One of the first posts after 30 June each year is my ‘Personal Favourite’ post. Each year, to help round out the first half of the year, I post a list of my personal favourite songs from the 1st half of the year. As we are now in July 2024, it is time to post my personal favourite songs from the 1st half of 2024 (with a few extra tidbits).
For this year’s post, I am following what I did last (and the year before that) year, as I quite liked how that turned out. In addition to the usual list of 10 songs (which are in no particular order and not related to my reviews as songs do grow immensely on me) for the first half of 2023, I will also be posting two songs from the November – December 2022 period I personally liked and 3 non-Korean songs (i.e. English, Japanese etc.) by Korean artists that caught my attention so far this year. So without further delays, here are the list of my personal favourite songs of the year thus far (in no particular order, of course).
From November – December 2023
Personal favourite non-Korean songs of 2024 thus far
Personal favourite KPOP songs of the year so far (January – June 2024)
Another comeback that occurred this week was CHUU’s solo return with her 2nd mini-album and title track, both of which are titled Strawberry Rush. I thought I prioritise this comeback for two reasons. The first is because I missed out on reviewing her solo debut back in October last year (with her 1st mini-album and title track Howl). Given all that she (and the rest of LOONA) have gone through over the last few years, I think CHUU (and the rest of the other post-LOONA acts) deserve some attention. As such, I will be looking for opportunities to review other post-LOONA acts that have made comebacks and debuts this year. I will point out the second reason later on in the music video.
Strawberry Rush feels very CHUU-coded. It is fun, cutesy, bubbly and energetic – all words I would use to describe CHUU. If the intent of the song was to bring a smile to our faces, then Strawberry Rush is a success for me, at least! Though I am sure there are others that felt the same need to smile listening to Strawberry Rush. The synthwave instrumentation was light and breezy, which feels fitting for the summery season the audience in Korea is currently experiencing, as well as current trends. CHUU’s vocals fit into light and breezy motif effortlessly and held its ground throughout Strawberry Rush. However, I would have liked to hear something a little more interesting from her in the song. The melodies, and as a result her delivery, felt very linear and safe for most of the track. It is as if she is being held back. The energy Strawberry Rush exudes does mask this a lot. But really focusing in on the song for this review has made me realized that not everything in Strawberry Rush is as sweet as it is seems. Her high note is a good example of this ‘more interesting’ element, but that was quite later on in the song. It could be argued that her rapping in the second verse was ‘interesting’. But I felt it to be a little too awkward, even though I am going to admit that it is growing on me ever so slowly. The more I listen to Strawberry Rush, I can’t imagine the song without the rapping. But despite my desire to hear more from CHUU in Strawberry Rush, I am quite on board with the song as it is already.
I only got around to watching the music video today. And as I watched it, I recognized that the real-life background were quite familiar – it was shot in Melbourne, Australia! And that is the second reason why I wanted to review Strawberry Rush. I am always willing to give a shout out to Melbourne, which is where I grew up. I really like how the video really made the colours of Melbourne pop and showed off its casual side. Aside having a moment about where the music video was shot, I also appreciated the CGI monsters, the post-production and CHUU’s overall cuteness. If the song didn’t make you crack a smile, then this music video will.
As for the performance, it was just as cute and fun as you expect! I really liked the simplicity of the post-chorus sequence, with the wide spread arms and bouncing move. To me, that summed up the entire comeback extremely well.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.5/10
I know I haven’t posted over the last few days (work depleted all of my energy) but now we find ourselves at the end of the week. But I don’t think I can ‘end the week’ perse without reviewing Red Velvet’s latest comeback, Cosmic, which is both the title track and title of their 7th mini-album. Obviously, this review is just for the song, and I will definitely be returning to review the album some time in the future. Cosmic is the group first release since last year’s Chill Killstudio album and lead single comeback.
Elegant and soothing is what came to my mind when I first heard Cosmic on Monday. I wasn’t completely sold on it, at first, and I will speak to that in a moment. But repeat listens to Cosmic since its release has helped me realized that the track is indeed wonderful. Cosmic has this really enjoyable smooth flow to it, thanks to the members’ vocals and the song’s melodies. I honestly would not expected this from Cosmic‘s instrumental, which takes on a slightly more groovier texture and disco profile. But then again, Red Velvet have previously spun a unexpecting sound profile into something aesthetic (like Chill Kill and Psycho), and in the case of Cosmic, tranquil. The melodies themselves have a nice ring to them, and that gets the song in my mind even after it has ended. What I also liked about Cosmic is the spark of brightness the members bring to the song, whilst singing about a short-lived love-at-first-sight interaction. This brightness and the earlier mentioned flow propels the song forward for me, making it feel like it went somewhere. I also really enjoyed the harmonies and ad-libs that Cosmic had. A great song, overall.
But earlier I mentioned that I wasn’t completely sold on Cosmic in the first listen and part of me still feels that way. It stems from an inherent problem with ‘smooth songs’. Too smooth can make a song easily be passed over. Because I know what music Red Velvet puts out, I will always check them out (no matter the level of smoothness). I just not sure how this would go with the broader audience who don’t tune into Red Velvet as often, or know about Red Velvet whatsoever. As such, I feel like Cosmic needed a striking element. I am not sure what that would be, but it needs something aesthetic enough to fit in with the rest of itself and also really grip the audience at the same time.
As confirmed at the end of the video, the music video for Cosmic is inspired with Midsommar, a film about an American couple in a deteriorating relationship who are drawn into a violent cult in rural Sweden. Obviously, Red Velvet’s visual material doesn’t focus on the first part or the violence that featured in that movie. But the video does feature a similar cult from the movie. Flowers and the maypole are elements also taken from the movie. Additionally, we see a person fall from the sky and the cult members (including Red Velvet) pick them up and carry them to their base to be sacrificed (I think this is the case based on the placement of flowers on the eyes towards the end). Both the person who fell from the sky and Red Velvet seem interested in one another throughout the video. But as the song lyrics suggests, this is rather short-lived, given my theory that a sacrifice had to happen. Interesting video overall, as well as an interesting choice for a KPOP music video inspiration.
The choreography for this comeback is very pretty. The pace and moves all match the smooth drive that the song has, and focuses on an output of elegance. I also like how the performance was also very smiley, which shows off a great side of Red Velvet.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
As mentioned two days ago, TWS:’ comeback was just around a corner. Titled If I’m S, Can You Be My N?, the new single dropped yesterday and formed part of TWS:’ highly anticipated first comeback with their second mini-album Summer Beat!. A pre-release single, Hey! Hey!, was released a couple of weeks back. I will return at a later date to review that track. For now, here are my thoughts on the title track.
If KPOP has taught me anything about Summer over the years, Summer songs usually stand out if they tick the following – the song is upbeat; full of energy; bright; and fun. If I’m S, Can You Be My N? definitely ticks 4 out of 4 criteria. This in itself already makes If I’m S, Can You Be My N? hold a lot of promise. But there is also a lot more to If I’m S, Can You Be My N?, such as its ear-catching hooks and its dynamic instrumentation that has a lot of musical details that increases its fun energy and brightness. The guitar and keyboard at the start and end of the song are examples of these details that bookmark either ends of the song in a very pop and colourful manner. The groovy backing elsewhere in the song also had this forward driving motion that pushed the song and made it go places. But that isn’t all that stands out in If I’m S, Can You Be My N?. TWS:’ youthful vocals are on full display throughout the track, which just suits the summery season so well. SHINYU’s rapping was also quite exceptional, fast becoming my favourite moments in the song. Overall, TWS: definitely delivered on expectations that was set via their debut mini-album and title track. I don’t think they have exceeded those expectations with If I’m S, Can You Be My N? (as such, I have gave the same song rating as I did with plot twist). But you can tell they put in a lot of effort for a successful comeback.
TWS: continues their schoolboy concept in the music video for If I’m S, Can You Be My N?. The video shows the members at (what looks like to be) hagwons – like an after school tutoring centre that South Korean students attend. We see the members also skip hagwons to hang out with one another, and also do other extra curricular activities like athletics (more specifically, high jump). This brings together two students who are opposite to one another – the studious and the sports player – with the members expressing their “heart-fluttering excitement about getting to know the numerous reasons why opposites attract” (taken from SOOMPI) in the lyrics. It was a vibrant and very colourful video, without a doubt intended to be suitable for the summery season.
The performance for this comeback is very dynamic and this made it very exciting to watch. Again, I applaud the fact they brought some youthfulness (and as an extension of that, some cuteness) to the routine. Their chemistry and the fact they are constantly moving definitely made it another strong routine that I am sure TWS: will continue to stand out with.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
With TWS: making their comeback tomorrow (!), I thought I wrap things up related to TWS: debut back in January this year. And with their debut single plot twist and follow up single BFF reviewed, that leaves the album review. Now, I know I made promises to review the pre-release Oh MyMy:7s in the usual song review format. But after considering whether to write the album review or that review (and with their second mini-album in mind), I chose the former to keep things moving along. All three songs are featured on the mini-album Sparkling Blue, which also features 2 additional side tracks (taking the total number of songs to 5).
As a debut mini-album, Sparkling Blue is probably one of the strongest first steps I have ever seen. You have a super trendy title track that has attracted a lot of attention and resulted in a lot of fans. The side tracks on the album introduces us further to TWS: via a consistent wholesome and youthful manner. As such, Sparkling Blue has also become one of the strongest album releases of the year, thus far, in my books. The best bit of the mini-album is that it gets me excited for what is to come for the group. And excitedly, we won’t need to wait for long to find out.
2. unplugged boy – Usually, an all-English song becomes part of a KPOP group’s repertoire later in their career. But TWS:’ all-English unplugged boy pushes this boundary by being present on this debut mini-album. unplugged boy is a really pleasant vocal track from the group. The instrumentation goes down an alternative pop route, with hints of playful and youthful vibe throughout the track. I really like the smoothness that the members and melodies work together to bring out in this song. Things just glide along in unplugged boy and I liked that effortless listening experience that the song brings about. (10/10)
3. first hooky– first hooky turns up the upbeat dial a few notches. It is another pleasant side track from TWS:, but the track takes us down a groovy and retro-like motif with its synth work. Further to that, I really enjoyed the fact the members sang so fondly of playing hooky (skipping school) for the first time, that the rapping really captured the groovy vibes well and the “Maybe, I really wanna kick it with ya” is quite a catchy hook. But the best part of first hooky has to be its bridge. I always find Kyungmin and Youngjae’s vocals in this part to be so decadent. I just find the melodies in first hooky to be slightly weaker. But that is a minor drawback in what is another amazing side track. (9/10)
5. Oh Mymy: 7s(Pre-Release Song) – Oh Mymy: 7s is actually the one song on the mini-album that feels like it channels modern and contemporary trends, resulting in a track that is more focused on its accompanying performance. Bouncy bass with percussive synth work was the dominant and most prevalent sound in Oh Mymy: 7s, but we also got some atmospheric backing for the pre-choruses, and fulfilling and brighter synth work following the choruses. The good thing is that they all meld together to create a cohesive track. The vocal work and rapping were good, but more riveting material have emerged since this pre-release track. The chorus probably is the most lackluster part of Oh Mymy: 7s. It sounded good the first time around and ended up catchy for a while. But on this occasion, repeat listens since January (on this occasion) have made it unexciting and bland. (8/10)
Next up on the blog (and finally moving away from Monday releases) is KWON EUNBI’s SABOTAGE. This new single is featured on her second single album of the same name, and follows on from her 2023 single The Flash.
SABOTAGE continues KWON EUNBI’s venture into club music. I liked the set up behind SABOTAGE and the groovy disco elements in the instrumental that gives SABOTAGE a very bright and poppy feel, ideal of the summer season. KWON EUNBI delivers the song to the best of her abilities – that must be acknowledged. All in all, I think SABOTAGE is an alright song. But there are a few aspects upon reflection that makes SABOTAGE feel awkward for me. The first has to be KWON EUNBI’s vocals. I don’t think she is at fault, however. For some reason, the producers pushed her vocals to be higher than what it needs to be. As such, KWON EUNBI sounded scratchier than usual. Not exactly sure what the intent is by doing this, as it doesn’t necessarily put her in a good light as a singer. As mentioned before, she does well enough but I can tell that she is pushed beyond her limits. The second aspect that makes the song awkward was the second verse. The energy in SABOTAGE was good before and after the second verse. But I am not entirely sure why it needed to lull via another one of those typical trap-based sequence. Sure, it gives SABOTAGE some variety, but it felt counter intuitive at the same time. Thirdly, I am not fond of the song’s shouty lines in the background of the chorus, the “Stop, wait, let’s go” in the first verse and the “This is sabotage” as the bridge between the first chorus and second verse. I personally feel they are out of place and have no clue what value of these lines are to SABOTAGE.
As with all KWON EUNBI’s music videos, her visuals stands out. If there is anything to take away from this video, it is just that KWON EUNBI is stunningly beautiful. Alongside all the visuals and choreography shots, this particular music video features a story. KWON EUNBI plays a character that is part of a group of friends who have a romantic interest with one another. But it gets real messy when KWON EUNBI catches two of her friends kissing, leading her to (possibly) end her friendship with them. The fourth friend also has romantic feelings for her, but she quickly shuts it down following what happened with the other two. That is what I got out of the music video. And if my interpretation is right, then KWON EUNBI’s character’s reaction is confusing (as she also had romantic interests in both of her friends).
As for the performance, this one was very good. I really liked how chair was incorporated into the first portion of the routine. I won’t spoil it for you, but she doesn’t exactly use the chair for its intended purpose. Lifting KWON EUNBI up at the end and having the chair continue to spin even after she finishes was an interesting way to end the routine. The rest of the choreography was well presented and showed off her skills as a dancer, as well. The dancers also looked good and performed well with KWON EUNBI.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 7.9/10
In true KPOPREVIEWED spirit, it is the end of the week and I am still reviewing the releases from Monday. The song in question up for review in this post is EVNNE’s Badder Love, the title track off the group’s newly released 3rd mini-album RIDE or DIE. This comeback follows the group’s January 2024 comeback with Un: SEEN and UGLY.
While their previous tracks (TROUBLE and UGLY) have been of a bold and bombastic motif, Badder Love sees EVNNE answer to the summer period that South Korea and other people in the Northern Hemisphere are experiencing. As for someone who likes the summer time more and is currently living in a part of Australia where it has been freezing lately, songs like Badder Love can be very appealing to me right now. For the most part, it does. Badder Love‘s instrumental is more of the pop variety, with nice pronounced guitar work right in the back and a refreshing set of synths. I like the more casual and carefree rush of energy that comes from Badder Love, which aids in making it a refreshing listen. As for the members, Badder Love gives the group an opportunity to show off a more melodic side, which is a fresh turn in their promotional material. I like the lightness that the members execute the song’s melodies with. Even the rappers of EVNNE join in with vocal parts, which was interesting. But despite listening to the song multiple times since it dropping on Monday, my initial thoughts on the song still stand – I wished there was more to Badder Love. More personality and individuality in some form could have made Badder Love even more compelling to listen to. EVNNE’s execution and delivery of Badder Love is fair, but also typical. It lacks that EVNNE factor and punch that I personally felt EVNNE had found in their earlier releases.
The music video description explains what the intent of the video is, leaving no room for misinterpretation. This whole mini-album supposedly “portray EVNNE’s reckless stance on love by using a phrase [RIDE or DIE], emphasizing the trust and loyalty of ‘together until the end’“. In the music video, we see the members as a group of friends who have taken up boxing together. They struggle with it in different ways, but are determined to reach their goals with one another. As such, we see the members consistently hanging out with one another despite of any regrets they may have about this journey. I liked the summery vibes that the video contains and that montage of the choreography shots at the 2:43 minute mark of the video looked very cool.
I liked how more fluid the performance felt, which gave off a more refreshing vibe to the choreography and complemented the song well in same regard. Their past performances have been more sharp and restricted because of the nature of the respective song. The inclusion of the love hearts was a cute element that works with the messaging of Badder Love, and I quite like the look of the stage as a whole when the members pull off their controlled wide arm movements in the chorus.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.5/10
SEVENTEEN only just returned with their compilation album 17 IS RIGHT HERE (headlined by their latest new single MAESTRO). The album also consist of unit tracks (split by their usual Hip-Hop, Performance and Vocal teams), which I am looking to review at a later stage. They have also been fairly busy holding concerts this year and been on tour throughout Asia. But the 13-member group continues to be active through a new unit JEONGHAN x WONWOO. This duo unit brings us the new single Last Night (which features guitarist Park Joo Won), which is featured on the single album This Man.
It has been a couple of days since the release of Last Night and that naturally gives me an opprtunity to take a few listens to the song. Through these multiple listens, I can confidently say I like Last Night. The song didn’t strike me the first time I listen to it, but subsequent listens have made realize how good the song actually is. The aspect I always notice first when I have replay the song is its instrumentation. The Latin influence of the guitar, the guitar work (in general courtesy of Park Joo Won), the contemporary synths and pounding bass (which becomes more prevalent in the chorus) just makes this track ooze so much charisma, sexiness and alluring energy. I also like how these instrumentals meld together so well in Last Night. They all had great chemistry with one another, and this sets up Last Night to be a good track. The combination of JEONGHAN and WONWOO backs all of that up. I wasn’t particularly sure what style of music the pair would be delivering, but I am happy this is what they arrived at. The whispery nature of their delivery throughout Last Night reiterates that alluring nature I already mentioned. On the flip side, the contrast between their vocals (JEONGHAN being a little more high pitched, and WONWOO singing/rapping in a lower tone) makes Last Night feel textured and gives off a natural perception of depth. WONWOO’s rapping in the second verse, in particular, always seems to hit the right spot each time when it comes on. The melody of Last Night is quite catchy, though I do think the instrumental does mask its fluidity. But that is only a minor detail, and it doesn’t really change the fact I am liking Last Night overall.
The music video was a bit confusing to me. But in the lead up to the release of the music video, JEONGHAN x WONWOO released an audiobook teaser, which gives you context about urban legend of This Man, as they call it. It is also a recount of what is happening in the music video. I recommend you check out this audiobook teaser and then the music video, as this package will help you understand the story JEONGHAN x WONWOO are portraying in the music video and saves me off writing a not-even-accurate interpretation of the music video (which I have done previously!). I honestly find the concept of an ‘audiobook’ teaser to be so cool, and wish KPOP music videos does this more. As for the actual music video itself, I really like the mysterious and intriguing vibes that come from the video. And once the story clicks, it is definitely a worthwhile watch.
Choreography-wise, it looked good. It felt artistic and brought out great chemistry between the pair. You could feel the subtle tension between the pair throughout the routine, which made the stage feel more compelling to watch. I also like how the routine builds in dynamic flair as it progresses, peaking at the end for the final chorus as a final rush to the end of the performance.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
As flagged last week, I have been gearing up to review (G)I-DLE’s second studio-length album, 2. A classic sign of that is when I review side tracks that got the music video treatment in close proximity to one another. In the case of 2, the two sides tracks that I reviewed in close proximity was the pre-single Wife and Revenge (a side track that (G)I-DLE released a music video post-release of the album). Sitting in between the two releases (in terms of chronology) is the title track Super Lady. The album also features another 5 songs (making it 8 songs in length), including the hit single Fate (which the group ended up promoting after it got popular in March – two months after the release of 2).
As you can see, this album is full of bold tracks from (G)I-DLE, which shows off their artistry and continues to show their ability to take on multiple music styles. I do also like how they continue their confident and powerful messaging in this album. This theme that is very consistent across their recent releases, such as in their previous Korean album release was last year’s I FEEL (which features the single Queencard).
3. Doll– Doll continues the darker vibes that we heard in Revenge. While it is a good song with a further touch of grunginess in the chorus and a classic creepy feel to the verses, I am not exactly thrilled by it. The vocals were more typical. They did have a powerful aura to them. But I wished there are more melodies in Doll song, rather than the spoken motif that was consistently present throughout the track. The song also ends with the typical “La La La”, which was also how Revenge (i.e., previous song) ended. (7/10)
4. Vision – The consistent beat to Vision makes this song very addictive and cool. I liked how the elements of the song are backed up and how it gave Vision a lot of definition. The beats are backed up with some strong bass, while the vocals (during the choruses) are backed up with this low and subtle spoken utterance of the lyrics. The more upfront vocal work was very fluid, while the rapping is one of the best examples on the album. Altogether, a very alluring track that really stuck out at me when the album was first released and remained as one of my favourites ever since. (10/10)
5. 7Days – 7Days is a soft drum and bass track, which I found to be quite soothing and calming to listen to. Compared to the bolder sounds on the album, 7Days is easily forgotten. But when you return to listen to the album in full, its lighter presence does provide relief from everything else on 2. The softer instrumentation helps makes the song soothing and calming, but the members’ softer vocals also play a big part in this. They sound so light and delicate throughout the track, while the melodies sound very comforting and wispy. (8/10)
6. Fate (나는 아픈 건 딱 질색이니까) – Interestingly, Fate ends up being one of the bigger songs on the album alongside the title track, rising to prominence after a performance on Lee Hyori’s Red Carpet and through its It’s Live YouTube video. Fate itself ended up winning a triple crown on the weekly Korean music show Inkigayo and rose to the top of the Circle Charts in Korea (something the title track didn’t achieve). Fate is a funky pop-punk track that had reminded people (including myself) of the 00s era of JPOP. I quite liked the vocals in this track, which came off as very refreshing and vibrant to listen to. Vibrant is also how I would describe the instrumentation in Fate. We also get some interesting vocal colours from the members throughout the track, with a cutesy flair coming to my mind from all members. Some members, like SOYEON, gave Fate an interesting zing with their vocals. Overall (and just like everyone else), I was definitely captivated by the unsuspecting Fate. (10/10)
7. Rollie – Leading us towards the end of the album is Rollie. There is a fair bit to like in Rollie, such as the flow of the song to the trap beats to the husky vocals to the simple hooks that are quite addictive. I would have liked the producing team (which includes YUQI) to turn the dial up a notch to bring up the heat and make the song feel wow. Rollie just feels a little simple in its current form. I think the song demands a bolder feel, particularly for its self-confidence message, and the mature tone that comes off Rollie. It is still a great song as it is. (8/10)
RIIZE officially started teasing the release of their first mini-album RIIZING way back in April of this year. They kicked it off with the full version of Siren at the start of April. Then followed the release of Impossible mid-April (which they promoted), and then followed up with the side tracks 9 Days, Honestly and One Kiss (released at the end of April – the former and latter I have yet to review). Two months on from the initial release, the group has released Boom Boom Bass as the primary title track from the mini-album.
While RIIZE has definitely explored funk before through the release ofGet A Guitar and to a lesser degree in Talk Saxy (which is featured as part of the RIIZING mini-album), nothing has felt as concentrated as Boom Boom Bass. You get the funky and groovy vibes from the very first second and it stays present throughout the rest of the song. The guitar work in the background is definitely a highlight, as well as the pounding beat. Complementing that energy during the chorus is a bright pop energy that makes Boom Boom Bass even more likeable. Include a repetitive hook like the deep and low ‘Boom ba doom, Boom Boom Bass‘ and you have a song that is extremely hard to turn away from. Only just a couple of listens in and I can confirm that Boom Boom Bass has grown immensely on me, even though I was already enjoying the track from my first listen. The vocal work was vibrant and I liked the flair the rapping brought to the song. The ending sees the group get a little chanty, which I thought was a refreshing tone for the song. The only part within Boom Boom Bass that I am ‘umming and aahing’ about is the instrumental break. It obviously follows the momentum and trajectory that was built up prior to it, but it also felt too similar to the rest of the song. I think Boom Boom Bass could have been benefited from a little more flair to it. I didn’t feel that it seized the moment as well as it could have. But again, it wasn’t bad and it didn’t change the outcome of my final thoughts on Boom Boom Bass – that this is another great energetic song from RIIZE.
The music video begins with a mysterious guitar from outer space crashing into a music shop on Earth, causing massive chaos. I can only assume that everyone has heard and is searching for the guitar. While it isn’t shown, somehow WONBIN manages to grab hold of it. But as it is a mysterious guitar, it transports WONBIN back to outer space, only to come crashing down onto Earth once again. This time around, it makes the headlines. Throughout all the chaos and space travel, the RIIZE members still make the most of the situation and has fun throughout the events of the video. And this translates into a fun watching experience. For me, SOHEE had a strong grasp on me and stood out the most in the video.
Dance-wise, I think Boom Boom Bass has an awesome routine. The leg bounce movement that accompanies the main hook of the song looked very cool and brings a mature touch to the choreography. SHOTARO’s solo moment in the dance break was also very impressive – his performance skills are definitely on full display in that moment. And the energy the members deliver collectively at the end was fantastic.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 8.9/10
Two years on from her solo debut with the widely successful POP!, NAYEON has returned a solo artist with her new single ABCD and 2nd mini-album titled NA.
NAYEON throws us all back to the early 00s with ABCD. Within a matter of seconds of recognising the the strong presence of the hip-hop and R&B influence from that era in ABCD, I was very much into the song. The verses pays nice homage to the era. But I loved that NAYEON goes even further when it came to the chorus, which I put down to amazing replication of said era. So much so that it took me right back to the music that I was exposed to while growing up. Her vocals were really well done throughout ABCD, and I do really liked the slight spoken nature of the chorus. All of this (i.e., her execution and delivery) exuded a lot of natural charisma and personality that helps make ABCD very addictive and attractive to me. As for the instrumentation, I liked the strummy and plucky nature of the guitar throughout the verses. I also found that additional string instrument (which I have no idea what it is) to be very intriguing, but in a good way. The chorus brings out more of a dance pop and hip-hop colour in its instrumental, finishing off with fast beats that definitely is a throwback to that 00s era. The music video version of ABCD features a dance break that (in its current form) slides effortlessly into the song. I personally think it could have gone harder to give NAYEON more opportunity to showcase her performance skills, but it is a pity that the official studio version doesn’t feature any of it whatsoever. It didn’t disrupt the flow or needless break the song. Aside from that, however, I am definitely impressed with ABCD on many levels and how nature NAYEON comes off in the song.
Throughout the music video, NAYEON is portrayed as a show-stopper. Everyone throughout the video becomes engrossed when NAYEON walks by, to the point that it is causing car accidents as we saw at the start of the music video. I honestly don’t blame them – I too would be in awe if NAYEON was to walk by me on the streets one day. I liked the idea of no matter the era or location, NAYEON’s presence is always the talk and focus. Her various looks throughout the music video were all stunning, my favourite is that long red dress. Very striking. Just like the song, I liked how some of the shots reflected that 90s vibe quite well. I do have one issue with the music video, however. The CGI text that appears in the video (‘A Girl Named NAYEON’, ‘Crossing the Cosmos’) cheapens it and felt totally unnecessary. It didn’t help they looked like WordArt.
The performance for this comeback is amazing. She really showed us a more mature side with the choreography, which suits the song. The hip-hop influence also comes through quite well. I really liked the chorus routine, particularly when those fast beats came through. Great to see the dance break on stage. I did like how the routine in the music video was a little more daring. It definitely pushes the boundaries, but doesn’t do it a very in your face manner.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
In case you are unaware, another group has sadly disbanded this past week. The group in question is Weki Meki, who made their debut back in 2017 with I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend and released music up until 2021. Their final release (prior to this one) was Siesta. Almost 3 years on from that release. their company Fantagio confirmed that Weki Meki will be disbanding after releasing one final single, CoinciDestiny, which dropped this week. I wish the very best for Weki Meki’s 8 member lineup in all future endeavours.
Disbandment songs, knowing that disbandment is the only thing to come after it, are hard to review. Given that it is the last confirmed song in a group’s career, it would always be harsh to say anything that isn’t positive, especially since the group has (more than likely) put everything behind the song to bring closure to themselves and their fans. CoinciDestiny makes the job much easier, with Weki Meki delivering a sweet and sentimental sound in their final track. It isn’t their most dynamic or catchiest track ever, but I am sure long time fans would enjoy the straight forward nature of the pop song. For me, I enjoyed that straight forward side to the vocals, with a hint of rapping in the second verse. Nothing too heavy, suitable for the occasion. The chorus has a nice slight definition added to clearly differentiate the different parts of CoinciDestiny, and the hook that follows the main chorus had a nice ring to it. The instrumentation, whilst admittedly plain, did give CoinciDestiny some substance, something that would have been lacking should Weki Meki had walked down the balladry route for this final release. But I don’t think that style would have suited Weki Meki as well as CoinciDestiny did. There is supposed to one additional comment (which I have already alluded to above) that is not as positive like the rest of the review. But on this occasion, I am not going to entertain that thought. I am just grateful that the group got to release one final song, a privilege not many other KPOP groups get unfortunately.
Watching this music video (and taking note of some of their past videos), it is clear to me (and probably everyone else) that their company had dropped the ball when it came to Weki Meki. I would probably go one further to suggest that perhaps the company didn’t even want a music video (or possibly even a final song), but Weki Meki pushed for it. That is purely speculation from me, but I would think that Fantagio would have given a bigger budget for this release had it been their idea. This is further backed up with the rumours circulating around that the members self-produced this last release (including the music video). Anyhow, the music video sees the members search for and find clues that bring them back together one last time. It fits the sentimental tone of the final song. The videos ends with the members are running away together as it fades out, which I am sure fans will find meaningful as a final scene.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.6/10
If you can’t already tell, me reviewing the side tracks that have music video so closely to one another is a sure sign that an album review is coming up. For (G)I-DLE, the album in question is 2, their 2nd studio length album. An album review for 2 can be expected this weekend. I reviewed Wife last week and Super Lady was reviewed a couple of weeks after its release. Whilst going over the album for the album review, I did realize I forgot to cover one song that also got the music video treatment – Revenge, the second song on the studio album 2.
Revenge is another short song, clocking under 2:30 minutes. Listening the song a couple of times for this review, I am still caught off guard by how short it actually feels. But despite it being short, (G)I-DLE manages to still pack a fair bit into the song. Revenge features two big influences in its instrumental – the rock in the choruses and a Latin sound that backs SOYEON’s rap sequence in the second verse. There is a bit of a groovy touch to the first verse, but I put that in the realm of rock as well. As for the execution of vocals and rapping, (G)I-DLE did well in Revenge. MIYEON’s vocals stood out the most in the song, with her vocals clear and powerful. SOYEON’s rapping sounded quite sleek and I prefer her charisma in this delivery than her other deliveries in the past. The only part I am not exactly sure of is MINNIE’s part in the second pre-chorus. It just seemed a bit too high pitched, relative to the rest of Revenge. I do think Revenge could have benefited from a stronger melody to really pull the song together and give this shorter song a memorable element. The chorus itself served as a decent central point to anchor and pull us in, but it didn’t last for long (based on how I completely forgot about song prior to the upcoming album review). Something similar can be said about the “La La La‘ at the end, but I not sure if that can be categorised as a hook given its brief and at the end of the song. Overall, Revenge is a good song and serves (G)I-DLE well for the most part.
The music video is age restricted due to the domestic violence and murder scenes in the video. Am I allowed to say that? Not sure. Oh well, spoilers ahead. I have to say, this is one interesting music video. Essentially, it begins with an explosion involving Shuhua as the victim (i.e., Victim Shuhua) and her partner. Another character played by Shuhua comes into the picture as the detective to investigate the explosion. The suspects she is investigating are patrons or workers at the hotel in which the explosion occurred – Minnie (a celebrity), Soyeon (the maid), YUQI (a musician) and MIYEON (another detective). It turns out each person (sans Detective Shuhua) became involved when MINNIE was seen running away from Victim Shuhua’s room, shocking YUQI. SOYEON also comes from the same direction, suggesting she showed MINNIE the what had happened in the room, and MIYEON became looped in after seeing the aftermath of this encounter between everyone. Later on, it was revealed what has been happening to Victim Shuhua – she was a domestic violence victim. However, she fights back with the help of her new friends. I quite like this montage of events, from the POV of the partner. Victim Shuhua hits him back enough to draw some blood, YUQI knocks him out with her guitar. The partner then wakes up to see SOYEON pouring gasoline over the partner, MIYEON stabs the partner to incapacitate and MINNIE lights the match to set the place alight (which probably prompted the explosion). Later on, SOYEON is seen disposing of the body, while MIYEON removes evidence (i.e. the pen she uses to stab her friend’s partner) as she questions MINNIE earlier on in the video. Victim Shuhua stays in the hotel room and becomes a victim in the explosion, probably to pin everything on the dead partner (whose body was later discovered, leading to this investigation). As for detective Shuhua, we see her piecing the events in the video together. But once it clicks, she doesn’t proceed to arrest anyone, letting everyone get away with the revenge murder. Violence of any kind and murder is never the answer, but it made for an intriguing storyline in this instance and I really liked how dark it is. I do feel like the video has a few gaps, and I wished the video was longer to accommodate those missing details to tell a more complete story.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.4/10
I case you can’t see the music video for its age restriction, but want to hear the song still.
EVERGLOW makes their comeback today with a creepy song titled ZOMBIE. It is their first comeback since last year’s SLAY, which ended a 20 month hiatus. Since that comeback, the group has been on tour in the US, Europe and Japan.
My first thought that ran through my mind when listening to ZOMBIE for the first time is that EVERGLOW’s signature synth-heavy club sound is no more. ZOMBIE is the first track that doesn’t rely so heavily on synths, opting for acoustics in the verses and a very simple yet alluring beat that brings forth a creepy atmosphere in the choruses. There was missed opportunity to build ZOMBIE into a more EVERGLOW sounding track by really amping the second half of the chorus. That easily could have slipped into an intense synth drop or club sound and ZOMBIE could still return to the acoustics in the second verse and bridge. Instead, we don’t get much out of the follow through and this makes ZOMBIE a little too consistent for my liking. ‘Too consistent’, in this case, means ‘unexciting’. Similarly, the vocal work in ZOMBIE is all similar, and so that ‘too consistent’ continues to prevail. Though the way the producers added definition via the whispery vocals in the background was pretty cool. So was the vocal work in the bridge, which was a stilling moment for me. I do like how the group kept their vocals low throughout the song, which complements that creepy atmosphere that I mentioned above. ZOMBIE‘s melodies and hooks were sleek and subtle, which is complementary to the same atmosphere above. However, I do miss the punchiness past EVERGLOW hooks have given us and the melodies do get sluggish as the song progresses. The brief drum beats and touch of strings at the end were very nice detail in the song Overall, ZOMBIE is a very different sound to what the group put out in the past. And based on the above, mixed feelings come to mind. At the moment, I feel like ZOMBIE is alright song, but I think more listens could change that (though I am not exactly sure which side I would lean then).
On the surface, the music video appears to tackle the social issues of becoming addicted to our smartphones, turning us into zombies. The members are still seen moving about with their phones, but the way they move mirrors how a zombie would feel. When you consider the lyrics of ZOMBIE in tandem, the members sing about how the emotions from a heartbreak with their former lover can turn them into zombies. The phones in the video might represents the remnants of the former lover in the members’ lives, such as memories stored in photos, videos and past messages. Their phone may also contain their former lover’s phone number, which the members could be wanting to call and reach out to. All of these memories and desires ultimately prevent them from moving on, reverting them to a zombie form. If the problem persist, it creates a void (i.e., blackhole) within them, which makes them very dangerous. I did like the spooky feel of the video, with the sterile environment of a hospital working well with that mindset. The only aspect I am unsure about is the wind storm at the end of the video.
While the song isn’t their most dynamic or intense one yet, ZOMBIE‘s choreography is actually quite good. The synchronisation definitely grab my attention and this added to the creepy factor of the comeback. The members all donning the same black hair colour and similar white dresses on their showcase stage also contributes to that same creepy factor. The “Ra Ri Ra Ri Ra” part of the routine looks to be my favourite aspect of the choreography.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.8/10
2024 has seen a few collaborations drop. But I don’t think any got as much fanfare as SPOT! did, which sees ZICO and JENNIE (from BLACKPINK) join forces. Both artists are widely popular in their own right. ZICO is a very familiar name when it comes to collaborations and JENNIE is widely known for being part of BLACKPINK and her solo works, as well. SPOT! dropped at the end of April, so apologies for only getting around to reviewing it now.
I will be honest – I didn’t pay much attention to the song when it was released. I can’t remember the exact reason, but I just never really turned my attention to it. As such, time allowed SPOT! to develop on my mind. And now, SPOT! is a song I cannot get out of my head. The songs’ two major hooks are extremely catchy. JENNIE’s vocal hook is probably the song’s primary hook and it is executed in a way that really demands your attention. Some might call it forceful – had I reviewed the song back in April, I probably would have said just that. But the vocal hook now feels very bold and I liked how it developed into a shoutier line. The hype and buildup within just that one line is definitely grabbing. ZICO’s repetitive rapping that follows the choruses (i.e. the “Up and down, Round and round, Everybody hit the spot“) follows through from the energy of JENNIE’s part. The backing maintains that hype energy and adds further excitement. Elsewhere in the hip-hop song, ZICO and JENNIE executes their parts just fine. You’d expect a good rap sequence from ZICO in his songs, and JENNIE adds some extra colour in SPOT!. Talking about colour, I quite like how fun that pitchy and windy synth at the end was. It was one of the elements that I remember being unsure about. But once again, time has allowed it to grow on me, just like how SPOT! did.
The music video sees both ZICO and JENNIE have a casual time alone, with one another and in the company of others. I am glad they managed to get JENNIE in the music video, which isn’t always the case for collaborations. This usually creates a void in those music videos. But for SPOT!, this was not the case, given the presence of both artists. I quite liked JENNIE’s parts. For some reason, I don’t think I ever connect JENNIE to such a causal fit or atmosphere, given her more elegant visuals on stage and at events. So, it was quite refreshing to see in her in that style and environment. ZICO’s parts add fun to the video and I like how he could do that in any situation, as evident throughout the video. Not the most memorable music video ever, but it does the job and keeps the casualness of SPOT! alive.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.6/10
AB6IX is the next artist on the album review block, with today’s focus being on the group’s January 2024 THE FUTURE IS OURS: FOUND mini-album release. It features a total of five song, including the title track GRAB ME. All the songs on the mini-album demonstrates AB6IX’s ability to tackle a range of genres and gives us (the listeners) some appreciated variety to enjoy. Some songs were okay, others were really good. As usual, check out the album below to see if you have any favourites. THE FUTURE IS OURS: FOUND follows on from AB6IX’s May 2023 THE FUTURE IS OURS: LOST mini-album (which featured the title track LOSER).
THE FUTURE IS OURS: FOUND Album Cover
1. WHISTLE – Kicking off the mini-album is a hip-hop based track. This comes through the chorus most prevalent, but there is also an interesting slight country twang in the backing of the start/end of the song. WHISTLE also features a good balance of vocals and rapping, which I appreciated. However, I wished there was a bit more of a dynamic flair to WHISTLE, which could have really lifted up the song to a whole new level. Presently, the song does not sound like it is going anywhere in its current form. A more dynamic instrumentation could have built up the song and given it direction. Also, some of the rapping in WHISTLE (such as WOOJIN’s follow ups to Donghyun’s lines in the second verse, most of the choruses, the repetitive start of the bridge) would have come off as more naturally sounding (and not forced) with a more dynamic backing. (7/10)
3. TRAVELLER – TRAVELLER sees AB6IX venture down the pop rock direction and was a track that got stuck in my head from the very first listen. I particularly really liked how punchy the track was, especially during the choruses, thanks to the instrumentation. Strong vocals from all members and rapping from WOOJIN also add energy and intensity to the song. I also liked the DAEHWI and WOOJIN pairing in first part of the first/second choruses, as well as how everyone joined in for the last chorus. It also definitely helped that the melodies were catchy, as well! (10/10)
4. ALL NIGHT – R&B makes an appearance on the mini-album via ALL NIGHT. I liked the groovy energy that underlines the song, building on the lo-fi beats that the track features. The vocal work in this track is superb, with the falsettos in the song being the ‘cherry on top’. Despite being quite good as it is, I did feel like ALL NIGHT was missing something. I just cannot pinpoint what that could be. Also, not a big fan of the abrupt ending. If there is one thing in KPOP songs that don’t sit well with me, it is abrupt endings. (8.5/10)
5. ILY (I LOVE YOU) – The mini-album finishes off with a ballad in the form of ILY. It begins with DONGHYUN and WOONG’s vocals, which I personally thought were stunning. The rest of ILY follows through with some nice vocals and rapping that works well with the ballad motif. You can definitely hear the heartwarming tone of the song come through via ILY’s vocals and melodies. The chorus features a ‘ily, ily, ily’ repetition, which came off as a very simple yet effective hook for the song. The softness of this hook also contrasts well with the tinge of rock we got in the background. ILY is a lovely way to end the album. (8/10)
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