/10 to 8/10)

3. Back (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Back. (10/10)

4. Diamond – What I tend to like about Infinite’s title tracks is the fact that they tend to collaborate with an orchestra for a special performance, resulting in a beautiful performance in one form or another. Diamond takes on that orchestral instrumental and while it isn’t a title track, it deserves recognition as it is one of Infinite’s best b-side tracks ever! It places Infinite’s vocals into the spotlight in a jaw-dropping manner that captures your attention. Dongwoo was especially surprising, with his high note. I really like the piano in the instrumental and the dramatic sounds during the bridge. (10/10)

5. Follow Me – Follow Me combines a violin instrumental with some rock elements and what I suspect to be the a few seconds of a standard pre-loaded ringtone (i.e. the first 3 seconds of the song). Together, we result in a nice song that reminds me of Infinite in the older days. The vocals are good, with some harmonies present in the chorus. I think the first rap sequence was unnecessary but the one in the bridge (with the echo effect) was cool. To me, the song doesn’t feel spectacular, but it is still good. (7/10)

6. Rocinante (로시난테) – Within seconds of the song starting, I was pretty much sold on the song. There were upbeat vibes, brightness and energy just coming off the son. Perfect for a song about motivation. I really like the synth-based instrumental for this pop track, especially with that electronic effect during the bridge, which gives it some detail. The vocal in this song was ideal, perfectly stable and fitting for the song. I liked the rapping, but I thought it could have been more powerful and intense for the song. (8.5/10)

7. Breathe (숨 좀 쉬자) – Interesting theory is that this is song is about the saesang fans. Those who don’t know, saesang fans are those who become obsessive and stalks their ‘idols’. To the point where things can become life-threatening to the idol. I personally do not consider them as fans as they are dangerous to themselves and the people around them. Putting the topic aside, the instrumental is quite edgy. There seems to be a little bit of funk mixed into the song. The combination becomes quite addictive and the simple melody from the vocals aid in that. (8/10)

8. Light (Sunggyu Solo) – Kicking off a series of solo and unit works is Kim Sung Gyu, whom at the time of the release of the album, already started his solo career. It is a change up from his usual style, going for an acoustic approach. The instrumental doesn’t shine as much, leaving his vocals to do all the heavy lifting for the song. The way he vocalises throughout the song keeps it interesting. Not entire his best release but still decent. (7/10)

9. Alone (Infinite H) – Infinite H took a more melodic and flowy approach to their unit song on the album. I personally found the song to be disappointing as it lacks in colour and remains too consistent throughout, leaving us hearing the same tune repeatedly. It goes for a hip-hop R&B sound with rap-singing, but the track fails to inspire or really lift off. I don’t hate it but it is the track that I just want to skip over since it is so boring. (5/10)

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Be Back Album Cover

10. Memories – Memories, to me, feels like that Summery ballad-y track that you often get as a b-side track on the album for an album released during the Summer period. It showcases Infinite’s vocals in a light and refreshing manner. The instrumental could essentially be described in a similar fashion. I particularly liked the harmonies in the song. That extra intensity provided by the raps was nice, My favourite part would have to the pre-chorus ‘Ddu Ddu” part. (9/10)

11. A Person Like Me (나란 사람) – Based on the first few seconds of the song, you can tell that this song is going to be a emotional ride. And essentially, it is a ballad backed by another orchestral instrumental that does just that. Personally, I felt like the vocals were just slapped onto the track. They didn’t feel like it fitted 100% neatly. Sunggyu and Woohyun stood out the most but everyone did an awesome job. The harmonies with each other when they paired up, along with the backing vocals were really nice. (8.5/10)

12. Reflex – Based on the title of the song, Reflex sounds to be the coolest song on the album. Overall, the sound of the song reminded me of KPOP back in the day. To me, the song felt weak as I expected sharpness and something fast-paced. The instrumental seems to go in that direction with some of the smaller details in the instrumentation going for something more electronic but was held back for the vocals. Once again, I don’t mind the song, but it is in no way my favourite. (6/10)

13. Crazy (미치겠어) (Infinite F) –Infinite F, at the time of the release of the album, had yet to make their unit debut. They made that jump at the end of 2014 with Heartthrob. If you are a seasoned KPOP fan, this is what you would call rather ‘standard’. Nothing to special about the song in a nutshell. There were some effects (such as after the first chorus) but they felt mismatched for the song. The vocals for the song were okay. Compared to their unit release that occurred afterwards, I think the song failed to really push their limits. But that is just my opinion. (7/10)

14. Close My Eyes (눈을 감으면) (Woohyun Solo) – I think out of the solo and unit songs on the album, I am most impressed with Woohyun’s. It is an emotional sounding ballad that really allows Woohyun to standout. I really like the sudden mix of electric guitar right after the chorus, which gives the ballad some uniqueness (This is usually saved for the bridge). Woohyun didn’t make his solo debut until the year after, so the question that should be asked is why didn’t he get on sooner? (8/10)

15. I Need U Back (소나기) – Going back to the start of this review where I mentioned Infinite’s classic sound (dance track with the potential to incorporate orchestral instrumentation), this album may just prove that if the song has just that factor in it, it is would be enough to sell as an Infinite song. The song contains 70% electronic components and synths to really make it upbeat and fast-paced, giving the song some individuality. The lyrics don’t match this, however, going for another emotional fuelled message. It ends the album on a good note, though. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.9/10

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Be Back Teaser Image

[Album Review] Light Us (1st Mini Album) – ONEUS

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Apologies that this album review is 2 days late. I had some unexpected things to take care of on Sunday (when this was originally intended to be published) and this caused things to become a little out of place on Monday. But despite that, there will be two album reviews (this one and the ‘past album review’) coming out today. ONEUS’ is RBW Entertainment’s latest boy group, who made their debut last week with Valkirye. Given their amazing title track, I decided to check them out, which resulted in this album review.

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Light Us Album Cover

1..LIGHT US (Intro Track) – I usually don’t review the introductory track. Simply because it is usually an instrumental piece. But LIGHT US contains vocals, so there is that to at least to comment on. I like the classy feel the track has. Adding the pretty cool vocals and that rough texturized voice from the rapper, it is a very nice track to start off with. (7/10)

2. ZigZag (삐뚤빼뚤) – This, along with the title track, pretty much got me wanting to write an album review. This one is so damn good. Opening the song is the main hook of the song (just in a completely different edited and electronic filtered voice). But it, along with it in normal vocals, is super addictive. The chorus is equally as catchy. Within just a few listens, I was already humming along. I liked how crisp the vocals were and those raps were just right! Overall, an absolute favourite for me. (9/10)

3. Valkyrie (발키리) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Valkyrie. (9/10)

4. Red Thread (붉은 실) – The song started off as a ballad. There was a sense of stillness from the instrumental, quite slow moving. You do expect the song to gradually build up but the chorus was rather unexpecting. I personally find it capable of fitting some nice choreography and it felt like it contained some dance influences. But while I do think that, the song does allow the members to focus on their vocals and raps. The delivery and all was just magnificent. (9/10)

5. EYE CONTACT – EYE CONTACT is probably the song that is closest to a trend at the moment. It is quite bright and vibrant if I were to use words to describe the song. It features an EDM-based instrumental that I quite like. The song has nice vocals and the rapping gave the song a hip-hop influence, which once again was quite likeable. I did have a slight thought that the song was borderline on the repetitive side as the same drop was used throughout the song and there weren’t really any new additions to give the song a ‘changeup’. (7/10)

6. HERO – Like EYE CONTACT, HERO is an EDM-based song. But the words I would use to describe it isn’t similar to the previous song. Instead, I would pick words such as serious (due to the lack of vibrancy as compared to the previous song) and weighed down (the instrumental felt heavier in this song). For the most part, I thought the song was rather passable as I didn’t really connect with the song, no matter how many times I go back to it. What I did like was the rapping during the bridge and the vocal ad-libs during the final chorus. But apart from those elements, I am not too crazy about this song. (8/10)

7. Crazy & Crazy (ㅁㅊㄷㅁㅊㅇ) – And that last line leads perfectly into this song. The Hangul, which you can see next to the English title of the song, is just the consonants of the word ‘Crazy’ in Korean. That is rather unique and drew my attention to the song. The song has this darkness to it, which I think was well done. The hip-hop influences were also quite dominant, creating an enjoyable and engaging atmosphere. I just wished the instrumental could have been a little wilder to really give the song a hype or lit feeling. But other than that, I did like this song very much. (8.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.2/10

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Light Us Teaser Image

[Review] Q&A – Cherry Bullet

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It is time to review a brand new group in the KPOP industry. And this particular group comes from FNC Entertainment, which is widely known for FT Island, CN BLUE, N.Flying, AOA and SF9. They are Cherry Bullet and is the company’s first girl group since the formation of AOA. The 10 member girl group consists of Haeyoon, Yuju, Mirae, Bora, Jiwon, Kokoro, Remi, Chaerin, Linlin, and May. They made their debut with the single Q&A on the 21st of January. So, let’s dive a little more into their debut package.

Q&A is what I would call a bubbly song with a very nice typical yet refreshing instrumental. I say that because the instrumental is rather techno-infused pop and isn’t that mind-blowing when I think about it. But I love the direction of the song. The verses were quite nice. The pre-chorus rap sequences were very ear-catching. To also add to the fun of the song, the chorus was very catchy with its melodies and amazingly addictive hook (I am already humming along to the ‘DaDaDa’ despite listening to it a few times. The bridge really brings out the vocals capabilities of the group, which I think were really nice. I think if they added an extra element into the instrumental to make it really pop and colourful, the song would have gone extra miles for me. But other than that, this is one rocking debut track.

Cherry Bullet’s debut music video is a fresh take on AOA’s music video for Bingle Bangle. Both music videos feature the retro video game concept. Instead of going completely 8-bit, Cherry Bullet’s video went with a retro-futuristic video game, which I think looked really cool. Added on top of that, they managed to make everything look and feel high-tech, which I think would be appealing to the audience of today. I really like the backdrop for the choreography shots for this music video, as they looked like the coolest parts of the music video.

The choreography was quite good. Nothing too new or mind-blowing here, once again. But it seemed energetic and lively, like the song. I personally like the skip they did during the chorus to get out of the formations and that they genuinely looked like they were enjoying every second of their time on the stage.

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

[Review] Home – SEVENTEEN

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After the highly anticipated release of their darkest sound and concept (Getting Closer) yet, all fans are waiting to see what SEVENTEEN would promote for their upcoming album release. Well, the wait is over as SEVENTEEN is officially back with a brand new song, Home. It is featured on the group’s, You Made My Dawn, which is a continuation of their 2018 album You Make My Day (which features their previous Korean comeback title track, Oh My!).

Home is a rather interesting track, mainly because we haven’t heard anything just like it KPOP. Based on what I am reading, the song is an R&B urban fusion. And this a fusion that I would gladly check out in the future, as Home is quite memorable. The song doesn’t feel as hard-hitting as their previous title tracks. Instead, there is an emotive side to the song that you can just sense. It creates an interesting atmosphere. The chorus was probably my favourite bit. With SEVENTEEN’s songs, you expect them to go with a hard-hitting drop. But with this track, the chorus felt more spaced out and aesthetically pleasing. We don’t get that kick until the end, which I thought was very appropriate. Once again, the vocals and rapping were amazing. I think the winning members of the song is either Wonwoo, who got to sing in this song as opposed to his usual rapping, or DK, who voice just stands out from the pack. Overall, Home is another solid track from the group.

I just watched the music video very briefly. But I don’t see much connection between Oh My!, Getting Closer or Home. The earlier two videos were shown to be connected. So I am interested to see how Home fits in, as the aesthetics from this video seem to point towards the same producers of the other two music videos. One clever individual on YouTube noticed that there were elements from every SEVENTEEN music video to date within Home, such as the sofa from Pretty U, the beach imagery that was shown in Don’t Wanna Cry etc. I really like the start with individual shots of each member and then the cinematography throughout the rest of the video.

Every time I write a review for SEVENTEEN, the comments when it comes to the performance section of the review is basically the same. Amazing choreography to really draw in the crowd. And this is no exception. I like how they made the routine chill at the start and once the kick at the end was delivered, the performance also featured a kick in energy and power.

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

[Album Review] WJ STAY? (6th Mini Album) – WJSN (Cosmic Girls)

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Originally I wasn’t going to post an album review today due to the 2018 KPOPREVIEWED Awards posts (to be released in a few hours). But with so many good albums in the past week alone, I decided to slide it in any way to ensure I don’t fall too far behind. Today’s focus will be on WJSN’s latest comeback, La La Love. The album which this title track is featured is titled as WJ STAY? and it is their 6th mini-album. As I still have a fair bit to do today, let’s start moving along with the review.

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WJ STAY Album Cover

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

2. You Got – You Got brings us back to the 70s with its disco-driven instrumental. It isn’t as bright or in-your-face if we compared it with songs from that era, which makes it instantly likeable. I did find they lost that retro appeal when the song progressed (especially during the chorus), conforming to a standard pop dance track. But there were moments that song that returned it to its former self. I like the vocals in the song, as they add a nice smooth texture of the song. The rapper(s) does an amazing job at upsetting this smoothness during the bridge and following the choruses, bringing a much needed and expected roughness to keep the song interesting. (8.5/10)

3. Star (1억개의 별) – Star is that ballad on the album. And once again, they bring out the vocals of each of the members. It, like most ballads that I really like, have this swaying effect – which specifically means that there is a flowy vibe to the song. I find it interesting that they allowed Exy to rap in this song. A rap sequence isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to ballads, with other groups giving their respective rapper a vocal line. But that being said, Exy shows how versatile she is and fits perfectly into the song. If I could be any more selfish, I wished they could have pushed themselves vocally. But everything felt perfect. (9.5/10)

4. Memories (그때 우리) – To me, Memories is rather cute. It is a song that when I listen to it, it makes me smile. I also like how they keep everything well balanced and doesn’t ‘overspill’ in any manner. The instrumental gave off pop vibes while remaining orchestral based. It had a beautiful tone to it. Everyone’s vocals were highlighted perfectly. While I am still questioning the need for the rapping in this song, I think it was brought into play when it was needed most, and it keeps the song from becoming too repetitive. I may not have much to say about this song, but it was really amazing. (9/10)

5. Cantabile (칸타빌레) – Cantabile is a song that fits extremely well into WJSN’s portfolio. The entire song screams out WJSN”s name with this mystical feel. But it isn’t as ‘innocent’ sounding as their previous works. The verses and the chorus all have that innocent touch to the song. But it is the mini instrumental break that follows the chorus doesn’t seem to conform to their signature sound but rather adding a nice edge to the song. Once again, the vocals and rapping were nice. I think if the chorus had a stronger hook that fits both sides of the song that I have discussed, I would be raving about the song. But as it is now, I still quite like it. (8/10)

6. 12 O’Clock – 12 O’Clock has this quirky vibe to it that I cannot shake off. That can have attributed to the presence of trumpets at the start and its Broadway/show-time instrumentation during the verses. While I did think the chorus was a blast (drop and melody), I would have liked it if they kept to the theme rather than going with modern synths. I really liked the rapping during the second verse for this track. Definitely a highlight for me. I think the one thing missing for this song is performance because it seems like it will have an amazing routine to go with it. (9/10)

7. UJUNG (우주정거장) -UJUNG is a sweet ballad to end the album with. It was a nice song vocally and I like what they did with the rapping in the second verse (despite it not being needed in the song). They could have been more adventurous and done something to the rapping in the bridge to keep it in line with the rest of the song as it did sound quite plain (but once again – not necessary for the song). There is also a cute vibe to it, which makes me smile quite a bit. While it seems to be the most passable song on the album, it does round out the album with a likeable tone. (7/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

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[Review] All Night – ASTRO

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It has been a very long wait for fans of ASTRO but the male group is finally back with their first studio album and the title track, All Night. We last saw the group officially promote a music release at the end of 2017 with Crazy Sexy Love. 2018 was incredibly bare for ASTRO, with a lack of group promotions throughout the year to further grow their fanbase. Instead, we got solo promotions, concerts and a special album (Always You) that was not promoted. The good news is that they are back and this lack of promotions will finally end today!

I am calling All Night ASTRO’s best title track so far. The song starts off quite minimalistic, with a really soft instrumental and the vocalists singing. In words, it doesn’t really sound all too good. But when you hear it, the start of the track is a nice bundle of pleasantness and freshness. For the chorus, the drop was completing unexpecting and the dance electronic sound just comes out of nowhere. And I really liked that because it makes the track become very dynamic and contrasting nicely from the pleasantness preceding it. The rapping is amazing. I really like both Rocky and JinJin’s delivery. I also like how JinJin’s section had a little bit of fun with the brief pauses, creating some texture in the song. The highlight of the song has to be Eunwoo’s ‘Such a Good Night‘, which also came out of nowhere. My description of the song probably doesn’t do it much justice so do check out All Night so you can experience what I did.

The video I thought was rather cool. Minus the delay in release due to ‘technical issues’ (whatever they may be), I thought it was a good video to show off their charms. ASTRO is working in a greenhouse and from the start, it seemed a little eerie. This feeling continues throughout the video and I was lowkey expecting something dark to happen. The closest was that vampire-like scene between Eunwoo and Rocky. It could all be in my head but I very interested to see if anyone else felt this as well. What the video does perfectly is show off the visuals off each member. Towards the end, we see each member smile, showcasing their charming looks. That left an impression on me that is so great, I am down to continually replay the music video.

And once again, ASTRO showcases freshness in their routine for All Night. I really like how they spent a large portion of the performance on the floor. That doesn’t happen all too often. I also like how they kept their moves in check with whether the sound was pleasant or explosive. The best part has to be that awesome explosive dance break at the end, which ends the performance on a solid note.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.7/10

[Review] Loca – FAVORITE

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FAVORITE has returned with a brand new concept and sound. Through their new title track, Loca, the group is branching out from their unique and memorable Party Time debut and their more typical Where Are You From? cutesy concept. Personally, I am glad that they decided to move away from the cutesy concept because it is an overused concept within the industry. It only works when you have a song good enough to set it apart from the rest of the competition, which is what Loca aims to do by changing the sound and concept.

This wouldn’t be the first time that FAVORITE had a little exotic flair in their song. Their debut track, Party Time, had a Middle Eastern influence, which I thought gave it a defining uniqueness. For Loca, FAVORITE jumps on board the all too familiar Latin trend. However, it isn’t heavily used as other songs. Instead, the electronic dance sound is used more heavily, with the Latin influence acting as a compliment. Hence, I am not too troubled by the overused latin influence in this song. I really like the guitar during the dance breaks in the song, as they allow that influence to be kicked up a notch, the song to become energetic and bring together the song. I think the song could have used some more powerful vocals. I did think the verses were kind of bland compared to the chorus. I would have liked more of the rap throughout the song as this could have really brought more intensity to the song. But both elements were fine as is in the song. I don’t find the track all too catchy at the moment but it is memorable enough to return to.

I am a little confused about the video. To me, there isn’t a plotline despite the music video does feature some good scenes that could have been part of a plotline. Like the member messing up her hair because she thinks she doesn’t look good enough for the red dress or the member being wrapped by the rose vine, these scenes could have been interesting if someone was sabotaging them.  That could have added a nice level of darkness to the video, which I think could have complimented the song. But instead, we are left with everyone pretty much in their own scene that just doesn’t add up.

I really like the choreography for this comeback. While the moves did seem very standard, I thought they matched the song very well. I also thought the moves were elegant. My favourite bits were the dance breaks throughout the song as this allowed the members to show off some of their moves. I also liked the ‘Na Na Na’ moves at the end of the song.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

[Review] Say My Name – ATEEZ

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ATEEZ made their debut towards the end of 2018 with two title tracks – Pirate King and Treasure. Both tracks and their mini-album, TREASURE EP.1: All to Zero, has gained a lot of attention from what I can see. And with that, the group is continuing their momentum, just months after wrapping up their debut promotions, by returning with their first comeback, Say My Name and the mini-album, TREASURE EP.2: Zero To One.

The first that popped into my head was the familiarity with some of the melodies within the song (i..e during the very start of the song and the pre-chorus). I just can’t pinpoint the name of the songs that it reminds me of. I am not too troubled by this as this does bring back a sense of nostalgia. I liked the instrumental to the track, with a strong presence of hip-hop influences apparent in the song. I really enjoyed the guitar in the verses and the intensity that the pre-chorus also brings to the song, connecting more subdued verses and the dramatic chorus together in an effortless manner. Vocals were really good in the song but once again, the rappers are the ones that manage to bring the punch to the song. The ‘Say My Name‘ repetition gave the song an addictive nature, partly due to the rough texture we get from the rapper who sang that part, which leaves a strong and lasting impression. Overall, another excellent track from ATEEZ.

Based on what I can see, the sets for this music video looks insanely expensive. I don’t know why I think this but the sets do remind me of BTS’s sets. The music video features a very mysterious plotline, which I don’t get whatsoever. It just left me confused and the lyrics didn’t help at all. Besides the plotline, there were choreography shots which I thought, with the help of editing, looked really cool. The very shots at the end that snapped between their members dancing in their more casual outfits and the members dancing with the black outfits/hats that they wore in their teaser images, were a clear example of this.

The choreography for this comeback is freaking amazing. There is one move that I thought looked so cool, that it screams attitude and is the one scene that replays in my mind. I am talking about the move at 1:36 of the music video. The rest of the choreography was full of intensity and energy, matching it extremely well to the song.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Performance – 8.7/10

[Review] Ya – HUTA (Lee Minhyuk (BTOB))

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As male groups become more superior due to the amount of time they spent active in the industry, the inevitable occurs. BTOB has reached the stage where their Korean members must enlist into the military. We saw Eunkwang enlist suddenly last year. Changsub enlisted yesterday after his solo debut with Gone. And now it is Minhyuk’s turn to enlist next month. But before he leaves, he is treating fans to the release of his 1st solo album. Under the name HUTA, Minhyuk has two title tracks, Ya and With Melody off his album, HUTAZONE.

New fans of BTOB may know Minhyuk as a rapper of BTOB while some more long-term fans may know he started off singing in the group’s earlier days. Ya brings the two worlds together, giving Minhyuk to showcase his raps and vocals. Ya is actually a very smooth song. While it delves into the hip-hop side of KPOP, Ya starts off with Minhyuk’s deep and husky rap tone. I particularly like that roughness he brings to the table at the end of the final rap section of the song.  Once he starts singing, it beings a refreshing feel to the song. Given his vocals in this song, it makes you wonder why he hasn’t shown it as much in BTOB’s work. I really like the entire chorus of the track, particularly the ‘flexing with ya’ line in the post-chorus hook. It kicks the energy level of the song to the whole new high. Talking about the energy of the song, I liked how everything flowed in this song, particularly the instrumental break at the end of the song, which channelled the energy perfectly.

And like the song, the music video takes full commitment to that dark direction. I am not exactly sure what is happening but it seems like there are two sides of Minhyuk. The presence of these two sides is based on the person he likes, whom he describes as dangerous and should be avoided. His darker self (represented by the black outfit) seems to have the upper hand to his more good side (which is represented as being in the white stray jacket). And as his darker side tells him to stay with his dangerous lover, this results in his apartment catching on fire (a consequence he knows was going to happen). This is also the first time I saw a male idol gradually lose their shirt. In the first set of choreography shots, he was wearing a shirt and jacket. Next set of scenes was a jacket buttoned up. The final set of scenes was abs galore for all the fans out there. And visually, he is very good looking in this music video.

I thought the choreography was nice. It gives him an opportunity to really focus on rapping and singing. But it didn’t seem too simple if you understand what I mean. The moves at the ‘Flexing with ya’ post-chorus hook was rather simple but had attitude. His solo dance at the end was equally as cool and gave him to showcase his dancing ability, giving fans and the audience the trinity.

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

[Album Review] Love (2nd Studio Album) – Girl’s Day

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Last week, it was reported that the Girl’s Day could be disbanding after reports of individual contracts for each Girl’s Day member would be ending in 2019, starting off with Sojin’s next month. The articles I read seemed to all highlight that each member is looking at different directions but there could be a possibility to continue as Girl’s Day in the future. Whatever the final decision is, it is going to be a daunting few weeks or months for fans (including myself, as I am a massive fan of their releases) but I am sure they will receive full support from fans. But let’s move along to the topic of this post, an album review for their second studio album, Love, released back in 2015.

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Love Album Cover

1..With Me – Starting the album is With Me, which I can describe as a tango-pop track. It is also one of the few songs that I will forever enjoy for multiple reasons. Firstly, everyone says Minah carries the group with her vocals and without Minah, the group will be forgotten. But this song is proof of Sojin’s ability. Her husky falsetto was perfect for this track. However, it is a little disappointing that both Hyeri and Yura were constricted to only one section each. Secondly, can you imagine a performance for this? I would be in awe. I really liked the tango instrumental, which is definitely very appealing, and it really grabs your attention at first notice (making it the perfect album opener). (9/10)

2. Ring My Bell (링마벨) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of Ring My Bell. (8/10)

3. Macaron (마카롱) – Macaron has a very strong retro swing sound to it, which felt very vibrant and upbeat. As a result, I quite enjoyed it. The saxophones just added an extra layer of appeal. I thought the song was relatively sweet sounding, which goes well with the title of the song. I like how their vocals aided in that and stood out over the already quite loud and energetic instrumentation. Pity that they didn’t promote this song, as I think this would have been an amazing performance to watch, combining the cutesy nature of Girl’s Day that they started off with and the sexy nature that they are known for now. (8/10)

4. Come Slowly – Come Slowly was the pick for the secondary promotional song (i.e. the song that some artists perform alongside their title track during comeback week). It was a decent song and I thought it showcased all their vocals. Usually, groups tend to go with more traditional emotionally driven ballads of the slow nature to showcase their vocals. This is also quite slow but there was a certain level of brightness to the song, which I appreciated. However, the instrumental was very consistent, and this resulted in a very dry song that I got bored of. (6/10)

5. Top Girl – The verses for this song gave me strong memories of songs that I used to hear growing up. The blast of techno from the chorus was amazing. I really like Minah’s ab-libs throughout the song, which added a nice vocal touch to the already electronic-heavy sound. I also liked how each member had lines scattered throughout, which was a decent attempt to level out the line distribution between the members. The only problem with this song is that it needed a rap, which was missing. (8.5/10)

6. Darling – Click here for the full review of Darling. (9.5/10)

7. Whistle (휘파람) – I thought the electronic whistle in the instrumental was very addictive. And it makes complete sense for the title of the song. Vocals were superb for this song, especially since it is coming from each member (and everyone had a fair chance to be heard). What also makes this song even better is that is has a rap sequence, which I have noticed is missing in some other songs in this list. I think out of all the songs, this has to be their simplest yet. But simple tends to go a long way when it is done right and this is exactly what is happening here. (9/10)

8. Look At Me – As many of you may know, I am a complete sucker when it comes to orchestral instrumentals. Throw a violin in there and I will love it. This song is a testament to that. The verses didn’t feel orchestral, however. But as the chorus and the start of the song had that appeal, I loved it. I thought the vocals were nice. Sojin and Minah were at the forefront as always. I liked how simple yet addictive the melody of the chorus was. I also liked how Yura’s rap was tweaked to fit into the boundaries of the song. But my favourite bit has to be Sojin’s bridge, as it was a subtle yet magnificent peak. (10/10)

9. Something – Click here to read the full review of Something. (9/10)

10. Timing – While all the previous b-side songs have been all familiar (i.e. I fondly remember each of them), I didn’t recognise this song. But for a Summertime song (which was the time it was released in), it was extremely fitting. I really like the energetic vibes from the electronic instruments and their vocals bring a very nice level of brightness that you cannot avoid. It is, however, missing a rap sequence, which I think would have suited the song. (9.5/10)

11. I Miss You (보고싶어) – Click here to read the full review of I Miss You. (7/10)

12. Show You – We return to that slightly slowed down sound for Show You. Like in Come Slowly, I am not much of a fan of this song. I thought it was probably their weakest on the album yet. Overall, it isn’t too bad. There is some showing of vocals in the song. I personally don’t get why this song had rap-speaking, while other more upbeat songs screamed for a rap sequence. The instrumental is nice but it was passable. Not much else to say about the song, unfortunately. (5/10)

13. Hello Bubble – Hello Bubble was not included in any albums (besides this one of course!). It was a promotional single for a company called Hello Bubble, who specialised in hair dyes. Despite that, it was still a good track. I just found the chorus to be very weak. It played towards Girl’s Day’s strengths, but it felt like any other typical CF promotional single. As a result, the song isn’t really in-your-face or that upbeat compared to normal album tracks, making this a perfect song to advertise your product to. I do remember having a phase of being addictive to the song but that has long gone and I really cannot see myself getting back into this song. (6/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8/10

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Love Teaser Image

[Review] Sunrise – GFriend

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Here is a ‘Sunrise’ that you do not need to wake up early to be able to experience. Today, GFriend made their comeback with Sunrise, the title track off their second studio album, Time For Us. This is the group’s first Korean comeback since Sunny Summer and their first release since the group made their Japanese debut with Memoria and Time For The Moon Night.

I think the major attraction for the Sunrise title track is the vocals. Despite it having GFriend’s signature sound, the song focuses squarely on the vocals of each member. No one sounds overshadowed and stands out all in their own way. But the biggest highlight for the song comes at the very end when they pull off high note after high note to give the song that spectacular climax and ending. Normally Yuju handles these notes but this time around we see Eunha take the reigns. I personally like that rush of energy we get at the end of the song, which really makes the song feel suspenseful at the end and this obviously would go well with the vocals. I also liked how they put the instrumental break at the end of the song, rather than earlier (as this would have made them out of breath for the rest of the song and this could potentially ruin a live performance). I also found the chorus to be extremely catchy. Overall, another great song from the female group.

Based on some of the images we see in the music video, it seems like the music videos for Sunrise and Time For The Moon Night are connected. To quickly recap, we found out that Eunha had died at the end of the latter’s music video (as opposed to my original theory) and that she could only be seen during the night. In Sunrise, we see a lot more scenes during the start of the day. Prior to the Sunrise, the members could see Eunha freely but once Sunrise occurs, she disappears (whilst also taking a chunk of cake). This barrier upsets the members and it seems like they all end up dying to be with Eunha (i.e. they all reunite during the day at the piano which Eunha is playing at). Putting the stories together, I see how well thought out all of this was and I really like that. I also liked the visuals of the members throughout this video.

There seems to be a cutesy element mixed into the performance, which I quite liked. I also really like the elegant lift of Yuju at the first chorus. I also liked the pre-chorus movement, as that looked quite cool. And per usual, the dance break at the end was awesome, sealing the deal as another amazing GFriend dance.

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

[Album Review] Percent (8th Mini Album) – APINK

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It is time for another album review. And this time, the focus is on APINK, who made their comeback at the start of last week with %% (Eung Eung – if you are wondering how this is pronounced). This title track is featured on the group’s 8th mini-album, Percent. You will notice (as I have stated it quite a lot throughout this album review) is that the group had taken a more mature approach with their music, which is many miles away from their previous albums. Let’s see how I liked these track by going forth with the review.

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Percent Album Cover

1..%% (Eung Eung) (응응) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for %%. (8/10)

2. Hug Me (안아줘요) – Hug Me is an R&B track that brings out their mature side very well. I really liked the instrumental to this track as it has a no-nonsense type of vibe, getting straight to the point without dwindling between genres, which is something that occurs often in KPOP. You also get that sense of confidence from the members, who do an amazing job with the vocal side of the song, which is something I also quite like. It isn’t necessary memorable when you think about the track in a melodic sense. But it was still good. (7.5/10)

3. What Are You Doing? (느낌적인 느낌) – What Are You Doing? Is another R&B track but it is a lot more upbeat and what I would consider dance-centred. I say this because the song has a club vibe and also an instrumental break, fitting for a dance break. It has a very addictive nature, which helps with the memorability factor that I tend to comment about it. Vocally, it is decent. Not necessary their best vocals on the album. But that short line in which they speak just before the chorus was definitely the key point of the song. (9/10)

4. Push & Pull (줄다리기) – We now encroach into something more upbeat. It has been building up since the title track. There is still a mature vibe to the song but there seems to be a nice retro influence in the instrumentation, which I quite liked. I particularly liked the way they changed the pre-chorus up to give the song an extra rush of energy, setting the chorus up. The bridge of the song featuring some rap-speaking, which is a rare element in APINK songs but something that I would love to hear more of in these mature songs. (9/10)

5. Enough – We continue the retro influence and mature sound with Enough. And like the preceding song, it is also continuing with the upbeat instrumental. I think the right word to describe the song is that is rather soft in nature, which is one of the song’s main charm. The vocals in this song were nice and conform well to the main charm. But I think the real winner of the song is the rapping. As mentioned previously, APINK rarely attempts raps but once again, if this the quality that they put out with the rap sequences, I will love to listen to more. (9/10)

6. Memories (기억 더하기) – The only thing missing from this album is the ‘mandatory ballad’. And Memories ends the album with just that one track. I have to admit that it has a rather touching sound to it. Most of the time, artists slap a very typical ballad onto the tracklist in the hope it makes up for the ‘mandatory ballad’. But while the instrumental is typical, the members give the song that much needed emotive element, through their vocals. (7/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

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[Review] Will You Be My Girlfriend? – M.O.N.T

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A few days ago, I posted two reviews for the title tracks of newly debut male groups, ONEUS and VERIVERY. In the ONEUS review, I mentioned that the two groups were not the first to debut in 2019. On January the 4th, M.O.N.T made their debut with Will You Be My Girlfriend?. The male trio consisting of Narachan, Bitsaeon, and Roda is under Fly Music Entertainment. If all three members look familiar, this is because they were all previously on MIXNINE.

Will You Be My Girlfriend? is the type of debut song that fits into the bright category. But that sounds like it fits into the really dreaded aegyo sounding category, which it doesn’t. Will You Be My Girlfriend? has a very strong hip-hop influence. It isn’t one of a kind but it has a unique charm through the use of hip-hop influences and its catchy chorus. I personally like how the rapper is the main focus on the song. You don’t get to hear that much rapping in songs of this bright nature, hence why I described as unique. On the other hand, the vocals are just good. I felt like the vocals could have been more interesting. Like the rapping, they could have added an element of interest. But instead, it seems like the producers/members played it safe, going for a more typical route. Sure it was good but it wasn’t interesting is what I am trying to say. But other than, it was a nice debut track that does set them apart for its differences to other debut songs.

Fitting in nicely with the bright theme is the bright music video. But this is where the debut package seems to encroach into the cutesy and over-the-top domain. It isn’t the most cringest video to watch but it was fairly close, based on what I have seen in the past. And truthfully, I wouldn’t know how else to really put this video together without going into the said domain. They try to play towards their youthful image by acting in a bright and playful manner, trying to ask their crush out. It goes well with the song’s vibes and the lyrics. It just isn’t my cup of tea.

The choreography for this song is okay. They don’t go with anything too complicated, which automatically wouldn’t go nicely with the song. Instead, to fit that bright element, they went with simplicity. I did like the chorus’ dance moves and their smiles looked like they had a great time on stage.

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

[Review] Carpet – Yesung (Super Junior) & Bumkey

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It is time for another SM Station release. Season 3 started a few weeks back, rounding out with NCT Dream’s Candle Light. There was an SM Station release last week due to (and I assumed this) it being the first week of the new year. But now, SM Station is back with a collaboration between Yesung and Bumkey. The song, Carpet, was released on Thursday of this week, which is the new designated day for all SM Station releases.

Carpet is an R&B ballad combo that endeavours the two genres that the collaborators are widely known for (Yesung commonly sings ballads, while Bumkey is an R&B rapper). Both do a splendid job within the song with nothing to say negatively. The harmonies are also quite beautiful. They also create a wonderful atmosphere that I think is best described as touching. I also noticed that there is a slight jazz infleunce, partly due to the piano, which could also be described as soothing. If you don’t understand the lyrics of the song straight off the bat (like a certain person – a.k.a. me), you can tell that there is an emotive drive to the song, which already sets the scene. But the music video (more on this later) and the title of the song got me rather intrigued, so I looked up the lyrics of the song. It seems the lyrics of the song are in the perspective of the small rug that has been through everything with someone, personifying it to be like a good friend to rely on and cry on – if needed.

And with the meaning of the song in hand, I think the video does an amazing job of visualising this message. The carpet has been with this young lady for many years. From her childhood, she played on it. From her adolescent, she read books on it. She also had breakups on it. But as she grew older, she moved away and the carpet was put into storage and somehow made it to the market. And during one of her shopping expeditions, the young female comes across the rug, which is instantly identified due to the presence of an orange juice stain that she caused back in her younger years, And to further fit the lyrics, we see the carpet wrapping itself around her to comfort her. A well put together music video.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.4/10

[Album Review] Drunk In Love (2nd Mini Album) – Ryeowook (Super Junior)

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It is time for some more album reviews. Like last year, I will be reviewing the 2019 albums every Thursday and Sunday, while this year album reviews released on Tuesdays will be for the ‘older albums’. And kicking off the 2019 series is Ryeowook’s Drunk In Love. Intrigued by his opposing singles (see reviews below), I thought I check out the album. One of my many misconceptions regarding the singers who release ballads is that they only release ballads. But as you tell by my review coming up, this isn’t the case – which means I have a lot of albums to check out!

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Drunk In Love Album Cover

1..I’m Not Over You (너에게) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of I’m Not Over You. (10/10)

2. One and Only (우리의 거리) (Pre-Release Track) – One and Only is one of the many songs on the album that do not fall into the typical ballad category. Instead, it takes on a mid-tempo pop vibe, which sounds quite good. The song is bright and very soothing. I like the way Ryeowook’s vocals glide over the instrumentation, contributing to that soothing factor. I really liked his harmonies with the backing vocals, which add depth to the song. I also liked that high pitched distortions, which added a quirky factor to the song. Overall, it is a nice track to listen to on a sunny day. (8/10)

3. Drunk In The Morning (취해) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Drunk In The Morning. (10/10)

4. Without You – Without You is probably my most favourite track on this list. I liked everything about it. The pop instrumental (which has some orchestral mixes in it) really gives the song a nice burst of energy and it makes the song feel quite like a Western pop song. I also think his vocals in the song were smashing. They were really showcased in this song and go amazingly with the instrumental. I enjoyed the melody of the song, which made the song catchy. (10/10)

5. Something Good – Continuing on with the bright theme of the album is Something Good, which is another exceptional song. Once again, Ryeowook’s vocals are showcased throughout the song. But I think this song stands out for the sudden burst and change to the song through the chorus. And I liked how this is continued yet maintained throughout the rest of the track. It is a little in your face but it does work. It is also another catchy song and it does do ‘something good’ to the listener. (9.5/10)

6. Sugar – Given the title of the song, you can’t really direct a song titled ‘Sugar’ down an emotional route. Sugar goes for a fun sounding track that seems to have a subtle retro influence. The sweetness doesn’t really kick in until the young child begins singing. It gives the song a really cute touch and makes unique as it isn’t something that any KPOP idol has done thus far. I also thought Ryeowook’s ad-libs really ended the song on a very polished note. (9/10)

7. The 2nd Story (파란 별) – Ending the album is a ballad. I am not too sure about the context of this track as I can’t find anything under ‘The 1st Story’ that is associated with Ryeowook (I expected there to be a prequel). The song itself is a typical ballad. Not too emotional but not too boring. Ryeowook’s vocals are huskier in this song than any other song. I also like how peaceful the instrumental was, which was quite nice. (7/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.1/10

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Drunk In Love Teaser Image

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[Review] Ring Ring Ring – VERIVERY

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Multiple comebacks in the same day is a regular thing but we don’t often hear too much about multiple debuts on the same day. In addition to the debut of ONEUS today, VERIVERY makes their career start with their title track Ring Ring Ring. The group is from Jellyfish Entertainment, which also manages VIXX and Gugudan. They consist of 7 members including Dongheon, Minchan, Yeonho, Hoyoung, Gyehyeon, Yongseung and Kangmin. While this is their debut track, this isn’t the first time I have reviewed the new group, as I wrote a review for their special single, Super Special, last year.

Ring Ring Ring reminds me of songs from the 90s era through its instrumental and melody. And with KPOP very big on the retro throwbacks, Ring Ring Ring fits neatly into the KPOP portfolio that has been growing over the years. The use of the drum beat throughout the song and the rap sequence within the bridge used to hype the song are all elements that point towards that era. The song itself is extremely bright and has also this pop feel to it, which I can see being infectious down the road. And for that, I think it is a very memorable song. The vocals were pretty good (that opening section to the bridge definitely showcases potential) and the rapping was definitely another top element. I did think the song got a little repetitive towards the end but I think its energetic nature makes up for this. Overall, it is a nice debut song to have ringing in the audience’s ear.

When I write these reviews, I find myself in awe of the simplest or smallest of things. I personally am not sure how they got those floating shapes in the background of the choreography shots to move about. I am not sure if it editing after filming or they used lights to project upon the white background. Either way, I am thoroughly intrigued about it. The rest of the video shows the members having fun, which is in line with the song’s vibes.

The choreography for this performance fits perfectly into the song. It is fun, energetic and youthful, which automatically becomes the group’s image. I think the best bit of the performance has to be the bridge. Starting off with those smooth rotating arms and exceptional synchronisation for the vocal section, while moving back into the fun style for the rap part of the bridge, everything looked well polished and it shows some versatility.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.1/10