Category: Reviews

[Review] 404 (New Era) – KiiiKiii

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As I mentioned previously, I would return to review the 2025 rookies I had already covered on the blog before Rookie Fortnight if I had time. Unfortunately, time escaped me. But I thought it would be nice to wrap up Rookie Fortnight with a review of one artist I specifically named in that previous post. The artist in question is KiiiKiii, who made a timely comeback this week with 404 (New Era), the title track from the group’s second mini-album, Delulu Pack, which dropped on Monday this week.

404 (New Era) is a UK house-inspired track that draws on the 90s club sound and inspiration from the Y2K era, combining energy and nostalgia. It is a lot of fun and definitely infectious in many ways. The production was hard to pass up, and the song’s hook was super catchy. It had a lot of drawing power, despite being delivered in a spoken manner. I can already feel that this track will only grow on me from here on out. I also like the attitude the members exude throughout 404 (New Era), which is reminiscent of voguing (suitable for the era the song draws its influences from) and catwalk/modelling vibes. 404 (New Era) would have been better if the members had been allowed to add a bit of individuality. I think that got lost in the way the song was executed. But that is only a minor issue in an already great track.

The music video opens with the members celebrating the incoming now-upon-us 2026, before the video shows the members hanging out in Sydney, Australia. I guess the members are wishing for a new era, based on scenes of them making a wish and revisiting past eras throughout the video, including Y2K and the 60s/70s. I find it a bit funny that the ’90s/’00s is now associated with the ‘retro’ ’60s/’70s, just because I was alive during the Y2K era. My age aside, I like how they bring these eras together through a fashion photoshoot over a simple white background that reminds me of Calvin Klein ads from the 90s. But the colour and vibrancy from these shots bring out some modern flair to the video as well.

As mentioned earlier, 404 (New Era) has a bit of a voguing influence in the song. And I see a bit of that in the way the members execute the different moves in the performance. Their synchronisation also makes the routine look cooler, and I enjoyed the cutesy vibes the members subtly add to the performance.

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

[Review] Champagne Poppin’ – KANG YUCHAN (A.C.E)

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In March 2025, it was announced that A.C.E. would not renew their contracts with Beat Interactive, their home since their 2017 debut. It was also announced that the group could continue to use the name A.C.E for future promotions, which suggests hope for a comeback. However, since then, the members have signed on to different companies. KANG YUCHAN (the focus of this post) signed on with WAY BETTER: the home of from20, Hello Gloom, Lim Se Jun (formerly of VICTON) and YYJ. Following this, he made his solo debut after eight years active in KPOP with the single, Champagne Poppin’.

A full English song is on-brand for WAY BETTER. I just didn’t expect an all-English song to be the first out of the gate for KANG YUCHAN. Is it a bad move? Not at all. I really liked the song. Champagne Poppin’ is a sleek and groovy number, with the synth work being the song’s strongest asset. In addition to being sleek and groovy, it also exudes elegance and maturity. I really appreciated the smoothness of the chorus, thanks to KANG YUCHAN’s vocals, the tight synth production and melodies. Though I would have liked something more pronounced to give the chorus something stronger to remember Champagne Poppin’ by. And while I enjoyed the smoothness, it made Champagne Poppin’ feel overly consistent and neutral. The R&B-influenced vocals throughout the song were one of the creative choices that I mentioned before. I really liked this approach, but I also think they add to this issue. KANG YUCHAN’s vocals simply glide over the instrumentation and don’t really anchor itself in it. While the rapping in the second verse was also a neat surprise, I can say the exact same thing about it. Overall, it is a decent debut track. But Champagne Poppin’ just needed something more.

KANG YUCHAN plays a bad boy in the music video for Champagne Poppin’. At the police station after being arrested, KANG YUCHAN runs into the lead female character played by PARK HEE JUNG, who has also been arrested. They end up establishing a relationship in the short time they are held in the police cell, before somehow escaping and overpowering the officers. They then go on the run, taking an old storekeeper hostage in her shop and stealing money from the bank. Essentially, they become a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde. In the end, they celebrate their spree and their capture by the police. I liked the story, but thought the ending was pretty tame. I think more of their spree and them running off together would have been a good story (though it doesn’t fit the Bonnie and Clyde story).

Unfortunately, Champagne Poppin’ was not promoted on music shows, and a dance practice video didn’t drop until the middle of his 1st mini-album promotions in November 2025. From that dance practice, the performance was more freestyle than structured. That being said, the performance was laid-back and chill, whilst also cool and smooth.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Flip The Coin – NEWBEAT

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Another group to have joined the ranks of rookies in 2025 is NEWBEAT. They are a 7-member male group, consisting of Park Min-seok, Hong Min-sung, Jeon Yeo-yeo-jung, Choi Seo-hyun, Kim Tae-yang, Jo Yun-hu, and Kim Ri-woo, under Beat Interactive. They debuted in March 2025 with the single Flip The Coin from their first studio album, RAW AND RAD.

Flip The Coin sees NEWBEAT debut with a hip-hop song that draws on 90s influences. And at a glance (which has been my exposure to the song until today), Flip The Coin nails the era and then some. The rapping, a major method of the song’s delivery, was pretty strong. But upon further inspection, Flip The Coin has its flaws. But before we get to those, I will mention that I enjoyed the detail in the instrumentation: the piano in the background of the first verse and final chorus, and the grungy electric guitars and brass during the bridge. They gave Flip The Coin some extra flair. Back to the flaws: since the 90s influence has been done so many times, the song needed something hooky to draw me back to it. Listening back to it, I can see why I never remembered much of the song. There was just nothing memorable or catchy enough in Flip The Coin to bring me back. Furthermore, the shouty motif didn’t help; it drained the song of its ability to connect and thus appeal. As a result, Flip The Coin was left behind and didn’t capture too much fanfare from me.

Truthfully, I have no clue what the music video is about. We see the members play two versions of themselves: a futuristic one and a mythologically inspired one. Both sides appear to be competing against each other at the peak of their worlds, though I have no clue what. I have no idea what the turntable that requires a tooth to operate is meant to represent. Past the confusion, the visual aspects of the music video are what I thought were cool. The post-production work was very detailed and cool-looking. I also liked the dark nature of the music video. It gave off a mysterious, intriguing vibe. I also liked the fast-paced camera work and transitions, which made the music video dynamic to watch.

As for the performance, I quite liked the intensity and energy the members brought to their routine. You could see the bouncy hip-hop influences come to life in the performance. The bridge was definitely the coolest moment of the routine, with the performance turning into a brief yet exciting hype dance battle.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

[Review] Plot Twist – AtHeart

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As mentioned yesterday, Rookie Fortnight will officially be over once I get the necessary number of reviews out to cover a fortnight. Until then, expect more reviews from the 2025 rookies. Next up is AtHeart, who debuted in August 2025. They are a 7-member female group under Titan Content, consisting of Michi, Arin, Katelyn, Bome, Seohyeon, Aurora, and Nahyun. Their debut was with the single Plot Twist. Prior to Plot Twist, they also released their pre-debut single, Good Girl (AtHeart), in May 2025.

Among all the rookies, I don’t remember much about AtHeart. Listening back, I could tell by. Plot Twist leans more toward the minimalist, subdued side of KPOP. That being said, Plot Twist does have some bounce to its instrumentation through its synth work, which was a nice touch. But beyond that, it is a song that keeps to itself and doesn’t evolve beyond what has been described. As for their delivery, AtHeart does boast a good set of vocals. But I wish Plot Twist were a bit more developed to truly showcase AtHeart’s capabilities. The song had melodies, but nothing memorable. Instead, the minimalist, subdued approach described earlier makes the song’s melodies faint and barely noticeable. Thus, the members sound rather monotone throughout AtHeart. Charming, but not great as a first step to get people to notice you. Similarly, Plot Twist‘s hooks were barely present, weakening the appeal of the Plot Twist overall. It also doesn’t help that the song is severely short and ends abruptly.

The music video opts for a mysterious, eerie vibe, which makes sense once you consider the song’s meaning. The song is about wanting to push someone away, but as a plot twist, they end up falling for the other person. The video ends up portraying the “wanting to push someone away” scenes by showcasing the classic “love, marry, kill” game with a clear preference for killing someone (via the member with an axe), ‘an ick’ as something toxic (via the gas mask), and someone who is sick with someone who isn’t of sound mind (via the member who thinks they are getting married on the beach). There are other creepy scenes throughout the music video, such as the final scene where only one member is present in the group meeting, which makes me think that everyone else was her multiple personalities, and that only she prevails as she chooses the love plot twist.

Watching the performance version of Plot Twist, I still get those creepy vibes from the music video. Once you get over that, the performance was actually pretty decent. I really liked the inclusions of the twists during the pre-choruses, as well as the incorporation of the jumps to complement the bouncy synths during the chorus. The intensity during the chorus was also intriguing in the context of a minimalist, subdued song.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Review] ROSES – ZEROBASEONE

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ZEROBASEONE will soon wrap up their activities as a nine-member group in March this year. With that being two-ish months away, there is time for one last album release from the current ZEROBASEONE lineup (I have read there is a possibility that ZB1 could continue with some members renewing their contracts, while others leave). Ahead of the release of the special mini-album, RE-FLOW, comes the pre-release track ROSES. ZEROBASEONE previously pre-released another single, Running to Future, which followed their September 2025 comeback with their NEVER SAY NEVER studio album (led by ICONIK).

When groups release a song ahead of the inevitable, it’s usually a sentimental ballad dedicated to their fans for supporting their careers. For ZEROBASEONE, they changed the script with ROSES. They keep the ‘dedicated to fans’ bit, but do so through a very energetic, powerful rock song. The energy is definitely memorable, and I liked the oomph that it gives ROSES. I found the percussion to be a super dynamic part of the track, while the hip-hop flourishes that appear along the way are refreshing and welcome changes to give ROSES more flair. Vocally, the members bring their A-game to the track, on par with the instrumentation’s energy. The brightness of the track exudes a sweetness that makes the members sound fond of who they are singing to (i.e., ZEROSES – the name of their fan club). The major problem with ROSES is its length – it is just too short. It feels incomplete the way it ended, and that disappoints me. Surely, they could have gone further with what could be one of their final singles!

It would have been nice to see the members in the flesh in the music video. But I guess they are too busy with their Here & Now Tour and final activities. What we got instead was a pleasant animation showing two individuals (one is ZEROBASEONE and the other is their fans) coming together to create roses (a recurring image in the music video). It essentially shows the bond between the group and their fans, with a nice continous loops of roses growing at the end to show that the bond is forever.

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

[Review] Crown – EXO

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I have yet to review any of this week’s new releases, so I am pausing Rookie Fortnight over the weekend to bring you reviews of the big releases from the past week. Kicking things off is EXO’s long-awaited comeback with Crown. With SEHUN completing his military enlistment in 2025, all EXO members became available for a full group comeback. Unfortunately, XIUMIN, BAEKHYUN, and CHEN were excluded from the comeback due to their ongoing conflict with SM Entertainment. Thus, only SUHO, LAY, CHANYEOL, D.O, KAI, and SEHUN were announced as the lineup for the comeback. However, in the lead-up to the comeback, LAY had to withdraw from promotional activities for the new album, REVERXE, due to “unavoidable circumstances”.

ICYMI – EXO’s last comeback was in 2023 with Cream Soda (the title track) and their 7th studio album, EXIST. That comeback did not feature LAY or KAI, but did include XIUMIN, BAEKHYUN, and CHEN, along with the rest of the EXO members.

Crown launches right into its bombastic sound, thanks to the harsh metal guitars and epic trap percussion that form the song’s backdrop. This is a promising start for the new song, and I enjoyed how this bold energy keeps reappearing in Crown‘s choruses as the song progresses. Between the choruses are verses that I don’t remember too much of. I think the material was a little lacklustre compared to Crown‘s centrepieces, so it doesn’t have as much appeal. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t a terrible aspect of the song, but the verses pale in comparison to that bold energy of the choruses. Like most SM tracks, Crown’s bridge is to die for. It is brief, but SM songs excel in this, and Crown is no different. The rapping was also a strong aspect of Crown. What made me nervous about the comeback was the absence of two prominent vocalists. And truthfully, I feel their absence in Crown. SUHO, D.O and LAY do hold their ground, but there is something with BAEKHYUN and CHEN’s vocals that could have elevated Crown.

Some people did not like the use of AI in the music video, which is a fair opinion. Some parts did look a little cheesy, such as CHANYEOL on fire and the members/soldiers on the inside rim of the crown. But I didn’t mind its use. Parts look more epic as a result, which adds to a memorable feel. I noticed that the members’ powers in this video match those in their MAMA music video. CHANYEOL with fire; D.O causing an earthquake back then and breaking a tombstone in this video; SUHO playing with water; LAY helping plants grow/heal; KAI teleporting himself and the members and dancers; SEHUN causing buildings to crash and turning them into dust storms. They use these powers to battle (not sure who, though) their way to the throne, with the dark concept turning golden once they reach the top.

Just like the rest of the comeback, EXO leans into a bold performance. That chorus move where they lean back and form a crown with their hand is quite a statement. The same can be said about the ending. I also like how they include a throwback to their WOLF choreography with the tree during the bridge.

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

[Review] Waste No Time – XngHan&Xoul

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There weren’t just rookie groups in 2025. There were also rookie soloists, like SEUNGHAN. Following his removal from RIIZE, it was announced that SEUNGHAN would make his solo debut as part of a dance crew named XngHan&Xoul, under the new stage name XngHan. His solo debut single, Waste No Time, dropped in July 2025. He is joined by two professional dancers, Kyohong and Yul, who make up the Xoul aspect of the project name (with the possibility of this aspect changing).

Waste No Time falls into the pop-EDM mixed genre, with an upbeat drive that propels the song forward. I really liked the contrast between the light synth work and the heavy bassline. The various flourishes (clangy drums, brass, heavy trap) that pop up throughout the instrumentation keep the song engaging and prevent Waste No Time from becoming overly consistent. That is the risk of such a tight production like in Waste No Time. XngHan himself does a great job vocally and rapping-wise, with his voice gliding over the background. The falsettos lend well to this, and I also enjoyed the overall brightness he brings to Waste No Time. He also helps make the “I don’t wanna waste no time, wanna waste no, I don’t wanna waste no time, no more” hook quite catchy and fun. While the smoothness is an asset, the song lacks some punch. That is the only thing that holds back the song. Otherwise, Waste No Time is a strong solo debut track.

The music video begins with XngHan trying to memorise a choreography in the dance practice room. He is then joined by Xoul, and they get right to business, wasting no more time with practice. This allows them to go out, hang out and go on a road trip together. This complements the lyrics of Waste No Time, which expresses the message of not letting go of the present and moving forward without hesitation. I also enjoyed the bright, vivid colours of the music video, which worked well for the summery period when the song was released.

The trio delivers an awesome performance for this project. Their chemistry really made the choreography cohesive and smooth, while the footwork and sharp arm movements made the routine pop. I hope we get to see more of this XngHan&Xoul lineup together in the future.

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

[Review] You Never Met – uneverm8t (idntt)

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2025 also saw the beginning of a new 24-member (!) male group, idntt. Under ModHaus, which is home to tripleS (a 24-member female group) and ARTMS, the group is slowly unveiling its members through subunit releases. The first subunit, uneverm8t, debuted in August 2025 with 3 title tracks, one of which is You Never Met (the focus of this post). I will come back to review the other two tracks, Storm and Boytude, on another occasion, as well as the debut of idntt’s second subunit, yesw8are.

Just a quick side note: the way tripleS and idntt carry out their activities confuses me. I just don’t know why the unit releases are marketed under their respective full group name (which makes me think the entire tripleS and idntt lineup has made a comeback or officially debuted). Then, when I check out the new material, I think it is a different group, which has led me to push them aside to focus on other groups. Anyhow, this is not the point of the review. Just note, I will be trying to engage with more of tripleS’ and idntt’s work into the future (including the massive tripleS backlog).

So, back to You Never Met: it starts with a chant that doubles as the chorus opener later on. It then brings in some old-school glitchy hip-hop and modern electronic flourishes as its instrumentation. I enjoyed the dynamic flair of the instrumentation, which drives the song forward and adds a lot of energy. Beyond that, however, You Never Met never really catches on. While there were some good vocals and rapping (JUHO’s powerful rapping and TAEIN’s autotuned lines were probably the strongest moments in You Never Met), they largely don’t go anywhere. There is also very little catchiness to the song. The chant should have been the song’s prominent hook, but it felt very flat upon delivery and didn’t feel buoyant enough compared to the instrumentation. Similarly, the melodies were fine, but doesn’t have much of a memorable ring. You Never Met also feels short, with ‘a blur’ being a good way to describe the entire song, if I am being honest. This is despite it going for almost three minutes. I wish You Never Met was much stronger elsewhere to complement the instrumentation, which was definitely its strongest asset of all.

The mixture of 90s video-style shots and cleaner, modern shots throughout the video complements the song’s profile of old-school and modern flourishes. I also liked their casual, urban outfits that we see the members wear when they meet up and hang out. Similar to SEVENTEEN’s Ready To Love music video, I question the need for the members to perform in the ‘rain’ towards the end of the video, but I guess it gives something to mention in the otherwise ‘seen before’ music video.

The synchronisation and sharp movements make it a cool performance. Interestingly, the verses did a better job of showcasing their performance skills than the chorus. But I think that is because musically, the material is better in the verses (as mentioned earlier). The only thing I don’t like is how unmatching and awkward the first few seconds of the performance were, when the instrumentation was relatively stripped back and there was just chanting.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Review] I Did It – AxMxP

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Joining FNC Entertainment in 2025 was AxMxP (short for Amplify Music Power), a four-member boy band consisting of Ha Yoo-Joon (leader, vocalist and rapper), Cru (drums), Kim Shin (vocalist) and Ju-Hwan (bass). They made their debut in September 2025 with a self-titled studio album led by 3 tracks: I Did It (the focus of this post), Shocking Drama, and Love Poem. I will return to review the latter two in the future. The band will also be returning tomorrow with a new single, Thereafter.

I Did It is a powerful and intense rock track, with its bold, consistent energy making it an instant standout debut single. Its blend of rock and hip-hop influences is quite unique for a band, with dynamic rapping enhancing the song’s intensity to a whole new level. In addition to the rapping, AxMxP also relies on a shouty delivery, particularly in I Did It‘s chorus, which I mentioned the other day as being used so often that it has become generic and ordinary. But in the context and intensity-driven nature of I Did It, the shoutiness is a really strong asset of the song. I don’t know what they could have done differently in place of the shoutiness that would have lived up to the potential of I Did it in its current state. Honestly, without watching the music video or the information that AxMxP was a band, I would have thought I Did It was an idol group song (and I mean that as a compliment). Come to think of it, the song does remind me of MONSTA X’s Beautiful Liar (one of MONSTA X’s best songs, in my opinion), with thanks to the guitar riffs and overall intensity.

The song’s intensity and powerful rock energy call for dark, edgy visuals. And that is exactly what we get in the music video for I Did It. For a band, a mountain of smashed-up guitars in an industrial warehouse setting does it. It would have been cooler had there been more smashed things in the video. Other instruments, the car (though I think there is a scene that implies that the car would get smashed), etc.

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

[Review] KILL MA BO$$ – KIIRAS

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KIIRAS is the next group on rookie fortnight – a female group consisting of 6 members (LingLing, Kurumi, Harin, Kylie, Doyeon, and Roah) from LeanBranding. They made their debut in May 2025 with the track KILL MA BO$$, which is the focus of this post. They also made a comeback in November 2025 with Bang Bang, which will be the focus of another post.

Instantly standing out for its vivid use of country twang and similar influences in its instrumental, KILL MA BO$$ ends up being a unique track in its own right (for one reason or another). I like how they didn’t shy away from the country twang at all throughout the track. And, combined with the heavy bass and beats, KILL MA BO$$ makes quite a statement. Throw in some strong vocals from the members, and you have the beginnings of an amazing song. I mean, did you hear the start of the choruses? There is definitely some potential from the group based on that alone. But while this is a promising track, the song starts to unravel when you consider its other aspects. The lyrics are an interesting mix, mashed together to create something cohesive, but it ends up being quite incoherent. Also, an extension of that thought, what does the title “KILL MA BO$$” even mean, or what is the context for it? And while I did enjoy the singing and instrumental, I am not sure if KILL MA BO$$ had much of a hook or catchy melody. Look, there are some questionable and confusing elements to KILL MA BO$$, but it also has its charming and strong elements.

The music video also embraces the western/country theme through the members’ outfits and the settings of some scenes (a farm, a western desert). There is also a nice balance of modern elements (such as denim and industrial settings). But just like the lyrics, the scenes are strung together randomly, in hopes of something cohesive. They don’t really get there, however. What was consistently present throughout the video was the members’ bright demeanour. It works well with the fun side of the track, and I found it quite infectious.

While I don’t see a standout element in the choreography, what really sells it are the members’ bubbly energy as they execute the routine. It is definitely a fun one, and the bubbliness just enhances this. I also like how slightly serious they get during the post-chorus ‘hook’. There was something about this change that enabled me to take the routine seriously.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Album Review] HOT (5th Mini Album) – LE SSERAFIM

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Next album up for review is LE SSERAFIM’s HOT, which was released in March 2025. The group’s 5th mini-album features 5 songs: HOT (the title track), Come Over (the follow-up single), an intro track, and 2 additional songs. Overall, HOT is a good album, thanks to its side tracks. Like the last album I reviewed, I preferred the side tracks the most and enjoyed the title track the least. However, I did like the consistent, cohesive storytelling that is woven throughout each song on the album.

HOT, as well as their last couple of mini-albums, namely EASY and CRAZY, ended up being associated with their 2025-26 ongoing tour – Easy Crazy Hot. More recently, the group also released a Japanese single, Different, and returned to Korea with Spaghetti (featuring labelmate j-hope from BTS).

HOT Album Cover

1. Born Fire – All of LE SSERAFIM’s albums begin with an intro track featuring the members narrating in Korean, Japanese and English, and this mini-album is no different. Born Fire “tells the story of a fire burning, dying, turning to ashes, and being rekindled by someone’s breath”. The narration is set to a more laid-back instrumental that evokes a catwalk/runway vibe. To keep it interesting, however, there is also a mysterious vibe to the short track.   

2. HOT (Title Track) – Click here for my full review of HOT. (6/10)

3. Come Over – Click here for my full review of Come Over. (9/10)

4. Ash – Ash is definitely the standout track on this mini-album. I remember being floored by this song when I checked out the album upon its release. Ash is an atmospheric yet moody pop song, with a stunning chorus that adds a bit of disco flair and leaves quite an impression. The synth work throughout Ash is very alluring, while the vocal work in this track is superbly dreamy. The electric guitar you hear in the background during the instrumental break just heightens Ash‘s moodiness. The lyrics talk about accepting pain and growing from it, likening the process to being a phoenix. (10/10)

5. So Cynical (Badum) – The final song on the mini-album is So Cynical (Badum), a jersey club and house combination that sees the members express a message to boldly go after your love. I liked the track’s laid-back nature and rhythmic beat. The latter makes it difficult to sit still in my seat and not get a boogie on. The members sound very mature, especially during the chorus. The “Ba-Ba…-Ba-Dum” was quite catchy, and some of the melodies in the song are quite refreshing. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10

LE SSERAFIM’s teaser image for HOT.

[Review] FREAK ALARM – ALPHA DRIVE ONE

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While not technically part of the rookie fortnight coverage, coverage of a 2026 rookie group wouldn’t hurt. ALPHA DRIVE ONE (or ALD1 for short) was formed through MNET’s survival show BOYS II PLANET, which aired last year. Unlike previous iterations of the survival show, only the top 8 trainees would go on to form the project group, with this one expected to last 5 years. In the end, Junseo (member of WEi), Arno, Leo (solo artist), Geonwoo, Sangwon, Xinlong (member of BOYSTORY), Anxin, and Sanghyeon made the final lineup of the group. Earlier this week, they released their debut single, FREAK ALARM, the title track of their debut mini-album, EUPHORIA. The group had previously pre-released the single FORMULA in 2025.

Personally, I really liked the way FREAK ALARM opened. SANGWON’s slightly husky voice delivering the song’s hook, with no instrumentation, in the first couple of seconds, was actually a good opening. Then, FREAK ALARM throws us into a shouty chorus. I appreciated the bombastic instrumentation and the funky undertones. But the shouty delivery is, by today’s standards, pretty generic and lacks originality. In the context of FREAK ALARM, it is okay. But I just have a feeling this might not be the last title track from them that will feature the shouty delivery (given how mainstream the motif has become). Moving along, I liked that the funky undertones continued into the verses amid the boom-bap beats. I kind of wish they explored more of this funkiness – there is some potential there that can help ALPHA DRIVE ONE forge something of their own. I liked how stripped back the opening of the third run of the chorus was, which was a nice recall of the opening. FREAK ALARM then enters its best part, the bridge, which features a brief dreamy motif and a strikingly intense ramp up to the final chorus (which, for some reason, felt like it zipped by very quickly). Good vocals and rapping also feature throughout FREAK ALARM, but nothing really to help differentiate ALPHA DRIVE ONE from the rest of KPOP at the moment.

The music video for FREAK ALARM was quite cool. I really liked the use of the white and silver palette for most of the video – it looked very chic and stylish. The same can be said about their all-black attire at the end of the video. Some of the effects were pretty cool, like the lowering ceiling in the middle of the video during the choreography shot and the cracks that appear whilst a member was jackhammering in the kitchen (because where else do you bust out a jackhammer inside the home). But the coolest element in my personal view, which is an indication of my age, was the plentiful storage options throughout the music video.

As a whole, the choreography was intense, and the synchronisation between the members made it look very cool. But nothing stood out on its own, which I really wanted to see to set them apart from the competition.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] Knife – ENHYPEN

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ENHYPEN is nominated for Best Male Group in the 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. No Doubt is nominated for Best Dance Performance (Male Group), Bad Desire (With or Without You) is nominated for Best Music Video, while Loose is nominated for Best International Song (English). Support ENHYPEN, No Doubt, Bad Desire (With or Without You) and Loose by clicking here to cast your vote today before it closes on 17 January 2026 (which is today).

ENHYPEN marks the start of their 6th year as a group with a new comeback, Knife, featured on their latest mini-album, The Sin: Vanish (their 7th mini-album to date). Their last Korean comeback was in June 2025 with Desire: Unleash, which featured the title track, Bad Desire (With or Without You), and the follow-up promotional single, Outside.

Similar to Outside (which is probably my most controversial review in recent memory, if not ever), Knife is another hip-hop track with a trap-based instrumental. The difference between songs is that I very much prefer the new song to the old one. I liked Knife‘s hefty beat and the synth work was pretty cool. The hooks, while repetitive, do get keyed into your memory bank. I wish there were more to it, the hooks, though. ENHYPEN’s delivery in Knife was predominantly rapping – I have to give props to each member for giving it a go and sounding angsty (a style not necessarily associated with each member). However, this is where things do unravel for Knife. As the song remains angsty from all angles (including from the moment it begins to the very end), ENHYPEN pretty much stays in this mode for the duration, and so everything feels pretty neutral, overall. The thing that enables this is Knife‘s extremely short runtime, clocking in at just 2:19 minutes – there simply isn’t enough time to lay down the foundations for the song and then let it develop into something better. Had there been more time, Knife could have grown with more vocals, rapping, changes in momentum and drive. Knife was not offered that opportunity, and it suffers as a result.

ENHYPEN continues their vampire lore in this music video. But based on the news report that kicked off the video, the members have grown more confident, appearing in society and amongst the people who are out to get them. The video cuts to HEESEUNG in the barber’s chair, about to have his neck sliced open. But instead, the barber throws his razor at JUNGWON, starting a pretty cool montage where we follow knives being thrown at the members, including JAKE. The slow-motion of his coffee cup shattering and bits flying everywhere was some awesome post-production work. Elsewhere in the video, the members looked very chic and edgy, especially when they are dressed in black. And the awesome, intense visuals continue throughout the video, thanks to high-quality, well-thought-out post-production and camerawork.

The performance was just as cool as the music video. Their stage presence in this one was insane, and I liked how the song’s angst was translated into the performance, giving the routine drive and intensity. The moves were sharp, and the two-finger knife-mimic in the routine (clever!) enhanced it.

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

[Review] CHAN-RAN – IDID

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IDID is nominated for Best New Male Group in the 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support IDID by clicking here to cast your vote today before it closes on 17 January 2026 (which is tomorrow).

IDID is the next rookie to be covered on the ongoing rookie fortnight. Formed through the survival show, Debut’s Plan, this seven-member male group (consisting of Jang Yong-hoon, Kim Min-jae, Park Won-bin, Chu Yoo-chan, Park Seong-hyeon, Baek Jun-hyuk and Jeong Se-min) made their debut in September 2025 with the single CHAN-RAN. Originally announced as an 8-member group, Park Jun-Hwan left the group ahead of their debut due to the distress caused by rumours. Following CHAN-RAN, the group also made their first comeback in November with PUSH BACK, which will be the focus of another review.

CHAN-RAN (제멋대로 찬란하게), with the full Korean title translating to ‘Brillantly on my own’, was an alright title and debut track, eliciting a mixed impression from me. There were certain parts or aspects of CHAN-RAN that I enjoyed, such as the direction of the chorus, the second verse and the bridge. The chorus leans towards a fun, upbeat pop-rock energy, with a slight retro touch in its instrumentation. And at first, this was fun. But I soon grew less enthused about the song due to CHAN-RAN‘s lack of development and dynamic energy. During the second and last run of the chorus, I was left wanting sharper beats, more edginess, a super-catchy hook, or just something more robust in execution. The second verse hears such desire and grants CHAN-RAN the edginess it desperately needs, with Wobin and Semin’s rapping adding much-needed energy. As for the bridge, I enjoyed the execution of both vocals and rapping, with the members sounding a lot more prolific and louder. The high note that leads us into the final dull chorus was actually quite nicely done. Elsewhere, it was all forgettable. As such, CHAN-RAN is a mixed bag of good and boring, which isn’t really the greatest news for a debut track.

There isn’t much to the video, other than it showcasing IDID’s youthful, carefree charm as they hang out together in the summer heat. You consistently get both vibes from choreography and non-choreography shots.

The choreography shots also had a cool vibe, most evident when the song hits its hip-hop stride, like in the second verse. This ‘coolness’ came from IDID’s execution of the choreography, rather than from the music video’s vibes mentioned above. Also, like in the music video, the members did a good job of conveying their youthful, sprightly energy in the routine, especially during the chorus.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.1/10

[Review] NERDY – ifeye

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ifeye is nominated for Best New Female Group and Most Underrated Artist in the 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Their track, r u ok?, is also nominated for Most Underrated Song. Support ifeye and r u ok? by clicking here to cast your vote today before it closes on 17 January 2026.

Another group that debuted in 2025 is ifeye, a six-member female group consisting of Won Hwa-yeon, Taerin, Rahee, Kasia, Meu, and Sasha, signed to Hi-Hat Entertainment. In April 2025, the group released their debut mini-album, ERLU BLUE, and the title track NERDY (the focus of this post). Since then, the group made one comeback with the underrated hit r u ok?. That will hopefully be the focus of another review in the future.

NERDY is a nice take on the dreamy pop atmosphere that has been on trend in KPOP recently. I enjoyed the song’s subdued yet bouncy instrumental and the smooth synth textures. The latter is further emphasised by the group’s smooth vocals and song’s melodies, both of which glide us through the song. NERDY‘s main hook, the “N-E-R-D-Y Catch the nerdy sign, N-E-R-D-Y it’s a nerdy vibe,” actually had a nice ring to it, even if it is an interesting lyric choice. But like most songs with a similar ‘dreaminess’ profile, this style comes with its own flaws, which evenuate in NERDY. One of these flaws is that some elements can be forgotten, and for NERDY, that came in the form of the verses. Rapping usually does not fit in well with this style, as evidenced in NERDY‘s rapping sequences. I was also not a big fan of NERDY‘s bridge, which brings a slight change-up to the instrumentation. But the execution ended up muddling the vocals for me. Overall, NERDY is a fair effort and a decent debut track. It just has the same problems as similar songs with the same profile.

The music video for NERDY is pretty, especially when it comes to the scenes in the forest and in the school in the final chorus, where trees sprout everywhere. There was something about these scenes that felt aesthetic, and I liked the contrast to the school concept that most groups and artists tackle at one point in their careers. NERDY‘s lyrics are about wanting to confess to someone, and we see the anxiety that this creates in the members throughout the video. But once the confession is made, their lives change for the better (i.e, the trees bloom and make everything feel pretty).

Like the music video, NERDY’s performance is also pretty. I would also throw in ‘cute’, as well. Nothing stands out on its own, but the whole routine was a nice one to watch.

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

[Review] What You Want – CORTIS

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CORTIS is nominated for Best New Male Group and Best Looks (for FaSHioN) in the 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support CORTIS by clicking here to cast your vote today before it closes on 17 January 2026.

Next up on the rookie fortnight is CORTIS, one of the biggest rookies of 2025 and a highly requested group that I should review. Consisting of five members (James, Juhoon, Martin, Seonghyeon, and Keonho), CORTIS made their official debut in August 2025 with the single What You Want, which was later featured on their first mini-album, Colour Outside the Lines, which dropped in September 2025. Also featured on the mini-album are the pre-release single GO! and the follow-up promotional single FaSHioN (which I will try to return to review).

I will confess straight up that I wasn’t a fan of What You Want (which is partly why I kind of delayed my review of the song). A couple of months on and a fair number of repeats (Spotify and the award season did not want me to forget this song), and I have warmed up a bit to What You Want. The shoutiness of What You Want, particularly the ‘echo’ of the song’s title that follows the chorus lines and the chorus’s punctuated shouty delivery, became a recognisable element of the song. I found myself following along to these moments when the song comes on. For a debut song, this is a good outcome. Pity that it didn’t come to me earlier. Unfortunately, the vocal processing and delivery in some parts of What You Want made the song feel exhausted and hard to get into. And while I did appreciate the indie rock and hip-hop instrumental, there was very little momentum or drive to it.

The music video shows the members conveying the message of freedom after their van breaks down, leaving them stranded in the middle of nowhere. Their holiday becomes quite wacky throughout the video as the group hitchhikes back to the city. They encounter a monstrous butterfly (and, in trying to escape, one member is left behind and eaten by it). They eat at a chaotic restaurant and have to make a Squid Game-like choice at an underground station. But it appears to be all a dream, as KEONHO wakes up and witnesses another version of himself and the rest of the group make the alternate choice at the station. It is a fun and humorous video that was enjoyable to watch.

What stood out most in this debut was the innovative choreography, which features the group performing on treadmills. Not all of the routine is performed on the treadmill, though, which requires members to get on and off the moving treadmills throughout. That adds further complexity to the choreography. I also enjoyed the free spirit and hip-hop flair the performance had.

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