Category: Reviews

[Review] Better Do Better – VANNER

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Once again, I am late with another review. This time last week, VANNER would have been a newly debut group with one day under their belt already. They make their debut with the song, Better Do Better and more interestingly with a full studio album, V. This is a very ambitious release, considering most debuting groups only release singles or mini-albums as their first step. VANNER consist of 5 members (Ahxian, Youngkwang, Taehwan, Gon and Hyesun) and are currently under VT Entertainment.

Better Do Better is your standard pop song with the instrumental filled with tropical influences, a now very common sound in KPOP. The song features nice vocals, which is one of the drawing points to the song. It doesn’t help that the hooks (‘Do Do Do Better‘) and melody (particularly around the pre-chorus) are quite catchy and do end up making the song memorable to an extent. I wish I can say the same thing with the rapping though. It was rather plain and while the song seemed bright and happy, the song needed some intensity to keep it grounded and the rapping didn’t provide that. I think the next aspect that didn’t leave me impressed as the vocals were the flow of the track. For the most part, it was good. It is just that abrupt transition to the bridge that really catches me off guard every single time I listen to the song. And it cuts the energy that the song had channelling, which leaves me disappointed. Overall, it was a good debut track in my opinion but it had some noticeable flaws.

The music video seemed to show a mini storyline but it was pretty much so minute that I could barely tell what was happening. They were all hanging out when they saw an attractive lady walk into their mini-party. I think the video shows them as shy around her though I am not too sure as they seem to be more upfront with their feelings towards her. Based on the lyrics, it seems like they are encouraging her to express her feelings as well. Though the video doesn’t seem to show this. I am also not sure how the love triangle ties into the rest of the plotline. It was a good video with a casual feel, which suits the light nature of the song.

The song was definitely energetic, given its bright nature and its chant-like chorus. But the performance didn’t really reflect that and I am a little disappointed. I guess they focused more on their live vocals and rapping (which I must commend them on that as they sound just as good as the studio version). I would have liked a more dynamic choreography, however.

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

[Review] Enough – SF9

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Also returning today is SF9 with their newest title track, Enough. It is featured on the group’s 6th mini-album, Narcissus. This is the group’s first comeback since their amazing Now Or Never comeback back in August 2018. Since then, the group has embarked in Japanese promotions for Now Or Never and held their first concert in South Korea. On top of that, Chani, the maknae (youngest) member of the group has recently gained popularity for his impressive acting on Sky Castle and has also drawn attention to the group.

Unlike Now Or Never, it actually took me a few listens to really get into the song. Enough is still a powerful song, however. It just took a little longer to really build up to a part that really feels impactful. The song mixes various genres including reggae and EDM to create a very dynamic sounding instrumental. It is very interesting and I really liked this mixture aspect of the song. The vocals and rapping were quite good, particularly during the chorus, I thought the ‘Ya Ya Ya‘ ending to the main lines in the chorus was really catchy. The really impactful section was the dance break, which provided a nice burst of intensity for the song. Altogether, the song was quite impressive. Unfortunately, my standard for their releases is based on Now or Never, which may seem a little unfair. I think it is going to be really hard to top that but Enough was a fair attempt at doing so. Don’t worry, as I still enjoyed the song and will be coming back for more in the coming weeks.

The music video showcases the members looking at themselves in the mirror. The whole idea of the album is in regards to Narcissus, who was known for his good looks and self-confidence in Greek mythology. The song essentially tells oneself or a lover that they are beautifully already and don’t need to do anything else to ‘improve’. I am not too sure about the start but I am sure the ending is about letting those thoughts about needing to improve one’s look, especially when the mirror cracks and one of the members ruin the reflective surface of the small pond they were staring into. Interestingly, the music video was quite dark for the most part and shot in within concrete walls and very bright white sets. The contrast was interesting and I think managed to show different sides of the guys in the different lights.

The choreography for this comeback looks really good. I liked how masculine the moves during the chorus looked. The dance break may be short but it really gives the performance a rush of energy and thus kicking it up a notch. And as they went faster, the fact they still managed to stay in-sync looked really cool.

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

[Review] Allure – Hyomin (T-ARA)

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Hyomin has returned once again with the lead title track to her latest mini-album, both of which share the title Allure. We previously saw her earlier this year through her single release U Um U Um, which I quite enjoyed.  The same single and Mango (her comeback single for last year’s promotions) are also featured on the Allure mini-album.

Hyomin has been a very versatile solo artist. She hasn’t stuck to one style since her solo debut years ago. This time around, Hyomin went with a retro sound, throwing us back to the 60s. And like the artist, the song seems to take a few turns of its own. The verses start the song off as well-paced before the song launches into a faster tempo chorus, which ultimately became faster in its second half. And it is this second half of the chorus that I think was my favourite bit of the song. And the buildup was quite worth it. The song itself is about using one’s charm to make another happy. I like Hyomin’s vocals in the song. They do sound cutesy and feminine but I think that was just her using a higher tone than usual for this song. But it does suit the retro sound quite well. I enjoyed the song quite a bit, making the song’s message quite successful.

The music video shows Hyomin in a bold black dress. A waiter delivers a certain make-up product (which I am not too sure what it is, though my guess would be a lipstick as the alternate title for the song is Lip Colour). After she uses this product, she gathers the attention of the people surrounding her, to which they all follow her. I really like that ending, where they are all copying her whilst following her in a single file. It really showed a cool look and I wonder if that is part of the choreography. I also like how she managed to blend into the retro-themed video given the bold nature of the red dress.

giphy

We do not see much of the choreography in the music video. We did see some and those parts look fine to me. I am particularly drawn to the second half of the chorus, which I think was nice. I also hope to see that single file we saw at the end of the music video in the choreography, for reasons I stated above.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10 [To Be Updated]
Overall Rating – 8/10

[Review] In The Rain – Yoon Ji Sung

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After the disbandment of Wanna One earlier this year, fans have anticipated the different routes that each member would take. Most will be returning to the stage as artists. Others have announced that they will be taking breaks, while others have embarked upon musicals and start acting careers. For this review, we will be looking at Yoon Ji Sung’s solo debut single, In The Rain. He is actually the first member to return. Yoon Ji Sung has also been confirmed for a musical and will also enlist in the first half of this year.

In The Rain is a neat ballad that lets Yoon Ji Sung shine brightly. As Wanna One was a large group, we don’t really get an opportunity to see him stand out. Through this ballad, we get an opportunity to hear his vocals in a more clear manner. The ballad is quite pleasant and is actually mostly light-hearted. While I do find emotionally driven ballads more enticing, pleasant sounding ballads that aren’t too focused on the emotions and vocals are often refreshing, which is the case for his debut single. That being said, he does have a nice voice. Also, I found myself swaying to the music, which I think makes it a pretty successful ballad in my books. I personally think the melody could have been a little stronger to really make the song more memorable but it good as it is.

I think I am more used to the ballad music videos having this hazy filter that really reflects the sad nature of the song. In this video, however, the music video features a whole of colour, which was a little foreign for me. I also liked how the music video reflected the peacefulness of the verses and then once the song built up to the chorus, it changed into an overload of pastel colours. In the video, it seems like he is awaiting a special someone, though that is my view of the music video given that I can’t find any translated lyrics as of yet. It is a nice video that goes nicely with the song.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] Butterfly – LOONA

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After debuting with Hi High, LOONA has returned after 6 months with their repackaged version of ++. The mini-album, now titled as ××, features the title track Butterfly. While this is good news for the group and Orbit (the fan club name of LOONA fans), there has been some unfortunate news recently. In the lead up to the Butterfly release, Yves and Yeojin were injured during their concert in a stage accident. Yves has been confirmed to continue promoting, while news regarding Yeojin’s participation hasn’t been confirmed yet. Best wishes to Yeojin for a fast recovery!

Butterfly seems like it is in line with the aesthetics we got in their pre-debut works. It also features a mature sound and stands out for a variety of reasons. The first is the song’s instrumental. The song takes on EDM in a very unique manner. It combines different sounds together to create a very dynamically powerful instrumentation that really allows for the chorus to stand out. I also like how they used a very high pitched ‘Fly Like A Butterfly’ as part of the chorus. It does sound like screeching but you can make out the words and it really adds a depth of colour to the song. The second reason would have to be the vocals. It is that one line again that I think really makes the song stand out, this time slightly lower pitch for the members to be able to sing. The rapping also has to be commended as it isn’t a powerful approach but rather more delicate. But it works well with the rest of the song. I also found it rather interesting that the vocals/raps were minimalistic, as it is usually the instrumental. The third and final reason why the song stands out is the lyrics. They are all about finding oneself and usually, songs of this nature earn applause from me. Overall, Butterfly is uniquely different but so amazing.

The music video zones in the meaning of the song but puts it into focus alongside the LOONAverse (which I actually have previously theorised about). The music video features people from all around the world, who are trying to find themselves in a complicated world. We see a lot of imagery from the LOONAVERSE throughout the video including apples, cassette tape players and eye patches to name a few. Scenes from the music videos were also imitated, while the exact locations in Hong Kong, Paris, LA and Iceland were also revisited. To me, this is a way for LOONA to tell their fans that they are also able to enter the LOONAVERSE and be together with them, while also be able to show their individuality like in LOONA”s pre-debut singles.

Matched alongside the unique yet amazing sound of the song is the choreography, which looks equally as dynamic and intense as the song. I thought the lying down at the start was really cool and the moves during the chorus looked beautiful, especially for dance moves during a music drop.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.8/10

[Review] Gravity – TREI

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A new boy group has entered the industry. TREI is a 3-member male group debuting under Banana Culture Entertainment, which also features EXID in its lineup. The new group features Jaejun, Changhyun, and Juntae. Despite the group just debuting today with Gravity, the group has been around since 2017, as seen through their profile, which you can view here. Jaejun, who is the leader of the group, was formerly part of the now disbanded C-Clown, which was another group under Banana Culture Entertainment (then Yedang Entertainment) between 2012 to 2015.

I personally thought the opening sequence to Gravity was amazing. The acoustic guitar and breathtaking vocals really set up the song and do a good job of introducing the new group. After the introduction, the song does lose the acoustic nature and becomes slightly more upbeat with the introduction of a soft pop rock influence. They kept this breezy vibe to the song, which I quite liked and they also manage to maintain the melody, which I enjoyed. The vocals were nice and the rapping was good. Paying close attention to the sound, you can feel the sorrowful nature of the lyrics. They did a good job of presenting us with that through the vocals and rap sequences. It is a good debut song, overall in my opinion. The one thing it does lack is memorability. It doesn’t really stand out the pack and the mature tone of the song doesn’t automatically scream out as a hit. But I still like it nonetheless. I am definitely putting this on the replaying list.

I mentioned the song had a breezy vibe to it, quite laid back and chilled. The music video, I personally think, does a good job of portraying this. The video is shot away from the hustle and bustle of city life, giving it a peaceful feel. It is the editing and filter that I personally do not like. It did give the video a likeable indie appeal but it made the music video seem ‘noisy’ and messy, in my opinion. I didn’t like how they made the screen space smaller by putting still borders around the video. It just cut the members out of frame and looked awkward. Surely, it was done to be artistic but I felt it just didn’t work.

The performance actually looked peaceful and flowy to an extent, which I think is very fitting for the song. Also, I am surprised that for a trio, they didn’t use any backup dancers. Usually, with groups which low numbers of members, they use back up dancers to kind of fill the emptiness around them. But their move did most of that, which I thought was excellent. It is a performance that I wouldn’t mind watching again.

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

[Review] Alligator – MONSTA X

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Kicking off the series of comebacks and releases this week is Monsta X, with their latest comeback single, Alligator. It is featured on the second half of their second studio album, Take.2 ‘WE ARE HERE. The first half of the album is titled  Take.1 ‘Are You There?’, which featured their most successful track yet, Shoot Out. Interestingly, the music video for Alligator seems to contain multiple connections that don’t just hint back to Shoot Out but also to other videos. But more on that later.

First of all, Alligator felt like an odd title for a song. The song essentially likens getting someone to fall in love to an alligator’s hold on its prey (adapted from SOOMPI). Looking at the English translations available, I am not 100% sure if that was encapsulated but I guess the idea of it makes sense. The first thing I noticed was the powerfulness of the track. It is quite intense and hence right up Monsta X’s alley. The instrumental takes on that dance heavy sound that is quite similar to their past tracks. And the rapping really gives it that defining punch that leads me to associate the song with Monsta X straight away. Jooheon and I.M do an amazing job with their parts in the song, both on their own during the verses and together during the bridge. The vocals in the song were quite good, as always, with Kihyun’s high note being an excellent peak to the song alongside the duo rappers. But it’s the chorus that leaves me disappointed. The melody and hooks for the entire chorus felt lukewarm at best and didn’t feel like their usual catchy nature.  It might just be because the song was just released and that I haven’t played it enough to get into my mind.

Monsta X matched up the aggressive music video to the powerful song by incorporating alligators, swampland and choreography in water. I think fans would find that final choreography section to be very sexy. The video looked well put together, with the sets looking cool. The other half is what we are more seemingly interested in. We have been promised through the prologue teaser that there is a connection between this and possibly all of their music videos (scenes from previous music videos were included in the teaser). I will be completely honest – I have no idea what is going on. I can tell that there is some connection revolving around the seven sins as this is seen in this video and in the music video for Beautiful. But Lust and Gluttony have been swapped out for Agony and Loneliness. We also see an uprising against the people in charged who banned these sins, similar to the rebellion seen in The Clan series. There is a more obvious connection between Shoot Out and Alligator, with thorny rose branches and Hyungwon sitting on a throne-like structure featured in both videos. What this all means in too cryptic for me to work out, so feel free to comment below with theories!

We don’t see too much choreography in the music video. But from what we could see, I thought it looked really cool. Monsta X goes hard once again with their performances! I do want to know what moves they will pull off during the rap sections as those seemed to be the most intense parts. So, obviously, I will return in due time with an update.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10 [To Be Updated]
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] WiFi – SATURDAY

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SATURDAY made their return the other night with WiFi. This is a relatively new girl group, currently under SD Entertainment. SATURDAY currently has seven members including  They made their debut last year with Sion, Sunha, Haneul, Chohee, Ayeon, Yuki and Juyeon (Juyeon is a new member added this year after the departure of former member Chaewon). They made their debut with MMook JJi BBa back in July of last year and they also released a special Christmas album for the festive season.

WiFi is that cutesy song that reminds you of the work done by Crayon Pop when they were still active. It is an undeniably colourful track that speaks about sending love signals between themselves and their crush. It is a fun tune, filled with the cutesy repetition of the word ‘WiFi’ (which is actually growing heavily on me) and the use of a bazooka or some sort of instrument of a similar nature to get that fun yet intriguing sound in the instrumental break. I also like the mini shout of their group name in the song so they wouldn’t be forgotten. The vocals were good and I personally liked the rapping style for the rap sequence during the verses. As for the trap influence during the bridge, this causes the track to be similar to Boom Boom by Momoland and I am not sure what to think of this (apart from that the bridge does not go with the rest of the song). Overall, I like WiFi but not to the extent of other songs currently hot on the charts.

Once again, we see the low budget nature of the video based on the choreography shots with the window. We cannot blame them or their company for what they had to work with. But they could have gotten rid of those shots and stayed with the built backdrops they had for the rest of the video (which actually fitted the colourful nature of the song perfectly due to their use of colours). For the rest of the video, I liked how they made it look like they applied special effects (like the floating letters) and the cutesy nature of the video.

As for the performance, I thought it was rather good. I liked how they showed the WiFi hook by using the WiFi symbol. I also liked how bouncy the dance was, particularly during the chorus. My favourite bit would have to be during the pre-chorus, as their moves seem to be somewhat more mature and smooth.

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

[Review] Cold – Key (SHINee) ft. Hanhae

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It has been a while since I have reviewed an SM Station track, so it is time to get back to those very special singles and collaborations. This week, we have Key (from SHINee) gracing our screens and music apps with Cold. The song features Hanhae, a well-known South Korean rapper who actually enlisted into the military in the past week. Key previously made his solo debut at the end of last year with One Of Those Nights and you can read my review for his solo debut by clicking the link. But let’s continue on with the review for Cold.

Cold is an R&B track that feels reminiscent of the R&B sound that artists like Crush and Heize have released previously. The song doesn’t seem to be that memorable in my books. There are a number of reasons why I think that. Key presents us with a nice voice in the song but it isn’t as capturing as Heize or Crush’s husky or raspy tone when it comes to their own solo work. The instrumental feels very standard and doesn’t offer anything interesting. There is some soft electronic piano featured throughout the song which did make the song slightly appealing. But that wasn’t enough to really consolidate its overall appeal. It isn’t all bad news though as the song is still pleasantly sound and Hanhae’s rapping did attract some more attention towards the song. I wouldn’t mind listening to it every now and then. Just constant replaying will bore me out of it even more and I wouldn’t personally go out of my way to find the song.

The music video revolves around Key as an artist and that he has fallen in love with a certain camerawoman or director of the music video that he is shooting within the music video. I guess he becomes so invested in his interest that he forgets what is there for and continues to have the video filmed despite all the staff members cleaning up behind him. I thought that was an interesting way to show that his crush wasn’t interested. I liked how they shot everything used vintage cameras and the vintage filter that was applied to the scenes. I found that the music video was suitable for the song, overall but equally as dry as the song.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.4/10

[Review] Clock – Infinite

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I previously mentioned in previous reviews that some male groups have reached the point in their careers where they need to enlist into the military. One of these other groups is Infinite. After last year’s comeback with Tell Me, leader Kim Sung Gyu enlisted in May. And it is expected that other Infinite members would follow this year. But before that, Infinite announced their return with a special single, Clock, which was previously performed at their fan meets at the end of the year. Unfortunately, Clock will not be promoted due to busy solo schedules but it still nice to get a new song from Infinite after a year’s absence.

Clock is a mid-tempo ballad that brings the best out of the remaining Infinite members. I am super excited for this track as I have always been a fan for Infinite’s ballads and this one does not deviate from that memory. The instrumental falls under the category of a soft rock track from what I can hear and it is a very good one. There is some slight reshuffling in this track to fit the missing presence of Kim Sung Gyu and former member Hoya. Myungsoo (or L) and Woohyun takes the reigns as the main vocalists, while Sungjong, Sungyeol and Dongwoo do all the rapping throughout the track. All handle their parts exceptionally well. I am particularly surprised by the rapping done by Sungjong, as I don’t think he has ever rapped before. I also enjoyed the harmonies that they all bring together. I don’t have much else to say regarding the song but wish to reiterate my first statement – it truly brings out the best of each member.

The music video shows the members either awaiting a phone call or waiting to make a phone call (I believe there may be a mixture of each). It doesn’t really show much else besides that. The song is about waiting to be reunited, so I guess the waiting around for a phone call (or waiting for the right moment to call) serves as a mechanism for a reunion in this video. It is a touching song and put together with this video and alongside their foreseeable future, it is even more touching. I am not totally into the hazy filter, however.

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

[Review] Twit – Hwasa (Mamamoo)

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In the past year,  we have seen the Mamamoo members through multiple comebacks including Starry Night, Egotistic and Wind Flower. On top of that, we saw the members through solo songs on the albums released throughout the year and through solo works. Moonbyul made her solo debut with Selfish, which Wheein also made her solo debut with Easy. It is time we turn our attention to the maknae of the group, Hwasa, who recently gained attention for her sexy outfit on the MAMA stage. She made her solo debut today with Twit.

Listening to the song, I felt like the song was more suited for the Summer seasons. It is bright and upbeat, something you don’t get too much in these colder months (though Korea is fast approaching the end of the cold season). But that being said, it is a strong song suiting Hwasa’s image from the very second it started playing. The song shows how a person is calling themselves (and others) a dummy and twit for not being able to care for their respective lover. The instrumental is made up heavy beat and dramatic flair, offset by a light panflute that is played over and over again at consistent intervals. I find this to be very intriguing. Alongside the song, we get Hwasa’s raspy vocals that really adds another sound and texture to the song. I particularly like how she kicks her vocals up a notch via the bridge, which is where we get the vocal climax to the song. Overall, Twit is a nice song that showcases the strengths of Hwasa.

The music video opens up with the male actor trying to get the attention of Hwasa. While this does annoy her throughout the video, the guy ends up leaving her at the end of the video, making Hwasa the ‘twit’ of the video for disregarding her lover. Another take on the video (see the comment section for a more detailed explanation) is that Hwasa calls the male actor a twit for being too focused on her (the scenes throughout the video showcases Hwasa as the centrepiece (i.e.e she is the queen, all the guys are staring at her and she is uniquely confident). This causes the guy to become upset and leave Hwasa at the end, despite her best efforts of her showing him that she still cares for him. Throughout the video, we see shots of Hwasa being confidently sexy, which could be an indirect response to her recent controversy regarding her outfits at the MAMAs. Wheein also pops up in the video, where both Wheein and Hwasa are rubbing shoulders with each other. It is a very bold video, which I think suits Hwasa and the song very well.

We don’t see much of the choreography in the video. But from what I can see, Hwasa is going to be bringing sexy to the stage with this performance. On top of that, an element of fun may be present. We won’t know for sure until a live performance is available so I will be back when that occurs.
[Updated] She definitely brought her sexy game to the stage with this comeback. Though, I wasn’t as impressed with the choreography that was chosen for this comeback. It didn’t feel as enticing as I had hoped for, Her moves felt fitting with the song but I couldn’t help but describe the performance as mediocre.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 6/10 [Updated]
Overall Rating – 7.8/10 [Updated]

[Review] PIRI – Dream Catcher

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Known for their horror theme comebacks (I previously formed video theory posts regarding their horror ‘Nightmare’ series featuring the music videos of Fly High, You & I, Chase Me and Good Night), Dream Catcher has made their horrifying return today with PIRI. This is the group’s first comeback since their What promotions back in Septemeber. Since then, the group made their Japanese debut with the Japanese version of What and also released another single (Over The Sky) for their fans in celebration of their 3rd year anniversary since debut.

PIRI, after a very quick Google search, is a Korean instrument made from bamboo,  which is often heard in Korean folk music. I am not 100% sure but it seems like PIRI opens up with a whistling sound, which I think could be an actual piri instrument. But it is used as a detail, on top of the group signature rock instrumental sound. It is another intense song that really showcases another powerful side of the group. I did like the moments where the rock instrumental was stripped away for a soft piano. But the best bit was when the instrumental went for a full rock out during the chorus. The vocals were superb in the song. But the rapping is what caught my attention, once again. We all know how good Dami is, as per the group’s previous comebacks, but Dami is joined by Gahyeon in this song and she gives Dami some competition. Overall, PIRI is another amazing song from the group.

I think of the reason why I am drawn to Dream Catcher comebacks is for the visuals. Sure, the song is always a selling point but to this date, no other girl group has attempted the horror concept to a successful degree. In this video, the group is trying to make their way out of the mansion and come across haunting corridors and objects. Connected corridors that lead to the same spot, creepy dolls that turn their heads by themselves, multiple ringing phones and ticking clocks and a TV that shows a second version of yourself. I find the contrast between the darkness in the plot scenes and the brightness form the choreography scenes very interesting for this video.

I thought the choreography for this comeback was quite cool. Dream Catcher always has fitting dance moves for their rock-influenced songs. I like the many waves they made during the verses and the introductory sequence looked really cool. I also liked the touch of power they gave during the chorus.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] Wake Up – TST

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There are many groups from smaller companies that just don’t the attention they deserve. Many of which releases amazing songs that deserve a place on charts but never get the chance. One of these many groups is TST (formerly known as TopSecret). TST has returned to the stage with Wake Up. This is the group’s first comeback since their amazing Paradise comeback last year. Once again, they have returned short with one member, as Wooyoung has taken some time off to focus on health recovery.

Wake Up is a very bright and youthful song. It is the type of song that makes you want to smile within the first few seconds of the song and the energy is quite appealing. It does fall under the category of a typical pop song but it is done in a way that leaves me wanting more. I really liked the instrumental of the song. It was slightly funky and had retro elements that remind me of what KPOP actually used to be.  Actually, the song reminded me of Infinite’s Man In Love and I think this song could have been part of Infinite discography. The vocal work for this track was pretty good. But it was the rapping was the highlight for me. The rapping here is definitely my preferred style and boosted the song’s appeal to a whole new level for me. Overall, Wake Up is a very energetic track that I will be continually returning to in the future.

The music video doesn’t have the same budget as some of the other music videos we have seen where the budget is obviously much higher. But they seemed to do a good job with handling that aspect. I am not sure if they actually built sets for this music video. In fact, the setting felt pretty much a contemporary art gallery. And I think is even more impressive than a high budget video if it is done right (and guess what, I think it is). I would have liked something more to really drive up the appeal of the video. But for something to fit an all smiling and positive energy song, this is already quite nice.

One could say their performance is fitting for the song. Youthful and fun. And I pretty much agree with that. But I can see the side of how it is quite cheesy and cliche. As a standard pop song, you would be constricted in terms of style and I guess this is what happened here. Maybe they could have gone for a more chill and laid-back approach.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] WANT – Taemin (SHINee)

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Finally, after a year’s wait, Taemin has finally returned to South Korea with his second mini-album and title track of the same name, WANT. His last Korean comeback was back in 2017 with the sexy Move and Day and Night. But Taemin wasn’t completely absent from the scene in the year break from his solo Korean works. In fact, he participated in SHINee’s 10-year anniversary comeback last year and also released a solo album in Japan.

The first thing that popped into my head while listening to WANT was how perfectly suited Taemin was for this track. In fact, it fits extremely well into his portfolio of songs so far. It is a powerful track but the powerfulness into explicitly apparent. Instead, it takes a subtle approach, which is similar to what Move ended up demonstrating. Want has this element of funkiness to it, which I thought was alluring. The song is described to be ‘space disco’, which I think is a new genre to really discover. His vocals are amazing in this song as they sounded flawless throughout the track. My favourite bit has to be the peak at the very end of the bridge (and the end of the second verse). It caught me off guard as it doesn’t fit the atmosphere but it left an impression on me where I ‘wanted’ more of the song.

How aesthetically pleasing is this music video? I am extremely amazed at the quality and work put into this video. The song calls for an aesthetic video and that is what we definitely got. The video seems to play on temptation, which is essentially what the song is about. We got Taemin acting all sexy and homme fatale throughout the video as if he is tempting fans with his sexiness. The inclusion of snakes in the video hints back at the temptation of Eve. The sets were elaborate and looked breathtaking, especially that final choreography scene with the big screen behind him and the dancers.

The dance takes on sexy once again. It is what Taemin does best. His movements are rather sharp when needed but smooth when it is time to be tempting, which I think was quite fitting for this entire comeback. The dance looks quite complicated yet Taemin manages to pull it off effortless, especially during the choruses, which I quite liked form the music video.

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

[Review] DALLA DALLA – ITZY

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The performance It is expected to be an intense year with new groups debuting from 2 of the Big 3  (YG Entertainment and JYP Entertainment. Note that SM Entertainment hasn’t confirmed any debuts as of yet). And kicking off this particular competition is JYP Entertainment, with their brand new five-member female group, ITZY. The group is made up of Yuna, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, Lia and Yeji. You may find Ryujin familiar as she earned first place in the MIXNINE survive show for the female side, while Chaeryeong would be familiar due to her presence of SIXTEEN. The group made their debut earlier today with DALLA DALLA.

DALLA DALLA is a hip-hop techno infused track that really grabs your attention for its trend instrumental from the very start. And I like this uniqueness about the track as it is something you haven’t heard in KPOP at all yet. And as expected, the song is very catchy with its addictive melody and lyrics just practically in front of you the entire time as you listen to the track. It is vibrant and it surely does pop from the rest of the competition. I thought the vocals were good, while the rap gave the song more intensity that I had expected. But that isn’t a bad thing as I thought it was cool. I also like their message of self-confidence in the lyrics. However, that ‘Keep your chin up. We got your back‘ line during the bridge felt too cheesy for this song. I had expected some sort of chanting as we progressed through the song but what we got didn’t fit the song’s vibes in the end. Apart from that, it is a fun song.

The music video is a good opener to really introduce the girls in a visual manner.  However, I couldn’t help but think how mediocre the entire video was when you reflect back on it. It just didn’t have any memorable moments. But I did like the graphics that were used for the different sets. I also liked their edginess, while keeping that direction that JYP girl groups tend to have (look at TWICE at the moment and Miss A’s earlier days).

The performance accompanying this debut is quite good. From what I can see in the music video, it is energetic, bold and well suited for the song. They also seem to go with some complicated moves, which I think looks good. I am excited to see the whole performance in full!

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

[Review] HALA HALA – ATEEZ

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Last month, ATEEZ returned with their first comeback since their debut, Say My Name. As part of the teasing process for their comeback and second mini-album (album review coming later this weekend), the group had released a Performance Video for the track HALA HALA, which lasted 1:29 minutes. Now, almost a month later, the group has released a full music video (or another performance video) for entire HALA HALA track that was also featured alongside Say My Name on the Treasure Part 2: Zero to One mini-album.

I liked how the song first started off soft. Knowing ATEEZ and the tracks they have done so far, this softer start really creates a tense atmosphere. It gradually builds up, peaking off during the pre-chorus vocal part. Vocals here were superb and this showcased more of the group on that side of things. The chorus has one of those fake drops, which I think was an interesting choice and definitely gives the song some aesthetics. The rapping in the second verse and bridge was perfectly rough for the song. And I liked how they changed the final chorus up to really give the song that peak ending. I think the song was a really good track to follow up with. The hip-hop influence was strong and I felt like this further extends their potential. It isn’t your typical song, so I understand how this may not be for everyone. But for someone who is looking for a new group to follow, this song just solidifies the need to pay attention to ATEEZ.

I will be completely honest. The black outfits, along with the mask and wide brim hats really give me the creeps. It is actually quite mysterious. The same outfit appeared in the Say My Name video but I am still a little confused on why they don the outfit in the earlier video. They do take it off towards the end, showing a smear of blood on the corner of one of the member’s mouths, so I guess the idea of vampires has to be thrown into the possible theory mix. This video just leaves me with more questions. Apart from that, I thought the performance video was well put together.

I don’t know about you but I wanted more stomping in the performance. The song was perfect for just that. But everything else we got was equally as good. I really liked that slow fist slash that appeared during the first pre-chorus. I thought that was rather cool to watch. The chorus itself looked dynamic and the entire performance does a good job of showcasing their skills in dancing.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10