Category: KPOP

[Review] Starry Night – Mamamoo

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

Two months ago, Mamamoo released their single, Paint Me, promising great things to happen in 2018. Upholding their promise is the release of their latest mini-album, which is titled as Yellow Flower. The title track of this mini-album is Starry Night. Unexpectedly, the group also released a music video for another track on the album just before coming back with Starry Night and that will be reviewed at a later date.

Starry Night starts off with some guitar instrumentation which reminds me of Chanyeol & Punch’s highly successful OST track, Stay With Me. In both songs, this introduction really gives the song an intriguing factor, which makes me want to listen to more of it. Compared to their previous songs, it doesn’t really have that wow factor when it comes to their vocals. Instead, they have toned their powerhouse vocals down quite a bit, giving off a more sensual vibe to the song. And in place of their powerhouse vocals, the group went with a lot of texture in their voices (which is still worthwhile to listen to). I love Moonbyul’s raps in this song, which felt so fitting for the song. The main downfall to the track is its lack of energy. Mamamoo’s vocals don’t really push the song along and the instrumentation, despite it being nice and chill, doesn’t really have that momentum as well. There were moments (such as the constant thumping) that did give the song that epic vibe. But it just doesn’t last long enough to leave an impression on you. As a result, this would also have a flow-on effect on the memorability of the song as well.

From what I have read, the music video was shot in New Zealand, with some of the scenery recognisable in some other music videos. Once again, the sceneries are breathtaking and definitely an amazing sight. The cinematography is also quite good. But besides that, there really isn’t that much to the video. In addition, however, there was another track that did feature at the end for a few more beautiful shots and the credits of the video.

From what I can see, the choreography looks nice and seems to fit the song quite nicely. It fits the slowness of the track but there were some moves that were impactful in its own way (such as the 3:22 – 3:24 dance move). I also liked the flowy feel of the dance.

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

 

[Review] I Promise You – Wanna One

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

Wanna One, the hottest rookie of 2017, has returned with their first comeback for 2018. I Promise You (or I.P.U) is a special theme track for Wanna One’s fans and it also serves as a pre-release for the upcoming mini-album release expected to be released later this month.

Wanna One starts off 2018 with another great song, which joins the ranks of their previous title tracks. I.P.U is a really good song. It has the feel of your standard yet modern KPOP song but in a few ways, it is quite fresh. I really liked how the song started. The vocal and then quick buildup with the raps was really nice. You have the impression that the beat would drop but this wasn’t the case. Instead, we are thrown back into some more vocals, delaying the drop and definitely leaving you at the edge of the seats. This wasn’t repeated before any other chorus in the song, opting to just throw us right back into the chorus. Vocally, Wanna One is really good. But I think the winners of this particular song are the rappers, who definitely did an amazing job just before every other chorus and that buildup section at the start. Once the beat does drop, you are thrown into an addictive chorus. Interestingly, the first chorus is simply just the instrumental, while the second and third ones had vocals as well. I think the way the producers of this track changed it up was rather simple, yet it worked wonderfully.

The music video was fantastic. I love the spinning scenes at the start. Yeah, we have seen it before but it looks like really good cinematography in this video. I also liked their montages during the chorus, where things get a little chaotic with the streamers and confetti. Sure, it is a rather simple idea (and has been seen before). But Wanna One makes it look fun and I literally stopped a few times to see what each member was doing.

The performance, from what I can see in the video, looks rather nice. It just doesn’t have anything topping their previous choreographies, which is okay. I think they reserved that aspect for their main title track. I did like the moves during Daniel’s vocals parts during the second verse but I didn’t see anything else to jump out at me. I may return once there has been a full performance uploaded.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] Go – NCT Dream

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , Leave a comment

NCT Dream is the next NCT subunit to be releasing a new track (Go) ahead of NCT’s confirmed 2018 full-length album, which will be released later this month. Go joins the recent releases, Boss and Baby Don’t Stop, which are all pre-release singles for the album. This is also NCT Dream’s first comeback since last year, with their most recent song being Joy (an SM Station release).

Go is a complete turn around in NCT Dream’s typical sound, who usually releases more youthful sounds and songs. The song is more intense and definitely a lot more serious (if I were to describe their song). That can be attributed to the hip-hop sound that seems to be infused with the EDM. There is a lot of buffering effects and synths in the instrumental, which gives it that roughness that allows for a complete change in concept. The chorus of the song wasn’t that apparent to me the first time listening to the song but it was when all the members were chanting the ‘We So Young, We So Freaky‘.  I do find it slow and a little too dragged out for my liking. The singing was pretty good, with Haechan’s high note really well done. The raps (which is this song is loaded with) is pretty good as well. Personally, I feel like the song could have worked as a side track for NCT 127. The only reason why I think this wasn’t the case was due to the lyrics, which suited Dream more. It is still a good track, either way.

As mentioned previously, the song’s sound and elements allowed for a change in concept. Earlier this morning, while I flipped through the YouTube comments for the video, someone described it as the rebellious phase of the groups. Props to that person though because they described the video very well. Some parts of the video looked cool, almost like a home video style of their adventures. I also liked the choreography shots throughout the video. However, for the most part, the video was rather dry and didn’t really feel that interesting to watch. There were some likeable aspects but not all were strong.

[Updated] As mentioned previously, this particular performance didn’t seem up to par with their past performances or anything we did see in the last week. Everything was extremely fitting for the music style but as cheesy as it was, their youthful elements in their past performances were their main charm.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 6/10 [updated]
Overall Rating – 6.8/10 [updated]

 

[Review] So Do You – Seo Eunkwang (BTOB) & NC.A

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , , 2 Comments

A few days ago, Seo Eunkwang and NC.A joined forces with a new duet, So Do You. We all know Eunkwang as the main vocalist of BTOB, while NC.A is a soloist who recently participated in the reality rebooting show, The Unit. NC.A also placed in the top 9 ranking at the end of the showing, earning her a place in the upcoming group UNI.T. They aren’t necessarily the first two artists to put together but their latest track proves otherwise.

So Do You captivates me for one particular reason, vocals. Both singers make this song so interesting to listen to. Their solo parts just confirm their skills in the singing department. I just like how they voice climbed higher as the song progressed, pushing the song further than the previous second. But when the two comes together, there is a clear balance between both singers, allowing harmonies to sound so good. Despite the content in the middle (i.e. their vocals), the song started off soft. More interestingly, the song ended on a much softer volume, which is an intriguing yet contrasting aspect of the song. The instrumental wasn’t that impressive, which left the biggest emphasis on the vocals. Needlessly to say, whoever wanted these two to come together was definitely on the right track and it resulted in such a good song to listen to.

The song is about the memories we have of a past lover so it would make the most sense to show that storyline in the music video. Interestingly, the video opens to Eunkwang and NC.A singing on the streets, with the male character of the music video stumbling into the picture. Listening to the song, he starts crying and reminiscing about those fond memories he had. We see the couple act our their lovey-dovey days and see the relationship progress to a sad breakup. At the end of the video, we also see the female character run into the guy, who is still busy crying. Yet, we do not know what happens afterwards. The idea of the video is quite great and fresh in a way. The thing I would change was to make him cry later on. It just felt too soon to have him start crying at the start of the video/song.

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

[Album Review] One Shot, Two Shot (1st Mini Album) – BoA

Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged Leave a comment

BoA, for her first time in her career, released her first mini-album. It is something you just don’t really notice until someone tells you but once you are aware of it, you are amazed. Her solo comeback in South Korea also coincided with her solo comeback in Japan, where is also quite famous. The title of her mini-album, One Shot, Two Shot, is also the name of her title track. The mini-album also features two recent tracks of BoA, which I have reviewed separately as they were released.

boaoneshottwoshot-2
One Shot, Two Shot Album Cover (Source: ALLKPOP)

1..One Shot, Two Shot (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of One Shot, Two Shot. (8.5/10)

2. Everybody Knows – This track has a very chilled vibe. Interestingly, the song doesn’t peak, which gives it a unique and distinct charm. It started off with some ear-catching synths, which also featured in the chorus. For the most part, the song was quite soft with its instrumental, which is why I thought the intro synths were cool. Also fitting in with the soft instrumental are the soft vocals that BoA presents us. I think the piano during the bridge was the strongest moment of the entire track, with it also going well with the soft instrumental but at the same time contrasting nicely with the synths and chill vibes. (8/10)

3. NEGA DOLA (내가 돌아) (Pre-release Track) – Click here to read the full review of NEGA DOLA. (7.6/10)

4. Your Song (ft. Junflo) – Your Song features strong hip-hop influences, which isn’t anything that new. However, the reason why I think this is another strong track from the list is due to the how the vocals of both BoA and Junoflo compliment with each other. BoA brings that softness mentioned previously to the track, while Junflo brings a certain degree of harshness through his rap. The ‘That’s My Jam, That’s My Song’ and the ‘I Hate You Girl’ repetition is quite addictive. The changeup in the bridge allows the song to feature an awesome dance performance and while it does seem unexpected, it works wells with the song. (9/10)

5. Recollection – Recollection manages to give off an epic feel, despite it being easy-going. Once again, BoA’s vocals are on full display throughout this song. You can’t really say that the beat dropped in this song, as there is more of an inclination in the beat when the drop should have been present. That being said, the instrumental did not have much going on besides a very appreciating funky beat during the chorus. Besides that, I don’t have much else to say regarding this song. (8/10)

6. Always Always (ft. Chancellor) – I personally did not notice the constant thumping in the instrumental until it reaches Chancellor’s part. I mean it was always there from the very start but it felt more prominent during Chancellor’s part, so I really didn’t notice it during BoA’s verse. I bought BoA shined (yeah, a common theme in this album) but Chancellor was very close to having his part being overshadowed by the instrumental. The chorus was also very flowy and the ending of the song had a minor difference to the rest of the song, which was interesting, (7.5/10)

7. Camo – Click here to read the full review for Camo. (9.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

boaoneshottwoshot-3
One Shot, Two Shot – Snapshot from Music Video (Source: FUSE)

recommended red round grunge vintage ribbon stamp

[Review] Baby Don’t Stop – NCT U

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , Leave a comment

Just one week after their official comeback with Boss, NCT U has just dropped a brand new track, Baby Don’t Stop. What I recently found out is that NCT U is a rotational unit, hence its lineup is not fixed. This explains why the lineup for NCT U keeps on changing every time they release a song. Baby Don’t Stop features Taeyong and Ten (who was not part of Boss promotions).

This time last week, I was amazed at Boss. One week later and I am amazed at Baby Don’t Stop. Even with two members, NCT U definitely has 2018 under its grasp. Baby Don’t Stop has a really addictive beat to it and its repetition of the title is engraved into your mind after just one listen. Like literally, I could not stop humming the song since I listened to it this morning. I am going to be raving on about the repetition for a little more, so bear with me. It starts off as Taeyong’s whisper and it builds-up into a vocal line with the addition of Ten. This combination really makes it a strong aspect of the song. Another strong aspect of the song has to be the layering. Ten’s ad-libs in the background, Taeyong’s vocals and the husky whisper repetition just forms a breathtaking trinity, leaving me stunned. To top it off, both members got their chance to shine through their rapping and vocals. Baby Don’t Stop has pushed the bar up higher and that makes it harder for the rest of 2018 releases.

The entire video was actually quite nice to watch. I like the sets. Everything is pieced together quite nicely. From the top of your head, you don’t really think a bunch of empty seats and chairs would make a good video but it works naturally. Fans also got some fan-service with the duo flaunting their abs around in the latter half of the video. My only main concern with the video is their health. They look so skinny (and this is coming from a skinny guy as well). Hopefully, they (and all idols) are eating well enough for their schedules and releases.

The choreography to this looks really cool. I don’t have much to say about the performance besides that and any other adjective that could be substituted for cool. For the ending, it looks like they were doing some freestyling, which I think makes it even cooler.

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

[Review] Dreams Come True – WJSN (Cosmic Girls)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , Leave a comment

Making their comeback today is WJSN (aka. Cosmic Girls) with Dreams Come True and their 4th mini-album, titled as Dream Your Dream. This is the girls first comeback in 9 months, the last being their Happy promotions back in June last year.

Dreams Come True is actually another great song to add to WJSN’s portfolio. I actually really liked the instrumentals at the start of the song, which gives the song a serious tone. Furthermore, the synths used gives off an epic vibe as well. Talking about synths, their usage in this video is quite heavy. Not that is a problem, though. I love the use of the synthesizer during the post-chorus hook (‘Trust In Me, Trust In You‘), which I think is the main highlight of the entire track. That hook is also quite addictive in nature and draws my attention to the song. Vocal work is quite good but the rap segment was the one to surprise me. And it is a good surprise. Exy was amazing during the rap section, portraying a very serious yet powerful side during a more quiet section of the song. It allowed Exy to show more style and at the same time satisfied my yearning after WJSN and Monsta X’s collaboration a few years back. While it does fit in with their past aesthetically pleasing songs, it does show off a more mature sound, something that we knew the group was capable of (just we didn’t see any of it until now).

Once again, aesthetic videos are right up WJSN’s alley. And this video is pretty much that. I am not much of a fan of filters. They are either a hit or miss for me. In this video, they seem to be a miss entirely. But besides that, it is a nice video to watch. In the video, the girls seem to be going about their day until they can some sort of call to follow these light orbs, which are sent out from above. I am not exactly sure what happens then. They come together in some field where all the light orbs are and using these light orbs they manage to shut down a purple storm cloud. That is my literal explanation of the story but if there are any other theories out there, please feel free to comment and share what you think is happening in this video!

I liked how elegant the entire performance was. It made for a very cool performance to watch. I love the post-chorus hook’s accompanying dance. Also really cool formations were the moves for the entire bridge, particularly how one-by-one some of the members joined a ring around the vocalist during the start of the bridge and the 3 member lineup at the end of the bridge (2:54 of music video).

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

 

[Review] Mamma Mia – SF9

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

SF9 has made their retro return with their latest comeback single, Mamma Mia. This comeback also features their fourth mini-album, which shares the same name as the title track. We last saw them with their Latin-inspired O Sole Mio comeback in October last year.

SF9’s last few comebacks have impressed me. Unfortunately, Mamma Mia is disappointing for my taste and doesn’t follow this trend. While it isn’t necessarily a bad song, it is quite boring and doesn’t really keep me interested. There are a few aspects of the song that seem to contribute directly to this boredom feeling. The first is the instrumentation. There is literally nothing for me to rave about this retro instrumental. For the most part, I don’t think it has enough to be considered retro. Instead, it felt like a simple beat with a few added details (such as the guitars) to give it that retro vibe. They honestly could have gone with something retro (some electric guitars to make the chorus more memorable) and powerful, which would have been in line with their previous works. The main focus seems to be shifted towards the vocals and raps. And the vocals were okay at best but the raps were quite good. If only the song had the instrumentation to back up the raps and give hype to the song. The song wasn’t that catchy, falling right into a ‘standard’ predicament. The only part which I thought was a decent hook was the ‘Clap Clap Clap yo‘. But it seemed underused in the song. Overall, it was a weak song that just left me disappointed.

The music video also leaves me disappointed. There just seems to be a lot going on in this music video. Some of the members were involved in the fighting over stolen goods, keeping their car clean, window shopping in an excessive manner, hockey playing, dancing in the public and painting lips on a statue. While together they tried to go down the comedic route, these scenes do not go cohesively together. The only scene which I thought could have complimented the retro sounds of the song was at the start when they were standing on the portable moving stairs. Also, we need to sit down and talk about the mullet and dreadlocks. Even in history, the mullet should never have occurred. As for the dreadlocks, he just doesn’t rock it. Sorry, I had to say that but I had to get it off my chest.

[Updated] It was a fun performance to watch. The members looked like they were genuinely having fun on stage. It wasn’t that cringe-worthy and complicated as the music video. Though, I did think they underused the chairs during the performance, which could have made for a better performance.

Song – 4/10
Music Video – 4/10
Performance – 7/10 [Updated]
Overall Rating – 4.6/10 [Updated]

[Review] True Love – Kim Sung Kyu (Infinite)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , Leave a comment

Kim Sung Kyu has finally made his solo return to the stage with his first studio length album, 10 Stories. The title track featured on this album is True Love. His comeback was a little unexpected, with Infinite just recently wrapping up their promotions for Tell Me at the end of January and his teaser pictures just coming out of nowhere. This is his first comeback since his last mini-album and double title track promotions of The Answer and Kontrol.

To me, True Love is the midpoint that I would imagine if Kim Sung Kyu and Ed Sheeran joined forces to make a song. While the song’s sound and instrumental seems to lean more heavily towards Kim Sung Kyu’s side, there were a few moments throughout the song that felt like the song could have gone down that Ed Sheeran route. I like how calming the song feels during the verses. The build-up just before the chorus was nice but my favourite bit has to be the launch into the chorus. It is where the song comes together and it is the strongest point of the song which reminds me fondly of Kim Sung Kyu’s previous works. There is a slight catchy hook to the chorus, which I can see myself singing to in a few days time. His vocals are great but they don’t really shine as much in this song. Overall, the expectation (for me) is that Kim Sung Kyu would have a really good song as his title track and True Love seems to live up to that expectation.

The music video was shot in Hong Kong, which seems to be the number 1 destination to go to, for shooting a music video. A number of artists in the past year alone have shot their music video in Hong Kong. And I can see why. Despite it being featured so much last year, the sites of Hong Kong always look breathtaking and fresh. In the video, it seems like Sung Kyu is looking for his lover, whom he has been trying to track down from a letter he got from her. The ending was a little confusing, how he reads the letter. It makes me question whether he was looking for his ‘True Love‘ or whether he was looking for closure. The walking around on the streets is aesthetically pleasing and sets it up to be a good video (especially with all the great sites around him).

Song – 8/10
Musc Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10 

[Album Review] Miracle (2nd Mini Album) – Golden Child

Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged Leave a comment

I know this particular album review might be a little late but at least I didn’t hold onto it for an even longer period of time. Golden Child made their return at the end of January with their latest title track, It’s U, which featured on their second mini-album, Miracle (奇跡/기적). The album features 5 songs and one intro track, which I have omitted from this review.

goldenchildmiracle-2
Miracle Album Cover

2..It’s U (너라고) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for It’s U. (7.7/10)

3. Lady – From their promotional tracks, you get a sense that Golden Child’s music centres around a youthful sound. Hence, this song took me by surprise. There is an epic sound to the song, which was quite unexpecting considering the soft start. It’s a heartfelt song, where their vocals do most of the conveying of the emotions. The vocals are amazing, though I thought for a moment I was listening to Infinite. The raps were also quite good. The best part of the song has to be when all the members start singing the second half of the chorus together. (9.5/10)

4. Crush – You are launched into a rock-themed song but the chorus seems to be more pop than rock. Despite this, I found that the chorus wasn’t that distinct to the verse. It took me a while to register that the chorus had already started the first couple of times I heard the song. The ‘Oh Crush‘ repetition was really addictive. The ending was also another abrupt one, which I am not much a fan of. Out of all the elements, I liked the rapping the most, which felt fitting for the rock instrumental. (8.5/10)

5. All Day (모든 날)– It’s time for the mandatory ballad on the album. The vocalists indeed shined the brightest in this song. Listening to the song, I can imagine a live performance where the audience is swaying along with their light sticks, creating a beautifully coloured sea for the members to see. The rappers also did a good job but my favourite bit has to be the harmonies at the end of the bridge, which made the already so good song even better. (8/10)

6. I’m Falling – Ending the album is a standard pop song. But it is a really good pop song. The instrumental was nice, with the EDM another unexpected turn featuring on this album. The pause and buildup in the pre-chorus was also another likeable section of the song. I feel like the raps outshined the vocals, as the rap section in the bridge was awesome. Great way to end the album! (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

goldenchildmiracle-3
Miracle Teaser Image

recommended red round grunge vintage ribbon stamp

[Review] Black Dress – CLC

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

Last year, CLC caused a storm with their Hobglobin comeback. Finally, a concept and song genre that got the girls some recognition.  This was later confirmed by CLC’s failed comeback, Where You Are?, which did not get anywhere near the same amount of recognition (the company also dropped the promotions after 2 weeks and focused on a more lively B-side track, Summer Kiss, which seemed to be a more popular track). Hence, it would only right for their company to select a song for their comeback that could rival or overtake Hobglobin.

Black Dress carries that burden. And I think they meet (and overshoot) the standard set by the group’s most notable track. The opener to the song is an incredible attention-grabbing introduction. It throws you into the deep-end of roughness for this track, which definitely sets you up for what is in store. The song also focuses more on this mature vibe, which CLC has been presenting us. The pre-chorus buildup was awesome, while the chorus takes you back to that attention-grabbing synth at the start of the song. I love the extremely minimalistic instrumental break just before the rapper does her thing (who sounds amazing this song). The rest of the members do a good job with their vocals. The best part of the entire song has to be the slight pause just before a very rough yet appealing exclamation of ‘Black Dress‘. Overall, I am totally digging this track and if you want something edgy like Hobglobin, check this track out!

And if you think the song is a step forward, the music video is going to give you a shock. I know we have seen some idols cut their hair in their music videos in the past. But for some unknown reason, the scene (timed perfectly with the pause at the end of the bridge) really does leave an impression on you. I also see how the pole dancing lessons that Eunbin recently revealed to the public fits into the music video. The video also touches on some dark themes, mainly the sharp scissors and its questionable position near the chest (seen more clearly in the teaser). In the context of the video, I think they represent transformation, which links back to the chopping of the hair. Not exactly sure but that is my guess. Overall, I like the music video quite a bit and thought it was a perfect fit with the music.

The performance is good but I think I wanted more intensity and something pushing the boundaries of the choreography. Don’t me wrong, after watching it a few times, I thought it was quite cool. But if they wanted to show something more unique, I feel like that added intensity could have made the performance even better to watch.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10 
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Review] Star – VROMANCE

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

With two songs titled Star in just a span of two weeks, the night skies are just going to get brighter. VROMANCE is back with Part 2 of their Confession trilogy, Star. I have somehow missed Part 1 (Flower), which was released back mid-January. Unfortunately, I have decided to not do a full review for Part 1 (as there is no music video), so I am hoping for these songs to be on some future album release so I can review it there. But today’s focus is on Star.

If you follow me on Twitter (click the bird icon at the bottom of the page), you may have seen my tweet in regards to the song. In short, it said I was in awe and completely speechless to even begin this review. Everything about this song is beautiful. From the start, the soft guitar was an awesome opener but the sudden launch into the chorus just (metaphorically) punched me in the face. The “Beautiful ________, Beautiful _________” lyrics in the verses just leaves a deep impression on my mind. The harmonies during the chorus were just perfect. Vocals were amazing, which sounds like an understatement given what I have already said. But the good stuff with this song is towards the end when we get to the bridge. I like the echoing repetition of the ad-lib, which left me stunned. That very dramatic strum of the guitar, the epic feeling final chorus and that high note at the end that followed the bridge was particularly fascinating and definitely my pick for the highlights of the song.  I can continue listing what I like about this song but I think you get the idea of how much I love it.

I have to admit, I was low key expecting the members to pop up somewhere along the video. But I guess that would rob the video of its artistic nature. I am no dancer but from what I can see, the dancing in this video makes the video so much more beautiful. I like it how they didn’t keep it in one area but instead moved the setting along to various parts of the house (i.e. balcony, hallway, bedroom and dining room). It pairs perfectly with the song, which makes it so much better.

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

[Review] La La La – Weki Meki

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

Weki Meki has officially returned with their first comeback since their debut with I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend last year. This comeback features their second mini-album, Lucky and the title track, La La La.

To me, this new song is redemption from their disappointing debut track. La La La sounds so much better than I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend. But a common aspect between the two tracks is that the songs can be considered to be ‘in your face’. Their debut track was just obnoxious, while La La La seems to be more pleasing. The instrumental seems to fall under the standard KPOP umbrella. It just didn’t stick out to me but it was still good. Following the ‘in you face’ comment, the instrumental was definitely ‘loud’ as it dominates the entire song. However. the vocals were in the foreground of the song, as opposed to being hidden by the loud instrumental, which is a definite plus. I want to say the vocals and raps were good but I feel like they could have tweaked with some autotune to enhance the song. I am not a major fan of autotune as it can be overly used in songs but I think it would have definitely benefited this song. The chorus has potential to be catchy but it might take a few more listens for that to be a reality in my case, as it didn’t really stick the first time around.

Once again, the visuals for the comeback is amazing. It is one thing that Weki Meki nailed before and they nailed it once again. The girl crush concept really suits them. I am also a major fan of the sets for this music video. It looks extremely cool, particularly the one with the big flashing W in the background. That one scene where they walk towards the camera in one long line really blew my mind as if they were doing the walk on a catwalk.

Watching their dance performance, I really liked how in sync they were. I particularly like the pre-chorus routine they had, which I thought was a lot better than the chorus. I also like the body rolls just before the final chorus (2:10 ish of music video).

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

[Review] Only Then – Roy Kim

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

Roy Kim made his return to the music scene with a new single, Only Then. It was released last week during the Lunar New Year week, which is why I haven’t gotten around to reviewing it yet. We last saw Roy Kim on stage last year with his comeback consisting of Egoist and Suddenly.

Roy Kim is known for his popular singles (such as Bom Bom Bom) that are fitting for the Spring season. Only Then is another ballad, that is best suited for the colder climate of Winter. The great thing about this track is that Roy Kim uses his vocals to add warmth to the song, which is a great charm about this track. I like how his vocals are soft throughout the song but he doesn’t give the song the kick it needs until he gets into the midst of the final chorus. This delay kick is quite interesting and you have to listen to the entire track to completely appreciate the peak of the song. The instrumental for this ballad doesn’t really do much besides giving the song its background that it needs. However, that electric guitar riff during the bridge was awesome. Ticking another box for good ballads (for me) is the fact the song gets you swaying along.

The one thing the video manages to capsulate very well is the concept of loneliness. The song is about feelings regarding a relationship that just isn’t working out. From what I am reading, long distance relationship is the main focus for the song, as Roy Kim (who tends to be in the States during his non-active periods) writes about his feelings in regards to his fans in South Korea (this piece of information was taken from Soompi). I think the video does a good job at it, with the final scene looking like he is making that final move to end the relationship. The colour palette is perfect for such a heartbreaking atmosphere. It is dry in terms of content but it seems when in context, the video makes a lot of sense.

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

[Review] One Shot, Two Shot – BoA

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

BoA made her debut way back in the year 2000. Since then, she has released a total of 8 Korean full-length album. 18 years on, however, marks BoA’s return with her very first mini-album, which shares the same title of  One Shot, Two Shot as the title track. It is definitely remarkable to think that this is her very first mini-album. The mini-album also features Camo (an SM Station track from last year) and this year’s earlier release, NEGA DOLA.

One Shot, Two Shot is another great song to add to BoA’s portfolio in recent times. We saw a snippet of EDM in her portfolio when BoA released Camo last year and I was immediately a fan. One Shot, Two Shot follows the same trend, taking on deep house. The verses seem so-so but the good stuff happens during the chorus. It becomes more lively and upbeat, which is something you might know I prefer. I love the instrumental during the chorus, as well, for its seductive and sexy nature. The ‘One Shot Two Shot‘ repetition during the second half of the chorus was quite addictive. Her vocals shined throughout the vocals, almost going husky in some parts. The bridge of the track was nice but I feel like the launch back into the final chorus could have been more energetic, in my opinion. But overall, definitely another song to check out.

The music video was made up of two sections. Choreography and the train station scene. A little confused about what was happening in the video. Mainly from what I can make out, BoA is an assassin (dressed up in leather in an area where there is no one else does give off that vibe). She dances with her victims, which I guess is a luring method (as she successfully does it to the guy). After a few minutes of interpretive dancing (I think), she shoots him dead. But he later wakes up (which is confusing). But the storyline is definitely interesting. I like the choreography shots as well, particularly the close-ups of BoA with the backup dancers in the background. The rest of the dance shots were simple but definitely elegant.

I am loving the dance that we can see in the music video. I love how sharp the first batch of moves are. The start of the chorus was awesome and the part at 3:16 of the music video where male dancers line up and copy her moves one-by-one as she moves along the line.

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

[Review] Where I Am Gone – Yang Yoseob (HIGHLIGHT)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , Leave a comment

Yang Yoseob has finally dropped his first solo comeback since his solo debut back in 2012. Last week, the main vocalist of HIGHLIGHT gave us a small snippet into this latest release with Star. One week later and he has dropped the entire mini-album (White), along with the title track Where I Am Gone.

Once again, Yoseob starts off the song with the traditional ballad route. His first few lines of the song were quite heartbreaking and putting emotions into this vocals is what we know Yoseob for. The song develops more into a pop song once it reaches the chorus and I feel like this is the strongest moment of the song. It was mildly disappointing at first because there wasn’t anything special with the first half of the chorus. The second half, once the autotuned vocals kick in, was definitely more interesting and this gave the song a rougher effect, which contrasted nicely with the rest of the song. It was also quite catchy. Yoseob’s vocals do stand out in this song. It may be a little too plain of the song for us to have a full grasp of his vocal abilities but it enough to prove his status, particularly the bridge and the final chorus. The main issue with this song would have to be its plainness. Yes, it has its moments but you cannot just forget about how incredibly plain the song is. I have a feeling that within a few more listens, I would get bored of it.

I am also on the fence in regards to the video. It is definitely fitting for the song and there were some moments which I did enjoy. It just had a few aspects that should have been more thought out. Let’s start off with the car scene. I personally like the direction but the car seats it used was a little too futuristic for my taste. Maybe one of those olden day cars or something that looked a little more traditional would have worked well with that scene. Also, there is no driver, which is a little concerning. But regarding what I did enjoy, I liked the choreography scenes, particularly those where we only saw the silhouette of the dancers and how Yoseob was the main focus (as he should be) during these scenes.

I did like the solo moment he had with the female backup dancer. Hopefully, that made it into the choreography. But the rest of the performance (judging from the music video only) looked really awkward. He looked stiff and uncomfortable throughout the chorus and this didn’t really relay well back to me when I watched the video. Hopefully, the performance is better.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 6/10