Category: KPOP

[Review] What You Waiting For? – Jeon Somi

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Jeon Somi was one of the most anticipated solo debuts of 2019, given her status as the number 1 trainee during the first season of Produce 101 and her promotions as part of I.O.I. And I felt that she exceeded my expectations with her solo debut single, Birthday. But she just disappeared after that and she did not release anymore songs in 2019. In fact, it has taken her over a year to return with What You Waiting For?, her comeback single released just today. Since her solo debut, Jeon Somi has been busy with variety shows and her own reality series, which I believe captured the preparation for this comeback (which ended up being delayed due to the ongoing health pandemic).

Described as a R&B dance track, What You Waiting For? is a definitely step up from Birthday. The first reason for this ‘step up’ is also the only flaw to the song. The melodic wooden xylophone-like synth that the song features during the verses really stood out to me due to its prominence. I liked its freshness and vibrancy in the first verse. While I did enjoy it in the first verse, it didn’t sit right with me in the second verse. I know they tried to keep the momentum going by having part of the chorus continue in the second verse. But the combination of said momentum from chorus and the wooden xylophone-like synth just didn’t blend with with one another and this unharmonious sequence just stuck out too much. But apart from that detail, everything else in this song was really good. I liked how they switched up the instruments for the final part of the song, opting for a metal xylophone-like synth and cow bells. It had that familiar melody of the start, but also an added level of freshness that made the song even more exciting. Somi’s vocals were fabulous. Autotune was used but it was balanced and not over the top. I also liked how the chorus brought a club-like atmosphere to the song. Definitely another memorable aspect the song.

I am not sure if I follow the story line of the video. The song is about waiting for love. So basing everything off this, Somi is waiting for her prince charming to come and save her from being trapped in that room. But instead of her prince charming, alter egos of Somi break her out. These include Black Somi, Hotel Somi, Boat Somi, Singer Somi and Dress Somi. I just love that credit sequence. My favourite part is when Singer Somi (I think) takes the industrial digger to the wall of her apartment. That was pretty epic.

[Updated] I am not exactly sure that I like this performance. The moves were plain and just didn’t fit in with the song. Maybe this is why they decided to omit it from the music video? It is hard to put my thoughts into words to explain myself. I do have to emphasise that I am no choreographer, so I can only speak about how the performance looks visually. It just looked like the focus was put on Somi looking good and not really on the music.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 5/10 [Updated]
Overall Rating – 8.2/10 [Updated]

[Album Review] And & End (6th Mini Album) – T-ARA

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Since T-ARA’s last comeback in 2018 with What’s My Name, I have not review another T-ARA album. Given T-ARA’s dynamic and robust discography, I am surprised that it has taken me three and half years to revisit this group. The whole point of this ‘Past Album Review’ segment is to go back in time and revisit albums from current and previously active groups. With that, I will promise I will definitely keep T-ARA in my mind and hopefully comeback to review another album before the end of the year (I already have the next album in mind!). But until then, here is my review for the group’s 6th mini-album, And & End, which was released back in 2014, which was lead by Sugar Free.

And & End Album Cover

1. Sugar Free (Title Track) – Please note that this review is for the BigRoom Version. Click here to read the full review for Sugar Free. (10/10)

2. ORGR – It was smart that ORGR was placed right after the intense nature of Sugar Free and before the softer songs on this album. It is like a bridge that connects the polar opposite songs on the album. There is a bit of edge to the song thanks to the hip-hop influence during the chorus, which connects well with the title track. The song is quite melodic and flowy in other parts, such as the pre-chorus, which goes hand-in-hand with the softer tracks. What I enjoyed about song even more is that sense of nostalgia that the song brings, reminding me of other previous female groups such as 4MINUTE, who easily would have thrived with a sidetrack like this. But this is a T-ARA sidetrack and I felt that the group executed it well. Their vocals were smooth and the rapping really helped give the song some additional sass. The song’s hooks including the ‘Na Na Na’ were quite addictive, helping make this song even more appealing. (9/10)

3. I Don’t Want You (남주긴 아까워) – I Don’t Want You stands out for its Parisian and artisan feel, based on the opening sequence. It is a very interesting and different sound to what I am used to. And it isn’t a sound that I would really be excited about. But I liked how they kept it going in the song. Nowadays, such influences would only last a short while. But in I Don’t Want You, it lasted for the entire 3 minutes. It adds a layer of elegance and gives the otherwise soft song unique colour. Vocally, T-ARA sounds very standard here. I did like how Qri’s rap sequence in the bridge was mixed into the song. It isn’t expected, but somehow the producers made it fit in without questions. Overall, a very nice song. (8/10)

4. Last Calendar (지난 달력) – While I was deciding which T-ARA’s albums I would review today, I noticed that their sidetrack discography was very ballad dominant. I hadn’t notice this before, which was rather odd. I do like my fair share of ballads. Last Calendar is nice ballad and one that I would put onto my ballad playlists for when I want to listen to slow music (or get lost in some feels). The instrumental is pretty standard overall. It has really soothing piano that starts off the song. And there is some guitar as well to add a little more zing to the ballad. The members bringing that swaying and flowy vocal melody that you know I like. It isn’t their most groundbreaking song, but it was still quite good. (8/10)

5. If I See Her (그녀를 보면) – If I See Her brings together interesting vocal melodies and a plain repetitive instrumental. You can probably tell which element that I enjoy more of. The vocal melodies really help boost this song and made something that I would have easily passed a little more attention grabbing. So good on the members for this song’s execution. Out of all the members, I find Jiyeon fits this style the most, as the song brings me 1 Minute 1 Second vibes (which, for those who don’t know) was Jiyeon’s solo debut track. Hyomin’s rapping was a little disappointing. I wished it was brought in differently and made to fit the song, rather than have it layered on top. That would have made the song more interesting. (7/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

And & End Teaser Image

[Review] Naughty – Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi

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You may know that I have been withholding a few reviews as the corresponding music videos were released after I already covered them in my album review segment on this blog. And as promised, those missed music videos reviews will be out soon. But I do still watch them! Today, I had a listen and watched Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi’s latest music video release for Naughty and just knew that this needs its standalone review. And that is why we are here. I have yet to review their Monster mini-album but I have previously reviewed the Monster title track, which you can read after this review.

With Irene & Seulgi’s mature and dark turn with this Monster unit debut, Naughty‘s presence on the album felt appropriate, but also a missed opportunity. When I first listen to the album, Naughty seemed to be the most logical choice for the title track over Monster. Monster had a dullness to it, which let down the chosen title track. Naughty, on the other hand, had a level of dynamism and hypnotic appeal that just clicked. And this helps overtake that dullness that I was disappointed with in the actual title track. This song takes on deep house and features many crunchy synths to give Naughty a wonderful sense of texture. I really liked the sassiness that started the song and stayed in the background during the verses. I liked the bass that comes along with the song, adding to the already mentioned dynamic atmosphere of the song. I liked how the chorus had a chant-like delivery, which was thoroughly interesting and helped with the said appeal. The vocals during the rest of the song was quite good. I still do think Naughty could have used something more, like a rap sequence to add some further edge to the song or add an additional layer of intensity. But what we got anyway is already enough to satisfy me. And given how positive my thoughts on the song were, Naughty is obviously a superior track on the album.

The ‘Episode 1’ in the title of the music video confuses me. Does that mean that the unit will be releasing music videos for all side tracks? Or is something else coming our way? No one knows. I guess we just have to wait and see. In the meanwhile, I thought the music video for Naughty was terrific. It is more of a performance video, given its focus on the choreography and it strays away from the use of closeups. I felt the start and end of the video where the two are walking towards and away from each other felt a little unnecessary, unless they are what connects the ‘episodes’ together. I would have been fine with the choreography centered shots as they had really good post-production and its simplicity with the grey-scale tones made it aesthetic. I really liked the solo shots where the member in focus is dancing opposite the member behind the camera. It definitely looks like we are doing the performance and adds a unique depth to the video.

The performance for Naughty definitely leaves a wowing impression. The mixture of voguing (Not too sure if this is the right category of the moves as the tempo doesn’t necessary match what I associate with voguing, but given their use of their arms) and tutting in this performance looks very cool and hypnotic. It will definitely be a stand out routine of the year given its visual appeal.

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

[Album Review] Maria (1st Mini Album) – Hwasa (Mamamoo)

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For today’s album review, I have decided to have a deeper listen to Hwasa’s solo comeback and first mini-album. Released two weeks ago, both the album and title track share the same name, Maria. The album also features Hwasa’s previous chart topping solo debut, Twit, and also the track for Hwasa’s most recent music video release, LMM. Just to summarise my thoughts on this album, more attention needs to be directed towards it. It contains three 10/10 songs, which isn’t something I do often. I may give out 10/10’s regularly to side tracks. But I don’t give that much out in one album! Which songs do I deem to be ‘perfect’? Well, you got to read on to find out!

Maria Album Cover

1. Nobody Else (Intro Track) – This short introductory track is quite loaded. Not only do we get her vocals in all its husky and raspy glory, Nobody Else’s instrumental transitions quite often. And when I say transition for this song, I mean that the song builds up. It starts off with natural sounds, as if we were in a rainforest or close by to a river as you can hear water trickling. To pair with the natural sounds, we have these eerie horn-like synths. It then cuts to Hwasa whispering ‘Nobody else’, before we are directed to some piano and Hwasa’s vocals. Within in a few seconds, we have percussion making an entrance and it gets heavier as it goes on. The introductory track, before easing out, goes head on with an intense dance instrumentation. It was one roller coaster ride, but it was well crafted to be cohesive track. (10/10)

2. Maria (마리아) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Maria. (8/10)

3. Kidding – Produced by Zico, Kidding has this playful charm to it which helped make it interesting and different. It starts off with Hwasa singing alongside some acoustic guitars, followed by an applause, which gives off the impression that the performance was live. During this segment, she is singing about the how her partner loves her. It then cuts to a really groovy beat. Based on this transition, we could tell that the theme of the lyrics changed to Hwasa’s thoughts on her partner cheating on her. As the song progresses, we get some underlying jazzy influences which helps transform the song into fantastic number. I really love Hwasa’s delivery of her lines. There are some vocal works and harmonies in the background. But it is her rapping that steals my attention. I can feel her expressionless face bringing this song to life, with chaos ensuing in the background. I really like the ‘Are You Kidding Me’ reptition for the chorus, which was simple but effective in this song. (10/10)

4. Why – Why feels like a Western pop track. It begins with a suspenseful pop beat. Nothing special, if I were to be honest. Aside being a backdrop to Hwasa signature vocals. The chorus brings a rough, robust and crunchy instrumental sequence. It was a logical progression, in my point of view, and it allows for some choreography to be brought onto the stage if the song is ever performed on stage. The song repeats the suspenseful but plain verse, followed by the rough and crunchy chorus. While it was interesting texture wise, I wanted it to have something else as it got to the end to avoid becoming repetitive as it did. It is still a good song, nonetheless, just missing that element to be better. (8.5/10)

5. I’m Bad Too (ft. DPR Live) – I’m Bad Too is a short song. This is just an observation as I felt the length of the song was suitable. It didn’t play around with repetition to extend the length of the track and drain the appeal of the existing song. The instrumental seems to be lighthearted and playful, whilst the lyrics was all about Hwasa being angry (in a suitable tone) about a former partner. DPR Live features in the song and seems to act like a brotherly figure based on his lyrics. And I liked it. It adds a different dimension to the song and adds to that lighthearted atmosphere while also making sense lyrics-wise. It isn’t a standout song in my opinion, but the creativity of the lyrics earns the song a tick. (8/10)

6. LMM – There was a music video release for LMM during this past week and I have decided to keep it for the ‘Missed Review’ music video posts that I will be publishing in the future. It is coming, I swear! As for LMM, it is a breathtaking song that allows Hwasa’s vocals to shine. It is a ballad that sounds best if you put everything down and just zone into it. The instrumental and melodies are all very breezy, making it nice for a night drive or a reflective walk where you just want to be by yourself. What makes this an even more powerful song is that you don’t need to understand Korean. You can connect with her vocals, in one way or another. It is so impactful that the song also earns the third 10/10 on this album. (10/10)

7. Twit (멍청이) – Click here to read the full review for Twit. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.9/10

Maria Teaser Image

[Review] R.o.S.E BLUE – Dream Catcher

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Dream Catcher has become the girl group to go to for an OST for mobile games. This week, the group released R.o.S.E BLUE for the mobile game Girl Cafe Gun. This releases comes after the group released the single Deja Vu, which was the OST for the mobile game King’s Raid last year. The group also previously returned with Scream and their first studio album, Dystopia: The Tree of Language earlier this year. If you haven’t check those out yet, I highly recommend you do after reading this review.

To me, I find R.o.S.E BLUE to be pretty plain for Dream Catcher’s standards. They have released very dynamic songs in the past. This one, in comparison, just doesn’t have same level of dynamism or excitement that really captures my attention from the get-go. It lacks a strong hook that would have transformed the song without a doubt. I would say that my perspective towards the song would have changed if they had released this earlier in their career. I would have said this to be a nice follow up to Chase Me. But given how Dream Catcher has matured and developed over the years, plain is the best descriptor I can give. Despite that, however, the song does fit snugly into Dream Catcher’s discography thanks for the intense rock influence we get in the chorus. I also like the how the producer featured a section of strings into the song. It adds a little something different to the song that helps freshen it to an extent. Their vocals were pretty good. I like how elegant their ‘Rose Blue‘ was the end, in particular. I tend to look forward to Dami’s rapping in Dream Catcher’s songs. But unfortunately, the rapping in this song shared the same description that the overall song got. Plain.

I think the video would make a little more sense if I knew what the game was about. It seems that all the members were once friends. But they started playing this game and ended up losing themselves in it. Jiu thinks she can get them back and goes on a mission by entering the game. She finds each of the members who I assume has taken on a character in the game. She shoots them to wake them up, which successfully does. But the catch was she only had five shots, one for each member. In a later scene, she rejoins them like is the opening shots. But as she has killed them and they left the game, they disappeared leaving her all by herself. She turns the gun on herself but is unable to do so as she has no more shots. The other members wake up and see Jiu stuck on the pink crystal that she touched to enter the game. At the end of the video we see five dream catchers on the floor, representing the five members who had woken up and the pink butterfly, representing Jiu in the crystal. Overall, an interesting plot line for mobile games.

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

[Review] Bad Guy – 1THE9

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The one thing I don’t understand when it comes to project groups are their lack of comebacks. These groups have only a limited time to make a mark in the industry. But often, their companies schedule in massive gaps between comebacks. Take 1THE9 for example. Formed in 2018 through the survival show Under 19, they debuted in April 2019 with Spotlight. Within 6 months, the group returned with Blah. But it took them eight months to finally return with their third release and it seems it is going to be their last comeback ever as their contracts wrap up ‘soon’. I don’t blame the members, as I am assuming this is a management decision (I think the members would be eager to get back onto the stage since they are just newly debut). But rant over. I am excited that 1THE9 is back with Bad Guy, which is featured on the group’s third mini-album, Turn Over.

I will admit that I have forgotten about 1THE9 and their two previous singles. Looking back on their reviews, I can’t blame myself as their songs were not as memorable or impactful as I had hoped when they first released them. Bad Guy might have a bit more luck in this department. What I have listened to while writing this review is actually not bad. It does lack uniqueness as it does have a certain level of standardness to it. The instrumental feels a little too consistent and I feel that it is missing a spark, particularly around the rap sequence. The rapping is is fine. I just expected something a little more exciting rather than a mild instrumental strip back. But apart from that missing spark, the instrumental felt quite solid and had a nice level of intensity. I like the buildup in the pre-chorus, using that ‘pew pew’ electronic dubstep synth we hear often (there is probably a proper name for it, but I love calling it that). I also like how the chorus felt like it ‘leveled up’ from the verse, by loading it with the synths we hear. Their vocals and raps were also a strong aspect. I liked how their vocals stayed on top of the instrumental. The instrumental during the chorus felt like it could easily have overpowered the vocals due to the intensity. But upon multiple re-listens, it seems that the vocals take the edge. I also really like the song’s melody when it comes to the chorus. All the positives aspects occur in the chorus and this really helps make the Bad Guy chorus bold and memorable, hence why I said Bad Guy might be able to perform better in that area earlier.

I found the music video to be on that typical side. Once again, it follows the closeup and choreography mashup. The lyrics was about choosing to be the bad guy for their partner and I feel that this could have been interpreted into an interesting plot line. This would obviously make the video boring and I did not need to put this video on the typical side of the spectrum. Some of the closeup shots shared between members were a little interesting. I sensed some hostility and I wished they had expanded on this a little more to be more interesting. I also liked the different patterns they had projected on the walls, though I think these were more artistic choices rather than contributing to those hostility vibes I got.

The performance was also a bore. It didn’t seem impressive and this feels disappointing. I felt that the members could have gone with slightly edgier moves that could have highlighted more of their skills. The choreography that I saw was quite safe and bland.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 6.9/10

[Review] Count 1, 2 – TOO

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Making their comeback today is TOO, returning with their first release since making their debut earlier in the year with Magnolia. Since debuting, the group participated on the TV show, Road To Kingdom, where they competed against six other group to earn a place on future season of Kingdom. They didn’t win, but did prove viewers that they shouldn’t be underestimated despite being the new kid on the block. Today, the group return with the title track Count 1, 2, which featured on their second mini-album, Running TOOgether.

I just posted another review for a comeback with a feel good vibe, so it is definitely nice to continue with this vibe in a subsequent release. Count 1, 2 is such a stunning song. There is a funky and groovy instrumental to the song that I cannot get out of my head. The guitars, brass and percussion all blend together neatly and cleanly in Count 1, 2. The music is just vibrant and colourful, making the entire three and a half minute song so enjoyable. I am literally smiling from those feel good vibes and cannot help but groove along to the pop song as I write this review. Interestingly, the song purely relies on this instrumental and doesn’t employ much synths. It gives off some old school vibes, as well. This comment nicely segue-ways into my thoughts for the rap sequence. I like how its hip-hop direction fits so well with the rest of the song and doesn’t go down the trendy breakdown path. The hip-hop feel is quite natural and well planned. Alongside the rapping are the vocals, which I really drew me into the song. I made comments on how typical they sounded in their debut track. And Count 1, 2 proves otherwise, as they sound so showcase a lot of potential throughout this song. The falsettos and the melodies were extremely pleasant. The only other equivalent to this song that I can think of from the top of my mind if A.C.E’s Take Me Higher, which shared a similar set up and also showed off a nice feel good vibe as well. And that is saying a lot, as it grew to be a perfect song to my ears!

The music video shows the members having fun with one another. And for the most part, the music video for Count 1, 2 was quite fitting for the song. And I personally would have been fine if they kept to the lighthearted visuals and fun that the members had. Unfortunately, there was a segment in which the members appeared to be fighting and weren’t having fun. Thankfully, this was just a dream. Though, my KPOP theory mind is buzzing and is convinced that it is intentionally in this music video for a reason. Maybe foreshadowing for a future release? Who knows? I know am always asking for something more to music video such as a plot line. However, there is always a time or place for this. Unless there was an intentional reason for it to be in this video (i.e. to set up a future release), it felt unnecessary here.

I like the fun vibes that feature in this choreography. It doesn’t show off that potential they had built up on Road To Kingdom, but it was a solid routine that matched the upbeat song quite well. I do feel like it was cheesy at times, but obviously that was done to work with the song.

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

[Review] Say Yes – Jeong Sewoon

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Jeong Sewoon began his solo career in 2017 off with dance-centric tracks (Just U, Baby It’s You, Feeling) and has progressed to more vocal-centric ballads (Something 20, When It Rains) with his more recent releases. And yesterday, the solo artist made his comeback with Say Yes, which leans back into that dance territory that he started off with. The new single is part of Part 1 of his first studio-album, Part. 1 24.

Say Yes comes well timed for the season of sun and energy. Like many of his solo tracks, I find it quite charming and likable from the first listen. While I do admit that there is a small amount of standardness in the new song, the song’s better moments dominates and overlooks the song’s weaker moments. Let’s start off with the standardness. The verses felt dull and grey. They weren’t the most memorable sections of the song. While they do feature a nice presentation of his vocals, the verses just felt incredibly plain, in comparison of the song’s more undeniably stronger sections. With that out of the way, we can move onto the song’s better moments (i.e. the chorus). There was a nice explosion of sounds during the chorus. Not so much that it overwhelms or creates an imbalance with the rest of the song. It just felt right. There was a punchy nature to the synth that the producers put into the play. The second and final chorus is followed up with a sharp synthesizer sound that adds colour to the song. His vocals during these parts is quite powerful. Not powerhouse powerful, but on par with the energy and colour that comes from the chorus. I also liked how his vocals continued the momentum of the upbeat sequences throughout the bridge. Usually, I would have suspected a slow down, but what we had was a good continuation of the energy. In comparison to his ballads, this dance material is more memorable and I believe that is the case with Say Yes as well.

I really like the music video. There is a feel good vibe that comes off that puts the song into context and makes it more explosive and energetic. I really like how Jeong Sewoon grooves along to the song during the chorus. That’s where that feel good vibe comes from. And that is essentially the point of the song. The lyrics is all about being individualistic with life’s journey. He complains about people telling him to do things one specific way. But he wants to be himself and do what pleases him. He asks people to convince him that he is wrong (Pull me close so my heart sway) or to just join him (If not, you can just sway with me).

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

[Review] Apple – GFriend

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It seems like reviews will again be a little late this week. I will only be reviewing one song today and it belongs to the group who returned yesterday! If you have missed it yesterday, GFriend made their return to the music scene with the release of Apple and the Song of the Sirens mini-album. This is the group’s first release since their earlier comeback in the year, Crossroads and the mini-album, Labyrinth.

It seems like someone has answered my prayers. I made a comment in my Crossroads review that I was slowly getting tired of the sound they had repeated with in Time For The Moon Night, Sunrise and Crossroads. At the time of their earlier comeback, I thought that they would change up their sound, given that their label was acquired by the new powerhouse company, Big Hit Entertainment (who recently also acquired Pledis Entertainment). But it seems that desired changed has actually occurred through Apple. The song is a mid-tempo pop track, opening up with a riveting guitar piece. The verse was pretty standard, but I liked the direction of the music. It seemed like something was brewing in the midst of the guitar that played throughout the verse. The song gets a little more interesting once we enter the pre-chorus, which had a very memorable Callin’ me melody. The chorus kicked the energy up a notch and sounded like a very dazzling explosion had happened. The song stays quite cohesive and doesn’t change up its sound as often as other songs. That is always a recurring aspect of all GFriend’s song. Everything blends together quite nicely. For their vocals, there was a nice smooth feel. The most powerful vocal moment was when all the members are singing the post-chorus together. Another strong melody there, but the definition that all the members contribute to is the most memorable. I also enjoy the spoken words in the background during the post-chorus, which added an intriguing yet mysterious texture to Apple. The one thing that the song was missing, in my opinion, was an element or the reformation of the verses, to give it that holding power. What we got in those two sections just didn’t as well as the rest of the song did.

It seems like there is a theme of losing one’s innocence in the video’s story line. The video opens with Eunha taking a bite out of a red apple, before falling to the ground. The red apple serves as the Forbidden Fruit in this video and taking a bite out of it will mean that Eunha has been tempted. The other members also want to be tempted throughout video (i.e. they are dressed in white) and drag Eunha along to the tree that bears the Forbidden Fruit. Eunha, knowing what is on the other side, seems to not want to expose the others but they were too curious. Once they arrive to the tree, they find it on fire. But knowing that Eunha has already been tempted, placing a fallen apple into her hand will be enough to turn the apple. Off screen, I assume each member takes a bite of an apple that Eunha has turned, resulting in them all losing their innocence (they now wear black). Yerin gets locked outside, based on the footage of her finding the way out of the maze. It seems like someone has traded places with Yerin. During the innocent choreography scenes, Yerin has the number 6 circled on both arms. Triple 6 indicates the devil, so I assume that the events in this video were all Yerin’s plans. It also seems like she releases the butterflies at the end. I think we see Eunha releasing, but I have to question why both Yerin and Eunha have blonde hair and the same coloured lips. It seems like Yerin (the devil) is using Eunha. The only mysterious left over is the blue butterflies. Given that the blue butterflies recur in both Crossroads and this video, it seems like there is more to the story. I really like both their innocent and ‘tempted’ looks. Both very powerful in their own way.

I really like the mature take they have on the choreography. It looks stunning. I personally thought the start of the choreography was amazing, especially the rapid drum beats and the members extending their arms from behind SinB. I also really like the second chorus, where the members are doing their walk. It is a very strong routine and I personally like this new side of the group.

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

[Album Review] DORADORA (6th Mini Album) – UKISS

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I can’t believe that I have yet to do an album review for UKISS! They haven’t released anything recently due to their focus on solo activities and military enlistment. So, in order to write an album review for UKISS, I need to turn to their past releases. There was just so much to choose from, so I essentially did a lucky dip to see which one I would review first. And lucky number one is DORADORA. Cast your mind back to April 2012, when the group released their 6th mini album and title track of the same name. It was their first release of 2012, following a long hiatus they took from the Korean music scene to focus on their Japanese debut. Featuring on DORADORA was the pre-release track, Amazing, which will also be reviewed today!

DoraDora Album Cover

1. DORADORA (돌아돌아) – I gave the DORADORA comeback a calculated score back in the day but have lost the calculation a while back. Unfortunately, my memory has also failed me in this regard (though I remember listening to every track on this album quite vividly). Given how much I have enjoyed the song now, I have decided to give DORADORA an 8/10. Click here to read the 2012 DORADORA’s review, featuring young and terrible me. (8/10)

2. 4You (For You) – 4You is a song for the fans. There is a whole music video of them while on tour and it focuses on their bond as a group and with their fans. As for the song, it is super catchy. I mean their repetition of the 4You hook is quite pleasant and is not overwhelming in any way. The instrumental is quite upbeat and features an electronic-based instrumental that felt appropriate for the 2012. The instrumental sequence for the rapping segment on the bridge had a nice kick to it, leveling it up to give the song something different before the song ended. I also like the thumping beat. It may be a small detail in this song, but it helped hype of the song. Overall, a nice fan service song. (8/10)

3. When Love Stops (사랑이 멈출 때) – When Love Stops is one of my favourite KPOP ballads of all time. Why is this the case? The song features really strong melodies, which helped bring a new light to their vocals. We got to hear the vocals from all members, including the rappers. And the harmonies made the song even more stunning. Overall, it brought a lot of their past songs to my attention, got me more interested in their side tracks and contributed to me enjoying their future releases, since I now knew what potential they had. That is the power of the song! Apart from the vocals, the melodies during the chorus felt very grand and were quite memorable as a result. The instrumental is another highlight, bringing that grand nature to life alongside the melodies. (10/10)

4. Amazing (Pre-release Track) – If I remember correctly, Amazing was the pre-release track for this album. It features a club beat for its instrumental and features pretty simple hooks that make the song quite catchy. As the chorus came into play, the song reformed into more of a pop track. But the club instrumentation remained throughout as the main backing. Looking back now, the lyrics and hooks are a little tacky for this current era. Though, I vividly remember putting this song on repeat back in the day. The vocals and rapping are okay, based on today’s standards. In addition to that, it really isn’t their best work on this album as well. But back then, I would have enjoyed it. (8/10)

5. TICK TOCK (OUT OF TIME) (Korean Version) – I have previously reviewed the Japanese version of TICK TOCK (otherwise known as TICK TACK in Japan). Once again, I lost the review calculations for TICK TOCK/TICK TACK. Upon reconsidering my past review for the song, I have decided to increase the ‘song review’ score to a perfect 10/10, which is probably what I gave it back in the day. Click here to read the 2012 Tick Tock review. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.8/10

DORADORA Teaser Image

[Review] 1 Billion Views – EXO-SC ft. MOON

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Finally making their official comeback today is EXO-SC with 1 Billion Views. This new track is part of the EXO unit’s first studio length album, which also shares the same name as the song. The release of the music video and album today comes after EXO-SC teased us with the pre-release single, Telephone. Both Chanyeol and Sehun also had solo music videos (Nothin‘ and On Me, respectively) at the end of the week. I have yet to review them and hope to get to them soon. But we are hear to listen to 1 Billion Views, so let’s get to that first.

Right from the very start, I can already say that 1 Billion Views fairs better than EXO-SC’s pre-release Telephone. Though, it still does suffer some of the issues I had previously noted in the Telephone interview. Let’s start on the positive that 1 Billion Views had. The chill R&B instrumental had a more of a beat to it, which was quite nice. With this kick in the instrumental, the song is more likable. I would gladly listen to the song given that there is more colour to the song. Their vocal work, in this instance, was quite good. The chorus featured really smooth melodies and I really liked how the vocals and rap segue-way into each other. Their harmonies during the verses was definitely one of the stronger moments of the song. I also enjoyed Moon’s featuring towards the end of the song, as her vocals do compliment the style that EXO-SC went for. However, as mentioned at the start, there are some issues that EXO-SC just haven’t fixed up. First, the song suffers from that ‘more’ concept (i.e. I wanted more). I think we all know of the potential that Chanyeol and Sehun have. 1 Billion Views (nor any of their unit releases so far) just doesn’t seem to capitalise on this, which results in the song coming off dull-ish. Even though I praise the instrumental earlier, I also wanted more from this element. I wanted it to be rougher and a lot meaner, that way the song could get to that style that I wished for the duo to go with. I get it that EXO-SC’s style is more chilled than your average Korean release, but I find that this song also lacks character. Thirdly, I find the song to lack memorable hooks and lines. They were heading in the right direction, just it didn’t feel like there was enough. The lack of character and hooks in 1 Billion Views do contribute to a dullness. But it isn’t as bad as previous tracks, given the instrumental and its more positive aspects that I mentioned above.

The music video is set at an arcade that would be best described as a hole in the wall. It also incorporates a few modern elements including virtual reality and Instagram live broadcasts. I also noticed that there were a few viral trends hinted throughout the video, such as the In My Feelings trend. All of these elements seemed to make sense, as the duo sings and raps about thinking of their lover for the billionth time. It was a nice video to watch overall. I found the editing to be suitable for the song, smooth and sleek. No choppiness, which I am thankful for. I also note that some of the post-production effects that were added to the video should have made the video feel choppy (such as the coloured static in the background). But it ended up being quite smooth, overall.

What we saw in the music video choreography-wise seems to be quite good. Unfortunately, we don’t see much of the choreography (i.e. the verses), so I am intrigued to know what the duo have up their sleeves. But if the chorus of the music video was to be the basis of my thought, I think this will be a pleasant routine suitable for the music.

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

[Album Review] Take A Leap (4th Mini Album) – Golden Child

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Last month, Golden Child made their comeback with a pretty captivating track, ONE (Lucid Dream). This song is the title track off their fourth mini-album, Take A Leap and is the focus on today’s album review. What I did not know about this comeback is that it was connected with their two earlier releases. So if you haven’t checked out my review for Wannabe and Without You, along with my album review for their first studio album, Re-Boot, then you can do so by clicking on the hyperlinks. But if you want to find out what my thoughts were for Take A Leap, then you can do so by continue reading!

The album cover for Golden Child's fourth mini-album, Take A Leap.
Take A Leap Album Cover

2. ONE (Lucid Dream) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for ONE (Lucid Dream). (9.5/10)

3. OMG (훅 들어와) – To me, OMG is the merging of Golden Child’s upbeat and fun-sounding debut roots and their current mature sound. The song is definitely quite bright and energetic, but it is more subdued and refrained from going too youthful. It is a nice combination. There was a funky nature to the instrumental and it had a much-appreciated casual feel. The vocals and rapping were pretty clear and nice. If I had to pick a favourite moment in this song, it would be Tag and Jangjun’s rap sequence at the start of the bridge, layered on top of that really funky bounce-like synth. It was a pity that their melodies were a bit standard and I had wished OMG had more punchy hooks. But overall, a pleasant song to listen to. (7.5/10)

4. Moment – For a brief sequence, Moment began like a straightforward ballad. But as the song progressed soon after, we had more of a pop melody come through, and so the song ended up developing into a pop ballad. I really like this track as it reminds me of one of my favourite Golden Child sidetracks, Lady. It may not have had that same defined instrumental, but it was still on par as that 2018 era. I like how warm their vocals and rapping felt and how it really made the song blissful. Particularly the pre-chorus sequence, which had the best of both worlds. I really like the vocal melodies, which had a really nice flowy nature to them. I also liked it when their vocals got a little breathy during some parts, which added a nice colour to this song. (9/10)

5. Make Me Love – The song kicks off with a distorted ‘Stardust’, which really throws off you off. As the song went on, I just kept on thinking how random that distorted voice was and pretty much couldn’t get over it. But apart from that, Make Me Love is a good track. I really like the moody atmosphere. It is really intriguing. By while it was captivating (to an extent), I wanted more from it. The instrumental was pretty standard, and it also felt fairly spaced out. There wasn’t anything necessary special about it and I wished that it was a tad stronger. This would have lent a hand to help bolster up their vocals. The rappers faired better with this song. Their parts had a slight oomph, which really made their parts stand out more, compared to the vocalists. Tag’s rapping in this song was pretty memorable and suited that moody atmosphere that I enjoyed. (7/10)

6. H.E.R (그녀에게) – H.E.R has this very airy nature, which would help make this song a suitable one to listen to while taking a nice stroll somewhere where there is a nice breeze. The use of synths and the piano in the background is a classic combination in this current KPOP era. But there is something refreshing about this song that makes it quite addictive. It might be that these two sides of the instrumental felt pretty light (relative to the other songs on the album). And I appreciate that quite a bit. This just makes the song sound so calming and pleasant. In addition to that, the light nature of the instrumental really helps highlight their vocals and rapping, which once again, is superb in this song. Their vocals and rapping felt like a perfect match to the lightness of the instrumentation, so it was a very well put together track. (9/10)

7. Pass Me By – It seems like Golden Child has saved the best song for last. Pass Me By is a ballad, though I can imagine a dance routine to pair alongside this song when it is performed on stage. The classical instrumental was truly beautiful and stunning. I really enjoyed the deep bass thumping we get throughout the instrumental. The strings really keep the song true to its ballad roots, while the percussion gives it a strong beat. And the piano was just riveting. Aside from the instrumental, I need to praise the vocals in this song. Pass Me By has Golden Child’s best vocal work ever. Not just on this album, but every song that I can think off from the top of my head. The vocal melodies were really captivating. But as much as I want to give the song a 10/10 rating, I can’t. There is no indication that it was a vocal line song, so I have to assume that this was a whole Golden Child song. And yet Tag and Jangjun had no lines. Such a bummer. I am sure they could have had one vocal line somewhere in this song. (9.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10

Take A Leap Group teaser Image
Take A Leap Teaser Image

[Review] Summer Hate – Zico ft. Rain

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Returning last week was Zico with the mini-album Random Box. It has taken a while, but as promised, here is the review for the title track from that mini-album, Summer Hate. This is Zico’s first release since the chart-topping and Tik-Tok trendy Any Song hit. Joining Zico is Rain, who many may know is a popular soloist for his many KPOP hits during the 00s. More recently, Rain has been attracting attention with his 2017 GANG comeback (though it has been trending for all the wrong reasons). It is interesting to see two very different trends in the industry and it does make you think about what song these two will put out, given their more recent viral history.

As the next instalment in Zico’s discography, Summer Hate comes off as a pretty weak track. Summer Hate is all about the annoying Summer heat that people have been and will always go through during Summer. It is a unique topic and concept, but I feel that the potential ended up being wasted due to poor execution. As it is a Zico self-produced song, the song is of the hip-hop genre and has a sing-song delivery that I believe is ill-suiting for what Zico was trying to get at. Everything comes off as very emotionless. I don’t get any of that annoyance of the Summer heat that the lyrics are trying to convey from his delivery or the overall feel of the song. When I think of annoying Summer heat, I think of unbearably hot concrete that will burn the sole of your feet if weren’t careful. Or the urgent need for a cool drink after a five-minute walk to the shops. There is a bit of energy to each of these scenarios and I feel that is the missing piece to this song. His intention was probably to make the song sound lazy, as one would feel during the hottest time of the day. But I don’t think it ever hits that mark. I do admit there were a good beat and melodies in this song enough to make the song bearable. I like the saxophone in the instrumental. But this all wasn’t enough. Finally, the other issue with the track was Rain’s featuring. Did he even feature in the song, as it sounded like Zico throughout the entire track? I was waiting for some of Rain’s distinct vocals, but they never appeared!

Unlike the song, the video was well executed. It showed the concept of heat quite well, though quite exaggerated for most of the video. Some examples in the music video included cooking of food on the concrete floor (my personal favourite in the video), the melting of metal and the clothes catching on fire. My main issue is with their attire during some of the scenes. One of my personal pet peeves is when people complain it is too hot and they are wearing inappropriate clothing, such as Zico and Rain’s long sleeves at the end of the video as they melt away. If they melted away in shorts and a t-shirt, then I wouldn’t be making such comments as the video would make more sense. It may make them look good, but honestly, who looks good on a boiling hot day where everything is melting away?

There is a bit of choreography during the chorus, which seems to be choreographed to be suitable for TikTok. After all, Zico has restarted the TikTok trend with this comeback, following its success with Any Song. It is suitable and reflects the lyrics well.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6/10

[Album Review] Heng:garæ (7th Mini Album) – SEVENTEEN

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SEVENTEEN achieved the title of ‘million seller’ with the release of their seventh mini-album, Heng:garæ, which features the title track, Left & Right. Congratulations to the group! For those who may not know what ‘million seller’ refers to, it is the title given to a group who sells over a million copies of their album within the first week of its release. The only other group to achieve this feat is BTS, who has done so with three of their most recent album releases including Map of the Soul: 7 which was released earlier this year (which makes SEVENTEEN the second group to achieve this feat this year!). It is definitely exciting for the group and for the fans who support SEVENTEEN! And this makes diving into this album more thrilling, so let’s get listening!

Heng:garæ Album Cover

1. Fearless – Kicking off the album is Fearless and it makes sure the album starts off with a strong one. Fearless is quite heavy, unlike other songs that start off an album in a lighter manner. But a strong song can result in a bold entrance, which is the case we have here. When I listened Fearless for the first time, the song felt like it was swinging at you, as if the members were fearless of whatever was holding them back. It had nice momentum, vocals and raps. It also felt very clean and organized, which was quite appealing to me. There was potential for it to be a title track. Fearless also incorporated some of Fear (their previous title track) melodies during the bridge, but they change the lyrics to show the difference between the Fear and the Fearless. It caught me off guard at first. And now I consider it to be the killing part of the song. (9/10)

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

3. I Wish (좋겠다) – I Wish reminds me of those KPOP ballads we used to get on albums in the past. It was all about a one-sided crush, how they yearn to confess to their crush and how lonely they feel as the days past. Pretty much a cliché topic to sing about. Aside from the sprinkling of nostalgia that I Wish does give off, I don’t find the pop ballad to be that special and I haven’t fallen for it. I find everything (melodies, vocals, raps) in the song to be good, but that is the extent that I would give it. There were two parts that did perk my interest, but it didn’t do enough. First was the layering of Wonwoo’s rapping and everyone singing and second is the synthesizer (I think it was synthesizer) used in the instrumental break towards the end of the song. (7/10)

4. My My – Click here to read the full review for My My. (8/10)

5. Kidult (어른 아이) – Kidult has more of a kick to it, thanks to the use of the band instrumentation, which gives off pop-rock ballad vibe. It feels and sounds a lot more captivating than I Wish. It is a lot more suitable and refreshing for the Summer season. The song is all about being a kid and adult, or at times, a mixture of both (hence the title). And it seems like their lover has the same issue and the members are telling them to embrace it. Their vocals were very fitting for this style and that is definitely apparent throughout the song. DK’s ad-libs and high pitch vocals were on point. The rap-singing was a good choice, giving the rappers a chance to fit into the song. The melodies were great, and I had the swaying effect come to me while listening to the song (which is a positive determinator in my level of enjoyment of the song). (9/10)

6. Together (같이가요) – Together is all about being together no matter what. And like how it feels like a more upbeat version of Kidult and has an OST type of vibe to it. I like the classical instrumentation that is mixed into the upbeat band instrumentation. This entire track is very foot-tapping worthy (another positive determinator in my level of enjoyment). I find their vocal work in this song to be the best on this album (DK is definitely shaping to be my new favourite main vocalist), with my favourite parts was when all the members would sing together at the end of the chorus. I liked the inclusive atmosphere that comes about in those sections and from this song, overall. The inspirational feel was also a plus, thanks to the members’ delivery of the lyrics. What a positive way to end the song. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.7/10

Heng:garae Teaser Image
Heng:garæ Teaser Image
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[Review] Y.O.U – DONGKIZ I:KAN

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Making their subunit debut on Tuesday was DONGKIZ I:KAN. I personally wasn’t aware that DONGKIZ was debuting a subunit (I thought it was a group comeback when I say it on the list), so this was a surprise for me. The subunit consists of Jae Chan and Mun Ik and this follows the group’s Lupin comeback earlier in the year (a comeback that I really enjoyed). Subunits usually offer listeners a different sound to what their main group usually offers, so it will be interesting to see what DONGKIZ I:KAN will delve into, given that DONGKIZ doesn’t really have a strong association to any genre.

The one thing I do remember as a common theme in DONGKIZ’s track is its funky and retro vibes. And in a sense, Y.O.U (the title of the subunit’s title track) conforms to that common string in their main group’s release. At the same time, the subunit brings forward the new jack swing genre from the early 90s. And this music direction is great! It is full of energy and there are some fun vibes to it. There is also a refreshing appeal to the song, given that I don’t think the group has ever delved into this particular genre yet. The most exciting part of the song was the dance break that brought me a strong sense of nostalgia. While I do like the sound they had gone with, the main flaw of Y.O.U was how lacking their vocals and rapping were. I wanted more oomph to their delivery of both elements to add some depth to the song. What we got was good, but it is another situation where I wanted them to go further. If they had somehow defined their vocals and raps, this would help make the hooks more catchy and addictive.

The duo is singing about a girl they see passing by and that is exactly what the music video is showing. The two members are competing against each other to get her attention. I liked that it showed the two’s facial expression while they are on a mission to get her attention. That is a little different from similar music videos. However, it was revealed at the end that the girl already had an interest in a guy named Kirin, which shocks the guys. I thought that was a fun little twist, despite it being a card played multiple times in the past. Aside from the generic storyline, I really liked how simple the video was, yet how retro the video ended looking. From the outfits to the post-production editing of the dance break, everything looked like it would have fitted into the 90s.

The bright atmosphere which they show on stage is very fitting for both the members and the song. I do like the twisty moves they pull off. It looked weird at first, but it soon became interesting as I tried to work out what they were doing. The dance break was fun, though it wasn’t as intense as I hoped it would be.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Review] Telephone – EXO-SC ft. 10CM

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The second SM Entertainment release came unexpected last night. EXO-SC has been confirmed to making a comeback and will be releasing an album on the 13th of July (that’s just under a week!). And while fans are preparing for that release, EXO-SC released a pre-release track that no one saw coming titled Telephone, which features 10CM. This is the unit’s first comeback since their debut with What A Life last year (another review which I haven’t gone back to update once the live performance came out).

What A Life came off as dull and lackluster. That is essentially all I remember about their debut song. And it is looking like Telephone is shaping to be the exact same. It delves back into the hip-hop genre, with the duo going with a rap-sing delivery of the lyrics. More specifically, Telephone delves into the chilled side of hip-hop, with the entire track going with a laid-back vibe, similar to their debut track. Though, I felt the song might have gone many steps too far into the chilled spectrum, that both Chanyeol and Sehun’s vocals were pretty expressionless and this really dulled out the song. Same comment can be made with the instrumental. It is pretty much straightforward, with the repetitive and simple tapping of a piano key. Not really the most exciting piece of music. It was pretty much empty and sparse of sounds, besides some phone sounds and the duo echoing the lyrics and providing some ‘few words’ in the background. And even they didn’t do a good job of filling up the song. The most exciting bit of the song is when 10CM joins in, providing smooth vocals and this leads to Chanyeol and Sehun doing a little more with their own vocals to close off the song. But by then, I had already tuned out and became distracted. It sucks that I have to echo the disappointment I gave in their debut review, but that is the reality. Hopefully on Monday, the pair will give us something a little more exciting to breakdown.

I felt that the music video had a lot more substance than the song. The lyrics is all about their reservation to the phone, which everyone (including their crush and themselves) to communicate to other people. Chanyeol and Sehun are trying to get their crush’s attention. When they are together, their crush to too busy looking at their own phone. When they are not and Chanyeol/Sehun are trying to communicate with them, they blame their phone and use phone-related excuses for not being able to answer (i.e. the phone was charging, I was driving so I couldn’t pick my phone etc.). This leads to Chanyeol and Sehun entering the phone and destroying the attention stealing stuff on the phone, leading their crush to have nothing to do, other than message the two guys back. At least that is my take on the lyrics and the visuals from the music video. I also think there is some sort of hidden message at the start of the video, that we would be too busy doing one thing (i.e. reading the messages that popped up on the screen) to notice some of the stuff the pair were doing, such as applying wood filler to a toothbrush, overfilling a bowl, wearing odd socks and oversalting food.

Song – 4/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 5.6/10