Category: Reviews

[Review] Naughty – Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi

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You may know that I have been withholding a few reviews as the corresponding music videos were released after I already covered them in my album review segment on this blog. And as promised, those missed music videos reviews will be out soon. But I do still watch them! Today, I had a listen and watched Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi’s latest music video release for Naughty and just knew that this needs its standalone review. And that is why we are here. I have yet to review their Monster mini-album but I have previously reviewed the Monster title track, which you can read after this review.

With Irene & Seulgi’s mature and dark turn with this Monster unit debut, Naughty‘s presence on the album felt appropriate, but also a missed opportunity. When I first listen to the album, Naughty seemed to be the most logical choice for the title track over Monster. Monster had a dullness to it, which let down the chosen title track. Naughty, on the other hand, had a level of dynamism and hypnotic appeal that just clicked. And this helps overtake that dullness that I was disappointed with in the actual title track. This song takes on deep house and features many crunchy synths to give Naughty a wonderful sense of texture. I really liked the sassiness that started the song and stayed in the background during the verses. I liked the bass that comes along with the song, adding to the already mentioned dynamic atmosphere of the song. I liked how the chorus had a chant-like delivery, which was thoroughly interesting and helped with the said appeal. The vocals during the rest of the song was quite good. I still do think Naughty could have used something more, like a rap sequence to add some further edge to the song or add an additional layer of intensity. But what we got anyway is already enough to satisfy me. And given how positive my thoughts on the song were, Naughty is obviously a superior track on the album.

The ‘Episode 1’ in the title of the music video confuses me. Does that mean that the unit will be releasing music videos for all side tracks? Or is something else coming our way? No one knows. I guess we just have to wait and see. In the meanwhile, I thought the music video for Naughty was terrific. It is more of a performance video, given its focus on the choreography and it strays away from the use of closeups. I felt the start and end of the video where the two are walking towards and away from each other felt a little unnecessary, unless they are what connects the ‘episodes’ together. I would have been fine with the choreography centered shots as they had really good post-production and its simplicity with the grey-scale tones made it aesthetic. I really liked the solo shots where the member in focus is dancing opposite the member behind the camera. It definitely looks like we are doing the performance and adds a unique depth to the video.

The performance for Naughty definitely leaves a wowing impression. The mixture of voguing (Not too sure if this is the right category of the moves as the tempo doesn’t necessary match what I associate with voguing, but given their use of their arms) and tutting in this performance looks very cool and hypnotic. It will definitely be a stand out routine of the year given its visual appeal.

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

[Review] Bad Guy – 1THE9

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The one thing I don’t understand when it comes to project groups are their lack of comebacks. These groups have only a limited time to make a mark in the industry. But often, their companies schedule in massive gaps between comebacks. Take 1THE9 for example. Formed in 2018 through the survival show Under 19, they debuted in April 2019 with Spotlight. Within 6 months, the group returned with Blah. But it took them eight months to finally return with their third release and it seems it is going to be their last comeback ever as their contracts wrap up ‘soon’. I don’t blame the members, as I am assuming this is a management decision (I think the members would be eager to get back onto the stage since they are just newly debut). But rant over. I am excited that 1THE9 is back with Bad Guy, which is featured on the group’s third mini-album, Turn Over.

I will admit that I have forgotten about 1THE9 and their two previous singles. Looking back on their reviews, I can’t blame myself as their songs were not as memorable or impactful as I had hoped when they first released them. Bad Guy might have a bit more luck in this department. What I have listened to while writing this review is actually not bad. It does lack uniqueness as it does have a certain level of standardness to it. The instrumental feels a little too consistent and I feel that it is missing a spark, particularly around the rap sequence. The rapping is is fine. I just expected something a little more exciting rather than a mild instrumental strip back. But apart from that missing spark, the instrumental felt quite solid and had a nice level of intensity. I like the buildup in the pre-chorus, using that ‘pew pew’ electronic dubstep synth we hear often (there is probably a proper name for it, but I love calling it that). I also like how the chorus felt like it ‘leveled up’ from the verse, by loading it with the synths we hear. Their vocals and raps were also a strong aspect. I liked how their vocals stayed on top of the instrumental. The instrumental during the chorus felt like it could easily have overpowered the vocals due to the intensity. But upon multiple re-listens, it seems that the vocals take the edge. I also really like the song’s melody when it comes to the chorus. All the positives aspects occur in the chorus and this really helps make the Bad Guy chorus bold and memorable, hence why I said Bad Guy might be able to perform better in that area earlier.

I found the music video to be on that typical side. Once again, it follows the closeup and choreography mashup. The lyrics was about choosing to be the bad guy for their partner and I feel that this could have been interpreted into an interesting plot line. This would obviously make the video boring and I did not need to put this video on the typical side of the spectrum. Some of the closeup shots shared between members were a little interesting. I sensed some hostility and I wished they had expanded on this a little more to be more interesting. I also liked the different patterns they had projected on the walls, though I think these were more artistic choices rather than contributing to those hostility vibes I got.

The performance was also a bore. It didn’t seem impressive and this feels disappointing. I felt that the members could have gone with slightly edgier moves that could have highlighted more of their skills. The choreography that I saw was quite safe and bland.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 6.9/10

[Review] Count 1, 2 – TOO

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Making their comeback today is TOO, returning with their first release since making their debut earlier in the year with Magnolia. Since debuting, the group participated on the TV show, Road To Kingdom, where they competed against six other group to earn a place on future season of Kingdom. They didn’t win, but did prove viewers that they shouldn’t be underestimated despite being the new kid on the block. Today, the group return with the title track Count 1, 2, which featured on their second mini-album, Running TOOgether.

I just posted another review for a comeback with a feel good vibe, so it is definitely nice to continue with this vibe in a subsequent release. Count 1, 2 is such a stunning song. There is a funky and groovy instrumental to the song that I cannot get out of my head. The guitars, brass and percussion all blend together neatly and cleanly in Count 1, 2. The music is just vibrant and colourful, making the entire three and a half minute song so enjoyable. I am literally smiling from those feel good vibes and cannot help but groove along to the pop song as I write this review. Interestingly, the song purely relies on this instrumental and doesn’t employ much synths. It gives off some old school vibes, as well. This comment nicely segue-ways into my thoughts for the rap sequence. I like how its hip-hop direction fits so well with the rest of the song and doesn’t go down the trendy breakdown path. The hip-hop feel is quite natural and well planned. Alongside the rapping are the vocals, which I really drew me into the song. I made comments on how typical they sounded in their debut track. And Count 1, 2 proves otherwise, as they sound so showcase a lot of potential throughout this song. The falsettos and the melodies were extremely pleasant. The only other equivalent to this song that I can think of from the top of my mind if A.C.E’s Take Me Higher, which shared a similar set up and also showed off a nice feel good vibe as well. And that is saying a lot, as it grew to be a perfect song to my ears!

The music video shows the members having fun with one another. And for the most part, the music video for Count 1, 2 was quite fitting for the song. And I personally would have been fine if they kept to the lighthearted visuals and fun that the members had. Unfortunately, there was a segment in which the members appeared to be fighting and weren’t having fun. Thankfully, this was just a dream. Though, my KPOP theory mind is buzzing and is convinced that it is intentionally in this music video for a reason. Maybe foreshadowing for a future release? Who knows? I know am always asking for something more to music video such as a plot line. However, there is always a time or place for this. Unless there was an intentional reason for it to be in this video (i.e. to set up a future release), it felt unnecessary here.

I like the fun vibes that feature in this choreography. It doesn’t show off that potential they had built up on Road To Kingdom, but it was a solid routine that matched the upbeat song quite well. I do feel like it was cheesy at times, but obviously that was done to work with the song.

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

[Review] Say Yes – Jeong Sewoon

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Jeong Sewoon began his solo career in 2017 off with dance-centric tracks (Just U, Baby It’s You, Feeling) and has progressed to more vocal-centric ballads (Something 20, When It Rains) with his more recent releases. And yesterday, the solo artist made his comeback with Say Yes, which leans back into that dance territory that he started off with. The new single is part of Part 1 of his first studio-album, Part. 1 24.

Say Yes comes well timed for the season of sun and energy. Like many of his solo tracks, I find it quite charming and likable from the first listen. While I do admit that there is a small amount of standardness in the new song, the song’s better moments dominates and overlooks the song’s weaker moments. Let’s start off with the standardness. The verses felt dull and grey. They weren’t the most memorable sections of the song. While they do feature a nice presentation of his vocals, the verses just felt incredibly plain, in comparison of the song’s more undeniably stronger sections. With that out of the way, we can move onto the song’s better moments (i.e. the chorus). There was a nice explosion of sounds during the chorus. Not so much that it overwhelms or creates an imbalance with the rest of the song. It just felt right. There was a punchy nature to the synth that the producers put into the play. The second and final chorus is followed up with a sharp synthesizer sound that adds colour to the song. His vocals during these parts is quite powerful. Not powerhouse powerful, but on par with the energy and colour that comes from the chorus. I also liked how his vocals continued the momentum of the upbeat sequences throughout the bridge. Usually, I would have suspected a slow down, but what we had was a good continuation of the energy. In comparison to his ballads, this dance material is more memorable and I believe that is the case with Say Yes as well.

I really like the music video. There is a feel good vibe that comes off that puts the song into context and makes it more explosive and energetic. I really like how Jeong Sewoon grooves along to the song during the chorus. That’s where that feel good vibe comes from. And that is essentially the point of the song. The lyrics is all about being individualistic with life’s journey. He complains about people telling him to do things one specific way. But he wants to be himself and do what pleases him. He asks people to convince him that he is wrong (Pull me close so my heart sway) or to just join him (If not, you can just sway with me).

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

[Review] Apple – GFriend

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It seems like reviews will again be a little late this week. I will only be reviewing one song today and it belongs to the group who returned yesterday! If you have missed it yesterday, GFriend made their return to the music scene with the release of Apple and the Song of the Sirens mini-album. This is the group’s first release since their earlier comeback in the year, Crossroads and the mini-album, Labyrinth.

It seems like someone has answered my prayers. I made a comment in my Crossroads review that I was slowly getting tired of the sound they had repeated with in Time For The Moon Night, Sunrise and Crossroads. At the time of their earlier comeback, I thought that they would change up their sound, given that their label was acquired by the new powerhouse company, Big Hit Entertainment (who recently also acquired Pledis Entertainment). But it seems that desired changed has actually occurred through Apple. The song is a mid-tempo pop track, opening up with a riveting guitar piece. The verse was pretty standard, but I liked the direction of the music. It seemed like something was brewing in the midst of the guitar that played throughout the verse. The song gets a little more interesting once we enter the pre-chorus, which had a very memorable Callin’ me melody. The chorus kicked the energy up a notch and sounded like a very dazzling explosion had happened. The song stays quite cohesive and doesn’t change up its sound as often as other songs. That is always a recurring aspect of all GFriend’s song. Everything blends together quite nicely. For their vocals, there was a nice smooth feel. The most powerful vocal moment was when all the members are singing the post-chorus together. Another strong melody there, but the definition that all the members contribute to is the most memorable. I also enjoy the spoken words in the background during the post-chorus, which added an intriguing yet mysterious texture to Apple. The one thing that the song was missing, in my opinion, was an element or the reformation of the verses, to give it that holding power. What we got in those two sections just didn’t as well as the rest of the song did.

It seems like there is a theme of losing one’s innocence in the video’s story line. The video opens with Eunha taking a bite out of a red apple, before falling to the ground. The red apple serves as the Forbidden Fruit in this video and taking a bite out of it will mean that Eunha has been tempted. The other members also want to be tempted throughout video (i.e. they are dressed in white) and drag Eunha along to the tree that bears the Forbidden Fruit. Eunha, knowing what is on the other side, seems to not want to expose the others but they were too curious. Once they arrive to the tree, they find it on fire. But knowing that Eunha has already been tempted, placing a fallen apple into her hand will be enough to turn the apple. Off screen, I assume each member takes a bite of an apple that Eunha has turned, resulting in them all losing their innocence (they now wear black). Yerin gets locked outside, based on the footage of her finding the way out of the maze. It seems like someone has traded places with Yerin. During the innocent choreography scenes, Yerin has the number 6 circled on both arms. Triple 6 indicates the devil, so I assume that the events in this video were all Yerin’s plans. It also seems like she releases the butterflies at the end. I think we see Eunha releasing, but I have to question why both Yerin and Eunha have blonde hair and the same coloured lips. It seems like Yerin (the devil) is using Eunha. The only mysterious left over is the blue butterflies. Given that the blue butterflies recur in both Crossroads and this video, it seems like there is more to the story. I really like both their innocent and ‘tempted’ looks. Both very powerful in their own way.

I really like the mature take they have on the choreography. It looks stunning. I personally thought the start of the choreography was amazing, especially the rapid drum beats and the members extending their arms from behind SinB. I also really like the second chorus, where the members are doing their walk. It is a very strong routine and I personally like this new side of the group.

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

[Review] 1 Billion Views – EXO-SC ft. MOON

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Finally making their official comeback today is EXO-SC with 1 Billion Views. This new track is part of the EXO unit’s first studio length album, which also shares the same name as the song. The release of the music video and album today comes after EXO-SC teased us with the pre-release single, Telephone. Both Chanyeol and Sehun also had solo music videos (Nothin‘ and On Me, respectively) at the end of the week. I have yet to review them and hope to get to them soon. But we are hear to listen to 1 Billion Views, so let’s get to that first.

Right from the very start, I can already say that 1 Billion Views fairs better than EXO-SC’s pre-release Telephone. Though, it still does suffer some of the issues I had previously noted in the Telephone interview. Let’s start on the positive that 1 Billion Views had. The chill R&B instrumental had a more of a beat to it, which was quite nice. With this kick in the instrumental, the song is more likable. I would gladly listen to the song given that there is more colour to the song. Their vocal work, in this instance, was quite good. The chorus featured really smooth melodies and I really liked how the vocals and rap segue-way into each other. Their harmonies during the verses was definitely one of the stronger moments of the song. I also enjoyed Moon’s featuring towards the end of the song, as her vocals do compliment the style that EXO-SC went for. However, as mentioned at the start, there are some issues that EXO-SC just haven’t fixed up. First, the song suffers from that ‘more’ concept (i.e. I wanted more). I think we all know of the potential that Chanyeol and Sehun have. 1 Billion Views (nor any of their unit releases so far) just doesn’t seem to capitalise on this, which results in the song coming off dull-ish. Even though I praise the instrumental earlier, I also wanted more from this element. I wanted it to be rougher and a lot meaner, that way the song could get to that style that I wished for the duo to go with. I get it that EXO-SC’s style is more chilled than your average Korean release, but I find that this song also lacks character. Thirdly, I find the song to lack memorable hooks and lines. They were heading in the right direction, just it didn’t feel like there was enough. The lack of character and hooks in 1 Billion Views do contribute to a dullness. But it isn’t as bad as previous tracks, given the instrumental and its more positive aspects that I mentioned above.

The music video is set at an arcade that would be best described as a hole in the wall. It also incorporates a few modern elements including virtual reality and Instagram live broadcasts. I also noticed that there were a few viral trends hinted throughout the video, such as the In My Feelings trend. All of these elements seemed to make sense, as the duo sings and raps about thinking of their lover for the billionth time. It was a nice video to watch overall. I found the editing to be suitable for the song, smooth and sleek. No choppiness, which I am thankful for. I also note that some of the post-production effects that were added to the video should have made the video feel choppy (such as the coloured static in the background). But it ended up being quite smooth, overall.

What we saw in the music video choreography-wise seems to be quite good. Unfortunately, we don’t see much of the choreography (i.e. the verses), so I am intrigued to know what the duo have up their sleeves. But if the chorus of the music video was to be the basis of my thought, I think this will be a pleasant routine suitable for the music.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] Summer Hate – Zico ft. Rain

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Returning last week was Zico with the mini-album Random Box. It has taken a while, but as promised, here is the review for the title track from that mini-album, Summer Hate. This is Zico’s first release since the chart-topping and Tik-Tok trendy Any Song hit. Joining Zico is Rain, who many may know is a popular soloist for his many KPOP hits during the 00s. More recently, Rain has been attracting attention with his 2017 GANG comeback (though it has been trending for all the wrong reasons). It is interesting to see two very different trends in the industry and it does make you think about what song these two will put out, given their more recent viral history.

As the next instalment in Zico’s discography, Summer Hate comes off as a pretty weak track. Summer Hate is all about the annoying Summer heat that people have been and will always go through during Summer. It is a unique topic and concept, but I feel that the potential ended up being wasted due to poor execution. As it is a Zico self-produced song, the song is of the hip-hop genre and has a sing-song delivery that I believe is ill-suiting for what Zico was trying to get at. Everything comes off as very emotionless. I don’t get any of that annoyance of the Summer heat that the lyrics are trying to convey from his delivery or the overall feel of the song. When I think of annoying Summer heat, I think of unbearably hot concrete that will burn the sole of your feet if weren’t careful. Or the urgent need for a cool drink after a five-minute walk to the shops. There is a bit of energy to each of these scenarios and I feel that is the missing piece to this song. His intention was probably to make the song sound lazy, as one would feel during the hottest time of the day. But I don’t think it ever hits that mark. I do admit there were a good beat and melodies in this song enough to make the song bearable. I like the saxophone in the instrumental. But this all wasn’t enough. Finally, the other issue with the track was Rain’s featuring. Did he even feature in the song, as it sounded like Zico throughout the entire track? I was waiting for some of Rain’s distinct vocals, but they never appeared!

Unlike the song, the video was well executed. It showed the concept of heat quite well, though quite exaggerated for most of the video. Some examples in the music video included cooking of food on the concrete floor (my personal favourite in the video), the melting of metal and the clothes catching on fire. My main issue is with their attire during some of the scenes. One of my personal pet peeves is when people complain it is too hot and they are wearing inappropriate clothing, such as Zico and Rain’s long sleeves at the end of the video as they melt away. If they melted away in shorts and a t-shirt, then I wouldn’t be making such comments as the video would make more sense. It may make them look good, but honestly, who looks good on a boiling hot day where everything is melting away?

There is a bit of choreography during the chorus, which seems to be choreographed to be suitable for TikTok. After all, Zico has restarted the TikTok trend with this comeback, following its success with Any Song. It is suitable and reflects the lyrics well.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6/10

[Review] Y.O.U – DONGKIZ I:KAN

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Making their subunit debut on Tuesday was DONGKIZ I:KAN. I personally wasn’t aware that DONGKIZ was debuting a subunit (I thought it was a group comeback when I say it on the list), so this was a surprise for me. The subunit consists of Jae Chan and Mun Ik and this follows the group’s Lupin comeback earlier in the year (a comeback that I really enjoyed). Subunits usually offer listeners a different sound to what their main group usually offers, so it will be interesting to see what DONGKIZ I:KAN will delve into, given that DONGKIZ doesn’t really have a strong association to any genre.

The one thing I do remember as a common theme in DONGKIZ’s track is its funky and retro vibes. And in a sense, Y.O.U (the title of the subunit’s title track) conforms to that common string in their main group’s release. At the same time, the subunit brings forward the new jack swing genre from the early 90s. And this music direction is great! It is full of energy and there are some fun vibes to it. There is also a refreshing appeal to the song, given that I don’t think the group has ever delved into this particular genre yet. The most exciting part of the song was the dance break that brought me a strong sense of nostalgia. While I do like the sound they had gone with, the main flaw of Y.O.U was how lacking their vocals and rapping were. I wanted more oomph to their delivery of both elements to add some depth to the song. What we got was good, but it is another situation where I wanted them to go further. If they had somehow defined their vocals and raps, this would help make the hooks more catchy and addictive.

The duo is singing about a girl they see passing by and that is exactly what the music video is showing. The two members are competing against each other to get her attention. I liked that it showed the two’s facial expression while they are on a mission to get her attention. That is a little different from similar music videos. However, it was revealed at the end that the girl already had an interest in a guy named Kirin, which shocks the guys. I thought that was a fun little twist, despite it being a card played multiple times in the past. Aside from the generic storyline, I really liked how simple the video was, yet how retro the video ended looking. From the outfits to the post-production editing of the dance break, everything looked like it would have fitted into the 90s.

The bright atmosphere which they show on stage is very fitting for both the members and the song. I do like the twisty moves they pull off. It looked weird at first, but it soon became interesting as I tried to work out what they were doing. The dance break was fun, though it wasn’t as intense as I hoped it would be.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Review] Telephone – EXO-SC ft. 10CM

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The second SM Entertainment release came unexpected last night. EXO-SC has been confirmed to making a comeback and will be releasing an album on the 13th of July (that’s just under a week!). And while fans are preparing for that release, EXO-SC released a pre-release track that no one saw coming titled Telephone, which features 10CM. This is the unit’s first comeback since their debut with What A Life last year (another review which I haven’t gone back to update once the live performance came out).

What A Life came off as dull and lackluster. That is essentially all I remember about their debut song. And it is looking like Telephone is shaping to be the exact same. It delves back into the hip-hop genre, with the duo going with a rap-sing delivery of the lyrics. More specifically, Telephone delves into the chilled side of hip-hop, with the entire track going with a laid-back vibe, similar to their debut track. Though, I felt the song might have gone many steps too far into the chilled spectrum, that both Chanyeol and Sehun’s vocals were pretty expressionless and this really dulled out the song. Same comment can be made with the instrumental. It is pretty much straightforward, with the repetitive and simple tapping of a piano key. Not really the most exciting piece of music. It was pretty much empty and sparse of sounds, besides some phone sounds and the duo echoing the lyrics and providing some ‘few words’ in the background. And even they didn’t do a good job of filling up the song. The most exciting bit of the song is when 10CM joins in, providing smooth vocals and this leads to Chanyeol and Sehun doing a little more with their own vocals to close off the song. But by then, I had already tuned out and became distracted. It sucks that I have to echo the disappointment I gave in their debut review, but that is the reality. Hopefully on Monday, the pair will give us something a little more exciting to breakdown.

I felt that the music video had a lot more substance than the song. The lyrics is all about their reservation to the phone, which everyone (including their crush and themselves) to communicate to other people. Chanyeol and Sehun are trying to get their crush’s attention. When they are together, their crush to too busy looking at their own phone. When they are not and Chanyeol/Sehun are trying to communicate with them, they blame their phone and use phone-related excuses for not being able to answer (i.e. the phone was charging, I was driving so I couldn’t pick my phone etc.). This leads to Chanyeol and Sehun entering the phone and destroying the attention stealing stuff on the phone, leading their crush to have nothing to do, other than message the two guys back. At least that is my take on the lyrics and the visuals from the music video. I also think there is some sort of hidden message at the start of the video, that we would be too busy doing one thing (i.e. reading the messages that popped up on the screen) to notice some of the stuff the pair were doing, such as applying wood filler to a toothbrush, overfilling a bowl, wearing odd socks and oversalting food.

Song – 4/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 5.6/10

[Review] Monster – Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi

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It has been a while since we heard from Red Velvet, which I assume is due to Wendy’s recovery from the stage accident that grounded their Psycho promotions to a halt at the very of last year. But now Red Velvet has returned to the stage in the form of a duo subunit, Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi, which is up of (you guessed it!) Irene and Seulgi. The official release of their debut title track Monster occurred on Monday, but the music video was not released until Tuesday. And I accidentally napped unexpectedly, resulting in a further delay in the review. And before I nap again today, here is my review for Monster.

If you go into this song thinking we will be getting something Red Velvet usually puts out (as that is what you might think given the name Red Velvet is retained in the unit’s name), be prepared to be surprised. Monster has a very distinctive sound. It is like Monster took Red Velvet’s darkest and edgiest sound and amping it up to the next level. It starts with a high pitch and slightly distorted ‘Na Na Na‘, which undoubtedly sets the tone of the song. We then enter a very sinister and suspenseful verse, before launching it a more energised chorus made up of trap elements and dubstep. The song’s vibes and sound essentially repeat itself once that ‘Na Na Na‘ distorted vocals return at the end of the chorus. But while the song does have that unique distinctive sound for current times, I do find the repetition to dull the song’s appeal. It could have been intriguing and interesting, provided they change up the song’s textures a bit as it progressed to give it some variety and freshness. I do commendable Irene and Seulgi’s vocals, which were superb in this song. They added character to the song and helped Monster achieve those sinister and suspenseful vibes that I mentioned earlier. I particularly liked the entire second verse, as there was some interesting colours and vocal profiles there. The chorus had nice melodic hooks, but like the repetition flaw, it soon became dry and dull. There ‘I’m A Little Monster‘ was impactful and came off strong in a subtle manner. Overall, Monster was a fair effort. Just not as mind-blowing as I hoped it to be.

The dark and edgy sound that the song opted for was reflected in the visuals of the music video through the horror influence. While it was quite good to watch, this horror concept came off as rather tame. I wanted to see them go that extra mile as they could have explored a lot of imagery and stories, conceptually. We see the members dressed in white doll-like dresses that resemble the clothing that we see young girls wear in horror movies as they die or haunt the living. Seulgi creepily crawling in one scene towards herself and then walking confidently in the next, similar to how I remember some demonic ghosts would haunt the living in some movies. We see Irene playing with dolls in a creepy manner and in one of the choreography shots, we see a devil’s face edited over Irene’s face. It didn’t scare me, but it had me jumping up and down excitedly as that was the type of scare that I wanted to see. I did like the sets, as they gave off a haunting without going explicitly into cliche haunted house land.

I really liked the outfits they wore and the makeup they donned in the music video. It really suited the music video. And I can’t wait to see them on stage with those exact same outfits and makeup. For the choreography, it looks like a stunning routine. Best parts include their starting formation, (which looks like a creepy creature) and Seulgi twisting Irene to include the ghost face (simple yet effective in terms of coolness).

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

[Review] Play – Chungha ft. Changmo

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Over the last few months, Chungha has been leaving breadcrumbs for her upcoming solo comeback which yet to be announced. The first breadcrumb was the release of the pre-release single, Stay Tonight (a track that I want to revisit when I revise my ratings for some songs in a new segment). The second breadcrumb is Play, which was released today and features Changmo. Since Stay Tonight, Chungha has also collaborated with the popular rapper pH-1 on the track My Friend, which I have yet to review. But we are here for thoughts on Play, so let’s get to that first.

By the time I had finished listening to Play for the first time, I knew that this was going to the be the 2020 Summer song to beat. The energy and atmosphere she creates for herself in this song is so epic and grand, it really helps to overlook the song’s flaw, the Latin pop genre. While that has been a typical sound throughout the Summer seasons over the last few years and Play itself incorporates with brass elements and synths that we have heard many many times before, Chungha manages to somehow reform it to make it come off refreshing and exciting in Play. That is already a strong cause for an applause. I really like her vocals in this song. The instrumental could have easily overwhelmed and masked all of Chungha’s vocals. But Chungha’s vocals soar high enough to be in the forefront of the song. And that is saying a lot, considering how blastful and bombast this instrumental got, especially as we approached the end. Also featuring on this song is Changmo, who’s rap sequence added a cool dynamic to the song. It somehow balances out the upbeat energy of the chorus and gives us some relief after the first chorus. Same thing can be said about the bridge, which slows the song down (but allows for the return in the final chorus to be super impactful). The melodies and hooks were catchy and may become super addictive if I give the song any more listens (which will happen!). Overall, I am in awe and loving Play.

Once again, the music video takes on that closeup and choreography approach, which I have (many times) stated was a bore. But the music video for Play is captivating enough to override that statement. There were some epic moments, aside from her beautiful visuals (which alone were enough to steal my attention away from the formula), that really wowed me. Chungha becoming a bullfighter with the red sports car was definitely one of those. Actually, any moment in that particular setting was amazing. I also really liked the birdcage choreography scenes, as that set looked really cool.

It is unknown whether Chungha would be promoting this time around. It soon became apparent that Stay Tonight would be extremely difficult to perform on stage due to various formations formed. But I don’t see any of that in this choreography, which may present hope that we will be seeing a stage performance of Play soon. I really like how the atmosphere from the song came through in the performance and how charismatic Chungha looked throughout the performance. I also liked the energy that came from the chorus routine alone, as that looked cool.

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

[Review] Summer Breeze – SF9

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Six months ago, SF9 kicked off 2020 with their Good Guy comeback. It proved to be SF9’s most popular and best-performing comeback ever, with the group earning their first-ever weekly show music win during the promotions of Good Guy. And exactly six months from that comeback, the group is back, now helping to kick off the second half of 2020 with Summer Breeze. Their new title track features on the group’s eighth mini-album, 9loryUS.

SF9 begins the song with an intriguing synth sequence that reminds one of those Western movie themes, before reverting to a foot tap worthy house beat for the verses. The pre-chorus creates suspense with a typical but workable buildup. The chorus combines that Western movie theme synth sequence with those house beats to create a really pleasant and enjoyable combination that takes the positives aspects of those two sounds to form a wholesome feel. The bridge brings forward refreshing acoustic guitars that stayed hidden between the Western theme synths and house beats during the chorus. Overall, it is safe to say that the Summer Breeze‘s instrumental earns a big tick from me. It is just so suitable yet so refined for Summer. And it is this refined sound that makes it suitable to be a follow up after Good Guy. Some of the other aspects of the song are good to great, but they just don’t feel as amazing as the instrumental. The vocal work and rapping were strong efforts. Zuho’s rap sequence just before the final chorus had a nice punch to it and was a highlight in my opinion. There are some good hooks in this song and the melody is pretty easy to follow. But each of these components (the vocal/rapping, hooks and melodies) have a hand in creating a generic atmosphere. I wanted something more exciting and addictive, which would easily help lifted this song to be one of their best. What we have is good and I feel like it will be enjoyable at the very least if the subsequent listens don’t help it grow on me. But per usual, I wanted more from the members in Summer Breeze.

It is a bit unclear what the concept of the music video really is. I thought they were part of different gangs with the mission to eliminate each other at first. Though, it doesn’t explain the part when one of the bullets broke the mirror to reveal the sunshine, which then caused the members to redirect their gunfire. One source says the music video was similar to a James Bond movie and that the members are playing a dangerous game. Though, that also doesn’t explain the sunshine scene. Apart from the confusing plot line, I liked how the music video set gave me the same feels as their Good Guy music video. I also liked how classy the video felt, especially in the hotel scenes where the gunfight occurs.

Best part the choreography is during the ‘Bang Bang Bang‘ parts. I also found Jaeyoon to be the most captivating member, with his body rolls during his solo parts. As for the rest of the performance, there isn’t much else to comment on. It may not have been captivating, but it felt refined and classy, which is definitely the direction that SF9 was aiming for with this comeback.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

[Review] Tag Me (@Me) – WEEEKLY

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It is time for another Monday release review. Rather than a comeback, it is a debut. WEEEKLY’s debut, to be more specific. WEEEKLY is a female group, with an average age of 17 and comes from PlayM Entertainment, which is also the home-base of APINK and VICTON. There are seven members to this group and they are Soojin, Jiyoon, Monday, Soeun, Jaehee, Jihan, and Zoa. Their debut single is Tag Me or @Me and it features on their debut mini-album, We Are. (For this review, I will be using the plain English title).

Tag Me may not seem like your strong debut song at first. But it gets better and better with every listen! There are parts of the song that I still don’t enjoy. And frankly, I don’t see myself falling for those parts any time soon given how they are relative to the rest of the song. But there are sections and elements that I am really digging. And I will quickly run through those. The first section has to be the chanting starter/pre-chorus of the song. It starts the song off in a bold manner and the guitars that accompany this section (and features throughout the verse) adds a little cool flair to the song. The second section has to the chorus. The catchy melodies, the great vocals and the refreshing energy that comes the instrumental are all just so likeable. I will gladly put the song on replay just for the chorus alone. The third is the second half of the bridge, which is where the vocals come into play. The good thing is that the positive aspects outweigh the bad ones. It is mainly the trap sequence for the rap sequence that follows the first chorus. It just did not fit and felt very unnecessary. Likewise, the first half of the bridge with the instrumental break was not needed in this song. It just didn’t fit in with the bubbly sound that Tag Me presents us.

It is a cute music video, featuring the members as part-time school students and part-time social media addicts. The entire song’s lyrics are all about being individualistic and showing this to their crush on their timeline, which explains the social media references in the lyrics. Aside from the choreography and closeup formula, the music video also shoots a bit outside, which I like. It doesn’t feel like the members are cramped up on a boxed set.

While I thought they were just there for stylistic purposes, the group does perform on stage with the desks. This is pretty unique and suits the school concept. The way they move the desks about doesn’t distract you from the actual choreography. As much as I dislike the instrumental break in the first half of the bridge, the dance that accompanies was actually quite good.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] Thunder – VERIVERY

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Crashing in as the first release of the second half of 2020 is VERIVERY’s Thunder. VERIVERY recently just participated in the Road To Kingdom competition and placed 5th overall. Whilst on the show, the group performed and covered Photo, Mansae, On and gogbebe. And as part of the finale episode, VERIVERY released Beautiful-X, which is featured as a sidetrack alongside Thunder, on their fourth mini-album. Prior to all of this, we last saw VERIVERY promote Lay Back at the start of the year. But that was pre-Road To Kingdom. Let’s see what VERIVERY has to offer us post-Road To Kingdom.

Thunder rivals Lay Back as the group’s edgiest and darkest comeback to date. What makes Thunder just a step more edgy and dark than their previous comeback are those eerie background sounds you can hear in the instrumental, along with the deep autotuned whispering at the start of the song (courtesy of Donghyun). The instrumental consist of a strong synth base and 808 bass. And all of this helps deliver a very captivating instrumental in my opinion, as there was a lot of textures to really dig into and enjoy. In addition to the instrumental, I find the vocal work to be quite powerful. This really helps make the song sound even more epic and fitting for the energy that the instrumental really aims for in the chorus. The rapping also adds a dynamic layer to the song and adds further intensity to the song that makes it sound even better. While a dark and edgy sound might not be the most original thing in the industry right now, what VERIVERY has managed to do with it is quite impressive and feels like they are evolving.

If you cast your mind back to their gogobebe stage of Road To Kingdom, VERIVERY had incorporated a missing poster for Kangmin, which is from this music video. And that poster is the basis of Thunder‘s music video. Kangmin is missing and the members go searching for him (Stranger Things vibes). They manage to track him down towards the end. But thunder starts striking Kangmin. And it starts coming out of him, as well. Determined to save their friend, the other members run up and grab him. Our screen goes black, and during the credits, we see all the members huddling in a group. But they aren’t celebrating the success of their mission. Instead, they are very still. I was lowkey expecting a jump scare or some sot of a post-credit scene for us to see what happened to the members. In addition to the ‘what happened to the members’ question, we need to ask whether Kangmin was possessed, as his facial expressions and body language hints towards that. However, it wouldn’t explain why he was running away from the members for most of the video (did he know he was possessed or dangerous?). I also wonder how (or if) this video relates to Lay Back, as they are part of a series. Many questions to be answered. But a really intriguing storyline and close up shots in this video.

What a performance. I really enjoyed how in sync they were with one another. It made the performance really powerful and worth watching. And I really liked how this powerful nature extended for the dance/instrumental break just before the final chorus. The ending of the performance was super eerie, carrying that feeling over from the music video. My favourite part of the performance, however, has to be that segment right after the first chorus where they are yelling ‘Keep Going On‘. Them yelling and dancing at the same time looked pretty cool and showcases a different level of edgy.

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

[Review] Bedlam – Lee Jin Hyuk (UP10TION)

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I now take a bit of a breather from the Monday releases to review 2 more recent comebacks. The first is the major comeback that Lee Jin Hyuk made yesterday with Bedlam. This is the UP10TION member’s first solo comeback after he made his solo debut earlier in the year with I Like That. Fellow member Kim Woo Seok who participated in Produce X 101 alongside with Lee Jin Hyuk also made his solo debut in May. Yet, we have not seen these two members return to their UP10TION lineup and capitalise on their newfound popularity. It is a bit of a mystery to why this has yet to occur. But we can only hope that a comeback will happen soon with all 10 members soon. In the meantime, here is Lee Jin Hyuk to hopefully appease those UP10TION cravings.

As boring as I felt I Like That was, I can’t help but think it is a lot more refined than what we have here. Actually, no. The word to use instead of ‘refined’ in that initial statement is ‘better’. From what I could get, Bedlam has a really nice fun-sounding instrumental, suitable for the upbeat hip-hop style that Lee Jin Hyuk’s solo release was aiming for. And from what I can hear, it had a decent level of brightness to make it well suited for the Summer season. However, it is all masked with Lee Jin Hyuk’s vocals, which I did not think was fun or Summery. You might want to give a song a listen first before seeing how I judged his delivery, in case this song might be your style. The last thing I want to do is turn you away from a track that you would have enjoyed. For me personally, I felt Lee Jin Hyuk was shouting the entire time. It felt overwhelming and it felt too much, to the point where I fund it hard to register the instrumental. In his defense, the song matches the title, as Bedlam can be defined as a scene of uproar of confusion. Though this doesn’t explaing the overwhelming nature of his delivery. The only part of the song that I enjoyed (coincidentally, it does not have any of Lee Jin Hyuk’s shouting in it) was the dance instrumental sequence at the ending. I liked the premature ending to the song before it threw us into that intense sequence, as this made it more impactful. It felt fitting for what had preceded it, mainly because it was also just a bunch of noise. But it gave the song some edge and something more appealing than his vocals. I hate to be brutally honest, but I just couldn’t sugar coat things this time around.

If the music video was indicative of what Bedlam was meant to sound like, it was definitely meant to be upbeat, bright, hip-hop and fun-sounding. It is quite disappointing that the visuals had to tell you what type of song it was meant to be. But for the music video specifically, it wasn’t that bad. Lee Jin Hyuk starts off as an office worker, who seemed to have a really tough day. So once the day was literally over, he let loose in the office. He definitely makes a mess in the office and in life (based on the breaking news story segment). He also goes wild at a Chinese buffet restaurant and on the computer screen. But it nice to know that Lee Jin Hyuk knows when to tone it down once the day restarts, returning to a professional office manner (and a mask!). Apart from making a mess, I really enjoyed the different choreography shots, as they looked quite flashy thanks to the lighting and post-production.

The best part of the performance has to be the dance sequence at the end of the song. Not because it was my most favourite part of the song, but it showed off a really intense choreography that allowed Lee Jin Hyuk to flex some of his dancing skills. The rest of the performance was quite chaotic, even during the routine moments. And I must admit, they do fit in well with the song.

Song – 4/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6/10

[Review] Yessir – 3YE

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The next Monday comeback that I want to review is 3YE’s YESSIR, the title track off their 1st mini-album, Triangle. For me, 3YE was basically a 2020 underrated discovery, with both their first (OOMM) and second comeback song (Queen) attracting a great deal of my attention. So when I heard they were making their comeback, I had to schedule the review to be much closer to their actual comeback date (or else this review would have been scheduled many weeks later, which wouldn’t be ideal). It is still a few days late, but it better than a month later! And before it turns into a month late review, let’s get into it.

Powerful would be the word that I would describe YESSIR. The music and aura that the trio of members gives off in this song are just so powerful, that I find it well-aligned with their previous releases that I have reviewed. The song’s instrumental consist of a marching band line and brass elements, which is a pretty solid base. I really like how the brass goes from a deep tone in the verses to more vibrant in the chorus. It keeps the song from becoming overloaded by playing with what is already there. The synths in this song go with an electro dance-pop sound and the melodies go into a strong hip-hop domain. It may sound quite messy and loaded, but that is actually how the YouTube description describes the song. And everything comes together quite well. I liked the way they came at you during the verses and that is thanks to their rapping and vocal work. The chorus was a bit of a miss for me. While I did like how the instrumental felt more defined and that it continued the momentum and energy that the members built up in the verses, it noticeably lacked a strong hook to help bring the song into the ‘memorable’ category. The melodies were fine, but they didn’t seem enough. The post-chorus instrumental (which also played at the start of the song, kicking the song off in a bold manner) was powerful, but I wanted more out the members than the shouty ‘Yessir‘ and ‘A-Ha‘ lines they keep throwing at us. But overall, it is still a powerful song that continually proves my point about their underrated status.

The song is about attracting attention once they had undergone a dramatic transformation. The lyrics question why people have become surprised at what they have become after the change and how those people feel now that they had underestimated the members. And to match that, we see guns being pointed at the members, masked people all turning their heads towards the members and the members just becoming intimidating in this music video. I liked the cinematography in this music video which really helps capture some epic and impactful moments. What also helped the epicness of the music video was the sheer amount of dancers they had in it. It felt like an army and it felt like the members had a following to intimidate us with.

Unfortunately, the stage doesn’t share that same epic feeling as the group has to downgrade to only a few dancers. But they don’t tone down their dance moves, keeping with that powerful concept that you could feel in the music and video. I also really liked their charisma in the performance, which helps to make the performance more powerful.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10