Category: KPOP

[Review] Bye My Monster – ONF

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ONF makes their comeback today with their latest single Bye My Monster and their 8th mini-album, Beautiful Shadow. This is ONF’s first comeback since their Love Effect comeback in October of last year.

From the very first listen, I was already blown away with Bye My Monster. For me, it was the crafting of the two sound profiles, at first sounds distinct, but comes together so well in the end to create a stunner. The first verse gave me Moscow Moscow vibes (an infamous song from ONF’s arsenal), thanks to the presence of the Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No.2 sample. And that same vibe re-emerges each time the classical sounds reappear in the song. The chorus introduces a hint of rock to the mix, which helps makes the choruses feel explosive and gripping. All throughout these two distinct sound profiles, the group showcases their vocals so well. The timing of their vocal delivery was really complementary to the style of music in that moment and helped heighten the associated feelings you get from the two styles. Bye My Monster very quickly peaks when the two sound profiles of classical and band/rock join forces in the bridge. This combination isn’t anything new, but Bye My Monster found the sweet spot between the two to give us that intensity. Hyojin and E-Tion’s high note was incredible. Following the rush of intensity, the group pans between each other to give us a softer side, with falsettos and the re-emergence of the classical touch. The only other thing I have yet to mention is the rapping. That step-up in the second verse was rather interesting. To me, it feels a little mismatch for this song, but I don’t hate it. Maybe a few more listens to Bye My Monster will help warm me up to it. But overall, another top-notch piece.

Just like the song, the music video for Bye My Monster is a stunner, as well. The visuals and post-production in this video is at its A-game. The scene that made me go wow was the explosion clouds o on the tall building in the background during the choreography shots for the second chorus of the song. The song itself warns that love, in this instance, had created a monster within the members. We see the members realize what has become of them. Wyatt’s eyes and the acting by some of the other members portrayed this well. Hyojin’s character is surrounded by a dark cloud that I presume signifies the transition to a monster. Through the other scenes involving the other members (and the choreography shots), we see the members observes their angelic forms (white suits). But they know deep down that their monster form (black suits) is the end result. While the ending was a little cryptic and could be open ended, I think Hyojin hold hands with his angelic form in the dark clouds, which backs my theory they knew they were always going to be monsters – that they were always one. That’s my theory – I would like hear what yours is.

The performance for this comeback (FYI – the group has already performed the track at their recent concert, so I watched a few fancams for this section) finds a balance between the gracefulness of the classical music and the more hard-hitting moments of the song. And this balance makes for a great performance. The verses were the more interesting moments in the choreography. In the music video, they looked quite cool, so I can’t wait to see them better through the weekly music shows.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

[Review] PLUTO – Xdinary Heroes

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Xdinary Heroes made their comeback way back in October 2023 with Break The Brake and the mini-album Livelock. Since then, the band was awarded the Best Band Performance in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. I am preparing to review the mini-album (one of the last album reviews for 2023 for now, so I can make a start on 2024 albums). But in order to do this, I will need to review second track from the mini-album that got the music video treatment – PLUTO.

I am trying to rack my brains and remember if I actually have listened to Livelock at all since its release. And I am not sure if I have. I put that down to being overworked and stressed throughout 2023. And if I did listen to the album, I am utterly disappointed in myself for not remembering a song like PLUTO. PLUTO is by far on of Xdinary Heroes’ best tracks thus far. Xdinary Heroes tackles an almost pure pop-punk track head on, giving us a very refreshing and impactful side-track on the mini-album. The pop-punk direction that PLUTO heads in is definitely head-banging worthy. The vocal work is superb, for the most part. Jungsu and Jooyeon sound so blissful in PLUTO, especially when we get to the chorus where they push themselves vocally and the rock instrumentation surges us forward. This momentum feels fitting, as the song’s lyrics expresses the feeling that there is nothing in between another, even if they might be as far apart as the distance between Earth and PLUTO. Now, there is a caveat in the vocal department. I am not a fan of Gaon and Ode’s rapping. The change-up here didn’t feel needed, felt awkwardly executed, and didn’t add any value to the song. Their vocals (even Ode’s autotuned singing) was fine. It is just the rapping that gets to me. Other than that, PLUTO would have been a perfect song.

I wished the music video was a more than just the band performing PLUTO in a room. It feels incredibly plain, despite the camera work and lighting helping make the video feel a little more dynamic to complement the song. Despite that, I think the video highlights that head-banging potential that PLUTO has. Also, Gaon in those shorts and boots was a little distracting for me. His legs are fine, it was more so the combination of the two. 😀

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

[Album Review] Golden (1st Studio Album) – Jung Kook (BTS)

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Late to the game as always. But I am finally getting around to reviewing Jung Kook’s solo studio album. Golden. Golden was released by Jung Kook in November last year prior to his military enlistment in December 2023. The 11-song tracklist boasts Jung Kook’s 2023 singles, including the title track Standing Next To You, July 2023’s SEVEN (featuring Latto) and September 2023’s 3D (fearing Jack Harlow). Per usual with all of my album reviews, links to the reviews for these songs and my individual thoughts on each song are down below.

My thoughts on the album is simple. Golden is a predominately pop album that was perfectly curated for Jung Kook. I wouldn’t want to imagine the pressure of putting this album together, since it was so highly anticipated by fans in Korea and globally. But he really made sure it exceeded expectations that everyone had. The album itself also sees Jung Kook collaborate with some big names in the pop industry – including Ed Sheeran and Shawn Mendes. The album is also fully in English.

1. 3D (ft. Jack Harlow) – Click here to read my review for 3D. (8.5/10)

2. Closer To You (ft. Major Lazer) – Closer To You is a muted R&B track, with a reggae touch and enticing bass-line in the instrumental. There is a lot of tension in this track, but I find to be more subtle and of backseat manner. It is definitely there in Closer To You, but it isn’t in your face about it. Jung Kook brings a soft and breathy tone to the song, which works extremely well with rest of the track and makes it even more seductive and alluring to listen to. (9/10)

3. Seven (Explicit Version) (ft. Latto) – Click here to read my review for Seven. (9/10)

4. Standing Next To You (Title Track) – Click here to read my review for Standing Next To You. (7/10)

5. Yes or No – Jung Kook taps squarely into the pop genre with Yes or No. If you look at the team behind the song, you will see super pop star Ed Sheeran’s name, which explains why Yes or No feels so familiar. The track features a catchy guitar riff in the background, and it falls to the bright side of the spectrum. Jung Kook’s vocals definitely contributes to that commend the fact that his vocals were crisp and clear throughout this track. I would have liked something more, as it feels a little too simple and consistent. But it was a great track nonetheless. (8/10)

6. Please Don’t Change (ft. DJ Snake) – The upbeatness of Please Don’t Change makes it feel fitting for the dance floor. The track employs afro-beats and electro-pop, which makes for a really cool mix. The instrumental never really peaks, keeping fairly neutral overall. I find this direction (or lack thereof) to be quite charming and it makes complete sense considering the title of the song speaks to the desire not wanting one’s lover to change. The neutral feeling also flows into Jung Kook’s vocals. (8/10)

7. Hate You – Hate You is a pop ballad that I always close my eyes to when it pops up. It is the only way in which I can fully appreciate the song and take it all in. Jung Kook’s vocals is stunningly beautiful yet so heartbreaking at the same time. Hate You’s message of hating a former lover to make life easier is conveyed so well that you can feel Jung Kook’s pain in this voice. And this in itself speaks volume to the talent that is Jung Kook. This is all over a simple and minimalistic piano. The track boasts Shawn Mendes as part of the team behind it. (10/10)

8. Somebody – Somebody sees Jung Kook’s vocals processed and altered in a way that gives him a deeper voice. It is an interesting and peculiar result that I am not entirely sure of. But it doesn’t mean Somebody is a bad song. The deeper tone does pair well with the bass that features in the R&B instrumentation. I really like the beat and detailing synths to this this track, particularly in the parts without any vocals. (8/10)

9. Too Sad To Dance – Returning to the pop genre with a more acoustic direction is Too Sad To Dance. I find myself nodding along to the song, and enjoy the simplicity of Jung Kook’s vocals in this song. But when I dive deeper into the song, I find the happier and cheerful demeanour of the vocals and the sad and emotional lyrics to be an interesting contrast. I am honestly not sure what I should be feeling when I listen to the song, as a result. (7.5/10)

10. Shot Glass of Tears – The final original song on the album is Shot Glass of Tears, which is another pop ballad. I liked the pace of this track and Jung Kook continues to sound good in this song. The atmosphere that builds in the background as Shot Glass of Tears was intriguing in a not so good way. I am not entirely sure if it was needed or what its purpose was. (7/10)

11. Seven (Clean Version) (ft. Latto) – See my thoughts on Seven above.

Overall Album Rating – 8.2/10

Golden Teaser Image

[Review] IT’s You – YEOSANG, SAN & WOOYOUNG (ATEEZ)

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Back in March, I flagged that I would be review the unit and solo tracks from ATEEZ’s The World EP.Fin: Will studio album ahead of the album review, as each of these track got the music video treatment. I had reviewed HONGJOONG and SEONGHWA’s MATZ before completely pausing these ATEEZ reviews. But they are still on my radar to review. Today, I will be focusing on YEOSANG, SAN and WOOYOUNG’s unit track IT’s You.

IT’s You taps into R&B and I am all for it. It isn’t the most memorable track from the album, but like most R&B tracks, IT’s You is charming. The sensual vibes come through the instrumental quite well, and the this particular trio of ATEEZ members executes it well. Most of their vocals are sultry and seductive, which I find complements the R&B nature of the song quite well. SAN in particularly stood out for me as his vocals help bring the smoothness to the song. Nothing else really caught my attention that I could really remember after the fact. But if I had to pick what got close to also being memorable were the chorus melody, the suspenseful interlude we get after the first chorus and the whispery delivery of the bridge. It is just these elements didn’t go far enough and stay with me after the song wrapped. My biggest qualm about the IT’s You is the autotune at the start in YEOSANG’s opening verse. He handles vocals well, as demonstrated later in the song, so I am not sure if the heavy autotune was needed. Also I am not convinced that the autotune added anything to IT’s You, noting the rest of the song was delivered with vocals that were far less autotuned.

Set in an alleyway, the music video does a good job of complementing the smoothness and R&B tones of the song, yet maintaining that edginess that the ATEEZ always manages to infuse into their outputs. The smoothness comes thought via the editing, with the transitions giving off that smooth and fluidity. The R&B/sensual tones comes through the limited range of solo shots and the more dominantly featured choreography shots. There honestly isn’t much to the music video, but it works well as a visual representation of IT’s You.

As mentioned above, sexiness came through the music video via the visuals, with a large part of that being the choreography. YEOSANG, SAN and WOOYOUNG executed sensual vibes and tones quite well, making it a riveting performance. Their solo moments were also quite good. My only question is why didn’t the trio get a performance video, as well. They deserve one!

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] Beautiful MAZE- DRIPPIN

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DRIPPIN makes their first comeback in a year, returning with their newest single Beautiful MAZE and their 4th single album of the same name. I thought I pick up this comeback and review it now while close its official release date, rather than repeat what I did with SEVEN SINS (i.e., wait a good lengthy 7 months to review the track). Also, the group is currently promoting without Changuk, who is sitting out for medical reasons.

Beautiful MAZE is good, but it isn’t great. It is pleasant and enjoyable. But it also a ‘safe release’. It keeps close to itself and doesn’t expand into anything that memorable in the end. For a group who can definitely handle dynamism, Beautiful MAZE feels a little lackluster. Nothing comes off as memorable in its instrumental. You don’t really remember much from this department once the song wraps up. Only did I really pay attention to Beautiful MAZE did I register the fact that I liked the sprinkling of the synth pop in the background of the new wave genre. That being said, playing it safe and going with a softer toned instrumental does give DRIPPIN the opportunity to focus more on the melodic side of delivery, which helps makes this track ‘pleasant and enjoyable’ as I had already pointed out. The rapping in the track also went with a similar motif, opting for a somewhat softer demeanour. Altogether, this helps create a fluid track. I just wished that was something more to Beautiful MAZE to give it roughness and edge. Something interesting to sink our teeth in. It could have easily been an instrumental sequence somewhere in the song that could have briefly changed up the song and that the group could have used for a dance break.

The lyrics of Beautiful MAZE expresses the emotions associated with relationships and breakups as like being in a maze. And we see the members go through a rollercoaster of different emotions throughout the video. But the display of those emotions are rather subtle, and so the music video just looks like a casual video of the members hanging out together. I particularly liked the second set of the choreography scenes, with the way the drone camera pans around them. I also like the editing of the video where images of the members flash before us rapidly, just prior to the final chorus.

Dance-wise, while the song does go with a softer tone, the group still manages to make the song appear lively on stage. They also did tap into their delicate side to execute the choreography and ensure it complements the song, whist also showing some energy to the performance.

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

[Review] Deja Vu – TXT

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Also making their comeback at the start of the week was TXT with their 6th mini-album titled Minisode 3: Tomorrow. Leading this mini-album is the title track Deja Vu. This new release follows on from TXT’s October 2023 comeback with Chasing That Feeling and The Name Chapter: Freefall.

New song Deja Vu takes us down a more emotive route, with the new song relying less on instrumentation and flair to connect with the audience. Instead, Deja Vu relies more on the members’ delivery and melodies to convey their emotions and message of the song. And by extension, I feel that Deja Vu‘s rock elements (amongst the trap) in instrumental aids in that as well. It becomes more noticeable and profound the more you listen to Deja Vu, particularly in the later parts of the song. Despite the harmonious intent of the song’s elements, I do think that Deja Vu isn’t their strongest release to date. We have heard TXT pour emotions (of some form) into their comebacks in the past but they were successful as they had some form of a punchy demeanour (e.g., 0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You)). I find that to be a missing element in Deja Vu. Instead, the production of Deja Vu to be more of a seamless construction – continuous and consistent. This isn’t a criticism of Deja Vu, however. I find the seamless nature of the trap and rock elements makes the song its own thing. I just think Deja Vu needs a bit more character (and have said character flow onto other parts of the song) to really take it to the next level and be more memorable.

The song’s lyrics “express how [someone wants to] reunite like promised in the past, describing the moment of reunion as deja vu” (taken from SOOMPI). And in the music video, we see the members convey the feelings and desire of wanting to reunite with someone in their past. From the looks of it, the determination to reunite, the feeling of being lost and the anticipation of the reunion were some feelings explored by the members in the video. I also like how in one of Heung Kai’s scene part way through the video, it looks like he was knocked back, which may depict the times in which a reunion was in sight, but wasn’t fruitful for one reason or another. I liked how the video’s colour palette also plays into the emotional side

The emotions are definitely conveyed well in the performance for Deja Vu. That was my main takeaway from watching the performance. My favourite aspect of the routine has to be the rock coloured dance break we get, where Yeonjun does an amazing high kick spin. Best part of the routine, in my opinion.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] SHEESH – BABYMONSTER

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That time machine I have been using the last few days has just enough juice to take me back to the present day, in time for my return to the blog. So, I will be relieving the time machine for a bit of a recharge and focus on more recent releases. And there are a few to choose from, so I am just going with the first release of the week – BABYMONSTER’s SHEESH. The new single from the new group follows on from their debut with BATTER UP and the all-English pre-release Stuck In The Middle (which I have yet to review). SHEESH also marks the debut of member Ahyeon, who sat out of BABYMONSTER’s debut and subsequent release due to health reasons.

SHEESH‘s title says it all for me. If I could end the review there (I technically can), I would leave it there and call it a day. No matter how many times I have replayed SHEESH, I cannot get over the strikingly awful hook that makes up the chorus of the song, It was quite grating to listen to each time and I cannot fathom why the producers thought it would be a good statement piece. Granted, I assume the attitude loaded nature of BABYMONSTER’9 delivery was what they were going towards. This chorus disappoints further when I consider the opening verse, which is where I thought YG Entertainment was finally doing something a little different for once thanks to the presence of the spooky piano. Long behold, the company didn’t. They went right for the same overdone formula they have constructed most (if not all) their releases with. The rapping in the second verse was fine, but I wished the backing was a bit more innovative and did not make the members/SHEESH sound like they were (once again) rehashing the same formula. The bridge held some promise thanks to the return of the spooky-esque piano, but this was shortlived with the subsequent sequence/outro. The producers thought they were doing some different with SHEESH. But in between the marching band, the whispery chant and probably the worst anthem outro to date, this all goes back to that predictable formula that YG is so insistent on using. There are times when the formula can be exciting, as demonstrated by TREASURE with JIKJIN. But in SHEESH, it felt tiring and overdone.

While I am usually impressed with the music video that YG Entertainment puts out, SHEESH (the song) puts me into the mindset that we have seen everything before. For the most part, the video doesn’t feel like it does anything new and feels like a rehash of the music videos that YG usually releases, particularly from BLACKPINK. However, I will give points on the fact that the music video sets did conform to the more spooky sounds at the start and bridge, whilst also adopt a modern flavour during the more electronic moments of the song. I also like the set that showed ‘paintings’ of the members during the bridge.

Based on what we could see in the music video for the choreography, I think my comments regarding the showcase of attitude stands here. Throw a bit of a stomp into the mix to really emphasis that the members mean business. If that was the purpose of the routine, then BABYMONSTER succeeded. If not, then it was a decent routine nonetheless.

Song – 4/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 5.5/10

[Review] Voyage – Geenius

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Despite still being in January 2024, my time machine takes me back a few weeks to 5 January 2024 to review Geenius’ debut digital single Voyage. Geenius is a 5 member female group (consisting of Yeyoung, Sion, Mika, Zoe and Andamiro) under HOMe.

As a debut song, Voyage sets up Geenius quite well. The first impression I got out of Voyage is that the song features some really nice vocal work, which definitely complements other parts of the song. The instrumentation for Voyage takes on that upbeat yet dreamy form of pop, and the vocals contribute towards that dreamy motif via their melodies and smooth vocal work. I really liked the cheerfulness and hopeful vibes you get from the song, which brings both a smile and comforting feel to Voyage. Voyage also features a bit of rapping, which I thought was a decent effort. Reflecting after the fact on Voyage, I do think there could be some improvements to make it more memorable. Until I picked up the song for review, I didn’t remember much of it. While the melodies were good, the hooks for Voyage were somewhat lacking. The instrumental could have also been more punchy, and the producers could have leverage that to help make the song more catchy. But as a whole. Voyage was a fair debut track and does a decent job of introducing us to Geenius. Cannot wait to see what else this new group has to offer in the future.

The song lyrics talk about escaping reality and going on an overnight “voyage” with a loved one to one’s dream. And in the video, we see the members go on a voyage themselves, with Zoe sketching the place the group goes to into her book at the start of the video. Part way through the video, someone takes the book from Zoe whilst she is asleep, alluding to the fact that her loved one (i.e., the other members) made Zoe’s dream the destination. That is my interpretation of the video. Aside from that, I thought the video was quite nice visually and very high quality for a unknown company. This definitely showcases the members well.

The choreography for this debut is also quite nice, just like the song and music video. I did like the ‘prettiness’ that the routine exuded. I particularly enjoyed like the post-chorus sequence, where the members used their hands to represent a star going over their heads. It was cute and looked memorable in my books.

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

[Review] Without U – SEOLA (WJSN)

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That time machine of mine has brought me forward from September 2023 to January 2024, to the 23rd of January 2024, when SEOLA made her solo debut with Without U. SEOLA is the first member of WJSN (Cosmic Girls) to make her solo debut.

I was fully aware that SEOLA made her solo debut earlier this year. But it never really registered with me as I was on an overseas holiday at the time. And I am disappointed in myself for never really noting or registering the track, even after I returned from my holiday. Listening back, Without U is a really great track. The band pop instrumentation is very freeing backing piece, with the song’s upbeat energy driving the song forward. I particularly like how each choruses had an impactful beginning, feeling like well-placed single doses of energy that are trying to break down a wall. I also enjoyed how some parts of Without U felt like it was bringing some acoustics into play. This was some clever weaving of sounds into the track, and helps bring the idea of depth into the mix. SEOLA’s powerful vocals really adds a breath of freshness to the song. The melodies also had a refreshing tone to them. During certain softer parts of Without U, you can really hear some emotions in her vocals. I also liked the use of autotune during certain other parts of Without U, such as briefly in the verses and as the spoken backing vocals in the choruses. It gave the song texture and helped Without U become even more compelling. Overall, I really like Without U and I wished I paid more attention to SEOLA’s solo debut.

The video was very interesting to watch. The video shows SEOLA comes to terms with herself, and breaks free later on the video. Plot-wise, we see SEOLA speaking to herself, running away, breaking mirrors/glass, climbing into the light and running away with herself at the end. But there are some other interesting representations of this. The first one to really jump out of me is the use of colour in this video. We start off with a very muted palette (sometimes even greyscale) but see more colour as SEOLA breaks free at the end of the video. SEOLA has also made a comment (based on another YouTube comment) on the aspect ratio being another representation of this, as well. The video starts off with a 4:3 aspect ratio which literally makes the video feel “boxed in” and “suffocating”, but as SEOLA breaks free at the end, the aspect ratio widens to embody a freeing and open feeling. A clever technique.

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

[Review] New Tomorrow – FANTASY BOYS

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My time machine takes me further into the past, this time going back to September 2023 when FANTASY BOYS made their debut. If you missed it, FANTASY BOYS is an 11-male group formed through the MBC reality competition show of the same name. The final line up consist of Kim Gyu-rae, Hong Seong-min, Oh Hyeon-tae, Lee Han-bin, Ling Qi, Kang Min-seo, Hikari, Soul, Kim Woo-seok, Hikaru & Kaedan. They debuted in September 2023 with the shared title single and mini-album New Tomorrow, and later returned in November with Potential and Get It On (which I will review some day in the future).

Per the title of this post, I will be focusing on New Tomorrow. While I don’t remember much from September/October 2023 when they promoted the track, listening back to New Tomorrow today, I find the track to be a bright and pleasant pop track. For a debut track, this isn’t a bad start for the group and it feels fitting for the period in which was released (outgoing Summer). There are good vocals and rapping from the members, and the melodies are charming. Even the ‘We don’t say goodbye‘ hook they have post-chorus was catchy. My biggest issue with the song, listening back, is the lack of oomph or definition to the choruses. As it stands, New Tomorrow feels very similar throughout the track. The verses, the choruses. It all sounds the same. And this makes New Tomorrow a very safe sounding song. I wished there was more to the chorus, a slight uptick in energy, intensity or definition. This would allow even a hint of differentiation between the different segments of New Tomorrow and so the song doesn’t sound similar all throughout. I am also not a fan of the shouty backing vocals in the bridge between the vocal lines. It felt a little childish. But overall, New Tomorrow is a fair debut.

New Tomorrow is about the excitement associated about finding that new path and a new tomorrow together. And that is what we see in the video. The video opens up with the main female character, who looks to either be having a rough day for one reason or another, rocking up to school. She feels deflated and alone, opting to not enter her classroom. On her way out of the school, she meets one of the members of FANTASY BOYS, who with the rest of the group, introduces her to a different world – one that she feels excited about. This new world sees everyone hanging out at the beach, checking out cute creatures in the forest, planning space travel and flying about. That last one was a little wild. When she wakes back up towards the end of the video, we see a spaceship outside the classroom window, which brings a smile to her face. I think in this moment, she realizes that her experience with FANTASY BOYS was not necessarily a dream and they made her realize there is a lot to look forward to. On a personal level. what I quite enjoyed about the video is the vibrant colours, which works well with both the song and summery period in which the song was released in.

Their youthful energy and all-smile approach to the routine for New Tomorrow definitely makes it a stage worth watching. While nothing specific stands out to me, I did enjoy their chemistry on-stage, which makes this performance even more fun.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

[Review] On And On – AMPERS&ONE

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That same time machine of mine from yesterday takes me back a further two weeks to 15 November 2023, when AMPERS&ONE made their debut. AMPERS&ONE is the latest male group to debut under FNC Entertainment (the home of FT ISLAND, CNBLUE, SF9, N.Flying, Cherry Bullet and P1Harmony). They consist of seven members (Kamden, Brian, Jiho, Siyun, Kyrell, Mackiah, and Seungmo) and debuted with the single On And On.

On And On is definitely a strong debut track in my books. While I didn’t get much of a chance to focus on their debut when it actually occurred, listening back now, I am disappointed in myself for missing out. On And On is very upbeat and refreshing, opting to focus on their youthfulness and bright energy (as opposed to the darker and more serious motif that fellow labelmate P1Harmony brings to the table). The backdrop of the song is a dance pop instrumentation, with a groovy bass rifts throughout the song to give it a bit more dynamism. And adding even more dynamism is the fact that the song consistent with its energy. On And On never falters and this is another great example of where consistency pays off. The verses features some punchy rap delivery and highlights the group’s skills in this department. The chorus, while less innovative, drives On And On forward and brings forth the group’s vocal abilities. Strong melodies is all that On And On needs to take it to the next level. All in all, I think On And On is a good foot in the door to the KPOP industry, and I am excited to see what

AMPERS&ONE’s debut music video takes a refreshing spin on the schoolboy concept by relocating the members into a college or university setting. As far as I believe and can remember (forgive me, but I have covered a lot of videos over the years), this isn’t a common concept. Within this college/university setting, AMPERS&ONE doesn’t have much luck with their studies or the college life. It is very much a chaotic mess. One of the members rocks up to the wrong classroom and ends up turning late on his first day. They are handed a very confronting and thick as a textbook lecture schedule. They cannot get a good timetable/class schedule because one member decided to disconnect everyone from the WIFI. They can’t handle a group assignment and turn that in late because they only started at the last minute. And finally, one of them doesn’t finish the exam in time. Pretty much a nightmare for a nerd for me. Glad I have graduated.

The accompanying performance doesn’t have anything specific within it that I would call memorable. However, I feel like this is one of the performances you got to watch as a whole to really take everything in. For example, watching the entire routine would allow you see how well the group executed the fast pace nature of the routine, which was necessary to complement the song. Similarly, their chemistry as a group is also promising.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] Must Be Nice – ONE PACT

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A number of new KPOP groups entered the scene in late 2023 – all of which I have yet to review. So using that trusty time machine of mine, I have decided to go back in time to review those new debuts over the next few days. First up is ONE PACT’s debut with their debut mini-album Moment and the lead single Must Be Nice. This group was formed under Armada Entertainment, consisting of 5 members: Jongwoo, Jay Chang (a Boys Planet contestant who ranked 10th on the show and also a late 2023 solo debut artist as well – I will return to review his debut later on), Seongmin, Tag and Yedam. They debuted on 30 November 2023.

How I would describe Must Be Nice is in its title – ‘nice’ if you are wondering. Must Be Nice is an extremely pleasant dance pop track with a mellow vibe. The track itself features a gentle beat and a decent drop in its chorus that the group managed to make come off as soft. I also like the the detailing in the song via the squirrelly synth work and the “Ooo-woo~” in the choruses. Extremely pleasant is how I would also describe the vocal work in Must Be Nice. I find all of their vocals really nice to listen to and I enjoyed the emotion that they convey in the song. But that is kind of it with Must Be Nice. I don’t remember much else from the song months on from its release. And lot of what I am identifying and writing about here is only coming up because I am really paying attention to the song now for the purposes of this review. I wished they took Must Be Nice is a more eventful direction, rather than keeping it understated and consistently pleasant. If I were to listen to the Must Be Nice in passing later today or tomorrow, I won’t remember much of it. For a debut, that isn’t the best foot forward. Sure it is nice, but I think ONE PACT should be searching for something more memorable.

Must Be Nice expresses the feeling of loneliness in a one-sided relationship where one is willing to do anything for their partner but receives nothing in return from said partner. And we see that in the music video, with the group’s acting conveying that lonely feeling and associated emotions that come with it. The video opens up with a painting that depicts Orpheus the prophet looking at his wife Eurydice. After a bit of a Google search to understand the story, I found that Orpheus went into the underworld to rescue his dead wife. Hades (God of the Underworld) gave him one condition, that Orpheus could not look back at Eurydice until both have reached the upper world. But as soon as he reaches the upper world, he forgets the condition he agreed to, looks back at his wife, and this resulted in Eurydice returning to the underworld. Its significance to the music video (and I am only speculating here) is that constant feeling of loneliness that Orpheus must have felt before, during and after the rescue attempt. And the fact he put himself in that position, similar how to the members constantly go back to the partner despite knowing how the one-sided the relationship is. The same painting is later set alight in the music video by one of the members, signaling the end of that relationship.

The performance looks good and shows me some potential for the group that the music didn’t do too good of a job. I particularly like gracefulness of the choreography, which contrasts well with the relatively rougher exterior that any synth work brings along. I felt it depicts the emotional side of the song quite well. I also liked the solo we get from Jongwoo in the choreography.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Magnetic – ILLIT

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Also starting Monday off strong is the debut of ILLIT – a 5 member female group formed via the survival show R U Next?. They under Belift Lab (the home of ENHYPEN and a subsidiary of HYBE Label) and the member lineup consists of Yunah, Minju, Moka, Wonhee, and Iroha. Their debut single, Magnetic, forms part of the group’s first and debut mini-album, Super Real Me.

I will admit it, Magnetic is catchy and I can see it snowballing into an addictive song for me. Its cutesy, which can be attributed to the combination of ILLIT’s youthful vocals and the bubbly synths choices and 8-bit like sounds in the background. The instrumentational, overall, also equates to an upbeat dreamy vibe. I appreciate that the cutesiness of Magnetic doesn’t feel overdone or over the top. Another thing that I also appreciate in Magnetic is the fact that the song is light and easy-on-the-ears, which contributes to the track being catchy (and potentially addictive, as aforementioned). So far, praises across the board for the new song and group. But if I were to step away from focusing on just the song and looking at the bigger picture, that is where the ground that Magnetic is on starts getting shaky. Whilst new, Magnetic doesn’t offer anything new or innovative. There isn’t anything wrong with this approach, as ILLIT has proven via Magnetic they can do this style well and can really make it their own thing. But I kind of wished the group and their producers did something a little more unique, just to give them a bit of more individuality. I guess we will find out more in their next release. As for now, Magnetic get ticks from me.

The music video for ILLIT is okay. To be honest, I find it to be quite plain. Sure, it is cutesy (going hand-in-hand with the song) and the camera work makes it feel energetic enough for the song. But we have seen similar cutesy tropes and tropes that focuses on the young age before. And I am not entirely sure what is going on, and I don’t think find myself compelled enough to find out. Their styling, at present, reminds me a bit too much of NewJeans. And to be reminded of NewJeans whilst watching a newly debut group isn’t the best impression for the newly debuting group.

In terms of the choreography, I really like the mini bouncy energy that they give off with their dance moves. I also find their footwork and handwork to be captivating to watch, and this gives them an edge in their performance. The cutesy vibe that travel through to the choreography as expected, but I like how they made full use of that vibe throughout the routine to enhance the routine.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] Smoothie – NCT DREAM

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NCT DREAM made their return yesterday with a brand new mini-album Dream()Scape and the single Smoothie. This is the group’s first release after their ISTJ, which featured the title track of the same name, saw a whopping 4.2 million in pre-orders and 3.65 million in sales. Dream()Scape is already breaking records for NCT DREAM, with the new mini-album already breaking the group’s highest first day sales record (from what I could see on my timeline on X).

Unlike what the song title suggests, Smoothie is not a smooth song. It is definitely more coarse in terms of texture, given the mixture of rough and hard-hitting synths, intense rapping and melodic vocals (which does give Smoothie a hint of smoothness) that make up the new NCT DREAM track. I also note that Smoothie is a lot darker than usual, with the song leaning super hard into that intense and serious territory via these same elements – not expected with a song titled Smoothie at all. Each of these elements are great aspects of the track. The backing of Smoothie goes down hip-hop territory with 808 bass line and snare rhythm (based on a Soompi article). There are also some cool and interesting synth choices made for the detailing of Smoothie throughout the track, which gives the backing of Smoothie some liveliness and colour. The rapping is definitely the highlight of the track, with MARK, JENO, JAEMIN and JISUNG really bringing their A-game to the track and contributing to the intensity of Smoothie. And as mentioned above, the vocal sequences are melodic and brought a much needed relief from the intensity in the form of smoothness. The only gripe I have about Smoothie is the chorus. As charming and catchy as it is, it felt plain. I was waiting for something exciting to happen in the central part, but that never eventuated due to the simultaneous and consistent monotonous repetition of the title and the anti-drop in the instrumentation. Overall, another song from NCT DREAM, just let down slightly by the chorus.

The music video (and every teaser that was released prior to the video) was quite interesting to watch. I presume they are all linked together, as my theory involves the ()SCAPE videos being the first chapter of the story, followed by the Dirty Smoothie teasers and then the music video. The first chapter showed the members being brainwashed by an entity via instructions, medication and binary code. While they do break away from the brainwashing facility at the end of the ()SCAPE videos, life doesn’t appear to be the same as at the start of the ()SCAPE video (note the glass of water on the table in the foregrounds of the initial and final video of the ()SCAPE series). The Dirty Smoothie teasers, we see the members assimilating back to normal life, but also ignoring the dangers and negativity around them. This to me suggest that the brainwashing was successful, but ‘in part’ as the members are not mindless as the facility had intended them to be. In the opening of Smoothie‘s music video, we see a black thorn wrap around the building they are in. As the video progresses, we see the members gather ingredients for a smoothie. By the end of the video, the members have drank said smoothie and the black thorny vines have unraveled, leading me to think that brainwashing has been dispelled. As for the rest of the video, you could definitely feel the intensity from different aspects of the visuals, matching up with the song quite well.

From the snippets of the choreography I could see in the music video, intensity and energy is definitely the first thing that pops into my mind, as the performance really throws both elements right at you. For the chorus, to complement the fact that the song slows down, the members maintain the intensity but goes down a more alluring path with their dance moves. Almost sensual, but definitely holding onto that cool factor. Definitely an interesting combination for the group that I definitely going to pay attention to.

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

[Album Review] To. X (5th Mini Album) – TAEYEON (SNSD)

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I am slowly wrapping up my time reviewing 2023 albums, but there are a couple more to be published over the next two weeks. TAEYEON’s To. X, which was released back in November last year, is one of the final 2023 albums to be covered for the time being. It is led by the single of the same name, and is TAEYEON’s first release since her highly successful INVU studio album from the year before. Comparing the two album releases, I do find that To. X is slightly weaker in comparison to the studio album. But there are still a few good tracks on this mini-album still worth checking out.

To. X Album Cover

1. To. X (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for To. X. (7/10)

2. Melt Away – Melt Away is a very classy sounding track from the get-go thanks to the guitar riffs (which brings a light tinge of Latin influence to the song), brass and percussion. All of this makes Melt Away into a somewhat sensual track, as well. TAEYEON’s vocals are quite powerful and engaging throughout, particularly towards the end of the track where she soars. In the choruses, we hear go for a much more alluring approach, which fits the vibes of Melt Away quite well. (8/10)   

3. Burn It Down – Gearing more towards pop, Burn It Down carries over guitar riffs and percussion from the preceding track. While I do like TAEYEON’s vocals here, with the more interesting melodies, my biggest take away and issue with Burn It Down is that it stays pretty neutral throughout and ‘doesn’t go anywhere’. I wished there was some sort of trajectory or progression in this track to make it even more interesting. (7/10)

4. Nightmare (악몽) – Sometimes consistency can be an issue for certain songs. But in Nightmare, I find it to be quite helpful in creating a stilling environment. The paced guitar riffs in this track and TAEYEON’s low and slight vocals add to that stilling atmosphere, creating a riveting track. I really like her breathy ad-libs in the track. (8/10)

5. All For Nothing – For All For Nothing, I really enjoyed the atmosphere that the track had. Consistency is also well utilised in this song, with the addition of piano to the guitar adding a nice velvety feel to the song. Paired with a much softer and breathier vocal approach from TAEYEON, I felt this is the best and most beautiful track on this mini-album. I particularly like the harmonies in this track. (10/10)

6. Fabulous – Changing up the momentum of the mini-album in the final track is Fabulous, which opts to include more of a retro profile with its background. It is also the most vibrant sounding track on this mini-album. I really like the prettiness that the instrumental exudes, though I could have done with less repetitive keyboard or piano. It feels a bit typical and cliché. Fabulous is also an all-English track that talks about self-confidence – a TAEYEON first. Her vocals are also really nice and feels comforting. (8.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.1/10

To. X Teaser Image

[Review] BBB – PURPLE KISS

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Also making their comeback this past week was PURPLE KISS with their sixth mini-album BXX. Leading the charge on this mini-album is the title track BBB. This is PURPLE KISS’ first comeback since the release of 7HEAVEN in September last year, which I never got around to reviewing.

BBB is another decent track, but suffers a similar issue as Kim Nam Joo’s BAD did (the immediate song which I just reviewed) around its choruses. For me, it is the repetition that dulls BBB“s chorus for me. Added in the spoken motif used, the centre piece of BBB here ultimately feels flat and lackluster. And as such, it doesn’t leave as great of an impression on me. However, on a much more positive front, the rest of BBB does hold promise. Only time will tell if this promise can help BBB recover from its chorus misstep. The verses does feature good rhythm thanks to its trap-based instrumentation. But it isn’t the most exciting background piece, and this is what separates BBB from the similarly delivered Love Me Like This by NMIXX released last year. PURPLE KISS’ best arsenal, their vocals, felt well utilised in BBB, particularly around pre-choruses and bridge. Those vocals were stunning and just creates such a stilling moment in BBB that doesn’t feel expected following the main portion of the verses. I guess the unexpected nature then flows onto what comes next (i.e., the choruses), but I am still surprised they did not follow up with something as or even stronger.

While I don’t ping the music video for BBB as the most memorable video out there, there were a few elements that I thought made the video a little fun. I liked, how in the first chorus segment, the other members were playing around in the background of the main member delivering the chorus. This technique was also carried through to some of the choreography shots. I also enjoyed the collage scenes, which felt simple compared to other collages we have seen in KPOP music videos but enough to feel dynamic and bring a bright zing of colour. I also liked the shooting scene. While the guns should not be treated as so, the scene felt playful and brought a coolness factor to the music video.

The good rhythm behind BBB and its instrumentation lends well to the performance aspect for the comeback, with a neat routine. I actually like the bounce that the routine during the chorus has and how there was a lighthearted fun vibe to the verses.

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