It is going to be a quick run through the Weekly KPOP Charts for this past week as I have a few reviews to get through, along with preparing stuff for the week ahead! So without anymore dilly dallying, here is the Weekly KPOP Chart for the 4th Week of October 2020.
First up to be discussed are the big jumps of the week. For those who are new to this segment, I categorise big jumps as rises on the charts that exceed 30 or more. Only two songs this week had a ‘big jump’. For this week, Weeekly’s Zig Zag experienced the highest jump of 41 positions. This was followed by Mamamoo’s Wanna Be Myself, who jumped 32 position this week.
And like every other Weekly Chart post, it is time to look at the Top 5. If we were to look at the fifth to second position, all the songs are new releases from this week. In the fifth position, we have LOONA’s Why Not?. Edged ahead slightly to sit in the fourth position is B1A4’s Like A Movie. Mamamoo’s pre-release single, Dingga, debuts in the third position, while SEVENTEEN’s HOME;RUN makes its entrance in the second position. The only song from the previous weeks to be in the Top 5 is this week’s number one song. That is Pentagon’s Daisy, which remained steady from last week. For more of the charts, scroll down below.
18th Oct – 24th Oct 2020
Title
Artist
Status
1
Daisy
Pentagon
(=)
2
HOME:RUN
SEVENTEEN
(new)
3
Dingga
MAMAMOO
(new)
4
Like A Movie
B1A4
(new)
5
Why Not?
LOONA
(new)
6
WANNA BE MYSELF
Mamamoo
(▲ 32)
7
Back Door
Stray Kids
(▼ 2)
8
Pump It Up
Golden Child
(▼ 4)
9
Zig Zag
Weeekly
(▲ 41)
10
From Home
NCT U
(new)
11
Light
UP10TION
(▲ 7)
12
I LOVE YOU
TREASURE
(=)
13
Alien
Suhyun (AKMU)
(▲ 19)
14
Twilight
WEi
(▼ 4)
15
Goblin (Favorite Boy)
A.C.E
(▲ 16)
16
Obliviate
Lovelyz
(▲ 18)
17
La Di Da
EVERGLOW
(▼ 9)
18
Feel Good (SECRET CODE)
fromis_9
(▼ 7)
19
One (Monster & Infinity)
SuperM
(=)
20
THANXX
ATEEZ
(▲ 23)
21
Shine Together
SF9
(▼ 7)
22
Cool
Weki Meki
(▼ 20)
23
Make A Wish (Birthday Song)
NCT U
(▼ 17)
24
Think of Dawn
GHOST9
(▲ 26)
25
Bad Idea
MOONBIN & SANHA (ASTRO)
(▲ 4)
26
RIDE
KNK
(=)
27
Beautiful Scar
Lee Eun Sang ft. Park Woo Jin (AB6IX)
(▲ 15)
28
Bon Voyage
YooA (Oh My Girl)
(▼ 13)
29
Criminal
Taemin (SHINee)
(▼ 1)
30
Open Mind
Wonho
(▲ 3)
Songs leaving the charts this week are:
Flame – CRAVITY
No More – Kim Yo Han
GUNSHOT – KARD
Ice Cream – BLACKPINK ft. Selena Gomez
A Song Of Fire and Ice – OnlyOneOf
Shadow – M.O.N.T
THANXX – ATEEZ
Bad Guy – JENYER
Thanks once again and I will see you in the upcoming reviews.
On Thursday, I wrapped up the reviews for all of the Monday releases. And now, I can move onto reviews for the releases during the other days of the week. Some of these other releases during this week have been moved onto my ‘Coming Soon’ list of reviews that I updated this morning, which you can view by clicking on the top right hand corner of this page. Some of the releases no on that list are the ones I want to cover over this weekend. The first is Mamamoo’s pre-release single, Dingga, which will be featured on their upcoming mini-album, Travel, due for release in early November.
For a pre-release single, Dingga is super catchy and fun. It almost feels like a title track in its own right. Note that I say ‘almost’, as I feel that Dingga seemed like it was holding back. A title track, to me, would have gone ‘all out’. It is an odd concept to think about but pre-releases tend to have their own vibe, such that when you listen to it, you know it is a pre-release. And while Dingga does have a title track profile to it, the song does have a hint of that pre-release vibe. That or I have been listening to KPOP for too many years. Dingga features a funky and vibrant pop instrumental that conforms to the current trends of retro appeal. Pair that with Mamamoo’s well-known vocals and Dingga is pretty much like every other fun and quirky Mamamoo release. The melodies were definitely on another level in this song, as it effortlessly rolled off their tongues. The most impressive member in this track happens to be Moonbyul and her rapping. The song enables her to delivery some her lines in a refined manner. The best part, aside from the catchy chorus, is the dance break instrumental sequence we get. That was a pretty cool moment that I did not see coming and ended up enjoying a lot. If Dingga was a hint of what is to come, then whatever title track that Travel and Mamamoo presents to us come November 3rd is going to another massive hit for the group!
Matching with the funky and catchy vibes of the song, the music video is quite colourful, fun and cheerful. Set in a roller derby, diners, and arcades, the members and their dancers have an absolute ball hanging out with one another. There are some hints of the current pandemic, including the wearing of masks and the virtual calling at the start of the video (though this could easily have been passed off as an invitation to hang out). And while this is a great light-hearted video to watch, it is the ending that gets me intrigued, with Hwasa all decked out in black leather approaching someone who is dressed in red. She is handed a pickaxe that she proceeds to study. Her stare she gives at the end sends goosebumps down my arm and the pan flute we get as a possible music hint gives off a mysterious vibe. Definitely looking forward to this upcoming release!
Pre-release singles don’t tend to get a choreography version of the music video. But it seems like Mamamoo is indulging us with this comeback. All the moves they do when they sing the Dingga title are all the catchiest dance moves. Moonbyul and Wheein’s pop and locking dance break was also awesome! I wished Hwasa and Solar had a moment for themselves as well. That would have been another ‘cherry on top’.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
Another album review written over a month after its release. ASTRO’s Moonbin and Sanha formed this subunit mid-September through the release of their first mini-album, IN-OUT. Featured on this mini-album is the title track, Bad Idea, that the pair have wrapped up promotions for. The entire album, aside from the title track, is doused heavily with R&B. Whether I enjoyed this heavy dose of the R&B genre, continue reading to find out.
In-Out Album Cover
1. Eyez On You – Eyez On You has two major letdowns that really drags the track down for me. The first letdown is the really generic R&B sound that the verses opt for. It bored me, nor did it excite me. The second element is the overwhelming ‘noise’ that forms the basis of Eyez On You’s chorus. It is very jarring and the multiple layers of instrumentals feels very obnoxious. Some might find it a charm, as I have said in the past with some song’s and their respective noise. But Eyez On You’s take on this felt too much and prevented me from liking the opening track. And these two elements overpower the pair’s vocals, leaving them forgotten. All of this is quite a pity, as the pre-chorus managed to successfully change the song’s gears and allude to something fun, upbeat and vibrant. (5/10)
3. Alone (섬) – Alone returns to that R&B genre that unsuccessfully opened the song. While Alone does take on more of that generic R&B sound, the song instantly sounds better and more refreshing. It is because Eyez On You really left an impression. Anything generic yet is executed well enough would be on many levels higher than the opening track. I did like that Alone had a bit of a spring in its instrumentation. The piano was also a nice consistent touch to the song. What really makes this song even more pleasant and palatable are the vocals, particularly Sanha’s. The way he sings ‘I am so lonely’ in the song was very memorable. The song’s melodies also gives off strong promise. (8/10)
4.All I Wanna Do – To me, All I Wanna Do is their best side track on the album. I really like the instrumentation when it came to the chorus. The bass add definition and dynamism to the strings. And the strings add prominence and a striking element to the chorus. The rest of the song goes down the R&B hold once again. For this song, this isn’t really a problem as the chorus compensates for that flaw. Once again, the song features the stunning nature of Moonbin and Sanha’s vocals. They sound very silky and sweet. I felt that both members were well utilized throughout All I Wanna Do and made the song more appealing. (9/10)
5. Dream Catcher – Dream Catcher is more of a ballad, though it encroaches into the R&B realm. The song is very calming and soothing, feeling almost like an acoustic-centric track. I say ‘almost’, as the main instrument is an electric guitar that is played softly. The rest of the instruments come in to help lift the song up ever so slightly without disrupting the soft acoustic-vibe of the electric guitar. Their vocals shine in Dream Catcher, adding to that soothing nature of the song. Their harmonies were well used to give the ballad some definition and feel more warming for fans. (9/10)
We take a little moment to steer away from this week’s comebacks and focus on a comeback from last week. Once again, I apologise for the week long delay for this particular review. It somehow just got away from me.But back to introducing the focus of today’s review – Lee Suhyun, who made her solo debut last Friday with the single, ALIEN. If Lee Suhyun is unfamiliar to you, you might recognise her as one half of the sibling duo, AKMU (Akdong Musician). Lee Seehyun’s brother, Changhyuk, is the other half of the musical duo. While her brother is not performing with her, it looks like he is working with others to write and compose songs for her. It seems AKMU will always be a pair.
ALIEN takes on a funky disco profile, something that has been trending in KPOP a lot lately. If you are becoming tired of the re-emergence of the retro trend, then maybe ALIEN would be an eye-roll to you. But Lee Suhyun’s take on the genre is quite pleasant and refreshing. ALIEN isn’t oversaturated with the trend and it actually feels held back quite a bit. Holding back in this sense makes the song feel more refined and gives it a modern, despite the disco influences still being prominent. I also felt that holding back from going full on vibrant and powerful retro was done so to compliment the delicate nature of Lee Suhyun’s vocals. Her breathy vocals take the song to the next level and she slips into this falsetto style which really adds to that refinement I mentioned. I also find the chorus to be super catchy and the melodies throughout the song to be enjoyable. Everything comes together to be quite pleasant. However, I find the song lacks something. While it has been out for a week, I haven’t really gone back as much to the song as I hoped for. A theory behind this lacking element could potentially be a stronger and more defined climax. What we good was consistent and logical, but I think something with a little more oomph could have given ALIEN extra mileage and appeal.
Lee Suhyun is super cute in this music video. Visual game aside, I really like how it is revealed that Lee Sehyun is an alien (just like her mother told her so in the lyrics). The music video constantly changes between a human form and a comic form. This conversion made the video appealing and a little more interesting. It allowed for the ‘Earth saving mission’ storyline to be incorporated alongside the increase in self confidence that she experience once she is aware of this secret (i.e. she plays the arcade game in her room and then later on in the public arena). Another clever and well thought out video.
Lee Suhyun focuses more on the live vocal aspect of her performance, which meant she had to forsake some of the performance aspects. I would have liked to see more energy behind her moves and sharpness. It is her first time as a solo artist, so I understand why she would nervous and stiff. Hopefully as time goes by, she feels a little more comfortable. I raise this because I felt that the performance had some attitude and I wished it was reflected in her moves.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 8.1/10
Last week, NCT made their comeback with a whopping 23 member lineup through their NCT 2020 Resonance Pt. 1. This album consist two title tracks amongst others. One of the title track was Make A Wish (Birthday Song), which I reviewed last week. The other is From Home and its music video was dropped on Monday (apologies once again for reviewing this a few days late). For this NCT U release, we have Taeil, Yuta, Kun, Doyoung, Renjun, Haechan and Chenle joining forces together.
NCT is a very multinational group, featuring members from the US, Canada, Japan, China, Thailand and Korea. And so, I find From Home to be a fitting song for the group. Firstly, it is a soft pop ballad that expresses their journey of becoming members of NCT, and their new ‘home’ alongside each other as a group. The song’s meaning is definitely quite touching Secondly, the song has this very comforting warmth to it. As a listener, I couldn’t help but smile that the melodies and feelings that the song places on me. If I was a member of this group, I would constantly return to this song during times when I am lost or alone, remembering that there are 21 other friends in the same boat (and that number is most likely going to rise in the coming years!). Thirdly, the song is sung in four different languages. While the song is mainly in Korean (and there is a Korean version), the song also features lyrics in Japanese, Chinese and English. I feel that this was a very personalised move for the group, given that a bulk of their members are of this nationaliities. It is a pity that the song didn’t have some Thai representation. Meaning aside, I find From Home is a nice song musically. It may not be as impactful or memorable as Make A Wish, but it is a nice delicate side of the group that we should be able to see more often. There are some really good vocal moments, especially the airy vocals we get into the chorus and the really stunning high note Taeil gives us at the climax of this ballad. I also like how they weaved between languages, which is a pretty strong feat, given how different Chinese and Japanese is, in terms of tone, pitch and other characteristics. I also really liked it when all the members sung together for the chorus, adding more to that warm and welcoming feeling that I mentioned.
I really liked that the producers took this video to the outside, rather than make them stay inside sets. I also really like how perfect the day was for the music video shoot. It adds to the aesthetics and appeal of the song, particularly that really warm feeling. I also liked the mix between the modern camera shots and the home video shots. It just makes the whole thing feel homey. The visual game the members bring is also phenomenal. The baby photos and their thanks was also really nice. Given the song meaning, I think it would have been super nice to have the rest of the NCT members to appear towards the end, which would have made this a super special music video for them and fans alike.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 10/10 Overall Rating – 9.4/10
Joining the influx of comebacks this week is LOONA. The female group dropped Why Not? on Monday (sorry for the later review), along with their third mini-album, 12:00 (which is to be read as ‘midnight’). This new comeback continues LOONA’s newfound sense of edginess, following in the footsteps of their title track from earlier in the year, So What?. This is also the second comeback to not feature Haeseul, who is still sitting out for health concerns.
LOONA impresses once again with their title track. It isn’t as fantastic as their last one (more on this in just a second), but I found LOONA’s bright energy and catchy hooks to still be quite memorable. The funky and bass-heavy electro-pop that makes up the instrumental aligns the song to the current trends in the industry, but the way it comes together is quite refreshing. The song is more on heavy with the rapping, giving that edgy vibe that I mentioned earlier. The vocals in the song are quite nice and pretty strong. I particularly find the ‘Di Da Dum‘ repetition we get in the first half of the chorus to be the most memorable and addictive part of the song. I did kind of expect a little bit more in this regard, though I felt that this was partly due to what I am about to explain next. I feel that there is a strong contrast between Why Not? and So What? and it is this difference that really sets the two songs apart. (For those who may not remember, I really enjoyed So What? – giving it a 10/10 rating for its review). Why Not? lacks that punch that could have made the chorus a lot more powerful and impressive. What we good had a nice ring to it and I do find it quite catchy. But I felt that the hook could have been beefed up with some attitude and the music could have been a fraction punchier to bring it up to par with their preceding title track.
Once again, my mind is instantly trying to connect this music video to their previous music videos. As mentioned in my last LOONA review, I will be (hopefully) one day revisit my LOONAverse music video theory that I wrote up for LOONA two years ago, including So What? and Why Not? (and any new videos between now and then) in that revisit. Standalone, it is another decent looking girl-crush concept. It isn’t as powerful visually, as well. I also think the addition of the not-so-much ‘girl-crush’ scenes (i.e. the more innocent looking scenes) were a good move. I also liked the unit choreography scenes. Not that I experienced it before, but one could become overwhelmed with so many people in one scene. So that was a good choice.
I personally like the energy that comes from the performance. The group brings a nice vibrancy to the stage and this makes it a fun performance to watch. I also feel that the song requires a fair amount of confidence in order to pull-off, particularly the random ‘yeah‘ throughout the song and ‘woah woah woah woah‘ we get just before the choruses.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
Unfortunately, at this stage, I only have capacity to write up 2 reviews per night. Please be patient, I will get through all the releases eventually. NCT U and LOONA reviews will be published tomorrow.
SEVENTEEN is the next group to be making their return today! After the highly successful release of Left & Right, which was featured on their million-unit seller album, Heng:garæ, the thirteen member male group has returned today with HOME;RUN (the title track) and Semicolon (the title of the special album that HOME;RUN is featured on). Tipped to be their next million-unit seller, SEVENTEEN seems to have already exceeded the bar set from their last comeback with over a million pre-orders already made prior to its release. Definitely great news for SEVENTEEN, who once again, has proven themselves to be a force to be reckoned with.
HOME;RUN is a pretty exciting and fun song. It features a swing based style instrumental that is loaded with energy and retro vibes thanks to its 1920s roots. It is also a form of retro that SEVENTEEN has never done for. While I have enjoyed pretty much all SEVENTEEN releases to date, HOME;RUN‘s energy is definitely something you should not overlook or underestimate. It might not be as energetic and vibrant as AJU NICE, but it definitely up there. I really like how it just kept on going and it felt like a song that never really takes a break. It also enables SEVENTEEN a chance to show off some moves, as it contains a profound showtime influence from how I hear the song. Another aspect of the song that I liked was the instrumental. It kept true to its 1920s influenced swing form and didn’t contain any noticeable synths. I love the piano in the bridge and the brass throughout the song, particularly in the instrumental/dance break that followed the bridge (or formed part, not too sure). For the vocals and rapping, both elements were really good. I was shocked that there wasn’t more of a high note to bring HOME;RUN to a climax. I think that would have suited the song pretty well. Mingyu’s vocals in the first chorus was probably the standout moment for me, followed by the catchy melodies and hooks that the song had. Overall, a swingin’ track that really proves SEVENTEEN’s versatility and performance potential.
I really like how the video started off with where Left & Right‘s video was left (i.e. S.Coup’s car crash). Here he discovers a diamond (or a Carat – hey I see what you guys did there!) and it becomes the primary focus of the music video. It seems like each member is out to get it for themselves. It definitely creates an exciting music video to watch, which matches up with the song. I just wished it showed how each members got their hand on the diamond throughout the music video. And how the diamond ended up being locked away behind that glass panel in the wall, opposite S.Coup’s crash site. As you can tell, I like a good story and I felt like this one would have been one hilarious, twisty and clever one to watch. I liked how the video also stayed true to the 1920s swing vibes with its setting and outfits. Definitely cool and very sleek looking. I also really like the golden colour that the video had, which definitely shouts out ‘showtime’, which is highly relevant.
Best part of the music video has to be the ending with The8’s kneeling spin, bringing the performance to a close. The music video shot that part so well. I also like the musical stage vibe that the final chorus brought, giving the performance a very stage compatible climax. Aside from the final chorus montage, SEVENTEEN hits the woah during the earlier choruses and I will be interested to see how SEVENTEEN pulls off the integration of all the members following Hoshi, Jun and Chan’s unit moment earlier on the video (which looks cool nonetheless).
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
It has been a while since we have heard from B1A4. Their last comeback was in 2017 with Rollin’. Since that last comeback, the group mainly focused on solo activities domestically and in mid-2018, Jinyoung and Baro both chose not to resign with WM Entertainment at the conclusion of their contract and thus left the group. With this significant lineup change and the members are at the age for military enlistment (however only CNU has enlisted), I did not expect to hear from them so soon (or at all!). However, B1A4 has managed to defy all expectations and made their official comeback as a trio with Like A Movie and Origine today.
Like A Movie is a soft pop track, intended this way to make it feel like we are watching a silent movie. The song’s music at times do remind me of that iconic silent movie soundtrack that we hear quite often in popular culture. B1A4’s return with this soft track adds to their maturity and this feels right up their alley. If you cast your mind back to their early days, B1A4’s music was very bright and bubbly. Over the years to 2017, the group has definitely matured with this sound, meaning that Like A Movie fits into their discography portfolio very nicely. Rather than being a sad emotional song, which I felt is what B1A4 has been known to side with, Like A Movie expresses hopes for a happy ending, and it is a lot more brighter and hopeful with its sound. Made up of strings and piano, it is a nice soothing piece of music that gives a slight classical appeal of a musical. There are also some synths in the instrumental to help modernise the song a bit. As for their vocals, CNU, Sandeul and Gongchan each captivates and complements the soft style of the music. And everything together comes nicely to help create melodies get you to sway along to the music, which you know I really like in ballads and soft songs like this one. Overall, it is definitely an enjoyable and pleasant listen.
As mentioned above, the music video depicts the members falling in love. And given the title and description that indicates some linkage to the film industry, we see it all play out in various movie settings. Some of these settings present storylines that provide a problem for the characters to solve so that they can be together. For CNU, his street scene depicts an action movie (I am guessing), where he has to encounter a few hurdles to get to this lover. Gongchan is in a romantic movie to two lover in a building and find a way to communicate one another (as they are separated by a single lift). Sandeul has a part in a zombie movie, with his lover coming to save him after he sacrfice himself for her. I thought it was a nice video to watch over. I see that WM Entertainment is heavily using green screens for this music video. So far, it is looking good. But hopefully it doesn’t become too much of a permanent fixture.
I wondered with such a soft pop song, how the members would be able to showcase a captivating performance. Needless to say, B1A4 delivers in this aspect. It isn’t anything overly impressive or ground-breaking. But I liked how they break away and have their solo moments with the dancers. In addition to that, I liked how the moves match the musics. The moves are a lot graceful when it come to slower and softer parts of the song, while more dramatic and energetic when it came to the heavier parts of the song. A good mix overall.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
I just realized I spelt their name wrong in their Tag Me review. Apologies to WEEEKLY and Daileees.
If we are discussing the topic of female debuts of 2020, WEEEKLY will be a point in that discussion. To me, they are the most notable new female artist of the year so far, with Tag Me pretty much outshining majority of debut songs by a female artist this year. And it seems like many listeners are jumping on board the WEEEKLY train as their latest comeback (the focus of this review), Zig Zag, has managed to garner over 14 million views in less than a week since its release. Just continue reading (literally the opening sentence of my next paragraph) to see whether I think WEEEKLY managed to out do their debut track.
WEEEKLY had a massive effort to upstage their debut track and I felt that Zig Zag fell short of that achievement. I felt the song was a lot more straight forward with its upbeat energy and delivery, whereas Tag Me was built on really addictive hooks and refreshing instrumentation. Zig Zag had those elements as well, but they weren’t as profound. The chorus’ hooks were catchy and pleasant at best. The instrumental was nice and enjoyable. I particularly liked that the slight rock influence that was brought in during the chorus. It added some oomph to the song and added some extra energy to the chorus. And it felt refreshing. However, the instrumental for Zig Zag’s verses were pretty much forgettable. Actually, while we are on the topic of the verses, I thought they (as a whole – including instrumentals, vocals and melody) weren’t as memorable as they could have been. And I feel that the pre-chorus was more well suited for another song, as a complete slowdown just didn’t hit the mark. Same thing can be said about the bridge of the song. The wow factor for this song has to be that impressive high note. It caught me off guard the first time around and I look forward to it each time I listen to the song. Overall, a decent follow up to their debut single. It exactly isn’t a smash out of the park. But it is still quite enjoyable.
Zig Zag is all about the emotions that a teenager goes through. I also feel like the group targeted the lyrics towards the idea of self-discovery, which is an important part of growing up. We see that the in the video, where the members are part of the WEEEKLY School and are picking up skills. What leaves me confused is the glowing green spinning block towards the end of the video. Was that meant to represent something that I should already know about? I also felt the video could have been a little more colourful, as what we got was slightly dimmed. It wasn’t the end of the world, but I think a colourful video would have been more visually appealing.
I really enjoyed the use of those blocks in the choreography. They instantly made the entire performance more captivating. I like how they infused some bubbliness (is this even a word?) into the performance to make it more cutesy and fun. There wasn’t anything impressive in the actual performance. But the whole choreography routine comes together quite nicely.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.8/10
Given the long awaited wait for BLACKPINK’s first studio album and its success so far, I decided to fast track the album review for THE ALBUM. Otherwise, I think we are looking at a end of October or possibly even November publish date for the album review! THE ALBUM features of BLACKPINK’s 2020 releases including How You Like That and Ice Cream (with Selena Gomez). It also features the current track that the quartet is promoting, Lovesick Girls, as the title track. In addition to these three songs, THE ALBUM five side-tracks, all of which will be reviewed below. But before we proceed with this album review, can I take a moment to comment on the really plain and boring name of the album? Anything other than THE ALBUM would have been more exciting and appealing. Mini rant over. On with the reviews!
3. Pretty Savage– Pretty Savage is a pretty bland song. I feel like this is will be an unpopular opinion as I know many people enjoyed Pretty Savage. The song just underwhelmed. With a title like Pretty Savage, I would have expected something a little more hard-hitting and impactful energy. Instead, we got something that felt like hip-hop in neutral gear and the energy that the song started off with dwindled down as the song progresses along. Aside from the song’s roots in hip-hop, which the song nails perfectly (and hence I found that the song had a lot of potential – if only the producers ended up going with a little more impression rather than flair), there isn’t much to the song. None of the member’s lines or the chorus was memorable. Overall, a skippable track. (6/10)
4. Bet You Wanna (ft. Cardi B) – Like Pretty Savage, Bet You Wanna underwhelms once again. Unlike Pretty Savage, however, this song is much better that in comparison to the former track. The energy in this song doesn’t dwindle. Rather, it stays pretty much consistent throughout (more on this in a bit). The song’s lyrics and chorus could potentially become catchy and memorable if I am willing to continually press replay. The harmonies were pretty strong. However, I am not too inclined to replay the song because of the consistent energy. It felt repetitive by the time we got to the end of the song and it felt like the members were stuck, preventing the song to cultivate to anything climatic. And as much I am enjoying many of these international collaborations, Cardi B’s featuring in Bet You Wanna doesn’t amount to much. (7/10)
6. Crazy Over You – I personally felt that Crazy Over You would have better placed before Lovesick Girls. To me, Crazy Over You lies on the halfway point of just right (i.e. Lovesick Girls) and underwhelming (i.e. Bet You Wanna). The instrumental is definitely livelier and energetic thanks to the use of sound effects such as the squeaky scratching. The deep thumping and flute in the instrumental also add to the aesthetic of the song. When it came to the chorus, I expected a beat with a little more heft and energy. Something like what the end of Crazy Over You ended up becoming. As for the members, they all sounded good, though still on the underwhelming side of that spectrum. (7.5/10)
7. Love To Hate Me – Love To Hate Me has a very beautiful instrumental. I found the start of the song to have this subtle intensity and the synths created a pulsing sensation which I totally found captivating. The bridge featured a bit of piano. Different to the rest of the song, but it works extremely well. I enjoyed the pre-chorus buildup, leading us to expect an epic drop for the chorus of the song. But Love To Hate Me’s producers throw us a curveball and pushes for an unexpecting and stripped minimalist beat that really made Lisa’s lines more impactful. It was only a brief turn though, before the song returns us with something a little more ‘pop traditional’ and a bit more melodically catchy to further drive the song into us. The members don’t really flourish in this song, but they do sound great! Definitely one of the better side tracks on this album. (9/10)
8. You Never Know – You Never Know is a pop ballad that I thought did a pretty good job of showing off the members’ vocal. I also sense a bit of emotion to their voices in this song, which is always a good sign in the ballad world. The song was pretty easy to follow, with simple melodies being one of the driving forces in this song. I liked that the instrumental for this song was more classical (piano, strings etc.) and there has less reliance on the synths (though it was still a thing). This makes the song a little more epic and theatrical sounding, which I really enjoyed. Personally, these elements all come together to create my favourite (and what I believe to be a standout) track on this album. (10/10)
Stray Kids kicked off their domestic promotions this year with the release of God’s Menu and GO生 (Go Live) in June. After three months, the group returned with the repackaged version of GO生, now titled IN生(In Life) and headlining the new album is Back Door. The group has since spent the last month promoting Back Door on the weekly music shows, earning two trophies along the way. On top of that, the group also managed to top my personal Weekly KPOP Charts three weeks in a row. Big feats, if you ask me. And per my usual horrible timing, as Stray Kids is about to wrap up their Back Door promotions, I slide in with an album review for IN生. I have a lot to say about each song, so without any further delays, here are my thoughts on IN生.
IN生 (In Life) Album Cover
1. The Tortoise and The Hare (토끼와 거북이) – The repackaged album starts with an extended version (or full-length version) of the Go Live intro track from the original album. In that version, however, there was no references to The Tortoise and The Hare fable. In this version, the entire song is extended to feature that fable and this makes the track so much more fun. Following the lyrics and having that context really made the song a lot more captivating. I am unsure if that was the intention of the inclusion of the well-known story, but that is what I got from it. This bumps up the song’s appeal slightly, so I am willing to increase the song’s rating. However, majority of my comments from the Go Live review still stands. Click here to have a read of that review.(8/10)
2. Back Door (Title Track) – Given how much the song has grown on me throughout the one and half months since its release, I do feel that the 8/10 rating that I gave Back Door originally is not representative of my current thoughts about the song. I will bump it up to a 9.5/10 and update the review in an upcoming segment (sometime next year). Click here to read the full review for Back Door.(9.5/10)
3. B Me – The group tones down the energy with B Me. However, the group maintains the heaviness of the song preceding it so far thanks to the electronic instrumental. While that might be a good thing (as Stray Kids has definitely shown us that they can be versatile with heavy sounds), the instrumental for B Me lacks excitement for the majority of the song and this unfortunately drags down the song for me. It is without a doubt that the song’s instrumental was toned down to low excitement levels for the sake of the vocals and raps, which were posed with this emotive hip-hop style. Personally, I don’t mind the vocals and raps. The issue remains with the instrumental. For some odd reason, the song picks up suddenly infusing the ending with all this energy that could have been distributed throughout the earlier sections of the song. The energy and excitement rises exponentially out of nowhere and it is wasted as it has nowhere to go to. (6/10)
4. Any(아니) – As a person who doesn’t like autotune as much as others, you might expect me to dislike Any. But I don’t. The autotune in Any is quite appealing and one of the song’s strongest selling points. Take Bangchan and Felix’s ‘Blurred lines yeah yeah yeah, So many so many any anything ani aniyaya’ for example. It is the one line that is really keyed into my memory (and I am sure it is also keyed into your memories as well). Without the autotune, that one line (and the song in general) would be completely different and potentially not as dynamic or memorable as it was with the autotune. Similarly, the same can be said about the chorus. Unfortunately, the other parts of the song (verses and bridge) aren’t as memorable and were largely forgettable. (8/10)
5. Ex(미친 놈) – From the top of my head, Ex is probably their most emotional pop ballad release so far. The lyrics and the impression that Ex leaves on the listener definitely feels that way. I will say that this was probably my favourite side track on the repackaged album as the instrumentals feels quite soothing and calming. That is an odd description for a song about remembering one’s Ex and the slight angst that you do hear in some parts of the song (i.e. Changbin’s ‘yok yok yokhae’ post chorus). But that was what the instrumental felt like to me. The song also puts forward the group’s vocals, with all members singing or rap-singing. It definitely highlights the fact that Stray Kids is also a group full of vocalists which they have shown previously in the last. Sure, they are strongest with their heavy and more loaded dance tracks. But Stray Kids do have potential in the ballad realm of music. (10/10)
6. We Go (Bangchan, Changbin, Han) – I am sure that many fans are excited for a 3RACHA song. And boy, do they go in a very different direction to what they produce for Stray Kids themselves. We Go goes for a hip-hop vibe. It feels dark and very intense from the get-go. Jisung and Changbin’s rapping during the verses were both breathtaking (and I am sure it also took their breath away as well!). Chan brings some vocals to the mix, going with the more classical autotuned effect to fit in with the song. And his parts provide us with some opportunities for relief, so that we can recover from the slayage the other two members’ rap sequences dealt to us. (9/10)
7. Wow (Lee Know, Hyunjin, Felix) – To me, Lee Know, Hyunjin and Felix were the subunit that I had no expectations for. Mainly because I don’t know what to expect from these three members. This track had no input from the 3RACHA members, which left me more in the dark about what to expect. What Wow ended up being was another intense dance track that feels like it could easily been passed off as a Stray Kids track. There is nothing wrong about this, as the trio do end up infusing some of their own personality into the song that is all about developing feelings for someone they have known for a while. Felix’s ultra-deep and rough voice adds an additional depth layer to the song that really grabs your attention. The contrast between the impact that Hyunjin’s raps and the smoothness of his vocals was very cool. Lee Know’s promotion to main vocalist for this track is also a blessing! My favourite bit has to be when the three members sing the line ‘Just wanna be with you’ just prior to the final chorus. (9/10)
8. My Universe (Seungmin & I.N ft. Changbin) – It was expected that Seungmin and I.N’s unit track would be something vocally centric. It would have been quite a surprise if they went for something else. The vocals were quite vibrant and taps into their youthfulness. It radiates positivity energy, even though I couldn’t understand the lyrics upon first listen. The pop ballad and synth mixed instrumental isn’t anything that special. But I am glad that there is still room for relief from the harshness and intensity that the previous two songs brought to the album. My Universe also features Changbin, who brings some rapping to the song. It was a nice touch and adds something extra to an admittedly one-dimensional track. But it is still a great listen. (8/10)
Chen made it onto the headlines of the KPOP industry and related media for his surprise announcement of marriage and (at the time) upcoming entrance into fatherhood. A little later into the year, Chen got married in a private ceremony and also became a father to a young girl. Congratulations to Chen and his wife! Since the shock announcement until now, Chen has been absent from the industry (though I do remember him popping up in the congratulatory video for BoA’s 20 year anniversary). However, a week ago, SM Entertainment announced the (another!) surprise comeback for Chen with Hello, which dropped today. This is his first solo comeback since the release of Shall We? and his first music release since EXO’s Obsession.
Within a matter of seconds (yep, not even a full listen to the song), I was admiring Chen’s voice and the song (in general). Hello is such a beautiful sounding song. It falls into the realm of britpop, taking on more of a ballad profile, which is expected for Chen. I really love the combination of the piano, drums and electric and acoustic guitars throughout the song. Very traditional instruments, but they all blend together spectacularly for Hello and in a very wholesome type of way. I also love how the britpop aspect of the song gives the chorus a kick, which makes the song so much more appealing. Chen’s vocals effortlessly delivers the song’s melodies and you can definitely hear the emotions in his voice. Hopefully, I am selling the idea that I enjoyed Hello. This reaction was pretty much guaranteed, given how Chen had previously impressed me with Shall We? and even more so with Beautiful Goodbye. Before I proceed with the rest of the reviews, I think I need to address the lyrics of Hello here (and not in the music video portion of the video). The emotions we hear in his voice during stems from the lyrics, which is pretty much his fears and concerns that experienced whilst wanting to say hello to fans since (what I would assume) the announcement. It actually made me emotional and Hello just felt so much more impactful, as a result.
For a ballad like this, the music video needs to be slow to compliment the song. And that is exactly what the pace of the music video was. For the first half of the video, we simply find Chen pacing around his apartment. Other than a lighting change, there wasn’t much to it the first half. My guess this was some time after leaving a lover. The world went on (i.e. the lighting changed signifying that time went by) and for whatever reason, he didn’t take action (though clearly, he still remembers this lover). In the end, he decides to write a letter to express interest. However, when he starts to write the word ‘Hello‘ to say hello to his lover, time starts to slow down due to his hesitation that he expresses throughout the lyrics of the song. The second part of the video see his possessions in his apartment start floating around. I am not exactly sure what this means exactly, but my guess is that time is coming to a definite as we shortly see those items break apart. This tells us time has stopped completely. However, Chen makes to the end of the pier at the very end, where life is quite sunny. This might signify that he moved on to continue writing the letter. However, the very end shows him in a greyscale world, similar to the greyscale we got when time came to a stop earlier on in the video, and the final few lines indicate that he did not move on from the word ‘Hello‘ that was the start of his letter. This is just my take on the video though, so I may be wrong.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9.6/10
Once again, I have taken two days off from the blog. Back on the review grind!
VERIVERY returns rather unexpectedly with their third installment of their FACE it trilogy, which they started at the very start of the year, with the release of Lay Back (the promotional track) and Face Me (the group’s third mini-album) The group then released Thunder (the promotional track) and Face You (the group’s fourth mini-album) after their participation on Road To Kingdom. Now, the group returns with G.B.T.B (Go Beyond The Barrier) and their fifth mini-album (and third overall this year), Face Us. It is definitely been one busy year for the group.
When I heard the teaser for G.B.T.B, one thought I had was that VERIVERY and their company kept the most epic sounding track for their last installment of this trilogy. And I am glad they stuck with this epic sound, instead of misleading us with the teaser (which has been done before). G.B.T.B‘s main selling point is its powerful and intense sound, as evident when we approach the chorus. Admittedly, it took a few listens to get into it, especially since it initially felt like it went over too quickly. The entire chorus revolves around a two chanting hooks (the initial one being more shouty) and an instrumental that you could call clickity clackity ‘noise’. Maybe that last description isn’t the most appealing way to go about it. But that is what I had in mind whilst listening to the song the first time around (and it kind of stuck with me). I am a little torn when it came to the verses. The first verse should have continued the energy and momentum opening chorus. But it just straight up ignored the preceding chorus that started off the song. For the second verse, it contained one of the most impressive rap sequences I have had heard this year. Hats off to Dongheon and Hoyoung for rapping at that speed. Regardless of whether he was comprehensible or not, going at that speed takes a lot of skill and confidence. For the pre-choruses, the members bring a nice smoothness to the song, acting as the ‘calm before the storm’ (that is the chorus). The vocals return for the bridge and then it is followed up with a EDM styled dance break. I wished the dance break had a little more substance and meat to it, as this felt a little too airy and isn’t as satisfying. Overall, VERIVERY impresses once again with G.B.T.B, though it still had its flaw.
The music video featured a slightly different version of the song. The chorus at the very the start of song appears slightly muffled, as if the members are singing with something blocking the sound waves from getting to us. We get a similar effect just prior to the second chorus of the song, which is then followed up with a member running into and breaking the glass barrier allowing the song to be heard at full volume once again. It is a very intriguing start and definitely hooked me onto the music video. As for the rest of the video, the post-production was cool especially when it came to the floating glass shards. I also like their spaceship-like set. I wished we saw more of it.
Without a doubt, the performance for G.B.T.B is super powerful. It seems like they definitely picked up on some refinement and powerful skills during Road To Kingdom and it is all paying off. They don’t hold back in any part (aside from when the music smoothes out for the vocals). When it comes to the smoother parts, I really liked the movement of the hands right at the end of the vocal parts of the bridge. A small detail, but something that spoke volumes. Just like the powerful chorus did in terms of energy and intensity.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
After appearing on Road To Kingdom, each male group that participated in the show has managed to make a comeback (unlike the Queendom counterpart – Park Bom has yet to make a comeback after her appearances on the show). Some made their comebacks right after leaving the show, whilst others took a bit of time. Pentagon is part of the latter category, becoming the final group part of the Road To Kingdom lineup to make their long-awaited comeback. Today, the group returned with member Yanan (and without Jinho, who has enlisted into the military) with Daisy and their 10th mini-album, We:th.
One listen to Daisy and I am already hooked to the song. It is an alternative rock track, with a bit of a upbeat zing to it. This upbeatness is quite refreshing and makes the song quite unique in its own way. Because of this, Daisy feels pretty much like a Summer track when it comes to the verses, before the rock kicks in when it comes to the chorus. What I really like about Daisy is how vocally driven it is. The rappers do a good job as well, but they aren’t the main stars of the song unfortunately. That title is given directly to the vocalists. Interestingly, I don’t find that one member sticks out over the other. It is very hard to find the vocalist that really stands out the most. But each member does an neat job of emotionally rocking out with their vocals. Hui and Hongseok each bring a raspy nature to their parts of the chorus. The other members bring a nice huskiness to their parts. The song is super catchy, especially with the post-chorus hook. The singing-chant that forms the bridge was also a really epic sequence, adding to the song’s power, intensity and energy. I do feel that the members missed an opportunity to throw in some high or power notes into Daisy, particularly when it came to the end to give the song a more fulfilling climax. However, the final chorus that we got managed to showcase even more of that power, intensity and energy that I mentioned before in its own way. I just feel that it could have been enhanced even more with that high/power note.
I mentioned above that the song feels like a Summer track during the verses. That is a very optimistic outlook, which isn’t shared with the lyrics. Daisy was all about the emotional feelings one experiences after an heartbreak, which is polar opposite to ‘sound’ that I got from the song. However, I felt the music video nails the emotional side of the song, whilst also channeling some of that rock energy that the song actively pushes out. The music video’s lighting is quite dark, which would be the type of feelings one would be experiencing after heartbreak. Their acting was pretty good and I felt like the anger portrayed during their individual scenes (where I am guess they are dancing) were really good. We see a glimpse at the end that these dark and emotional feelings do not stay forever and the passage at the end says that ‘In the end, we return to your most innocent state, which can lead to another beginning. Sorrow lasts a second, but what we share in our universe is eternal‘. I think that these final lines really wrap up the story neatly and creatively, even though it was simple.
I love that even though the song is quite emotional, the rock sound still enables the powerful performance that we know Pentagon is capable of. What I really like was how they passed around the daisy (i.e. their hands) at the end of the performance, representing an ending similar to the music video (i.e. Kino’s hand blooms).
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
It has two years since we saw a full group comeback from NCT. And during those two years since that comeback, we have seen NCT’s lineup grow with the debut of WayV (the group’s Chinese subunit) and the addition of Shotaro and Sungchan (who both have been confirmed to debut in a future subunit). Now with 23 members in total, the group have banded together to release their second full group comeback and album, NCT 2020 Resonance Pt. 1. The first promotional track from the album is Make A Wish (Birthday Song), which features Taeyong, Doyoung, Jaehyun, Lucas, Xiaojun, Jaemin and Shotaro.
It has been very clear that NCT’s releases have been more experimental than any other SM group. This gives the group and its subunits a slight edge, as we would never know exactly what we should be expecting with each comeback. Make A Wish (Birthday Song) pretty much confirms this logic. It is unlike any other song put forward by NCT before. It has been described as a dance pop track with a hip hop beat and an addicting whistling sound. And you can hear each part of that description throughout the song in some capacity, as they don’t mess around with any of those components. And yet, Make A Wish manages to still twist and turn in a manner that results in the song coming off as different and at times, quite unexpecting. Personally, it isn’t my personal taste in music. But like the group, I would like to say that my taste for hip-hop centric releases have grown considerably over the years, and I can appreciate Make A Wish‘s sound. The NCT U members for this song manage to show off great vocals and raps. And each infuse a bit of unique style, adding to the appeal of the song. Unfortunately, when I turn my attention to the song’s main hook (i.e. the chorus), the infusion of hip-hop instrumentation and the drawn own style of vocal delivery just doesn’t work for me. It drowns out the energy and momentum that the song had built during the verses. As a result, the chorus feels sluggish. Maybe my taste for hip-hop hasn’t really grown that much. But I felt that something a little more dynamic and punchy would have been a better chorus.
Make A Wish features a Middle Eastern flair in the visual department. While it did add a nice colour pallete to the music video, I didn’t think the Middle Eastern flair was particularly necessary. I personally do not have anything against the Middle Eastern influence. I just felt most of their outfits were more suited for an urban concept and think an urban influence would a nicer choice. SM Entertainment wows me with their post-production, once again. The holograms of the members appearing on the platform in which the hooded figures are dancing around, along with the disappearing members right at the end looked so cool. Set-wise, I really like the chandelier that the members were hanging off from, as well.
The performance suits the music, which was expected. I like how the moves are slower during the more drawn out moments of the song and faster when they aren’t bounded by the music. It also seems like the members are given a chance to be a little more personable and fun towards the end of the performance (based on what I say in the music video). I feel this more carefree style matches up with the song neatly and provides a way for the performance to not be purely serious.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.5/10
Making their comeback this past Thursday was Weki Meki, with their fourth mini-album, New Rules. Leading Weki Meki’s attempt to write some ‘New Rules’ in the KPOP industry is COOL. This is also Weki Meki’s third comeback of the year, following Dazzle Dazzle released back in February and Oopsy, which was released back in June.
Their 2020 tracks have been a mix bag thus far. Dazzle Dazzle was probably my pick for one of their best title tracks ever, while Oopsy stepped away with a more generic release that ended up being quite forgettable post-review. COOL steps back into the area which Dazzle Dazzle lies on the spectrum of Weki Meki releases, which is definitely some good news for this group. The song has this edgy club beat opening that is quite promising. It is a very strong part as it left a strong impression on me. I really like the rap-singing that occurs during the first verse. It gives COOL a unique spin. The song takes a bit of a melodic detour for the pre-chorus, before going back to the club beat for the first part of the chorus. The chanty style of their delivery workers really well with the chorus. The vocals that follow the chant sequence of the chorus really pop out and show off some vocal flair from Suyeon (‘Keep It Coming Baby~’) before we proceed to some settled down vocals from other members. The second verse was more vocally centric, allowing it to become different to the first verse. Many songs these days have pretty repetitive verses, which dulls out the song. Suyeon, once again, shines for her vocals. For the bridge, the members returning to rapping with a stripped instrumental backing before we are launched back to the final chorus, which just pops even more. Overall, COOL lives up to its name and can be accurately described as one of their coolest songs yet!
The music video comes off fierce, which it fitting for the song. I really enjoyed it. I really like their white jumpsuits on the black/dark background. The minimalist vibes from those choreography shots were so strong and powerful. I really like the other ‘dark’ scene, when the members are dancing on individual platforms. That looked really cool and took the video to a whole new edgy level. Their individual shots looked awesome and I liked how the shadows on the wall behind them (earlier on, in the video) were not of them, but of the object they were holding. That probably has symbolism. But that imagery alone looked cool.
I like this performance. Not only do we see some attitude, but it seems like Weki Meki fully embraces their mature side, which is 100% fitting for the song. I really like the powerful direction of their moves, which really made the performance captivating to watch. I also liked the energy, which also fits in with the club vibes of the performance.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.9/10
KPOPREVIEWED 