Category: Reviews

[Review] VIBE – TAEYANG (BIGBANG) ft. Jimin (BTS)

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It has been a while since we have heard from TAEYANG, with his last album release, White Night, being from 2017. Leading the album were the title tracks Darling and Wake Me Up. Since then, Taeyang had enlisted, got married to actress Min Hyo Rin and both of them had a child together (congratulations!). As for his singing career, things have been rather silent up until the end of last year when it was announced that Taeyang had decided to not renew his contract with YG Entertainment and went on to sign with The Black Label (a YG Entertainment subsidiary label). Now signed with a new label, TAEYANG announced his return to the stage through the release of VIBE, a collaborative single with Jimin (from BTS).

Now, the announcement of this single was quite a surprise. But it was a surprise that I was interested in seeing, given VIBE joins the forces of two of the biggest acts from the second and third generations of KPOP. VIBE definitely continues the idea of surprises, bringing forth an upbeat groovy ‘vibe’ that taps into retro and new jack swing influences. They help liven up the song and adds a fresh flair to the current KPOP industry. I also enjoyed the subtle presence of electric guitar towards the end of the song. It just gives even more refreshing at the end and helps bring everything in VIBE to a fitting and satisfying close. As for the vocal work, both TAEYANG and Jimin sounds really good throughout VIBE. I liked that TAEYANG doesn’t waste a second, starting off the song with a smooth R&B melody and sultry vocals. Once the instrumental kicks into gear, his vocals drives VIBE upwards and forwards, and he also brings a really vivid tone to the song that just kicks everything into gear. Jimin’s vocals in the second verse brings out a more innocent and young tone to the song, which contrasts really nicely with TAEYANG’s vocals. His higher pitch gave the song a bit of depth and adds to the dynamics of the song. The chorus, to me, was quite memorable thanks to the melodies and the energy both TEYANG and Jimin puts in. If I had to make some sort of complaint about VIBE, it is that I found the to be too short. I think more could have given and I would have enjoyed it just as much. Hopefully, we see more of TAEYANG in the near future!

When the video opens up and we sing TAEYANG shirtless, I was brought back to his Eyes, Nose, Lips days (back in 2014). That was a nice throwback. We then get both TAEYANG and Jimin, during their respective parts, fill the massive sets with their stage presence. Both TAEYANG and Jimin show off their sleek choreography skills (more on that later) and impressed me with how they carried themselves throughout the video. Watching them do their thing in this video was truly a vibe. I liked how there was the lowering of the stairs structure for TAEAYNG’s solo part and the lifting of a cityscape for Jimin’s solo part. These probably have some sort of meaning to TAEYANG or the song. It just isn’t apparent/obvious. But it was a simple addition to the song that felt aesthetic. When the pair finally came together in the second chorus to the very end of the video, they knocked it out of the park. Overall, I find this music video to be an example of simplicity done effectively.

As mentioned above, this music video shows off both TAEYANG and Jimin’s skills in the performance department. In TAEYANG’s case, he proves he still has what it takes to put together a riveting and skilled performance. I am unsure whether their solo parts were freestyle or actual choreography. Hopefully we find out through promotions (though I haven’t heard anything about that just yet). As for the chorus routine, that is all choreographed and I really liked the chemistry the two brought together when they performed together. The sharpness with their movements was very cool and memorable.

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

[Review] Step Back – GOT the Beat

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Needless to say, this review is very overdue. But as the saying goes – better late than never. Got the Beat is due to make their comeback on Monday with their first mini-album, Stamp It Out. So in preparation for that, I have decided to finally write me review for Step Back, their debut single that officially dropped early 2022. For those who may not have tuned for Got the Beat’s debut, the lineup of this super female group hails from SM Entertainment’s female artists and consist of a legendary lineup, including BoA, Taeyeon and Hyoyeon (from SNSD), Seulgi and Wendy (from Red Velvet) and Karina and Winter (from aespa).

My impression of Step Back from a year ago is exactly the same today. And it isn’t any good news, unfortunately. While I commend the lineup for their powerful energy and vocals (however, this does become an issue – more later on) that will definitely wakes you up no matter what state you are in, my biggest gripe about Step Back is that it is overly repetitive. Aside from the bridge, which features a very smooth slow down in momentum and an really cool yet unhurried ramp back up towards the final chorus through the use of raps and high notes, everything else in the Step Back‘s instrumental just felt like it was on a loop. The same synths was just on repeat and there was never any new offering (until we got to the bridge). And even the final chorus, which was an opportunity for Step Back to concentrate or offer something new (or do anything more than feature the same loop), just featured the same synths we heard earlier on in the song. The melodies have a nice ring to them, but they do feel slightly monotonous. A major help to Step Back were the vocals, which I have already described as powerful. Standalone, each member really had their moment to shine in Step Back, with the many high notes flooring me. But as I mentioned at the start of this paragraph, the powerful vocals do become a bit of an issue when it comes to the chorus which all (if not most) members of this super female group contribute to. I just felt all of them singing at once created an overwhelming effect, which felt slightly uncomfortable in my opinion. Had the vocals been toned back, just by a slight amount, this effect would not have been apparent and Step Back would have just have repetitive issue as its Achilles’ heels.

Another reason to why I had not reviewed Step Back earlier on was that I was waiting around for an actual music video to drop. But that never happened. Instead, the performance video that was first release stands in as the main promotional video. It looks cool and all. But I felt a proper music video would have helped made everything feel more dynamic and interesting, rather than seeing the same set and outfits for almost four minutes. The performance video does make do, however. I liked how the lighting in the background helps transform the same set into what felt like a few different sets. The performance itself was pretty amazing. I did like the sassy attitude that the performance featured, which is miles away from the disappointing lyrics. They really put all of their energy and power into making the performance a strong one, and it delivered.

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

[Review] PRESENT – Moonbyul (MAMAMOO)

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Another KPOP act to make her comeback towards the end of the year is Moonbyul. For some odd reason, Moonbyul’s comeback with PRESENT felt out of the blue. But I cannot pinpoint why I feel that is the case. It might be due to the fact that she has been quite busy in 2022, with a fairly active start to the year with solo releases LUNATIC and C.I.T.T, participated in MAMAMOO’s first subunit with SOLAR, and she just returned with the rest of MAMAMOO for ILLELLA. Anyhow, Moonbyul’s comeback is titled PRESENT (as already mentioned) and its release coincides with her 30th birthday. Happy belated birthday Moonbyul!

Just listening to the song alone, PRESENT is, put simply, a pleasant song about Moonbyul’s wishes for her birthday. Nothing more, nothing less. The track falls into the R&B realm, but it does features a bit of funk through some brass elements in the chorus, which helps liven up the song a bit and give it some groovy energy. It isn’t anything major or show-stopping. Rather, it just invokes a happy and gleeful tone that contributes to the pleasant nature of the song. Whilst PRESENT is primarily about her birthday, Moonbyul also adds a bit of holiday flair with the addition of sleigh bells to the song each time Christmas is mentioned in the lyrics, as she makes references to the fact her birthday is just three days out from Christmas. And you cannot really celebrate a birthday that close without acknowledging the upcoming holiday in some manner. Melody and hook-wise, nothing stands really stands out. But I did feel Moonbyul’s nasally tone was quite comforting in the song, and I enjoyed her weaving in and out of vocals and rapping throughout the song. PRESENT isn’t anything spectacular, but it is a nice listen nonetheless.

Just how I mentioned how it is hard to celebrate a birthday just a couple of days out from Christmas without making reference of some kind to the holiday, this video references both birthday and holiday. In addition to seeing Moonbyul set up and celebrate her own birthday, there are also Christmas/holiday references throughout the video. Overall, it is a cute video to watch and there was a nice warm tone to it. In particular, I quite liked the whole montage during the bridge that brings Moonbyul to the cake. There was something with the spotlight and the idea behind the montage that made it a memorable scene/shot for me.

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

[Review] Beautiful Liar – MONSTA X

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MONSTA X also made their comeback on Monday alongside SF9. Beautiful Liar is the title of their latest track and it leads the group’s 12th mini-album, Reason. It follows the group’s early 2022 comeback with LOVE (which I nominated as Best Rap or Hip Hop Song of 2022 in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards) and their 11th mini-album SHAPE OF LOVE, the release of Late Night Feels (a collaboration with San Feldt), and contracts renewal where all but one member renewed their contracts with Starship Entertainment (with the exception of I.M, who left Starship Entertainment but confirmed that he will continue to promote as part of MONSTA X).

The electric guitar start to Beautiful Liar and the punk rock influence from the electric guitar’s presence for the rest of the song has to be one the most exhilarating starts to a song. It leaves such a strong impression that it makes Beautiful Liar really irresistible to me. I really do want to say similar comments to Beautiful Liar‘s instrumental, but the choruses (which I will discuss a little later) do hold me back from saying that. Anyhow, the first verse (which is actually the first run of the chorus, but it is delivered in a manner that made it feel like a verse) features such a sleek vocal line from I.M, Minhyuk and Hyungwon, while I.M and Jooheon really takes it up a notch with a rap sequence in the second verse that really delivers impact. Each of the verses is followed by Kihyun, who blasts us with his powerful vocals as the electric guitars ramp up the song. The choruses had a neat melody that has a memorable ring and it felt emotional yet charming. However. if I had one complaint about Beautiful Liar, it is that the chorus could have more oomph in the instrumental department. This would forces the vocals to be more powerful, which I reckon would have done wonders to Beautiful Liar. The way the pre-choruses ramped up to the chorus suggested a continuation of that exhilarating start and an electrifying nature, but we never got to see that become reality. It was interesting that in place of a what should have been the second chorus (third, if you count the first verse – I do not), Beautiful Liar skips to a second rap verse before bringing back the chorus for a final run. But this is not a complaint, as this structure gives us a second dosage of awesome rapping from the rappers (which I am all for). I do think there was a missed opportunity for the group to have concentrated the momentum and energy to form part of the final chorus to give Beautiful Liar a more deserving and punchy end (just to end the song on a higher note). But overall, Beautiful Liar is still a strong song, which works really well for MONSTA X, despite the complaint and suggestion around the choruses.

I am not exactly sure what the video for this comeback is about. But I do have a theory. The cloaked people surrounding the the members throughout the video represent the lies MONSTA X’s partners have told them. At first, the members want to protect their love for said partner, thinking their love is real and the lies are lie themselves. A fight against the cloaked figures ensures. Note their red jackets, with the colour red being referenced in the lyrics through the line “At the end of your red tongue, like the color of red, you got sores, I will kiss, I love your lies.“, suggesting that the love the members have for their partner is still very real. But as the video progresses, we see the members change into outfits that have a black and white theme to them. The white in the middle of the video donned by I.M most likely represents a sense of innocence in their mind, whereas the all-black clothing worn by the other members represents a toxic version of themselves that has come about from the lies. We see the toxicity break loose (i.e. stomping to break the glass) and take over the minds of the members. In real life, this results in the members (once dressed in red) to become dressed in black and white checkered outfits, represents the lies/toxicity are slowly taking over and corrupting the members. And instead of a fight like at the start of the video, the members are hyping up the crowd of cloaked figures (i.e. lies), which may represent to us that the members are now embracing the lies that their partner once told them. And while we don’t see this, I think the members are supposed to become cloaked figures as well, once the lies/toxicity fully takes over. It is a bit of a crude theory and I may be wrong. But if I am right, I liked the idea of the symbolism.

From what we can see in the music video, the choreography for this comeback looks pretty decent. But as I have yet to see the full performance, I can’t say with 100% certainity whether there is anything that stands out or not. So I will comeback tomorrow or Friday once we do get a live performance to provide proper comments. But for now, accept my interim ratings.

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

[Review] Puzzle – SF9

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SF9 is the first group to make their comeback this week, with their brand new single Puzzle and 12th mini-album, THE PIECE OF9. This comeback follows their SCREAM comeback from mid-last year. It also marks the return of Rowoon who sat out of the SCREAM comeback due to conflicting schedules, bumping the lineup for SF9 this time around to seven members (with Youngbin and Inseong continuing to sit out due to their military enlistments).

Puzzle is another track that goes down the funky and groovy route. But I personally feel that this route is quite light on. There is still enough of it to be detectable, making Puzzle enjoyable and prevents the song from falling into a ‘standard’ dance pop track category. The way the funky and groovy influences are held back also allows me to feel a sense of refinement, something I tend to mention when it comes to SF9’s classier comebacks. Puzzle features a memorable hook during the choruses, which helps bump up the song in my books. I will admit it took a couple of listens for me to feel that way about the hooks. But now that I am into it, I am completely for it. I liked how the rappers got to participate in the choruses, evening out the line distribution. Chani and Zuho taking helm of the first portion of the first two runs of the chorus, while Hwiyoung takes the second portion of the final chorus. I did feel like the vocals and raps were somewhat plain in terms of their delivery, which is probably the reason why it took me a couple of listens to get into Puzzle. Maybe it was purposely done so to bring a charismatic appeal to the group. But I wished the vocals were more expressive or had some sort of uniqueness to them, while I also wished the raps packed more of a punch to them. Overall, Puzzle was a decent track. It could have done better, but Puzzle still works as a solid addition to SF9’s single discography.

The members in this video are putting the clues of a puzzle together to work out. I wished the video showed us a reason for the investigative/suspicious actions, like if something was stolen or someone was killed. Without the context, the video doesn’t feel as exciting to me as it is hyped up to be. From what I can understand, there are two version of the group. The investigators are the version of the members that are dressed in suits, while the version dressed in leather are the ones trying to steer the investigators away from themselves. At first, I thought they were all tracking down Jaeyoon (as he had the burn mark on his skin), but the version of the members dressed in leather jackets were doing some suspicious things with files and what I assume is evidence. Whilst the suits and leather jackets talk is very confusing for the story behind the video, the SF9 definitely look very cool in them.

The choreography is good. I must commend the members on how their moves looked very natural and fluid throughout the routine. I also did like the chorus routine, particularly the first half (i.e. during the “Puzzlin’, Puzzlin’ Puzzlin‘”) line. But other than that, nothing really stood out for me.

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

[Review] HALAZIA – ATEEZ

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ATEEZ is nominated for Best Male Group, Best Stage Presence, Best Ballad (for Turbulence) and Best Electronic Song (for Guerrilla) in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support ATEEZ along with your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today. Be quick, as voting closes tomorrow night!

The final major comeback of 2022 belonged to ATEEZ, which dropped two days prior to the new year. Whilst everyone was busy preparing for the new year celebrations, ATEEZ is sliding us new music. The new single is titled HALAZIA and forms part of the group’s first Korean single album, Spin Off: From the Witness. This is also the group’s first musical release since Guerrilla in July 2022 and their third Japanese single, Paradigm, in November 2022 (which has yet to be reviewed).

HALAZIA is another one of those songs that I would describe as ‘interesting’. For the most part, the track does sound very ATEEZ-like, with its intense dance style. We are given a solid display of vocals in the first verse and more rhythmic and upbeat rapping in the second verse. The group goes full steam ahead towards the chorus with a strong pre-chorus, with a great stomping incline and church organs that builds suspense towards the main centrepiece of the song. The interesting aspect of HALAZIA comes via the chorus, which I am not exactly sure of. I love the concept of the breathy cult-like chants and instrumental that kicks it off. It stilled HALAZIA in a way that felt aesthetic and unique. But when you consider the pre-chorus was built up towards what felt like could have been a powerful and intense chorus, what we got felt like a loss of momentum and just didn’t live up to expectations. The second half of the chorus brought forward a completely different atmosphere, with a rapid intense rush of electronic element driving the song forward. Personally, I felt the two halves of the chorus did not cohesively come together and the mad rush of the second half felt like the producers was trying to make up for the lost momentum of the first half. However, I did think both halves had charm in their own way. The most impressive part of HALAZIA comes during the bridge, in the form of rapping from both Hongjoong and Mingi. I really liked the impact and force they brought to their parts in the bridge. This then led to the final sequence of HALAZIA, which was a blast of EDM and a shouty delivery that reminded me of Guerrilla‘s chorus. Overall, HALAZIA had great promise and almost got there. I just think the song needed to be better focused and cohesive in its central sequence to be more effective.

What really gets me with these music videos of a shared universe that spans over multiple videos is the amount of planning that must have already occurred to ensure the full story is told once the plot wraps up. And factoring in music, a unique concept that enables the storyline to be told, these comebacks must be planned many months (even a year) in advance. I applaud the people behind this, as this is something I cannot even imagine in my mind. Anyhow, the music video for HALAZIA connects to the world that was introduced as part of Guerrilla, where the emotions were stolen from the people (which really made them all creepy and I quite liked this chilling aesthetic). But the trailer to this comeback tells us that the world population was awaiting the return of ATEEZ (in the form of the infamous black hats they donned during their early days/concepts) to give them hope. But instead of that form of ATEEZ, a new version of ATEEZ has popped up instead. We are unsure this new form of ATEEZ brings, but they rally up the population to take back gravity (one of the other things they lost). What this all means, I have no clue whatsoever. And that ending with the ball dropping onto San like that is very suspenseful and mysterious. Hopefully, we will find out more in the next video.

ATEEZ once again impresses with the choreography. The intensity and power the members channel through was just so riveting to watch. In addition to that, the pre-chorus routine felt so sleek, while the cult-like profile of the first half of the chorus came through the choreography in a very captivating fashion. A routine I highly recommend you watch!

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

[Review] Madness – MOONBIN & SANHA (ASTRO)

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Moonbin & Sanha are nominated for Best Subunit in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support Moonbin & Sanha, along with your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today. Be quick, as voting closes tomorrow night!

This week also sees the return of MOOBIN & SANHA, one of the two currently active subunits from ASTRO. If you can’t tell by the name of the subunit, the group consist of Moobin and Sanha, and they debuted with in 2020 with Bad Idea. Last year, the pair returned with the title track WHO and their second mini-album REFUGE. Yesterday, the pair dropped their third mini-album, Incense, and the title track Madness.

Madness features a funky and groovy energy to its dance pop profile. But before you assume, the track isn’t necessarily colourful like most funky and groovy songs. Madness also features a serious and a subtle powerful tone to it throughout its run that prevents a colourful or vivid tone to form, which actually allows the sound to fit neatly into the unit’s discography. I found this to be create a decent listen and a definite improvement from their last comeback. Madness features a solid set of vocals from both members, though I wished there was more of a zing to their delivery to make the song a bit more interesting. They were not competing with the instrumental in anyway, but I think a bit of volume (and even some definition) would have worked really well in Moobin and Sanha’s favour to allow them to stand out in Madness. A more interesting melody or delivery some sort would have great as well. There were some moments in which Madness could have built itself on, such as the pop start to the pre-chorus and rapping from Sanha (and briefly from Moobin). But ultimately, Madness joins the long list of songs that lack something memorable. The final aspect of Madness that disappointed me was the repetitiveness. I did like the repetitiveness at first, but with multiple listens, the song is drying up quite quickly. The final chorus doesn’t offer anything new to the song that the first two runs of the chorus had already offered. Overall, Madness is an appreciated step in the right direction for the duo, in my opinion. It just needs more to it.

The song likens the spread of one’s charm to the addictiveness of a scent, resulting in another person to be driven to a point of madness or insanity. And the two charms that we need to be wary of, based on the music video, belongs to both Moonbin and Sanha. In the video, we see them developing scents and breaking into a piece of ice that containing a bouquet of flowers, which might be the ultimate scent they are trying to achieve. I really liked the darkness of the sets, especially the choreography and solo sets we see at the end of the video. I also enjoyed how well timed the video is. When the song launches into the second chorus, we see the pair desperately breaking their way through the block of ice. It plays into the idea of madness slightly, which I thought was clever.

I liked the choreography, but there isn’t much that stands out in a memorable sense. Instead, I appreciated the smoothness that the choreography had, which worked well with certain moments of the song and gave a nice contrast during the song’s more jagged moments (i.e. the chorus).

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] OMG – NewJeans

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NewJeans is nominated for Best New Female Group, Best Group Choreography (Female) for Hype Boy and Best R&B Song for Attention in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support NewJeans and all your other favourite artists, songs and performances before voting closes this Friday by clicking here to vote.

As mentioned in the previous review for NewJean’s Ditto, I will also be covering the group’s first official comeback single, OMG, which officially dropped two days ago. This comes after the group debuted with Cookie (and pre-releases Attention and Hype Boy) in 2022, contributing to what has resulted in very intense battle for new female groups and debuts this award season in the KPOP industry.

It has been a couple of days since OMG‘s release and this short gap between release and review have really allowed me to evaluate the song and consider my thoughts on it. To me, OMG is an ‘alright’ song. I liked how NewJeans have forged themselves a unique sound in KPOP and this sound does comes through in OMG, despite the track gearing towards more mainstream pop and hip-hop influences. I enjoyed the upbeat nature of the instrumental, which comes to life as a result of the percussive and trap elements. NewJeans also sounds quite nice throughout the song. Their vocals really show off a youthful appearance compared to their previous releases and the brightness really cuts through the over-consistency that OMG was potentially heading in. What really held OMG back, for me, is the lack of a memorable element of some kind. Despite the number of listens of OMG over the last few days, I have failed to notice anything that really capture my attention and makes the song stay in my mind once the song ends. This is quite disappointing given the hype leading to OMG. Had the song had something more memorable to it, OMG could have ringed through. But because there isn’t a memorable ring or tinge to the song, I am not convinced that this is their greatest track. That being said, OMG had some pretty big shoes to fill following the likes the Attention and Hype Boy.

When I watch the music video for OMG, I can’t help but wonder whether the friends who Heesoo supposedly lost from the Ditto music videos (according to my theory) were sent to the asylum. When I wrote that storyline up based on what I saw, I hadn’t considered the events of OMG. But now watching the OMG’s music video and also considering how the school scenes were included as part of the performance videos, I am leaning towards a change my storyline – that Heesoo’s friends were sent to the asylum. The video also includes a bit of a twist towards the end, with the friends reminding themselves that they are actually NewJeans, which might also further alter the story theory I wrote for the Ditto music video. I quite liked the rewind montage that follows and the addition of a snippet of Attention to the video. Apart from that, I liked how they tackled the topic of mental health. It can be quite touchy topic, but my first impression of NewJean’s take was that it is light, felt liberating, and refreshing, which is much different to the more usual serious tone mental health garners in Western media.

I quite enjoyed the 90s touch some of their outfits had. It probably will be a case of regret in the future when NewJeans attempts more mature concepts, but it works really well at this point in time. As for the choreography, I really enjoyed the whole chorus sequence of the routine. Dubbed as the ‘OMG and crab dance’ according to the 1theKILLPO video, I do find the second half of the sequence to be more impressive, with the synchronisation and execution leaving me floored.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] Ditto – NewJeans

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NewJeans is nominated for Best New Female Group, Best Group Choreography (Female) for Hype Boy and Best R&B Song for Attention in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support NewJeans and all your other favourite artists, songs and performances before voting closes this Friday by clicking here to vote.

The first two official reviews of 2023 belongs to NewJeans, one of the new female groups who literally took over 2022 with a series of releases including Attention, Hype Boy and Cookie. And judging by the digital charts at the time of writing this review, it looks like 2023 is also on their radar for a take-over, as well. The first review tackles their recent pre-release single, Ditto, which was actually released in the final weeks of the 2022. It was released in preparation for their early 2023 comeback, which officially dropped yesterday. And you guessed it, I will be covering OMG in my next review tomorrow.

While I did check out the new song while I was on break, I didn’t pay much attention to it and haven’t formed an opinion on Ditto until today. But I am happy to report upon further consideration today for this review, I quite enjoyed Ditto. The song just feels so atmospheric and dreamy with its lo-fi approach, making it hard to dislike the song. The smoothness of NewJeans vocals pairs extremely well with that same atmospheric and dreamy nature of Ditto, and helped make it become such a captivating piece. The melodies also build on this and have a memorable ring to them, which just adds more substance to the song. And while it was rather subtle, there is enough bass and percussion in Ditto to help keep it slightly upbeat and riveting enough to keep the song itself grounded. I also enjoyed the consistency of the bass and percussion in the song this time around, which to me added a hypnotic effect to the song that does wonders. The only thing about Ditto I am not 100% sure of at this stage is the longevity of the song. I feel like the song is designed to be quite effective in the moment, but repeat listens might just dull Ditto down. I am not tired of Ditto just yet, but it it is interesting thought to have crossed my mind whilst writing this review.

The music videos for Ditto was impressive. That’s right, the plural there signifies multiple version – two versions in the case of Ditto – Side A and Side B. Side A shows the group NewJeans as a group of friends, with a sixth member of their friendship group (Heesoo) filming the group as they go about their high school days. Interestingly, during Side A, Heesoo never appears on camera with NewJeans. As a side plot, Heesoo develops a crush on a male student. But the main story of Side A is that NewJeans might not have existed at all, and that Heesoo was only imagining their existence through the camera. Her not appearing on camera with the others adds fuel to that storyline. As for Side B, we see that Heesoo is imagining the existence of NewJeans at the school. But it is revealed in later scenes within Side B that NewJeans do exist outside of the school, and that Heesoo only watches them afar and had created NewJeans as a fantasy for her school life. We do see her drop her camera from the top of the building in Side B, which signifies the destruction of her fantasy, her growing up, which leads her to date the guy she had developed a crush on. At the end of Side B, we begin with the start of Side A (confusing, I know). The scenes on the video however do show Heesoo subtly on camera with a group of girls (but in a haunting manner, we don’t see their faces whatsoever), which leads me to suspect that the group of friends did exist at one point. But she lost them in some sort of accident (which would explain her cast). She later became deluded into thinking that the group of friends still existed and NewJeans was that friend group, but she slowly comes to terms that is not the case and comes to accept that her friends are no longer with her. It is all a bit confusing, but that is my take on the video. I really liked the 90s/early 00s aesthetic and the creepy factor that underlays parts of the video, which gives an added flavour that keeps the videos interesting.

I really liked how the choreography looks for this particular release. And this comes through many layers. Firstly, I liked how it was weaved into the music videos. Secondly, I really liked how the choreographer really embodied NewJeans youth and made it feel like teenagers were just freestyling and having some fun, rather than a set routine that feels rehearsed and refined. The subtle bounce we got added to this fun nature, in my opinion. Thirdly, NewJeans chemistry was quite cool and the smiles they shared with one another made the performance feel so much more convincing.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 9/10 [Updated ‘Overall Rating’ on 12/08/2023]

[Review] PLAY – LUCY

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LUCY is nominated for Best Band Performance for their PLAY release in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support LUCY, and your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today!

There are a few releases that I have nominated in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards this year that I have yet to review, and I am hoping to review some of them before the year ends. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to review all of them by the end of the year, so apologies in advance if I don’t post a review for your favourite group or song. First up is LUCY, who is a four member male band that I first reviewed last year as part of the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards rush at the end of last year, but the band has been active since 2020. This year, I have nominated them for Best Band Performance once again, but for their 2022 single, PLAY. It is the title track from the band’s first studio album release, Childhood, which was released in August of this year.

PLAY starts off with a soothing and soft band background that almost mimics a soft ballad or a very soft pop rock track. When we get to the chorus, the instrumentation amplifies. But it is more of a mild amplification that retains the sentiment and soothing tone that started off PLAY, whilst also keeping the track light and airy. At the same time, the amplification also brings a burst of brightness to the song that helped give PLAY a bit more to talk about and I found to be quite appealing and enjoyable. The second verse and chorus repeats exactly what we heard in the first verse and chorus combination, but we do get a brief second of children laughter before the second chorus (which complements the meaning behind the song – more of this in the next section of the review). I liked the ‘echo’ that comes into play during the bridge of PLAY, giving the sense of depth. I also enjoyed the inclusion of the children’s “Na Na Na” and more laughter. This time around, it fits into the larger picture that is PLAY. In addition to the band instrumentation, LUCY’s unique addition of violin is present throughout PLAY, but I wished the violin was a bit stronger and more upfront. This would really allow LUCY shine even brighter. As for the vocals, I really like the nasally tone that the members brought to the song. And this gives PLAY a memorable tinge. The melodies unfortunately didn’t have the same effect. They were pleasant, but they just were not enough to make PLAY more memorable. Overall, a really nice track. Some improvements could be helping in bumping my PLAY‘s appeal. But still a great listen nonetheless.

PLAY presents the message to embrace your childhood, even as an adult. And that is what we see happen in the video. The video features a typical Korean salaryman, who could be in his late 20s or 30s, and whose life is quite grey and dull (which is the literally theme of the start and end of the video). When he slides down the slide at the start of the video, he enters a world full of colour and brightness. But he is only wearing black, representing his detached and deflated mood and feelings. Whatever he does, wherever he goes, he just can’t seem to get out of this mindset. And I don’t blame him. Adulting pressures are definitely hard and not advertised. On the train, he is thrown side to side and squashed by people. At work, he is scolded by his manager. At work parties, he is left with a burnt piece of meat despite being the one cooking it. When he boards the taxi, he wants to be in his own world. And while at the shops, he is emotionless and dejected from the world. But in the midst of all of that, we also see a child version of him, who embraces his youth and childhood, and the world instantly looks better. Sometimes we just need to think back to our childhood to remind ourselves of what life used to be. The child him is running around and having fun, interacting with the band. He is having parties with his co-workers and even enjoying his taxi ride. In the end, the salaryman slides down the slide, returning us to the beginning of the video with the grey colour scheme. He still looks sad and deflated, but you can hear a lady call out to him (presumably his mother), and a smile presents on his face soon after. And I quite like this conclusion, that it is a reminder that at the end of the day, whilst we are all adults, we are still a child because we are someone’s child. So embrace the childhood, as to many of us, it is inherently part of our lives already. Quite a nice and pleasant music video, with a beautiful reminder at the end.

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

[Review] Uh-Heung – DKZ

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DKZ is nominated for Rising Star and Most Underrated Song (for Cupid) in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support DKZ and your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today.

Final song review of the year! And the honour this year goes to DKZ! DKZ has had a very big year in 2022. They rose on the charts with their biggest hit yet, Cupid, and scored their first music show win since their debut in 2019 with their latest single, Uh-Heung. Both of these aspects played a part in earning them a nomination in the Rising Star category of the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Today, I will be reviewing that latest single, Uh-Heung, which was released in October of this year.

Uh-Heung is a 180° turn around from DKZ’s other 2022 comeback (Cupid). That previous comeback was all bright and bubbly. Uh-Heung, on the other hand, is all dark and intense. While I do enjoy a change in sound or style, I did hope that DKZ was going to pull off something unique, given dark and intense is pretty ordinary territory for male groups in KPOP. Unfortunately, I don’t think they pulled off something unique. Uh-Heung had all the basic hallmarks of a typical male release. However, there are aspects of the song that still allowed me to enjoy Uh-Heung, however I still believe it is firmly rooted in that ‘typical territory’. The greatest appealing aspect of the song is he presence of the guitar at the start of the song. It started off the dance track in a very cool and refreshing manner. It hooked me in from the start and reeled me in for the rest of Uh-Heung. Interestingly, the guitar is replaced in the second verse with some traditional Korean instruments, which I thought was okay. It wasn’t as interesting or riveting as other examples of traditional instrumentation in an intense dance track as I felt like it was overpowered by the synths. But it was a decent effort. If I had it my way, I would have stuck to one or the other (preference is the guitar work at the start of the song), as it does create a bit of a mix-bag. The second big thing about Uh-Heung is the intensity of this track, which I find to be full-on, especially in the chorus. It felt like the tempo increased out of nowhere. But the increase created a very cool and robust backing that got the adrenaline running in your body. I also really like the rappers’ line that bridges the pre-choruses and choruses together. There was something quite invigorating from those lines that launched into the chorus and made it more intense and epic. Talking about rapping, both Jaechan and Sehyeon really shined in this song and showed off raspy tones that matched the intense side of Uh-Heung. The anthem-like chant at the end of Uh-Heung was also a great way to end off the intense track, by intensifying the track in a way that successfully caps it off. Overall, while DKZ does turn to typical territory in Uh-Heung, the group and their producers managed to make Uh-Heung shine enough for me to really enjoy the song.

Something I didn’t mention in the song component of the review is that Uh-Heung is the sound that a tiger makes, and there are tiger sounds throughout the song to further intensify the song. With this in mind, it makes sense for a tiger component to appear in music video. For Uh-Heung, the tiger comes at the start of the video, when we see Jaechan running away from something that looks like tiger (based on the shadow). Later on, we see Jaechan being cornered by someone donning a motorcycle helmet that has tiger prints over it, which is later revealed to be Jaechan himself. But what does this mean? Well, Soompi’s says the song ‘delivers the message of walking one’s own path with confidence and bravery in a world rife with temptation and fear’, and I think that the two Jaechan’s are one person – one that is walking with confidence and bravery, while the other is tempted and in fear from the world. Guessing on the intensity of the song, confident and brave Jaechan wins. The rest of the music video is quite cool, aside from the inflatable tube men we get in the background of one of the choreography scenes. They looked funny (as they always do) and don’t really add much fear or power to the video (though the messages written on them might say otherwise).

The intensity follows through in the choreography aspect of the comeback. And while the moves where the members go ‘Uh-Heung‘ definitely adds to the intensity and powerful energy, the constant repeats of it did feel a bit cringy. I much prefer the scratch move, which was less cringy and more subtle.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] Strawberry Cake – Xdinary Heroes

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Xdinary Heroes is nominated for Best New Male Group and Best Band Performance in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support Xdinary Heroes, and your other favourite artists, songs, and performance by clicking here to vote today!

I guess if you are seeing a review for a side-track, you can confidently say that an album review is coming you way. In order to complete the album review for Xdinary Heroes’ 1st ever mini-album, Hello World, which was released back in July of this year (and features the title track Test Me), I need to review Strawberry Cake, a single from the mini-album that was selected for follow-up promotions. In terms of the album review, it isn’t scheduled until very early 2023. So keep your eyes open for that. But for now, here is another Xdinary Heroes’ review, this time for Strawberry Cake.

When you think of a song titled Strawberry Cake, you might think of something sweet or even potentially cute sounding. While that would be quite a stretch for Xdinary Heroes, who has ventured through the different styles of rocks since their debut, I was expecting something more along the lines of pop rock for this track (best of both worlds). Instead, Strawberry Cake delves into a punkish style of rock and spins the idea of a Strawberry Cake into a partner that acts sweet, but ends up being fake and a liar. I liked the paced lurching momentum the verses had, and the ramp-up to the chorus was clean. The chorus was a bit unexpected. With the shouty ‘Strawberry Cake‘ that kicked off the chorus, I expected the song to follow through with a robust and blastful punk rock piece. But instead, there is no drop and that expectation does not eventuate. Rather, we get an instrumental piece that serves like an anti-drop that we tend to find with EDM songs. It was an interesting flip and one that I find to help make Strawberry Cake come off as unique. Towards the end of the chorus, we do get into that blastful trajectory, but it doesn’t get too far, keeping in in-line with what Strawberry Cake has given us thus far. This ‘anti-drop’ like approach does allow the focus to be put on the members and their vocals. I really like the oomph and passion they put behind their vocals in this song, which speaks volumes and express the discontent and upset message behind the lyrics of the song. Overall, an unexpected twist to Strawberry Cake, but one that displays Xdinary Heroes’ creativity and individuality.

I understand that Strawberry Cake is just additional promotion for the group and doesn’t necessarily require a full fledged music video like the title track. But the difference between Test Me and Strawberry Cake‘s video is pretty night and day. Test Me had a video that was filmed with CGI technology, while Strawberry Cake was virtually empty. It is more of a performance piece than anything else. Strawberry Cake was shot in a train carriage, packing the group (and their instruments) into a very tight narrow space for all of the video. It doesn’t highlight the punkish sound that I mentioned nor does it add value to the side track. The video could have gone with a simple plot line featuring a relationship breakdown to aid the lyrics, or some sort of visual effect to really amplify the song’s sound/style. Just something to give the video Strawberry Cake a bit more body than just the group playing their instruments (though I appreciate the passion they are putting into the performance aspect of the video).

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

[Review] Young & Wild – TEMPEST

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TEMPEST is nominated for Best New Male Group and Most Underrated Song (for Can’t Stop Shining) in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support TEMPEST, and your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today!

I intend to post an album review for TEMPEST’s second mini-album, SHINING UP, tomorrow. This mini-album was released back in August of this year and is lead by the single Can’t Stop Shining. Following the release and promotion of Can’t Stop Shining, TEMPEST followed up with promotions of another single from the mini-album, Young & Wild. And this follow-up promotion also featured a music video of some sort, which makes it eligible for a review in its own right. Hence why we are here today.

In addition to the title track, Young & Wild convinced me to actually put the mini-album onto the review list. Well, to be precise, with this song opening the mini-album, there was very little convincing required. Opening up Young & Wild are some very cool and impressive rapping that did not rely on instrumental whatsoever. A strong impression from the very first few seconds speaks volumes to me. Then the vocals followed through (with some additional raps), all of which occurring over a tropical styled instrumental that felt fitting for the Summer season that KPOP was slowly getting out of in August, when the mini-album dropped. All is looking good thus far. However, it is the pre-choruses was what sealed the deal for Young & Wild for me. We get a rush abrasive pop-rock energy from the guitar riffs that caps off the verses in a trendy fashion and electrifies the song further as we lead into the choruses. The choruses was just as promising, following the pre-choruses with satisfying energy and momentum allows Young & Wild to give off cool vibes. I like the bit of hype they tack on to the end of the choruses. I also really liked the slightly shouty touch the vocals had throughout the chorus. It was well controlled and complemented that energy that I just mentioned. The bridge brings the best of Young & Wild‘s vocals and rap (though the latter was brief) in my opinion with Hyuk ending it with some really cool ad-libs. We then return to the chorus, which keeps up the hype energy and closing out the very cool opener to the mini-album.

The music video that we got for Young & Wild was more so a performance video, with the choreography being the main focus. There isn’t much else to the video other than choreography, though there was some closeups, which doesn’t allow the video to feel exactly like a choreography video at the end of the day. The set was pretty basic, featuring stone pillars, a circular platform in the background, a bright central light and white sandy floor. All of which contrasted well with the black background. Similarly, the members’ were donned in white outfits, with black accents and accessories being used to match the video.

Just like the song, the choreography for this single was cool. The sychronisation was insane, and I really liked the oomph the members put behind some of the moves (i.e. when they are stomping or during some of the chorus moves). The legwork and footwork was definitely impressive.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] Back Down – P1Harmony

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Support P1Harmony in the Best Overall Artist and Song categories of the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards by clicking here to vote and nominate today!

As flagged the other day, another P1Harmony review is finally here. Following their Doom Du Doom and HARMONY: ZERO IN promotions, the group more recently returned with their fifth mini-album release last month, HARMONY: SET IN, which is led by the single Back Down (the focus of this review post).

P1Harmony turns back to a very energetic form of hip-hop energy for this comeback. We have heard the group tackle the hip-hop genre in similar fashion before in the past (e.g. Do It Like This). It just Back Down goes in a bit harder and it doesn’t ‘back down’ in anyway as the song progresses, which I appreciate. It is a hype track from start to end, and doesn’t stray away from its foundation. I personally quite enjoyed Back Down. The rapping in the verse was quite cool. The first verse could have been a bit more thrashed out, but the second verse rap had a more of a memorable tinge to it. The vocally sung pre-chorus was a definitely a highlight and showcases the vocals of Theo and Keeho quite well. I really like the swing they brought to the song, which helped made Back Down a little more interesting and gave Back Down a sense of depth. Then comes the choruses, which were rather catchy. The chorus is the main reason why I have pushed the review to be written much sooner than other releases. It does get a little repetitive (and hence one-dimensional), especially when the same refrain is repeated for the final chorus without much change. I wished they had added something to the final chorus, just to signal the end, like a high note of some sort. But overall, Back Down manages to show the consistent potential that P1Harmony has in the industry.

I think of this music video a bit of a villain origin story for some of the members. Unfortunately, after accidently plugging in the wrong wires into the wrong holes, the entire P1Harmony are zapped. A fight ensues between the two halves of the group, one of which is determined to press the button, while the other half is advocating for the button to not be pressed. A dance battle and fight follows. But in the end, two sides become diplomatic. But it turns out fate has other plans when a light fixture comes crashing down and hits the button instead of any of the members. The entire group is zapped again, leading them to pass out. Afterwards, the group regains consciousness, correctly swap the wires and plug them in correctly, before all pressing the button. But the video cuts out right afterwards, so we don’t know what the button actually does. I know what a rollercoaster ride of a video. But I managed to find it interesting and thought it was a fun one. I really liked their outfits throughout the video.

The choreography was pretty decent. It wasn’t exactly the most memorable routine out there. But it does have its charm and fits in with the hype and hip-hop energy that Back Down exudes. Not exactly sure if I am describing the moves correctly (do I ever?), but I liked the fight- blocking moves that come during the choruses.

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

[Review] Hype Boy – NewJeans

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NewJeans is nominated for Best New Female Group, Best R&B Song (for Attention) and Best Group Performance (Female – for Hype Boy) in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support NewJeans, as well as you other favourite songs, artists and performances by clicking here to vote today.

In addition to Attention, NewJeans also pre-released another single prior to the release of their NewJeans mini-album and their official debut single, Cookie. The single in question (and the focus of this review) is Hype Boy, which ended up going viral in South Korea for their choreography for the track.

Just like Attention, I didn’t pay much attention to Hype Boy when it was first released. I only started to pick up on the pop song as its performance started to go viral and was continuously covered by other artists. Since then, I have grown accustomed to the song and quite enjoy it. Structurally, it is a fairly simple song, made up of 2 sets of alternating verses and choruses. The producers chose to make the verses and choruses consistent and repetitive, which really helps make Hype Boy memorable. But there is more to the song that makes it memorable. Hype Boy begins with this interesting warped synth loop, which I still find quite intriguing. Similar (can’t tell if they are the same) warped synths present itself in the chorus, creating an equally interesting backdrop to the chorus. In addition to the warped synth, the chorus also features a heavier dose of percussion (in comparison to the verses), bright vocals and a unique and vibrant melody that just pulls you into the song. Together, the chorus ends up being quite an ear-catching central piece to the song. As for the rest of Hype Boy, there were some really good melodies and a strong showing from the members in the vocal department. But as the main attraction of Hype Boy was very much the chorus, you don’t really remember much from the verses. However, I did like the descending pre-chorus melody that led into the chorus. Overall, Hype Boy is short, simple and memorable.

As far as I can tell, there are four music videos and 2 performance versions for Hype Boy‘s promotion. I guess watching all of this would repeat the song enough times to have it literally engraved into your mind. Each music video tells a story that is centric to one or two members. The first video to be released focused on Minji, who falls in love with a friendly guy and changes herself so that he pays attention to her more. But in the end, he doesn’t remember who she is. The next video features a story line that focuses on Danielle and Haerin, who both fall in love with the same guy and he ends up two-timing the pair, ultimately lead the girls to choosing friendship over a relationship with the same guy. The third video features Hyein, who falls for a guy who ends up making fun of her and her group. The final video focuses on Hanni, who falls for someone over the internet, but it is not who she had expected. All of these videos feature a central theme of falling in love with a hype boy, but it just doesn’t pan out the way they had expected it to be in their head. I liked how each video converged onto one party, despite it all can be viewed as standalone. A really cool and unique concept.

The dance for Hype Boy is probably the most viral aspect in KPOP in 2022. Everyone was dancing it at one point in this year. And I don’t blame them. The entire chorus routine looks super cool (I will not attempt to name the move or describe it, as I just won’t do it justice), and the members bring a refreshing energy to the performance, making it addictive to watch. Altogether, it made me nominate Hype Boy for Best Group Choreography for female groups in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.2/10

[Review] Attention – NewJeans

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NewJeans is nominated for Best New Female Group, Best R&B Song (for Attention) and Best Group Performance (Female – for HypeBoy) in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support NewJeans, as well as you other favourite songs, artists and performances by clicking here to vote today.

I am finally getting around to reviewing more songs from NewJeans. For those who have missed their debut, they officially kicked off their career back in July of this year through the release of their third single Cookie and self-titled mini-album. But ahead of the release of Cookie, NewJeans also pre-released a number of singles. One of them is Attention, which (if we are speaking in chronological order) was NewJeans first release. It was an unexpected one, as the music video for Attention dropped without notification, to the surprise of fans and new listeners alike.

Personally, I didn’t pay attention it it as much when Attention was first released. But over the last few months, my attention for Attention has really picked up. So much so that Attention is currently being nominated for Best R&B song in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. When you first tune into Attention, you don’t get a sense that the track is actually an R&B track. The choppy sound effect at the start of the song (which reminds me of a crowd of some kind) seems like the start of something pop-like. But when more of the dreamy style instrumental start filtering in, I find Attention starts too smooth out like an R&B track. A more pop energy comes through the instrumental as Attention progresses. Altogether, you get a pretty chill and wispy track. When the vocals start and as the song progresses, everything becomes subdued and I quite enjoyed this effect. There was a nice display of vocals skills for the new group, and the melodies had a memorable tinge to it. But the highlight of Attention comes during the opening line of the chorus, when the members beautifully drag out the ‘Attention‘ in “You got me looking for attention“. At the time of release, I didn’t think much of it. But as time went on, it just more stunning. Attention does repeat itself and all the elements that I have describe, but I just haven’t seem to gotten to that point where I have gotten bored of the song. A great hallmark for any song. Overall, Attention has stole my attention (pun intended) and I really enjoy the track to this day.

I am not exactly troubled by the fact the group is very young, but I am not exactly sure if the concert at a bar is the best place to start off their first music video. It seems a bit questionable, in my opinion. But hey, I will leave the production to the producer. They clearly have a plan in mind. All the other scenes in the video, with the members getting ready for the day and spending the day shopping, was perfectly fine. The choreography scenes in and around the stadium looked good and fits the chill vibe of the song (no flashing lights, no boxed or studio sets). Everything was lowkey and this worked well with the song.

The choreography for this comeback was pretty good. Nothing too crazy, with smoothness being a priority in this routine to match the smoothness that comes from the song. I did liked how the outstretched arms and hair flicks accentuates the opening line of the chorus.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10