Category: Reviews

[Review] God of Music – SEVENTEEN

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Kicking off this week is SEVENTEEN, who returns with their 11th mini-album SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN and the title track God Of Music. Once again, SEVENTEEN has exceeded expectations by breaking records with the new mini-album, including becoming the most pre-ordered album release in KPOP industry once again. This is SEVENTEEN’s first comeback since their 10th mini-album FML (lead by the singles Super and F*ck My Life) and their first Japanese compilation album ALWAYS YOURS (lead by the single Ima – Even if the World Ends Today –.

Punchy feel-good energy is how I would describe God of Music. SEVENTEEN’s new song does not disappoint in any department, with the song making me do a bit of a boogie within the first listen. More repeats of the song since its release has me practically up and dancing. The liveliness of God of Music is thanks to the soul funk genre that the group went with. Plus God of Music had some extra lively elements that really helped enhance the energy and brightness of the song, such as the electric guitar riffs in the pre-choruses, the brass detailing in the background and that retro synthesizer riff in the instrumental break. The vocals and rapping are very strong in this track, both matching the energy that is coming off the instrumentation without much trouble. They blend with one another in the song, making everything feel super cohesive and strengthening the song further. The vocals in the pre-chorus propels God of Music forward in a manner that just sounds and feels so dynamic. The chorus itself features a really nice bright melody in the first half and then follows up with the punchy and catchy “Kung chi pak chi kung kung chi pak chi yeah” line. The verses themselves had some really nice rhythm and I liked the anthem-like direction that had going towards the end. Everything in God of Music melds together so well in the track, creating a super energetic and blastful song that feels just right.

The music video begins by setting the scene of a world where music has somehow disappeared. But this same world has SEVENTEEN in it, who reintroduces music into society. The song itself is an ode to music, celebrating how it can bring everyone together no matter where or who you are. We see music reach different life forms in the music video (from humans, ants, DJ donkeys and snails – the slower dragged out form of the music when the snail appears at the end of the video made me laugh). We also witness music reach people in different locations, including what seems like an urban American city, to the grassfields in the countryside and to the hospitals (which is a clever way of featuring S.Coups, who is sitting out most of the promotions to recover from a surgery). The bridge scene where SEVENTEEN and the crowd are marching across at the end was epic. Needless to say, the music video really matches up with the music and appropriately spreads the positive message in a fun and bright visual format.

We only get to see a small portion of the choreography in the music video. But from what I did see was a very lively and fun routine that pairs well with the music. I wish I can say more than that, but that is only what is on offer at the moment. Given that this is SEVENTEEN routine, I am willing to bet that the rest of the choreography will be fantastic, as usual.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.8/10

[Review] Good Enough – CHANYEOL (EXO)

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Making his return as a solo artist today is EXO member CHANYEOL with the single Good Enough. This is CHANYEOL’s first solo song since Tomorrow in 2021 (which I hadn’t review yet). I have previously reviewed some of his previous solo tracks, such as SSFW and Nothin’, the latter being featured as part of EXO-SC’s first studio album, 1 Billion Views.

To me, Good Enough is straight-forwardly pleasant. Nothing more and nothing less. Sometimes that can turn into a bore, but Good Enough does enough to bring a smile to my face. Not necessarily a massive grin, but a faint smile. But I appreciate that, no matter how small that effect is. In addition to that, Good Enough‘s comes together to elicit a further comforting and warming effect, which helps it become an enjoyable listen overall. The background of the song is rather chill, with it embracing light and atmospheric synths. The beats are well paced and the synth detailing brings out a buoyant vibe. CHANYEOL’s vocals sound so nice in Good Enough. His slightly more hoarse voice gives Good Enough some texture to keep the song weighted. The melodies make CHANYEOL’s vocals mellow out and make the song easy to listen to. I also find them to be quite catchy, getting a few listens out of me already since its release just a few hours ago. Overall, I think it is needless to say that I quite liked Good Enough and welcome the comfort it brings.

Good Enough‘s music video could potentially be passed off as another music video for EXO, with fellow members CHEN, KYUNGSOO and BAEKHYUN featuring alongside CHANYEOL. The song features the message of “It’s okay, you’re good enough,” to those chasing their dreams who may experience anxiety and uncertainty (taken from SOOMPI). And as comforting as those words are, the video sees CHANYEOL hang out with his fellow members in an equally as comforting manner. I like how the three members help CHANYEOL deliver the hook of Good Enough in the video, by starting off the line and then have CHANYEOL finish it off each time. I also found the mini head bops to be endearing element in the video. I also like how they genuinely show off their friendship in this video.

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

[Review] STRANGER – SUNMI

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After over a year’s absence from the KPOP scene (partly due to a world tour), SUNMI has officially returned with the single album and title track, both sharing the name STRANGER. This is her first release since Heart Burn last year.

STRANGER is a peculiar song. The music video for STRANGER makes it more profound, but the song on its own is quite segmented into very discrete verse, pre-chorus and choruses portions that all sound alike to the ‘next’ alike portion. Essentially, STRANGER is a hybrid of three different songs mashed into one. One song correspond to the verses/bridge, which very much feels like SUNMI’s typical work. It has an alluring and sensual vibe that we all know SUNMI is super capable. Nothing new springs from this sound, but I liked the revisit to this side of SUNMI, which she is definitely queen of. I like the deep descending synth at the end of each half of the verse. The second song can be heard in the pre-choruses of the song, where the tone shifts (but not that far from the verses) to become more upbeat and have a vibrant feel. It is a little more typical with its pop sound, adopting a somewhat reggae motif. The third and final song of STRANGER is the chorus, which to me, is undoubtedly the more iconic part of the STRANGER. That is expected of the chorus, but the way STRANGER is set up makes it even more so. We get a spoken delivery in the chorus and I found it to be catchy instantaneously. The striking piano feels very appropriate background for both the concept and the current Halloween holiday that is fast approaching. In matter of fact, striking is how I would describe the chorus. While I don’t mind the three “songs” from one another, my issue is that STRANGER doesn’t feel connected. I know that is the point of the song, but it feels too disjointed and very apart to be considered one song. I wish there were better transitions (or more precisely, transitions to begin with) to give STRANGER a cohesive nature, somehow.

I am a big fan of spooky season of Halloween. And the concept for this comeback just hits the spot. I think there is more than just Halloween tropes in this music video, however. To me, I think the music video kicks off with the idea that SUNMI is an author, who crafts the spooky story within the video. Essentially, we have SUNMI’s story character build a Frankenstein version of herself from a version of herself who dies from a lightning strike. But she forgets one bolt (love the relatable look SUNMI gives at this moment), which leads the Frankenstein version of herself to run away with the creepy guy in the woods. SUNMI story character follows them to get her creation back, which she does successfully. But the story gets out of hand, with some comedic moments like the filming of the music video with the Frankenstein version of herself as the main star. Also, the mansion in the story ends up going up in flames (which prompts the pages that SUNMI wrote her story on to also catch on fire). But the story ends off heavy breathing from SUNMI story’s character and the pose struck by Frankenstein SUNMI, which appears to be a play on the whole ‘ending fairy pose’ that all KPOP performance must end with nowadays. Adding more to the comedy of the video is the credits scene where Frankenstein SUNMI who becomes a maid finds the missing bolt, inserts it into her ear, and makes it sound like some earphones being activated/turning on. A fun and well timed concept.

The choreography complements each of the three songs I mentioned above and looks amazingly executed. We have sensual vibes during the verses, some bounce during the pre-chorus and very sharp movements to match the striking piano in the choruses. Altogether, the performance gives SUNMI great opportunity to show her many sides, performance skills and charisma all in one performance.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] Golden Hour – MARK (NCT)

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NCT LAB is a series of solo songs by the members of NCT that don’t necessarily fall under of the works of their entire group or units. The series began in 2022 under SM Station, but was confirmed earlier this year to run as its own project. The first single, Child, was by MARK. But I have not gone back to review another NCT LAB song since then. Today, I am picking up the NCT LAB releases once again, beginning with song reviews for the 2023 releases and then returning to the 2022 releases at a later date. And it all begins back with MARK and his solo track, Golden Hour.

Golden Hour sees MARK bring together hip-hop, grungy rock guitar, familiar drumming that reminds me of Diplomacy’s Silver Lake Queen, a hint of elevator music and Gordan Ramsay references? The first three goes hand-in-hand with another, and all five elements comes together to create an eventful track. Golden Hour starts off with the three elements (hip-hop via MARK’s rapping, which I will touch on later, grungy rock guitar and drumming). But mid-way, the track transforms briefly into punkish rock, before the bridge adds in elevator-esque piano riffs to the background, following which Golden Hour returns to the three elements it began with to complete the circle. This all made it a dynamic listen. MARK himself is super expressive throughout Golden Hour, delivering a range of styles – rapping, singing, a combination of both and speaking throughout the track to match the different moments in the instrumentation and show some range. His flow was very good throughout Golden Hour and the hooks were catchy. As mentioned earlier, Golden Hour also includes lyrics that appear to diss Gordan Ramsay. But prior to the song’s release, MARK himself confirmed that he only mentioned GR and that Golden Hour was not a diss track (though GR himself did respond to MARK in the most GR way possible). Rather, MARK drew upon the interaction between a fan of his and GR, who apparently told MARK’s fan to break up with her boyfriend for cooking eggs terribly. The funny twist is that the image GR reacted to was actually MARK’s cooking from a TV show. Apart from those moments, the lyrics also bring out a much more mature version and the adult in MARK. I will let you work out what that means. But overall, there is fair bit happening in Golden Hour and it amounted to something worthwhile.

Per the song’s influence being around MARK cooking eggs, the music video also revolves around eggs and cooking, as well. We see flashes of the cooking references, but a lot of egg imagery and smashes throughout the video. In addition to eggs, there is a real edgy vibe that MARK does a good job of showing in the music video. He shows it in a loose and freestyle manner, but still makes sure it fits the grungy style that the song aims for. The stylists did a really good job on their part as well, keeping the brown jacket constant throughout the video. The continuous presence of the brown jackets allows the viewers to keep a constant an image of MARK in their mind, even after the video has ended.

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

[Double Review] BET ON ME + None of My Business – ITZY

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Ahead of their comeback with CAKE earlier this year, ITZY released two music videos for two side tracks off their Kill My Doubt mini-album – BET ON ME and None of My Business. Long overdue, but I am finally reviewing the two side tracks in this double review post ahead of the album review for Kill My Doubt which I am looking to post next week.

Neither BET ON ME or None of My Business are of bold title track material that ITZY always promotes with. Instead, I found both side tracks to be quite subdued, each in their own way for ITZY’s standard. While subdued tracks can be good, I find both these tracks to be very much on the generic side. BET ON ME is my personal favourite of the two. BET ON ME is just a lot meatier in my opinion, which I put it down to the pulsing beat in the background and melodies with a bit more bite to them. That being said, however, BET ON ME needs a bit more substance to it to take it to the next level. Otherwise, the generic comments I made at the start pretty much stand firm in this track. Maybe the chorus could have used a more effective and catchy hook and the vocals could have been more developed. None of My Business is a lot smoother in terms of melodies and had some catchy hooks, which I do like. Their vocals sound pretty nice in this track, and I appreciate how the rapping cuts through the melodies and prevents the song from becoming too repetitive. But the biggest problem I have with None of My Business is the sluggish instrumentation, which results in the energy of the track to be subpar. Released in the midst of the Summer season, None of My Business reflects that in a tropical sounding and mid-tempo backing. It does the job, but it is also very paced, feels draining and made me lose interest in the track quite quickly. Overall, it is clear that both tracks are lacking, and as such were not my favourite songs off Kill My Doubt.

The music videos for both BET ON ME and None of My Business fairs better than the songs themselves. BET ON ME‘s lyrics feature a message of believing in yourself, and we see that in the video. Each member is isolated or isolating themselves from the world throughout the video. But at the end of the video, we see each member one-by-one run come together to run away from the feeling and towards the light at the end of the tunnel – the brighter outcome that they desire. I like the grey tone featured throughout the music video. But like Stray Kids’ DLC, I wished there to be more colour as the members come together at the end, just to give a better expression of hope. However, on the flip side, they are still in that tunnel and so the grey filter does still stand on that side of the tunnel. As for None of My Business, the video opts for warmer colours and the members wear appropriate outfits to match the summery vibe the song had going on. The rest of the music video is rather simple, comprising of close up and choreography shots, so there isn’t much else for me to mention.

The choreography for BET ON ME was quite good. I liked how each member had a moment with the dancers and the routine during the outro to the performance. On the other hand, I feel like the subdued nature of None of My Business weakens its choreography, which felt already felt minimal and lacks energy from the members.

BET ON ME
Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

None of My Business
Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.8/10

[Review] In The Mood – Whee In (MAMAMOO)

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Whee In returned last week with her first solo studio length album, IN the mood. The title track off the album is titled In The Mood, as well. This is Whee In’s first solo release since last year’s Make Me Happy and D-DAY (which I never got around to reviewing).

In The Mood is a pretty nice track, overall. I would definitely describe this track as pleasant sounding and rather breezy, with the latter feeling very appropriate for the start of the Autumn season when the weather is still quite nice and enjoyable (just without the heat). In the Mood is described as being a medium pop song with R&B vibes, and that description succinctly sums up the song. I really like the subtle groove the track features overall, which makes it nicely upbeat. I also like how In The Mood is rather synth forward and how the beats are rather soft and chill as a foundation. As an example, the bridge features a deep wub wub synth, which I thought served as a nice brief alteration to the wider instrumentation and keeps In The Mood from falling into a consistent state. The ending of the music video also features an instrumental version of the song also highlights the presence of the synths quite nicely, as well as the pleasantness of the track. Whee In herself is very smooth throughout In The Mood, with the combination of her breathy vocals and falsettos being absolute charms throughout the song. The melodies were also quite nice and comforting to listen to. Overall, I quite enjoyed the likes of In The Mood.

As mentioned earlier, the track has this breezy-like vibe to it. And we do get a breezy shot of Whee In, whilst travelling with friends in the car. These are the most vibrant shots in the entire music video, and this alone made it them the most memorable shots in the entire video. Aside from the breezy shots, the music video also shows Whee In having a good time at a party, whilst listening to her own song through her headphones. Despite the party not hearing the song, the party becomes more alive and upbeat from the moment her headphones are on, compared to when she was not listening to her song. Elsewhere in the video, she is enjoying her life with a couple of friends or by herself. The choreography shots in the video were also quite good, as well.

The performance was nice. Obviously with Whee In, her focus was always going to be on her execution of live vocals and so the choreography was never going to be as involved to other artists’ performances. But what I saw matches up well with the pleasantness of In The Mood and her live vocals were stable throughout.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] Chasing That Feeling – TXT

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Also making their comeback this week/yesterday was TXT, who returns with their 3rd studio album The Name Chapter: FREEFALL. Leading the charge on their latest album is the single Chasing That Feeling. We last heard TXT on the Korean stage through their promotions of Sugar Rush Ride and The Name Chapter: Temptation, and more recently through their international collaborations with the Jonas Brother (Do It Like That) and Anitta (Back For More) – both of which are featured on The Name Chapter: FREEFALL, sans Anitta (the TXT version of Back For More is featured instead).

Chasing That Feeling is a pretty decent synth-pop track. It is rather straight forward and doesn’t miss a beat from the very moment it begins. It isn’t the perfect track, however, as Chasing That Feeling is missing one vital element – the climax. Every time I put the song on, I am hoping that there is a peak to the song, but it just never gets there. Instead, we get a pretty neutral and generic vibe in Chasing That Feeling as a result. And this is quite disappointing. Apart from that, Chasing That Feeling features a decent set of vocals from the members, with some clean melodies. Though some more powerful vocals could have taken Chasing That Feeling to the next level. The ad-libs at the end were pretty good, however. I like the splash of extra instrumentation for the chorus, which helps makes the central piece stand out more in this neutral piece. While the melodies are good, the song also lacks a hook to really get our minds to grab onto. In addition to the inclusion of a proper climax, more powerful vocals and meatier hooks, I would have liked to hear more interesting 80s synth pop tropes in the instrumental to give it some flair. While Chasing That Feeling definitely has the set up to be a strong song, more is definitely needed to get it there.

The music video see the members crashing into Earth (more specifically, a sewer) and chasing after these orbs of light separately. And while the members try very hard to chasing these orbs of light, the orbs ends up bringing the members together again (and whilst not shone, fuses into one). My guess that it shows the members are strongest when they are together and not alone, no matter where they are. Apart from the storyline, the music video also features some really cool post-production effects. The best of it is shown at the end where the buildings and roads undergo some alternative dimensional changes despite everything around the members also going on as normal. It gives off Dr. Strange vibes, which I personally think is one of the cooler Marvel movies out there.

The choreography, to me, is quite good. Sure, it probably isn’t their most memorable piece ever, but I like the fluidity of the movements and the smoothness of the overall routine. It is still a performance to watch, as it still shows off TXT’s performance skills. I like how effortlessly the routine goes with the music, which very much carries a similar vibe, as well.

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

[Review] Baddie – IVE

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IVE is one of the many groups and music acts that made their comeback this busy week in October. The popular female group returns with their 1st ever mini-album I’ve Mine and the title track Baddie yesterday, following two pre-release tracks – Either Way and Off The Record (both of which I reviewed earlier this week). This comeback follows on from the group’s promotions of I AM and their first studio album, I’ve IVE.

IVE has been successful with pop numbers since their debut, so I am unsure why they needed to stray from it. To me, their pop songs have been comforting and likeable, but also punchy and catchy. Sure, IVE can definitely explore other genres if they want, but the producers should ensure the song is fit for IVE. Baddie takes on a hip-hop style that I believe doesn’t suit IVE. When I listen to the song, I don’t get any sense of character or individuality from Baddie, and their delivery feels pretty generic overall. Sure, Baddie is successful in showing an edgier side of the group via the instrumentation. The instrumental break serves as a good example of this and is probably the most dynamic aspect of Baddie. The pelting synth in the post-chorus hook was also an interesting and bold addition to the instrumental, and another good example of edginess. And I am pretty satisfied with the vocal centric pre-chorus (however, I would have liked it more if the second pre-chorus wasn’t cut short). But everything else, from the vocals and rapping elsewhere in Baddie, to the chorus, to the hooks etc. all sound bland and uneventful. ‘Stuck in neutral gear’ is how I would describe Baddie. Honestly, I am not even sure if there is potential for Baddie to grow on me with even more listens. And that says a lot to me.

The music video is an odd one, given its concept. Essentially, IVE is causing havoc in the world for being “cat humans”. They supposedly cause all sorts of trouble, attract attention in public and scare people off. What is interesting is that at night, they come together to carry out some kind of ritual that awakens bigger cats. I would have liked to see more of the havoc, trouble and these bigger cats that they awaken throughout the video, as I think there could have been a decent story in all of this. But as the video is only 2:48 minutes long, the producers have to gloss over the details to fit it all in such a short time frame. A more profound edginess to the video wouldn’t have hurt and could have boosted that intention in the song as well.

The performance aspect of the comeback was okay. It isn’t a resounding yes from me, but it suffices. The performance does focus more on looking good, rather than showcasing anything edgy, which I think the song does calls for. I did particularly like Wonyoung’s change of expression and moves during her “I’m thriller, so villain” line. That was pretty cool highlight.

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

[Review] Honey or Spice – LIGHTSUM

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It has been almost a year and half since we last heard from LIGHTSUM on stage, with their last comeback being in May of last year with Alive (a comeback which I have not reviewed, as I pretty much forgot about its existence very quickly). Since then, LIGHTSUM reformed into a six-member female group (with the departure of Huiyeon and Jiah) and Sungah participated in recent Queendom Puzzle survival show (but was quickly eliminated). Today, the group ends their 1.5 year hiatus with their second mini-album and new title track, both of which are titled Honey or Spice.

I have decided to proceed with reviewing LIGHTSUM’s comeback for two reasons – so I don’t forget about the comeback entirely and I think LIGHTSUM deserves some attention from me (and in general). To me, they are practically the forgotten group of Cube Entertainment. And I hope Honey or Spice helps turns that around, especially since the song goes with a somewhat bombastic instrumentation. Some of the beats throughout Honey or Spice go for a more emphasised and bold touch, which I do find to be quite cool and it does potentially add some ‘spice’ to the song. But on the other hand, however, I do feel like it is quite overused in the chorus, and so the effect does become lost. The post-chorus “Honey Honey Honey Honey” and “Hurry, Hurry, Hurry, Hurry” sequence is probably my favourite part of the song. Its addictive and is a catchy hook. The “Follow me” start to the verses was also a likeable moment in the song. I like the atmospheric touch in the instrumentation to the beginning of the second verse. The rest of Honey or Spice does fall short however, with both the verses and choruses being practically unmemorable. The vocals and rapping don’t excite me in these parts, nor do the hooks and melodies have a similar hold on me as the post-chorus did. Overall, I welcome Honey and Spice‘s reintroduction of LIGHTSUM with a bolder sound, but the execution of the final product is just not there.

The group shows both a ‘honey’ (youthful, cutesy) and a ‘spice’ (mature) side to themselves in the music video. The video depicts a guy falling for the group, after he bumps into them and is given a taste of both sides of the group. It ends off with the guy humming to the LIGHTSUM’s new song, and I like that ending. It is a bit neutral, but it strikes a balance for the two sides of the group depicted in the video. I really liked how smooth and clever the way the song started in the video. The “Follow me” lines were definitely well utilised. Also, as a foodie myself, I really liked how they used food to depict the sweeter vs. fiercer side of the group. It is logical and makes complete sense.

The choreography for Honey or Spice was decent. I liked the chorus routine, but there really isn’t much for me to comment on in that part or the wider routine. The only thing I can say is that the choreography feels and looks like it suits the song, which you expect (or hope for, at the very least).

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

[Double Review] Either Way + Off The Record – IVE

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Later this week, IVE will be making their comeback with Baddie. But before that, I have two of IVE’s pre-release singles (Either Way & Off The Record) that I need to review. I will doing that today. Either Way is the first pre-release single, which dropped on 25 September 2023. Off The Record is the second pre-release single, and was dropped on 6 October 2023. Baddie / Either Way / Off The Record follows on from IVE’s first studio length album, I’ve IVE, which featured the title track I AM.

Both Either Way and Off The Record takes on a subdued sound, something that IVE hasn’t really promoted with ever. I also find both releases to be the blandest IVE releases to date. They do both have their individual charms, however. For me, Either Way is the prettier of the two pre-release singles. And I put this down to IVE’s vocals and the melodies in the song, which the combination of sounds immaculate. There is something to the variety of melodies that the members do a good job of delivering in Either Way and the distinctly more nasal tone than usual. When it comes to the chorus, the song becomes more vibrant and profound, particularly thanks to Yujin’s contribution to the chorus. This boost the song up quite nicely, and helps add more variety in the song. The “I, I, I” and “My, My, My” hooks were pretty striking, as well. But apart from that, nothing else really stands out in Either Way. The slow and paced synths instrumental was interesting take on the balladry sound, but there isn’t anything memorable coming out of it. Maybe it is atmospheric when I think back on Either Way retrospectively, but that doesn’t come to me as a first impression.

Off The Record is the opposite – in the sense the song’s charm is actually the instrumentation and the vocals don’t do anything to me. The instrumentation for Off The Record is a lot punchier thanks to its underlying groovy vibes. Off The Record ends up settling for a mid-tempo upbeat nature, which I find to be quite pleasant. The bridge of Off The Record features an interpolation of The Cardigans’ Lovefool, which admittedly is the biggest highlight in both songs that I am reviewing today. Elsewhere in the song, the rapping in Off The Record was also quite well done, with the soft rap-speak motif adopted in the song quite fitting for the mid-tempo atmosphere and pleasant vibes I just mentioned. But as mentioned above, the vocals are the weak point of the song. I just didn’t find them interesting and I honestly have no memory of them once the song is over. It is quite disappointing, especially since Either Way proves they are capable of sounding beautiful.

Either Way‘s lyrics has the message that “we cannot be free from other people’s gazes”. For the most part, we see the members alone. But the scene with all the other members staring at Leeseo through the mirror was a very clever way of depicting the people’s gaze. This causes an internal struggle that leads them to isolate themselves from the rest of the world. In the end, the members come to term with this struggle and put it behind them in the decorated room. What I do find to be quite interesting is that the music video starts in that exact room with the gazes mentioned above, so I think that represents that this is a struggle the members feel on a day-by-day basis and gives meaning to the “we cannot be free” part of the song’s message.

The music video for Off The Record is a lot brighter and light-hearted. Essentially, we see the members confess their secrets during a late night slumber party to one another. And their secrets happen to be about the person they love, based on what I could make out from the video. But rather than being something quite innocent, which is what the video attempts to convince you of, the secret appears to be a bit more scandalous, with the members splitting up another relationship to be with the person they love. I am unsure if it was successful or not, but it was definitely a sinister and unexpected secret to see the members confess to.

Either Way
Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

Off The Record
Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Hear Me Out – EXO

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As mentioned the other day, if I am ‘going back in time’ to review a pre-release single that I hadn’t review yet, it is a strong indication that I am gearing up to review the album the song is on. With me reviewing Hear Me Out today (which was the second pre-release single on EXO’s EXIST studio album, following Let Me In), I can confirm an album review for EXIST is coming to the blog some time later this month. But for now, here is my thoughts on Hear Me Out.

When Hear Me Out is was first release in June 2023, I didn’t have much to say about the pre-release. It was enjoyable and pleasant, but there was nothing really to fan over, in my opinion. Three months on and I still don’t have much to say about Hear Me Out. In no way do I mean this is a bad or negative way. Hear Me Out is a rather straight forward chill R&B track. The instrumental has this subtle grooviness to it, which keeps the track mid-tempo throughout. The grooviness, which comes from the presence of the bass guitar in the background, gave the track some character. The members’ vocals sound velvety and smooth, while the rappers came off as easygoing in the song. The melodies were quite light and nicely done, and the lyrics conveys one’s honest heart to their prospective partner who is hesitating to open their heart for love (taken from Soompi). Overall, Hear Me Out is a fine pre-release and side track on the album.

The video shows the EXO members hanging out with one another. I am not entirely sure how the video relates to the song, but my best guess is that the group continues to hang out with one another until their prospective partners open their hearts to them. We see them tired, lowkey and literally just hanging about during the day, as if they are waiting for something. But as soon it is becomes night and there is no sign that something is going to happen, the members come together to play games, go bowling and even take pictures in photo booths. But if that is not the case, then Hear Me Out serves as an easygoing background track to the members having fun. Also, it is absolutely nice to see KAI one more time before he enlisted into the military and miss out on the Cream Soda comeback.

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

[Review] Fact Check – NCT 127

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One of the group releasing new music at the end of the week (i.e., today) is NCT 127, who makes their second comeback of the year, following on from Ay-Yo in January 2023. This time, the group returns with their 5th studio album, Fact Check, and is lead the title track of the same name. This comeback also follows from NCT 127’s participation in NCT’s 4th full group studio album Golden Age which was released back in August of this year.

If I am basing Fact Check on my past experience with NCT 127 title tracks from the first release of an album, I am going to be disappointed by it. I much prefer the title track of the repackaged version one of their albums, which I have no clue is happening this time around. However, interestingly, I am not disappointed by Fact Check. I actually find the instrumentation to be quite rhythmic, especially during the chorus with the well-paced beat and percussive elements. And there is no obnoxious synth (looking at you, Sticker) to ruin the song for me. The post-chorus segment was also quite an entrancing listen, especially at the end of Fact Check. Elsewhere, I liked the suspense and tension created during the vocal-centric pre-choruses of Fact Check and its background. The vocal work in Fact Check‘s bridge was a standout moment and I liked the powerfulness it yielded from Doyoung, Jaehyun, Taeil and Haechan. The rapping that follows from Mark and Taeyong, along with the further dramatic drumming and orchestration, was quite cool, as well. There are still weak points to Fact Check. The rapping at the start of the song could have been a little less in your face and the chorus’ hook could have been more compelling (even though I do find it catchy). But overall, Fact Check is one of their better works in recent times.

Cool is the recurring word I would use to describe this music video. I am not a big fan of the initial look that Mark donned in the video. But elsewhere in the video, Mark and the other members all looked fine. My favourite set of outfits has to be the one that are more of a traditional colour that are worn at the traditional palace location. Talking about locations, I found the sets and locations throughout the video are all very stylish and cool in their own way. Even the post-production looks cool (but I question why it looks like Mark is holding a goat that has been CGI into the video – did they run out of budget for a real goat?).

From what I can see from the choreography aspect of this comeback is that it very much embraces the rhythmic aspect of the song. There is also a subtle bounce to the choreography, which keeps in line with the upbeatness of the track. The best bit, for me, however is the t-rex-like walk (sorry, I don’t know if there is a properly name for the walk, but the way their arms are reminds me of a t-rex’s short arms) during the final post-chorus.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10


[Review] Love Effect – ONF

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Time to make a start on the new releases of the week. And first up is ONF’s grand return with Love Effect, the title of both of the lead single and their 7th mini-album. This is the group’s first comeback since their Goosebumps release in 2021 and their military enlistment. The group (sans U, who is Japanese) all enlisted around the same time and was discharged from the military around the same time this year, eager to return to the stage as a whole group for their fans to release new music. ONF had also released a special mini-album last year with Your Song and Storage of ONF.

The more I listen to Love Effect, the more I find myself falling for the track. I will admit that I wasn’t completely won over when I first heard Love Effect yesterday upon its release, simply because the track didn’t feel concentrated enough when you compare it to their previous dance tracks they promoted with. But Love Effect was clever, drawing upon elements of their previous title tracks (Complete and Beautiful Beautiful springs to mind instantly during my first listen) to form this new song. And this very much got me coming back for more. In addition to the nostalgia above, Love Effect adds in more of a funky undertone throughout the rest of the track and a jazzy backing to Wyatt’s rapping. I also enjoyed the piano flourishes that appears in the background. Other than that, the upbeat instrumentation exudes a bright and poppy energy that makes me instantly smile. Their vocals and rapping does the exact same, with the melodies and hooks all fun and lighthearted. The best part of the song, for me, has to be in the bridge and at the end of Love Effect, when the members sing together in a simple yet anthemic manner. It is lowkey and straightforward, charming in an easygoing manner. Overall, Love Effect is super positive in terms of energy and output, and a great return for the group!

Matching the brightness of the song is the music video, which was quite vibrant and colourful. I found the editing and cinematography of the video to be a super cool aspect of the video, along with the inclusion of the special effects (which takes you back to their virtual world era). Even the start had flashes of scenery from their Beautiful Beautiful and Ugly Dance videos! And the members look like they are all glad to be back, which makes the smiles and energy from the music video even more convincing.

In addition to being a fun and playful routine, I like how the choreography felt quite substantial and isn’t too lighthearted or wispy. While nothing stands out like (compared to their past performances), I would still say the whole routine is still quite robust and the energy the members put into the dance made it one to still watch.

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

[Review] Baila Conmigo – ONEUS

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Making their comeback last week was ONEUS, who returns with their 10th mini-album La Dolce Vita, which is Spanish for ‘The Sweet Life‘. The title of the title track (and focus of this review post) is also titled in Spanish, Baila Conmigo, which is Spanish for ‘Dance With Me‘. The new release follows on from the group’s ERASE ME and PYGMALION promotions from earlier in May of this year.

With no surprise, the Spanish titled Baila Conmigo also features Latin influences in its mix. But for the main backbone of the track, Baila Conmigo sees a contemporary pop dance sound and reggaeton beats. All of these come together to create a decent and surprisingly balanced instrumental backing. However, I do feel like the instrumental lacked an exciting element to take it to the next level. Everything in the instrumentation felt firmly in the background of the background, and I wished there was more to the forefront of the instrumentation (i.e. those exciting elements I was just talking about). The added oomph via those more defined percussion and beats was an interesting element to give Baila Conmigo a bombastic end and to fill out the instrumental so it can be more fulfilling. It serves its purpose and also surprised me, given the subdued nature of the rest of the song. But it did feel a tad late. The vocal work from ONEUS was solid, per usual. But the lack of a memorable hook or melody does make Baila Conmigo less interesting to return to. The Spanish second verse was a big surprise, but I don’t think it was as big of a weapon as ONEUS and their producers had hoped for. I wished there was much for to Baila Conmigo. But it was still a decent listen, nonetheless.

The music video for Baila Conmigo was okay, but also lacked that memorable aspect, in my opinion. The video goes down the aesthetic route with a sensual and mature concept. I did like the different sets, some of which looks to be Latin influenced and how the colours choices either gave the sets a warm or cool tone. The choreography in the pool of shallow water and glittered covered floor also felt refreshing. And adding to the aesthetics of the video, I believe the people in the background/drummers were wearing a Vejigante mask to fit in with the Latin concept influence. It all looks very pretty and neat. But asides from choreography and closeups, there wasn’t much else to the video.

The choreography for this comeback isn’t as bold as their previous works. This makes way for a sensual routine, which works well with the song. I do like the end where the beats become more dramatic and the song takes that bombastic turn. The members traditioned over without it being jarring or disruptive to the flow of the routine.

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

[Review] Youtiful – Stray Kids

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Finally, the final song review for the ★★★★★ (5-STAR) era. The song in question is titled Youtiful, which serves as the album’s 10th track. Including the title and this track, I have written a total of 6 reviews for this era, with the most recent being TOPLINE (ft. Tiger JK). This does not include an additional two reviews for two other tracks that were release prior to ★★★★★ (5-STAR). Following this song review, I will be posting the full album review for ★★★★★ (5-STAR) on the weekend. I do find it funny, however, that I will be doing this all over again for the next era that will occur some time in the remainder of 2023.

Youtiful blends the words ‘You’ and ‘Beautiful’ to create its title. And based on this alone, you can tell that the song is about how everyone is beautiful as they are, and that the track is directed to towards their fans and other listeners. It is extremely heartfelt and brings a smile to my face every time I listen to it. To reach an even wider audience, the entirety of Youtiful is in English. All of the members perfectly delivery their lines and sing wonderfully throughout the track. The combination of the piano and guitar backing and the members singing gives off such warm and comforting vibes. The melodies and instrumentation are very simple and straightforward, but this makes Youtiful an easy listen. Overall, I find Youtiful to be such an effective track and it does exactly what it is set out to do.

Youtiful‘s music video differs from the rest of the other music videos we got from this era, as it is more of a lyric video and it is also animated. It is also the only video to not feature Stray Kids in any form aside from their vocals. I find the animation to be cute, with the animation showing the lives of an ordinary people finding out news that space is coming closer to them. The news and the wider population sees the whole situation in a more upsetting sense, focusing on asteroids coming close to the Earth’s orbut. But a select few in the video sees the situation from a more beautiful perspective, focusing on the closer presence of the planets and stars.

Song – 9/1`0
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] LET’S DANCE – LEE CHAE YEON

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A couple of weeks back LEE CHAE YEON made her solo comeback with LET’S DANCE. At first, her comeback flew under the radar. And after I realized she made a comeback, I was posting other reviews and busy with work. But today, I will finally be getting around to review LET’s DANCE. This new release follows on from LEE CHAE YEON’s KNOCK from earlier this year.

LET’S DANCE is a super fun dance track, with its bright energy being the best thing to come out of the track. It genuinely makes me want to dance, smile and have a good time – all of which you would expect to come from a fun dance track. LEE CHAE YEON and the producers did a great job when it comes to LET’S DANCE‘s pre-chorus and chorus, where the energy mentioned is definitely quite high. The pre-choruses features a very refreshing incline to the chorus (I also like the ABBA reference ahead of the final chorus), and the chorus satisfies with its power pop motif. The final chorus also features a punchy high note, which serves as a strong peak for LET’S DANCE. LEE CHAE YEON herself sounds solid throughout the track. But while it is definitely a strong song for LEE CHAE YEON, I am disappointed by the dull “Let’s Dance” repetition that follows up the chorus. It felt pretty unimaginative and cuts into the aforementioned bright energy that makes LET’S DANCE as good as it is. We needed something more dynamic to fit in with the rest of LET’S DANCE. Overall, a strong song that is held back by a lacking hook.

The music video is bright and the people involved encompasses the fun and upbeat nature of LET’S DANCE very well. All of this works extremely well with the summery vibes (or at least, the warm weather given that they are now in Autumn) that Korea is still experiencing. I liked the camera work during the bridge of the video, which is what we saw in KNOCK‘s music video as well. The added special effects also adds to the fun of the video.

The choreography is amazing. I really like the fun energy she and the dancers put into it, especially when it comes to the footwork in the chorus. I really like the bendy moves in the bridge and how they changed up the moves in the final chorus to be punchier.

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