Category: Reviews

[Review] Beautiful Scar – Lee Eun Sang ft. Park Woojin (AB6IX)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , , Leave a comment

When I think all the members of X1 had made their re-debut in some capacity, another member pops up with their new release. The next former member of the now disbanded project group to debut is Lee Eun Sang, who debuted earlier this week as a solo artist. He is currently signed to Brand New Music, the home of famous Korean hip-hop artists, AB6IX and BDC. His solo debut, Beautiful Scars, comes roughly one year after X1 made their debut with Flash.

Beautiful Scar is a R&B hip-hop track, which is pretty much no surprise to me, given that this is Brand New Music’s forte. The instrumental is quite heavy thanks to the bass and serious nature of the song. It does lack character and personality, as it feels pretty typical and alike any other R&B hip-hop track. There really isn’t anything ‘new’ about Beautiful Scar that we haven’t heard before. Interestingly, I am not too troubled by the consistency of this song. By being consistent, Beautiful Scar ended up being sophisticated, refined and mature. However, I was lowkey expecting a change up or a breakdown along the way that still fits the mature R&B hip-hop nature of this song. I felt like that would have given the song that much needed flair and allow Lee Eun Sang to show off his character a little more, let it be in song or in performance. I guess Park Woo Jin’s featuring was the mechanism of this, as I thought his rapping delivery and flow was really good. They was a captivating energy coming from his section alone and I would personally seek out this song for Park Woo Jin. Though, this is a bit harsh for the main artist of the track. However, I do think Lee Eun Sang did a pretty decent job with this as his solo debut track. His vocals are solid throughout Beautiful Scar. His debut song just lacks that mentioned personality and also some strong hooks/melodies that would make the song bold and memorable.

The song’s sophisticated and refined profile was brought over into the visual aspect of this comeback. The music video is just this and I really quite enjoyed it. The hotel lobby was a really good choice to shoot in and the lighting during his scene was on point. I also liked the darker sets in which the choreography shots were also shot in. There seems to be some symbolism throughout the music video, such as the butterfly and a kaleidoscope. Not sure what these mean exactly, though I assume the kaleidoscope is in reference to the fake love he experienced (i.e. nothing he looked at was what it seems). Also thumbs up for Park Woo Jin’s featuring the music video as well. You probably know that it is my wish to have featuring artists featured in the music video. It just makes the whole experience better. Though in this case, I guess featuring artists are a lot easier to invite if it is done in-house.

Lee Eun Sang does not look nervous during his first performance. I applaud him for that, especially since it has been almost a year since his previous debut and he has had a lengthy break in between. Plus going solo is always a big step in one’s career. As for the choreography, I really liked the whole routine. It wasn’t anything too crazy. But it looks refined enough to still be impressive looking.

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

[Review] Goblin (Favorite Boys) – A.C.E

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

Despite being active for over three years now, A.C.E has yet to breakout. I am certain that the group has built up a reputation that would surely intimidate other Korean acts based on the intensity of their music and the hardcore performances they pair with that music. Yet for some reason, they continue to be flying under the radar. It just leaves me perplexed and confused, given that I (and their fans) know that there is quality right here. Hopefully, that all changes with Goblin (Favorite Boys), which was dropped yesterday. It forms part of their fourth mini-album, HJZM: The Butterfly Phantasy, as the title track. It also features alongside the pre-release single, Stand By You, released back in July this year.

I really do hope that A.C.E has a breakthrough with this comeback. It is awesome! Goblin combines rock and hip-hop together to form a very intense atmosphere that is both captivating and thrilling to listen to. The rap-centric verses open up with a lot of sound effects embedded in the instrumental. The great thing about Goblin is that it doesn’t overdo it, and hence the amount of sound effects we have coming into the song is ideal. Enough to be a wow factor, but not so much to be ‘noisy’. Aside from the instrumentation, the rapping itself is definitely a highlight of this song. The rappers were extremely dynamic and impactful with their delivery. The pre-chorus is more vocal-centric and showcases the member’s vocals abilities. I really like the instrumental during this part, as it makes the song punchier and more epic. To me, the best part of the song is what bridge the pre-chorus/verse with the chorus. That line by Byeongkwan strikes at the right moment and launches us into a satisfying chorus. As for the chorus, the song amps it up but in a relatively refined manner (compared to their more robust and intense drops based on their earlier EDM releases). It is more melodic, as a result, but also thanks to the background crowd-like vocals that form part of the instrumentation. The members then follow up with a post-chorus ‘I’m a goblin‘ hook that prolongs the momentum and energy of the chorus which brings out that satisfaction. We get more vocals in the bridge and a subtle brewing background, before being thrown back into the chorus to close up the song. Everything works extremely well together in this song and this will, no doubt, make Goblin one of the best tracks of the year!

Another music video where the visual game is so strong! It was an expectation coming into this comeback, based on the aesthetic and stunning teaser images that the group had released for this comeback. I am not sure how Korean viewers and fans are reacting to the use of traditional outfits that the members were wearing. But I really liked the mixed between traditional and edgy in those outfits, completely skipping over the modern influence. For the other outfits we see them wear in the video, they seem be a mix of modern and edgy, compensating for that missing influence. I also really like the sets. The flashing lights seems a bit much as a viewer, but it seems like a logical style choice to reflect the intensity of the music video.

For the performance, I liked the aggressive nature of the chorus. It matches the song. And the same can be said about the rest of the performance. However, I felt that the members held back for their first performance, as they looked a tad stiff. I wished this wasn’t the case, as them letting loose and adding additional energy to their moves would have made this performance even better. But I would understand if they did so due to the constraints of performing live. I also felt the amount of dancers they had at the start seemed a bit much.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.8/10

[Review] HELICOPTER – CLC

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

It has been a year since we last heard from CLC. The gap might be long for some, but I think they were worthy of a break after back-to-back comebacks last year with No in January 2019, Me in May 2019 and Devil in September 2019. Fans did grow a little wary with the massive gap (based on an article that I can no longer find), but they need not to worry as CLC’s HELICOPTER comeback was in the works. And this comeback officially dropped today!

Described as a trap and EDM powerhouse song, HELICOPTER throws us back into the edgy side of CLC that has helped popularised CLC over the past few years. If anything, HELICOPTER takes it up a notch, overpowering their previous comebacks. From the very start of the song, there was this suspenseful and thrilling feeling from the opening dramatic synths and opening lines (which ended up being the first half of the chorus). We are then handed over to Yeeun, who opens the first verse up with her powerful rapping voice (her rapping style is something that I really enjoy). We are then given more raps from the other members, before entering into an epic but steep incline to the chorus. The opening lines of the song reappear as the first half and we are given an extended vocal line afterwards, alongside an explosive and epic sounding instrumentation. While the English lines are quite catchy and the instrumental is quite captivating and exciting, I just wished there was more of an memorable tinge. To me, HELICOPTER‘s chorus failed to really feature dynamism and instead focused on theatrics and intensity (which I all believe to be different elements). The rest of the song followed with more powerful rapping, strong vocals and intense instrumentals. The bridge went with a stomping effect, which I gives thumbs up to. And HELICOPTER closes out with an intensified final chorus and Seunghee’s high note and strong ad-libs. Overall, a strong showing from CLC.

The quality of this music video is flawless. The post-production and editing was amazing and helped intensify the video to match the tone of the song. The sets were very modern and sexy. Their outfits were glamorous. Yes, the music video did adopt that choreography and closeup formula which I dislike. But the closeups were stunning and the choreography shots were very powerful. The lighting was perfect through the video and the touch of wind made everything looked so cool and powerful.

In addition to the video, CLC makes a statement with this performance. It is really powerful choreography routine that matches the tone of the song. I practically enjoyed all of the choreography. But if I had to pick a favourite part, it has to be the entirety of the chorus. I also applaud them as they were not afraid with showing some sensual sides within this strong routine.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.8/10

[Review] Tiger Inside – SuperM

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

SuperM, the KPOP equivalent of the Avengers, was initially formed to be a project group for the Western music industry. Though, I am now confused about which audience this ‘super KPOP boy band’ is targeting. Two of their of main tracks under their belt so far, Jopping (their debut track) and 100 (the pre-release track the group just released a few weeks ago), are both predominately English. But as of yesterday, the group returned with another new pre-release single that is predominately in Korean, Tiger Inside, ahead of the release of the group’s upcoming 1st studio album, Super One (due for release at the end of September). Maybe this is a once-off Korean track from the group, or maybe their company has created new plans for this hugely popular group.

Regardless of whether the song is in Korean or English, I would still have reviewed it in some capacity, given its roots are well-embedded in KPOP. Tiger Inside also seems to have its roots well-embedded in SM Entertainment, as the song does feel like a EXO-NCT mashup. It has that experimental vibe that we get with NCT releases, but also a consistent manner like what we hear in EXO’s earlier releases. Tiger Inside is also more melodically driven, as it distances itself from the heavy use of EDM in their past tracks. The instrumental did end up stepping into a more typical dance territory, but still had a 2020-trendy, edgy and textural momentum that made it worth listening to. I found that to be an interesting elemental change up to their style and quite appreciate this, given that I found 100 to be a bit loaded, overwhelming and messy as I listened to more of it. I am glad that they didn’t overuse the growling in the background, which easily could have turned this song from powerful into cheesy if it was used too often. Moving to the members, great vocals and rapping, once again. Mark and Baekhyun really shined in this song, as per the past. This time around, Taeyong also pops in this song with his own sections. On the contrary, the hooks we get in Tiger Inside just did not pop and felt relatively weak. If they had stronger hooks, Tiger Inside could have been more memorable.

I felt the music video just didn’t contribute to the overall meaning of the song or comeback. The sets looked pretty random. For example, that entire white set with icicles coming from the top and bottom of the set didn’t make much sense to me. The other sets have tiger patterns and the classical orange and black combination, but these were pretty weak connections. Other than that, the members played the edgy part of tigers throughout their closeups by clawing and those intense closeups. That I quite enjoyed.

Based on what I could see in the music video, the choreography actually looks quite good. The start of the choreography (and music video) reminded me of EXO’s Wolf. There also seems to be some clawing in the performance that keeps it in-line with the supposed ‘tiger’ concept. But what I liked the best with the choreography was how powerful it looked, with and without the song in the background.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] Obliviate – Lovelyz

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

It has definitely been a while since we last heard from Lovelyz. Their last comeback was in May 2019 with Beautiful Days. After that comeback, the last we heard from the group was via their participation on the TV show, Queendom, while Kei and Sujeong made their respective solo debuts. But after one year and four months from their last official comeback as a group, Lovelyz has finally returned with Obliviate, the title track off the group’s seventh mini-album, Unforgettable.

Obliviate steps away from the usual fantastical cutesy and innocent sound that we know and associate to the group. Their new song is a lot more mature and serious in sound, compared to any of their previous releases. It is an interesting change up. It might be a step into the more typical direction as Lovelyz has held their ground with their usual work for over 6 years now. But I enjoy a different sound once in a while. The song starts off with this interesting guitar sample. I cannot pinpoint what style the guitar is, however it does bring a hint of that fantastical sound to the song, meaning Obliviate isn’t too far from the group’s associated sound. We then enter a pretty standard first half of the verse. The song starts to pick up once we get to the pre-chorus, with the instrumental and vocals becoming quite extravagant. We are then led to a satisfying chorus. The extravagant pre-chorus preceding it alluded to a harder drop, so Lovelyz’s light approach with Obliviate was unexpected. But I quite liked it. It consolidated that mature sound noted earlier and the repetition of the title was catchy. The instrumental was mostly trap, though I did appreciate the bass that kicked in. The best part of the song follows right after the chorus (i.e. post-chorus hook). It was by far the catchiest moment of the song and I really liked the way they added a yearning tone to the ‘Down, Down, Stop It‘. Overall, Obliviate falls for some typical elements. But for the most part, it was extremely refreshing for the group.

The song is about forgetting a painful love. And the members portray that very well throughout the video. You can tell that the members had enough with remembering these painful memories and seek ways to forget about it. Another interesting theory is the video’s connection with Harry Potter. It makes sense, given Obliviate is also the incantation for the forgetfulness charm. We see the members hold various items including a ring and a book (or diary). At the end, we see these burning alongside a rose, thanks to a spell that the members recite, which an owl drops off to the members. Mijoo is also in a maze, similar to the maze Harry had to go through in the final Triwizard Tournament. Sujeong stands in a corridor with flying letters. The other members didn’t really fit into this theory, though you may have picked up on some other details. Or there might be a completely different theory to this video. As for the visuals, I really liked the darker atmosphere and the sets for this video.

The members in an interview said a sentimental concept for this comeback, rather than a sexy concept. However, I think the latter is a better description for the performance. I really like elegance of performance, which strongly aligns this comeback with their previous performances and concepts. However a number of the moves give off a sensual vibe, which is absolutely fine as well. Key examples include the post-chorus sequence and the second section of the final chorus.

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

[Double Review] Cheeky + W.A.Y – Enoi

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

I was under the impression that this double review would be for a newly debut group, ENOi. But upon searching up their name, the group actually debuted in 2019. I have somehow missed them last year. ENOi is a seven member male group (conistsing of Laon, Dojin, Hamin, Avin, Jinwoo, J-Kid & Gun) under Kithewhale Company. They debuted back in April 2019 with Bloom. They also made a comeback in December 2019 with Starlight. 2020 was the first year their name popped up for me, via their first comeback of the year, Cheeky. And more recently, the group returned with W.A.Y (Where Are You). For this double review, I am focusing on their 2020 comebacks.

When it comes to Cheeky, the main draw point is the awesome instrumentation. We are given a funky guitar riff as the main centerpiece of the entire song. It is also present during the heftier chorus, though overpowered by the percussion that we get to add intensity to that section. While it isn’t explicitly present during the instrumental break we get during the bridge, the melody of the guitar riff remains, allowing the song’s various sections to tie consistently with each other. Vocally (and rapping-wise), Cheeky is definitely a great introduction to their potential. I thoroughly enjoyed the upbeat and energetically fun vibes of the song, The only missing element in Cheeky is a memorable hook. What we got was pleasant, but I want something more grabby, if you know what I mean. Everything else is fine, but this song would have definitely been reviewed earlier if the song had a stronger memorability factor attached to it!

Their more recent release is W.A.Y, which stands for Where Are You. The atmosphere for this song is more serious than the former. And that is partly due to the dubstep in the instrumental. To be more precise, I believe that there is more than one form of EDM in the song. This might translate as boring and generic to some, overwhelming for others. But as a person who enjoys an intense sound, W.A.Y works fine for me. And as a result from this dubstep plus other EDM combination, W.A.Y has something different around each corner. I will say that for this to be true, you can’t constantly replay this song, as this might overwhelm and you would become too familiar with the song. Moderation seems best for W.A.Y. Vocals and rapping are like Cheeky, in the sense that there is potential behind this group. The melody is a lot more profound in this song, which is surprising as I had expected the instrumental to take full reign of the track. I personally enjoyed this melody, as it reminds me of another pop song from back in the day (though I am not sure what). I also enjoyed that instrumental breakdown, which brings the song to a climatic point (as I hoped for).

Cheeky‘s music video is quite cheerful, which works with the music video. It features a lot of colour. What leaves me confused about Cheeky‘s music video is the references to apples. Not sure what it is meant to mean. This could be another Adam and Eve story, where Eve gives the members apples to break free, based on the snake references. But it doesn’t explain the other members. However, I did enjoy the more playful and lighthearted vibes of the video. W.A.Y‘s music video might also have a plot line to it. I have taken a stab to try to decipher its meaning. My guess is that the flowers we see each member find about halfway into the video represents their lover and it helps them out of each of their predicaments. At the end, we see one of the members put his arm through a magical portal with a flower on the other side. I assume he needs to reach that flower (as that will help them get out), but it is too far. The members don’t know that it is just there, so we hear the whisper ‘where are you’ at the end. I really liked the set of the latter’s music video, with the mini hanging garden around them during the garden shots. I also liked how they had flashing lights to help match the intensity of the music.

Cheeky‘s performance as a whole was amazing to watch. I liked the energy that came from it, along with their stage presence. I really liked the use of their jackets in the first verse. I would have liked to see it used elsewhere in the performance to give their jacket’s more purpose. W.A.Y‘s best part of the choreography has to be the instrumental break we get. It is the song’s most intense section and definitely shows off the group’s performance potential. However, I feel that the performance would have benefited if they were more in sync with one another, as that would really make the performance cleaner and stand out more.

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

W.A.Y (Where Are You)
Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

[Review] Where The Sea Sleeps – Even of Day (DAY6)

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , 3 Comments

DAY6 started 2020 with the release of the mini-album The Book of Us: The Demon and the title track Zombie. However the promotions for the album and title track were halted even before the official release of the mini-album and title track due to the health of two of the members. While the two members (Sungjin and Jae) continue their recovery, the remaining members (Young K, Wonpil and Dowoon) have come together to form DAY6’s first subunit, Even of Day. The subunit makes their debut today with Where The Sea Sleeps and the mini-album The Book of Us: Gluon.

Where The Sea Sleeps brings the band back into the ballad realm. We have heard multiple ballads from the band (as a whole) before via their Every Day6 Project. That was three years ago. And while we have heard ballads as a side track from the group, a main promotional ballad is definitely a nice change. Where The Sea Sleeps is a very touching ballad. Interestingly, the emotional content in this song isn’t as much as I had expected. But yet, the vocals are quite delicate and there is still a bit of that emotional tinge to their voice that makes the lyrics more impactful. Wonpil and Young K takes the helms for the vocals and flawlessly sing their way through this ballad. I found their vocals to be very soothing, calming and captivating to listen to. The best past has to be their harmonising high note at the start of the final chorus was amazing to listen to, though Wonpil’s vocals at the very end of the song is a very close second. Oh, if you are wondering, the lyrics is all about reassuring their lover or friend that regardless of what the day holds, they will always be by each other’s side. The instrumental is slow, but it ticks the box as that swaying effect measure that I mention often is present in Where The Sea Sleeps. I liked the heaviness that the drums bring to the song, giving Dowoon a chance to shine in a genre in which drummers rarely get the opportunity to stand out. The start of the bridge was an interesting moment, where they seem to bring in synthesised drums (?), which is what sets this unit apart from their usual works under the name of DAY6.

I had expected we would be getting some acting from the trio. But surprisingly, we have presented with an animation which complimented the song’s lyrics and atmosphere very nicely. Each of the animals in the music video represents a member. The dog is Dowoon, the rabbit is Wonpil and the fox is Young K. They build a rocket ship and blast themselves into space. However, they run into some asteroids and their spaceship blows up, causing each the members to drop to the ground. Eagle eyed fans note that Sungjin (the bear) and Jae (the chicken) makes an appearance in the video during this part, with Dowoon holding the missing members very tightly during the turmoil. We then see Wonpil sinking in the ocean and he imagines himself drifting away on a boat, with the rest of the members (Jae and Sungjin included). Young K and Dowoon wakes him up and using a compass with the MyDay’s logo (their fandom’s logo), they make it ashore. This last part was based on comments that I read, adding a nice message to include their fans in the video (that with MyDay, DAY6 cannot be lost).

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

[Review] Beautiful – DONGKIZ

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

After weeks of empty promises, I am finally going on a review blitz. I have cancelled the album reviews for this weekend in hopes to get these reviews out. First up on the list is DONGKIZ’s Beautiful comeback, which was dropped this past 19th of August. This Beautiful comeback comes after the release of All I Need Is You and Lupin earlier in the year (which I really enjoyed), along with the debut of a Jae Chan and Min Ik subunit, DONGKIZ I:KAN (which debuted with the single Y.O.U).

As much as I want to say that I am digging this song, I can’t really bring myself to say it because of Beautiful‘s chorus. To me, Beautiful had everything but a smashing chorus. The main hook and supposedly catchiest section of the song ended up sounding like an intense groan (‘intense’ because of the instrumental, ‘groan’ because of the way they sang the title of the song). I honestly cannot think of a better description to summarise what I thought of that section than that. It just felt like the producers of the song placed unnecessary and prolonged emphasis on the Korean word of ‘Beautiful‘. If the execution of the chorus was a lot punchier and less draining, then the song could have been another great one from the group. But unfortunately, that isn’t the case. And that is such a pity, as the verses were really well done. On top of the usual dance instrumentation we hear so often in KPOP, Beautiful manages to infuse some South-Western flair into the music. Different, unique and oddly captivating. It sounds random, but it manages to work. I also enjoyed the vocals during the pre-chorus and the concurrent climb in this section, as it felt like Beautiful was approaching a really cool and dynamic drop. If only we knew what was around the corner…

I felt that this could have been an interesting video, if the video had some sort of introductory sequence or an epilogue at the end of the video. I felt that could have filled in some gaps and so it didn’t need to jam the plot line into a three minute long video. Based from my understanding (and a reminder – my interpretation could be very wrong. So I am happy if you want to correct me or point out some details that I may have missed), the video seems to revolve around Wondae, who seems to be struggling with the idea of inner beauty. The lyrics are all about unmasking and being ones self. The other members seem to try to stop him from doing so, as they seem to be a barrier of some kind (they seem to be doing a lot of haunting, and based on an earlier scene they were the ones masked not Wondae). That is my understanding of the video and I am unclear if he actually ‘unmasks’ at the end of not. I did like the darker atmosphere of the video, despite everyone else saying that the group is conforming to the norm. I personally don’t mind darker atmospheres, as I do prefer them over the brighter concepts. I just wished they were given more time to tell the story.

There is a lot of good footwork and arm-work throughout the performance that makes it a complex routine. Otherwise, at first glance, it looks like the usual stuff we see with most male groups in the industry. They just need some of sort of wow factor in the performance to make this routine memorable. I particularly like the first pre-chorus section of the choreography, which looked really cool on stage.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7/10

[Review] Ice Cream – BLACKPINK with Selena Gomez

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged , 3 Comments

Apologies for the delayed review.

In my previous review for BLACKPINK’s earlier release this year (How You Like That), I mentioned that we would need to see the actual release of their studio album in September, given YG Entertainment’s past inability to deliver on their promise for releases associated with the group. That statement still stands, though it still looks hopefully given that we have their second single of the year, Ice Cream, as promised by their company. However, the album release has been pushed back to the start of October. But fingers crossed that 2020 will be the year that BLACKPINK finally gets their album.

In the meanwhile, let’s review their latest release, Ice Cream. The track is mainly English, but there is a rap sequence that is in Korean. Hence, I am categorising it as a Korean release and not an ‘International Song Release’. I personally don’t mind this song overall, but there are some parts that I am iffy about. Let’s start on the positives. Ice Cream joins a growing list of high profile names performing alongside high profile KPOP artists, with Selena Gomez singing alongside BLACKPINK in this song. And I feel like Ice Cream is predominately English to accommodate Selena’s featuring. I would have enjoyed the song more if it wasn’t torn between the two languages and that the rapping sequence at the bridge was in English, given that Lisa was already rapping in English earlier in the track. I liked the simple melody of the chorus, which helped make the song quite catchy and addictive for me. I might even catch myself humming along to the melody of this song in the coming weeks. The pairing of BLACKPINK and Selena was enjoyable, which I found to be surprising outcome given that I wasn’t sure how this collaboration would go. The instrumental, while typical by today’s KPOP standards due to the use of the trap elements, is quite vibrant and playful. So far, everything seems to exude youth and I quite like less intense side of the group. Now onto what I am exactly not too sure about. The biggest issue for me is Lisa’s raps. They seem a little too crude sounding for a song like this. I felt that if they toned it down, stepped back from the whole hip-hop breakdown that was going on and inserted some of that playful tones that we got in the chorus, it would have been more fitting and sensible. And the ‘Ice Cream‘ at the end just felt unnecessarily drawn out. It should have been short and sweet. But overall, Ice Cream is a refreshing and cooling treat for the fans.

I know that given the current circumstances of the world right now, YG Entertainment couldn’t bring Selena Gomez to Korea (or BLACKPINK to the U.S.) for the filming of the music video. I really would like to see what the music video would have been like if the collaboration were together as a group. That would have been epic. Aside from that wish, the music video did a good job of fusing the two halves of the video (with one half shot in the U.S. and the other half shot in Korea) to make it one whole video. I do note that Selena’s scenes were a lot better, in comparison to the sets that BLACKPINK shot in. They just looked a lot more interesting and captivating. Fashion-wise, I think I could say the same thing. Additionally, I do like how those youthful and playful charms were portrayed and were not over-complicated with a whole heap of cutesy scenes, which seems like the default in Korea.

We haven’t got much of the choreography, though it is amazing to see a lot of dance covers on YouTube for this release. It definitely shows BLACKPINK’s influence and how great this song is! I will return to this review if we are gifted with a performance or dance practice. I will also update that other review I promised to return to review the choreography, but I still haven’t yet.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – To Return (if there is a performance/dance practice)
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] GUNSHOT – KARD

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 3 Comments

Apologies once again for the delay posting of this review.

By far, KARD is one of the few artists that have been quite consistent with their music releases. Somehow their work always seems to come of as quite fresh and unique. This may be attributed to their co-ed formation, which enables the group to capitalise on dynamics that traditional male or female groups would be unable to. And while this has proven to be quite successful on the international front, the group hasn’t really made much of an impact on the domestic front, for the exact same reason. It seems that GUNSHOT, their latest title track from the single album, Way With Words, seems to be their last shot as a quartet for the next two years, as J.Seph’s impending military enlistment looms.

GUNSHOT sounded a little odd to me, at first. And that is simply because it is a lighter release, in comparison to their heavier songs we have heard from the group previously, such as Dumb Litty, Bomb Bomb and Red Moon (their most recent release prior to this comeback). But after multiple listens over the last few days, that feeling of oddness has disappeared and I am left with a satisfied afterglow with GUNSHOT. Aside from lighter nature of the song, there are a few other differences with this song. compared to their last few releases (mentioned above). GUNSHOT is a vocally-centric track, stepping back from their intense EDM dance sounds and their rap-dominant tracks. As a result, the focus for this group is on the female members (the vocalists of the group), with the male members not receiving as much limelight this time around. I quite like this change up, as we get to hear KARD from a different perspective this time around. And additionally, the song comes off a lot more melodic, which I find suitable for the song’s message of ‘using words as bullets’. I did wish J.seph and BM’s parts had just a bit more intensity to them, just to make their sections more memorable. The instrumental still is in the realm of EDM, but it isn’t as profound. Somehow it still manages to come off as intense and powerful, which might be due to the combination of everything else. The one thing I just for are bolder gunshots to really make GUNSHOT‘s chorus more captivating and jaw-dropping. What we got suffices, but the gunshots seemed masked by the rest of the instrumentals.

For the first time ever, we have an official theory for the music video! KARD sat down to explain the video and you can watch it here. Truthfully, I am still a little confused but this is what I got out of the explanation. Essentially, there are two worlds in the video. The first world, where everyone is wounded and surrounded by cameras, is a world where everyone follows the rules. The second world is where the members are criminals. The actions of the second world hurt the members in the first world, where both worlds are connected by cameras. This is an elaborate way of saying the actions of one person on one side of the world affects a person on the other side of the world, through the power of social media. The comments a person make can potentially be harmful and hurt another. A very interesting take on this scenario. At the end of the video we see the both Jiwoo from the first and second world the same scene. First world Jiwoo takes a paper gun and shoots the second world Jiwoo. KARD’s video explains it in two manners. The first is karma. What you do will always come back to yourself. The second explanation is that scene is in the first world Jiwoo’s imagination, as it is unlikely for the both of the Jiwoo’s to come into contact and that we can’t really do much in reality. It is definitely an interesting video and one worth deciphering, as I actually had a different theory in mind. Aside from the plot, what I like the most about this video are the members’ acting, especially in their psycho mode.

The choreography looked really cool. I really like the gun action they keep on pulling when they sing the title of the song. I also really enjoyed how powerful the dance moves were, making it captivating to watch. All the members did wonderful with their routine, though I can’t help but be drawn to J.Seph throughout the performances.

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

[Review] No More – Kim Yo Han

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 2 Comments

Upon the disbandment of the groups created by the infamous Produce series (i.e. I.O.I and Wanna One), the public eagerly anticipated each member’s next move. But it is clear that the members most anticipated is ranked in the very top spot (and subsequently became the centre member). The latest person to join the ranks of Jeon Somi and Kang Daniel is Kim Yo Han, who debuted in the short-lived X1 group last year. Most of the X1 members have since gone to debut as a solo artist, join a group or go into acting. Kim Yo Han is doing all three of those. He made his solo debut yesterday with No More (the focus of today’s review), has been scouted for future acting roles and has been confirmed to be part of the lineup for WEi (which is due to debut later this year). So no doubt we will be seeing Kim Yo Han a lot more in what is left of 2020.

I didn’t follow X1 (or Produce X 101) closely, so I am not exactly sure what each member’s strengths are. So I am relying on my subpar research skills to inform me on that front. Based on online profiles, Kim Yo Han was the lead rapper and vocalist of the group. He doesn’t have powerhouse vocals, but he can sing. However his voice didn’t stray away from how he started, resulting in No More sounding quite monotone as a result. This approach, accompanied by the instrumentation (which I will talk about later on) dulled out the song for me. His singing does deliver one of the most catchiest moments of the song, the melodic ‘No More~‘ line during the post-chorus hook of the song. That kind of caught on from my first listen to the song yesterday. So I will give him that. But for the most part, I was left disappointed on that front. Moving away from the song’s dullness, you can tell that his ultimate skill is his rapping. He inserted much more expression and flair in his rapping (compared to his vocals), which tells me this is when he feels more comfortable in this mode and I wished the song just went with a rap dominant approach from the start. What I felt could have been improved with this was was the instrumental. No More‘s R&B-centric backing lacked vibrancy and colour. It could have had more of a kick to it, potentially giving Kim Yo Han an opportunity to showcase a stronger delivery of both vocals and rapping throughout the song.

The song is about reaching out to a crush and awaiting for a response. And we see him being nervous throughout the video while talking on the phone, figuring out what to wear and trying to find the right words. Apart from the scenes that make sense, there is bunch of others that I don’t really understand, such as Kim Yo Han on a small motorcycle. This might just be a cutesy thing, to infuse some of his youth into the video.

I am usually not a fan of the cutesy stuff, such as those motorcycle scenes above. However there are some exceptions from time to time. Given that the song isn’t anything serious or hefty in any way, the more aegyo-based dance moves for No More fit in nicely. To me, for the choreography, it seems playful. The cheek tapping move fits with the music, though I am not too keen on the shaking.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 6.6/10

[Review] Flame – CRAVITY

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

Burning their way to their first comeback today is CRAVITY, who is returning with the title track Flame. If you missed this group’s debut, they are the latest addition to the Starship family and made their debut with BREAK ALL THE RULES back in April of this year. The group followed up their debut promotions with Cloud 9, which was a side track from their first mini-album, HIDEOUT: REMEMBER WHO WE ARE, which I have also reviewed. Let’s see if CRAVITY latest comeback is worth adding fuel to keep alight, or whether it is better to extinguish now.

Excuse my bad pun at the end of the introductory paragraph. But I thought it would make my review a little more interesting. To answer that dilemma, Flame is worth keeping alight. Though, I may have thought it was be best to extinguish it, given that Flame doesn’t offer anything new to what we already hear consistently. There are a few elements in the song that keep it alight and they should become apparent as you continue reading this paragraph. It starts off with these hollow and soft taps that plays throughout the first verse. I liked them as they add a little refreshing aesthetic to the instrumental. They poke through the rest of the song’s instrumentation every now and then, which keeps that aesthetic continuing in the song. Unfortunately, the rest of the instrumental reverts to something a little more typical. It was a generic intense instrumental spiel. There isn’t anything wrong with this, as the atmosphere was still quite good. But I would have expecting something a little more dynamic and captivating, given that was what those hollow taps alluded to in my mind. I also think the generic nature caught onto the vocals and rapping, as they could have been more explosive and powerful in this song. While I did think things got generic, I did enjoy the vocal melodies in the chorus, particularly the second half of the chorus. There are also some good hooks that keep this song in my mind, even after all those generic thoughts about it. Overall, Flame could have been better in many senses, but it just has enough to justify maintaining the flame.

While I may have used ‘generic’ as a word to describe the song, it isn’t a word I would used to describe this the music video at any given moment of its three and a half minute span. Just from opening sequence, we get a bit of futuristic and apocalyptic vibes. I feel that there might be a story line embedded somewhere throughout the closeups or a connection to their previous music videos, given that these mini-albums are a series. Aside from that, you can tell that the production value of this music video is extremely high. The quality just looks so good! The editing was amazing and the post-production gives off a cinematic aura. And of course, amber orange is the main colour of focus to match the title of the song.

While the choreography doesn’t really have anything that impressive, I still feel that it was a good routine. It matches with the music that we got. So if we got anything sharp or intense, I don’t think it would have been fitting for the song that we got. I would have said that they had overdone it. I did like how they got into formation for the start of the second verse and their suits looked quite elaborate, even though the suits were cut into.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] nanana – MCND

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

MCND is looking to be the most worked rookie of 2020. They kicked the year off with their unofficial debut single TOP GANG. The group returned two months later with Ice Age and then two months after that with Spring. Last week the group made their third comeback (fourth, if you consider their unofficial debut) with nanana and the mini-album Earth Age. While this might be tiring for the members, the multiple comebacks will hopefully pay off long term as MCND will be name that constantly pops up every few months, which will make them unforgettable. But that is only they continue this pattern, with reasonable breaks for the members to cool off in between.

But the five member male group is currently in the midst of the promotions for nanana, so we should continue this review post. nanana can be seen as either two entities: (1) a blastful concoction that has a thrilling momentum, or (2) a noisy mess. I just don’t see an in-between descriptor. Currently I am in the mood for something vibrant, energetic and bombastic, so I am very well in the realm of the first option. I find the song to be fun, powerful and intense thanks to its EDM instrumentation. This may be overwhelming for some, and I understand where those people are coming from. Personally, I would prefer that each section was a little more distinct, because I will admit that it seems like a blur. The verses, chorus and bridge all sound quite similar. The pre-chorus was plain, but it was probably the only section that provided relief to the listeners and it was much appreciated. To keep up with the energy and fast momentum, the members had to rap their way through the song. A bit typical by today’s standards, but I enjoyed the energy they channeled through it. In order to compete with the instrumental, the members had to delivery their raps in a shouty way. Once again, this can be overwhelming for some, but I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the hooks of the song, which ended up being quite catchy. Despite it can be much from start to end, I find nanana‘s relentless nature to give it an overall dynamic vibe.

To match with the overwhelming nature of the synths in the song, the music video moves along quite quickly to match up with the tempo of the song. Though, aside from choreogeaphy and closeup, the only other thing to comment on about are the edgy sets. They have a bit of an intense flair to them, which keeps it aligned with the music video. I mean, flashy images on the screen and the stage was on fire. What more can you ask for?

Two things I like about this choreography. The first has to be how jumpy it looks. The second has to be how intense it looks, thanks to the music of course. I feel that if the song wasn’t too exhausting for them (i.e. the jumpy nature and the continuous shouty rapping), the members could have gone with more appealing and strong moves to highlight the song and their potential.

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

[Double Review] Draw You + One Summer – D1CE

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Leave a comment

When I look at my ‘To Review’ list that I posted on Twitter the other week (Shameless plug – Follow my Twitter @kpopreviewed), One of the artists on the list is D1CE (or D-ONCE), who made their debut last year with Wake Up. The group returned with Draw You back in mid-June and more recently with One Summer just this week. Given that they have a more recent release, I thought I check D1CE first and both their releases today in a double review to knock two songs in one go.

As mentioned above, Draw You has been out for a while and so has been sitting on playlist for a while now. That length of time has really allowed the song to grow on me, as the song failed to capture my attention the first time around (otherwise, I wouldn’t have left it two months on the list). Draw You is a mid-tempo ballad track that doesn’t really go anywhere for me. This is a feeling that has remained with me since day one. Aside from showing us that they are a vocally capable group, Draw You doesn’t offer much excitement or jaw-dropping amazingness. There are some good melodies, the instrumental was pretty pleasant and I enjoyed the rapping moments prior to each chorus. These are the elements that have grown on me over time. If I had to just sum up the song in a short description, then ‘luke-warm pleasant’ would be the term I use.

One Summer is the more recent release, actually dropping just four days ago. The song belongs to the Summer category, given how upbeat and vibrant the instrumental feels. I really like that high-pitch reverse water drop like sound in the background. It is rather repetitive, but it was a nice detail in this otherwise typical instrumental. I also enjoyed the use of synths throughout the song, which helped in this vibrancy department. If the group continued anything from their earlier song, it would be the solid vocals and rapping potential It just would have been nice if their vocals and rapping were presented alongside catchy hooks and melodies. This is undoubtedly an important aspect of any song. You lack the right hooks and melodies, you pretty much dulled the potential. What we got was pretty typical and lacked excitement. One Summer had a good foundation, but it just disappointed me with its skippable momentum.

Based on the music video, One Summer doesnt seem like a formal comeback (I have yet to see a live performance for this release). The members just sit around sitting to the song and there is a bunch of closeups of the members to give the video some variety. It is the type of video where you seen it once, you have seen it all. I did like their focus on blue in the group shots and the one colour dominance in the closeup shots. But other than that, there isn’t much else to the video. As for Draw You, the music video is a lot more interesting, in the sense that there is more to it. It is a artistic video, with the lighting and colours giving off a warming feeling (despite the cool blue colour corner). This makes sense as the song was all about being able to draw someone they were attracted to, based on their memories from seeing that person. The special effects also helped with that artistic factor as well. I really liked the sky effects and the minimialist vibe of the set they were in.

Interestingly, Draw You doesn’t feature any choreography in the music video. I find the moves are fitting for the song’s seperate section, as the mid-tempo nature calls for a choreography. However, I feel that the moves could have been finetuned to feel more cohesive, given how they go into a more hip-hop vibe during the rap sequences, which didn’t blend as well with the less loaded vocal moments (i.e. verses).

Draw You
Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

One Summer
Song – 7/10
Music Video – 5/10
Overall Rating – 6.2/10

[Album Review] Zero: Fever Part 1 (5th Mini Album) – ATEEZ

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 1 Comment

As per the Friday schedule, there is an album review coming your way. And the album being reviewed today is ATEEZ’s ZERO: FEVER Part 1, which was released a under a month ago. The album features the fan-chosen title track, INCEPTION, which the group has promoted for a while now. The alternative title track is THANXX and that was confirmed to be the follow-up promotional track that the group will promote with next week. Unfortuately, I have chosen to not wait around for the THANXX music video and this will be put on the Missed Music Video Review that I have been promising for a while now (don’t worry, it is coming!). But until then, you can check out my thoughts on THANXX and the other side tracks from their ZERO: FEVER Part 1 mini-album below.

Zero: Fever Part 1 Album Cover

2. FEVER – Picking up from the instrumental fade out of the first track (which simply a young voice reading a diary entry and setting the context for this Zero series) is FEVER. I find the FEVER incorporation into the preceding track to be a nice connection between the two. That aside, FEVER pairs the group’s usual dance sound with a sentimental tone. I liked this pairing as it feels well-balanced and doesn’t overwhelm with one or the other. There is a smooth texture to the song, which I feel wonderfully compliments the group and the song’s tone. I personally enjoyed the piano at the bridge and the chorus was very catchy to listen to. Great vocals and rapping from the members, as well. Definitely an ear-catching track that I am sure many will enjoy. (9/10)

3. THANXX – THANXX was the alternative title track that was not picked up as a title track, a decision made by ATINYs. However, we will be seeing the music video release and follow up promotions featuring THANXX in the near future. To me, THANXX was probably the better pick as a title track (out of the two). It had momentum and a powerful energy that ATEEZ would have flourished with on stage. I do admit that the song doesn’t offer anything new, sounding pretty much like the rest of their title tracks that we have heard from the group so far. The exception is the foreign flair that the guitar brings to the song at the start. There were some parts of the song where the members do amp up their sound, such as the bridge, which I find to be an amazing extension of their sound. (9/10)

4. TO THE BEAT– If the group wanted to opt for a different sound for the title track yet still be in the vicinity of their past releases, TO THE BEAT would have been a perfect pick. While I am usually not a fan of autotuned voices, the high pitch ‘To The Beat’ we get as part of the instrumentation adds an addictive sound. The rest of the instrumentation is texturally loaded with unexplored ground in KPOP. And given ATEEZ’s amazing choreography history, I am sure they would have had a spectacular dance break at the very end. The rappers do shine the most in this song but I also enjoyed the chorus where all the members would shout out the lyrics and the low-tone whispering, with the latter helping create a suspenseful and attention-grabbing vibe to the song. (10/10)

5. INCEPTION (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for INCEPTION. (7/10)

6. Good Lil Boy – Similar comments made regarding To The Beat could also be directed to Good Lil Boy. It also had a different vibe to it, allowing ATEEZ to offer something that aligns to their previous works but not give us the exact same flair. And I honestly think this would have been another great contender for title track status. What I really like about Good Lil Boy is how the tempo changes between the chorus and verses/bridge. The contrast is just so good. And the rush of energy really lifts up the urban hip-hop instrumental to a new level. I particularly liked the acoustic guitar in the pre-chorus, paired with light vocals and acting as a ‘calm before the storm’ scenario. Once again, vocals are great and the rapping had such good momentum to drive the song forward. (10/10)

7. One Day At A Time – One Day At A Time is a pleasant surprise. Not only is it the softest and lightest track on the album, it is also all in English. The R&B track definitely contrasts with the more loaded songs above it, but its softness is much appreciated, providing us with some relief. There is some heaviness to the song, coming in the from the thumping deepness. Other than that, everything else is soothing. Vocals, melodies and atmosphere. My only issue with the song is that the rapping felt a little too much for this song. It just didn’t feel fitting for this song. But other than that, a nice ender to the album. (8.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.9/10

Zero: Fever Part 1 Teaser Image

[Review] TO BE OR NOT TO BE – ONEUS

Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 7 Comments

Giving off one of the most boldest impressions for a comeback ever, ONEUS utters one of the most well known lines in English literature for their comeback today. Ironically, ONEUS’ return with TO BE OR NOT TO BE is also a breath of new life to the group’s discography and story-telling, carrying on from their Road To Kingdom days, a show they participated in earlier this year to win a confirmed position on the upcoming and now delayed season of the Kingdom. This is also the group’s first official comeback since their A Song Written Easily comeback earlier this year.

ONEUS already has a discography full of powerful songs. But TO BE OR NOT TO BE overtakes, conquers and triumphs this discography without a doubt. Just with the initial listen, I was in awe with this new release. It had everything I had wanted and wished would come as the song progresses. The harsh and rough instrumental for TO BE OR NOT TO BE is a dramatic synth dance track, infused with rock elements at the right moments to give the song a much appreciated layer of textures. I also really enjoyed the brewing atmosphere that the song dives into for the suspenseful pre-chorus. The choppy melody that brings the pre-chorus to life is probably one of the best ‘on the edge of my seat’ moments of 2020. I also loved how the producers of this song amped up the final chorus, differentiating it from the rest of the song in a specticular fashion. It is what I desired for the final chorus as we got to it, dreading a return to the same chorus we had earlier (as this is what has been happening with a number of releases lately). Aside from the amazing instrumentation, the members blew me away with their amazing showcase of vocals and rapping. My favourite part has to be the pre-chorus that I had already mentioned, along with the ‘To Be Or Not To Be‘ post-chorus hook, which continued the choruses’ monentum in a subtle manner. I think that based on my prasies, you probably know where I officially stand with TO BE OR NOT TO BE.

Obviously matching the song’s atmosphere is the music video. I really liked the imagery and darkness. My type of atmosphere. Based on the story films for this comeback, the plotline of the story relates back to the Come Back Home video and fits into Greek mythology. I am not clever enough to break down the video to the fine details today (though this one seems interesting for a music video theory series). Some fans have already done the hard work in the YouTube comments. So below is one of the theories.

The music video builds upon this, though. We see the members being locked up (as stated in the second story film) and in the ‘light world’. As they had been locked up by Helios, their end goal is to free themselves. But the catch is told in the second story film. The members end up breaking the curse themselves by drinking the blood of the descendants (as foreshadowed, but I am not exactly sure what triggers this). They go back to steal the necklace from the first story film to regain their powers, their monarch title and to go back to protecting the people, who now need to suffer pain as a result to the their actions. Do note that this is just one of the theories and there can be many others. Another could be that while locked up, they were tortured by their memories of failed love and breakups, which lead them to breaking free and regaining their powers to ‘forget’ their past relationships entirely.

The choreography looks amazing. We don’t see much in the music video, as there was a whole cinematic storyline to tell. But the bits and pieces we did see looked amazing. It was powerful and definitely shows off an edgier and angsty side of the group that we haven’t seen before. Some of the formations looked really cool and some of the moves defintiely have a wow factor, such as that jump we see at the end (definitely something ONEUS had picked up and built upon during their Road To Kingdom days).

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