Category: Reviews

[Review] One More Time (Otra Vez) – Super Junior & REIK

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Super Junior has returned with their special mini-album and the title track, both titled One More Time (or Otra Vez in Spanish). This is the group’s first comeback since Lo Siento promotions earlier this year (which featured both the Leslie Grace and the girls from KARD) and it is also the first comeback for Ryeowook, who recently finished his mandatory military enlistment. For this comeback, Super Junior collaborated with REIK, who is a well-known band in Mexico.

Once again, Super Junior has jumped on board with the Latin trend. Personally, I thought Super Junior would have moved on from this style already, so I am genuinely surprised that they are having another go at the genre. It isn’t a bad song in any way. I just thought there would have been something more to really make it stronger. Instead, I got a lacklustre feel from the song. The main infusion of energy comes during the chorus but I felt that was quite plain. It just didn’t have a memorable feel to it, which is a little disappointing. I was expecting a rap sequence to be thrown in there, as that may lift the song a bit. But there was no rap sequence. The vocals were good but I felt they could have been built more. I did like the ad-libs for the song, towards the end of the song from both Ryewook and Yesung. The song doesn’t really appeal to me, overall.

I thought the sets (or are they real rooms?) for the video were stunning backgrounds for the Latin-based song. The colours and patterns really feel suitable for the style. While it was a standard music video, there is a section which I cannot help but cringe at. Unfortunately, the scenes with REIK and Super Junior together (where REIK is just playing instruments and Super Junior is hyping behind them)  looked really awkward and boring. Not sure what they were trying to accomplish there but this song doesn’t really beg for that type of scene. Maybe if the members danced around REIK, that would have been more suitable. Just what we got wasn’t.

And it seems like there is an imbalance of energy between the song and the choreography. I fear that is the case but as we have not seen a full performance and the choreography scenes didn’t last too long to really ‘feel anything’ from them, I will be returning in the near future to re-write this section.

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

[Review] Breaking Down – DAY6

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DAY6 has returned to Japan with a brand new single titled as Breaking Down. Earlier this year, the band their Japanese debut with If We Can Meet Again and returned with Stop The Rain after a few months. Now, the band has returned with not just a new single but will be releasing a new album, titled as Unlock, shortly.

It seems like DAY6 is sticking to that one style for their Japanese comebacks, as the songs have approached the spectrum of rock in one way or another. Breaking Down is their most intense Japanese release yet, with energy and intensity thrown right at you from the very start. There is also an electrifying feel to the song, attributed to the electric guitars of course, that really makes me sit on the edge of my seat for this song. The chorus was really exceptional, kicking the song to a new level and that short vibration-like synth in the middle of the chorus was well-placed and somehow filled an empty void which I did not know exist. I also like the instrumental breaks and the way their vocals leapt out at you. Lastly, I liked the mixture of English and Japanese in this song. The verses at the start were purely in English, while the pre-chorus and chorus itself were Japanese. While that doesn’t sound that amazing, I personally felt it was very cool.

I think the way the video was put together was even cooler. The song was intense and they managed to use only a strip of the screen to really show off some edge. It felt just right and watching the video, you would expect no less. The use of colours in the background only allowed for the individual scenes to really pop out and it allowed for each of the members to be emphasised as they ‘scroll’ pass. The editing was awesome and it is a very original idea.

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

[Review] She’s In The Rain – The Rose

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The Rose is officially back with their latest song which proves that Autumn is in full swing across South Korea.  The title track, She’s In The Rain, is featured on the band’s 2nd mini-album, Dawn.  We last saw them on stage with their awesome perfect sounding song, Baby.

When you listen to She’s In The Rain, you can’t help but think about how fitting it is for Autumn. More specifically, a rainy Autumn’s day (with a small breeze that makes the leaves fly about). It starts off quite plain. Nothing too special with its sound and rather typical for an Autumn release. What they did a good job with at the start and throughout the rest of the song was channelling their emotions. You can hear the sorrow in their voices, which I thought was quite cool, considering the plainness. The song then built up to more of that band feel I think we all expected at the start with. And this wasn’t too plain as it brings the rock element into the ballad song. A burst of energy that won’t remain forgotten. What I also like about the song is the English. For a moment, I thought the song was more in English and less in Korean. But it is the way they scattered the English throughout the song, which made it very interesting. On top of that, since I can see a few people mentioning it in the comments on YouTube as well, the transition from ‘She’s In the Rain‘ to ‘We’re in the Rain‘ in the final chorus was very nice and subtle. Overall, She’s In The Rain is a fairly good song.

Once again, The Rose unveils an aesthetically pleasing music video to compliment the song, which really works wonders. I thought the black and white images were cool. The scenes with the girl and the photographer were nice as well, which went hand-in-hand with the lyrics of the song. The slight colour presence was also fitting for the song. It didn’t make the video feel too flashy or standout too much. Instead, it opts for a somewhat monotone look and appeal.

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

[Review] All Night – Soyou ft. SIK-K

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Making her solo comeback after almost a year’s absence from the KPOP scene is Soyou. The last time we saw her on stage was with The Night, which was released back in December 2017. Her latest comeback is All Night, which features on the second half of her 1st album, RE:FRESH. Known for her ballads and love songs, Soyou opted for a dance-centred comeback which turns on the heat and makes things very interesting, as you will know of if you continue reading.

All Night takes the on the growing trend of Latin influences, specifically the more traditional musical style of tango. I think using this style of music allows for her breathy voice to really shine and lift the sexiness level to a whole new level. It is also an interesting sound, as KPOP tends to steer towards a pop sound, rather than going full out with the tango. I thought the chorus was really dynamic with its presentation. I like how her lines went and it made the song memorable. There was a jazzy number during the bridge of the song, which I thought liven things up. SIK.K also featured with a rap, which gave the song some intensity and modern flair. His part didn’t technically go hand-in-hand with the rest of the song but it wasn’t to the point where it felt too awkward. Overall, I like her new song quite a bit.

Oh, how the world of ratings in South Korea never makes any sense. How this video got a 15+ rating beats me. The entire time I was totally speechless and surprised at how sexual the video got. But it definitely matched the very sexy sound of the tango. Soyou plays the role of a cat (who transforms into a human) and basically seduces her partner (or in this case, a stranger at the bar). Things get quite steamy towards the end of the video. I thought the editing in this video was really well done. The turning transitions between Soyou/Male Lead and Soyou’s dance break were really well done.

I thought the smooth movements during the verses and the sharp movements for the chorus were really ideal for this song, as they remind me of the tango a fair bit (I may have watched a bit of Dancing With The Stars growing up). I liked how sexy the performance got and I loved the dance break at the end.

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

[Review] Into You – Yuri (SNSD)

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With uncertainties on when a full group comeback will take place, the members of SNSD have taken the solo route for the time being. With a number of the members well-known for their acting, others have embarked on their solo careers as singers. Yuri is the next member to join the solo music career with her debut single, Into You, which features on the mini-album, The First Scene. Yuri also recently ‘debuted’ alongside Sunny, Taeyeon, Yoona and Hyoyeon as members of Oh!GG, who recently released Lil’ Touch.

Into You is a simple sounding pop track that has notions of tropical throughout it, especially during the chorus. It is here, at the chorus, that you find the strongest section of the song. The chorus doesn’t change but there is an air of familiarity that I just cannot shake off. It is like I have heard the tune somewhere before but I just cannot identify it at all. And it is this air of familiarity that makes it appealing for me. Her vocals were quite nice and felt fitting for the song. I liked how she stayed within her boundaries for this song. The major issue with the song is its plainness. I personally like it. But I understand why some people would think it is plain. On top of that, I fear that if I listen to the song too many times, I would get tired of it quite easily. I would have liked to have heard something that gave the verses and bridge of the song some life (e.g. a rap sequence from a featuring artist). But besides that, I think it is a good song.

Like the song, the music video does have that plain feeling. I personally find Yuri one of the most beautiful people in KPOP. And the music video does a good job of showing off her beauty and figure. But other than that, there isn’t much to the video. I found the sets very bland. There were some scenes to give some mysterious vibes but they were easily forgotten. The only scene which I like was the dancing in the water but even that has been done multiple time before.

I thought the choreography was rather nice. I thought the hip-swaying was perfect for the chorus. I thought the dance breaks were rather nice as well but I preferred the ending one as Yuri was moving more. I like the aesthetics the stage brought, which went well with the song.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] Get Myself With You – S.O.U.L

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An unexpected release found itself in my subscription box last night.  S.O.U.L (Sound of Ultra Light) is a new project group consisting of ASTRO’s Cha Eunwoo, Ahn Hyo Seop, Jang Yuan (who I believe is a trainee) and Bang Jae Min (who appeared on High School Rapper). Little else is known about this group as I don’t think there was any teasers or information in the lead up to last night. Their song is titled Get Myself With You.

And it is a pretty decent song. It has this groovy and somewhat upbeat R&B instrumentation that makes the song quite appealing. The vocals, however, cancels out the mid-tempo feel, which I am not 100% a fan of. The vocals I liked. It is just how they worked with the rest of the song didn’t feel right. As the song remained at this speed for the majority of the song, it felt repetitive and bland towards the end. Actually, the entire track felt monotone. The chorus felt just like the verses with a little bit of catchiness (but not too much). I think the best part of the song has to be the rapping. It gave the song a little bit of a changeup and altered the tempo for a few moments before reverting back to the original tempo. I didn’t like how the rapper had to wait until the very end to get a short section. I think if they included him throughout the song, it would have cut the repetitiveness and made it somewhat more appealing to me.

The music video was quite nice even though it seemed to be a commercial for that yellow drink at the end. I really liked the bright colours, which worked well with their youthful charms. The only colour which I didn’t like was the choreography scenes but they weren’t ideal. Too dark for my liking. Also, the dance looked like it was made on the day just before the camera on. It looked awkward and very stiff. The one thing that did annoy me more than anything else was that all the vocalists got their solo shot during their sections of the song. But when the rapper had his section at the end, he was not given any solo time, which felt unfair for him. Maybe for technical reasons, they couldn’t show it but either way, it was disappointing.

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

[Review] Airplane Mode – NOIR

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NOIR have been teasing their comeback from a few weeks now and they have finally dropped their title track, Airplane Mode. I’ll be honest, their concept and teaser images got me interested in this comeback.  Airplane Mode features on the group’s first mini-album titled TOPGUN.  This is their first comeback since their debut with Gangsta, which occurred back in May.

Airplane Mode is one smashing song. I am totally digging the new song because it oozes intensity and it is one of those powerful tracks that really make an impact. The song started off busy, with heavy bass and a very strong beat. This continued into the first verse, which was filled with rapping. It was followed by a vocal segment, which opened up the pre-chorus, which was followed by some more rapping. What I liked about the song also is how the rappers weren’t confined to one segment. Instead, you can tell the song was made for them and their parts were scattered throughout the song, reminding you of its intensity and power. I liked how the pre-chorus built up, making the chorus sound so much more epic and there was a dramatic flare, which I enjoyed. The rest of the song does share the same structure but I just don’t see myself getting bored of it. I enjoyed the final epic ‘smash’ (the one at 2:45 of the mv), which was a great moment. It is a song I highly recommend you blast out loud if possible as you will not be disappointed with it.

Given the song’s sound, it was clear that a very dark and edgy concept was required for the video. And that is what we got exactly. There is no shortage of these two aspects, which felt extremely fitting for the song. There isn’t really a plotline to the video, with what seems to hint towards a rebellious side of the group, serving as close-up shots to the group. With that, I think they could have done something more. The video could have used a plotline to really drive the video and make it much more interesting. There isn’t much else to say besides that they nailed the video to the song.

The choreography was also intense and I quite liked it. I liked all sections of the dance and they managed to include an airplane formation at the start, which I thought was pretty cool (at first, I didn’t expect it because it felt too ‘easy’ to go with that imagery on stage – not the execution but the idea). But I was glad they proved me wrong. All were amazing!

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

 

[Review] Goodbye Road – iKON

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iKON has already been through a very busy year and they haven’t finished just yet They have just dropped their latest title track, Goodbye Road. Multiple comebacks within the span of less than a year from a YG Entertainment group are rare if you do not know. The previous 2018 iKON comeback title tracks included Love Scenario and Killing Me. I can’t really find any information on this but I am not too sure if these releases were intended to be a trilogy but all of these songs (including Goodbye Road) featured on the New Kids series.

Goodbye Road can be described as an emotionally driven track with elements of a ballad and a dance track combined into one. It just doesn’t top the insanely epic drop that we got in Killing Me if you are going to ask me to pick favourites.  The instrumentation combines an orchestra and a mid-tempo beat that allows the song to fit neatly into iKON’s iconic hip-hop portfolio. I also like how it fits in with the season of sad songs that we might have just stepped into. I like how impactful the vocals are and the rapping was toned down to be more fragile than rough and growl-like. However, there were two sections of the song that felt out of place. The first is the ‘Check it Out‘ line, which just felt like it was filling the void and out of context. The second had to be the ‘Na Na Na‘ which attempted to make it feel more cheerful than what it could ever be. But other than that, it was a nice song.

The music video had this Autumn and dull colour tone to it, which felt fitting for the song’s direction and the season. I applaud the acting from the lead actress, who alongside the group members, did a wonderful job of captivating me (and possibly the rest of the audience) with their acting abilities. They managed to summarise the heartbreak and sorrow within a few minutes without fluffing up the storyline or going overboard in any way. Thought the setting was quite nice, though I wonder why they opted to go outside for this video whereas their previous music videos stayed within the confines of a studio.

As mentioned earlier, the song has elements of a ballad (i.e. the orchestral instrumentation) but there was also a mid-tempo beat allowing for the song to be transformed into a dance track without the unnecessary synths of today’s music. From what we can see, it looks nice and fitting for the song. Definitely well-balanced.

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

 

[Review] On Air – WeGirls

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This will be the final review for ROOKIE WEEK this time around. I know that there are many other debuts that I have missed out on and I apologise for that. When given another opportunity and I can identify multiple songs for review, I will be revisiting ROOKIE WEEK. Furthermore, I will also be doing other themed weeks in the future, so keeps your eyes peeled for that!

WeGirls is a new girl group which debuted back in August this year (exactly one month ago) with On Air. They are under Aftermoon Entertainment and consist of 8 members – E.You, YeHana, Hyeni, JungA, EunA, Ellie, HaL and Nina. However, this isn’t their initial lineup according to some online sources. A growing trend for some debuts and comebacks are that they are turning to fans for support. WeGirls were able to debut thanks to the support of their fans through MakeStar. Hopefully, this pays off and I wish the group the very best in the future. But before we step any further into the future, let’s begin the review.

I chose On Air as the final song for ROOKIE WEEK because it was rather interesting. It is one of those songs that has multiple genres/styles within it, leaving the listener (such as myself) every confused about what is. There was a pop sound that was very innocent sounding, the verses felt like they belonged to a different pop song and there was a trap-hip hop infusion prior to the innocent pop chorus. Yeah, the combination is a little ‘out-there’. However, it isn’t the most awful combination ever, so I guess that earns some brownie points. I thought the song had pleasant vocals and the rapping was rather fitting for the multiple styles. I am not too troubled by the song’s approach though I feel like the song could have been more cohesive (maybe drop the innocent chorus for something a little more traditional yet allows for connection for the trap-instrumental break?).

For a debut that had the input of fans, I thought the music video was rather nice. The quality was really high up there. I noticed that as I vetted through different debuts, the music videos tend to be low quality. WeGirls. in my opinion, had the best quality of the few that I had to select from. Each of those styles I mentioned above had their own thing going on in the video, which was all quite fitting. When cute sounds were one, they used cute images and when the edgy sound was present, they went for an edgy image. You may think that is obvious but there are many times in the past where the video was just not fitting for the song. I like the inclusion of the film crew at the end of the video, though I am not too sure why.

The choreography was nice. It went from cute to edgy in a few seconds, which I thought was rather odd at first. But I guess since I enjoyed the song, it grew on me.

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

[Review] Last Song – ONEUS & ONEWE

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We return to ROOKIE WEEK  today with a release from ONEUS and ONEWE, whom are debuting as two different groups under RBW Entertainment. ONEUS is a 6-member group made up of Ravn, Seoho, Leedo, Keonhee, Hwanwoong and Xion. ONEWE is a 5-member boy band made up of Yonghoon, Harin, Kanghyun, Dongmyeong and Cya. Some of the members may look familiar as some of them partipcated in Produce 101 Season 2, The Unit and MIXNINE. A few days ago, they dropped a single together (the first release of their debut project), titled as Last Song, which I am sure will not be their last song.

I like this song for its simplicity and pleasantness. Last Song leans towards what I think we could expect from ONEWE but it could go either way as a band track or a dance track. I think the best way of describing this song is that it eases you into their sound, rather than going all out with a power dance or band track, which is a great way to give us an opportunity to learn about them and their sound. While the song is nice, it does lack some things. I would like to have heard some more powerful vocals and raps that could have given us a little taster to what is to come but what we got here goes back to that pleasant feeling. When they sing together (or at least some of the members), it showcased union and I thought was rather nice. I feel like the song could have been a little more memorable, as this is a critical factor in newly debut groups. But overall, I wouldn’t mind putting this song on every now and then and listening to it.

The music video shows that the song could have been a dance or band track. There is a small snippet of choreography, as seen through their ‘practising’ on the stage.  The rest of the video shows the members road to their debut. Through busking activities and ‘flash mobs’, the group is given multiple opportunities to get their name out there and I hope it pays off. There are also some solo shots of each of the members outside, shot almost like a photoshoot and it looks like they are looking forward to the future, which fits in with their debut project. Not technically a video that I would go back to but it was fitting for the song.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Review] Wow Thing – Seulgi (Red Velvet) x SinB (GFriend) x Kim Chungha x Soyeon ((G)I-DLE)

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I am going to take deviate away from ROOKIE WEEK a little more and publish a review for a brand new release. It is the next song in the Station x 0 project which boasts collaborations such as Taeyeon & Melomance, Baekhyun & Loco and Chanyeol & Sehun. But this new release, Wow Thing, probably has the most powerful female lineup any collaboration has ever had. We have Seulgi from Red Velvet, SinB from GFriend, Kim Chungha and Soyeon from (G)I-DLE coming together, so be prepared!

I really like the feel of the song and its presentation. But it is one of those songs that I can’t really gather many thoughts for. The instrumental does set the scene up for the song but it doesn’t really drive the song. Instead, the song uses vocals. Very powerful vocals to drive the song forward and deliver us a very strong track. When they sing together for the chorus, I thought the atmosphere was amazing and very attitude-heavy. Before we go any further, let’s us to take a moment to appreciate Kim Chungha’s vocal abilities. Like how come I don’t know of this? Her solo work doesn’t let her vocals shine, as compared to this song. Soyeon’s rap was also equally as powerful. The is quite catchy and memorable for a number of reasons, some of which I have specified above.

The music video is your standard music video. Nothing too special about it. All four members are present for this collaboration music video, which I guess is a plus. I feel like they could have made this louder if I was int he director chair. I think that would have been more interesting and fun. Though I would have to keep it from going overboard, in order to fit the message of the song, which is about making a strong and confident first impression. The music video did feature some choreography during the chorus and bridge. All looked good and I felt like the attitude was channelled well through their dancing.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 7/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] Allegro Cantabile – NATURE

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From what I can tell, there aren’t that many groups making their comeback this week due to the Chuseok (Mid-Autumn Festival) However, this does not mean I get to take the week off. I henceforth declare this week as ROOKIE WEEK. I will be posting at least one review for a different rookie group each day, so keep your eyes opened!

NATURE is the next band on ROOKIE WEEK. They made their debut at the start of last month with Allegro Cantabile. The group is currently under n.CH Entertainment and consist of 8 members (Lu, Saebeom, Aurora, Chaebin, Gaga, Haru, Uchae and Sunshine).  Originally there were 9 members, however, the 9th member (Yeolmae) left the group just before debuting. The group recently won their first award, the ‘New Artist of the Year’ award at the Soribada Best K-Music Awards, so congratulations to them!

Allegro Cantabile is actually a remake of a song of the same name which featured as part of an anime (Nodame Cantabile) and was previously sung by  Suemitsu & the Suemith. I usually do not review remakes or covers of a song, however, I only knew of this while searching up the information for this review. The song twos are obviously similar but Nature’s version seems to have a few components reduced in volume or stripped away to fit their youthful vocals. I actually thought the vocals were quite nice, taking the Japanese style for their own. It makes the song unique, in my opinion. The piano doesn’t seem to be as strong in this song, as it featured only during the verses but drowned out during the chorus. There were some extra synths in the instrumental break, which I thought makes it feel modern and fitting for KPOP. Though, I was thinking how good some electric guitar would have been (though the girls seem to go in that direction for a few seconds). Overall, I felt the song to be quite strong for a debut and I think this song will fast become a guilty pleasure for me.

The music video is not a remake of the Japanese version. While the original one was edgy, Nature’s version takes the cute route, which is surprisingly very fitting for the song (though I attribute that to their modifications). The majority of the video seems to be set at a school, where some of them are learning about flowers (and how to grow them). It was a nice video to watch despite it taking a cliche route for a female group debut. I didn’t care much for the plot but I was happy to watch either way.  The colours were very bright, which goes back to the song and concept.

I love their enthusiasm on the stage. I have watched a number of their performances for this review and I can’t help but smile at how cute but energetic they get on stage. I really like the dance break and how they let three members come out and have a solo moment. Also, the ending was quite cool with the suspenseful conclusion of the song. I just felt like the end could have been a little more imaginative.

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

[Review] Super Special – VERIVERY

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From what I can tell, there aren’t that many groups making their comeback this week due to the Chuseok (Mid-Autumn Festival) However, this does not mean I get to take the week off. I henceforth declare this week as ROOKIE WEEK. I will be posting at least one review for a different rookie group each day, so keep your eyes opened!

VERIVERY is a brand new male group who released their first single, Super Special, last week. As far as I know, it isn’t their official debut but rather the OST for their upcoming reality program. But who are they? Well, they come from the same company who currently houses VIXX and GUGUDAN (i.e. Jellyfish Entertainment) and is made up of 7 members – Dongheon, Minchan, Yeonho, Hoyoung, Gyehyeon, Yongseung and Kangmin.

I was somewhat relieved when I heard that this wouldn’t be their official debut title track. I would have been disappointed if I had the idea of it being a title track in my mind. The song lacks impact and doesn’t live up to the expectations set by their senior labelmates in terms of sound and concept. But as an OST, it promises that the group is very energetic and knows how to have fun, which is definitely a draw point to the group. Super Special is very retro, reminding me of ’90s pop songs. There is no doubt that the song showcases promising vocals and rapping, which makes me excited for their debut track. So this song ticks a few boxes, keeping them on my radar.  But going back to what I said at the start of this paragraph, the song isn’t that memorable and doesn’t have a strong hook to reel me in.

I am not sure how to review this music video, to be honest. I want to review as a normal music video for a comeback/debut but it isn’t their debut. It is just a music video put together to promote their new show. As this music video ‘introduces’ the members to the viewers, I am hoping their debut video has some sort of theatrical/dramatic flare that will get them engraved into my mind. What I thought was fitting for this video was that it was bright and cheerful, as you expect with an upbeat song. I also liked how their outfits were the main inputs of colour for the video, which usually is the jobs of the sets/background. They also had some fun close-ups as well, which was nice.

Their choreography in this video definitely showcases their potential. Everyone looked in-sync with each other and they movements flowed quite well. They had pretty good formations as well. Can’t wait to see what they have installed for us on stage.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

 

[Review] Moonlight – NEONPUNCH

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From what I can tell, there aren’t that many groups making their comeback this week due to the Chuseok (Mid-Autumn Festival) However, this does not mean I get to take the week off. I henceforth declare this week as ROOKIE WEEK. I will be posting at least one review for a different rookie group each day, so keep your eyes opened!

Next up on ROOKIE WEEK is NEONPUNCH. This is a new girl group who is under A100 Entertainment. They are a 5 member group consisting of Daeyeon, Terry, Baekah (participated in MIXNINE), May and IAAN. The group debuted on the 26th of June, which was 3 months back, with Moonlight.  I had initially planned to review them closer to their debut date but unfortunately had to cut them from the agenda due to time constraints.

Moonlight started with some soft instrumentals and vocals, which made it feel like it was taking a mature route, something newly debut girl groups don’t tend to attempt. However, an unexpected and quick buildup to the song’s chorus allowed the song to showcase a brighter and more energetic sound. The song did feel slightly constrictive, with their vocals not going through much of a change throughout. But vocally, the track was quite nice. I thought the brass during the hook was really nice, adding that extra energy pack to the song. I like the transition between the second chorus and the slightly slowed bridge. I felt the rap could have come sooner, which would have made the song a little less repetitive. But other than that, it was a fun debut song.

Like yesterday’s review, the music video showcases the members by ‘presenting’ them to the viewers. There were a lot of close-ups throughout the video but I like how the video wasn’t just all of that. There was a lot of focus on other things that attempted to drive the music video. They don’t add up to much but the cinematography was pretty good in those scenes. I was slightly distracted by the blockage caused by the fence and the chandelier. I know they were meant to be artistic shots but they stole what really should have been a clear shot of the members instead.

For a rookie group, singing live is definitely a major plus. They do sound a little nervous throughout some of the stages that I have watched but they have been improving each time. I did think their choreography was a little weak and awkward looking. It didn’t feel like it went well with the song.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 7.1/10

 

[Review] Your Difference – LUCENTE

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

From what I can tell, there aren’t that many groups making their comeback this week due to the Chuseok (Mid-Autumn Festival) However, this does not mean I get to take the week off. I henceforth declare this week as ROOKIE WEEK. I will be posting at least one review for a different rookie group each day, so keep your eyes opened!

For the first group on ROOKIE WEEK, I have decided to review a brand new group who made their debut just last week. LUCENTE is a seven-member male group currently under Nago Entertainment who debuted with Your Difference just last Tuesday. The group consists of Hero, U.Seong, Ba, Z.Hoo, Kogun, Taejun and Parkha. Some of the members of the group were previously part of other groups, some of whom I have never heard of. But today we are here to talk about LUCENTE, so let’s just do that.

Your Difference does not mess around with energy. It starts off slightly low in energy (as most songs do at the very start) but very quickly builds up to an energy packed song. I thought the instrumental was quite nice, despite it going for the ‘now-traditional’ tropical route with a hip-hop influence. It was definitely upbeat and had a ‘cool’ presence to it. Their vocals and raps were quite good for a new group but felt very typical for a group trying to push themselves to sound ‘tough’. I also thought the chorus was a little too spacious and doesn’t really hold my attention for long. Usually, the chorus is the catchiest parts of the song but I felt the lines leading up to the chorus were much more appealing and memorable. That doesn’t mean the chorus was all bad as it is where we get most of the song’s energy.

The music video felt like a typical music video for a debut. To me, it felt like a whole bunch of different scenes mashed into one video to ‘present’ the group to the public. I hardly doubt that there is a plotline to this video (though I have been known to assume wrong in the past). Some of the scenes, however, looked really nice. The choreography scene with the flashing lights and the ladder scenes looked really good. I also liked how they managed to infuse some edge into the video, which is what the song visually needed.

The group has a fair amount of stage presence on stage. Given a song with slightly more angst and power, I think there is potential for this group. The performance showcased some pretty good moves. However, when I looked at it as a whole, it felt mediocre. Once again, they need to stand out and their performance can do just that. This one just isn’t the one.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 6.7/10

[Review] Memoria – GFriend

Posted in JPOP, ReviewsTagged 4 Comments

This is probably the fastest time I have ever done a review for a Japanese release from its release date. GFriend recently made their Japanese debut with their Korean hit Me Gustas Tu (the Japanese version, of course!) and now they have returned to Japan with their first original song, Memoria. While its music video and full song were released together on YouTube this week, it will officially be out in October. I personally do not know how the Japanese music industry work but since everything I need to write a review is available, let’s get stuck right into it.

Memoria is a little different from their previous Korean songs. Their Korean title tracks have been mostly upbeat and more youthful sounding. Memoria goes for a complete changeup, opting for a more emotional and mature sound while having a slower tempo. It is quite nice, the soothing nature of the song, making this very appeal for my taste. I do find the song somewhat a little too typical of some Japanese releases but that is a common case with most Japanese releases. What I really like about the song’s instrumentation is that while it was soothing and beautiful sounding, there was room for their signature electric guitars during the bridge/climax of the song, which is very GFriend. The vocals in this song are also excellent, as the slower nature allows for the vocals to be prioritised. Overall, their first original Japanese song is definitely one to remember.

I thought this was a very nice music video. The golden colour palette felt very fitting for the nature of the song. The music video seems to show the members struggling through their lives. I think the main point is that each member is lonely but I think injuries, body image, artistic block and other issues were touched upon. At the climax of the song/video, we see each member has a friend, while the other is sleeping, meaning that they still have a friend. Once the member sleeping wakes up, they realize this and starts running to each other, with the ending showing the regrouping of the members. It is definitely a good concept fitting for GFriend.

I thought the choreography was rather nice. We don’t get to see too much but what we could see seemed very graceful, which I think is fitting for the group’s image. I did like their purple outfits during the choreography scenes as they were rather striking.

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