Category: Reviews

[Review] Still Loving You – 100%

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

As mentioned yesterday, I will be slowly catching up on reviews from last week that I have yet to write. As a result, reviews for some songs this week may be delayed a day or two. I will try to keep the impact as low as possible. One of the releases that I missed last week is 100%’s latest comeback, Still Loving You, which is featured on their 6th mini-album, RE:tro. This is the group’s first comeback since their Heart comeback last year in Korea and 28℃ in Japan.

Still Loving You is described as a pop-dance track with retro influences. And pretty much, we get just that. And, I think ‘standard’ is pretty much the right word to describe this song The song opens up this whistling sound, which I thought was rather ear-catching. The retro influences were heard throughout the song but were most prevalent during the chorus, mainly through the keyboard that they used. But the song lacked definition, leaving us with a very bland atmosphere. Sure, the whistling does help but it isn’t anywhere near enough to give it a bold or defining element. Unfortunately, this also passed onto other elements. Though I like their singing and rapping in the song, their melody was just not profound or memorable. So, we ended up getting a very passable song. The most interesting part has to be the low-tone rapping at finishes off the song, which gave the song something interesting. But as it is positioned at the end of the song, it is far too late to compensate for the song’s blandness. Sorry, this is the way I feel about the song but these are the thoughts I continually have while listening to the song.

My exact same thoughts above can be said for the music video. I thought the video was rather boring and didn’t have anything interesting to really hold my attention for long. Actually, there isn’t anything to really set it apart from the rest of the competition.  Through their acting, you can tell they went for an emotional route, where they still seem to miss their former lovers. This is matching to the song’s lyrics. But apart from that, I can’t find anything positive to say.

The choreography has to be my favourite bit of this comeback. It is far more captivating than the song and music video. I really liked how they started off the performance (I can’t think of a name suitable to point this part out but it is the one with the shoulder movements) and how their moves during the chorus seemed to allow their vocals to flourish in the live performances.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 5.4/10

[Review] Pinky Star (RUN) – GWSN

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

GWSN is back with their very first comeback! The female group made their debut last year with Puzzle Moon and it featured a very puzzling music video. Now, they return with Pinky Star (RUN), which is the title track off their second mini-album, The Park In The Night (Part 2). They also seem to continue with their puzzling concept with this title track (but more on that later). While it has been fairly quiet from the group since their debut, they did participate in the rookie dominated MAMA Stage held in Korea last year.

Pinky Star is a very interesting song, as there seem to be many separate bits trying to reel you in. The good thing is that it all works in harmony and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the track. It features house-based instrumentation, which was littered with a number of effects to really draw your attention. The wooden xylophone that was layered on top of the house instrumentation during the first verse was very nice. I thought it was rather intriguing how the xylophone came back for the second verse but it was metal instead. It then progressed back to the wooden ones for the dance break (also need to mention the tempo during the dance break. So fast paced). The scratches give the song various textures, which kept the song from becoming too overwhelming. The other interesting bit was the vocals. I love the chorus to this track. The conjunction of those cutesy vocals during the first half of the chorus and the more general delivery of the second half was rather dynamic. The rapping was also commendable, as it felt just right for this track.

As mentioned previously, the video has this puzzling theme attached to it, similar to Puzzle Moon. Unfortunately, my literature isn’t as great and I have no idea what is going on in the video. The video opens up with a line that says ‘ We may be someone greater than we think we are‘ and ends with the quote ‘If you possess unique strength, it must be used for good‘ from The Doors of Perception (There is a good chance that the video may just be based on this book, as I can see some similarities between the video and what I briefly read on Wikipedia. It feels like a reach in my head, however, unless it is a very loose adaptation). But based on a comment regarding superpowers (see below), it seems like the members are awakening and using their members throughout the video (i.e. they become greater through their unique powers and we don’t see them use it for any bad purposes).  But the interpretation of the video is still up in the air. Aesthetics though are amazing and I really like the rooftop scenes with the members doing their own thing, along with the performance occurring at the same time.

gwsn_comment

I am amazed by this performance. It is really good! I really liked the short movements during the first half of the chorus. I thought it was very fitting for the music. I liked how they gave that section a somewhat cutesy vibe to really match what I said about that section above. The dance break was very intense and worked well with the fast tempo of that section.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] gogobebe – Mamamoo

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 3 Comments

Unfortunately, I was a little busy this week (particularly last night) to write up multiple reviews (on top of the scheduled album review), so I had to push back the reviews to today. Hopefully, I hope to catch up on them today and tomorrow. But today, we are here for Mamamoo, who returned with their new single, gogobebe, just yesterday. The song is featured on their 9th mini-album, White Wind, which also happens to be the final instalment in their 4 Seasons 4 Colours series. gogobebe joins Starry Night, Egotistic and Wind Flower in that lineup.

Each of the songs we have seen in the series thus far compliments the season in which it was intended to be released. gogobebe doesn’t fit this trend at all, opting for a very upbeat and somewhat fun sounding track, atypical if we were going to consider just the season. Note how I say ‘somewhat fun-sounding’. I felt that it was borderline but there were times where the song (without the aid of the music video) didn’t necessary gave the right colours to be ‘fun sounding’. The track has this slight hip-hop influence, which was rather nice. It is slightly different from what we have seen so far. Another aspect I liked about the song was the chorus. It switches between a’ singing to chanting and back to singing’ chorus and it managed to flow effortlessly. I also liked the post-chorus hook (the ‘illuwa illuwa‘, which was rather catchy to my ears. I also thought that they didn’t use their powerhouse vocals, which I think gives the song a light feel. And this choice allows the song to really flourish more. Personally, I don’t think it is their best song ever but it is still a nice song.

If you are are a MooMoo (Mamamoo’s fanclub name), you will probably have a great insight into their playful and wild personality off the stage. And I feel like the music video does a good job of drawing on that aspect. We see the members have a boring and tiring week and it finishes off with a party invite to house number 99. The members frantically prepare themselves to attend this party (with Moonbyul’s head getting stuck in the pavement in that mess – say what?) and have a little bit of fun in the meanwhile. When they rock up to the ‘house 99’, they crash a book club meeting (which is all very peaceful), whilst a party was very obviously occurring at house no. 66 (right next door). But knowing Mamamoo, they literally started the party in house no. 99, causing everyone to have a great time. It urns out that the girls at the start of the video (featured in Wheein’s solo scene) decided to have some fun themselves and switch the house numbers. It is a very fun and colourful video, fitting with the song.

Like the video, the performance features a fun performance. There was a lot of nice moments to enjoy (sorry I don’t know the names of any of these moves, so I am just going to list the song parts) including the start of the bridge, the chanting part of the chorus and the ‘illuwa’ illuwa‘ parts of the performance. I liked their energy and their smiles make everything better.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Spring – Park Bom ft. Sandara Park

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , 3 Comments

We haven’t heard too much from the members of 2NE1 since their disbandment in 2017. But today, we are extremely likely to witness two members in one music release. Park Bom makes her solo comeback for the very first time since 2NE1’s disbandment, her departure from YG Entertainment (she is now signed to a company named D-Nation Entertainment) and the release of Don’t Cry back in 2011. (That means this is her first solo release in 8 years). The track is titled Spring and features fellow member Park Sandara, who I believe is more active on variety shows recently.

Spring is an R&B track made up of standard instrumentation that gives off a remarkably grand feel. I find this fitting with her previous two singles as they didn’t have a mind-blowing instrumental but the song managed to be very appealing at the time of its release. There were a few things within the instrumentation (or background) that stood out for me. The first is the piano, which I thought gave the song a delicate touch. The second would have been the ‘Bom Bom Bom‘ part and how it was accented/emphasised by the instrumental at the very end of the chorus. The third has to be the most appealing aspect of all, the use of background vocals. The way managed to compliment her vocals really boosts the song up a fair bit. Talking about her vocals, I found that her distinctive nasal toned voice wasn’t as present here. And because of that, we got to hear more of her in a way that we really haven’t before. Along with Park Bom, Sandara does an amazing job showcasing her both vocals and rap in her section. I thought her features were rather nice as it serves as a mini-2NE1 reunion but also gives the song something ‘more’ (and hence preventing the song from becoming too linear/consistently plain).

One thing that is clearly absent in this video is YG’s quality. Her past videos have been of a similar typical nature. But with YG’s quality, a typical video could look a lot better. This lacks that and it is just a typical music video for me. I do have to admit though, her presence in the garden scenes and the lighting in this video does make it seem intriguing at first glance. I also thought her outfits were nice and contrasted nicely with the sets that we saw.

To fit the electronic side of the song, there is choreography. However, Park Bom doesn’t really participate much in the choreography department. I guess it is for her to focus on her singing. But I think another factor is her dress. I watched her showcase just now and I was honestly scared for her. I thought she was going to trip on her train/tail. And because of her outfit, her moves come off quite weak. The rest of the choreography was okay. But I am not particularly drawn to it.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Review] Love Drunk – Epik High ft. Crush

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , Leave a comment

After a year and 5 months, the iconic Epik High has returned with a brand new mini-album, Sleepless in __________, and the title track Love Drunk. Though, their absence seems to be for a much longer time period as their last stage promotion occurred back in 2014 (approximately 5 years ago). For this title track, they joined hands with Crush as a featuring artist, while IU and actress Jin Seo Yeon featured in the music video.

Love Drunk is a ballad that starts off with Crush’s delicate vocals over a simple piano instrumental. We also get a bit of Tablo towards the end of the start, just before the song picks up and adds extra elements to the instrumentation to give it a mid-tempo feel while still maintaining the stillness/peacefulness from the start. I find the piano start was very profound for something so little and it works well with Crush and Tablo. But the song kicks up to allow for the rapping of Tablo and Mithra Jin to come into play and they leave us with impactful sequences. While this is usually the case when it comes to Epik High’s ballads, I liked how they didn’t disturb the peaceful atmosphere with their deep tones. My personal favourite part of the song has to be Tablo’s bridge, which I think sets the tone of the song. If you don’t understand Korean in any way, the bridge is a clear taste to the emotional side of the song (The song is all about the first hard breakup and the feelings you may have). It isn’t in a heart-wrenching way, however. The stillness I mentioned previously makes this ballad more powerful and heartbreaking.

The music video, as mentioned previously features IU (who plays the student) and Jin Seo Yeon (the teacher). Seo Yeon seems to be the type of person who is cold and doesn’t want to teach anyone due to her strict standards. IU, on the other hand, wants to be trained by her. At the start of the video, IU is caught spying on Seo Yeon and they have a fight. No one is victorious in this fight as most likely Seo Yeon fought to scare IU away and IU was not able to overpower her. This causes IU to become upset and she screams, attracting the attention of Seo Yeon and breaking a few barrels of water. Intrigued, Seo Yeon starts teaching IU. And during one of these teaching moments (I assume – or maybe it was an actual fight), IU landed a punch which assumingly kills Seo Yeon. This plagues IU’s mind and leaves her devastated, as seen at the end. Rather than playing with a romantic relationship, the director chose a role model based relationship, as this would be the first relationships we, as people, would have. And the loss of this role model would be extremely devastating to us. Overall, I thought it was a well thought out video. The martial arts does throw you off a bit but the underlying plotline makes sense with the lyrics.

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

[Review] I’m A Star – Wooseok X KuanLin

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , , , 1 Comment

Kicking off the week is a new unit collaboration between two artists at Cube Entertainment. We are all familiar with Wooseok from Pentagon and KuanLin (formerly a part of Wanna One). And they have come together to form the third special unit from Cube Entertainment. Named WooseokXKuanLin, they follow the success of the now-defunct Trouble Maker and Triple H. Their track is titled I’m A Star. This is also KuanLin’s first release since Wanna One’s disbandment and Wooseok’s first release since Pentagon’s Naughty Boy comeback in Korea.

As previously stated numerous times on the blog, I am not a major fan of these hip-hop infused tracks that rappers tend to release every now and then as a collaboration or solo release. Recently, this has begun to change and I can confidently say I have a new appreciation for these tracks when it is done in a very enjoyable manner. I’m A Star is a prime example of this. To me, it is a fun song. Not too serious in any manner. I found the instrumental to be extremely groovy and I personally think the medium tempo made it quite appealing. Despite Wooseok and KuanLin’s voices being rough and deep-toned, the melody of the song gives it a smooth and flowy feel. I thought their vocals, particularly during the chorus and bridge was also quite good. Their rapping, is obviously top notch, as that is what they are known based on their positions in their individual groups. I particularly like it when they come together and rap/sing together. The ‘I’m A Star‘ line in the chorus is ridiculously addictive and, once again, fun. Overall, I quite liked the song.

The music video shows the two members enjoying their time as a star. Essentially what the song is all about. It is a little extra at moments, such as KuanLin as a renowned astronaut floating in space after a successful space mission and actor Wooseok stabbing animals (not real animals but rather people dressed in animal outfits) in his next big role. The scenes give off that fun vibe that I mentioned previously, which is an instantly appealing component. The editing is also quite amazing in this video, especially the window on the floor during the first chorus.

The performance was nice. For everything up to the second verse, it felt very typical for the song. But from the bridge onwards, things get a little more exciting. More footwork is observed and they get into actual choreography. The piggyback ending seemed a little anticlimactic, however.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] What You Waiting For? – R.Tee & Anda

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , 1 Comment

It is time for another review for an artist that I have not yet reviewed. Anda is a female soloist currently signed under YGX (a subsidiary under YG Entertainment and owned by Seungri), who made her solo debut back in 2012 under a different company and has since released a number of singles such as Touch, Hypnotizing and Mastering. She more recently appeared in Seungri’s 2018 music video for 1,2,3. On Wednesday, she released her first single as a YGX artist, titled What You Waiting For?, which is a collaboration with R.Tee, a music producer and DJ signed under The Black Label (another YG Entertainment subsidiary).

What You Waiting For? is a powerful dance track that delves into the EDM genre in a very catching manner. Obviously, I am talking about the chorus and its repetitive drop. It doesn’t exactly go in the direction that I had expected based on the melodic nature of the first verse. Instead, it takes a firm beat and repeats in a very addictive way. It doesn’t feel overbearing nor overwhelming, highlighting R.tee’s production. I like the glitchy effect throughout the song, giving some nice texture. I also really liked the dramatic flair that the bridge carried, which was another changeup I did not expect (even though a slowdown of some sort was expected).  The other ‘half’ of the collaboration was Anda’s vocals, which I think was very good. I never paid attention to her to before but this makes me wonder what else I was missing out on. I liked how she matched the production by showcasing a vigorous tone. And based on this, I would anticipate any of her future works. The only thing that I was not fond was the ending. It felt like it left us hanging or incomplete. But that might just be me.

The lyrics of the song asks her lover ‘What You Waiting For’ after she observes hesitance in her partner. In the video, we see Anda’s own development, going from unsure to her confident self. We see this through that mirror box she becomes trapped in and the outfit change we see within that confinement. I am not sure about the significance of the very beginning where she wakes up in the unfamiliar technological surrounding and realizes she is microchipped. I also thought seeing R.Tee in the video was interesting. We don’t often see producers in the music video and the way they had him in the centre, with the backup dancers dancing behind him was rather cool and felt inclusive. Overall, I thought it was a nice video with good sets.

The other part of this comeback that stands out is the performance. Anda’s energy adds fuel to the song and I think looks good from an audience standpoint. I also like how she didn’t shy away and matched the male backup dancers effortlessly in the music video. I think the best part overall was her interactions with the backup dancers one by one. It looked cool.

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

[Review] Tuxedo – Ravi (VIXX)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 4 Comments

In my quest to reviewing new artists, I decided to write about Ravi’s latest solo release. Ravi debuted as a solo artist back in 2016 and surprisingly, I have shied away from all his solo releases since then. I am not even sure why. It might because I don’t review mixtapes or that I don’t enjoy songs purely of rapping that much. But whatever the reason, I have missed out on opportunities to review songs like BOMB (featuring SanE) and Nirvana (featuring Park Ji Min). But today, we focus on Tuxedo which is the title track of Ravi’s second mini-album, R.OOK BOOK.

Tuxedo has this groovy instrumental that does stand out to an extent. It isn’t something that I had expected from Ravi, due to his work with hip-hop and rap in the past. While I do like the grooviness and funkiness, I did think the song was a tad too consistent. There were trumpets in the chorus that did give a little extra something but I am unsure if it was enough. The bridge did feature a slight slowdown and buildup to the final chorus, but it didn’t feel memorable enough. I did like the melody of the track, especially during the chorus. I would have to say this is his most melodic work yet (based on his title tracks from what I could remember). But the biggest downfall of the track is the autotuned vocals and raps. I don’t understand why the song was heavily autotuned. It just instantly drew me away from the song. If it was used subtly or in moderation, I think the song could have been more attractive. overall, I think it is safe to say I am not a major fan of the song.

The song talks about wanting to break free from a boring life and having some fun. And based on the lyrics, his attire to having fun is in a tuxedo. Very classy. The video features party vibes, which goes hand-in-hand with the lyrics.  However, I honestly wanted more tuxedos. Not just the one kind but multiple tuxedos. While it does seem like a cliche move, I wouldn’t mind it and it could potentially have made the video interesting. But overall,  I thought was it a well-fitted video.

I think the performance does a good job of bringing those party vibes to the stage. A few things I noticed – the backup dancers looked like they were having a genuinely good time and I didn’t realize Ravi was so tall until I saw how all the backup dancers were shorter than him (but that may be just the camera angle). I also liked how Ravi used his charms to really appeal to the audience.

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

[Double Review] News + Party Girl – Jang Dong Woo (Infinite)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , Leave a comment

It is time to look at a solo debut from Monday (I think this is the last of the releases from Monday. Apologies for the lateness of this review). This time around it is Dongwoo from Infinite, the group’s resident rapper. The idol released two music videos for News (the official title track) and Party Girl, and hence I will be reviewing both of songs today in this post. Both songs are featured on his first mini-album titled Bye. In other related news, Infinite recently returned with a special digital single, Clock.

Starting off with News, it is a slow electronic dance track that feels like it loaded with emotions. In fact, the song talks about the emotions you get during a breakup, so it is definitely successful in conveying those emotions. It also seems like the song does a good job of pushing Dongwoo’s vocals. We actually hear more of his vocals than ever before and I sense potential. We do see some rapping and I thought there would be more of this element as this is what he is known for. Furthermore, I did like the dramatic flair to the song through the instrumental, especially the loud crashes which create some intensity in the chorus. However, when I listen to the full track, the is a sense of dryness to the song. It isn’t really that memorable and I don’t find myself wanting more, which is a little disappointing.

Party Girl is a completely different sound. The does start off with a similar feel to News. But as the song slowly starts to build up to its drop, you can tell is rather different. Firstly., the drop is more suited to what the title suggests, a party. The synthesizer used really gives the song that needed burst of energy and is quite ear-catching. which makes the song more memorable for me. And it is because of the chorus, I thoroughly enjoy the song more. The song, too, also showcases his vocals extremely well. The ad-libs at the end were pretty good. Interestingly, there is no rapping. Though I like the song how it is, I think some rapping would be worthwhile.

Fitting in with the serious emotional nature of News, the music video opts for a dark feel. The shade black is used extensively throughout the video. I also like how the cinematography was matching to the instrumental. More the most part, the camera shots are smooth and slow. But when the tiny effect in the instrumental appear, the shots transitions are a lot quicker and timed well. Overall, I thought it was a good video. Party Girl infuses a lot more colour into the video. But instead of being very colourful as a rainbow, the producer/director chose colours that felt more ‘electronic’ if you know what I mean. It is kind of hard to explain but I still like the infusion of colour. Like the cinematography in this video as well. During the chorus, the camera starts becoming shaky and more erratic, fitting in with the energy we got from the chorus.

 I liked how smooth his movements were for the News performance. But what I like the most was when he was dancing with the female backup dancer. I thought that was the dynamic part of the entire performance. I didn’t like her inclusion at the start and preferred her during the second verse. However, when it comes to the entire performance, I prefer Party Girl. That is because I prefer things to be energetic and I liked the moves they pulled off during Party Girl. I felt it was dynamic all the way.

News
Song – 710
Music Video  – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

Party Girl
Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] I Wanna Be – Key (SHINee) ft. Soyeon ((G)I-DLE)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , , , 1 Comment

As of yesterday, Key (from SHINee) enlisted into the military to begin his mandatory enlistment. But he didn’t part without releasing some new music. I Wanna Be, which features Kim Soyeon from the girl group (G)I-DLE, is Key’s newest release and serves as a parting present for fans. It is one of the three new songs on the repackaged album which shares the same name as the lead title track. The album was formerly known as Face and it featured One of These Nights (ft. Crush) and Forever Yours (ft. Soyou).

I Wanna Be is a very refreshing pop dance track. I say refreshing as I haven’t heard anything like this before. The instrumental carries some familiar EDM influences but together it sounds like something quite new. There is this slight vibrating synth that I find extremely appealing. I also enjoyed the pulsing beating during the verses, which later became more frequent and bolder during the chorus. Talking about the chorus, I wasn’t sure exactly when it begins. I assume it was when the song became upbeat but the preceding section felt like the start due to the vocals/lyrics. So I am going to label the preceding part as the pre-chorus. I found the pre-chorus interesting as it seemed to feature a female voice behind Key’s. Not exactly sure if it Kim Soyeon’s but I thought the harmonies were really nice. Key’s voice is amazing in this track. I think we can all agree that he has vastly improved since his earlier days. Kim Soyeon’s part was very flowy and I like that a lot. Usually, we see her with intensity, and while I do prefer that, it is nice to see her handle something more delicate.

I really like colour, so I enjoy seeing used in a way that is stylish and sleek. So I appreciate a very vibrant looking video. I Wanna Be‘s music video is essentially that. The use of red and green in their respective sets look amazing and gives off a bold impression. This causes both Key and Kim Soyeon to stand out through the video, which I thought was a great way to really allow them to pop and not become part of the sets. Other than that, I am keen to learn more about the content of the video. He holds the globe in his hands and there were a series of numbers that flash over the TV screen in the video. I don’t know what this all means but it left me intrigued.

The dancing in this video is pretty amazing. Particularly the dance break that follows the choruses. His footwork (or rather knees) look very cool. It is a little disappointing that we won’t see an actual live performance (or dance version) of this track any time soon.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Noir – Sunmi

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

Still continuing on from today’s list of comebacks and debuts is Sunmi. Her comeback is a bit surprising as there wasn’t really a buildup to it (i..e no prior announcement or confirmation that she is coming back that I am aware of). Instead, I only caught wind of it through the sudden teasers released last week. But regardless, Sunmi has returned with Noir and this is her first comeback since Siren last year.

While I have listened to the song a few times already, I am not exactly falling in love with it straight away. Maybe a few more listens is required. I think this is because the song has a much more serious feel to it, which isn’t what I am used to. The lyrics to Noir are quite deep, which explains the serious nature of the song. The meaning, which I pinched from a YouTube comment, will be discussed in the music video section of this review as it goes hand-in-hand there. I like the slight funkiness in the instrumental, which is quite up Sunmi’s alley. I also like how it feels quite still, despite it being an upbeat song. The consistency here works really well (i.e. causes that stillness) and hence it comes off as having an eerie vibe to it. The song doesn’t seem to have too much of a hook that is memorable (yet). Though the elongated ‘Noir’ that follows the chorus does seem to be growing on me. I also liked how some of the vocals are textured (i..e the background vocals for example), which gives an interesting appeal and much-needed texture.

My interpretation is all based on the YouTube comment by Kane K, so props to him for this following excerpt. I have attached a screenshot of it below as it will be a better explanation than what I will ever give.

sunmi_noir-explanation.JPG

It is clear that the video takes a stab at social media from the very start. The cake at the start catches on fire very quickly and Sunmi grabs her phone to put it on Instagram. The exact same thing happens at the end with her car and she automatically puts it on Instagram. Essentially her character in the video cares more about likes and views than anything else and this becomes more apparent as the video progresses. One scene in the video shows her having anxiety and dislike all over her body, which seems to be at the hate she gets. But despite that, she covers the ‘un’ in ‘unfollow’ written across her chest due to her addiction to attention. So yes, it is a dark, dark world in this day and age.

We have yet to see a performance from Sunmi for this track and hence, I will update this review once we get one (and I will also be updating Monsta X’s Alligator as well then).

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – To Be Updated
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Crown – TXT

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 4 Comments

Hailing from Big Hit Entertainment, which houses the extremely popular and world-wide known BTS, TXT begins their reign of the KPOP industry starting today. TXT, which stands for Tomorrow X Together, is a 5 member male group consisting of Soobin, Yeonjun, Byeomgyu, Taehyun and Huening Kai. They make their debut through the title track Crown and the mini-album The Dream Chapter: STAR. The group has already garnered some momentum as they are the first group to debut under Big Hit since BTS. While this may be biased for some people, it was going to bring an interesting player to the industry.

Since they are coming from Big Hit, I had expected the group to debut with a song that feels heavy and serious. But this isn’t the case, which I think benefits the group as they are allowed to show their own individuality. Instead, Crown is an upbeat KPOP song that shows off their youthful charms. I don’t think there is any other way to describe the song besides that it is extremely fitting to what we know from the industry. Crown starts off with synthetic horns (that I already enjoy) and also I believe is morse code (though I am not too sure and I don’t know what they are trying to send to us if that is the case). We then get a rush of energy once the song starts picking up. The group has really nice vocals that do shine throughout this song, especially during the pre-chorus and chorus. The rapping sequence was also quite good but I like how they are also scattered throughout the song, giving us more opportunity to hear the rappers. I also find the song quite catchy due to its upbeat vibes and fresh melodies. Overall, I feel that this is an extremely strong debut track to launch their career with.

I personally like the video. While I was hoping they get something along the lines of BTS’ music videos, I like the direction they went with. Instead of being overly colourful and complicated, the video opts to show more simple sets and this allows the members to look like they are laidback, which is more in line with the video. I really like the stop-motion that appears in the video and the post-production light images they inserted into the video. It all looks cool and very youthful.

The performance side of the group seems to be their most promising. Not that everything else was terrible, as I have enjoyed the rest of their debut (song & music video) so far. But I thought their dancing was pretty darn good. I liked how it seemed like it was non-stop, which I thought was very nice. It was also quite energetic and I want to see more!

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10

[Review] Focus On Me – Jus2

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , 5 Comments

Kicking off the comebacks for this week is GOT7’s newest subunit. We all know of JJ Project, which was started before GOT7’s debut. But today, we see s slightly different subunit lineup. Jus2 is made up of GOT7’s leader, JB, and GOT7’s maknae, Yugyeom. An interesting yet satisfying combination.  They make their debut with their first mini album, Focus, and the title track, Focus On Me. This also marks the beginning of GOT7’s promotions for 2019 as we last saw them through their Miracle promotions at the end of 2018.

I think it was expected that the two would come together and release an R&B based song, as I believe this two be the genre that the two would float to. I found the song to be extremely smooth in nature and has this very chill tone to it. I like how the beat is well defined over the chill tone, giving the track a dynamic nature in the most subtle way.  The instrumental overall makes the song quite appealing. But what actually manages to stand out more are the vocals of the duo. Like any other R&B song, they chose a very sensual and extremely smooth approach, which is extremely fitting for the instrumental. They also added some raspy textures, all of which I enjoyed while listening to the song. I did feel the hook was on the weaker side but the repetition of the title throughout the song does what it says successfully. That is, they get you to focus on them.

The music video for this song is very artistic. The sets looked like art exhibitions, which does make sense as you would ‘focus’ at an art exhibition. But instead of art, they are on display. I also liked the glitchy nature of the video. It gives the video some interesting textures, as a straight up 100% smooth natured video wouldn’t have the same effect as this one does. I also like their multi-room concept, where the rooms come into view right after leaving the other and that the previous room is still viewable in the distance. It is unique to see especially throughout the video, as i is commonly seen once or twice throughout a video. Very nice video that I think has a strong impact.

The choreography looks really nice. I like when they sing ‘Focus On Me‘, they look through the circle they form with their hands. It makes sense. I also like how their moves pulsate along with the music, making it even more fitting for the song. It looks promising for the stages later in the week.

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

[Review] Slow Dance – Park YuChun (JYJ)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , 7 Comments

As time goes by, I become more and more guilty over the fact that my last JYJ related review was back in 2013 for Xiah Junsu’s Incredible. Their actual last group promotion that I actually reviewed (In Heaven) was actually back in 2011 (when I first started the site). And I feel guilty because I know there have been solo releases and group promotions that I never got around to review them. But that is all going to change now as I will review Park YuChun’s first solo release, Slow Dance, today. This is YuChun’s first Korean solo release since his release from the army last year.

To me, the track doesn’t feel like a KPOP song. I know the current ongoing trend is to infuse Latin influences into KPOP songs. And while Slow Dance is also on board with this trend, the song feels more of a Western song. And I am actually not sure why. There are a number of things that may explain why I feel this way. The instrumental features guitars that give the song those Latin roots. But instead of combining it another genre of music (which I think KPOP has been doing with the trend), Slow Dance builds upon these roots and creates a very nice upbeat track with an R&B touch. I liked the upbeat nature of the track and his vocals are very charming. They also contribute to this non-KPOP feel. His English pronunciation is very good in the song. I actually mistook some of the Korean language for some English, while also feeling how ‘Western’ the song was. Overall, I really like this track. It is smooth and easy-going, which are all factors that I enjoy.

This is a very nice video. I like the mysterious nature of the Spanish guitar player at the start and throughout the video. This is because we don’t see a clear shot of them. They are always in the shadow. YuChun, for the most part, dances in the video but there were a number of solo scenes in the video that had this weird vibe (i.e. when he bends at 1:20 of the video (see below)). Not really sure what is going on. Apart from that, the sets for the video looked really cool and overall, I thought the video was very polished.

The choreography looks nice. Not much slow dancing here and I guess it would be hard with an upbeat song. But the smooth nature in the moves is present and this compliments the song. I liked how they slowed some of the moves to really draw out that smoothness and make it fit the song’s title.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

[Review] A Song For Me – Hong Joo Chan (Golden Child)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , 1 Comment

We continue the solo debut trend of this week with the first member of Golden Child branching out into solo works. Hong Joo Chan, the main vocalist of Golden Child, released A Song For Me on the 27th of February (this past Wednesday). This is also the first time we heard from Golden Child since their Genie comeback in October 2018.

As I mentioned in an earlier review, main vocalists tend to go down the cliche route by selecting a ballad song to showcase their vocal talents. And this is the same route that Hong Joo Chan had decided to go with. But once again, I wish to reiterate that I am not troubled but this and this is merely an observation that I have noticed with other artists. A Song For Me reminds of ballads that I would listen on a radio channel here in Australia. It has a very old-style instrumental, almost 90s ballad feels, as it has an electronic feel to it. And his vocals are very soothing in this track. They aren’t powerhouse vocals where he is belting out every single note and because of that, I think this is a very enjoyable song to kick back and listen to after a long day. And the track has that swaying effect, which I enjoy doing while listening to really good ballads.

The song is about reflecting upon one’s self and there is no other way of doing that but by taking a trip to a different place where no one knows you. Joo Chan does just that in the video, where he goes on the streets and wander the streets of Japan.  One thing I did notice about the song is that it suits a very wide scenery. And there is no better place than the beach if you want an image that feels wide. It also seems that he wants to bring a part of the trip back by filming scenes from the beach to constantly himself about this reflection time. It is a fitting video for the song.

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

[Review] Bird – Ha Sungwoon (HOTSHOT)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , 5 Comments

Last week, we saw Yoon Ji Sung make his solo debut with In The Rain. But it is time we see another former Wanna One member return. Yesterday, Ha Sungwoon returned as a solo artist for the very first time. He made his debut with the title track Bird, which is featured from the mini-album, My Moment. He is also the second member of his original group, HOTSHOT, to make his solo debut. Fellow member Roh Taeyhyun, who also partipcated alongside Ha Sungwoon in Produce 101 Season 2, made his solo debut a few weeks back with I Wanna Know.

Bird is an upbeat pop track that really throws his vocals to the forefront of the song.  Sungwoon is one of the main vocalists of Wanna One but we don’t often hear much of him due to the number of members in the group. So Bird does a lot in terms of showcasing his vocals. I am also glad he went with a pop track rather than a ballad. It does feel like a cliche route for main vocalists to choose a ballad (not that I have anything against it. I just want some variety). He has nice vocals as a result and I really like how he sings in falsetto for the parts of the chorus. It gives off a nice texture and really reflects well with the sweet and pleasing instrumental. In the second verse, he goes into a rap-singing mode. I honestly felt that they could have inserted a featuring rapper here. Not because he was terrible at rapping but rather I felt we needed something to offset the sweetness of the song. I think the ‘I Sweety Bird’ line was probably his catchiest and most memorable moment of the song. Overall, it is a strong solo debut that shows his strengths.

Fitting with the title of the track, Sungwoon flies throughout the music video. Not in a literal sense but rather his imagination. In the song, he likens the feelings of love to a bird flying (at least that is how I interpreted the lyrics). I also find the video to also be as equally as a sweet as the song and this is thanks to the colour palette of the video.  Very bright but not in the way where it feels too young. I did find the music video a tad boring but that was my personal thoughts regarding the video. I think a lot of people, including his fans, would appreciate the music video for the slight cuteness.

The choreography also features some flying as well. Once again, not literal. Instead, the backup dancers are pocking up the lighted box that he sits on. Talking about the lighted box, I actually like the moment the light turns on. I also like how the choreography doesn’t rely on any complex moves but its ‘simple’ moves manage to give it the same feeling as a complicated dance routine.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10