Category: Reviews

[Review] ABCD – NAYEON (TWICE)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , 3 Comments

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

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

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

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

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

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

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)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , , Leave a comment

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

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

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

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 3 Comments

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

[Review] WORK – ATEEZ

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

Yesterday, ATEEZ made their comeback with their 11th mini album, Golden Hour: Part 1, and the title track WORK. This new release from the 8-member group follows on from their THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL studio album from December 2023 (led by the single Crazy Form), their Japanese single Not Okay (yet to be reviewed) and their viral Coachella performance.

WORK steps away from ATEEZ’s usual powerful electronic based dance tracks. Instead, it opts for a much lighter and fun hip-hop sound that suits the group. We have heard fun from ATEEZ before, with the most recent example I can think of on the top of my head being The Real. But here, the production is toned down quite a bit without the presence of ATEEZ’s usual strong and dynamic synth work. I liked the playful vibes WORK exudes, particularly thanks to the presence of that dulled flute sound. These playful vibes also shines ATEEZ in a new light. As part of the change in sound, ATEEZ is able to showcase even more rhythmic rapping and melodic vocals than ever before in WORK. And as a result of that, WORK has a catchy centrepiece that re-emphasises that lighter and fun sound. I also like how JONGHO’s vocals still manage to pierce through the chorus, which does give WORK some dimension and depth. But while WORK has the above positive aspects to it, the biggest problem I have with WORK is that it doesn’t go anywhere. WORK is definitely missing its peak, and so it feels rather monotonous when you consider the entirety of the track together. We do get a bit more to the song in the outro, but it isn’t as satisfying as previous outros they have done in the past. Because of this, I haven’t really taken to WORK since its release yesterday. Maybe some more listens can help grow the song further on me. But for now, it feels like any other day at the office to me.

That fun nature of WORK is definitely present throughout the music video. The video sees the members hustle to make more money and then enjoy their wealth. JONGHO buried underground (sans his head), YEOSANG and YUNHO’s obsession of the chicken that lays golden eggs, and HONGJOONG and MINGI’s battle with the monster made of money are some of the unserious parts of the video that stood out for me. SEONGHWA’s ostrich ride could have been one of them, but the ‘fueling up’ scene stuck out at me for the wrong reasons. When together, they either embrace/celebrate the money (with MINGI’s purple suit reminding me of Willy Wonka), the hip-hop side of the song or are busy flipping burgers to make more money.

The choreography for WORK is solid. Unfortunately, it doesn’t strike me as their best routine ever. But I think that is more so the collateral they had to pay to fully embrace the lighter and fun hip-hop sound that is WORK.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] KING KONG – TREASURE

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

Almost a year following the release of their REBOOT studio album and the track BONA BONA, TREASURE has finally made their long awaited comeback with their new single KING KONG. It has also been recently confirmed that KING KONG won’t be the group’s only release of the year, with another comeback due later in the year. But until then, here are my thoughts on KING KONG.

KING KONG is bombastic, to say the least. For the most part, I really enjoyed KING KONG. From electronic instrumentation to the delivery with many layers of oomph to it, the resulting product that is KING KONG feels powerful and vigorous. The song opens with some crunchy beats and a sing-talk motif that I am not unimpressed with. I kind of thought it gave KING KONG‘s verses a stylish vibe. The pre-choruses of KING KONG focuses on vocals and melodies, which I also enjoyed. This is then followed by a catchy chorus, with a slightly groovy second generation influence on the instrumentation and some shouty yet delivery. The second verse features a rap breakdown that needlessly stripped away the cool instrumentation that KING KONG had featured thus far. The length of the breakdown disrupts the flow of the song and deprives us from the momentum and drive that the earlier parts of KING KONG had. The bridge sees the returns of the vocals and that is the part of KING KONG that I am continuously returning. Partly because of the vocals, but also what comes next. The best part of KING KONG has to be the really angsty and gritty tinny instrumental break that just grabs your attention. From the top of my mind, I think KING KONG‘s instrumental break surpasses all other instrumental breaks. KING KONG then finishes with the usual anthem affair that YG Entertainment songs close out with. I am not against it this time around, but I think something less repetitive would have been better. Overall, KING KONG isn’t without its weakness. But it is still a beast of itself.

The music video appears to pay homage to King Kong himself and potentially other big monsters. There are a few scenes that sees the members appear to serve as the King Kong in their universe, like through the presence of the beastly eyes some of the members have and how some scenes position the members on top of a building that mimics the infamous scenes of the King Kong movies where the infamous King Kong had scaled the city buildings. I also really like the set made of the big skeleton. Not sure where the other scenes lead us, but I am sure they are all related. I also like the styling of the members throughout the music video. They all look very stylish and cool.

The choreography for this comeback is super cool, just like the other elements of this comeback. I liked how they mimicked some of the famous King Kong moves/poses throughout the choreography, which further highlights the beastly and powerful nature of the choreography. And that dance break is definitely the highlight of the routine!

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Review] Wife – (G)I-DLE

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

Ahead of my album review for 2, I need to review (G)I-DLE’s pre-release single Wife. This single dropped a week prior to the release of Super Lady, the title track from 2 and another hit of (G)I-DLE’s.

Over time, Wife has become 2024’s guilty pleasure song for me. There is no way I will bragging about or showing off the song’s opening lyrics (‘I cook cream soup, taste is Coco Loco‘) to my friends or peers. At first, Wife was an odd song to me, as well. Musically, it didn’t fit (G)I-DLE’s repertoire at all and felt like a step away from their powerful title tracks. But Wife has become more fun sounding and catchy number with more listens and as it ages. The bubblegum pop is earwormy, and the song’s hooks are quite addictive with repeat plays. As time has gone by, I have also learnt that Wife has a deeper meaning, with the lyrics mocking the traditional stereotypes of a wife. This aligns with (G)I-DLE’s usual themes in their tracks that have repeatedly addressed and broken the social norms and expectations of what a ‘lady’ is supposed to be. The childish sound of the song also contributes to the mockery, and I feel that sets up the track quite cleverly. That being said, Wife definitely isn’t (G)I-DLE’s best work. But it is a really fun gem.

The mockery continues in the music video. From a glance, the music video appears very plain (but this is deliberate), aside from a striking element in the members’ looks. Their first look sees the members dressed in a striking blue green wig and white shirt, pants and shoes. In the second look, the wig turns white and the attire turns green. No matter what look, there is always something that blends them into the white background. The emptiness in the music video, as well as the blending into the background, signifies a wife without any interests, other than cooking and cleaning – the very traditionalist and stereotypical expectations a man has for a wife. The members also don’t lipsync until the very end of the video/song, where the lyrics are ‘I Don’t Wanna Wife, Wife, Wife‘, which further highlights their messaging of not wanting to be that traditionalist and stereotypical wife.

The choreography feels less of a mockery, with the members looking to have more fun. But there moves that still looked childish and elementary, which probably is their way of continuing that mockery in this final element of the release.

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

[Review] Armageddon – aespa

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 3 Comments

Two weeks ago, aespa made a home run with their first title track Supernova from their first studio album, Armageddon. If you want proof of that home run, just check out the South Korean charts. Today, the group officially drops that studio album and unveiled their second title track from the album – also titled as Armageddon.

Supernova definitely got me super excited for Armageddon. But the couple of listens I have given the new song before and whilst writing this review has left me perplexed. Armageddon sees its stronger points come in much later, leaving the earlier parts of the song to feel dull and unexciting. We kick off Armageddon with some suspenseful and deep vibrating synths, which makes the first step into Armageddon feel very aespa. From there, we get into the first verse, which served the first sign that the song feels rather tame and not as vivid as their former tracks. The synths don’t have much punch to them, and the members’ delivery wasn’t memorable. The pre-chorus (i.e., the ‘Bang Chitty Bang Bang‘) was a good (yet abrupt) uptick in momentum, which I had hoped the track followed through with. But unfortunately, we get a slowed down anti-drop chorus that makes Armageddon feel sluggish and weak. I think the intention of Armageddon‘s chorus was to be more intriguing and mysterious thanks to the hypnotic and exotic motif that aespa brings to life in the chorus. But I don’t think it works as well as the producers had hoped. As for the hooks, I do think there is potential for it to grow on me. But it is too soon to tell if that is the case. For the second verses, we get a taste of powerful vocals from the group. But the resulting product is more so the same as the first verse. Armageddon does get better once we hit the bridge. We get more of that fluidity with melodies in the vocal centric beginning. This is followed with a cool and impactful ‘Throw It back‘ breakdown (my favourite part of the song), before we launch back into the chorus. Interesting to note, the chorus does sound much better following that breakdown. The outro, whilst using the same hook as the chorus, does close out the song in a more energetic manner than earlier in the song. Overall, Armageddon doesn’t live up to the hype and standard that I had set for it. More could have done earlier in Armageddon to make it a stronger piece.

What aespa didn’t deliver in the song aspect of this release, they did in the music video. The visuals in this music video are phenomenal, particularly the montage where they looked very much like goddesses. Their casual look also looks amazing. The members’ closeup throughout the video brings out an intense vibe, and this is felt through other aspects of the video. The post-production was indeed quite cool, as well. It was all very aesthetic. In terms of a story line, my guess is that aespa bring about the Armageddon one way or another.

The choreography for this comeback is also superb. While I am not a fan of the chorus in a music sense, the routine that accompanies it looks very cool. The combination of the wavy and sharp movements looks quite catchy and this bleeds into the other parts of the choreography, as I saw snippets of wavy or sharp throughout the video. The ‘Throw It Back‘ parts and the final chorus are also equally powerful moments in the routine that I can’t wait to see on stage.

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

[Review] Killin’ It – P1Harmony

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

In addition to pre-release and other promotional tracks, I have a backlog of title tracks and debuts to get through. P1Harmony’s February comeback with Killin’ It (the song) is a victim in this backlog. So much so, it has been haunting me constantly at the back of my mind every time I go and review another song that isn’t it. But today, I am finally getting around to writing its review. Killin’ It is also the title of their first studio album, which I will be reviewing at a later date. It follows on from their 2023 JUMP comeback, which is featured on the mini-album HARMONY: ALL IN.

P1Harmony goes loud and striking in Killin’ It, The group keeps to their usual genre of choice for their title tracks, hip-hop, with a side of attitude and playfulness that feels very much like a P1Harmony track. Killin’ It‘s instrumental features both a clangy and brass-like motif, both of which comes together cohesively to create that loud and striking nature that I already mentioned. I would have liked a bit more variety in the backing of Killin’ It to give it more depth and colour, but it is decent enough as it is. Killin’ It‘s chorus was also quite loud, with the layering of the members shouty delivery coming off quite defined and bold. It is catchy and addictive, hence why Killin’ It has remained on my mind ever since its release. The rapping delivery elsewhere in Killin’ It is definitely a highlight, giving off that P1Harmony attitude and personality quite well. The vocals were also decent once we got to those parts and helped smooth a bit out Killin’ It. Otherwise, the aforementioned rapping and shouty chorus could have been too much. I do feel like the song does lack that something extra to really have it break ground. It is good and all, but a little bit more (perhaps some electric guitar riffs) could have taken Killin’ It to the next level.

In the lead up to the comeback, the group dropped a teaser that featured news report about a mysterious change to humanity where peace had suddenly came about. The teaser then sees P1Harmony come out of nowhere to disrupt said peace (taking someone’s doughnut and crashing one of the news reporters’ live feed). I am not entirely sure how the music video fits in, but I am going to take a guess. While the music video doesn’t reference the events of the teaser as much until the very end of the video where P1Harmony is being interviewed and questioned about being heroes, the video does see more of that disruption of peace. P1Harmony attempts underground dentistry, change up a game of curling and set of sparks that is bound to cause some subtle chaos in the world. Most particular to the profession of dentistry, the sport of curling and the peacefulness of the night sky. Now, I am sure there is a proper explanation to the video, as the above is just my wild guess. But I do like what we immediately get from the video is a portrayal the attitude and playful side of song.

Two things strike me when I watched the performance for P1Harmony. Firstly (and this is also reflected in the music video) was the styling of the group. Everywhere I look, I see a lot of praise of the styling for this comeback and I agree with that! The second aspect is how fun the performance looks.

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

[Review] BFF – TWS:

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

As you may be very well aware, I have a massive backlog of releases to get through. A very large subset of these are songs are side tracks from the album they were on, selected to be a secondary promotion track or just have a music video. Some may even be pre-releases. I will have to make my way through that list. And I am beginning with TWS’ BFF. BFF is a side track off TWS’ debut mini-album Sparkling Blue, which was lead by the title track plot twist and was released on 22 January 2024. An album review is incoming. TWS released a music video for BFF mid-February.

In plot twist‘s review, I mentioned their debut track had youth charms and was a successful attempt at ‘boyhood pop’. BFF continues both, bringing us another track full of youth and vibrant energy. I really like the whistling at the start of the song, which sets the song’s main melody in place. However, BFF‘s pop instrumentation isn’t as dynamic as their title track and actually feels a bit generic. If I am being honest, BFF basically feels like any other youthful pop tracks that boy groups have done time and time again. That being said, BFF holds its ground well, allowing TWS: to deliver the song in a manner that definitely shows off their youthful charms and vibrant energy (more on that in the performance portion of this review). TWS:’ vocals and rapping was quite nice in BFF, which is where I felt the vibrant energy in the song the most. I also like how it wasn’t held back in anyway at any point in the song, which helps pushes said energy onto the audience. The song’s melody feels catchy yet familiar, and I put the latter down to the fact BFF sounds like ‘any other youthful pop track that boy groups have done time and time again’. The boyhood pop side of things comes through via the song’s lyrics, which is all about a long-lasting friendship. Altogether, you have a pretty good track that undoubtedly continues TWS:’ first steps into the KPOP industry in BFF.

The music video shows TWS: as teenagers in a school setting, an obvious concept for the ‘boyhood pop’ style that TWS is exploring. Some of the video was shown in mobile phone format (i.e., camera or Instagram reel), which I thought was rather cool. Not really a new idea that we have never seen before. But like the rest of the video, it feels refreshing. And once again, I like the all-smile energy they bring to the music video, which makes it appealing to watch.

Again, the energy of this track is directly reflected in the stage performance. It makes for what looks like quite an involved routine. But I like how bubbly and dynamic it all looked, which is a testament to the group’s performance. The use of the school desks was pretty cool, and I liked the all-smile energy that also comes through the performance aspect of this comeback, as well.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] How Sweet – NewJeans

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

As mentioned in my review for Bubble Gum last month, NewJeans will be making their Korean comeback with two songs. Bubble Gum was the first, followed by How Sweet (which dropped yesterday). The group is also due to release two full Japanese songs next month – Supernatural and Right Now. I will hopefully be reviewing them after their release. But keep in mind I am very behind on songs in other languages.

In my books, How Sweet falls into the pleasant category. There is no doubt that it sounds good. But How Sweet isn’t compelling enough for it to be a memorable form of ‘pleasant’. The hip-hop based instrumental has a touch of Miami bass to it. This created a backing piece that good rhythm and drive to it. And while that does evoke some interest out of me, I do find that the instrumental for How Sweet also feels ‘held back’ for being too consistent throughout the length of the track. The vocals do sound nice and airy, which is NewJeans signature. But in the context of How Sweet, it is too light to hold my attention. It doesn’t help that How Sweet‘s melodies felt linear and flat, as well. And the hooks felt virtually absent, with the producers seemingly putting all their eggs into the melodies to pull the audience in. To me, that is a risk gamble and it didn’t pay off. The only element that gives off a little something different to How Sweet is the rapping that serves as a transitional piece between the first verse and chorus, and at the end of the song. This potentially really could have changed up the song and made How Sweet more engaging to me. But they had to keep it to the rest of How Sweet, which dampens my hopefulness. While I do get that pleasantness out of How Sweet, I feel the final line of the song portion of Bubble Gum‘s review sums up my thoughts on NewJeans’ new song quite well (with a slightly editorial) – “I am not sure how long I will be replaying Bubble Gum How Sweet [following this review]”.

The music video is okay. NewJeans essentially have a broken down car on the side of a road in the middle of nowhere, and they have a little fun whilst making their way to a mechanic to have their car towed. A bit of a standard story nowadays. I wished their concept for this comeback was a little more engaging, like their past video. However, I did like the little comedic moment where the members attempt to hitchhike into town as a vehicle passes them. At the back of the vehicle are cows, and all the cows can see as they are driven past are the members posing like models. That scene got a chuckle out of me. The video also serves as a little commercial for Coco Cola. It isn’t the first time one of their music videos was used to promote a product, but I guess it might become a regular thing now.

The members showcase some great choreography that works extremely well with that pleasant side of the song and the beat/rhythm of How Sweet. I liked how just like the song’s drive, the members just kept going and never really stopped throughout the performance. I also like how the members looked like they were genuinely having fun on stage throughout the performance. Also, the rapping sounds so much more impactful throughout the live performance. Pity it doesn’t come off that way in the studio version.

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

[Review] Now (Orig.: Fin.K.L) – ONEUS

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

ONEUS makes their return this week with a remake of an old KPOP classic originally by Fin.K.L, who was a female group active back in the late 90s and early 00s. The song in question is titled Now, which was released back in 2000. We last saw ONEUS through their album release La Dolce Vita and promotions of Baila Conmigo. The group has also been on their 2nd world tour, visiting countries in Europe, Japan and the USA.

ONEUS’s take on Now feels pretty expected. And I am not entirely sure if that is a good thing or not. Part of me wants ONEUS to have gone outside of the box. But the risk of that, especially with such an iconic song like Now, is that you do it an injustice. Hence, keeping to the familiar melodies, hooks and arrangement of the original version of Now makes sense. That being said, ONEUS does manage to give Now some it their own flair. This newer version of Now is lot more loaded thanks to 90s pop influence, the presence of EDM elements, as well as the group’s rougher vocals. I also enjoyed the addition of the funky guitar in the interlude following the first chorus, as well as the trap based instrumental break. I do wish the brassy element in the background of the chorus was more prominent and prevalent. That could have really given this version of Now more individuality had it been done right. Overall, it is a good remake of the original song. It keeps it true to the song’s roots, but ONEUS does give it a modern flair. If you thought the remake was a little plain, I don’t blame you. But I hope you managed to hear what the first generation of KPOP had to offer.

ONEUS pulls of a heist, with a bit of a comedic flair to it. Leedo assembles a team to conduct the heist, with himself being the mastermind, Hwanwoong being the gadgets guy, Keonhee being the outfit/costume/disguise guy, Seoho being the decoy and Xion being the tech guy. The comedy comes through various means such as Xion taking a selfie of the group whilst they are planning the heist, Hwanwoong having a little much fun, Seoho actually think he makes for a good janitor and Keonhee with his fake moustache. Leedo manages to break through the security systems to get into the vault with the help of Xion. They pick up a small metallic box. But as they open it to see what is inside, the alarm goes off. They rush out to escape, but can’t see to get past the door in the hallway. But Xion had planned for this earlier and blows up the building… with them still inside…. Somehow, it looks like they managed to escape (or are they in the afterlife?). And the box they were looking for was empty the whole time. The video closes out with two ants bopping away on one of the members’ shoulders. A comment on YouTube explains the significance as the English lyrics “Came into my life” sounds like ‘2 ants’ in Korean. Overall, the video seems to be intended as lighthearted and funny, and it does so quite well.

Just like how the song keeps some of the original, the choreography does the same. The original performance’s key move for the post-chorus sequence is retained. But again, ONEUS manages to bring their own style to the performance. I am particularly impressed with the dance break, with Hwanwoong, Leedo and Xion doing a body twist mid-air. It looked very cool and intense.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] Cheese – SUHO (EXO) ft. WENDY (Red Velvet)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , , , 2 Comments

I somehow missed the news that SUHO (from EXO) will be making his solo comeback at the end of this month with his third mini-album, 1 to 3. But luckily, he pre-released the single Cheese this week in preparation, so I am now caught up with the news of the comeback. This comeback is SUHO’s first in since 2022’s Grey Suit (which also doubled as the title for his second mini-album) and Hurdle. Cheese features WENDY from Red Velvet, who made her solo comeback earlier this year with Wish You Hell.

Cheese goes down a soft rock instrumental. I like the funky bass and the piano that leads the background. It feels striking, but melds well with the soft rock side of the instrumentation. I do like the retro 70s groovy energy that comes off the instrumental, which makes Cheese feel so good. The instrumental break with was dominated by the electric guitar solo was a nice concentration of the soft rock energy that forms around it. I also like the little bit of intensity it gives off, which adds a little something different to Cheese, compared to the rest of the song. The way the song likens a relationship to cheese was intriguing – if both become warm, the cheese becomes stretchy and a relationship can become longer, and if the cheese is cold, the cheese and relationship will fall apart. As for the vocals. I like how well-built SUHO’s vocals are for a soft rock song like Cheese. I also liked how light his vocals are throughout the song, particularly in the choruses and the ad-libs we get from the EXO leader at the end of the song. WENDY’s usual stunning and clear vocals comes into play during the second verse and is quickly joined by SUHO, who are both a formidable force in Cheese. Their pairing in the second chorus gave some nice oomph to the song and allowed to build the song up without much else to it. The melodies of Cheese were comforting to listen to. But in the long run, I am not entirely sure if they (or the rest of Cheese) would keep me coming back for more.

It should come as no surprise that the music video is full of cheese. Literally. I really liked the montage of cheese related art in the video, as well as the cheese visuals. We also see SUHO steal a big hunk of cheese that is on display at an art gallery. Little did he know that WENDY was watching him as he prepared to steal for the cheese. She goes after him and catches him in the act. There is a bit of a chase, which I assume represents the blossoming of their love (i.e., their relationship became stretchy). In the end, they decide to steal the cheese together (as seen in the 8-bit shot that finished off the video). But during their heist, the security came in (probably heard all of the ruckus of the two chasing each other and throwing cheese at one another) and they pretended to be an art installation, fooling the security guard and allowing them to get away with their heist. Overall, it is a cute and fun video, complementing the funky and groovy vibes of Cheese.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10