Category: KPOP

[Album Review] Un: SEEN (2nd Mini Album) – EVNNE

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Ahead of their comeback in 2 weeks time, I thought it might be a good time to square away the album review for EVNEE’s January 2024 comeback with Un: SEEN. It is their 2nd mini-album, following on from their debut with Target: ME and TROUBLE. Un: SEEN features a total of five tracks, one of which is the title track UGLY (which you can find the link to its review down below). Overall, it is a fair mini-album. There are some goods and some so-so songs (like the title track) on it. This mini-album doesn’t dampen my thoughts on EVNNE, however, and so I am eagerly looking towards 17 June 2024 when their 3rd mini-album drops. But until then, here are my thoughts on Un: SEEN.

Un: SEEN Album Cover

1. UGLY (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of UGLY. (6.5/10)

2. SYRUP – Hip-hop emerges as the primary sound in SYRUP. Its verses and pre-choruses are definitely highlights for me, particularly when it came to JIHOO’s line “Bad, Bad, Bad Taste” and the opening line to the chorus “Yeah, We be dippin’ to my flow”. The rapping was good (as highlighted by JIHOO’s line mentioned). The vocals weren’t as memorable. The chorus was probably SYRUP’s weakest sequence, as it took the song in more of a pop direction and didn’t necessary capture the hip-hop tone built up in throughout the verses and pre-choruses. (7/10)

3. K.O. (Keep On) – Oh, why was K.O. not chosen as the title track for this mini-album? There was a lot to like in K.O.. The bass and dynamic energy from the backing made K.O. upbeat and brought forth a bouncy effect. The strong vocals and rapping from the members gave the song punchiness that helped make the track memorable. But it is the “K.O.” lines following the main portion of the first and final choruses that got me hooked. It was quite an earwormy hook. Also, the more paced approach in the midst of the synths and energy was very interesting and brought forth a very cool contrast in the song. (9/10)

4. Chase – The rumbling dull scratching sound that features in the background of verses was quite distracting for me. It was so distracting that I actually can’t help but ‘find the sound’ throughout the rest of the song, taking away precious attention from the other parts. The pre-chorus removes the sound temporarily, making it the clearest part of the song (and hence is my favourite aspect of Chase). It returns in the choruses, but it muffled out by the rest of the instrumental, so I am not too fussed with its presence there. When I can pull my attention away from the instrumentation, I do find Chase features strong vocals from the members. The rappers were top-notch in the bridge and definitely know how to build energy in that brief moment. I also liked the alluring nature of the chorus, though dampen by the distraction. (7.5/10)

5. Festa – As the saying goes, save the best to last. Festa is definitely a straight forward pop track. But it is done right and well. I really liked the bright feel-good energy that comes from the song. The synths are textured in a very comfortable manner and the familiar nature of the keyboard was fun. The vocals and rapping from all members were super strong, and I particularly like the moments where they all come together in Festa. The hooks are simple, but definitely catchy. Festa had me dancing in my chair, a reaction that no song on this mini-album has gotten out of me! (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8/10

Un: SEEN Teaser Image

[Review] BADVILLAIN – BADVILLAIN

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I don’t cover debuts close to their actual debut date anymore due to time slippage on my part and constraints. But while I am not reviewing BADVILLAIN’s debut on the exact date that they debuted on, I do think the same week is much better than many months down the track (by which the group has probably made a comeback). BADVILLAIN made their debut at the start of this week as a seven member female group under BPM Entertainment (the home of VIVIZ, TAEMIN, Ha Sung Woon, REN and many others) with the track titled after themselves.

Listening to BADVILLAIN a couple of times now following their debut, and my thoughts on the song have remained very consistent. BADVILLAIN definitely has potential with an intriguing string-based instrumental and some fierceness exuded by the members. The former definitely grabs my attention and creates such intensity and suspense once you are immersed in it. When the more electronic profile of the instrumentation comes into play towards the end of the track, it made BADVILLAIN interesting and gave even more life to the song to close it out on a relatively high note. That fierceness the members bring comes through the rapping, some of which was really good and other execution of rapping in BADVILLAIN was les effective. On the other hand, the vocals parts of the song hold some promise, adding further suspense and intensity to BADVILLAIN. But despite the potential behind BADVILLAIN, the song was held back for a number of reasons – weak hooks, lacking melodies and the noticeable absence of oomph in the song. Had the song featured more robust hooks, melodies and oomph, BADVILLAIN could have been a knock out of the park. The benefits wouldn’t just stop there – the members would have sound much stronger and powerful, as well, which would have shined a brighter light at the members. But instead, we are left wanting more despite knowing how good the track was set up to be.

That fierceness that I mentioned above is definitely visually portrayed in the music video for BADVILLAIN. Their close ups, outfits, facial expressions and body language definitely showcases their powerful and confident personalities/concept, which I thought was pretty cool. Talking about cool, there is one scene in the video that definitely made me go wow in the moment. At the start of the second chorus, it looked like it was only the members on the set. But then the light switched on as we were launched into the chorus, a whole group of dancers around the members appeared out of nowhere. Definitely an awesome moment that makes me want to go back to the video and watch it. I did wish there was a story line to pull everything together, as the members were caught in the beginning. What were they caught doing? What is their mission? What revolution are they starting? These are questions buzzing in my mind as I watched the video that I want answers to. Given KPOP’s love for a story lore, I think this video could have been one of those.

The same can be said with the choreography, regarding fierceness. It came through the most towards the end of the routine when the song adopts that electronic profile I mentioned above. The rest of the routine was fine. Nothing really stands out, but it was a good routine to introduce us to BADVILLAIN.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Shooting Star – Kep1er

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Kep1er was supposed to wrap their promotions next month as a group, following the expiration of their 2.5 year contracts that began from their Girls Planet 999 days. But after almost a years worth of negotiations (where at one point renewal was supposed to be off the table), it has been agreed that Kep1er will reform as a 7-member group (with Mashiro and Yeseo opting to not renew their contracts) following a final concert next month. Ahead of that bittersweet moment, Kep1er has returned with their 1st studio album, Kep1going On, and the title track Shooting Star.

When the biggest problem the track is that it feels too short, you are probably doing something right. It has only been a couple of hours since the song’s release, but I have really enjoyed Shooting Star. And I am with the crowd when this is their best title track yet! I really like the straight forward pop that the verses featured. The whispery pre-chorus (that is backed up with the harsher and contrasting autotuned backing vocal) in the first verse and at the end of the bridge was very aesthetic and cool. I have definitely heard it before somewhere, so the idea isn’t necessarily original. But it feels very refreshing as part of Shooting Star. The chorus features an exciting rush of energy from the synth work that makes Shooting Star thrilling and exciting. The melody and hook is very pleasantly straight-forward (I mean that in a good way) and catchy, which makes Shooting Star‘s centrepiece a memorable piece. The momentum following the first chorus is followed up well with some really good rapping from Dayeon and Hikaru. The bridge of the song brings out a dreamy aesthetic that fits in well with the rest of Shooting Star. In terms of the vocals, I like the effortless side of them and the slight emotional tone the member bring. The latter helps makes the song feel a little more impactful and meaningful, and this definitely came through the lyrics as well. But as mentioned in the beginning, I just feel Shooting Star wraps up too quickly. Part of me feels like it is the right spot to end Shooting Star at, but I kind of also want more. Minus that small dilemma (which might be more of a personal preference), I am extremely impressed with Shooting Star.

I liked the idea of likening the members to the stars in the night sky and shooting stars throughout the video. I also liked the sets in the video. But I am also of the opinion that the video feels too simple for this comeback. I think ‘more’ is an appropriate word to use here, as in ‘more’ could have been done in the video to really give make it more meaningful, impactful, memorable etc. One thing that the video could have potentially done better to fulfil the above is be more aesthetic. More abstract thinking could have really given the video a deeper and thought provoking outlook, which would complement the lyrics and tone of the song.

I quite liked how graceful the routine was for this comeback. It fits in with Shooting Star‘s momentum really well. I also liked the chorus routine, particularly the hand movements during the ‘Da Ra Ra‘ part. It is literally the part of the music video (and performance) that my mind keeps on returning to. Their formations in the routine are also quite memorable, particularly those where one member is in the centre and the other members surrounds them quite closely,. This emphasises how close and tight they are with one another.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Review] 1 to 3 – SUHO (EXO)

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Also ending the week is SUHO, who makes his official solo comeback with the mini-album 1 to 3 and the title track of the same name. This follows on from the pre-release single Cheese that SUHO released a couple of weeks back, which features WENDY from Red Velvet.

SUHO takes us back to the 70s with 1 to 3, a rock track that features disco and funk influences. The funky guitar work and bass riff makes 1 to 3 quite a unique and exciting track. So does the synth organ that forms part of the backing. Altogether, we have another fun track in 1 to 3, with an instrumental that grabs your attention alone. SUHO’s vocals glides along the instrumentation quite nicely, and I find his delivery and melodies heightens the energy that comes off the instrumentation of 1 to 3. The chorus is definitely testament to the latter. It is also extremely upbeat and catchy, as a result, and this has me tapping alongside the music as I listen to the song. I also love how dreamy the bridge got, which helps give 1 to 3 some variety within its mix. If I could ask for more out of 1 to 3, I would have liked a bit more range from SUHO, as I felt a ‘holding back’ presence from the soloist. I also wished the instrumental had a chance to really rip and go wild, via an instrumentation break. I think that would have taken the song to ‘home run’ territory. Overall, 1 to 3 is a really great, funky and unique track from SUHO.

SUHO sings about breaking free from social norms and going on his own individual path in 1 to 3. And that is exactly what we see in the music video. At the start of the video, we see SUHO aboard a spaceship that is flying in the same path as everyone else. But soon after starting the video, SUHO takes control of the ship and breaks away from the same path as everyone else. Whilst away from everyone else, he is able to explore and discovers that there is much more to the world via that alien or robot mask he finds on a planet. I think he dons that mask at a later point in the video, which coincides with the animations that feature throughout the video, signifying the birth or creation of something new. The video ends with SUHO flying away and all the other spaceships following behind him. I really like the space theme that is happening in the music video. The song also calls for something a little dynamic, and we get that via the unsteady and rough camera shots of SUHO and the band scenes throughout the video.

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

[Review] WORK – ATEEZ

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Yesterday, ATEEZ made their comeback with their 11th mini album, Golden Hour: Part 1, and the title track WORK. This new release from the 8-member group follows on from their THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL studio album from December 2023 (led by the single Crazy Form), their Japanese single Not Okay (yet to be reviewed) and their viral Coachella performance.

WORK steps away from ATEEZ’s usual powerful electronic based dance tracks. Instead, it opts for a much lighter and fun hip-hop sound that suits the group. We have heard fun from ATEEZ before, with the most recent example I can think of on the top of my head being The Real. But here, the production is toned down quite a bit without the presence of ATEEZ’s usual strong and dynamic synth work. I liked the playful vibes WORK exudes, particularly thanks to the presence of that dulled flute sound. These playful vibes also shines ATEEZ in a new light. As part of the change in sound, ATEEZ is able to showcase even more rhythmic rapping and melodic vocals than ever before in WORK. And as a result of that, WORK has a catchy centrepiece that re-emphasises that lighter and fun sound. I also like how JONGHO’s vocals still manage to pierce through the chorus, which does give WORK some dimension and depth. But while WORK has the above positive aspects to it, the biggest problem I have with WORK is that it doesn’t go anywhere. WORK is definitely missing its peak, and so it feels rather monotonous when you consider the entirety of the track together. We do get a bit more to the song in the outro, but it isn’t as satisfying as previous outros they have done in the past. Because of this, I haven’t really taken to WORK since its release yesterday. Maybe some more listens can help grow the song further on me. But for now, it feels like any other day at the office to me.

That fun nature of WORK is definitely present throughout the music video. The video sees the members hustle to make more money and then enjoy their wealth. JONGHO buried underground (sans his head), YEOSANG and YUNHO’s obsession of the chicken that lays golden eggs, and HONGJOONG and MINGI’s battle with the monster made of money are some of the unserious parts of the video that stood out for me. SEONGHWA’s ostrich ride could have been one of them, but the ‘fueling up’ scene stuck out at me for the wrong reasons. When together, they either embrace/celebrate the money (with MINGI’s purple suit reminding me of Willy Wonka), the hip-hop side of the song or are busy flipping burgers to make more money.

The choreography for WORK is solid. Unfortunately, it doesn’t strike me as their best routine ever. But I think that is more so the collateral they had to pay to fully embrace the lighter and fun hip-hop sound that is WORK.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] KING KONG – TREASURE

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Almost a year following the release of their REBOOT studio album and the track BONA BONA, TREASURE has finally made their long awaited comeback with their new single KING KONG. It has also been recently confirmed that KING KONG won’t be the group’s only release of the year, with another comeback due later in the year. But until then, here are my thoughts on KING KONG.

KING KONG is bombastic, to say the least. For the most part, I really enjoyed KING KONG. From electronic instrumentation to the delivery with many layers of oomph to it, the resulting product that is KING KONG feels powerful and vigorous. The song opens with some crunchy beats and a sing-talk motif that I am not unimpressed with. I kind of thought it gave KING KONG‘s verses a stylish vibe. The pre-choruses of KING KONG focuses on vocals and melodies, which I also enjoyed. This is then followed by a catchy chorus, with a slightly groovy second generation influence on the instrumentation and some shouty yet delivery. The second verse features a rap breakdown that needlessly stripped away the cool instrumentation that KING KONG had featured thus far. The length of the breakdown disrupts the flow of the song and deprives us from the momentum and drive that the earlier parts of KING KONG had. The bridge sees the returns of the vocals and that is the part of KING KONG that I am continuously returning. Partly because of the vocals, but also what comes next. The best part of KING KONG has to be the really angsty and gritty tinny instrumental break that just grabs your attention. From the top of my mind, I think KING KONG‘s instrumental break surpasses all other instrumental breaks. KING KONG then finishes with the usual anthem affair that YG Entertainment songs close out with. I am not against it this time around, but I think something less repetitive would have been better. Overall, KING KONG isn’t without its weakness. But it is still a beast of itself.

The music video appears to pay homage to King Kong himself and potentially other big monsters. There are a few scenes that sees the members appear to serve as the King Kong in their universe, like through the presence of the beastly eyes some of the members have and how some scenes position the members on top of a building that mimics the infamous scenes of the King Kong movies where the infamous King Kong had scaled the city buildings. I also really like the set made of the big skeleton. Not sure where the other scenes lead us, but I am sure they are all related. I also like the styling of the members throughout the music video. They all look very stylish and cool.

The choreography for this comeback is super cool, just like the other elements of this comeback. I liked how they mimicked some of the famous King Kong moves/poses throughout the choreography, which further highlights the beastly and powerful nature of the choreography. And that dance break is definitely the highlight of the routine!

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Review] Wife – (G)I-DLE

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Ahead of my album review for 2, I need to review (G)I-DLE’s pre-release single Wife. This single dropped a week prior to the release of Super Lady, the title track from 2 and another hit of (G)I-DLE’s.

Over time, Wife has become 2024’s guilty pleasure song for me. There is no way I will bragging about or showing off the song’s opening lyrics (‘I cook cream soup, taste is Coco Loco‘) to my friends or peers. At first, Wife was an odd song to me, as well. Musically, it didn’t fit (G)I-DLE’s repertoire at all and felt like a step away from their powerful title tracks. But Wife has become more fun sounding and catchy number with more listens and as it ages. The bubblegum pop is earwormy, and the song’s hooks are quite addictive with repeat plays. As time has gone by, I have also learnt that Wife has a deeper meaning, with the lyrics mocking the traditional stereotypes of a wife. This aligns with (G)I-DLE’s usual themes in their tracks that have repeatedly addressed and broken the social norms and expectations of what a ‘lady’ is supposed to be. The childish sound of the song also contributes to the mockery, and I feel that sets up the track quite cleverly. That being said, Wife definitely isn’t (G)I-DLE’s best work. But it is a really fun gem.

The mockery continues in the music video. From a glance, the music video appears very plain (but this is deliberate), aside from a striking element in the members’ looks. Their first look sees the members dressed in a striking blue green wig and white shirt, pants and shoes. In the second look, the wig turns white and the attire turns green. No matter what look, there is always something that blends them into the white background. The emptiness in the music video, as well as the blending into the background, signifies a wife without any interests, other than cooking and cleaning – the very traditionalist and stereotypical expectations a man has for a wife. The members also don’t lipsync until the very end of the video/song, where the lyrics are ‘I Don’t Wanna Wife, Wife, Wife‘, which further highlights their messaging of not wanting to be that traditionalist and stereotypical wife.

The choreography feels less of a mockery, with the members looking to have more fun. But there moves that still looked childish and elementary, which probably is their way of continuing that mockery in this final element of the release.

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

[Review] Armageddon – aespa

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Two weeks ago, aespa made a home run with their first title track Supernova from their first studio album, Armageddon. If you want proof of that home run, just check out the South Korean charts. Today, the group officially drops that studio album and unveiled their second title track from the album – also titled as Armageddon.

Supernova definitely got me super excited for Armageddon. But the couple of listens I have given the new song before and whilst writing this review has left me perplexed. Armageddon sees its stronger points come in much later, leaving the earlier parts of the song to feel dull and unexciting. We kick off Armageddon with some suspenseful and deep vibrating synths, which makes the first step into Armageddon feel very aespa. From there, we get into the first verse, which served the first sign that the song feels rather tame and not as vivid as their former tracks. The synths don’t have much punch to them, and the members’ delivery wasn’t memorable. The pre-chorus (i.e., the ‘Bang Chitty Bang Bang‘) was a good (yet abrupt) uptick in momentum, which I had hoped the track followed through with. But unfortunately, we get a slowed down anti-drop chorus that makes Armageddon feel sluggish and weak. I think the intention of Armageddon‘s chorus was to be more intriguing and mysterious thanks to the hypnotic and exotic motif that aespa brings to life in the chorus. But I don’t think it works as well as the producers had hoped. As for the hooks, I do think there is potential for it to grow on me. But it is too soon to tell if that is the case. For the second verses, we get a taste of powerful vocals from the group. But the resulting product is more so the same as the first verse. Armageddon does get better once we hit the bridge. We get more of that fluidity with melodies in the vocal centric beginning. This is followed with a cool and impactful ‘Throw It back‘ breakdown (my favourite part of the song), before we launch back into the chorus. Interesting to note, the chorus does sound much better following that breakdown. The outro, whilst using the same hook as the chorus, does close out the song in a more energetic manner than earlier in the song. Overall, Armageddon doesn’t live up to the hype and standard that I had set for it. More could have done earlier in Armageddon to make it a stronger piece.

What aespa didn’t deliver in the song aspect of this release, they did in the music video. The visuals in this music video are phenomenal, particularly the montage where they looked very much like goddesses. Their casual look also looks amazing. The members’ closeup throughout the video brings out an intense vibe, and this is felt through other aspects of the video. The post-production was indeed quite cool, as well. It was all very aesthetic. In terms of a story line, my guess is that aespa bring about the Armageddon one way or another.

The choreography for this comeback is also superb. While I am not a fan of the chorus in a music sense, the routine that accompanies it looks very cool. The combination of the wavy and sharp movements looks quite catchy and this bleeds into the other parts of the choreography, as I saw snippets of wavy or sharp throughout the video. The ‘Throw It Back‘ parts and the final chorus are also equally powerful moments in the routine that I can’t wait to see on stage.

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

[Album Review] GOOD MORNING (3rd Mini Album) – YENA

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The next album up for review on my blog is YENA’s GOOD MORNING, her 3rd mini-album, which dropped in January of this year. It features the title track of the same name. The mini-album also follows on from YENA’s Hate XX single album that was released about 6 months prior to this release. I am particularly excited to review this album because it contains a song that really caught my attention back when it was released and I have been revisiting it quite often because it is soooo good. The rest of the mini-album follows the same vein, but this one particular song is just next level. Okay, enough hyping – find out which song that is by reading through the rest of the review.

GOOD MORNING Album Cover

1. Good Morning (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of Good Morning. (9/10)

2. Good Girls In The Dark – Good Girls In The Dark brings out a much darker and mature vibe from YENA. There is something about this track that I find so familiar. It might be simply that the track does reminds people (me included) of last year’s WICKED LOVE. But I think this sense of familiarity goes further than that. The guitar sets the moody tone, the bass gives Good Girls In The Dark some nice definition and a good thumping beat, while the synths helps makes the backing feel full and substantial. YENA’s vibrant vocals gives the track an alluring charm. I found it very hard to turn away from Good Girls In The Dark. (9/10)

3. Damn U – YENA finds herself in rock territory with Damn U. And this track is the exact reason why I am so keen to review this mini-album. The track starts off in with a swaying melody. Very vocal driven and soothing. When we get to the pre-choruses, the track becomes more dramatic and it takes us in the direction of a more punkish sound. I really like the “Woo Ooh” backing vocals in this part. As for the chorus, the rock sound comes through energetically. I personally loved the chorus and found myself rocking to the track with no shame on many occasions. The second verse sees YENA successful execute some rap, while the bridge revisits how the song started (which makes the final chorus even more impactful). Damn U is, without doubt, my favourite song on the album. (10/10)

4. Ugly Duckling – Ending this short mini-album is Ugly Duckling. We hear a more emotional tinge to both the rock instrumentation and YENA’s vocal delivery. Because of this, Ugly Duckling ends up being a song that you kind of have to reflect on. When doing that, you will find the track is about her persistence and resilience to the pressures around her. The lyrics are quite meaningful and inspirational, and I recommend you read through them (or find a translation) to really understand the track. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.3/10

GOOD MORNING Teaser Image

[Review] Killin’ It – P1Harmony

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In addition to pre-release and other promotional tracks, I have a backlog of title tracks and debuts to get through. P1Harmony’s February comeback with Killin’ It (the song) is a victim in this backlog. So much so, it has been haunting me constantly at the back of my mind every time I go and review another song that isn’t it. But today, I am finally getting around to writing its review. Killin’ It is also the title of their first studio album, which I will be reviewing at a later date. It follows on from their 2023 JUMP comeback, which is featured on the mini-album HARMONY: ALL IN.

P1Harmony goes loud and striking in Killin’ It, The group keeps to their usual genre of choice for their title tracks, hip-hop, with a side of attitude and playfulness that feels very much like a P1Harmony track. Killin’ It‘s instrumental features both a clangy and brass-like motif, both of which comes together cohesively to create that loud and striking nature that I already mentioned. I would have liked a bit more variety in the backing of Killin’ It to give it more depth and colour, but it is decent enough as it is. Killin’ It‘s chorus was also quite loud, with the layering of the members shouty delivery coming off quite defined and bold. It is catchy and addictive, hence why Killin’ It has remained on my mind ever since its release. The rapping delivery elsewhere in Killin’ It is definitely a highlight, giving off that P1Harmony attitude and personality quite well. The vocals were also decent once we got to those parts and helped smooth a bit out Killin’ It. Otherwise, the aforementioned rapping and shouty chorus could have been too much. I do feel like the song does lack that something extra to really have it break ground. It is good and all, but a little bit more (perhaps some electric guitar riffs) could have taken Killin’ It to the next level.

In the lead up to the comeback, the group dropped a teaser that featured news report about a mysterious change to humanity where peace had suddenly came about. The teaser then sees P1Harmony come out of nowhere to disrupt said peace (taking someone’s doughnut and crashing one of the news reporters’ live feed). I am not entirely sure how the music video fits in, but I am going to take a guess. While the music video doesn’t reference the events of the teaser as much until the very end of the video where P1Harmony is being interviewed and questioned about being heroes, the video does see more of that disruption of peace. P1Harmony attempts underground dentistry, change up a game of curling and set of sparks that is bound to cause some subtle chaos in the world. Most particular to the profession of dentistry, the sport of curling and the peacefulness of the night sky. Now, I am sure there is a proper explanation to the video, as the above is just my wild guess. But I do like what we immediately get from the video is a portrayal the attitude and playful side of song.

Two things strike me when I watched the performance for P1Harmony. Firstly (and this is also reflected in the music video) was the styling of the group. Everywhere I look, I see a lot of praise of the styling for this comeback and I agree with that! The second aspect is how fun the performance looks.

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

[Review] BFF – TWS:

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As you may be very well aware, I have a massive backlog of releases to get through. A very large subset of these are songs are side tracks from the album they were on, selected to be a secondary promotion track or just have a music video. Some may even be pre-releases. I will have to make my way through that list. And I am beginning with TWS’ BFF. BFF is a side track off TWS’ debut mini-album Sparkling Blue, which was lead by the title track plot twist and was released on 22 January 2024. An album review is incoming. TWS released a music video for BFF mid-February.

In plot twist‘s review, I mentioned their debut track had youth charms and was a successful attempt at ‘boyhood pop’. BFF continues both, bringing us another track full of youth and vibrant energy. I really like the whistling at the start of the song, which sets the song’s main melody in place. However, BFF‘s pop instrumentation isn’t as dynamic as their title track and actually feels a bit generic. If I am being honest, BFF basically feels like any other youthful pop tracks that boy groups have done time and time again. That being said, BFF holds its ground well, allowing TWS: to deliver the song in a manner that definitely shows off their youthful charms and vibrant energy (more on that in the performance portion of this review). TWS:’ vocals and rapping was quite nice in BFF, which is where I felt the vibrant energy in the song the most. I also like how it wasn’t held back in anyway at any point in the song, which helps pushes said energy onto the audience. The song’s melody feels catchy yet familiar, and I put the latter down to the fact BFF sounds like ‘any other youthful pop track that boy groups have done time and time again’. The boyhood pop side of things comes through via the song’s lyrics, which is all about a long-lasting friendship. Altogether, you have a pretty good track that undoubtedly continues TWS:’ first steps into the KPOP industry in BFF.

The music video shows TWS: as teenagers in a school setting, an obvious concept for the ‘boyhood pop’ style that TWS is exploring. Some of the video was shown in mobile phone format (i.e., camera or Instagram reel), which I thought was rather cool. Not really a new idea that we have never seen before. But like the rest of the video, it feels refreshing. And once again, I like the all-smile energy they bring to the music video, which makes it appealing to watch.

Again, the energy of this track is directly reflected in the stage performance. It makes for what looks like quite an involved routine. But I like how bubbly and dynamic it all looked, which is a testament to the group’s performance. The use of the school desks was pretty cool, and I liked the all-smile energy that also comes through the performance aspect of this comeback, as well.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] How Sweet – NewJeans

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As mentioned in my review for Bubble Gum last month, NewJeans will be making their Korean comeback with two songs. Bubble Gum was the first, followed by How Sweet (which dropped yesterday). The group is also due to release two full Japanese songs next month – Supernatural and Right Now. I will hopefully be reviewing them after their release. But keep in mind I am very behind on songs in other languages.

In my books, How Sweet falls into the pleasant category. There is no doubt that it sounds good. But How Sweet isn’t compelling enough for it to be a memorable form of ‘pleasant’. The hip-hop based instrumental has a touch of Miami bass to it. This created a backing piece that good rhythm and drive to it. And while that does evoke some interest out of me, I do find that the instrumental for How Sweet also feels ‘held back’ for being too consistent throughout the length of the track. The vocals do sound nice and airy, which is NewJeans signature. But in the context of How Sweet, it is too light to hold my attention. It doesn’t help that How Sweet‘s melodies felt linear and flat, as well. And the hooks felt virtually absent, with the producers seemingly putting all their eggs into the melodies to pull the audience in. To me, that is a risk gamble and it didn’t pay off. The only element that gives off a little something different to How Sweet is the rapping that serves as a transitional piece between the first verse and chorus, and at the end of the song. This potentially really could have changed up the song and made How Sweet more engaging to me. But they had to keep it to the rest of How Sweet, which dampens my hopefulness. While I do get that pleasantness out of How Sweet, I feel the final line of the song portion of Bubble Gum‘s review sums up my thoughts on NewJeans’ new song quite well (with a slightly editorial) – “I am not sure how long I will be replaying Bubble Gum How Sweet [following this review]”.

The music video is okay. NewJeans essentially have a broken down car on the side of a road in the middle of nowhere, and they have a little fun whilst making their way to a mechanic to have their car towed. A bit of a standard story nowadays. I wished their concept for this comeback was a little more engaging, like their past video. However, I did like the little comedic moment where the members attempt to hitchhike into town as a vehicle passes them. At the back of the vehicle are cows, and all the cows can see as they are driven past are the members posing like models. That scene got a chuckle out of me. The video also serves as a little commercial for Coco Cola. It isn’t the first time one of their music videos was used to promote a product, but I guess it might become a regular thing now.

The members showcase some great choreography that works extremely well with that pleasant side of the song and the beat/rhythm of How Sweet. I liked how just like the song’s drive, the members just kept going and never really stopped throughout the performance. I also like how the members looked like they were genuinely having fun on stage throughout the performance. Also, the rapping sounds so much more impactful throughout the live performance. Pity it doesn’t come off that way in the studio version.

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

[Review] Now (Orig.: Fin.K.L) – ONEUS

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ONEUS makes their return this week with a remake of an old KPOP classic originally by Fin.K.L, who was a female group active back in the late 90s and early 00s. The song in question is titled Now, which was released back in 2000. We last saw ONEUS through their album release La Dolce Vita and promotions of Baila Conmigo. The group has also been on their 2nd world tour, visiting countries in Europe, Japan and the USA.

ONEUS’s take on Now feels pretty expected. And I am not entirely sure if that is a good thing or not. Part of me wants ONEUS to have gone outside of the box. But the risk of that, especially with such an iconic song like Now, is that you do it an injustice. Hence, keeping to the familiar melodies, hooks and arrangement of the original version of Now makes sense. That being said, ONEUS does manage to give Now some it their own flair. This newer version of Now is lot more loaded thanks to 90s pop influence, the presence of EDM elements, as well as the group’s rougher vocals. I also enjoyed the addition of the funky guitar in the interlude following the first chorus, as well as the trap based instrumental break. I do wish the brassy element in the background of the chorus was more prominent and prevalent. That could have really given this version of Now more individuality had it been done right. Overall, it is a good remake of the original song. It keeps it true to the song’s roots, but ONEUS does give it a modern flair. If you thought the remake was a little plain, I don’t blame you. But I hope you managed to hear what the first generation of KPOP had to offer.

ONEUS pulls of a heist, with a bit of a comedic flair to it. Leedo assembles a team to conduct the heist, with himself being the mastermind, Hwanwoong being the gadgets guy, Keonhee being the outfit/costume/disguise guy, Seoho being the decoy and Xion being the tech guy. The comedy comes through various means such as Xion taking a selfie of the group whilst they are planning the heist, Hwanwoong having a little much fun, Seoho actually think he makes for a good janitor and Keonhee with his fake moustache. Leedo manages to break through the security systems to get into the vault with the help of Xion. They pick up a small metallic box. But as they open it to see what is inside, the alarm goes off. They rush out to escape, but can’t see to get past the door in the hallway. But Xion had planned for this earlier and blows up the building… with them still inside…. Somehow, it looks like they managed to escape (or are they in the afterlife?). And the box they were looking for was empty the whole time. The video closes out with two ants bopping away on one of the members’ shoulders. A comment on YouTube explains the significance as the English lyrics “Came into my life” sounds like ‘2 ants’ in Korean. Overall, the video seems to be intended as lighthearted and funny, and it does so quite well.

Just like how the song keeps some of the original, the choreography does the same. The original performance’s key move for the post-chorus sequence is retained. But again, ONEUS manages to bring their own style to the performance. I am particularly impressed with the dance break, with Hwanwoong, Leedo and Xion doing a body twist mid-air. It looked very cool and intense.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] Cheese – SUHO (EXO) ft. WENDY (Red Velvet)

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I somehow missed the news that SUHO (from EXO) will be making his solo comeback at the end of this month with his third mini-album, 1 to 3. But luckily, he pre-released the single Cheese this week in preparation, so I am now caught up with the news of the comeback. This comeback is SUHO’s first in since 2022’s Grey Suit (which also doubled as the title for his second mini-album) and Hurdle. Cheese features WENDY from Red Velvet, who made her solo comeback earlier this year with Wish You Hell.

Cheese goes down a soft rock instrumental. I like the funky bass and the piano that leads the background. It feels striking, but melds well with the soft rock side of the instrumentation. I do like the retro 70s groovy energy that comes off the instrumental, which makes Cheese feel so good. The instrumental break with was dominated by the electric guitar solo was a nice concentration of the soft rock energy that forms around it. I also like the little bit of intensity it gives off, which adds a little something different to Cheese, compared to the rest of the song. The way the song likens a relationship to cheese was intriguing – if both become warm, the cheese becomes stretchy and a relationship can become longer, and if the cheese is cold, the cheese and relationship will fall apart. As for the vocals. I like how well-built SUHO’s vocals are for a soft rock song like Cheese. I also liked how light his vocals are throughout the song, particularly in the choruses and the ad-libs we get from the EXO leader at the end of the song. WENDY’s usual stunning and clear vocals comes into play during the second verse and is quickly joined by SUHO, who are both a formidable force in Cheese. Their pairing in the second chorus gave some nice oomph to the song and allowed to build the song up without much else to it. The melodies of Cheese were comforting to listen to. But in the long run, I am not entirely sure if they (or the rest of Cheese) would keep me coming back for more.

It should come as no surprise that the music video is full of cheese. Literally. I really liked the montage of cheese related art in the video, as well as the cheese visuals. We also see SUHO steal a big hunk of cheese that is on display at an art gallery. Little did he know that WENDY was watching him as he prepared to steal for the cheese. She goes after him and catches him in the act. There is a bit of a chase, which I assume represents the blossoming of their love (i.e., their relationship became stretchy). In the end, they decide to steal the cheese together (as seen in the 8-bit shot that finished off the video). But during their heist, the security came in (probably heard all of the ruckus of the two chasing each other and throwing cheese at one another) and they pretended to be an art installation, fooling the security guard and allowing them to get away with their heist. Overall, it is a cute and fun video, complementing the funky and groovy vibes of Cheese.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Album Review] Fe3O4: Break (2nd Mini Album) – NMIXX

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Before I launch into reviews this week (which I am hoping to do so tomorrow), here is another album review. The album in question is NMIXX’s 2nd mini-album, Fe3O4: Break, which was released in January of this year. It features the title track DASH, the pre-release single Soñar (Breaker) and 5 additional side tracks. Links and thoughts on each song below! And as you read through my thoughts on the song, you will find that I am quite impressed with this mini-album release. Three out of 7 songs on the mini-album are very good, highlighting NMIXX’s growth and variety within and outside the realm of MIXX Pop that they have embodied in their previous works. Fe3O4: Break follows on from NMIXX’s Summer 2023 comeback with A Midsummer NMIXX’s Dream, which featured Party O’Clock and Roller Coaster (which I have yet to review).

Fe3O4: Break Album Cover

1. DASH (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for DASH. (8/10)

2. Soñar (Breaker) (Pre-Release Track) – Multiple listens since the release of Soñar (Breaker) in December last year has helped grow on me, and I am satisfied enough with the track now to bump it up an additional point in the song department. The biggest part that grew on me is the second half of the bridge, which I had mentioned in my original review as being cringy. That is not what I think of that sequence anymore. Click here for my original review for Soñar (Breaker). (7/10)

3. Run For Roses – It appears JYP Entertainment recognises the potential behind Run For Roses, selecting it for a performance video (see below). Run For Roses is undoubtedly a song that stands out, thanks to the country twang that the instrumental has. If you want a unique rock song in KPOP, Run For Roses is definitely one to check out. I also enjoyed the shouty delivery that pairs with the country twang in the pre-choruses. In addition to the unique musical influence, the choruses of Run For Roses also stand out for its melodies and hooks. They make the song quite catchy and memorable. And of course, the vocals that deliver these, particularly Lily’s, aid in making Run For Roses a very strong side track. (10/10)  

4. Boom – Boom is an industrial hip-hop dance track that hits hard. NMIXX does not mess around in Boom, delivering some of the most memorable hooks on this mini-album (i.e., the ‘Tick Tick Tick Boom’). I also really like the intensity that the song builds within it, making Boom into a thrilling track. Despite being such a punchy track already, this doesn’t excuse it from NMIXX’s MIXX pop fusion style. We get some pop influences in the chorus, and the ending turns it into a hyper pop dance track but hastening the tempo. No complaints from me, however, as changed trajectory of Boom complements the intensity and thrills of the track. (10/10)

5. Passionfruit – In an interesting direction, NMIXX goes down a cutesy direction with Passionfruit. But they execute the track in a manner that suits them, and I just like how they keep true to themselves in that sense. The track is a Jersey Club pop dance track, with a bouncy instrumental that brings out a very bright energy to the song. The vocals and melodies in the choruses were extremely comforting and light to listen to. But the winning delivery was surprisingly the rapping, which I thought NMIXX nailed perfectly in Passionfruit. (9/10)

6. XOXO – Taking on a more laidback vibe is XOXO. It does so with a groovy R&B instrumentation, with softer vocals that again sound very comforting to me. I also like how the melodies and hooks are very simple and easy on the ears. The biggest issue I have with XOXO is the processing on the vocals. Some of it complements XOXO quite well, but other parts had it too thick. (8/10)

7. Break The Wall – Closing out the mini-album is Break The Wall. It is a pop anthem that had me lip-syncing along in an embarrassing short period of time. I really like the energy that Break The Wall features, thanks to the fast-pace synths and chanty chorus. The synth work in the verses feels very nostalgic, and the vocals elsewhere in the song holds a lot of promises. The rapping was the only weak point. If it had been more robust, we would have a perfect track. (9.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.8/10

Fe3O4: Break Teaser Image

[Album Review] Things I Can’t Say LOve (6th Mini Album) – OnlyOneOf

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OnlyOneOf’s 6th mini-album, Things I Can’t Say LOve, is the next mini-album to be reviewed on this blog. This was released way back in January of this year alongside the title track dOpamine. Said title track earned a high rating from me in the song department, so it become the primary reason as to why I have picked up this mini-album for review. Things I Can’t Say LOve also follows from 2023’s seOul cOllectiOn mini-album.

things i can’t say lOve Album Cover

1. things i can’t say lOve (Instrumental) – While things i can’t say lOve is labelled as an instrumental track (implying that it the instrumental version of another track on this mini-album), it actually serves more as an intro track for this mini-album. And this intro track deserves to be a full-length track. The EDM and atmospheric vibe that comes from the presence of the piano feels very fulfilling. But like all instrumental tracks I have reviewed in the past on my blog, I can’t give it a rating.

2. dOpamine (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for dOpamine. (9/10)

3. give me the lOve, bitxx – give me the lOve, bitxx falls into the R&B genre. The track full embodies R&B with a smooth yet typical instrumental and breathy vocals from the members to elicit a more sensual direction. I do question the need for the final part of the song’s title (i.e., ‘bitxx’). I am presuming it is the non-explicit representation of the curse word. But I don’t get that energy or tone from the song, nor am I sure if it was ever reflected in the Korean lyrics – it wasn’t reflected in the English translations that I could find. Disappointed with the track from that aspect, as the title does appear to promise some aggression, but that was not delivered whatsoever. (7/10)

4. O – The fourth track of the mini-album, O, brings a darker tone to the mini-album. While the instrumental felt very consistent and relatively minimalistic for the length of the track, I found the piece to be quite rhythmic. And with the relative minimalistic nature of the background makes the beat to be quite prolific. With such an arrangement, the focus would be squarely on vocals. And I feel the members nailed this aspect of the song, with the passion and emotions behind their delivery felt quite profoundly. Less autotune and more raw vocals would have been appreciated, but what they delivered was still on brand for the group. (9/10)

5. gravity – The final song on the mini-album is gravity. Like the third song on the mini-album, gravity is another take on R&B. At least this time, the song doesn’t promise anything in its title. While gravity contains the usual R&B smooth and dreamy suspects, what also separates this track with the third track on the mini-album is its relative upbeat nature. This upbeat nature, combined with the members’ breathy vocals, helps smooth out the song further. And this combination makes for a really nice track that I enjoyed. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

things i can’t say lOve Teaser Image