Category: Reviews

[Review] Scared – P1Harmony

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The next comeback to occur, and be reviewed, this week was made by P1Harmony. P1Harmony returned on Tuesday (once again, apologies for the delay in the review) with their very first comeback since their debut six months ago in October 2020 with Siren. This latest comeback features the group’s second mini-album, Disharmony: Break Out and the title track Scared.

Right off the bat, Scared really appealed to me with its intense and high level energy. As mentioned in the past, hip-hop isn’t my preferred genre in general, let alone in the Korean music scene. But like all things, there are always exceptions and Scared falls into the latter category for me. I have to admit that I was weirded out by the instrumentation when I first heard the song. The constantly clashing instrumentation, which sounds like a lot of metal falling on top of one another, felt a bit much for me at first. But as I continually replayed the song the next day, it grew considerably on me and it is the element of the song that I look forward to the most when I play the song now. I really liked how that even while the clashing like metal is not explicitly in the foreground of the instrumental, they are still present in the background but in a very muted fashion. It ties everything nicely together, creating a robust backing for this song. As the song delves into the hip-hop genre, the members that flourish the most are the rappers, and their delivery is definitely top notch during the verses. I was definitely head banging my way through the song. I am a little disappointed come to the first and second choruses, as I wished the rappers were more powerful with their delivery in this vital part of the song. They easily could have hit a home run if they were more dynamic. The instrumental in the chorus was definitely energetic, though could have been heightened further in my opinion. This would have helped tie the song together even more tightly. On the other side of the spectrum, the vocals were equally as good. While the rappers did flourish, the vocalists were not shorthanded during their parts of Scared. I mean, Kijung’s vocals during the latter was just on point and quite smooth. Overall, Scared is not song to be scared of. It may overwhelm at first, but it will grow on you.

I am not exactly sure what the story behind the start (and all the relevant scenes throughout the video) were about. My best guess is that each of the people who we see that are non-members were at one point scared of something. But they have joined this cult or following lead by the members of P1Harmony, which tells them not to be scared of anything. Even if the world around you is falling apart. Aside from my botchy storyline, I really like the underground vibes of the music video. It really worked well with the song and really complimented the subtle intensity those additional scenes from the start and throughout the video had.

What a performance! The incorporation of the football into the choreography was a really unique touch. The way the performance goes full circle by bringing back the football at the end, and the whole routine we saw at the end with Theo’s slide and Jungseob’s jumps over the dancers, was amazing. Throw in the choreography we saw throughout the routine, and you have a cool looking dance performance that emphasizes the intensity of the song. If that wasn’t enough, then Soul’s dance break would have been the icing on the cake. And this praise hasn’t factored in the fact they performed the entire performance with live vocals.

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

[Review] INSIDE OUT – NU’EST

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Next up on the blog is the review for INSIDE OUT, NU’EST’s most recent comeback. It dropped on Monday (apologies for the delay in the review) and is featured as the title track on NU’EST’s second Korean studio-length album, Romanticize. This comes after almost a full year since the group last promoted on a Korean stage with I’m In Trouble. The group did release their second studio album in the Japanese market, headlined by Drive, which I have previously reviewed. Romanticize and INSIDE OUT is a full group comeback, however Aron which only partly feature in promotions for the release due to ongoing health concerns. He previously stopped all activities earlier this year as a result of these health concerns. But I am glad that he feels he is well enough to participate as it is always unfortunate for a group to not promote with a full lineup, and the fans who have eagerly been awaiting a full group comeback of their favourite artists.

INSIDE OUT opens up in a very refreshing manner. If that was my initial impression of the song, surely INSIDE OUT would be a knock out of the park. But it didn’t really. Instead, NU’EST’s latest release suffered from a case of being too consistent. I bring back my straight analogy which I hardly use nowadays. The song simply stays within the confines of this straight line, going from point A to B. Sometimes, it is the selling point of the song. But most of the time, I find it a bit too tight for my liking. INSIDE OUT never really peaks or deviates from the line, resulting in a consistent and monotone sound. At the same time, however, I couldn’t really pinpoint anything wrong within the song if I were to extract it to the individual main elements I tend to focus on. The instrumental takes on chill house, which is what brings out that refreshing tone. I also like its minimalist vibes, which was promoted as one of the song’s charms. Maybe this combination added fuel to being overly consistent. The vocals are quite clear and crisp throughout the entire song. It was definitely a solid feature to the song. I wished the rapping (courtesy of JR) was a bit more dynamic. What we heard was fitting for the overall final product. But I think that this additional dynamism could broke the song from its consistency mould and made the song more appealing in that regards. Aside from the rapping, the song’s melodies and hooks are quite catchy. The opening of INSIDE OUT came back as post-chorus hooks and gave the song a little bounce. The vocals also helped the melodies appear a lot smoother, which was nice. But while I give praises for the elements within INSIDE OUT, it is the bigger picture that I find a bit boring.

Like the song, the music video opens in a very striking manner. I really like the way the camera goes around in circles with a very wide angle lens. I also really thought it going upside down was pretty cool. There were also many other cinematography shots that look really cool, so it is a video to check out if you are really into that stuff. I also find the music video to be quite smooth, with the transitions playing a vital role in making this happen. They are all your standard transitions, but the way they come together and blend the various scenes together make this video look so good. I also thought the concept behind the ball to be quite interesting. The ball just keeps on rolling away, which I assume represents the need to run away from their lover. But towards the end of the video, Baekho smashes the ball which I assume represents that they are staying with their love. The dominos could potentially be explained in a similar manner. The start of the video we see a domino piece leave the sequence, which prevents the continuation of the falling dominos. At the end of the video, we see Ren ponder and put down the piece, allowing the dominos to continue falling. My guess is the dominos represent his love for this partner. The start shows his love being cut short, but the end shows the love continuing as per the lyrics.

I liked the choreography that accompanied this release. While it isn’t really a mind blowing performance, I did like the energy exuded from the routine, especially during the chorus. It makes the song feel more lively. My favourite bit has to be the post-chorus hook (i.e. “you are the one I want, eh eh eh, you are the one I need eh eh eh‘). Not only was it catchy, but the moves felt like they could as well.

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

[Review] You make Me – DAY6

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DAY6 is officially back with a new mini-album, The Book of Us: Negentropy, which also serves as the final part of their The Book of Us series. This comeback, headlined by the title track You make Me, is also the first comeback in almost a year to feature all the members. For those who may not remember, DAY6 announced a hiatus the day prior to their Zombie comeback. DAY6 briefly made a comeback in August of last year. However only YoungK, Wonpil and Dowoon participated, forming DAY6’s first subunit, Even of Day. Unfortunately, we still won’t be able to see the group as a whole. Firstly, the group and JYP Entertainment confirmed reports that they were not going to promote the release. And secondly, prior to this comeback. member Sungjin enlisted into the military in March. However, he was still part of the recording process of the album and music video.

What I really enjoyed about You make Me are the range of textures that we get in the instrumental. Every part of the song has something unique and different to the rest of the song, which makes for a complex mix. But it somehow comes together and creates an unexpectedly warm atmosphere. The synths from the keyboard in the pre-chorus, the clashing drums and the return of the glitchy keyboard instrumental sequence we get at the end of the first and last chorus with the ‘You. Make. Me.‘, and the clashing drums following the second chorus (underneath Sungjin’s ‘If I. Lose You. …‘). DAY6’s vocal department, once again, shines so brightly throughout You make Me. It isn’t their most powerful or robust release to date. In fact, the vocal work in this song is surprisingly subdued and doesn’t really reflect the energy put through by those climatic instrumental moments. But their vocal work is pretty solid and felt very fulfilling nonetheless. You can also detect a slight tinge of emotions behind their vocals, almost yearning in a way. So they aren’t completely soulless in in this song. Overall, I find You make Me a decent song to listen to and definitely ranks as it is, towards the top end of my rating spectrum. However, at the moment, You make Me feels like it is lacking something. I am not sure what this something is, but the song just has this hard-to-pinpoint incompleteness about it. It could be some vocals that go a step further than what they have, or a more bitey hook to give You make Me a better edge. You make Me is definitely presentable as it is, but it wouldn’t hurt to give it that extra bit more.

Not entirely sure what is happening in this music video. But with a bit of help from the YouTube comments, a theory is formed. The start made it look like he got in a fight and was badly injured. However, he still made it to his girlfriend who is waiting for him. The way she comes to hug him tells me that she hasn’t she hasn’t seen him for a while. They drive off into the distance and along a dark road, his injury starts to catch up to him. He swerves onto the wrong side of a road, causing his girlfriend to be alarmed. She realizes that he has been stabbed and has been bleeding while driving. When they stop, she simply shakes him to not pass out. At this point, I noticed how pale both of them got in this scene. So my guess is that they both died. She probably died a long time ago (hence she greeted him as such at the start of the video but we didn’t realize it at first). And he loses colour (and turns pales) as he drives, so I guess he just died or dies driving away. We see a glimpse of the beach with footprints leading into the ocean as he passes out, before he wakes up in the car and shows her his bandaged wounds. He smiles, while she slaps softly him for causing her alarm. My guess is that he was dead all along. The bandaged wounds were probably some sort of representation of healing wounds as one commenter said (credit goes to Pen cil), as the song (and album series) is all about different emotions. They continue driving until they reach the beach, where they enjoy each others company away from the rest of the world. The beach, based on his vision when he passed out earlier, is probably a representation of the afterlife which to two enjoy together. After putting a story together, the video feel quite nice. I really like the warm and dark tones in the video, representing each stage of life shown in the video (i.e. death and afterlife). I wished the music video had some sort of electronic component to bring that part of the song to life. I am not talking flashy animations or massive LCD screens. More like light strobes behind the members as they perform with their instruments. I think that would fit the aesthetic of the video.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Review] Love Song – Yoon Ji Sung

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The next review is for Yoon Jin Sung’s recent comeback. After finishing up with Wanna One at the end of 2019, Yoon Ji Sung immediately began his solo career with the release of In The Rain two months after Wanna One disbanding. He later followed up with his comeback I’ll Be There, before going on hiatus for his military enlistment. He officially completed his mandatory military enlistment in November 2020. Yesterday, Yoon Ji Sung released his third mini-album (titled Temperature of Love) and the lead single, Love Song.

Yoon Ji Sung’s pre-military enlistment works have been heavily influenced by the slower paced ballads, fitting for his vocalist status during his Wanna One days. Love Song seems to steer Yoon Ji Sung’s solo work in a new direction, opting for something more upbeat. Unfortunately, it sounds like a typical pop song. But don’t me wrong, I don’t hate it, nor do I think it is terrible song. It does still sound decent and good. But it isn’t really evoking much from me as a listener. Personally, I wouldn’t go of my way to search the song specifically, but I wouldn’t mind hearing it if it randomly popped up on my playlist. And that is based on my experience thus far. I have replayed the song a number of times for this review (on top of listening to the song yesterday when it first came out), but I am failing to notice much that is worth talking about. I had the exact same thoughts for my first initial expression of the song. It is pretty much a song in neutral gear for me, progressing along in a predictable manner. I wished his work was a lot more expressive and engaging. I guess Love Song‘s main driving force is Yoon Ji Sung’s vocals, which was quite solid. While the melodies and hooks were plain and not that memorable, I did like his execution of the chorus and the harmonisation within this section of the song as well. What Yoon Ji Sung could have done to make the song more engaging was commit to the rapping for the second verse. He seems to go in that direction for the second verse, but ends up opting for a rap-sing type of delivery which isn’t as exciting. But unfortunately, I don’t think that would be enough to really make the song a whole heap better.

Love Song is all about missing your significant other. And I guess Yoon Ji Sung portrays it well in the music video, looking bored and unfocused as a result of missing his significant other. That, or he also agrees with my sentiments about the song. But I think the former is a more logical and obvious explanation for this facial expressions. I liked the video revolved around food, which is something essential in life, amongst other things. But the joy of life is sucked out of Yoon Ji Sung, who burns his toast by not paying attention to it, fills up scales instead of bowls for cereal. When he does get that opportunity to communicate with his significant other, he is also quite distracted (i.e. chatting clothed in a warm and steaming bathtub). Aside from actively showcasing the lyrics, the music video was filled with nice colours thanks to the set design and lighting. There is a dullness to them despite picking vibrant colours, which I thought was a great choice for the video and the song.

Like the song, the choreography was pretty unexciting, which fits in with the overall profile of the song. But isn’t a terrible routine, but it was pretty repetitive. I did like the flow of it, as it didn’t feel as tight or strict as other routines. It was freeing, which works well with the pop sound of the song.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 6.4/10

[Review] water colour – Wheein (Mamamoo)

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The next comeback to review from earlier in the week was made by Wheein, one of the members of Mamamoo. While Wheein is the final member of the group to release a mini-album under her name, she actually made her solo debut way back in 2018 with the single Easy (featuring Sik-K). She then followed up with the single Good Bye in 2019. This past Tuesday, Wheein returned with the single water color and her debut mini-album, Redd.

Once again, I am using the term ‘pleasant’ to describe water color, but in a good way. Everything in water color felt very balanced and this makes the song extremely satisfyingly to listen to. We are know that Wheein is capable of powerful vocals through her collaborative stages and past work as part of Mamamoo. But water color manages to show off Wheein’s vocals without tapping into that powerhouse mode. As a result, other elements of water color were given an opportunity to shine. They melodies had a nice ring and helped make the song quite flowy. But not too flowy where the song felt like a blur. There were some nice cuts to the flow that make the song more enjoyable (i.e. her brief rap-speak one-liners just prior to the first two chorus), coming in the right time. They also reminded me a bit of Easy. The overall instrumental was quite groovy and brought a nice upbeat vibe to the song. It isn’t the most special or freshest background out there. But it is a nice relief from the loads of intense EDM we get a lot nowadays. It also has this nostalgic factor. I also really like the post-chorus instrumental break with the higher pitched squeaky synths, which brings forth that nostalgic factor even more. The heavily autotuned vocals (not exactly what the technical term for these vocals are) we get in the bridge also bring the same effect. I think water color could have benefited from a catchier and more memorable hook. The hooks we got were good, but the producers of the song should have somehow delivered more oomph to make them more recognisable and engaging. Overall, another nice song under Wheein’s belt.

I am kind of glad that Wheein’s fashion was a bit more typical than the outfits that Solar wore for her solo debut. It is definitely more of her style and fits in the pleasant tone that I mentioned above for the song. I also enjoyed about the fashion was the splash of colour it gave the video. It also made her the centre of attention, allowing her to stand out in what felt like settings that felt relatively plain. Similarly, the dancers also wore multi-coloured clothing. But Wheein’s outfits somehow felt bolder compared to the dancers. Aside from that, the music video opts for a choreography and closeup formula, and I felt there isn’t much else to the video to talk about.

I really like how they brought the grooviness out of the song via the choreography. It was definitely a nice routine, thought I think it could have been better if it was snappier. Like the song, it isn’t the most original routine out there. But it does its job at showcasing Wheein’s performance skills and complimenting the music.

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

[Review] Antidote – Kang Daniel

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The next review on this blog is for Kang Daniel, who yesterday wrapped up his colour trilogy with the release of single Antidote and his 4th mini-album, Yellow. This release comes after the release of PARANOIA back in February this year. Yellow follows the releases of mini-albums Cyan in March 2020 (featuring the title track 2U) and Magenta in August 2020 (featuring the title track Who U Are). It also serves the final chapter of the colour trilogy (as mentioned), which was a project for Kang Daniel ‘to find his true colours as a solo artist’.

Antidote combines your traditional rock with alternative R&B elements to create a very moody and heavy track. The first few seconds of the song opened up in a way that reminded me of PARANOIA. I have nothing against going down that fierce route again, I just don’t want it to be a rehashed version of the February pre-release. But there was nothing to worry about. After those few seconds, we get another loaded song (the song is all about seeking the antidote for heartbreak that you just cannot cure), but it is more held back compared to his previous release. The first verse was essentially a slow buildup to the chorus. The minimalistic instrumental for the first verse felt like it was simmering away and was very much in the backseat. In the forefront was Kang Daniel’s vocals. He started out with a low husky tone before progressing to vocals that were more piercing. The chorus is when the song combines the rock and alternative R&B, which was layered underneath more piercing vocals from the solo artist. The second verse featured a really nice change of sound, opting for the addition of strumming guitars to the verse mix. It kept the song interesting and engaging for me. If the song had replicated the first verse for the second verse, I would have found Antidote very dry and boring. To me, the bridge of Antidote was its weak point. I felt like it abruptly cut the momentum of the song after its second chorus. Furthermore, I wasn’t much of a fan of going back to those simmering vibes (once again) and typical synths. Not really imaginative and innovative. Kang Daniel’s rapping also felt unnecessarily autotuned in this part. Overall, I felt like Antidote was a strong release for Kang Daniel, putting a nice end to his journey with this series. But it could have been better.

Despite the song being quite heavy with its messaging, the music video seems to be a little more colourful and vibrant than what I had expected. But that’s okay. It is different and I like that. I also enjoyed the simplicity in terms of sets. Like the song, this simplicity allows the focus to be purely on Kang Daniel throughout the four minutes. I really like the start where Kang Daniel is surrounded by those broken body parts, symbolizing the pain in which he is seeking a cure for. Him preforming on stage and everyone viewing him through the mobile screens showcases his struggles as a celebrity and the constant awareness that he is in the public eye, which will take a mental toll on his mind. I also really liked the setup of the final choreography sequence, where he (and the dancers) are performing on top of the building and mirrors, which looked quite cool. It would have been nice to see the other two parts of the trilogy be reflected as part of this music video.

As mentioned earlier, I felt the song held back. And I felt this was really well reflected in the performance side of the comeback. His moves aren’t powerful as powerful as his previous comebacks and take on a more fluid approach. I quite like that. It was a captivating performance and showcases a different side of Kang Daniel that I don’t think we have seen before.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.1/10

[Review] Atlantis – SHINee

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After taking a short break to recover from the more than usual reviews over the weekend, I am jumping back into the reviewing chair with this week’s first major release. SHINee made their long awaited comeback back in February with Don’t Call Me (the title of the lead track and title of their 7th studio album), three years after their previous comeback. Two months on, and the group has returned with the the repackaged version of their 7th studio album and the new single, Atlantis. Just a heads up that the album review for Don’t Call Me/Atlantis will be published this weekend. But we are hear about my personal thoughts about the new song, so let’s have a closer listen to Atlantis.

Take all of SHINee’s past work and boil them down into one song. I think that is the best way to describe the nostalgia and my overall thoughts of Atlantis. And that is saying a lot, given all of SHINee’s massive hits. The song starts off what I could describe as its own blank canvas, light guitar strumming that felt like the background was simmering way. It is paired with powerful vocals from Taemin and Key. It is then followed up with an atmospheric pre-chorus, heightened by the presence of those violins and Onew’s soaring vocals. The combination of this pre-chorus builds up effortlessly towards the chorus. The chorus itself combines an intensifying mixture of pulsating synths and percussion that just snowballs exponentially into a thrilling and adrenaline-inducing instrumental piece. And that isn’t enough, as SHINee comes together as one to sing their way through the chorus. I found the hooks and melodies to be quite piercing (in a good way), hooking me further into Atlantis. The song then repeats the sounds and vibes of the first chorus, but replacing Onew’s powerful pre-chorus with an equally as powerful rapping pre-chorus by Minho. Minho sounds different than usual, which I think is the result of throwing energy and intensity behind his delivery. This section is also heightened grungy synths that later evolved into a full on rock sequence. Atlantis then pulls back the pulsating chorus returns, followed up the vocal-centric stripped down bridge and finally ending with that chorus again (with the addition of ad-libs and what felt like added intensity). Overall, Atlantis really took on board all of SHINee’s strengths and moulded it into a song that has blown me (and many others) away.

While I do like the vibrancy of the music video provided by the presence of the members, and all the imagery that the video contained reminding us of the sea (i.e. tentacle in the can, the many appearances of various sea creatures, the visual pattern of ocean and sea), I wish the music video was more dynamic to match the energy of the song. I just feel what we got as a music video just doesn’t do the song justice. The use of the sets were nice, but they added a heavy coating of plainness and stillness to the video, rather than exuding that mature and legendary status that we now (and for a very long time) have associated with SHINee. The most promising set out of all the set was the sandy colour background which the producers applied a holographic sea water pattern over to resemble the shore line.

You cannot tell that in their 13th year and their oldest member is now past 30 with this choreography. SHINee kept themselves synchronized and in beat with the fast tempo of the song. It makes for an amazing routine. To me, it is not the chorus that is the routine’s best moments. Rather, I find the gracefulness of the first pre-chorus and the intensity of the second pre-chorus to be the routine’s best, showcasing two different but strongly compatible sides of SHINee.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] 5K – Lee Jin Hyuk (UP10TION)

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The final review this weekend’s focus on solo artists (I really need to get back to the usual program of reviewing all artists) is Lee Jin Hyuk’s comeback. Lee Jin Hyuk made his solo return to the stage on Monday through the release of 5K and the mini-album, Scene26. This is the soloist’s first comeback since Bedlam in June of last year (and we are still awaiting for the day in which Lee Jin Hyuk makes a return to UP10TION). Since Bedlam, Lee Jin Hyuk was scheduled to make his acting debut early this year through the drama Dear. M, but the drama has been put on hold due to a scandal involving the lead actress. But that is acting and I am not here to review that. I am here to review 5K, so let’s get going.

Lee Jin Hyuk’s solo work have been a miss for me, so far. We have the boring single (i.e. I Like That) and the (to put it bluntly) off-putting releases (i.e. Bedlam). 5K seems to not fit in either of those categories. Gone are the shouting vocals that dominated his previous song, with Lee Jin Hyuk opting for a more pleasing delivery of traditional raps and vocals. When he isn’t overwhelming, he actually sounds quite skilled. I do like that he goes in and out of rapping and singing, which gives the song a wide range of variety. It also seems like Lee Jin Hyuk infuses a bit of a fun character to his delivery, which makes his vocals and rapping even more appealing. I don’t follow Lee Jin Hyuk personally, but my assumption is that this character is what fans would commonly associate with him (based on what I am reading in the YouTube comments). To match the colourful profile lee Jin Hyuk presents us in 5K, the song’s instrumentation opts for a fun profile. Brass, which seems to be the industry’s go to sound for something fun, is heavily employed in the chorus. The jazzy piano that features as part of the chorus is also a nice addition. I also enjoyed the funky sound profile that the song opts for in the verses, further tapping 5K into current trends. So far, so good. But it is the song’s major hook that acts as the hurdle this time around to liking the song. The constant repetition of ‘5K’ (which is a pun on ‘OK‘, as 5 sounds similar to O in Korean) wears off by the midpoint of the song and frankly is annoying by the end of the song. But given his past two releases, I think 5K is his best yet. There are still some improvements that can be made to make the song (and his title tracks) more appealing.

I thought the music video was fantastic. It was a little dizzying, given that the camera constantly spins around to capture Lee Jin Hyuk (and his many counterparts) walk around it in a circle. The whole point of that was to follow the female actress who catches his attention at the start (and the artwork that he is featured in). The music video is set in an art gallery. At first I wasn’t keen on this setting, but it soon made sense to why they had chosen this concept. Obviously, the producers wanted to highlight that 5K is a step up from the ultra high definition of 4K. The 4K that I have seen makes me feel like I am watching the video live (i.e. in the room). So obviously a step up would be that in a literal form, hence the art gallery was an excellent choice. I also like that Lee Jin Hyuk is ‘The Walking Man 2’ and does a lot of walking to play that part. The part in which the female actress was an actual piece of artwork was a bit predictable for me, but it still made for a fun video to watch.

I felt the choreography for this comeback was a let down. There wasn’t anything great about, let alone mind-blowing or new. It just felt like we have seen the moves done before. On top of that, it felt like the choreography was very repetitive. I did like the energy and smiles he brought to the stage. But that isn’t enough in this instance to save the choreography.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 6.9/10

[Review] What Type of X – Jessi

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On top of focusing on solo artists this weekend, I also want to also look at a new artist that I have never reviewed before. The artist who I am talking about is Jessi, who is known for her variety show appearances and the single NUNU NANA. On a quick side note, NUNU NANA scored Jessi Best Rapper and Best Female Soloist Choreography in the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. NUNU NANA was on the list for review back when it was first released last year, I never got around to writing a review and have since dropped writing anything for the song (but that doesn’t mean I won’t choose to cover it in the future). But I made a promise with myself to review her next single, whenever that might be. Well, Jessi made her comeback less than a month ago with the single, What Type of X, so it is time for that long-awaited Jessi review.

For those who don’t know, I am not a major fan of hip-hop or rap based songs. However, there is always exceptions for everything and I have enjoyed my fair share of songs from those genres and styles. What Type of X is another song to add to that exception list. You probably can guess (if you have stuck around my blog for enough) that one of the reasons to why I enjoyed What Type of X is because of the instrumentation. There is a fair bit going on in this instrumentation, from the very badass guitar work introduction, to the upbeatness the percussion throughout the verses, to the powerful and memorable synths that made up the chorus, to the impactful and relentless nature of the instrumentation from the point of the song’s climax. Everything came together quite dynamically and screamed out confidence. And if the confidence wasn’t as explicit from the instrumentation, then we can refer to Jessi. Jessi’s name is probably synonymous to the word confidence in the Korean industry. She is not afraid to be go out there and be different, and you can tell that from the song and her performance (something which I will touch on later). Her delivery shows just that, with her husky and raspy voice really coming out throughout her vocal parts. I also find her rapping voice to be so seductive during the bridge. What makes What Type of X even better are all the catchy lines we get throughout the song, adding memorable points to the song. I also find the song’s English lines (such as ‘I am a different type of beast‘ and ‘Thanks to my ex, I am onto the next‘) to be very captivating and memorable. Overall, Jessi gave us another solid song in the form of What Type of X.

As mentioned above, Jessi showcases her confidence throughout the music video, just like in the song. You can tell that she is not afraid of others talking about her as she performs in the video. And this confidence works extremely well with the song’s lyrics. Out of all the sets in this video, the chess board is probably my favourite. Jessi also looks stunning throughout the scene, especially with that headpiece on and her black outfit, representing the queen on the chessboard. The horse masks the dancers wear are slightly frightening, but they work extremely well with the rest of the scene. The rest of the sets looked typical at best, but still good. One disappointing factor was that they CGI in the falling money in one of the scenes. It just didn’t look at as cool as the rest of the video.

One of the things about NUNU NANA that caught on quickly was the iconic choreography. What Type of X followed up with something that feels like it should be just as iconic. The image of the start of the chorus where everyone is bending backwards is effectively ingrained into my mind. And every time I listen to the song, it is what I vividly imagine. It is cool and it also makes a statement, which is something you would want to do with a song like this. I wished the rest of the performance had that same feel though.

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

[Review] I Wouldn’t Look For You – Kim Jae Hwan

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Next up on the list of solo reviews is Kim Jae Hwan. The former Wanna One member began his solo career in 2019 with releases such as Begin Again and The Time I Need. He then entered a fairly quiet year in 2020 (he did release a few singles, but there was no notable or significant comebacks). Over a year in from his last major comeback, Kim Jae Hwan finally returns with his third mini-album, Change, and the lead single, I Wouldn’t Look For You.

I Wouldn’t Look For You delves back into the Latin pop trend that has been dominating KPOP for the past few years. Personally, I don’t mind this influence in this song, as it felt refreshing with all the guitar work for the entirety of the song and the horns that come into play during the chorus. And this Latin pop influence is all over a basic balladry piano piece, tapping into the genre that Kim Jae Hwan is probably most known for. The rain sound effect was also nice touch, aiding in the delivery of the emotional side of the song. Altogether, the instrumental is very enjoyable and pleasing to me. But the instrumental, especially in this song, only contribute to a small part to the song’s appeal. I Wouldn’t Look For You‘s biggest asset is Kim Jae Hwan vocals. With some songs, the instrumental is what what really plays a big part of getting it over the line to being likeable in my books. This is the case for the more upbeat dance tracks that thrive on dynamism and energy. Like most ballads, the vocals play the most important role especially in songs where the instrumental is fairly consistent throughout the entire song (which is the case for this song). In I Wouldn’t Look For You, Kim Jae Hwan infuses so much emotion into the song. He pushes the song forward with his heartbreaking tone, especially when it came to the chorus. It definitely made the song captivating and worthwhile to listen to. His autotuned high note after the stilling bridge was also really good (and it sounds even better live!). Overall, another really strong showing of Kim Jae Hwan in this song.

Finally, a video with a plot line that I can make sense of! It has been a while, but here is what I think is going on in the video. It seems like Kim Jae Hwan’s character nowadays is more preoccupied with hanging with friends (or are those his bandmates) than with his girlfriend. Once lovey dovey (i.e. Kim Jae Hwan would play music to his girlfriend, while she stares lovingly at them), the pair now fight often, leading to Kim Jae Hwan leaving. However, he makes a stop and attempts to get in touch with her to apologise. Whichever way he gets into contact with her, he is unsuccessful. So I am guessing here that he assumes that she doesn’t want to be with him anymore and continues to drive off into the distance. My guess is that he thinks by going back, he would be doing no good and continue cause grief to her. Hence, he chooses not to find her. Unfortunately, as Kim Jae Hwan races off into the distance, the weather causes him to crash and die. His girlfriend hears of this and is heartbroken when she goes out to the crash site. It is definitely a heartbreaking story and one worth watching.

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

[Review] Warning – Kim Sejeong ft. lIlBOI

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Next up on the weekend of reviews for solo artists is Kim Sejeong. This is the soloist’s first comeback since the official disbandment of Gugudan. For those who missed it, Jellyfish Entertainment announced that Gugudan would disband at the very end of 2020, after two years of being inactive. A number of the members have since left the company. One of the members staying behind is Kim Sejeong, who has established a pretty strong solo career ranging from acting to singing, whilst still promoting as Gugudan. We last saw Kim Sejeong through her release of Whale last year. Last week, she made her solo comeback with the title track Warning and her second mini-album, I’m.

Warning is a very pleasant pop song, with its main centerpiece being a catchy, bright and cheerful sounding piano riff that makes this song so enjoyable. The word ‘pleasant’ used here is a very positive compliment and does not describe the full extent of appeal for this song (which I have described some songs in the past). If anything, Warning could potentially go beyond that ‘pleasant’ descriptor in the right circumstances. As the song progresses, there is always something new to discover in the instrumentation as a result. Aside from that piano riff that I have already mentioned, Warning also includes a sprinkling of synths to give off modern vibes and sound effects to add some fun colour to the song. Kim Sejeong’s vocals were also very strong in the song. What I enjoyed the most is that she doesn’t shy away from different types of delivery. We see snippets of her rap-speaking just before the first chorus, just speaking for the catchy hooks of the song and also singing along with the rap sequence. Even her vocals do a bit of changing, depending on the part of the song in question. The rapping, courtesy of lIlBOI, added some oomph to the song that you would think the song needed at first. But it really cuts the otherwise really consistent momentum of the song. There is one more element that really grabbed my attention, and that is the main hook of the song. The simple spoken repetition of the song’s title was really addictive and reeled me into the song from the first listen. Overall, everything in Warning came together quite nicely. Within the song itself, there was a lot of variety, some of which have been explored by the soloist herself.

To match with the pleasant sound of the song, the music video opted for pastel colours as the main colour palette for the video. Everything from the sky, to the word Warning that appeared behind both Sejeong and lIlBOI in some parts, to the sets were all of the pastel colour. It made sense to me why such colours were chosen, as they don’t appear too pale or too harsh to the viewer. Sejeong acts in a cutesy manner for this video. It isn’t over the top and the video is still watchable, unlike other music videos where it is unbearable. Overall, a fitting music video for the song.

Unlike her past singles, Sejeong’s promotions of Warning also incorporates choreography. There really isn’t anything mind-blowing or ‘never done before’ in this routine. I don’t think it would be fitting for such a laidback song. Instead, the choreography opted for a satisfying and pleasing routine to watch. It also allows Kim Sejeong to focus on her live vocals, which is undeniably her main centrepiece of the entire comeback.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] Like Water – Wendy (Red Velvet)

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Next up on the list of solo releases that I am reviewing this weekend is Wendy’s solo debut title track. Like Water is the title of her debut single and it was released on the Monday that just past, alongside her debut mini-album (which shares the same name). Wendy is also the first member of Red Velvet to officially begin a solo career in the music industry. She has done some solo work before through collaborations and OSTs previously, but has not been given the opportunity to promote a mini-album under just her name. This official start is also a return to music promotions for Wendy. For those who missed the news back in 2019, she was badly injured at after a stage fall while performing Psycho, which left her in hospital for a while. She was notably absent in 2020, so that she could rest and recover from her injuries. She did release some music, but nothing substantial. Early 2021, she returned as a member of Red Velvet for a SM Concert. But things have been quiet on that front since that major performance milestone for Wendy and Red Velvet.

I was not surprised when I realised that Like Water was going to be a ballad. Firstly, the title felt like a name you would give to a ballad. Secondly, as Wendy is the main vocalist of her group, it is typically the expectation that she would go down that route as many main vocalists have done before. But don’t get me wrong. I am not saying Like Water is like any other typical comeback. Like Water wowed me when I first heard the song. And that is solely due to the captivation spell that Wendy had me under with her vocals. Her high notes were flawless, enabling the song to soar to new heights. Another positive about the vocal department in this song is how clear and straightforward her vocals were. While it may sound like I am referring to that ‘typical’ description again, I actually in fact appreciate this direction. It is always nice to hear a release that is not complicated or overdone once in a while. And so Wendy’s Like Water comes at a perfect time for me. I also find that Wendy’s vocals in this song remind me of labelmate’s Taeyeon’s vocals (and that is a high compliment to give someone, given Taeyeon’s power and influence in the industry). The melodies in this song are so flowy, feeling like a natural water stream you would hear in a forest. What makes Like Water unique is the folksy instrumentation we get. It may sound like another typical contemporary ballad with its instrumentation if you simply take a glance at it. But when you pay close attention, you find that there is a fair bit of a folk influence to its makeup. And if you still question it, then the instrumental break we get about half way through the song should be enough to prove you otherwise. Altogether, Like Water is a stunning ballad that shows off Wendy’s vocals and marks the return of the Red Velvet member to the KPOP music scene.

The song Like Water isn’t an emotional one. Rather, it has a happy tone to it that makes you want to smile. (For those who don’t know, Wendy likens her love to her partner to the need and feeling of water in the lyrics). That smile feeling is shown throughout the video, with Wendy smiling whilst delivering her lines. One thing I liked about the video is how the video captured Wendy from afar. In many of those scenes where you can tell there is some distance between Wendy and the camera, you will notice they are pretty wide shots and there is a lot of space above her. To me, I think it shows how there is no clouds above her (which would commonly be synonymous with breakup ballads and emotional songs). There is imagery of rain throughout the video which make sense given the song is about water. But I find it smart to not include grey clouds (i.e. the source of that rain), which can be heavy and loaded at the same time, and this would not be a good fit for the video.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 9.2/10

[Review] Spider – Hoshi (SEVENTEEN)

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For the entirety of this weekend, I will be focusing my reviewing efforts on solo artists. This includes both song and album reviews, for recent comebacks involving established solo acts or new idols embarking on their solo careers. First up on the reviewing block is Hoshi’s mixtape single, Spider. This is Hoshi’s first solo release since his debut as part of SEVENTEEN in 2015 (which was six years ago!). The release of Spider has caught fans off guard with its sudden announcement on 26 March and its unveiling within a week (with a few teasers per usual in between). As the release occurred while I was on break, I haven’t had the opportunity to review it yet. But since I am back and dedicating this entire weekend to solo releases, it is perfect time to finally listen to Spider in detail.

Known for his performance skills and is also the leader of the Performance unit of SEVENTEEN, it was expected that any solo release from Hoshi would be a dance song that focuses on the performance. I never thought of Hoshi to go down the ballad route for his first solo release, and Spider confirms that. Spider is a very charismatic R&B dance track, pulling me in right during the first listen with its alluring and engrossing energy. Hoshi starts the song with a melodic whisper, before progressing to vocals that do the building towards to the chorus. For the most part, the instrumental felt very neutral up until the chorus. When the chorus kicks into gear, Hoshi presents us with sensual energy that felt very aesthetic. I really like the sleekness of the whisper-like syllable-by-syllable start to the chorus which incorporated guitar work into the instrumentation and infusing a very minute amount of funkiness into the song. And like the verses, the chorus builds itself to be a substantial centrepiece of vocals and instrumentation that fits into the R&B realm of music. The rest of the song continues the momentum that has been built up so far, with the addition of falsetto vocals in the second verse and electrifying guitar work as the main backing for the song’s dance break. While it sounds like I am only praising the song, I did feel that Spider had one flaw at first. Initially, I thought the song had weak melodies and hooks. But after a week’s worth of listens, I find that they are growing on me and anything different would obviously ruins Spider’s aesthetic, which is a major appeal point of the song. Overall, Spider showcases some of the best parts of Hoshi. Aside from his performance skills (which I will talk about in the bit), Spider shows off potential as a solo artist and his vocal skills as well.

Spider‘s music video is an excellent visual concoction that caught my attention during the first pass. One of the strongest aspects of this music video is the cinematography. One really great example is the slow spin of the camera at the start of the video. It plays with us, using the fact that Hoshi was actually hanging upside down in the choreography at that point. It also felt like the POV of a spider crawling down using its web. I also really like how the camera angles and zooming made those ‘corridors’ (like the one in which he is hanging upside down in) feel longer. The second aspect of the video has to be Hoshi’s visuals. He looked amazing throughout the video. Just by seeing him in this music video, he has shown that he can be sensual, charismatic and hypnotic. And those a three big boxes to tick.

Obviously, the biggest element of this solo release has to be the performance (I know, I have already rambled on about how this comeback is all centric on the performance). And I think Hoshi fulfilled all expectations of him. Right from the start, Hoshi hang upside down, delivering us with an impactful view. He moves in a very sleek yet powerful manner throughout the performance. I also really like the choreography for the second verse and chorus, where he is held, blocked and pulled by the dancers. We see interactions with dancers commonly. But that how sequence is complicated timing wise and felt very calculated. A very strong routine from the Performance Leader.

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

[Review] Unnatural – WJSN (Cosmic Girls)

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Another comeback from last week was made by WJSN otherwise known as Cosmic Girls. They made their long awaited comeback with Unnatural as the title track and their ninth mini-album that shares the same name. This comes after almost a year after previous comeback as a full group with Butterfly and the mini-album Neverland. After their only 2020 comeback, members Soobin, Luda, Yeoreum, and Dayoung formed WJSN’s first subunit, WJSN Chocome, which went on to release the single Hmph! in October of last year.

Unnatural seems to be what I have been wanting from WJSN for a while now. A really well-done comeback title track that taps into the group’s mature side. A few of their past comebacks have done just that. But I feel like Unnatural is really the peak of what they have attempted thus far. That being said, Unnatural still taps into WJSN usual style of KPOP music. There is a lot to like about Unnatural. First of all are the vocals. To me, the bulk of the verses were quite plain at first glance. But the vocals are what really reeled me in from said verses. They opt for a more powerful delivery, which adds that needed oomph to make the verses more attractive. This does come with some setbacks however, as the members sound like they are straining their vocals to make it work. But I do think it pays off. The second really attractive aspect of the song is its pre-chorus. It is a twist that just comes unexpectedly, but also adds so much flair and texture to the song. It is Unnatural‘s biggest selling point and it seems like it has attracted a lot of attention from fans. The third promising aspect of the song is the explosive chorus that follows right after that pre-chorus. The stripped back manner of the pre-chorus heightens the chorus and the powerful vocals (although continues to be strained) really helps make the chorus appear more impactful. The fourth aspect is the bridge, which is a combination of the already mentioned vocals and pre-chorus instrumentation. I do find the pre-chorus backing here is slightly stronger, leading the song to its peak. Finally, the return of the pre-chorus instrumentation and the vocal layer that finished up the song gave Unnatural that last second push of a changeup, yet still keeping true to the roots of the song. Overall, there was a fair bit to enjoy in Unnatural, with all of the appeal came naturally to WJSN.

The music video portrays those mature vibes the song exuded in a very vibrant manner. Their visuals were well shown throughout the video. However, aside from all of that, I don’t have much else to say about the music video. I found it to be plain and typical for the most part. There isn’t much going on the video apart from the closeup and choreography formula. Usually I would have something more to say about the sets, outfits or overall ambience. But the music video for Unnatural just felt like it was something we have seen before.

The choreography is good. But I wished they were bolder with their moves and the choreography. It would have made the routine even better. Something that shows more confidence and intensity would be what I am after, as this would have been more fitting for the song.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] ONE – ASTRO

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ASTRO marks the beginning of a new week with their latest comeback, ONE, and their second studio album, All Yours. This is the first time we have seen ASTRO as a group with a new song since their Knock comeback last year. Since Knock, ASTRO launched their first official unit, Moonbin & Sanha, through the release of Bad Idea. The group also released a special single, We Still (Be With You), at the very end of 2020 but this was not promoted. But now the group is back in promotional mode for ONE, so let’s check out out their latest title track.

ONE is one of the songs that you need to listen to a few times before you could really dig it. My first impression of ONE was that it sounded very generic and typical of male groups releasing a song with an edgy sound. But the more I listen to it, the more I find myself diverting away from that first impression and coming to like the song. And within in a day of its release, I am enjoying ONE a lot. It still shares that typical edgy sound profile, but I find ASTRO to really infuse their own charms into the song. The song starts off with the song’s main hook. The backing instrumentals for this hook at this stage of the song isn’t as dynamic as when the hook reappears in the song, but it held out to be a good opener for the song. The first verse brought in their vocals. These vocals were best during the pre-chorus sequence with Eunwoo and MJ bringing in some atmospheric vibes that make me anticipate the chorus. The instrumental builds to the chorus, which its melodies felt like it could easily have slid into ‘back in the day’ KPOP. The song’s main hook returns with a more abrasive and texturally interesting backing. I quite liked this change in style. Firstly, it is definitely more dynamic. Secondly, it brings forth that edgy feel. Thirdly, the repetition of the hook makes it catches on quite easily. The song’s most surprising part is Rocky’s rapping that follows immediately right after the first chorus. Rocky’s really fast and sleek delivery of his part of the rap sequence will be going down as one of the most iconic moments in KPOP 2021. Fast forwarding towards the end, ONE peaks during the dance break just before the final chorus, going for the song’s most robust and heightened intensity sequence. Overall, I found a lot to like and look forward to in my many repeats of ONE. I do think it sits below some of their past title tracks, but ONE is still pretty much up there for ASTRO’s discography.

Aside from the choreography and closeup formula, there isn’t much going on in this video. I wished these was more to the video, such as cool special effects applied in post-production or even during production through lighting and camera work. There was some of each in the video, but not enough to really match the song’s dynamic and intense side. The closeups did capture the best of the group’s visuals and I liked the industrial vibes that the music video’s sets had going on. I just wished there was more to the video.

The choreography looks good, based on the snippets I saw in the music video. I am looking forward to seeing the full routine around the song’s hook. With the mixture of edgy and sensual outfits the members wore throughout the video, I think the choreography of the particular section could easily go either way. The dance break also looks really cool and dynamic, as well.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] Bambi – Baekhyun (EXO)

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Before we proceed with any more reviews for this week, I have to write my review for Baekhyun’s Bambi. Bambi dropped almost a week ago on Tuesday as the title track of Baekhyun’s third mini-album of the same name. This release has also been confirmed to be his final release before his military enlistment, which is scheduled to occur on his birthday (May 6). However I did recently read somewhere that Baekhyun may be releasing even more material while he is enlisted. But I guess we have to wait and see. Baekhyun’s third mini-album also become the most pre-ordered album for a soloist to date. Congratulations to Baekhyun for achieving such a feat!

It is no surprise that Baekhyun’s latest release taps into the R&B genre. All of his solo releases have dug deep into the R&B genre in some form or another. But there is always variation between this releases. I don’t think any of them have been as straight forward as Bambi however. And as I have previously specified in other reviews, this isn’t always a bad thing. Kicking off with atmospheric guitar work, Baekhyun’s vocals becomes the star attraction of Bambi with really smooth and engaging delivery. I also really like the clearness of his vocals in this song. It really helped elevate the vocals to that ‘star attraction’ feel and it doesn’t feel overcomplicated by the instrumentation, which in turn was quite simple and (as mentioned previously) straight forward R&B. I personally really enjoyed the ‘Bambi bam Bambi Bambi Bambi‘ hook, which was really keyed into my mind since its release last week. But while it sounds like it is all praise for Bambi and Baekhyun this time around, I have to note that there was one flaw that really stuck out at me. Pretty much from start to end, the song sounded all the same. And as a result, I don’t feel that the song goes for the three and half minutes that it is actually goes for. It is more so a blur. Not really a great impression. But once you listen to the song in detail, you notice Bambi‘s details and positives.

The music video opens with a very intense sequence with Baekhyun stepping in front of a train to pick up a coin he had flicked onto the train track, as it is chugging full steam ahead towards him. The video then cuts to Baekhyun on the train dancing, which is when the music kicks in. Throughout the video, we see Baekhyun hang around on the train, however I am unsure of the train’s significance in the video or who Baekhyun is playing. Aside from the confusion, I did like various aspects of the video including the noir-like appearance of the video, which is thanks to the suit and hat outfit that Baekhyun dons throughout the video. It adds an addition layer of mysteriousness to the video, which was already present thanks to the darkness that the video is set in. Also, when Baekhyun hangs outside the train while it was raining was also a strong moment. Firstly, it showed emotional commitment. Secondly, it felt very dramatic, which aligned with the rest of the video. Maybe slightly over the top, now that I have rewatched that part a couple of times. But overall, a good video.

Based on what can be seen in the music video, the choreography for Bambi is very sensual. And this matches up really nicely with the straight forward and typical side of R&B. On top of that, I really like the sharper moments of the choreography, when they move in time with the percussion beats of the song. The suit and hat also elevate the performance. I wish we get to see a full performance for Bambi soon.

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