Tag: APINK

[Review] BAD – Kim Nam Joo (APINK)

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After 3 years and the release of Bird in September 2020, Kim Nam Joo made her solo comeback this week with the new single BAD. In addition to Bird, this solo comeback follows Kim Nam Joo’s departure from IST Entertainment – her home company for for 12 years. Kim Nam Joo is now signed on as an artist under Choi Creative Lab (with 3 other APINK members) and is still apart of APINK. In matter of a fact, APINK will be returning soon as a group!

Like her solo debut, BAD fails to excite me. However, it doesn’t ‘fail to excite’ me in a similar manner that Bird did, but that is my overall conclusion of the new song as it stands. I particularly wanted to clarify that as BAD contains a few elements that levels up the song (relative to her solo debut). Firstly, the instrumentation for BAD is definitely a vibrant take on pop with a brass-heavy instrumentation that gives the track boldness and flair in its background. Secondly, I felt that Kim Nam Joo herself delivered some really strong vocals throughout the track (particularly in the verses), which really complemented BAD‘s instrumentation well. I also like the melodic bridge of the song, thanks to her vocals. Thirdly, I liked the shouty approach to the outro, which summed up the better parts of BAD well. The downfall of BAD is a mixture of an alternative delivery style to what I have highlighted as a positive aspect above and that fact it occurs in the choruses of BAD. The choruses was quite unimaginative thanks to the rap-speak style of delivery opted for. It also dulled all of that energy from the powerfulness of the vocals and instrumentation in the verses. And as the choruses are the central piece to BAD, this dulling effect and dissipating energy is a huge impact on BAD, leading to that ‘fail to excitement’ outcome I mentioned earlier. It did sound like there were attempts to go into an inclining trajectory towards the end of the choruses, which I personally think could have made BAD better and recover from such dulling. But it never got anywhere. Had the choruses been better, BAD could have been a strong comeback and definite improvement from 2020.

When I look at the official English translation of the lyrics of BAD, I can’t help but think they are a messy jumble of one-liners pieced together to hopefully get a message across. It might simply be a lost in translation type of thing, but I can’t figure out what the song is about and what influence it could have the music video. So relying just on the music video, it looks like the video is showing two sides of Kim Nam Joo – both of which are ready to be bad or show off a bad side. Other than that, there was nothing that interesting elemental wise.

Choreography wise, it looked good. It went bold in the bolder parts of the song, such as during that shouty outro. This segment also highlighted stable live vocals from Kim Nam Joo at the same time. The choreography for the duller moments of the song still had attitude to it, and this helped make the performance feel and look well-rounded.

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

[Album Review] SELF (10th Mini Album) – APINK

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APINK’s SELF mini-album is the next on the reviewing block. SELF serves as the second generation’s 10th mini-album since their debut back in 2011 and this dropped in April of this year as the group’s first official five member release. SELF features the title track D N D (one of my favourite tracks of the year thus far) and four additional side tracks, all of which contributes to a very solid mini-album. For more of my thoughts of the mini-album, keep on reading below.

SELF Album Cover

1. D N D (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of D N D. (9/10)

2. Withcha – The production of Withcha feels very clean. From the leading vocals to the harmonies to the R&B pop instrumentation to the little details in the background, everything sounded distinct but also cohesive at the same time in Withcha. I liked how playful the hooks and melodies were, with the repetition helping the song become one of the more recognisable side tracks on this mini-album. Adding to the playfulness is the faint whistling and retro tinge the instrumentation has. But even in the midst of all of that, Withcha remarkably maintains a mature persona that allows the song to fit neatly with APINK’s current sound. (9/10)

3. Me, Myself & I – I start swaying along to the melodies as soon as this beautiful track begins. The instrumentation features a mixture of strings, along with beats and synths that makes it a pleasant and chirpy number. The vocals are amazing and are truly a highlight for me in this track. And the combination of everything that makes Me, Myself & I creates a riveting and stunning listen in the midpoint of the mini-album. (10/10)

4. Candy – Candy is a more typical pop track for me. It was a very pleasant and likeable track, with some sweet vocalisation from the members. I also enjoyed the falsettos that the members add to the song, and the rapping is a nice surprise. But on the melodies and hooks front of Candy, I can’t help but describe those aspects of Candy to be rather plain and ordinary. But still a decent track. (7.5/10)

5. I Want You To Be Happy (나만 알면 돼) – I Want You To Be Happy was actually a single released last year to celebrate the group’s 11th anniversary. I Want You To Be Happy takes the form of a ballad and it is a touching one for their fans. The music video that was released last year also features shots of now-former member Naeun (who left the group early April), and so the song can also be taken as homage to the former member. The melodies were heavenly and heart-warming, while the vocals were very touching and comforting. The strings and drums came together to create a delicate and beautifully orchestrated piece. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.7/10

SELF Teaser Image

[Special] Personal Favourite Songs from the 1st Half of 2023 & more

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As already mentioned prior to my break, one of the first posts after posting the outstanding Weekly KPOP Charts will be the annual ‘Personal Favourite’ post. Each year, to help round out the first half of the year, I post a list of my personal favourite songs from the 1st half of the year in July of each year. As we are now in July 2023, it is time to post my personal favourite songs from the 1st half of 2023 (with a few extra tidbits).

For this year’s post, I am following what I did last year, as I quite liked how that turned out. This means in addition to the usual list of 10 songs (which are in no particular order and not related to my reviews as songs do grow immensely on me) for the first half of 2023, I will also be posting two songs from the November – December 2022 period. And I will be posting 3 non-Korean songs (i.e. English, Japanese etc.) by Korean artists that caught my attention so far this year. So without further delays, here are the list of my personal favourite songs of the year thus far (in no particular order, of course).

From November – December 2022

Personal favourite non-Korean songs of 2023 thus far

Personal favourite KPOP songs of the year so far (January – June 2023)

[Review] D N D – APINK

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Making their comeback for the first time as a five-member female group after 12 years in the business and for the first time in 14 months is APINK. The long-lasting female group dropped their newest single D N D today, which leads the group’s 10th mini-album, SELF. This follows on from their 2022 release Dilemma, fourth studio album HORN, their annual anniversary single – I Want You To Be Happy – for their 11th anniversary and the debut of their first subunit CHOBOM with Copycat.

First listen in and I was falling for D N D (which stands for Do Not Disturb). To me, the song brings a fresh breath to APINK discography, especially when compared to some of their recent releases. We probably all know APINK for their cutesy sounds in the earlier days (and if you don’t, do check out their earlier day releases – very representative of the KPOP back when they first came about). However, as the group progressed along their 11 years in the industry, they successfully reinvented themselves as a leading female group through their mature releases, which you can also describe as somewhat dark and heavy. D N D leans into their early days, bringing a spring in their step and a pleasant energy that I felt was super appealing. D N D is a pop dance track featuring a very bright tone and funky elements in the background. It comes off as a pretty clean and pure instrumental. The bright tone of the instrumental is further emphasised by the vocals and melodies that APINK brings to the song. The melodies felt refreshing and vivid, especially when it came to the choruses, which strong showing of vocals was clear in the song. The pre-choruses brought a satisfying melody, delivery and inclination to the song, ramping it up to the catchy choruses. The bridge highlights the of the group’s vocals and was a simple yet stunning segment in D N D to enjoy. Overall, D N D is already a hit in my mind.

The song gives one courage to imagine a world of their own as no one will disturb them (taken from SOOMPI). We see the members lead ordinary lives or are stuck in a constricting world in the music video. We see a waitress, a painter who cannot come up an idea, an office worker stuck in a repetitive world, a celebrity who wants to escape from the public eye and a wanderer who stands out in a very grey world. As the video progresses, they embraces their imagination and this leads to the members realizing that there is more to life. For example, Eunji the office worker saw an alternative life involving a red carpet beyond the office lockers, while Hayoung the waitress caught the spoon in her coffee cup stirring without itself. The other members saw a change in lighting. From there, they change their outfits – from plain or seemingly out of place to more vivid and eye-catchy casual outfits that just shows a more comfortable side to the group. Overall, a well put together music video that works with the lyrics and message D N D is giving us.

The choreography brought a smile to my face. It might because of the music or just the members being cheerful and happy performing, which I am sure everyone is glad to see from APINK after a 14 month absence. But there was a bounce and a peppy vibe to the choreography that I really enjoyed. The entire routine was quite solid and looks great.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] Copycat – APINK CHOBOM

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More reviews for some ‘older’ releases that I should have reviewed sooner is coming your way over the next few weeks. I restart things off with a review for Copycat, the debut single for APINK latest unit – APINK CHOBOM. For those who could tell by the unit’s name, APINK CHOBOM is made up of APINK members Chorong and Bomi. They made their debut with Copycat almost two months ago.

It took a while for Copycat to actually grow on me. I didn’t care much for it when it was first released (but I think I was a bit overwhelmed with a few things at the time). But over the weeks since, Copycat really drew me in with its really pleasing approach. Copycat is a consistent and pleasant dance pop number. It felt very KPOP without the flair of being overtly cute or having any super energetic music. Instead, Copycat‘s mature retro-like instrumentation has a very mellow and consistent appeal, yet also groovy sound. All of this, in turn, helps Copycat feel and sound minimalistic, which I personally thought was quite unique and commendable. Chorong and Bomi airy vocals fit in extremely well. Their vocals actually have a neat boldness to them (as they are bolstered in many ways), but they are layered over the top of the instrumentation and don’t ever breach the top layer of the music. It made for an interesting and appealing effect, working well with the aforementioned minimalistic vibe. The hooks were extremely simple and have a straightforward melodical approach, which too also complements said minimalistic vibe. Overall, Copycat felt super simple and appealing. It isn’t necessarily a mind-blowing track, but it definitely has its own unique charms.

While the song doesn’t go down the cutesy route of KPOP, the music video definitely approaches the comeback in that manner. The video is quite colourful and potentially could have been quite vibrant, as well. But just like the song, the dulling effect on the colours helped give off a refined and mature feel. Anyhow, it is clear that this video has a plotline behind it. Though, I am not entirely sure what it is trying to say as you kind of need to read into it. The pair from APINK are initially trapped in a TV (and based on the ending, a video game, to be more specific) and are brought into this storage-like room (in what looks like a hospital) by a lady where they are kept as mannequins. After the lady that drops them off leaves with the TV, the pair run off to discover their surroundings. Based on the video game concept introduced at the end, the members are being controlled by the game player and run away from the facility. As they run away and/or escape the hospital, more colour come into their lives (as opposed to the white dresses and coloured stockings we first saw them in). This either symbolises that they discovering more of themselves (as opposed from being copycats of one another) or they are progressing in the game. In the end, the girls are caught and the words ‘GAME OVER’ appear on the screen. We then see the CHOBOM pair (back in their original copycat forms) warn the guy playing the game of the person approaching him from behind. He had a ‘not again’ response to what appears like the same lady from the start approach him instead. Maybe it is one of those cursed games where if he loses (which he does), he becomes the next victim for the next person to play, and he is stuck in a horrible time loop? Who knows.

There is a lot of copying, mirroring and feline references and moves throughout the choreography, which I felt was very appropriate for the song. I liked how the routine plays to both sides of the song’s title. Usually, we just get one. But it is creative that the choreographer went with both. Aside from that, I enjoyed the hint of dynamism to the choreography and I feel the choreography adds a dash of extra energy to the song.

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

[Album Review] HORN (Special Album) – APINK

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Still lagging behind with these album reviews. The focus of this post was released mid-February of this year, and I am only finally getting around to writing it and posting it! The album belongs to none other than APINK, who returned with a special full-length album (though, it is also their fourth studio album since their debut 11 years ago) HORN. Headlining HORN is the title track Dilemma and it also features 10 other tracks (including their 10th anniversary single Thank You). HORN is also the last album to officially feature Naeun as a member, as she pulled out of the group two months after the release of HORN.

I picked APINK’s album to review because I feel like I have neglecting female groups in the album review segment. On top of that, I really enjoyed this album whilst vetting to see if it is worth writing an album review for. So it made logical sense for me to put this onto the album review agenda. There are few gems amongst HORN‘s tracks, so do check out the album if you have not done so yet. Though, I presume you would have already listened to the album at least once in the past five months.

HORN Album Cover

1. Dilemma (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Dilemma. (8/10)

2. Holy Moly – There was some good pop energy to Holy Moly once the song reaches the chorus, my pick for the highlight of the song. The bridge comes in a close second thanks to its melody. The etchy effect just before the chorus was cool and added an unexpected zing to Holy Moly. The verses, whilst featuring really nice vocals, felt like a slow burn and sluggish. In particular with the second verse, I wished the energy was maintained from the chorus. I also did not enjoy the autotuned ending, simply because it felt unnecessary. (7/10)

3. My Oh My – My Oh My was the group’s secondary promotional track, performed in the first week of promotions alongside Dilemma for their comeback. And I completely understand why My Oh My was chosen. It is the type of song that makes you want to smile whilst listening to it. It also stands out for its pleasantly light atmosphere, instrumental and melodies. There is also a brightness to the song that I really enjoyed. (9/10)

4. Nothing – Nothing is the first of two unit tracks, consisting of Namjoo, Chorong and Eunji. It breaks away from the lighter pop tracks that followed the title track. There is a hard beat and strong energy coming from this track. The vocals help makes Nothing feel more explosive and bolstered. The ad-libs are also on a whole different level. Nothing also features some catchy hooks, making this one of the stand-out tracks of the album. (9/10)

5. Red Carpet – It seems the common thread with the unit tracks is that they stand out. Red Carpet is performed by Bomi, Naeun and Hayoung, who brings some attitude to the album. It continues the dramatic turn in the album, but with a much harder beat and stronger energy compared to its predecessor. Unlike the predecessor, however, Red Carpet utilises the instrumental to make the song bolstered and explosive. The harmonies help out with this, as well. This in tandem with the unit’s mature and alluring vocals creates a more powerful atmosphere, making it more memorable. The repetitive and memorable hooks and squeaky synths gives Red Carpet a lot of character and profile. (10/10)

6. Single Rider – Single Rider has such a funky and bouncy instrumental, along with a subtle mature atmosphere. I love the upbeat tempo of Single Rider, which help give the song so much captivating energy. The vocals were superb, especially when the falsettos were effortlessly used. The dance break sequence we got in Single Rider was very intriguing and different, and I mean that in a good way. APINK and their producers on this album also seems to enjoy adding ‘endings’ to the end of their songs, with Single Rider closing out with a funky piano line. For this song, this ending feels just right and fits right in with the rest of Single Rider. (10/10)

7. Free & Love – Continuing on with the groovy and energetic aspects of the last track is Free & Love. I have to be honest, but Free & Love is a little more typical and straight-forward. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a great song. I enjoyed the bright and vibrant energy that Free & Love exudes. The brass plays a bigger part in the song, and this adds a golden vibe to the song. As a result, Free & Love is another song that makes you feel good and want to smile. (8/10)

8. Just Like This (그날의 봄) – Just Like This takes it down a notch, going for softer jazzy pop and laidback vibe. The instrumental has a nice upbeat feel to it, but the instrumental feels a bit generic. However, I really enjoyed the vocals in this song, and the melodies had a nice ring to them. The ‘Just Like This’ repetitive hook was quite catchy, as well. (7.5/10)

9. Trip – Trip starts off with the sounds of a plane flying above us. It then proceeds to enter balladry territory, before unexpectedly going with a stronger instrumental in the chorus. From there, the instrumental maintains that stronger atmosphere, but the vocals continue to remain within that balladry territory. This stronger instrumental helps makes Trip more captivating than compared to a classically instrumented ballad. (8/10)

10. Dream (작은 별) – Continuing with the balladry theme and style is Dream. But like Trip, Dream is not classically instrumented. Instead, Dream incorporates synths into its backing and consists of a mid-tempo beat. It sounds atmospheric as a result, and is also quite captivating to listen to. The vocals in Dream are another showcase of APINK’s abilities, with the members sounding ethereal in this track. This helps adds that extra 0.5 in its ranking. (8.5/10)

11. Thank You (고마워) – The album closes out with Thank You, which was originally released last year to celebrate the group’s 10th anniversary. In case you cannot tell, the song was written to say thanks to their fans (PANDAs) for supporting the group over the last 10 years (or 11 years, for its inclusion in this album). The pop track brings back memories of their cute roots, especially thanks to that ‘Da Di Da’ hook that started off and ended the track. I quite enjoyed the song, overall. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10

HORN Teaser Image

[Special] Personal Favourite Songs from the 1st Half of 2022 + more

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As already mentioned on this blog somewhere (most likely the Weekly KPOP Charts posts), we are officially in July 2022. And that means that an entire 6 months has already past. Per usual, a substantial number of KPOP releases have been released, many of which have been on repeat. Keeping to tradition in July, it is time to post a list of my personal favourite songs from the 1st half of 2022.

I am doing things slightly different this year. In addition to the usual 10 songs (in no particular order) for the first half of 2022, I will also be posting two songs from the November – December 2021 period, which were ineligible for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards due to the cut off date being in October. And I will be posting 3 non-Korean songs (i.e. English, Japanese etc.) by Korean artists that caught my attention so far this year. So without furtherado, here are the list of my personal favourite songs of the year thus far (in no particular order, of course).

From November – December 2021

Personal favourite non-Korean songs of 2022 thus far

Personal favourite KPOP songs of the year so far (January – June 2022)

[Review] Dilemma – APINK

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Kickstarting this week is APINK’s grand return with the single Dilemma and the special mini-album, Horn. This is the group’s first official comeback since the release of their March 2020 single Dumhdurum, though they did release a single last year (titled Thank You) in celebration of their 10th anniversary. Last year also saw the group undergo contract renewals, and all members besides Naeun re-signed with Plan M Entertainment (now known as IST Entertainment, after a merger with Cre.Kr Entertainment later in the year). Naeun, however, remains as a member of the group, but signed on with YG Entertainment as an actress. Naeun was part of the album preparations (including music video), but will not be promoting this new release with the rest of the group due to scheduling conflicts.

Dilemma continues the APINK’s run of mature sound, a sound profile that they adopted after a reinvention of the group in 2018 through the single I’m So Sick. Dilemma adds a more sophisticated sound this matureness, but in a modern and trendy manner. It features a simple synth beat instrumental for the most part, but on top of this was these synth-like horns that elevates the song in an unique manner. This extends into the chorus with the unique instrumental piece in the background reminding me of a kazoo. In addition this (possible) kazoo, the repetition of the song’s title and the vocals in the second half of the chorus (courtesy of Eunji and Bomi) make the chorus quite memorable, pop out and catchy. Elsewhere, I enjoyed the softness the other members’ vocals brought. It brought on an intriguing dynamic that really helps make Dilemma become quite appealing to me. With the pre-choruses, I liked the striking nature the keyboard had and the build in momentum to the fabulous chorus. Another part of Dilemma that I enjoyed was that instrumental break. It really ‘woke up’ the song and infused a burst of groovy energy into the matured nature of Dilemma. But while it seems like I am just giving praises to Dilemma, there are two aspects of the song that I am not keen on. The first is the rap sequence in the second verse and its trap instrumental sequence. It definitely tries to change up the momentum of Dilemma, but doesn’t really feel like a commitment to a change whatsoever. I am just glad it was brief and we return to the original pre-chorus and chorus. The second aspect has to be the ending. It felt sudden and abrupt (never a fan of those). An extension of some kind would have helped reduce the abruptness for me. But the positives outweighs the negative aspects, and Dilemma is still a fantastic song that I will definitely be be replaying a lot into the future.

This music video is stunning. The featured image I have posted with this post was extremely eye-catching for me. And I felt the rest of the visuals of the video, its concept and the members followed through in a similar manner. The dresses they wore really sold me on that sophisticated and mature concept that I mentioned earlier. I also have to compliment the members on their acting throughout the video. While it was all sadness to convey that dilemma of whether to give up on their relationship or push on, they really nailed their concept and I was captivated from start to end.

It is such a pity that we won’t be seeing Naeun on the stage with the group to perform Dilemma. Hopefully we will see an OT6 stage one day. From what I can see in the music video, the performance looks good. I really liked the dilemma move at the start of the chorus. The members turn their wrist back and forth, which reminds me of being indecisive about something. That dance break we get towards the end looks extremely striking and I am super excited for that the most!

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] Bird – Kim Nam Joo (APINK)

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Following the solo releases of Jeong Eun Ji since 2016 and the solo debut of Oh Ha Young last year, the next member of APINK to go solo is Kim Nam Joo. When I first heard that she would be making her solo debut, I wondered how Kim Nam Joo would differentiate herself from the well-known name of APINK and establish a new image of herself under her own name, with her new solo single, Bird. Well, it is time to have a closer look at both the song and music video to find out just that.

Unfortunately, Bird fails to excite me. If I was being generous, Bird would be considered a ‘decent’ song, at best. But Bird is just so boring and lackluster that I tend to fall to the more negative side of the ‘decent song’ descriptor. Upon first listen to Bird, I could hear the hint of (G)I-DLE Soyeon’s influence. And while it seems like I am part of the minority when it comes to her songs, Bird is probably her weakest associated track yet. It felt like a track originally intended for (G)I-DLE, but the management and group decided it was best to part ways from this flat song. Aside from use of the wooden wind instruments throughout the song and the acoustic guitars in the bridge, everything else just felt generic to me. The instrumental failed to give much hype and the Eastern-influenced chorus could have been more dynamic by a mile. The bird sound effects felt a little annoying, especially as it went on. The song’s melody was pretty weak. Save the pre-chorus melody though, as I felt there was a decent climb within it that alluded to what I had expected to be a good drop. for the chorus (which Bird did not deliver). But that weak melody essentially rubbed off onto Kim Nam Joo’s vocals, which was at large pretty boring throughout the entire song. Hook-wise, the song didn’t have much, so I am pretty sure Bird will be long gone from my memory once I wrap up this review. Bird failed to impress or chirp up my day.

The music video fares a lot better in comparison to the song. Despite going with the basic choreography and closeup formula, the closeups are captivating given the story that I have managed to get out of it. To me, we see Kim Nam Joo wear white in the beginning to represent innocence and a newly born bird. As the music video goes along, we get different evolutions of the ‘bird’, which I could guess represents the many phases we have in our lifetime. But finally, just before the final chorus kicks in, we see Kim Nam Joo in her final ‘bird’ form, which is evidently quite elegant and mature. This represents her ‘rebirth’ (which was what the song was all about) is complete. Aside from that, I really liked how they used the one set at the start and end, but changed the lighting and colours to just give it a complete different feel.

The choreography is pretty decent. This ‘decent’ is more positive, in comparison to my other use of the same word. I really liked how she shows her strength and power through this choreography, and especially how she fits it in with the song she had to work with. Nothing really stood out for me individually, but the performance as a whole did.

Song – 4.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 6.2/10

[Review] AWay – Jeong Eunji (APINK)

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It has been a while since we have heard from Jeong Eunji as a solo artist. Her last solo release was titled Be There and this came out in 2018. However, we have seen her more recently through APINK’s comebacks, such as %% in 2019 and Dumhdurum a few months ago. A few days ago, Jeong Eunji made her comeback with her fourth mini-album, Simple and the title track, AWay.

Jeong Eunji’s solo releases have shown us her ability to be versatile in the ballad realm. If I remember correctly, her solo debut track and first solo comeback (Hopefully Sky and The Spring) were folksy ballads. Her most recent solo release was more acoustic based. And now, she takes on a momentum-heavy pop sound approach with AWay. One may argue that this isn’t a ballad and I understand what you mean. But given the lack of choreography and how it is vocally-centric, I would say it is coming from a ballad root. It just has a different instrumental style to the more typical ballad. As mentioned earlier, there is some heft to the song that adds impactful energy and an epic vibe to the song. It also feels refreshing and suitable for the Summer season. It carries her vocals and forces her vocals to soar (which she handles really well). This, in turn, adds even more momentum to the song. The chorus had good hooks that helped made the song somewhat memorable. I felt that the hooks had to compete with the instrumental to be the standout memorable element of the song. In the end, I felt that the instrumental, due to its nature, nudged ahead of the other. Overall, all the elements in AWay works neatly with one another, forming another great song to go under Jeong Eunji’s name.

It is a pity that this comeback isn’t being promoted. This song really needs to be out there on the music shows for it to gain attention. I just don’t want this to be another forgotten song. But I guess we just have to settle for a music video. The song is about wanting to escape the feeling of being lost. Majority of the music video was essentially seeing Eunji being stuck in this lost feeling. Despite her life changing around her (i.e. the change from the green fields to the yellow sand), that lost feeling remains. We don’t see her resolving this predicament that she in by the time the video wraps up. She sings about charging back up to help escape that feeling, which I assume she does through the video’s happier moments. Apart for that lack of explicit resolution, it is a fine video that compliments the song well.

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

[Album Review] Look (9th Mini Album) – APINK

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It is time for another album review (sorry that this is another day late again). Before I slip back into reviewing some of the earlier albums released in April, I wanted to review two album this weekend that would be considered more recent releases. The first album is by one of the most senior female groups currently still active in the industry. Actually, I think APINK one of the only remaining groups to have debuted in 2011 to actually be actively promotion. Their latest mini-album is titled Look and features the title track Dumhdurum, among a number of other songs.

Look Album Cover

1. Dumhdurum (덤더럼) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Dumhdurum. (7/10)

2. Yummy – Yummy is a classy upbeat R&B number that has a groovy instrumental. That aspect one a really attractive as it felt refined and bold with the thumping and percussion. What drew me in even more was the vocals. I liked how each member stood alone in the song and wasn’t masked by the instrumentation in any way. The song had a really nice fluid melody and I liked how it picked up at certain points, which help with adding definition to the song. An example would be Bomi’s section in the verses, which had a good wow factor to it. Another would be the ‘Do It Do It’ sung by Namjoo. (9/10)

3. Be Myself (JJR Unit) – This is a JJR unit track, consisting of Chorong, Eunji and Namjoo. Be Myself is your typical pop track. Its main instrumental centerpiece is synth beats that keep the song lively and bubbly. And I like how the upbeatness of the song suits the message of the song of being one’s self, as the title suggest. Eunji had an impressive display of vocals towards the end. Namjoo was pretty much forgettable for me, as I don’t remember much from her in this song after finishing a listen to it. But the main star is Chorong, who contrasts with her nasally vocals. The other two have clear and crisp vocals, but Chorong brings a little texture, boosting the song in my opinion. (8/10)

4. Love Is Blind (Y.O.S Unit) – We get another upbeat track. This time it comes from the Y.O.S Unit, which consists of Bomi, Naeun and Hayoung. It is a little odd situation as I had expected this unit to have a more dynamic and appealing track as opposed to the other unit. But the situation ended up being switched. There is a bit of a fun vibe that cannot be denied. I just feel that the song doesn’t go past that appeal, which is quite disappointing. Not even the hooks or melody offer much appeal beyond typical. Same thing can be said for their vocals. (6/10)

5. Overwrite – Overwrite is the first ballad on the album. But it isn’t that slow and typical natured ballad that one would usually think of. There is a beat to this ballad that gives it some energy, along with a really nice orchestral touch. The piano melody was also really beautiful. The vocal work here is superb as you can once again hear all the members very strongly. The melody that the vocals carry was also quite nice. I also enjoy how they sing the title of the song, bringing a slight twist to the end of the third ‘Overwrite’ that they sing. (9/10)

6. Moment – The second ballad-like song is Moment. This features an explosive instrumental, which is also very different for a ballad. There are orchestral roots to the instrumental, but I don’t think it is a clear-cut classical piece due to that explosive nature. Their vocals in this song is something to be talked about. As the instrumental is a little louder than usual, the group has to up their vocals in order to be heard. I did wish they pushed a little further as I felt (just) some of their vocals got lost in the instrumentation or felt overpowering. Not really a major issue, as for the most part they sounded good! (8/10)

7. Everybody Ready? – We end the song with a very fun song. It has an instrumental that will blast you and definitely get you pumped, as the members ask you if you are ready. For those who don’t know, Everybody Ready? was released in April 2019 as part of their 8th year anniversary celebrations. Dedicated to the fans, it features fans cheering them on as they sing in this loud yet enjoyable song. It is a lot different to their other fan-centric songs that they have released in the past, which were a lot less energetic and more melodic. But definitely a strong hidden gem on this album. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8/10

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[Review] Dumhdurum – APINK

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The first major comeback comes from a group that has been around for 9 years in the industry. Given that most groups end after seven years under their belt (or much less), this is definitely a grand feat. I am talking about APINK, one of the many groups that managed to make cutesy concept work in their early days (see Mr Chu and No No No, as examples) and have more recently reinvented their sound to be more mature (see I’m So Sick and %%). Today, the group returns with Dumhdurum, which features on the group’s ninth mini-album.

The instrumental of Dumhdurum has a very strong disco vibe. We all know that a retro tune, such as a disco number, can be very addictive and unique in this current environment of EDM and other modern electronic genres. And for the most part, APINK nails the track. The instrumental wasn’t exact replica of 70s disco. But it was subdued to fit in with the mature sound that the group has managed succeed in their last two comebacks (linked above) and gave off a strong modern profile. I really liked their dance break instrumental that was inserted into the chorus, which was probably the most exciting part of the song. It also brought a lively energy to the song. I also find that rap speaking line that ends the chorus to be rather dynamic. Altogether, it helped make the chorus become memorable and appealing. My only issue with the song was how boring the vocals were during the verses and bridge. Riding the high that the chorus provided, I don’t remember much of the verses or bridge, which is hugely disappointing. They could have changed it up with some vocal textures or small vocal details along the way. Something to really grab my attention, rather than have it all in neutral gear. ‘

A similar comment can be made regarding the music video of Dumhdurum. The choreography scenes were probably the most exciting sections of the video. There were some close ups showed off the visuals of each member alongside the choreography shots. But in the end, this resulted in the video feeling like that very typical close up and choreography combination we see so often (i.e. a boring default). The video was partly set on a train and I wondered what that was all about. I am guessing there is a storyline in the video that I have missed, based on their individual sets, which all look like there is some meaning behind them. The name Marcella appeared at the start and a Google search yielded nothing that could pinpoint to a storyline. Does anyone have any theories? Let me know below.

The choreography looks good. From what I see in the music video, it definitely looks very dynamic and powerful. That dance break section looks really promising. Can’t say much else unfortunately, as we are pretty much limited to the music video for now. But I am sure the same feelings would carry over into the live performances.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.9/10

[Review] Don’t Make Me Laugh – Oh Hayoung (APINK)

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My final review for the night is for Hayoung’s solo debut. For those who don’t know, she is one of the members from APINK, one of the few groups still going strong since their debut in 2011. She is also the second member of the group to officially go solo, while the group is in between comebacks. Don’t Make Me Laugh is her title track for her solo debut mini-album, OH!.

While it was expected that Eunji would be the first member to go solo from the group, I would have expected Namjoo or Bomi to be the second. Instead, Hayoung comes by with this really nice track. I find the industry tends to enjoy either heavy dance tracks or slow ballad tracks. Sometimes, they enjoy tracks that find themselves in between the two styles. And Don’t Make Me Laugh is one of these tracks that deserve to be put in the spotlight. I really like the light tone the song brings, which undoubtedly compliments her vocals. Her parts in APINK tracks have never stood out for me. But this song makes me want to revisit all those parts from the past. I also enjoyed the autotune they put on her voice to give the song some texture. It didn’t go over the top with it, which tends to be the case in some songs. But not this one! The chorus had a really soothing pop melody and I like the small laughter at the start. I can see myself easily repeating the song multiple times with this track and I don’t think I would ever get tired of it.

The title of the track is very intriguing. But essentially the track is all about the moment someone falls in love. In the video, Hayoung basically falls for the barista and starts imagining all their potential dates. This makes her feel super giddy, which in turn results to her laughing in the cafe. At the end of the video, we see the guy noticing her laughing, which he finds cute and he starts to approach her. The final moments of the videos show a closeup of Hayoung’s face reacting to the unexpected movement in her direction, which I thought was rather funny. The video was well-presented. Even though it was all inside, they did a good job of replicating the outdoors and the video was very bright, fitting the Summer feel nice.

I like how the lightness of the song flowed into the choreography. Overall, It felt flowy and breezy. At the same time, there is a very nice innocent feel to it. Another thing that I would like to mention is that she sounds wonderful on stage with this track. Once again, I have never taken notice of her on stage. But watching her perform, I am wondering why I haven’t paid more attention to her!

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

[Album Review] Percent (8th Mini Album) – APINK

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It is time for another album review. And this time, the focus is on APINK, who made their comeback at the start of last week with %% (Eung Eung – if you are wondering how this is pronounced). This title track is featured on the group’s 8th mini-album, Percent. You will notice (as I have stated it quite a lot throughout this album review) is that the group had taken a more mature approach with their music, which is many miles away from their previous albums. Let’s see how I liked these track by going forth with the review.

apink-percent-2
Percent Album Cover

1..%% (Eung Eung) (응응) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for %%. (8/10)

2. Hug Me (안아줘요) – Hug Me is an R&B track that brings out their mature side very well. I really liked the instrumental to this track as it has a no-nonsense type of vibe, getting straight to the point without dwindling between genres, which is something that occurs often in KPOP. You also get that sense of confidence from the members, who do an amazing job with the vocal side of the song, which is something I also quite like. It isn’t necessary memorable when you think about the track in a melodic sense. But it was still good. (7.5/10)

3. What Are You Doing? (느낌적인 느낌) – What Are You Doing? Is another R&B track but it is a lot more upbeat and what I would consider dance-centred. I say this because the song has a club vibe and also an instrumental break, fitting for a dance break. It has a very addictive nature, which helps with the memorability factor that I tend to comment about it. Vocally, it is decent. Not necessary their best vocals on the album. But that short line in which they speak just before the chorus was definitely the key point of the song. (9/10)

4. Push & Pull (줄다리기) – We now encroach into something more upbeat. It has been building up since the title track. There is still a mature vibe to the song but there seems to be a nice retro influence in the instrumentation, which I quite liked. I particularly liked the way they changed the pre-chorus up to give the song an extra rush of energy, setting the chorus up. The bridge of the song featuring some rap-speaking, which is a rare element in APINK songs but something that I would love to hear more of in these mature songs. (9/10)

5. Enough – We continue the retro influence and mature sound with Enough. And like the preceding song, it is also continuing with the upbeat instrumental. I think the right word to describe the song is that is rather soft in nature, which is one of the song’s main charm. The vocals in this song were nice and conform well to the main charm. But I think the real winner of the song is the rapping. As mentioned previously, APINK rarely attempts raps but once again, if this the quality that they put out with the rap sequences, I will love to listen to more. (9/10)

6. Memories (기억 더하기) – The only thing missing from this album is the ‘mandatory ballad’. And Memories ends the album with just that one track. I have to admit that it has a rather touching sound to it. Most of the time, artists slap a very typical ballad onto the tracklist in the hope it makes up for the ‘mandatory ballad’. But while the instrumental is typical, the members give the song that much needed emotive element, through their vocals. (7/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

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[Review] %% – APINK

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After the release of their successful hit, I’m So Sick, which featured a change in image from their well-known cutesy style, APINK has returned with a brand new song, %%. While you may be tempted to pronounce it as ‘Percent Percent’, the actual pronunciation is ‘Eung Eung’ as when you slightly spin the percentage sign, you get ‘응응’. In other news related to APINK, they had their concert last night where they performed %% for the first time and Eunji had a solo comeback in the later parts of 2018.

%% is another complete changeup in their sound. It is probably their most sensual sounding song yet. The instrumental is very subtle. It is present but it doesn’t seem to be as noticeable as other girl-crush songs that we know of in KPOP, such as I’m So Sick. But I like that, as it forces the vocals to be the main attraction for the song. I thought their vocals were nice. Instead of going for a strong sound, their vocals sounded a lot lighter than usual, which goes extremely well with the subtle instrumentation I mentioned previously. The song itself is catchy and like my previous review, I can see the song growing on me. I really like the ‘Eung’ that features after each ‘Eung Eung‘ sung by the members. It sticks out for all the right reasons and gives a slight accent to the song. I think the song does lack that kick which could make this track a lot stronger and more profound. But over than that, I see this as another great song from APINK.

For a girl group named APINK, I think this is one of the few videos which feature pink as the main colour. There also seems to be this hazy look hanging over the video, which I guess is their way of doing something mysterious. Anyway, the video seems to be showing the members collecting ingredients for a potion of some kind, which was later shown to create a heart for their ‘man’, represented by the floating tuxedo. This goes well with the lyrics to the song. I liked their close up shots and the post-production editing on the video looked cool.

The choreography was awesome. I really liked the introductory dance they had at the start. They seemed to match the moves to the subtle nature of the song but they did it which attitude, so their moves looked much stronger as a whole. Once again, I need to wait until I see a full performance to be sure,

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Being There – Jeong Eunji (APINK)

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Also making her solo return today/yesterday (depending on your time zone) is Jeong Eunji, with Being There. The last time we saw Jeong Eunji promote solo was last year with The Spring. More recently, she appeared in the drama, Untouchable (if you enjoy thriller and mystery, this is a K-Drama that I highly recommend) and APINK’s latest comeback, I’m So Sick.

Give me any synonym to the word ‘Beautiful’ and they can all be used to describe the song. The vocals are what drives this song and give it that beautiful sound. Her voice was so captivating in this song that I had to stop whatever I was doing and listen to it in its entirety. The best part was when she sang with no instrumental in the background. This was a really lovely moment of the song that really had an impact for me. The song has a soothing instrumental, made of guitars and piano. It is quite warm as well, suitable for the cold Autumns. This gives light to the song, which touches on missing home. I like how she does that, as it can be an emotional topic for some people.  Do check out this song if you want a nice ballad to listen, especially if the weather is getting colder.

It is an 8-minute long video that does a wonderful job of showing the song in a visual format. Jeong Eunji lives in the city and has a very set routine for her life (like most people who live in the city). However, she makes a snap decision and boards a train en route to her hometown. Once she arrives, we see her return home, greet her mum, share multiple meals and take in the memories she had at the place where she grew up, going hand-in-hand with the lyrics of the song. What I liked about the video was the focus on was Eunji. We never got to see her mum nor anyone else in the video. But we got to see Eunji take in her surrounds and have a beautiful smile throughout the video.

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