Reviews – Page 116 – KPOPREVIEWED

[Review] Bingle Bangle – AOA

May 28, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged AOALeave a comment

Making their comeback after over a year’s absence from the KPOP scenes is AOA. Their last comeback was at the very start of last year with Bing Bing and Excuse Me. This time around, they return with Bingle Bangle, which is the title for both their title track and 5th mini-album. This is also the group’s first comeback since the departure of ChoA, which was confirmed about a year ago.

The last few days I have been talking about a list of songs that I am currently on a replaying binge. And it seems like the list is growing longer by the day. AOA’s Bingle Bangle finds itself on that very same list. The song, well-suited for the Summer period that is approaching imminently, is extremely catchy with its very simple and easy repetition. It doesn’t help that the section in question is super bright and features catchy whistling as well. I really liked Yuna’s parts just before the chorus kicks in, which shows us she is capable of taking over the main vocalist position. The one member I was most concerned was Jimin, as her rapping style doesn’t really compliment the song’s sound. However, I was quite wrong with that assumption and also thought her section was one of the best. I am totally digging the song and just want to continue listening to the song.

AOA takes on a concept change with the music video. And I really like what they did. The concept seems to be retro gaming, where the members of AOA (excluding Mina) are characters within the game. Mina spends the entirety of the day playing the games, only taking a break when she falls asleep. Within the game, the members notice how far Mina is levelling up and once she reaches 4000 points, she too enters the game (but takes on an 8-bit form). What also makes this music video feel more retro is that the members are on rollerskates and the game is set at a diner. It was a well-produced video and it had a fun concept, which made it even more likeable.

I love the choreography for this comeback. Especially during the Bingle Bangle repetition, which was my favourite bit of the entire performance. The members also looked like they were enjoying themselves on stage.

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

[Review] Good Evening – SHINee

May 28, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged SHINeeLeave a comment

It has been a long while since we heard from SHINee, who last promoted together in 2016. Their last promotional cycle was for Tell Me What To Do. The group made their debut in May 2008, so this comeback cycle celebrates their 10 years together as a group. Their comeback promotions this time is a little unique, with the album split into 3 sections and will be unveiled every fortnight from tonight. The first title track is Good Evening (this review). We also already have the titles for their second and third title tracks, which are I Want You and You Left Me respectively.

Good Evening kicks off their promotions and it does not let you down. The song is super catchy and addictive with its electronic pop instrumentation. On top of that, they throw in their amazing vocals and rapping (from both Minho and Key), you have a winning formula. Their harmonies during the sections in which they sing together had this alluring feel to it, which drew my attention. Onew’s vocals sounded so good in the song and the rappers did a fantastic job with the rap section. It is a ridiculously groovy track that joins the list of songs that I have mentioned previously to be on my continuous replaying list. And if this is what they are kicking off the promotions with, I am keen to hear what they have coming up in the weeks to come.

Their music video is extremely artistic this time around. While it has that same colour feel to View, the video seems to be a spinoff of F(x)’s 4 Walls, with some scenes reminding me of the latter. My guess with what the video is trying to send over is that there has been some tension but they managed to figure it all out at the end. One of my most favourite scenes from the entire video is when the rapping starts and the members are dancing (while sitting down) under the plastic film. That looked awesome and really took the aesthetics in these music videos to whole new level.

While there hasn’t been a stage yet, I think there is enough in the music video to say it is awesome. Particularly that dance break during the instrumentation at 3:24 to 3:30 of the music video. On top of that, it seems the aesthetics charms from the music video also featured in their choreography, with some parts looking amazing and very artistic.

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

I didn’t want to remind people of the sad events that shocked the KPOP industry in December last year within the review. Despite losing a member, I am glad to see SHINee back and still doing well. I think it is also the common belief that the video also pays tribute to Jonghyun with the inclusion of a 5th shadow at the well scene. Jonghyun will always be missed.

[Review] Salty – Kanto

May 28, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged KantoLeave a comment

Kanto made his official solo comeback with Salty on the 15th of May. And due to my studies, I didn’t have a chance to have a look at it once it was released. But as they say, better late than never! For those who don’t know, Kanto is a rapper that is a part of Troy (a Korean hip-hop group). He did make his solo debut a little earlier with What You Want (feat. Kim Sung Kyu from Infinite) in 2012. He also participated in The Unit: Idol Rebooting Project.

Salty is an extremely groovy track that I was not expecting. The work that I know him for has always been emotional or ‘dark’. However, Salty is quite upbeat and it tempts you to dance along with the music. The instrumental is extremely upbeat and bright. The trumpets really give it energy and definitely is my most favourite part of the song. Also featuring alongside the trumpet instrumentation was the super catchy “You are indifferent” repetition (or in Korean, it is 시큰둥 둥 둥). His rap delivery is really well done and it fits in nicely with the bright atmosphere of the song. While rapping and bright songs have been heard on numerous occasions, it feels very fresh here. It is a promising track for a (hopefully) upcoming Korean rapper and hip-hop group.

Like the song, the music video is very bright with its colours. I thought the editing of the video was really well done, especially when they changed the colour of his jacket through software (the colours in the background also changed accordingly). The video shows him trying to get to the route of the problem after his girlfriend gives the sulky look. While that might be a serious issue for some, I really like the lighthearted vibes and fun presented visuals throughout the video. It worked well with the song.

It might be due to the concept change but I thought the performance was much more lively than any of his previous comebacks. He only seemed to participate in the choreography when he wasn’t rapping in the past promotions. This time around, he is participating in the choreography throughout the entire song (and not when he is given a break) and I thought it was rather cool. I liked his performance, though the moves aren’t anything mindblowing.

Song – 8/10
Music Video 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Love Flutters – The East Light

May 27, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged The East LightLeave a comment

The East Light makes their second comeback of the year with Love Flutters. They last promoted on stage with Real Men, which was an amazing step up from their previous works (I have grown to like the song a lot more). That was also the first time I reviewed them on this site, so I thought it would be nice to revisit them. Love Flutters is the title track off their second mini-album, which shares the same name.

While I don’t think I would ever get used to their vocals, they managed to do a decent job with Love Flutters. The song takes on a more tropical route with sounds and vibes that gets you into the heart of Summer. Furthermore, it is a return to their original sound (something that I wasn’t a major fan of). Love Flutters manage to do a few things right with this song. The explosive percussion bangs (not really sure what to call them) really do attract your attention to the song and it is quite unique. Their vocals work well with the tropical sound. I particularly like the instrumental sequences at (after the first chorus and at the very end of the song) as they do a good job at portraying the Summer season within a few seconds of instrumentation. While I am not 100% hooked onto the song, I have a feeling that this song will have multiple appearances in the future (particularly when I yearn for the Summer months when I am struggling in the cold).

I thought the video was okay. It isn’t exactly the most exciting video out there nor is it content heavy. However, it does a decent job of portraying the song and its Summery vibes. Not exactly sure why they are holding onto the fruits, which did leave me a little confused. The best part of the video overall was the nodding and head turning at those explosive bags during the song. How else would you have that part?!

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] Chain – NCT 127

May 26, 2018Posted in JPOP, ReviewsTagged NCT, NCT127Leave a comment

NCT recently wrapped up their album promotions in Korea, which involved all members from the 3 NCT subunits (NCT 127, NCT U & NCT Dream). But the members of NCT 127 are not on a break yet, with their return to the Japanese music scene with their first single, Chain. The album officially dropped during the week (May 23rd) but the music video has been available online since the start of the month, so it is about time I got around to reviewing it.

If I had written a review for this song when it was first uploaded on YouTube (May 8th), it would have had the comments ‘very messy’ and ‘not that great’ written all over it. But with a lot of replays and time to take in this ‘mess’, it is a decent track that fits in well with NCT 127’s past work in Korea. That being said, it still isn’t the greatest song, mainly because you still have to work your way through its metallic clanging to get to the good stuff. The raps were decent and the vocal work was quite good. When the drop kicked in, I thought the high pitch screeching was extremely fitting for their rap-heavy track. The only issue that I have is the metal clanging, which is really in-your-face throughout the song and I wished they toned it down. The moments where they did stop the clanging gave the song some relief and allowed me to have a better grasp of the song. I like how they did keep their roots for their Japanese song, which is something you don’t really see all too often.

The music video for this release showed off a different persona that we don’t really see often in their Korean promotions. From what I can see, the video taps into their masculinity and dominant side. It definitely fits in with the intensity and fierceness of the song. And because fangirls don’t find anything sexier than a bunch of men posing with tools (I guess). Maybe this is my science mindset kicking in but there were moments that I wasn’t sure about the safety of the members. Don’t think holding a saw or a drill up close to your safe is considered safe in the manual. But overall, I thought it was a good video for the song.

The performance was surprisingly good. At first glance, the moves seemed rather slow. But watching it a few times, I thought the choreography did a good job at contrasting with the tempo and intensity of the video. There were some slow movements (more of the sexy slow though), while still balancing out with some fast moves.

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

[Double Review] Travel + Starlight – BOL4

May 26, 2018May 26, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged BOL4, Bolbbalgan4Leave a comment

I haven’t reviewed BOL4 (or Bolbbalgan4) before, despite them being chart-topping artists in the past two years. With the release of their latest mini-album, Red Diary Page. 2, I thought it would be nice to finally talk about them on this site. This review will focus on Travel, which is one of the title tracks (the other being Wind, with no music video yet), and Starlight, which is a side-track (which has a music video, hence its inclusion in the review).

Travel is your Summer time song that talks about taking a break and going on a vacation. Something I would like to have right now. It is a fun and bright song that really makes Jiyoung’s nasal vocals pop out. The song was extremely catchy with its catchy hook and you can genuinely feel the happiness in her vocals. The instrumental was extremely nice and I thought the guitar worked incredibly well with the rest of the song. Travel is one awesome song that I have been playing on repeat since its release and I have no plans on stopping.

Starlight takes on more of a ballad sound compared to Travel or any of their previous title tracks. It is quite breathtaking with the instrumental flowing around the vocals and the nasal vocals leaves you in awe. It is so good that I can’t really find anything that I dislike about it. I think there was a mix of electric and acoustic guitar in the song, which went extremely well with the orchestral and piano based instrumentals. Like Travel, the song has been on repeat since its release. And both songs are so good that I cannot choose an absolute favourite.

Each music video does an amazing job at compliment the song. As stated previously, Travel was a fun and bright song. And the video focused squarely on those two elements portraying a fun travel adventure where the duo seem to be carefree and having the time of their life, while the colours popped to make it such a bright video. Starlight, like the song, allows you to take in some of the views of where they took their holiday (I assume). Majority of the video was focused on the duo but I must admit, it is shot beautifully. The ending when the sky changes to the night sky (via post-production editing) was really nice. What puts the icing on the cake for me in this video is how perfect the wind is. Fake or not, it was done well and to reasonable proportions (and not over the top).

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

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

[Review] Bonnie & Clyde – 24K

May 26, 2018May 26, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 24KLeave a comment

24K is making their first comeback in a very long time with their 4th mini-album and the title track, both titled as Bonnie & Clyde. This is their first comeback since the release of Only One last year. Once again, there were lineup changes with the addition of Kiyong. Kisu is currently on hiatus due to military enlistment, while Hui and Daeil left the group at the end of 2017.

Bonnie & Clyde takes a step back into familiar terrain with the use of heavy synths and the song falling nicely into the dubstep genre of music. At first glance, the song does seem overloaded with the instrumental and it does become a little hard to hear the individual members. They do lower the intensity when it comes to the vocalists, which was pretty good. But I felt the rappers got the short end of the stick when it comes to the instrumental. Pretty much, they had to put more force into their voices in order to be heard. There is this catchy effect, which pretty makes me hang around for some more. For those who don’t know, Bonnie & Clyde is an infamous criminal couple in American history, whom people associate to bank robberies. The song does a good job of portraying the dangerous love life the couple had through its lyrics. The intensity of the song does a pretty good job of complimenting this as well. I thought the song was decent and ended up being quite listenable when you overlook the heaviness.

While Bonnie & Clyde was known to approach banks as part of their dangerous lifestyle, a bank robbery portrayed in the video wouldn’t really go hand-in-hand with the music style. So the option for the more modern racing scene was definitely the perfect arena for a song like this yet still keeping that dangerous lifestyle in check. Also matching the song style was the flashy nature of the video, which I usually would not really enjoy. However, it works perfectly with the song. I am a little confused with the addition of the female model. Yes, she was hot. But her interaction with the members doesn’t really add anything to the video, which is why I am slightly confused. But other than that, it was a good video.

The performance does a really good job of fitting into the intensity levels. I did expect something a little more in that short instrumental sequence just prior to the end of the song. But it was still decent to watch.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Time Of Sorrow – VICTON

May 24, 2018May 24, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged VICTONLeave a comment

Apologies for the lack of reviews for the past few days, I have been extremely busy with studies once again. But today I make my return (and a start on a bombardment of reviews) with my review for VICTON’s latest comeback, Time Of Sorrow. This is the group’s first comeback since Remember Me, which was released in November last year.

The group takes on a more emotional and mature sound with their latest comeback. They do nail the emotional side of the song, which I could feel through their vocals. While I am on the topic, the vocals were nice. I really liked the combination of the high and low notes in the song, as they really do mix well. By doing this, they keep to the song’s nature throughout the song (without unnecessary changeups) but also manages to bring out the best of each member. Like the vocals, the raps were also quite good. I was a little skeptical within the first few seconds how the raps would be incorporated but now, I don’t know why I was worried. I don’t want to say that the song is exactly soothing (due to the nature of the lyrics) but that was what my initial thought was. The only downside is that the song doesn’t seem to be that memorable. Firstly, the song doesn’t really climax, staying relatively linear. There were nice melodies and synths in the song but I don’t think either really made the song that memorable for me.

The video showed the members having some fun times (via flashbacks) with a girl who was in the same class. In the present, however, it is clear that she left (or something happened to her), which left the members visibly upset. At the end of the video, one of the members leave a flower on her desk. Now, this can either be a love confession but I am more convinced (as all the members were upset) that something happened to her, as this would explain the flower at the end. I thought the video was quite nice, fitting well with the song. The choreography scenes in front of that olden day looking building was really well done and my absolute favourite scenes in the entire video.

The one word that you would describe a dance that accompanies a song of this tempo is graceful. And I think that is the perfect word to describe it. While I do see moves that fit into a more dance centred performance, the performance does a great job of staying within that very fine line of balance between the two elements, which make it a standout performance to watch.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Special] LOOΠΔ Predebut Solo Song Reviews – Part 4

May 23, 2018May 23, 2018Posted in KPOP, Reviews, SpecialTagged LOOΠΔ, LOONALeave a comment

Please note these special posts are designed to be long and may require some time to read (if you plan on reading the entire post). To help shorten the length, the music video will be inserted as hyperlinked titles, so feel free to click the title of each section to watch the video.

After multiple requests about LOOΠΔ and reviews for their pre-release singles, it is time to start focusing on what seems to be a very promising girl group. Each Wednesday for the month of May, I will be releasing a special set of reviews for the LOOΠΔ members, which will focus on both their main and side-tracks as well.

LOOΠΔ is a 12-member girl group under Blockberry Creative. While they have yet to officially debut, their pre-debut promotion is extremely unusual. Starting in October 2016, each month a new member of the group is unveiled to the public. This continued until the end of March 2018. And with the completion of this pre-debut promotions, the group will be preparing and gearing up for their official debut which has been rumoured to be October this year.

Once I heard the project, I decided to wait for all the songs to be released (similar to what I did with previous project releases). I just didn’t anticipate for it to be such a long wait, as they also unveiled subunits made up of the already revealed members along the way, which drew the project out even longer. Talking about subunits, this is not the first time I have spoken about LOOΠΔ, as I have taken some time out to review and look closely to their subunit releases, which you can find out below.

LOOΠΔ 1/3 – Love & Live & Sonatine
LOOΠΔ Odd Eye Circle – Girl Front & Sweet Crazy Love

Today’s post will look at the side tracks that were released alongside the main tracks for the final 6 members. I couldn’t find any music videos for these songs, so the reviews may appear shorter.

Love Letter (Jinsoul & Kim Lip)

Jumping right at me for this song is how well the song flows. And with that, there was also a very delicate feel to the song. I liked how the vocals from the two members were brought out, highlighting their potential well. At first, I thought the song could have had a bolder drop into the chorus. However, what we got seemed to compliment their vocals quite well and I am satisfied with it. I particularly liked the twinkling sounds just before the chorus. On the other hand, I am not a major fan of the verses, which felt dull. And the poor English. But other than that, it was a decent song.

Puzzle (Jinsoul & Choerry)

The song had an exotic vibe to it, which I thought was nice. Once again, the vocals do jump out at me. But rather their normal pitch vocals didn’t do much of the screaming. Instead, the falsetto which they sang the chorus with stood out really well. However, while I do praise their singing, I am a little conflicted how it went with the instrumental. The vocals built up and you can hear the contrast between the different sections. The instrumental fell flat when it should have carried the vocals further. The whispering raps were too soft for my liking, as they could easily be missed. But it did offer some more texture to the song.

D-1 (Yves)

In contrast to her main track, new, D-1 manages to bring out the more delicate vocals that Yves didn’t really get to show. There is a mixture of singing and rap-speaking, which shows off some versatility. The song is honestly too dry for my taste. However, it did feel like something that Lim Kim or Jang Jane would release with their nasal vocals. I did like the harmonies with the background vocals and the indie-changeup during the bridge. I also liked her falestto note, which peaked the song nicely.

Girl’s Talk (Chuu & Yves)

We start to enter some grey area with the next few songs. I personally thought the vocals for this track was too light and high-pitched, in comparison to the rest of the songs on this list. The song does have a pop-diva type sound (almost disco with a modern twist), which was one likeable element. I really liked Yves rapping. It was limited but sounds awesome. I felt like the song was missing a breakdown, which could have given the song some life and appeal. Maybe it is because I put a lot of emphasis on the vocals, that I don’t really feel like they appeal to me in this song.

See Saw (Go Won & Chuu ft. Kim Lip)

Two things liked about this song: the opening vocals for all three members (Chuu was the best sounding overall in the entire song) and the drop into the chorus. The rest of the song just didn’t have enough for me to like. The chorus could have been more dynamic and filled more with content to become more catchy and appealing. Same could be said about the instrumental. I am not too sure why Kim Lip featured in the song, as she seemed to only get one line. Someone said that her line linked back to her song but I just don’t see the necessity to feature someone just for one line.

Rosy (Go Won & Olivia Hye ft. Heejin)

The final song I will be reviewing for the entire LOOΠΔ predebut project is Rosy. And I am glad it ends on a good note. The song contains youthful vocals that do sound quite cute, something that we didn’t get to see in either of Go Won’s or Olivia’s main tracks. The harmonies were nice. The bridge was my favourite part as it sounded quite random and quirky. Likewise, the instrumental on the end gives it a lasting impression and it also adds to the quirky side of the song.

Click here for Part 1 of the LOOΠΔ Solo Pre-debut reviews

Click here for Part 2 of the LOOΠΔ Solo Pre-debut reviews

Click here for Part 3 of the LOOΠΔ Solo Pre-debut reviews

Thank you all for reading the final part of my very late LOOΠΔ Solo Pre-debut reviews. I will be back with a new special segment in two weeks time, so click the follow button below so you know when it is out!

[Review] No More – UNI.T

May 20, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged UNI.TLeave a comment

One month after the male side of The Unit: Idol Rebooting Project show (UNB) made their official re-debut with Sense, it is time for the girls (UNI.T) to make their long-awaited re-debut. UNI.T compromises of Yang Jiwon (former member of Spica), Woohee (Dal Shabet), Yoonjo (former member of Hello Venus), ZN (Laboum), NC.A, Lee Hyun Joo (former member of April), Lee Suji (former member of The Ark), Euijin (Sonamoo) and Yebin (DIA). The mini-album release, Line, features the title track No More.

No More takes on the reggae-pop genre. While it does feel underwhelming at first, the song does grow quite a bit on you. Admittedly, it isn’t the catchiest piece of music released in the past week. However, it does feature a decent hook that appealed to my taste, at least. Like most songs, I thought the chorus was the main highlight. Rather than due to the actual music, it was the melody and vocals of the members that I liked. That may be due to fans picking a solid vocal line, as there wasn’t a rap section in the song. The ‘No More’ repetition is definitely growing on me and I loved how they voices did that part justice. The pre-choruses had that extra backing, which felt so much more interesting than the preceding verses. The only section which I thought was the messiest was the bridge with the unnecessary extra chimes and cymbals. All in all, it was a decent debut track that did the job nicely.

The video takes on a mature yet sensual concept. For some of the members who tend to fall towards the cutesy side of the girl group spectrum, this would be interesting. However, everyone fitted in nicely and no one looked out of place. I don’t know about you but I think it is clear that their company is favouring UNB, in terms of budget. UNI.T gets only one music video (so far) and it looks underbudget, especially with some of the scenes. Also, the editing for this looks rather poor. I don’t like how the camera angles were a little abstract but then no one shot remained for more than a second. Together, this creates a little mess that is really hard to miss.

I like how their performance started off with smaller groups and you don’t really get to see the whole team bridge. Despite the same moves appear for the chorus, you don’t really grow tired of it, regardless of how simple it turned out. Like the video, the choreography takes on a sensual vibe, which looks amazing. Overall, I thought it was one damn good piece of choreography.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.1/10

[Review] Wake Me Up – TWICE

May 19, 2018Posted in JPOP, ReviewsTagged TWICELeave a comment

Recently making their return to Japan is TWICE with Wake Me Up. They just wrapped up their promotions for their expectedly popular What Is Love? and have gone forth with a new song already! This is the group’s 3rd Japanese single and their second comeback in Japan for 2018 (the first being Candy Pop).

While it does have that catchy beat and simple hook that may get you singing along, the song doesn’t really feel that special. Instead, it feels mediocre and very typical, at best. The song started off with chanting (and this repeated throughout the song) and it felt quite cheesy, which left a lasting (not-so-great) impression on the rest of the song. It does sound quite childish, come to the think of it. The lyrics seem to have a supportive message. But given the cheesy nature of the song, I just can’t help to connect with the song. The instrumental, which felt very poppy, just feels a little disconnected with the song. Instead of going hand-in-hand, they just simply felt like they were layered underneath the vocals. Vocally, the song isn’t that bad. They sounded decent. The rapping was okay, not their absolute best. If I were to pick one moment that I thought was the best was Mina’s ‘dramatic life‘ line.

What I did like about the video was how high definition it was. I know, it says a lot about me. The video centres around Chaeyoung, who is editing the video for uploading. I guess even the top KPOP stars have to make some sort of living when they aren’t promoting. Hahaha… Besides that, there isn’t much else to the video.

The choreography, at least, looks like it was the most decent part of the whole comeback. It looked quite fun and the members looked like they enjoyed the entire routine, which in turn, speaks volume in its presentation and energy. It isn’t the next TT or Likey but it does the job just fine.

Song – 4/10
Music Video – 5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 4.9/10

[Review] Fake Love – BTS

May 18, 2018May 18, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged BTS2 Comments

This is currently the most anticipated comeback of the year thus far. BTS has returned with their 3rd full-length album, Love Yourself: Tear and the title track, Fake Love. The group is due to make their comeback stage at the Billboard Music Awards this upcoming Sunday, where they are nominated for Top Social Artist for the second year in the running! Not only is this an achievement for both BTS and ARMY, but this is an achievement for KPOP as well! But I am here to review Fake Love, so let’s get on with it!

Fake Love lives up to its hype. Majority of songs that tend to be hyped up end up falling flat and I think this is the first time that it hasn’t. What sets this apart from their previous title tracks is their vocals and rapping. You can hear the emotions pouring into the song. The singers sound amazing yet there is a sense of heartbreak in their voice. The rapping was powerful yet very fragile. Come together with the instrumental, it leaves you speechless (at least for me). The song mixes trap with grunge rock (according to Soompi) and while the combination does sound foreign, it fits into their long list of songs. The chorus was interesting, how it was split across the song. The second half of the chorus, ‘Fake Love’ repetition was heard earlier in the song, while the first half was heard after. I am not too sure if I am describing correctly but that is how I understood the structure. The chorus was addictive, with the ‘Fake Love’ repetition building up inside my head. It does irk me somewhat with the pronunciation of the word ‘Fake‘, which they make it sound like it is two syllables. But that is how Korean’s usually speak (i.e. emphasis on each syllable). All in all, the song is quite promising and definitely has what it takes to a world player.

I just want to start off by saying that literature and art is not my strong point. But there is a lot of visual aspects that allude to both forms which I am not 100% on talking about. From what I can gather from the video itself and the teasers is that the video talks about fear. Each member has a fear (such as V with technology and Jimin with water). Jungkook seems to be the most interesting, with a fear of the darkness and possible the past (seen by his running away from the collapsing floor). Over the course of the video, we see each member come to terms with their fear. Though I am not sure where the video goes from there. I would love to read theories, so please comment with any that you find interesting. Overall, the video was extremely well done. From the aesthetic to that amazing post-production editing for Jungkook’s running, this video nails that artistic vibe in an interesting wall. I liked the sets and their outfits. The only I strongly dislike is their hair for this video. It doesn’t look too good from what I am seeing.

The performance (from what can be seen) looked amazing. From the very start, all their moves looked so good. I really like how chaotic their move and formation got when it came to the ‘Fake Love‘ repetition which matched the overall vibe of the song at that moment. The start did look funny though.

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

[Review] How R U Today? – N.Flying

May 16, 2018May 26, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged N.FlyingLeave a comment

Making their comeback after 4 months is N.Flying, who asks you ‘How R U Today?’. Their last set of promotions was at the start of the year with Hot Potato. The title track, How R U Today?, is featured on their 4th mini-album, How Are You?. Since their awesome comeback at the start of the year, Hwesung collaborated with FT Island’s Hongki, releasing the power-vocal ballad Still Love You. Thought I mention it here since it is a collaboration that you should not miss out on!

N.Flying has had an energetic and fun-filled run with The Real and Hot Potato. How R U Today? tones it down to a very mature sounding level, which I totally think it is a great thing. Firstly, it provides some variety and it does take you back to their debut sound, which was a lot more serious and mature sounding. The alternative rock song does found a little foreign at first. However, it is one of those songs that you really get into after just a few listens. I really liked the buildup from the very start of the song (which was quite soft and almost fragile sounding) to that rock vibe in the chorus (which brings that strong feeling that they have portrayed in their previous title tracks). They did an awesome job with the incorporation of the raps, which I thought wouldn’t go with the song. And like their previous tracks, their vocals are amazing. I am just in awe of the chorus as it has that rock-able element that you seek in most Korean band songs.

In an interview that was released prior to their music video release, the members said that their concept for this comeback was ‘sentimental’ and ‘sexy’. And I think they nailed both quite well. While I am not 100% sure of the ‘sexy’ side of their comeback, they do visually look good. And the visuals don’t just apply to themselves. The video has great natural scenery and views that just leave this video feeling amazing. As for the sentimental side, it fits both the song and their acting. They are still heartbroken about their past relationship, which was well portrayed by all members. Overall, the video does seem to fall towards the boring side, however, it does fulfil the intended concepts of the group.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Special] LOOΠΔ Predebut Solo Song Reviews – Part 3

May 16, 2018May 16, 2018Posted in KPOP, Reviews, SpecialTagged LOOΠΔ, LOONALeave a comment

LOOΠΔ 1/3 – Love & Live & Sonatine
LOOΠΔ Odd Eye Circle – Girl Front & Sweet Crazy Love

Today’s post will look at the side tracks that were released alongside the main tracks for the first 6 members. I will be focusing on the song and music video standalone, as I am interested in doing another special post focusing on the connections between their music videos.

I’ll Be There – Heejin & Hyunjin

Jumping right at you is the funky and groovy synthesizer-overloaded song. It just creates an uplifting atmosphere that you cannot really avoid. I think a good word to describe the song is ‘crunchy’, as that is what you get with the synths and overall beat. I also really enjoyed the “dum dum” that was present at the start and during the bridge, almost bringing an acapella effect to the song. The lines and vocals don’t really stand out but the instrumental does a good job covering up that aspect. For the music video, I liked the home video concept and the brightness of the video seems to match the song. Likewise, the choreography looked good.

The Carol – Heejin, Hyunjin & Haseul

The Carol coincided with the Christmas season of 2017, so it makes sense for a Christmas styled song. Following I’ll Be There, the song does make you smile, which is definitely a great thing. However, I thought the song was relatively typical for a Christmas song. The vocals did stand out and I really liked the piano in the background of the instrumental. The video also focuses on the Christmas season, with good vibes coming from it. You can’t really go wrong in that department. There was no choreography for this song.

My Sunday – Heejin & Hyunjin

While this is also another bright sounding song, they toned down the energy and atmosphere. Instead, it is a more acoustic sounding and quite different from any of their main tracks, so it was quite nice to hear it. I don’t remember what I expected at first but the chorus sounded quite different to what I thought it would sound like. Despite that, what we got flowed very nicely. The harmonies between the two members were nice and the bridge really gave the song that peak it needed. The video was quite nice, showing the pair throughout the beautiful sites of Taiwan/China. Once again, there was no choreography.

My Melody – Yeojin & Haseul

Interestingly, My Melody is a similar song to My Sunday. The verses were quite similar (by ear), while the choruses felt quite different. This produced a completely different feel, leaning towards a soothing vibe, which I thought was equally as nice as My Sunday. The bridge did showcase some vocals but it sounded like they were pushing themselves. But it sounded quite nice overall. Like the previous video, it shows the pair hanging out on a nice day.

Everyday I Need You – ViVi ft. Jinsoul

Following the same concept as before, the song is a much slower version of the ViVi’s main track, Everyday I Love You (ft. Haeseul). It is interesting because while the two songs are very similar, the difference in tempo offers a completely different feeling. The slower song does point out her weakness in the vocal department but it is a fair effort. Jinsoul’s rap did push the song along, which I felt was needed towards the end. The shots of the music video were much more graceful, fitting in with the slower speed of the song. It also felt like a lover filmed the entire video, with ViVi being the main focus. Jinsoul did ‘appear’ in the video, however as she was not unveiled yet, her face was not captured.

Twilight – Kim Lip

Sadly, there is no music video for Twilight. Knowing how Kim Lip focused a lot on the performance side for her main track’s music video, I don’t know why I was caught off guard by the changeup. It started off as a ballad, with a nice piano instrumental layered on top of a heavy beat. Then it develops into a dance track. But it isn’t over the top. Rather it keeps in line with the verses but it isn’t a ballad-like sound anymore. The entire track does focus on her vocals as you can grasp a beautiful tone from the track. The song definitely becomes interesting with the chorus. And for that, it is probably my most favourite on this list.

Click here for Part 1 of the LOOΠΔ Solo Pre-debut reviews

Click here for Part 2 of the LOOΠΔ Solo Pre-debut reviews

Check back next week for the 4th (and final) part of the LOOΠΔ Solo Pre-debut reviews

[Review] Puzzle – Monsta X

May 12, 2018May 12, 2018Posted in JPOP, ReviewsTagged MONSTA XLeave a comment

Monsta X just wrapped up their promotions for Jealousy and is preparing for their upcoming world tour. However, in the midst of their Korean promotions, Monsta X dropped their next single and first album since their debut in Japan. The title of this new song is Puzzle, while the album has been named Piece. Their most recent comeback in Japan was Spotlight, which was released earlier in the year.

Contrary to the majority of their Korean releases and Spotlight, Puzzle is a much more colourful and bright song. While the song doesn’t feel Monsta-X-like, they do a pretty good job at bringing some of their well-known intensity to the table in this song. The song starts off with this autotuned whispering effect which is extremely repetitive but downright ear-catching. It actually turned out to be quite addictive. It then turns to Jooheon’s rapping, which does sound really awesome here. From then on, the rest of the song is a blur. I just can’t get into it and the rest of the song ends up being forgettable. The most memorable part was the bouncy chorus but that doesn’t say much. The rest of the vocals and the rapping was nice but they are pulling me back into the song. That is just what I feel personally about it and despite many replays after, the same events occur.

Similar to their song, the music video takes a different turn. In many ways, it has that Summer-time feel that Newton had channelling throughout it. So there isn’t anything special about it. Just a bunch of guys having fun in front of a camera. There is not really much that could go wrong here. However, the entire video feels a lot plainer in comparison to the said Korean counterpart. The paler colour palette just doesn’t do it for me. Maybe something more colourful (or brighter to say the least) could have given more energy to the video.

As far as I could tell, there is no performance for this comeback.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 5/10
Overall Rating – 5.6/10

[Review] Where Are You From? – FAVORITE

May 11, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged FavoriteLeave a comment

FAVORITE makes their return to the stage with Where Are You From?. This is the group’s first comeback since their debut with Party Time last year and their participation on the YG Entertainment produced survival show, MIXNINE. Where Are You From? is the title track off their second mini-album, which is titled as Love Loves to Love Love.

Where Are You From? is your basic girl group song that we see most girl groups do throughout their career. It is that cutesy and innocent sounding track that is either a complete hit or miss for me. However, I think for the first time ever (or at least, in a long while), their song isn’t a hit or a miss. It is just that typical track. Still listenable to without me cringing but not overthrowing their epic debut song. The song has this funky feel to it, which doesn’t cease to stop throughout the entire song. The verses were rather plain but I did like the slightly autotuned pre-chorus, which made the song sound somewhat quirky and appealing. The chorus was nice but it didn’t have a strong hook to really gain my attention. The vocal work was decent. The raps were probably the most disappointing section of the song. The added cutesy rap delivery doesn’t really do it for me and feels like the most cringest part of the song. I stand my first comments. It isn’t either amazing nor terrible. Just a good track to listen to.

I have no clue what is going on in the video. They seem to be on a spaceship, with one of the members playing with a toy plane. It drops and its results the girls being transported to another sandy planet with pink cacti. Being the optimistic bunch, they seem to settle onto the planet just fine and observing both the plane that crashed and their surroundings. One member encounters a fox human though… The rest of the video just doesn’t add anything else to the story. It is these videos that have ridiculous music videos that I tend to stay away from, mainly because they just don’t make much sense and just a way for the group to look exaggeratedly cutesy. Sorry but the video just wasn’t for me.

Their accompanying choreography was okay. Not mindblowing nor boring. Rather, just good, like their song. Though, I was more interested in listening to the song rather than watching the performance.

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