Category: Reviews

[Review] Happiness – Pentagon

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I wasn’t planning on doing any Japanese reviews this week. This was partly encouraged by the lack of new releases (I do plan to go back to some other Japanese releases in the coming weeks). But then Pentagon dropped their music video for Happiness. And I didn’t want to neglect more Japanese reviews. So today, we will be delving into their latest release. The group previously returned to Japan with Cosmos and more recently returned to Korea with Humph!.

Happiness is another typical pop track. Interestingly, I thought the song delved into more KPOP roots, rather than particular JPOP sound that we all know of. Despite that possible crossover, there isn’t anything new within the song breaking ground, especially considering the group’s discography. The song did lose that carefree and easy-going vibe that I have noticed Pentagon has been pulling off since Shine. But this loss did not amount to anything new. Apart from that, Happiness does manage to include a nice hook that made the song catchy. That post-chorus was probably my favourite part. The vocals were good but I felt the rapping managed to etch forward by being a little more dynamic in nature. The instrumental was rather plain, upon reflection, which gave the song that typical vibe. I think there is enough done by the members to make the song ‘relatively okay’ as opposed to disappointment. The ending was probably the most questionable part, with their pronunciation of the title, Happiness. I had to replay the ending a number of times to confirm if I heard it right. I think this mistake has been done before in the KPOP/JPOP world due to the way syllables were emphasised. But you would expect the group to nail the title of the song in a non-questionable manner.

The music shows the members as office members. Pretty much done with their jobs and in a much needed of a holiday. All of a sudden (might be part of their imagination), they are transported to the beach and have from then on. We later see them partying on in the office, which supports my imagination theory. It is a rather typical video when I try to describe it. But it looked rather fun and suiting the Summer season. Not much else to say here.

The choreography was good. Once again, it aligns with the rest of the choreographies and performances from the week, which just wasn’t captivating enough for me. I did like some moments but I don’t think they are worth my time going through as they didn’t make it as captivating as I would have liked it to be.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.8/10

[Review] Call Anytime – Jinu ft. Mino (WINNER)

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Despite it being a rocky few months for YG Entertainment, it is still business as usual for some artists. Schedules are still going forward for some of the soloists and groups. And now, we have a solo debut in our midst. Jinu, one of the vocalists of WINNER, released his first solo track today. It is titled as Call Anytime and it features fellow WINNER member Mino. Winner previously released Ah Yeah three months back in May of this year.

Interestingly, I had expected Jinu to go with a more profound R&B track for his solo debut track. This is the route that YG Entertainment artists usually go if they don’t delve into the hip-hop genre. But Call Anytime delves into the pop genre. There are those influences in the pop sound. But they aren’t as strong as I had expected it. Apart from that, I thought the song was quite good. I am not too familiar with Jinu, but I know he has a unique vocal colour and he managed to show some of that off in this song. I liked how his singing compliments the lyrics. He is waiting for a call and his voice sounds very bored (yet intriguing for the audience) and tired, matching the emotions the audience should be hearing at that point in time. Likewise, Mino features as a rapper, and while his part changes things up slightly, the lyrics match this change up by encouraging Jinu to text the person. I think that was a smart structure. The ending, when ‘everyone’ joins in, seems to be a very cliche move for WINNER (and YG) now, since they have been doing it so much. But apart from that, I thought Call Anytime was a good song.

The video is a little confusing and opens up with Jinu waiting for a phone call and I think this crumbles his self-confidence. We then see blue suit Jinu who has a consultancy business that deals with how to attract someone’s attention by building one’s confidence and he is advertising his services on TV. His first client is a timid version of Jinu (i.e glasses Jinu), who I assume is a version of the first Jinu we saw and the business aims to build his confidence so he can enter that special room. We see Mino, a special consultant, play the overconfident card by encouraging for a direct text. But Mino’s plan doesn’t work, as Jinu unsuccessfully gains entrance to the special room and Mino is removed from the room (as being overconfident doesn’t work). Somewhere along the line, glasses Jinu appears more confident, teaches Mino one or two things and enters the room without any resistance. Success! I am assuming this means he approached his phone calling scenario as a more confident person, though I am not sure what it means. It is a unique concept but it was fun to watch.

I liked the choreography. Like the last review, nothing really impressive that I could spot in the music video. But there is enough to be fun, suiting the pop side of the track. I guess we have to wait and see with this performance.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 710
Overall Rating –  8.1/10

[Review] Tiki-Taka (99%) – Weki Meki

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It is time to start focusing on the releases for today! Literally kicking off today was Weki Meki, who released their new single at midnight (KST). It is called Tiki-Taka (99%) and it follows their promotions of Picky Picky, which was released back in May. 3 months on, the girl group has returned in time before Summer closes out for the year. (The 99% in the title simply misses that there is 1% that a person isn’t satisfied with their lover. Find that 1% and you will be perfect!)

To me, Tiki-Taka goes in a completely different direction to what they have released previously. It still follows the dance-pop genre that we know the group for. Just this one doesn’t have an ‘in-your-face’ type of hook, which has always been the case, as it becomes engraved into my mind with multiple listens. Nor is the instrumental of that nature as well, which has been the case for some of their tracks as well. Instead, everything is very toned back on those fronts. This resulted in a more melodic and vocal-dominant track, which I think was quite nice. This also makes Tiki-Taka so much easier to get into, which has been the case for some of their tracks in the past. The instrumental does fall into that typical route, so nothing worth mentioning. But it very upbeat and definitely a sound/energy rush you would want to hear closing out the Summer month. I say that because we are approaching the end of the season and the track seems to find a nice balance between the more upbeat season of Summer and the more vocally driven sound of Autumn. Overall, Tiki-Taka was a nice surprise from Weki Meki. 

If we were to cut out the introduction and the outro of the music video, I would have been satisfied. The members’ acting has been overly cringy in the past and it felt like that was the case in the music video’s opener and closer. Not even sure what was going on. It seems like the group was listening to some sort of message on the radio/alarm clock (i.e. a mission was being given). One member went to smash it, while everyone tried to stop her. Instead, it seems like they ignored the mission and went to have some fun. In the end, they discovered that the alarm clock followed them, which they were not happy about. The same member goes to smash it, with no one stopping her. As for the group having fun, I don’t find their parts overly cringy here as it was part of the fun concept you get throughout Summer.

Based on what I saw in the music video, the dance element of the comeback looks good. The chorus section and the Tiki-Taka part looks like it is going to be the best part of the choreography. Just nothing really stands out as an amazing section to constantly repeat video performances for. But we will have to wait and see.

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

[Review] RED – The Rose

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The Rose is back with a brand new single, RED. We last saw them through their promotions for She’s In The Rain, which was released back in October of last year. For some, The Rose may be a group whom they haven’t heard of before. The group is a four-member band, who have previously released Sorry and Baby in the past. Out of the four members (Woosung, Dojoon, Hajoon and Jaehyeong), you might recognize the leader of the group, Woosung, who very recently made his solo debut with Face and the mini-album, WOLF (album review coming your way).

RED is a short 3-minute track, going for a chilled electronic band genre. As much as I want to say that this is a unique sound so that it complements the rest of The Rose’s discography, the electronic band genre is something that has been around for some time already. And it doesn’t help that I wanted more from the instrumental. It isn’t something that strikes me as bold or special standalone. It could have used something extra to make the chorus a lot more prominent or defined, for example. Something like the post-chorus instrumental breaks, which had a pulse of energy to make it one of the better moments of the track. But an instrumental like this can end up becoming a blank canvas. And it sure seems like this was the intended effect. Woosung’s raspy vocals help give the track definition, painting a picture on the blank canvas into something that is light in nature and refreshing, which I find fitting for the Summery season. It is odd to say this, but the vocals really compensated for the flaws in the instrumentation.  And together, the pairing is so good!

The music video shows the members have a little more fun than usual. If memory serves me right, their past music videos have been heavy on the more negative emotions. So, it is definitely a different side of the group that I haven’t seen before. Like you can’t go wrong with some fun in Summer. I also like the simplicity of the music video. It matches the easygoing tone of the song. The emphasis on RED was very minimal and I am not too sure what to think about that. Surely, a red theme music video would be appropriate. But it doesn’t feel right for a Summer video or a song like this.

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

[Review] Wake Up – D1CE

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It is time to review another newly debuted group. D1CE (D-ONCE) is a five-member male group formed under a company that shares the same name as the group. Currently, the group’s lineup is Woo Jin Young, Park Woo Dam, Kim Hyun Soo, Jung Yoo Jun, and Jo Yong Geun. Some of the members may be familiar to some listeners. Woo Jin Young partipcated on both Produce 101 Season 2 and MIXNINE  (he placed 1st but his debut in the final group was cancelled). The other members also participated in these survival shows as well including Produce 101 (Woo Dam), BOY24 (Yoo Jun), MIXNINE (Hyunsoo & Yong Geun).

The new group debuted with Wake Up on the 1st of August. The first thing that jumps right at me is the vocals. During the verses where the instrumental was rather minimal and the busier choruses, their vocals were consistently at the forefront, in a very loud and clear fashion. And they definitely have a very good set of vocals. I really like how they held that high note and there was some raspiness in the vocals during some parts, which often is heard due to instrumental style. The rapping was definitely well-textured and really packed a punch, especially during the verses. Talking about the instrumental, it felt very standard. But it managed to show an edgy vibe that is quite appealing.  I think the song could have benefited from a stronger hook. But it is not a troubling aspect, as the rest of the song manages to make up for it. Altogether, the song manages to kick off their careers in a very tough and intense style, that may resemble some of the top male groups at the moment.

The music video is edgy and intense, which matches the song’s style very well. It’s dark and the guys look very angry, which really sets the tone for the video.  Also, the setting was highly appropriate for the style of the song, as well. I also really hate to point this out, but the video does have a typical structure to it (i.e. the closeup and choreography format). It is a video that just doesn’t feel like it is worth rewatching time and time again. 

The choreography looked very cool in the music video. But it isn’t as impressive when it is on stage. There is definitely intensity and a little attitude in the choreography, which I guess makes it different from the rest at the moment. As for why I didn’t enjoy the stage performance as much (yes, I am picky), it could be a combination of poor camera work and bright lighting. Note that the music video was dark and this suited the atmosphere well.

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

[Review] BIM BAM BUM – Rocket Punch

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Joining the comeback rush this week is a new group. Rocket Punch comes from Woolim Entertainment, the same company that houses Infinite, Lovelyz and Golden Child. They are a six-member girl group who debuted yesterday with BIM BAM BUM. The lineup of the group is as follows: Juri, Yeonhee, Suyun, Yunkyoung, Sohee and Dahyun. Based on their profile (link here), Juri is a former member of AKB48, who also participated in Produce 48. Earlier this year, she graduated from the Japanese group after deciding to pursue a KPOP career. Suyun and Sohee also participated in the show but were eliminated from the survival show.

I am on the fence when it comes to this track. BIM BAM BUM serves as the debut track for Rocket Punch and it attempts to tackle the bright and cutesy side of KPOP that majority of KPOP girl groups debut with. And it is because of that, the song comes off as generic and standard. I found the verses to be very dull. The instrumental doesn’t really add much to the verses besides being a light background piece. Their voices just don’t sound captivating. The slowdown that they incorporated into the bridge wasn’t that great. If anything, it dulled the song down a little. Once we get towards the end of the song, I noticed that the sound was rather repetitive. But as I said, I am on the fence. I cannot deny how good the hooks are in this song. I could see it growing on me. There are two different choruses, which later morphs into one for the final chorus. I thought this was interesting and played with the structure in a slightly unique way. And the chorus had a nice kick and colour to it, which makes the hooks even more addictive.  Though that was interesting. Apart from that, it looks like the disappointing side of the track is winning. 

With a track like this, the music video is exactly how I had expected it. The video features a fair bit of colour. It seems like the girls are like aliens, based on the way they interact with the cheetah while eating their popsicles and the fact they have some sort of ray shooting out of their hands when they do gun formations. And maybe they are on a different planet, as when they shoot things, candy comes out. Other than that, I found a bit plain. The story isn’t much and the rest of the video was just closeup and choreography. There really isn’t anything dynamic to talk about.

The chorus is pretty nice. Nothing that impressive. But I did like the various formations they pulled off and the hand movement they did when they sang the title of the song. I also liked their energy and they seemed to handle their performance well despite being newly debuted.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.2/10

[Review] Run Away – IN2IT

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It has been a while since we heard from IN2IT. I have discussed this before, that large gaps don’t really do well for smaller groups in the industry. So it will be interesting to see how IN2IT will bounce back from this gap. Doing a quick search of my site (which you can do yourself in the grey area at the bottom of each page) shows that their last comeback (Sorry For My English) that I reviewed was one year ago. But finally, the group has managed to stop that gap by returning with their latest single, Run Away, today.

I don’t think we ever heard IN2IT do such a song with an edgy vibe. It is hard to categorise all of their songs into one category, mainly because they have all been different from one another. But as soon as the song kicked off with its rock instrumental, you know that this song showcases a completely different side of the group. While the song does have a rock style, the song still manages to come off as a dance track, rather than a band track. There is an air of typicalness as the song doesn’t manage to showcase anything ‘new’ or ‘different’. But there is some freshness due to the instrumental. I thought the vocals were great. But I think the winning element for this song was the rapping (as I have mentioned a number of times already for other tracks). This track really zoned into the rapping and allowed the rappers to show their intensity without being overly rough and feel out of place. I also enjoyed the bridge and that launch into the final chorus, which effectively built some suspense up before closing out the song. Overall, Run Away is a cool song. 

I think the typicalness is felt most during the music video. Minus the standard choreography and closeup (these were quite good) combination that this music video went for, there isn’t much else in the video to talk about. With a song titled Run Away, there is a bit of running in the video. But rather from capture or some crazed life-threatening situation, the group seems to be running away from darkness. So that ending with them happy and smiley, just felt dull. I just felt they could have been a little more creative with the music video, in other words.

Unlike the music video, the choreography joins the ranks with the song by being the better elements of the comeback. The intensity they showed really went well with the song’s edgy nature. Even though it does have that ‘done before’ style, the performance still looked quite cool.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] Spark – JBJ95

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Returning today is JBJ95. Not much has happened that I know of with the duo since we last saw them through their Awake promotions back in March/April. Based on their Wikipedia page, however, Kim Sang Gyun is debuting as an actor, with his drama currently airing (I believe). The drama broadcast and promotions for Spark (their latest comeback single) will be overlapping, so we get to see double Kim Sang Gyun (which I am sure fans will be thrilled for). Their 3rd mini-album also shares the same name as the song’s title.

Spark is a style that I quite enjoy. There is a little something uplifting with its sound and I tend to really become swayed by this element. There is also a very warm feeling to the song, as it shows a sense of nostalgia. The song talks about the moment in which we start feeling sparks because of someone, which I think many people can relate to. And hence why the song manages to hit the mark for me. The vocals are quite nice. Like the dance instrumental, it is very light and inviting, which really appeals to my tastes. And I like how the rapping manages to follow through with this. The rapping, which sometimes can really be a completely separate element in a song, manages to keep with the tone of the song. It did add a tiny bit of roughness to the song but that lightness manages to still remain. Overall, Spark manages to spark something within me. Warm and happy memories with its sound and lyrics.

The music video is rather interesting. Based on what I am reading, it seems like Kenta is an author and he is writing out what Kim Sang Gyun and his lover are going through. I thought this idea was rather unique. I like how the video managed to include some dramatic flair during the chorus to match with the change in sound. It is the usual stuff but the way the video was shot looked liked there was a bit of drama in the love story. The fireworks at the end looked very beautiful, with all three people looking up at the stars (Kenta noticeably separated from Kim Sang Gyun and his lover during these scenes). Overall, a nice and appealing video to watch.

I really liked the choreography for it. It is super fitting for the song, which I think is amazing. For a song like this, I didn’t expect anything too complicated. I liked how they had parts where they were holding hands together, which I assume mimics the holding hands that they would go through with their lovers. I just wished the outfits that they wear feel a little more fitting. The red they wore for their showcase didn’t look too good. 

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

[Review] HIT – SEVENTEEN

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Also making their return today is SEVENTEEN. As I know I am a little jam-packed this week (and the coming weeks), I don’t want to fall too behind. Hence, the three reviews today. We last saw SEVENTEEN through their Home promotions. The group has since returned to Japan with Happy Ending and just announced their first world tour, Ode To You. And to kick things off for their world tour, the 13-member group brings us with another hit, titled HIT.

Getting Closer has to be the edgiest turn SEVENTEEN went with since their debut. Home, disappointedly, backed away from this edginess. So it is definitely nice to see this side of SEVENTEEN return. The track does not leave you disappointed from the very start. HIT kicks things off with a more subtle intensity. From then on, the song builds up exponentially, launching into a more explicit intensity during the chorus. And boy, this is a very strong instrumentally centred chorus. What I like about the chorus is that every time I heard it, it just somehow grows more intense, which is odd as they all sound the same. And because the chorus is mainly instrumental, the verses are heavily relied upon to showcase the vocals and rapping. And both of them are shown off wonderfully in this track. There is no doubt that the edgy sound would suit the rappers more. But the vocals managed to be the ‘calm before the storm’. And I think this way, the song ends up being more dynamic and captivating. What else do I love about the song? Well, that part where all the members singing together was awesome. It kind of brought everything together and ties everything up with a nice ribbon. Overall, HIT is a hit!

For those who don’t know yet, I am a major fan of the group. Each comeback has seen me pay attention to one or some members. I think this is the first one that didn’t have any member stand out. And I do not mean this in a bad way. Firstly, the scenes moved too quickly. So I couldn’t pinpoint just one member (though I did notice Jun being the centre of attention a lot). But secondly, this is a whole new side of SEVENTEEN. It one-ups Getting Closer and showcases a more wild side. The editing made the video so impactful and the song so much intenser. And thirdly, well, all the members looked amazing. Very masculine and sexy vibes come off the closeup shots and throughout the dance scenes.

Once again, SEVENTEEN has proved themselves to be amazing dancers. This entire routine blew me away. Especially the chorus. I keep on coming back to see how they effortlessly pull this routine off. I also wonder how they are going to sing this performance live, especially with a crazy routine like this one.

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

Wonwoo is my bias of the group (yes, I made THE very difficult decision). Out of all the members, I find him to be the most attractive (both visually and intellectually). So, when I look at my featured image and see that Wonwoo is wearing a sleeveless top, I am left speechless and need a good few months to recover. Literally. 

[Review] Bungee – Oh My Girl

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Oh My Girl has been undeniably rising to the top with their comebacks. Their last comeback, The Fifth Season (SSFWL), was hugely successful for the group. It won the group a number of weekly music shows and got the group a lot of fanfare. Now, the girl group has joined the Summer comeback rush with a special summer album, Fall In Love. Bungee is the lead track off this album and the focus of this review.

Oh My Girl started off with the cutesy concept and sound when their career kicked off back in 2015. And while the group has been focusing on a more refined and mature sound, Bungee brings back the cutesy charms the group once had. It is a Summer track, so there is a very fun, upbeat atmosphere and the cutesy charm does come through nicely.  But there were parts that felt very childish and I thought the group would have stayed clear of this. Namely, the 1,2,3 part of the track within the chorus. It just doesn’t fit with the rest of the song in my opinion. The vocals were nice. But I think Mimi is the most profound member of this track. Her rapping was very dynamic and I wished the song followed that route more (i.e. there was an air of typicalness surrounding the song). With that last point in mind, I wanted the song has a little more impact. I felt the track was 80% there. It just needed an extra 20% to have it up to par as their previous few title tracks.

With Summer, upbeat and fun being words to describe this track (which in hindsight is very typical), the music video fits all these descriptive criteria. Just it feels very typical and there isn’t much to comment on, except for the cuteness that Oh My Girl brings to the table.  I just don’t ping this video as memorable, mainly because of that typical nature that the video features.  For a song titled Bungee, I am glad they incorporated a little jump scene from a tall height. Just they do it without any safety equipment and the way that wraps up would not be that ideal. I also really like the colours they went within the music video. 

Like the rest of the comeback, the dance was fun and energetic. At the same time, it was quite cute. Nothing too impressive from what I saw in the music video that really jumped out at me. Though, I have to wait for the full performance. On a side note, I really liked their bright smiles.

Song –  7.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.3/10

[Review] Missing – TRCNG

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So TRCNG is a group that I completely forgot about. Their last comeback was in January 2018 with Wolf Baby. On the Korean front, they haven’t been around much, with the exception for the Paradise single they release a few months back (which I somehow completely missed). But apparently, Wolf Baby wasn’t their only 2018 activity. The group made their Japanese comeback with Spectrum and Game Changer (based on their Wikipedia profile). I also somehow missed these. But today, we are here to discuss their latest comeback single, Missing.

While this male group has done dance-styled tracks before, there is a little uniqueness to Missing that really shifts a different light to shine on them. It might be the mature side we get through this track, which is very different from their last comeback. I think the vocals were really good. For a dance track, there is a fair amount of melodic flow in there that draws my attention to the track. The chorus featured extra definition, which really helped with its memorability. Listening to the song last night for the first time. I was literally blown away from how well presented and cohesive the chorus came to be. That feeling has died down now, but there is still a lot within the track that amazes me. The synth-heavy instrumental had a touch of lightness to it, which complimented the melodic nature I mentioned before. I really liked that deep mellow whistle-like tune that opened up the track. I think the only element that the song could have used was a little more rapping. They had a bit there. But it felt scarce and the track could have used some intensity, such as the final moments of the bridge.

Watching the video for the first time, I was wondering where the company brand was. Usually, it is featured at the start of the video, But for this video, they opted for the end, which was interesting. A story is clearly told, which multiple storylines featured throughout the video. However, without the aid of the lyrics, I can’t really tell what is going on. Though, I think a strong sense of friendship is showcased throughout the video. I really like the different camera shots shown, especially during the choreography sections. But the outfits weren’t that good looking.

 That whole routine during the ‘deep mellow whistle-like tune’ introduction was probably my favourite bit. It might be the way the video was shot. But when I saw initially, I had to replay it a number of times because it looked so cool. I also really liked their chorus routine. Not exactly sure how to describe it. But it felt like there was a lot going on in an artistic sense.

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

[Review] Famous – Taemin (SHINee)

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Taemin the only member of SHINee who has yet to enlist in the military. And it seems like he will be holding that phase of his life off a bit longer. He will be officially releasing his 3rd Japanese mini-album tomorrow (4th of August), which shares the same name as his latest title track, FAMOUS. On top of that, there are currently rumours floating about that Taemin will be joining Kai and Baekhyun (from EXO), Mark and Taeyong (from NCT) and Lucas and Ten (from WAYV – the Chinese subunit of NCT), forming a super collaboration male group in the near future (though we will find out this week with SM Entertainment confirming that an announcement is coming in regards to this).

Taemin has continued to wow me time and time again with his unique dance tracks. Famous seems to approach this unique vibe again, but it doesn’t really go that length like his Korean and previous Japanese releases have. Famous starts off with a simple beat. But as the song progresses, the song moulds itself into a very interesting and subtly upbeat track. I found the chorus to be very straightforward and it lacked that complexity that Taemin’s track tends to go for. While I have stated that simplicity is good on a number of occasions, it just doesn’t leave me 100% satisfied. I did like the hook (‘Famous’ repetition, which is still growing on me. I also like the ‘No Drama’ deep autotune that is featured throughout the song. I thought that was a nice detail. I thought his vocals were pretty good and that slight rapping sequence in the second verse was awesome! Apart from the simpler chorus, I thought Famous was a great track, overall.

It seems the simplicity feels that I had were compensated through the music video. It does not take a simple approach. Instead of going for a lot of complexity on a visual level. There is a lot going on in the video, despite it all being Taemin close-ups. Very aesthetic, might I add. He starts off being tied up. He then is seen posing in a broken-down car. And then surrounded by half-eaten apples. There is definitely meaning behind all of these different scenes but I am not confident in trying to decipher any of these (as I am usually wrong). The camera work and the dark lighting made every feel more profound and intense. My favourite bit has to be when he rips the ribbon. Paired well with the songs and definitely a peak in a visual manner, as well.

Taemin is one of the best dancers in KPOP. There is no doubt about that. The choreography for Famous takes an aesthetic approach as well, similar to how his music video does. Based on what can be seen in the music video, everything looks stunning and he further proves his status as one of the most established dancing idols out there, once again.

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

[Review] Closer To You – EXO-SC

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When EXO-SC launched their debut with What A Life, I did not know that there were multiple title tracks for their debut. I did tweet about it once I found out (Follow my Twitter @kpopreviewed). But I haven’t been able to sit down and review these tracks until today. In conjunction with What A Life, EXO-SC also released Closer To You and Just Us 2 (which I will not be reviewing separately. You can read my thoughts on the song in tomorrow’s album review!).

To me, Closer To You follows What A Life with its ‘uneventful instrumental’. So, the song already starts off as pretty forgettable, which might not be the opinion you are seeking, especially how I labelled What A Life with the exact same description. But there are differences that make Closer To You stand out a little more. The rapping and vocals from both Sehun and Chanyeol do give off a good impression. To me, there is a little more expression in the way they deliver their lines throughout the song, giving a slight appeal.  There is a little more oomph to it, which makes it even more appealing. It does stay stagnant for the most part (i.e. neutral gear). But it felt better than their primary track. Once again, the hook wasn’t as strong. But I felt the melody did have a nice ring to it. I think the song could have been even more appealing if the two went an extra mile in any department within the song. If I had to prefer one track over the other, it is definite that Closer To You comes out on top.

I thought the music video for this track was a lot more interesting. Both Chanyeol and Sehun are completely separated throughout the video, minus the very small outro at the end. So the alternating concept was actually quite cool. The song is about wanting to get closer to their crush, going lengths to call a driver so that they can be together in the back seat. And naturally, the video shows both members in the car (both back and front), along with them at the dinner table outside in the dark. The darkness makes the video slightly aesthetic, which I think helps ‘bold’ the members in the video (despite them wearing black and white, which does blend them into the background).

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.8/10

[Special] Produce X 101 Music Review

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This is another long post. You have been warned. 

Another season of the Produce 101 series wrapped up. The season is a little different to the previous few and it all revolves around the letter X in the new season’s name, Produce X 101. For example, the season introduced the X grade (a lower ranking than the F grade); and that the top 10 trainees (selected based on the votes from the public during the final voting period alone) and an X member (the member with the most accumulated votes from the entire season) would go on to debut in the final group, X1. In the end, the 11 members debuting as part of X1 later this year are Kim Yo Han, Kim Woo Seok, Han Seungwoo, Song Hyeong Jun, Cho Seungyoun, Son Dong Pyo, Lee Han Gyul, Nam Do Hyun, Cha Jun Ho, Kang Min Hee and Lee Eun Sang.

Per usual, I didn’t tune into the program until the 3rd round when they performed their Concept Evaluation stage. This is the round which introduces original tracks in which the members would present on stage for the third round of votes. For this review, I will be focusing on these five songs, along with X1-MA and the few extra tracks they performed on stage during the final episode. Due to the length of this post, you can find the performances in the playlist at the bottom of the page.

X1-MA
Performers: Produce X 101 Trainees

X1-MA is, by far, the least annoying out of the theme tracks. Right off the bat, it takes on board an EDM instrumental like its preceding tracks. But it is not as catchy as Pick Me or Nayana, which might be the reason why I don’t see much fanfare from the track. However, X1-MA makes up this potential flaw with a palatable pop-leaning melody that makes the song enjoyable (and less annoying over time). I find the dance breaks to be quite cool. It amps up the EDM and features a bit of electric guitar as well. Pretty dynamic. Like the instrumental, I find the vocals to not be in-your-face, which also contributes to that less annoying factor. As for the dance moves, the X gesture features a lot. Apart from that, there isn’t that catchy move (as far as I am aware) and the overall performance looked fairly complicated. But it looks good and when on stage with 101 members, it looked cool! The dance break has to be the best bit for me.

Pretty Girl (이뻐 이뻐)
Group: Crayon Pastel (크레파스)
Trainees: Son Dong Pyo, Ham Won Jin, Kang Min Hee, Koo Jung Moo, Song Hyeong Jun, Lee Jin Woo

As much I dislike the cutesy concept, I really can’t complain about it here since this is what was given to their team. However, I found the track to be quite fun and playful, which is what I am sure is the intention of a song like this. The track had nice hooks, especially the ‘Pretty Pretty‘, which wasn’t repeated too much. I also liked the pop instrumental but really enjoyed the change-up with the electric guitar for the bridge. The vocals were good. There are two things that I was left questioning. The choruses ended up going soft, which I wasn’t sure why. And the rapping felt weak in this track, which was slightly disappointing. As for the performance, I found the moves to be nice and it managed to show that youthful and innocent side as one would expect for a song like this.

U Got It
Group:  Got U (갓츄)
Members: Kim Woo Seok, Hwang Yun Seong, Han Seung Woo, Cha Jun Ho, Kim Yo Han, Lee Eun Sang

I think U Got It can be passed off as a track for a number of active male groups in the industry. But its typicalness won’t get it to the title track status. It is a dance-pop track that feels quite ordinary and better served as a B-side track on an album. That being said, I did like the focus on the raps during the verses and vocals during the chorus (which is why I say it can be a track for a number of male groups, especially with many debuting with rappers). Though, I think the group would have benefited if the song was slightly more aggressive, that way the song could have come off as more interesting and bold. There was a nice melody and it was decently catchy. The dance moves were good and I liked their formations. I also thought it was good that they didn’t become shy regarding their dance moves, giving fans a chance to see something captivating.

Monday To Sunday
Group: Daily Vitamin (데일리 비타민)
Members:  Tony, Lee Se Jin, Lee Hyeop, Kim Min Kyu, Kim Dong Yun, Nam Do Hyun, Joo Chang Uk

Monday to Sunday starts off slow and slowly builds to find its footing during the chorus by adding a club beat to make it a little more dynamic for listeners. And I quite like this, as they keep on going back from slow to upbeat, which keeps the song interesting. I find the chorus to be catchy since the melody felt very simple yet smooth sounding. The vocals were impressive within this group, especially with that high note. And I really like the rapping just before the second chorus, which really packs an unsuspecting punch as it does come out of nowhere. The performance looked cool. Their moves were good. While the song did have a somewhat serious atmosphere thanks to the instrumentation, I thought the members did well by keeping it lighthearted with some smiles. This went well with the lyrics of the track, which was all about meeting their lover during the week. It also felt like they managed to strike a fine balance with the atmosphere as well.

Super Special Girl
Group: MamMam (맴맴)
Members: Kim Si Hun, Park Sun Ho, Song Yu Vin, Choi Su Hwan, Kang Hyeon Su, Keum Dong Hyun

Super Special Girl stands out for its energy. From the very first second, the song is loaded with a bright upbeat energy that really makes me want to groove along. It also feels very appropriate for the Summer season in which the show was aired. The brass in the instrumental adds to the energy and makes the track quite catchy (in addition to the hooks. My favourite was the ‘I Go I Go‘ part). The vocals here are quite strong for a fast dance track like this. And the rappers were exceptionally powerful with their parts, evenly showcasing all of the member’s potential. The performance is probably the most intense yet. They were constantly moving and at times, you could hear out that they were slightly out of breath. Despite that though, they pulled off a really fun and energetic performance, which I think is an amazing feat to do.

Move (움직여)
Group: SIXC (6 crazy)
Members: Cho Seung Youn, Kim Hyeon Bin, Lee Jin Hyuk, Kim Kook Heon, Lee Han Gyul, Choi Byung Chan

Move is probably the most intense track on the list of 5 Concepts. The start made it sound like the intensity we would get from a tough KPOP group. But as the song progressed, it loses this particular form of intensity and opted for something a little wilder. The track is also produced by Zico, who I am most familiar with and you can sense the hip-hop influence during the chorus. I find flute in the chorus still intense but in a more subtle manner. The vocals were good but I think the song really let the rappers shined more.  It is also a dance track that manages to show off the group’s potential in the dance department. The moves showcased here were quite cool. But it is the song’s wild side that I thought was well portrayed on stage, which keeps the performance from going into a strict dance routine and allowed a little more freedom on stage.

To My World
Members: Han Seung Woo, Lee Eun Sang, Kim Min Kyu, Lee Se Jin, Cha Jun Ho, Kim Yo Han, Keum Dong Hyun, Cho Seung Youn, Hwang Yun Seong, Song Hyung Jun

Well, they always say leave the best to last. And I think Produce X 101 did just that with the songs. One of the three tracks performed live during the final episode was To My World, a very dynamic and intriguing track performed by half of the final 20 trainees. It is a dance track that features catchy saxophones in the background and an addictive post-chorus hook that I thought was very smooth and very sleek. The track isn’t too intense and it is not underwhelming. Instead, it manages to be well-balanced in all regards. A similar comment could be made about the choreography. The best part of the entire performance has to the routine during the post-chorus hook. However, overall, I found the performance to bring forward very masculine and alluring energy, which I think suits the song so well. Their outfits were perfect for the performance for the same reasons. Out of all the tracks on this review, I think my favourite has to be this one!

Boyness (소년미)
Members: Ham Won Jin, Kang Min Hee, Tony, Koo Jung Mo, Lee Han Gyul, Nam Do Hyun, Song Dong Pyo, Song Yu Vin, Lee Jin Hyuk, Kim Woo Seok

Boyness started off with a more elegant and soft introduction. There is almost a sensual vibe that comes for this paced beginning and during the verses. But it slowly builds up to a club-like dance track. It is a bold route to take given the soft start. But the contrast really manages to make it captivating, especially how the song effortless moves between each section. The vocals were amazing in the track, with falsettos everywhere. The rapping was also quite cool, adding that masculine vibe to the song. And I like how the song goes full circle, ending like how it started. The elegance is revisited, reminding us what type of track it is. And I thought the performance managed to showcase the song in a similar manner. Slow movements during the slower parts and vice versa for the faster sections. The start reminded me of a blooming flower and I thought the red ribbon was a nice smooth touch to the performance, emphasising the smoothness of the entire routine.

Dream For You
Performers: Top 20 Trainees

Finishing off the entire season of Produce X 101 is a ballad. It keeps with the tradition, ending this chapter of their careers with a touching track and thanking those around them for supporting them this far. I don’t think any track is going to top Always on an emotional level. But Dream For You manages to still be touching and reflective at the same time. The vocalists shined with a beautiful melody during the chorus and the rappers had decent sections to contribute in this track. We all know how tricky ballads can be for rappers. The instrumental, when I guess the occasion doesn’t force you to cry, was rather pleasant and soothing to an extent. It was also nice to see the trainees in different pastel coloured outfits, as opposed to their uniform as previous seasons did. Overall, I thought it was another nice track to end the season.

And that is all. These are the new songs from the latest season of Produce X 101. Hope you enjoyed this review and agree with some of my thoughts. For the trainees, they have come so far. After reviewing KPOP releases for many years (almost 8 years now), I know how tough the industry can be. So, I hope every trainee who participated this season well with all future endeavours. We will obviously see some members return in the coming months as they rejoin their old groups or debut as solo artists. And I wish the very best for X1 as they prepare for their debut.

Thanks for checking out my review and I will see you all again for the next special post!

[Review] Tag Tag Tag – VERIVERY

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It can definitely be said that VERIVERY has very big shoes to fill. With the impending military enlistment for all of the VIXX members, the senior male group has been focusing on solo activities (and my guess is that they will be all leaving to enlist soon). This leaves VERIVERY and Gugudan to carry the torch that VIXX has lit for their company. Today, VERIVERY returns with a new single, Tag Tag Tag and Veri-Chill (the group’s latest single album). This is the group’s first comeback since From Now, which was released a few months back.

Tag Tag Tag doesn’t strike me as a song that breaks ground. While the members do seem to push themselves with a more energetic and memorable pop song, this ‘heard before’ feeling was my initial thought. But with every listen I have given the song since, I am noticing a lot of new things that the song manages to do well. But that typical feel still hangs over my head. The song manages to show a convergence between a mature sound and the group’s usually energetic dance style. And I like this convergence. I just wished it managed to pick up something that makes me become more amazed. The energy was definitely a major plus. It fits the idea of using a game of tag to get closer to your lover. So the upbeat atmosphere does drive you towards that activeness. I really like how they voiced their vocals. They seemed to push themselves to stand out over the vocals, which I enjoyed. But the rapping was my favourite bit. It provided that extra intensity to the song, which in turns makes this a loaded track. The hooks are fast becoming catchy, giving that memorable element.

When we think of Jellyfish Entertainment, we all think of VIXX and their dark concepts. This music video leads us back into that dark concept with a haunted house, which the members play tag in. But it is done in a more youthful manner that wouldn’t fit VIXX.  We don’t get a sense of the creepiness until they play blindfold tag, where we see unrecognisable feet as they are playing and one member (who was it) removes his blindfold to reveal no one there. We get a sense that things are a lot more seriously creepy when their phones start picking up faces that are not there. Or when, the member who just stands there smiling, while something is registered in the background. Or that someone was watching them while they were playing outside.  Or that someone took a picture of the guy who was the seeker. The ending was probably the biggest shocker (even though I think we all saw it coming), as it reveals that one of the members was the barefooted entity all along. Very interesting video.

The choreography seems to return VERIVERY to their usual youthful style, which I guess is more fitting than infusing some horror to the stage. After all, the song is all about a game of tag. I like the energy is showcased as part of the performance and the moves that I saw looked pretty nice.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 9.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] Icy – ITZY

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ITZY is currently one of the biggest girl group debuts of the year. Their DALLA DALLA debut back in February pushed them towards the top of the industry, with the track becoming immensely popular throughout the KPOP world. And they continue to push forward with their very first comeback! Returning today, the group released the music video for ICY at midnight (KST) and their first mini-album, IT’z ICY, at 6PM (KST – just a few hours ago).

ICY is loaded from the very start and it gets you with its infectious beat. I like how the song doesn’t take a breather. As they approached the slightly less upbeat sections (such as the pre-chorus), you would expect some slow energy. But the song builds up suspense instead, keeping you hooked to the song. I like the funky and grooviness of the instrumental, which kept me hooked. And I like how they incorporated a hip-hop vibe to the song, despite its instrumentation leaning towards a different direction. Their vocals seem to be the weakest aspect. They were pushing too hard to stay on top of the instrumental.  The hooks were interesting. I didn’t like how they framed the chorus initially. But given the infectious nature of the song, the chorus has grown immensely. The final weak point of the song has to be the dance break.  As much as I think an intense dance break was ideal, I felt this one was a little too awkward. It didn’t feel balanced with the rest of the track. Maybe they went down a little too low for my liking or it just didn’t carry enough of the upbeat energy to get my approval.

I personally liked their approach with the music video. The lighting, camera angles, quality and the setting overall reminded me of TWICE’s Likey music video. They had the background actors stare at the ITZY members, who were flaunting their confidence to the public. The actor’s expressions, however, were a little not so convincing. Their amazement didn’t seem like they were amazed. But I guess they did that to further highlight the confidence. I think my favourite part has to be the final montage when they were on the electric tram.

The dance was pretty good. The chorus was very underwhelming, especially since it had all the hooks loaded in the song. But I enjoyed every other part. I liked how they slowly added each member to the start of the dance. I thought that looked quite cool. The dance break choreography also looked cool and edgy. Just the music wasn’t too my liking. And I thought their final choreography montage was the best bit overall!

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10