Category: KPOP

[Review] So Good – HYUNJIN (Stray Kids)

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Stray Kids recently made their comeback with their fourth studio album, KARMA, led by the title track CEREMONY. But I still have a backlog of song reviews that I have yet to post relating to Stray Kids, namely the solo tracks from their Hop mixtape and the unit tracks from their Mixtape: Dominate album. I have already made a start on this backlog, with HYUNJIN’s solo single from Hop, So Good, up next. For the other reviews of Stray Kids’ solo songs from the Hop mixtape, see the links below the music video.

So Good is a very percussive hip-hop dance track. There is something very alluring and dynamic about the percussive nature of the instrumental, especially as the track diverges into a more instrumental-focused ending to be more performance-forward. Even when the synths were introduced, particularly towards the end of So Good, it brought a bounty of texture to the song, in line with So Good‘s starting point. To me, this is definitely HYUNJIN’s style. As for the vocals, HYUNJIN does a fine job. The texture of his vocals also adds to the song, while the second verse rapping was very slight and captivating. So Good‘s hooks were a little too straightforward for my liking, but I did enjoy the echo that follows, and I don’t think this should deter you from listening to So Good.

HYUNJIN’s performance style in So Good is very much enchanting and dynamic, well-suited to the song. The way he carries himself in the music video was very captivating to watch each time. To give the music video some complexity, the video uses transitions. I quite enjoyed them, but also liked how clean they all feel. The transitions also felt reminiscent of Stray Kids’ transitions in their music videos from the past.

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

I.N’s HALLUCINATION | SEUNGMIN’s As We Are | FELIX’s Unfair | HAN’s Hold My Hand
HYUNJIN’s So Good | CHANGBIN’s ULTRA | LEE KNOW’s YOUTH | BANG CHAN’s Railway

[Review] PARADISE – TREASURE

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Earlier this month, TREASURE made their comeback with their 4th mini-album, Love Pulse, led by the title track PARADISE. TREASURE’s comeback follows on from their Pleasure special mini-album and single YELLOW from February 2025, as well as news of a leadership change to Junkyu and Asahi and early contract renewals with YG Entertainment.

TREASURE’s PARADISE is a pop track that suits the summer season quite nicely. It’s bright, upbeat from the onset and a lot of fun, particularly thanks to the brassy elements in its instrumental. There is potential for PARADISE to become super-infectious in my life because of these brassy elements, had I put the song on repeat in the last week. I just didn’t have the time to do that in the past week, with me wrapping up some work and reviews to take a break. That being said, the instrumental is probably PARADISE‘s strongest asset. While I do appreciate the vocals and rapping in the track, PARADISE isn’t the most definitive showcase of their abilities. The hooks and melodies are also quite bright and lively, but they also aren’t TREASURE’s best effort to date. But altogether, everything in PARADISE comes together to become a pleasant summer listen with a light pop bop instrumental.

I quite enjoyed the music video. TREASURE does a good job of making me want to dance along to the music when I watch this video. The mood is also extremely bright and smiley throughout, which helps convey the constant desire to dance and makes their music video even more likeable and enjoyable. PARADISE is about escaping to a place of pure happiness with someone special, hence why we see a lot of imagery of the beach, sunset and fireworks throughout the video.

Like the rest of the comeback, the performance for PARADISE is just as energetic and bright. I liked the dance break during the bridge of the song. The “P to the A to the R to the A” move kind of reminds me of the “Woo to the Young to the Woo, Dong to the Geu to the rami” move from the 2022 Extraordinary Attorney Woo K-drama.

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

[Review] Goodbyes & Sad Eyes – MOON BYUL (MAMAMOO)

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With MAMAMOO being inactive as a group, it has felt like it has been a while since we have heard from the group or the members. It probably doesn’t help that I don’t cover their solo comeback as soon as they occur. MOON BYUL recently made her return with her 3rd mini-album, Laundri, and the title track Goodbyes and Sad Eyes. MOON BYUL also pre-released the single ICY BBY (also from the new mini-album, but I yet to review). Her last comeback was last year’s Is This Love?.

Goodbyes & Sad Eyes is MOON BYUL’s answer to the ongoing rock trend in KPOP. There have been some good songs of this style lately, with the potential for Goodbyes & Sad Eyes to join the ranks with its electrifying guitar riffs in the verses. These riffs amps up and intensifies the song greatly. I am totally for exploring this sound further in the song. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, as the rest of Goodbyes & Sad Eyes opts to hold itself back to sit more generically in the pop-rock realm. While I appreciate the cleaner sound and how well it showcases the resultant melodies of Goodbyes & Sad Eyes, I just feel like the chorus missed an opportunity to give us something more powerful, cooler and explosive as the centrepiece. MOON BYUL does sound great throughout the track. But like the instrumentation, her vocals loses the edginess that she builds into the pre-chorus. The pre-choruses and bridge slows down Goodbyes & Sad Eyes into soft territory, but I like how we get to hear MOON BYUL’s familar rapping style before launching into the choruses each time.

Goodbyes & Sad Eyes celebrates an eventual break up, with that being the vibe carried through to the music video. There is no upset or sad MOON BYUL throughout the video. Instead, she is having the time of her life, choosing to look beyond the breakup and enjoy what she has in the moment. She is going out to the club, dancing around while packing her bags, but most importantly, she is genuinely smiling through everything. I do like the little anime sequences that appear at each pre-chorus sequence in the song. Definitely very cool to watch, but I also liked how it shows her at ease with the situation she is in.

I liked the energy that MOON BYUL and her dancers exude during the choreography. For the stage performances, she chooses to focus more on her live vocals, which shows us her immensely growing confidence in her live performances. It does mean that she tones down her participation, but the dance performances I have seen of Goodbyes & Sad Eyes was good to watch overall.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] Rendezvous – AHOF

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Once again, there have been several debuts that I have not yet gotten around to reviewing. I am hoping that I will be able to cover more of them in the coming weeks, but to start things off is a review for the AHOF’s debut single. AHOF, which stands for All-time Hall Of Famer, is a nine-member male group formed through the survival show Universe Legend, consisting of Steven (former member of Luminous), Jeongwoo, Woongki (former member of TO1), Shuaibo, Han, JL (former member of Filipino group Pluus), Juwon, Chih En, and Daisuke. They made their debut on 1 July 2025 with the mini-album, Who We Are, and the single Rendezvous.

To be honest, I didn’t pay too much attention to AHOF when they first debuted. I don’t think it was for a particular reason, but rather I had a bit going on work-wise when Rendezvous dropped. It wasn’t until their song kept on appearing on shuffle, and more specifically the punchiness of the “Hold me back, Hold me back, Lost in a dream and falling fast” line in the bridge, that I started to pay more attention to Rendezvous. In addition to being quite punchy, there is also a slight edginess of that particular line, contrasting with the rest of the track’s pop-rock and dreamy atmosphere (which was a powerful and characteristic aspect of Rendezvous), that really put the song on the map for me. Pleasant melodies within Rendezvous, combined with the instrumental, calls back to 2nd generation KPOP, which was the generation I started to listen to KPOP (and have been here ever since!). There was some nice vocals and rapping throughout the track, though I wished there was something to make them a little more pronounced. Altogether, Rendezvous comes together quite well to produce a song that both puts the group and nostalgia out there. I definitely am looking forward to what comes next for AHOF.

Rendezvous is a song that reflects on what it feels like to start from nothing (or from struggle) to reach one’s dream. In the music video, we see the members experience struggles (isolation, feeling lost or tired, stuck in one place etc.) before coming meeting another member feeling a similar struggle and rejoining the rest of the group. The colour palette chosen during the moments of struggle was rather muted and dark. But once the members became united, there was bright tones in the video’s colour. I also liked how their own logo was used to show them being connected and give them a sense of belonging. And as a newly debut group, this also speaks to their identity as a new group.

I quite like how the stage performance for this comeback develops. For the first portion of the routine, the choreography was more aligned with the pleasant melodies of the song. But it changes gears once we get to the bridge, increasing in intensity and energy. It feels very similar to story that they were portraying in their music video.

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

[Review] EXTRA VIRGIN – YOON SAN-HA (ASTRO)

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YOON SAN-HA made his solo comeback back in July with his second mini-album, CHAMELEON, and the single EXTRA VIRGIN. It is his first solo release since his solo debut last year with DUSK (led by the single Dive. He also made his return to acting recently through the Korean drama My Girlfriend Is The Man!. Meanwhile, fellow members MJ and JINJIN have formed a subunit, ZOONZINI (their debut single, Some Things Never Change, dropped last week – review to come), while CHA EUN WOO recently enlisted in the military.

EXTRA VIRGIN is such a snazzy track. Right off the bat, it is hard to avoid the extremely funky and upbeat nature of the song. Amongst this, EXTRA VIRGIN brings us groovy percussion, a tinge of country twang and interesting synth choices that consistently have made me think my phone notifications were going off, when in reality my phone is always on silent mode. YOON SAN-HA is extremely charming throughout EXTRA VIRGIN. His delivery was very bright and energetic, capitalising on his youthful personality. While the chorus did feel inherently strong, particularly with the shouty beginning, I did think stronger melodies would have strengthened the chorus further. But my personal favourite part of EXTRA VIRGIN was the bridge. The instrumental break was enjoyable, while the build-up from YOON SAN-HA that follows was really satisfying. The ad-libs at the end were also great, but I think there was room to be even punchier and not feel as constrained.

EXTRA VIRGIN‘s meaning is funny yet abstract and different, with YOON SAN-HA confirming the song is about being premium and top-tier, similar to how ‘extra virgin’ olive oil is relative to other types of olive oils. In the lyrics, YOON SAN-HA expresses the idea that he can be anything his partner wants him to be, proving himself to be of a premium standard. The music video sees YOON SAN-HA attempt to find a way to get into the city from outside the town. I suppose the country twang in the song and the cowboy hat he wears during the video imply that YOON SAN-HA starts off in the countryside and wants to be a city person, to be with the person he is pursuing. That is only what I got out of the video and lyrics, so I could be totally wrong with my interpretation of it all.

YOON SAN-HA was awesome on stage throughout this comeback. Just like what the song calls for, the choreography is energetic and upbeat. But the main selling point was how YOON SAN-HA really got into the performance. His facial expressions gave off a mischievous vibe (which was what he was going for, as confirmed in an interview that I read for this comeback), which adds to the fun vibe the song had.

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

[Review] Dream Bus – DAY6

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DAY6 celebrates their 10th anniversary through the release of their fourth studio-length album, THE DECADE. Leading the album are the single INSIDE OUT and Dream Bus (focus of this post). The album follows the release of the digital single Maybe Tomorrow from earlier this year and the news that the band has re-signed with JYP Entertainment. Yay to more years with DAY6. But for now, let’s celebrate with my review of Dream Bus.

Dream Bus also tickles the DAY6 nostalgia, just like INSIDE OUT. But where INSIDE OUT felt relatively more mellow and emotionally driven, Dream Bus is more uplifting and positive in both sound and message. The song itself has been described as “a pop punk track with melodic chords”. I enjoyed the upbeat and energetic nature of the chorus, which pairs so nicely with the band’s warm vocals. You don’t need to know Korean to know that Dream Bus speaks to an encouraging and (as mentioned earlier) uplifting message. The instrumental and vocals just give off this exact feeling. I liked how the drumming and keyboard feel so pronounced in Dream Bus. The synths chosen for Dream Bus just give it such a well-rounded feeling. If you have been reading the blog for a while, it is obvious that I prefer more upbeat material. So it should be no surprise that I prefer Dream Bus over INSIDE OUT. But I love that both songs feel nostalgically DAY6.

The lyrics of Dream Bus likens the path to our dreams to a bus ride. Some of the lyrics make reference to holding onto bus handles, with the motions of the bus that causes us to sway on the bus whilst holding onto handles representing our the challenges or hurdles to get us to those dreams. In the music video, the bus is actually a caravan and the DAY6 members plays ordinary people – SUNGJIN as the carefree character, YOUNG K as the office worker, WONPIL as the curious minded and DOWOON as the young kid at heart who believes he has telekinesis superpowers (the dream). They all live and travel together, and we see pretty ordinary day-to-day interactions with one another. In the end, they stop in the midst of a meteor storm (which only WONPIL recognises). Some time after, we see DOWOON back in the caravan, successfully blowing up a pile of trash, showing us that his dreams came true. I really liked his smugness about it at the end, giving us a little comedic touch to the video.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] Hold My Hand – HAN (Stray Kids)

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Stray Kids recently made their comeback with their fourth studio album, KARMA, led by the title track CEREMONY. But I still have a backlog of song reviews that I have yet to post relating to Stray Kids, namely the solo tracks from their Hop mixtape and the unit tracks from their Mixtape: Dominate album. I have already made a start on this backlog, with HAN’s solo single from Hop, Hold My Hand, up next. For the other reviews of Stray Kids’ solo songs from the Hop mixtape, see the links below the music video.

If I were to pick an all-rounder in KPOP, HAN from Stray Kids is one of the idols I would definitely think of and perhaps even put forward as my ultimate pick. He is definitely known for his rapping, but he boasts a set of vocals that rivals the main vocalist of his group. Hold My Hand showcases both his rapping and singing spectacularly, alongside an explosive rock-based instrumental that is bound to get you out of your seat and just to ‘dance it out’ to. His rapping is energetic and has excellent flow, and adds to the dynamic flair that the electric guitar gives the song during the verses. But HAN really takes the cake with his soaring vocals in the choruses. I liked how you can tell he really pushed himself towards the end of the central piece of Hold My Hand via the way his vocals become raspy. It just gives off a nice texture in the song. Towards the end of Hold My Hand, through the line “‘Cause all I want is you, not your tears“, we hear the two forms of HAN’s delivery merge together as the vocals remind me of his rapping voice. Overall, I think my praise for Hold My Hand speaks to the fact that it is a strong contender for best song on HOP.

The lyrics of Hold My Hand speak to wanting to bring happiness (and not sadness) to the people he cares about, which some fans have theorised to be a continuation of his past SKZ-PLAYER songs – Alien and Human. In the music video (and this is just my theory), we see HAN struggle to place his own song on the jukebox machine, which causes him to feel anxious and as if he is letting down the people who depend on him. But he soon learns that his music doesn’t need to be on the jukebox. Instead, it needs to be expressed in his own way, which leads to him performing the song in the alleyway. It isn’t the easiest way, but it is a sure way to get his music out there.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 9.2/10

I.N’s HALLUCINATION | SEUNGMIN’s As We Are | FELIX’s Unfair | HAN’s Hold My Hand
HYUNJIN’s So Good | CHANGBIN’s ULTRA | LEE KNOW’s YOUTH | BANG CHAN’s Railway

[Review] body – DAYOUNG (WJSN)

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Despite most WJSN members renewing their contracts with Starship Entertainment in 2023 (LUDA and DAWON left Starship, but remain as part of the group), there has been minimal music release from WJSN or the members themselves. The only member to release music since 2023 is SEOLA with her solo debut single Without U in January last year. Over a year and a half later, DAYOUNG is the next member to release her solo debut single, body.

I don’t think any KPOP song released this summer has earned the annual title of a Summer hit. Maybe Soda Pop from KPOP Demon Hunters, but I don’t consider that to be KPOP. With that said, perhaps DAYOUNG’s almost-all-English body potentially has what it takes to earn that title. Both the dance pop track’s instrumental and DAYOUNG herself sound refreshing and upbeat at the same time. For the instrumental, I enjoyed the bouncy bass and beat in the background, while the synth work feels very cool and chill. body also benefits from being straight forward and easy on the ears. As for DAYOUNG, I enjoyed her vocals. Like the instrumental, she was also very straight forward in her delivery, but she also brought a lively touch to body. The rap-sing in the second verse did take a couple of listens for me to warm up to (as it felt very plain at first), but it works fine now. body‘s hooks in the chorus are extremely pleasant and catchy, and I find myself easily humming along to the chorus when body plays. Personally, I would have liked for something a little more dynamic towards the end, just to offset the potential risk of repetitiveness and the main hook becoming monotonous . But that is something I can overlook, which will help body to edge closer to becoming that yearly summer hit in my books.

Looks as if the music video was shot in the USA, this visual aspect of body embodies the summer season quite well. The location is extremely bright, with the house chosen for the video having a lot of open space and tall windows to emphasise the presence of the sun. I liked the summery outfits worn by DAYOUNG and the dancers. I also liked how sexy the video got during the bridge, with DAYOUNG and the dancer’s silhouette being the main focus.

As mentioned earlier, body is upbeat and dynamic dance pop track. DAYOUNG and her dancers do a great job of showing just that on stage, and also have a blast while they are at it. I liked how there was something different in each chorus, but it all came back to the same moves. The performance looks best when everyone is on stage dancing together.

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

[Album Review] ONF: My Identity (2nd Studio Album – Part 1) – ONF

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While we are patiently awaiting the second part of ONF’s 2nd studio album, here is my review of the first part of ONF: My Identity, which was released back in February this year. Leading the 6-track album is the title track The Stranger. Once again, ONF did not disappoint with their album release, almost reaching the same heights as last year’s mini-album release (see info below). I ranked all the tracks highly, half of which received a 10/10 from me. For more of my thoughts on the album, keep on reading.

Before the release of this album, we last saw ONF through their 8th mini-album, Beautiful Shadow, which was led by the amazingly superior Bye My Monster.

Album cover for ONF: My Identity (Part 1)

1. The Stranger (Title track) – Click here for The Stranger’s full review. (9/10)

2. Night Tale – Following the title track is Night Tale, a cool electro funk number. While the song is under 3 minutes long, Night Tale packs quite a bit into its short span and effectively uses the time to make a punchy number. I really like HYOJIN’s ad-libs at the end, as well as WYATT and E-TION’s rap/rap-speak delivery in the second verse. The rest of the members’ deliveries also appear strong. The instrumental break, particularly thanks to the retro touches, definitely makes for a worthwhile dance break – exactly what the SEUNGJUN and the group gave us when Night Tale was performed on stage. (9/10)

3. Nothing But A Stranger – Next up on the mini-album are the unit tracks, with Nothing But A Stranger from the ON Team (HYOJIN, E-TION and MINKYUN). It is an R&B track that showcases what the unit is all about – vocals. I love how dreamier the melodies of Nothing But A Stranger gets as it progresses, allowing the trio to really whisk us away with their warm and comforting vocals as the song progresses. (10/10)

4. Anti Hero – The OFF Team (SEUNGJUN, WYATT and U) takes over the album with Anti Hero. The track features a rock-based track that is definitely exciting and powerful. The rock style reminds me of TVXQ’s Red Sun. I find myself head-banging along to the choruses each time I replay the song. Their rapping and vocals are on par with the instrumentation in terms of power and intensity, with WYATT’s deeper voice put on full display during the pre-chorus sequence, and SEUNGJUN and U’s vocals working perfectly in the chorus. (10/10)

5. Good Place – Good Place is probably the most unique and intriguing track on the album (and probably in recent times in KPOP overall). It is a fun house and tropical blend track, which doesn’t sound too out of the ordinary. But it also features a cool flute synth accompaniment that just gives Good Place something different to separate it from the rest. I like how the melodies and vocals were ‘easy on the ears’, which is also channelled throughout the rest of Good Place, which makes for an intriguing listen overall. (10/10)

6. Collab – Continuing on with the upbeat vibes from the previous song is Collab, a bossa nova-influenced track. It is a more mellow and pleasant track compared to the others on the album. But it is still very bright, bouncy and has some boldness to it. I liked how pronounced their vocals and rapping were over the top of the instrumentation, and the brass elements were very appreciated. It is more on the ordinary side, however. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9.3/10

ONF’s teaser image for ONF: My Identity (Part 1)

[Review] INSIDE OUT – DAY6

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DAY6 celebrates their 10th anniversary through the release of their fourth studio-length album, THE DECADE. Leading the album are the singles INSIDE OUT (focus of this review) and Dream Bus. The album follows the release of the digital single Maybe Tomorrow from earlier this year and the news that the band has re-signed with JYP Entertainment. Yay to more years with DAY6, but for now, let’s celebrate with my review of INSIDE OUT.

I personally found INSIDE OUT to be a great song, as it tickles the DAY6 nostalgia within me. It revisits pop-rock territory and has the right elements to make it feel like familiar to me. But there is still a bit of freshness to the song, which comes mainly in the form of the groovy, thumping first half of the chorus. I found this part of INSIDE OUT to be very unique, and I liked how the second verse briefly revisits this in the first instance. The second half of the chorus brings a rush of upbeat energy that makes the song exciting and there is a comforting feeling to thanks to DAY6’s vocals. INSIDE OUT‘s melodies are fine and pleasant, though I think they could have done more in this department. It felt a little too ordinary, but this shouldn’t deter you from listening to INSIDE OUT at all.

INSIDE OUT speaks to how someone cannot keep their feelings for another person hidden any longer, leading them to a love confession. In the music video, we see DAY6’s lives at a standstill due to keeping these emotions bottled up. We see nerves, sickness and even the idea of their relationship (and perhaps their friendship) not working out, as represented by the dancers dressed up as crash test dummies and the messaging of ‘failure’ in the pool scenes. As the video progresses, the members build up the courage to confess, leading the finale where the test dummies explode, which suggests that the fear from earlier probably did not eventuate. It is a bit of an abstract concept, but I think it works well in telling the story that the members were once worried that their confession could lead to the breakdown of their friendship with their crush.

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

[Review] CRZY – HAECHAN (NCT)

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As of yesterday, HAECHAN has become the 7th member of NCT to make his solo debut, following TAEYONG, TEN, DOYOUNG, JAEHYUN, YUTA and MARK. HAECHAN’s solo debut comes in the form of a studio album, TASTE, led by the single CRZY. More recently, HAECHAN has been busy promoting as part of NCT DREAM through their BTTF and CHILLER singles, which form part of NCT DREAM’s 5th studio album, Go Back To The Future.

HAECHAN is most known for being the main vocalist of the NCT subunits he is part of. And so, it should be no surprise that his solo debut title track shows off some of his vocals. His tone is consistently refreshing throughout CRZY, complementing the R&B pop dance genre that CRZY delves into. That being said, I do feel like the material within CRZY could have done more with his vocals, especially on the melodic front, which felt plain in CRZY. I do appreciate the smoothness and sleekness of his vocals and the melodies that we did get. But it wasn’t exactly the amazing material I had expected from a main vocalist. CRZY does give us a different side to HAECHAN that we don’t usually hear much of – some rapping. I appreciate that this is something different for HAECHAN, and it gives us something more to talk about. Instrumentally, I liked how upbeat CRZY got via the rhythmic guitar and percussion. It definitely made CRZY feel cool and suave.

CRZY is about the influence someone you are attracted to can have over you. In the music video, that person is likened to a piece of art that HAECHAN find in an art gallery. At first, we see HAECHAN admire it and then graffiti the art gallery around it, showing the influence the art (or someone) can have on him. By the end of the video, the art piece itself is replaced by another (representing that the someone mentioned earlier has left his life), and leaves HAECHAN wondering what life could have been like had that someone stayed in it. I liked the concept of the art gallery, and it speaks to the fact that art (in whatever form) can be powerful and influential to the point that it can affect people.

I wasn’t really sure what I was expecting on the choreography front for CRZY. So I guess I can say I was genuinely surprised by how good HAECHAN pulled it all off. Though considering that he is part of NCT DREAM and NCT 127, which are known for their dance performances, should this really have been a surprise? Anyhow, I really enjoyed the smooth moves that HAECHAN and the dancers pull off during the chorus, while the term ‘crazy’ was slightly elongated. The MJ influence was also unmissable, and I love how controlled those spins were throughout the routine.

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

[Review] Rich Man – aespa

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The last two reviews are for releases from the start of the previous week. I now skip forward to the end of the week to review aespa’s new title track, Rich Man, which serves as the title track of the group’s 6th mini-album of the same name. This is the group’s first release since June’s Dirty Work.

Production-wise, Rich Man is a fantastic song. I love the hard rock influence the group goes for in Rich Man. The guitar work has a grungy quality that lends the song character, and it pairs well with the synths chosen for the song. The resultant instrumental piece is very energetic and dynamic, yet different from aespa’s usual output (which has been more synth-based). However, the disappointing thing about Rich Man is that it uses a lot of the same hook. While the members sound nice delivering the line “I’m a rich man” over and over again, the repetitiveness loosens Rich Man‘s power that has been building up throughout the song. It also doesn’t help that another side of Rich Man‘s hook is the “La La La“. After hearing something that channels power, the softer and delicate “La La La” hook just doesn’t feel like the logical follow-through to really push the song further. From the first presence of this hook, Rich Man has to rebuild itself, which just doesn’t deliver the same result as before the hook. Overall, Rich Man is a strongly instrumented track with weakening material.

The music video shows the members being independent and not needing a ‘rich man’ as they continuously iterate throughout the song. We see the members driving a race car, playing American football against a dog (unsure if this is a real-life occurrence) and alongside an actual team, fixing and supporting a vehicle without a lift, and taking on other typical male professions (this video chose a camera operator to showcase this). Later in the video, we see the members on a farm, demonstrating self-sufficiency (whilst the city in the background burns down). Out of all these locations and sub-concepts, I think everything that revolved around the race track and football was more fitting with the music, compared to the farm scenes.

On stage for Rich Man, their confidence and charisma, as well as their robust and (sometimes) complex dance moves, make for a performance that is worthwhile to check out. If that isn’t enough for you, their performance is also full of a sassy attitude that the song allows for and makes this performance even better.

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

[Review] N the Front – MONSTA X

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Earlier this week, MONSTA X made their first album release since 2023 (as the majority of the group were carrying out their respective military enlistments) with their 13th mini-album, The X. The mini-album celebrates the group’s 10th anniversary since their 2014 debut. Leading the mini-album is the title track N the Front, and the pre-release Do What I Want (which I have already reviewed).

While it has been almost a week since N the Front dropped, the song has left the same impression on me during every listen I have given it thus far. Put simply, N the Front is shouty and boastful, but it does so without much to it. While shouty and boastful can make a strong song (and this is definitely the potential N the Front has), I just felt the repetitiveness in this song leaves only the hook in mind and makes you forget the rest. If you were to ask me about what else is going on in the song, I couldn’t tell you about it. And that says a lot, given MONSTA X themselves and their songs are powerful. That is how I would describe the synth-based instrumental that forms the basis of N the Front. However, I couldn’t fully describe it without relistening to the track and tuning out the repetitive hook. Even the members themselves appeared to be overshadowed by the hook, though re-listening to N the Front for the purposes of this review has made me realise that the raps in particular are pretty strong, while the vocals were okay at best when away from the song’s hook. Obviously, the hook is where the members are their strongest within the song.

The music video shows the force and power behind MONSTA X, telling people around them not to mess with them. Otherwise, you might turn into green goo like the guy they tied up and relocated in the van via loud music. Other parts of the video convey a message that they are different and should be allowed to be themselves. I actually liked the various premises of the video, which include taking over a TV studio and commandeering a junior taekwondo class. The best part of the video has to be the bridge, as JOOHONEY and I.M are delivering the lines “Make the ground shake, bring the earthquake, Feel the floor crack, we are not fake“, and the people we see in the video are stomping along with the music. It is a very cool and commanding part of the video, which is why it is my favourite part of the song.

Despite recently going on hiatus for back pain and treatment, it is nice to see I.M participate in the promotions for the comeback. While he isn’t performing the choreography, he is still actively joining the members on stage throughout the performance to deliver his parts of N the Front. As for the choreography, it is definitely a powerful routine with a hip-hop influence that looks cool. I also enjoyed the bounce in the routine during the chorus.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] ICONIK – ZEROBASEONE

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ZEROBASEONE is back with their 1st ever studio album, NEVER SAY NEVER. The album is led by the title track, ICONIK, following last month’s SLAM DUNK and the earlier single BLUE, (plus the mini-album BLUE PARADISE, which I have yet to review). This release is timely, as their original 2.5-year contract (starting in July 2023) leaves the group with less than 6 months remaining. But in some exciting news, WakeOne (the company that manages ZEROBASEONE) is looking to extend ZEROBASEONE’s contract. So there is hope for more music from ZEROBASEONE, potentially including another studio album.

ICONIK is a song with the potential to be awesome. It has only been a couple of hours since the song’s release, so it needs a few more listens to develop. However, with a strong first impression already made, ICONIK will likely grow on me easily. Throughout this dance track, the group incorporates funky and groovy elements boldly with its disco-pop style. I really liked this direction of ICONIK, but I just wish the chorus had a bit more time to breathe. It felt too tightly strung together. While it worked well in terms of intensity and boldness, it also made ICONIK‘s chorus feel like a fast-paced blur, preventing us from fully taking it in. The obsession with keeping a song under 3 minutes might have been a driver for this, and while it has helped make repetitive songs feel less so, I don’t think it was necessary here. The melodies in ICONIK ultimately fall victim to the fast pace and tightness, feeling slightly undeveloped and rushed at certain times. But it isn’t all bad news. Vocally, I felt ICONIK is strong, while KIM GYUVIN’s rapping was very sleek. I was very impressed with MATTHEW’s bridge, HAN SUNGBIN’s high note and KIM TAERAE’s ad-libs at the end.

According to SOOMPI, ICONIK “represents the path ZEROBASEONE has walked down as artists and expresses their determination to shine even brighter.” In the music video, we see the members in the midst of their journey they speak of in the song’s message, stopping at an airport along the way that serves as a midpoint of their trip. Their destination is probably wherever that floating jewelled star is. It may represent stardom, as we see one of the members grab onto a microphone and jump off it. I really liked the styling of the members throughout the video, as well as the cool post-production. I also liked how the producers ensured the energy in the video matched the song, which makes it very appealing to watch alongside the song.

I like how the choreography captures that funky and groovy side of the song, creating a very energetic performance to watch. The best part of the routine is undoubtedly the transition between the bridge and the final chorus, where the deep rumbling synths take centre stage, and the routine intensifies in that moment.

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

[Album Review] SAD SONG (7th Mini-Album) – P1Harmony

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Next up for an album review is P1Harmony’s SAD SONG, their 7th mini-album since their debut. The mini-album features a total of 7 songs, including the title track, which shares the same name, as well as its English version. For the side tracks on this mini-album, P1Harmony explores a diverse range of genres and successfully interprets them in their own style. I do encourage you to check the rest of the SAD SONG mini-album, especially if you are just discovering or getting into P1Harmony.

SAD SONG follows on from P1Harmony’s 1st studio album, Killin’ It, which was released last year alongside the title track of the same name. More recently, P1Harmony returned with their 8th mini-album and title track of the same name, DUH!, which I have yet to review (but will).

SAD SONG Album Cover

1. SAD SONG (Title Track) – Click here for SAD SONG’s full review. (8/10)

2. It’s Alright – It’s Alright brings a reggae influence to the mini-album. Also featured prominently are some funky-tinged electric guitar and really awesome vocals. The former helps reinforce the reggae influence, while the latter is on full display from THEO, KEEHO and JIUNG. Both THEO and JIUNG suit this song’s style so well, while JIUNG’s high note blows me away each time I listen to It’s Alright. “It’s Alright” is very much an understatement for It’s Alright. (9/10)

3. Last Call – Pop rock is next up on the mini-album through the single Last Call. The energy for this track is a definite selling point, and this encapsulates the desire to continue celebrating and partying that is expressed in the lyrics. Compared to the last song, Last Call is a well-balanced track that showcases the best of P1Harmony, with some members (KEEHO and INTAK, namely) pulling double duties. The rappers really give it their all in Last Call, and they all sound awesome. The vocalists continue to display their good vocals from the previous song, making the pop-rock feel familiar. (10/10)                 

4. Welcome To – The rock elements continue onwards in Welcome To, but in a grungier manner. I really liked the head-banging potential behind the rock instrumental, as well as the melodies during the chorus. I did wish the instrumental was a little more energetic, as this would have taken the song to the next level. And since I have been naming the key players in each song, I should continue this theme throughout the video by pointing out that SOUL really shines throughout Welcome To. (8/10)  

5. All You – All You presents us with feel-good vibes with a jazzy introduction and an easy-going instrumental with brass elements. It is an extremely pleasant sound for the group, and they do a decent job with it. I do prefer P1Harmony in their more upbeat dance numbers, but this was still a good number from them. (7/10)

6. WASP – WASP serves as P1Harmony’s first subunit track, featuring the main rappers of the group – INTAK and JONGSEOB. I really liked the rough voices the pairs bring to the song. But JONGSEOB’s softer tone rap takes the cake for me. There is also something catchy about the “Wiung Wiung” hook in this hip-hop track. While WASP isn’t my go-to track for the usual reasons, it was still a decent number on the mini-album. Hope there are more unit tracks in P1Harmony’s future. (7.5/10)

7. SAD SONG (English Version) – See SAD SONG’s full review above.

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

P1Harmony’s SAD SONG teaser image

[Review] XOXZ – IVE

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IVE made their return at the start of the week with their 4th mini-album, IVE SECRET, and the lead single XOXZ. It is their first overall release since their July Japanese comeback with Be Alright and their first Korean comeback since their 3rd mini-album IVE Empathy, which featured singles REBEL HEART and ATTITUDE.

Except for last year’s Accendio and TKO from their previous mini-album, whenever IVE has promoted a song with an edgier and darker style, it has been a miss for me. The new single XOXZ appears to follow that trend. The choruses were the biggest miss in the entire song, in my opinion. It was very dry and lacklustre. There was some good to be found in the chorus, such as the dramatic flair in the instrumental and the whispery delivery of the XOXZ title. However, somehow, putting all of that together just didn’t have the desired impact and created a fizzler of a centrepiece. The fast-spoken lines should have been an intriguing component, but the execution just didn’t stick with me and was easily overlooked. A similar comment can be applied to most of the song. However, it isn’t all bad news for XOXZ. I really liked the ethereal pre-choruses. It is just a pity that the follow-through (i.e., the chorus) was a let-down.

The music video for XOXZ unfolds as a dream, starting with a truck crashing through the window of a high-rise apartment. This is then followed by the dream version of IVE taking the sleeping member on a journey of her dreams. I really liked IVE’s edgy looks throughout the music video, and I feel elements of the video call back to IVE’s Accendio‘s music video (i.e., the goat horns). The only aspect of the video I didn’t like was the dings that start to appear during the bridge portion and in the ending card. It just made the video feel overly cheesy.

The performance aspect of the comeback was pretty good. Nothing stood out on its own, but rather the choreography (as a whole) did a decent job of encapsulating those edgy tones from the song. I also enjoyed the balance between the members’ cuteness and power in the routine.

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