Category: Reviews

[Review] S-Class – Stray kids

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Stray Kids continues to rise in the KPOP industry, as evident by the success of the group’s latest release – their 3rd studio album titled ★★★★★ (5-STAR) and the title track S-Class. It has only been a day since the album and song release, but Stray Kids has managed to sell the most albums in the pre-order period than any other KPOP album ever. And the album sales thus far are tracking to overtake the likes of MAXIDENT (lead by the single CASE 143), which was also a record breaking album for Stray Kids as well. Today’s review will focus on the title track S-Class, with more Stray Kids related reviews on their way (based on how their promotions went under past album releases – i.e. music videos for side tracks).

It is needless to say that there is a lot going on in S-Class. It is pretty much Stray Kids’ answer to the current trend of MIXX pop tracks that JYP Entertainment has been experimenting with through NMIXX’s debut era. However, S-Class plays towards Stray Kids strengths, with the producers (which includes Stray Kids’ inhouse producing team 3RACHA) loading up the song with a lot aggression and intensity. In a way, I think this makes S-Class super bold and appealing. But it easily can slip into overwhelming territory, which was my first impression of S-Class (and the ongoing opinion of others). Luckily, the help of their promotional material prior to S-Class release and a number of listens since its release has helped reduce that overwhelming sensation. There were many segments that I found enjoyable in S-Class. Going back to the pre-existing promotional material, they really helped make the chorus of S-Class quite catchy (even before the song was released). A lot of the different styles within S-Class stood out to me, such as the dramatic opening that introduces you to Seoul and sets up the song, the melodic direction taken by the pre-choruses, the second verse’s callback to the 90s hip-hop, and the groovy influence to the start of the final chorus. All of this (including the parts that I did not mention), but not the 90s hip-hop middle verse, comes together somehow and melds into a strong track. That 90s hip-hop middle verse somehow is the outlier that just doesn’t fit in, but it still manages to work. Per usual, Stray Kids’ rappers really popped off in this song, adding energy to the song and making it even more intense. But for me, the vocals (courtesy of Seungmin, Felix and Bangchan) in the all English pre-choruses stood out for me, as they brought a crisp and refreshing tone to the song. Overall, I find myself enjoying S-Class.

Just like the song, the music video also has a lot going on within it. I did like how the video references the group’s past concepts of monsters, members as transitional sequences between shots and having misplaced people somewhere in some of the shots. It all helps gives the music video a sense of familiarity, whilst also introduces a newer concept. In this video, we actually see a battle play out with the octopus-like monster. But Stray Kids’ is not part of the battle. Rather the battle occurs around Stray Kids. Evidence of this can be seen in the second pre-chorus sequence, where Seungmin is dancing around with noise cancelling headphones on whilst the SWAT team was being eliminated effortlessly by the monster. That was hilarious to watch. Elsewhere in the video, the effects and post-production really makes this a bold and fun music video.

Once again, the group pulls off a cool and amazing choreography routine that is undoubtedly deserving of any choreography award when it comes to award season in Korea. The arm and footwork in this video is incredible. But the thing that really jumps out at me and sells the choreography the most was the intense charisma that all the members showed off on stage. It just makes the performance so riveting and serious.

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

[Review] TIC TAC – 8TURN

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A lot of groups have already made their debut this year. And I rather not fall too far behind on growing number of new group’s this year, so today I will be reviewing 8TURN’s debut single, TIC TAC. It, along with the mini-album 8TURNRISE, launched the careers of 8 members signed to MNH Entertainment (the former home of CHUNGHA and BVNDIT): Myungho, Jaeyun, Minho, Yoonsung, Haemin, Kyungmin, Yungyu and Seungheon.

Months after TIC TAC’s release, the best I can come up with is the track leaves an ‘alright’ impression on me. I think there was a point in time where TIC TAC did pique my interest, but that was short-lived. TIC TAC is pretty much your standard male group hip-hop dance release, something that has been heard time and time again. The song does earn some credit points, such as the shouty nature of the chorus giving TIC TAC a lively and catchy vibe, the impressive rapping throughout the song, the muted plucking synth that was going on in the background of the verses, and the boldness of the noisy yet loud instrumentation that made up the rest of TIC TAC’s background. But I felt there were parts of TIC TAC that was lacking and ended up weakening the debut single. While I did praise the rapping a moment ago, I felt the verses were not so memorable and the choruses did overpower the verses quite a bit. Also I felt there was a lack of a strong vocal showcase in TIC TAC. This is in comparison with the rapping, which was definitely the stronger department of TIC TAC. Had these been areas been addressed, via a bolder verse and a stronger showing of vocals in TIC TAC, then 8TURN’s debut single would have been a much more solid release.  

The music video (and choreography – to be discussed in the next section of the review) fairs a lot better than the song did. I am not entirely sure what is going on, but there is a lot going on in the video (in a good way) and it does appear to be a whole heap of fun. I did like the styling of the music video, particularly the wide brim hats the members wore at the dance break moment. That looked cool. The post-production made the video super dynamic and added an even more fun element to the video. The only thing I didn’t like in the entire music video were the gold teeth at the start – they looked awful and I hope they had some sort relevance to whatever is going on in the video.

Despite being newly debut, 8TURN’s charisma is definitely a standout element in their stage performances. Their synchronisation is definitely a strong second. The finger twirling/head turning moment at the start of the second half of the chorus was the standout move for the entire routine, and you kind of get everything already mentioned in that one moment.

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

[Review] Save me, Kill me – CIX

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CIX also made their comeback on Monday with their 6th mini-album, OK Episode 2: I’m OK, and the title track Save me, Kill me. This follows the group’s August 2022 comeback with OK Episode 1: OK NOT and lead track from that mini-album, 458. Save me, Kill me is also the title of the group’s recently completed world tour, which they embarked on at the very end of 2022.

It took me few listens to get into the likes of Save me, Kill me. There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with the song. It is more so that I was expecting some sort of dance track, not something as subdued and vocally centric like what we got, particularly since we are heading to the more lively music scene that is usually associated with the Summer season. And that we know CIX can easily release. That being said, the future bass and mid-tempo pace that forms the instrumentation of Save me, Kill me does work well enough together to form something that is somewhat upbeat, yet also keeping a subdued tone to the song. In combination with the well-executed vocals and rapping from the members, Save me, Kill me does feel suitable as a track that eases you into the Summer season. It feels weird to describe such a heavy and loaded song this way, but it genuinely does feel like that when we reach the choruses of Save me, Kill me. Moving back to the idea that the song is supposed to be emotionally loaded, I applaud the members for showing a touching sense of fragility and emotion behind their vocals and rapping, which also works well with the song’s expression of painful emotions following something good. The melodies provides a comforting approach to the idea, and also a sense of nostalgia. Also, I quite liked the vocal delivery in the bridge of the song and the way Save me, Kill me climaxed. This, along with the end sequence, really completed the song for me. Overall, Save me, Kill me is a nice comeback, just not what I had expected.

The music video tells quite a story. Any attempts by me to recap the story will probably result me in ruining the story. However, I have come across an article on Leisure Byte that retells the events of Save me, Kill me‘s quite succinctly and well, so here is a link to that article. Just a bit of a disclaimer that both the video and article touches on the topic of suicide and self harm, so it might be triggering to some. Aside from the storyline, the acting by the five members is very good. You can definitely feel the emotions behind both their acting and the song in this video. Also, the lighting just gives such a serious tone to the video.

While the music video does not show any choreography given the focus on the plotline and the song itself feels subdued enough to not require a dance routine to it, CIX has confirmed that there is choreography attached to this comeback via their comeback showcase, the release of the dance practice and some other promotional material. I liked how the members put the same amount of energy and passion into the performance, per the amount of emotion in the song. It also showcases their dance skills and talents. Altogether and quite surprisingly, Save me, Kill me makes for a riveting performance.

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

[Review] KNOCK – LEE CHAE YEON

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LEE CHAE YEON made her first solo comeback back in April (and apologies for how long it has taken me a write to review this particular release). The solo artist’s second mini-album, Over the Moon, is lead by the title track KNOCK. This comeback follows LEE CHAE YEON’s solo debut with HUSH RUSH in October 2022.

Initially, KNOCK didn’t spark much interest for me. I can’t remember exactly why, but I think I just didn’t really play the song much when it was first released. It wasn’t until more recently that I started getting into KNOCK thanks to the ‘KNOCK Challenge’ on TikTok that I started appreciating the song. Now, I find the single to be quite a fun and addictive listen. The main drawing point of KNOCK are the choruses, which are super catchy and appealing. This can be attributed to the repetition and logical yet impacting knocking percussion that we get in the first half of the chorus, and the melodies and burst of energy in the second half of the choruses. The first verse had a familiarity to it from elsewhere in KPOP, which I cannot place, while the second verse successfully and naturally incorporated trap into its beginning. The bridge highlights LEE CHAE YEON’s consistent vocals throughout the song. The only aspect which I wasn’t keen on LEE CHAE YEON’s vocals at the very beginning of KNOCK, which sounded slightly cutesy tone. I did not think this fit the vibe the song was going for. But aside from that minor detail, I liked everything else in KNOCK!

As for the music video, I really liked what the producers did around the choruses of KNOCK. The nudging of the camera at the start of the choruses was super clever. However, the moments after the start of the choruses could have been more cleanly executed in. The self-turning mirrors was a super cool idea as well. I also liked the idea of LEE CHAE YEON stumbling across a doll dressed in a red dress (also played by the artist), who is awaken via a knock on the wardrobe door. It is a brief and minor story line in this video, but it was a clever way of incorporating a knock into the video. As for the drinking scenes, I am not too sure what that means, though it might be a connection between this video and HUSH RUSH’s music video. On a final point, LEE CHAE YEON herself looks amazing in the video, especially in the scenes where is in a trackie outfit.

As mentioned earlier, the dance challenge for this comeback (a prevalent feature of comebacks nowadays) was what drew me back to the chorus. I found it funny that the dance was so complex for fans that they had to create 3 versions of the dance challenge. The hardest version was my favourite, as it was my favourite bit of the whole routine. The aggressive and confidence that it takes to move from one side of the stage to the other side, whilst also the fast paced arm movements was definitely an iconic moment and shows LEE CHAE YEON’s dance skills in a brief few seconds.

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

[Review] LOSER – AB6IX

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AB6IX makes their comeback today with the single LOSER and their seventh mini-album, The Future is Ours: Lost. This comeback follows the group’s Take a Chance mini-album and Sugarcoat era, which occurred back in October of last year, and PARK WOO JIN’s solo debut with Top Tier. Following this comeback, the group will be embarking on a world tour, which officially kicked off over the weekend in Seoul.

Described as an alternative pop dance track, LOSER is a really solid comeback single. The song focuses more on vocals, which has been the direction that AB6IX has been travelling down for a while now. LOSER just sounds more vocally centric than normal for some reason. It might be the presence of more melodies in the song, or the fact that PARK WOO JIN’s rapping doesn’t make much of a splash this time around. I felt the song could have used something punchier or dynamic on the rap front to give LOSER some much needed oomph. Similar comments can be said about other parts of the song, which I will mention later on. I did like the electric guitar-like synth in the background, which helps the song feel summery. In addition to that, there is an upbeatness and vibrant side to LOSER‘s choruses that makes it suitable for the Summer season that is literally around the corner for South Korea, but it also feels muted in a way that allows LOSER to maintain a level of seriousness. LOSER also has a catchy repetition of the title at the end of the choruses. The way it is delivered gives LOSER a bit of a quip-like effect, which helps break the consistency. The song isn’t necessarily overly consistent, but it is pretty similar all throughout. We do get a trap-like breakdown as a bit of an interlude to help cut that consistency a bit. I liked the idea and the direction, however I feel like it could have been more dynamic. I guess my sentiment throughout the span of LOSER is that it needs to be more robust to take it to the next level. If the producers did just that, then LOSER could have been a standout track that draws attention back to AB6IX.

The music video begins with an eerie shot of a cemetery and someone walking throughout. We then see an actual funeral occurring, attended by all the AB6IX members but one, mourning the loss of the final member – Daehwi. My guess is the mysterious person we see at the very start walking through the cemetery is Daehwi himself in a ghostly form, which motivates the remaining trio to find a way to save him. Initially, they are not successful. Donghyun and Woong try to search the maze/hallways for Daehwi, but end up unable to pass the locked door. PARK WOO JIN is trying to develop photos of Daehwi (maybe to find a clue to how to stop the tragic events), but is unable to do so. However, a blinding light and white butterflies that we see throughout the video bring the members back together to the scene of Daehwi’s accident, reuniting both the living and supposedly dead membrs with one another before they run to the light at the end of the tunnel. My only gripe about the music video is the styling. For some reason, I felt the shorts the members wore were just ill placed in the video, especially the brightly coloured ones.

AB6IX performed LOSER for the first time on the Seoul leg of their world tour over the weekend. The choreography itself looks quite tiring, as the members are constantly moving without any moments of rest. Parts of the routine stands out to me, like the second verse with the sensual snaps of the body and Donghyun’s wide arm movements during his part of the bridge. As a whole, it is a strong routine that complements the direction the song goes in.

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

[Review] BONVOYAGE – DREAMCATCHER

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Returning to the stage is DREAMCATCHER with their latest release, BONVOYAGE. It is the title of their 8th mini-album, Apocalypse: From Us, and serves as the final major song from their Apocalypse trilogy. This particular trilogy started off in 2022 with the release of Apocalypse: Save Us and MAISON, followed by Apocalypse: Follow Us and VISION. It is also the group’s first release since the news all members renewed their contract with Dreamcatcher Entertainment a year in advance to end of the usual 7 year contract that most KPOP idols sign to debut and the release of the special single Reason to commemorate their 6th year as a group under the name Dreamcatcher.

For a number of DREAMCATCHER’s reviews, I have mentioned the “this is their most intense comeback to date” comment quite a bit. We have definitely seen an upward trajectory, in terms of intensity and power, from the group over the years. And while BONVOYAGE is probably one of their most blastful and boastful efforts yet when it comes to the choruses (which undoubtedly are the highlight of BONVOYAGE for me), I do feel like BONVOYAGE could have been more balanced between the verses and choruses. It didn’t occur to me until I started writing this review that the brief pauses at the start of the choruses did some important work in drawing my attention back to the song. The verses exuded a much calmer sensation with its softer approach, all of which I would describe as ‘nice’. But there isn’t much going on within them. Nothing is memorable from the verses, which I guess is why the song didn’t pull me in until we got to the choruses. Even Dami’s rapping in the second verse was on the softer side, and admittedly, well woven into BONVOYAGE. However, there was a missed opportunity to explore something more dynamic with Dami, especially since we all know what she can do from previous DREAMCATCHER songs. Anyhow, back to the choruses. It makes complete sense that the vocals were super powerful in order to be heard over the instrumentation of the choruses. I liked the way they ended the choruses with a slight melodic touch to ease us out of the intensity and helped give the song a memorable ring. And if you enjoyed the choruses of BONVOYAGE, you probably also enjoyed the continuous momentum of the bridge and final sequence of the song, which focuses on the latter halves of the aforementioned choruses. This continuous momentum propel Siyeon’s high note and helps end BONVOYAGE on a super climatic note. Overall, another great DREAMCATCHER release.

As mentioned above, the music video for BONVOYAGE rounds out the Apocalypse trilogy. In the song, the members sings of a farewell to a special someone. In the video, this may be due to the Apocalypse events that occurred in the MAISON and VISION music videos. There appears to be a bit of symbolism and imagery going in this video, and I don’t really have time to make sense of it all. So, maybe if the connections between the video are strong enough, I might consider the Apocalypse series as part of a future Music Video Theory segment, which DREAMCATCHER’s Horror series previously featured a part of. Aside from plot line, I really liked the crispness of the music video in all aspects, including the post-production. I also liked the action scenes in the video, and the members looked amazing in the video.

The choreography for this comeback looks pretty good, as a whole. While no moves stood out, I quite liked their energy on stage whilst performing BONVOYAGE. It made the entire performance worthwhile to watch, even though there was nothing mind-blowing in the choreography. The performance was also all smiles, which looked quite genuine and tells me that they really enjoy being on stage/with each other. It also helps put an even more positive spin on the song.

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

[Review] ICKY – KARD

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Last month’s Without You was just a pre-release single for KARD. I don’t think there was any indication of this at the time of Without You‘s release, so to hear the co-ed group was returning with their 6th mini-album and new title track was a pleasant surprise. Both the new mini-album and title track are titled ICKY. As mentioned in their Without You review, this is KARD first official comeback since RE: and Ring The Alarm.

ICKY is another decent track from KARD. Not exactly one of their best, but the repetition of the title which makes the song super catchy, Latin beats and groovy aspects of ICKY do come off striking enough. There are some things that I don’t particularly like with the track, such as the dragged out ‘ICKY‘ (which ironically feels icky to me) at the start of the song and the reversion to trap for BM’s rap sequence. For the latter, the contrast here is jarring and unsettling for me. Though I did think the whistle in the background was a nice way to blend that sequence somewhat with the rest of the song. The vocals and rapping were quite strong and I appreciated the members’ effort in ICKY. However, I did feel like they were holding back. But the issue didn’t lie with the quartet. To potentially take it all to the next level (and hence ICKY), I felt there was opportunity for the instrumental to go harder. Some bass or bolder elements in the instrumental would have been ideal for both ICKY and KARD, given that I feel they thrive on intensity as a group. Other than that, I enjoyed the new release from the group.

As for the music video, it was pretty good. My only criticism is that the usage of the chroma key could have been a bit more polished. Aside from that, there is a bit of a story line to the video. Not entirely sure of the meaning or symbolism of this story. But it is clear to me that Jiwoo is some sort of monster (given that she is slimy and seen in the green liquid from the start of the video. The three other members have somehow been trapped. We see Somin in a continuous hallway. J.Seph is sucked into the liquefying floor. BM is falls into a never-ending pool of green liquid. Each of these three ends up in Jiwoo’s lair, who ultimately corrupts the trio (as depicted by the green glow each member gives off and BM’s changed eyes at the very end). Very interesting indeed.

As for the choreography, I have always liked how charismatic the group is on stage. And the choreography for ICKY proves just that. They all have really nailed the whole idea of showing a balanced and uniform amount of charisma throughout, even whilst performing a routine like this. It all translate to an intense routine. No moves stood out in particular, but I did like stomping factor they had going on, along with the hand motions, which gives the choreography a bit more complexity.

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

[Review] BITE ME – ENHYPEN

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ENHYPEN makes their comeback this week with their new darkened tone single BITE ME and their fourth mini-album DARK BLOOD. It follows the group’s third mini-album MANIFESTO: DAY 1, the lead single from that release – Future Perfect (Pass The MIC), the group’s Japanese debut and their first world tour which wrapped earlier this year.

For me, BITE ME is an underbaked title track. There is a bit to enjoy in this track and there are some parts that could have been improved upon. In some cases, some parts could be removed entirely. It is a mixture that leaves me a bit confused. Per usual, let’s start on the positive aspects of BITE ME. The chorus instantly comes to mind. I really liked the more melodic approach that was taken in this comeback, which brings on a smoothness in the song that makes BITE ME appealing. The “Oh My, Oh My God” sequence within the verses was a highlight in my opinion, and gives the plainer verses a bit of a coolness to them. As for the vocals, I felt the members did a decent job. I liked the character they give the verses and the mini uptick drag at the end of each second line in the choruses. More could have been done, but I would put the vocals on the side of being a positive aspect of BITE ME. Moving onto the parts which I think could have been improved upon. I felt the song needed a more prominent rap sequence, something to really intensify the track and give it a bit of an edgy factor. Likewise, BITE ME could have used a bolder instrumental to give the song some flair. To me, they play it very safe with BITE ME, and I don’t think that is what the title of the song calls for. It is a bold title, and the momentum or direction of BITE ME just doesn’t get anywhere near what I had expected from the track. As for the parts that I think could have removed, there are two. The first is the ending/outro of the track. To me, it brought no value to BITE ME. I get that the track is an extremely short one – spanning just over 2.5 minutes for a title track. But it just doesn’t give BITE ME much. The second, and the one part that I feel most strongly about, is the chanting pre-choruses just before the choruses. It is a jarring change to the song that does not fit the rest of the song (but I guess they were trying to make it feel ‘ENHYPEN’) and disrupts the flow of the otherwise decent track. The song would have been so much better off without this part. Overall, there is an air of disappointment over BITE ME. I am hoping more listens will help convince me otherwise.

I really enjoyed the dark vibes that the music video had. I did expect something darker, based on the teaser images that were released in the lead up to the group’s comeback. But what we got fits the bill quite well without being too creepy. There were some really nice imagery, such as the members turning into coffins, the use of shadows and silhouette. The sets were cool, such the choreography set that had a stage that light up and colosseum-like walls. The lighting was well used in this video, as well, which goes back to the good use of shadows and silhouettes that I already mentioned. My favourite part of this entire video is that short sequence in the second “Oh My, Oh My God” segment, where the members faces transitioned into the next member. It literally spanned for two seconds, but it left a very strong impression on me.

A darker concept comeback can mean many things. But with a more melodic track like this one, the creation of a sensual atmosphere makes for a strong pairing and that comes through in the choreography. I really liked that they went with this direction. From what I can see in the music video, the chemistry between the members and the female dancers was spot on. I also enjoyed the edgy side of the choreography, which comes through that dreaded chanty pre-chorus.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Review] Crazy Like That – VERIVERY

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Another group to make their comeback this week was VERIVERY. Tuesday saw the release of the group’s 7th mini-album,  Liminality – EP.Dream, and their new title track Crazy Like That. This latest comeback follows the like of their fun and catchy Tap Tap comeback from mid-November 2022.

Crazy Like That is quite a subdued dance track. Each time I listen to the song when it was first released, I hoped for the song to take itself up a notch, but that hope is never fruitful. But with the more listens I give to Crazy Like That, the less of that hopeful thought crosses my mind and the more I find myself enjoying the song. Sure, there are definitely moments in which I still think the song could have incorporated more into itself to make it a bit more captivating. And part of me still feels like the song is fairly dry. But for the most part, I find the track to be enjoyable. The already mentioned subdued nature of Crazy Like That does emit a dreamy and mature vibe, and there is a smoothness to the song that is appreciable. The instrumental is still very textural despite also being minimalistic. But it does run into the problem of being repetitive. The members do a neat job with their vocals, keeping their tone minimal to complement the instrumentation, but there was still some variation that gives Crazy Like That some interesting moments. And it is this variation that really helps the song from falling into a stagnant and repetitive piece. The brief use of autotune following the first chorus gives the song a moment of extra texture and flair. The bridge was my favourite sequence of the entire song, as it gave me something different to experience that wasn’t like the rest of the song. The producers do this by stripping away Crazy Like That‘s minimalistic instrumentation to the bare minimum, giving us a moment that was not similar to the repetitive instrumentation in the verses/choruses. Overall, an interesting atmosphere is created within Crazy Like That, that I ended up enjoying.

While the song side of the Crazy Like That comeback was quite minimalistic, the music video was not. There is a lot going on in the video, in terms of a possible story, sets/locations etc. all of which I am not sure is about. My best guess is that the group are showing they driven to achieving their goals and dreams (there is some imagery of this). And in the end of the video, they celebrate their success. However, I strongly believe I have completely misinterpreted the video, and am open to hearing about other interpretations. Personally, I kind of wished they took a minimalistic approach for the music video as well to better complement the song. Maybe the producers could have done something that felt artsy and more aesthetically pleasing to match up with the dreamy and mature vibes that the song had going on.

As for the choreography, I liked how they found a balance to making the performance quite intense without going overboard. This helps makes the comeback more appealing, and gives VERIVERY a chance to show more of themselves on stage.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

[Review] Queencard – (G)I-DLE

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After a super successful year with TOMBOY and Nxde, (G)I-DLE is back with their new title track Queencard and their 6th mini-album, I Feel. It follows the pre-release of the single Allergy, which is also featured on this new mini-album. Unfortunately, once again, I have not yet reviewed the pre-release, which the accompanying music video for it actually set up the events in the music video for Queencard. I will definitely return in the future (ahead of the album review) to review the pre-release. But for now, here are my thoughts on Queencard.

To me, Queencard had the slightest essence of TOMBOY. Drawing upon one of KPOP’s hits last year is a smart move (not whatever Nxde had attempted to do). There are some key differences between the songs that make them individualistic from each other and there are some aspects within Queencard that weakens the song from my point of view. Let’s start off with those differences, as they are also the more positive aspects of the song. Queencard is clearly more upbeat and suited for the incoming Summer season. The more melodic pre-chorus was really nice and pleasant sounding. The energy the members bring to the song and the grungy pop rock influences really gives Queencard a strong and resounding glow. Queencard‘s main hook were repetitive, but the repetition felt punchy and bouncy, which helped win me over in the end. The weaker aspects of the song come in two forms. The first are the lyrics. I get that Queencard‘s message was of self-confidence and self-love, and I do see the intention of the lyrics. But “My boob and booty is hot” and “I’m twerking on the runway” is quite cringy. The second aspect that weakens the song is whatever the second verse was. It was a poor attempt of changing up the momentum of the song, and slows down Queencard to a sluggish affair. I could totally have done without the second verse, and substituted a similar approach to the first verse with different lyrics. That would have been more interesting and exciting to my ears. Overall, Queencard doesn’t top TOMBOY or any of their other title tracks that I personally still enjoy from them. But it a neat follow-up to the 2022 hit.

As mentioned in the introductory paragraph, the music video for Queencard follows on from the Allergy music video. In case you were not caught up with Allergy, the opening to this music video has a “Previously on…” introduction which reminded us that Soyeon was not confident in her current looks and had decided to go under the knife for a new look. In this music video, the other members show us what it is like to be confident and to be the centre of attention at a party. Meanwhile Soyeon comes to the realisation that she is already a ‘queencard’ and opts out the surgery. She is immediately rewarded by the attention she gets on social media at the end of the video.

With the choreography, the literal less than a second move done by Soyeon and Yuqi that is causing it not as big of an issue as the Korean netizens make it to be. I understand that Korea is a more conservative country, but it is not as bad as other performances that already exist in KPOP and the content of Western media (which I grew up on). Overall, I thought the choreography for Queencard was fun and upbeat, just like the song.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] ERASE ME – ONEUS

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ONEUS made their comeback last Monday with their 9th mini-album PYGALMON and their latest lead single, ERASE ME. This is the male group’s first release since September’s 2022 MALUS and Same Scent. It is also the group’s first official comeback as a five member group, following Ravn’s hiatus and subsequent departure during and after Same Scent/MALUS‘ promotion. As part of the promotions of new mini-album, ONEUS did pre-release a side track, titled UNFORGETTABLE. I have yet to review that single, but will definitely do so in the future ahead of PYGALMON‘s album review.

There is a fair lot going on in ERASE ME and I will admit that it was quite overwhelming the first couple of listens. But a week on from ERASE ME‘s release, the track has definitely grown on me a fair bit. The idea with having a strong and dramatic orchestral influence in combination with the synths was a really amazing idea. The intensity was definitely gripping and made for a unique listening experience. The jerkiness of instrumental, especially around the choruses, might be a bit unlikeable to some (and I can completely understand why!). But I personally thought the jerkiness nature of ERASE ME was a charming aspect of the song. The boldness of the synths used in the chorus probably contributed that overwhelming impression I mentioned at the start of the review, but it does now leave a more memorable impression now. As for the members, they did a decent job. Seoho with his piercing high note at the start of the final chorus and Xion’s lower and huskier tone that opened up the second chorus were probably my favourite aspects of ERASE ME. On the other hand, Leedo and Hwanwoong’s rapping was underbaked for such an intense song and their rapping segments could have used some oomph to bring to the same level of boldness as the instrumentation. ERASE ME also lacked a strong melody and hook, but I think the instrumental just took away any opportunity for something strong to develop in these departments. We do have a “Da Da Da” hook and some pop melodies that were promising, but something more striking could have been delivered in this song. Overall, I like the direction taken by, and the final product that is, ERASE ME. But I think improvements to the song could have made it even better.

To say the music video was stunning would be a complete understatement. While it is just choreography and closeup shots, every single shot and scene just leaves such a strong visual impression on you. The quality was so crisp and the members looked so good because of this. The clever cinematography and lighting definitely emphasised the boldness of the music and made me go wow on so many occasions. The concrete stairs and the dance break sequence of the song/music video were prime examples of these moments. The colour palette was rather limited, but the producers did an amazing job of ensuring that those colours look so fresh and stimulating. Whatever RBW is doing here needs to be replicated across all of their music videos in the future because it makes the entire video dynamic.

It should come as no surprise that such a song like ERASE ME would lend towards a very strong performance. ONEUS definitely delivers this and shows off their performance skills with such an intense and complex routine, as a whole. However, I just cannot commit to saying that this is their most impressive effort to date. But don’t get me wrong, the choreography for ERASE ME is definitely up there.

Song – 8.5/`10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.1/10

[Review] TRICKY HOUSE – xikers

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Just like last year, the lack of reviews for newly debut artists looks like I have neglected the rookies of KPOP. A number of groups have already made their entrance in the industry this year and they all equally deserve to be checked out. After all, you will never know when you will discover your newest favourite act. xikers is the newest male group from KQ Entertainment, which is also the home of ATEEZ. xikers feature a 10-member lineup, consisting of Minjae, Jumin, Sumin, Jinsik, Hyunwoo, Junghoon, Seeun, Hunter, Yujun and Yechan. They made their debut on 30 March of this year with their debut single TRICKY HOUSE and their first mini-album, HOUSE OF TRICKY: Doorbell Ringing.  

TRICKY HOUSE kicks xikers’ careers off with a song with a high intensity and bold electronic sound. Noisy might pop into your mind, and I totally can hear why. The basis of TRICKY HOUSE doesn’t initially standout very much. I was hoping for a cool detail/direction to the electronic sound, but it was all just coming at you with little reprieve. However, as I listened to TRICKY HOUSE more, I came to appreciate some elements that ultimately set them apart from similar songs that go down this direction. The first thing that pops out at me when I listen to TRICKY HOUSE closely is the Bollywood/Moombahton influence that the instrumental carries. It pokes through the electronic elements of the instrumental ever so slightly, so it can easily be missed if you aren’t pay attention. However, I do feel like the two clash and creates that ‘noisy’ atmosphere. Maybe if they weren’t too mashed together, a better appreciation would come about for TRICKY HOUSE. As an element on its own, I felt this brought a unique vibe to the song. It isn’t necessarily a new sound in KPOP, but it does bring something different to the table. Another aspect that stood out for me is xikers’ delivery of TRICKY HOUSE. The rapping was quite powerful and left an expressive impression. Vocals take a back seat in the song, but there is enough there to ensure the vocalists sound good. Altogether, the song helps shows off their capabilities, beneficial for any artist starting out. I do feel like their vocals and raps could have been more attractive with a killer and memorable hook, which I felt is a missing element to help the song stand out further. Overall, TRICKY HOUSE is a good start and I definitely would like to hear something even more unique and individualistic from the group.   

The music video shows a businessman experiencing a world where he lets go of the social norms that he is a part of and to be himself. And this is what the entire song is about – to embrace and be yourself. In the video, the members help edge him on, as does the music that blasts through the headphones. They take him to the arcade, have a dance off with people in cosplay costumes, smash up an ATM, and do doughnuts in a sports car. Pretty much everything he would never do. And the members were all there alongside of him to experience the high he is experience. I really liked the settings of the video, as they helped highlight the edgy profile of the song. And the post-production, such as the train roof splitting open to show gears and the incorporation of the members into the middle of the doughnuts as they were happening, helped make the video look intense and cool.

Their stage presence was phenomenal. I had to check out a few stage performance to make sure it was not a one-off thing, and I am so glad it wasn’t. xikers definitely have a future in front of them, if they keep up the stage presence. Having a super intense and energetic song helps, but the energy they put behind their choreography and facial expressions makes quite an impression and their chemistry on stage was awesome to watch. That backward twist in the final moments of the choruses was super cool and definitely was a showstopper.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8.5/10

[Review] FAM (Korean Version) – Stray Kids

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The Korean version of FAM was released last year as the lead single off Stray Kids’ 3rd compilation album, SKZ-Replay, which dropped as one of the last KPOP album releases of 2022. Since then, the song has risen to the top of my Weekly KPOP Charts segment twice this year – the 3rd weeks of both January and February. It is a bit awkward for a song to have been placed first on my own Weekly KPOP Chart segment to not have a review, so today I will be reviewing the single. This review will then lead into my album review for SKZ-Replay, which I have wanting to review for a while now. So keep your eyes opened for the album review (which will be split into three parts). But for now, here is my review for FAM.

Previously released as a Japanese single, FAM is very much a personalised song made by the group’s in-house production team 3RACHA for the group (and their fans). The entire lyrics of FAM were made of references to the members through nicknames, shouted names, descriptions and praises of each member. For me, fun is the main word I would use to describe FAM, matching up with the group’s personality when they are off-screen and not performing their usually intense title tracks. As for the music, it is an upbeat and lively electronic track. All members, including the vocalists, delivered their descriptions and praises of the succeeding member in the song by rapping. This adds to the fun side of FAM. All members were also heavily autotuned, which adds a bit of a quirky affair to the song and blends them into the electronic profile of the instrumentation. The choruses were also shared amongst the members and were the closest to feature some singing. Again, autotune was present here to match with the rest of FAM. But the choruses had a catchy ring to them FAM. Altogether, I found FAM to be an addictive track. It is light-hearted (despite the song being delivered in a not so light manner via autotuned raps), casual and fun track that pretty much speaks to the bond that Stray Kids have with one another and their carefree personalities that comes about when the members are not on stage.

The music video for FAM was an edited version of their encore performance during the second Seoul leg of their recent world tour. While this isn’t much to go on with, I do want to point out that I liked the post production of the video. It added some fun elements to the video, emphasised parts of the song and brought some much-needed colour. With the stage lighting and denim outfits, everything looked blue. So, the yellow was a nice way of offset and make it more dynamic. I also liked how the post-production also aided in the emphasis of the member that was in the spotlight for that particular part of the video.

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

[Review] Spicy – aespa

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aespa is one of the few artists that kicks off this new week, returning with their third mini-album My World and the title track Spicy. This comeback follows the group’s pre-release single Welcome to My World, which dropped last week and is a song that I will review separately in the near future. Spicy also follows the group’s 2022 comeback Girls.

Spicy is quite a change to their last comeback and even aespa’s wider discography thus far. Their main title tracks have been of more of an EDM base thus far, but Spicy manages to spice it up with a more pop-leaning comeback. Despite that however, Spicy still manages to conform to aespa’s roots, featuring textural form of EDM, dynamic bass and heavy beats – all of which still manages to make an intense statement. Not once did I feel the instrumental was overwhelming, which easily could have taken over hadn’t it been for the members (more on this in just a second). I liked the more vibrant and brighter tone the synths take on, while the dynamic profile of the instrumentation felt very suitable for the upcoming Summer season that I keep mentioning about. The pop side of the song comes through via the melodies choruses, which by far is my favourite part of Spicy. I am surprised that Spicy managed to still incorporate such pleasantly executed melodic flourishes in such an intense piece. This is mainly achieved by the members and their powerful vocals, which Spicy undoubtedly puts on full display. Upon reflection, the hooks are a bit cringy in my opinion, but I have managed to overlook this during each listen I have given Spicy so far. The rapping is more contained in the verses of the song. But while they pretty much were on par with the intensity of the song in the verses as well, I personally felt that the verses just weren’t as memorable. Hence I can’t justify giving Spicy a perfect rating. But they were so so close to earning it had it not been for the lesser memorable verses.

For once, aespa is not in their virtual world or a built set. I was prepared to see their a virtual landscape and some super cool graphics. But seeing them in actual sunshine and the real world feels very refreshing. That being said, we do get a virtual reference via the glitchy background. A nice subtle nod to their concept as a group. I really liked the confidence that the members instill on the viewers throughout the video. The music video also features some fun moments, such as a car falling from the sky into a reserved parking spot at the start of the video and the frozen-in-time party (which actually looks quite cool).

From what I can see in the music video, it appears the choreography aspect of the comeback is the weakest. None of the moves that featured in the video highlights their performance skills that the members have shown in the past. The most promising moment in the routine was during the bridge of the song (which kind of serves as the instrumental/dance break). The moves here were sharp and showed potential. But I just feel the rest was a bit plain.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] Still Life – RM (BTS) with Anderson .Paak

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Apologies with how long it has taken me to review this particular song. Still Life was released as part of RM’s debut studio album that was released in December last year. The single Wild Flower, which I did review at the time of release, was the main title track. But Still Life was released as a second single a week after the album’s release. Today, I will finally review Still Life. Also, with this song review soon to be out of the way, this does mean I will finally be posting a review for RM’s studio length album Indigo this coming weekend. Indigo’s album review will also be the final 2022 album review, which will mean that I will finally start tackling the 2023 albums! That will be coming out later this week. But until then, here is my review for Still Life.

Still Life has such a groovy flair that makes it one damn good expressive song. I remember constantly listening to the track when it was first released, just because it was such a fun number and was quite an attractive track from the album. The positive vibes exuded from Still Life were notable, and the upbeat energy throughout makes me want to have a bit of a boogie. The instrumental had some great percussion and subtle brass that gives life to that groovy flair that I already mentioned. As for the artists, RM’s rapping had really good flow and was very captivating during the verses. Anderson .Paak comes through primarily during the choruses alongside RM, and gives off a really great texture via his raspy voice. His “I’m still life” line throughout the song was very punchy and memorable, and this adds more to that expressive profile of Still Life. There is such a catchy ring to the choruses as well. I also found it clever how Anderson .Paak is able to manipulate the pronunciation of “I’m still life” to make it sound like ‘I’m still alive‘, which adds further meaning to the song (which I will touch on later). Together, the pair had great chemistry, as evident by that sequence just prior to the final chorus, and this helped make Still Life a fantastic song. Altogether, I found Still Life is be suitably selected as a second single and a highlight from the Indigo album.

The video plays on the concept of still art. Whilst everything around him is frozen, RM is still able to move about freely, grooving to the song as it plays. With everything around him frozen, he is showing how something still can continue to be alive. The lyrics also speak about moving forward. And the concept of a train was a great way to show this, as the train is a vehicle that constantly moves forward to reach its destination. A well thought out video.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.4/10

[Review] What If Love – UP10TION

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I completely apologise for how long it has taken me to review What If Love. The single was released as part of their 11th mini-album Code Name: Arrow in November 2022. This comeback ended up shaping to be a big one for what happened after its release. What If Love now serves as the group’s last release under TOP Media. The current 7 member lineup of UP10TION (including Hwanhee and Xiao who participated in the recent Boys Planet survival series) chose not to renew their contract with TOP Media (thus leaving the agency they have been with since debut). They aren’t disbanding, confirming their intention to stay as a group. It also been confirmed that Jinhoo (who went on hiatus back in 2020) and long term absent members Kim Woo Seok and Lee Jin Hyuk have left the group. And it has been announced that Kuhn and Kogyeol were to enlist into the military. Quite an eventful 2023 already for UP10TION, who usually flies under the radar.

To me, What If Love is a decent dance pop track. The bass gives an alluring appeal, while the rest of the instrumentation has groovy influences that comes together to give off a darker and classier atmosphere. Both the bass and wider instrumentation contribute to a sleek profile. However, I wanted something more to the instrumentation to spark some interest. Aside from what I mentioned, it is pretty lackluster and plays it safe for majority of the song. We do hear some detailing in the instrumental (like the whistle), but it wasn’t anything strong. What If Love does benefits from some nice vocals and rapping. I felt the vocal line in this song worked with the mature vibes and brought an appreciable smoothness to the song. The breathiness the vocals brings during certain moments of What If Love also adds to the maturity profile of the song. This adds to the sleekness of the track. The deeper tones that the rappers brought to What If Love is a nice textural change and gives us a bit of a reprieve from ultra smoothness that What If Love pushes on the listener. I also feel like the deeper tone emphasise the funky undertones of the song. While there were some nice melodic moments throughout What If Love, I did think the hooks were weak. We do get breathy “What If Love” repetition as part of the choruses, but due to its deliver it isn’t much of a prominent hook. Had What If Love had stronger hooks and something that gives the instrumental a bit more zing, maybe I would have reviewed What If Love sooner.

What If Love is about “the temptation to win the heart of one’s love of fate while aiming for the one and only chance, which can be missed in a fleeting moment” (taken from SOOMPI). When you watch the video, it has a bit of a spy/detective concept to it. Personally, I am not exactly sure of the connection between the meaning and what we see. But my best guess is that the members are searching for that “fleeting moment”. Aside from that, I did like the darker aesthetic present in this video, which matches with the mature profile of the song. The members also look fantastic throughout the video in their outfits.

I feel like the choreography hits the mark in some parts, but completely misses it in others. The song calls for a sleek routine, but I felt it was a touch too powerful during the choruses. We do get some “slow” moments, which were the most fitting.  If they somehow softened the energy behind some of the other moves, we would see something that is aligned with the choreography.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 6.8/10