Category: KPOP

[Review] Roar – SF9

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SF9 has returned with their first mini album, Burning Sensation, and their newest title track, Roar. The group made their official debut last October with Fanfare.

Fanfare, til this day, has not left an impression on me and thus became a forgettable track. Roar takes one step in the opposite direction, as I do remember this song for a number of reasons. The instrumental was interesting. That boing-boing sound (how do you explain the sound???) really catches your attention from the very start. They don’t overuse it because it could easily annoy the crap out of everyone and ruin the song. The verses needed some sort of foundation or backing to give the song more of an impact, in my opinion. The vocals are okay. The adlibs at the end don’t really seem to fit the song that well. The clear standout goes to the rapping. Each the rappers sounded amazing in this song. The buildup that the rappers contribute to the choruses sounded rough yet very fitting to the song. Though, their part in the bridge could have gone for something else rather than cowbells. I don’t know why, but I thought it was a little odd. While I did think the buildup to the choruses was pretty good, the immediate launch into the chorus is done perfectly. It packs a punch and leaves an impression in your mind.

Like the song, the video is quite fast-paced. You blink and you may have missed 30 seconds of the video. The sets and the solo shots don’t look as impressive as you think they will be. Honestly, the sets for the solo shots looked like they have been used elsewhere in the KPOP realm. Maybe it is the camera shots that make the sets seemed overused. The video also lacks colour. That one colour lighting seems to be trendy in South Korea, but I think it makes videos look dull and boring. The editing for the video is quite good as well, especially during the choreography shots.

The choreography is pretty good. I would have liked more moves that packed a punch and felt more strong. There were parts that did feel quite slow (even though they were made to fit with the speed of the song at that part) and they did weaken the overall look and feel of the choreography. The one thing I did like was how they broke themselves into smaller groups at the start and smoothly combined the two to make one group.

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

[Review] You Seem Busy – MelodyDay ft. Jung Ilhoon (BTOB)

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MelodyDay has returned with a brand new single. The last time we saw them on stage was through the promotions of Colour, last year. Unfortunately, I didn’t get time to review their comeback last year. As you can tell from the title of this review, their newest track is titled as You Seem Busy and it features Ilhoon from BTOB.

The girls came back with a much slower song, compared to that last few releases. I love the ballad instrumental in the song. To me, it sounds very calming and soothing. Throw in their vocals, along with Ilhoon’s rap, and the song pretty much makes you sway along with it. Not technically fond of the first verse, as it felt quite dry. But those final moments leading up to the first chorus really builds the song up from out of nothing, launching straight into the chorus quite well. The rest of the song doesn’t really repeat that same sort of impact and that does leave the song hanging a bit. The only other flaw with the song is that it can fall into the more “generic ballad” catergory.  It did take a few listens to shake that feeling off. It wasn’t until I unexpectedly listened to the song (through YouTube automatic recommedantions) did I actually notice the impact and the song itself.

The music video tells the story of a waiter who seems to just be pushing through with work to just pass the day (or make a living). The same thing happens every single day, which makes his life dull and boring. On this paritcular day, the customers (the two comedians) give him a hard time. One of them notices him and starts a conversation, while the other one becomes jealous and tells the waiter to essentially get lost. He takes some time out and notices the girls on stage, who are in fact MelodyDay themselves. They perform their song, which also lifts his spirits, which leaves a smile on his face. It isn’t a flashy video, but very fitting for the song, as both goes hand-in-hand with each other (just check the English lyrics in the video below). A nice video to watch.

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

[Review] The Song – Zion.T

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Zion.T is a RnB/hip-hop artist who has a very extensive resume when it comes to the South Korean industry. Many of his songs go on to top the South Korean charts. For example, his album is beating out the OST of the trendiest dramas at the moment. That is quite an incredible feat, considering how the OST have such a big influence on the industry. Zion.T recently left Amoeba Culture and is now officially a part of the YG Family.

Not exactly my cup of tea, but it is a good track to listen to. I don’t really listen to Zion.T that much when he sings in songs by himself but I do like listening to his collaborations with other artists. While you can hear the RnB roots in this song, there is a  definite pop influence. The instrumental for this song is quite simple (from what I can hear – I am no expert in composing) and I think this suits the lyrics of the song, which involves him singing about how he wrote this song for his girl (but releases it for everyone to hear – which I guess indirectly references composers who put their life-story into songs). His vocals are very sweet in the song and quite smooth as well. His rapping was quite limited in the song. I would have liked to hear more of his rapping in the song because it compliments the song quite nicely. Honestly, the song felt quite short and while it was three minutes, it felt like it was 2 minutes. Not exactly sure if that is a good or bad thing yet. Overall, do listen to it if you like your RnB. Just expect a little more happiness to the song, especially if you are used to a more emotional sounding Zion.T song (like me).

The video is a little unconventional if I were to put “crazy” into a formal way of writing. Some parts make sense. Others don’t really make that much sense to me. I get the slide scene at the start, where he slides to what seems to be his really long, ball-filled bathtub. Mainly because it was a part of the lyrics. But not too sure about the submarine or the “under-the-sea” scenes. I don’t I was meant to get too in depth with the scenes though as the video goes for a more fun concept, which goes hand in hand with the happiness I pointed out. Some of the sets had that typical YG feel, but overall, the video doesn’t feel like it came from YG Entertainment. Many of their artists who don’t really follow the KPOP route (such as Akdong Musician and now Zion.T) seem to have videos that fit their songs and image more. While that it is expected, it is fresh coming from YG Entertainment. Overall, it is a nice video to watch.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8.5/10 
Overall Review – 9/10

Recap of 31st Golden Disk Awards + Thoughts

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The 31st Golden Disk Awards was held on the 13th and 14th of January 2017, for the artists who the best and most successful acts of 2016. The award ceremony is split into two nights. The 13th of January was dedicated to the digital charts and the 14th of January focused on the album charts.

The first night was hosted by Hwang Chi Yeol, Seohyun and Jung Yong Hwa, while the second night was hosted by Kang Sora and Sung Si Kyung. Mostly everyone who won an award on those nights performed on stage with the exception of Lim Chang Jung, Bang Shi Hyuk and Jaejoong (JYJ). Uhm Jung Hwa, Gain (Brown Eyed Girls) and Rain was invited to perform as special guests.

Here is a recap of the awards:
Disk Daesang (Album Of The Year) – EX’ACT (EXO)
Digital Daesang (Song Of The Year) – Cheer Up (Twice)
Disk Bonsang (Best Artist) – Monsta X, Seventeen, GOT7, Infinite, VIXX, BTS, EXO, Taemin (SHINee), SHINee.
Digital Bonsang (Best Artist) – Twice, Mamamoo, GFriend, Urban Kakapa, Suzy & Baekhyun, Lee Hi, Zico (Block B), Taeyeon (SNSD), Lim Chang Jung.
Best New Artist – BlackPink, Bolbbalgan4, NCT 127, I.O.I
Popularity Award – SHINee
Best R&B / Soul – Crush
Best Band – CN Blue
Best OST – Gummy (You Are My Everything)
Asian Choice Award – Jaejoong (JYJ)
Ceci Asian Icon Award – Red Velvet, EXO
Global KPOP Artist Award – BTS
Best Performance Male Group – Sechs Kies
Best Performance Female Group – Sistar
Best Producer Award – Bang Shi Hyuk

The awards were fair. The artists for both digital and physical album awards did make a lot of sense. I am amazed at how little girl groups were present for the physical album night (second night). The only group there was Red Velvet and I am equally surprised that they didn’t win a bonsang for last year’s releases.

With regards to the performances, I was quite disappointed with the first night. Everything felt plain and very typical. The only standout was Zico’s medley performance. Not a major hip-hop or RnB fan when it comes to Korean music, but his performance was the only one I grooved along that night. I feel like Taeyeon’s performance would have been amazing (as it is an awesome song) but it was unfortunately riddled with audio and microphone issues.

The second night was much more promising. I guess the first night failed to do it for me because there were different genres, so of which I don’t really listen to. The second night was more KPOP centred. Seventeen’s performance was good, but why did they do their 2015 songs as well? They should have done rearrangements of Very Nice and Boom Boom as well. The hypocrite within is resurfacing because while I say that about Seventeen’s performance, I thought BTS’s medley of songs (from their debut to Fire) was amazing. Even if the Blood Sweat and Tears part was for transition, I need a full remix because it sounded amazing as well.  Infinite had a freaking bomb-ass stage with their dance breaks in the song. Finally, I really liked the For Life song (it grew even more on me) and when I heard they were going to perform, I was quite overjoyed. It was the one performance I waited for and they performed the track perfectly (luckily, no audio problems).

I think that will be it for this segment. I intended for this one to be up the weekend after the two nights, but I kept pushing it back. WordPress kept reminding me about it and at one point, I actually trashed it. But I ended reviving it and here it is. So just to notify you, I will not be doing for SMA 2017 and the Gaon Chart Awards.

 

[Album Review] Rookie (4th Mini Album) – Red Velvet

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Welcome to the first ever album review. I asked many of you to complete a survey at the end of 2016. Guess what was most voted for! Album Reviews! Honestly, I wanted to do the first album review for another group, who releases their newest album later this month. But after listening to Red Velvet’s latest album, I couldn’t pass the chance of reviewing it!

 

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Rookie’s Album Cover

 

Rookie (title track) – check out the review published for the song yesterday. (6/10)

Little Little – The track is a really nice and slow RnB track. The track shows off the group’s vocals quite nicely, with that being the main point of the whole song. From the member’s individual parts to their amazing harmony during the chorus, the girls do stand out with this song. The entire song has a nice rhythm that is easy to the ears and is a nice track to listen to when you want to relax. (10/10)

Happily Ever After – I think this track could have been the title track. It has that fun and vibrant sound that I liked with Red Velvet’s past title tracks. It suits the group a lot. I love the wacky sounds here, from the use of xylophones to the “beep beep” sound that your car makes when you lock it. Once again, their vocals are great here. I just feel the chorus could have been a little catchier and less traditional. It would have made the track wackier, suiting the girls even more. (8/10)

Talk To Me – While I don’t think this track would have been successful if it was the title track, I would love to see a performance of this song. The instrumental sounds very interesting and promising for a good choreography routine. While Little Little was slow and Rookie/Happily Ever After was more colourful in terms of sound, Talk To Me is a mixture of both. It is a lot slower, but there are sounds that make it colourful, as well. (9/10)

Body Talk – Hands down everyone because this has to be the best track on the whole mini album. It blew me away when I first heard the song. It may be slow, but it packs a punch, especially when you reach the chorus (especially the last one). The song has a more serious tone than any other track on the album. While it is a lot different, this track does remind me a lot of Heartbreak Hotel by Tiffany from SNSD (ft. SanE). (10/10)

Last Love – This track is actually not by Red Velvet but Wendy’s solo. It’s a ballad and it is honestly a nice way to finish off the album. It sounds very nice, with some people agreeing that this could possibly be in a Disney movie. And I agree with that comment. She has a very nice voice. The song makes you sway along with it. What more do you want from a ballad? (9/10)

Overall Rating of Album – 8.5/10

 

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Red Velvet’s Teaser Image

 

So how do you like Red Velvet’s latest album? Any favourite tracks? Comment below!!

 

 

 

 

[Review] Rookie – Red Velvet

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Red Velvet has returned with a new mini album, which shares the same title as the title track, Rookie. 2016 was another big year for the girl group with countless solo work and two successful comebacks. This review will a part of my first album review for their mini album – Rookie.

From what I am reading, some people think this is their worst track to date. I personally wouldn’t go to that extent. I wouldn’t say it is their worst track, but rather it is not their best. I liked the instrumental. It fits Red Velvet’s sound really nicely. It has a vibrant sound that matches with Red Velvet’s past hits like Dumb Dumb and Russian Roulette. It sounds similar to Hey Mikey by Toni Basil (just with modern processing and more upbeat). Some of the vocals I liked, especially when they are singing. Joy and Irene’s part in the first verse was, by far, big no-no’s. Would you consider it rapping? Because I would and if it is actually them rapping, maybe they should stay away from it for a while (or start practising a little more). Just by listening to the song only a few times, I can already hear the annoying ring with the chorus. The constant repetition of the word Rookie just sounds annoying here. It isn’t flashy or appealing. There isn’t any tone to it, expect for that one tone. Dumb Dumb had repetition in it, but the repetition was sung. This just sounds like more like shouting. To be honest, it does turn me away from the track a bit. They mispronounce the world Rookie all throughout the chorus. And while that is frustrating for an English speaker (like myself), we can’t really blame them for that (Note: Asians tend to mix up their R and L’s). Honestly, I think if they redid the chorus to something like in Russian Roulette, I think the song would have been better. The song isn’t terrible, but as I said, not their best.

Once again, Red Velvet has gone with a vibrant and colourful video, which does fit the song quite nicely. I have no idea what is going on in the video. It’s wacky and crazy, something that Red Velvet has been doing for some time. It seems like whatever they were smelling at the start, got them into Narnia, which leads them to an alternative universe, with a flower man running about. Besides that, the rest doesn’t make any sense. Watching the video over and over again doesn’t help to decipher the video, but it adds to the confusion. For a while, it seems like SM threw together some colourful sets and just hoped that the video would solve itself. Some of the sets were stunning, some of them were very plain and boring. That scene where Seulgi walks out of the closet and then joins into the choreography straight away was meant to look cool. But instead, it just looks really staged. Like the song, I would watch the video, but I wouldn’t say this is their best.

Only saw small snippets of the choreography, but what I saw looked good. I have a feeling (and this is from what I saw) but the dance could be a lot simpler. I hope that isn’t the case. I have grown to love Red Velvet’s dances for its complexity and its own flare. Let’s hope they continue with it. I will add more once the stages start.

Song – 5.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Dance – 7/10 (may change)
Overall Rating – 6/10

 

[Review] Love Affair – Niel (Teen Top)

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Niel from Teen Top has returned with his first comeback and second solo mini album, which is also titled as Love Affair… It has been a while since I last heard from Teen Top. Though, they have been in the news lately, as their contract with their current company is to be renewed this year. From what I could tell, it seems a renewal is most likely and a March comeback is also on the books.

Once again, I am not really falling into Niel’s solo title track as I want to. His solo debut was good, but it didn’t really leave much of an impression on me after a while. It’s not because I dislike the artist, but rather, his solos don’t captivate me, as other artists do. This time around, Niel has gone for an acoustic prominent song, which the guitar being the primary instrument in the song. You can also hear hints of synths throughout the song. As the song progresses, it starts to become faster and more upbeat, but still keeping that mellow sound as heard in the slower parts of the song. His vocals seem more polished and emotional to me, in this song. That is one of the strong points in this song. While he does draw out some notes in the song, it doesn’t really sound that way. The song doesn’t sound like extra seconds are added to it because of the drawn out notes. The rapper, Giant Pink, whom I have never heard of before, does a really splendid job in the song. The rap segment flowed very nicely and complimented both the song and Niel as well.

The video can be split into two segments. The first is all the choreography scenes. The second are the interactions with the female lead. His acting in this video is pretty good. Watching the video, you can feel the emotions. You can tell how desperate he is to be with the girl, especially at the end. You could also feel the emotions in the choreography. I will touch on them later on. But they really compliment the emotions in the acting. The sets for the choreography is wonderful, especially the one with all the mirrors. That looked amazing. I don’t understand why they had to slo-mo some of the dance moves (such as the crotch rubbing one). Maybe to appeal to a particular fan base, but I thought it looked really stupid, given the emotions that I keep on mentioning in this part of the review.

His dancing is really impressive and it definitely left an impression on me. As I mentioned above, emotions could be felt in this dance when it is paired with the music video. On stage, it looks really cool and majestic. I personally don’t think the backup dancers add much to the performance, besides something else to look at. But my eyes are already preoccupied with following Niel across the stage. Hahaha…

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

[Review] Don’t Say No – Seohyun (SNSD)

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After much anticipation and requests, Seohyun from SNSD or Girl’s Generation has finally made her solo debut. She joins Tiffany, Taeyeon, Yoona and Hyoyeon, who each have made their solo debut in the past. She makes her debut with a mini album, which also shares the same title as the title track, Don’t Say No. And her solo debut has proven to be a success with her song topping charts and winning awards!

I was expecting a ballad from Seohyun, not a dance song. So this song caught me off guard. But it is an amazing song to listen to. As soon as you hear the song, you notice her vocals. They sound spectacular and really suit the song. Her adlibs, at the end, really pack a punch. The instrumental is your typical pop, but with a nice touch of retro to it. This may sound like I am looking down on the song, but I would also describe as the sound as snappy and almost sassy. I mean all of that in a good way. There might be a better way to put it, but that is what I got from the song and lyrics. The chorus did an amazing job at giving the song a lift. The bridge changed the song up, giving it an edgier vibe, but still keeping to the sound of the song.Saying all of that, the verses felt a little empty and needed more of a punch to make it perfect. But even though I have written that the song still sounds amazing. That punch in the chorus and at the end does make up for it (but the differences between the parts were apparent).

The music video is okay. SM is going back to their box days with this comeback, not something I was expecting since SM have been bringing out a few good videos in the past year. While the box set wasn’t as apparent (they used an open plan for this video), it did still feel restricting. In the video, Seohyun is cooking up a storm for her partner. Just she is serving chains and bolts, not spaghetti and mushrooms. She ends up killing him (I can see why. I don’t think that meal was edible. My guess for the cause of death was lead poisoning – a lot of it). We then see his body in a coffin, by a fridge, in a graveyard. I guess she stored the body for disposal later on? Talking about the graveyard, Seohyun managed to pull off one of the wackiest outfits I have seen in KPOP in a long time (talking about her massive, floppy hat). While I debate the point of a floppy hat, I think the use of it was intentional, to give her that dark and mysterious look, telling you what she is capable of.

Thank God her clothing on the stage is tamer and less wild. Imagine dancing in that hat! She did an amazing job with the choreography. While it doesn’t technically wow you, I always felt that she was overshadowed when she performed with SNSD. It shows her off and gives you a look into her style and moves.

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

[Review] Hobglobin – CLC

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With the help of Hyuna (former member of 4Minute), CLC has returned with an 180-degree change in concepts. The bright and bubbly girls are gone. Instead, the girls have gone down the hip-hop route, with a tougher and bolder image. And with the change in concept, the girls have been receiving a lot of attention for it. The last time the girls were reviewed on the site was with their track, Oh No No.

The song is really good, there is no doubt about it. I could never have imagined CLC doing a song with heavy hip-hop roots. But who knows, it may have been the change the group is looking for. The song itself also delves into EDM for its instrumental. Everything sounds great, ranging from the vocals to the rapping, which proves the move to an edgier sound worthwhile. I honestly cannot wait to see what else the girls have up their sleeves. But the more I listen to it, the more I can hear the similarities between this song and 4Minute’s Crazy. From the structure to the delivery of the song, the similarities are quite prominent. And I think this is intentional but at the same time, I feel uneasy with this idea. With 4Minute (the company’s most profitable girl group) now gone, the company has pushed CLC to where 4Minute once stood. Essentially, they tried to keep CLC’s fans happy with a comeback but also appeal to the taste of 4Minute fans who wanted more. The tactic is (so far) working, with the extra attention on the girls, but we don’t know how far into the future will this continue to work. I just hope that, in the future, the company can let the girls can bring their own colour and twist to their songs, rather than market the girls as 4 Minute 2.0. While it is too early to tell, the next release will allow us to draw a conclusion.

The 4Minute influence is very strong in the video. Even some of the members are dressed like you would expect Hyuna to, in a more edgier video. It isn’t necessarily bad but like what I said above, ‘hopefully they don’t market the girls as 4Minute 2.0’. The 360 camera shot looked really cool. While 4Minute’s Crazy did utilise a 360 camera, I liked how the girls also turned around with the camera. I liked the sets that were filmed for the first part of the video (the black staircase, the abandoned garage room, the purple background room) more than the house set with pink lights. The lighting for the latter was really horrible and the set just didn’t have the right appeal to match the concept and the song. Overall, I like bits of the video, while other bits I did not enjoy.

The choreography is really bold and tough, which is really fitting for the song. It is so weird to see the difference between this choreography and a past routine, such as Like. I think the dance is really cool. The chorus was amazing. Seunghee and Sorn’s dance segment during the first verse looked amazing, even without the 360 cameras.

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

 

[Review] The Best Present – Rain

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Rain has returned to the music scene after 3  years. The last time he was on the stage he released 30 Sexy and La Song in 2014. Since then, Rain has been busy with a world tour, setting up his own company and getting married to Kim Tae Hee. This track marks his return to the industry with promises of more music promotions in the future. The track, The Best Present, was produced by Psy.

I wasn’t much of a fan of his previously two releases, so I fussed about the hype that much. But I didn’t anticipate the release of such a great track. The track is literally smooth. His husky vocals just slide along with the song. The song can be described as a slow, rnb dance track, suiting his message in the song. It’s either thanking his fans for their support or he is singing how his new wife is “The Best Present” in the world. The instrumental isn’t that memorable, but like I said before, it is very smooth. The song just lacked one thing. It needed a peak. It’s not monotone but it felt too consistent. The song tries to reach the peak with the dance instrumental break but falls short of its goal. Maybe the instrumental should have had a few extra instruments to give it that extra push, but what we have presently is good enough. To be honest, I am more impressed with his vocals and the smoothness that I heard (sorry for repetition of the one word), so I am not exactly too bothered with the lack of a peak.

There are two things that make this video: simplicity and choreography. So I will be joining the performance review with the video review. I do like simple videos from time to time. This one does it well. While there isn’t anything in the video besides a white and black background, the way the background was used was pretty smart. Different coloured filters and lighting were used to change the colour. However, the background can only captivate you so much, especially by the second time you play the video, so that is where the dance comes into play. Now the dance aspect of the video. It isn’t boring to watch. Rain’s dance has been iconic from day 1 and while this one isn’t necessarily memorable as his past routines, it is still pretty amazing. His movements are fluid and smooth, which suits the track. When I watched this video, I couldn’t help but hold my breath, especially at the dance break. It truly did look amazing.

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

 

 

[Review] Oh Na Na – K.A.R.D ft. Heo Youngji

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Yes, another release from 2016 that I will be reviewing in 2017. And it is going to be the final one so far. K.A.R.D is a co-ed group under DSP Media that consist of J.Seph, BM, Somin (former member of April) and Jiwoo. This song and the few others that will follow will feature a hidden artist. For Oh Na Na, the Hidden member is Youngji, a former member of Kara. The group uses playing cards as a way to represent themselves, an interesting concept.

The track is a modern mix between the EDM we hear constantly in music, with the re-emerging genres of hip-hop and RnB. And the track mixes up these genres perfectly. The instrumental is very striking, catching your attention with its bold sounds.The vocals and rapping by the members sound amazing. Each member compliments the song in their own. The chorus is very addictive to listen to. The “Oh Na Na” sounds fantastic and is the catchiest point of the song. I also thought the instrumental breaks after the choruses were really good as well. Youngji’s featuring doesn’t really do it for me, unfortunately. Her part is designed for her, but that part doesn’t really fit in well with the song. The whole song has this heavy beat beating throughout it. Youngji’s part took away that repetitive heavy beat, added some slowness to the song and forced the song to have a higher pitch (which didn’t suit the song as well as expected). It was a nice slowdown, but I preferred that repetitive heavy beat that we had in all the other parts of the song. Besides that, I liked this track a lot. When I was on holidays, it was the one track that I kept going back to.

Not as impressed with the video as I was with the song. The quality of the video just wasn’t up to par with the quality of the song. I would have been happy with just the choreography shots. The rest of the video just felt detached from each other. There wasn’t anything connecting them together. I did like the night city scenery in the background, though. My next complaint would have to be the lighting in this video. Some parts you could see the members. Other parts (including some of the dance segments) were just too dark and you could only see the outlines of the members. Finally, Youngji’s part made me laugh. I know she is the ‘hidden member’ for this song. But she didn’t have to put on a black hoodie. She looks either like the Grim Reaper or the guy from the new drama Introverted Boss (Guess who started to watch dramas now). While I am sure she was told to wear that to look mysterious, she looks ridiculous more than anything.

The dance looked amazing. There was a hint of sexiness in the dance, but nothing overpowering. It had the hip-hop vibe through it. I really loved the dance at the instrumental breaks and the body waves at the “Oh Na Na” parts.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 3/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

[Double Review] Pretend + Yes No Maybe – Suzy (Miss A)

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Suzy, from Miss A, is a South Korean treasure. While she does perform with her group, she is more known for her acting in dramas such as Dream High, Gu Family Book and Uncontrollably Fond. However, a solo album or release of some kind has been requested for the idol for quite a while now. She has featured in OSTs for dramas and in 2016, she collaborated with Baekhyun from EXO for Dream. At the end of 2016, a solo debut was confirmed for January 2017 and her solo album was released on the 24th of January.

Pretend was the pre-release track for Suzy’s debut. Pretend is a ballad with a soft jazz instrumental. Almost like elevator music, but not as bad! The vocals in the song are unique. Instead of being clear, they have been edited to sound as if she is singing straight from a microphone. The vocals for the verses are quite soft, while the chorus is where she is the loudest. I do prefer the chorus because you can hear more clearly. The ending was a little abrupt and I think the song should have eased into silence, to make it sound better. Have to mention the lyrics for Pretend because they are very meaningful and when she sings, you can hear the emotion that she pours into the song.

Overall Rating for Pretend – 8/10

Yes No Maybe is Suzy’s title track for her solo debut. Like in Pretend, Suzy did a great job with the emotions in Yes No Maybe. Vocally, I think this sound much better than Pretend, mainly because you hear her more clearly and her vocals are at a more appropriate volume level. Her vocals were very fitting for the song, as well. I am not exactly sure how I would describe the instrumental of this song. There is a retro sound to it, with what I believe is Latin influences. I really enjoyed the beat of the song. While it is not a party or modern type of dance song, I do want to get up and jam to it. It’s a really good song that was perfect for a solo debut.

I really liked the video for Yes No Maybe. It has an eerie look that for some reason matches the song pretty well. We see Suzy mainly under a red filter or in shaky shots, which represents the hazy memories that a person might have after a night out. The video also features a male actor, to whom Suzy is seeing. Most of the video shows her by herself, aimlessly wandering the streets but she ends up going back to the guy.  It’s the later part of the video that doesn’t make sense to me. She is seen fleeing the scene and in the foreground are two bodies. One body of the guy in the bathtub and one body of another female on the bathroom floor (that is what I am assuming since only legs are shown). So she killed him (but we don’t know why). My assumption is because he is seeing someone else on the side. That ending made me go back to the video a few times to try to understand the storyline, but as you can see, I didn’t get far. The cinematography for the video was actually quite good as well.

What the performance for Yes No Maybe needed was a sensual choreography without becoming overwhelming. And that is what Suzy delivered. It isn’t anything that impressive or memorable, but that expected sensual feeling (to the right extent) was there. I did like the use of the red strings at the start of the performance. Though, I feel like a red ribbon would have given a bolder look.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating for Yes No Maybe – 8.5/10 

[Review] I Think I Love U – Sonamoo

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Sonamoo made their comeback with I Think I Love U on the 9th of January 2017. This is their first comeback since the release of their 3rd mini album and the title track, I Like U Too Much, back in June 2016.

The track isn’t too bad, but it just fails to capture the attention of the listener. I loved the sirens and the first few seconds of the song. It’s nothing you would have expected from a girl group who went on board with a cutesy concept. The verses in the song are quite good. They show off the vocals and raps very well, further proving the girls’ potential. The verses themselves sound strong and well defined with the retro-sounding instrumental.  The chorus is what loses me. The chorus felt too light and fluffy, compared to the verses. It also failed to be catchy or have any hooks. Overall, it made the song have a boring side and not stand out. Honestly, I feel like I have covered everything. If it was an amazing song, I should be able to talk about it. If it was terrible, then there would have been more to talk about. The fact that I only covered the song in a few lines just goes to show that the song isn’t amazing or terrible, it was just boring.

I found the video a lot more interesting than the song. The girls are mannequins in the trash, from what I believe. They wake up and stumble across a vending machine which sells a cute guy. To get the guy, they have to ‘insert a heart’. And where do they find a heart? In fluffy, stuffed bunnies scattered around the area. Obviously, they all want the guy to themselves, so they act shifty around each other, especially when they find a random stuffed bunny. In the end, all of them couldn’t find a heart, so they give up and return to where they originated from. Turns out, the cute guy is missing. Flashbacks showed one of the girls hanging back and finding a heart (very close to home) and end up with the cute mannequin guy. The other girls find out and start pulling him apart. The video was funny to watch. Besides all of that, everything else felt like a normal KPOP video.

Choreography wise, it looked quite nice. Nothing too complicated or simple. Instead, a nice polish flair was noticeable in the dance. While I complained about the chorus before, the dance during the chorus was very fitting and memorable to me.

Song – 4/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 5/10

[Review] Chase Me – Dream Catcher

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This is my first review of the year for a new group. And I feel like there is no better way to start off, but with Dream Catcher. The seven-member girl group is currently under Happy Face Entertainment, which also houses Dal Shabet. The lineup for the group consists of JiU, SuA, Siyeon, Yoohyeon, Dami, Handong and Gahyeon. Dreamcatcher has an interesting history, as they aren’t actually a brand new band. They were previously known as Minx (also under Happy Face Ent and were a five-member girl group), who made their debut in 2014. At the end of 2016, it was announced that the Minx would re-debut, with the addition of two new members, into Dreamcatcher.

And Dreamcatcher has delivered with an amazing song. Chase Me is a dance track with a rock-inspired instrumental. The song sounds a lot like a typical J-POP song or an anime opening. The song starts off with a prominent and mysterious sounding piano playing the in the background. The song starts to pick up with the use of the electrical guitar during pre-chorus and throughout the chorus. The song slows back down to the piano, which sounds creepy and then later picks up again. This change in tempo and style seems almost like an adrenaline rush. Every time I listen to their song, I can feel my heart racing with the tempo of the song. Personally, for this reason, I kept on returning to the song to re-experience that feeling, but now, I am just back because the chorus packs a punch and is so catchy. Their vocals and rapping were quite good and matching with the song. It’s a powerful track and if you like your Japanese pop or anime openings, this song is the one go to.

It has been a while since I last saw a KPOP video produced for a girl group that delves into the horror genre. The girls act as ghosts in the video, while the lead male actor goes into the haunted hotel to investigate these ghosts. But there seems to be more to the typical ghost investigation because at the end of the video we see him smiling at pictures of the girls and then we get the ‘to be continued’ notice. So I am dying to find out what this all means and what his connection with the girls are (and also what other songs/ideas to continue the horror theme). Talking about the horror in the video, it is done right. I love how the video was edited to fit the fast and slow parts of the song. During the chorus, the editing was a lot choppier and that horror aspect came through really well. During the verses, the scenes were a lot slower and showed flashbacks of when the girls were innocent before they reached their demise and haunted the hotel.  The ghostly moves that were made were cliché and don’t necessary scare you. But they do give off a tense atmosphere in the video. However, regardless, I did enjoy the video as it was very matching to the song.

The dance was something that fell a little short, compared to the rest of the debut. While the song and video seem to be memorable (let me get back to you in a few months), the dance doesn’t have that mutual feeling.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10 
Dance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 8.5/10

 

[Review] Touch – Shinhwa

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Shinhwa has returned with their 13th album since debut. The album itself was released in two parts. The first part was released back in October 2016, as Unchanging Part 1 – Orange. The second part, released on the 5th of January 2017, comprises of all the songs released as part of Unchanging Part 1 – Orange and five new songs, including Touch, the title track for this album.

I am a little torn about the track. Once again, it is a track that doesn’t really appeal to me vocally. Honestly, that aspect is quite forgettable. But the track does stand out for other reasons. The EDM based instrumental is something that the boys haven’t really done before. It’s modern and trendy, suiting the current times. Going hand-in-hand with the instrumental is the structure of the song. The main reason why the instrumental does stand out is that there is no chorus to the song. Instead, the beat drops and we get a very complicated but powerful instrumental break each time. It is a little different, but it isn’t the first time an unconventional song structure has caught my attention (Check out Rainbow’s Black Swan). That being said, with no chorus, the song felt empty and did lack that hook. While the instrumental breaks were interesting, they didn’t do much to fill that empty void that the chorus would have filled from the start. Half of me is disappointed for that reason, but the other half did fall for that uniqueness.

The first thing I noticed after watching the video for the first time is that the video is very slow. I understand the slowness during the verses of the song because the verses are slow. But the scenes for the instrumental breaks are just too slow. Those parts sound almost as if it is choppy, fast-paced and impactful. But the video didn’t match those feelings. The majority of the video consist of the guys acting sad and heartbroken. There really isn’t anything to complain about there, but it does make the video become more boring if I was to continually watch it. There were a few scenes added where they act a little angry (with the now cliché ‘slow-motion-of-the-object-made-out-glass-smashing-on-the-floor’ or the ‘damage-the-mirror-somehow-and-stare-into-a-cracked-mirror’). But like the instrumental breaks, they don’t do much when it came to captivating me. The anger I guess ended up being a little more extreme by the end of the video. The guy burning the letter from his lover ends up burning his house out and the guy who lied in the bath tub (which again is in the middle of the room) completely flooded the room.

The dance looks cool and very precise. It matches the beat of the song really well. I have to admit, though, it does look pretty slow and lazy (at the instrumental breaks). The dance doesn’t really peak until the end of the song during the two solo parts. But still, the dance looked cool nonetheless.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 5.5/10

[Review] I’m Fine – VRomance

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VRomance has recently made their comeback with a ballad. They dropped their new song, I’m Fine, and their latest mini album on the 5th of January 2017. The 4-member boy group, dubbed as the male version of Mamamoo, made their debut in 2016 with She.

The track is good but quite underwhelming. The group made their comeback with a ballad to suit the cold season, which makes sense. But it failed to stand out and the entire track is too plain. She was a more vibrant track, which I think suits the group more. This track does do a better job at showcasing their vocals, with that being the one thing that I am impressed with. Everyone shined really well, while some members were overshadowed in their debut track. The bridge of the song was quite good as well. But the verses and chorus just lacked colour and didn’t live up to the standards that other ballads have set. While I am a sucker for orchestral instrumentals, it, unfortunately, did not make up for the disappointment I felt. That being said, the instrumental by itself is pretty good as well. It matched the vocals without overpowering them, which is a plus. Another plus are the lyrics, which tells a lover (or loved one) that they can leave and that everything will be fine in the end. but I will talk about them later on in the video. The song, while its individual aspects sound nice, just didn’t deliver overall.

The video was very touching. The video starts off with an elderly man, opening his photography business, like any other day. The pictures that he puts outside or hangs in his studio all have a story behind them. We see those stories as flashbacks in the video. Chandong, also makes an appearance in the video, through a flashback of a relationship falling apart. The man’s wife (I am assuming)  walks into the store and asks for a picture of herself to be taken. It later showed that she passed away and the picture was, in fact, a picture in preparation of her passing.  In the end, he hangs the picture of his wife on the wall of his shop, waves goodbye and closes up the shop. After looking back at the shop, he turns around and it is revealed that the elderly man is, in fact, Chandong. The vocals and the lyrics play a part in tugging the emotions out of you, when you watch the video. And it is perfect. The lyrics talk about someone leaving (let it be lover or a loved one), hence why we saw a lot of stories of people leaving. Though the closeup of the group singing was included in the video, I feel like they could have been omitted entirely and no impact would have been made to the video.

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