Category: Reviews

[Review] LUNA – ONEUS

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As mentioned in Monday’s review for ONEUS’ Life Is Beautiful, ONEUS would be making their comeback the very next day (a.k.a. yesterday!). Well, yesterday, ONEUS returned with their 6th mini-album, Blood Moon, and the title track LUNA (the focus of this review). This is the group’s first comeback since the release of Black Mirror in May of this year. Between their May comeback and now, the group has been super busy with a return to the Japanese pop music industry with the Japanese version of Black Mirror, released two songs as part of their ONEUS Theatre series (Shut Up 받고 Crazy Hot! and Life Is Beautiful), and held an online/offline concert for the first time in nearly two years!

As soon as LUNA started for me, I was practically on board with the song. The traditional Korean instrumentation at the start was so beautiful, making it a promising start to the song. The first verse was pretty good, working well with the tone of instrumentation. The synths present give you an indication that LUNA would be much more than just traditional elements. We have previously heard traditional elements from ONEUS through the release of Lit. There, the traditional elements contributed to a much bolder sound, whereas in LUNA, the traditional elements are used in a much smoother way. The build in the pre-chorus was quite satisfying. The chorus is where the song is strongest, with a well-delivered chorus. The instrumental has this continuous momentum to it, which made it satisfying as well. The emphasis on some of the syllables of their lines was quite subtle but impactful at the same time. Both instrumental and melody resulted in a chorus that I could not stop thinking about once LUNA had wrapped up. For the second verse, I really enjoyed the idea of a ‘traditional only’ backed rap sequence. But the follow-up vocals were probably the most lacking aspect of the song. For the second chorus, I enjoyed how they added textures via the jaggered backing in the first half. The dance break was awesome, with a really good blend of traditional and contemporary delivering a bold and powerful sound. I really enjoyed the lead-out of the song, from Leedo’s rapping to the folksy ad-lib that we were greeted to the textural touches brought on by the synths. I would have liked more folksy ad-libs in the background, but I guess the producers were short on time. Overall, LUNA is a very strong song with a beautiful and bold blend of instrumentation, creating a very unique sounding track.

I thought this was a really cool video, simply due to the fusion of traditional and simplicity. The traditional aspects were quite obvious, from the outfits, some of the backgrounds, the styling of some of the sets. The simplicity aspects come through the colour scheme used in the sets, the way the camera was focused and the way the sets were styled. This resulted in a visually stunning video. The members’ visuals are also showcased really nicely in the video, showcasing their handsome profiles. I am quite sure there is some sort of story or message from the video, and I will presume that it surrounds itself around that image of the sky we saw one of the members painting. Just a wild guess.

Choreography-wise, I really liked how it channelled the song’s beauty, through the use of the fans and the coloured/white scarves. I liked how they really emphasised the sound of the fans opening throughout certain parts of the choreography in the stage version of the music, which really draws your attention to their fans. That being said, the group still manages to show off their dance skills throughout the more modern sequences of the song (i.e. the chorus and dance break), creating a well-balanced routine.

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

[Review] Sweet Travel – VICTON

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VICTON is back as a six-member group (without Seungwoo, who has recently enlisted into the military) to celebrate their five year anniversary since their debut. Back in 2016, VICTON kicked off their careers with the title track, I’m Fine. Fast forward five years, the group has released six mini-albums, two single albums, one studio album, with the most recent release being What I Said earlier this year. Considering that some members (Seungwoo and Byunchan) did participate in Produce X 101 and that two members have made their own solo debuts (Seungwoo and Do Hanse) as well, it definitely sounds like the group has been busy over the last five years. Hopefully, there are many more in them! VICTON’s fifth-anniversary single is titled Sweet Travel and is the focus of this review.

I have to admit, I enjoyed Sweet Travel a lot more than expected. While it does sound I am rooting against the release, that is not the case. Usually, with songs dedicated to fans (like this one), I find it a bit awkward to express my disappointment in such songs. Simply because the song’s intention is meaningful for both the members and fans alike, and I kind of feel rude to say something negative about the song. Thankfully, I don’t think I have even run into a fan song that is that bad and more often they are simply pleasant and touching. Sweet Travel is a lot more than just pleasant and touching, however. The song features a fun and upbeat pop-rock sound that instantly drew me in. It is quite vibrant and powerful but also in a lighthearted and likeable manner. It is also another song that is consistent throughout, but it does not bore me. Maybe it could be repetitive to some, but I don’t feel that (at least, not yet). What really jumps out at me was how much the song’s chorus stands out. The instrumentation really bolstered up the energy of the song, but this was only one-third of why I liked the chorus a lot. The other thirds were the vocals and catchiness of the lyrics, which the members all had a hand in delivering both (as the members both sang and also penned the lyrics to the song). Including everyone in the first half of the chorus really helped add so much definition to the song and emphasise a lot of the descriptors that I have already mentioned. The English was super catchy and added more fun elements to the song. Elsewhere in the song, the vocals and rapping were fine. Sweet Travel was definitely an unexpected song for me that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I have very little to say about the music video aside from pointing out the members clearly had fun throughout the video, as seen in the video and that little outro. It makes a lot of sense and shows a more down-to-earth profile of the members, which is miles away from their darker and mature concepts. I particularly liked the members’ dancing at the end when they were shooting outside at night. It made me chuckle, and like the rest of the video, brought a smile to my face.

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

[Review] Life is Beautiful – ONEUS

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There will always be a bit of time jumping for me, with the next release on the reviewing block coming out a month after BDC’s MOON WALKER (which I just reviewed). But there is another reason why I want to cover ONEUS’ Life Is Beautiful over many others today. For those who may not be aware, ONEUS is making a comeback (tomorrow in fact), and I wanted to review this particular release before their next comeback. So essentially, the deadline for this review is tonight. Life Is Beautiful is the second release in the ONEUS Theatre series, following Shut Up 받고 Crazy Hot!.

Add why I hadn’t reviewed Life Is Beautiful sooner to the list of world mysteries out there because even I cannot figure out why I completed passed over the opportunity to review this amazing release much closer to its original release date. I freaking enjoyed Life Is Beautiful‘s refreshing tone and its breeziness, which doubles as a great Summer release. It is also a very soothing and calming pop track that I just want to continually go back to. Just listening to the song brings a smile to my face, and I quite liked that in a song. Compared to what ONEUS usually puts out, Life Is Beautiful is very different. Not only does this release steer away from the group’s heavy dependence on synths in their title tracks, but the pop song is also light, extremely pleasant and quite upbeat. It is pretty much a straightforward song in retrospect, staying quite consistent from one end to the next. But is that an issue in Life Is Beautiful? I don’t think so. There are a few standout moments in the instrumental. The guitars in the second verse felt so right and the flutes used in the song’s post-chorus instrumental hook were fun and added so much colour to the song. Otherwise, all the descriptors that I started off within this paragraph can be applied to the rest of the song’s backing. When it comes to the chorus, I loved the melodically driven approach that the pop sound enables. The melody is charming and exudes that happy feeling that the song is effortlessly conveying to the listener. Their vocals bring this to life and they sound so good, highlighting their vocal versatility. The English lines in the chorus were very catchy and addictive to listen to. Even the rapping we get in Life Is Beautiful works really well. I do wish there was some sort of peak in the song. I felt like that was the only thing that was missing and would have made the song less consistent (not that was an issue in this particular track). Overall, Life Is Beautiful is almost a perfect song that I want to continually listen to.

As mentioned previously, the music videos released as part of ONEUS Theatre are based on movies. For Life Is Beautiful, the inspiration for this video was the movie Dead Poet’s Society. I personally haven’t watched the movie, but upon some reading of its themes (you can get a sense of those themes by reading the plotline of the movie on Wikipedia), you can definitely tell that they were carried throughout the lyrics and scenes of the video. The members played students in what seems to be an uptight school. They are taught the exact same thing as the movie’s main character had taught his students – ”Carpe diem”, which is Latin for ‘seize the day’ (i.e. make the most of present-day). And we see that when the members enjoy their time with one another on the beach and by the sea. I liked the camera work for most of the video (sans the shaky camera work for the indoor choreography scenes), especially the drone used to capture footage as the members dance. It made the video seem more epic and amazing.

From what I can see from the music video, the choreography looks pretty good. I liked the way it captured the energy of the song, along with the song’s breeziness. It might not be as complex as their other tracks but I think the group managed to find an amazing balance of their skills for this song.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 9.1/10

[Review] MOON WALKER – BDC

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With no major releases today, it would be a great opportunity to jump back into the past to review some of the releases that I have missed (again). First up today is BDC’s MOON WALKER, which was released at the start of August of this year (3 months ago!). MOON WALKER is the group’s fifth single since their debut, following the likes of MOONLIGHT (the lead track for The Intersection: Contact). MOON WALKER is a special single as an epilogue to their Moon trilogy.

As a song released during the final weeks of Summer, MOON WALKER was a fitting song for the season, more so than their previous release. There was a vibrancy and refreshing energy that was I quite enjoyed and goes hand-in-hand with the season in question. The song itself (overall) was quite light, despite the thumping and heaviness of some of the percussion we got in the pre-choruses of MOON WALKER. I quite enjoyed the strumming guitar work in the verses, leading into that epic thumping and heavy-handed percussion. It was simple, but it felt good. I just wished the rest of the song followed through with the energy and tone of the pre-chorus. To me, the thumps and percussion in the pre-chorus alluded to a drop that is more bolstered and defined. What we got right after as the main drop isn’t exactly that. The producers opted for a delayed drop approach, which I couldn’t help being disappointed with. I do appreciate the bolstering in the second half of the chorus (as this is what I wanted) and see that the delay enabled for the performance big moment (see next paragraph), but I kind of wanted it as soon as we launched into the chorus. The epic potential just fizzled out with what we got and the delay just left me hanging. Another aspect of MOON WALKER which I was rather disappointed in was the vocals/raps. It kind of was the reason why I hadn’t dived in to review this song earlier. I thought the members’ tone was rather plain and didn’t carry much excitement. I wished they exuded some sort of excitement or energy from the song, as this would have made MOON WALKER better. Overall, I would say that MOON WALKER is a decent track and what we got was good enough. It just didn’t deliver what I had hoped for, and this just left MOON WALKER in a less favourable light.

We didn’t get a music video for this release. Instead, we got a performance video in which the members are dancing on the moon in front of a green screen. Not really the most exciting concept, but it felt like a nice wrap for the trilogy. I think the one thing that I was most upset about in this video were the outfits. I wished they had something cooler on, as this would have made the video better, in a visual sense. As it was a performance video, the focus was more so on the choreography, and I thought the performance for MOON WALKER was alright. The biggest moment of the choreography was the moonwalking in the chorus, which was cool. And it clearly was a no-brainer, given the title of the song. But apart from that, the rest of the choreography looked and felt pleasant.

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

[Review] No More X – TO1

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Next up is TO1, who made their comeback yesterday with No More X. This is the group’s second release under the name TO1 following Son of Beast, and their fourth release overall since their debut under the group name TOO back in 2020 (they rebranded earlier this year when their two co-managing companies had a conflict with one another).

No More X amps up the aggression compared to their previous comebacks, going for a more powerful and dynamic EDM backing. It is abrasive and rough around pretty much every corner. However, I also detect an air of typicaliness from the song, as it feels like your standard song from male groups nowadays. That being said, I still appreciate the blastful energy, aggression and rough textures that are present throughout the entirety of the song. No More X is just isn’t innovative. There is a still fair bit of the song I quite liked. No More X starts off with the main hook, the very catchy ‘Dum Dum Dum‘. It doesn’t appear so at first, but once it presents itself in the chorus, you come to the realisation that it is catchy and also adds a somewhat fun tone to the song. The dance instrumental break we got was probably the most promising part of the instrumentation, feeling quite vibrant. I also quite liked how grabbing the layer of instrumentation, hook and rapping was in the final moments of No More X. It seemed like there was a lot going on in that moment, but I found it to be a bold part of the song. The rest of the song is pretty much standard raps and vocals. There isn’t anything wrong with it, but I think they could have pushed themselves in the song more to make it even better. Overall, No More X seems to be a decent song, though I feel the producers/groups could have done more to make it even better.

The music video for No More X was pretty good. From what I understand (and from what I have read), TO1 becomes beast in this music video via some wine. We see the before (i.e. the scenes in which the members are wearing white and have this white light shining throughout the windows), and the aftermath of developing into a beast (i.e. the scenes in which the members are wearing black). I like this play of opposites. I do think the outdoor scenes when the members are wearing their black outfits (and hence have converted to the dark side) could have been a bit more edgy, with the choreography scene shot at night and in the rain being a good example of what they should have aimed for. But I think what we got did a good job of wrapping the song up in a visual manner.

I also thought the choreography for this comeback was fantastic. I like X formation that appeared during the first pre-chorus, and the X’s incorporated via their arms throughout the choreography. Highly relevant. I also enjoyed the boxing moves and the dance break was very powerful and fitting for the instrumental sequence we got in the song.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] Kiss Kiss – LABOUM

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It is time to get back into review mode. There is a lot to catch up on over the last two weeks and before that, but let’s start on more recent releases and work our ways backwards. For this post, I will be focusing on LABOUM’s Kiss Kiss, which officially dropped yesterday. Kiss Kiss is a notable release for the group for a number of reasons. Firstly, the release marks seven years since the group’s debut. Secondly, it is the first release since the release of Firework back in 2019 (they did release a single titled CHEESE in 2020, but never promoted it). Kiss Kiss also follows the resurgence of Journey to Atlantis (one of their 2016 singles) earlier this year; is their first release as a four-member group since Yujeong’s exit from the group, and is their first release under Interpark Music Plus. Definitely a number of changes and milestones.

Pretend there is a spectrum. One end of the spectrum is the group’s earlier cutesy work, such as the recently popular Journey of Atlantis or Hwi Hwi. On the other end, you would find the group’s more refined and mature comebacks like Firework and Between Us (the latter song grew on me considerably since I reviewed it). Somewhere along the middle is Kiss Kiss. In a perfect world, Kiss Kiss would have taken the best of both worlds and created a really nice blended track, and I would have fallen for the track as both ends of the spectrum are favourite sounds from the group. But the resulting Kiss Kiss we did get doesn’t hit the mark. It is a pleasant track, so it isn’t all bad news. But I think that is the furthest extent I would go with describing the song. Kiss Kiss is rather forgettable, and I found that I had to really focus on the song to really get something out of it. The instrumental, while soothing and pretty, did not have any memorable elements within it, leading to a background that felt like a grey blur. If you were listening to Kiss Kiss casually, the instrumental won’t draw your attention. Likewise, the vocals were really nice when you focus on them and have a sweetness to them that made me smile. But the melodies just don’t pull you in as much. Solbin’s rapping was a nice touch and was well incorporated into the softer sound of Kiss Kiss. But like the vocals, not really something to pull you in. The hooks were weak and forgettable, as well. I wish each element really stood out from afar/if you were to listen to the song casually. If this was the case, I am sure I would have found myself gravitating back to the song. But Kiss Kiss just doesn’t do that and may become a victim of the skip button.

The Kiss Kiss music video looks good. It isn’t the most interesting music video, and the sets did look quite cheap (I think the main choreography one is one that we see often). But there were some good shots in there and their visuals were very strong. Like the song, there is a pretty and sweet aesthetic to this video, which made it pleasant to watch. I liked the post-production additions to the video, but I thought the style the producer/editors opted for suited a more cutesy style/concept than Kiss Kiss‘s concept (which I would say is slightly more mature).

The speed at which the choreography was at made the song seem more upbeat than what it felt like if you were to listen to the song by itself. I actually quite liked that. It gives off a different feel, and makes the song a little more inviting (but not enough to really change my thoughts above). I liked the ‘Kiss Kiss‘ part of the choreography (the one that outros the chorus).

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.9/10

[Review] MAVERICK – THE BOYZ

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Returning this week is THE BOYZ with their new single MAVERICK. This is the group’s first comeback since the release of THRILL RIDE, which just came out in early August and has been a hit for me ever since (even scoring a nomination for Best Song of 2021 in the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards – shameless plug right here). Let’s see if MAVERICK is up there with other great THE BOYZ singles.

As much as I really want to be ‘head over heels’ for MAVERICK, especially since I really enjoyed the likes of THRILL RIDE, I can’t really say I do. It is another song in which I had listened to with a straight face and equally stiff body. It isn’t a terrible song, as I always say. But it just doesn’t have that same level of excitement that THRILL RIDE threw at me. MAVERICK attempts to stand out with a bolder, darker and intense hip-hop sound, contrasting significantly with their brighter and upbeat hip-hop sound in their previous comeback. To a degree, they hit that brief. But instrumentally, I did not find MAVERICK as dynamic or unique as it could have been. Instead, I thought the backing for MAVERICK was pretty ordinary. There were some attempts to be explosive and bombastic, but nothing memorable stuck out at me. I feel like the same can be said with the vocals and rapping. The feeling I got from the members was rather muddled. Some parts I liked, such as bridge and the very epic high note we got in MAVERICK, or the vocal singing parts in the pre-chorus/chorus. Other parts felt dull and dry, such as the monotonous delivery of the song’s main hook (I had high hopes for ‘I’m a Maverick‘ when I first heard it, but the hopeful effect faded as it appeared throughout the other choruses, especially the final chorus). Or just unpleasant, like the squeamish ending to the words in the first rapping sequence that kicked off the song. Overall, MAVERICK doesn’t exceed any standard set by THRILL RIDE or their other past hits. But it was still bearable.

The trailer for this comeback sets up the premise of the music video. The members are part of this game, where the game has one rule – to not follow any rules. The person who wins the game is the Maverick. I am not too sure what the rules were, though I wonder if they are the lyrics featured on their teaser images. I assume the members have to kill one another in order to win. Anyhow, it seems that Eric is the winner and hence the Maverick, as he is the last member to appear on the screen. But there seems to be a plot twist at the end with the word/rule ‘Protect yourself from what you want’ appearing on the screen before the lights are out. We do get to see Eric make a quick glance over his shoulder upon this revelation, wary of what is about to come. I really liked the action in this video, along with the cinematography and acting from the members. It is different, intense and definitely a video to watch.

The performance does not disappoint, and I am not surprised. THE BOYZ have aimed high with their performances, and I did not expect anything otherwise. I really liked the powerful nature of this performance, with the choreography looking quite bold and dynamic. I don’t think it is their best work, but you can definitely tell of the effort and energy put behind this routine.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 9.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 6.2/10

[Review] Tick Tock – JUST B

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Also making their comeback on Wednesday of this week was JUST.B. Their first comeback since their debut with DAMAGE comes in the form of the single TICK TOCK and their first single album, JUST BEAT. Let’s see if TICK TOCK has what it takes to put JUST B on the map, following the likes of DAMAGE, which has managed to secure the group their nomination for Best New Male Group in the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards (voting will open mid-November).

If I have to answer that above proposition right away, I would have to say no. TICK TOCK, as JUST B’s second step into the industry, doesn’t really live up to the same standard as DAMAGE had set for them. To me, TICK TOCK is not a bad or terrible song. But long story short, TICK TOCK is just rather stagnant and plain. Despite all the abrasive synths and edginess that comes from the song, TICK TOCK‘s instrumentation sounded one-dimensional and lacked charm. It was pretty much neutral throughout, with nothing memorable or worth mentioning. The exact same could be said about the vocals and rapping. The member just didn’t infuse much character or personality, and hence TICK TOCK just doesn’t come off as a strong release. There, however, seems to be two somewhat decent elements to the song, but it isn’t really enough in hindsight to rescue the song from the pits of the song’s boring nature. The first element in question is the song’s repetitive ‘Tick Tock‘ hook. At first, it came off very monotone like the rest of the song. But as usual, a few repeats of TICK TOCK since its release has shown some hope for the song’s repetitive phrase. But it isn’t as strong as many other hooks in KPOP. The second is the glitchy effect in the song’s background. While I did like the effect in the song, I don’t think I can get past the rest of the dull instrumentation to really dig back into the song. It is quite disappointing, but there is (hopefully) next time for the group to show something of DAMAGE‘s calibre or more.

From what I understand, the video is all about tackling your own fears and getting that feeling of fear controlled. The video begins with the members in these futuristic machines that place the members into their worst fears or situations. Fires, lack of sight or not knowing what is happening around you, darkness, being chased by someone, underwater and loneliness (the mirror scenes) are fears or situations that the video zones into. I am not sure what the butterfly represents, but it seems to help the members overcome the fear – maybe its presence evokes a sense of calmness. But anyway, once the time is up, the members are pulled from their scenarios and wake up, with their fears controlled. I quite like this concept, if I interpreted it correctly. The sets looked industrial and futuristic, which helped with the edgy appeal.

The choreography for this comeback is its strongest element by far. I really enjoyed the impact the entire hook sequence had on stage, with said sequence consisting of their Tick Tock hand movement, the zombie walk and the vibrating bomb. The bridge was cool, with the x formation.

Song – 5.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating -7/10

[Review] Don’t Teach Me – Ailee

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With the big post of the week out the way, it is time to return to the usual programme of reviews. And there is a lot to cover this week. For this post, I will be looking at the long-awaited return of Ailee, who returned on Wednesday with Don’t Teach Me and her third studio-length album, Amy. This is Ailee first release since the pre-release single Make Up Your Mind from earlier on in the year, which is also featured on this album. This release also marks her first major release under THE L1VE, which is also home to Wheein (of Mamamoo).

Don’t Teach Me delves into the old swing genre with its brassy and old-style instrumental that just has this golden yet vintage glow. You will very much know that I enjoy brass elements, especially when it is used in upbeat applications. And so Don’t Teach Me ticks that box instantly. When the song hits the chorus, the instrumental makes me want to get up and dance. I had to refrain from doing so, or else there would be no review! What makes Don’t Teach Me even better is Ailee herself. It has been a while since we heard a powerful display of vocals from Ailee, and she just takes Don’t Teach Me to the next level. At the start of the song, Ailee’s vocals (paired with minimal piano) added suspense to the song and intrigued me into listening further to Don’t Teach Me. When we get to the choruses, Ailee really throws powerful vocals at us, as we get to the end of the segment. This naturally adds definition and oomph to the song that just takes the song to the next level. I think the song could have used some more interesting hooks. The ‘Please Don’t Teach Me‘ hook that follows the second and third choruses felt somewhat one-dimensional and didn’t really feel like it matched the rest of the song. It worked well, but I think Don’t Teach Me would have been a vastly better song with something bolder and punchy. But overall, Don’t Teach Me is a fantastic comeback from Ailee. It has been a while since we heard from her in this light and it was definitely satisfying to finally get something so.

Unfortunately, the music video didn’t fare as well as the song. While the setting, outfits (and damn, does Ailee look great throughout this video) and concept match the song and its lyrics wonderfully, I found the video to be dry. Essentially, the video is about Ailee making a statement to ‘all the boys who think they can control a woman’ and hence makes all the heads turn in her direction. I wished they did something more with all those people in that ballroom, that would have made the video a bit more interesting. However, there was one ballroom segment which I thought was pretty cool. At the start of the final chorus, Ailee’s vocals and energy broke a mirror and statue in time with the music. It was a clever and fun nod to both the message of the song/video and Ailee’s powerfulness.

The performance itself was quite good. There isn’t anything really special about the performance, but I liked that it was well-fitted to the song and had an element of fun to it as well. Ailee offset the lack of something special with her live vocals, which is still something to be in awe of.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] Favorite (Vampire) – NCT 127

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Also making their comeback today is NCT 127, who returns with Favorite (Vampire). This comeback sees the release of the group’s repackaged version of their third studio length album, which also shares the first name of the title track. It follows the release of Sticker, which I didn’t enjoy and actually have forgotten about since reviewing it back in mid-September. Let’s see how Favorite (Vampire) fairs, Also, on a side note, with the release of the repackaged album, you can expect an album review for both Sticker/Favorite this weekend!

Without a doubt, I would choose Favorite as my preferred track between the two releases from the group this year. Favorite flowed a lot better and felt more cohesive than the earlier track. However, this doesn’t mean I am 100% into the song. I am more so 99% into the track (plot twist much?). The issue lies within the instrumentation, as I don’t really like the wispy synth whistles in the instrumentation. They get better as the song progresses, and they might very well grow on me. But when I hear it for the first time every time I have replayed the song, I find them to be unsettling. Aside from that, I think Favorite was a really great track. It taps into R&B pop and has this smoothness to it, which I enjoyed. I also liked the more profound and normal whistling in the song (even though they did bring a certain level of dullness to the song), along with the trap elements that make up the background for the more rap-centric (rap-spoken) sequences, which added both and edgy vibe and kick to the song. They could have used less of the whistling, but it wasn’t the worst thing in the world. I think the worst thing in the world in the context of Favorite would be the dubstep breakdown. I am glad that didn’t make it into the final cut of the song (it was only in the music video, and I presume in the upcoming performances as well). If it did, it would have been unnecessary and obnoxious to listen to. Moving away from that, I thoroughly enjoyed the vocal works. Again, the smoothness comment can be applied here, and to the melodies which the members bring to life. The harmonies take it to the next level, while the two-syllable delivery they used at the end of the choruses made the song memorable for me. Overall, Favorite is definitely the superior track in comparison to Sticker, and is definitely a strong improvement from the mentioned last release.

The members (or at least some of the members) are vampires in this music video. The idea of it works really well with the music, from how I see it. The R&B pop song was very mature sounding, and I feel that the portrayal of the members as vampires was also quite mature as well. We don’t see any Count Draculas, and we don’t see any stereotypical portrayals of vampires as per folklore or stories depict them to be. I guess this mature vibe comes about because the song is about a relationship that is inevitably going to end, even though their partners are everything to them. While I think the vampire idea is great, I would like to see the concept be a more prominent feature in this music video. Also, I didn’t like the use of CGI in this video. It wasn’t the case across the board, but some parts looked noticeably synthetic. Thankfully, the dance sets balanced it out and made it seem less so.

The performance aspect of this comeback looks quite good. I really liked the two lines of members during the final moments of the chorus, and how they seemingly got into that formation. The dance break was quite dynamic, led by Taeyong, Mark and Jaehyun.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] bugAboo – bugAboo

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We kick off this new week with the debut of bugAboo. This is a new female group, currently signed under A Team Entertainment, consisting of six members (Eunchae, Yoona, Rainie, Cyan, Choyeon and Zin). They make their first step into the KPOP industry with a self-titled track and their first single album (also self-titled).

bugAboo (the song) thrives on its vibrant and energetic tone. And I am all for it. The instrumentation for bugAboo is an attraction, with the dance track exuding the very familiar but powerful funky energy during its prominent moments. But aside from the funkiness, I really liked the brass in bugAboo. The boldness from the brass at the start in particular was very intriguing and got me interested in the song. From what I understand, the song has combined the famous works of Ennio Morricone into the dance track, and I think the brass is the first evidence of this (I had to Google this, but Ennio Morricone is a famous Italian composer, orchestrator, conductor and trumpeter, who is most well known for music scores in film, most notably The Good, the Bad and the Ugly), though I am not too sure. I am more certain of the wild-west twang we get in the pre-chorus and instrumentation in the bridge being pieces of Ennio Morricone’s works in this song. bugAboo is also a strong showing of vocals. I really enjoyed how clear and crisp the members were in bugAboo. I was essentially sold when the first member started singing (Yoona, I believe) and was pulled into the song further by the subsequent members and their harmonies. I do think the rapping could have been a bit more substantial in this song, as I felt bugAboo called for more edginess. The chorus was fun and super catchy from the get-go, with the hook on full repeat in my head. The dramatic change in tone in the bridge was very interesting. It came out of nowhere, but it somehow fitted in and worked well with the rest of the song. Overall, bugAboo’s debut with their self-titled song was an amazing step into the industry, and I am definitely intrigued to see what the group will do next!

You can tell that their company has put a lot of money behind the group based on this music video. Hopefully, it pays off and their subsequent comebacks don’t suffer as we have recently seen with some other acts. The music video seems to be a bit of a playful hint at Halloween, with a spooky but fun theme throughout. I got a bit of Ghostbuster vibes at the end of the video, which I quite liked. Based on the official description of the storyline, the members find their main source of fear to overcome it (definitely nice to have an official description for the video, especially when the storyline is masked amongst the fun and playful tones). Overall, it was still a good video to watch and enjoy.

The group had their debut showcase a week in advance of their official release date, giving us insight into their routine before the music video (usually, it is the other way). Even though there was a mistake in their first performance, I am very surprised at their confidence and stage presence. There is a lot of potential from the group members from this stage alone. With the dance moves, I really liked the hand flicking over their heads for the song’s main hook. I was also surprised they pulled off the pyramid on stage (though I won’t be surprised if their performance is amended in the future to omit this, as I can see it being dangerous) and I loved the whip around at the very end of the performance.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9/10

[International Song Reviews] TWICE, MONSTA X, Stray Kids & LOONA

Posted in JPOP, Reviews, Western POPTagged , , , 5 Comments

It is another edition of the International Song Reviews segment. Last week, I posted an ISR consisting reviews for Ten, Jackson Wang, WAYV, Yuqi and 2PM. This week, I will be focusing on another set of releases brought to you by TWICE, MONSTA X, Stray Kids and LOONA. I am keeping this post to just four tracks today, rather than the usual five, so I can focus on some other things today. As this post have a lot to cover, let’s get started!

The Feels – TWICE

I listened to this full English song when the music video dropped at the start of this month. I didn’t think much of it then (and honestly I never returned to it until today). But I have to say, the ‘Boy, I know you got the feels‘ repeated one-liner hook is so damn catchy. It somehow gotten stuck in my head since that first listen, even though it was very much delayed. Anyhow, The Feels is a funky pop track, and listening back I am surprised I didn’t return to the track sooner. It is a very vibrant and colourful track, suitable for my personal taste and TWICE’s overall discography. I really enjoyed the energy that comes from it. The members sound fantastic, and I just love the elongation of the word ‘feels’ in that hook. My only gripe about the song is Chaeyoung’s lines in the pre-chorus. They just didn’t feel like a perfect fit. I liked the music video, but it isn’t that special. The theme seems to be prom-queens, but it seems to be more than that with the red carpet and stage sets. Regardless of what the theme is, The Feels music video is fun and pleasant to watch. For the dance, I thought it was great. Again, nothing special with it. But it works wonderfully with the music. (8/10)

One Day – MONSTA X

A month prior to the above song’s release, MONSTA X released another all English track titled One Day. Since then, the group has been confirmed for a Korean and Western comeback in the next two months, so do expect to see more of MONSTA X on the blog. Now, back to the song in question. One Day is an atmospheric yet simple synth-heavy ballad that I quite enjoyed. One Day really does a good job of presenting stillness and comes off as soothing and calming. The instrumental also comes off as dreamy. For the vocals (which appears to be the song’s sore point for some), I thought MONSTA X did a really nice job. I did think they could have pushed themselves more to be even more expressive, but their delicate tone and emotional touch fits the bill perfect for the song’s meaning and overall sound. The melodies were stunning, as well, adding to this. Both the song and music video features Shownu, who recently enlisted into the military. It was definitely nice to see him one more time. Unfortunately, Hyungwon was missing from the group shots for this music video for unknown reasons. For the music video, I liked the simplicity of the video as well. I also liked the mature visuals that the members gave off. They look good and somehow the mature vibes fitted in with the idea of the song being a ballad for me. (8.6/10)

Scars – Stray Kids

Knowing fully what Stray Kids is capable of, Scars is quite underwhelming for me. Coming off the high of their recent Korean comeback, I would have liked to hear something with the same level of impact and energy. But Scars didn’t deliver this. It doesn’t mean that Scars is a bad song, however. But it is definitely not their best. Scars was a pleasant EDM track – nothing more, nothing less. The members opted for a sentimental tones that sounds nice. But once again, nothing more, nothing less. Vocally, the sentimental tone came naturally and actually sounded quite good. Rapping wise, I thought it was plain. The EDM sound that Scars opted for attempted to add impact, but it more so fizzled out once that impact is delivered. Hence, everything came together to contribute towards an underwhelming and not-so-memorable track. For the music video, it seems like the members are running away (well, more so slowly walking) from ghostly apparitions. They seek shelter in a caravan and kick start a device that repels the ghosts during the night. Then, the story kind of repeats itself and doesn’t really resolve. I hope there is a second part to this, as I think it could potentially be an interesting story to dive into. The choreography for this comeback was quite good, fitting in with the sentimental and mature tones of the song. It doesn’t hit hard, but there was some intensity in the choreography that was quite satisfying to watch as well. (7/10)

HULA HOOP – LOONA

I was quite nervous to hear that LOONA’s company is in the financial red, which puts a massive question mark over the group’s future. But seeing LOONA still pumping out music is a bit of a reassuring sign. Mid-September saw the group release their first original Japanese single, HULA HOOP. It is a dance pop track that is very chirpy and energetic. Actually, in comparison to their debut track which I would say is the equilavent of this track (Hi High, if you are wondering), HULA HOOP seems to let its go a bit. Nothing wrong there, if I am being honest, but I do miss the certain aesthetic that we associate with the group when it comes to their tracks. I liked their vocals and the hooks throughout HULA HOOP quite a bit. They are fun and definitely cutesy. This isn’t usually my cup of tea, but as I always say, there are exceptions. The music video is very unique, with everything moving in an upward direction. I will give them points for that. But I also feel that the video overwhelms us with all the post production applications. It made everything feel a bit much. In the midst of all the overwhelming graphics, you can see a lot of throwbacks to the group’s previous releases through the images, outfits and props (including some of their pre-debut works). No surprises come in the choreography. I enjoyed the fun and energetic side of the song, and the synchronisation between the members makes the performance cooler (as always). (8.2/10)

[Review] ICONS – Hot Issue

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At the end of September, HOT ISSUE made their first comeback with ICONS. This follows their debut, GRATATA, from April earlier this year. For those who missed their debut, the female group is made up of seven members and are currently under S2 Entertainment.

HOT ISSUE tones down the aggression in ICONS, going with a generic hip-hop sound in this dance track. When I compare their debut and comeback tracks, I cannot help but think that ICONS felt more so like a step backward. It isn’t a massive set back for the group if I was being honest, but it doesn’t really show off much of the group or offer anything original to really talk about. I would say that the rapping and vocal delivery was quite solid throughout, with the pre-chorus being the most vivid part of ICONS for me. But the generic nature of the song doesn’t really help to emphasise that. When the chorus dawns, we are left with an overly generic and forgettable centrepiece that makes you question where the boldness from their debut track had gone. Obviously, I wished that the chorus was more dynamic, as that would have done wonders for ICONS. We do get a peek of some potential dynamism in the final chorus with the extra layer of instrumentation. While that could have benefited from some remoulding as well, I think it is what could have applied to the earlier choruses to give them that additional appeal. A stronger hook would also be helpful, as well, as the one we got was pretty generic and was not enticing.

For the music video, it is one of the many videos that you can watch it once and you can probably describe it reasonably well without ever returning to watch it again as a refresher. It is pretty generic is what I am trying to say, with the closeup and choreography adopted for this video. The sets didn’t offer much assistance in making this video cooler. The outfits were okay. They did bring forth a badass tone, but they aren’t the most stunning outfits ever.

I feel the boldest aspect of the comeback is the performance. While the verses also share the same generic description as the song and the video, the routine in the chorus felt like it went a bit harder than the rest, which I think is a positive outcome to have, at least somewhere in the midst of all the plainness.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 5/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 5.2/10

[Review] Rock With You – SEVENTEEN

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The next comeback is one that I am really excited for. Of course I am talking about SEVENTEEN and their comeback today, Rock With You. The new song is featured on their ninth mini-album, Attacca. This release follows their Ready To Love comeback earlier on in the year, which was followed up with their side track Anyone. On a side note, Jun and The8 are not part of the promotions due to schedules in China. However, they were part of the album recording and the music video shoot, so you can expect to still see them in some capacity during the Rock With You era.

Over many recent reviews, I have continually saying I want more from the songs. And I feel that SEVENTEEN’s Rock With You delivers that ‘more’ that I am desiring. Rock With You takes on a pop rock sound that has a lot of great and vibrant energy. This alone is enough as a selling point to the song. Sure, I acknowledge the fact that they could have turned up the dial with some of the rock elements to make the song even better. But that doesn’t mean the song is not satisfying enough. I do question the use of the squeaky bed spring synths in the pre-chorus, but I am glad they are masked by the rest of the instrumentation and it doesn’t become a distraction. Rock With You is quite a vocal track, with the rapping taking a bit of a backburner in this song. There is still a bit of rapping, but it makes up only a small portion of the song. And I think this is a good call. Rock With You has that rock influence, and the rappers bring either a raspy or hoarse voice to the song when they sing. Both goes hand-in-hand, adding texture to the song. S.Coup, in particular, handles his part of the bridge really well, despite having all the instrumentation stripped away for a brief second. Another good call here, as it makes the final chorus explosive. But his vocals also had a delicate touch to the song. The rest of the group do an amazing job on the vocal front. Melody-wise, Rock With You is quite strong in this department, and this enables the song to be very catchy and addictive. Overall, another amazing song from the group.

The music video is fantastic. I really like the fast paced nature of the song, which matched the tempo of the song. I found that it helped amp up the vibrancy and energy of the video. I liked the used of the ripped borders around the image, and how those images were used as transitional elements in the video. I also quite liked the sets, especially the stage. It just felt fitting for the song and looked perfect in this video. I also quite enjoyed the camera work in this video, especially when they shot the members from the side during the choreography shoots. It added an ‘up close and personal’ type of feel to the video, making it as if we are watching them from the side of the stage.

I really enjoyed the performance. The choreography was just fitting and perfect for the song, as expected from SEVENTEEN. The energy that comes from this performance is so cool. But what really makes this performance even better was the ad-libs we got at the end of the stage performance. It heightens everything that is already in the song and adds hype to the final part of the performance.

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

[Review] Black Crown – KINGDOM

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Yesterday, I finally got around to reviewing KINGDOM’s July release, KARMA. Just almost 5 months late. But don’t worry about their next review! As promised in KARMA‘s review, I will be looking at KINGDOM’s comeback, from yesterday, today. It is titled Black Crown and is from their third mini-album since debut, History Of Kingdom : Part Ⅲ. Ivan.

Black Crown opts for a similar foundation as their previous title tracks. But there is a bit more to this song, thanks to the additional few types of synths used in the foundation. It isn’t a great deal to make this song better, but it is enough to set it apart from the pack. What does make Black Crown better is the use of the choir chanting and the orchestral instrumentation. They definitely gave the song flair and very epic energy that makes it hard to miss on your playlist. There are also some other influences in the song. There is a bit of sampling of a ballet track of some sort throughout. which complimented the orchestral flourishes Black Crown had. It also added a bit of a creepy vibe to the song. Black Crown also had some dance synths embedded in the song (hear the very brief synth just heard at the start of the final chorus). I kind of wished they explored this side more, as could have taken Black Crown to the next level and help differentiate the track from their previous titles even more. Unfortunately, the rest of the song is a bit disappointing. The vocals were good, though I am not keen on the non-memorable melodies and shouty delivery of the chorus. Third time around, I am getting sick of it this chorus style from the group. Honestly, and this applies to the entire song, the producers really need to start exploring new genres for the group (or their producers need to be changed). There is a lot of consistency between the releases thus far, and if this continues, I fear that any appealing factor the group has will be dulled and the songs will become forgettable. Overall, I liked Black Crown‘s added elements, but the rest of the song is lacking and falling into a repetitive pattern with the rest of their main releases.

It appears that GF Entertainment has use a large chunk of their budget in their previous music videos. This unfortunately left Black Crown looking very cheap and low-budget. I would have preferred the music video to not have any green screen scenes, as they were the cause of the cheapness. I would have been fine with the ruin sets, and the story involving the two versions of KINGDOM, as they fight for the crown/protect the crown (depending on which side you are on). It also appears like the idea of the crown has awaken the evil side of member Ivan. As expected, the video focused on the King of Snow member (Ivan), who according to KPROFILES is named after King Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible). That would explain the snow (Russia has a lot of snow) and the ballet sample in the song (Russia is quite known for their ballet). Based on the ending of the video, we will be focusing on a Korean emperor. Based on KPROLFILES, the emperor in question is ‘Dangun, the legendary founder and king of Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom’, and the member in the centre of this is Dann.

I think the only negative aspect of the performance has to be the amount of people on stage. There was so much dancers, it kind of muddled and made the performance messy for me. But aside from that, the start of the choreography looked very cool. The dragging of the female dancers was a really nice way to get them off the stage. The lifting of the members throughout the choreography added an artistic touch to the performance, as well.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.7/10

[Review] KARMA – KINGDOM

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Before I zip ahead to review KINGDOM’s comeback tomorrow, I thought I take a time to finally review KARMA, the male rookie’s first comeback that occurred back in July of this year. For those who missed it, KINGDOM is a new seven-member male group under GF Entertainment who debuted at the start of the year with Excalibur. After KARMA, the group made their second comeback in their careers with Black Crown today, which I will review tomorrow.

I feel that KARMA is a bit of an improvement for KINGDOM. But I do think the song is still in lukewarm waters and hasn’t grown on my much since its release mid-year. I found the base of KARMA to be pretty much similar to Excalibur (i.e. the EDM in the chorus felt the same and the powerfulness of the song in on par with their debut song). It isn’t necessarily a bad thing for this song, but I guess was hoping for something a lot more different to what we have already from them. But that is only the background of the background. I was actually quite satisfied with everything else. I quite like what the producers did in the foreground of the song. I am referring to the traditional oriental influence that KARMA has, and I quite liked its ongoing presence in the song. Again, it isn’t original, but it definitely adds a memorable factor to the song. My only critique here was to tone down the powerful dominance of the plain EDM in the chorus, just so the traditional elements could also be heard more cleanly. The mention of improvement at the start of this section of the review also extends to the vocal elements. I thought the vocals were a lot more dynamic this time around, even though someone sounded slightly screechy. The rapping in this song had a very cool factor to it, which I quite liked. Overall, a definite improvement. I haven’t listened to Black Crown just yet, but I hope it is another step in the right direction for the group/

In my Excalibur review, I did mention I was worried they were going to redo the same music video for each king that the members are supposedly based on. While it seems like they essentially did just that for this music video (with focus on the Chinese Emperor, Chiyou), it actually came off as a stunning visual piece and I am not bored of it. Maybe by the last king, I would be bored. But for now, I will backtrack on that comment. Overall, this was a really captivating video. I loved the traditional elements that featured in the video, from the sets to the outfits. The members definitely look amazing and aesthetic in their traditional gear. I am definitely looking forward to next king (possibly the Snow King, based on clues from the ending?). On a side note, I am not keen on their choreography outfits. They looks bulky and tiresome to deal with.

Adding to the traditional feels, I really liked the use of the fans in the performance. They added both a wow factor and a pretty element to the routine. I also liked the moments in which the members were being carried, namely the bridge of the song and the ending. Not only did they add height to the performance in the literal sense, I felt it was a fitting way to end the performance, given their regal concepts.

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