Category: Reviews

[Review] GGBB – MAMAMOO+

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , Leave a comment

Congratulation to MAMAMOO+ for being voted ‘Best Subunit of 2022’ in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Click here to find out which other artists, songs and performances you voted as winners for the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

MAMAMOO unveiled their first subunit, MAMAMOO+ consisting of Solar and Moonbyul, last year in August through the release of Better (ft. BIG Naughty). Unfortunately, I didn’t get around to reviewing it for a few reasons. But never say never, as I might go back to review it once I get some free time, especially since MAMAMOO+ was selected as the Best Subunit of 2022 in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. But today instead, I will be reviewing MAMAMOO+’s comeback single from their first single-album release, Act 1, Scene 1, which dropped last week.

GGBB (Good Girl Bad Boy) is the title of the single in question. GGBB is a doo-wop retro song that has a mild cutesy tinge. The retro influence is reminiscent of their original group’s early work that they persisted and succeeded with when they first started out. I did feel the cutesy charm of the song made it feel slightly childish, but it also enabled a decent elements to come to life in GGBB. One of these is the very light chorus melody. At first, I thought it was weak and it would have helped if the chorus had some backing. But multiple listens since its release, and GGBB has managed to turn that thought upside down. Now, I appreciate the lightness and drifty nature of the melody. It feels fitting and comes off as catchy. Both Solar and Moonbyul do a nice job in the song. Solar definitely has the vocal appeal to pull this sound off. I had concerns for Moonbyul initially, given how high and light the chorus went. But she does fits into the song and her huskier tone gave GGBB an interesting appeal. The only thing that really irks me about GGBB is the electronic/autotuned dance break. I will admit it was a good beat. But in the grand context of GGBB, it is more of an experiment to incorporate something different into the song, per current trends. But this particular dance break just didn’t work and ruined the flow that GGBB had created itself. I honestly don’t understand the need to do this. I am sure if the producers selected a bridge or instrumental break that aligns itself with the retro influence of the song, GGBB would have been a solid release through and through. But unfortunately, the dance break we did leaves GGBB disrupted and potentially broken.

The music video is set up like a musical show/concept. It is a fitting concept for a retro based song. It isn’t an innovative idea, but it was well executed. The dance break tries to incorporate a modern element to the musical stage concept. And just like the song, the hip-hop direction it went in was quite ill-fitting. Minus that, and I think the video would have been a decent one. I quite liked the final chorus and ending, where the producers made it feel like a finale. Once again, well-executed.

I found the routine for this comeback to be a fun one. I liked the bright and cutesy tinge it had, which works hand-in-hand with the sound of GGBB. While their dance break was performed on stage as well, I did like the KBS Music Bank version of GGBB, which incorporated Chico Malo (MAMAMOO+’s pre-release, which I am hoping to also review sometime in the near future) into the performance in place of the dance break. The issue of not fitting in still stands, but I find it much better than the dance/instrumental break we get part of the original song.

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

[Review] Flower – JISOO (BLACKPINK)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , Leave a comment

It was announced way back in 2018 that all the members of BLACKPINK would make their solo debut. Everything promptly kicked off at the end of 2018 with JENNIE’s release for SOLO. Then ROSÉ released On The Ground in 2020, followed by LISA’s LALISA in 2021. And now finally, after five years since the announcement of solo releases, JISOO makes her solo debut (as the last BLACKPINK member to do so) with the release of FLOWER yesterday.

To me, FLOWER sounds like the ideal song to become the next trend through TikTok/short form videos. The chorus of FLOWER reminds me of those Vietnamese songs that have been used as a backing to most of the shorts, reels and TikTok videos that I have been seeing on my social media. They all share a pretty similar appeal, in my opinion, and FLOWER would fit in quite well. However, FLOWER isn’t my cup of tea as a whole. The song’s chorus is quite lacking and feels very empty, as a result. I wished there was more body, lyrics or a catchy hook to it. Essentially, anything in addition would have been better than the empty feeling of FLOWER. I am not a fan of the whiny synth in the background the choruses, but they do have their charm. The chorus also disappoints as it follows on from some really decent verses that I felt was a nice showing of JISOO’s abilities, character, and vocal colour. Something to continue the momentum from the verses would have been ideal as the choruses, and I feel that the bridge is a good example of this. The inclination and oomph that we get from JISOO in that segment adds a lot more meat to the song,. The ad-libs and breathy “Hey” that follow also had a similar effect. Overall, FLOWER could have used a lot more to it. And as it stands, FLOWER is probably the weakest solo release from the group’s solo releases (thus far).

The music video was kind of boring. I hate to be a bummer, but I don’t think this particular video offered as much as the other solo music videos. The other videos had fabulous fashion, dramatic effects and cultural influences which helped make the video interesting to watch. And while we do have great fashion in this one and strong acting for JISOO, there just wasn’t anything else worth discussing. I do wish there was more to the video, similar to what I want from the song.

The choreography looks quite simple and was quite fitting for the song, from what I can see from the music video. I do hope that the verses have relatively more complex arrangements, like that spiral at the start of the final chorus with the dancers hands. That would give the performance bit more to it and something to get viewers to watch the performances for. What did see in the verses was interesting and heads in that direction, so I am definitely hopeful!

Song – 6/`10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.2/10

[Review] Kitsch – IVE

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 5 Comments

For those have missed the news, IVE will be making a comeback in a couple of week’s time with their 1st studio album! And in preparation for that, the group has already begun teasing the new album release with their pre-release single, Kitsch. The comeback and pre-release single comes of a super successful year for the newly debuted female group who had hit after hit in 2022, including ELEVEN, LOVE DIVE (which took out many Song of the Year grand prizes in the recently passed award ceremonies for 2022) and After LIKE.

Kitsch is definitely a bold piece for IVE, compared to their past releases. As a pre-release, it definitely does a great job of introducing us to a new era of the group. Hopefully, their title track shows a new side of the group, as Kitsch implies. Since its release on Monday, I have had a chance to process the song a fair bit, and I now find it to be the catchiest release of the week. This wasn’t necessarily my first impression of Kitsch but those few additional listens were really favourable and helped the song grow on me. Artistically, I really like their simple pop approach the producers opts for in the verses. It was calm and soothing,, while the brightness felt innocent and comforting. All of which was very much opposite to what the choruses were and this was probably done intentionally to make Kitsch‘s anti-drop choruses pop out and be so much more impactful. The chanty delivery was memorable and pretty much keyed into my head. The instrumental turns deep-toned and heavy with the stomping beat and more electronic-leaning background really holds its ground as a statement piece for the group. All of this shows produces a sassier side to the group, something I had not expected from group whatsoever. For me, one aspect of Kitsch that didn’t sit right with me was the entire rap in the bridge. It felt pretty cliché and I am not sure if that rapping style adopted for was the best choice. I would have liked it more if the rappers chose had a more attitude-filled energy to compliment the energy of the chorus. I also wished they went in harder to carry the momentum of Kitsch‘s chorus that preceded it. Despite the rap however, the boldness prevails and Kitsch is definitely raising the bar to their title track release in a couple of week’s time.

Just like the song, the music video turns from sunny daylight (and if the scenes were not in daylight, then there was a brightness to them they felt light and warming) to the a darker vibe (through the use of intimidating red/flashing lights, the darkness of the night sky). Even the way the group carries themselves changes. They go from having fun and an easygoing vibe to a much fiercer and powerful vibe. Overall, it is a music video that works well and goes hand-in-hand with Kitsch.

The choreography looks great. You can apply the exact same comments I had for the music video to the dance routine. My favourite bit has to be the chorus segment of the routine, where the group really shows a more mature yet powerful side of themselves in the choreography. And from what I can see in the music video, the group encapsulates the same energy we get from the song super well in the choreography. Can’t wait to see a live performance for Kitsch.

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

[Review] CHILL – Stray Kids

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

Next up on the review block that belongs to Stray Kids is the side track CHILL, which comes from the group’s 7th mini-album release MAXIDENT from October of last year. As you may be aware from earlier in the week, I am reviewing the side tracks from the MAXIDENT mini-album that also got a music video release. This is all done in preparation for the upcoming mini-album review that is very much overdue at this stage. Previously, I have written reviews for CASE 143 (back in October 2022) and SUPER BOARD earlier this week. A review for Give Me Your TMI is also due shortly.

CHILL is a R&B pop song that has a particular stylish vibe and upbeat bounce to it. But this is at odds at with the messaging of the lyrics, which expresses the feelings about a relationship that has ‘cooled down’ (hence the title CHILL). Knowing this, it does put CHILL in an intriguing place. And if you know me, I like do that. On the topic of the instrumental, I enjoyed the details in the background. The synths sprinkled throughout the song gives CHILL more character, while the saxophone gave off a classy vibe that was so suitable for the song. As for the vocals, I would say CHILL is more vocally centric than usual for the group, as most of the members do gear towards a form of vocal delivery in the song. The melodies helps brings that aforementioned bounce to the song, whilst also a slight catchiness to the song that helps boost the appeal. CHANGBIN was the only member that had a substantial rap sequence in CHILL and his part actually stands out quite strongly to me. It added momentum to the song and also gave CHILL a dynamic punch, which helped heighten the appeal of the song. Overall, CHILL was a pleasant listen and was stylish and trendy track to enjoy.

The music video is set in an art gallery, with the members dressed in stylish suits/jackets for the duration of the video. I did find it interesting that all of the artwork they were looking at or featured in this video had something to do with water, which I guess keeps up with that cooler theme. But I am sure there is more meaning behind that. Throughout the video, the members were doing some random (but probably had some meaning) things. I guess they all relate somehow to the state of mind of members or the failing relationship they are in. I do think everything that they were doing (i.e. ice sculpting, setting off sparkers, creating the illusion of rain etc.) would probably make the owners (of that art gallery that the video was shot in) quite nervous.

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

[Review] Like Crazy – Jimin (BTS)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , Leave a comment

A week ago, Jimin released the pre-release single Set Me Free Pt. 2, ahead of the release of his solo debut mini-album. Yesterday, Jimin unveiled his highly anticipated mini-album, FACE, which is lead the by the single Like Crazy. He is the fourth member of his group BTS to release an official solo release since the announcement that the group would be taking a break to focus on solo endeavors and military enlistment. Recently, he collaborated with TAEYANG for VIBE, kicking the year off in style.

To me, Like Crazy is a lot more palatable then Set Me Free Pt. 2. Compared to the pre-release single, Like Crazy is a lot more contained and much more charming. No autotune is present to leave a sour aftertaste nor do I feel an overpowering instrumentation. Instead, Like Crazy opts for a synthpop instrumental, which is traditionally soft and light. I like this style as it is captivating and it has a drive to it, even though the instrumental stays pretty neutral throughout. One of the aspects of the instrumental that I really enjoyed was the instrumental break of Like Crazy, which really upped the retro dial and gave a logical but needed change to keep the song alluring. Jimin brings both a sexiness charm and delicate touch to the song via his vocals, which I brings that charming element to the song. He also turns the emotions up, particularly in the final moments of the song before the outro, which I quite enjoyed. The only thing I can see as lacking from Like Crazy was a good hook/melody. Without these, Like Crazy fails to come off as a memorable song. It is still a pleasant listen, nonetheless. But I think a substantial hook or melody would have only improved Like Crazy, taking it to the next level.

The music video had an alluring aesthetic which complements the song extremely well. The song is about being heartbroken, and using fun adventures to move on from the feelings of break up (taken from PinkVilla) and this is shown in a literal sense in the video. For majority of the video, we see Jimin heartbroken and coming to terms with his breakup. I really liked the muddy spew that comes out of the walls and the floor in these scenes, probably representing the coldness from the current state of his relationship, while the spewing motion represents the sudden onset of these developments. We then transition to the club scenes, where Jimin begins alone but slowly starts having fun with the people around him. I really liked the blue hue that the club scenes having, which is a colour that represents calmness and stability, which is what Jimin is looking for after the developments of his relationships.

[Updated] The choreography is quite artistic and shares a similar alluring aesthetic that the music video had. I liked how the routine takes that sensual vibe that I mentioned earlier in the review. Tad disappointed that retro instrumental break was featured in the choreography. Also, no move really stands out, so the I don’t see this becoming a memorable performance. But it is one still worth watching, especially since it Jimin has some really good chemistry with the dancers.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10 [Updated]
Overall Rating – 8.6/10 [Updated]

[Review] SUPER BOARD – Stray Kids

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 3 Comments

Guess who is finally getting around to writing that album review for Stray Kids’ MAXIDENT (led by CASE 143), which was released way back in early October of last year. But as you probably have guessed, I intend on covering the side tracks that were accompanied by a music video before I actually get to writing the full album review. And kicking it off the road to the album review is the song review for SUPER BOARD, the fourth song of the mini-album.

Let’s get the catchiest song out my head. That way, the rest of the song/album reviews coming your way won’t be infected with the ridiculously catchy hooks that are a main feature in SUPER BOARD (more on this in a second). SUPER BOARD enters cyberpunk territory, which is new territory for the group entirely (as far as I am aware). Some bass is also mixed into the song to give it a stable foundation and this compliments the cyberpunk quite well. The combination definitely brings a breath of fresh air to the Stray Kids’ electronic heavy discography, emphasising to me that they are capable to adapting and showing variety (in case their discography has yet to demonstrate this). I really liked the intensity and punchiness the instrumental gives SUPER BOARD. And I also enjoyed the more punkish side of the group, in terms of sound. SUPER BOARD features a good showing of vocals and raps from the members, just like all other releases by the group. However, I did notice that the vocals were drowned out by the instrumentation, and it was hard to notice each individual member as a result. It wasn’t as bad for the rappers of the group, but it was also heading in that direction for them as well. What did stand out is the fun little speed car racing sound effects that the members vocalised in SUPER BOARD. it just adds a bit of colour and brightness to the song that otherwise could have come off as heavy handed. Elsewhere, the repetitive set of similar lines that makes up the chorus was really effective and keeps SUPER BOARD very much upfront in your mind. It is quite hard to shake off SUPER BOARD when you revisit the album/song.

Just like the song, the music video visually shows a punkish side of the group that I don’t think we have seen before. In addition to that, the music video features a range of scenes of them hanging out and having fun in a garage. And it does genuinely look like they are having fun and are up to no good. There isn’t much else to the video. So for me, this video was one of the types of the video that you kind of just need to watch once. Just a quick side note, however, but the drills and the colour scheme of the garage made be think of MANIAC. Not sure if this is intentional.

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

[Review] Spring Breeze – Kim Jae Hwan

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

Making his solo comeback yesterday was Kim Jae Hwan, with his newest single Spring Breeze. It is Kim Jae Hwan’s first release of the year, with his last comeback being in September 2022 with BACK THEN and Empty Dream. More recently, we heard him as part of fellow Wanna One member Park Woo Jin’s solo debut album, featuring in the pre-release single Self Portrait. On other related matters for his comeback, here is a fun fact! Wanna One, the project group that Kim Jae Hwan used to be part of, previously released a single that shares the name as his latest title track – Spring Breeze. Anyway, with that now out of the way, let’s get stuck right into the newer song.

With a title like Spring Breeze, this contemporary pop song is fittingly breezy. The main drawing element in the instrumental is a folksy flute or whistle. It isn’t striking, like how flutes and whistles are usually used in KPOP nowadays. Instead, it is quite light and soft, but it is distinct enough to be noticed. The guitar work adds what feels like a complimentary acoustic flair to the song. The rest of the instrumental, through percussion and beat, adds some body and meat to the song. Despite that, the instrumental for Spring Breeze remains quite balanced overall, which enables that ‘breezy’ descriptor to be applied to the song. Kim Jae Hwan brings even more heft to Spring Breeze via his vocals, which helps makes him stand out quite a bit. In particular, this vocals soars during the pre-choruses, creating the impression of an incline in momentum. Interestingly, Kim Jae Hwan then opts for a lower tone to begin the choruses, creating a relatively striking moment for Spring Breeze. This adds a bit more appeal to the song, as it is clever way of drawing attention to the song. My main issue is the fact I didn’t get much out of the melodies and hooks aside that they sound decent. I feel that is partly due to the design of the song. They literally flow by and they don’t really have much of an anchor to become memorable. This becomes a problem when you do a more casual listen and aren’t exactly paying attention towards the details of the song. These elements that usually become the centerpiece of the song, but instead they end up flowing out the other ear soon after. It isn’t an indication of the melodies/hooks sounding bad persay, but rather a lack of opportunity to process them. Overall, Spring Breeze is a nice track to listen to. But as indicated by my comments on the melodies/hooks, Spring Breeze could easily be lost to the strong competition around it.

The music video is miss for me. I really liked the flowy and breezy bits of the video, which makes complete sense for a song about memories that appear again during the months of Spring that is titled Spring Breeze. However, I am not entirely sure about the more striking looks of the video, such as Kim Jae Hwan’s full black outfit and the bold blue circle on the ground during some of the solo/choreography shots. They just don’t fit the rest of the aesthetics of the video, in my opinion.

I did have concerns, given how light the song, where the choreography would lean towards. And the fact that it easily could have been overdone. But the choreography gears towards a more aesthetic approach, which is a safe move. The routine appears graceful, softly delivered and smooth, not sharp and impactful like other routines out there. This compliments the song well. The ending with the tree formation by the remembers reminds me of EXO’s Wolf for some reason. Trees have appeared in choreographies since 2013, so I am not sure why the flashbacks are happening here.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6,5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] Love Me Like This – NMIXX

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

A week after their Young, Dumb, Stupid pre-release, NMIXX has officially returned with their latest single, Love Me Like This, and their 1st mini-album, Expérgo. Both the new single and first mini-album follows the releases of O.O, DICE and Funky Glitter Christmas. It is also the first major comeback to not feature former member Jinni, who left the group following the release of Funky Glitter Christmas at the end of last year. NMIXX has since reformed into a six-member group.

It appears that the producers behind NMIXX have learnt what stability is. During the entire first listen I gave to Love Me Like This, I was bracing for that wild and unexpecting change in the instrumentation and sound. But we never got that. Instead, Love Me Like This stayed relatively consistent and cohesive throughout, which I really appreciated. Love Me Like This is described as an upbeat R&B pop track, however I got more of a hip-hop impression initially through the bouncy beat and delivery that Love Me Like This adopts in its verses. The vocals and rapping in the verses do give the song character, however their delivery during the verses could have been strength somehow to give more of a wow factor. The pre-choruses was a definite highlight for me, with the melody and vocals here giving such a nice pop to the song. Lily’s delivery of the first pre-chorus, in particular, is my favourite part in this entire song. Then, the song slips into a chanty refrain for the chorus. Here, I can feel more of the R&B coming through. And although, “Love me like this, Love me like that” does come off as repetitive, I find this super effective. Give me by the end of the review and I will probably have the chorus keyed into my head. I did want more body to the instrumentation for the chorus, as it just doesn’t carry on the momentum that the pre-chorus was pushing the song towards. The touch of rock that we get in the second half of the chorus was ideal and it really helped strength Love Me Like This further. The weakest point of the song for me was the bridge. It was a very neutral part of the song that didn’t get a much of a reaction out of me. Overall, every release that NMIXX has made since their debut has shown improvement, with Love Me Like This their best effort yet. Compared to their debut, I am actually excited to see what their next release is like based on this trajectory.

Like the bridge of the song, the music video doesn’t get much out of me. I just didn’t find much of a connection to the sets used. I did like the brief Wizard of Oz type of set for the one-liner about a tin heart and I felt the white choreography set had impact. But the hallway and bedroom were a bit of a miss for me. Aside of that, I thought their stylists did an awesome job of showing off an edgy, hip-hop vibe with some of the outfits. But I also liked the pop of colour that some of the outfits had, which is fitting for the group and their youthful charms.

Choreography for this comeback looks awesome. I liked the entire chorus routine, as it makes such a strong impression and helps raise the impact level of the chorus. It also relieves some of that repetitiveness that the lyrics and beat brings, as each move was different and prevented the over-emphasis of repetition.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Top Tier – PARK WOO JIN (AB6IX)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , Leave a comment

Here is another review for a release from a few weeks back. PARK WOO JIN, the rapper of AB6IX and former Wanna One member, made his solo debut back at the end of February with the single Top Tier and his debut mini-album, oWn. Top Tier follows the pre-release of the single Self Portrait (which accompanies Top Tier on the new mini-album) and features fellow former Wanna One member Kim Jae Hwan. Unfortunately, that release doesn’t have a music video and so I won’t be reviewing it in the standard song format. But it my revisited in an album review if I choose to write one for oWn. But for now, here are my thoughts on Top Tier.

I found Top Tier to be a very typical hip-hop release. I do commend the effort in which both PARK WOO JIN and Top Tier goes in hard and that the energy does have a relentless side to it. But Top Tier’s downfall is its repetitive nature. The repetition comes through the instrumentation and the song’s main hook. The former basically sounded the same all throughout its 2:50 minute run time. A bit more variety in the backing piece could have made Top Tier more dynamic and this would have improved the song by a great deal. The latter just felt monotonous and didn’t elicit anything memorable, which is not ideal for the song’s central moment. All of this adds up to a disappointing song. As mentioned just now, I wished there was more to Top Tier, maybe building on the intensity by way of an abrasively instrumented instrumental break to make way for a dance break in the choreography, or even a bolder and expressive hook that drives the energy upwards and doesn’t stay flat. But while my disappointment with Top Tier is abundant, I do commend PARK WOO JIN’s delivery and flow throughout the song. He himself definitely propels the song forward, as is the main driving force that makes up (partially) the effect of the plain and repetitive nature of Top Tier. The pre-choruses provided a brief look into the PARK WOO JIN’s husky vocals and this was an strong showing of skill as well. Overall, Top Tier does show off PARK WOO JIN to a degree, but I wished the song itself had more to it.

The music video shows PARK WOO JIN as different types of top tier individuals. We see him as the winner of an arcade game fight (who might also be the leader of a dance crew), the winning avatar in the game, a king on a throne (who might double up as the next individual), and a highly acclaimed artist. I liked how the video intertwines all of these different ‘top tier’ individuals into what felt like a cohesive video. I also enjoyed the darker tone the video took, which matches the heaviness of PARK WOO JIN’s song.

Choreography-wise, I felt that the routine did a decently good job of showing off the intensity the song had and the energy that PARK WOO JIN had injected into the song with its delivery. But nothing stood out to me in the performance that makes me want to go back for a re-watch.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.9/`10

[Review] Love or Die – TNX

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

As mentioned constantly throughout this blog, I have many artists and releases that I have yet to review. One of those releases come from TNX. For those who don’t know TNX, they are a relatively new group in KPOP who debuted as a six male group, formed through the survival audition program Loud in 2022, with Move. This week, the male group returns for the first time with their second single, Love or Die and second mini-album Love Never Dies. The group also pre-released the single I Need U ahead of the release of both Love or Die and the mini-album, which I promise I will review one day.

Love or Die is a definite improvement from their debut track. The group moves away from the standard and typical sound that male groups put out constantly that TNX (and their producers) fell in the trap of releasing as their debut single. Instead, TNX went with a different sound in Love or Die, opting for a punkish rock influence sound. Love or Die is by no means a new or innovative sound, but at least it comes off as refreshing and different from the rest of the competition. The autotuned beginning was quite striking, while that punkish rock influence gave a boldness to the song. The energy that is exuded from the verses is very neat and just gives a fresh breath of life that allows the members to really pop out from within the song. I also felt like their vocals and rapping were super clear throughout the song, and I really appreciated that. The choruses goes a slightly different direction to what I had expected. There was a clear incline in momentum and forwardness in the verses and pre-choruses. Naturally, I felt the choruses were going to add more to the song and at least progress that energy and momentum. But instead, Love or Die‘s main centrepiece switches it up with taking it all down a notch. I felt this cuts the flow and dampens the potential to the song, to a degree. Something harder, stronger and more intense felt like it was more ideal. But to be honest, this isn’t much of a deal breaker for me, as I still thought TNX did a really good job with what they presented to us in the choruses of Love or Die. And likewise, the same can be said with the rest of Love or Die.

Based on what I saw and my interpretation of the lyrics of the song, it looks like the members are coming to terms of a rejection from someone who they thought loved them. Hence, there was dejected emotions and facial expressions on the members’ faces. And given their young ages, it was fitting they did this in the more typical school age concept that we see in KPOP often for groups starting out. But even with that, there is a slightly edgy visual tone through some of the other scenes in the video, such as the abandoned plane scenery and some of the warehouse. All of these complimented each other quite well, and created a cohesive video.

I really liked the forcefulness and aggression the routine had during the verses, which channels the emotions expressed in the song quite well. Particular mention needs to be made to the start of the final chorus, which is where the aggression was the strongest. It makes for a riveting performance on stage and highlights the group’s potential. My only qualm about the performance is how the latter parts of the chorus didn’t feel fitting alongside the rest of the song.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.1/10

[Review] Rover – KAI (EXO)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , 1 Comment

KAI from EXO continues his solo ventures this week with his second solo comeback since debuting as a solo artist back in 2020. The new single and mini-album is titled Rover, and the new release follows the likes of Mmmh and Peaches.

First listen into Rover, and I am happy to say that I am digging the new song. To me, Rover felt more representative of KAI as a performer and would have served as a more logical comeback single following Mmmh. Peaches does have it is own charm and unique profile, but Rover really does a better job at highlighting the potential KAI has as a solo artist. His vocals in the verses were so immaculate and creates a really great opening to the dance pop song. Even from the first verse, you can sense the subtle intensity that is building in the background. This helps makes the Rover‘s choruses more impactful, with the stomping beat, the subtle exotic tinge that comes through the instrumentation via the wind instrument in the background and the sparse use of those twinkling effects creating a really strong backing to Rover‘s centrepice. The hooks here are so extremely catchy. Simple repetition is done quite often, but it sounds so effective in Rover. KAI follows up the first chorus with some deep speak-rap that intertwines really well into the song. The bridge shows KAI’s most impressive vocal sequence in the song. with particular mention to that high note that felt very needed after that bridge. And to close out Rover, some deep and seductive rapping from KAI extends out Rover just that bit more to give us another run at the catchy and addictive simplicity that is Rover‘s chorus. Overall, I think it is safe to say that I am impressed with Rover and KAI himself in this comeback.

When it comes to the music video, I am a bit confused over the concept of the music video. There is a plot line within the video, as the introduction shows KAI making a fake identification card, which presents to the lady behind the window. But she is also the owner of the hair shop that KAI works in. But asides from the confusing concept/plotline, there are a few good elements to the video. The aesthetic created with KAI, the ballerinas and the masked dancers was very cool. The contrast here was definitely something that stood out to me. Also, while we are talking about KAI, his sexy looks were very much on display on this video and he looked extremely fashionable throughout with this many different looks. His most iconic one from this music video has to be the one where he wears the bandana like how the older ladies might wear when they go outside.

Again, KAI does not disappoint with his performance of Rover. The routine for the chorus was very cool, especially with the stomping that starts the segment off. Body waves and rolls makes prominent feature in the choreography as well. What also really helps make KAI such a great performer and this routine more charming are his facial expressions, which make everything a lot more alluring and worth watching.

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

[Review] Young, Dumb, Stupid – NMIXX

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

Just right after their fellow labelmates made their comeback at the end of last week, NMIXX is gearing up for their their second comeback. Ahead of the comeback which will occur in a week’s time, NMIXX has released Young, Dumb, Stupid as a pre-release single to get us all excited for the upcoming return of the group. This upcoming comeback also is their first release since the departure of Jinni, who exited the group back in December following the release of Funky Glitter Christmas.

Young, Dumb, Stupid is quite different from their previous tracks, which have attempted to mash up multiple different styles into one song. Instead, this pre-release offering keeps it relatively consistent, which I appreciated. But then again, this is just the pre-release – we just don’t know what is lurking around the corner just yet. Young, Dumb, Stupid is not bad, just a more standard affair, even in the realm of consistent songs. We had a strong opening with the rapping, before the song becomes more like your cutesy KPOP track. This is backed up by the chorus of the song, which samples the Brother John nursery rhyme, which ultimately gives the first half of the chorus and the rest of the song a very child-like exterior – miles away from the stronger and attitude-heavy driven title tracks NMIXX has put out previously. What I personally don’t like is how the lyrics of that very segment conforms to their usual messaging, yet fills at odds with the sound. It just isn’t a combination that works with me. The second half of the chorus attempts to unravel that child-like first half by giving us a meatier melody that doesn’t have the same connotations as the first half. I personally liked this half a lot more, especially when it came to Lily’s execution of it. But it was just so brief and didn’t have enough time to be digested before we are going back to the verse and bridge (which were okay). Haewon’s final sequence in the song was also a positive that I must commend on. Overall, I am not troubled by Young, Dumb, Stupid. It might be the fact that the song is a side track on the mini-album, and not the title track. Had it been the title track, I think this entire section would be written very differently with the common theme of disappointment. But that was not the case, and so guess we got to see what NMIXX and their producers have in store for us next week.

Pink and purple is the colour scheme of this music video. It seems a bit cliché, but I guess that is the typical colour scheme for feminine youth. Aside from that, the music video features a pair of glasses that some of the members don to discover a different world around them. I wished they kept with the concept, as it was there one second and gone the next. The post-production was pretty solid, with the visual effects giving this video a bit more substance than the members being cutesy, closeup and choreography shots.

Based on what I could see in the music video, the choreography looked good. Nothing stands out as an iconic move, but it felt fun, cute and lively, all of which works well with the song.

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

[Review] P.O.W! (Play On The World) – Cherry Bullet

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsLeave a comment

Also making their comeback earlier this week was Cherry Bullet. The group’s newest single is titled P.O.W!, which stands for Play On The World. It leads their third mini-album, Cherry Blast, which was also released on the same day as P.O.W!. We last saw Cherry Bullet through their Love In Space promotions early last year.

P.O.W! throws the group a couple of different sounds, but none of them sticks. In the end, I find P.O.W! to be a bit of a mess and not that memorable, as a result. Let’s break down the song a bit. P.O.W! opens up with a dash of hip-hop influence, before the verses become a lot more pop centric with its percussive instrumental approach. The pre-chorus features a different pop motif, opting for delicateness. The chorus then features P.O.W!‘s most interesting sound, a heavy club-like beat that gives off an intriguing character and serious tone (and one I personally wished P.O.W! kept with, as it is definitely draws in my attention). But then, the chorus’ second half disrupts the energy and replaces it with a bubblegum pop like sound that detracts away from any effect created by the earlier parts of the song, let alone the first half of the chorus. All of this repeats again for a second time, preventing P.O.W! from ever settling and focusing on one sound. Changing sounds and influences within the same song isn’t anything new with KPOP. But I just feel like P.O.W! could have pulled the sound that makes up the first half of the chorus out of the song, made it their primary piece and stuck with it. It would have made P.O.W! a much more compelling listen. On a more positive note (I kind of ignored the fact the song doesn’t stick with one sound to find something positive to discuss), I did like some of the vocals/raps that the group presents us in P.O.W! (their vocals in the second half of the chorus felt very Cherry Bullet to me as this does feel recognisable from their earlier works), and I quite liked how they swapped the two halves of the chorus in its final run.

P.O.W!‘s accompanying music video is a bit of a disappointment, considering their last two music videos. This one was just plain in comparison, with just the usual close up and choreography shots. For some odd reason, I have the idea that a studio-based music video with more built sets would made for a cooler video. Guess I am not feeling the warehouse setting. The post-production does give the video some oomph and character, but not nearly as enough to dispel my initial thoughts on the video. On the plus side, their visuals remain a strong point of the video, and I do like their more confident and mature look in the video.

The choreography is probably the strongest aspect of this comeback. While I am definitely not fan of the combination of the two halves of the choruses, I am a fan of the routines of the two halves. The members did a neat job, showing off a slight mature and bright side of the group (respective to the corresponding half).

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.2/10

[Review] SET ME FREE – TWICE

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

TWICE’s Talk That Talk was voted as the Best Pop Song of the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Congratulations to TWICE! Click here to see who else won in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

Making their comeback earlier today is TWICE, with their latest single SET ME FREE and their 12th mini-album since debut, Ready To Be. The massively popular female group from JYP Entertainment was last seen on the Korean stage promotion their 2022 single Talk That Talk and their 11th mini-album BETWEEN 1&2. More recently, we have seen TWICE through their second English track, Moonlight Sunrise, which serves as the pre-release single to Ready To Be. I have yet to review the track, but will do so in the near future. Upcoming for TWICE is the impending debut of the group’s first unit in Japan – MISAMO (consisting of Mina, Sana and Momo). But for now, here is my review for SET ME FREE.

SET ME FREE is a solid comeback, bringing back a mature sound to their main promotional track. A heavy yet groovy bassline kicks off the song as the main drawing point of the background of SET ME FREE. I liked how the song builds on this as it flows into the chorus, which combined the aforementioned bassline with bursts of synth strings to create a suspenseful yet enjoyable instrumental for the background of the chorus. Along with the pop energy that the members brought to the chorus/post-chorus, SET ME FREE definitely had a lot of charisma and appeal to it thus far. The second verse featured a peak moment through Nayeon’s vocals, which helped drive the song forward. From here on out, however, SET ME FREE fails to really continue that forward trajectory and the song ends up falling a little flat in my opinion. The second run at the chorus had the exact same momentum as its first run. Similarly, the final chorus didn’t offer any highs than what we heard previously. There was a high note, but it was brief and didn’t make much of a splash. I wished both the second and final choruses had suitable levels of oomph to them to help drive the song forward. SET ME FREE would have really benefited from this. The bridge opts for a a trap-based sequence featuring rapping from Dahyun, Momo and Chaeyoung, which I was totally for. But the transition between bridge and final chorus was pretty much absent, and so there wasn’t any satisfying move that signals the end was coming for SET ME FREE. While these are pretty big missteps for the song, SET ME FREE did do just enough to sell itself to me, hence why I still described it as a “solid comeback” despite the flaws discussed above.

The music video did help facilitate some of that missing momentum through the explosions at the start and following the bridge/fake end to the video. After all, I do like a good explosion in a music video. And two does bring a slight edge. I liked how elsewhere the video depicts the message behind the song – putting everything on the line for love to unlock one’s true self. We saw the members driving/running away, escaping holographic containments, the ripping of jewelry and performing a pyrotechnic magic trick to change outfits and be freed from the strings that bound the member. They are very determined. The latter was Tyuzu’s solo scene and it was super cool to watch. I also quite enjoyed that spacy moon choreography backdrop. Not sure about its relation to the concept, but it was a really memorable look. Overall, a cool video to watch.

The choreography for this comeback shows a mature vibe from the group. A tad bit sensual, a tad bit charismatic, and a tad bit of attitude. I really liked it. There was some strong moments that were highlighted in the music video, such as Sana’s moment in the second verse and Momo’s forward movement during the bridge. I also liked how the members used a handcuff action to emphasis the title of the song when it was repeated in the song.

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

[Review] O (Circle) – ONEW (SHINee)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , Leave a comment

ONEW’s second mini-album, DICE, was voted as the Best Album of the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Congratulations to ONEW! Click here to see who else won in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

ONEW made his solo comeback earlier this week, with his third solo Korean release since his solo debut back in 2018. O (Circle) headlines this comeback, as part of his first studio length album, Circle. Both Circles follow the release of BLUE and Voice (from his solo debut in 2018), DICE (title of both his second Korean solo single and second Korean mini-album) and his Japanese comebacks last year.

O (Circle) reverts away from the retro city pop that ONEW had opted for his last comeback, and takes us down what almost sounds like a balladry path. But it isn’t like BLUE, which was pretty much your standard ballad with stunning orchestral instrumentation and amazing vocals from ONEW himself. Instead, O (Circle) takes on a softer and delicate R&B tone. The heavy bass line and organ-like synth in O (Circle) helps create a riveting backing piece to the song, while ONEW shines with his velvety vocals. Altogether, O (Circle) comes together to be a dreamy and soothing piece that stands out in the influx of comebacks, debuts and other releases we are experiencing. The use of the gospel choir as a backing to the chorus made for an excellent centrepiece and gave O (Circle) some deep impact. It also helped heighten the message of the song – just like the seasons are slightly different but also similar each year, life is quite similar as we have different experiences, but we are similar in the end. Relatively, it does make the verses sound lacking and very much less memorable. But it doesn’t necessarily stop O (Circle) from being an impactful and gripping song on a whole.

The montage at the start of the video of ONEW singing was one of the most captivating moments in a music video that I ever seen before. And this pretty much sets the aesthetic tone for the rest of the music video. We have some artistic shots of other things throughout the video. At one point, the items are colourful and alive, depicting the happier moments in life. Then, we see a bloodied phone screen, an unlightened light bulb cast aside and some crayons with dust around them, which depicted the darker moments in life to me. In the latter half of the video, we have a similar montage of items. The acting sequence of the video is probably the part that I find hardest to connect to, as I don’t know what is on going on there. At the end of the video, we get another montage of ONEW. It is a lot quicker and looks like the video is buffering. But I see it as a quick montage of a life, with the life being the entire music video.

Just like the music video, the choreography has this aesthetic side to it, which I really enjoyed. It definitely made for a captivating routine. I honestly did not expect to see a choreography routine for the comeback, given the song is very close to the balladry side of music. But I am glad it did, as it makes the live performances worth returning to. I also like how graceful the movements were, which not only fits the song, but give ONEW the opportunity to focus on the vocal work for the performance.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] Groovy – CRAVITY

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

After finally getting around to announcing the winners from the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards, I am finally getting back on the reviewing train. As I have constantly saying for the past few months, I will get around to posting the reviews that I have missed. But for now, here is a review for a brand new release, literally right off the press. CRAVITY makes their comeback today with their new title track Groovy and their fifth mini-album, Master: Piece. The new release follows the group’s last comeback with PARTY ROCK and their fourth mini-album, NEW WAVE, from September 2022.

As promised and alluded by the title of this new single, Groovy delivers on being groovy and funky. It would be a disappointment otherwise if it hadn’t! Groovy is described to be an electro-funk song that captures retro pop and hip-hop vibes from the 2000s. You can totally feel each of those influences coming through in the song. I particularly enjoyed the dance break we got as the bridge of the song. The way those brassy synths were incorporated into the instrumental piece really bridged and blended the chorus preceding it, the hip-hop influence and the electronic roots quite well. This dance break instantly becomes a highlight in the song for me. Elsewhere, Groovy is a super energetic track, particularly when we reach the choruses. They contained a blast of energy, further heightened by the smoother and laid-back pre-choruses that comes just before it. Strong and well-presented vocals throughout the song, while the rapping helped infuse more of that hip-hop influence into the song. My only issue with Groovy is the lack of a strong hook or centrepiece. I really enjoyed PARTY ROCK, the group’s last comeback single, as it had simple yet strong hooks/centrepieces that really drew in my attention and got me excited about the song after the fact. In Groovy, there really isn’t much to this department and I am not exactly satisfied with what has brought brought to the table. It could be very well the fact that the hooks and other moments just haven’t really set in my mind yet. But as far as I can tell, it doesn’t feel like they sell me the song as strongly as their preceding single. However, that doesn’t stop the super fun and energetic tone of Groovy that CRAVITY executes well.

My guess is the video shows the creative process in producing a comeback. The members all play a variety of roles throughout the video, including the team of office workers who most likely plans and research new concepts, the idols themselves on stage and at their press conference (and my guess is the black suits represent the members at an award show), the production crew who are filming the performance and the backstage crew. And it is revealed at the end that member Hyeongjun is the janitor that leaves the mysterious puzzles pieces around the office that connect together to give us this fun video. My only question is how the space theme fits into the video. Not exactly sure. Maybe it is a hint towards a future concept for a future comeback?

Choreography-wise, this comeback looked quite decent. I liked how fitting and the simple the moves that coincide with the hooks of the song. Personally, I did want something a little more dynamic to the hooks, but given the hooks don’t really go in that direction in terms of sound, I felt an equally as intense and dynamic dance move here would have just overpowered the sequence in its entirety. As for the rest of the performance, I liked the balance of intensity and energy, which helps live up to the fun and energetic descriptors I gave the song.

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