Category: KPOP

[Review] Chill Kill – Red Velvet

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Red Velvet has made their return to the stage, almost a year on from their last comeback with Birthday and The ReVe Festival 2022 – Birthday. This time around, the group is back with their 3rd studio-length album Chill Kill, and the title track of the same name. Aside from a collaboration last Christmas with aespa and concerts earlier this year, it has been fairly quiet for Red Velvet. They did face contract negotiations as they are in their 7th year as a group, but the only news coming out of that is Seulgi re-signed with SM Entertainment. We haven’t heard too much about the future of Red Velvet, asides from the news of this comeback with Chill Kill.

I liked Chill Kill. It could be that being deprived of Red Velvet for so long makes the release more enticing (similar to how hunger can be a great seasoning for any meal). But I genuinely think that Chill Kill is a great song. I really liked the creepy and eerie beginning of the song and the atmosphere that it creates. The bass elements and detailing in the verses gives Chill Kill so much likeable oomph, while the vocals and rapping in the verses was very solid. The vocal and rapping combination, along with the intensification, in the pre-choruses makes the incline towards the chorus to be feel very familiar. The chorus interestingly brings a nice pop of colour, turning away from the atmosphere that Chill Kill started off with. The harmonies when the members sing together also brings forth that familiar sense that I just mentioned. I also like the splash of retro in the bridge, which was a nice change in sound. The thumping beat that accompanies the bridge was a nice touch and adds to the pop energy of the song, while the vocals were beautiful. Now the song isn’t perfect, and the high pitched flute-like synth in the chorus is a prime example of this. It is one of the unlikeable aspects of Chill Kill due to its unsettling nature. But thinking back to the roots of Chill Kill, I wonder if that was intentional. I am also not a fan of how the song suddenly fades away in the end. It feels incomplete and I wished the ending was more satisfying. Looking back at the entirety of Chill Kill, I also wish the song went deeper into the energies it exuded, by concentrating the creepy/eerie energy of the verses and the pop influences of the chorus, to really take it to the next level. Something felt missing from Chill Kill and I think it was that.

The music video for Chill Kill features the members being trapped in the basement and it looks like they were held captive by the man with no face in the picture. They try to entertain themselves to pass time, but try not to attract too much attention to themselves. One day, they hear a disturbance upstairs and Wendy (and after a while, the rest of the group) go investigate. It is unclear whether the man with no face dies during the disturbance, or whether Wendy has something to do it (given there was a short period of time in which she was alone upstairs and there is a scene where there is blood on her face). But what we do know is that the members discover the body. Determined not ruin their lives, the members hatch a plan to hide the body and crime scene. During the sequence of washing blood, cleaning the floors and rolling the body up in a rug, there are two members to look out for. Firstly, Yeri is seen detached from the group during the cleaning scenes. I think she realizes that Wendy might have something to do with the death and the members didn’t just stumble into a crime scene. If not that, I think stepping into the blood might give her some trauma and her becoming ‘detached’ by watching the TV is her way of coping with the situation. Wendy is seen breaking down a number of times, and she goes off by herself at one point (presumably to hand herself in and save the rest of the group). But Seulgi holds her back. And with the support of one another, they end up staying together. The members go out to buy gasoline to douse the body and house they are in (though, I did find it funny that the group took the bus with massive bottles of gasoline). After setting the place on fire and watching it for a bit, they run away. But they are later caught by the authorities (maybe someone noticed them on the bus =and reported it to the police). However, we do see the members stick together at the very end. Interesting music video and I love these darker concepts from Red Velvet.

The choreography that we do see in the music video looks quite good. Nothing really stands out. But knowing Red Velvet’s track record for their performances, I don’t think we need to worry about that – it would still be worth watching. The chorus routine matches up quite well with the pop sound of the choruses, and I like the smiling energy they have during this same sequence.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.9/10

[Review] Do It – Youngjae (GOT7)

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Youngjae made his solo comeback last week with his first studio album and title track, both of which are titled Do It. Since his last review on the blog (2022’s SUGAR), Youngjae has gone a tour with following his 2022 mini-album that Sugar is featured on, released a digital single Err Day earlier this year (which is featured on the new album), and has been active in a musical and on his radio show.

Youngjae’s Do It is a simple and melodic pop track. It is simple to the point where there isn’t too much to say about the song, which can either be a good or bad observation. Since I am a fan of Youngjae’s, I will admit I lean towards the “good”. Do It is straight forward, easy to get into and feels like an extension of Youngjae’s bubbly and ‘boy next door’ personality that I have grown to associate with the artist. The instrumental was warm and inviting, featuring a slight groove that makes the background enjoyable. Youngjae, himself, offers a lightness to Do It via his vocals and melodies that makes it a pleasant and easy-on-the-ears listen (as already mentioned). The flow of Do It is also quite good. While everything I have mention points towards Do It being a very lovely song to listen to, I do find Do It to be quite quite reserved and safe. It barely strays away from how it starts. I wish Youngjae offered something with a bit more flair, especially since I do think that Youngjae has the potential to offer something else that isn’t too straight forward and simple. But nonetheless, Do It is still an enjoyable song.

While Do It is pretty safe and simple, the music video is much more than that. In the music video for Do It, we see Youngjae develop a crush on a waitress at the diner. He follows her out of the diner when she goes out to throw out the trash, but he is met with no one outside and a truck crashes into him shortly after. From there, we see Youngjae wake up in his bed (very much alive) and the calendar flip backwards, suggesting a Groundhog Day type of scenario. Throughout the subsequent scenes, we see Youngjae pursue the waitress in what looks to be romantic scenes (e.g., the infamous Tobey McGuire Spiderman catching his crush/lunch tray of food scene; putting headphones on his crush’s head like in that one romantic movie; shooting a zombie to save his crush from being bitten etc.). But they all end horribly in some form (e.g., Youngjae fails at catching the food and causes a mess for his crush to clean up/looks uncool; rocks up to the party with headphones in hand but finds crush is embracing someone else; crush was already bitten, turned into a zombie and ends up biting Youngjae), which all result in Youngjae waking up at the start of the same day. The only way out is to successfully catch the waitress’ attention. And in the end, we don’t really know if he was successful – though the ending is open ended. Other than that, the video shows off the bubbly and fun side of Youngjae, exploring different concepts and looks that all look great on Youngjae.

Every time I watch the performance for Do It, I found myself smiling. That bubbly (recurring word of the post!) and fun nature comes through the choreography, and Youngjae’s interaction with the dancers adds to that directly. I really like the set of moves at the start of the chorus (up until and including the body wave) – this sequence pretty serves as the key dance point of the routine.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] Drama – aespa

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Also making their comeback yesterday was aespa, who returns for the first time since their Better Things single in August. Earlier in the year, it was their single Spicy and third Korean mini-album MY WORLD (both of which are nominated in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards). Yesterday’s return is with the single Drama and the same-named fourth mini-album.

Drama is probably aespa’s most serious and darkest release yet. And like most other aespa songs, the Drama falls into ther usual electronic dance sound, this time around paired with hip-hop influences and what is described as “an aggressive drum sound and sophisticated synth bass”. However, parts of Drama felt like it was being held back (more on this in a second). When I first heard of the song yesterday, I was super impressed with the verses of Drama. It made for a very good opening and had me sticking around for more. The members’ rapping (Karina’s fast “Ziggy Ziggy Zag, I’m new” was an instant standout line for me) and vocals were very well done, while the clanging synths instrumental felt alluring. As for the chorus, I am a bit disappointed with how plain the producers and members took it. It just felt expressionless and I wished there was character to Drama‘s choruses to it. I also felt the “Drama-ma-ma” and “Trauma-ma-ma” hooks to be a little unimaginative and it went on for one too many rounds, but I must admit they have potential to be ear-wormy moving forward. The bridge itself shows some really good vocals from NingNing and Winter, however I wished the instrumental wasn’t as paced as it was. It really dampened Winter’s high note. I also felt like the final chorus and outro was missing some added concentration in its instrumentation and intensity to signal the end of the song and give us an unforgettable ending. The vocals were all there, but (again) the instrumental felt like it was holding everything back. I wished there was more to Drama, just to make the song more satisfying and have a more energised chorus.

What a super cool music video. Drama has a lot going on, in terms of a plotline and amazing yet simple choreography shots that just give off so much impact. The consistent red on black makes re-emphasises the seriousness of the video and song. While I am not entirely sure what exactly is going on in the video, the video opens up with four intriguing rules that give off a sense to not trust anyone, even the other members from the looks of it. There is also an epic sword fight between the members during the first chorus sequence. As already mentioned, the choreography shots where the members are dressed in black, dancing on the red platform and surrounded by dancers was a very simple yet looked so effortless. The second verse showed a really cool montage of the members dancing (with the dancers) with nothing but pitch darkness surrounding them and the lighting purely focused on them. The outdoor dance location in the carpark with the cars going around them in circle was also an amazing set of scenes.

The performance looks pretty good, as well. I did feel like it was lacking a defining move, as nothing really jumped out at me with that potential. But I did like their more sensual focus in this routine, particularly with the abundance of slower and deliberate movements.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.1/10

[Review] LALALALA – Stray Kids

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Stray Kids is officially back with a brand new single titled LALALALA, which is the lead single off their 8th mini-album, ROCK-STAR. This releases follows from an already busy 2023 for the group, which has consisted of a studio-length album (headlined by the single S-Class, which has been nominated for multiple awards in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards), 2 Japanese comebacks (The Sound and Social Path – both of which has been nominated for an award in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards, as well), the continuation of their MANIAC world tour and their 5-STAR Dome Tour (just to name a few key event/releases).

For me, the standout moment in LALALALA is its chorus. It is definitely a continuation of the dynamic and bombastic energy that the group have continuously presented to the audience in their choruses over multiple songs. LALALALA‘s beat translates into foot-stomping energy (which goes hand-in-hand with the performance), while the chorus lines were short, snappy and hooky. The shouty delivery does mean the chorus forgo melodies, but I am not too troubled by it. But nonetheless, it is a sequence that I would gladly go back to. Similarly, the outro sequence, featuring Seungmin and Lee Know’s vocals and Bangchan’s falsetto, ends LALALALA extremely well. On the other hand, the rest of LALALALA just doesn’t feel memorable enough – this comment only comes after a lot of listens to LALALALA under the belt. Yes, the rest of LALALALA (i.e., the verses and bridge) has everything you expect when it comes to a Stray Kids title track, such as powerful rapping and the energy from these sequences never lets up. And I wish to emphasise that the verses and bridge are not bad in any way. But there just wasn’t anything new in these sequences, which made LALALALA feel plain by Stray Kids’ standards and leaves me disappointed with LALALALA. Great centrepiece, but LALALALA could have been better had the rest of the song done more.

Once again, the cinematography seen in the music video is amazing. Particularly, the drone shots at the end of the video were epic and showcases the scale that is LALALALA‘s music video when everyone from all corners of the video are performing LALALALA with the group. From what I can gather from Stray Kids’ reaction to the music video, it begins with the marching band kids (a recurring set of costumes in Stray Kids’ music video) we see throughout the video feeling four types of emotions on stage – anger, happiness, sadness and pleasure, represented by the Hanja characters (and probably all the different settings we see in the video). But as the video progresses, 3 emotions (anger, happiness and sadness) disappear, leaving only pleasure (‘rak’ as pronounced in Korean) behind, highlighting that the kids ultimately felt pleasure whilst performing on stage. Stray Kids’ themselves also theorised that the eight kids on stage are younger versions of themselves (by drawing parallels to their height), which then provides the meaning that Stray Kids feels pleasure whilst performing on stage.

Stray Kids really know how to put on a performance, and I feel that LALALALA‘s performance is testament to that. I really liked the vibration parts at the start the choreography and the foot-stomping in the chorus really channels the energy of LALALALA super well.

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

[Review] CRUSH – ZEROBASEONE

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One of the most successful debuts of the year (and in KPOP ever) has made their first comeback this week. Previously, ZEROBASEONE set records with their 1st mini-album Youth In The Shade, such as becoming the most pre-ordered debut KPOP album and being the first ever KPOP debut album to sell more than 1 million copies. This week, the group returns with their 2nd mini-album, Melting Point, and the lead single CRUSH.

CRUSH starts off strong, in my opinion. YUJIN’s smooth vocals to open up the song, TAERAE’s powerful line, RICKY and GYUVIN’s punchy delivery, JIWOONG’s slightly shouty rap line and MATTHEW’s sleek rapping all came together to create quite a first verse. I also enjoyed the the incline in the instrumentation towards the chorus. But things started to unravel when CRUSH opts for a descending melody to lead into the first chorus. I am not a big fan of the cluttering drum line that takes centre stage in CRUSH. While it is undeniably striking, it is also very jarring and detached from the rest of the instrumentation. The vocals also take on a shouty motif, which makes sense given the group has to channel the same energy in order to be heard over the drum line. But it also feels unimaginative. Somehow, the drumming does meld well into the second half of the chorus. While I do like the more melodic turn this half of the chorus takes, I do find it a bit plain and unexciting. If the song opted for a structure like the one final chorus but with a much stronger melody, I would have enjoyed CRUSH a lot more. The second verse comes along and features some rapping, but nothing as memorable as in the pre-chorus (which we do get a repeat of). CRUSH‘s bridge was a bore and there is nothing to remember it by. While CRUSH does attempt to do something bolder with the clanging drumline, that itself doesn’t sit well with me. And everything else, aside from the first verse and final chorus (albeit a strong melody), just didn’t feel memorable enough.

The music video is pretty cool. The post-production special effects, which made the members feel statue or art-like, definitively took the video to the next level. The cinematography of these same shots look super cool. ZHANGHAO’s shots at the start and end were without doubt the most memorable shots of the video, with the knight armory and sword in the rock. It made think of King Arthur and the Excalibur. I feel like there should be story in all of this, but I am not entirely sure. I wished the song had a similar effect.

The synchronisation makes for a very cool dance performance. I did wish the moves were sharper, just to give the performance a greater knife-edge impression. But it was a good routine, overall.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] Feel Me – Golden Child

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It has been over a year since Golden Child’s last Korean comeback with the single Replay and the mini-album AURA. Apart from one Japanese comeback (CRAYON), the group has been fairly quiet. That was until yesterday, when the group released their newest single Feel Me and the single album of the same name. The group is currently down one member – this time being Y (who is carrying out his military enlistment), while the group did regain Daeyeol (who completed his military enlistment earlier this year).

Feel Me brings a very satisfying and enjoyable dose of rock to the table. It had me feeling the track from the very first listen I have Feel Me yesterday. I really like the retro profile that the rock elements in Feel Me has, which is a refreshing change to the ongoing rock presence that is happening in KPOP. Both the drumming and guitar work in the background just hits me in the right spot when I listen to the song, though I think more bite to the guitar riffs at the end of the song. Feel Me also features some atmospheric synths in the background, which complements the rock sound extremely well. All of the instrumental works hand-in-hand with the members vocals, which brings some really nice and crisp melodies to the song. All of this creates a very delicate atmosphere, yet also keeps Feel Me punchy and dynamic as you would expect from the rock genre. The rapping was nicely done, working towards the subdued nature of the rest of the song, rather than overpowering with an intense sequence. Come to the think of it, I also quite liked the contrast between the verses and choruses. The high note and electronic glitchiness that occurs in the lead into the final chorus was serves well as the peak of Feel Me. However, I wished this was backed up with some more prolific ad-libs to just give the final sequence a bit more edge. The wait that Woolim Entertainment made us go through was definitely unenjoyable, but I am glad that Golden Child was able to return with such a good song after this year hiatus.

Feel Me tells us the story of youth who have grown together, expressing the beauty of youth and a comforting message (taken from Soompi). And we see that in the music video, with the members hanging out with one another – having fun and also go through some hard times with one another. I also think the video highlights the concept of losing someone, which could be due to different circumstances, such as the members going separate ways. Someone on YouTube did point out that 2024 is Golden Child’s 7th year since their debut, which usually means contracts are up for renewal (though I am hoping this group continues on past 7 years). It is a good portrayal of the ‘coming of age’ concept, which I am sure everyone can really relate to in some way. The haziness of the video was a nice touch, as it makes us feel like we are reminiscing Golden Child’s story in this music video.

Choreography-wise, I like how it feels pretty breezy and not as intense. This complements the music extremely well. No move really stands out. But I have to admit, seeing them perform Feel Me hits differently. Solid performance skills and delivery definitely made Feel Me worthy of a few replays.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Review] MANIAC – VIVIZ

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It has been fairly quiet from VIVIZ lately, with their last release being PULL UP from January of this year. The female group makes their comeback today with the single MANIAC, which is the lead single from their 4th mini-album, Virus.

MANIAC is another song to fall into the subdued trend that is happening in KPOP. But it falls quite hard into the trend, as I don’t feel there is much going in on the song. More on this in a second. Describing MANIAC as subdued is quite an interesting takeaway for me, given there are rock elements in the chorus that does help boost the profile of the song. I really like the crunchiness that these rock elements bring to MANIAC and being subdued with rock elements does bring an intriguing factor to the song. There is also a slight grooviness to the song, as well. But beyond that, everything else feels flat. The vocals felt very processed, and I am not sure if all of it was necessary. Furthermore, there isn’t much character to VIVIZ’s vocals, which also contributes to the flatness of the song. MANIAC also falls flat on the melody front, with nothing sparking any interest from me. There are some decent moments in the song which do speak to me, such as the opening hook of MANIAC‘s chorus and the flow of the bridge. But these only add up to making MANIAC an alright listen. I do hope that more listens do help me get into the song, as it has only been a few hours since MANIAC‘s release. But I am probably not going to hold my breath over that.

The music video does feel a lot more interesting, as it shows an alternative reality where VIVIZ, who are a band who has been through some rough times in this alternate reality, splitting up and going their separate ways. It starts with SinB stepping away with a solo career, then Umji leaves Eunha behind to do some travelling and Eunha ends with an office job. But the love the members have for each other bring them all back and their reunite in the end. I am not entirely sure if that is the real story behind the music video, as I can’t work find the meaning of the lyrics or the song’s message anywhere on the internet. But for now, my interpretation makes sense in my head and I quite like the story it is telling me. Aside from that, the colours in the music video look super nice and dreamy, which I think works well with the group.

The choreography for the comeback is pretty good. It brings out a slight sensual energy and fits in well with the song as is. I do hope that diagonal formation bit occurs on stage, as that formation used as a transition looks cool.

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

[Review] Rising – tripleS

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tripleS is one of the debuts this year that I have yet to review on the blog. Today, I will finally get around to reviewing their March 2023 debut with lead single, Rising, from their debut mini-album Assemble. What makes tripleS an interesting debut is that the group is still expanding via the addition of new members to reach the group’s confirmed 24 member lineup. As such, throughout 2023, tripleS has seen the addition of new members to form new subunits – +(KR)ystal Eyes, Acid Eyes, LOVElution and EVOLution (I will be returning to reviewing these unit’s releases in the future). But as of today, 16 members have been announced as part of tripleS’ final lineup, with more subunits and new members on the way. tripleS’ debut back in March with Rising only features 10 of the members – Yoon Seo-yeon, Jeong Hye-rin, Lee Ji-woo, Kim Chae-yeon, Kim Yoo-yeon, Kim Soo-min, Kim Na-kyoung, Gong Yu-bin, Kaede and Seo Da-hyun.

Rising definitely heads in the right direction in terms of a being a standout debut track. While I didn’t pay too much attention to the track when it was first released, I did turn my head towards the debut track a few times since then. And those few times have managed to convince me that Rising is a likeable track. Rising‘s rhythmic groovy instrumental and beat is quite sleek and keeps the song moving along. It also gives off a subdued vibe to the dance pop track, which is very much on trend in the KPOP industry. The instrumental steers closer to the pop genre as we get into the chorus territory, and I liked the bright and boosted energy they manage to give off during this sequence. The “La La La” in the background is a catchy element that I am surprisingly not tired over despite it being repetitively looped. The instrumental sequence we get following the post first chorus and its flourishes keeps the dynamic energy going. The vocals and rapping from tripleS in Rising is very solid and that subdued vibe comes off in a charming manner through their delivery. But while I do like Rising, there are some flaws and lacking elements that ultimately holds back the track for me. The biggest flaw is that Rising‘s shortness, which I also see as a strength. I liked that Rising is filling, as it does have a fair bit to it in a short amount of time and doesn’t mess around with that. But at the same time, the shortness does mean there isn’t opportunity for Rising to do more, such as having a similar (but not the same) instrumental sequence following the final chorus. In addition to that, I feel like Rising also lacks a catchier centric hook and melodies that could have taken the song to the next level. But overall, a very strong debut effort that I honestly should have reviewed earlier.

The music video sees the group hang out with one another after the sun goes down to dance, watch dance performances with one another and attend a concert of their favourite artists (i.e., themselves). The video highlights Rising‘s lyrics well, which calls out society for saying they support the dreams of individuals, but ultimately looks down on the individual who want to be different. In the video, it is the group’s love for dance that people say they support, but the same people who gives them weird looks for pursuing that passion – such as the other school students at the bus stop. By extension, sneaking out at night probably alludes the members parents do a similar thing to them. But the video also does show that the members have each other and are connected with one other by their common dream. I also like how the video ends with how it started, with the members sleeping on the bus travelling home after a busy night.

The choreography is good, but I think it could have been better. The routine could have been more polished with better synchronisation between the members on stage. I also felt like the members were pretty focused on looking cool and serious, which resulted in the dance moves looking less powerful then what it could have been.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 8.1/10

[Review] Guilty – TAEMIN (SHINee)

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After over a 2 year hiatus as a solo artist (due to his mandatory military enlistment), TAEMIN is officially back with a brand new mini-album and title track, both of which are titled Guilty. The last time we heard from TAEMIN (as a solo artist) is through his Advice comeback in 2021. More recently, following the completion of his military enlistment, TAEMIN did return as part of SHINee’s comeback HARD from earlier on in this year.

Haunting is how I would personally describe Guilty. And it does that from the very first second, thanks to the instrumentation. The mix of some low beats and orchestral elements makes Guilty super atmospheric and evocative. The orchestral elements also adds a striking component to the song, at the same time. This in combination with TAEMIN’s vocals creates quite a piece. TAEMIN captivates with his singing in Guilty. For the most part, he sings in a slow and dragged out manner. It feels sensual and sultry, which is a style that we know that TAEMIN does best. We also get some powerful moments from TAEMIN via high notes and some stronger and really heavenly vocal work at other points in Guilty. The second verse also features some rapping from the soloist, which fits in amazingly well, and some deep whispery vocals in the pre-choruses that adds to that haunting vibe that I mentioned at the start of this section. Guilty is also definitely well-produced, with a lot of thought put towards the planning of when the vocals or instrumental comes into play. This just makes Guilty even more riveting and captivating to listen to, overall. If I had to be critical about something, I would have like more memorable melodies. But honestly, the music and vocals take care of that side of things for Guilty anyway.

The music video features a zombie-esque storyline (how fitting for the day before Halloween). But rather than it being gory and another horror conceptualized music video (beware – there is still some of this, like the emerging hands that looks like it was going to bend his neck just before the first chorus, but we are shown soon after that TAEMIN is just jerking around like zombie and TAEMIN’s zombie bite mark which he digs his fingers into), there is actually more to the video than just brain eating zombies. The zombie virus shown in the video is compared to the idea of selfish love portrayed in the lyrics of Guilty, where it causing pain to the other person while claiming it as one’s own way of loving (taken from SOOMPI). It is definitely a different and unexpected take on something that is quite terrifying and it keeps it quite terrifying. TAEMIN’s acting in this video is superb, with the zombie-like jerking throughout the video and the emotions you can see on his face when he is stilled and thinking about his lover.

If what we see in the music video is the choreography (i.e., the jerky movements that we saw during first chorus), then this is going to be a routine that you do not want to miss. It feels very artistic and contemporary. The ‘arm under the shirt’ move brings a sensual vibe to the table, which I thought looks very cool. The rest of the routine that we did see in the music video also captures the music quite well. For now, I am giving it a 9/10, just because it is unknown what the entire routine will look like. But it can be an easy 10/10 should the stage performance for Guilty replicate all of what we see in the music video (and I will return to update the review accordingly if that is the case).

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10

[Review] HEARTRIS – NiziU

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NIziU is JYP Entertainment’s resident Japanese female group, who made their debut back in 2020, following their formation through the survival program Nizi Project. Since then, they have released an abundance of title tracks, including Step and a Step, Take A Picture, Poppin’ Shakin’, Clap Clap, Paradise and Coconut. But today, NiziU makes their South Korean debut with the single album Press Play and the title track HEARTRIS.

HEARTRIS is a playful and cutesy synth-pop track that, from what I know of NiziU, suits the group quite well. If you haven’t noticed, the song’s title, HEARTRIS, is a play on the ‘Heart’ and the infamous ‘Tetris’ game. Parts of the synth work for this song resembles the 8-bit style of the background tune that you hear while playing a game of Tetris. But to suit the group and give it some modern zing, HEARTRIS‘ background is a lot poppier and much more colourful, which still works super well. We also get some cool piano-like work in the verses’ background and a dreamier motif that serves as the song’s pre-chorus. It is definitely a nice relief from the constantly energy that comes from the 8-bit styled instrumental. The vocal work HEARTRIS is super strong, working effortlessly to convey the cutesy melodies that are contained in this song. The rapping was also a great addition to the song, giving HEARTRIS a tinge of cool energy to make the song feel less ‘overly cute’. HEARTRIS‘ hooks are super catchy and addictive, as well. My favourite has to be the sing-song chanty “I’m coming down” post-chorus hook, which I honestly cannot get out of my mind. Overall, HEARTRIS is a very strong debut for the young yet seasoned group.

The music video sees the group following Felix (from Stray Kids), who is definitely known for his handsome looks. At first, I thought the group were following him because they had a crush on him, which is the path in which I would expect most KPOP music videos to go down. But instead, it turns out that they were following him for the blue teddy bear attached to his backpack. And Felix, well, he ended up falling into the manhole in the road. Guess it is not his day. Later on, it shown that the members have been busy, hunting for the teddy bears (and tricking countless people, at the same time) and have only one left to find. And that final teddy bear happens to go past their basement windows, which causes all of the members to spring into action to retrieve the bear (using whatever means necessary). Honestly, this was a very refreshing and lively take on a common KPOP music video trope, and makes for an interesting watch. I also like the anime version of the members and Felix.

The choreography for this debut is super cool. I really liked their use of angles in the routine, especially with the tutting we see towards the end. This angles is definitely the most recognisable part of the Tetris game, so it is a nice element to have in the choreography to connect the concept and the choreography together. The synchronisation and the members’ bubbly expressions, from what I can see in the music video, are also worth mentioning.

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


[Album Review] REBOOT (2nd Studio Album) – TREASURE

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As mentioned in my last review for TREASURE last week (i.e. the kaboom version of their side track B.O.M.B), I would be posting an album review for REBOOT this weekend. And here it is! REBOOT dropped at the end of July with BONA BONA as the lead title track. Ahead of the comeback, TREASURE also dropped the until track MOVE, which is also featured on this album. In total, 10 songs feature on the album.

As the name of the album alludes, REBOOT kicks off a new era for TREASURE and I think the studio album really shows that. Some of the songs, especially in the beginning, holds true to that. While some other songs do fizzle out towards to the end. But nonetheless, REBOOT shows a promising future for TREASURE. Let’s hope that YG Entertainment doesn’t get lost (again) with what to do with TREASURE and ‘reboot’ them again.

REBOOT Album Cover

1. BONA BONA (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for BONA BONA. (8.5/10)

2. I Want Your Love – The element that wins me over in I Want Your Love is the instrumentation. The dance pop track features some really cool club beats and synths that reminds me of the music from ‘00s that I grew up on. The vocals and rapping were very solid efforts from the members. The vocals, particularly during the pre-choruses, also carry the same nostalgia. I really like the whispery underlay in the bridge, as well. I think a more memorable hook would have made I Want Your Love the ideal song. What we got was pretty good in itself, but it just lacks that really ear-worming effect. (9/10)

3. Run – When I hear Run, I find it very hard move away from the song. Run takes us down a very energetic rock path that has me bouncing along. Honestly, the energy that the members convey is enough for me to rate Run a 10/10. I also like the addition of electronic synths to give Run some zing, and a really cool and clangy hip-hop second verse. Their vocals and rapping were superb, pretty much keeping up with the dynamic tempo that the track was running (Ha!) at. That anthem bridge and high note at the end was really great, as well. (10/10)

4. MOVE – Click here to read the full review for MOVE. (9/10)

5. G.O.A.T (ft. Lee Young Hyun of Big Mama) – The first unit track on the album is by the rap unit (Choi Hyunsuk, Yoshi and Haruto). The energy in this track is very show-stagey, which I am digging. The brass elements emphasises this further. I like the playful and dynamic approaches to the delivery which the rappers adopt,, which makes G.O.A.T a very fun and playful listen. The anthem chorus was perfectly executed by the members. Lee Young Hyun from Big Mama features on this track and she comes in towards the end. Her vocals and adlibs just effortlessly fitted into the rap-centric track, carrying us off in the end alongside the rappers in another head-banging end to the song. (10/10)  

6. Stupid (멍청이) – All members return for Stupid. The upbeat energy is toned by a small bit to make way for this vocally centric track. The track still pounds away with a heavy beat, but it also features some really nice acoustic guitar riffs in the background. Other than that, Stupid steers into pop energy territory, which comes off it was nostalgic, as well. It reminds me of some previous works by done previously by other YG Entertainment groups like iKON and BIGBANG. Unfortunately, the hooks aren’t there in comparison to the other songs on ahead of the track and I felt the drumming was little heavy handed, particularly when we entered the bridge of Stupid. (7.5/10)

7. The Way To (어른) – The vocal unit (Jihoon, Junkyu and Jeongwoo) stays on to perform The Way To, taking us down a balladry path. It is a beautifully orchestrally instrumented ballad, paced in a way that allows you to take everything in the track all in. You can feel the emotions behind the members vocals. I did think the melodies were slightly underbaked, with the vocals feeling “quite short” in terms of being drawn out to matched the pace of the ballad. But still a lovely listen. (7/10)

8. Wonderland – Summery beats and energy comes back into play alongside all of the members in Wonderland. While the track is a decent listen, I think Wonderland is my pick for the album’s plainest track. Everything in the track, from the instrumentation to the vocals/rapping, felt very ordinary. I also don’t feel much of TREASURE’s usual energy in the song. (7/10)

9. B.O.M.B – I reviewed the kaboom version of B.O.M.B already, so I will be taking my rating of that version to implement in this review. I also did make some comments on the album version of B.O.M.B in that review, so click here to read the full review of the kaboom version of B.O.M.B. (8/10)

10. Lovesick (병) – The final track on the studio album is Lovesick. It was previously featured on the group’s 1st Japanese mini-album, which was released last year. It is a wholesome and dreamy track to finish on. Lovesick features a simple instrumental, melodies and hooks – all of which makes it easy on the ears and is a nice way to ease out of the album. I can imagine having this track on the background, while staring outside the window and taking in the prettiness of a bright day. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

REBOOT Teaser Image

[Review] Talk Saxy – RIIZE

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RIIZE just made their debut with Memories and Get A Guitar at the start of September. It hasn’t even been two months on, but the newly debuted group from SM Entertainment has returned with their first comeback single, Talk Saxy.

I really do want to like Talk Saxy. After how much I enjoyed Memories and Get A Guitar, I had high hopes for RIIZE. But despite the listens I have given Talk Saxy since its release earlier today, I cannot seem to form a positive impression towards the song. Talk Saxy features (quite appropriately) saxophone riffs and 808 drum sounds in its instrumental. And boy, does it not shy away from using that brass. But as much as I love myself some brassy elements in my songs, the saxophone feels distorted at times in Talk Saxy and this makes the central instrumental element come off as scratchy. It isn’t all bad, but it could have been better. The 808 drum sounds was a nice accompaniment to the saxophone and gave Talk Saxy some much needed oomph. I also think there are some guitar riffs in the pre-choruses, but I might be mistaking that for even more saxophones (I hope I am not). I do think Talk Saxy could have used a bit more in the instrumental department to give the track some flair. A prime example is more piano in the bridge to accompany the smoothness of the vocals (and lack of the brassy element). Another thing that I noticed was the uninteresting chorus. Both the rapping and vocals in the chorus felt bland. It is like the producers removed all of the members’ own style and charms to create a chorus that could be executed by anyone in the team. But by doing that, the producers also created a soulless central piece. On the flip side, I found the members’ personality and style to be so much more prevalent in the verses. There was some good moments in terms of delivery in the verses, but it all disappeared when we entered the chorus parts of Talk Saxy. And that pretty much dulled the song for me.

The music video feels as simple as the song’s make-up was. For me, the music video felt very focused on the bright lights that made up the words “Talk Saxy” in the background and the members wearing baggy old school shirts that reminds me of hip-hop from the 1990s. It is definitely a good and trendy look. The use of lighting on this set to either show the members or their silhouettes was pretty cool idea, as well. But the rest of the music video (i.e. the gigantic speakers and focus on the colour red in the members’ outfits) just fizzles out and becomes a distant memory. I wished there was more balance.

The choreography for this comeback is quite good. I like the ‘Kick It‘ part of the choreography and also the prancy-like style they go for in the outro of the song. I also enjoyed the bouncy nature and the wide arm movements they had going on in the middle of the routine.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.7/10

[Review] B.O.M.B (kaboom Ver.) – TREASURE

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TREASURE returned last week with a gift for their fans. B.O.M.B is a side track off TREASURE’s second studio album REBOOT, which was released a few months back. As a bit of a teaser for this coming weekend, a full album review post on REBOOT will be coming your way. But ahead of that, I wanted to review the new version of B.O.M.B, otherwise known as the “kaboom version”. In other TREASURE-related news, the title track off REBOOT is BONA BONA, which also dropped alongside the album.

Had I gone forward with just the album review, B.O.M.B (the side track version) would have been described as “a really pleasant pop track from the ’00s”. I would also made specific comments on the dreamy instrumentation and the really smooth melodies that made the song pleasant. I probably also would have said something about the catchy hooks, in addition to the melodies, particularly around the choruses. The ‘kaboom version’ of B.O.M.B retains all of that, but adds more to the instrumentation to give it liveliness and energy. And honestly, this does help make the song feel more fun and energetic, which I think would have been well received by their fans. Whether all of it was necessary is a different matter up for discussion. I am definitely on board with the brass and extra bass that was added to the song. However, I felt the bomb dropping and explosion sound effect and the inclusion of a hip-hop dance break was cringy and embarrassing. But even while I feel this way about these specific elements, they didn’t detract from B.O.M.B whatsoever, and everything that was the side track version of B.O.M.B is very much still there. So overall, the side track version of B.O.M.B is probably my preferred version, but I don’t mind the kaboom version, as well.

We didn’t get a music video for this kaboom release, but rather a performance video. As such, I will be combining both the video and performance components of the release together. The hip-hop concept that they went with for this comeback makes sense for TREASURE, but I am not entirely sure about the song. But at least they keep it casual and don’t lean too much into it. We do get some closeup of the members, and a dance battle break that the members keep lighthearted and fun. As for the choreography, I find it to be quite good. It suits the group and the song in many regards. The choreography and energy feels youthful, which fits in with the members. The key moves during the chorus felt cutesy, which goes hand-in-hand with the lyrics which is about how one’s crush makes them feel giddy and alive.

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

[Album Review] 13egin (7th Mini Album) – INFINITE

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INFINITE made their grand return in July 2023 after a five year hiatus due to military enlistments and their departure from Woolim Entertainment. The mini-album, titled 13egin, also celebrates their 13 years career, which has definitely been fruitful over the years particularly in the 2010s. 13egin features a total of five songs, including an introductory track and the title track New Emotions. Like some other albums that I have been reviewing lately, 13egin has a fundamental issue of featuring the weakest track as its title track. Don’t get me wrong, I am glad to hear INFINITE in any form after so long (and hope that they continue to regularly release new music as a group into the future). I just think there are other songs on the mini-album that could have served as a better title.

13egin Album Cover

1. Intro: 13 – This introductory track really got me excited for what is to come on the mini-album. The mysterious piano and suspenseful interwoven vibration synths leads into some groovy guitar and synth work. The strings that come into play in the latter parts of 13 throws me back to some of Infinite greatest works, which have involved strings in some way. No vocals, so no score. But damn, 13 was amazing!

2. New Emotions (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for New Emotions. (7/10)

3. Time Difference (시차) – It seems like Time Difference is the more liked track on the album from what I can see online, and I completely agree with the public here. I really like how the track doesn’t require any powerful or dynamic elements (which is usually what I look for) to really sell the track. Instead, Time Difference features really pleasant atmospheric vibe, with its trendy synth line. I like the small additions to the song, which are well placed to maintain a consistent grooviness to the song. The members’ vocals are really well done, bringing a touch of brightness and a refreshing melody to the track, whilst all keeping aligned to that pleasantness mentioned above. (10/10)

4. I Got You – I Got You opts for a more upbeat pop number, yet the beats, string and synths elements in the instrumentation do continue the pleasantness that we heard in the previous song. The members do another amazing job in I Got You with their vocals, especially with how dreamy they made the song feel. In some cases, I liked the crispness the members themselves added to the song. Everything comes together to create a summery vibe that felt very clean and fresh. (9/10)

5. Find Me – The mini-album ends with a ballad, which gets me excited. INFINITE is one of the groups that I look to for amazing ballads. But rather going down the purely classical orchestration backing that INFINITE has done multiple times before, Find Me features some atmospheric synths and band instrumentation. However, the track does maintain the beautiful sound of the piano, which makes this track quite fulfilling. Once again, the members’ vocals are beautifully delicate and dreamier than in the last track. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.8/10

13egin Teaser Image

[Album Review] MY WORLD (3rd Mini Album) – aespa

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MY WORLD Teaser Image

After holding onto a draft for the album review for aespa’s MY WORLD for quite a while now as I was due review the album’s pre-release single separately ahead of the album review, I have decided to forgo those plans and post the album review now instead. MY WORLD is the aespa’s 3rd mini-album, led by the single Spicy, the pre-release single Welcome to My World and four additional side tracks. aespa’s vocals are a recurring element I comment on throughout the album, with their showcase of skills in this department being consistently superb throughout the album. MY WORLD also becomes my highest rated album this year. Find out why I thought so positively of the mini-album down below.

MY WORLD album cover
MY WORLD Album Cover

1. Welcome to My World (ft. nævis) – This alternative pop track is so dreamy yet has such a haunting vibe, both of come together to create an impactful and memorable piece. Part of this is thanks to the vocals, which I give two strong thumbs up for. Like come on, the harmonisations are so beautiful and breath-taking. The instrumental also contributes to that dreamy and haunting vibe, as well. The orchestral sequence at the ending makes for such a cathartic ending. Despite it being a more vocally centric track, Welcome to My World still manages to incorporate some synths into its backing. Nothing too crazy that disrupts or destroys the delicate nature of Welcome to My World, but just enough to make it feel like it could be branded as an aespa track. An easy 10/10, in my opinion. (10/10)

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

3. Salty & Sweet – Salty & Sweet starts off in a very bold manner, going for a darker and edgier vibe. The members do a really good job with channeling these vibes into their delivery, creating a very riveting and impactful track to listen to. The bass, beats and synth work in the instrumentational also has this trippy energy to it, making Salty & Sweet a very intriguing listen. (9/10)

4. Thirsty – Thirsty is another great showcase of vocals from aespa. Their vocals are just so sleek and captivating throughout this side track (if they hadn’t been yet in the other side tracks). Thirsty also revisits the dreamy vibes heard earlier in the first track of the mini-album, with their vocals also exuding this. The rapping felt so clean, as well. The instrumentation is basically your standard R&B backing, but the members really do take it to the next level. (9/10)

5. I’m Unhappy – I’m Unhappy is much more straight-forward track, in comparison to the other side tracks on this mini-album. The bouncier beat and bass in the instrumentation is quite consistent and felt playful. The squealy synth was a nice touch in cutting through this consistency. The vocal work and rapping felt uncomplicated. But nowhere along the way do I find I’m Unhappy to be a bore. It was all very interesting and another strong side track from the group. (9/10)    

6. Til We Meet Again – The final track steps away from synths and into acoustics and simple band instrumentation. The acoustics of this track creates a very warm and inviting atmosphere, while their vocals (which have been top notch throughout the mini-album) makes us stay with their comforting aura. Til We Meet Again also revisits another aspect from earlier on in the mini-album – stunning harmonisations that just felt like icing on the cake. (8.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.1/10

MY WORLD Teaser Image
MY WORLD Teaser Image

[Review] God of Music – SEVENTEEN

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Kicking off this week is SEVENTEEN, who returns with their 11th mini-album SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN and the title track God Of Music. Once again, SEVENTEEN has exceeded expectations by breaking records with the new mini-album, including becoming the most pre-ordered album release in KPOP industry once again. This is SEVENTEEN’s first comeback since their 10th mini-album FML (lead by the singles Super and F*ck My Life) and their first Japanese compilation album ALWAYS YOURS (lead by the single Ima – Even if the World Ends Today –.

Punchy feel-good energy is how I would describe God of Music. SEVENTEEN’s new song does not disappoint in any department, with the song making me do a bit of a boogie within the first listen. More repeats of the song since its release has me practically up and dancing. The liveliness of God of Music is thanks to the soul funk genre that the group went with. Plus God of Music had some extra lively elements that really helped enhance the energy and brightness of the song, such as the electric guitar riffs in the pre-choruses, the brass detailing in the background and that retro synthesizer riff in the instrumental break. The vocals and rapping are very strong in this track, both matching the energy that is coming off the instrumentation without much trouble. They blend with one another in the song, making everything feel super cohesive and strengthening the song further. The vocals in the pre-chorus propels God of Music forward in a manner that just sounds and feels so dynamic. The chorus itself features a really nice bright melody in the first half and then follows up with the punchy and catchy “Kung chi pak chi kung kung chi pak chi yeah” line. The verses themselves had some really nice rhythm and I liked the anthem-like direction that had going towards the end. Everything in God of Music melds together so well in the track, creating a super energetic and blastful song that feels just right.

The music video begins by setting the scene of a world where music has somehow disappeared. But this same world has SEVENTEEN in it, who reintroduces music into society. The song itself is an ode to music, celebrating how it can bring everyone together no matter where or who you are. We see music reach different life forms in the music video (from humans, ants, DJ donkeys and snails – the slower dragged out form of the music when the snail appears at the end of the video made me laugh). We also witness music reach people in different locations, including what seems like an urban American city, to the grassfields in the countryside and to the hospitals (which is a clever way of featuring S.Coups, who is sitting out most of the promotions to recover from a surgery). The bridge scene where SEVENTEEN and the crowd are marching across at the end was epic. Needless to say, the music video really matches up with the music and appropriately spreads the positive message in a fun and bright visual format.

We only get to see a small portion of the choreography in the music video. But from what I did see was a very lively and fun routine that pairs well with the music. I wish I can say more than that, but that is only what is on offer at the moment. Given that this is SEVENTEEN routine, I am willing to bet that the rest of the choreography will be fantastic, as usual.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.8/10