Category: Reviews

[Review] Will You Be My Girlfriend? – M.O.N.T

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A few days ago, I posted two reviews for the title tracks of newly debut male groups, ONEUS and VERIVERY. In the ONEUS review, I mentioned that the two groups were not the first to debut in 2019. On January the 4th, M.O.N.T made their debut with Will You Be My Girlfriend?. The male trio consisting of Narachan, Bitsaeon, and Roda is under Fly Music Entertainment. If all three members look familiar, this is because they were all previously on MIXNINE.

Will You Be My Girlfriend? is the type of debut song that fits into the bright category. But that sounds like it fits into the really dreaded aegyo sounding category, which it doesn’t. Will You Be My Girlfriend? has a very strong hip-hop influence. It isn’t one of a kind but it has a unique charm through the use of hip-hop influences and its catchy chorus. I personally like how the rapper is the main focus on the song. You don’t get to hear that much rapping in songs of this bright nature, hence why I described as unique. On the other hand, the vocals are just good. I felt like the vocals could have been more interesting. Like the rapping, they could have added an element of interest. But instead, it seems like the producers/members played it safe, going for a more typical route. Sure it was good but it wasn’t interesting is what I am trying to say. But other than, it was a nice debut track that does set them apart for its differences to other debut songs.

Fitting in nicely with the bright theme is the bright music video. But this is where the debut package seems to encroach into the cutesy and over-the-top domain. It isn’t the most cringest video to watch but it was fairly close, based on what I have seen in the past. And truthfully, I wouldn’t know how else to really put this video together without going into the said domain. They try to play towards their youthful image by acting in a bright and playful manner, trying to ask their crush out. It goes well with the song’s vibes and the lyrics. It just isn’t my cup of tea.

The choreography for this song is okay. They don’t go with anything too complicated, which automatically wouldn’t go nicely with the song. Instead, to fit that bright element, they went with simplicity. I did like the chorus’ dance moves and their smiles looked like they had a great time on stage.

Song – 7/10
Music VIdeo – 6/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

[Review] Carpet – Yesung (Super Junior) & Bumkey

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It is time for another SM Station release. Season 3 started a few weeks back, rounding out with NCT Dream’s Candle Light. There was an SM Station release last week due to (and I assumed this) it being the first week of the new year. But now, SM Station is back with a collaboration between Yesung and Bumkey. The song, Carpet, was released on Thursday of this week, which is the new designated day for all SM Station releases.

Carpet is an R&B ballad combo that endeavours the two genres that the collaborators are widely known for (Yesung commonly sings ballads, while Bumkey is an R&B rapper). Both do a splendid job within the song with nothing to say negatively. The harmonies are also quite beautiful. They also create a wonderful atmosphere that I think is best described as touching. I also noticed that there is a slight jazz infleunce, partly due to the piano, which could also be described as soothing. If you don’t understand the lyrics of the song straight off the bat (like a certain person – a.k.a. me), you can tell that there is an emotive drive to the song, which already sets the scene. But the music video (more on this later) and the title of the song got me rather intrigued, so I looked up the lyrics of the song. It seems the lyrics of the song are in the perspective of the small rug that has been through everything with someone, personifying it to be like a good friend to rely on and cry on – if needed.

And with the meaning of the song in hand, I think the video does an amazing job of visualising this message. The carpet has been with this young lady for many years. From her childhood, she played on it. From her adolescent, she read books on it. She also had breakups on it. But as she grew older, she moved away and the carpet was put into storage and somehow made it to the market. And during one of her shopping expeditions, the young female comes across the rug, which is instantly identified due to the presence of an orange juice stain that she caused back in her younger years, And to further fit the lyrics, we see the carpet wrapping itself around her to comfort her. A well put together music video.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.4/10

[Review] Ring Ring Ring – VERIVERY

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Multiple comebacks in the same day is a regular thing but we don’t often hear too much about multiple debuts on the same day. In addition to the debut of ONEUS today, VERIVERY makes their career start with their title track Ring Ring Ring. The group is from Jellyfish Entertainment, which also manages VIXX and Gugudan. They consist of 7 members including Dongheon, Minchan, Yeonho, Hoyoung, Gyehyeon, Yongseung and Kangmin. While this is their debut track, this isn’t the first time I have reviewed the new group, as I wrote a review for their special single, Super Special, last year.

Ring Ring Ring reminds me of songs from the 90s era through its instrumental and melody. And with KPOP very big on the retro throwbacks, Ring Ring Ring fits neatly into the KPOP portfolio that has been growing over the years. The use of the drum beat throughout the song and the rap sequence within the bridge used to hype the song are all elements that point towards that era. The song itself is extremely bright and has also this pop feel to it, which I can see being infectious down the road. And for that, I think it is a very memorable song. The vocals were pretty good (that opening section to the bridge definitely showcases potential) and the rapping was definitely another top element. I did think the song got a little repetitive towards the end but I think its energetic nature makes up for this. Overall, it is a nice debut song to have ringing in the audience’s ear.

When I write these reviews, I find myself in awe of the simplest or smallest of things. I personally am not sure how they got those floating shapes in the background of the choreography shots to move about. I am not sure if it editing after filming or they used lights to project upon the white background. Either way, I am thoroughly intrigued about it. The rest of the video shows the members having fun, which is in line with the song’s vibes.

The choreography for this performance fits perfectly into the song. It is fun, energetic and youthful, which automatically becomes the group’s image. I think the best bit of the performance has to be the bridge. Starting off with those smooth rotating arms and exceptional synchronisation for the vocal section, while moving back into the fun style for the rap part of the bridge, everything looked well polished and it shows some versatility.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.1/10 

[Review] Valkyrie – ONEUS

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It is always exciting to look at new debuts and see what they have to offer. While it isn’t technically the first debut of 2019 (A review is coming soon!), ONEUS’ debut is still one of the first of the year. ONEUS is a 6-member male group under RBW Entertainment (which also houses Mamamoo and VROMANCE). The group is made up of Ravn, Seoho, Leedo, Keonhee, Hwanwoong, and Xion. We have previously seen the group with their collaboration with ONEWE, an upcoming band under the same company.

Their debut title track is titled as Valkyrie and there are two meanings to the title, which are both referenced in the lyrics of the song (taken from SOOMPI). The first is in regards to the mythological creature Valkyrie (more on this in the music video section). The second is in regards to the way Valkyrie is pronounced in South Korea, which is similar to the Korean equivalent of ‘Light It Up’, where the member describes their lover as a beacon of light. But I think the elements in the song were more interesting. The instrumental features this cool guitar rhythm, which I think makes the song sound so elegant and very addictive. But the song is two-faced, with an electronic changeup for the chorus which gives the song some edge and definitely adds onto that addictive nature. And we can’t wrap up this section without reference to the amazing vocals and rapping.  The rappers, in particular, caught my attention as they gave the song that extra roughness which definitely goes perfectly with the edgy sound they were aiming for.

The meaning with the mythological creature (mentioned above) is seen more profoundly in the music video. The Valkyrie is represented by the light in the music video (which goes hand-in-hand with the other meaning), awakening the members to travel to Valhalla (the afterlife). Throughout the video, you see the members being rather bored with their lives on Earth and I think are hoping that they will be picked to go to Valhalla in order to seek the Valkyrie, which may also be their lover. At least, that is my take on the video. I really like the dark side of the video and the very unique sets that they have. The spikes looked really cool and that back-ending scene really stole the show for me.

And that back-bending move is also seen in the choreography. Just the member doing the complicated move (sorry, I don’t know their names yet) is supported by other members. But still looks cool. I also liked the footwork they did during the lone guitar moments in the song and they made the chorus look quite explosive.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating- 9.5/10

 

[Review] La La Love – WJSN (Cosmic Girls)

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Returning today with a brand new song is WJSN, with La La Love. WJSN has had a pretty successful last year with the release of Dreams Come True and Save You, Save Me, which both helped grow their fanbase considerably. The latter song also earned the group’s first win on a weekly music show. And once again, only 10 members are involved in the promotions for the album, with  Cheng Xiao, Mei Qi and Xuan Yi missing out due to conflicting schedules and involvement with Rocket Girls 101.

La La Love slightly departs for the group’s usual fanatical and mystical sound.  It does maintain that influence but it ends up on an edgier route this time around. With Exy’s rap-talk introduction along with the dance instrumentation, the opening section of the song was amazing. I am currently waiting to see the lyrics for of the song as I am not sure what Exy was trying to say in the second line (‘They blended in the heart like a Cadillac’?). I liked the upbeatness of the song, which is one of the attractive points of the song. Another attractive point has to be the rap-talk sections just prior to the choruses, which really built up the suspense for the explosion of energy we got from the chorus. The one thing I felt could have been better was Exy’s actual rap sequence at the start of the second verse. She already had a rap-talk section at the start and end of the song, so to hear another rap-talk sequence was a little disappointing. I was expecting something with intensity and complete edginess to further offset the usual WJSN influence that we could hear. But La La Love was a song to La La Love for.

La La Love‘s music video takes on a circus concept, which actually looks amazing. That same mystical feel you get from their past video is also present in this music video. But this time around, they added a level of both edge and elegance to the video through their outfits, which I actually really liked. Their visuals are on point throughout the video. I did like the scenery and sets they had in the video, which definitely added to the visuals of the video. I wonder if there is symbolism in the video as the video felt more like a choreography/close up shot type video, which is the only negative that I point out about it.

Another great routine from the girls but there wasn’t anything memorable about this performance, like in both of last year’s releases. I did like the two pinches they did for the chorus. But that was far from memorable.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] I’m OK – iKON

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2018 has been the busiest year for iKON yet. Love Scenario, Killing Me and Goodbye Road were all promoted in 2018 by the YG male group. And now the group has kicked off 2019 with the release of I’m OK, which is the title track off their first repackaged/compilation album, The New Kids. The song also serves as the final release as part of their New Kids series, which has been ongoing since 2017. I’m OK was also due to be released on the 31st of December 2018 but it was postponed until yesterday.

I’m OK is a hip-hop ballad, something that we all know iKON will nail given their past releases. And out of the songs in this series, I’m OK goes heavy handed with the emotions. You can hear the pain and emotions they put forward during the rap sequences and the way the chorus sounds. I really like the instrumental for this track despite it being quite soft in nature. It features an orchestral influence, which is an instant hit in my books (if you know my taste in music). But it is the pairing of the instrumental with the vocals and raps make the song sound extremely worthwhile. I particularly like the piano in the background, especially the heavier notes we hear at the start of the chorus. Maybe they could have added more to the instrumental to build it up or had a more dramatic climax. But over than that, I’m OK is another great song from the group.

In line with the emotive side of the song, I’m OK is filled with scenes that go perfectly with that concept. And with each individual scenes, the video becomes very aesthetic, which is highly expected of any YG video. Definitely, the most epic moment of the video has to be the exploding car. There might be a story involved, as I think all the members interact with the car throughout the video in some form but it isn’t as explicit as I had hoped.  Overall, I thought it was a nicely done video.

While the ballad side of the song doesn’t need choreography, the hip-hop side invites the opportunity to arise. But because of the ballad side of the song, the potential for a set of moves is hugely limited. For the most part, iKON does a pretty good job at handling the motions. But it felt standard for the most part.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] %% – APINK

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After the release of their successful hit, I’m So Sick, which featured a change in image from their well-known cutesy style, APINK has returned with a brand new song, %%. While you may be tempted to pronounce it as ‘Percent Percent’, the actual pronunciation is ‘Eung Eung’ as when you slightly spin the percentage sign, you get ‘응응’. In other news related to APINK, they had their concert last night where they performed %% for the first time and Eunji had a solo comeback in the later parts of 2018.

%% is another complete changeup in their sound. It is probably their most sensual sounding song yet. The instrumental is very subtle. It is present but it doesn’t seem to be as noticeable as other girl-crush songs that we know of in KPOP, such as I’m So Sick. But I like that, as it forces the vocals to be the main attraction for the song. I thought their vocals were nice. Instead of going for a strong sound, their vocals sounded a lot lighter than usual, which goes extremely well with the subtle instrumentation I mentioned previously. The song itself is catchy and like my previous review, I can see the song growing on me. I really like the ‘Eung’ that features after each ‘Eung Eung‘ sung by the members. It sticks out for all the right reasons and gives a slight accent to the song. I think the song does lack that kick which could make this track a lot stronger and more profound. But over than that, I see this as another great song from APINK.

For a girl group named APINK, I think this is one of the few videos which feature pink as the main colour. There also seems to be this hazy look hanging over the video, which I guess is their way of doing something mysterious. Anyway, the video seems to be showing the members collecting ingredients for a potion of some kind, which was later shown to create a heart for their ‘man’, represented by the floating tuxedo. This goes well with the lyrics to the song. I liked their close up shots and the post-production editing on the video looked cool.

The choreography was awesome. I really liked the introductory dance they had at the start. They seemed to match the moves to the subtle nature of the song but they did it which attitude, so their moves looked much stronger as a whole. Once again, I need to wait until I see a full performance to be sure,

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

[Review] Lonely Night – KNK

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After a year and a half absence from the stage, KNK has finally returned with a brand new single, Lonely Night. Their last comeback was in July 2017 with their digital single Rain. Since then, a number of events have occurred for to the male group including their Japanese debut, 3 of the members (Seungjun, Inseong & Heejun) participated in Mix Nine survival show, Youjin left the group, Seungjun changed his stage name to Seoham, the group also parted ways with YNB Entertainment and this latest comeback sees the addition of a new member, Lee Dongwon, to the group.

Lonely Night reminds me of their previous single, Rain. I am attributing that to the instrumental, due to the saxophones in this song. Rain was more lowkey, however, while the saxophones in Lonely Night is more profound and give off an upbeat vibe. Lonely Night also has a darker feel, along with an intense hip-hop influence, which is definitely a trend ongoing in KPOP for the past few years. Altogether, the song does present as an attractive package to me. It has that dark vibe in its sound which I enjoy while also remaining upbeat to really have something for me to catch onto. I can see the song becoming catchy for me. The vocals were superb. Everyone sounded great. But my best part of the entire song has to be the rapping that featured just before each chorus. It sounded cool and just lead nicely into the chorus.

There could potentially be some meaning behind each of the member’s solo parts as I see some distorted imagery and reflections (as if something was haunting them). But that might just have been my misinterpretation. They did a good job of showing loneliness and the feelings that come with it. I liked how they toned down the colours in the video. It really keeps that dark concept in check with the song and consistent throughout the entire video.

I think I might need to wait until there is a live performance for this particular comeback. But from what I can see during the choreography shots, everything looked quite good. There were some body waves and some deliberate slow motion within the dance moves that look promising!

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

[Review] Drunk In The Morning – Ryeowook (Super Junior)

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Earlier this week, Ryeowook made his solo comeback with I’m Not Over You, which he is promoting as the main title track for this latest album release, Drunk On Love. I am not sure about the nature of Drunk In The Morning (i.e. if it is another title track or just a secondary track /ut a music video for it was released today, resulting in the publication of this review.

Drunk In The Morning gives us one side of the spectrum of ballads. That strong power vocal and moving instrumental that I think is seen as the more traditional style of ballads. However, the instrumental is a little non-traditional, featuring a mixture of modern synths and an orchestra. But it does a wonderful job of showcasing that emotional picture. But it is the Ryeowook’s power vocals that give the song a painful touch, while also giving that level of impact that I seek in songs, which means the song is memorable. I’m Not Over You shows a ballad at the opposite end of the spectrum as it approaches the genre in a different manner. Given the nature of these two contrasting songs, I am genuinely interested in what the rest of his album will be like. Hence, I will write an album review for Drunk In Love to be published next week! You heard it first here!

I liked how this music video connected with Ryeowook’s music video for I’m Not Over You. Some of the sets are similar, particularly the one with the satellite dishes (in the other video) and the payphone (in this video). Even the same love interest is shown here (but with different feelings to match the song, of course). Something must have happened between videos to let it get to this state! I think Ryeowook’s acting in this video is commendable. His vocals already bring pain to the song. But it is his acting that really consolidates all of that emotion and set it into stone for me.

 

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

[Review] Even So – Luna (f(x))

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It has been years since an F(x) comeback and with 2019 just starting out, we are hoping 2019 is the year for a comeback. But it hasn’t been a complete absent from the industry with Amber and Luna dropping music here and there since their 4 Walls comeback, while Krystal and Victoria have been focused on their acting careers. Luna returned today with her second solo single, Even So.

Even So is an R&B pop track, which I think does a good job at showing off Luna’s vocals. There is a hint of sweetness added to the song via the vocals, which I thought went hand-in-hand with the message of hope that was portrayed in the lyrics of the song. It also matched the pleasant vibes from the instrumental. Talking about the instrumental, it had a warm feeling and I really liked the mellowness of the music, which I think made this song very easy on the ears. I think the main issue with the song is its memorability. The said vocals were good but they didn’t that mind-blowing nature about them to really make the song unforgettable. Though, I am not sure what they could have added to give Luna’s song that memorability factor. But despite that, it was a good song.

I thought the video was decent, at best. It seems to tell a story, flashing between a sadden Luna in her solo shots and a more lively Luna during the scenes with other people. I did like how they used colour to represent that, giving us hints towards what is going on. Though, I am not 100% sure what this all means. I did also like how the cinematography was used throughout the video to really give the video some action. It really creates a level of appeal to the video. However, I did like think the video shared a similar fate as the song. It lacked that memorability factor, as well.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6/10
Overall Rating – 6.6/10

[Review] Rooftop – N.Flying

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N.Flying kicks off another year with their second single to their Fly High Project. The single is titled as Rooftop and it joins Like A Flower as part of this music project, with more releases joining the lineup as each month goes by. This is also their first comeback as a 4-member band after Kwangjin recently left the group due to misconduct allegations.

Rooftop does a good job of combining that fun element from the songs which I liked from N.Flying’s discography (Hot Potato and The Real) and the mature side of the group, which we heard in their previous single. It isn’t that most mindblowing combination, however, as it isn’t a song that I would necessarily go out of my way to replay constantly. I think there is some reggae influence in the instrumental, which is smartly masked with the traditional rock instrumentation. I did like the extra insert they did final chorus to give the song a little something extra. But apart from that, the song did feel somewhat repetitive. Their vocals also bring a nice appeal to the song but it does lack some intensity, which I think they could have added via a rapping section.

While I don’t recognise all the members of N.Flying, I must admit that having one less member is extremely noticeable. There is a sense of emptiness that isn’t filled, which I guess is a lot harder for bands to fill as the performances don’t consist a lot of movement (so it would be harder to mask the reduced number of members). Moving along, since the song was titled Rooftop it would make sense for the band to perform on top of a rooftop, which is exactly what we got. And I liked what they did. It isn’t a really fancy music video but they managed to get by in a humble manner. And I liked that about the video, as it keeps it grounded without going over the top. I particularly like the night scenes as they do a better job of showing off that humbleness.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] Gotta Go – Kim Chungha

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Also kicking off 2019 is Kim Chungha, who returns with an upgraded and mature performance to match her latest single, Gotta Go (벌써 12시). This is Kim Chungha’s first comeback since Love U was released back in Summer of 2018. It seems like Chungha is attempting to replicate the success of her Roller Coaster comeback, which was released at the start of last year in January 2018. Given her popularity has grown and the success of her Roller Coaster comeback earning her Best Solo Dance Performance Award at the 2018 MAMAs, there is no doubt that Chungha will still be able to top charts once again.

Gotta Go is Kim Chungha’s most mature release yet. The dance-pop instrumental of this song is extremely appealing and it paves the way for a very sexy looking performance (more on that later). I am not exactly sure how to describe the synth that features prominently in this song. It is like a synthesizer trying to mimic a flute. It is vaguely familiar, however, reminding me of songs from the 90s. But while I meddle over how to describe the sound in text, the song itself is really good. It is catchy and potentially addictive (we might need to wait on that as it has only been a few hours since its release). And like my other review from today, Chungha really put her best vocals forward through this song. That high note at the end was amazing and the stability in her vocals for this song allows that mature feeling to become a profound element of the song.

The first thing that I have to mention is that Chungha’s change in looks (compared to her previous comebacks) is extremely striking and bold. And going with that maturer sound is a sexy concept. But it isn’t that type of sexy that people criticise about. Rather, it is classy and elegant, which I quite liked. It also showcases confidence, which can be illustrated wonderfully during the scene where she did her walk down the stairs (alongside her backup dancers). I really liked the video and the visuals that came with it.

Watching the choreography in the music video, it makes me excited for the upcoming performances. This entire choreography looks amazing. That entire final section was definitely a mixture of the icing on the cake and the cherry on top. When the backup dancers fall down slowly and she goes into that scorpion posture, I was left shocked. Everything else was very strong and nicely done. I did see a few moves from her previous comebacks, though I am not sure if it was intentional or recycled.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.9/10

[Review] I’m Not Over You – Ryeowook (Super Junior)

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The first major comeback of 2019 is Ryeowook’s long-awaited solo comeback, I’m Not Over You. This is his first release since his departure from his military enlistment and The Little Prince comeback back in 2016. He also rejoined Super Junior for the One More Time promotions in October of 2018. His solo comeback was supposed to be back in December of last year (with teasers released) but was delayed last minute until today due to health concerns. Hopefully, Ryeowook has fully recovered and is able to showcase his vocals and music releases this year.

Following  The Little Prince, I’m Not Over You takes the ballad route. It is a nice ballad with soothing piano instrumentation. There was also some orchestra in the instrumental. It was very lightly featured during the start of the song. Almost inaudible because the piano was the main instrument heard. It builds up gradually as the song progresses, going for a climatic and epic peak during the bridge of the song. This drew my attention to the song as it added energy and a very attention-grabbing period of music to the slow ballad. It slows down for a moment afterwards but climaxes once again during the final chorus. Besides the instrumental, we need to discuss Ryeowook’s vocals which were superb. His vocals were perfect for the ballad with the title ‘I’m Not Over You‘ being the one line that just I anticipate every time I listen to the song. That falsetto during the bridge was definitely another highlight to the song and showcases his skills in a jaw-dropping manner.

I think the video was pretty good. The scenes we saw throughout the video simply showed the main story. That was, Ryeowook is searching for his lover using the many satellite dishes and tracking computers that he has in his room. But while that seems to be a tad too technological for a ballad, that isn’t the case whatsoever. Ryeowook was shown singing in these sets, reminding us that the song is the main attraction and that the video was a simple aid in helping us understand the music video.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

[Review] Amor – BoA

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BoA is nominated for the Best Female Choreography and Best Female Soloist categories for this year’s KPOPREVIEWED Awards. If you haven’t voted yet, click here to do so as closing closes in 2 days!

BoA’s busy year has yet to end with a brand new Japanese release. Amor was officially released on the 26th of December and a music video was dropped a week prior, allowing for this review to be written. BoA previously released One Shot, Two Shot and Nega Dola and more recently Woman in Korea this year. She also made her Japanese comeback at the start of the year with Jazzclub.

BoA is on board the Latin trend train that has basically taken hold of the KPOP industry this year. While BoA has yet to address this trend in her Korean release, Amor does it for her Japanese releases (and I think this is the first Japanese releases that I have heard given my small spectrum of JPOP to include a Latin influence). Amor doesn’t actually feel like it stems from an overused trend. Instead, there is an air of freshness that I actually like from the song. There are other influences in the instrumental that keep it interesting and very upbeat. But the aspect that I love the most about Amor is her vocals. She sounds standard during the verses but I love her slightly higher pitch during the pre-chorus and choruses. They made the song memorable for me. Overall, I quite like this song.

I thought the video was very standard. It just felt like any other music video released in Korea. There was a sense of elegance to the video due to the presence of BoA. But that was the only interesting vibe that I got from the video. Some of her outfits looked really good. Other outfits looked really odd and didn’t match the song whatsoever. There was a small plot (I think) to the video but that was covered up entirely by choreography shots.

Luckily, the choreography was good enough to cover the above. It is, once again, fitting for the song. I really liked her dance break, where she danced with the male backup dancer. I thought that was the best bit in the entire choreography, with everything else looking nice.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

[Review] Candle Light – NCT Dream

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Voting closes in 3 DAYS. If you have yet to vote for NCT Dream or any of our other favourite artists for this year’s KPORPEVIEWED Awards, click here to do so NOW before you miss out!

We all thought wrong when we all thought that We Go Up was the final release before Mark’s graduation from NCT Dream. Yesterday, NCT Dream released an SM Station single titled Candle Light. But since Mark’s graduation has been confirmed the for the 31st of December, Mark is still present in the unit group for the new song release. The video does still allude to the impending event but that is something to talk about later on in the review.

Candle Light is best described as a mid-tempo ballad that conveys the message of wishing to be with someone. The song has this bright yet warming atmosphere to it, which can be attributed to the instrumental of the song. And hence, the message felt well suited for the style the song went with. The song is also a departure from their usual releases, which is more vocally centred this time around. This highlights the vocals of all the members, which isn’t something that we have experienced before. There was some rapping, which I thought was extremely fitting for the song.  It is a solid song but it lacks memorability, in my opinion. If they nailed that, it would have been a perfect song. But Candle Light is still pleasant sounding and definitely a nice way to end the year of KPOP.

The music video was very well done. The members are directing a music video in this music video. We see then struggle with a whole bunch of bloopers and technical issues. In the end, we are shown the ‘final product’, which featured all the members excluding Mark, alluding to his upcoming graduation in the coming days. The way he presents his rap, with all the members sitting in front of him (and one seat vacant) really hits home that this is happening. The video also seemed to be incorporate elements from NCT Dream’s previous releases including chewing gum (from Chewing Gum), mini cars (from My First & Last) and the word ‘Go’ (from Go). Definitely, a nice way to signal the end of a chapter for the unit.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Truth – TVXQ

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TVXQ’s The Chance of Love is nominated for Best Music Video in this year’s KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Voting closes in a few days, so click on this link and vote, if you haven’t done so yet!

TVXQ made their comeback today with Truth. The release and the mini-album, Chapter #2: The Truth of Love, is extra special as it celebrates the duo’s 15th year anniversary. It was actually 15 years ago this day that the group (a quintet) debuted with their single, Hugs. And while the group has a had many highs (including very well-known tracks and choreographies), they also had some lows. But the duo remained strong throughout its 15 years and hence why they are able to still release songs today. Here is to more releases in the future!

Truth is a jazzy R&B mix, which I think was quite pleasant overall. There weren’t any hard-hitting moments which I tend to think is great every now and then when it comes to an industry heavily reliant on dance and electronic music. It provides relief if you know what I am trying to get at. The vocals in this song are quite good. Both opted for some falsetto for some parts of the song, which I really thought was nice given the jazzy influence the song had. But it also matched the R&B side as well. I really like the kick the ad-libs towards the end of the song gave the final moments of the song, which prevented the song from becoming too repetitive. It does lack a promising hook and doesn’t hold my attention for long. But apart from that, it is a good song.

The music video I thought was okay. Not really the most captivating video I have ever watched. The quality was definitely there but the content wasn’t that compelling compared to their previous comeback earlier this year (The Chance of Love). The start of the video gave action-movie vibes that I thought was promising. But they went in a completely different route, which matched the song but left me disappointed. I did like their outfits and I thought that the dance element was well incorporated into the video – due to the jazzy nature of the song.

The choreography was nice. I thought it was well put together and really showed TVXQ’s dance skills at a mature level, which is appropriate for the song. It isn’t the most mind-blowing performance but it had a pleasant and smooth feeling to it.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10