Category: Reviews

[Review] I LIKE IT – BABYMONSTER

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BABYMONSTER joins the lineup of summer comebacks with a music video and promotions for the side track I LIKE IT from their 3rd mini-album, CHOOM. This release follows on from the May release of the said mini-album and title track of the same name, and the June digital single Sugar Honey Ice Tea (which I will be reviewing soon).

I have come to the realisation that I like YG artists best when they release pop-leaning music, as opposed to their usual hip-hop sound. I LIKE IT offers this pop sound through vibrant, bright synths. The upbeatness of I LIKE IT makes me want to dance and sing along to the catchy parts of the song, while there appears to be a bit of a twang mixed into the first verse, which adds a fun element to the song. What I also liked about I LIKE IT is the refreshing focus on vocals. For me, AHYEON really shines throughout I LIKE IT (her high note was impressive), though the rest of BABYMONSTER hold their ground quite well. The chorus brings a brightness to the song, while the post-chorus hooks were the aforementioned hooky bits of the song that I really enjoyed. That and the repetition of the song’s outro are stuck in my mind. The only aspect of I LIKE IT that holds it back for me is the background to the rapping in the second verse. It draws inspiration from reggae, which is suitable for summer, but I find it unnecessarily slows the flow of the upbeat energy that is coming from the track overall.

With this being a “summer comeback” for the group, their music video sees the members hanging about outside and having fun. All of the video is vibrant, colourful in the daytime and cool, breezy during the nighttime. Pretty much what you would expect to complement an upbeat summer track. The members look great throughout the video, and I feel like there is a slight badass vibe (i.e., ice cream set on fire) still making it into the video to keep to their usual image. The most interesting bit of the entire video is the ending, where the final music video for MOON (another side track from their CHOOM mini-album) is announced for an early August release. It is just an oddly plain announcement tacked onto the end, which I don’t think was needed and could have been done elsewhere through other media.

The choreography for this comeback was fun, bubbly and refreshing. No move really stood out to me, but I enjoyed how much the members enjoyed performing the song on stage. It is great seeing this side from them, and that is something that has me coming back to I LIKE THAT‘s stage performances.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] 2 L0VE – STAYC

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STAYC made their comeback a couple of weeks back with 2 L0VE, the title track off their 6th single album 2:LOVE. It follows on from their early 2026 Japanese Mwuah single (from their Japanese Stay Alive studio album) and their 2025 I WANT IT Korean comeback (which I have yet to review).

STAYC knows how to put their best foot forward with another fun, vibrant pop track that fits neatly into their discography and the summer season. I really enjoyed the synth work in 2 L0VE, especially that striking, spiralling synth that appears at the beginning, after the first chorus, and at the end. The rest of the track is equally as lively thanks to the synths. STAYC’s delivery of 2 L0VE is also quite dynamic. I really liked SIEUN and SEEUN’s parts in the verses, particularly the twang they have in their lines. As for the chorus, the “2 LOVE 2 LOVE” opening is super catchy and hooky. I find them so brisk, while the rest of the vocals in the chorus just flow on through quite nicely. With the chorus the way it is and that opening synth, 2 L0VE is such a serotonin hit.

The lyrics and STAYC’s music video for 2 L0VE come together to depict the members’ persistence in their pursuit of love, whilst everything indicates otherwise for them. The members are left on read or ignored, their crush’s locker is full of love notes from others, and as part of their tennis concept, they are not scoring any points. By the end of the video, the members learn not to sit around for their crush to respond, only to receive a message from their crush right then, which is promptly ignored. Apart from that storyline, I really liked the vibrant and colourful side of the video, which is always fitting for the group.

I enjoyed how fun and cute the performance was. The slingshot moves alongside that “2 LOVE, 2 LOVE” line in the chorus were very cool and is a neat depiction of either their attempt at a cupid shot or to get their fans’ attention.

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

[Review] Ride or Die – EVAN

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Earlier this year, BELIFT Lab unexpectedly announced HEESEUNG’s departure from ENHYPEN and that he would stay on as a solo artist under the company. The official reasoning provided was ‘creative differences’, though let’s hope whatever happened was amicable for the sake of ENHYPEN and HEESEUNG. Anyhow, four months on, HEESEUNG has gone on to redebut as a solo artist under the new stage name EVAN with the single Ride or Die.

Ride or Die is a decent debut track. The single delves into an alternative rock sound, with hyperpop elements to fit into today’s music trends. What comes out in the end is an edgy, almost punkish track that has grit and intensity. Not bad on the background front. The chorus has a catchy melody that helps Ride or Die stand out to me. The opening line to the chorus is what has been playing in my mind lately, and I find myself coming back to Ride or Die from time to time. On the other hand, Ride or Die is short in length, and this hinders EVAN from really exploring the alternative rock sound to his full potential. Also, the autotune over his vocals was far too heavy. I get that it works well with the hyperpop elements and gives off a rough exterior to match the rock sound. But it masks his true vocals, which we have heard time and time again through his past ENHYPEN works. For this reason, I do prefer the live performances of Ride or Die, as we get to hear more of his vocals and less autotune.

The song expresses the idea of loyalty, commitment and perseverance in a relationship, no matter what. But the video doesn’t feature another person as the other side of the relationship. Instead, the music video sees EVAN exist as a ghost after being in a car accident. As the music video progresses, a worn-down car (I assume it was the luxury car we see earlier in the video) follows EVAN around. At first, EVAN tries to avoid the car, but the car persists (this represents the idea of loyalty and commitment depicted in the lyrics), and EVAN ends up reuniting with the car (cue the late-night drives). I find this idea of a relationship between a person and an inanimate object a little funny, though it isn’t unheard of. It is also a neat way of avoiding showing EVAN in a relationship, even if it is just acting.

Aside from the live performances giving us more of EVAN’s vocals over autotune, the choreography showcases some really strong energy from EVAN and the dancers themselves to reflect the intensity of Ride or Die. EVAN has showcased some good chemistry with the camera, which is a necessity after the shift from group to solo stages.

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

[Review] Ice Cream – YEONJUN (TXT)

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Six months on from his solo comeback with No Labels: Part 1 (yet to be reviewed) and the single Talk To You, YEONJUN has made another return in the midst of summer with No Labels: Part 2 and the single Ice Cream. His solo comeback also follows TXT’s comeback from earlier this year, 7th Year: A Moment of Stillness in the Thorns, and the single Stick With You (which was picked as one of my favourite tracks from the 1st half of 2026).

Based on GGUM and Talk To You, I became excited upon hearing the announcement that YEONJUN would be making a summer comeback. The season of energetic and dynamic releases would be a prime opportunity for YEONJUN to flourish as a solo artist. But upon hearing Ice Cream, I don’t think that opportunity was fully realised. There were some likeable aspects of Ice Cream. The groovy bass in the background and the vintage drums were strong elements of the new song. I also really liked YEONJUN’s raspy vocals in the chorus and the grittiness that it gave the track. I also think the Ice Cream hook in the chorus was good (it reminds me of Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines), but it could have been more substantial. I also feel like the rest of Ice Cream could have included more substance. The rest of the song is sparse, and the song was too short, thus a blur and having not much else to remember it by.

Ice Cream likens the push-and-pull of a relationship to the icy treat, where things can get ‘romantic’ when together but kept ‘cool’ when apart. The music video sees YEONJUN and the female character flirt with one another, with the world around them disappearing, freezing or slowing down when the pair bump into one another or interact with one another. The frozen ice cream at the start depicts how their relationship has not yet started, but the melted ice cream at the end of the video shows that the pair’s relationship in the video had created some heat. I quite liked this music video and concept, overall.

YEONJUN’s stage presence and flirtiness are showcased throughout the performance. These work well as part of the comeback, as seen in the music video. The choreography is definitely a very cool performance to watch. I liked his and the dancers’ energy, particularly the fluidity of the legwork in the post-chorus sequence on the stage.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Review] So Good – KIHYUN (MONSTA X)

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KIHYUN is back with his first solo release in four years! The main vocalist from MONSTA X made his solo debut with VOYAGER in January 2022 and returned promptly the same year with Youth. After that, he enlisted in the military and was discharged in February 2025 before returning to music through MONSTA X’s N the Front comeback last year. Earlier this week, he returned with his second solo mini-album, Borderline, and the title track So Good.

With VOYAGER and Youth being some top-notch solo work, and knowing what KIHYUN is capable of with his vocals through MONSTA X’s releases, I had some high expectations for So Good. And as expected, KIHYUN delivers with the new song. So Good is a rock ballad. The instrumental opts for soft rock elements during the verses, and it knocks it out of the park by amping the background during the choruses. I found the way KIHYUN’s vocals soared during the choruses (relative to the verses) and at the bridge to be stunning and captivating. Elsewhere in the song, it was so easy to get lost in his voice. Something that So Good does well is its length. It’s short, sharp and sweet. Yet, its execution has me coming back for more.

According to Soompi, So Good is about trusting your instinct in a world that pressures you into expectations and norms, and that by trusting one’s instinct, life becomes liberating. In the music video, we see KIHYUN surviving in a dystopian world that used to be Earth. The video begins with KIHYUN lying in front of a crashed spaceship (as if he had been flung out of it). The expectation is that he would just give up, but after feeling his emotions, he moves on until he reaches a mountain of clothes. While I am not sure what the clothes mean, he dreams that there are better things at the top or on the other side of the mountain. However, the cartoon, which represents those societal expectations and norms, tries to stop him from climbing the mountain. But he pushes on and makes it to the top, where he thinks he finds water. But in reality, the mountain rumbles and pushes him away. In that moment, the video shows how liberating it is to trust your instinct, just like what the song’s lyrics suggest. I am not exactly sure if my interpretation is correct, particularly the ending. But this is my theory at the moment. Let me know if you have other ideas.

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

[Review] Gimme Dat Love – i-dle

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Since their rebrand as i-dle last year, the 4th-gen female KPOP group has been busy with the release of We Are (their 8th mini-album; album review incoming) with the title track Good Thing, their 4th world tour Syncopation, and the release of their first English single, Mono (ft. skaiwater). Earlier this week, i-dle made their second comeback under their new brand/name with their 9th mini-album, We Made, and the title track Gimme Dat Love. The group also pre-released Crow, which I will make sure to review soon.

I hope one day, i-dle will return to a fuller and in-your-face sound that they had under their (G)I-DLE days. That was my first impression upon listening to Gimme Dat Love. It is i-dle’s attempt at a sultry vibe, with sparse Latin percussion to give Gimme Dat Love some oomph. While they do deliver on that front, Gimme Dat Love‘s execution was not. Instead, their new song feels remarkably empty. You could describe the song as minimalist, but I feel like that would be justified if a minimalistic aesthetic were felt and heard. I don’t get that from Gimme Dat Love, however. The verses didn’t grab much of my attention, which was a major problem at the start (there wasn’t really much incentive to continue listening to the song other than the sultry vibe), and the anti-drop in the choruses took away any momentum that the decent string-featuring pre-choruses had built up. When it came to their delivery, Gimme Dat Love lacked substance and appeal. While the “Gimme dat love, love, love.. love” hook was striking in its own way, it was also incredibly dry and unexciting.

i-dle dials up the heat in the music video. From a hot summer’s day to a hot shower and sauna, we see the members mingle with other people throughout the video. There is definitely a lot of passion within the groups of people the members hang out with. Given the current summer season, the sultry sound identified above and i-dle’s willingness to show off a mature side, this music video makes logical sense, particularly since Gimme Dat Love is about attraction to one another.

The choreography for this comeback is probably the best aspect of this comeback, in my mind. As mentioned before, the chorus is striking in its own way musically. But on stage, it was the most striking aspect of the performance. Elsewhere, the routine feels sensual in a refined way. The intensity of the outro looked a little odd without much of a beat to it. But it was appreciated, so it infused some more oomph into the song.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.1/10

[Review] Lemon Tang – Hearts2Hearts

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After going viral earlier this year with the track RUDE!, Hearts2Hearts made their comeback a couple of weeks back with their second mini-album and title track of the same name, Lemon Tang. Seems like lemons are all the rage this year for the female groups of SM Entertainment.

Despite being released for almost two weeks now, Lemon Tang has yet to evoke much from me. A brief listen to the song can tell you that Lemon Tang is a cute, vibrant summer comeback song. I totally realise that. But for me, Lemon Tang lacks substance. The song’s hooks and melodies haven’t reeled me in, and the instrumentation has been pretty unimaginative (sans that piano ripple at the start and beginning of the final chorus). Thus, I don’t remember much of the song. I also feel like Hearts2Hearts delivery was pretty flat despite Lemon Tang being noticeably vibrant and bright in nature. Besides that, I don’t have any other thoughts on the song to share. Though ‘not much’ is pretty much a consistent thought I have about the song. Maybe more listens to Lemon Tang could remedy that.

The music video sees the members on a tour bus. Along the way, YE-ON spots an attractive guy who is transporting lemons somewhere. The lemon truck gets into an accident with a van, forcing the bus to stop. For some reason, the tour guide and the members get off, with everyone on the bus continuing on their trip. Guess the members made it to their destination. From there, they visit a seaside town for their trip and a lemon farm, where YE-ON musters the courage to make contact with the attractive guy from earlier. Though she embarrasses herself right after handing the lemon to the guy by tripping. Plot-wise, I think the music video starts strong, but becomes very disconnected soon after. Though everything was cutesy, vibrant and bright as you expected from listening to Lemon Tang.

That last sentence pretty much sums up my thoughts on the stage performances, as well.

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

[Review] singasong – V8 (SEVENTEEN)

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SEVENTEEN is at the point in their careers where some members need to enlist in the military. So the number of members currently actively promoting is dwindling, making it hard to promote as a group. Thus, SEVENTEEN have been focusing on unit activities more recently. SEVENTEEN have successfully launched BSS (which is now inactive, given HOSHI has enlisted), JxW (made up of JEONGHAN and WONWOO, also currently inactive), HxW (HOSHI and WOOZI, also inactive), CxM (S.COUPS and MINGYU) and DxS (DK and SEUNGKWAN). Yesterday, SEVENTEEN debuted their latest unit, V8 (VERNON and THE8), with the single singasong and their eponymous mini-album, V8.

singasong delves into electronic and hyperpop. I thought it was a pretty decent track and enjoyed it on my first listen yesterday. singasong had a catchy and very hummable hook and a fun video game vibe from its background to remember it by. I also feel like there was enough of a club beat to give singasong some much-appreciated oomph. But the new song isn’t perfect – singasong is repetitive, which places it in a neutral state of flow. I also wish VERNON and THE8’s vocals were not as low-key as they were. It was an interesting choice, and I do realise that they played to their strengths by keeping themselves low-key and processing their vocals the way they have. But the song needed some variety, and the pair are overpowered by the background many times throughout the song. But overall, I think the stronger aspects of singasong help overcome the weaker aspects, which is why I enjoyed the song nonetheless.

The music video sees VERNON and THE8 being carefree and hanging out with their peers and each other. This reflects well with the lyrics, which are about ‘charging forward without hesitation, embodying the spirit of youth breaking free from rules and limitations’. From the start, we see the pair break away from the idea of Korean music at that club and the karaoke set. Things get wild and unexpected from there, with the pair embracing it all to represent the lyrics visually.

Shuffling is back! Personally, to me, this dance style feels rather dated, given that it was big whilst I was growing up. But certain trends will re-emerge (for better or worse – shuffling has already made a few comebacks since then), and I can see V8 bringing it back again by simply promoting this routine. Their movements across the stage, whilst shuffling, made the routine look very cool.

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

[Review] BAD – ATEEZ

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It has only been a couple of months since Adrenaline and ATEEZ’s 13th mini album, Golden Hour: Part 4. But yesterday, ATEEZ returned with the next instalment of their Golden Hour series (Part 5) and its lead single, BAD.

BAD incorporates Brazilian Funk to infuse some fun and to pull in current trends into ATEEZ’s discography. After all, it is summer, and such energy (when done right) can make the song feel synonymous with the hot season. The start is ear-catching thanks to the Brazilian Funk. But the song then barely barely moves on from its beginning, keeping BAD‘s instrumental similar throughout its verses and choruses. As a result, BAD feels empty and dull. BAD only steps it up in the final chorus, adding more bass to make the ending feel more pronounced. While appreciated, it is too late in the song to spark much excitement. As for the chorus, the monotonous repetition of the song’s title only adds to BAD‘s dullness. There have been times where the delivery works, but with BAD‘s already empty feeling, the monotone and repetition didn’t help as much. The members’ delivery was good, overall. Their rapping was decent, and the vocal moments, when they finally appeared in the bridge, had potential. Again, it was a pity we had to wait that long to get to something appealing.

Unlike the song, I enjoyed the music video. It sees the members confront their lover, who appears to have played multiple people (including the ATEEZ members) in the past, making them fall in love with her. Her finger is full of wedding rings, and we see some members on dates with her, while other members catch on or discover her scheme. Later on, she uses her charm on other people to hypnotise them into helping defend her, rivalling the members in the courtroom. We see a great montage of everyone (including the accused lover herself) performing ATEEZ’s choreography, before walking out of the courtroom with a ‘not guilty’ verdict. But in an unexpected twist, an epilogue video uploaded after the music video dropped, shows WOOYOUNG succumbing to the hypnosis, just like everyone else who defended the accused lover. Assuming Part 5 follows the same promotional agenda as their past releases, we might get treated to a second music video for a follow-up single from the mini-album to connect to the broader Golden Hour lore.

The choreography for this comeback is on par with their other routines. There is definitely a sensual vibe in the routine, especially the chest pops at the end. There is also a subtle, powerful quality that works well with ATEEZ’s alluring performance style and makes the routine even better.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] RUN IT – Stray Kids

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In a flurry of announcements earlier this week, Stray Kids confirmed that their upcoming comeback will be in August with their 10th mini album, THIS & THAT, a new pre-release single RUN IT would be unveiled later in the week (today) and plans for a world tour that shares the same name as the mini album and starts in July. Today, I will be reviewing RUN IT, their first major release since Do It and DIVINE from the end of last year.

RUN IT sees Stray Kids focus less on the electronic sound that they have been promoting over the past couple of releases and focus more on the anthemic and melodic side of music. This anthemic side felt as if Stray Kids were rallying the troops for their next release, which is a different way of hyping up the crowd for the upcoming release. The brass elements and militaristic percussion style really complement this idea as well. The chanty aspects of the chorus pull everyone together to be as one, fitting for the ongoing World Cup. RUN IT also features a more prevalent focus on vocals. Whilst very nice sounding (FELIX and LEE KNOW’s bridge moment, as an example), I will admit that some of the vocals do feel overly soft for the broader feel of RUN IT, which holds the track back and softens the powerful potential of the track. RUN IT really feels strongest during those anthemic chants and through HAN and CHANGBIN’s rapping at the end. I really appreciate the oomph that the rappers give in the song’s final moment, and their transition from one another was quite seamless.

RUN IT appears to build on the traditional concept that DIVINE‘s music video flourished with and combines it with an army-building concept (going back to the idea of ‘rallying the troops’). The black-and-white contrast of their outfits and the dancers’ outfits probably represents differences between people, and it’s through Stray Kids’ confidence and leadership that brings everyone together as one, per the ending of the video. I also enjoyed the artistic side of the music video, which brings out a whole different vibe and pace from their usual style and concept.

Like all of their choreography, Stray Kids impresses with this one. On this occasion, they really embraced a powerful and intense side to showcase their confidence and drive that they express in RUN IT‘s lyrics. I do wonder how they will bring everything together on stage, but I am definitely hoping for each member to have a solo moment as shown in the music video. That is most likely enabled by how the music video is set up, but that would be a cool stage concept, especially for Stray Kids. I am most excited for FELIX and LEE KNOW’s solo moments during the bridge.

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

[Review] IF I SAY, I LOVE YOU – BOYNEXTDOOR

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I deeply apologise for how long (1.5 years, if you are curious) it has taken me to review what is BOYNEXTDOOR’s biggest hit to date. In my sad excuse of a defence, I was on holiday when it was released and came back to a massive backlog of reviews – one of which was this track, which ultimately got lost in my unsuccessful attempt to catch up. Released back in January 2025, IF I SAY, I LOVE YOU ended up becoming a big hit, particularly for a male KPOP group in 2025. IF I SAY, I LOVE YOU also featured as part of BOYNEXTDOOR’s NO GENRE mini-album that was released in May 2025 (led by the single I FEEL GOOD). This review also flags the incoming album review for NO GENRE, which will be released later this month.

ICYMI – BOYNEXTDOOR most recently returned with the single VIRAL and the pre-release track ddok ddok ddok from their 1st studio album, HOME.

While IF I SAY, I LOVE YOU is an upbeat dance pop song, the song lyrics focus on the bittersweet events following a breakup and the desire to confess even though it might be too late. BOYNEXTDOOR’s tone and take on such a sensitive and vulnerable time in the song is rather playful, which is why the song is so intriguing. Even without the context of the lyrics, that playfulness and brightness from the song still transcend to the audience. Another charming point of IF I SAY, I LOVE YOU is its simple and straightforward melodies and hooks. Both elements were easy on the ears and catchy, especially the chorus. But for me, after an entire year of hearing the song, the most appealing and memorable aspect of IF I SAY, I LOVE YOU is the funky electric guitars that follow the chorus. This section alone consolidates everything I have described about the song thus far and adds a touch of vibrancy to emphasise its light-heartedness. And the members’ delivery of IF I SAY, I LOVE YOU has really cemented BOYNEXTDOOR’s sound.

My theory about the music video is that TAESAN get a second chance at confessing his love to his crush. But only after he mistakes another person for his crush and gets knocked out by a snowball. In between being knocked out and waking up from the incident, we see what life looks like without his partner, aligning with the lyrics. He becomes secluded from the world, staying at home and trying to keep himself busy. Throughout the video, he (and the members, who aren’t physically there with him – they appear to be part of his personality) is reminded of the love and memories with this crush. From there, he wakes back up in the snowfields and seizes the opportunity to confess to his crush (correctly) this time.

The performance was fittingly playful and bright to match the upbeat tone of the song. I liked the energy the members put behind both their live performance and choreography. It wasn’t enough to earn a nomination in the 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards, but it was still a worthwhile watch.

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

[Weekly KPOP Chart] Week 3 of June 2026

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Welcome to the latest Weekly KPOP Chart post for Week 2 of June 2026, covering 14 to 20 June 2026. Not much to update you on again, so let’s get right to the usual segments!

What else have I been listening to?

Each week, I spotlight a song not on the Weekly KPOP Charts that I’ve been listening to. This week was a SPICA-filled week, so I have to link my favourite SPICA song from their discography, Tonight.

Non-Korean Song of the Week

Each week, the top-ranked non-Korean Song on the Weekly KPOP Chart is spotlighted (as this is an area I haven’t been focusing on as much on my blog lately). The non-Korean song from the past week is JACOB’s (from THE BOYZ) SLOW DANCING.

The Chart

ONF’s Open The Door claimed the top spot on the charts this past week. Congratulations to ONF!

Pos.TitleArtistStatus
1Open The DoorONF(NEW)
24 FlowersMAMAMOO(▼ 1)
3DDI RO RIMEOVV(RE-ENTER)
4Do Your DanceRIIZE(NEW)
5ddok ddok ddokBOYNEXTDOOR(▲ 25)
6Baby FlowertripleS(RE-ENTER)
7SuddenlyI.O.I(RE-ENTER)
8AtmosSHINee(▼ 2)
9BOOMPALALE SSERAFIM(▼ 2)
102 LOVESTAYC(NEW)
11Crowi-dle(NEW)
12TOP 5ZEROBASEONE(▲ 7)
13VIRALBOYNEXTDOOR(▼ 11)
14In Between SeasonsN.Flying(NEW)
15SLOW DANCINGJACOB (THE BOYZ)(▼ 1)
16PERMISSIONTAEMIN (SHINee)(RE-ENTER)
17LaybackJAY B (GOT7)(NEW)
18Dream With UsTWS(NEW)
19EVERLOVEPark Jinyoung (GOT7)(▲ 4)
20BUMPABIBI(RE-ENTER)
21FLY!IDID(RE-ENTER)
22WDA (Whole Different Animal)aespa ft. G-DRAGON (BIGBANG)(RE-ENTER)
23CPRB1A4(RE-ENTER)
24MmchkNEXZ(RE-ENTER)
25GirlSOYOU(RE-ENTER)
26AuroraPARK HYUN KYU(NEW)
27DON’T HOLD ITJUNGHOON(NEW)
28Run To WinDRAGON PONY(NEW)
29TNTCORTIS(RE-ENTER)
30MOYAKay Park & LNGSHOT(RE-ENTER)

[Review] DDI RO RI – MEOVV

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As promised in MEOVV’s album review for MY EYES OPEN VVIDE, here is my review for MEOVV’s latest comeback single, DDI RO RI. This song, along with their 2nd mini-album titled BITE NOW, was released at the start of the month. This release follows BURNING UP from October 2025 and is yet another MEOVV release that I have not gotten around to reviewing (but will do soon).

I am in two minds about the new track. I actually liked the idea of sampling Johann Sebastian Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. MEOVV really captured the sinister and suspenseful aspects of the classical piece well in other elements of the comeback. However, I don’t think the same can be said about its presence in DDI RO RI. Its presence at the start and throughout the song serves to attract attention. But its continued use is just lacklustre and unexciting. I thought the hip-hop-centric verses were boring. But the pre-choruses were very much the opposite, amping up the song and creating nice momentum towards DDI RO RI‘s chorus. The vocals here were really nice. Unfortunately, the chorus opts not to continue the momentum, repeating the sample in a repetitive loop and revisiting the bland hip-hop motif from the verses. As for the bridge, I liked NARIN’s vocals here, but the part felt unnecessarily rushed. It leads into the outro chant, which is my favourite part of DDI RO RI. The instrumental seems to layer the vocals over the repetitive loop of the sample and trap elements. It isn’t bad, but I wish there was a bit more hype and oomph to the outro. A lot of DDI RO RI was missing sparks to do the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor sample justice.

I am very impressed with the music video. The visuals look as if you had front row seats when they were filming the video. The ‘vampire in the attic/basement’ medieval concept goes nicely with the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor sample, which is commonly associated with Dracula. It also shows their rise from being hidden figures to the public eye quite well. There is also an unnerving side to the video that makes it quite intriguing to watch. I am mainly talking about the parts where the members appear with very plastic-looking makeup and silver hair, which definitely adds to that whole attracting attention aspect of the comeback. The same can be said about that whole montage at the end alongside the outro’s chant, where the silver hair look also makes an appearance.

On the stage, the group’s serious and charismatic visuals work really well alongside DDI RO RI. They also encapsulate those sinister and suspenseful elements from the song’s sample quite nicely to showcase their intensity and confidence in the routine.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Review] Open The Door – ONF

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Back in February 2025, ONF made their comeback with Part 1 of their second studio album, ONF: MY IDENTITY, led by the single The Stranger. Pitching a Part 1 usually means there would be a subsequent part. But when it came to their November 2025 comeback, ONF return with a completely different sound to usual in Put It Back, and with their 9th mini-album, UNBROKEN, confusing everyone as we were expecting Part 2 of their second studio album. The sound change was due to ONF’s long-term producer, Hwang Hyun, being absent from production. But upon departing WM Entertainment earlier this year, the group has rejoined forces with Hwang Hyun under KI Entertainment to release Part 2 of ONF: My Identity and the title track Open The Door.

With ONF working with Monotree (Hwang Hyun) again, you know that they are in safe hands. And this is evident in their new song, particularly when it comes to its chorus, melodies and the familiarity of the members’ vocals. It all feels perfect for ONF and feels like a solid addition to their discography. Open The Door sees ONF bring in some rock intensity into the fold and the producers cleverly use it to their advantage to intensify parts of the track (like in the intro, outro and chorus). If I wanted anything more to Open The Door, it would to just hit it harder with the rock sound. The use of the “Door Door Door” echo as part of the instrumental in the intro and outro was quite interesting. I also enjoyed the simplicity of the “Open the Door” hook, which was quite memorable for me. The Latin in the bridge was a surprise, but served as a nice vocal interlude from all the members. And talking about vocals, we have to acknowledge the amazing outro, which literally ends with a high note from the members. Open The Door was a definite return to form for ONF, and like most ONF songs, I liked this one, as well.

The video makes perfect sense in the context of the song and its lyrics, and I also liked the encouraging messages it seeks to convey. The lyrics of Open The Door encourages listeners to ‘open the door’ and embrace the unknown beyond the door in our minds, particularly when you are in a dark place. The music video sees the members suffering from their inner demons and being confined by their own minds, before seeking to open the door to discover what sits on the other side. In the process, they escape and are able to destroy their inner demons.

The intense rock moments in Open The Door lends well for the performance, with the members able to show off with some intense choreography in the intro, pre-choruses, choruses and outro. I really liked the domino effect at the start of the routine and there are subtle door references to look out for in the routine, such as knocking and turning the door knob moves. Very relevant!

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

[Review] Do Your Dance –  RIIZE

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RIIZE kicks off the week with their new single Do Your Dance and their 2nd mini-album, II. It has been over 6 months since their last release, Fame, and over a year since their studio album Odyssey (featuring the title track Fly Up). An album review is coming up for that album, but first, my thoughts on the new single.

Unfortunately, Do Your Dance doesn’t garner a positive reaction from me. Production-wise, I think the electronic background is the song’s strongest (and only) asset. There was so much potential to it. And yet, the opportunity was not seized. Amongst the dynamic and intense synth work, you can hear the hip-hop influence throughout the song, with the instrumental break really concentrating that influence in a straight-forward manner. The buildup during the pre-chorus was amazing and created some heightened suspense that just didn’t go anywhere. Beyond Do Your Dance‘s instrumental, I don’t like the rest of the song. The lack of melodies, the monotonous and repetitive “Heads, Hips, Shoulders, Toes” chant that is intended to be the song’s primary hook yet sparks nothing, and the fact that the members are stripped of any individual character to all sound the same. There is some potential for the chorus to catch on, but the way I have described it in this review makes it looks bleak. I am honestly not sure what the producers were thinking for Do Your Dance.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, the music video for Do Your Dance looks really cool. In case you didn’t notice, here were some impressive moments from the video that I noticed: the ‘hallway’ set folded out to become the stage for the first chorus; the spinning transition between the first chorus and second verse (flawless); the wavy platform during the second verse (innovative); the lead-up to and the transition between ANTON and SOHEE between the second verse and chorus; the jump transition into the dance break and the pyrotechnic waterfall at the end (which contrasted nicely with the rest of the set and the members still standing out during this sequence).

Another thing RIIZE nailed in this comeback is the choreography. There was sharpness, intensity, synchronisation and chemistry between one another, all of which made this routine really worth checking out. Alongside the song’s disappointing chorus, I liked how the moves were paced with the chant and still somehow made sure that it remained balance with intensity. The hip-hop dance break was also awesome. Once again, RIIZE really killed it with their choreography.

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

[Review] IF I – TREASURE

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With each release that TREASURE puts out, I become more convinced that their company, the famous YG Entertainment, has no clue what to do with them. Their releases are consistent: they average 1-2 comebacks a year, but their sound profile changes frequently. After some strong performances exploring pop and retro-pop releases with LAST NIGHT, YELLOW, and PARADISE in 2024 and 2025, the group has made their first comeback of the year with a sound change (or reversion) with the title track, IF I, and their new mini-album, NEW WAV.

TREASURE hails from YG Entertainment, which is known in KPOP for its more hip-hop-leaning releases. And they did start off with some of that sound in their initial releases. Hence why I described this as a sound reversion. But at least the music back then had some meat to it. IF I perplexes me, however. It is very clear that the new song has mature and edgy vibes, intense production, and powerful delivery from the members throughout. But none of it lands. The production feels very generic and bland, and there isn’t a memorable aspect to the song. There isn’t much of a hook I can grab onto for the song to grow on me. IF I simply blur by with little recognition. To the point where I didn’t even get a chance to realise that the entirety of IF I was in English. Beyond that, I don’t have much else to say about the song, unfortunately.

The music video did fair a lot better than the song. I liked how IF I‘s edgy vibes translated into the music video’s visuals. The members looked cool and bold throughout the video, particularly in their styling. The monochromatic nature of the video helps build intensity and also makes it look old-school. Some of the reverse shots and the off-centring of some solo parts also make it feel modern and trendy.

Again, the members do a good job of showcasing the edgy vibes and their stage presence in IF I‘s performance. But what I remember the most from the entire performance was the penguin dance (not sure how else to call it) and the subsequent body vibration bit that occurs during the “IF I, IF I, IF I” part of the song/chorus.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.8/10