Category: Reviews

[Review] GUNSHOT – KARD

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

[Review] Not Shy – ITZY

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Once again, apologies for the delay for this review.

Making their grand return earlier in the week was ITZY with Not Shy, which is featured as part of the group’s third mini-album of the same name. This comes after the group released the extremely catchy WANNABE earlier this year. Let’s see if Not Shy lives up to the standard that ITZY had created and instilled on all of their future releases.

Based on my own thoughts, the group does not go above and beyond that same standard they had set with WANNABE with this latest release. Not Shy lacks a certain energy to make it a blastful song. That, I believe, was a responsibility of the instrumental. To me, the instrumental was lacking and failed to bolster that punchy feeling that ITZY is known for through their releases and that was partly delivered by the vocals. And as odd as it may sound, I also found the typical instrumental for Not Shy to be rather loose. It just didn’t feel as tight as their past releases, which constantly felt full and loaded. I did like the use of the choppy brass. Though I wished it was much louder to add that blast of energy and colour that was needed. Regarding certain parts of the song, the one that I want to question the most was the repetition of ITZY’s name throughout the chorus. Was it needed and necessary? I don’t think so and it just annoyed me throughout the song. But other than that, everything else gets an approval nod from me. There were a number of catchy hooks. There was good vocal work and rapping in this song was quite good. All these elements would have benefited given a more profoundly dynamic backdrop. The main highlight of the song would have to be the bridge, which showed off Lia’s vocal chops and potential.

Shot in the desert, the members of ITZY are outlaws driving after a van carrying important and fragile goods. They are definitely Not Shy with their driving and threatening skills, as they catch up to the van that had a head start and managed to get the driver out of the car at gunpoint. The group drive the van back to their base and store the boxes in a freezer installed in the ground. The member, whilst performing their choreography and all their closeups, actually come off as quite edgy. I just wished the final credits stuck with that. I lowkey expected something dangerous like guns in the boxes. And if that was too extreme, then I would have expected some sort of expensive item or gold. But it turned out to be a bunch of cakes and desserts. So whatever touch image they had built for themselves in this music video ended up being dissolved once the video stopped playing with this innocent twist. Very typical for KPOP.

I really liked their use of space at the very start and during the first verse. This looked very cool and different from most performances, which tend to start with the focus in the middle of the stage/formation. I also thought they had good transitions between each formation throughout the performance and effortlessly moved to their new positions in a fast manner. As for their dance move, everything looked quite cool (given what they had to work with).

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] BOCA – Dream Catcher

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Dream Catcher continues to explore the rock niche that they have created themselves through the release of their latest mini-album, Dystopia: Lose Myself, which features the title track, BOCA. To date, no other group has managed to overtake or compete with Dream Catcher in this niche market. It is a pity that they are not getting more attention in the domestic market. But it has been confirmed that their fanbase is growing with each comeback, their last being Scream. More recently, the group collaborated with the mobile game Girl Cafe Gun and released their second mobile game soundtrack, R.o.S.E B.L.U.E.

The last few title tracks (i.e. Scream and Deja Vu) that Dream Catcher has promoted have left me in awe within the last listen. Unfortuately, BOCA didn’t have that same initial appeal. It actually took a few listens to actually settle on an opinion for BOCA. I wished that BOCA had more of an electrifying vibe to the song. There is that fast tempo harshness that the electric guitars brings to the chorus. That is quite exciting in itself, but it didn’t feel enough. I wanted them to go that extra mile with it, especially in the final chorus, to give the song that extra edge and some differentiation from the preceding choruses. Aside from a high note, there isn’t much to really give the final chorus that much needed energy release and climax, and hence I found the song to be somewhat repetitive by the time they wrapped up. Everything else gets a massive tick of approval from me. I really enjoyed the verses as they brought a hip-hop vibe to the song, which I felt Dream Catcher has not really paired with their rock sound before. This is comes after a really nicely aesthetic ‘tututu‘ in the background for the first verse. The vocals throughout the song was just superb. Yoohyeon’s powerful vocals and falesetto that leads into the chorus, along with Siyeon’s high note at the end makes them standout in this song. On the topic of members, Gahyeon joins Dami as one the rappers in this song. That I thought was quite interesting and different, as I remember that Dami was the main rapper in all their songs. And their part was definitely rhythmic and added a much darker and edgier vibe to the song. Overall, there are some lacking elements that does weigh down the song. But BOCA still fits in with Dream Catcher’s work and proves their worth.

The visual game in this song is strong. That really jumped out at me when I was watching the music video. From their innocent and pure side (shown when the members are in dresses) to their dark and edgy side (shown through their choreography outfits), Dream Catcher looks stunning and jaw dropping in this music video. BOCA in Spanish means mouth and throughout the music video, you see a lot of ‘mouth’ references. The mouths are mainly taped up or covered, preventing people from speaking. Based on the lyrics as well, it seems like the music video shows the members are fighting against these people who just constantly judge them and provide hateful comments. Definitely a powerful message, suitable for a powerful video like this.

I really liked how the choreography represented the mouth. It connects the music video, song and performance in a clever manner. In addition to the mouth move, I really liked the circle formation that they form with the backup dancers during the chorus. It looked stunning when they started turning around Siyeon. The rest of the performance carries the intensity of the music quite well, making this another standout performance from the group.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.1/10

[Review] We Ride – Brave Girls

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It has been a while since we last heard from Brave Girls. Their last comeback, the fantastic and much underrated Rollin’, was back in 2017. While the group did drop a new version of Rollin’ in Summer 2018, we haven’t anything else from the group since. But that all changed yesterday, when the members (now a four member lineup, with Hayun departing the group due to health reasons) made their comeback with We Ride.

Brave Girls ride the retro wave through the city pop genre that We Ride is based on. I find it to be quite a nice track. The instrumental gives the song a nice twinkling and felt somewhat refreshing, especially in a landscape of intensity and lightness. We Ride fits in between, leaning more to the lighter side of the spectrum. Pleasant and calming would be the words I used to describe this song, which aren’t bad words to describe a song (more on this in a second). We Ride features good vocals from the members, carrying appealing melodies. I liked how the pre-chorus was delivered, going into that high pitch note upon the completion of each line. But while We Ride does get a tick of approval from me, I am left a bit too chilled out upon the completion of the song. When I go back to listen to their previous comeback, I was low key expecting something to continues the excitement that Rollin’ had generated (regardless of the three year gap from when we last heard from them), as the group deserved to follow up with something as exciting and powerful as that release. So retrospectively, We Ride doesn’t live up to the expectations that Brave Girls has essentially created for themselves. That does influence the song rating I would give it. But putting those thoughts aside, We Ride is still a good song.

The music video takes on imagery that fits both the city pop genre and retro vibes of the music video. And for that, the video looks awesome. From the TV commericals on the old TV that the members are featured in to the use of green screen for their choreography shots on what I believe to be a take on Korean music shows back in the day, the video and song definitely compliment one another. It is quite well executed that I am looking in the other direction of the music video flaws.

The weakest aspect of the comeback has to be the choreography. It is quite dull and not exciting. Given the song, it is kind of hard to find something that works for the members and the song’s style/genre. But I just wished the choreographer they had enlisted for this comeback had found a better balance or middleground for this comeback.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] 100 – SuperM

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For some reason, I had thought that SuperM would be a one-off release type of group, given that the members come from 4 different groups based in two different companies. So it was suprising to hear that SuperM (made up of EXO’s Baekhyun and Kai, SHINee’s Taemin, NCT’s Taeyong and Mark and WayV’s Lucas and Ten) will be making their comeback in September with a studio album. It just sounds like a logistical nightmare to get the schedules of these four groups to align so that SuperM can rejoin, practice and promote any new releases (SM Entertainment can’t even get Lay to rejoin for any EXO promotions for the past 3 years!). Ahead of the release of the studio album, Super One, the group released 100 as a pre-release single yesterday. This is also the group’s first comeback since their debut with Jopping.

I won’t deny that 100 packs a punch. It truly does with its dubstep effects and fast tempo breakbeat direction. That alone already set the song up for succes. But I can’t help but think that the song gets pretty messy as it progresses, and this steals the attention away from the dynamic nature of the instrumental. The portion of the bridge that begins with Mark’s ‘Boom Boom Boom‘ and the start of the loaded dubstep effects, through to Taeyong’s ‘We go straight to the top‘ just felt it could have been much cleaner, yet also deliver that captivating climax to relaunch the song back into the final chorus. What we got felt like layers and layers of harshness that just overwhelms. The chorus itself could have forgone the inclusion of the ‘We go We go We go‘ line, as it felt unnecessary and doesn’t have that heft like the lines around it does. But apart from those problematic moments, the song highlighted some of the members’ talents. Taemin’s whispering at the start and during the bridge (this pretty much took me back to many of his solo releases) and vocal moments in the bridge brought out his vocals. Baekhyun’s high note was powerful. Mark’s rapping at the start was quite strong and proved to me why he was voted as the Best Rapper of 2019 in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Overall, 100 does the job of relaunching SuperM and definitely begins the fast trip to their upcoming releasing.

The futuristic concept of the music video is totally winning. I really like the sets that the music video is filmed in, even though they bring back that boxed feeling and that is mildly disappointing. Apart from that, the members bring strong visuals and definitely know how to throw punches to make the music video match the intensity that is felt in the song. I do note that the music video does also use that closeup and choreography formula, though it isn’t as prevalent (which is a good thing). I only just realized while writing this review myself. Overall, a really good video.

The choreography was definitely powerful. I think that is what everyone’s expectation going into this release, especially since the group is made up of strong dancers and 100 being the first release from the group after Jopping. It alone in the music video is already quite captivating, so I wonder what a live performance would feel like?

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

[Review] When We Disco – J.Y. Park & Sunmi

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The next new release of the week is a collaboration between the CEO of a major entertainment company in Korea and one of his former artists. The CEO I am referring to is none of than J.Y. Park, the CEO of JYP Entertainment, who has periodically released music and continued as an artist in the industry, even during the modern era of KPOP. Sunmi is probably a name that a lot of us recongise given her successful solo career (her most recent solo release being pporappippam). She was also a member of Wonder Girls, which was one of the famous groups of Korea under JYP Entertainment when they were still active. The two have jouned hands together for When We Disco, which dropped last night.

Based off the title of the song, it clear that the collaboration would be dealing with the retro influence. And that expectation was defintiely fulfilled with the European disco instrumental. I liked that the instrumental didn’t stray away from the disco influence, which is the likely route that other KPOP groups would have gone with given that is the default trend of today’s music. And it was quite consistent. That didn’t pose a problem here, as When We Disco feels fresh, relative to the releases we have been getting from other KPOP acts. And it is hard to find the disco influence boring, as the energy is always likeable (and a memorable part of my childhood, as that was the songs that my mother enjoyed while she was growing up and she would play it a lot when I was younger). Both J.Y Park and Sunmi effortlessly sing their way through the song with really enjoyable melodies. They are very easy on the ears. Even the filtered vocals at the start were not harsh in anyway, which really helped make the song appealing. The only thing that I did dislike about the song is the inclusion of the infamous JYP whipser at the end. It is such an awkward position for it and it just doesn’t fit in with the retro theme. I know it is his song, so it makes perfect sense for him to put an audio signature into the song. But I just wished it had a retro twist to fit in better wtih the song. Other than that, When We Disco is a fun, catchy and enjoyable collaboration between two icons of the KPOP industry.

The song is about a past love who disappeared from their lives. They reminsce about this person and wonder what they are doing now. And that is exactly what we see in this video. J.Y. Park and Sunmi used to be lovers. But some other guy pulled them apart. Sunmi went on to be a singer in the storyline and reunited with J.Y. Park. The exact same thing happened this time around, with the other guy ordering his henchmen to pull the reunited couple apart. This time around Sunmi fights back and with J.Y. Park runs away. While this is a nice story, I wondered what the smile on the other guy’s face was all about. It looked supscious. I was lowkey expecting a confrontational scene between J.Y. Park and the other guy towards the end of the video, but we never got it.

The dance is not complicated. Well, this comment is based on how I percieve it. Given my two left feet, it might be a completely different story. But relatively speaking, it isn’t too complicated and I am sure that we will be seeing great stages. It also fits in with the retro influence. I love how odd the dance gets towards the end. It is still within the retro genre, just not how I expected the dance to play out.

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

[Review] Sukhumvit Swimming – ONF

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Also releasing new music today is ONF. The 6 member male group from WM Entertainment returns for the first time since coming in second place on the recent competitive season of Road To Kingdom earlier this year. This is also the group’s first comeback since the release of the underrated Why in October of last year. The title of their new single is Sukhumvit Swimming and this is featured on the group’s fifth mini-album, Spin Off. More on that album at a later date (hint hint). For now, here is my review for their new single.

Sukhumvit Swimming is nothing like what I had expected. Unlike in my previous review I had just posted where I had no idea where my expectations were coming from, I had clear expectations for this comeback as I was basing it on their epic New World single that served as their final track on Road To Kingdom. That was undeniably aligned with the rest of their single discography. But just because it wasn’t what I had expected, doesn’t mean that it is a terrbile song. Sukhumvit Swimming is much lighter track. It is definitely more pleasant, easy on the ears and more fun sounding, featuring elements of reggae, trap and future bass in the instrumental. The instrumental knows when to amp up those elements to give it that slight intensity and edge. I would have preferred more, given that is the ONF style that I like best. But obviously the song did not go overboard otherwise it would have thrown the song off balance. Apart from that, the song has a really nice melody that is easy to get into and I can see the hook catching on more and more as I listen to the song (it has already taken an effect on me). Their vocals are quite good, complimenting the lighter and less abrasive instrumentation. I find the song gives us some variety in their tones and voice. Take Wyatt’s rapping as an example, it was also held back and not as fierce in the past in this song. But it sounds a lot more classy and refined here, which I don’t think the group would have been able to show in their more intense tracks. Overall, Sukhumvit Swimming lacks the epicness that we know them for, but I find it offers another side to the group.

The music video is quite bizzare. It seems like they are taking the fun profile of the song and amp it up. What is happening in the music video is very interesting and I would replay the button continually (if I had time) to make sense of this video. It seems like each member is taken to a different world (New World connection?) thanks to Wyatt. Other than that, I have no clue what the music video is trying to show. The good news is ONF fans (Fuse) have been busy making sense of the music video, as well. This is a theory that I pinched from the YouTube comments that made sense to me.

As you can tell, the music video is quite confusing and the above theory is incomplete. There are a few more theories in the YouTube comment, so have a read to see which one is plausible. I really liked the visuals of this music video. It also seems like WM Entertainment recently invested in a green screen, given that it is used here and in Oh My Girl’s Nonstop music video as well. In this video, the usage of the visual effects were pretty good and does not disappoint.

I like that the performance carried on that fun profile that I mentioned earlier. The fact that they started the performance with a bottle flip pretty much confirms this. None of the moves were that impressive, but they all definitely complimented the lighter style that the group was going for. I personally would have liked them to go with something a little more epic looking, given that they have built a name for such on Road To Kingdom. But what we got was still enjoyable to watch.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] Sacrifice – Han Seung Woo (VICTON)

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It is the start of a new week in the KPOP industry and that brings new releases. The first new release on the reviewing block is Han Seung Woo’s solo debut, Sacrifice. There is a lot of anticipation for this solo debut, given that Han Seung Woo is one of the former members of the project group X1 (which was formed through Produce X 101). Upon confirmation of the group’s disbandment earlier this year, Han Seung Woo instantly returned to VICTON and particpated in their Howling and Mayday comebacks, further extending his popularity. Now, captialising on his new found popularity, Han Seung Woo debuts today as a solo artist with his new mini-album, Fame.

For some reason, I was going into Sacrifice with the mindset that it was going to a be a hard hitting song, full of drops and energetic energy. I don’t know why that is the case, but I had that feeling when I heard of his impending solo debut track. Unfortuately, none of my unexpected expectations were fulfilled. But that doesn’t mean Sacrifice is a bad song. In fact, it shows off the talent of Han Seung Woo in a very refined yet powerful way. The song is made up of a trap-based instrumental and delves into the R&B side of music. Pretty standard, but there is some bass in it that really give the song some life and some oomph. It is also the source of that powerfulness that I was talking about. The instrumental itself would not have been as strong if it wasn’t for the lacing of the bass throughout it. The chorus has some synths that add texture which prevents the song from going down a bland route (which is a minor concern when it comes to some R&B tracks). Han Seung Woo’s vocals are shown off in a spectacular manner. We also get to hear a very brief rapping delivery from the artist, which I would have liked more of. There is also some nice contrast between his high pictched vocals and the deep instrumentation that backs the track. Overall, Sacrifice nails the brief of a strong debut song.

The opening scene of Han Seung Woo kneeling in front of a car burning some rubber pretty much sets the tone of the music video. The mature sound of the song comes off quite visually in this music video. That is essentially how I would describe the concept of the video in a nutshell. In addition to that, he also brings an edgy image to the mix, which I really liked. Regarding a plotline, I am not sure if there is one explicitly in the music video. We do see a scene where he is grabbing the collar of a friend (or a fellow gang member) at the climax of the video, showing us that he is willing to sacrifice loyalty for a lover. We also see him mindless walking to somewhere afterwards, which might tell us something about this lover (i.e. he is addicted to them, plus it seems like everyone is mindlessly walking towards this lover at the start). It definitely hints at this lover having some effect on Han Seung Woo and co. I wished they delved into the plotline a little more, as it does sound interesting.

[Updated] We don’t get much choreography in the music video. But from what I can see based on the first and final chorus, it looks good. He has a really strong stage presence and this is definitely highlighted by the intensity of the performance. Nothing really stood out at me, but it was definitely thrilling to watch him perform Sarcifice.

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

[Review] Count – 1THE9

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1THE9 takes a bow for the final time with Count, an unexpected release but a much welcome send off for the project group who officially disbanded on the 8th of August (just a few days ago). Half a month ago, 1THE9 returned with what I persumed to be their last comeback (Bad Guy) before they were due to disband since their contract was up. In that review, I had wished the group returned more often given that their time as 1THE9 was limited. It turned out that the group delayed their comeback due to the ongoing health pandemic. I wasn’t aware of this and I apologise for making such comments without knowing the full picture. Luckily, 1THE9 and their company were able to squeeze in one extra comeback, which is (obviously) the focus of this review.

Given the context and timing of this release, it was obvious that Count would be a fan-service song, so that the group can thank their fans (Wonderland) for the support they gave to the group for the 1 year and a bit they were active for. The song could easily have been a ballad, but I was glad it wasn’t. Count goes does a typical pop route and I find this more suitable for the current season they are releasing the song in. Whilst pop is the genre of the song, Count isn’t a choreography enabling track. Instead, it focuses more on vocals and they actually sound quite good. I did feel that the autotune that seemed to be used on most of the members could have been toned down a bit. It just didn’t feel necessary. The instrumentation was light and minimal, allowing the vocals to be a clear forefront of the song. It also allows fans to get a sense of the gratitude and appreciative tone that the members put on. The one thing I would have liked and would have made this song even more special and touching if all the members sang the chorus together, particularly the final chorus. It seems like they did do that, but Count‘s take on this technique felt fairly weak. This could have bolstered up the final chorus and fulfilled the missing inclusive feeling that I felt was missing. But overall, Count was pleasant and (I am sure) it did the job for fans and the group alike.

I don’t much to say about this music video given the message it is giving. We see the members enjoying their final moments: putting together a picture collage of their memories on a window, decorating a cake and hanging up some washing. Wait, one of them sounds a little off. I am sure they could have done something a little more touching than laundry. But then again, I am sure everyone will appreciate clean sheets. Other than that lame joke, the most important aspect is that the members are having fun. They lipsync along to the song in a nice manner. It is simple and fits the brief. And I am sure fans are enjoying these moments that the group are sharing on the screen, as well.

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

[Review] On Me – Sehun (EXO)

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In preparation for the album review later today, I will be reviewing both Chanyeol and Sehyun’s indvidual tracks that appeared alongside their 1 Billion Views and Telephone releases last month. I had promised these two reviews for some time now, but I just kept on running out of time to post them. But as I always repeat on this blog, it is always better late than never. As you can tell by the title, this particular review post will be focusing on Sehun’s On Me.

Unlike Chanyeol, Sehun has yet to release a solo track in the 9 years since his debut. So On Me is a great gift to all the Sehun fans out there. The song finds itself in hip-hop domain, settling with a trap-based instrumental. Not really a ground-breaking combination or instrumental by today’s standard. But it had good ryhthm and energy that makes the song very appealing. A great thing about solo tracks that I am sure that all of you are aware of is that we get to hear the artist in all their glory. For Sehun, in On Me, we get to hear a lot of his husky rapping voice. It was harsh (a compliment) and added amazing texture to the already rough texture we got from the instrumental. We also got to hear Sehun sing briefly during the chorus. It adds a layer of smoothness to the song. Intererstingly, I liked how his rapping and vocals remained low throughout the song. It is his best sound and he really captialised on this. I also liked how the hooks of Sehun’s solo track (the ‘Forever Love Sad Happy‘ and ‘Work Work Work‘) were all emphasised versions of the huskiness and low tone. This added some depth to the song that I wasn’t sure we would be getting from Sehun. Overall, On Me really puts Sehun’s best foot forward.

On Me‘s music video only goes for a certain length and doesn’t capture the entire song. But as it is still considered a music video, it enables the release to earn a review on this blog. The music video is choreography based and focuses on Sehun’s performance skills. Can’t argue with that, given that we haven’t see Sehun have an opportunity to officially show off his dancing skills in a solo release. His performance really intensifies the song, which is fantastic. I also like the various camera angles and transitions employed, which adds to that intensity. Best part of his music video is when he is moving forward to the front of the dancers with one hand holding a hat on his head. That parts needs to be made iconic and should be appreciated more!

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