KPOP – Page 54 – KPOPREVIEWED

[Review] Strawberry Cake – Xdinary Heroes

December 24, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Xdinary HeroesLeave a comment

Xdinary Heroes is nominated for Best New Male Group and Best Band Performance in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support Xdinary Heroes, and your other favourite artists, songs, and performance by clicking here to vote today!

I guess if you are seeing a review for a side-track, you can confidently say that an album review is coming you way. In order to complete the album review for Xdinary Heroes’ 1st ever mini-album, Hello World, which was released back in July of this year (and features the title track Test Me), I need to review Strawberry Cake, a single from the mini-album that was selected for follow-up promotions. In terms of the album review, it isn’t scheduled until very early 2023. So keep your eyes open for that. But for now, here is another Xdinary Heroes’ review, this time for Strawberry Cake.

When you think of a song titled Strawberry Cake, you might think of something sweet or even potentially cute sounding. While that would be quite a stretch for Xdinary Heroes, who has ventured through the different styles of rocks since their debut, I was expecting something more along the lines of pop rock for this track (best of both worlds). Instead, Strawberry Cake delves into a punkish style of rock and spins the idea of a Strawberry Cake into a partner that acts sweet, but ends up being fake and a liar. I liked the paced lurching momentum the verses had, and the ramp-up to the chorus was clean. The chorus was a bit unexpected. With the shouty ‘Strawberry Cake‘ that kicked off the chorus, I expected the song to follow through with a robust and blastful punk rock piece. But instead, there is no drop and that expectation does not eventuate. Rather, we get an instrumental piece that serves like an anti-drop that we tend to find with EDM songs. It was an interesting flip and one that I find to help make Strawberry Cake come off as unique. Towards the end of the chorus, we do get into that blastful trajectory, but it doesn’t get too far, keeping in in-line with what Strawberry Cake has given us thus far. This ‘anti-drop’ like approach does allow the focus to be put on the members and their vocals. I really like the oomph and passion they put behind their vocals in this song, which speaks volumes and express the discontent and upset message behind the lyrics of the song. Overall, an unexpected twist to Strawberry Cake, but one that displays Xdinary Heroes’ creativity and individuality.

I understand that Strawberry Cake is just additional promotion for the group and doesn’t necessarily require a full fledged music video like the title track. But the difference between Test Me and Strawberry Cake‘s video is pretty night and day. Test Me had a video that was filmed with CGI technology, while Strawberry Cake was virtually empty. It is more of a performance piece than anything else. Strawberry Cake was shot in a train carriage, packing the group (and their instruments) into a very tight narrow space for all of the video. It doesn’t highlight the punkish sound that I mentioned nor does it add value to the side track. The video could have gone with a simple plot line featuring a relationship breakdown to aid the lyrics, or some sort of visual effect to really amplify the song’s sound/style. Just something to give the video Strawberry Cake a bit more body than just the group playing their instruments (though I appreciate the passion they are putting into the performance aspect of the video).

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

[Album Review] SHINING UP (2nd Mini Album) – TEMPEST

December 24, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged TEMPESTLeave a comment

TEMPEST is nominated for Best New Male Group and Most Underrated Song (for Can’t Stop Shining) in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support TEMPEST, and your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today!

As mentioned yesterday, my album review for TEMPEST’s SHINING UP is the next album review coming your way. And here it is. SHINING UP is the second mini-album from TEMPEST, following their debut earlier on the year. The lead single from the mini-album is Can’t Stop Shining. And alongside the title track, the mini-album features Young & Wild and two additional new songs. Following this comeback, TEMPEST more recently returned with the track DRAGON and their third mini-album, On & On. I have yet to decide whether On & On will be the focus of a future album yet, but I will make that call in the neat future. In the meanwhile, here are my thoughts for the SHINING UP, which end up delivering on the promising start we got through both Young & Wild and Can’t Stop Shining.

1. Young & Wild – Click here to read the full review for Young & Wild. (9/10)

2. Can’t Stop Shining – Click her to read the full review for Can’t Stop Shining. (9/10)

3. Only One Day (하루만) – Only One Day is a pleasant pop track. I enjoyed the way the song started with the piano and the soft atmospheric tone, before we incline to the pop chorus. I really liked the soft airy approach of vocals in the chorus and the guitar that peeks through. I like how the rappers balance out the track by providing a bit of intensity to their portions of Only One Day. Overall, a pleasing and enjoyable track. (8/10)

4. START UP – We enter funky territory with START UP, and this is fun and energetic track that I am digging. And at this very point in time (this review is being pre-written at 1 am in the morning to post over the holidays), I am definitely appreciating this injection of energy and dynamism that just really makes you feel alive. I love the groovy guitar work and the other details in the instrumental. TEMPEST also make the song feel very animated and entertaining with their energy-filled delivery. A very bold but awesome way to end off the mini-album. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] Young & Wild – TEMPEST

December 23, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged TEMPEST1 Comment

I intend to post an album review for TEMPEST’s second mini-album, SHINING UP, tomorrow. This mini-album was released back in August of this year and is lead by the single Can’t Stop Shining. Following the release and promotion of Can’t Stop Shining, TEMPEST followed up with promotions of another single from the mini-album, Young & Wild. And this follow-up promotion also featured a music video of some sort, which makes it eligible for a review in its own right. Hence why we are here today.

In addition to the title track, Young & Wild convinced me to actually put the mini-album onto the review list. Well, to be precise, with this song opening the mini-album, there was very little convincing required. Opening up Young & Wild are some very cool and impressive rapping that did not rely on instrumental whatsoever. A strong impression from the very first few seconds speaks volumes to me. Then the vocals followed through (with some additional raps), all of which occurring over a tropical styled instrumental that felt fitting for the Summer season that KPOP was slowly getting out of in August, when the mini-album dropped. All is looking good thus far. However, it is the pre-choruses was what sealed the deal for Young & Wild for me. We get a rush abrasive pop-rock energy from the guitar riffs that caps off the verses in a trendy fashion and electrifies the song further as we lead into the choruses. The choruses was just as promising, following the pre-choruses with satisfying energy and momentum allows Young & Wild to give off cool vibes. I like the bit of hype they tack on to the end of the choruses. I also really liked the slightly shouty touch the vocals had throughout the chorus. It was well controlled and complemented that energy that I just mentioned. The bridge brings the best of Young & Wild‘s vocals and rap (though the latter was brief) in my opinion with Hyuk ending it with some really cool ad-libs. We then return to the chorus, which keeps up the hype energy and closing out the very cool opener to the mini-album.

The music video that we got for Young & Wild was more so a performance video, with the choreography being the main focus. There isn’t much else to the video other than choreography, though there was some closeups, which doesn’t allow the video to feel exactly like a choreography video at the end of the day. The set was pretty basic, featuring stone pillars, a circular platform in the background, a bright central light and white sandy floor. All of which contrasted well with the black background. Similarly, the members’ were donned in white outfits, with black accents and accessories being used to match the video.

Just like the song, the choreography for this single was cool. The sychronisation was insane, and I really liked the oomph the members put behind some of the moves (i.e. when they are stomping or during some of the chorus moves). The legwork and footwork was definitely impressive.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] Back Down – P1Harmony

December 22, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged P1Harmony2 Comments

Support P1Harmony in the Best Overall Artist and Song categories of the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards by clicking here to vote and nominate today!

As flagged the other day, another P1Harmony review is finally here. Following their Doom Du Doom and HARMONY: ZERO IN promotions, the group more recently returned with their fifth mini-album release last month, HARMONY: SET IN, which is led by the single Back Down (the focus of this review post).

P1Harmony turns back to a very energetic form of hip-hop energy for this comeback. We have heard the group tackle the hip-hop genre in similar fashion before in the past (e.g. Do It Like This). It just Back Down goes in a bit harder and it doesn’t ‘back down’ in anyway as the song progresses, which I appreciate. It is a hype track from start to end, and doesn’t stray away from its foundation. I personally quite enjoyed Back Down. The rapping in the verse was quite cool. The first verse could have been a bit more thrashed out, but the second verse rap had a more of a memorable tinge to it. The vocally sung pre-chorus was a definitely a highlight and showcases the vocals of Theo and Keeho quite well. I really like the swing they brought to the song, which helped made Back Down a little more interesting and gave Back Down a sense of depth. Then comes the choruses, which were rather catchy. The chorus is the main reason why I have pushed the review to be written much sooner than other releases. It does get a little repetitive (and hence one-dimensional), especially when the same refrain is repeated for the final chorus without much change. I wished they had added something to the final chorus, just to signal the end, like a high note of some sort. But overall, Back Down manages to show the consistent potential that P1Harmony has in the industry.

I think of this music video a bit of a villain origin story for some of the members. Unfortunately, after accidently plugging in the wrong wires into the wrong holes, the entire P1Harmony are zapped. A fight ensues between the two halves of the group, one of which is determined to press the button, while the other half is advocating for the button to not be pressed. A dance battle and fight follows. But in the end, two sides become diplomatic. But it turns out fate has other plans when a light fixture comes crashing down and hits the button instead of any of the members. The entire group is zapped again, leading them to pass out. Afterwards, the group regains consciousness, correctly swap the wires and plug them in correctly, before all pressing the button. But the video cuts out right afterwards, so we don’t know what the button actually does. I know what a rollercoaster ride of a video. But I managed to find it interesting and thought it was a fun one. I really liked their outfits throughout the video.

The choreography was pretty decent. It wasn’t exactly the most memorable routine out there. But it does have its charm and fits in with the hype and hip-hop energy that Back Down exudes. Not exactly sure if I am describing the moves correctly (do I ever?), but I liked the fight- blocking moves that come during the choruses.

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

[Review] Hype Boy – NewJeans

December 21, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged NewJeans2 Comments

NewJeans is nominated for Best New Female Group, Best R&B Song (for Attention) and Best Group Performance (Female – for Hype Boy) in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support NewJeans, as well as you other favourite songs, artists and performances by clicking here to vote today.

In addition to Attention, NewJeans also pre-released another single prior to the release of their NewJeans mini-album and their official debut single, Cookie. The single in question (and the focus of this review) is Hype Boy, which ended up going viral in South Korea for their choreography for the track.

Just like Attention, I didn’t pay much attention to Hype Boy when it was first released. I only started to pick up on the pop song as its performance started to go viral and was continuously covered by other artists. Since then, I have grown accustomed to the song and quite enjoy it. Structurally, it is a fairly simple song, made up of 2 sets of alternating verses and choruses. The producers chose to make the verses and choruses consistent and repetitive, which really helps make Hype Boy memorable. But there is more to the song that makes it memorable. Hype Boy begins with this interesting warped synth loop, which I still find quite intriguing. Similar (can’t tell if they are the same) warped synths present itself in the chorus, creating an equally interesting backdrop to the chorus. In addition to the warped synth, the chorus also features a heavier dose of percussion (in comparison to the verses), bright vocals and a unique and vibrant melody that just pulls you into the song. Together, the chorus ends up being quite an ear-catching central piece to the song. As for the rest of Hype Boy, there were some really good melodies and a strong showing from the members in the vocal department. But as the main attraction of Hype Boy was very much the chorus, you don’t really remember much from the verses. However, I did like the descending pre-chorus melody that led into the chorus. Overall, Hype Boy is short, simple and memorable.

As far as I can tell, there are four music videos and 2 performance versions for Hype Boy‘s promotion. I guess watching all of this would repeat the song enough times to have it literally engraved into your mind. Each music video tells a story that is centric to one or two members. The first video to be released focused on Minji, who falls in love with a friendly guy and changes herself so that he pays attention to her more. But in the end, he doesn’t remember who she is. The next video features a story line that focuses on Danielle and Haerin, who both fall in love with the same guy and he ends up two-timing the pair, ultimately lead the girls to choosing friendship over a relationship with the same guy. The third video features Hyein, who falls for a guy who ends up making fun of her and her group. The final video focuses on Hanni, who falls for someone over the internet, but it is not who she had expected. All of these videos feature a central theme of falling in love with a hype boy, but it just doesn’t pan out the way they had expected it to be in their head. I liked how each video converged onto one party, despite it all can be viewed as standalone. A really cool and unique concept.

The dance for Hype Boy is probably the most viral aspect in KPOP in 2022. Everyone was dancing it at one point in this year. And I don’t blame them. The entire chorus routine looks super cool (I will not attempt to name the move or describe it, as I just won’t do it justice), and the members bring a refreshing energy to the performance, making it addictive to watch. Altogether, it made me nominate Hype Boy for Best Group Choreography for female groups in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.2/10

[Review] Attention – NewJeans

December 20, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged NewJeans2 Comments

NewJeans is nominated for Best New Female Group, Best R&B Song (for Attention) and Best Group Performance (Female – for HypeBoy) in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support NewJeans, as well as you other favourite songs, artists and performances by clicking here to vote today.

I am finally getting around to reviewing more songs from NewJeans. For those who have missed their debut, they officially kicked off their career back in July of this year through the release of their third single Cookie and self-titled mini-album. But ahead of the release of Cookie, NewJeans also pre-released a number of singles. One of them is Attention, which (if we are speaking in chronological order) was NewJeans first release. It was an unexpected one, as the music video for Attention dropped without notification, to the surprise of fans and new listeners alike.

Personally, I didn’t pay attention it it as much when Attention was first released. But over the last few months, my attention for Attention has really picked up. So much so that Attention is currently being nominated for Best R&B song in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. When you first tune into Attention, you don’t get a sense that the track is actually an R&B track. The choppy sound effect at the start of the song (which reminds me of a crowd of some kind) seems like the start of something pop-like. But when more of the dreamy style instrumental start filtering in, I find Attention starts too smooth out like an R&B track. A more pop energy comes through the instrumental as Attention progresses. Altogether, you get a pretty chill and wispy track. When the vocals start and as the song progresses, everything becomes subdued and I quite enjoyed this effect. There was a nice display of vocals skills for the new group, and the melodies had a memorable tinge to it. But the highlight of Attention comes during the opening line of the chorus, when the members beautifully drag out the ‘Attention‘ in “You got me looking for attention“. At the time of release, I didn’t think much of it. But as time went on, it just more stunning. Attention does repeat itself and all the elements that I have describe, but I just haven’t seem to gotten to that point where I have gotten bored of the song. A great hallmark for any song. Overall, Attention has stole my attention (pun intended) and I really enjoy the track to this day.

I am not exactly troubled by the fact the group is very young, but I am not exactly sure if the concert at a bar is the best place to start off their first music video. It seems a bit questionable, in my opinion. But hey, I will leave the production to the producer. They clearly have a plan in mind. All the other scenes in the video, with the members getting ready for the day and spending the day shopping, was perfectly fine. The choreography scenes in and around the stadium looked good and fits the chill vibe of the song (no flashing lights, no boxed or studio sets). Everything was lowkey and this worked well with the song.

The choreography for this comeback was pretty good. Nothing too crazy, with smoothness being a priority in this routine to match the smoothness that comes from the song. I did liked how the outstretched arms and hair flicks accentuates the opening line of the chorus.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Beautiful Christmas – Red Velvet & aespa

December 19, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged aespa, Red Velvet1 Comment

Red Velvet is nominated for Best Group Performance (Female) for the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards, while aepsa is nominated for Best Female Group of 2022. Support Red Velvet and aespa, along with your other favourite KPOP artsists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today.

If you have not been made aware of it yet, we are currently in the festive month of December. So it is time to put those Santa outfits on and bring out the Christmas tree. Red Velvet and aespa have the right idea. They have joined hands for a collaborative single Beautiful Christmas, which dropped last week. This new single serves as the title track of the upcoming 2022 Winter SM Town: SMCU PALACE album that will drop the day after Christmas. I guess some of the songs are not exactly Christmas themed, which I believe was the case for last year’s SM Town album.

As per most Christmas-themed songs, Beautiful Christmas exudes a lot of that festive energy that brings a smile to my face. And you know me, I won’t say no to an upbeat track that makes me want to get up and have a boogie, which is also what Beautiful Christmas makes me want to do when it comes to the chorus (more on that in a second). It has the classic tropes of the Christmas holiday such as sleigh bells, Christmas carol references in the lyrics and twinkling percussion. But Beautiful Christmas also features some brass and some deep piano notes, which to me, added a fun vibe to the song. Going back to the chorus, I really enjoyed the sing-along shouty style of the first half of the chorus. It was simple to get right into and just radiated so much positive energy. But it is the second half of the chorus, with the shouty chant that wins me over. I also like how they broke it up between groups for the first two line, before coming together for a third line. Elsewhere, great vocals featured throughout the song, with Wendy and NingNing delivering the peak of Beautiful Christmas with their high notes. The rapping (in the second verse) was a little standard for my liking, but it still fitted into the song. As for the rap-speak in the bridge, that was cringy. My only other gripe about this song is the lyrics. Not something I usually pay attention to, but ‘To my friends and to my family, You mean to me the Christmas time” just doesn’t make any sense and sticks out a sore thump as it is the line that peaks off the song. And given that it delivered to us by Wendy who is a native English speaker, it is a bit embarrassing. But that is just me being picky. Overall, the upbeatness and energy of Beautiful Christmas just wins me over.

Christmas and Winter Wonderland are the two themes running throughout this video for quite obvious reasons. And it is a nice video to compliment the likes of Beautiful Christmas. I did notice a few things (both positive and negatives) that I want to point out. I found Yeri’s “I Like Winter” to be quite cringy when she sings that Winter. It is such an expected pun knowing that aespa was involved in this release, so it came as no surprise to me. NingNing really needs to loosen her facial muscles, particularly for that high note. It looked like she was disinterested from the whole thing at the point. It is quite disappointing, as she was pretty much all smiles throughout the video. Similarly, not too sure why there were some serious facial expressions throughout the video. It was not the time nor place for that! On the most positive side, I really liked the sets that were built for this music video. It all looked really cool and super detailed. I also liked the red dresses that both groups donned during some of the choreography scene. It looked very cute.

I don’t think the choreography for this release is supposed to be taken too seriously. But it is a simple routine that expressed the positivity and upbeatness of the song quite well. I pretty much enjoyed it.

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

[Album Review] HARMONY: ZERO IN (4th Mini Album) – P1Harmony

December 18, 2022December 17, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged P1Harmony2 Comments

Support P1Harmony in the Best Overall Artist and Song categories of the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards by clicking here to vote and nominate today!

The next album to get a review on my blog is P1Harmony’s HARMONY: ZERO IN, which was released way back in July of this year. This mini-album is lead by the title track Doom Du Doom, which I finally got around to reviewing earlier this week. It also features an additional five songs. The release of HARMONY: ZERO IN follows the group’s comeback from earlier on in the year (DISHARMONY: FIND OUT and the title track Do It Like This). More recently, the group returned with their fifth mini-album and the single Back Down, which I have already reviewed and will be posting said review on a nearby date. As for now, here is my review for HARMONY: ZERO IN.

1. Doom Du Doom (둠두둠) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of Doom Du Doom. (8/10)

2. Black Hole – Black Hole follows the title track with heavy and intense hip-hop energy. The rappers had amazing delivery, whist their segments appeared to have bouncy undertone (which I enjoyed). As for the vocals, there was solid display throughout the verses and the bridge. What really stole the limelight for me within Black Hole are the chanty choruses (which I thought was charming and playful), and the ‘Na Na Na’ hooks. Very memorable elements that stay in your head even after the song is completed. (8.5/10)

3. Yes Man – Yes Man continues on with the fun sound from the title track through the pop genre. The instrumental was zomewhat memorable, with that flute-like synth really coming through during the chorus as a nice instrumental centrepiece. Aside from that, I quite enjoyed the simplicity of the song’s hooks. It really speaks volume. The raps were playful (I am sensing a theme). However, I felt like Yes Man could have done more. (7/10)

4. Swagger – Swagger was a pretty cool song. I expected it to just zone right into the hip-hop genre (just based on its title – I really should stop judging the book by its cover). But Swagger also features a bit of soul influence, which made Swagger to be quite high-spirited and continue this fun theme that is coming through each track in its own way. The addition of brass (the instrument of fun) was also a nice touch to highlight this. Overall, quite a clean and groovy track. (8/10)

5. Mirror Mirror – If you want to know what part of Mirror Mirror should be iconic, I point to the delivery/drag of the title in the chorus. Definitely an impressive display of vocals from the vocalists. The rest of the song follows through. Strong raps, smooth vocals elsewhere, a groovy instrumentation that all makes Mirror Mirror another cool and strong track on this mini-album. I really enjoyed the hype energy that the members contributed to in the chorus, and the epicness of the bridge of Mirror Mirror. (8.5/10)

6. Different Song For Me – Ending the album is Different Song For Me, which is very much a different song to the rest of the album. I would argue this is the album’s most ‘serious’ sounding track. All the tracks on this mini-album have been fun or playful individually, while Different Song For Me takes the form of a pop rock ballad. Different Song For Me definitely had some great instrumental moments, such as during the pre-chorus. The vocals were superb and captivating. An amazing end to the mini-album, if you ask me. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

[Album Review] Bare&Rare Pt. 1 (2nd Studio Album) – CHUNG HA

December 17, 2022December 16, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged CHUNG HALeave a comment

CHUNG HA’s Killing Me is nominated for Best Music Video and Best Pop Song in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support CHUNG HA and your other favourite artists, songs and performance by clicking here to vote today.

Another long overdue album review is finally here. CHUNG HA made her comeback in July earlier this year with the lead single Snapping, which features as the title track of first part of her second studio album, Bare&Rare. Alongside Snapping, there are seven other tracks on the album, all of which will be reviewed today. It follows the release of her first studio album Querencia in 2021 and Killing Me single from late last year. More recently, we have seen CHUNG HA in collaborative singles like When I Get Old (with Christopher) and Color Me (with JUNNY). This first part of the second studio album proves to be top-notch and continues the strong impression that she left on me through her first studio album. More on the songs below.

1. XXXX – XXXX gives Bare&Rare a bold start, with the deep vibrating synth to kick off the song. This for sure leaves an impression on you. The rest of the song continues its dark tone, repeating the same deep and low vibrating synth, along with some trap beats. CHUNG HA sounds good in XXXX and she delivers her lines in a seductive and alluring manner, which I think makes sense with her intent of the song – which was to tease her haters and those who wrong, whilst also promising to return as a stronger person. (8/10)

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

3. Louder – Next up is a pop track that has a funky and groovy undertone to it. Louder is simple, its feel-good and its just brings forth a positive mindset. CHUNG HA makes this song a pleasant one with her vocals, while the instrumental has a bouncy dance tinge to it, which I quite enjoyed. Personally, I am not a big fan of the children voices in the background to bulk up the final chorus. I liked the intent of it, but I felt like the kids made Louder feel quite childish. CHUNG HA is a mature artist and I wished she maintained that persona in Louder’s final moments. (8.5/10)

4. Crazy Like You (ft. BIBI) – Crazy Like You is such a moody song, but I am all for it. I really liked the slow swaying melody to this track, and how all the percussion adds texture to the song. There is also a bit of a rock influence to the song, which I would have liked the song to explore more of. CHUNG HA sounds great, and she really shines with this style of music. BIBI, while was great in her portion of the song, was heavily under-utilised. She was ideal for this song and could have brought more to Crazy Like You, but we never got to see what that would have eventuate to as we barely heard from her. (8/10)

5. California Dream – We get another pop track through California Dream, and it delivers funky and groovy undertones once again. I love how subtle this track is, keeping to itself and never overwhelming. It is extremely pleasant and is quite enjoyable on the ears. I am loving the way the ‘반짝반짝한”(which roughly translates to ‘Sparkling’ in English) rolls off CHUNG HA’s tongue and starts of the chorus. This one is a charmer. (9/10)

6. Good Night My Princess – As I had expected, Good Night My Princess is a ballad. And this one has special meaning to CHUNG HA as it is an ode to her mother. With that context in mind, I feel it is kind of rude to say anything other than praises for this track. But CHUNG HA doesn’t give me much opportunity to say anything negative, as it was a breathtaking pop ballad. The instrumental was dreamy and soothing, and I am loving the guitar work. CHUNG HA herself was captivating and sound beautiful throughout Good Night My Princess. (9/10)

7. Love Me Out Loud – Love Me Out Loud returns to the pop focus of this album. But this one is much more profound, going down the dance pop route. I mean, nothing says dance pop more than the piano or keyboard we hear in the song and those hollow synths. I like the way the chorus soars, courtesy of CHUNG HA herself, which (I think) made me go wow the first time I heard the song. She also made me go wow, again, for the bridge. Two wows. I think it is safe to say with such a song in a corner, CHUNG HA is definitely someone who belongs to the pop genre. (10/10)

8. Nuh-Uh – Final song on the album is Nuh-Uh, which is probably the most experimental she gets on this album. The chorus was definitely a scene-stealer, with the flute work, the repetitive beats, trap elements and CHUNG HA’s attitude with some of her lines and a much lower tone delivery. I also found it to be quite intense, concentrating everything around it into an amazing centerpiece. Elsewhere in Nuh-Uh, we also get a deeper influence of traditional instruments and R&B. It is definitely a cool closer to the album. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.7/10

[Review] Candy – NCT DREAM

December 16, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged NCT, NCT DREAM2 Comments

NCT DREAM is nominated for Best Sub-Unit and Best Male Group in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Glitch Mode is nominated for Best Concept and Best Music Video, while Beatbox is nominated for Best Pop Song, Best Male Group (Choreography). Definitely an all-rounder group. Supper NCT DREAM, their songs, and all your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today.

NCT DREAM officially makes their comeback today with a special Winter mini-album, titled Candy. The same-titled single (the focus of this review) leads the mini-album. The single is also a remake of H.O.T’s Candy, which was released way back in 1996. This is the group’s first comeback since their Glitch Mode and Beatbox comebacks from earlier in the year.

Given that Candy (NCT DREAM’s version) is a re-recording of the original (cue the comparison), the newer version is fairly same as the older version. The melodies haven’t changed and NCT Dream retains the upbeatness of the original song. However, there are some distinct differences with the newer version that I actually liked more so than in the original. The main difference I could hear instantly is how much more modern the instrumental is. While it is similar enough for listeners to gain a bit of familiarity and nostalgia from NCT DREAM’s version, I enjoyed the extra intensity that the producers had put into NCT DREAM’s version. This definitely helps modernise the 1996 hit to current times and gives Candy a lot more oomph, which in turn makes way for some awesome execution from NCT DREAM. Talking about execution, I also find NCT DREAM’s vocals and raps to be a lot more polished than the original. I guess we can attribute that to advances in technology since 1996 – a lot has happened since then. The second verse gets an extra (super intense) rap sequence and I liked that NCT DREAM did not opt for as much overlap between vocals and raps as H.O.T had incorporated. They do bring that overlap into play later on in the song, but it is a lot cleaner and more refined than the original. Maybe it is a generational thing as I didn’t grow up during that era (I was born a few months after the song’s original release) and I am used to the modern style of KPOP, but I definitely prefer NCT DREAM’s version of Candy by a long mile.

When you think of H.O.T’s Candy, the group’s terrible outfits come to mind. Or at least, I thought they were terrible. It is the main thing that I still cannot wrap my head around until this day – how the colourful overalls and massive oven mitts got approved. I guess it was to fit the more vibrant and upbeat style of Candy, but boy do they look awful. I am glad that NCT DREAM’s stylist did not opt for the same style choices. However, H.O.T’s outfits were iconic in the end, and so NCT DREAM’s outfits were influenced by the look from 1996. Jeno’s massive trapper hat looks like it could have been lifted from that era. But as it is just an influence and their outfits do look fairly tame, I am fine with that. Other than that relief, the music video’s candy manufacturing set reminded me of Glitch Mode‘s technology set. And per usual, I really liked the colours. Some parts however were cringy to me.

At the time of writing, there was no official stage for NCT DREAM’s version of Candy. They are however confirmed to perform the single at the 2022 KBS Music Festival, which is being held today. But from what I can see, the choreography retains some of the key moves from the original version, but also intensifies the moves to match the intensified music we get in the newer version.

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

[Review] Doom Du Doom – P1Harmony

December 15, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged P1Harmony4 Comments

Support P1Harmony in the Best Overall Artist and Song categories of the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards by clicking here to vote and nominate today!

Another track I am finally getting around to reviewing. P1Harmony returned in July of this year with their fourth mini-album, Harmony: Zero In, and the lead single Doom Du Doom. It follows the group’s earlier comeback in January with Do It Like This and their collaboration with Pink Sweat$, Gotta Get Back. More recently, P1Harmony returned in November with their fifth mini-album and the single Back Down. I will be reviewing that in a future post, which will be coming soon. Also keep your eye out for Harmony: Zero In‘s impending album review, which I am looking to post this weekend. But for now, here is my long overdued review for Doom Du Doom.

I am of the opinion that Doom Du Doom could have gone harder and concentrated itself into a better track. It is already a great track as it is, but I find that it is missing oomph which would have really bolstered up the track and given it an even more memorable ring. Doom Du Doom had a very catchy and playful chorus, which was an expectation formed after hearing the opening refrain. I enjoyed the simple hook and monotonous delivery of the first half of the chorus (which ultimately came off as stylish to me), and the second half of the central piece of Doom Du Doom turned the song into more of a pop piece by amplifying the instrumentation and going with a heavier dose of vocals that flowed well from the first half of the chorus. I did think there was a missed opportunity for the group and their producers to really make the move from the first half to the second half of the chorus more explosive and energetic, just to give Doom Du Doom more of a wow factor. Also, the track is pretty light on when it comes to definition and intensity, which is a slight letdown given that rock tinge thanks to the electric guitar riffs and the amazing rap segments (courtesy of Intak and Jongseob) that appear in the song. An instrumental that features a bit more intensity and some sort of definition would have really aided in bulking Doom Du Doom up and just make those parts a bit more epic. But despite my extra wants and wishes of Doom Du Doom, I still found the released Doom Du Doom to be a fun and memorable track from the group.

The music video jumped on board with that playful side by showing a play on the Olympics. But instead of the Olympics, P1Harmony are participating in the OOOOOO Games and the standard sporting events have been adapted to be more urban and street in this version of the games. Taking boxing choreography, electric guitar baseball, traffic sign throw, cart racing, drone shooting and breaking window (with a grenade) as examples of events at the OOOOOO Games. Much more interesting that the Olympics. There were also opening and closing ceremonies to these games that are pretty low budget, but also make you give off a fun laugh. I definitely enjoyed this video.

The choreography for this comeback was definitely fun. I really liked the isolated moves when it came to the first half of the chorus (and the blank facial expressions made it look funny, which I think was a perfect match for the song). In the routine, Soul got his time to shine, with a dedicated solo freestyle moment in each performance during second half of the second chorus. He amazed me in the performances I have watched with his skills and his flexibility. My bones may be aching when I watch his freestyle, but it is still worth watching given his energy and abilities.

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

[Review] All About You – THE BOYZ

December 14, 2022December 14, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged THE BOYZLeave a comment

THE BOYZ is nominated for Best Group Performance (Male) in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards with MAVERICK. Support THE BOYZ and your other favourite artists, songs and performances of the year by clicking here to vote today!

Last week, THE BOYZ released a new single, All About You, to celebrate their 5th anniversary since their debut in 2017. Since their debut, THE BOYZ have definitely risen in the ranks of KPOP groups and are now considered of the biggest male groups in KPOP. This is also THE BOYZ first release since WHISPER and BE AWARE from August this year.

With that piece of context, it is clear as day that All About You is a fan song, with some of the members penning the lyrics to the song for their fans. Usually, I do not say much about these types of songs, as the intention of these tracks tend to be pure and warm-hearted. And plus, I don’t want to look like a prick by saying mean stuff about such a song. All About You is a mid-tempo acoustic pop track that comes as quite pleasant and warming. The verses are melodic and soothing, with the members’ vocals opting for a lower tone. This plays nicely into the pre-choruses, which also opts for a low vocal tone. But this segment has been slightly autotuned to make it come off as monotonous and there is also a panning effect, which gives the song a bit of texture and doesn’t it make it overly smooth. We then proceed into the choruses, which features more defined vocals (relative to the opening verse) and a nice swayable melody that I enjoyed. Rapping makes a presence in the second verse. Usually, raps don’t fit into these songs as well as they do with other styles, but they stood out for me here in All About You. I enjoyed the way it has been moulded into the song and the pace was quite calming. The rest of the song falls into line with what we have heard so far, keeping a nice consistency overall.

The music video fits in nicely with the song. THE BOYZ are just acting casual in the video, as if they are college students and having fun with one another throughout the video. They already appear to be a tight-knitted group in their more ‘behind the scenes’ type of material and other works, but to see it here was quite cute and enjoyable. It is also nice to see Eric as part of the lineup again. For those who may not know, Eric has been sitting out of promotions for a while now due to his health. But he is officially back from the looks of it and it is a nice way to bring him back. Elsewhere, I enjoyed the golden hue of the video, which makes everything appear warm and inviting, which I am sure is the intention of the video, overall.

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

[Review] Hair Cut – Xdinary Heroes

December 13, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Xdinary HeroesLeave a comment

After making a comeback in July of this year with Test Me, Xdinary Heroes made a slightly speedy comeback (relative to the period between their debut and their first comeback) with their latest single Hair Cut and the mini-album Overload. Just over a year ago, Xdinary Heroes made their debut with Happy Death Day, which earned them a few accolades at the recent MAMA Awards and nominations in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Award (where fan voting is still open).

Xdinary Heroes’ Hair Cut is quite a unique track, and I liked it for the most part. I appreciate the ambition this group has, exploring different areas of rock that haven’t really been approached by KPOP bands in the past. For Hair Cut, the band delves into a punkish form of rock. What they did in the first verse and pre-chorus was quite likeable. There was potential behind these segments and their delivery of these segments (i.e. vocals), and I enjoyed how Hair Cut ramps up to the choruses. But the trouble comes next. We are met with a low groaning ‘Get a hair cut’ repetition that was quite unsettling for me. We also get some scissor or knife sound effects, which didn’t add any value to the song. This all comes before a hard-hitting second half of the chorus, which is my preferred centrepiece for the song. But unfortunately, as a whole, the chorus pretty much disappointed me. The lack of cohesion, hooks that I was comfortable with or even memorable melodies upset the overall appeal of Hair Cut for me, and stuck out like a sore thumb. The chorus is then followed up with a rap verse, which was another miss element for me. The whole rap segment stripped out everything from instrumental to momentum, leaving Hair Cut bare and empty for a moment, and the whispery delivery itself (sorry Gaon) felt soulless. O.de’s contribution was fairly more promising, but that might because he was helping ramping Hair Cut back to mor enjoyable territory from quite a low point. The pre-chorus and chorus repeats, and my thoughts on both (positive and negative) have already been noted. The bridge portion of Hair Cut was a nice return to form and sounded solid. Then we go back to the not-so-good chorus. I was hoping they switch things up at this point, to give a satisfying end. But that didn’t eventuate. We did manage to get an instrumental outro, which I thought was decent. But with the mix feelings prior to this instrumental outro, it didn’t have a huge impact and swung me into liking or disliking the song. Overall, Hair Cut‘s chorus leaves quite an impact and not in a good way.

I am not one to usually negatively comment on members’ visuals. And I understand it is their concept for this comeback and all, but Xdinary Heroes really need to take advice from their own books and get a hair cut. This era is probably one they will regret in the future for the wacky and awful hair-do the members were forced into. I can already imagine the interviews consistently pulling up pictures from their Hair Cut days and the members expressing embarrassment over them. Aside from that, I do like their edgy profile, which works well with the punkish rock sound I mentioned earlier. I also like the use of the ‘scary fun-house’ location within the theme park, which seems to be JYP Entertainment’s go to location this year. As for the outro, I want to know what that ending means, with the police report being made and being reviewed. Potentially setting up for a future comeback? Who knows.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.4/10

[Review] Chase – Minho (SHINee)

December 12, 2022December 12, 2022Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Minho (SHINee), SHINee1 Comment

Fellow SHINee members KEY and ONEW are nominated for a range of categories include Best Outfits, Best Concept and Best Album in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support KEY and ONEW by clicking here to vote today!

MINHO makes his comeback a solo artist this past week with the single and debut mini-album that shares the same title, Chase. This is his first comeback since the release of Heartbreak at the end of last year. Since then, MINHO refocused on his acting career and released new music as a solo artist in Japan earlier this year. MINHO has definitely been busy.. In a rather interesting move (though not necessarily unheard of), MINHO released Chase (both the single and mini-album) digitally last week, while the physical version of the album and the music video dropped today.

Chase, as a whole, comes off as your typical R&B track. The slowness of the track helps makes the track sensual in nature, while the instrumentals help create a moody atmosphere. All of this was pretty successful. The instrumental was a combination of a neat piano loop, trap beats and a heavy bassline. Altogether, these instrumental created an alluring background piece. Another interesting aspect of Chase was the lyrics, which expresses the emptiness that one feels after chasing someone they cannot get to. Again, it feels like a message that is suited for the R&B genre. But aside from that, there isn’t much else from within Chase that attracted me to the song, and this limited appeal is why I put Chase down as a ‘typical R&B track’. In the vocal department, MINHO sings his lines for the entirety of Chase,. And while he does a decent job, they aren’t vocals that we can rave about, not like how I did in his previous solo releases. He handles the job well, but there are other compelling vocal performances out there. You might argue that it might be a bit harsh for me to judge MINHO as a singer, when he usually takes on the role of main rapper during group performances with SHINee. But from how I see it, he (or his company) had the opportunity to put out a song that showcase a better side of him, but the decision was made for Chase to be MINHO’s best foot forward. I get the need to show a different side of an artist in their solo work, but I don’t think Chase was the best choice. It also didn’t help that Chase didn’t have much of a hook to help make the track more memorable (i.e. during the chorus), not did it have melodies that could act in place of a hook. Overall, a fair effort from MINHO for his solo comeback, but I am sure that there are other styles and songs that fits MINHO’s profile better..

I found the whole music video for Chase to be quite an interesting watch. The very start of the music video features a suspenseful montage of shots from later on in the music video that perks up your interest. We see an affectionate couple, followed by a fiery accident and finally a shot of a female whispering into MINHO’s ear. The plot of the video then starts with MINHO waking up. We see flashbacks to a time when MINHO was lying in bed with his partner, but it is apparent from his messy surroundings in his solo shots that she is no longer around and he is heartbroken. At night, he visit bars to seek out his missing partner, but it earns him a bashing and bruised face. To be fair, he was pretty much disrupting the patron’s night. After failing to find her, he sits on the streets and his mind takes him back to the fiery accident I mentioned earlier. We see that he is practically unscathed from the car crash, but it turns out his lover was not as lucky as him. She was a fatality in the accident. In the midst of the accident, Minho notices his lover standing afar. But despite chasing after her, he cannot reach her. It is later revealed that her ghost has been haunting him by staring back through the mirror and whispering messages into his ear, which is probably why he cannot get her out of his head and ends up ‘chasing’ her every night. In the end, he takes a gun and shoots the mirror to stop her. As a quick sidenote, there was a sinister scene at the start of the video which flicked by where his lover staring directly at the camera whilst on the bed (see the 0:19 mark on the video), which gave me creepy chills.

It comes as no surprise to me that the moves in this routine were of the slow and smooth nature, which is complementary to R&B tracks of this nature. But it wasn’t the slow moves that stole the show for me. The formations of the dancers at the start and end of the performance, and their small bobs in time with the piano made me go wow. I also found the routine during the bridge to be quite cool, especially when MINHO and the female dancers all did a wave to bring him back up.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Album Review] Empty Dream (5th Mini Album) – Kim Jae Hwan

December 11, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged Kim Jae Hwan1 Comment

Support Kim Jae Hwan and your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today!

Kim Jae Hwan’s fifth mini-album is the next album to receive an album review from me. Released back in September, Empty Dream features six new songs including the title track BACK THEN. It is an awesome mini-album, in my opinion. showing off the vocal talent and abilities of the soloist. His vocals come up consistently throughout the review, with his vocal performance in one particular song leaving me speechless. Consider me amazed and a fan of this release!

1. ANSWER ME (대답해줘) – Kicking off the mini-album is a lo-fi R&B track. ANSWER ME really pushes Kim Jae Hwan’s vocals outward and I love this display of vocal work from the soloist, especially when he started off the song with a nasally undertone. It definitely starts off the mini-album in such a promising light. When we get to the chorus of ANSWER ME, Kim Jae Hwan adds a heavy dose of emotional heft to the song, which just makes the song so much more passionate and riveting. It is definitely a nice song to get lost to. (9/10)

2. BACK THEN (그 시절 우리는) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of BACK THEN. (8/10)

3. OUT OF LINE (삐뚤어질까요) – Again, I floored by Kim Jae Hwan’s vocals, especially in this song. He just blows me away. Paired with the rock instrumentation, OUT OF LINE leaves me speechless. I don’t I need to say anything more than that. (10/10)

4. OASIS – OASIS brings forth the reggae, which it is a nice switch up from the more standard pop and rock that we keep on hearing. Kim Jae Hwan still brings the band sound to the song, which creates a really cool blend. I also feel like there is a bit of jazz that comes out during the bridge. Again, outstanding vocals from Kim Jae Hwan and I really liked the melodies in this song, which adds a playful tinge to the song. OASIS would probably make for a great performance piece (with choreography as well!). (9/10)

5. LOVE STRIKE – LOVE STRIKE is an upbeat track. It is definitely a bit of a relief from what we have heard so far, which all have been captivating pieces. LOVE STRIKE isn’t as captivating, but it is set up to be that way. It is more pleasant and fun. I quite like the touch of playfulness that Kim Jae Hwan delivers, especially through the chorus, melodies and hooks. It brings a smile to my face. While the track doesn’t feature wowing vocals from Kim Jae Hwan to the extent that of the other tracks on the album, it is still a strong effort from the soloist. (8.5/10)

6. GOODBYE MORNING – The final song on the album is GOODBYE MORNING and it takes the form of an acoustic ballad. I was expecting this to really build up, but we don’t get there. Instead, the song features is predominately guitar and vocals (with the slight addition of other instrumentation, but in minute amounts). The guitar is very profound, while Kim Jae Hwan’s vocals was quite soft throughout. I really liked how his vocals are on display through this song, bringing a different dynamic to the album. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.8/10

[Album Review] The Story / The Story: Retold (1st Studio Album / 1st Studio Album Repackaged) – KANG DANIEL

December 10, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged KANG DANIEL2 Comments

KANG DANIEL is nominated for Best Male Soloist, whilst Upside Down has been nominated for Best Solo Choreography (Male) for the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support KANG DANIEL, and your other favourite artists, songs and performance by clicking here to vote today.

After many months, I am finally writing my overdue review of The Story, KANG DANIEL’s first studio album. The album was released back in May of this year and features 10 tracks, lead by Upside Down. The album was then recently re-released as The Story: Retold in November, featuring the addition of 5 new tracks which includes the title track Nirvana. I will keep the introduction short today, in fear that if it goes for any longer, I might end up posting it five months down the track. So without further ado, here are my thoughts on KANG DANIEL’s first studio length album. (Note: in terms of track listing, I have used the repackaged album version of the tracklist.)

1. Parade – Click here to read the full review for Parade. (9/10)

2. Selfish – Selfish was a nice pop track to ease into. The initial few seconds of the track had me thinking this was going to be a playful and whimsical sound. But as Selfish progresses, the heaviness of the bass and the trap elements say otherwise. But there is a bit of a sway to the song and its melodies that does potentially go in that direction. I also like how inviting KANG DANIEL’s vocals were in this song. (8/10)

3. Upside Down (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Upside Down. (7/10)

4. Loser (ft. Dbo) – Loser is a R&B pop track, which starts off with the melodic chorus. And this chorus definitely was quite promising. The rest of the track follows through consistently, which I am not troubled by. But it does make the track slightly dull, relatively to the rest of the album. Dbo brings a bouncy rap segment to the song, which does help shake up the song ever so slightly. I did like how Dbo kept his presence in Loser ongoing by echoing and providing some ad-libs. Best part of Loser comes at the end when both Dbo and KANG DANIEL approaches the song with deep vocals, which gave depth to the song. (7.5/10)

6. Don’t Tell (ft. JESSI) – Click here to read the full review for Don’t Tell. (9/10)

6. Nirvana (ft. pH-1 & WDBZ) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Nirvana. (9/10)

7. Ride 4 U – Out of all the songs on the albums, Ride 4 U was the one that attracted most attention from me. It is to the point where I am quite surprised and disappointed that it didn’t get the music video treatment like some of the other side-tracks. Ride 4 U opens with some ‘Oooo’ courtesy of the backing vocals, which I thought was quite iconic. The melodies, especially around the title of the song, were quite memorable and is the one thing that I really took away from the album. I quite enjoyed the simplicity of this track with the way KANG DANIEL approaches the song. As for the instrumentation, I really liked the pairing of twinkling detailing and atmospheric synths, which in my view, hits different. (10/10)

8. How We Live (ft. Sokodomo) – Click here to read the full review for How We Live. (8/10)

9. Mad (ft. Chancellor) – Mad is the first song on the album that really goes hard, in my opinion. I felt the synths were a lot rawer and came together to create something that just got straight to the point. It was also quite intense in its own right. I quite liked how the instrumental was stripped down the track to make the acoustic guitar’s presence more known. This kept Mad interesting, even though you can hear guitar in the background amongst the synths. Chancellor’s featuring and KANG DANIEL do an amazing job to give this song life. Mad’s main hook, ‘Why are you so mad’ is definitely a memorable point of the song that really stays with you, even as we move to the next song. (10/10)

10. 1000x – 1000x serves as the first ballad of the album, but it doesn’t fall into your typical boundaries of a ballad. Instead of the classical tropes of the ballads, 1000x opts for paced synths in its instrumental. It keeps the song interesting, though I feel like the synths were a bit too loud as it almost drowns out KANG DANIEL’s vocals in my opinion. Talking about vocals, KANG DANIEL’s were amazing throughout and you can feel the emotions behind his voice. The chorus, in particular, had heft to it and the melodies were quite remarkable. (8/10)

11. Ghost – Ghost is another heavy bass track. However, there is a bit more to Ghost than just bass, thanks to the atmospheric synths that make up the instrumentation of Ghost. KANG DANIEL’s vocals are shown off quite nicely in Ghost and the melodies just make the song so beautiful. We also get a taste of rapper KANG DANIEL, though I do wish the rapping portion of the song was more substantial, just to give the song an extra layer of appeal. But Ghost as it is, is a stunner. (8.5/10)

12. Moment – Moment is another ballad, and this one is more on the typical side of the balladry genre. Guitar, piano and backing vocals make up most of the instrumental of Moment, and this was another stunning arrangement on this album. Ballads tend to highlight the vocals, and Moment did an exceptional job of this. Again, you can feel the emotions behind his vocals and I really enjoyed the way his voice carries you throughout the song. I am a sucker of ballads, and I feel it is ballads like this that prove my point to why ballads are such an underrated aspect of KPOP. (10/10)

13. The Story – It is interesting to see that The Story got bumped to the fourteenth position on the repackaged album, despite being introduced as the opening track of the original album. Anyhow, The Story is a very cool track. The use of synths in this song really encapsulates that descriptor, which gives The Story a very appealing side. I really enjoyed how the synths were used texturally. The pop-centric chorus was definitely a highlight, especially how it shifted the song’s trajectory. KANG DANIEL’s vocals were shown off once again. Though, my favourite part of The Story has to be the pre-choruses, which added a tinge of playfulness to the song. I think The Story could have used a harder hitting rap sequence, just to give it a more powerful element to it. (8.5/10)