The other day, there was a bit of a debut frenzy with new groups making their grand entrance into the KPOP scene. But we also saw the comeback of JBJ95 the other day. It has been a while since we last heard from the pair (Kenta Takada and Kim Sang-gyun), with Only One being their last release and that dates back to December of last year. Their comeback consist of the title track and mini-album of the same name, Jasmin.
It is clear that retro trend is in full effect in KPOP. Majority of the best tracks over the past few weeks (and possibly months) have had some sort of retro effect incorporated into it. I am not complaining, as some of the best KPOP songs ever have stemmed from retro and funky sounds. Jasmin is described to be a disco-based dance track and that is practically what we get. While I would have preferred something with a little more disco upfront, Jasmin manages to stay refined and feel classy. The guitars brings the initial funky influence to the song, which is then followed up with a great foot-tapping induced beat that really adds some depth to the song. I particularly liked how they accented the end of each line in the pre-chorus. The chorus feels like an extension of how the song starts. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as the chorus is quite pleasant. I really like the falsetto tone that the pair opted for during the chorus. It keeps the song light and it seems to had to the upbeat nature of the song. I feel like this is where the song could have been more upfront with the disco influences that I mentioned earlier, but what we got from the pair and the producers was definitely quite satisfying to listen to. They continue Jasmin with a catchy post-chorus harmonies, forming into a hook that is probably my pick for the best part of the song. The rapping that slides in effortlessly into the second verse fits in perfectly. For the bridge, they practically took away all of the music, highlighting their vocals before bringing the instrumentation back into play to wrap up the song. It all works out really well and the song literally wraps up with me feeling good. This is a great effect to end with. And especially with a song that is so easy going and impressive like this, Jasmin is a success.
The video was okay. I really liked the bar setting of the video and felt that was quite fitting for the song’s lyrics, which essentially compared someone to be as seductive as the scent of jasmine. Definitely classy setting for a classy idea behind the lyrics. There is a bit of a plotline that felt cheesy to me and I wished they did something better with it. I am talking about the very brief scene where the pair go to save the lady they are interested in (who is kidnapped and bound by ropes). Two things about this story line. One – it never resolved and we actually didn’t see her again after it was revealed she was kidnapped. And two – when they go for the big jump from the building right after shooting all those balloons, they landed on a cloud. That was where the cheese mostly came from and practically distracted me from the video for the remainder of it that followed.
I liked the slight funkiness that the music video brought to the performance, especially in the pre-chorus and post-chorus sections of the song. I also like their duo moments with the female dance just before the second chorus. Overall, a nice performance to compliment the song.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
Reviews for this week are coming a day late, as you can already tell. The first song that I am reviewing today is CIX’s Jungle, which is featured on the group’s third mini-album, Hello Chapter 3: Hello, Strange Time. Originally, this comeback was scheduled for the end of June this year. However, Bae Jin Young became injured in the lead up to the comeback and their company decided to postpone the comeback til yesterday. Regardless of when the group was due to make this Jungle comeback, it was still their first comeback of 2020 and their first comeback since the release of Numb.
Jungle continues the groups intense style in a very unexpected and unconventional manner. The song starts off with a mixture of piano and organs for the background. It is chilling, haunting and just downright atmospheric. It also doubles as a unique start to a song and it impresses. The instrumental proceeds to add in a simple beat to the first chorus. It adds a calculated amount of definition to the song to keep it interesting. Not too much that it throws the rest of the song off balance or changes the song’s momentum. But not too little that it practically added nothing to the song. The chorus is then followed up with a brief pop instrumentation (that was also well calculated) that adds even more intensity to the song before leading into the second verse. The second verse is more so a continuation of the developments thus far and the momentum doesn’t really change until we get to the second chorus. It does manage to incorporate a pre-chorus, which brings back some of that organ from the first verse. For the second chorus, they bolster the first bit of the chorus by adding a more dynamic and bouncier beat to the mix. Yet it still keeps everything in frame and doesn’t change up the song too much. The bridge features the rap, which is played over top that dynamic beat that featured briefly at the start of the second chorus. I liked that they didn’t change the rapping ‘fit the song’. Instead, they made the instrumental fit the rapping, allowing the rapping to add a kick ahead of the final moments of the song. When it comes to the final chorus, I felt they missed the opportunity to amplify the chorus one more time to really bring Jungle to a dynamic and fulfilling close. One thing I have touched on yet are the vocals. I felt that the vocals as a whole was stealthy and artful, fitting perfectly with the subtle intensity that oozes from Jungle.
This is another elaborate video that I just can’t wrap my head around. There seems to be a lot of symbolism throughout the video. The entire video had these creepy yet captivating scenes and images that draws you into the music video. Below this section of the review is quite a lengthy explanation of the concept, connecting both the music video and teasers released prior to the actual comeback to Dante’s Inferno. It was quite interesting and helped me put a lot of context to the video. It also provides a few connections to their previous music videos. Aside from the plot, big ticks for the choreography and post-production scenes as well.
I am not too sure if the music video didn’t do a good job of showcasing the performance, but the moves looked overly powerful for the first chorus. It was such a distinct and noticeable mismatch. I guess we will find out tomorrow once they perform their comeback stage. As the performance progressed, the moves fitted in with the music more neatly and felt appropriate. It is just that first part I wasn’t keen on. The setup for the rap sequence also looks really cool.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 8.2/10
Also making their comeback on Monday is TXT, with Blue Hour. This is featured on the group’s third mini-album, minisode1: Blue Hour. This comeback follows the completion of their The Dream Chapter trilogy, which ended with their third mini-album (The Dream Chapter: Eternity) and the title track, Can’t You See Me. And TXT has been proven to be getting popular as the days go by, with reports suggesting that the group has managed to crush personal album sales records. That is a little statistic that I will share once I get around to an album review. In the meanwhile, here is the review for the Blue Hour comeback.
TXT is another group to follow the ongoing retro trends of KPOP. Or possibly, they are taking a page out of their labelmate’s recent release, BTS’ Dynamite. But either way, it is a really great move for TXT. Given their young age, they really should capitalize their youthful charms now before they inevitably move to more mature releases to fit their age. A mature concept now and then is okay (such as their previous comeback), but there is just a lot of unexplored territory if they don’t embrace that youthful side earlier on. The way Blue Hour started with the female voice going ‘boom boom…‘ (I think this was the lyrics that female voice was singing) was very intriguing. We then move into a more upbeat pop territory, with impressive vocals from Soobin and Beomgyu. The chorus confirms the Blue Hour‘s final form of disco pop. And paired with melodies like the ‘Cuz of imagination‘ (that starts off the chorus) just makes everything so much more appealing. The ‘Can’t you feel the rush‘ line was super catchy and this make the post-chorus hook my favourite part of the song, without a doubt. When it came to the second verse, I wasn’t impressed with Yeonjun’s rapping line. It just felt incoherent with the rest of the song. I did like Soonbin’s follow-up line that goes into falsetto mode. Taehyun’s husky voice that really makes ‘The sun is down...’ so much more impactful and Heuning Kai’s vocal rap line was a better form of rapping in the song. I did lowkey expect a rap sequence with a little more heft somewhere in the song and felt a little disappointed that didn’t actually occur once the song wrapped up. But overall, Blue Hour is fun, energetic and very enjoyable.
Once again, TXT’s music video features a story. And it seems to be an elaborate story that might connect to future music videos, based on the final scene alone where Beomgyu walks away from the tree and steps on the book that fell to the ground earlier. Likewise, where did the rest of the members go, as they were all sitting in the tree at the start of the video? And what the significance behind turning off the merry-go-round? Many questions to ponder and most likely answered in future videos. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to theorise what the video means, so I am making a bunch of assumptions for my ‘first take’ of the video. I liked the fun and youthful side of the music video (for the reasons I mentioned arlier on in the review.). I also liked the ‘imagination’ setting that I assumed the members had come up for the video. And those squirrels looked so cute (this last point is not an assumption, but a fact!).
The choreography looks light and fitting for the song. But it still looks complicated. I liked how there was a dance break version, which I assume included a few extra lines (as I don’t recall hearing some of the bridge in the Spotify version, which is what I based my song review on, though I do recall them appearing in the music video). The dance break version I reckon should be the default version as it added a layer of lighthearted coolness to the performance that I thought was unique.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.6/10
One of the groups kickstarting the final week of October is TWICE, with their highly anticipating comeback, I Can’t Stop Me (the title track) and Eyes Wide Open (the title of their second studio album). It follows on from their More & More comeback from earlier in the year. While this is great news for ONCEs, unfortunately promotions for their new song and album will not feature Jeongyeon (my favourite member of the group) for health reasons. Hopefully we will see her soon! But in the meanwhile, here is my review for I Can’t Stop Me.
I might be in the minority when I say this about I Can’t Stop Me, but I don’t see anything special with this track. For me, TWICE is renowned for their really catchy hooks in their song and these hooks usually employ a vibrant kick in the instrumentation and/or some really addictive repetition. I Can’t Stop Me doesn’t have any of that and hence it just feels flat. This might be a perspective of style, given that the producers opted for a mature take on the retro trend that has re-emerged in KPOP this year. I really liked this aspect of the song, given that it was a logical choice for TWICE and that the song did come off somewhat refreshing. Not only does retro and TWICE click together in your mind without any issues, but I Can’t Stop Me intersects with their continuation of mature sounding songs. But the KPOP industry has very creative minds throughout (as evident by the quality of music that we listen to everyday and I review) and I am sure someone could have come up with a catchier hook that allows TWICE to maintain their well-known techniques, but also embrace their new sound. What we did get was decent and had potential but I wished they somehow amplified the retro instrumentation a bit more to make the song a tad stronger. And I feel that the hooks may have benefited from this. Vocal wise, it seems like they didn’t push themselves hard enough and it felt a little dull for my taste. On the flip side, they might have pushed too hard when it came to the ad-libs, as they felt strained. Likewise, the rapping had the same issue. Together, they might have done this intentionally to fit the style of the song, so this might go back to stronger instrumentation to amplify everything else in I Can’t Stop Me.
I think JYP Entertainment outdid themselves with the green screen this time around. I mentioned in the music video review for More & More that JYP Entertainment made magnificent music video with the use of sets and green screens. This time around, I was wowed by the blooming flower at the start of the video, revealing the members within the blooming flower. The galaxy background for that part was captivating. The members closeups all looked stunning and I really enjoyed that hexagonal pattern for the second verse. I felt like the music video featured two sets that felt similar to other music videos – namely the train station platform from BLACKPINK’s As If Its Your Last and the mountains from Red Velvet’s Bad Boy. I am not saying they are copied, but they felt familiar. The ending was also pretty interesting with the cliffhanger of the train at the edge of the cliff.
The choreography was excellent. I really liked the energy they put into moves, particularly when it came to the chorus. I also liked their instrumental break that follows the first and final choruses. I also liked that they carried over the flower formation from the start of the video.
Song – 6/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.3/10
This particular comeback occurred a month ago on the 23rd of September, so once again apologies for the month-delayed review. H&D (Hangyul & Dohyun) returned on that mentioned date for the final time as a duo with Umbrella, the title of both the lead single and their special mini-album. Don’t be alarm as this won’t be the final time we will be seeing the pair, though. The two have been confirmed to be making their debut once again as part of BAE173, Pocketdol Studio’s first male group. Both members have already appeared in individual teasers for this upcoming group, who is set to debut sometime in the near future.
Umbrella is very different to SOUL, which was the pair’s debut track. For those who may not remember, SOUL was an edgy, hard-hitting and dark-sounding dance track. Umbrella, on the other hand, is lighter in all senses. It is a R&B jazzy type of song, fitting for a coffee shop on a rainy day or some retail music in a high-end store. While those may be the more generally accepted locations to have Umbrella playing, I personally have been playing it whilst working or doing some tedious tasks that makes me sensitive to loud upbeat music. So I guess I am showing how versatile this lighter sound is. But the song is easy on the ears, which makes it more appreciable. The vocal work in this song was quite nice, with both members bringing a very palatable touch. Even Dohyun’s slowed down rapping was tweaked fittingly for the more jazzy vibes of the song. Their harmonies really add some definition. All is good. The issue with Umbrella is that it isn’t striking enough to carry on the momentum that SOUL had, nor is it striking enough to tease or raise expectations for their upcoming re-debut. It is a bit twisted to think this way, given that this was their ‘farewell’ of one chapter of their careers. But this presented a great opportunity to do both.
The music video for Umbrella is quite simple. And for many of my readers, you might know that I liked to think that simplicity sometimes speaks louder than complexity. I feel like this is the case where the simplicity was well used. A stage where the pair stand on and sing into microphones. Surrounded by musicians playing the instruments that make up the song’s instrumental. Perfectly coloured backgrounds, fitting clouds floating above them and light strobes to mimic rain. Even the closeups behind the wet glass panel were on point. Definitely a perfectly executed music video.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 10/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
On Thursday, I wrapped up the reviews for all of the Monday releases. And now, I can move onto reviews for the releases during the other days of the week. Some of these other releases during this week have been moved onto my ‘Coming Soon’ list of reviews that I updated this morning, which you can view by clicking on the top right hand corner of this page. Some of the releases no on that list are the ones I want to cover over this weekend. The first is Mamamoo’s pre-release single, Dingga, which will be featured on their upcoming mini-album, Travel, due for release in early November.
For a pre-release single, Dingga is super catchy and fun. It almost feels like a title track in its own right. Note that I say ‘almost’, as I feel that Dingga seemed like it was holding back. A title track, to me, would have gone ‘all out’. It is an odd concept to think about but pre-releases tend to have their own vibe, such that when you listen to it, you know it is a pre-release. And while Dingga does have a title track profile to it, the song does have a hint of that pre-release vibe. That or I have been listening to KPOP for too many years. Dingga features a funky and vibrant pop instrumental that conforms to the current trends of retro appeal. Pair that with Mamamoo’s well-known vocals and Dingga is pretty much like every other fun and quirky Mamamoo release. The melodies were definitely on another level in this song, as it effortlessly rolled off their tongues. The most impressive member in this track happens to be Moonbyul and her rapping. The song enables her to delivery some her lines in a refined manner. The best part, aside from the catchy chorus, is the dance break instrumental sequence we get. That was a pretty cool moment that I did not see coming and ended up enjoying a lot. If Dingga was a hint of what is to come, then whatever title track that Travel and Mamamoo presents to us come November 3rd is going to another massive hit for the group!
Matching with the funky and catchy vibes of the song, the music video is quite colourful, fun and cheerful. Set in a roller derby, diners, and arcades, the members and their dancers have an absolute ball hanging out with one another. There are some hints of the current pandemic, including the wearing of masks and the virtual calling at the start of the video (though this could easily have been passed off as an invitation to hang out). And while this is a great light-hearted video to watch, it is the ending that gets me intrigued, with Hwasa all decked out in black leather approaching someone who is dressed in red. She is handed a pickaxe that she proceeds to study. Her stare she gives at the end sends goosebumps down my arm and the pan flute we get as a possible music hint gives off a mysterious vibe. Definitely looking forward to this upcoming release!
Pre-release singles don’t tend to get a choreography version of the music video. But it seems like Mamamoo is indulging us with this comeback. All the moves they do when they sing the Dingga title are all the catchiest dance moves. Moonbyul and Wheein’s pop and locking dance break was also awesome! I wished Hwasa and Solar had a moment for themselves as well. That would have been another ‘cherry on top’.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
For those who may not know or remember, Saturdays used to be when I dedicated a review to a Japanese release made by a Korean artist. This year, I made the move to expand to more music releases that aren’t Japanese based and now the segment includes music releases by Korean artists in other languages such as Chinese and English. Since we find ourselves on another Saturday, and now that found enough releases to post two International Song Review posts (this one and another one next week!), it is time to revisit the segment. The releases in this post are more of the recent releases including SEVENTEEN, SNUPER, Taeyeon, NU’EST and Jackson Wang.
24H – SEVENTEEN
Two days after I published my last ISR (i.e. the 24th August 2020), SEVENTEEN dropped their latest original Japanese single, 24H. To me, 24H impresses with its refined take on their Korean releases, opting for maturity in the way they deliver 24H, without necessarily using an ‘edgy’ and dark concept to relay this maturity. The start of the song, which features S.Coups’ vocals, opens as if it was a Western pop song. I particularly like this as its allows the song to kickstart with something different than what we are used to. As the song progresses with acoustic guitars at the forefront of the background, the song gets heavier with its beat. The chorus feels rugged, with the guitar used here moving the song forward with a chugging momentum. The bridge amps up the chorus with what seems to be the song version of going ‘all out’, before returning the song to how it started before launching us into the chorus once again. Over its structure, the more vocal-centric side of the group appears, allowing that refinement to be taken to the next level. 24H‘s melodies and hooks are quite strong as well, giving myself an excuse to return to the song.
24H‘s music video continues the aesthetics from their Fallin’ Flower music video, albeit more darker. However, it doesn’t look like the members opted for a dark concept, just more serious. They do end up showing more of a masculine energy through this video, something I would love to see them show off in their Korean releases. Not exactly sure what it going on in the video plotwise, especially with S.Coups’ scene at the end with that metallic floating wire attacking him. I haven’t seen a theory for this video just yet, though I can tell it is going to be interesting. The choreography also carries some of the aesthetics, especially the sequence in which they form circle around Hoshi and The8. Overall, a strong Japanese comeback for SEVENTEEN.
Overall Rating –8.8/10
Oxygen – SNUPER
It has been a while since we have heard from SNUPER. Domestically, the group has not released anything since 2018. On the Japanese front, the group was more active in Japan with releases in 2019 and now Oxygen in 2020. Oxygen is a song that is driven by a deep house club beat. We don’t get that deep house club beat until the chorus hit. At first glance, it was thrilling drop that felt wholesome and quite pure. But the more I listened to the song, the more I felt that the chorus could have been a little more ‘spicier’, if you understand what I mean. What we get in Oxygen leans slightly to the more generic and unimaginative side. The verses that surround Oxygen were pretty lackluster and failed to really bring anything more to the song. Even the rap sequences opts for a trap-based background, which is pretty generic move.
With the lack of promotions, it seems like SNUPER no longer has a substantial budget for their music videos. While the visuals were quite crisp and high definition, the uninspiring sets and location really dulled the music video. The dark lighting was probably done so to make the group feel more mysterious. However, it was a poor choice as we couldn’t really see the members in the poor lighting. For the moves, I thought they mismatched the upbeatness of the song, especially when it came to the chorus. The moves felt sluggish and could have been snappier.
Overall Rating – 5.7/10
#GIRLSPKOUT – Taeyeon
Taeyeon made a surprise drop earlier this month with the release of the music video, #GirlsSpkOut, the title track from her upcoming Japanese mini-album release of the same name. It is pretty disappointing that SM Entertainment haven’t done much promotions for this MV release. It literally dropped out of nowhere. That aside, when I first heard the song, I thought it was going to be a 2.0 version of Taeyeon’s Spark due to its use of acoustic guitar. However, #GirlsSpkOut ended it being quite different. It sounds a lot funkier and it had more of a substantial pop feel to it. And as you listen to more of it, the song builds into something decent. If you were to judge the song by listening to only the first chorus, you are listening to it all wrong. It isn’t an active representation of the latter choruses, which both have more of a kick to them. Unfortunately, this extra energy never actually amounts to a peak, leaving #GirlsSpkOut as a somewhat flawed release. #GirlsSpkOut also features Japanese rapper, Chanmina, alongside Taeyeon’s nice (and well-known) vocals. This is something new, Korean artists have never really collaborated with someone from the Japanese music industry as far as I remember for a release. Chanmina’s featuring in #GirlsSpkOut was needed to give more energy to the song and help build the song. But her delivery was something I was not a fan of.
Based on the title alone, anyone can tell that the song is about female empowerment. And the music video tells you just that. Taeyeon is approached by a guy who doesn’t seem to understand the answer ‘no’. He is involved in an accident (a falling light sign – what are the chances?) just moments after Taeyeon leaves him. He is taken to the hospital in a full body cast. Taeyeon and her female friends band together to teach him a lesson. Chanmina also features in the video, which was also a nice treat. The choreography scenes were okay. They just didn’t show anything impressive or amazing-looking to make me go wow. Her visual game and outfits though looked awesome!
Overall Rating – 7/10
Drive – NU’EST
It has been a while since we last heard a Japanese release from NU’EST. Their last was 2015’s Nanananamida, the title track of their first Japanese studio album, Bridge The World. 5 years on, the group dropped Drive earlier this month, alongside their second Japanese studio album of the same name. Drive is a little different to your standard Japanese release, opting to step away from a choreography-required song. Drive focuses more on the singing and rapping, upfronting a pretty pleasant instrumentation made up of nice rhythmic guitars and an upbeat pop melody. I like this change up in style for the Japanese music industry, which separate the group’s release from the pack for uniqueness. The singing pulls you in and captivates you. It also compliments the instrumentation, adding to Drive‘s pleasantness and softness. As a result, I would gladly put this song to listen to the NU’EST vocalists. I did feel that the rapping was a little mismatched for the song. It could have potentially been more fitting if it was a tad smoother. But overall, a really good display of style and refinement from the members of NU’EST.
If I were to breakdown the music video, it is simply a music video full of a bunch of closeups. ‘There is a storyline embedded into those closeups, with JR approaching each member and pulling them to the circle of chairs we see in the video. I am not sure what this is supposed to mean and whether it represents something in the lyrics or not (I couldn’t tell). My best guess is that it something about coming together after being separated for so long. As mentioned previously, there is no choreography for this comeback. Instead, the group scenes were shots of the members singing into microphones, which was a nice touch that compliments the softness of the song. I liked the golden aura that comes from these scenes.
Overall Rating – 8/10
Pretty Please – Jackson Wang & Galantis
The final song on this list today is Jackson Wang and Galantis’ collaboration, titled Pretty Please. For those who are not familiar with Galantis, they bring the funky and groovy electronic-based instrumental that forms the backbone of Pretty Please to life. It is a really awesome backing for the song and feels super addictive. Jackson brings the vocals to the song. I really like his deep and raspy vocals in this song. He adds some unique colour to the song and the texture is super appealing over the electronic instrumentation. Music-wise, big ticks from me. My only complaint is the song goes by so quickly. Two and a half minutes is nothing. And especially with such a fun, groovy and upbeat instrumentation, it literally blurs by in a matter of seconds. I wished there was more to it, as every time I listen to Pretty Please, I am caught off guard by the unexpecting ending that comes out of nowhere.
The end of the music video gives a bit of context to the idea behind the video. Jackson has always wanted to shoot something along the lines of ’90s Hong Kong movie’ concept. And I agree with him that it is a pretty cool setting to shoot in. The video starts off with Jackson and his friends at a Chinese restaurant, watching a documentary about wolves, emphasising the idea of loyalty of friends and to partners. Enters the actress, the same one who played his love interest in 100 Ways. He notices that she left a pendant of a wolf and starts following her to get her attention down the street in a cool montage. And he doesn’t stop, presenting us with the first of the two loyalties. The second of the two loyalties is shown in the lead up to the dance choreography, where his friends (shown as wolves for a brief moment) come running from the restaurant to join him in the choreography shot at the end of the video. The video cuts to dark and it is revealed at he is still in the restaurant with his friends and he is holding the pendant. His eyes turns white, revealing him to be a wolf and is probably going to go searching for his female counterpart later on. The choreography in this video looks really cool and matches with the funky vibes of the song.
We take a little moment to steer away from this week’s comebacks and focus on a comeback from last week. Once again, I apologise for the week long delay for this particular review. It somehow just got away from me.But back to introducing the focus of today’s review – Lee Suhyun, who made her solo debut last Friday with the single, ALIEN. If Lee Suhyun is unfamiliar to you, you might recognise her as one half of the sibling duo, AKMU (Akdong Musician). Lee Seehyun’s brother, Changhyuk, is the other half of the musical duo. While her brother is not performing with her, it looks like he is working with others to write and compose songs for her. It seems AKMU will always be a pair.
ALIEN takes on a funky disco profile, something that has been trending in KPOP a lot lately. If you are becoming tired of the re-emergence of the retro trend, then maybe ALIEN would be an eye-roll to you. But Lee Suhyun’s take on the genre is quite pleasant and refreshing. ALIEN isn’t oversaturated with the trend and it actually feels held back quite a bit. Holding back in this sense makes the song feel more refined and gives it a modern, despite the disco influences still being prominent. I also felt that holding back from going full on vibrant and powerful retro was done so to compliment the delicate nature of Lee Suhyun’s vocals. Her breathy vocals take the song to the next level and she slips into this falsetto style which really adds to that refinement I mentioned. I also find the chorus to be super catchy and the melodies throughout the song to be enjoyable. Everything comes together to be quite pleasant. However, I find the song lacks something. While it has been out for a week, I haven’t really gone back as much to the song as I hoped for. A theory behind this lacking element could potentially be a stronger and more defined climax. What we good was consistent and logical, but I think something with a little more oomph could have given ALIEN extra mileage and appeal.
Lee Suhyun is super cute in this music video. Visual game aside, I really like how it is revealed that Lee Sehyun is an alien (just like her mother told her so in the lyrics). The music video constantly changes between a human form and a comic form. This conversion made the video appealing and a little more interesting. It allowed for the ‘Earth saving mission’ storyline to be incorporated alongside the increase in self confidence that she experience once she is aware of this secret (i.e. she plays the arcade game in her room and then later on in the public arena). Another clever and well thought out video.
Lee Suhyun focuses more on the live vocal aspect of her performance, which meant she had to forsake some of the performance aspects. I would have liked to see more energy behind her moves and sharpness. It is her first time as a solo artist, so I understand why she would nervous and stiff. Hopefully as time goes by, she feels a little more comfortable. I raise this because I felt that the performance had some attitude and I wished it was reflected in her moves.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 8.1/10
Last week, NCT made their comeback with a whopping 23 member lineup through their NCT 2020 Resonance Pt. 1. This album consist two title tracks amongst others. One of the title track was Make A Wish (Birthday Song), which I reviewed last week. The other is From Home and its music video was dropped on Monday (apologies once again for reviewing this a few days late). For this NCT U release, we have Taeil, Yuta, Kun, Doyoung, Renjun, Haechan and Chenle joining forces together.
NCT is a very multinational group, featuring members from the US, Canada, Japan, China, Thailand and Korea. And so, I find From Home to be a fitting song for the group. Firstly, it is a soft pop ballad that expresses their journey of becoming members of NCT, and their new ‘home’ alongside each other as a group. The song’s meaning is definitely quite touching Secondly, the song has this very comforting warmth to it. As a listener, I couldn’t help but smile that the melodies and feelings that the song places on me. If I was a member of this group, I would constantly return to this song during times when I am lost or alone, remembering that there are 21 other friends in the same boat (and that number is most likely going to rise in the coming years!). Thirdly, the song is sung in four different languages. While the song is mainly in Korean (and there is a Korean version), the song also features lyrics in Japanese, Chinese and English. I feel that this was a very personalised move for the group, given that a bulk of their members are of this nationaliities. It is a pity that the song didn’t have some Thai representation. Meaning aside, I find From Home is a nice song musically. It may not be as impactful or memorable as Make A Wish, but it is a nice delicate side of the group that we should be able to see more often. There are some really good vocal moments, especially the airy vocals we get into the chorus and the really stunning high note Taeil gives us at the climax of this ballad. I also like how they weaved between languages, which is a pretty strong feat, given how different Chinese and Japanese is, in terms of tone, pitch and other characteristics. I also really liked it when all the members sung together for the chorus, adding more to that warm and welcoming feeling that I mentioned.
I really liked that the producers took this video to the outside, rather than make them stay inside sets. I also really like how perfect the day was for the music video shoot. It adds to the aesthetics and appeal of the song, particularly that really warm feeling. I also liked the mix between the modern camera shots and the home video shots. It just makes the whole thing feel homey. The visual game the members bring is also phenomenal. The baby photos and their thanks was also really nice. Given the song meaning, I think it would have been super nice to have the rest of the NCT members to appear towards the end, which would have made this a super special music video for them and fans alike.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 10/10 Overall Rating – 9.4/10
Joining the influx of comebacks this week is LOONA. The female group dropped Why Not? on Monday (sorry for the later review), along with their third mini-album, 12:00 (which is to be read as ‘midnight’). This new comeback continues LOONA’s newfound sense of edginess, following in the footsteps of their title track from earlier in the year, So What?. This is also the second comeback to not feature Haeseul, who is still sitting out for health concerns.
LOONA impresses once again with their title track. It isn’t as fantastic as their last one (more on this in just a second), but I found LOONA’s bright energy and catchy hooks to still be quite memorable. The funky and bass-heavy electro-pop that makes up the instrumental aligns the song to the current trends in the industry, but the way it comes together is quite refreshing. The song is more on heavy with the rapping, giving that edgy vibe that I mentioned earlier. The vocals in the song are quite nice and pretty strong. I particularly find the ‘Di Da Dum‘ repetition we get in the first half of the chorus to be the most memorable and addictive part of the song. I did kind of expect a little bit more in this regard, though I felt that this was partly due to what I am about to explain next. I feel that there is a strong contrast between Why Not? and So What? and it is this difference that really sets the two songs apart. (For those who may not remember, I really enjoyed So What? – giving it a 10/10 rating for its review). Why Not? lacks that punch that could have made the chorus a lot more powerful and impressive. What we good had a nice ring to it and I do find it quite catchy. But I felt that the hook could have been beefed up with some attitude and the music could have been a fraction punchier to bring it up to par with their preceding title track.
Once again, my mind is instantly trying to connect this music video to their previous music videos. As mentioned in my last LOONA review, I will be (hopefully) one day revisit my LOONAverse music video theory that I wrote up for LOONA two years ago, including So What? and Why Not? (and any new videos between now and then) in that revisit. Standalone, it is another decent looking girl-crush concept. It isn’t as powerful visually, as well. I also think the addition of the not-so-much ‘girl-crush’ scenes (i.e. the more innocent looking scenes) were a good move. I also liked the unit choreography scenes. Not that I experienced it before, but one could become overwhelmed with so many people in one scene. So that was a good choice.
I personally like the energy that comes from the performance. The group brings a nice vibrancy to the stage and this makes it a fun performance to watch. I also feel that the song requires a fair amount of confidence in order to pull-off, particularly the random ‘yeah‘ throughout the song and ‘woah woah woah woah‘ we get just before the choruses.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
Unfortunately, at this stage, I only have capacity to write up 2 reviews per night. Please be patient, I will get through all the releases eventually. NCT U and LOONA reviews will be published tomorrow.
SEVENTEEN is the next group to be making their return today! After the highly successful release of Left & Right, which was featured on their million-unit seller album, Heng:garæ, the thirteen member male group has returned today with HOME;RUN (the title track) and Semicolon (the title of the special album that HOME;RUN is featured on). Tipped to be their next million-unit seller, SEVENTEEN seems to have already exceeded the bar set from their last comeback with over a million pre-orders already made prior to its release. Definitely great news for SEVENTEEN, who once again, has proven themselves to be a force to be reckoned with.
HOME;RUN is a pretty exciting and fun song. It features a swing based style instrumental that is loaded with energy and retro vibes thanks to its 1920s roots. It is also a form of retro that SEVENTEEN has never done for. While I have enjoyed pretty much all SEVENTEEN releases to date, HOME;RUN‘s energy is definitely something you should not overlook or underestimate. It might not be as energetic and vibrant as AJU NICE, but it definitely up there. I really like how it just kept on going and it felt like a song that never really takes a break. It also enables SEVENTEEN a chance to show off some moves, as it contains a profound showtime influence from how I hear the song. Another aspect of the song that I liked was the instrumental. It kept true to its 1920s influenced swing form and didn’t contain any noticeable synths. I love the piano in the bridge and the brass throughout the song, particularly in the instrumental/dance break that followed the bridge (or formed part, not too sure). For the vocals and rapping, both elements were really good. I was shocked that there wasn’t more of a high note to bring HOME;RUN to a climax. I think that would have suited the song pretty well. Mingyu’s vocals in the first chorus was probably the standout moment for me, followed by the catchy melodies and hooks that the song had. Overall, a swingin’ track that really proves SEVENTEEN’s versatility and performance potential.
I really like how the video started off with where Left & Right‘s video was left (i.e. S.Coup’s car crash). Here he discovers a diamond (or a Carat – hey I see what you guys did there!) and it becomes the primary focus of the music video. It seems like each member is out to get it for themselves. It definitely creates an exciting music video to watch, which matches up with the song. I just wished it showed how each members got their hand on the diamond throughout the music video. And how the diamond ended up being locked away behind that glass panel in the wall, opposite S.Coup’s crash site. As you can tell, I like a good story and I felt like this one would have been one hilarious, twisty and clever one to watch. I liked how the video also stayed true to the 1920s swing vibes with its setting and outfits. Definitely cool and very sleek looking. I also really like the golden colour that the video had, which definitely shouts out ‘showtime’, which is highly relevant.
Best part of the music video has to be the ending with The8’s kneeling spin, bringing the performance to a close. The music video shot that part so well. I also like the musical stage vibe that the final chorus brought, giving the performance a very stage compatible climax. Aside from the final chorus montage, SEVENTEEN hits the woah during the earlier choruses and I will be interested to see how SEVENTEEN pulls off the integration of all the members following Hoshi, Jun and Chan’s unit moment earlier on the video (which looks cool nonetheless).
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
It has been a while since we have heard from B1A4. Their last comeback was in 2017 with Rollin’. Since that last comeback, the group mainly focused on solo activities domestically and in mid-2018, Jinyoung and Baro both chose not to resign with WM Entertainment at the conclusion of their contract and thus left the group. With this significant lineup change and the members are at the age for military enlistment (however only CNU has enlisted), I did not expect to hear from them so soon (or at all!). However, B1A4 has managed to defy all expectations and made their official comeback as a trio with Like A Movie and Origine today.
Like A Movie is a soft pop track, intended this way to make it feel like we are watching a silent movie. The song’s music at times do remind me of that iconic silent movie soundtrack that we hear quite often in popular culture. B1A4’s return with this soft track adds to their maturity and this feels right up their alley. If you cast your mind back to their early days, B1A4’s music was very bright and bubbly. Over the years to 2017, the group has definitely matured with this sound, meaning that Like A Movie fits into their discography portfolio very nicely. Rather than being a sad emotional song, which I felt is what B1A4 has been known to side with, Like A Movie expresses hopes for a happy ending, and it is a lot more brighter and hopeful with its sound. Made up of strings and piano, it is a nice soothing piece of music that gives a slight classical appeal of a musical. There are also some synths in the instrumental to help modernise the song a bit. As for their vocals, CNU, Sandeul and Gongchan each captivates and complements the soft style of the music. And everything together comes nicely to help create melodies get you to sway along to the music, which you know I really like in ballads and soft songs like this one. Overall, it is definitely an enjoyable and pleasant listen.
As mentioned above, the music video depicts the members falling in love. And given the title and description that indicates some linkage to the film industry, we see it all play out in various movie settings. Some of these settings present storylines that provide a problem for the characters to solve so that they can be together. For CNU, his street scene depicts an action movie (I am guessing), where he has to encounter a few hurdles to get to this lover. Gongchan is in a romantic movie to two lover in a building and find a way to communicate one another (as they are separated by a single lift). Sandeul has a part in a zombie movie, with his lover coming to save him after he sacrfice himself for her. I thought it was a nice video to watch over. I see that WM Entertainment is heavily using green screens for this music video. So far, it is looking good. But hopefully it doesn’t become too much of a permanent fixture.
I wondered with such a soft pop song, how the members would be able to showcase a captivating performance. Needless to say, B1A4 delivers in this aspect. It isn’t anything overly impressive or ground-breaking. But I liked how they break away and have their solo moments with the dancers. In addition to that, I liked how the moves match the musics. The moves are a lot graceful when it come to slower and softer parts of the song, while more dramatic and energetic when it came to the heavier parts of the song. A good mix overall.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
I just realized I spelt their name wrong in their Tag Me review. Apologies to WEEEKLY and Daileees.
If we are discussing the topic of female debuts of 2020, WEEEKLY will be a point in that discussion. To me, they are the most notable new female artist of the year so far, with Tag Me pretty much outshining majority of debut songs by a female artist this year. And it seems like many listeners are jumping on board the WEEEKLY train as their latest comeback (the focus of this review), Zig Zag, has managed to garner over 14 million views in less than a week since its release. Just continue reading (literally the opening sentence of my next paragraph) to see whether I think WEEEKLY managed to out do their debut track.
WEEEKLY had a massive effort to upstage their debut track and I felt that Zig Zag fell short of that achievement. I felt the song was a lot more straight forward with its upbeat energy and delivery, whereas Tag Me was built on really addictive hooks and refreshing instrumentation. Zig Zag had those elements as well, but they weren’t as profound. The chorus’ hooks were catchy and pleasant at best. The instrumental was nice and enjoyable. I particularly liked that the slight rock influence that was brought in during the chorus. It added some oomph to the song and added some extra energy to the chorus. And it felt refreshing. However, the instrumental for Zig Zag’s verses were pretty much forgettable. Actually, while we are on the topic of the verses, I thought they (as a whole – including instrumentals, vocals and melody) weren’t as memorable as they could have been. And I feel that the pre-chorus was more well suited for another song, as a complete slowdown just didn’t hit the mark. Same thing can be said about the bridge of the song. The wow factor for this song has to be that impressive high note. It caught me off guard the first time around and I look forward to it each time I listen to the song. Overall, a decent follow up to their debut single. It exactly isn’t a smash out of the park. But it is still quite enjoyable.
Zig Zag is all about the emotions that a teenager goes through. I also feel like the group targeted the lyrics towards the idea of self-discovery, which is an important part of growing up. We see that the in the video, where the members are part of the WEEEKLY School and are picking up skills. What leaves me confused is the glowing green spinning block towards the end of the video. Was that meant to represent something that I should already know about? I also felt the video could have been a little more colourful, as what we got was slightly dimmed. It wasn’t the end of the world, but I think a colourful video would have been more visually appealing.
I really enjoyed the use of those blocks in the choreography. They instantly made the entire performance more captivating. I like how they infused some bubbliness (is this even a word?) into the performance to make it more cutesy and fun. There wasn’t anything impressive in the actual performance. But the whole choreography routine comes together quite nicely.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.8/10
Chen made it onto the headlines of the KPOP industry and related media for his surprise announcement of marriage and (at the time) upcoming entrance into fatherhood. A little later into the year, Chen got married in a private ceremony and also became a father to a young girl. Congratulations to Chen and his wife! Since the shock announcement until now, Chen has been absent from the industry (though I do remember him popping up in the congratulatory video for BoA’s 20 year anniversary). However, a week ago, SM Entertainment announced the (another!) surprise comeback for Chen with Hello, which dropped today. This is his first solo comeback since the release of Shall We? and his first music release since EXO’s Obsession.
Within a matter of seconds (yep, not even a full listen to the song), I was admiring Chen’s voice and the song (in general). Hello is such a beautiful sounding song. It falls into the realm of britpop, taking on more of a ballad profile, which is expected for Chen. I really love the combination of the piano, drums and electric and acoustic guitars throughout the song. Very traditional instruments, but they all blend together spectacularly for Hello and in a very wholesome type of way. I also love how the britpop aspect of the song gives the chorus a kick, which makes the song so much more appealing. Chen’s vocals effortlessly delivers the song’s melodies and you can definitely hear the emotions in his voice. Hopefully, I am selling the idea that I enjoyed Hello. This reaction was pretty much guaranteed, given how Chen had previously impressed me with Shall We? and even more so with Beautiful Goodbye. Before I proceed with the rest of the reviews, I think I need to address the lyrics of Hello here (and not in the music video portion of the video). The emotions we hear in his voice during stems from the lyrics, which is pretty much his fears and concerns that experienced whilst wanting to say hello to fans since (what I would assume) the announcement. It actually made me emotional and Hello just felt so much more impactful, as a result.
For a ballad like this, the music video needs to be slow to compliment the song. And that is exactly what the pace of the music video was. For the first half of the video, we simply find Chen pacing around his apartment. Other than a lighting change, there wasn’t much to it the first half. My guess this was some time after leaving a lover. The world went on (i.e. the lighting changed signifying that time went by) and for whatever reason, he didn’t take action (though clearly, he still remembers this lover). In the end, he decides to write a letter to express interest. However, when he starts to write the word ‘Hello‘ to say hello to his lover, time starts to slow down due to his hesitation that he expresses throughout the lyrics of the song. The second part of the video see his possessions in his apartment start floating around. I am not exactly sure what this means exactly, but my guess is that time is coming to a definite as we shortly see those items break apart. This tells us time has stopped completely. However, Chen makes to the end of the pier at the very end, where life is quite sunny. This might signify that he moved on to continue writing the letter. However, the very end shows him in a greyscale world, similar to the greyscale we got when time came to a stop earlier on in the video, and the final few lines indicate that he did not move on from the word ‘Hello‘ that was the start of his letter. This is just my take on the video though, so I may be wrong.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9.6/10
Once again, I have taken two days off from the blog. Back on the review grind!
VERIVERY returns rather unexpectedly with their third installment of their FACE it trilogy, which they started at the very start of the year, with the release of Lay Back (the promotional track) and Face Me (the group’s third mini-album) The group then released Thunder (the promotional track) and Face You (the group’s fourth mini-album) after their participation on Road To Kingdom. Now, the group returns with G.B.T.B (Go Beyond The Barrier) and their fifth mini-album (and third overall this year), Face Us. It is definitely been one busy year for the group.
When I heard the teaser for G.B.T.B, one thought I had was that VERIVERY and their company kept the most epic sounding track for their last installment of this trilogy. And I am glad they stuck with this epic sound, instead of misleading us with the teaser (which has been done before). G.B.T.B‘s main selling point is its powerful and intense sound, as evident when we approach the chorus. Admittedly, it took a few listens to get into it, especially since it initially felt like it went over too quickly. The entire chorus revolves around a two chanting hooks (the initial one being more shouty) and an instrumental that you could call clickity clackity ‘noise’. Maybe that last description isn’t the most appealing way to go about it. But that is what I had in mind whilst listening to the song the first time around (and it kind of stuck with me). I am a little torn when it came to the verses. The first verse should have continued the energy and momentum opening chorus. But it just straight up ignored the preceding chorus that started off the song. For the second verse, it contained one of the most impressive rap sequences I have had heard this year. Hats off to Dongheon and Hoyoung for rapping at that speed. Regardless of whether he was comprehensible or not, going at that speed takes a lot of skill and confidence. For the pre-choruses, the members bring a nice smoothness to the song, acting as the ‘calm before the storm’ (that is the chorus). The vocals return for the bridge and then it is followed up with a EDM styled dance break. I wished the dance break had a little more substance and meat to it, as this felt a little too airy and isn’t as satisfying. Overall, VERIVERY impresses once again with G.B.T.B, though it still had its flaw.
The music video featured a slightly different version of the song. The chorus at the very the start of song appears slightly muffled, as if the members are singing with something blocking the sound waves from getting to us. We get a similar effect just prior to the second chorus of the song, which is then followed up with a member running into and breaking the glass barrier allowing the song to be heard at full volume once again. It is a very intriguing start and definitely hooked me onto the music video. As for the rest of the video, the post-production was cool especially when it came to the floating glass shards. I also like their spaceship-like set. I wished we saw more of it.
Without a doubt, the performance for G.B.T.B is super powerful. It seems like they definitely picked up on some refinement and powerful skills during Road To Kingdom and it is all paying off. They don’t hold back in any part (aside from when the music smoothes out for the vocals). When it comes to the smoother parts, I really liked the movement of the hands right at the end of the vocal parts of the bridge. A small detail, but something that spoke volumes. Just like the powerful chorus did in terms of energy and intensity.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
After appearing on Road To Kingdom, each male group that participated in the show has managed to make a comeback (unlike the Queendom counterpart – Park Bom has yet to make a comeback after her appearances on the show). Some made their comebacks right after leaving the show, whilst others took a bit of time. Pentagon is part of the latter category, becoming the final group part of the Road To Kingdom lineup to make their long-awaited comeback. Today, the group returned with member Yanan (and without Jinho, who has enlisted into the military) with Daisy and their 10th mini-album, We:th.
One listen to Daisy and I am already hooked to the song. It is an alternative rock track, with a bit of a upbeat zing to it. This upbeatness is quite refreshing and makes the song quite unique in its own way. Because of this, Daisy feels pretty much like a Summer track when it comes to the verses, before the rock kicks in when it comes to the chorus. What I really like about Daisy is how vocally driven it is. The rappers do a good job as well, but they aren’t the main stars of the song unfortunately. That title is given directly to the vocalists. Interestingly, I don’t find that one member sticks out over the other. It is very hard to find the vocalist that really stands out the most. But each member does an neat job of emotionally rocking out with their vocals. Hui and Hongseok each bring a raspy nature to their parts of the chorus. The other members bring a nice huskiness to their parts. The song is super catchy, especially with the post-chorus hook. The singing-chant that forms the bridge was also a really epic sequence, adding to the song’s power, intensity and energy. I do feel that the members missed an opportunity to throw in some high or power notes into Daisy, particularly when it came to the end to give the song a more fulfilling climax. However, the final chorus that we got managed to showcase even more of that power, intensity and energy that I mentioned before in its own way. I just feel that it could have been enhanced even more with that high/power note.
I mentioned above that the song feels like a Summer track during the verses. That is a very optimistic outlook, which isn’t shared with the lyrics. Daisy was all about the emotional feelings one experiences after an heartbreak, which is polar opposite to ‘sound’ that I got from the song. However, I felt the music video nails the emotional side of the song, whilst also channeling some of that rock energy that the song actively pushes out. The music video’s lighting is quite dark, which would be the type of feelings one would be experiencing after heartbreak. Their acting was pretty good and I felt like the anger portrayed during their individual scenes (where I am guess they are dancing) were really good. We see a glimpse at the end that these dark and emotional feelings do not stay forever and the passage at the end says that ‘In the end, we return to your most innocent state, which can lead to another beginning. Sorrow lasts a second, but what we share in our universe is eternal‘. I think that these final lines really wrap up the story neatly and creatively, even though it was simple.
I love that even though the song is quite emotional, the rock sound still enables the powerful performance that we know Pentagon is capable of. What I really like was how they passed around the daisy (i.e. their hands) at the end of the performance, representing an ending similar to the music video (i.e. Kino’s hand blooms).
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
KPOPREVIEWED 