Category: KPOP

[Album Review] Voice: The Future Is Now (1st Studio Album) – VICTON

Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged Leave a comment

The 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Award winners have been announced. Click here top find out who won in each of the categories that you voted for!

Hopefully starting with this post, I can be a little more consistent with writing and publishing album reviews. I am usually quite good with the segment, releasing two or three album reviews per week. But lately, that number has dropped quite a bit. For example, I have only posted a total of two album reviews this month (which VICTON’s album review post being the third). As just mentioned, this restart of the album review segment begins with VICTON’s first studio album, Voice: The Future Is Now, which is headlined with the title track What I Said. The album features an additional 12 songs, four of which are solo tracks from selected members. If this album has shown me anything, it is how much I shouldn’t overlook VICTON. This album has a few amazing songs that I am definitely coming back to kick back to in the future (if I haven’t done yet). Find out which songs I am referring to below!

Voice: The Future is Now Album Cover

1. Into The Mirror – Into The Mirror starts off the album in epic proportions. I practically enjoyed all elements of the song. The EDM was powerful and the vocal work and the rapping were very strong. In the Mirror really pulls you into the album. My favourite section has to be the short rap-speak sequence before the choruses, which added suspense to the song. I would give it a 10/10 rating, but I can see some people making the argument that this song can be overwhelming for them based on its powerfulness. (9.5/10)

2. What I Said (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for What I Said. (8.5/10)

3. Circle – Circle stands out for a number of reasons. The first is the unique synth that sounds pretty much like a table tennis ball bouncing. It is peculiar and random, all at the same time. But there is a charm to it. The second is the rock infusion when it came to the chorus. I liked how it brought intensity to the song and it boosted the pop sound to a new level. The third has to be the song more melodic approach, which was brought to life through the vocals of the members (who all sounded pretty good). The rapping, especially Byungchan’s ending sequence, added appeal and complimented the intensity brought by the rock infusion. (10/10)

4. Chess – The electronic profile of the instrumental of Chess feels quite unique. I really like the retro game-like sample they use repetitively during the verses. It too has its charm and gave the verse something more to focus on. I also enjoyed the stripped back style of the chorus. It is quite atmospheric and it was also a great blank canvas for the members to showcase their vocals, which they do. I also really like how the song allows for the members to drive it forward with the song’s melodies. The stand out member for me is Hanse, whose rap sequence really captivated me. (9/10)

5. Up To You –Up To You feels like a typical pop track. It pretty much showcases a sound that we have heard from the rest of the industry. While plainness is sometimes enjoyed by me, Up To You should have continued the streak of great songs by bringing something new to the table. What is good about the song is the intensity that forms when the instrumentation is paired with the vocals. It helps amplify the song, making it more appealing as it progresses. Unfortunately, when compared to the song before and after it, Up To You just felt standard. (6.5/10)

6. All Day – All Day brings something new to the album, an acoustic and mellow sound. It also brings out a different side of the group to what we have heard so far from them on this album. Delicate vocals and a softer tone. The instrumental itself also brings forth that swayable effect on me, which I think is a strong indication of how nice and soothing the song sounds. It is also reminiscent of their softer pop title tracks such as Nostalgic Night, which I fairly enjoyed. (8/10)

7. Carry On (Kang Seungsik Solo) – The first solo track on the album belongs to Seungsik. His addition to the album is a ballad. It also serves as the album’s mandatory ballad. As mentioned in the past, this is expected for the main vocalist of the group, as their solo work as usually defaulted to a ballad of some kind. Carry On really shines the light on Seungsik’s vocals, which are very soft, delicate and touching. The softer tone in the instrumentation was also quite soothing. Together, I found the entirety of Carry On to be dreamy and perfect as a song to fade out on. (8/10)

8. Eyes On You (Heo Chan Solo) –While I was listening to the album to vet it for the purpose of writing an album review, Eyes On You caught my attention. It has such a sleek profile during the verses. The soft approach that Chan adopts in the verses stole my attention from whatever I was doing at the time. The chorus was quite unexpecting (for me, at least). At first, I thought it was a bit heavy handed as a drop (relative to the verses). But I have grown to like it as it is. It now comes off as a held back drop to me and that idea of it being heavy handed has long gone. Eyes On You was previously revealed at VICTON’s concert and the drop facilitates an awesome choreography and stage presence. (10/10)

9. Utopia (Lim Sejun Solo) – Sejun’s solo track is titled Utopia. It is a decent pop track, but lacking in some departments. The instrumental has a nice bounce to it, but it falls into a very typical EDM hole. The energy that comes off the song is promising. But I wished there was more of an exciting climb and a satisfying peak to the song. It just felt flat. I did like the vocal work but Sejun seemed to have been held back for whatever reason. As a whole track, Utopia is pretty plain. (6/10)

10. Where Is Love? (Do Hanse Solo) – The final solo song is Where Is Love?. I have very high expectations as Hanse is one of the members in VICTON’s that stands out to me. His texturally loaded voice is just made for the rapping and he sounds very cool in majority of VICTON’s every track out there. Interestingly, Where Is Love? is predominately a slow R&B song. It builds as its progresses along, peaking at the end with its most upbeat dance sequence. Hanse showcases his rapping ability in a more refined matter as a result of the song’s slow pace. Personally, I would have liked it if he let loose, but Where Is Love? is still quite appreciable. (7/10)

11. Unpredictable – After a string of varying solo tracks, VICTON returns as a full group with Unpredictable. And it is a smashing song. The instrumental for this song fits into the groovy trend that has taken over KPOP. But it is cleverly mashed up into an intense dance track. The initial moments are quite misleading by starting slow. But Unpredictable develops into a really cool and funky dance track. The vocal work is great, while Hanse delivers with his rap sequence. As a result, Unpredictable is my pick for the album’s hidden gem. (10/10)

12. Flip A Coin – The star attraction to Flip A Coin is Hanse’s fast paced rap sequence. It is the reason to why I come back to the song so often. The rest of the song falls into the trap of being a typical intense male group release, which is quite unfortunate. The other positive aspect of the song happens to be the repetition of ‘Flip A Coin’ as part of the chorus. It seems that the repetition and Hanse’s execution of his part is enough to convince me to return often to the song. But it isn’t enough to convince me otherwise about the rest of the song. (7/10)

13. We Stay – The song at the end of studio albums seems to usually fall into the category of being a fan-pleaser. VICTON’s final song is no exception, with We Stay containing a very bright pop background. It is quite easy to get into, with simple melodies and fun hooks. It is also quite lighthearted, miles away from the rest of the album. Per usual, VICTON showcases great vocals and rapping in the song. It ends the album on a very positive and happy note. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

Voice: The Future Is Now Teaser Image

[International Song Reviews] Chungha, Baekhyun, Dream Catcher, Jung Daehyun, TWICE

Posted in International Song Review, JPOP, KPOP, Western POPTagged , , , , 2 Comments

BTS’ Dynamite was voted by you to be the Best International Song By a Korean Artist. All songs from this review moving forward, including the songs in this review, will be eligble for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Check them out and remember to vote for your favourite at the end of the year. In the meanwhile, check out the winners for the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

Welcome to the first International Song Review post of 2021. KPOP artists aren’t just focused on the Korean pop music industry. They have embarked on multiple other music video industries include the Japanese, Chinese and Western music industries. As they are released by Korean artists, I feel the obligation to review them like any other song released by the artists in Korea. But as they are not from the primary industry (i.e. KPOP), I decided to lump the reviews into one post. This allows me to focus on the primary review of Korean songs, but also allow me to ‘keep up’ with the releases outside of Korea. In this post, I will be focusing on songs released in the Western and Japanese music industries by Korean artists in late November 2020 and January 2021. I would recommend you check them all out. They include Chungha, Baekhyun, Dream Catcher, Jung Daehyun and TWICE.

Dream of You – Chungha (with R3HAB)

Dream of You is actually a Korean song released all in English. To give you some context, Dream of You is a pre-release single for her now-released first studio album that dropped earlier in the week. We all first heard the song at the end of November 2020 and it became part of the buildup towards Chungha’s grand return to the domestic market. What really stands out with Dream of You is the funky thumping instrumentation (which felt quite classy and dynamic all at the same time). The electronic nature of the instrumentation just makes it groovier. It is quite simple in hindsight, but it feels quite loaded when you consider the song as a whole. Chungha shows off her vocal flair throughout the song, delivering the song’s mature lyrics in a very complimenting manner. If Dream of You needed to prove its potential for Chungha to flourish in the Western market, then it did its job well. The music video released in conjunction back in November 2020 is actually a performance video. It showcases Chungha and her male dancers performing the song with an uber sensual choreography. There is a modern femme fatale vibe that comes from it, which I really enjoyed. It also felt like an extension of her Stay Tonight music video that was released earlier in 2020. I really the scenes where she performance in a suit and a hat. It just made the performance more impactful and interesting to watch. This release as a whole proves to me that Chungha is a performer that any industry should be afraid of. (10/10)

Get You Alone – Baekhyun (EXO)

It seems like the ongoing funky trend is spreading to other industries as well. Get You Alone is Baekhyun’s Japanese solo debut title track and it was first unveiled on the 3rd of January 2021 at his solo concert. The song has this casual upbeat vibe which makes it quite a pleasant listen. It isn’t really the most exciting song out there. But it manages to show off Baekhyun’s vocals quite nicely, emphasising the smoothness of his vocals and its husky profile. His ad-libs throughout Get You Alone and especially during the bridge is definitely the song’s icing on the cake. The music video shows a nerdy version of Baekhyun wanting to ask out someone he is interested in. But that person cruelly rejects him. He turns to the help of a more confident and experienced version of Baekhyun (the talk show host), who tells him what to do to be successful in the dating department (i.e. setting the mood, teaching him about manners and to make sure he smells nice – which resulted in a classy wardrobe change). I wished we got to see whether the changes and work put in paid off. It would have completed the story in a fulfilling manner. I liked the sets of the video. There isn’t anything special about them, but they managed to emphasis the funky tones of the song. The choreography shown throughout the music video was quite good and paired well with the song. (8/10)

No More – Dream Catcher

We all know Dream Catcher for their infusion of rock influences in their title tracks, regardless of the music industry they are releasing it in. What makes it even better is that Dream Catcher almost always puts a fresh spin on it. They found a niche in the KPOP industry and have managed to continued marketing towards that niche without tiring out listeners. But I don’t think we have ever heard anything with high intensity as No More. Released at the end of November 2020, No More literally charges at you with its relentless energy. It quite thrilling and powerful, all rolled into three minute long song. I really like how Dami’s rap cuts through the intensity by having the rock instrumentation stripped away into an almost trap-electronic piece. It does feel fitting for the song as a whole and brings some mid-song relief. The music video for No More doesn’t actually the members. I am assuming the anime characters that we do see are anime version of the members, though I haven’t found any information on who they are. The music video also doubles up as a lyrics video, showing the lyrics of the song of the song. I also like the transitions of the video. They do feel erratic, but most importantly, they matching the intensity of the song. As the video doesn’t feature the members and the anime character are simply images, there is not associated choreography with this comeback. (8.6/10)

Amazing – Jung Daehyun

Jung Daehyun, a member of the now inactive B.A.P, made his solo comeback in Korea with his first Japanese single back in November 2020. The new song is titled Amazing and it was officially released at the end of November 2020. But the music video was released for a month prior to the official song release. It is definitely nice to hear his voice once again, especially since this is the first song I have heard from him since the release of Aight at the end of 2019. His voice does flourish in the song and the melodies are quite enjoyable. Amazing also shines in the instrumental department. Sure, there isn’t anything special about it. But like the vocals and melodies, it was quite enjoyable and acted as a decent backdrop for the solo act’s vocals. It was noticeably dominated by repetitive taps on the keyboard and there was also some brass thrown into the song to give the chorus some additional colour. The music video was quite simple at the start, but it stilled managed to look classy thanks to the outfits worn by Jung Daehyun and the dancers. The video also showcased the visuals of Jung Daehyun quite well. About half way through the video, we see Jung Daehyun and the dancers perform under rain and in a water pool. While this is something we now see often in KPOP, it made the video more visually interesting. I personally felt the red light could have been omitted, but that is the only critical comment I can make for this video. The choreography looks nice. I wished more people would view the video to watch Jung Daehyun in action and listen to the song, as this comeback is very underrated. (8.2/10)

Better – TWICE

The final song in this post is TWICE’s Better. It was released back in mid-November. If you are looking for a fulfilling pop dose from this list, Better is the song for you. While some of the other songs above are within the pop realm, none of them match Better‘s colourful energy. It is the type of song that will make you smile and get up to dance to. The song’s best part has to be the descending melody that features as the song’s pre-chorus. It is definitely quite memorable and it makes the chorus just pop out so much more. The chorus comes out as a close second, with Jihyo’s ‘Better‘ really sticking in my mind. The rapping by Chaeyoung and Dahyun has a really nice kick to it, elevating Better to a much better level. While I don’t mention the rest of the members, they all sound really amazing throughout this new song. When it comes to the music video for Better, I applaud the stylist of the video who chose their outfits. The colours were quite dull and wouldn’t necessarily be considered fashionable at first glance. But the outfit colours worked in really close harmony to the rest of the music video, making the members stand out in the video. There is still a burst of other colours throughout the video using dominance, which compliments the pop vibes of the song. I also like the casualness of the video, portrayed through the member’s outfits and the uncomplicated nature of the sets. For the choreography, I like the bouncy energy they bring forth. The bridge looks complicated, but aesthetic. (9/10)

[Review] Excalibur – KINGDOM

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

As mentioned in the last review, I will be focusing on two new debuts from this week. I have already covered TRI.BE’s debut single in the mentioned review. Today, I will be focusing on a newly debuted male group, KINGDOM. They are a new group under GF Entertainment and is made up of seven members (Dann, Louis, Chiwoo, Arthur, Ivan, Mujin, Jahan). Dann and Arthur were previous members of VARSITY. An interesting and unique concept with the group members is that their stage names are based on historic kings from across the world. KINGDOM made their debut on Thursday with the single, Excalibur, and the mini-album, History Of Kingdom : PartⅠ. Arthur.

There seems to be a bit within Excalibur. For some songs, that could be a compliment. But in Excalibur‘s case, this description is not as positive as it could have been. Let’s break the song down, starting off with the members. While Excalibur does show that the members can perform, it felt overly ambitious at the same time. Some of the vocal work felt strained, while other parts could have been more polished to feel cleaner and clearer. I also felt the vocal department didn’t offer anything new to the industry, which leaves them less memorable to me. Nor was there anything impressive to wow me. The rapping faired a little better. But overall, there was a consistent plainness that came from the members. Similarly, the song doesn’t have much of a strong hook. There were good moments within the song, but they were brief ‘moments’ and nothing like what a ‘strong hook’ should be like. Those good moments are mainly there due to the instrumentation. I felt that the producers managed to showcase an epic vibe within the sound of the song quite well. But unfortunately, the epic vibes were pretty much concentrated during the pre-chorus, where the background inclines using organs and gripping energy. It is also quite unfortunate that the producers reverted to a very plain use of EDM for the chorus. There was so much potential for the chorus to be so much more dynamic. The bridge is a bit more interesting, using a wobbling-like synth effect which I haven’t heard of before. I also liked how it grew faster, which was very different. Overall, Excalibur was ambitious that didn’t feel like it was well-executed. There were some positives about the song that I was glad to still enjoy. But it seems like the song’s negative aspects outweighs its positives.

The visual concept behind this group might be one of the biggest positives of the debut as a whole. As the mini-album is centered around King Arthur, the main character for this music video is Arthur himself. Furthermore, the song is titled after King Arthur’s infamous sword. So clearly this makes the most sense. You can see each member representing the king that has been assigned to them by their stage name throughout the video. All join forces to defeat whoever is trying to kill Arthur and all pay their respect to King Arthur at the end of the video when he finally sits on his throne. While I did like the visual concept, I am not keen on their outfits. They seemed overkill and felt like the stylist got too carried away with the chains. I also would like to see whether they will focus on each king/member in their subsequent releases. It will be interesting to see a different story being told, especially after they went with the most obvious story of a king battling to reclaim his throne. I am hoping they don’t repeat the same story another six times, just revisualised to fit the background of the king in focus. It does seem like we will be seeing the Chinese king, Chiyou, in the next video based on the ending.

KINGDOM made the plain EDM chorus turn into a powerful piece thanks to the choreography. That is quite a feat! On top of that the performance looks quite good. The choice to use swords and so many backup dancers really paid off, even though both sound very risky. It helps bring the visual concept to life on the stage, expanding the comeback in a very clever manner. However, them posing with the swords at the end felt a little corny for my liking.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

[Review] DOOM DOOM TA – TRI.BE

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

The next two reviews (released today and tomorrow) are for some new debuts that occurred this week. Yesterday, we saw the debut of TRI.BE, a new female group co-produced by Shinsadong Tiger and Universal Music. The group consist of seven members (SongSun, Kelly, JinHa, HyunBin, Jia, SoEun and Mire). From my research, the group name is split into two, with the ‘TRI’ part representing perfection (and comes from the word ‘Triangle’) and ‘BE’ representing the perfect being. They debuted yesterday with DOOM DOOM TA, which is featured on the group’s first single album, TRI.BE Da Loca.

Aside from a smashing to start of their careers with, what newly debut groups really need to demonstrate with their first few songs is potential. And I feel that TRI.BE has done that through DOOM DOOM TA. It is what I enjoyed about this song. I felt like there was a lot of it throughout the song that showcase the members to a degree. There are great vocals throughout and I definitely have to praise whichever member handled the high note just before the final chorus. Other members showed different textures which I think can be carried forward to new song releases, provided the producing team for their future songs can capitalize them. Knowing that this is a Shinsadong Tiger produced group, I feel that they are in safe hands. There were some decent rapping throughout the song, as well. This showcase of potential is definitely important in this case, given I felt DOOM DOOM TA was a boring song overall. To me, I couldn’t find a memorable hook in DOOM DOOM TA. There was a lot of repetition, but it just felt flat. The instrumentational had a tribal-like exotic flair to the electronic sound. While I do feel like this is slightly unique, it just didn’t live up to my expectations when it mattered most. It felt plain during moments when the instrumental should have been the most dynamic (i.e. chorus). And no matter how times I have replayed it so far, I just haven’t been reeled into it. I also felt the transition between the chorus and bridge could have a bit more smoother and not so much sudden. Overall, I have mixed feelings about this song. Maybe more listens will help make the song more enjoyable. But for the time being, it seems that I am on the fence about DOOM DOOM TA.

There was a big emphasis on triangles in this music video. And I think this really helps emphasise their origins. From first glance, the music video takes on the girl crush concept. But when you watch the individual scenes, they feel a bit random. Lying in the mouth of crocodile, confronting haters with guns and rifles, flaming chainsaw to cut down a really tall basketball goal, meteor shower with pyramid-shaped alien spaceships floating in the air. I am not too sure what is going on. I guess there is a little bit of a parallel with other female group’s takes on the girl crush concept, such as Weki Meki. But this is a step into the ‘out there’ spectrum from how I see it. Maybe it is all there for a specific reason and I am just overlooking the meaning of everything completely. Aside from that, I really like the post-production on the video with various cool transitions (shooting the bottle on top of the members head, before transitioning scene into a choreography shot, the whole pyramid alien ship CGI etc.).

Once again, a lot of moves and formations involving triangles throughout the choreography. As a whole, the performance is so-so. You pretty have seen everything they pulled off before in other choreographies. So they don’t really bring anything new to the table. But they managed to meet the energy of the song, which helped made the performance look pleasant.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 6.7/10

[Review] PARANOIA – Kang Daniel

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 3 Comments

Making his epic return today is Kang Daniel with his brand new single. PARANOIA. This follows the release of 2U and Who U Are, his two 2020 singles (which were featured on the two mini-albums he released last year as well). It also follows the release of State of Wonder last month, which is a collaboration between himself, inverness and Anthony Russo. They are also the creative minds behind PARANOIA, alongside Kang Daniel. He has also been recently announced to be making his acting debut. But while he prepares for that, it seems like he has to shake off some PARANOIA.

What I really enjoyed about this song is its fierceness. This persona fits in with the whole message of fighting inner demons and emphasises the edgy nature of the song. I also find that the fierceness strikes at the best moments, just as we are coming to the chorus. Why do I think that this was the best moment? Well, the verse felt like suspense was simmering away. While the chorus was the more melodic and what you could call a mini-peak in the song’s momentum. The use of the harsh, rough and deep tone electric guitar as a tunnel for the fierceness really adds so much energy to launch the song into its chorus. As mentioned a moment ago, the chorus is a lot melodic and flowy compared to the verse and pre-chorus launch. But yet it showcases Kang Daniel’s vocals really well. The melodic hooks really make the song memorable and the instrumentation is quite atmospheric/mysterious to a degree. In addition to that, the heavy use of English really helps make the song even memorable for the international audience and gives us insight into the lyrics of the song. His rap-whisper sequence in the bridge was the next best thing in the song. It just had so much behind it and drove the song forward. Without a doubt, the whisper delivery was intentional, serving purpose to the lyrics of the song and just add more momentum towards the final chorus. As for the final chorus, I liked what they done. But I wished they peaked the energy at the start to carry on that momentum from that bridge. It felt like the energy was drained away, which I personally do not like. But once it did peak, the song ended on a really strong note. Overall, PARANOIA is a heavy track, both in meaning and its execution.

The music video is awesome. We see Kang Daniel struggle to fall asleep and is haunted by something. He cowers under the table in fear, and (I assume) he is haunted by whatever is going on when he closes his eyes. It looks like the video hints at some drinking to help with this fear. But obviously, it doesn’t help much. He does have brief moments of solitude where he is aware that those fears are lingering, but they don’t touch him. But the briefest distraction sets him back and he is reminded of those fears. The video chugs along with the same story, though at the end, I think the video shows these fears are just his inner demons. We are shown Kang Daniel with one red eye, indicative of an evil side. Towards the end, we see him struggle with someone who comes so close to stabbing him. But at the very end, we just see him with a bloody hand with no-one else in the room to show ‘he won’ the battle with his demon. While we are on the topic of bloody hand, there was a scene in which we saw a grate at floor level with Kang Daniel on the bed. On the floor is a trail of blood, which suggests to me something a little more sinister. I wonder how this all plays with his future comeback, as this does tease for that comeback.

This performance is on point. I enjoyed all aspects of the choreography, from the complexity of everything once it is put together to the individual moves. I really like how some of the moves made it seem like Kang Daniel and the dancers were possessed, moving in such a manner that really looked intriguing and cool. The dance itself is quite powerful and definitely one of watch in detail.

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

[Review] ZERO:ATTITUDE – SOYOU & IZ*ONE (ft. pH-1)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , , Leave a comment

Prepare yourself for the first collaboration of 2021. Members from IZ*ONE (Eunbi, Sakura, Minju, Yuri and WonYoung) and former Sistar member Soyou have joined forces with pH-1 for the new single, ZERO:ATTITUDE. This new single forms part of the Pepsi X Starship Project, providing us with great collaborations between big KPOP artists since 2019. Other artists who have participated in this project include GFriend’s Eunha and VIXX’s Ravi (Blossom), Ong Seong Wu (Heart Sign), MONSTA X’s Hyungwon and former VIXX member Hongbin (Cool Love), Rain & Soyou (Beginning), Kang Daniel & Zico (Refresh) and CIX’s Bae Jin Young & WEi’s Kim Yo Han (I Believe).

Like majority of the collaborative efforts between the artists listed above, SOYOU and IZ*ONE do a pretty neat job with this single. I find ZERO:ATTITUDE to be super catchy, which reels me into the song even more. And this catchiness tempts me to press the replay button with its infectious sung-spoken hook. On top of that, the confident energy that is expressed in the lyrics comes off pretty well in the instrumentation. The vocals from both the IZ*ONE members and Soyou were very clean-cut, popping out over the EDM based instrumentation. I also felt the line distribution was pretty fair between the individuals who participated in the The instrumentation is a hit and miss for me. Aside from the positives that I have mentioned thus far about this element, I have to make the note that it is relatively plain. Currently, it feels suitable as a short and sweet commercial track (which is the whole purpose of this collaboration in the first place). If the instrumental was a little more interesting and spruced up a bit to be more dynamic, I think ZERO:ATTITUDE has what it takes to be an awesome title track as everything else is pretty much at that level for me. pH-1’s bridge was a bit random for my taste. I honestly thought the song could have done without this part, replaced with a dance break to boost the song’s dynamism. This is not critical of pH-1’s delivery as his rapping is awesome. It is more so that his trap breakdown sequence just didn’t fit the liveliness and pop roots of the rest of the song. But aside from that, ZERO:ATTITUDE is another strong collaboration between two big names in the industry.

In case you missed it, the music video for ZERO:ATTITUDE was a three minute long commercial for Pepsi’s newest Pepsi Zero Lime flavour. The walls are lined with cans of the drink and the members (per soft drink commercial protocols) down the drink in the music video. Thought I point that out. But aside from the video’s purpose, I am loving the overall urban aesthetics of the big screen, exposed scaffolding/stage structure and the outfits donned by Soyou, the IZ*ONE members and the dancers. It just felt on point and really showed off a sexier side that is synonymous with Soyou. It also felt suitable for the IZ*ONE members. I was wondering when the two parties would meet up to make this video and collaboration feel complete as they were pretty much separated throughout the first two thirds of the video. But they managed to bring the two parties together at the end, fulfilling my wish for this video.

The performance is pretty neat. I liked how it exudes confidence, fitting in with the song and its purpose. I also liked how good it made Soyou and the IZ*ONE members look.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] Bicycle – Chungha

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 3 Comments

Chungha is finally back!! It has been a long time coming, especially with the many pre-releases that Chungha was unveiling over the past year. It all started off in April 2020 with the release of Stay Tonight. Her second pre-release for this comeback was with PLAY in July. Her third release, which will be reviewed and published on the weekend, was an English track with R3HAB titled Dream of You. While this was shaping to be one epic comeback, Chungha’s comebacks plans were halted when she tested positive to COVID-19, which delayed her fourth and final pre-release single, X. This ended up occurring in January and pushed out her previously confirmed comeback date of 4th January to 15th February (today). And today, she drops her new title track, Bicycle, and her first studio album, Querencia.

Described as a R&B pop-trap song, Bicycle comes swinging at you with its powerful energy and intensity. As a result, one word comes to mind with this song – fierce. And knowing the trajectory that Chungha has been on with her solo releases, this one has managed to one up all her previous outstanding releases. It comes off as an intimidating song, as Chungha does quite a lot in this song to make sure that Bicycle is relentless. While I do want to point out that the song is her least melodic from start to end, she gifts us with strong and elegant vocals throughout. But they weren’t always elegant. Some parts framed her as quite seductive sounding, such as the sequence following the second chorus. Other times we get a bit of the melodic touch from her, such as during the chorus. And in at other times, she is quite fierce with the way she ends her lines in the chorus. She also presents us with a show-stopping rap verse for the second verse (which is all in English). It definitely showcases her development and maturity over the years. Based on what I understand, only the music video and the performance contain the foot-stomping dance break. I wished this was part of the official song. It just reiterates that fierceness quite well, by providing the song a more powerful sequence and edge. I also like how they used the bicycle bell sparingly throughout the song. It easily could have been overused and been a distraction if that was the case. I think my only other complaint with the song is that we don’t get much opportunity to hear her high notes in the foreground. They are always hidden in the background. I thought Bicycle would have been the perfect setting for her high note in the front, as that really would have emphasised the fierceness of the song (if it was done right).

Visuals galore. Whoever is Chungha’s stylist(s) really need a pay rise because her looks throughout the video were on point. From the amazing outfits to the simple closeups of her face, everything felt like perfection on that front. I also liked how her outfits were part of the set design as well, such as that massive black dress at the peak of the song where she was flying up. That part looked epic. The set designs were quite cool as well, going hand-in-hand with the outfits in each part.

Performance wise, I thought the comeback was really good. The fierceness that I mentioned earlier was definitely displayed, along with her confidence and seductiveness. I also have to mention that her charisma is very alluring, especially throughout this performance. The entire performance is a highlight. But more specific moments that I enjoyed are the human bicycle for Chungha to pedal on and the foot-stomping dance break.

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

[Album Review] MY FIRST STEP: TREASURE EFFECT (1st Studio Album) – TREASURE

Posted in KPOPTagged 1 Comment

TREASURE was nominated for Best New Male Group, amongst other categories in the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Click here to see if TREASURE won any of the categories they were nominated in, and who else won in other categories.

TREASURE is definitely one of the next big groups with great potential to make it big in the KPOP industry. And they begin their next step in the KPOP industry in the year 2021 with their 1st Studio Album, MY FIRST STEP: TREASURE EFFECT. This studio album has topped album sale charts. Together with their other single albums combined, the group has sold over a million albums since their debut. A massive feat, given that they just debuted six months ago. Their first studio album combines their three previously unveiled single albums (including title tracks BOY, I LOVE YOU and MMM) and three new songs (which include the title track for this album, MY TREASURE) – all revovling around the pop genre. The album also features a pre-debut single and new versions of I LOVE YOU and MMM. All tracks aside from the new versions of those songs are reviewed in this post. Let’s go into the deep dive!

The First Step: Treasure Effect Album Cover

1. MY TREASURE (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for MY TREASURE. (8/10)

2. Be With Me (나랑 있자) – Be With Me is a pop song follows MY TREASURE. It is pleasant, at best. But it doesn’t really excite me or reel me in. There isn’t much else to the song aside from its simple tune and melodies. There are notable aspects of Be With Me including: solid vocals, raps that give the song the little playfulness, that whistling that adds a little more dynamism into the song. But these aren’t enough to overlook the song’s lack of excitement or dulled appeal. (7/10)

3. SLOWMOTION – SLOWMOTION has a bit more heft to it thanks to the addition of a thumping beat. It may not be much as the song does fall into the pop realm (like the other songs on this album) and there is a tinge of plainness due to the lack of uniqueness. But I find the very small differences between this song and the preceding song are the reasons why I find the listening experience to be quite enhanced. I personally enjoyed the direction in which the vocals were taking us, but I felt the rapping brought it down as it felt typical. (7.5/10)

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

5. Come To Me (들어와) – Come To Me was released alongside BOY in August 2020. The song, too, falls into the pop genre that has taken over the side tracks of this new album. But it is slightly quite different to the other side tracks thus far.  I really like how the energy pops in Come To Me really pops out, which makes the song quite appealing. The melodies of this song are quite easy to get into and helps makes this side track stand out even more. The vocals and rap work fit well in the song’s pop profile, serving as a great introduction to the group and their potential (which followed through). (9/10)

6. I LOVE YOU (사랑해) – After many many listens, I LOVE YOU has become a favourite of mine throughout 2020. Hence, I have adjusted the song rating for I LOVE YOU to be 10/10 (originally 7.5/10). This is not be reflected in review post (for now). Click here to read the original review for I LOVE YOU. (10/10)

7. B.L.T (Bling Like This) – B.L.T has more of a dance profile to it. It is quite energetic and there is a bit of groove to the chorus, which makes the instrumentals of the song stand out amongst the other side tracks. Them exclaiming the title was quite catchy as well. It helped make the song become quite infectious, as I could help dancing to it whilst listening to the song for reviewing purposes. The song’s biggest letdown was the trap-based sequence for the rap. It wasn’t necessary to have this sequence as it just ruined the funky energy that I was enjoying a second before the breakdown happened. (8/10)

8. MMM (음) – Click here to read the full review for MMM. (6/10)

9. Orange (오렌지) – Orange was released alongside MMM in November 2020. It is the album’s slowest song. But instead of giving us a typical and straightforward ballad, TREASURE manages to give us a mid-tempo R&B track that feels fitting for the Fall season that it was released in. It feels warm and sounds touching. Orange showcases potential behind their vocals and rapping, whilst also showcasing a more delicate and emotive side of the song. It shows range and definitely a highlight on this album. (9/10)

10. Going Crazy (미쳐가네) – Going Crazy was a previously performed track, dating back to January 2020. Like the majority of the side tracks on this album, Going Crazy opts for a pop style. It is extremely pleasant, with the dance instrumental bringing a really stylish and sleek polish. I quite enjoyed the song. Despite it being released a year ago, Going Crazy slides quite well into the album and it is a great canvas to show off both their vocals and raps. It isn’t the most exciting song out there, but it serves as another great introduction to TREASURE and ender to their first studio album. (9.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

The First Step: Treasure Effect Teaser Image

[Review] Forever – aespa

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 3 Comments

aespa was voted as the Best New Female Group of 2020 in the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Congratulations to aespa. Click here to find out who else won in the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

aespa made their first comeback at the very end of last week with Forever, a remake of a song from the year 2000 of the same name by Yoo Young Jin. I am quite sure we are all familiar with aespa, who are the newest edition to SM Entertainment’s lineup and they made their debut at the end of 2020 with Black Mamba. The other half of this project (i.e. the original singer) is Yoo Young Jin and he is a song-writer and music producer under SM Entertainment. He has been writing and producing songs for many SM Entertainment artists since 1996.

Forever is a ballad that feels appropriate for the colder weather. While I do think this is the case, I do want to argue that the song seems better suited it was released around the Christmas/holiday season, rather than the backend of the coldest season. It just feels more appropriate for that time period, compared to the final weeks of Winter. But that might just be me. At first glance, Forever is definitely on a different level compared to Black Mamba. Their debut song was powerful and fierce. Most notably, it was a dance track. Forever, given its status as a ballad, is more delicate and warming. It features an instrumental that is a mixture of classical and acoustics, which is a really nice and balanced combination. Forever is another example where consistency is a positive aspect of the song, maintaining the feelings that I already mentioned from start to end. It makes the ballad quite appealing. What helps prevent the song falling into a rut are the members vocals. aespa definitely showcases a different side to themselves with this song. And they sound stunning. The melodies that carry their vocals really make the song flow along and they add that level of sweetness to the song that makes it more pleasant to listen to. I really like their harmonies when they sing the title of the song, especially at the end. Those harmonies and repetitions really encapsulates all the descriptors that I have used throughout the review thus far.

The music video seems straightforward. Closeups and choreography combination once again. I really like the set design and how everything reflected Winter quite well. Its pace matched the pace of the song and I am glad there wasn’t any change in the cinematography of the video as it progressed along. That would have been distract and off-putting. I do want to say that it is a great video. And for the reasons above that I have listed, it definitely is. But it isn’t one that I would replay constantly as there wasn’t much to it. Still a nice display of visuals regardless.

While I am big believer that ballads should not have a choreography associated with it, there have been some exceptions in the past. And it seems like aespa’s Forever is another one to add to that list. Their moves don’t distract you from the vocals or the song. It is all very soft and gentle. I really like the bridge sequence. If I were to be critical, I would say the members moving into position seemed a little clumsy. It could have been more polished in that aspect. But honestly, I don’t think anyone cares about that.

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

[Review] Sugar – Kim Woo Seok (UP10TION)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , 1 Comment

Kim Woo Seok made his solo debut with Red Moon back in May 2020. Since then, nothing much has been going on with Kim Woo Seok. It is still a shock to me to know that he (and fellow member and soloist Lee Jin Hyuk) have yet to return to the group for a full lineup promotion. There is so much opportunity to group both the group and the solo acts alongside one another, yet TOP Media has decided to promote the two singers seperately from the group. And must I say in a poor manner. While other soloists were enjoying two comebacks throughout 2020, Kim Woo Seok was only given the opportunity to promote Red Moon and that was it. Flashforward to 2021 (i.e. 8 and a half months), Kim Woo Seok is finally making his solo comeback with Sugar and the mini-album 2nd Desire [Tasty].

Sugar is a sweet pop track. Not overly sweet, thankfully. Despite that, Sugar is quite a change for Kim Woo Seok, given that it has been a while since I have heard anything quite fluffy from him. I am guessing an UP10TION track was when I last heard Kim Woo Seok approach that sound concept. After the sensual vibes that Red Moon carried, this is pretty much a polar contrast. But while Sugar is more upbeat and colourful in its musical approach (which can be my thing if it is done well), I am disappointed with the song. No matter how times I have played the song since the music video dropped this morning, it just doesn’t excite me. It felt plain and typical. I would have enjoyed the song more if it had more energy or more of a pop to it. Maybe something a bit more punchy or texturally captivating. This just feels like candy that tastes a bit flat. The most promising part of the song was the ‘Right/Ready, Tasty, Yum, Yum‘ deep whipser that we got after the first chorus. I guess what savours the song for me is Kim Woo Seok’s vocals, which were solid throughout Sugar. That high note at the end was quite good. I am tempted to say that I like the bounce that came along with the song’s melody. But I just cannot get over the fact that the song’s instrumental was dull as a whole, and that practically sours that comment. Overall, I feel like Sugar feel victim to UP10TION’s plainness. I don’t want to constantly make the link of the two acts, as they are meant to be different and standalone. But I feel like the plainness of both are on par with one another this time around.

The visuals of the music video faired a lot better than the song itself in my books. To match the song’s pop tone, the music video opted for colour. And it isn’t KPOP if all the colour is not in its pastel form. It is still quite bright and there is a noticeable innocent vibe that comes from the video. Alongside the colour and the youthful tinge, we have a pretty solid set design that ties the sweet aspect of the title and lyrics together nicely by moulding the sweets concept. If you have a sweet tooth, this might be the video to indulge in.

For some reason, his company made him promote prior to the offical release of the song and album. I guess it is to hype up the comeback before it actually drops. So naturally with this technique, we are treated to an early taster to the performance version. I find the choreography to be quite fitting for the pop sound of the song. The entire chorus routine seems pretty decent and showcases some skills. I was nervous that the song would hevaily impact appeal of the performance. The sliding chair moves while Wooseok is sitting on it does seem quite tacky, however.

Song – 5.5/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

[Review] Memory – Kim Myung Soo (L)

Posted in KPOPTagged , , Leave a comment

Many of our favourite second generation KPOP male idols have been enlisting into the miltary over the last few years. So we have been experiencing a lack of performances from those idols. However, they are slowly returning from the military, and we could potentially see these idols and their respective groups make their first comebacks this year. On the other hand, we are still saying farewell (temporarily) to some of these idols, such as Myungsoo (or L from Infinite). More recently, Myungsoo (or L) has been active as an actor since his departure from Woolim Entertainment. However, he is still committed to his fans and Inspirits alike. Last week, he made his solo debut with the single Memory as a parting gift before he enlists in the military later this month.

Given the context behind the song and the circumstances that Myungsoo finds himself in, a ballad seems like that default style. And a ballad is what he gives us. The instrumental is pretty starightforward, consisting of a acoustic guitars and piano work. It progresses like most other ballads, where it slowly builds by incorporating more instrumentation as the song progresses along. It is still a captivating piece, nonetheless. What I do like about Memory is that it doesn’t tap into the classical side of the ballad genre. That would have been very cliche. But as previously mentioned, the ballad approach is very typical regardless. But it does still feel a tiny bit different from what I had expected. Memory also indulges fans of Myungsoo as it showcases the actor/singer’s voice. Myungsoo has always had a very unique voice and I really like the colour which he brings to Infinite back in the day. To know that he has a whole song to himself really makes my day. His voice takes you on a bit of a journey. I felt I easily got lost in the track, between his vocals and instrumentation. Together, the instrumentation and vocals bring forth that swaying effect that I often mention when it comes to ballads. And that swaying effect is always a good thing when it comes to ballads. Overall, Myungsoo doesn’t get points for originality when it comes to Memory, but rather execution and effect.

The music video is simply a bunch of closeups of Myungsoo in what seems like a photoshoot type of set up. We see him posing throughout the video in very nature-based scenic places. Occasionally, we get a picture form of what we just saw. I am sure fans enjoyed the visual aspect of the music video. There isn’t much else to the music video. I will admit that it isn’t a video that I would return to constantly, but I really like the paced nature of the video. It works well with the song and its balladry nature. It also felt like a blissful walk along the beach or somewhere scenic.

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

[Album Review] I Burn (4th Mini Album) – (G)I-DLE

Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged Leave a comment

It has felt like it has been a while since I actually sat down to write an album review. The last one for AB6IX was two weeks ago. The artist I was going to review after fast-tracking AB6IX’s repackaged release was (G)I-DLE’s I Burn, which serves as the female group’s fourth mini-album release. The mini-album was released almost a month ago on the 11th day of the first month of 2021. Since the release of the mini-album and its title track, Hwaa, the group has taken out multiple weekly music show trophies. Even a triple crown on MCoundDown! (G)I-DLE also topped my Weekly KPOP Charts with Hwaa for the 2nd Week of January 2021. But enough awards talk. It is time to have a closer listen to their mini-album.

I Burn Album Cover

1..Hann (Alone In Winter) (한(寒)) – You may recognize the title of the song through their previous title track, Hann (Alone). The songs are lyrically connected, with the earlier song being about wanting for forget an ex-lover. This new song is about being unable to forget the ex-lover. This connection further adds context to the lyrics of Hwaa, which is all about recovering from that valley of emotions. This connection is quite clever and really adds some heft to the members singing. Their singing itself is already quite powerful and definitely captivating. What makes Hann (Alone In Winter) better is that it features a really beautiful instrumentation, feeling quite fantastical and dramatic. (10/10)

2. Hwaa (화(火花)) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Hwaa. (8/10)

3. Moon – Moon is a very interesting track, but in a good way. It is an aesthetic pop track, brought to life with really nice guitar work, captivating percussion and a bit of an electronic touch to the song. I really like the ending sequence, which is a perfect blend of these elements. It also makes for a really great start to the final moments of the song. In the body, all of these instrumental elements come together to create a solid background for the members voices. There is a lot of vocal techniques employed throughout the song. The chorus is my favourite part, with the start of the chorus being the most memorable thanks to Minnie’s vocals. (9/10)

4. Where Is Love – If Moon was a little slow for your taste, you will probably enjoy the more amped up pop energy in Where Is Love. The song tacks into the electronic side, making it a really fitting side-track for KPOP. It does have what it takes to be a title track, but I think the song tethers more on the plain side. But surely this song can be revamped into some edgier and more exciting. Nonetheless, Where Is Love is fulfilling as it is with its straightforward approach and its simplicity when it comes to employing that electronic side. The repetition of the song’s title is really catchy and I like the touch of autotune added to their voices (not much, thankfully). (9/10)

5. Lost – (G)I-DLE slows down the energy a bit with Lost. This isn’t a complaint, but rather an observation. Lost features consistent guitar work throughout the background of the song. They add other instrumentation to give it a more pop flair. But while that was enjoyable, I do feel like the song is stuck in a neutral gear. Soyeon’s rap does briefly cut the neutral nature of the song, which I appreciated. But I wanted more. (7/10)

6. Dahila – While it does sound like I have been looking down on the slower songs of the album, Dahlia is proof that a relatively slower song has the ability to impress me. While the instrumental of the song didn’t feel as special as the other songs, Dahlia’s driving force is the vocals. All the members were really good and stole to the show in the album’s final track. Soyeon’s raps give the song that little bit more of an edge, which I enjoyed. The song ends with Soojin and Minnie in an encore-type manner. I found it so haunting and riveting, making the song more appealing to me. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10

I Burn / HWAA Teaser Image

[Review] Cinema – CIX

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

The winners of the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards, voted and chosen by you, have been announced! Find out who won by clicking here.

CIX is back with their brand new mini-album (their fourth to date), Hello Chapter 0: Hello, Strange Dream, and the title track Cinema. And so am I after a week’s absence from the blog! This comeback (CIX’s comeback, not mine) comes months after their re-scheduled promotions for Jungle and their third mini-album, Hello Chapter 3: Hello, Strange Time.

The first noticeable element of the new song is that is very much different to what we have heard from this male group in their repetiore of title tracks. We have heard stylish flair and intense electronic-based sounds from the group already. Cinema differentiates itself from that pack with its lightness that stems from its use of synthpop instrumental. And it is quite enjoyable and refreshing at the same time. I also really liked how they were committed to the sound, with no stray or unexpected changes to throw us off the direction of the song. I also like how they started off the song, adding to the concept of the song and comeback in an audio manner. But what I really enjoyed more about this song is how seamlessly it felt as it flowed along. Usually, each section (i.e. verse, pre-chorus, chorus, verse etc.) feels very distinct and you can differentiate between them. But in Cinema, they feel blurred. Not in a bad way, but rather a really nice artistic manner which makes the song promising. Both the seamlessness and the lightness really benefits CIX when it comes to the vocal departments. I feel the falsetto and breathy vocals really show off some of their skillset. I also really like the melodic nature of the chorus, which is gives the song that enhances the flowy vibes of the song and gives the song that really nice smooth hook. And overall, Cinema was definitely catchy and a well put together song.

My understanding of the lyrics is that the members liken their developing relationship with their lover to filming a movie/tv show. Memories created in their relationship feels like episodes that they can replay. In the video, we see the process of a movie being filmed with the members acting as lighting directors and just the standard director as well. Adding to the concept was the primary setting of their choreography shots, which was appropriately in front of a cinema. I am not exactly sure what is going on within the living room scenes. Maybe they are part of that movie they are shooting. They do feel a bit wacky, but felt fitting for the concept overall. I also enjoyed the golden aura that comes off the video.

I really like the start of the performance with how the choreographer got all the members to contribute to the clap that coincided with the voice over yelling ‘action‘. As the song is light in nature, the choreography has to fit with that hurdle. I found their moves be a lot more relax, fluid and carefree, which is obviously what you would want with a light track like this one. But when I watch the performance, I admit I do want to see that more intense side of the group. But Cinema‘s choreography was still enjoyable to watch.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Double Review] Thank U + Eeny Meeny – U-KNOW Yunho (TVXQ)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , Leave a comment

Next up on the solo comeback list is U-KNOW Yunho, leader of the KPOP duo TVXQ! And this review is a double one, as U-KNOW Yunho made his comeback last week with two title tracks, Thank U and Eeny Meeny. It has been a while since we have heard anything from this member of TVXQ, with his last solo comeback being his solo debut with his True Colours mini-album and the title track Follow in 2019.

Thank U was released last week on the 18th of January and is the main title track off his latest mini-album. And it kicks off U-KNOW’s return to the industry with a very energetic and upbeat dance track. Personally, I like the pop sound of the song and the overall energy of the song. Both of these elements come together to make the song quite bold. It isn’t anything new in KPOP, but its lack of reliance on electronic synths and genres is quite refreshing. What is also bold is Yunho’s delivery throughout the song. I cannot say the song is not addictive when there is such clear cut repetition in Thank U. The whole chorus is built on this simple technique and I think it pays off. It has a really nice ring to it and works extremely well with the pulsing pop instruments. I also really like the bridge of the song, with the slow down motion and that brass that just makes everything suspenseful. The only problem with the song is the ‘I hate this‘ shouting line that pierces through the rest of the song in the second verse. It felt overwhelming and distracted me from enjoying the song. Overall, Thank U is definitely a really strong song, well positioned with a powerful instrumentation, bold delivery and an effective yet uncomplicated hook.

Eeny Meeny, released on the Monday that just passed, takes on that more funky trend that has no doubt taken over the KPOP industry. It is another bold number, this time with a more unique but exciting profile. A dance centric percussion introductory sequence kicks start the song and pushes the song forward. The song then gears up for the chorus with falestto-like high note in the centric position of this section. We then push into the chorus with the appropriate ‘Eeny Meeny Miny Moe‘, alongside a very textural piece that I am not sure how to even describe. It feels brass-like, but I am not entirely sure of this. What I find enjoyable about Eeny Meeny is that it showcases more of Yunho vocals, while the former song focuses more on rap (rap-speak delivery). And it is safe to say that he sounds stunning during those pre-chorus moments. The other parts were a bit ordinary. I also do wish we get more substantial rapping sequence than the super deep groans we get at the end. But that doesn’t mean this song isn’t fun or enjoyable.

The music video for Thank U is essentially a cinematic noir film (and you will need to be of legal age in your own country to view the music video due to the violence that is shown in the video). U-KNOW is brutally stabbed at the start of the video and is left for dead by a gang leader. Somehow, he is saved and escapes the hospital. Knowing that he would do that, the gang leader sends his henchmen in to kill him, but they all fail. Yunho ends up meeting with the gang leader and the pair ends up playing a game of lethal Russian Roulette. It is definitely an intense wait to see who would end up dead. The game is briefly stopped for a gunfight, which leaves the gang leader dead. Yunho (proving his immortality once again) leaves after dumping a pin (of which I don’t know the significance of). Honestly, it was a really great music video. I liked how they incorporated choreography shots into the storyline and managed to still continue the momentum (and the actual storyline). I just wished the gang leader said more than what he said at the start and wasn’t grunting his way through second meeting of the pair.

The music video for Eeny Meeny is more casual and lighthearted. It features Seulgi from Red Velvet as the person to steal U-KNOW’s attention. The urban setting of the music video works extremely well with the lighthearted but energy filled music. And I like how U-KNOW interacts with his surrounding throughout the video by stepping on and off cars and other vehicles. Or dancing away on big trucks. It all fits together and the video flows extremely well. I am confused about the ending of the video with him bleeding from the head (that should be looked at) and Seulgi just smiling at him. Maybe this is a dream sequence for when he is in hospital from the previous music video? Who knows?

When it comes to the performances, I prefer Eeny Meeny‘s one more. Simply because it is more likeable and carries on that casual and carefree feeling I mentioned a moment ago. Yunho looks like he is enjoying the routine and it feels a lot more vibrant. Thank U‘s performance was quite good as well, showcasing a more skillful routine that feels heavier and loaded. I really like the turns in the performance and how it compliments the punchier moments of the song.

Thank U
Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 9/10

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

[Review] Celebrity – IU

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 3 Comments

It is Solo Day for the next two days! A namesake day that I have called on the spot because I plan to focus on different solo comebacks that have recently occurred. The two comebacks I want to focus on today are very hot, occuring very recently to today. You probably already know which ones I am talking about with that clue. But in case you haven’t realized yet, one of them is IU’s Celebrity. Celebrity is a pre-release single ahead of IU’s official comeback some time later in the year. It was released yesterday and has since gone on to top all the major real time charts in South Korea, once again showing us IU’s power on the music industry and South Korea as a whole. This is IU’s first comeback since the release of the digital single, Eight (featuring BTS’ Suga), last year.

IU has proven her prowess as a solo artist through all tracks that she releases or features on. And I really like that her solo releases don’t necessary conform to one particular style of music. She is very versatile, covering pop, folk, ballad and R&B. She has probably also done electronic pop/EDM before, but Celebrity is the most recent song of this style to be added to her ranging portfolio. It definitely is an answer to current trends, but obviously does what it needs to do to showcase IU herself. And in doing so, she keeps the song pretty light, making Celebrity quite enjoyable. Even the deepest drop in the chorus isn’t excessively abrasive or emphasised by heavy thumping. And because the song comes off light, we get to hear IU’s vocals without any problems. Per usual, she sounds stunning. I particularly really like the set up of the chorus, with one drop accompanied by lyrics and that deeper drop which I just touched upon a moment ago. It isn’t necessary groundbreaking. But paired with IU’s innocent tone and airy vocals, it comes off as somewhat refreshing. I also feel that the deeper tone allows for IU to do a bit more experimentation in certain aspects of the comeback such as the performance, which is slightly different to what we see usually from the soloist. I find the chorus’ melody to be quite memorable, which is followed up nicely by the addictive ‘You are my celebrity‘ hook. it was pretty much ringing through my mind today, since hearing the song yesterday. Overall, IU continues to showcase her versatility through her music through another great song. Per usual, I am excited to see what is next for IU, which makes me anticipate her upcoming studio album.

The music video does a really godd job of giving us an interprtation of the lyrics. The lyrics simply tells us to embrace ourselves and enjoy being who we are. We are all individuals and sometimes not always perfect (You’re a star painted by a left hand). But because of that, we are all celebrities. IU also recently revealed that she wrote a song for a close friend, who happens to be a close celebrity. The music video showcases IU as a celebrity, always in the public eye. She catches a glimpse of a non-celebrity version of herself, which engrosses her. To celebrity IU, non-celebrity IU is a celebrity. But non-celebrity IU, after a bit of chasing, shows celebrity IU that it was actually herself the entire time, serving us a reminder that we should embraces ourselves no matter who we are. It is a very nicely put together video and I really liked the visuals of IU throughout the video.

We also see a bit of choreography for this performance, but it only kicks in when the second drop occurs. What we saw is pretty good and fitting for the music. It is plain, but I am willing to overlook that. I am joining in with fans who are rejoicing that IU has finally returned with a bit of a dance. It has definitely been a while.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 9.1/10

[Review] I’m Not Cool – Hyuna

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

Next up on day one of the two day Solo Day segment that I just literally named today is Hyuna! It has been a long while since we have last heard from this solo superstar. Hyuna’s last appearance on the blog was back in her Flower Shower days, which was from 2019. She was meant to make a comeback in 2020, but it was postponed for health reasons. Now that she is feeling better, her comeback was confirmed earlier in the month for today. Both the title of the new main promotional track and seventh mini-album is I’m Not Cool, which I am sure fans are completely disagreeing with.

I’m Not Cool is ironically quite a cool track. It is definitely a return to form for Hyuna, who we all know to be a sexy female solo act. In retrospect, Flower Shower was a really great track, but it did noticeably lack that flair we all know Hyuna for. It started off with a bit of a Middle Eastern flair thanks to the moombahton in the instrumentation. At first, I wasn’t too sure if it was that international influence because of the slight distortion. But the bridge of the song confirmed it for me. I’m Not Cool comes right at you right after that introductory sequence with its energetic enthuasism, which is thanks to Hyuna. It literally launches you right into the song. The moombahton comes back in the chorus in a more concentrated form, allowing us to get Hyuna alongside a more amplifed tone. I really like the energy in this portion of the song. Obviously it has to be quite memorable given it is the centrepiece of the song. But at the same time, it just really jumps out at you. Hyuna is actually quite catchy in this sequence, with her ‘I’m not … Cliche, that so funny‘ being a highlight for me. For the second verse, we get more of Hyuna rapping. I am not sure if it is intentional, but the shoutout to Dawn (her boyfriend) is quite cute (and well mixed in the song). Skipping along to the end of the song, I really like the anthem-like nature of the ending. It just wraps up the song really nicely and makes it feel complete. Overall, Hyuna’s I’m Not Cool is really powerful and bold song.

I really like that Hyuna went with a powerful and bond concept for the music video, which matches with the lyrics of the song and transcribes the vibes of the song into a fitting visual concept. I feel that the music video pushes the boundaries just that bit more, which we all know Hyuna has done in the past through her solo comebacks. I really love the use of colour throughout the video. For example, the dominance of one colour in some of the sets. Her outfits are quite outrageous, but not in a bad way. I have seen bad fashion choices in the past in KPOP music videos. But Hyuna’s random mis-matching outfits look like they were well curated for this cncept. They are a style that works just for her. I also really like how edgy her mannerisms for this music video are, adding to that boldness once again.

The fast upbeat tempo of the chorus really allows Hyuna to show her performance skills. I really enjoyed that part of the choreography as it felt like there was so much going on. Her entire routine was definitely bold and powerful, further adding to the visual interpretation of the song. I also really like how much she enjoyed herself in this routine, which comes thanks to the creative licence that she is able to take outside of her old company. Her facial expressions are defintiely something to watch out for.

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