The second comeback that kicks off this week is Rocket Punch’s return with CHIQUITA and their Yellow Punch mini-album, which is their fourth one since debut. This new release follows Rocket Punch’s 2021 comebacks, which includes their awesome singles RING RING and (their Japanese debut single)Bubble Up.
CHIQUITA continues the retro sound that RING RING delved into. And CHIQUITA definitely satisfies with its retro influences. I love the 80s disco sound that the group draws upon in the chorus. It just hits in all the right spots for me. The bridge had this mature spin, which was extremely likeable. The double ending synthesizer extension we got at the end was also very satisfying, and provided that extra bit more in a classy way that CHIQUITA felt like it needed. The group also shows off vibrant vocals that make CHIQUITA punchier and louder, which takes the song to the next level for me. The utterances of the title, CHIQUITA, had this elegant feel to it, while the melodies had a bold and memorable feel to it. But while it seems like the song is getting all praises, there were some minor touchup the producers could have done to really take it up further to the next level. The first is in regards to the verses, which felt slightly underwhelming and a tad empty for my liking. It just felt like there was a slight imbalance between retro influences, giving the impression that the verses were slightly weaker. I wished it was had more retro detailing/touches to make it feel bolder and on par with the chorus. The second are their vocals in the later parts of the CHIQUITA. I wished the producers played around a bit more to give CHIQUITA‘s last chorus (in particular) an extra boost and concentration of energy. But as mentioned, they are minor things. CHIQUITA, as presented, is a great song already!
Like the song, the video also takes on a retro concept. While there was some nice visuals and effects in the music video, I felt like more could have been done to make this video look more retro. This would have made the video much more exciting to watch and probably reel myself in for a few more replays. What we got was heading in the right direction, but lacked some elements (for example, more disco balls and neon lights, more outfits that align with that era) for me to call it a pure retro concept fitting for the music.
The choreography was quite good. I really enjoyed the chorus routine, which really hit the spot alongside the song. I also enjoyed the spinning of half the group at the start of the routine, and the bridge sequence as well.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.2/10
Super Junior is one of the two acts that are first up this week. The legendary group has returned with special single album, titled The Road: Winter for Spring, and is lead with the title track, Callin’. This comes almost a year after the group’s comeback with their tenth studio album, The Renaissance, and title track House Party. And I believe that we will be seeing more of the group later this week, as it seems like the group will be promoting this new release, after news that Ryeowook would be sitting out of promotions as he recently tested positive to COVID-19.
Callin’ is a ballad that delves into the pop rock genre. It is quite a beautiful one that captivates me the few times I have listened to the song tonight already, which is undoubtedly a very positive effect. The melodies in Callin’ are very flowy and dreamy, while the vocal work amazes me and shows off the members in a stunning fashion. They are so clear and quite dominant, so much so that it is the focus point of the song. I am also absolutely liking the layering of vocals just before the chorus. It just gives Callin’ an interesting texture, refocuses my attention on the song, and makes it more than just a straight forward pop rock ballad. The harmonies also help adds definition to the main vocals, which enhances the stunning nature of Callin’. The instrumental is pretty standard for the genre selected, but I like how it compliments the vocals extremely well and aids in bolstering the vocals. There are some squeaky synths in Callin’ that seems like they are out of place, but I don’t mind them. They actually provided a bit of unique touch to the song, given their unique profile. Altogether, I find Callin’ to be an extremely inviting and warm aura track, which I am sure is the intended direction of the track judging by the lyrics (which talks about wanting to love despite of their past bad experiences).
I liked the animation at the start and end of the video and how it interlinked with the actual shots of the members in the home. It appears that the members had seek refuge in the home from the weather, which seems to represent the painful memories and bad experiences. They warm themselves up, which in turn reminds them the good memories, until they are ready to move on and ‘rediscover’ love. They also do a lot of reflection during this time. The animated ending shows them rediscovering the feeling of love after leaving the confines of the home, as expressed in the lyrics. Overall, a nice and well thought out video for a song like this.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
I am finally getting around to posting my first International Song Review post in a long while. My last post was way back in October 2021, and since then I have been fairly busy and unable to write any of these posts. But I am now back on the bandwagon. For those who may be unfamiliar with this segment, I review songs that aren’t in the Korean language (or are not marketed for the Korean music scene in some cases – such as some side tracks on Korean albums) that have been released by Korean artists (or artists that have a direction connect with a KPOP group). In this post, I will be covering songs released by MONSTA X, SEVENTEEN, TWICE, WONHO and Jeon Somi.
You Problem – MONSTA X
MONSTA X spreads the ongoing groovy and funky trend that we are currently experiencing in KPOP to the Western music scene. The group, now down to five members as Shownu has enlisted in the military, released this disco number early December 2021. It is quite unlike any of their Korean title tracks, which have been very EDM focused and performance heavy tracks. You Problem settles for a simpler approach, and one that is quite pure and fun. I love the guitar work in this backing of You Problem, along with those disco vibes we get in the chorus (as already mentioned). I also enjoyed the vocal focus of the song, which each member (even the rappers) singing in this track, complimenting the lighter than usual tone for MONSTA X. Kihyun and Jooheon’s falsettos in the chorus make the song even cooler! The hooks are super memorable, and the hooks are so damn catchy. Even after two months, I am still digging You Problem!
For the music video, it is set in a bowling alley that is reminisce of bowling alleys from the 70s. Definitely suiting the light tone, fun vibes and retro direction of the song. There are also heavy presence of other retro elements throughout the video, such as the checked pattern (commonly associated with racing) and neon lights. Even the glittery tinsel decoration behind the group when they are performing as a ‘band’ screamed out retro. The performance I saw also had a fun vibe. It was loose and fluid, as if the group was freestyling their performance. But also showed their personality, which made it even more enjoyable.
Overall Rating – 8.8/10
Power of Love – SEVENTEEN
Power of Love‘s music video officially dropped at the end of November, and closes out their Power of Love project that started earlier in 2021 with the release of Mingyu and Wonwoo’s Bittersweet (ft. Lee Hi). It is a neat ballad with a really meaningful message that even in difficult times, having the Power of Love can help you through it. I liked how even though the instrumental had sleigh bells ringing throughout the whole instrumental, Power of Love doesn’t feel constricted to just Winter or the Christmas season like other songs that ultilises sleigh bells. It was also quite soothing and it was a nice display of all the members’ vocals. Unfortunately, however, Power of Love doesn’t fair well in the memorable arena. It is a good ballad, but I am not necessarily looking for the song when I feel in a mood for ballad. I guess Power of Love was produced to be more on a sweet side. I do think there could have been room towards the end to oomph up the ballad a bit, just so it didn’t feel the same from start to end. I think Power of Love would have come off better if it went down this path.
The parts of the video where some of the members were in built sets (I believe it was just limited to Joshua, DK and Vernon) looked quite cool, and I wished the video had more built sets (as it felt stylish and modern). But instead, the producers for this video chose to just use green screen, and I felt this really cheapened the video. While the actual backgrounds applied through the use of the green screen looked aesthetic and the members look good as always, I wished the post-production team incorporated the members better. We have seen great use of green screen in the past, and this is just not one of those instances. It is just quite unfortunate.
Overall Rating – 6.2/10
Doughnut – TWICE
Doughnut was released on 15 December 2021 and the track itself comes in the form of a ballad. Not exactly the first genre of music you think of when you hear of a sugary treat. But it does create an abstract appeal, which makes Doughnut memorable for me. Talking about abstract, I also like how the members likened the void they experience without their partner, and the constant looping they refer to in the lyrics to the shape of a doughnut. To me, the song definitely needed this extra appeal, especially since I thought it was a bit of a blur. Everything from start to end felt similar, and I couldn’t work out where the chorus was in the song had it not been for the music video. While I did like the city-pop direction the instrumental was going and the delicate nature of their voices (which isn’t something we get in TWICE title tracks that much), I just wished parts of Doughnut were more distinct. The most significant distinct moment of the song was during the finale sequence with the use of synths to give off textures. But it was too late to really sell Doughnut to me.
Visually, I thought this was a very neat video. The snow, warm indoor settings and dress colours compliments the Winter season in which the song was released. That scene in the bridge where Mina and Chaeyoung are lying on the ground over a wreath was extremely memorable for me. I am a bit confused about the start and end of the video, with the ‘doughnut crime scene’. My guess is that the crime scene symbolises that the loop and void represented by the shape of doughnut is broken and that the members had moved on from what they thought were ‘the only one in the world’. Though, I am more confused about the amount of jam spilling from the doughnut (How did they get so much in the doughnut to begin with? And in a doughnut with a hole?). As for the choreography, it felt fitting for the balladry nature of the song.
Overall Rating – 6.8/10
ON THE WAY～- Wonho
Wonho’s Japanese debut single, ON THE WAY~, is actually the oldest song in this review post as it was first unveiled on 27 October 2021. It is a decent track that pleases with its sweet lyrics, thanking fans for staying by his side and that he treasures them greatly. Don’t be fooled though. ON THE WAY~ is no typical ballad. Instead, it features a satisfying band instrumental that really makes this song more appealing. I also like how amped the chorus gets. It did feel somewhat overpowering at first, but Wonho manages to shine throughout ON THE WAY~ with his blissful and honey-like vocals. I did wish there was something more to the song, like a more profound electrical guitar solo sequence (we did get an instrumental break, but it did feel enough) to make it even more satisfying.
The accompanying video was also quite nice. Not one that I see myself going back to however, since it just Wonho acting sweet and grateful to match the lyrics of the song. There are also some band shots and some decent outdoors shots. I am sure fans would adore this video.
Overall Rating – 7/10
Anymore – Jeon Somi
The final song on this post is Jeon Somi’s Anymore. You would have heard Anymore way before the music video dropped (which occurred on Christmas Day), as it was originally featured as a side track on Jeon Somi’s first solo studio album, XOXO, which dropped at the end of October (the 29th to be exact). It is an all-English track that delves into pop-rock territory. I quite like this song because it doesn’t feel complicated or difficult to navigate like EDM tracks. Anymore just sounded pure and doesn’t mess or fluff around. The soft pop rock sound that we hear in this song just suits Jeon Somi’s tone and she sounds very good. The melodies were also very memorable and satisfying, as well.
I need to applaud Jeon Somi’s visuals and acting in this video. Both were highlights that draw me back to the music video. I liked how she well she portrayed her heartbreak and emotions, whilst looking stunning as always. As for the music video concept, all looked terrific and worked extremely well with the song. I liked how chaotic the chorus appeared to match the increased energy we get from the chorus, while the verses were more still.
Returning back to Monday, STAYC also made their comeback on this day, with RUN2U and their second mini-album, Young-Luv.com. This new release follows their successful 2021, which started off with their hit ASAP, and their September 2021 release STEREOTYPE(the latter earned them their first music show win since debut).
RUN2U has a lot of potential to be the next big track for STAYC. And for the most part, I feel that the song lives up to that potential. But the verses were just so boring and lackluster. One of the reasons why I feel this way was because of the bare/minimalistic instrumentation. Now, the bareness stays on in the other parts of the song that I would describe as highlights of RUN2U, as it helped draw out some interesting elements that I ultimately enjoyed (though it comes back to bite them later on – more on that in a little bit). In the verses, the bareness/minimalistic just made RUN2U feel so empty and dry. Another reason is that I didn’t get much out of the vocals and rapping. They lacked character and profile. This does get better though, as when we enter the pre-chorus territory, we get a familiar profile of the vocals that reminds me of STAYC’s 2021 tracks. Apart from the verses, as I flagged earlier, other parts of RUN2U was quite catchy and memorable. I really like the squeaky brass synth used in the chorus as the song’s central element. It did sound off at first, but I find it extremely charming now. I also liked the ‘So I’ll run to you‘ repetition in the chorus, and the melodies that make up the lines that follow. The pulsing/descending spiral like synth at the start of the song was also quite notable for me, which kicked RUN2U off with a bit of sophistication. The “Little Bit Little Bit” hook was also memorable for me, but not as much as the chorus’ hooks. When we got to the final chorus, I wished the producers added something new into the mix, just to give us a bit of freshness, excitement and pop to make RUN2U end on a much stronger note. That bareness and minimalistic vibe they adopted throughout the song bites them at the end, and makes the song feel repetitive in a bone-dry way, which ultimately is not a good thought to have at the very end of the song. Thankfully, it had the catchy chorus to rely on (which I just really dig) to make the final chorus a bit better.
Colourful sets, a range of closeups and choreography shots. That is the music video summed up. So a bit generic and typical. I did like the more elegant shots (the scenes with the crystals hanging down, the colourful flowers) the video had, and I wished the video explored more of that side for this comeback. They also felt a bit more cohesive as a concept compared to the mashup of colours we got in the brighter and colourful sets.
The choreography was on the meh side of the spectrum for me. I did like the domino pattern than began the performance with, but the rest of the performance just felt a bit flat and nothing really stood out at me.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 6/10 Performance – 6.5/10 Overall Rating – 6.6/10
A new player is on the playing field! JYP Entertainment’s latets female group, NMIXX, make their debut today with O.O, which is featured on the group’s debut single album, Ad Mare. NIMIXX is a seven members female group consisting of Haewon, Lily, Sullyoon, Jinni, BAE, Jiwoo and Kyujin. While the release dropped today, NMIXX unfortunately hasn’t been able to start off their careers as planned with a debut showcase as some of the members have tested positive for COVID-19. Unsure what that means for their promotions for this week, but hopefully the affected members recover quickly to be able to perform O.O on stage for us soon.
Hang tight, as there is a lot of unpack from O.O. When I listened to the song, it sounds like three songs were mashed into one. We have heard this before and sometimes it works (unexpectedly). O.O is one that doesn’t not work for me, and is not a good first step for a debut. I have listened to it a few times and I just can’t get over how distinct each section of the song. The first third of O.O was this edgy and powerful sound that I was not a fan of. It was quite overwhelming on many fronts, such as the vocals and rapping. They were poorly processed and sounded quite strained for the most part. It was a bit ‘try-hard’, if you wanted me to be direct about the sequence. The second third of the song was much more likeable and enjoyable, in comparison to the preceding sequence. It was a lot brighter, taking on a pop profile with hints of rock. The vocals and rapping were better here, but they still felt they were pushed too far. If there was a takeaway from this middle sequence, it is that they are youthful. The final (and third) sequence went down more of the hip-hop route. This also wasn’t that bad, but it lies in between the first and second sections of the song in terms of likeability for me. It was noisy, it was intense, it was overwhelming as well. It sounded like they were competing with the music, and I wished the producers had went with a slightly milder sound so we could hear more of NMIXX. Attitude and sassy also come to mind. When you consider the three parts as a whole, as intended, it felt like the whoever put the three pieces together were trying to fit three puzzle pieces together that were never going to fit. I am hoping that with time, O.O becomes a bit more bearable and that I find myself enjoying it more. Time after time, my reviews have turned up side down as a result to second chances and repeat listens. I personally think that O.O has a lot of warming up to do in order to recover, but who knows.
Like the song, it made sense that the music video would be in three segments as well. To match that edgy and powerful tone in the first sequence, we got a mysterious visual piece. Members are running into walls, colours are all very neutral and dominos are falling throughout the city. Personally, I found this sequence to be the coolest of the three when it came to the visual aid. In comparison to the first sequence, the second sequence of the video (for the second segment of O.O) felt like a unicorn did its business. It was super colourful and really encapsulated an innocent and youthful vibe (just like the song). For the third part of the song, the video adopted a darker vibe to compliment the noisy hip-hop sound. I do wonder what the final scene to the video is about. It is a bit ambiguous, but also very mysterious at the same time.
The choreography aspect also felt promising. One of the perks of having what felt like three different songs in one is that you can do a fair bit on stage. The start of the performances looks very cool, while the swing in the second sequence looks quite unique. I also liked how powerful the routine looked.
Song – 4/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 6/10
Just like last week, we start off this week with another another long awaited comeback. After almost four years, BTOB has made their first comeback as a full group with the single The Song and their third studio album, Be Together. Their last full group comeback was through the release of Only One For Me back in 2018. Since then, the group members have completed their military enlistment. Elsewhere, the active members (as they returned from the military or just prior to their enlistment) released the special album Hour Moment and the single Beautiful Pain, kicked off their own solo careers, formed a subunit (BTOB 4U, consisting of Eunkwang, Minhyuk, Peniel and Changsub, and debuting with Show Your Love), participated in Kingdom: Legendary War and released a special mini-album as quartet under the BTOB name with Outsider. BTOB also lost a member, Illhoon, who left the group in 2020 due to his drug use controversy. Needless to say, we have been well fed in terms of BTOB releated activities despite have no full group comebacks.
BTOB returns with a ballad, the genre that skyrocketed them to success and was the genre of some of their biggest releases since debut. So there is a familiarity and nostalgic feeling from The Song that reminds me of the good old days for the group. Aside from that, The Song is quite a beautiful piece. I liked that The Song didn’t fall into the trap of having a typical instrumental of classical instruments. We have had a few pieces in the past from BTOB, so it was great to get something a bit different this time around. It is still relatively typical and plain, but I appreciate the different yet familiar direction the band elements (drums, electric guitar etc.) of the instrumental steers this song towards. Other than the backing, the main focus point of The Song (and any ballad) would have to be the vocals though. And BTOB sounds amazing in this song. That nostalgia that I mentioned initially comes through via the vocals and rapping, and I liked how the rappers (i.e. Minhyuk and Peniel) incorporated their parts into the song without breaking the song. That is what I love about BTOB’s ballads – they are just experts at blending rap sequences into their ballads, especially when you think they won’t be able to do so this time around. The harmonies in The Song also make it spectacular. I am bit a disappointed with the lack of memorable melody though. I feel that their previous ballad hits that they promoted always had a melody that everyone got into and made the song appealing. While their voices captivating, the melody we got in The Song didn’t really evoke thought out of me, nor did it repeat in my head after the song. Maybe a few more listens could help develop the melody for me, but I just don’t think it is there to begin win. Overall, another great ballad under BTOB’s belt.
The song is all about wanting to be with their fans once again, with the lyrics name dropping a number of their past tracks. With that in mind, the music video brings together the different members who are all alone and in different locations, so that the members can deliver that message to their fans, as we see by the performance on stage at the end of the video. It is the reality of the last few years, as they had to split up for their military enlistment and do solo or unit work rather than a full group comeback. I like how as they come together, they return to Eunkwang’s residence, who for those who don’t know is the leader of the group. I presume the letters that we see throughout the video is a representation of the fans, given that the Melodies (BTOB’s fandom name) fanclub colour is ‘Slow Blue’ and the stamps (and letterbox) were of this colour. It is a touching video, with a beautiful landscape in the background, as well.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
Making his comeback today is WONHO, who returns with the single Eye On You and new single album, OBSESSION. This is the first comeback since his September release BLUE. It also follows a few Japanese releases, including On The Way ~ Embrace ~ (Wonho’s Japanese solo debut single – I will be reviewing this a later date in the International Song Reviews segment) and Winter Miracle.
EYE ON YOU is a decent comeback. It is an electro house pop track that has pretty darn good rough textures, but the instrumental maintains a hollow effect. The balance to get this on point is something I quite appreciate, as the song could have leaned too much to one side and it wouldn’t have been pleasing. I also appreciate the subtle groovy vibes of the instrumental, which added a bit of fun to the very serious and mature direction of how EYE ON YOU sounded. The roughed textures also brought out that raspy nature in Wonho’s voice. The autotune helped heighten this as well, making Wonho’s vocals quite blissful sounding in EYE ON YOU. However, the reason why I say EYE ON YOU is ‘decent’ is because I had hopes the song was going places. But EYE ON YOU never really resulted in that. Instead, it stayed pretty stagnant throughout. There were some mini curveballs throughout the song, such as the delayed drop that headed the second chorus, the more atmospheric bridge (that ultimately stayed within the boundaries that were set by the instrumentation), and an extension sequence at the end of the song that felt purely like an extension of the chorus (and didn’t add much to the final moments of the song). As implied, none really cause much difference, and so EYE ON YOU felt pretty much the same throughout. I wished there was some sort of change, maybe a hard-hitting instrumental break or some sort of amped up final chorus to really bring the song home and/or give it a bit more bite.
Tight shirts, abs and clothing that shows off Wonho’s muscles (and in some cases teases us with them) definitely makes it a Wonho music video. Aside from his body (which is pretty much on display), I quite liked the various shots of Wonho and his closeups throughout the video. It looked artistic and cool, as well. I also felt the same way as with the sets. The colours used in this video really made Wonho stand out and that is one of the reason’s why the video really sells. The post-production also made the video cooler (my favourite was the smashed glass around the edges and towards the middles of the video). Even though the choreography and closeup set up was pretty standard, the video is still worth watching for the visuals.
The performance aspect of this comeback was pretty decent, just the like the song. I don’t have anything particularly negative to say about the performance. It just a bit dry and could have done with some more exciting moves. I did like the moments where Wonho was paired with the female dancer. That looked cool, and I feel like there could have been more chemistry had there been no mask on the female dancer (Wonho’s contribution was on point!). I also like picture-sque (at least in the music video) start and end of the performance, with the dancers forming a frame-like formation with their bodies around Wonho.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
TREASURE kicked things off in 2020 with back to back comebacks, starting off with their debut BOY and comeback singles I LOVE YOU and MMM. The group then kicked off 2021 with their MY TREASURE comeback before subsequently disappearing from the Korean music scene for the rest of the year. They did make their Japanese debut last year and did have a horror (I think) web series on YouTube. But the point is, they haven’t released any new music in over a year, which was disappointing given the momentum they gained. That is until today. TREASURE has made their long awaited comeback with their first mini-album, The Second Step: Chapter One, and new single JIKJIN.
JIKJIN is a hard-hitting hip-hop dance track that really packs a punch when it needs to. I really like how profound some of the beats and percussion (such as in the pre-chorus) were, which really made JIKJIN dynamic and energetic. In addition to that, I enjoyed the pop-like sequence during the verses (the part preceding the pre-choruses). It got me tapping along to the song and it appealed to my personal taste. For the chorus, I felt how the producers took the ‘Ooh‘ and turned it into a engine-like effect to be quite cool and creative. I was unsure of it at first, and it made me laugh. But repeat listens helped me come to realize that it was different and fascinating at the same time. I also felt that the rapping and vocal works were extremely strong and robust in JIKJIN, which also helped me enjoyed the track as well. I raise this because I actually enjoyed the second verse rap sequence, which surprised me given that it isn’t usually my style. Once we hit the bridge and you could hear the club sound emerging in the background underneath the vocals, you get a sense of where JIKJIN is going for its final moments. And so it came as no surprise that they went a shouty final sequence that reminds you of other YG songs. But this one isn’t as typical, given that they managed to incorporate the original chorus into the mix. The shouty nature also made that sequence super energetic, as well. And as mentioned before, the instrumental mix we get at the end was extremely dynamic and intense, ending JIKJIN on a high note for me.
The music video is reported to cost more than $400,000, which is approximately the amount allocated to BLACKPINK’s music videos. While I do find this fact very interesting, I do question where the money was directed. To me, it seems like most of the budget would have gone to renting those spot cars that we see throughout the video. They also erected screens in a very familiar location (we have seen that circular concrete structure in music videos like VIXX’s The Closer, ONEUS’ TO BE OR NOT TO BE, Kim Lip’s Eclipse etc.), which I will admit brought new life to that structure. I am a bit disappointed by this, as they really hyped the video up to be something super cool. But I don’t think it lived up to that hype. On a more positive note, I enjoyed the cinematography throughout the video, which really helped make the video dynamic as well.
The main point of the choreography seems to draw on that car concept that is evidently in the music video and my comments on the chorus sounding ‘engine-like’. Elsewhere, I liked the various parts we saw in the music video. The pop sequence I mentioned for the verse seemed to have nice flow, and the final sequence in the song definitely seems to be the performance’s peak in terms of dynamism and energy. Looking forward to see everything on stage later this week.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
Also making her grand comeback is Taeyeon, who returns to the spotlight today via her 3rd studio length album and latest title track, all sharing the name INVU. This comes after she released Can’t Control Myself as a pre-release single ahead of this album release. It is also her first major release since Weekend, which she dropped last year as a digital single and is featured on this latest album, as well, as a side track.
INVU is a pop dance track, with a house based instrumental. While it ultimately is what I would consider to be an atmospheric piece, INVU feels mostly bare and typical on the instrumental front, as well. I was waiting for something to happen in the instrumental, but it never came to. We do get some flute work in the chorus and a funky vibe, but both were subtle or brief and didn’t really add a huge deal to INVU. The benefit of being a fairly empty track is that the focus can be placed elsewhere. And well, the only other thing you could really focus on was Taeyeon’s vocals. And boy, did she come through! INVU definitely showcases Taeyeon in a more mature limelight, and I thought her vocals were quite captivating for the most part. The English in the song really popped out at me, and I thought the INVU title was quite clever (‘I Envy You’). However, I still think INVU could have benefited had something been worked into the background, so that Taeyeon could have reacted alongside it to make INVU more gripping. I guess my takeaway from INVU is that I wanted more in this already decent song.
I think we might already have a contender for the Best Music Video award for the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. The entire set and post-production of the music video was simply stunning. There is no other word that could describe it. The marble set looked impeccable and flawless, and the cloudy background was so fitting. It has to be one of the best high-budget music video productions I have seen in a long time. Taeyeon herself is also stunningly beautiful throughout the video. I am not entirely sure, but I think Taeyeon plays some sort of goddess (my guess is Artemis, based on her bow/arrow and the moon).
Performance-wise, it was good. I think because the song was literally bare for the most part, there wasn’t much to work with on the choreography front. But from what we did get, I really like the INVU move. The poses that Taeyeon were in felt striking. And if they replicate the same aesthetic on stage in the video, the performance would be fine to watch and not as boring.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.4/10
Kickstarting this week is APINK’s grand return with the single Dilemma and the special mini-album, Horn. This is the group’s first official comeback since the release of their March 2020 single Dumhdurum, though they did release a single last year (titled Thank You) in celebration of their 10th anniversary. Last year also saw the group undergo contract renewals, and all members besides Naeun re-signed with Plan M Entertainment (now known as IST Entertainment, after a merger with Cre.Kr Entertainment later in the year). Naeun, however, remains as a member of the group, but signed on with YG Entertainment as an actress. Naeun was part of the album preparations (including music video), but will not be promoting this new release with the rest of the group due to scheduling conflicts.
Dilemma continues the APINK’s run of mature sound, a sound profile that they adopted after a reinvention of the group in 2018 through the single I’m So Sick. Dilemma adds a more sophisticated sound this matureness, but in a modern and trendy manner. It features a simple synth beat instrumental for the most part, but on top of this was these synth-like horns that elevates the song in an unique manner. This extends into the chorus with the unique instrumental piece in the background reminding me of a kazoo. In addition this (possible) kazoo, the repetition of the song’s title and the vocals in the second half of the chorus (courtesy of Eunji and Bomi) make the chorus quite memorable, pop out and catchy. Elsewhere, I enjoyed the softness the other members’ vocals brought. It brought on an intriguing dynamic that really helps make Dilemma become quite appealing to me. With the pre-choruses, I liked the striking nature the keyboard had and the build in momentum to the fabulous chorus. Another part of Dilemma that I enjoyed was that instrumental break. It really ‘woke up’ the song and infused a burst of groovy energy into the matured nature of Dilemma. But while it seems like I am just giving praises to Dilemma, there are two aspects of the song that I am not keen on. The first is the rap sequence in the second verse and its trap instrumental sequence. It definitely tries to change up the momentum of Dilemma, but doesn’t really feel like a commitment to a change whatsoever. I am just glad it was brief and we return to the original pre-chorus and chorus. The second aspect has to be the ending. It felt sudden and abrupt (never a fan of those). An extension of some kind would have helped reduce the abruptness for me. But the positives outweighs the negative aspects, and Dilemma is still a fantastic song that I will definitely be be replaying a lot into the future.
This music video is stunning. The featured image I have posted with this post was extremely eye-catching for me. And I felt the rest of the visuals of the video, its concept and the members followed through in a similar manner. The dresses they wore really sold me on that sophisticated and mature concept that I mentioned earlier. I also have to compliment the members on their acting throughout the video. While it was all sadness to convey that dilemma of whether to give up on their relationship or push on, they really nailed their concept and I was captivated from start to end.
It is such a pity that we won’t be seeing Naeun on the stage with the group to perform Dilemma. Hopefully we will see an OT6 stage one day. From what I can see in the music video, the performance looks good. I really liked the dilemma move at the start of the chorus. The members turn their wrist back and forth, which reminds me of being indecisive about something. That dance break we get towards the end looks extremely striking and I am super excited for that the most!
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.4/10
Last month, we saw the debut of ASTRO’s latest subunit, JinJin & Rocky, who partied it up with their Just Breath single. It was later confirmed following JinJin & Rocky’s unit debut that ASTRO’s first subunit, Moonbin & Sanha, would be make their comeback in March, with a pre-release single dropping in February. Well time flew by as we waited, and Moonbin & Sanha’s pre-release single, Ghost Town, officially dropped yesterday. Now, we will be counting down to the day that Moonbin & Sanha returns as a duo, making it their first release since BadIdea, their debut single from 2020. In the meanwhile, let’s have a deep dive into Ghost Town.
Ghost Town is another stop along the mature path that Moobin and Sanha has sent us on with Bad Idea. It is not a grand stop of any kind, as there isn’t anything big or groundbreaking within Ghost Town that gets me excited or is a ‘must see’ attraction. It is just more so like a rest stop you stop at before going on with the last leg of your trip to the real destination (that is, their March comeback). After all, that is the purpose of a pre-release single. Ghost Town is pretty straight forward track with a pleasant blend with its acoustic instrumentation and trap/hip-hop beats. There was potential at the start, however. I found the acoustic guitar to be quite striking, but it was soon lost to the heavy hip-hop beats that is heavily present throughout the rest of the song. In the end, it does make Ghost Town repetitive. But not to the unbearable extent where it drains out the energy of the song. This is why I still found it pleasant. As for the duo, I don’t have much else to say other than that Moonbin and Sanha sounded quite satisfying throughout Ghost Town. They fitted in nicely with the instrumentation, and complimented the hip-hop vibes. The melodies were quite pleasant as well, but as mentioned at the start, not memorable. Overall, Ghost Town is basically your typical side track/pre-release single that just isn’t title track material. I sure do hope that whatever Moonbin & Sanha unveils in March, it is ‘title track material’.
The music video is pretty basic and isn’t too fancy. This felt right for the song, which was of a similar nature. All of the video was the pair in front of a screen that was showing static, red tinge cloudy backgrounds or was simply off some portions of the video (these parts were extremely dark and it was hard to see the two of them). The pair interacted with the camera in a way that reminded me of 90s R&B music videos. I personally thought the video was a bit dry and isn’t something that I would find myself revisiting. It is a fitting video for the song, but not my cup of tea.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 6/10 Overall Rating – 6.6/10
Ha Sung Woon also made his comeback on Wednesday with a special mini-album, You. Leading this mini-album is the title track Can’t Live Without You. This is Ha Sung Woon’s first release since he departed Star Crew Entertainment (his company for the past seven years) and his first since the release of Electrified and Electrified: Urban Nostalgia (which dropped late last year). Interestingly, this isn’t his first release under his new company, BPM Entertainment (the home to VIVIZ who also debuted on Wednesday). Not entirely sure why that is the case, but Can’t Live Without You and You are a nice treat nonetheless.
Can’t Live Without You is a light and mellow ballad, suitable when you want to take it easy, with a nice warm beverage in hand. It isn’t the most riveting song out there, nor does it gain points for being innovative. Nor is it the type of song that I usually steer to, as well. But it was extremely pleasant and nice sounding, and there is always time and need for a song like this. I also found Can’t Live Without You to be very warm and inviting, which I am sure was Ha Sung Woon’s intention for the song given that it is a song for his fans. As for Ha Sung Woon himself, he definitely sounds splendid. I like the husky tone he provided the song, which adds a nice texture to Can’t Live Without You. The softness and lightness of his vocals compliment the instrumental, but also at the same time, manages to pop out in a fitting manner. The melodies of this song are relatively simple, but definitely bring forth that swaying measure I look for in ballads and adds to the pleasantries of this song. Altogether, Can’t Live With You is a neat track that just feels perfectly soothing and comforting, for his fans and the casual listener alike.
That warm and comforting feeling was definitely well portrayed in his video. It was the main feeling that I got from the video, despite the surroundings seemed cold and chilly throughout the video. It seems like Ha Sung Woon spends all of the video alone, but it appears that we are by his side for parts of the video. He interacts with the camera at various points to give off the impression that we are with him. This indeed compliments the idea that this is a song for the fans. It is a fine accompaniment to the song.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
I flagged late last month in the review for Yuju’s Play that we will be seeing more of the former GFriend members in the near future, and the day has arrived. Eunha, Sin.B and Umji, who all signed with BPM Entertainment following GFriend’s unexpected disbandment, formed a brand new female trio group and made their re-debut yesterday under the name VIVIZ. For those who are wondering, BPM Entertainment is a relatively new company that is home Soyou, Huh Gak. Ha Sung Woon and Samuel. Back to VIVIZ, they kicked off their new chapter in their careers with the single BOP BOP! and mini-album Beam of Prism.
BOP BOP! is another groovy disco-esque retro track to add to the list of similar songs that we have heard recently. While it is oh so familiar sound to us listeners (and a relatively safe sound as well), this doesn’t really dampen the song’s initial impression – fun, lighthearted and bouncy. The verses (and bridge) in BOP BOP! were very forgettable for me and I personally felt like they left a big gaping hole in the song. Thankfully, BOP BOP! starts gaining momentum thanks to the pre-chorus that changes the direction and builds quite well towards the chorus. For the chorus, we are treated to a concentration of that funky disco-esque retro influence, but initially as an anti-drop-like sequence and then as a more substantial filled out chorus. For the first half of the chorus, I am not exactly a fan of it, but I don’t hate it (I kind of enjoyed it more the second time around it pops up). But I quite liked how satisfying the latter half of the chorus felt, which helped boost the entire chorus and made it more promising and memorable. Following the second chorus, we are treated a super fun and likeable dance break sequence. I just love the background ‘Bop Bop‘ that we get, which adds a dynamic touch to the rush of energy we get in this sequence. We get a different post-chorus sequence at the end, a bit meatier but also more typical. I wished they had kept the first post-chorus hook we got and added a few additional elements to end off the song in a more exciting stance. As for vocals, I think VIVIZ did a decent job. Was it the best effort ever? I don’t think so, but it was a nice reintroduction to the members whom we haven’t heard from in over a year. Overall, BOP BOP! is a decent debut track. I do hope they explore more unique sounds in the future.
Not entirely sure what is going on in this video, but I guess they are preparing for some party in outer space? And they run into some trouble from the command centre? But all is well, as they make it to the party and party it up at the end? That is my best guess and it is pretty boring if that is the case. Apart from the lackluster plotline, the music video had really nice lighting and decent sets. But nothing memorable to get me back to replay the video several more time.
The choreography for this release was quite nice. There is a youthful touch to it, and a cutesy vibe on top. But it isn’t overly saturated in either, which makes it easy to watch and enjoy. I do like the post-chorus sequences and the ‘Bop Bop‘ moves in the chorus.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 6.5/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.3/10
Another comeback that occurred in December 2021 that I have not yet reviewed is Minho’s Heartbreak. It is Minho’s SM Station single release, I’m Home, from way back in 2019. Since then, he has enlisted in the military and completed his two year mandatory enlistment. He also participated in SHINee’s Don’t Call Me and Atlantis comebacks last year. But apart from that, it has been fairly quiet from Minho. That was until December 21, when Minho’s dropped his first solo single, Heartbreak.
Dipping into the R&B genre, Heartbreak was a decent release back in December (and remains as is even today). There is a lot to like in Heartbreak, but it didn’t feel enough for me. Maybe it is because Heartbreak is not a full fledged release, with an album to sink into. Or that Minho’s solo career has yet to deliver the same impact as his fellow members have and Heartbreak doesn’t really have momentum to give us said impact. Or that Heartbreak is a relatively simple and straightforward song that doesn’t really offer anything new in the grand scheme of things. Regardless, I am left wanting more. Anyhow, Heartbreak has such a smooth atmosphere to it that really pulls me into the song each time I am listening to it. The bass and synths were pretty simple, but they definitely gave Heartbreak substance and meat to the song. And together, they have a straightforward backing piece. There is nothing wrong with this, but it isn’t the most innovative piece. However, it works splendidly with his vocals. Minho is more well known for his rapping sequences in SHINee’s releases, so to hear an entire song of just Minho’s vocals is very rare. I like how well suited his voice is for the R&B genre, with his husky vocals making Heartbreak so much more alluring and seductive. I wouldn’t mind more of this. His ad-libs were also quite decent as well. Like the atmosphere., the melodies and hooks are very smooth as well. Overall, an overall great return to the solo scene for Minho (though I think more is definitely needed!).
The music video is the most promising aspect of this comeback. In the video, we see two timelines. 2021 and 2049. From what I can tell, 2021’s Minho is manipulating the future to communicate with 2049’s Minho. This leads to 2049’s Minho to travel back in time in his car, to which he is told to torch it. I presume that the original 2049 version of Minho was still heartbroken over a relationship since the year 2021, and the 2021’s version is giving 2049 a chance to go back and move forward with his life. That’s my take on the video. Other than that, I liked the Matrix-like computer coding effect we get and overall futuristic concept. Minho also looks very cool and charismatic throughout this video.
Performance wise, I felt Minho looked a bit tense for the performance. Not too sure why that was the case, but it made the performance look a bit rigid for me. Other than that, it was a decent performance with some good moves. It could have been more, like the song. More seductive, more alluring. But it was nice to see Minho back on stage.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 7.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.2/10
Over the last year or so, we have gotten solo releases from each of the DAY6 members (aside from Sungjin, who was the first member to enlist into the military and prompted the band to focus on solo promotions for the time being). Jae has collaborated with other artists (but more recently left JYP Entertainment and is currently on a break from DAY6). Young.K made his solo debut with Guard You, and Dowoon also debuted with a collaborative single, Out of the Blue, with Song Heejin, before both enlisted into the military. This leaves Wonpil as the remaining member of DAY6. He has also flagged his intention to enlisting to minimise DAY6’s hiatus. But before that, he made his solo debut (like his fellow members) today with his first solo single, Voiceless, and studio length album, Pilmography.
Voiceless comes in the form of a stunning ballad. It is an interesting ballad, as it is not your typical emotional ballad style that is heavy on the emotions within its music or dramatically orchestrated as we have come across before. Instead, the instrumental behind Voiceless was striking, prance-like, folksy-like and upbeat in an unusual manner but a fitting way. This can be attributed to the waltz element that Soompi has pointed out to be in the song, alongside some bluesy elements. It makes Voiceless dynamic for me and kept me captivated. The instrumental also ticks that swaying motion that I find myself doing while listening to really great ballads. Even though Voiceless has such an instrumental, this does not shortchange the emotion impact of the song, as Wonpil sings about a ‘heartbreaking story of ending a relationship in order to lessen pain for the other person’ (taken from Soompi). And you can tell that Wonpil pours his emotions into the song as he sings. Talking about vocals, I really enjoyed how pronounced his vocals got, building as the ballad progressed. It helps make Voiceless more striking (as already mentioned) and it is hard to tear your attention away from the song. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of his softer moments, mainly because he went with a nasally effect which I wasn’t a personal fan of. I feel that the nasally approach this time around made the lyrics sound a little unclear. But apart from that, Voiceless is a fantastic ballad and title track that definitely makes me want to dive into the rest of the album.
My understanding of the music video is that Wonpil is in love with this mermaid. So in love that he writes a story about her. At the start of the video, he see him read the story he wrote about the mermaid. But over time, we see him pick up another story and another story, suggesting that he is tired of the mermaid story (and hence mermaid). As he does this, the water in the apartment rises. Once the apartment is completely filled with water, the mermaid appears in front of him to deliver the breakup news. The water drains and we can see the events preceding upsets him. We see him slip further into sadness (i.e. the water), whilst reminiscing of the days when they would swim together (I believe this is all in his mind however). We are then treated to a mini reunion on the beach, where she joins him above water (much to his surprise) and they have a nice stroll along the beach before he confess his love. But she lets go, and leaves his life, as the lyrics states. We get a emphasis on the fact that she leaves his life when she turns to sand, whilst Wonpil in on that small golden island. At the end, however, we see Wonpil sitting along the beach in a completely different outfit (something that makes him look more mature and possibly suggests a time jump). From afar the mermaid looks at him, knowing that while the breakup did hurt him, he emerged as a better person from it. A very aesthetic, well executed music video and heartbreaking story.
Song – 9/10 Music Video -10/10 Overall Rating – 9.4/10
Like my last post, there is another track that fits the brief (solo artist, song released in the last few months, and should have been covered before I reviewed the main title track) from last year. That track is titled Shutdown, a collaborative single from Mamamoo member Moonbyul and Seori, released at the end of last year as well. Shutdown is one of two pre-release singles (the other being G999) that is featured on Moonbyul’s latest mini-album, 6equence, which is lead by the single LUNATIC.
Shutdown is a smooth mid-tempo R&B track with one of those swayable melodies that I love. One of the things that stuck out at me (and to a lot of listeners as well) were the lyrics, which had two key chrematistics – they promoted inclusivity and were a bit erotic as well. Essentially, Shutdown is a song about a relationship between two women and Moonbyul has been receiving praise for this. Moonbyul has also confirmed the erotic nature behind the lyrics. Good on Moonbyul for breaking boundaries with this song, as it is pretty rare sight in KPOP. Aside from lyrics, we also have the amazing vocals of both Moonbyul and featuring artist Seori in Shutdown. Moonbyul’s natural lower tone is well utilised in Shutdown, keeping the song grounded. As for her rapping, I kind of understand its presence in this song to make the song a bit more interesting and not as repetitive. But I felt it was a bit too heavy, and should have adopted a softer approach to compliment the rest of the song. Seori brings a higher and lighter tone. I really enjoyed the airness that her vocals brought to Shutdown, and helped made the chorus more prominent. This is also why I feel Moonbyul purposely used her lower tone to ensure Shutdown isn’t too light and airy. Both artists balance each other and creates such a good track. The best part of Shutdown definitely has to be when the two vocalists alternate with each other the lines of the pre-chorus. Definitely the most memorable part of Shutdown. I also found the bridge to be stunning. A beautifully pre-release overall.
The music video is pretty nice looking as well, which compliments the song well. The golden hue we get from the lighting and colours is very warming and comforting. The video depicts the relationship between two females as mentioned in lyrics/song portion of the review. But instead of being erotic like in the lyrics, the music video shows a sweeter side of the relationship. At first, it appears like Moonbyul is alone and Seori is like a ghost. But at the end, I liked how they transitioned it so that Moonbyul and Seori are seen interacting with one another (whilst also lip-syncing to the song).
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
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