Category: Reviews

[Review] Cheeky Icy Thang – STAYC

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After a string of successful title tracks on mini and single albums since their debut in 2020 (such as last year’s Teddy Bear, RUN2U and ASAP), STAYC has returned with their first studio album Metamorphic. Leading the charge on this album is the title track Cheeky Icy Thang.

Cheeky Icy Thang receives mixed feelings from me. I liked some parts of Cheeky Icy Thang, but other parts felt questionable (at best). Let’s start off with the positives of Cheeky Icy Thang. The electronic strutting instrumental had good drive and forward momentum. There was also this attitude to it, which I wished the song explored a bit more. This could have made Cheeky Icy Thang into something else. I also enjoyed the detailing in the background. This added a layer of the playful STAYC colour that we all know and enjoy, and also kept the backing as a compelling listen. Very brief parts of Cheeky Icy Thang, such as the second half of the verses, had this vibrancy from the members’ vocals, which adds more STAYC colour to the song. I am not exactly sure if it fits in, but considering the other weaker points Cheeky Icy Thang which I am about to speak to, I am labelling this vibrancy as a positive. I also find the concept of the some of the delivery to be quite good, such as the autotune that bridges the verses and choruses. Now onto the weaker parts of the song. The lyrics were definitely questionable and felt more like gibberish. “Whisky ring a ring ding dong” just doesn’t do it for me. While I did like some of the vocals and concept of some of the delivery (as mentioned above), the silliness of the lyrics made the delivery and execution awkward. The use of rap-singing felt overused in the song, as well. Lastly, the abrupt ending (and lack of a bridge and final chorus) meant Cheeky Icy Thang didn’t close in a satisfying way. Cheeky Icy Thang has its charms and it could be a matter of further listens to really have the song grab me. But for now, mixed feelings is the best way to describe my thoughts on the song.

While that the above is how I think about the song, the music video fairs a bit better. I liked watching the accompanying video to Cheeky Icy Thang. That strutting vibe that I mentioned above is reflected in the music video, when the members cause chaos behind the scenes at a modelling shoot. I think this is supposed to demonstrate a “cool” side of the group. Elsewhere, the chaos continues on outside on the streets. What I saw reflects the summery season with the bright sunlight, cheerful smiles from the members and a casual vibe. The music video was designed to be light-hearted and fit in with the dynamism of the song, which I personally think worked.

Choreography wise, it looked okay. I am not sure what would be a better way to show Cheeky Icy Thang in some dance moves, but I am not sure what we saw in the routine was that. I did like the part of the routine for the instrumental break, however. The ending pose is growing on me, but looked a little awkward at first.

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

[Review] FOREVER – BABYMONSTER

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Back in May, YG Entertainment announced plans for BABYMONSTER to return later in the year with their first studio album, and that a single would be released in July as a pre-release. Well, it is now July and YG Entertainment confirmed BABYMONSTER release officially dropped on Monday as promised! Hahaha… Remember those days? The pre-release single is titled FOREVER and follows on from the release of STUCK IN THE MIDDLE and SHEESH from earlier on in the year.

I am genuinely surprised with FOREVER, particularly when we hit the choruses. BABYMONSTER’s songs have not really pulled me in thus far, but FOREVER is the first to catch my attention and bring out a positive reaction from me (for the most part). The pop vibes in the chorus are different from what YG usually produces and releases for their artists. For the instrumentation, FOREVER‘s club-like background during chorus hits the mark, for me. The vocal work in the pre-chorus and choruses of FOREVER were nicely executed and further demonstrates that there is promise for the group. Even I received the rapping throughout the track positively. But while I do appreciate all of this, FOREVER does have a few issues that limits the song’s potential collectively. Firstly, I felt FOREVER was disjointed due to the various pauses between different segments of the song. If the song was ‘tighter’ on many fronts, I felt this would have made FOREVER more cohesive as one piece. Secondly, FOREVER suffers due to the presence of the not-so-innovative second verse. It isn’t the rapping that gets me (per my earlier comments), but rather it is the breakdown that has to accompany the second verse rap in every YG song. I don’t see the need to stick to a breakdown every single time. Surely, someone would have realized this by now. I also think this sequence features the same (or extremely similar) synths to what we heard in SHEESH, which confirms to me there is a lack of innovation at the company. Thirdly, not keen on the soft utterances of “Like I’mma live forever” and “Like I’mma like I’mma” in the background of the chorus. They felt needless and don’t add anything to the song. Overall, FOREVER is a refreshing turn for BABYMONSTER (and their company), but there are some issues meddling its overall potential.

With KPOP’s growing presence at the big fashion shows, we see BABYMONSTER get ready for one of them in the music video for FOREVER. And following that, they have fun in each other’s company, what is assume, is following that fashion show. I liked the classy yet modern looks they had on throughout the video, and the sets were pretty cool. However, I do feel like there is a slip in standards. YG Entertainment videos always scream out to me for its high quality, but I don’t feel that here.

FOREVER has one of those routines that looks goods and feels fitting for the song. But it didn’t have anything in it that really stands out.

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

[Review] Strawberry Rush – CHUU

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Another comeback that occurred this week was CHUU’s solo return with her 2nd mini-album and title track, both of which are titled Strawberry Rush. I thought I prioritise this comeback for two reasons. The first is because I missed out on reviewing her solo debut back in October last year (with her 1st mini-album and title track Howl). Given all that she (and the rest of LOONA) have gone through over the last few years, I think CHUU (and the rest of the other post-LOONA acts) deserve some attention. As such, I will be looking for opportunities to review other post-LOONA acts that have made comebacks and debuts this year. I will point out the second reason later on in the music video.

Strawberry Rush feels very CHUU-coded. It is fun, cutesy, bubbly and energetic – all words I would use to describe CHUU. If the intent of the song was to bring a smile to our faces, then Strawberry Rush is a success for me, at least! Though I am sure there are others that felt the same need to smile listening to Strawberry Rush. The synthwave instrumentation was light and breezy, which feels fitting for the summery season the audience in Korea is currently experiencing, as well as current trends. CHUU’s vocals fit into light and breezy motif effortlessly and held its ground throughout Strawberry Rush. However, I would have liked to hear something a little more interesting from her in the song. The melodies, and as a result her delivery, felt very linear and safe for most of the track. It is as if she is being held back. The energy Strawberry Rush exudes does mask this a lot. But really focusing in on the song for this review has made me realized that not everything in Strawberry Rush is as sweet as it is seems. Her high note is a good example of this ‘more interesting’ element, but that was quite later on in the song. It could be argued that her rapping in the second verse was ‘interesting’. But I felt it to be a little too awkward, even though I am going to admit that it is growing on me ever so slowly. The more I listen to Strawberry Rush, I can’t imagine the song without the rapping. But despite my desire to hear more from CHUU in Strawberry Rush, I am quite on board with the song as it is already.

I only got around to watching the music video today. And as I watched it, I recognized that the real-life background were quite familiar – it was shot in Melbourne, Australia! And that is the second reason why I wanted to review Strawberry Rush. I am always willing to give a shout out to Melbourne, which is where I grew up. I really like how the video really made the colours of Melbourne pop and showed off its casual side. Aside having a moment about where the music video was shot, I also appreciated the CGI monsters, the post-production and CHUU’s overall cuteness. If the song didn’t make you crack a smile, then this music video will.

As for the performance, it was just as cute and fun as you expect! I really liked the simplicity of the post-chorus sequence, with the wide spread arms and bouncing move. To me, that summed up the entire comeback extremely well.

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

[Review] Cosmic – Red Velvet

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I know I haven’t posted over the last few days (work depleted all of my energy) but now we find ourselves at the end of the week. But I don’t think I can ‘end the week’ perse without reviewing Red Velvet’s latest comeback, Cosmic, which is both the title track and title of their 7th mini-album. Obviously, this review is just for the song, and I will definitely be returning to review the album some time in the future. Cosmic is the group first release since last year’s Chill Kill studio album and lead single comeback.

Elegant and soothing is what came to my mind when I first heard Cosmic on Monday. I wasn’t completely sold on it, at first, and I will speak to that in a moment. But repeat listens to Cosmic since its release has helped me realized that the track is indeed wonderful. Cosmic has this really enjoyable smooth flow to it, thanks to the members’ vocals and the song’s melodies. I honestly would not expected this from Cosmic‘s instrumental, which takes on a slightly more groovier texture and disco profile. But then again, Red Velvet have previously spun a unexpecting sound profile into something aesthetic (like Chill Kill and Psycho), and in the case of Cosmic, tranquil. The melodies themselves have a nice ring to them, and that gets the song in my mind even after it has ended. What I also liked about Cosmic is the spark of brightness the members bring to the song, whilst singing about a short-lived love-at-first-sight interaction. This brightness and the earlier mentioned flow propels the song forward for me, making it feel like it went somewhere. I also really enjoyed the harmonies and ad-libs that Cosmic had. A great song, overall.

But earlier I mentioned that I wasn’t completely sold on Cosmic in the first listen and part of me still feels that way. It stems from an inherent problem with ‘smooth songs’. Too smooth can make a song easily be passed over. Because I know what music Red Velvet puts out, I will always check them out (no matter the level of smoothness). I just not sure how this would go with the broader audience who don’t tune into Red Velvet as often, or know about Red Velvet whatsoever. As such, I feel like Cosmic needed a striking element. I am not sure what that would be, but it needs something aesthetic enough to fit in with the rest of itself and also really grip the audience at the same time.

As confirmed at the end of the video, the music video for Cosmic is inspired with Midsommar, a film about an American couple in a deteriorating relationship who are drawn into a violent cult in rural Sweden. Obviously, Red Velvet’s visual material doesn’t focus on the first part or the violence that featured in that movie. But the video does feature a similar cult from the movie. Flowers and the maypole are elements also taken from the movie. Additionally, we see a person fall from the sky and the cult members (including Red Velvet) pick them up and carry them to their base to be sacrificed (I think this is the case based on the placement of flowers on the eyes towards the end). Both the person who fell from the sky and Red Velvet seem interested in one another throughout the video. But as the song lyrics suggests, this is rather short-lived, given my theory that a sacrifice had to happen. Interesting video overall, as well as an interesting choice for a KPOP music video inspiration.

The choreography for this comeback is very pretty. The pace and moves all match the smooth drive that the song has, and focuses on an output of elegance. I also like how the performance was also very smiley, which shows off a great side of Red Velvet.

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

[Review] If I’m S, Can You Be My N? – TWS:

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As mentioned two days ago, TWS:’ comeback was just around a corner. Titled If I’m S, Can You Be My N?, the new single dropped yesterday and formed part of TWS:’ highly anticipated first comeback with their second mini-album Summer Beat!. A pre-release single, Hey! Hey!, was released a couple of weeks back. I will return at a later date to review that track. For now, here are my thoughts on the title track.

If KPOP has taught me anything about Summer over the years, Summer songs usually stand out if they tick the following – the song is upbeat; full of energy; bright; and fun. If I’m S, Can You Be My N? definitely ticks 4 out of 4 criteria. This in itself already makes If I’m S, Can You Be My N? hold a lot of promise. But there is also a lot more to If I’m S, Can You Be My N?, such as its ear-catching hooks and its dynamic instrumentation that has a lot of musical details that increases its fun energy and brightness. The guitar and keyboard at the start and end of the song are examples of these details that bookmark either ends of the song in a very pop and colourful manner. The groovy backing elsewhere in the song also had this forward driving motion that pushed the song and made it go places. But that isn’t all that stands out in If I’m S, Can You Be My N?. TWS:’ youthful vocals are on full display throughout the track, which just suits the summery season so well. SHINYU’s rapping was also quite exceptional, fast becoming my favourite moments in the song. Overall, TWS: definitely delivered on expectations that was set via their debut mini-album and title track. I don’t think they have exceeded those expectations with If I’m S, Can You Be My N? (as such, I have gave the same song rating as I did with plot twist). But you can tell they put in a lot of effort for a successful comeback.

TWS: continues their schoolboy concept in the music video for If I’m S, Can You Be My N?. The video shows the members at (what looks like to be) hagwons – like an after school tutoring centre that South Korean students attend. We see the members also skip hagwons to hang out with one another, and also do other extra curricular activities like athletics (more specifically, high jump). This brings together two students who are opposite to one another – the studious and the sports player – with the members expressing their “heart-fluttering excitement about getting to know the numerous reasons why opposites attract” (taken from SOOMPI) in the lyrics. It was a vibrant and very colourful video, without a doubt intended to be suitable for the summery season.

The performance for this comeback is very dynamic and this made it very exciting to watch. Again, I applaud the fact they brought some youthfulness (and as an extension of that, some cuteness) to the routine. Their chemistry and the fact they are constantly moving definitely made it another strong routine that I am sure TWS: will continue to stand out with.

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

[Review] SABOTAGE – KWON EUNBI

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Next up on the blog (and finally moving away from Monday releases) is KWON EUNBI’s SABOTAGE. This new single is featured on her second single album of the same name, and follows on from her 2023 single The Flash.

SABOTAGE continues KWON EUNBI’s venture into club music. I liked the set up behind SABOTAGE and the groovy disco elements in the instrumental that gives SABOTAGE a very bright and poppy feel, ideal of the summer season. KWON EUNBI delivers the song to the best of her abilities – that must be acknowledged. All in all, I think SABOTAGE is an alright song. But there are a few aspects upon reflection that makes SABOTAGE feel awkward for me. The first has to be KWON EUNBI’s vocals. I don’t think she is at fault, however. For some reason, the producers pushed her vocals to be higher than what it needs to be. As such, KWON EUNBI sounded scratchier than usual. Not exactly sure what the intent is by doing this, as it doesn’t necessarily put her in a good light as a singer. As mentioned before, she does well enough but I can tell that she is pushed beyond her limits. The second aspect that makes the song awkward was the second verse. The energy in SABOTAGE was good before and after the second verse. But I am not entirely sure why it needed to lull via another one of those typical trap-based sequence. Sure, it gives SABOTAGE some variety, but it felt counter intuitive at the same time. Thirdly, I am not fond of the song’s shouty lines in the background of the chorus, the “Stop, wait, let’s go” in the first verse and the “This is sabotage” as the bridge between the first chorus and second verse. I personally feel they are out of place and have no clue what value of these lines are to SABOTAGE.

As with all KWON EUNBI’s music videos, her visuals stands out. If there is anything to take away from this video, it is just that KWON EUNBI is stunningly beautiful. Alongside all the visuals and choreography shots, this particular music video features a story. KWON EUNBI plays a character that is part of a group of friends who have a romantic interest with one another. But it gets real messy when KWON EUNBI catches two of her friends kissing, leading her to (possibly) end her friendship with them. The fourth friend also has romantic feelings for her, but she quickly shuts it down following what happened with the other two. That is what I got out of the music video. And if my interpretation is right, then KWON EUNBI’s character’s reaction is confusing (as she also had romantic interests in both of her friends).

As for the performance, this one was very good. I really liked how chair was incorporated into the first portion of the routine. I won’t spoil it for you, but she doesn’t exactly use the chair for its intended purpose. Lifting KWON EUNBI up at the end and having the chair continue to spin even after she finishes was an interesting way to end the routine. The rest of the choreography was well presented and showed off her skills as a dancer, as well. The dancers also looked good and performed well with KWON EUNBI.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] Badder Love – EVNNE

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In true KPOPREVIEWED spirit, it is the end of the week and I am still reviewing the releases from Monday. The song in question up for review in this post is EVNNE’s Badder Love, the title track off the group’s newly released 3rd mini-album RIDE or DIE. This comeback follows the group’s January 2024 comeback with Un: SEEN and UGLY.

While their previous tracks (TROUBLE and UGLY) have been of a bold and bombastic motif, Badder Love sees EVNNE answer to the summer period that South Korea and other people in the Northern Hemisphere are experiencing. As for someone who likes the summer time more and is currently living in a part of Australia where it has been freezing lately, songs like Badder Love can be very appealing to me right now. For the most part, it does. Badder Love‘s instrumental is more of the pop variety, with nice pronounced guitar work right in the back and a refreshing set of synths. I like the more casual and carefree rush of energy that comes from Badder Love, which aids in making it a refreshing listen. As for the members, Badder Love gives the group an opportunity to show off a more melodic side, which is a fresh turn in their promotional material. I like the lightness that the members execute the song’s melodies with. Even the rappers of EVNNE join in with vocal parts, which was interesting. But despite listening to the song multiple times since it dropping on Monday, my initial thoughts on the song still stand – I wished there was more to Badder Love. More personality and individuality in some form could have made Badder Love even more compelling to listen to. EVNNE’s execution and delivery of Badder Love is fair, but also typical. It lacks that EVNNE factor and punch that I personally felt EVNNE had found in their earlier releases.

The music video description explains what the intent of the video is, leaving no room for misinterpretation. This whole mini-album supposedly “portray EVNNE’s reckless stance on love by using a phrase [RIDE or DIE], emphasizing the trust and loyalty of ‘together until the end’“. In the music video, we see the members as a group of friends who have taken up boxing together. They struggle with it in different ways, but are determined to reach their goals with one another. As such, we see the members consistently hanging out with one another despite of any regrets they may have about this journey. I liked the summery vibes that the video contains and that montage of the choreography shots at the 2:43 minute mark of the video looked very cool.

I liked how more fluid the performance felt, which gave off a more refreshing vibe to the choreography and complemented the song well in same regard. Their past performances have been more sharp and restricted because of the nature of the respective song. The inclusion of the love hearts was a cute element that works with the messaging of Badder Love, and I quite like the look of the stage as a whole when the members pull off their controlled wide arm movements in the chorus.

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

[Review] Last Night – JEONGHAN X WONWOO (SEVENTEEN)

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SEVENTEEN only just returned with their compilation album 17 IS RIGHT HERE (headlined by their latest new single MAESTRO). The album also consist of unit tracks (split by their usual Hip-Hop, Performance and Vocal teams), which I am looking to review at a later stage. They have also been fairly busy holding concerts this year and been on tour throughout Asia. But the 13-member group continues to be active through a new unit JEONGHAN x WONWOO. This duo unit brings us the new single Last Night (which features guitarist Park Joo Won), which is featured on the single album This Man.

It has been a couple of days since the release of Last Night and that naturally gives me an opprtunity to take a few listens to the song. Through these multiple listens, I can confidently say I like Last Night. The song didn’t strike me the first time I listen to it, but subsequent listens have made realize how good the song actually is. The aspect I always notice first when I have replay the song is its instrumentation. The Latin influence of the guitar, the guitar work (in general courtesy of Park Joo Won), the contemporary synths and pounding bass (which becomes more prevalent in the chorus) just makes this track ooze so much charisma, sexiness and alluring energy. I also like how these instrumentals meld together so well in Last Night. They all had great chemistry with one another, and this sets up Last Night to be a good track. The combination of JEONGHAN and WONWOO backs all of that up. I wasn’t particularly sure what style of music the pair would be delivering, but I am happy this is what they arrived at. The whispery nature of their delivery throughout Last Night reiterates that alluring nature I already mentioned. On the flip side, the contrast between their vocals (JEONGHAN being a little more high pitched, and WONWOO singing/rapping in a lower tone) makes Last Night feel textured and gives off a natural perception of depth. WONWOO’s rapping in the second verse, in particular, always seems to hit the right spot each time when it comes on. The melody of Last Night is quite catchy, though I do think the instrumental does mask its fluidity. But that is only a minor detail, and it doesn’t really change the fact I am liking Last Night overall.

The music video was a bit confusing to me. But in the lead up to the release of the music video, JEONGHAN x WONWOO released an audiobook teaser, which gives you context about urban legend of This Man, as they call it. It is also a recount of what is happening in the music video. I recommend you check out this audiobook teaser and then the music video, as this package will help you understand the story JEONGHAN x WONWOO are portraying in the music video and saves me off writing a not-even-accurate interpretation of the music video (which I have done previously!). I honestly find the concept of an ‘audiobook’ teaser to be so cool, and wish KPOP music videos does this more. As for the actual music video itself, I really like the mysterious and intriguing vibes that come from the video. And once the story clicks, it is definitely a worthwhile watch.

Choreography-wise, it looked good. It felt artistic and brought out great chemistry between the pair. You could feel the subtle tension between the pair throughout the routine, which made the stage feel more compelling to watch. I also like how the routine builds in dynamic flair as it progresses, peaking at the end for the final chorus as a final rush to the end of the performance.

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

[Review] Boom Boom Bass – RIIZE

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RIIZE officially started teasing the release of their first mini-album RIIZING way back in April of this year. They kicked it off with the full version of Siren at the start of April. Then followed the release of Impossible mid-April (which they promoted), and then followed up with the side tracks 9 Days, Honestly and One Kiss (released at the end of April – the former and latter I have yet to review). Two months on from the initial release, the group has released Boom Boom Bass as the primary title track from the mini-album.

While RIIZE has definitely explored funk before through the release of Get A Guitar and to a lesser degree in Talk Saxy (which is featured as part of the RIIZING mini-album), nothing has felt as concentrated as Boom Boom Bass. You get the funky and groovy vibes from the very first second and it stays present throughout the rest of the song. The guitar work in the background is definitely a highlight, as well as the pounding beat. Complementing that energy during the chorus is a bright pop energy that makes Boom Boom Bass even more likeable. Include a repetitive hook like the deep and low ‘Boom ba doom, Boom Boom Bass‘ and you have a song that is extremely hard to turn away from. Only just a couple of listens in and I can confirm that Boom Boom Bass has grown immensely on me, even though I was already enjoying the track from my first listen. The vocal work was vibrant and I liked the flair the rapping brought to the song. The ending sees the group get a little chanty, which I thought was a refreshing tone for the song. The only part within Boom Boom Bass that I am ‘umming and aahing’ about is the instrumental break. It obviously follows the momentum and trajectory that was built up prior to it, but it also felt too similar to the rest of the song. I think Boom Boom Bass could have been benefited from a little more flair to it. I didn’t feel that it seized the moment as well as it could have. But again, it wasn’t bad and it didn’t change the outcome of my final thoughts on Boom Boom Bass – that this is another great energetic song from RIIZE.

The music video begins with a mysterious guitar from outer space crashing into a music shop on Earth, causing massive chaos. I can only assume that everyone has heard and is searching for the guitar. While it isn’t shown, somehow WONBIN manages to grab hold of it. But as it is a mysterious guitar, it transports WONBIN back to outer space, only to come crashing down onto Earth once again. This time around, it makes the headlines. Throughout all the chaos and space travel, the RIIZE members still make the most of the situation and has fun throughout the events of the video. And this translates into a fun watching experience. For me, SOHEE had a strong grasp on me and stood out the most in the video.

Dance-wise, I think Boom Boom Bass has an awesome routine. The leg bounce movement that accompanies the main hook of the song looked very cool and brings a mature touch to the choreography. SHOTARO’s solo moment in the dance break was also very impressive – his performance skills are definitely on full display in that moment. And the energy the members deliver collectively at the end was fantastic.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8.9/10

[Review] ABCD – NAYEON (TWICE)

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Two years on from her solo debut with the widely successful POP!, NAYEON has returned a solo artist with her new single ABCD and 2nd mini-album titled NA.

NAYEON throws us all back to the early 00s with ABCD. Within a matter of seconds of recognising the the strong presence of the hip-hop and R&B influence from that era in ABCD, I was very much into the song. The verses pays nice homage to the era. But I loved that NAYEON goes even further when it came to the chorus, which I put down to amazing replication of said era. So much so that it took me right back to the music that I was exposed to while growing up. Her vocals were really well done throughout ABCD, and I do really liked the slight spoken nature of the chorus. All of this (i.e., her execution and delivery) exuded a lot of natural charisma and personality that helps make ABCD very addictive and attractive to me. As for the instrumentation, I liked the strummy and plucky nature of the guitar throughout the verses. I also found that additional string instrument (which I have no idea what it is) to be very intriguing, but in a good way. The chorus brings out more of a dance pop and hip-hop colour in its instrumental, finishing off with fast beats that definitely is a throwback to that 00s era. The music video version of ABCD features a dance break that (in its current form) slides effortlessly into the song. I personally think it could have gone harder to give NAYEON more opportunity to showcase her performance skills, but it is a pity that the official studio version doesn’t feature any of it whatsoever. It didn’t disrupt the flow or needless break the song. Aside from that, however, I am definitely impressed with ABCD on many levels and how nature NAYEON comes off in the song.

Throughout the music video, NAYEON is portrayed as a show-stopper. Everyone throughout the video becomes engrossed when NAYEON walks by, to the point that it is causing car accidents as we saw at the start of the music video. I honestly don’t blame them – I too would be in awe if NAYEON was to walk by me on the streets one day. I liked the idea of no matter the era or location, NAYEON’s presence is always the talk and focus. Her various looks throughout the music video were all stunning, my favourite is that long red dress. Very striking. Just like the song, I liked how some of the shots reflected that 90s vibe quite well. I do have one issue with the music video, however. The CGI text that appears in the video (‘A Girl Named NAYEON’, ‘Crossing the Cosmos’) cheapens it and felt totally unnecessary. It didn’t help they looked like WordArt.

The performance for this comeback is amazing. She really showed us a more mature side with the choreography, which suits the song. The hip-hop influence also comes through quite well. I really liked the chorus routine, particularly when those fast beats came through. Great to see the dance break on stage. I did like how the routine in the music video was a little more daring. It definitely pushes the boundaries, but doesn’t do it a very in your face manner.

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

[Review] CoinciDestiny – Weki Meki

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In case you are unaware, another group has sadly disbanded this past week. The group in question is Weki Meki, who made their debut back in 2017 with I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend and released music up until 2021. Their final release (prior to this one) was Siesta. Almost 3 years on from that release. their company Fantagio confirmed that Weki Meki will be disbanding after releasing one final single, CoinciDestiny, which dropped this week. I wish the very best for Weki Meki’s 8 member lineup in all future endeavours.

Disbandment songs, knowing that disbandment is the only thing to come after it, are hard to review. Given that it is the last confirmed song in a group’s career, it would always be harsh to say anything that isn’t positive, especially since the group has (more than likely) put everything behind the song to bring closure to themselves and their fans. CoinciDestiny makes the job much easier, with Weki Meki delivering a sweet and sentimental sound in their final track. It isn’t their most dynamic or catchiest track ever, but I am sure long time fans would enjoy the straight forward nature of the pop song. For me, I enjoyed that straight forward side to the vocals, with a hint of rapping in the second verse. Nothing too heavy, suitable for the occasion. The chorus has a nice slight definition added to clearly differentiate the different parts of CoinciDestiny, and the hook that follows the main chorus had a nice ring to it. The instrumentation, whilst admittedly plain, did give CoinciDestiny some substance, something that would have been lacking should Weki Meki had walked down the balladry route for this final release. But I don’t think that style would have suited Weki Meki as well as CoinciDestiny did. There is supposed to one additional comment (which I have already alluded to above) that is not as positive like the rest of the review. But on this occasion, I am not going to entertain that thought. I am just grateful that the group got to release one final song, a privilege not many other KPOP groups get unfortunately.

Watching this music video (and taking note of some of their past videos), it is clear to me (and probably everyone else) that their company had dropped the ball when it came to Weki Meki. I would probably go one further to suggest that perhaps the company didn’t even want a music video (or possibly even a final song), but Weki Meki pushed for it. That is purely speculation from me, but I would think that Fantagio would have given a bigger budget for this release had it been their idea. This is further backed up with the rumours circulating around that the members self-produced this last release (including the music video). Anyhow, the music video sees the members search for and find clues that bring them back together one last time. It fits the sentimental tone of the final song. The videos ends with the members are running away together as it fades out, which I am sure fans will find meaningful as a final scene.

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

[Review] Revenge – (G)I-DLE

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If you can’t already tell, me reviewing the side tracks that have music video so closely to one another is a sure sign that an album review is coming up. For (G)I-DLE, the album in question is 2, their 2nd studio length album. An album review for 2 can be expected this weekend. I reviewed Wife last week and Super Lady was reviewed a couple of weeks after its release. Whilst going over the album for the album review, I did realize I forgot to cover one song that also got the music video treatment – Revenge, the second song on the studio album 2.

Revenge is another short song, clocking under 2:30 minutes. Listening the song a couple of times for this review, I am still caught off guard by how short it actually feels. But despite it being short, (G)I-DLE manages to still pack a fair bit into the song. Revenge features two big influences in its instrumental – the rock in the choruses and a Latin sound that backs SOYEON’s rap sequence in the second verse. There is a bit of a groovy touch to the first verse, but I put that in the realm of rock as well. As for the execution of vocals and rapping, (G)I-DLE did well in Revenge. MIYEON’s vocals stood out the most in the song, with her vocals clear and powerful. SOYEON’s rapping sounded quite sleek and I prefer her charisma in this delivery than her other deliveries in the past. The only part I am not exactly sure of is MINNIE’s part in the second pre-chorus. It just seemed a bit too high pitched, relative to the rest of Revenge. I do think Revenge could have benefited from a stronger melody to really pull the song together and give this shorter song a memorable element. The chorus itself served as a decent central point to anchor and pull us in, but it didn’t last for long (based on how I completely forgot about song prior to the upcoming album review). Something similar can be said about the “La La La‘ at the end, but I not sure if that can be categorised as a hook given its brief and at the end of the song. Overall, Revenge is a good song and serves (G)I-DLE well for the most part.

The music video is age restricted due to the domestic violence and murder scenes in the video. Am I allowed to say that? Not sure. Oh well, spoilers ahead. I have to say, this is one interesting music video. Essentially, it begins with an explosion involving Shuhua as the victim (i.e., Victim Shuhua) and her partner. Another character played by Shuhua comes into the picture as the detective to investigate the explosion. The suspects she is investigating are patrons or workers at the hotel in which the explosion occurred – Minnie (a celebrity), Soyeon (the maid), YUQI (a musician) and MIYEON (another detective). It turns out each person (sans Detective Shuhua) became involved when MINNIE was seen running away from Victim Shuhua’s room, shocking YUQI. SOYEON also comes from the same direction, suggesting she showed MINNIE the what had happened in the room, and MIYEON became looped in after seeing the aftermath of this encounter between everyone. Later on, it was revealed what has been happening to Victim Shuhua – she was a domestic violence victim. However, she fights back with the help of her new friends. I quite like this montage of events, from the POV of the partner. Victim Shuhua hits him back enough to draw some blood, YUQI knocks him out with her guitar. The partner then wakes up to see SOYEON pouring gasoline over the partner, MIYEON stabs the partner to incapacitate and MINNIE lights the match to set the place alight (which probably prompted the explosion). Later on, SOYEON is seen disposing of the body, while MIYEON removes evidence (i.e. the pen she uses to stab her friend’s partner) as she questions MINNIE earlier on in the video. Victim Shuhua stays in the hotel room and becomes a victim in the explosion, probably to pin everything on the dead partner (whose body was later discovered, leading to this investigation). As for detective Shuhua, we see her piecing the events in the video together. But once it clicks, she doesn’t proceed to arrest anyone, letting everyone get away with the revenge murder. Violence of any kind and murder is never the answer, but it made for an intriguing storyline in this instance and I really liked how dark it is. I do feel like the video has a few gaps, and I wished the video was longer to accommodate those missing details to tell a more complete story.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

I case you can’t see the music video for its age restriction, but want to hear the song still.

[Review] ZOMBIE – EVERGLOW

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EVERGLOW makes their comeback today with a creepy song titled ZOMBIE. It is their first comeback since last year’s SLAY, which ended a 20 month hiatus. Since that comeback, the group has been on tour in the US, Europe and Japan.

My first thought that ran through my mind when listening to ZOMBIE for the first time is that EVERGLOW’s signature synth-heavy club sound is no more. ZOMBIE is the first track that doesn’t rely so heavily on synths, opting for acoustics in the verses and a very simple yet alluring beat that brings forth a creepy atmosphere in the choruses. There was missed opportunity to build ZOMBIE into a more EVERGLOW sounding track by really amping the second half of the chorus. That easily could have slipped into an intense synth drop or club sound and ZOMBIE could still return to the acoustics in the second verse and bridge. Instead, we don’t get much out of the follow through and this makes ZOMBIE a little too consistent for my liking. ‘Too consistent’, in this case, means ‘unexciting’. Similarly, the vocal work in ZOMBIE is all similar, and so that ‘too consistent’ continues to prevail. Though the way the producers added definition via the whispery vocals in the background was pretty cool. So was the vocal work in the bridge, which was a stilling moment for me. I do like how the group kept their vocals low throughout the song, which complements that creepy atmosphere that I mentioned above. ZOMBIE‘s melodies and hooks were sleek and subtle, which is complementary to the same atmosphere above. However, I do miss the punchiness past EVERGLOW hooks have given us and the melodies do get sluggish as the song progresses. The brief drum beats and touch of strings at the end were very nice detail in the song Overall, ZOMBIE is a very different sound to what the group put out in the past. And based on the above, mixed feelings come to mind. At the moment, I feel like ZOMBIE is alright song, but I think more listens could change that (though I am not exactly sure which side I would lean then).

On the surface, the music video appears to tackle the social issues of becoming addicted to our smartphones, turning us into zombies. The members are still seen moving about with their phones, but the way they move mirrors how a zombie would feel. When you consider the lyrics of ZOMBIE in tandem, the members sing about how the emotions from a heartbreak with their former lover can turn them into zombies. The phones in the video might represents the remnants of the former lover in the members’ lives, such as memories stored in photos, videos and past messages. Their phone may also contain their former lover’s phone number, which the members could be wanting to call and reach out to. All of these memories and desires ultimately prevent them from moving on, reverting them to a zombie form. If the problem persist, it creates a void (i.e., blackhole) within them, which makes them very dangerous. I did like the spooky feel of the video, with the sterile environment of a hospital working well with that mindset. The only aspect I am unsure about is the wind storm at the end of the video.

While the song isn’t their most dynamic or intense one yet, ZOMBIE‘s choreography is actually quite good. The synchronisation definitely grab my attention and this added to the creepy factor of the comeback. The members all donning the same black hair colour and similar white dresses on their showcase stage also contributes to that same creepy factor. The “Ra Ri Ra Ri Ra” part of the routine looks to be my favourite aspect of the choreography.

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

[Review] SPOT! – ZICO ft. JENNIE (BLACKPINK)

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2024 has seen a few collaborations drop. But I don’t think any got as much fanfare as SPOT! did, which sees ZICO and JENNIE (from BLACKPINK) join forces. Both artists are widely popular in their own right. ZICO is a very familiar name when it comes to collaborations and JENNIE is widely known for being part of BLACKPINK and her solo works, as well. SPOT! dropped at the end of April, so apologies for only getting around to reviewing it now.

I will be honest – I didn’t pay much attention to the song when it was released. I can’t remember the exact reason, but I just never really turned my attention to it. As such, time allowed SPOT! to develop on my mind. And now, SPOT! is a song I cannot get out of my head. The songs’ two major hooks are extremely catchy. JENNIE’s vocal hook is probably the song’s primary hook and it is executed in a way that really demands your attention. Some might call it forceful – had I reviewed the song back in April, I probably would have said just that. But the vocal hook now feels very bold and I liked how it developed into a shoutier line. The hype and buildup within just that one line is definitely grabbing. ZICO’s repetitive rapping that follows the choruses (i.e. the “Up and down, Round and round, Everybody hit the spot“) follows through from the energy of JENNIE’s part. The backing maintains that hype energy and adds further excitement. Elsewhere in the hip-hop song, ZICO and JENNIE executes their parts just fine. You’d expect a good rap sequence from ZICO in his songs, and JENNIE adds some extra colour in SPOT!. Talking about colour, I quite like how fun that pitchy and windy synth at the end was. It was one of the elements that I remember being unsure about. But once again, time has allowed it to grow on me, just like how SPOT! did.

The music video sees both ZICO and JENNIE have a casual time alone, with one another and in the company of others. I am glad they managed to get JENNIE in the music video, which isn’t always the case for collaborations. This usually creates a void in those music videos. But for SPOT!, this was not the case, given the presence of both artists. I quite liked JENNIE’s parts. For some reason, I don’t think I ever connect JENNIE to such a causal fit or atmosphere, given her more elegant visuals on stage and at events. So, it was quite refreshing to see in her in that style and environment. ZICO’s parts add fun to the video and I like how he could do that in any situation, as evident throughout the video. Not the most memorable music video ever, but it does the job and keeps the casualness of SPOT! alive.

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

[Review] BADVILLAIN – BADVILLAIN

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I don’t cover debuts close to their actual debut date anymore due to time slippage on my part and constraints. But while I am not reviewing BADVILLAIN’s debut on the exact date that they debuted on, I do think the same week is much better than many months down the track (by which the group has probably made a comeback). BADVILLAIN made their debut at the start of this week as a seven member female group under BPM Entertainment (the home of VIVIZ, TAEMIN, Ha Sung Woon, REN and many others) with the track titled after themselves.

Listening to BADVILLAIN a couple of times now following their debut, and my thoughts on the song have remained very consistent. BADVILLAIN definitely has potential with an intriguing string-based instrumental and some fierceness exuded by the members. The former definitely grabs my attention and creates such intensity and suspense once you are immersed in it. When the more electronic profile of the instrumentation comes into play towards the end of the track, it made BADVILLAIN interesting and gave even more life to the song to close it out on a relatively high note. That fierceness the members bring comes through the rapping, some of which was really good and other execution of rapping in BADVILLAIN was les effective. On the other hand, the vocals parts of the song hold some promise, adding further suspense and intensity to BADVILLAIN. But despite the potential behind BADVILLAIN, the song was held back for a number of reasons – weak hooks, lacking melodies and the noticeable absence of oomph in the song. Had the song featured more robust hooks, melodies and oomph, BADVILLAIN could have been a knock out of the park. The benefits wouldn’t just stop there – the members would have sound much stronger and powerful, as well, which would have shined a brighter light at the members. But instead, we are left wanting more despite knowing how good the track was set up to be.

That fierceness that I mentioned above is definitely visually portrayed in the music video for BADVILLAIN. Their close ups, outfits, facial expressions and body language definitely showcases their powerful and confident personalities/concept, which I thought was pretty cool. Talking about cool, there is one scene in the video that definitely made me go wow in the moment. At the start of the second chorus, it looked like it was only the members on the set. But then the light switched on as we were launched into the chorus, a whole group of dancers around the members appeared out of nowhere. Definitely an awesome moment that makes me want to go back to the video and watch it. I did wish there was a story line to pull everything together, as the members were caught in the beginning. What were they caught doing? What is their mission? What revolution are they starting? These are questions buzzing in my mind as I watched the video that I want answers to. Given KPOP’s love for a story lore, I think this video could have been one of those.

The same can be said with the choreography, regarding fierceness. It came through the most towards the end of the routine when the song adopts that electronic profile I mentioned above. The rest of the routine was fine. Nothing really stands out, but it was a good routine to introduce us to BADVILLAIN.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Shooting Star – Kep1er

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Kep1er was supposed to wrap their promotions next month as a group, following the expiration of their 2.5 year contracts that began from their Girls Planet 999 days. But after almost a years worth of negotiations (where at one point renewal was supposed to be off the table), it has been agreed that Kep1er will reform as a 7-member group (with Mashiro and Yeseo opting to not renew their contracts) following a final concert next month. Ahead of that bittersweet moment, Kep1er has returned with their 1st studio album, Kep1going On, and the title track Shooting Star.

When the biggest problem the track is that it feels too short, you are probably doing something right. It has only been a couple of hours since the song’s release, but I have really enjoyed Shooting Star. And I am with the crowd when this is their best title track yet! I really like the straight forward pop that the verses featured. The whispery pre-chorus (that is backed up with the harsher and contrasting autotuned backing vocal) in the first verse and at the end of the bridge was very aesthetic and cool. I have definitely heard it before somewhere, so the idea isn’t necessarily original. But it feels very refreshing as part of Shooting Star. The chorus features an exciting rush of energy from the synth work that makes Shooting Star thrilling and exciting. The melody and hook is very pleasantly straight-forward (I mean that in a good way) and catchy, which makes Shooting Star‘s centrepiece a memorable piece. The momentum following the first chorus is followed up well with some really good rapping from Dayeon and Hikaru. The bridge of the song brings out a dreamy aesthetic that fits in well with the rest of Shooting Star. In terms of the vocals, I like the effortless side of them and the slight emotional tone the member bring. The latter helps makes the song feel a little more impactful and meaningful, and this definitely came through the lyrics as well. But as mentioned in the beginning, I just feel Shooting Star wraps up too quickly. Part of me feels like it is the right spot to end Shooting Star at, but I kind of also want more. Minus that small dilemma (which might be more of a personal preference), I am extremely impressed with Shooting Star.

I liked the idea of likening the members to the stars in the night sky and shooting stars throughout the video. I also liked the sets in the video. But I am also of the opinion that the video feels too simple for this comeback. I think ‘more’ is an appropriate word to use here, as in ‘more’ could have been done in the video to really give make it more meaningful, impactful, memorable etc. One thing that the video could have potentially done better to fulfil the above is be more aesthetic. More abstract thinking could have really given the video a deeper and thought provoking outlook, which would complement the lyrics and tone of the song.

I quite liked how graceful the routine was for this comeback. It fits in with Shooting Star‘s momentum really well. I also liked the chorus routine, particularly the hand movements during the ‘Da Ra Ra‘ part. It is literally the part of the music video (and performance) that my mind keeps on returning to. Their formations in the routine are also quite memorable, particularly those where one member is in the centre and the other members surrounds them quite closely,. This emphasises how close and tight they are with one another.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10