Category: Reviews

[Review] Beautiful Beautiful – ONF

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ONF is the next group to make their return to the stage with a new song. It is titled Beautiful Beautiful and follows the pre-release single, My Name Is. Both songs are featured on their first studio album, ONF: MY NAME. The release of this album also makes ONF join a growing number of artists to return with a studio album this year. We last saw ONF through their Sukhumvit Swimming comeback last year and their still incredible New World Road To Kingdom single. Yes, I am still raving about that song. Let’s see if Beautiful Beautiful has what it takes to replace the title New World holds for me.

Beautiful Beautiful kicks off with post-chorus that is undeniably catchy. The “Brrram ppabam…” repetition from the very first second sets up the song quite nicely and gives hint at how fun the next three minutes and so will become. When the song actually kicks into gear, it takes on a wonderfully energetic and exciting retro profile. It brought me a smile to my face and I had a little boogie in my chair. The really upbeat energy and splash of colour that you could hear in this song is quite impressive and felt quite refreshing. The sudden switch to between chorus and bridge actually worked really well. Usually I am not a fan of this tactic and am an advocate for transitions. But here, it fitted in with the retro sound. I really like how strong their vocals are in the song. They really made sure they could be heard over the song’s quite dominating instrumental. I honestly cannot pick out a standout member because they all sound fantastic and deserving of the title. But more so, I cannot choose because they (as a group) decide to drop the acapella version of their post-chorus hook on us within the bridge. I just really liked how flawlessly the producers weaved that into the song. Very clever and it paid off for me. The last thing I wanted to touch on was the hooks. As already mentioned at the start of this section. they are super addictive and catchy. Altogether, all the elements of Beautiful Beautiful make it a perfect song. I don’t think it can replace New World as my new ONF song to rave about however. Both are distinctly different. So I have decided to make them both my favourite ONF songs to rave about!

ONF takes us into a futuristic world, where it looks like they are outlaws trying to make a positive change. There also seems to be the side mission of rescuing J-US, who has been captured by the robot authorities and is detained in a virtual prison. Hyojin is the one in charged of that side mission, while everyone else is hacking their way through the world (as it is the future) to make that positive change. I am not sure what that change is, but it is most likely to spread the message of the lyrics (to be proud of oneself). I felt a Thunderbird-like presence in U’s solo parts with the flying rocket ship, Their outfits in the choreography scene gives off that same feeling as well. It really brings back memories for me (does anyone know what Thunderbirds is anymore? Or am I showing my age?). I really like how elaborate the landscape was and all the post-production that was added to the video. It definitely looked cool. I also appreciate the lighting, which went extremely well with the bright energy of the song. Overall, a really cool and interesting video to watch.

Once again, the choreography brings forth that energy that I really enjoyed in the song. They managed to strike a fine balance between making the choreography fun and infusing their usual powerful performance style that we all associate ONF to. And you can tell that they really enjoyed it. I also liked how the performance felt freeing and it not constricting. There was a strong sense of harmony between the members for this routine as well.

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

[Review] All Or Nothing – WEi

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Next up on the comeback list for this week is WEi with their first comeback since debut and new single, All Or Nothing. This is featured on the group’s second mini-album, Identity: Challenge. If you are unfamiliar with the this group, they are a six-member male group under Oui Entertainment. They kicked their careers off with their single, Twilight in October of last year. Other than that, there really isn’t much else to say in terms of an introduction for this review, so let’s just move onto the sections to why we are here.

If you were to put Twilight and All Or Nothing together side by side, you wouldn’t be able to guess that the two songs are by the same group. All Or Nothing is many more times aggressive, abrasive and powerful than their debut track. If you look back on my review for their debut single, I mentioned that the song underwhelmed because it lacked ‘heft or load’. Well, I am happy to report that all the heft and load that should have been in Twilight somehow made its way into All Or Nothing. They really went for it and it definitely impressed me. To some, the use of this blastful energy and noisy synth work could be overwhelming. But for me, this is what I am looking for. The song taps into a hybrid trap motif, bringing a lot of texture and vibration to the song. There was also an exotic influence to the instrumentation. It was very subtle in the chorus, but made explicit in the second verse. I really enjoyed that even though the song started off quite abrasive and aggressive, it built upon that initial feeling in a very satisfying manner. By the end of the song, I was heading banging along to the music – always a great feeling. I do have to note that this song doesn’t bring anything new to the table. But it is definitely an upgrade, in terms of appeal, from their previous work. The high intensity also gives the rappers of the group an opportunity to really shine. They really showed off their skillset and showed us that they should not be messed around with their deliveries. The vocalists did a fine job themselves when given the opportunity. They had to give us some powerful vocals to be heard over the instrumentation, but this didn’t affect the quality of their sequence. Overall, All Or Nothing really captures your attention with its energy and holds a lot of promise for WEi’s future.

The music video for this comeback looks really good. Some of the sets had this really edgy style to them, like Daehyeon’s hallway that is lined with guns and Dong Han’s cliff (mainly due to the angle at which the camera was shooting at). Other sets like Junseo’s golden room and Yohan’s couch were a bit of a let down. I wished the producers thought of something more original with those members’ scenes. I really like the industrial profile of the choreography sets and that they used a lot of flashing lights to match the music style. Aside from the usage of the typical formula as I just outlined, the music video does its job well and compliments the song as a whole.

The relentlessness and intensity of the song makes this one tiring performance. And to pull it off whilst performing live would be an amazing feat. For their showcase, they do just that. So props to them for nailing the performance. I really like the fast paced nature of the first sequence in the chorus, It was also quite satisfying to experience the aggressiveness of the dance as the song drew to a close (as the music pushes the members one more time with an intense closer).

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Review] Tail – Sunmi

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Today, we see the return of Sunmi with the new single, Tail. This is her first comeback since the release of pporappippam in June of last year. Since then, Sunmi has been active with other artists such as J.Y.Park for the collaboration, When We Disco, which was nominated for Best Collaboration of 2020 in the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards (Public Service Announcement: Award winners have been announced, so click here if you have checked out who won which categories yet). I really enjoy Sunmi’s work, so I am brewing with excitement for this comeback. So without any delay, let’s get stuck right into the comeback.

What steals my attention in this pop song is Sunmi’s vocals and the song’s hooks. Let’s start off with the first standout element of Tail. Once again, this song showcases the husky tone that Sunmi has in her arsenal when it comes to her solo songs. It is fitting with the concept of the comeback (more on this later on). Aside from her husky tone, her snappy and sassy delivery of her lines in the verses is very memorable. Moving along to the hooks, my favourite has to be the second half of the chorus. Her vocals go into an almost whisper-like tone which adds to much more character and intensity to the song, while the melody is quite hypnotic. This is followed up with a few spoken words (‘Shake Shake‘), adding more of everything I just mentioned into the song. I also found the instrumental of the song to be quite a dynamic mix of electronic synths. This is pretty typical style for Sunmi, but I really like how the instrumental helped carry the vocal work and hooks in this song. The energy that is the result of everything coming together is really fulfilling and helps drive the song forward. To me, Tail ticks a lot of boxes. Most importantly, it reeled me from the start and I am addicted to this new song.

I am unsure if I interpreted the video correctly, but it seems like a story of the Curse of Sunmi (or cat-lady, depending on how you look at it). I am guessing Sunmi’s former lover is attempting to break free from their relationship. I am not sure what brought on Sunmi’s case of crazy laughter, whether this is the reason to why her former lover wanted out of the relationship or whether it was brought on because of the news of the breakup. Either way, it results in Sunmi falling to her ‘death’. However, she is saved by some alley cats. From this point onwards, she adopts cat-like traits and prepares to exact revenge by kidnapping her former lover and tying him to a railroad with an approaching train on its way. He manages to escape but is now obviously terrified by Sunmi. I would like to see more of the story like a continuation at the end, or a sequel. I think that would be really cool. I also really like the sets for this music video, which look very elegant and sophisticated. Her outfits are definitely another strong visual aspect of the performance.

Tail is Sunmi’s sexiest performance yet. Just from the start of the performance where is crawling on the floor like a cat between her dancers legs, it pretty much sets the tone of the performance. But it seems like the sexy nature of the performance comes and goes, because we don’t see anything provocative until the second verse, where she dances with her dancers while sitting down. The best part of the performance comes during the bridge and is probably the peak of this comeback’s sexiness profile. The dancers’ legs act like a tail moving about, fanning out behind Sunmi like a moving tail while she is on the ground. In terms of last impression, Sunmi hits the nail on the end with her cat-like pose at the very end.

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

[Review] Clicker – J.Don (Lee Seung Hyub – N.Flying)

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Yesterday, we saw the solo debut of J.Don a.k.a. Lee Seung Hyub of N.Flying. For those who are unfamiliar of this member of N.Flying, Lee Seung Hyub is the leader, main rapper and lead vocalist of the band. His debut single is titled Clicker and is featured on his first single album, ON THE TRACK. He is also the second member to go solo (member Hwesung has dabbled in solo work before), but the first to officially debut as a solo artist.

Personally, it was hard to figure out what to expect with the news of the impending solo debut of J.Don. From what I recall, his solo collaborative work has shown he has excelled with his rapping. But his N.Flying work has shown otherwise with vocals. So it was hard to predict which route he would go with. Clicker seems to be a mixture of both, but with a more laidback and easygoing vibe that edges towards the hip-hop genre. The instrumentation isn’t hard hitting in any way, but there are still rock influence mixed into it that connects it to N.Flying’s work. The laidback and easygoing vibe gives off a bright tone, carefree and almost hippy in a way. It is pleasant, but it is admittedly plain. The carefree and ‘almost hippy’ description can also be applied to J.Don himself in this song. There is a mixture of both rapping and vocals in the song, with the former being more dominant during the verses and the other in the chorus. To match the rest of the song, the rapping is light and flowy. The melodic touch comes through via the vocals, which sounded pretty decent. Due to the set up of the song, the hooks aren’t the most memorable aspect of the song. But there is something about the way he sings ‘Clicker‘, which just… well… clicks. The most memorable part has to be the the really short pre-chorus sequence where he sings ‘Oh momma ma ma‘. That stood out for me given that it was different to the vocal and rapping work we heard in Clicker. Overall, the best way to describe Clicker is that it is pleasant. Nothing more or nothing less.

From what I am reading, the lyrics are telling us to change negativity into positivity, which is a great message. I just don’t really see much of that in the music video. It seems to be subtly there and I think I can make out the storyline that fits in with the lyrics. Here is my attempt of making sense of the story. It seems like J.Don experience thoughts of the negative kind in his life, as shown through the different versions of himself. Casual J.Don has to battle music coming from the hippy J.Don neighbour. Scientist J.Don seems to lack ideas for his experiments. Businessman J.Don seems to be focused on others all the time. By the end of the video, J.Don has changed his negative thoughts into positive one about himself. Casual J.Don clicks a button (I am assuming the reset button to change his mentality), Scientist J.Don starts an experiment on ‘how to be yourself’ and Businessman J.Don finds a book that shows him how to focus on himself. Not exactly sure about hippy neighbour and construction worker version of himself though.

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

[Review] Don’t Call Me -SHINee

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Making their grand and long-awaited comeback today with their seventh studio album is SHINee with Don’t Call Me. This new song headlines their new album of the same name. Since the end of 2018, SHINee has been absent from the stage (aside from Taemin, who has continued to promote as a solo artist) due to military enlistment of three members. The three members who enlisted (Onew, Key and Minho) were all discharged in the latter half of 2020. Since returning to the industry, the group had rejoined with one another to hold a special live online concert in January, where they announced this comeback much to the excitement of fans.

Don’t Call Me is a dance track that has firm roots in the hip-hop genre of music. While we have definitely heard this combination in the past, SHINee’s take on this is quite refreshing and addictive. The refreshing description comes through in Don’t Call Me via the instrumentation. The variety of synths used throughout the song really intrigues you. They don’t really stick to one type of synth, so there is always something different around the corner. The use of bass helps make the song ‘hit hard’ (pun intended). The bass drives the song forward and really adds emphasis to the pre-chorus or chorus, where it predominately is used. It also made the song more dramatic, which we all know is my favourite effect. While I am talking about being dramatic, they really top it off with that dramatic piano piece that appeared at the end of the bridge and infused into the first section of the final chorus. It managed to blend in well with the rest of the song and just gave the song that extra level of interestingness, albeit random. Together, the synths and bass really makes this song a textural heaven. Also adding to the addictiveness is the repetition of the title. It opens with the ‘Don’t Call Me‘ chant that is pretty much engraved into your memory before the song actually kicked off. There is a bit of rapping throughout the song, but more in a spoken manner. When it came to the vocals, there was some really cool and interesting melodies to show off vocal flair. These were an attraction and made the song even more intriguing, as they aren’t what you expect. I particularly like the melody in the chorus. Overall, SHINee manages to pull off another stunning song that slides well into their growing and varying discography.

While I think SHINee is at that status in the industry where they can attempt anything music-wise and would be untouchable with that song, I don’t think it applies to their outfits. Sure, they might get some leeway here and there. But I still question some of the fashion choices. Namely Key’s feather hat and his other headwear throughout the video. I am also not keen on Onew’s red headwear (whatever that was) and Minho’s ear flap attachment to his hat. Aside from the questionable fashion, the music video sets look really cool. And the post-production added to these sets (especially when it came to the part of the music video with the piano piece) really elevated something that could have looked rather ordinary. Some of their solo shots were very intriguing and made me rewatch the video make sure I saw things right.

Per usual, SHINee excels in the choreography department. I really like how they were fierce with this performance, which matched their lyrics and tone of the song. The ending of the performance is definitely a scene engraved into my mind and felt like a statement to viewers that they are officially back. I also enjoyed the tiny hint of elegance that was brought into the song via that piano section towards at the end of the song.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.2/10

[Review] Excalibur – KINGDOM

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As mentioned in the last review, I will be focusing on two new debuts from this week. I have already covered TRI.BE’s debut single in the mentioned review. Today, I will be focusing on a newly debuted male group, KINGDOM. They are a new group under GF Entertainment and is made up of seven members (Dann, Louis, Chiwoo, Arthur, Ivan, Mujin, Jahan). Dann and Arthur were previous members of VARSITY. An interesting and unique concept with the group members is that their stage names are based on historic kings from across the world. KINGDOM made their debut on Thursday with the single, Excalibur, and the mini-album, History Of Kingdom : PartⅠ. Arthur.

There seems to be a bit within Excalibur. For some songs, that could be a compliment. But in Excalibur‘s case, this description is not as positive as it could have been. Let’s break the song down, starting off with the members. While Excalibur does show that the members can perform, it felt overly ambitious at the same time. Some of the vocal work felt strained, while other parts could have been more polished to feel cleaner and clearer. I also felt the vocal department didn’t offer anything new to the industry, which leaves them less memorable to me. Nor was there anything impressive to wow me. The rapping faired a little better. But overall, there was a consistent plainness that came from the members. Similarly, the song doesn’t have much of a strong hook. There were good moments within the song, but they were brief ‘moments’ and nothing like what a ‘strong hook’ should be like. Those good moments are mainly there due to the instrumentation. I felt that the producers managed to showcase an epic vibe within the sound of the song quite well. But unfortunately, the epic vibes were pretty much concentrated during the pre-chorus, where the background inclines using organs and gripping energy. It is also quite unfortunate that the producers reverted to a very plain use of EDM for the chorus. There was so much potential for the chorus to be so much more dynamic. The bridge is a bit more interesting, using a wobbling-like synth effect which I haven’t heard of before. I also liked how it grew faster, which was very different. Overall, Excalibur was ambitious that didn’t feel like it was well-executed. There were some positives about the song that I was glad to still enjoy. But it seems like the song’s negative aspects outweighs its positives.

The visual concept behind this group might be one of the biggest positives of the debut as a whole. As the mini-album is centered around King Arthur, the main character for this music video is Arthur himself. Furthermore, the song is titled after King Arthur’s infamous sword. So clearly this makes the most sense. You can see each member representing the king that has been assigned to them by their stage name throughout the video. All join forces to defeat whoever is trying to kill Arthur and all pay their respect to King Arthur at the end of the video when he finally sits on his throne. While I did like the visual concept, I am not keen on their outfits. They seemed overkill and felt like the stylist got too carried away with the chains. I also would like to see whether they will focus on each king/member in their subsequent releases. It will be interesting to see a different story being told, especially after they went with the most obvious story of a king battling to reclaim his throne. I am hoping they don’t repeat the same story another six times, just revisualised to fit the background of the king in focus. It does seem like we will be seeing the Chinese king, Chiyou, in the next video based on the ending.

KINGDOM made the plain EDM chorus turn into a powerful piece thanks to the choreography. That is quite a feat! On top of that the performance looks quite good. The choice to use swords and so many backup dancers really paid off, even though both sound very risky. It helps bring the visual concept to life on the stage, expanding the comeback in a very clever manner. However, them posing with the swords at the end felt a little corny for my liking.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

[Review] DOOM DOOM TA – TRI.BE

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The next two reviews (released today and tomorrow) are for some new debuts that occurred this week. Yesterday, we saw the debut of TRI.BE, a new female group co-produced by Shinsadong Tiger and Universal Music. The group consist of seven members (SongSun, Kelly, JinHa, HyunBin, Jia, SoEun and Mire). From my research, the group name is split into two, with the ‘TRI’ part representing perfection (and comes from the word ‘Triangle’) and ‘BE’ representing the perfect being. They debuted yesterday with DOOM DOOM TA, which is featured on the group’s first single album, TRI.BE Da Loca.

Aside from a smashing to start of their careers with, what newly debut groups really need to demonstrate with their first few songs is potential. And I feel that TRI.BE has done that through DOOM DOOM TA. It is what I enjoyed about this song. I felt like there was a lot of it throughout the song that showcase the members to a degree. There are great vocals throughout and I definitely have to praise whichever member handled the high note just before the final chorus. Other members showed different textures which I think can be carried forward to new song releases, provided the producing team for their future songs can capitalize them. Knowing that this is a Shinsadong Tiger produced group, I feel that they are in safe hands. There were some decent rapping throughout the song, as well. This showcase of potential is definitely important in this case, given I felt DOOM DOOM TA was a boring song overall. To me, I couldn’t find a memorable hook in DOOM DOOM TA. There was a lot of repetition, but it just felt flat. The instrumentational had a tribal-like exotic flair to the electronic sound. While I do feel like this is slightly unique, it just didn’t live up to my expectations when it mattered most. It felt plain during moments when the instrumental should have been the most dynamic (i.e. chorus). And no matter how times I have replayed it so far, I just haven’t been reeled into it. I also felt the transition between the chorus and bridge could have a bit more smoother and not so much sudden. Overall, I have mixed feelings about this song. Maybe more listens will help make the song more enjoyable. But for the time being, it seems that I am on the fence about DOOM DOOM TA.

There was a big emphasis on triangles in this music video. And I think this really helps emphasise their origins. From first glance, the music video takes on the girl crush concept. But when you watch the individual scenes, they feel a bit random. Lying in the mouth of crocodile, confronting haters with guns and rifles, flaming chainsaw to cut down a really tall basketball goal, meteor shower with pyramid-shaped alien spaceships floating in the air. I am not too sure what is going on. I guess there is a little bit of a parallel with other female group’s takes on the girl crush concept, such as Weki Meki. But this is a step into the ‘out there’ spectrum from how I see it. Maybe it is all there for a specific reason and I am just overlooking the meaning of everything completely. Aside from that, I really like the post-production on the video with various cool transitions (shooting the bottle on top of the members head, before transitioning scene into a choreography shot, the whole pyramid alien ship CGI etc.).

Once again, a lot of moves and formations involving triangles throughout the choreography. As a whole, the performance is so-so. You pretty have seen everything they pulled off before in other choreographies. So they don’t really bring anything new to the table. But they managed to meet the energy of the song, which helped made the performance look pleasant.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 6.7/10

[Review] PARANOIA – Kang Daniel

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Making his epic return today is Kang Daniel with his brand new single. PARANOIA. This follows the release of 2U and Who U Are, his two 2020 singles (which were featured on the two mini-albums he released last year as well). It also follows the release of State of Wonder last month, which is a collaboration between himself, inverness and Anthony Russo. They are also the creative minds behind PARANOIA, alongside Kang Daniel. He has also been recently announced to be making his acting debut. But while he prepares for that, it seems like he has to shake off some PARANOIA.

What I really enjoyed about this song is its fierceness. This persona fits in with the whole message of fighting inner demons and emphasises the edgy nature of the song. I also find that the fierceness strikes at the best moments, just as we are coming to the chorus. Why do I think that this was the best moment? Well, the verse felt like suspense was simmering away. While the chorus was the more melodic and what you could call a mini-peak in the song’s momentum. The use of the harsh, rough and deep tone electric guitar as a tunnel for the fierceness really adds so much energy to launch the song into its chorus. As mentioned a moment ago, the chorus is a lot melodic and flowy compared to the verse and pre-chorus launch. But yet it showcases Kang Daniel’s vocals really well. The melodic hooks really make the song memorable and the instrumentation is quite atmospheric/mysterious to a degree. In addition to that, the heavy use of English really helps make the song even memorable for the international audience and gives us insight into the lyrics of the song. His rap-whisper sequence in the bridge was the next best thing in the song. It just had so much behind it and drove the song forward. Without a doubt, the whisper delivery was intentional, serving purpose to the lyrics of the song and just add more momentum towards the final chorus. As for the final chorus, I liked what they done. But I wished they peaked the energy at the start to carry on that momentum from that bridge. It felt like the energy was drained away, which I personally do not like. But once it did peak, the song ended on a really strong note. Overall, PARANOIA is a heavy track, both in meaning and its execution.

The music video is awesome. We see Kang Daniel struggle to fall asleep and is haunted by something. He cowers under the table in fear, and (I assume) he is haunted by whatever is going on when he closes his eyes. It looks like the video hints at some drinking to help with this fear. But obviously, it doesn’t help much. He does have brief moments of solitude where he is aware that those fears are lingering, but they don’t touch him. But the briefest distraction sets him back and he is reminded of those fears. The video chugs along with the same story, though at the end, I think the video shows these fears are just his inner demons. We are shown Kang Daniel with one red eye, indicative of an evil side. Towards the end, we see him struggle with someone who comes so close to stabbing him. But at the very end, we just see him with a bloody hand with no-one else in the room to show ‘he won’ the battle with his demon. While we are on the topic of bloody hand, there was a scene in which we saw a grate at floor level with Kang Daniel on the bed. On the floor is a trail of blood, which suggests to me something a little more sinister. I wonder how this all plays with his future comeback, as this does tease for that comeback.

This performance is on point. I enjoyed all aspects of the choreography, from the complexity of everything once it is put together to the individual moves. I really like how some of the moves made it seem like Kang Daniel and the dancers were possessed, moving in such a manner that really looked intriguing and cool. The dance itself is quite powerful and definitely one of watch in detail.

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

[Review] ZERO:ATTITUDE – SOYOU & IZ*ONE (ft. pH-1)

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Prepare yourself for the first collaboration of 2021. Members from IZ*ONE (Eunbi, Sakura, Minju, Yuri and WonYoung) and former Sistar member Soyou have joined forces with pH-1 for the new single, ZERO:ATTITUDE. This new single forms part of the Pepsi X Starship Project, providing us with great collaborations between big KPOP artists since 2019. Other artists who have participated in this project include GFriend’s Eunha and VIXX’s Ravi (Blossom), Ong Seong Wu (Heart Sign), MONSTA X’s Hyungwon and former VIXX member Hongbin (Cool Love), Rain & Soyou (Beginning), Kang Daniel & Zico (Refresh) and CIX’s Bae Jin Young & WEi’s Kim Yo Han (I Believe).

Like majority of the collaborative efforts between the artists listed above, SOYOU and IZ*ONE do a pretty neat job with this single. I find ZERO:ATTITUDE to be super catchy, which reels me into the song even more. And this catchiness tempts me to press the replay button with its infectious sung-spoken hook. On top of that, the confident energy that is expressed in the lyrics comes off pretty well in the instrumentation. The vocals from both the IZ*ONE members and Soyou were very clean-cut, popping out over the EDM based instrumentation. I also felt the line distribution was pretty fair between the individuals who participated in the The instrumentation is a hit and miss for me. Aside from the positives that I have mentioned thus far about this element, I have to make the note that it is relatively plain. Currently, it feels suitable as a short and sweet commercial track (which is the whole purpose of this collaboration in the first place). If the instrumental was a little more interesting and spruced up a bit to be more dynamic, I think ZERO:ATTITUDE has what it takes to be an awesome title track as everything else is pretty much at that level for me. pH-1’s bridge was a bit random for my taste. I honestly thought the song could have done without this part, replaced with a dance break to boost the song’s dynamism. This is not critical of pH-1’s delivery as his rapping is awesome. It is more so that his trap breakdown sequence just didn’t fit the liveliness and pop roots of the rest of the song. But aside from that, ZERO:ATTITUDE is another strong collaboration between two big names in the industry.

In case you missed it, the music video for ZERO:ATTITUDE was a three minute long commercial for Pepsi’s newest Pepsi Zero Lime flavour. The walls are lined with cans of the drink and the members (per soft drink commercial protocols) down the drink in the music video. Thought I point that out. But aside from the video’s purpose, I am loving the overall urban aesthetics of the big screen, exposed scaffolding/stage structure and the outfits donned by Soyou, the IZ*ONE members and the dancers. It just felt on point and really showed off a sexier side that is synonymous with Soyou. It also felt suitable for the IZ*ONE members. I was wondering when the two parties would meet up to make this video and collaboration feel complete as they were pretty much separated throughout the first two thirds of the video. But they managed to bring the two parties together at the end, fulfilling my wish for this video.

The performance is pretty neat. I liked how it exudes confidence, fitting in with the song and its purpose. I also liked how good it made Soyou and the IZ*ONE members look.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] Bicycle – Chungha

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Chungha is finally back!! It has been a long time coming, especially with the many pre-releases that Chungha was unveiling over the past year. It all started off in April 2020 with the release of Stay Tonight. Her second pre-release for this comeback was with PLAY in July. Her third release, which will be reviewed and published on the weekend, was an English track with R3HAB titled Dream of You. While this was shaping to be one epic comeback, Chungha’s comebacks plans were halted when she tested positive to COVID-19, which delayed her fourth and final pre-release single, X. This ended up occurring in January and pushed out her previously confirmed comeback date of 4th January to 15th February (today). And today, she drops her new title track, Bicycle, and her first studio album, Querencia.

Described as a R&B pop-trap song, Bicycle comes swinging at you with its powerful energy and intensity. As a result, one word comes to mind with this song – fierce. And knowing the trajectory that Chungha has been on with her solo releases, this one has managed to one up all her previous outstanding releases. It comes off as an intimidating song, as Chungha does quite a lot in this song to make sure that Bicycle is relentless. While I do want to point out that the song is her least melodic from start to end, she gifts us with strong and elegant vocals throughout. But they weren’t always elegant. Some parts framed her as quite seductive sounding, such as the sequence following the second chorus. Other times we get a bit of the melodic touch from her, such as during the chorus. And in at other times, she is quite fierce with the way she ends her lines in the chorus. She also presents us with a show-stopping rap verse for the second verse (which is all in English). It definitely showcases her development and maturity over the years. Based on what I understand, only the music video and the performance contain the foot-stomping dance break. I wished this was part of the official song. It just reiterates that fierceness quite well, by providing the song a more powerful sequence and edge. I also like how they used the bicycle bell sparingly throughout the song. It easily could have been overused and been a distraction if that was the case. I think my only other complaint with the song is that we don’t get much opportunity to hear her high notes in the foreground. They are always hidden in the background. I thought Bicycle would have been the perfect setting for her high note in the front, as that really would have emphasised the fierceness of the song (if it was done right).

Visuals galore. Whoever is Chungha’s stylist(s) really need a pay rise because her looks throughout the video were on point. From the amazing outfits to the simple closeups of her face, everything felt like perfection on that front. I also liked how her outfits were part of the set design as well, such as that massive black dress at the peak of the song where she was flying up. That part looked epic. The set designs were quite cool as well, going hand-in-hand with the outfits in each part.

Performance wise, I thought the comeback was really good. The fierceness that I mentioned earlier was definitely displayed, along with her confidence and seductiveness. I also have to mention that her charisma is very alluring, especially throughout this performance. The entire performance is a highlight. But more specific moments that I enjoyed are the human bicycle for Chungha to pedal on and the foot-stomping dance break.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10

[Review] Forever – aespa

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aespa was voted as the Best New Female Group of 2020 in the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Congratulations to aespa. Click here to find out who else won in the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

aespa made their first comeback at the very end of last week with Forever, a remake of a song from the year 2000 of the same name by Yoo Young Jin. I am quite sure we are all familiar with aespa, who are the newest edition to SM Entertainment’s lineup and they made their debut at the end of 2020 with Black Mamba. The other half of this project (i.e. the original singer) is Yoo Young Jin and he is a song-writer and music producer under SM Entertainment. He has been writing and producing songs for many SM Entertainment artists since 1996.

Forever is a ballad that feels appropriate for the colder weather. While I do think this is the case, I do want to argue that the song seems better suited it was released around the Christmas/holiday season, rather than the backend of the coldest season. It just feels more appropriate for that time period, compared to the final weeks of Winter. But that might just be me. At first glance, Forever is definitely on a different level compared to Black Mamba. Their debut song was powerful and fierce. Most notably, it was a dance track. Forever, given its status as a ballad, is more delicate and warming. It features an instrumental that is a mixture of classical and acoustics, which is a really nice and balanced combination. Forever is another example where consistency is a positive aspect of the song, maintaining the feelings that I already mentioned from start to end. It makes the ballad quite appealing. What helps prevent the song falling into a rut are the members vocals. aespa definitely showcases a different side to themselves with this song. And they sound stunning. The melodies that carry their vocals really make the song flow along and they add that level of sweetness to the song that makes it more pleasant to listen to. I really like their harmonies when they sing the title of the song, especially at the end. Those harmonies and repetitions really encapsulates all the descriptors that I have used throughout the review thus far.

The music video seems straightforward. Closeups and choreography combination once again. I really like the set design and how everything reflected Winter quite well. Its pace matched the pace of the song and I am glad there wasn’t any change in the cinematography of the video as it progressed along. That would have been distract and off-putting. I do want to say that it is a great video. And for the reasons above that I have listed, it definitely is. But it isn’t one that I would replay constantly as there wasn’t much to it. Still a nice display of visuals regardless.

While I am big believer that ballads should not have a choreography associated with it, there have been some exceptions in the past. And it seems like aespa’s Forever is another one to add to that list. Their moves don’t distract you from the vocals or the song. It is all very soft and gentle. I really like the bridge sequence. If I were to be critical, I would say the members moving into position seemed a little clumsy. It could have been more polished in that aspect. But honestly, I don’t think anyone cares about that.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] Sugar – Kim Woo Seok (UP10TION)

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Kim Woo Seok made his solo debut with Red Moon back in May 2020. Since then, nothing much has been going on with Kim Woo Seok. It is still a shock to me to know that he (and fellow member and soloist Lee Jin Hyuk) have yet to return to the group for a full lineup promotion. There is so much opportunity to group both the group and the solo acts alongside one another, yet TOP Media has decided to promote the two singers seperately from the group. And must I say in a poor manner. While other soloists were enjoying two comebacks throughout 2020, Kim Woo Seok was only given the opportunity to promote Red Moon and that was it. Flashforward to 2021 (i.e. 8 and a half months), Kim Woo Seok is finally making his solo comeback with Sugar and the mini-album 2nd Desire [Tasty].

Sugar is a sweet pop track. Not overly sweet, thankfully. Despite that, Sugar is quite a change for Kim Woo Seok, given that it has been a while since I have heard anything quite fluffy from him. I am guessing an UP10TION track was when I last heard Kim Woo Seok approach that sound concept. After the sensual vibes that Red Moon carried, this is pretty much a polar contrast. But while Sugar is more upbeat and colourful in its musical approach (which can be my thing if it is done well), I am disappointed with the song. No matter how times I have played the song since the music video dropped this morning, it just doesn’t excite me. It felt plain and typical. I would have enjoyed the song more if it had more energy or more of a pop to it. Maybe something a bit more punchy or texturally captivating. This just feels like candy that tastes a bit flat. The most promising part of the song was the ‘Right/Ready, Tasty, Yum, Yum‘ deep whipser that we got after the first chorus. I guess what savours the song for me is Kim Woo Seok’s vocals, which were solid throughout Sugar. That high note at the end was quite good. I am tempted to say that I like the bounce that came along with the song’s melody. But I just cannot get over the fact that the song’s instrumental was dull as a whole, and that practically sours that comment. Overall, I feel like Sugar feel victim to UP10TION’s plainness. I don’t want to constantly make the link of the two acts, as they are meant to be different and standalone. But I feel like the plainness of both are on par with one another this time around.

The visuals of the music video faired a lot better than the song itself in my books. To match the song’s pop tone, the music video opted for colour. And it isn’t KPOP if all the colour is not in its pastel form. It is still quite bright and there is a noticeable innocent vibe that comes from the video. Alongside the colour and the youthful tinge, we have a pretty solid set design that ties the sweet aspect of the title and lyrics together nicely by moulding the sweets concept. If you have a sweet tooth, this might be the video to indulge in.

For some reason, his company made him promote prior to the offical release of the song and album. I guess it is to hype up the comeback before it actually drops. So naturally with this technique, we are treated to an early taster to the performance version. I find the choreography to be quite fitting for the pop sound of the song. The entire chorus routine seems pretty decent and showcases some skills. I was nervous that the song would hevaily impact appeal of the performance. The sliding chair moves while Wooseok is sitting on it does seem quite tacky, however.

Song – 5.5/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

[Review] Cinema – CIX

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The winners of the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards, voted and chosen by you, have been announced! Find out who won by clicking here.

CIX is back with their brand new mini-album (their fourth to date), Hello Chapter 0: Hello, Strange Dream, and the title track Cinema. And so am I after a week’s absence from the blog! This comeback (CIX’s comeback, not mine) comes months after their re-scheduled promotions for Jungle and their third mini-album, Hello Chapter 3: Hello, Strange Time.

The first noticeable element of the new song is that is very much different to what we have heard from this male group in their repetiore of title tracks. We have heard stylish flair and intense electronic-based sounds from the group already. Cinema differentiates itself from that pack with its lightness that stems from its use of synthpop instrumental. And it is quite enjoyable and refreshing at the same time. I also really liked how they were committed to the sound, with no stray or unexpected changes to throw us off the direction of the song. I also like how they started off the song, adding to the concept of the song and comeback in an audio manner. But what I really enjoyed more about this song is how seamlessly it felt as it flowed along. Usually, each section (i.e. verse, pre-chorus, chorus, verse etc.) feels very distinct and you can differentiate between them. But in Cinema, they feel blurred. Not in a bad way, but rather a really nice artistic manner which makes the song promising. Both the seamlessness and the lightness really benefits CIX when it comes to the vocal departments. I feel the falsetto and breathy vocals really show off some of their skillset. I also really like the melodic nature of the chorus, which is gives the song that enhances the flowy vibes of the song and gives the song that really nice smooth hook. And overall, Cinema was definitely catchy and a well put together song.

My understanding of the lyrics is that the members liken their developing relationship with their lover to filming a movie/tv show. Memories created in their relationship feels like episodes that they can replay. In the video, we see the process of a movie being filmed with the members acting as lighting directors and just the standard director as well. Adding to the concept was the primary setting of their choreography shots, which was appropriately in front of a cinema. I am not exactly sure what is going on within the living room scenes. Maybe they are part of that movie they are shooting. They do feel a bit wacky, but felt fitting for the concept overall. I also enjoyed the golden aura that comes off the video.

I really like the start of the performance with how the choreographer got all the members to contribute to the clap that coincided with the voice over yelling ‘action‘. As the song is light in nature, the choreography has to fit with that hurdle. I found their moves be a lot more relax, fluid and carefree, which is obviously what you would want with a light track like this one. But when I watch the performance, I admit I do want to see that more intense side of the group. But Cinema‘s choreography was still enjoyable to watch.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Double Review] Thank U + Eeny Meeny – U-KNOW Yunho (TVXQ)

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Next up on the solo comeback list is U-KNOW Yunho, leader of the KPOP duo TVXQ! And this review is a double one, as U-KNOW Yunho made his comeback last week with two title tracks, Thank U and Eeny Meeny. It has been a while since we have heard anything from this member of TVXQ, with his last solo comeback being his solo debut with his True Colours mini-album and the title track Follow in 2019.

Thank U was released last week on the 18th of January and is the main title track off his latest mini-album. And it kicks off U-KNOW’s return to the industry with a very energetic and upbeat dance track. Personally, I like the pop sound of the song and the overall energy of the song. Both of these elements come together to make the song quite bold. It isn’t anything new in KPOP, but its lack of reliance on electronic synths and genres is quite refreshing. What is also bold is Yunho’s delivery throughout the song. I cannot say the song is not addictive when there is such clear cut repetition in Thank U. The whole chorus is built on this simple technique and I think it pays off. It has a really nice ring to it and works extremely well with the pulsing pop instruments. I also really like the bridge of the song, with the slow down motion and that brass that just makes everything suspenseful. The only problem with the song is the ‘I hate this‘ shouting line that pierces through the rest of the song in the second verse. It felt overwhelming and distracted me from enjoying the song. Overall, Thank U is definitely a really strong song, well positioned with a powerful instrumentation, bold delivery and an effective yet uncomplicated hook.

Eeny Meeny, released on the Monday that just passed, takes on that more funky trend that has no doubt taken over the KPOP industry. It is another bold number, this time with a more unique but exciting profile. A dance centric percussion introductory sequence kicks start the song and pushes the song forward. The song then gears up for the chorus with falestto-like high note in the centric position of this section. We then push into the chorus with the appropriate ‘Eeny Meeny Miny Moe‘, alongside a very textural piece that I am not sure how to even describe. It feels brass-like, but I am not entirely sure of this. What I find enjoyable about Eeny Meeny is that it showcases more of Yunho vocals, while the former song focuses more on rap (rap-speak delivery). And it is safe to say that he sounds stunning during those pre-chorus moments. The other parts were a bit ordinary. I also do wish we get more substantial rapping sequence than the super deep groans we get at the end. But that doesn’t mean this song isn’t fun or enjoyable.

The music video for Thank U is essentially a cinematic noir film (and you will need to be of legal age in your own country to view the music video due to the violence that is shown in the video). U-KNOW is brutally stabbed at the start of the video and is left for dead by a gang leader. Somehow, he is saved and escapes the hospital. Knowing that he would do that, the gang leader sends his henchmen in to kill him, but they all fail. Yunho ends up meeting with the gang leader and the pair ends up playing a game of lethal Russian Roulette. It is definitely an intense wait to see who would end up dead. The game is briefly stopped for a gunfight, which leaves the gang leader dead. Yunho (proving his immortality once again) leaves after dumping a pin (of which I don’t know the significance of). Honestly, it was a really great music video. I liked how they incorporated choreography shots into the storyline and managed to still continue the momentum (and the actual storyline). I just wished the gang leader said more than what he said at the start and wasn’t grunting his way through second meeting of the pair.

The music video for Eeny Meeny is more casual and lighthearted. It features Seulgi from Red Velvet as the person to steal U-KNOW’s attention. The urban setting of the music video works extremely well with the lighthearted but energy filled music. And I like how U-KNOW interacts with his surrounding throughout the video by stepping on and off cars and other vehicles. Or dancing away on big trucks. It all fits together and the video flows extremely well. I am confused about the ending of the video with him bleeding from the head (that should be looked at) and Seulgi just smiling at him. Maybe this is a dream sequence for when he is in hospital from the previous music video? Who knows?

When it comes to the performances, I prefer Eeny Meeny‘s one more. Simply because it is more likeable and carries on that casual and carefree feeling I mentioned a moment ago. Yunho looks like he is enjoying the routine and it feels a lot more vibrant. Thank U‘s performance was quite good as well, showcasing a more skillful routine that feels heavier and loaded. I really like the turns in the performance and how it compliments the punchier moments of the song.

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

Eeny Meeny
Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Review] Celebrity – IU

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It is Solo Day for the next two days! A namesake day that I have called on the spot because I plan to focus on different solo comebacks that have recently occurred. The two comebacks I want to focus on today are very hot, occuring very recently to today. You probably already know which ones I am talking about with that clue. But in case you haven’t realized yet, one of them is IU’s Celebrity. Celebrity is a pre-release single ahead of IU’s official comeback some time later in the year. It was released yesterday and has since gone on to top all the major real time charts in South Korea, once again showing us IU’s power on the music industry and South Korea as a whole. This is IU’s first comeback since the release of the digital single, Eight (featuring BTS’ Suga), last year.

IU has proven her prowess as a solo artist through all tracks that she releases or features on. And I really like that her solo releases don’t necessary conform to one particular style of music. She is very versatile, covering pop, folk, ballad and R&B. She has probably also done electronic pop/EDM before, but Celebrity is the most recent song of this style to be added to her ranging portfolio. It definitely is an answer to current trends, but obviously does what it needs to do to showcase IU herself. And in doing so, she keeps the song pretty light, making Celebrity quite enjoyable. Even the deepest drop in the chorus isn’t excessively abrasive or emphasised by heavy thumping. And because the song comes off light, we get to hear IU’s vocals without any problems. Per usual, she sounds stunning. I particularly really like the set up of the chorus, with one drop accompanied by lyrics and that deeper drop which I just touched upon a moment ago. It isn’t necessary groundbreaking. But paired with IU’s innocent tone and airy vocals, it comes off as somewhat refreshing. I also feel that the deeper tone allows for IU to do a bit more experimentation in certain aspects of the comeback such as the performance, which is slightly different to what we see usually from the soloist. I find the chorus’ melody to be quite memorable, which is followed up nicely by the addictive ‘You are my celebrity‘ hook. it was pretty much ringing through my mind today, since hearing the song yesterday. Overall, IU continues to showcase her versatility through her music through another great song. Per usual, I am excited to see what is next for IU, which makes me anticipate her upcoming studio album.

The music video does a really godd job of giving us an interprtation of the lyrics. The lyrics simply tells us to embrace ourselves and enjoy being who we are. We are all individuals and sometimes not always perfect (You’re a star painted by a left hand). But because of that, we are all celebrities. IU also recently revealed that she wrote a song for a close friend, who happens to be a close celebrity. The music video showcases IU as a celebrity, always in the public eye. She catches a glimpse of a non-celebrity version of herself, which engrosses her. To celebrity IU, non-celebrity IU is a celebrity. But non-celebrity IU, after a bit of chasing, shows celebrity IU that it was actually herself the entire time, serving us a reminder that we should embraces ourselves no matter who we are. It is a very nicely put together video and I really liked the visuals of IU throughout the video.

We also see a bit of choreography for this performance, but it only kicks in when the second drop occurs. What we saw is pretty good and fitting for the music. It is plain, but I am willing to overlook that. I am joining in with fans who are rejoicing that IU has finally returned with a bit of a dance. It has definitely been a while.

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

[Review] I’m Not Cool – Hyuna

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Next up on day one of the two day Solo Day segment that I just literally named today is Hyuna! It has been a long while since we have last heard from this solo superstar. Hyuna’s last appearance on the blog was back in her Flower Shower days, which was from 2019. She was meant to make a comeback in 2020, but it was postponed for health reasons. Now that she is feeling better, her comeback was confirmed earlier in the month for today. Both the title of the new main promotional track and seventh mini-album is I’m Not Cool, which I am sure fans are completely disagreeing with.

I’m Not Cool is ironically quite a cool track. It is definitely a return to form for Hyuna, who we all know to be a sexy female solo act. In retrospect, Flower Shower was a really great track, but it did noticeably lack that flair we all know Hyuna for. It started off with a bit of a Middle Eastern flair thanks to the moombahton in the instrumentation. At first, I wasn’t too sure if it was that international influence because of the slight distortion. But the bridge of the song confirmed it for me. I’m Not Cool comes right at you right after that introductory sequence with its energetic enthuasism, which is thanks to Hyuna. It literally launches you right into the song. The moombahton comes back in the chorus in a more concentrated form, allowing us to get Hyuna alongside a more amplifed tone. I really like the energy in this portion of the song. Obviously it has to be quite memorable given it is the centrepiece of the song. But at the same time, it just really jumps out at you. Hyuna is actually quite catchy in this sequence, with her ‘I’m not … Cliche, that so funny‘ being a highlight for me. For the second verse, we get more of Hyuna rapping. I am not sure if it is intentional, but the shoutout to Dawn (her boyfriend) is quite cute (and well mixed in the song). Skipping along to the end of the song, I really like the anthem-like nature of the ending. It just wraps up the song really nicely and makes it feel complete. Overall, Hyuna’s I’m Not Cool is really powerful and bold song.

I really like that Hyuna went with a powerful and bond concept for the music video, which matches with the lyrics of the song and transcribes the vibes of the song into a fitting visual concept. I feel that the music video pushes the boundaries just that bit more, which we all know Hyuna has done in the past through her solo comebacks. I really love the use of colour throughout the video. For example, the dominance of one colour in some of the sets. Her outfits are quite outrageous, but not in a bad way. I have seen bad fashion choices in the past in KPOP music videos. But Hyuna’s random mis-matching outfits look like they were well curated for this cncept. They are a style that works just for her. I also really like how edgy her mannerisms for this music video are, adding to that boldness once again.

The fast upbeat tempo of the chorus really allows Hyuna to show her performance skills. I really enjoyed that part of the choreography as it felt like there was so much going on. Her entire routine was definitely bold and powerful, further adding to the visual interpretation of the song. I also really like how much she enjoyed herself in this routine, which comes thanks to the creative licence that she is able to take outside of her old company. Her facial expressions are defintiely something to watch out for.

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