Category: Reviews

[Review] Shining Bright – CSR

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CSR made a splash with their debut last year with their bright Pop? Pop! single and their subsequent comeback in November 2022 with ♡Ticon (which I have yet to review – will do so in the future). Just over four months on, CSR made their return with their second comeback, Shining Bright, and second mini-album Delight.

To me, the opening of Shining Bright took me right back to their Pop? Pop! debut. The super engaging electronic thumps just had such a nostalgic feel to them, which was pretty much the major drawing point of their debut single. A nostalgic feeling also comes through again later in Shining Bright via the melodies in the choruses, as well. However, we don’t hear much more of electronic thumps in the song. Instead, Shining Bright‘s verses take on more of a pleasant pop appeal, with the occasion hints of the true form of Shining Bright, which is later revealed to be a pop rock motif in the choruses. But CSR, via their delivery of Shining Bright, gives the pop rock more of a sugary sweet vibe. The combination of the two creates a highly sweetened and upbeat tempo, which I quite enjoyed. The vocals do push the boundary a bit with how sweet they are, but never did I think CSR went overboard. We do get close, as there were times in Shining Bright where I thought it might have been a better move to tone down the cutesy energy, such as the shoutier moments of the choruses and at the end of the second verse raps. But it didn’t necessarily ruin the song for me, so I don’t feel as strongly about this compared if it had disrupted the flow or been overwhelming. Some good moves in Shining Bright include toning down the pre-choruses ever so slightly to help accentuate the choruses, the presence of electric guitars towards the end of the song to tie everything together and the piano ending (which just gave Shining Bright a pretty ending). Overall, Shining Bright works extremely well for CSR and is a great addition to their discography.

The music video for Shining Bright was a pretty one. Just like the song’s title, there was a brightness to the video, which in combination with the post-production, helped make the abundance of colours throughout quite vivid. The members’ visuals were also highlighted in the video. I did wish there was more to the music video, as I felt I have summed up the video in just the couple of lines above quite succinctly, which sometimes is a good thing. But other times, it is not such a good thing. I am unsure on where this video lies on the spectrum.

I quite enjoyed the choreography for this comeback. It looks super expressive and energetic, which matches well with the song. The members do an awesome job on stage with delivering the lively choreography and also live vocals at the same time. It is wholesome and fun routine to watch altogether.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] Seed – TAEYANG (BIGBANG)

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Earlier this year, TAEYANG made his long awaited solo comeback with the single VIBE (which featured JIMIN from BTS). Fast forward a quick three months, TAEYANG makes a speedy return (relative to his comeback prior to VIBE) with the title track Seed. Alongside Seed, TAEYANG also released a performance video for the side track Shoong! (which features LISA from BLACKPINK), which I will review later on. Both tracks are featured on his new second mini-album, Down to Earth.

Seed is a stunning ballad, instrumented beautifully by piano. As the song progresses, we hear the emergence of guitars, orchestral strings and even band instrumental as part of the final chorus. But throughout the length of Seed, the piano has a constant presence in the song, which keeps the song consistent and allows the same feelings that you get from beginnings of Seed to come through the latter parts of the song. Now, you might think that what I have described thus far is pretty generic. And to a degree, you are right – the instrumental doesn’t really deviate much from a standard ballad. But what really makes Seed standout from other ballads is the heavy amount of emotions and sincerity that you can tell TAEYANG poured into the song, and that also pours out of the song. The few listens I have given Seed tonight required me to stop with whatever I was doing to take it all in (even as I am writing this review!). And it is these type of ballads that really captivate you are the good ones. The choruses in particular were the most captivating sequences of the song. Obviously, the emotions could not have been as heartfelt had it not been for TAEYANG’s vocals, which were outstanding and also nostalgic for me. His tone was just so comforting and warming. Overall, Seed is an amazing ballad that showcases TAEYANG’s artistic abilities.

The music video felt quite fitting for the song. While I am not exactly sure of the connection between the different scenes or cinematography used with the song, the overall vibes of both were in tandem with one another. And paired with the song, the video ends up becoming quite captivating, as well. There was one scene in the video that stood out to me. That was the scene with the five kids playing at the beach (and I believe there was another shot with Taeyang in the foreground and four figures in the background). I wonder if this is a hint towards BIGBANG, which used to be a five member group.

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

[Review] Super – SEVENTEEN

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Starting off this new week is SEVENTEEN, who returns with their 10th mini-album FML and two new title tracks, one sharing the same title as the mini-album (but styled as F*ck My Life) and the other is titled Super. This review will focus on the latter track as that is the only title track that has a music video at this stage. FML follows the group’s HOT and _WORLD era, their Japanese Dream comeback (which I have yet to review) in November 2022 and the successful return of the group’s BSS subunit in the earlier months of 2023.

Super is, with very little doubt, a very strong and intense single, joining the likes of past SEVENTEEN songs of a similar nature such as HIT and Getting Closer. However, those songs were more electronic and abrasive in terms of texture. While Super does head in that direction, I do find the newer song to be a bit more rounded with its beats and the synths used are a bit more intriguing and unique. That high pitch scratchy voice actually works really nicely in the background, almost harmonizing with the vocals in the song at certain points. That main instrumental centre piece in the foreground of the first half of the chorus was really cool. I can’t tell if it is percussive piece or a plucked string instrumental, but its presence in Super quite a scene setter. The drumming throughout Super was definitely a a constant highlight, but the faster tempo drumming in the second half of the chorus (which almost feels like the song is lurching out at you) drives up the energy incredibly well, creating a very invigorating peak and is my favourite part of the entire song. I did wish Super developed a bit more towards the end. What we got felt pretty neutral at best, and I felt a more explosive ender would have been a more captivating way to the end Super. The distant horns at the end were a nice touch, but more could have been done. As for the vocals and rapping, I liked how both felt balanced and didn’t overshadow one another. Super had an abundance of hooks and melodies that helped the vocals and raps make the song memorable and appealing to me, whilst also giving the members enough to work with it ensure Super was interesting. I also felt the balanced nature also helped bring everything together in Super, allowing for the instrumental to stand out and creating a very compelling listen.

This music video is epic. Conceptually, it might have been simple. But its execution was literally bold and intense, making it worth watching. The scale of the set was massive, but this allowed the producers and director to really showcase some amazing shots that helped make the video feel and look epic. The presence of so many dancers in the background added to this. The dominating red colour gave the video a mature and serious feel, but it also allowed the members to really pop out (in the case of the first set outfits) and a regal feel (in the case of the second set of outfits). Both sets of outfits looked awesome and showed off different profiles of the members.

As for the choreography, SEVENTEEN has done it again. There was a lot to take in and a lot to enjoy. The wavy sequence that opens up the choruses, the intensity of the second half of the choruses where the energy rises by many bars, how S.Coups was passed forward by the dancers and thrown forward by the last set (probably the most memorable aspect of the choreography to me), and the ripple effect at the end. Even the simple action of standing in the background and walking towards the end of the performance was felt artistic in the grand scheme of Super.

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

[Review] Giddy – Kep1er

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Making their comeback last week was Kep1er, who returned to the music scene with their new single Giddy and fourth mini-album, Lovestruck!. Due to poor planning on my end, I was unable to write a review for Giddy when it was released at the start of last week. But it is the focus for today! Giddy and Lovestruck! follows the release of We Fresh and their third mini-album release Troubleshooter in October of last year. It also follows Kep1er’s second Japanese single from earlier on in the year, I do! Do You?, which I will review in a future International Song Reviews post (probably at some point this year).

Despite it being a week old and I have checked out the track on numerous occasions since its release, Giddy hasn’t really grown on me at all. It still leaves the exact same lackluster and mild impression I got from the track when I first checked out the song on the day of its release. Usually, time (and multiple replays) do its job in making a song more appealing to me. But in the case of Giddy, I find it interesting that time didn’t have much of an effect on this song. My guess is that Giddy comes down to an ‘alright’ descriptor. Nothing more, nothing less. ‘Neutral, overall’ is another way to put it. The disco-funk styled instrumental was pretty standard, and Giddy‘s repetitive hook wasn’t as memorable as it could have been. The way it was delivered had charm, but it lacks the opportunity to add some much needed definition to the song and fails to really capture a centric feel. The choruses, thanks to the main hook, just didn’t deliver, which was a bit of a disappointment given the pretty profile of the pre-choruses (which is my pick for the Giddy‘s most likeable part). In the vocals and rap department, no members stood out in Giddy. A unique aspect of Giiddy is the presence of an interlude just after the first chorus that comes in a form of a breakdown. That was quite a shocker for me, as it just does not fit in with the overall smooth tempo that the song was channeling. Overall, I felt like the producers were trying to infuse a mature approach to a youthful sound, which in theory would be an ideal combination for a group like Kep1er. Unfortunately, Giddy doesn’t offer anything innovative and plays it safe, the latter ultimately serving as Giddy’s biggest weakness.

Similar to the song, I didn’t get too much out of the music video as well. It was pretty, and everything from the visuals to the sets was built with this visual style in mind. This does help give the music video component of the comeback a bit of an edge over the song itself. The ending was a bit weird, when one of the members picked up the miniature version of another and ate them. I am assuming there is a reason for all of this. But as a non-Korean speaking listener to KPOP who doesn’t have subtitles on to understand the song in the first instance, it is an questionable ending.

Personally, the choreography aspect of this comeback was probably the strongest of all. I really liked the “Giddy” move they did for the choruses, and I liked the touch of cuteness that the routine brings to the comeback.

Song – 5.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.3/10

[Review] Perfume – NCT DOJAEJUNG

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Yesterday, NCT unveiled their newest unit, NCT DOJUNGJAE, which consists of members Doyoung, Jaehyun and Jungwoo. While the focus of the units in the past has been on global expansion (i.e. the debut of WayV and the upcoming debut of NCT Tokyo), age (i.e., the basis of NCT Dream’s debut in 2016), and genre (i.e., NCT 127, who has a hold on experimental hip-hop), I am not entirely sure of the basis of NCT DOJAEJUNG’s debut just yet. Kicking off this new unit’s discography is the shared titled mini-album and title track, Perfume. In other relevant news, SM Entertainment has announced that with the debut of NCT Tokyo this year, the lineup of NCT will become fixed and no further units will debut to expand the group. However, I don’t think we will stop seeing units being formed from the final lineup of the group, such as NCT DOJAEJUNG. Of course, time will tell if that is the case. But for now, let’s focus on NCT DOJAEJUNG and Perfume.

When I first heard Doyoung, Jaehyun and Jungwoo were joining forces in this unit, I honestly thought the unit will be geared towards ballads (as is the case with most vocally geared tracks). But consider me genuinely surprised with the more upbeat and groovy nature of Perfume. And this unexpected twist in sound has me coming back for more. Perfume‘s combination of the R&B influences and funky electro groove calls back to the 90s, which is an era in which KPOP does not seem to get enough of. The trio steps the song up with a more sensual vibe coming from their vocals, which I vote as Perfume‘s best aspect. While all the members do shine in this department, I must commend Doyoung in particular, who effortlessly brings a consistent level of smoothness to the song. The bridge does make make me go ‘Ooh~’, which is the best reaction you can get from me. I also enjoy the harmonised shoutier approach the second half of the choruses takes, which gives Perfume a bit of oomph that pays off tremendously. While the smoothness is also another strong aspect of Perfume, I did feel the same element may have hurled Perfume forward to make it feel like it ends quite soon after it starts. I wish there was something to ground Perfume just a bit. Also, the “Woo” and whistle in the second verse was a tad cringy for my liking. But these are honestly minor criticisms from me. Apart from them, Perfume is such a strong showing from the three members and is super well-done.

Based on the opening of the music video and the loose clothing that the trio don throughout the music video, it is clear to me that the concept is of a sensual nature. And I find this super fitting for a song title Perfume, given that scent can be a turn on for many people and the message behind the lyrics of the song. The members were flirty throughout the video, which speaks to their chemistry with the camera. I also enjoyed the fact the members got to film outside in the open for once. I know we have seen some NCT music videos in an outside location before (i.e. NCT Dream’s Beatbox as an example). But more often then not, we see NCT music videos filmed in the confines of a studio.

Complementing the strong song is an equally strong performance. I really liked the combination of sensual and powerful moments in the routine. Sensual during the slower moments where smoothness prevails. Powerful in the choruses, when the song is at its peak with the beat and chest pumps are the main move. I also like the incorporation of pulse points in the choreography for the first half of the choruses, which is where you are supposed to apply perfume and cologne to ensure you exude the strongest scent.

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

[Review] Without You – KARD

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Next up on the blog is a song review for KARD’s latest release, Without You. The new song dropped earlier this week in the midst of the multiple comebacks we have seen this week. Without You follows the release of Ring The Alarm, which was released in June last year to mark the return of KARD following a two year hiatus in which member J.Seph carried out his mandatory military enlistment.

Without You is a change to what the group usually puts out. While I do like change, I do feel like this one does not result in much for KARD. The best way to think about Without You is that it is a pretty bare song. All bones and no meat. It lacks anything substantial to make it a standout track. Without You is more vocally driven compared to past title tracks. This moves the female members (Jiwoo and Somin) to the front of the song. I quite liked the driving power they add to Without You through the verses and Somin’s high note towards the end of the song. The choruses were striking thanks to the melody and rhythm, and there was a potential cool factor to it. But without much definition to it (in terms of instrumentation – more on this later) and anything to really build upon it, the choruses come off as empty instead. However, with a more vocally driven song, this does mean the male members (BM and J.Seph), who handle the raps in their tracks, take more of a back seat in Without You. While there is nothing wrong with this, their parts are quite limited in Without You and I wished they had more to do in the song than their small confined rap segments. I also admit that there is a lack of cohesion between their parts and the rest of the song. Their parts felt more standalone and this makes Without You a somewhat awkward listen, in my opinion. The instrumentation throws it back to their bright tropical sounds they are pretty much known for from their early days. But it stays quite flat and doesn’t build/go anywhere. I do think Without You has enough to serve as a foundation as a cool track, but it is in need of more cohesion and substance.

Just like the song, the music video is also quite empty. Aside from the one garden set that they film inside of and in front of, there is literally nothing much else to the music video. I did think the colours in the garden, lighting and the outfits the members donned throughout the video worked well with one another to create an aesthetic.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like KARD is promoting Without You due to their lack of appearance on the music shows this week. From what I can see in the music video, the choreography looks good, but nothing stands out exactly. However, we only see the routine for the choruses, so there is probably more to see for the performance aspect.

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

[Review] I AM – IVE

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After that Easter long weekend and another unscheduled mini-break the last two days. I am officially back with new song and album reviews. And starting it all off is a review for what seems to be the biggest release of the week – IVE’s first studio length album I’ve IVE and their latest title track I AM. This follows a big year from the female group who rose to the top of the charts with hits like ELEVEN, LOVE DIVE and After LIKE. And so far, they are definitely replicating a similar amount of success with their pre-release single Kitsch which was released at the end of March ahead of I’ve IVE and I AM.

I AM now carries the torch of being the next IVE hit, and it is definitely shaping up to be just that. I AM is a grand track, bringing a very satisfying dose of powerful pop to the table. I like how the production of the song and the members themselves don’t hold back, and this really helps make I AM even more compelling listen. I enjoyed the dynamic nature of the pop instrumental. The consistency of it and the very upbeat tempo also kept I AM exciting from the get-go. The vocals were consistently strong throughout the length of I AM. From the softer and lower tones opted for in the pre-choruses to the higher pitch high notes in the chorus, everything pretty much impressed me. The “I am on my way~” line in the verses was the catchiest (and my most favourite part of the song), ringing in my mind even after the song had finished playing. The other hooks and melodies present in the chorus were also super addictive – all of which had kept me coming back for more. As for the rapping, I think Gaeul’s efforts in I AM shows redemption. I didn’t enjoy the rapping as much in Kitsch. But in I AM, the rapping felt lively and carried the momentum from the chorus preceding super well. The energy that comes off the final chorus was just the icing on the cake. Overall, I am definitely singing praises for I AM.

I wondered how the producers would top the music video. After LIKE featured a firework display as its final surprise to end the video. That seems hard to top off. But I AM surprised us with a jet taking off, followed by the members walking a catwalk on the runway. It definitely channeled the peak and energy of the song/final chorus super well and made it a very wowing moment in the video. Another OMG moment in the video is when Wonyoung backflipped off the plane. That was super cool, but not advisable in real life. The video definitely does a great job of showing boldness and confidence, the latter is essentially what the song is about. My only tweak would be to remove the golden elegant room setting where they performed the second chorus in. I think it was a very soft element to the video, whilst everything else was bold and striking.

Choreography-wise, I AM showcases a strong routine from the group. No move stands out by itself, but that doesn’t affect the impression I get from the watching the performance. It just consistent throughout. I did like how the choreography does amp up in the bridge and final choruses, carrying out the energy that I discussed with regards to the final chorus in a super fulfilling manner to watch. I do hope Rei recovers from her health issue soon and rejoin the rest of the group on the stage during the promotions (But definitely health first!).

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10

[Review] D N D – APINK

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Making their comeback for the first time as a five-member female group after 12 years in the business and for the first time in 14 months is APINK. The long-lasting female group dropped their newest single D N D today, which leads the group’s 10th mini-album, SELF. This follows on from their 2022 release Dilemma, fourth studio album HORN, their annual anniversary single – I Want You To Be Happy – for their 11th anniversary and the debut of their first subunit CHOBOM with Copycat.

First listen in and I was falling for D N D (which stands for Do Not Disturb). To me, the song brings a fresh breath to APINK discography, especially when compared to some of their recent releases. We probably all know APINK for their cutesy sounds in the earlier days (and if you don’t, do check out their earlier day releases – very representative of the KPOP back when they first came about). However, as the group progressed along their 11 years in the industry, they successfully reinvented themselves as a leading female group through their mature releases, which you can also describe as somewhat dark and heavy. D N D leans into their early days, bringing a spring in their step and a pleasant energy that I felt was super appealing. D N D is a pop dance track featuring a very bright tone and funky elements in the background. It comes off as a pretty clean and pure instrumental. The bright tone of the instrumental is further emphasised by the vocals and melodies that APINK brings to the song. The melodies felt refreshing and vivid, especially when it came to the choruses, which strong showing of vocals was clear in the song. The pre-choruses brought a satisfying melody, delivery and inclination to the song, ramping it up to the catchy choruses. The bridge highlights the of the group’s vocals and was a simple yet stunning segment in D N D to enjoy. Overall, D N D is already a hit in my mind.

The song gives one courage to imagine a world of their own as no one will disturb them (taken from SOOMPI). We see the members lead ordinary lives or are stuck in a constricting world in the music video. We see a waitress, a painter who cannot come up an idea, an office worker stuck in a repetitive world, a celebrity who wants to escape from the public eye and a wanderer who stands out in a very grey world. As the video progresses, they embraces their imagination and this leads to the members realizing that there is more to life. For example, Eunji the office worker saw an alternative life involving a red carpet beyond the office lockers, while Hayoung the waitress caught the spoon in her coffee cup stirring without itself. The other members saw a change in lighting. From there, they change their outfits – from plain or seemingly out of place to more vivid and eye-catchy casual outfits that just shows a more comfortable side to the group. Overall, a well put together music video that works with the lyrics and message D N D is giving us.

The choreography brought a smile to my face. It might because of the music or just the members being cheerful and happy performing, which I am sure everyone is glad to see from APINK after a 14 month absence. But there was a bounce and a peppy vibe to the choreography that I really enjoyed. The entire routine was quite solid and looks great.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] Cupid – FIFTY FIFTY

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FIFTY FIFTY is a four-member female group who made their debut under Attrakt in November 2022 with HIGHER. Unfortunately, I have not reviewed their debut song just yet. Today’s focus is not on their debut, but rather their latest single, Cupid, which was released 3 months following their debut in February 2023. Since then, FIFTY FIFTY have been rising on the charts, becoming the fastest KPOP group ever to chart on the Billboards’ Hot 100 and one of only 6 KPOP acts to do so. Cupid is also quite heavily streamed on Spotify, with the Korean and English versions of the song reaching an almost combined 74.5 million streams at the time of writing this review.

With amazing stats and feats achieved by Cupid just a month after its release, it definitely warrants a listen at the very least. Cupid is described as a retro single combined with minimal disco beats and funky baselines. To me, the retro influence in Cupid comes in the form of a city-pop release. And the instrumental is kept very light and minimal throughout Cupid, with a consistent beat in the background. Nothing too fancy or out of the box. But it is something familiar, and I think Cupid really took advantage of this feeling. What definitely draws you to the song are the vocals. It too is quite light, but it is in the forefront of the song which allows the group to showcase their vocals more vividly compared to other releases. They do a decent job and I like the very subtle cutesy colour their vocals bring. It also helps that Cupid‘s melody does have a catchy tinge to it, and the melody is just like the instrumental – familiar and inviting. It is also quite simple in nature, which goes a long way in some cases like Cupid. When it comes to the rapping, I like how it gave Cupid a bit more of a punch and keeps the song from veering into overly consistent and neutral territory. Altogether, Cupid is undeniably pleasant and charming. I can definitely see why it is rising on the charts and achieving the goals that it has and will achieve.

The music video is more on the more traditional side. The lyrics paint the scene where the members were falling in love (i.e. trusting Cupid), but it turns out their crush did not reciprocate those feelings and rejected their advances, which resulted in the members calling Cupid stupid. We see all of that happen in the video, including one of the members (Sorry, I haven’t learnt FIFTY FIFTY members’ names just yet) cringe at the couple sitting in front of them. I did like how the colour tones in this video was pleasant, which works well with the song. I particularly liked the final choreography wide shot (where the members are dressed in dresses), which is a good example of this pleasant (yet bright) colour tone. The ending with just the one member sitting in front of her TV is a bit ambiguous. It might highlight the fact that she is alone now, or maybe a hint towards a future video.

For the choreography, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was expecting. But I did not think this performance would be fun to watch. Well, consider me wrong. I quite enjoyed the bounce of pre-chorus routine, and the pleasant cuteness of the chorus. The smiles and energy they put behind the choreography also made it worthwhile to watch.

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

[Review] GGBB – MAMAMOO+

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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)

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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

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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

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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)

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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

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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

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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