Category: Reviews

[Review] White – The Boyz

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Merry Christmas again! The second Christmas related review of the day is by The Boyz, who released a Winter single titled White on the 6th of December (which was also released on the exact date that they debuted on 2 years ago). It is the group’s third release of the year, following Bloom Bloom and D.D.D. The group also made their Japanese debut with the predominately Korean track, Tattoo. However, it wasn’t all positive news this year as Hwall withdrew from the group in October.

White starts off with a sample of Feliz Navidad, one of the many songs that is blasted throughout shopping centres every Christmas (not that I am complaining…). But it soon transform into a different track, losing its Christmas carol feel. Instead, it transform into a lighthearted track that suits the festive season. The bells you associate with the season is probably the more prominent element of the song that relates the song to the Winter season. The deep brass that appears when it changes from carol into song and the post-chorus reminds me of childhood and the music that my parents used to listen, while the rest of the track (verses, chorus etc.) felt practically like a typical KPOP track. The vocal work is pretty standard but I think them all singing together helps make the track a lot more warmer and homely. I also really like the rapping, as it gave a little more to the festive song.

The music video shows the members waiting for the first snow to fall, having fun in the snow as a group, preparing for their night Christmas party and other activities. Honestly, it is the type of video that makes sense for the Christmas season (i.e. the coming together of everyone). They were shot in a manner that made the members look cute. I don’t despise of such videos, but they have a very limited appeal in a very limited time frame before it is long forgotten.

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

[Double Review] Melting + Look Good – BRANDNEW Year 2019

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Merry Christmas everyone! As part of the Christmas cheer, I thought I review a few Christmas themed tracks this year. The first review is for the two tracks (Melting & Look Good) released by Brand New Music, where the company’s lineup (to be listed according to the song that they appear in) for these releases are collectively called BRANDNEW Year 2019.

Melting is performed by Kanto, AB6IX, Kang Min Hee, YODAYOUNG and BDC. It is a fun, vibrant dance track that doesn’t feel like a seasonal track until you looking into the lyrics. I feel like this could easily been passed off as a different track and you wouldn’t even notice. The vocal work is pretty good, adding to the vibrancy. The melody and hooks have a decent ring to me, which makes the song catchy enough to really enjoy. The rapping gives it some definition, which makes it very appealing. I particularly like Youngmin’s pre-chorus rap sequence, which gave the song a rush of energy that worked well with the chorus. My only problem with the track is that it focused too much on the males, leaving Kang Min Hee and YODAYOUNG small sections in the final chorus.

Look Good features Kebee, Bumkey, Kanto (he does not make an appearance in the music video), Gree, Yenjamin, Yang Da Il, Kitti B and Vincent Blue. These artists aren’t ones that I pay attention to much in the Korean music industry. But since the song was released alongside Melting and had a music video, I thought I review it as well. The song is also quite vibrant and upbeat, different from other the holiday tracks as well. I really liked how the song progressed along, with the rappers pushing each of their parts in a relaxed yet very cohesive manner, while the vocalists provided a nice smooth texture to the rest of the song. I found the melodies and simple band/acoustic influence within the instrumental to be very appealing and that I was tapping my foot along to the beat within a matter of seconds.

Music videos from this season tend to show the artists coming together. After all, Christmas is a time to spend with family and friends. The music video for Melting and Look Good depicts this nicely. Both felt lighthearted and perfect for the season without going overboard on the Christmas decorations. I liked the golden and brown hue of the Melting music video, whilst I enjoyed the simple set up to the Look Good video.

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

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

[Review] Psycho – Red Velvet

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Red Velvet is nominated for Best Female Group, Best Music Video and Best Female (Group) Choreography in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Voting closes on the 31st of December, which is almost a week away. So to support Red Velvet, click here to vote for them in the survey!

A major release this late into the final month of year tends to be quite rare, as groups are preparing from the end of year music festivals and other special events. But it seems like we will be getting a couple this year. The first is by Red Velvet, who returns with the final part of the ReVe Festival. The title track for this release is Psycho. Previously, the group returned earlier in the year with Zimzalabim and Umpah Umpah, as part of the ReVe Festival series.

Zimzalabim was probably one of their craziest tracks, while Umpah Umpah ended up resolving to be a regular pop track for Summer. So it was hard to form an expectation for Psycho. But it ended up being an urban pop dance track that felt very polished and refined. I would also say this would be a logical follow up to the R&B sound that we got through Bad Boy. Just Psycho ends up being much more appealing for me. The instrumental backdrop felt simple, allowing the vocals to do majority of the hard work. There was some falsettos in the pre-chorus and I really like how they all sing the chorus, making the song feel more impactful. The chorus also had this very addictive swaying effect, which helped make the song more alluring. The melodies also kept the song feeling fresh and smooth. There was a slight moment of rapping which I felt they could have extended to give the song an extra boost of oomph. But other than that, Red Velvet comes out with another smashing song.

The title Psycho definitely alludes to something eerie and dark. And I really like how the music video nails this idea. In terms of visual concepts, I must admit that Red Velvet is one of the most versatile groups ever. Of course, their stylists should also get a shout out for really helping Red Velvet pull off these changes. There seems to be a 1930’s vibe to the music video, given the sets and some of their outfits. Wendy’s shorter white coloured hair style is probably the biggest change of all. Each member looks very creepy, with the production team putting together a music video that makes the members look like crazed psychos/stalkers throughout the video.

Based on what I can see in the music video, the moves look like there is a bit of attitude infused into it. And it makes sense given the song style. Some parts look a little weak, while others look quite strong. So it would help if there was some live performance (to make a better judgement). But I don’t think there will be any until Christmas Day (25th of December) when the group’s first stage is scheduled at the SBS Gayo Festival. But for now, I think I rest with the comment that the choreography is satisfying.

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

[Review] Pinky Love – Momoland

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Momoland is nominated for Best Female Group and I’m So Hot is eligible for Best Song of 2019. To support Momoland, click here to vote for them and list I’m So Hot as Best Song. Make sure you do before the 31st of December, as that is day the survey closes and I start counting the votes!!

2019 has been an eventful year for many artists. Momoland is no exception. 2019 saw comebacks in both Korea (I’m So Hot) and Japan (Pinky Love – the focus of this review). The group is also confirmed to be returning to Korea at the very end of the year with Thumbs Up!. However between comebacks, the group has said goodbye to Yeonwoo and Taeha, who have both departed, effectively reducing the group to 6 members (Daisy’s status is also being discussed at this very stage). But in the meantime, let’s have a closer listen to Pinky Love.

I have been very satisfied with Momoland’s Korean releases. However, their first original Japanese track is a step in the wrong direction. It just felt too overly saturated with the ‘idea of cuteness’ that is becomes literally too much. Opening the song is Nancy’s really unnaturally high pitch vocals. This criticism does apply to some of the other members, but Nancy’s was definitely the most obvious. The pop instrumental was incredibly plain and bare. It was literally begging for something bold or defined. But this was never delivered. The hooks felt cheap and plain, and hence it didn’t feel memorable. One thing that I did not like whatsoever was the rap-chanting bridge, which I believe overtakes ITZY’s DALLA DALLA chant breakdown as one of the worst sections in a song of the year. Unfortunately, the comeback just doesn’t sit well with me and I wish there was at least something positive to say about the song.

I am no expert when it comes to makeup. But I feel like an overuse of blush never looks cute. Apart from that, the music video for Pinky Love seems to suffer from a low budget, based on the emptiness of the set and their plain outfits. The only good thing that I can comment on is regarding the editing/post-production, which at least makes the video feel bearable.

The choreography isn’t as terrible as the rest of the comeback, which might be the saving grace. However, it doesn’t really offer anything new, fresh or dynamic. But it worked well with the song that we got. I just wished that they had better material to work with.

Song – 3/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 4.7/10

[Review] Vampire – IZ*ONE

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IZ*ONE is nominated for Best Female Group and Best Female Choreography. Violeta is also eligible for Best Song of 2019. To support IZ*ONE and your other favourite artists, click here to vote before the 31st of December (which is 10 days away!)

The review catch-up blitz (I really need to think of a better name for this) is also applicable to the many Japanese releases that I have missed out. And there is a lot to cover in the two final Saturdays of the year. IZ*ONE, a month or two prior to the ongoing voting controversy and the postponement of their Korean comeback, made their Japanese comeback with Vampire. The track was officially released at the end of September and I personally apologize that it had taken me this long to review it. But as many say, better late than never.

We have seen the two sides of the spectrum when it comes to IZ*ONE’s Japanese releases. From the amazingly sounding I Want To Say I Love You to the poorly pieced Buenos Aires, it is safe to say that Vampire sits in between the two extremes. Where it lies on the spectrum exactly is up to debate. Vampire has a really nice Latin inspired instrumental. It felt polished and I think it could have been an amazing backdrop. It just is a mega pity that Vampire ended up getting vocals similar to Buenos Aires. The cutesy sound that feels very stereotypical of Japanese female groups pop release just did not fit the instrumentation. Though it is a little bearable compared to Buenos Aires. There are hooks in the song worth mentioning, but they come off lackluster thanks to the poor vocals. I really hope that (if given the opportunity) IZ*ONE will ditch whoever is producing their recent J-POP tracks and return with something like I Want To Say I Love You that shows off maturity and style.

Interestingly, the music video for Vampire is pretty well produced. With a title such as Vampire, I don’t think cutesy bow ties and polka dots would cut it. Hence, a dark concept such as this really worked well. The sets were stunning, the members outfits looked very dark and even the post-production looked very promising. I am not exactly sure what the music video is showing but it seems like it shows the members turning into vampire. I thought the bridge (being the best part of the song for me) was very nicely put together in this video as well.

The choreography looked like it was confusing about being mature or cutesy. And hence, it looked very weird. Naturally, I am drawn to every move that isn’t cutesy, as I think that is more fitting for their concept. The bridge was the best part (once again), with the moves and formations looking bold.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 6.1/10

[Review] Come – NEWKIDD

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NEWKIDD’s debut track, Tu eres, is eligible for Best Song in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. It is very simple to select Tu eres as one of the best tracks of the year. Simply click the link here, vote for your favourite artists in the various categories and in the final question, type in ‘Tu eres – NEWKIDD’ along with four other of your favourite songs of 2019. Make sure to press submit once you are done!

As mentioned a few reviews ago, I will slowly catch up on some reviews that I have missed, as we round out 2019. I had to take a short break from this, but I am now back and ready to do a review blitz. This review’s focus is on NEWKIDD’s first comeback track, Come. This was released on the 28th of November. And as far as I know, the track didn’t get much attention. Hopefully this review will help get the group and song a few extra listeners. Previously the male group made their debut with Tu eres.

One way to really draw attention to the song from the get-go is to do what Come did. It kicked the song off with the blaring brass-like synth that really caught my attention. And with an opening like this, I just had to keep on listening. The verses is a lot smoother, going with a sleek beat and vocals that just kept on flowing. The opening synth returns for the chorus, but this time they added deep vocals with some edge and attitude to give it a different feel. We return to the smoother verses, throwing us into the typical rap-vocal lineup that songs tend to opt for during the second verse. But the song doesn’t repeat the chorus. The song then changes up once again, returning with the same synth based instrumentation. But the vocals are changed, giving the song an even sleeker texture. It is a bold track and a definite improvement from the group’s debut track. There is something lacking that weighs it down and prevents it from being memorable. But what we got is very satisfying. There is definitely potential behind this track and group, waiting to be discovered. And Come is a step in the right direction.

When it comes to music videos, I think it is clear that I do prefer the darker and edgy concepts. Compared to the music video for Tu eres, Come‘s video is definitely superior. I liked the mysterious nature of the video. It gives off an intriguing feel and I felt that a plot felt like it could have intertwined in the video, particularity when Hansol picks up the diamond at the end of the video. But the closeups felt just like closeups in the video and don’t offer much else to the video. I liked the emphasis on red and gold in this video, popping out from the darkness that surrounds the set.

The group definitely gives off a lot of charisma in this comeback and this is shown very clearly throughout the stages. Their smiles throughout the choreography was very alluring. I thought their chorus routines were very edgy, sleek and powerful this time around. Good job!

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] Coming Home – NCT U

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NCT is nominated for Best Male Group, while both NCT Dream and NCT 127 are nominated for Best Subunit. NCT Dream is also nominated for Best Male (Group) Choreography and Best Collaboration (with Yeri from Red Velvet). Click here to support NCT and their subunits before the 31st of December.

While EXO hasn’t released a Christmas single for the past two years, it seems like other SM artists may be taking the mantle. NCT U has reformed into a four member subunit (Jaehyun, Taeil, Haechan and Doyoung) for the release of Coming Home, which is part of the SM Station X project. This is also the first NCT U release since 2018’s Boss (one of my favourite songs of the year!).

Per the Christmas singles that EXO have released in the past, Coming Home comes in the form of a ballad. Made up of classical instruments, the background has this very warm and soothing vibe to it, but this is a rather typical aspect when it comes to Winter singles. But I like how there isn’t a stillness to the instrumental compared to other ballads (i.e. they are made of strictly one or two instruments). There are number of instruments working together in this song at any one second, and this really helps push the song along in a captivating manner. I could also sense an elegant vibe to the song. Compared to the other ballad that I reviewed during the week, this one has a little extra appeal to it. This added layer of appeal can be attributed to the vocal work. Jaehyun, Taeil, Haechan and Doyoung are the part of the vocal line of NCT, so it was expected that we would be getting some sort of vocal push to it. However, we are treated to powerhouse vocals in this song, especially with all the high notes at the end. The song also allows the members to showcase and move about (in terms of their vocals), showcasing and exploring their talents in this department. Overall, Coming Home is a Winter single to enjoy.

At the start of the music video, we are shown the members of this NCT U lineup in a way that gives off the impression that they are alone. But as the the video comes to an end, we are shown the member are actually very close by as they walk in the background of each other’s shot. The song is about coming home to a loved one. But I think at the end it is shown that Jaehyun is the one going home and he is only imagining the other members as they are the people he is going home to. It is a nice concept and I liked how it wasn’t as emotionally charged as other songs. I really like their outfits and the sets created for this video.

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

[Review] Orgel – Sungmin (Super Junior)

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Many of your favourite artists are nominated in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. To find out who is nominated and to vote for your favourite artists, click here to be taken to the voting page!

Super Junior was active this year through the release of Time_Slip, SUPER Clap and I Think I. However, Sungmin did not participate in this year’s comeback. In fact, Sungmin has been an inactive member of the group since 2015, after fans demanded for his departure from the group due to his marriage. However, on the 22nd of November, Sungmin made his official solo debut with Orgel. This is Sungmin’s first solo track since the release of Day Dream in 2018 as part of SM Station.

Sungmin, while still active as a member of Super Junior, held the role of lead vocalist. And as cliche as it is (for a lead or main vocalist), Sungmin’s official debut song comes in the form of a ballad. Unfortunately, the cliche release doesn’t really offer anything new and felt like a typical ballad that we hear often at this time of the year. I have listened to Orgel a number of times since its release a month ago, but the song has sadly not stuck with me. It was often forgotten and I haven’t gone out my way to actually seeking the track to listen to it. Paired with a simple yet warming instrumentation featuring piano and acoustic guitar (made to sound like a music box, which I think was the intention based on the title of the song), we are given an opportunity to hear Sungmin’s vocals once again. He sounds nice, with a raspy voice and showcases falsettos during the chorus. And this does a lot to make the song feel appealing. But I don’t think that is enough to make the ballad a stand out. I do like ballads, but this one just felt standard to me.

Orgel, in Korean, means music box. And as mentioned in the song section of the review, the music does give off a music box vibe. In addition to that, something that I felt while watching the music video is that the song ended reminding me of the nice feeling when the sun manages to shine through the blinds in the morning and you wake up as a result. And we do get some of that through the natural lighting present in the music video, as Sungmin walks around the neighborhood. The music box that is shaped like a carousel is what he uses as inspiration for this song and the music that he writes in the video. And it seems like the mentioned music box also reminds me of his childhood, getting him to flip through that book with the cute drawings. Overall, I thought it was a nice video, going hand-in-hand with the song.

Song – 5.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.1/10

[Review] The Time I Need – Kim Jae Hwan

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Kim Jae Hwan is nominated for Best New Male Solo Artist. Begin Again is also eligible for Best Song of 2019 (The Time I Need and Nuna are NOT eligible this time around). To support Kim Jae Hwan and your other favourite artists, click here to vote before the 31st of December.

I have one major tick box that needs to be ticked when it comes to writing these reviews. It needs a music video. When Kim Jae Hwan released The Time I Need two days ago, it did not have a music video. And hence I decided not to proceed with the review. But a music video was released yesterday, so now the review can be written. Accompanying The Time I Need is Nuna, as the second title track. But there is no music video, so no review. This is also Kim Jae Hwan’s first comeback after the release of Begin Again earlier this year.

It was slightly surprising to hear that Kim Jae Hwan didn’t release a ballad this time around as the title track. I had expected another ballad from the soloist, particularly given how ballads are well suited for the colder season. But at the same time, I am happy to hear that he is branching out with his sound in the main track off his mini-album. I found The Time I Need to be a very pleasant song. However, it is a typical pop track and it unfortunately doesn’t develop into anything grand or epic. Though, I did like the consistent fast keyboard tapping in the instrumental as it came off somewhat striking. What does earn a big tick is that Kim Jae Hwan’s voice was shown off nicely. Some parts were slightly muffled, which helped transform the song into some you would hear off a record player. I thought that was a nice and interesting touch. Overall, it was still a nice track. It just needed to develop in some manner to be even more interesting.

The main set that the music video looked really cool. The 3D clock that came out of floor is definitely going to be an iconic look. And if it doesn’t get to that status that it will definitely be an underrated set up. I also thought the colour emphasis was really good. The green scenes looked really beautiful, while the clock set were well accented with just the colour black. The sunset scenes with the yellow wall looked really nice, while Kim Jae Hwan’s red leather jacket gave off a bold look. The lighting played a really important part in the music video, especially during the sundial replication scenes. Overall, ticks all around for the music video.

A song about time should include clocks. They obviously did so in the music video. And I liked how they also included it in the choreography. The start looked really nice, with the backup dancers spinning arm clocks. The circular formations and flailing arms looked really cool during the chorus as well. The female back up dancer felt liked a shadow, which I thought looked really cool technique, as well.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] Utopia – ATEEZ

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ATEEZ is nominated for Best Male Group, Best Male (Group) Choreography, and the Rising Star category in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Click here to support ATEEZ and your other favourite artists before the 31st of December!

2019 has been one crazy roller coaster. There have been many up and downs this year, which I am sure even the newest of fans are able to name a few. One particurlar group that has been experience the more positive events of the year is ATEEZ. They have had three comebacks this year in Korea and recently made their debut in Japan with Utopia. And as we find ourselves on a Saturday, I thought I bring back Japanese reviews for the remainder of the year, as there is a fair amount of Japanese tracks I need to review.

Utopia was originally released as part of the group’s 3rd mini-album (Treasure EP.3: One to All). I never wrote an album review for it, which leaves the songs on the album open for a review (which is obviously why we are here today!). The first thing that comes to mind when I hear Utopia is that it is a lot more colourful and vibrant, matching up with the title tracks of their 3rd mini-album, but basically different in that sense to any of their other title tracks. The track does align with their the rest of their promotional singles, as the chorus in Utopia is quite powerful. It packs a punch that makes the song so appealing! The instrumental has this edge thanks to its dynamic percussion and upbeat tempo that just keeps on giving. The vocal line was really showcased in this song, particularly during the chorus, but this also gives way to a very addictive post-chorus hook. The rapping as well works very well, enhancing the song further and giving it a very edgy touch. I also really like how the song slows down at the end, calming us down from the high they gave us in Utopia.

While I was very impressed with the music video, I couldn’t help but think it got a tiny budget. I say this because ATEEZ has had grand sets in the past or were flown to countries with strong and picture perfect scenery, which suited the song that they were filming for. Here, they filmed in a rather simple set and it was pretty much bare. They could have been going for a minimalist vibe, but the way the video was edited didn’t give off that impression (i.e. the editing made the video feel busy). But nonetheless, all the scenes were very crisp and the lighting/colour really reflected the brightness/vibrancy that the song had maintained.

ATEEZ is nominated for Best Male Choreography for Say My Name. And it seems like Utopia is a clear indication to why they would deserve the performance. There was always something happening in the choreography, despite the tempo being fast or slow. There was a captivating and alluring dynamic to the choreography that made it a strong routine.

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

[Review] Sweater – Ailee

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Ailee is nominated for Best Female Solo Artist in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. To support Ailee and your other favourite artists, click here to vote before the 31st of December.

Earlier this year, Ailee made her long awaited comeback with Room Shaker. However, it was quickly forgotten due to lack of promotions and what was assumed to be conflict with her managing company. But since then, Ailee has signed with another company, making way for new releases in the future. She has also signed with an American company for future releases in the Western market. Her first release since signing on with different companies comes in the form of Sweater, a single released in both Korean and English.

Described as a Christmas ballad, Ailee draws our attention to Sweater in an effortless manner by appealing to our emotions through a beautiful and elegant sounding piece. Per usual, the ballad opts for a simple piano and violin instrumental, providing a very bare blank canvas for Ailee’s vocals to paint a picture on. And the image she manages to draw just sounds amazing. Her voice alone captivates and builds in a manner that makes the song as captivating as a dance track that builds perfectly into a dynamic piece. The only thing that changes between the two versions of the song are the language that the lyrics are in. I had expected there to be minute differences in the melody or overall audio aesthetics of the song (as often observed in Japanese version of Korean tracks and vice versa), but Ailee seems to have managed to polished both in a manner that these minute differences are well covered up or are non-existent.

Yes, you can feel the emotions when you listen to Ailee sing the song. But the music video just enhances the emotions you feel so that it is a lot more impact. Everyone we see in the music video has experienced loss. And from what I know, Christmas in Korea is more of a time to spend with your lover or friend, rather than family. So in this video, we see the first guy leave flowers by the intersection where his fiance was killed. The piano playing lady lost her husband and is counting down the days to his anniversary. The female student lost her mother, while the old man lost his wife. But each of these people have an item from their significant other. The guy has the two rings, the piano lady has a diary, the student has a key ring and old man has a notepad of his wife’s recipes. The saddest part is seeing them hold these items to themselves and watching them cry, as Ailee’s voice echoes in the background. In the end, we see them with their loved ones in a shop, showing the bond they had and still have during the Christmas period.

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

[Review] Remember Me – BDC

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Remember Me was released during the eligibility period for the Best Song award in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support BDC’s debut song by clicking here to vote for your favourites and include Remember Me as a potential Best Song of 2019 recipient.

With the end of the year approaching and new releases tend to be scarce during the month of December, I will reviewing some of the many releases that I have missed over the last few months. Many of these releases are shown on the ‘Coming Soon’ list. I will start with BDC’s debut track, Remember Me, which was released on the 29th of October 2019. BDC (Boys Da Capo) is a unit group consisting of Kim Si Hun, Hong Seong Jun and Yun Jung Hwan from Brand New Music.

Remember Me starts off as a ballad. It was rather soft and felt sentimental. But as the song progressed through the first verses, the presence of the synth makes you come to the realization that the song is a dance track. The chorus ensures the dance track realization becomes reality, going for an EDM based drop and background. There is a lot of contrast between the two, as a result. But I thought the contrast ended up being quite clean and well portrayed. The two different sides of the song also allow the unit to show off their vocals and the dance group flair. I did expect a little more to the rapping, as it could have been used to drive the song to a better endpoint. But all was very good. My favourite part of the song has to be the ‘Remember Me, Remember Me...’ repetition, which was held back for the right moment to be the most impactful. Overall, I think the song is a very strong track for a debut and I am thoroughly surprised that I glossed over this track.

I will be honest, I haven’t checked out their music video until today. And I am very ashamed of this. I thought it was a good video. The scenes at the start and the second verse (where they were alone) made it look like they were forgotten. Hence, why the video was quite depressing start to the video. But once the chorus kicks in, we are treated to choreography shots that show otherwise. I think it would have been better to see the members in their solo shots to break free of their forgotten state, though I am not exactly sure how you would showcase that. I also liked how the video went for both flowery boy and edgy concepts, which might be a good indication that the unit is versatile.

I thought this was another good choreography routine. The start had more elegant moves to fit with the ballad-like style. They kick it up a notch for the chorus to reflect well with the dance style. Both sections are quite captivating and they had good stage presence (on the few stages that I watched). Essentially, there is potential for the unit in the future. And given the content that they have shown us, I would definitely like to see them return in the future.

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

[Review] Levanter – Stray Kids

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Stray Kids is nominated for Best Male Group and Best Male (Group) Choreography. In addition to that, all their 2019 releases (Miroh, Side Effects, Double Knot and Astronaut) are eligible for Best Song of 2019. To support Stray Kids, click here to vote for them and your other favourites of 2019.

Stray Kids has had a jam-packed year. The group have previously released 2 mini-albums this year, with Miroh and Side Effects leading the albums released in March and June (respectively). And now, the group have moved onto their 3rd mini-album of 2019, Clé: Levanter. The title track of the new album is Levanter and it also features Double Knot and Astronaut as pre-release singles. The album was also scheduled for release at the end of November. But due to the sudden and unexpected departure of Woojin, it was pushed back to 9th of December (today). Their first concert went ahead at the end of November prior to this comeback, as well.

After the release of everything mentioned above, Stray Kids have a lot of shoes to fill when it comes to Levanter. And within one listen to the new song, I was confident that the group had managed to fill those shoes without any issues. Levanter manages to find the middle ground between Double Knot and Astronaut, in my opinion. The song opts for a lighter than usual instrumental, going with mixture of synth and rock vibes in the background. I liken this element of the song to Astronaut, which was notably light in comparison to the rest of their discography. However, it is undeniable that the song features a strong level intensity. The chorus also has these epic vibes that remind me of Double Knot as well. The song is also very much vocally centered, with the vocalists of the group pushing their voices further during the chorus to enhance the epic impression of the song. I found their voices to be very piercing and this stood out during the chorus. The rappers, even though felt limited, sounded really cool during their parts. Overall, Levanter is an awesome track.

Once again, I do not want to dwindle on the music video for long as I will be returning with a Stray Kids music video theory post some time in the new year for you all. While doors have been a recurring theme in their past few music videos, I am still equally as confused as before when it comes to how the Leventer music video plays into the existing story line (and possible connection to their past music videos). But I hopefully shall unravel the story line some time in the new year (though, I would love to read about any theories you may have). Visually, this is a really good video. The members looked good and the sets looked really cool (and I think they were designed to remind us of the previous videos). I thought the graphics in this video was very cool and it felt pretty much different to anything that we got before.

Something that I felt very strongly when watching the choreography was how loaded it felt. It seemed to match the heaviness and deepness of the lyrics in a way that felt powerful and strong. Also, Felix gets a mini solo moment, which I am looking forward to! And the rest of the dance break looks really cool!

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

[Review] Only One – JBJ95

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JBJ95’s 2019 releases, including Awake and Spark, are eligible in the Best Song of 2019 category for the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. To support JBJ95, click here to vote and have the opportunity to select JBJ95’s songs as the Best of 2019.

JBJ95 made their return yesterday through the release of a special single, Only One. It is described as JBJ95’s first seasonal track, with the song fitting for the colder season in which Korea is experiencing. This is also the duo’s first release since the release of Spark and Awake earlier in the year. In other related news, the pair will also be having their second concert throughout the Christmas and New Year period and it is will also feature a stage for their new track, Only One.

Only One is described as a mid-tempo hip-hop and R&B track. But over the years, there have been a fair number of tracks of a similar description. And so, Only One is a very typical and bland track. There really isn’t much to say about the song without rebutting it with the comment that someone else has done the exact same thing. I did think the chorus was decent, as you could sense a pop of colour thanks to their vocal/rapping. However, the verses and bridge had this dreary vibe to them that stayed in my mind for the entirety of the song. So, not even a pop of colour was enough to ‘save’ the song. The moody electronic detailed instrumental is also not that much captivating, going with pretty much something you hear so often in the industry. Overall, I found the song to be boring. Maybe the group should stay with more upbeat sounds in the future.

The music video shared a similar impression to the song. Or maybe it was just the song rubbing off on the music video. But I felt it was very boring as well. I mean, the video shows the pair calling someone and then they stuck some flowers onto the corner of boxes. Not really the most captivating set of events in the music video. I have to give the video some props though. Despite the very bland sound, the music video features a colour palette that isn’t dull or grey. This often occurs during this season and draws more energy away from some tracks in an unnecessary manner. Here, Only One‘s video manages to add a little vibrancy, whilst maintaining the typical autumn golden hue.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Overall Rating – 5.4/10

[Double Review] +DONE161201+ & +REWIND170205+ – CL

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Many of your favourite artists are nominated in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. If you haven’t voted yet, click here to do so and have your say on who are the best of each category in 2019.

CL makes her grand comeback to the industry with the release of +DONE161201+ and +REWIND170205+ yesterday. This is CL’s first comeback since leaving YG Entertainment last month and since the release of Hello Bitches in 2015. The two songs the former member of 2NE1 released yesterday consisted of two dates, which signify when they were completed. These two are also the first two of a series (In The Name Of Love) of track that will be released by CL herself in the coming weeks, though we don’t know when the next ones will be drop yet.

Both DONE and REWIND do not follow what CL released as a solo artist under YG Entertainment. They don’t take on board any hip-hop influences or sounds. Instead, the two track sounds more like pop tracks. They are good songs, reminding me of CL’s rough voice (which has definitely been absent from my playlist for some time). And both tracks a lot better than CL’s solo debut track (which I reviewed once and have never gone back to listen to it) DONE features an instrumental with an interesting hard vibrating synth. It plays throughout background and is an odd choice for a sentimental track. But it works relatively well, especially when CL starts rapping. I also liked the melodic touch the chorus had, which the synths also paired well with. Her voice is great in this song. REWIND is similar but it feels a little more weighed down and the instrumental feels more straightforward, going with a simpler, typical and less memorable mix. This results in a song that is quite bland. But I really liked the melodic flow of the chorus and her rapping seemed to have a better kick to it, then in the previous song.

It is often hard to judge videos of this kind. Obviously CL uses both videos to reflect upon the past 10 years, so it would be cruel to which is better or how they are flawed (if they are). So I will briefly run through what they had instead of laying down any judgement. REWIND is simply a collage of pictures throughout CL’s career, put together to ‘look forward to the future’. DONE features a lot of CL’s friends, lipsyncing to the song and is shown in a phone format (and felt like an advertisement for an Apple phone). Some familiar faces include Taeyang, Lee Hi, Park Bom, Minzy and Dara (though I might have missed some myself).

+DONE161201+
Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

+REWIND170205+
Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] 360 – Park Ji Hoon

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Park Ji Hoon’s performance for L.O.V.E is nominated for Best Solo Choregraphy in this year’s KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support Park Ji Hoon and your other favourite artists by clicking here to vote.

All of the former Wanna One members (minus Ong Seong Woo, who has focused on acting this year) have made two releases in some capacity in this year. One of the last to join this lineup is Park Ji Hoon, who makes his return today with 360. This is Park Ji Hoon’s first comeback since his debut with L.O.V.E, which occurred back in March. Park Ji Hoon also returned to acting this year through Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency, as well.

The way 360 started off got me intrigued with the song. The instrumental kicks off with a smooth vibe and Park Ji Hoon himself starts off very low. The song ended up developing into a dynamic piece. There seems to be a subtle touch of funkiness in the instrumental during the chorus, which reminds me of solo releases by more well known acts, such as Taemin. Otherwise, it was well produced and a solid dance track overall. I really liked the post-chorus hook. It did sound awkward at first (his pronunciation of one of the words was questionable but it seems the lyrics were ‘take a shot for me‘), but a few extra listens really keyed it into my mind. His vocal work was quite good but I think Park Ji Hoon’s rapping steals the show this time around. It seemed to have a groove to which I thought nicely enhanced the song. Overall, 360 is a cool track.

The music video was really cool. I liked how the music video started off with the shakey closeup, the monotone filter and the flashing lights. And while I don’t like the flashing lights usually, I found them a good link between each scene. Deciphering the video is a little more complicated. From what I could see in the music video, there isn’t too much to go with besides Park Ji Hoon in different places. Based on the information I could find/understand, the video showed Park Ji Hoon at ‘different angles’ and hence this makes sense with the multiple locations. Other than that, I don’t understand what is happening in the video. I would like to know if there are some theories, so do comment below and share your understanding.

Like the song, I thought the performance was very dynamic. For a song titled as 360, the choreography contained a fair amount of turns. It looked elegant and powerful, which is very fitting for the song and the style that Park Ji Hoon went with. I also liked how sleek the chorus looked.

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