In that post, I also announced the Best Overall Song of 2025 (Stray Kids’ CEREMONY) and Best Overall Artist of 2025 (Red Velvet – IRENE & SEULGI). Alongside this announcement, I also promised to post the Top 30 songs and artists of 2025, and this is it!
Remember that the Best Overall Song and Artist of 2025 were decided by 50% your fan votes and 50% of my Weekly KPOP Charts that I post (roughly) each Sunday.
So without further delay, I present to you the Top 30 songs and artists of 2025!
Welcome to the next Weekly KPOP Chart post for Week 2 of February 2026, which spans from 8 to 14 February 2026.
Upcoming this week – Announcement of winners for the 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards
The winners for the 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards will be announced on 18 February 2026 (Wednesday this week). This also includes the Best Overall Song and Artist of 2025.
I will also be posting the Top 30 Songs and Artists of 2025, as decided by 50% of your fan votes and 50% of the Weekly KPOP Charts, will be posted on 21 February 2026 (Saturday this week).
Keep your eyes out for these posts later on in the week. But for now, here are the Weekly KPOP Charts for Week 2 of February 2026.
What else have I been listening to?
Each week, I spotlight a song not on the Weekly KPOP Charts that I’ve been listening to over the past week. This week’s song is DREAMCATCHER’s BONVOYAGE.
Non-Korean Song of the Week
Each week, the top-ranked non-Korean Song on the Weekly KPOP Chart is spotlighted (as this is an area I haven’t been focusing on as much on my blog lately). The non-Korean song of the past week is KATSEYE’s Internet Girl.
The Chart
ATEEZ’s Adrenaline ranked in the top spot of the charts this past week. Congratulations to ATEEZ!
ATEEZ made their comeback yesterday with their 13th mini-album, Golden Hour: Part.4, and the title track Adrenaline. It is the first comeback since last year’s In Your Fantasyera in Korea and their Ash era in Japan. The group is currently on their In Your Fantasy tour, which kicked off mid-last year and will continue through to April of this year.
With a title like Adrenaline, the song essentially promises a rush that will get your energy up and going. The verses kick it off, or continue the song, on a strong note, while the pre-choruses build the suspense. Adrenaline does a fine job of setting itself up. I wished I could say the same about the choruses. Admittedly, Adrenaline‘s centrepiece starts off strong, with heightened, bombastic EDM synths that feel well-rounded and logical. But it just ends there, and I find it incredibly frustrating that there is no follow-through. The centrepiece needs the extra support of a second part to feel like a satisfying, complete release of energy that Adrenalinehas been building up to. I thought the bridge was handled well by the members, but the vocal processing was a tad overdone for my liking. This could have been said about a few other parts of Adrenaline as well. I did like the return of the chorus synths for the instrumental break, with an added pitting synth to drive the part forward. And for the final part of Adrenaline, I liked the direction, but the way it was produced felt a little too easy. Some more explosive synths to give the outro its last hurrah would have done the job.
The music video for Adrenaline is a powerful and impactful. There are some solo shots throughout the music video that made me go “wow,” for the way they complement the song’s powerful nature and highlight the members’ looks. HONGJOONG looks at the start with his eye patch being one of these shots. YEOSANG’s swept-back blonde hair look is another, as well as the aerial shots of WOOYOUNG at the end of the video (for obvious reasons). Post-production really lifted this video, as well. The only thing I thought was a bit funny was the lack of aggression from HONGJOONG, when he was supposed to shout “Turn the thing off“. The vocals just do not match the calm expression shown at that time.
As for the choreography for the comeback, I really liked the intensity, aggressiveness, and power they brought to, and gave off during, the performance. The presence of the dancers also heightens all of this. That whole dance break that coincides with the instrumental break was super cool, with YUNHO’s floor part being the biggest highlight of the performance. I also liked the choreography’s outro, with it leading the song to a strong ending on stage.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
ATEEZ is nominated for Best Male Group, Best Stage Presence and Best Visuals in the 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Ice On My Teeth (Olive Alive Ver.) is nominated for Best Remixed Track, Lemon Drop is nominated for Best Music Video, while In Your Fantasy is nominated for Best Concept, Best Electronic Song and Best International Song by a Korean Artist (English). Support ATEEZ, Ice On My Teeth, Lemon Drop and In Your Fantasy by voting here today.
Part 2 of the GOLDEN HOUR series by ATEEZ is the next album to be reviewed. The group’s 11th mini-album to date was released in mid-November 2024 and features 6 tracks, including the title track Ice On My Teeth. Overall, this was a very strong mini-album from ATEEZ, with some standout songs in the second half. As such, I highly recommend you check out GOLDEN HOUR: Part.2.
Before GOLDEN HOUR: Part.2, ATEEZ released GOLDEN HOUR: Part.1 (led by the single WORK) in 2024. More recently, ATEEZ also returned with GOLDEN HOUR: Part.3 (featuring Lemon Drop) in June 2025, before re-releasing the mini-album in July 2025 as GOLDEN HOUR: Part.3‘In Your Fantasy Edition’ with the single In Your Fantasy leading the mini-album.
GOLDEN HOUR Part 2 Album Cover
1. DEEP DIVE – Up first is the hip-hop DEEP DIVE. The synth work is cool – I particularly liked the etching synths in the background of HONGJOONG’s rapping at the end of the song. However, I would have liked the song more had the beat gone a little harder. I like the autotune filtering of the vocals, which helped keep them and the song lowkey. This very much complements the message of being in a state of being held down (not by choice, but constantly to the point that they know how to adapt in such situations). (7.5/10)
2. Scene 1: Value – Scene 1: Value is a predominantly instrumental track that starts off with some creepy and haunting orchestral and accordion music, which felt perfect for the introduction to a haunted house. I also believe there was some humming alongside this (though it might be an instrument). In piecing together the elements of this comeback, I think this track is intended for the mansion location in ATEEZ’s Ice On My Teeth music video (see the music video below). But in true ATEEZ fashion, the latter half of the track swaps out the orchestra and humming for a faint sample of the violins used in Ice On My Teeth, pounding (but very satisfying beats), and the slightly rapped line of ‘Great minds think alike’.
4. Man on Fire – Whilst also lowkey, Man on Fire features some really cool bass beats, hollow percussion and twirling flutes to become one of the mini-album’s strongest contenders for memorable tracks. For the most part, this is what the verses mainly consist of. However, when it came to the choruses and the instrumental break, I liked how the other synths filled out the rest of the background, taking Man on Fire to a whole new level. Powerful vocals and dynamic rapping also help with this. These were also quite memorable. (10/10)
5. Selfish Waltz – I alluded earlier that there is more than one song for the most memorable track on the mini-album, and Selfish Waltz is the alternative contender. I find this a refreshing number, despite the song’s lyrics being about a toxic relationship. I really liked the R&B vibes that come at the end of the choruses – coming off the subtly groovy background, this aspect of Selfish Waltz hits hard and gives off such a mature vibe. With regard to that subtly groovy background, I really liked the trance-like setup and the layering of synths. Selfish Waltz also boasts strong vocals and rapping from the members. There was a lot to like in the song, and I liked it. (10/10)
6. Enough– Being a year after the album’s release, the most succinct way I found to describe Enough is ‘uplifting atmospheric rock’. There was an epic vibe to the song, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was also a genuine surprise to find out that most of the song’s lyrics were in English (sans a few lines at the final rap sequence shared by HONGJOONG and MINGI). Wished they’d gone all the way on that aspect, but that doesn’t diminish the quality of Enough. I felt some vocals were drowned out at certain points, and I wished this had been corrected. But Enough was also another memorable song and effort from ATEEZ. (9/10)
Just a day after confirmation that ATEEZ will continue on as a group for another 7 years and 4 weeks since their 12th mini-album GOLDEN HOUR: Part.3 dropped (led by the single Lemon Drop), ATEEZ has made a quick comeback with the deluxe version of the mini-album GOLDEN HOUR: Part.3 ‘In Your Fantasy Edition’. It is led by the single In Your Fantasy.
You might be familiar with part of the instrumental for In Your Fantasy. The groovy aspects of the new song were previously featured as the outro of Lemon Drop‘s music video, which I had hoped would hint at a future comeback. The same groove also evokes and maintains an ultra-sexy vibe throughout, reminiscent of Justin Timberlake and Timbaland’s SexyBack. And if In Your Fantasy can remind me of that prolific song,the new all-English song has the basis to go far and wide. When it comes to the vocals and rapping, ATEEZ excels at both once again. There is no doubt about it. I did like the extra punches the final raps in the song give, so it can go out on a high. However, I do think In Your Fantasy could have used stronger hooks. The melodies that are there in In You Fantasy are slowly growing on me, but I think something with a more instantaneous effect to remember the song by would have knocked it out of the park.
Building on the sexy heat that ATEEZ exuded in Lemon Drop, In Your Fantasy gives us a teasing glimpse at something darker and sleeker. After all, the lyrics were of a sensual nature and made direct references to Lucifer (the name of the Devil). Once again, the styling and smouldering looks the members give are all on point and really helped make the video feel like an indulgence and temptation. YUNHO really grabs my attention at the start and makes me constantly look out for him throughout the video. I also appreciate the classier vibe of the sets, which heightens those sexy vibes even further, in my opinion.
While the group has yet to promote the new single, I managed to find a fancam of the performance at their recent concerts. The choreography for In My Fantasy taps into both the groovy and sensual sides of the song. It also focuses on intensity, making certain parts feel even more impactful than they seem.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
While I have been a bit busy over the last few days (hence my absence from the blog), ATEEZ has been busy releasing their new mini-album, GOLDEN HOUR: Part 3, and the title track Lemon Drop. It follows on from ATEEZ’s last comeback 7 months ago with GOLDEN HOUR: Part 2 (yet to be reviewed) and Ice On My Teeth.
I will admit that Lemon Drop didn’t really catch my attention when it first came out. I’ll get into that more in a second. But after listening to it a few more times over the past couple of days, I am happy to report that Lemon Drop has started to grow on me. The new single is a R&B hip-hop mix with a fresh, laid-back vibe, which is a nice change from ATEEZ’s usual harder-hitting stuff. It works well with the summery season South Korea is currently experiencing (I’m very jealous as I sit in my apartment trying to escape the cold winter weather in Australia). That said, Lemon Drop comes off as too polished, which is the primary reason why it was hard for me to get into the song. The chorus embodies this flaw, and in the absence of a substantial and strong hook, I find it leans a bit too much into that slickness. Thus, it was hard for me to keep coming back to the song without really focusing on it. Vocally and rap-wise, the members did a solid job. But it’s not their most memorable material. I much prefer it when they go bolder, but they handled the style of Lemon Drop well.
It is eye candy galore for fans in Lemon Drop‘s music video. ATEEZ really induces the heat with this ultra sexy video. This alone complements that chilled and refreshing vibe mentioned earlier about the song. Their visual game is powerful – if there is anything to take away from this comeback, it is probably just this observation. I applaud ATEEZ’s stylists for hitting a home run with the way they styled the members throughout the video. I also applaud ATEEZ themselves, whose hard work in physically preparing for this music video has paid off. I do wonder if the groovy and funky instrumented ending we get at the end of the video alludes to a future comeback.
While there is subtle intensity in the routine, I do find the choreography for this comeback to be quite chilled and laidback. This shows that the routine embodies the song well, while also finding a balance with ATEEZ’s usual performance style.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.4/10
I kick off the new week with another album review—this time for ATEEZ’s GOLDEN HOUR Pt. 1 mini-album. This is their 10th Korean mini-album since their debut, and it features the title track WORK (alongside 5 other songs). GOLDEN HOUR Pt. 1 is a consistent mini-album, ranking in the very good territory (if I had to name the album rating more descriptively). It doesn’t blow me away, but I appreciate the good songs on the mini-album.
More recently, ATEEZ returned with their 11th mini-album, the second part of the GOLDEN HOUR series. It is headlined by the single Ice On My Teeth, so check out the song in its review if you haven’t done so yet.
GOLDEN HOUR Pt. 1 Album Cover
1. Golden Hour – The intro track to the mini-album features a thought-provoking narration that questions the ‘greatest moments’ in life – are they those that are the brightest and most memorable moments, or are they the ordinary moments (for example, a dinner or hearing each other laugh) that you spend with loved ones such as family and friends? The narration is over the top of a soft and paced instrumentation that makes it sound heavenly.
2. Blind – Right off the bat, ATEEZ feels like they are in their wheelhouse in Blind, a track with a fiesta flair to bring out a fun and vibrant sound. The instrumental hits hard, especially with the accordion-like and brass instruments used during the song’s instrumental breaks. The outro also hits hard for similar reasons. Blind also features playful raps from the group, though the vocal work was a bit standard for my liking and didn’t meet the bar that the rest of the song set. (8/10)
4. Empty Box – Empty Box is a softer pop track that I remember for having a soothing effect. While there is a standard trap-like layer in its instrumental, I enjoyed the guitars’ presence, which grounded the song and channelled that already mentioned soothing effect. Vocally, I was very impressed with the huskier tones in the choruses and the breathy delivery the members adopted in the track. JONGHO’s vocals in the pre-choruses were exceptionally stunning, while HONGJOONG’s louder and shoutier raps were an interesting contrast to the rest of Empty Box. (8/10)
5. Shaboom – In Shaboom, we get pronounced reggae in the verses, while the choruses adopt crunchy and textural synths. By the song’s end, we hear Shaboom go fully electronic, retaining the crunchy texture. Altogether, it’s a very intriguing combination that does give me whiplash. But it ultimately works in my mind. JONGHO and the rappers ensure that the ATEEZ roots are kept in the song, though I cannot think of any other artist who would release Shaboom. The soft and elongated ‘Shaboom’ in the background at the start of the choruses is a very unserious detail that gets me each time I listen to the song. (8/10)
6. Siren – Ending the album is Siren, which brings us back to hip-hop and dance territory. While the instrumental does ‘pop off’ with its cool percussion, Siren is the mini-album’s plainest song. But it is definitely the most effective song that didn’t have me umming or uhhing at any point of the song. All the members were super engaging, and I really enjoyed the ‘Ringing siren’ chant at the end, where it goes from whispery to shouty. (9/10)
Following their earlier 2024 comeback with WORK and the first part of their Golden Hour series (yet to be reviewed, but it is incoming), ATEEZ has returned with the second instalment of the series. As part of that new mini-album is the new single Ice On My Teeth.
Elegant hip-hop is the first thing that came to mind when I heard Ice On My Teeth. The combination of the hip-hop beat and the classical elements melds together extremely well and created a very unique atmopshere. I do like how the song outros itself, re-emphasing the smoothness of Ice On My Teeth. But while I really liked the production of Ice On My Teeth, I did think the song could have gone further. It is quite subdued in its current state and the track really needed something to break this. I lowkey was expecting an explosive peak of some kind (perhaps an explosive high note from JONGHO or a really bold concentration of the music towards the end), just to really drive home the song. But we never got there. I can say the exact same thing about their vocals and rapping. They very much embrace the elegance and made sure they fit that vibe of Ice On My Teeth. But in doing so, they keep themselves so subdued and they needed some more oomph to break this consistency. The biggest issue I have with Ice On My Teeth are the lyrics. They stuck out from the very first listen, but not in a good way. If anyone can tell me what “I brought diamonds at my dentist, I’ve been playing like tennis” means, that would be much appreciated.
Just the song, the music video also goes down the elegant route. And there isn’t anything as elegant as a big mansion they are in. Throw in some renaissance art, ballerinas, chandeliers, headbusts – you pretty much get the picture. I do like how the video keeps it edgy (as this is ATEEZ we are talking about) by having everyone else in the video don balacavas (including the headbusts). The bonfire and setting the place alight also lends well to this edginess. All the members looks so good visually, as well as the camera work in the video.
For the performance, I really find their movement on stage to be so smooth. From the backwards shuffle to the slant crab-like walk (think there is a proper name for this move, but I cannot think of it), everything looked sleek and goes well with that elegance that is channeled through all aspects of the comeback. As for the rest of it, I liked how ATEEZ finds the balance to make sure it looks intense (like their other routines) without being visually intense. Their aura and charisma on stage must also be commended.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.5/10
Yesterday, ATEEZ made their comeback with their 11th mini album, Golden Hour: Part 1, and the title track WORK. This new release from the 8-member group follows on from their THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILLstudio album from December 2023 (led by the single Crazy Form), their Japanese single Not Okay (yet to be reviewed) and their viral Coachella performance.
WORK steps away from ATEEZ’s usual powerful electronic based dance tracks. Instead, it opts for a much lighter and fun hip-hop sound that suits the group. We have heard fun from ATEEZ before, with the most recent example I can think of on the top of my head being The Real. But here, the production is toned down quite a bit without the presence of ATEEZ’s usual strong and dynamic synth work. I liked the playful vibes WORK exudes, particularly thanks to the presence of that dulled flute sound. These playful vibes also shines ATEEZ in a new light. As part of the change in sound, ATEEZ is able to showcase even more rhythmic rapping and melodic vocals than ever before in WORK. And as a result of that, WORK has a catchy centrepiece that re-emphasises that lighter and fun sound. I also like how JONGHO’s vocals still manage to pierce through the chorus, which does give WORK some dimension and depth. But while WORK has the above positive aspects to it, the biggest problem I have with WORK is that it doesn’t go anywhere. WORK is definitely missing its peak, and so it feels rather monotonous when you consider the entirety of the track together. We do get a bit more to the song in the outro, but it isn’t as satisfying as previous outros they have done in the past. Because of this, I haven’t really taken to WORK since its release yesterday. Maybe some more listens can help grow the song further on me. But for now, it feels like any other day at the office to me.
That fun nature of WORK is definitely present throughout the music video. The video sees the members hustle to make more money and then enjoy their wealth. JONGHO buried underground (sans his head), YEOSANG and YUNHO’s obsession of the chicken that lays golden eggs, and HONGJOONG and MINGI’s battle with the monster made of money are some of the unserious parts of the video that stood out for me. SEONGHWA’s ostrich ride could have been one of them, but the ‘fueling up’ scene stuck out at me for the wrong reasons. When together, they either embrace/celebrate the money (with MINGI’s purple suit reminding me of Willy Wonka), the hip-hop side of the song or are busy flipping burgers to make more money.
The choreography for WORK is solid. Unfortunately, it doesn’t strike me as their best routine ever. But I think that is more so the collateral they had to pay to fully embrace the lighter and fun hip-hop sound that is WORK.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 7.5/10 Overall Rating – 7.4/10
I present to you my thoughts on ATEEZ’s second studio album THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL, which dropped back on 1 December 2023. I know I have been mentioning this review for quite a bit as I have been reviewing some side tracks in preparation for this album review over the last few weeks. A total of 12 tracks, including the title track Crazy Form, four unit and solo tracks and 2 interlude/outro tracks, feature on this album. Also in some unexpected news that I just found out whilst writing up this album review, ATEEZ literally announced their next Korean comeback yesterday with GOLDEN HOUR Part. 1 and a May 31 release date. So with this album review out of the way, it is also time to prepare for ATEEZ’s next comeback (if you have already recovered from their 2 epic Coachella performances). But first, my thoughts on THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL.
Please note that this album review also marks my final album review for a 2023 album for now. Apologies if you were awaiting for another 2023 album to be reviewed. They will form part of the list of albums that I will look to review in my spare time on an ad-hoc basis from previous years.
THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL Album Cover
1. WE KNOW – WE KNOW builds the intensity for what is to come on this studio album. It feels suspenseful and maintains that vibe for majority of the song, which makes for an interesting opener. There is a fair bit I like in WE KNOW, such as the refrained rapping and the use of the autotune to help further that suspense and intensity. However, I feel WE KNOW’s vocals (excluding JONGHO’s impressive ad-libs) were sub-par and the instrumentation (I expected some sort of peak and not a linear trajectory to this song) was lackluster, and the hooks and melodies felt too underbaked. (7/10)
2. Emergency – Emergency steps the energy up a notch, but it takes a while for me to actually get into the track. I like the infusion of a more “epic vibe” into the instrumentation. The bass and synths definitely make the song bolder, while the members bring a certain hype energy to the table in Emergency. The best part of the song has to be the bridge – from JONGHO’s vocals to slight inclination of the instrumental to the rappers bringing up the energy in a similar manner. While the melodies do sound better in Emergency compared to the previous song, it could have gone further. The hooks were also a weak element. Had both picked up sooner, I think I would have gotten into the track a lot faster and not wait until we got near to the end to realize I like the song. (7.5/10)
4. ARRIBA – I like the exotic tinge to ARRIBA’s instrumental. It instantly attracts attention and appeals to me. In addition to the instrumentation, the energy that the members channel felt promising. The ending was the most exciting sequence of the song, thanks to the layering of ad-libs and chorus. The hooks were catchy and the melodies were almost sleek-like. I did think there was opportunity for the members to go even further and make ARRIBA feel even more of a hype track. But there is already a lot more to enjoy in ARRIBA compared to the other side tracks thus far on the mini-album. (8/10)
5. Silver Light – Silver Light’s electronic and synth-based instrumentation reminds me of Cyberpunk – a very infamous side track of ATEEZ’s. However, instead of being as intense and hard-hitting as Cyberpunk, Silver Light opts for a softer profile. I quite like Silver Light as it feels very ATEEZ, but the delicate sound profile and simmering/held back intensity is very unique and different for the group. The members’ vocals and rapping work extremely well in Silver Light, with the vocal work bringing out a more elegant sound. The rappers hold themselves back to complement the soundscape but I did like the roughness they have to offer in Silver Light. Best part of the song has to be YEOSANG and YUNHO’s English line in the choruses – their deep vocals adds to that simmering intensity that makes Silver Light so entrancing for me. (9/10)
6. Crescent Part.2 – Serving as an unofficial interlude to the album is Crescent Part.2. We heard something quite similar in TREASURE EP.3 : One To All, where Crescent (Part 1) served as an interlude with a similar soundscape of ocean waves crashing and birds in the distance. In Crescent Part.2, the instrumental piece is also quite riveting and stunning. It literally felt like nature all around me when I listen to this track. Extremely atmospheric. But it ends with a foreboding sound of a ship horn going off in the distance.
7. Dreamy Day (꿈날) – Bringing in some light to the album is Dreamy Day. I don’t have much thoughts on the instrumentation, but the brighter tone to the instrumentation did bring a smile to my face. As does the melodies. The vocals are much softer and it really did feel like the vocal line in this song took full advantage of the softer tone of the song to bring out those melodies thoroughly. The rappers are contained to just the second verse and kept to the softer brief that is Dreamy Day. Altogether, it was a very pleasant and enjoyable track. (8/10)
12. FIN : WILL – Closing out this studio album and THE WORLD era is FIN : WILL. There are some really nice narrations to the song. It starts off with questions about having painful memories and moments in the past. After a short focus on those, the questions start to become more hopeful and positive, which felt fitting for the uplifting tone that the music goes for. The backing piece is atmospheric and reflective, reminding me of a walk where you are lost in your own thoughts that are positively influenced by the nice sunny and breezy surroundings.
Over the last few weeks, I have been reviewing the solo and unit tracks from ATEEZ’s The World EP.Fin: Will that had an accompanying music video. Thus far, I have reviewed HONGJOONG & SEONGHWA’s MATZ, YEOSANG, SAN & WOOYOUNG’s IT’s You and YUNHO & MINGI’s Youth. That leaves JONGHO, who was the only member of the group to have a solo track on the studio album. The song is titled Everything. With the review completed, I can finally turn my attention to the album review – which will be posted tomorrow!
Once again, it should come as no surprise that the main vocalist of a group has gone down a balladry route for their solo track. But with JONGHO at the helm of Everything, you can definitely tell that this one is going to be an amazing one. Everything sees JONGHO and the piano start off quite soft, aligning with the lyrics that tells us that he is beginning to remember his former lover again (and on a regular occurrence). Once he approaches the chorus, the lyrics reflects his struggle with his inactions in the past and his soaring vocals in this part signifies the passion he personally feels that he would have done things differently in the past. The instrumental remains fairly neutral here. For the second verse of Everything, we get a bit more to the instrumentation and we hear JONGHO reflect how the unsuccessful relationship has affected him. We get another run at the chorus, before JONGHO really picks it up with some stunning high notes and oomph to his vocals. The lyrics here tells us he really wants to get back with his former lover. The power and emotion behind his vocals in this part tells us that he is very willing to do anything to get what he wants. But the final moments of Everything (and this interpretation also aligns with what we see in the music video – more on that in a moment) brings the story-telling to a semi-sharp ending, probably with the realisation that while his partner was everything to him, it won’t be that way anymore. Everything is definitely quite captivating and I liked how his lyrics told us a story. You can also definitely feel the emotions from his vocals and delivery. My only hesitation about the song is that the melodies aren’t as prevalent. But another great ballad for JONGHO and ATEEZ.
Similar to the song above, the music video shows us how JONGHO wants to do more in the past with his now ex-lover. At the start of the video, we see him alone, remembering about his former lover. He wanders to places where he has fond memories of her and can’t bring himself to go home. We then see his memories of the relationship and the subsequent breakdown of the relationship. The storyline and emotions in the video peaks as the song does with JONGHO’s final chorus of Everything. As mentioned above, the song finishes finishes semi-sharply (i.e., no instrumentation and final word from JONGHO). In the video, we see the partner’s presence disappear into the darkness and JONGHO only remaining at the end. From there, post-music, we see JONGHO sit around by himself and everything that gave him good memories (i.e., the basketball ring and their home) alight, which probably represents the reality that those memories shouldn’t linger but be forgotten (or else he would not be able to move on). It is a good video and I like how it works in tandem with the song and lyrics.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
As previously flagged, I am gearing up to review ATEEZ’s The World EP.Fin: Will. But I will be reviewing the unit and solo tracks that has an accompanying music video released in January of this year first. So far I have reviewed HONGJOONG and SEONGHWA’s MATZ and YEOSANG, SAN and WOOYOUNG’s IT’s You. Today, I will be reviewing YUNHO & MINGI’s Youth.
Out of the four side-tracks that I will be reviewing from the The World EP. Fin: Will album, Youth is the most recognisable track of the bunch. There are a few elements within Youth that has made the song stay with me since its release in December. The most profound element is the song’s melodic flow. I find that the melodies in Youth bring out a nostalgia factor that ultimately makes the song so comforting and inviting to listen to. Further to that, the combination of MINGI’s raspy vocals and YUNHO’s crisper tone makes the melody feel so soothing to listen and ring out even louder after the fact. This definitely helps makes the song catchy and memorable. The hooks also help out with this memorable factor of Youth. The second element that stands out to me is the instrumental. It opts for a softer tone that I wished ATEEZ explores a bit more. I feel there is potential for the group to delve into this sound further. The combination of the melancholy piano and subtle sprinkle of brass, alongside the comfortable band instrumentation, just re-emphasise all of the descriptors that I have already mentioned for Youth. Even the rapping from MINGI was well balanced and I liked his presence in the song.
Youth is about the struggles that one experience at a young age and how it was tough yet under-played by adults who think they know better. And in the music video, we see both MINGI and YUNHO come to terms with their struggles. MINGI’s character’s struggles appears to be with other people – the societal struggles, based on how he is always surrounded or is with someone wearing a black mask. In a later scene, we see a shadow of MINGI with arrows in his back, representing the various ‘shots’ people have taken at him. YUNHO, on the other hand, is by himself for majority of the video and I think that represents a more personal and internal struggle. The broken car might represent his attempts to get away from it all. In the end, the video ends with their house (for MINGI’s character) and garage (for YUNHO’s character) burn down and we see them run away with one another, suggesting that their friendship has helped them move forward from the struggles. Aside from the plot, I like the warmer hue of the video, which enhances all of the above that I mentioned about the song.
Again, no formal performance video for this song release. So I am relying on the snippets that are in the music video and a fan-cam of the performance from their concert. The performance actually looks quite nice. Just like the other elements of the comeback, the performance also came had a comforting vibe. The suits the pair donned made the stage look more sophisticated and was probably to highlight the fact they are at a more mature stage of their lives now, and I really liked the jazzy interlude I saw the pair perform as part of their stage. I also think YUNHO shined with this performance, with his cool solo moment in the bridge.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.3/10
Back in March, I flagged that I would be review the unit and solo tracks from ATEEZ’s The World EP.Fin: Will studio album ahead of the album review, as each of these track got the music video treatment. I had reviewed HONGJOONG and SEONGHWA’s MATZ before completely pausing these ATEEZ reviews. But they are still on my radar to review. Today, I will be focusing on YEOSANG, SAN and WOOYOUNG’s unit track IT’s You.
IT’s You taps into R&B and I am all for it. It isn’t the most memorable track from the album, but like most R&B tracks, IT’s You is charming. The sensual vibes come through the instrumental quite well, and the this particular trio of ATEEZ members executes it well. Most of their vocals are sultry and seductive, which I find complements the R&B nature of the song quite well. SAN in particularly stood out for me as his vocals help bring the smoothness to the song. Nothing else really caught my attention that I could really remember after the fact. But if I had to pick what got close to also being memorable were the chorus melody, the suspenseful interlude we get after the first chorus and the whispery delivery of the bridge. It is just these elements didn’t go far enough and stay with me after the song wrapped. My biggest qualm about the IT’s You is the autotune at the start in YEOSANG’s opening verse. He handles vocals well, as demonstrated later in the song, so I am not sure if the heavy autotune was needed. Also I am not convinced that the autotune added anything to IT’s You, noting the rest of the song was delivered with vocals that were far less autotuned.
Set in an alleyway, the music video does a good job of complementing the smoothness and R&B tones of the song, yet maintaining that edginess that the ATEEZ always manages to infuse into their outputs. The smoothness comes thought via the editing, with the transitions giving off that smooth and fluidity. The R&B/sensual tones comes through the limited range of solo shots and the more dominantly featured choreography shots. There honestly isn’t much to the music video, but it works well as a visual representation of IT’s You.
As mentioned above, sexiness came through the music video via the visuals, with a large part of that being the choreography. YEOSANG, SAN and WOOYOUNG executed sensual vibes and tones quite well, making it a riveting performance. Their solo moments were also quite good. My only question is why didn’t the trio get a performance video, as well. They deserve one!
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 7.5/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.6/10
As part of the ATEEZ’s latest album, The World EP.Fin: Will (which was released on 1 December 2023; album review coming soon), unit and solo tracks were featured on the tracklist alongside the title track Crazy Form. Each of these unit and solo tracks have a music video, thus making them eligible for a standard song review on my blog. Hence, in the lead up to the album review for The World EP.Fin: Will, I will be reviewing each of these unit and solo tracks separately. Naturally, the place to begin is the track with the first music video – HONGJOONG and SEONGHWA’s duo track MATZ.
With both HONGJOONG AND SEONGHWA being rappers in the group, it again comes as no surprise to me that the pair focuses on rapping and hip-hop in MATZ. While tracks like MATZ aren’t my instant go-to on any album, I can’t help but nod along to the song every time it comes up on the album or my playlists. I like how the pair does not hold back in any way or form – production or delivery aspects included. It feels like an onslaught of energy and intensity. The electronic and synths that were chosen to form the backing of MATZ is extremely textured and grungy-like. The intensity and robustness of the instrumental keeps us (the listeners on our toes). I particularly was caught off guard by the change in sound for the final sequence of the song. But the more I listen to MATZ, the more I feel it ties and sums up the song quite well by extending the aforementioned onslaught further. On the delivery side, both HONGJOONG and SEONGHWA bring a little something different to MATZ, which contributes to the heightened nature of the song. HONGJOONG sounds very expressive with his delivery, bringing energy and dynamism to the mix. On the other hand, SEONGHWA mumbles and slurs some of his words together, which I find adds a bit of personality and character to the song. I also find that he holds back the track – in the sense that it keeps MATZ grounded and not necessarily anything negative.
The music video sees the pair get kidnapped after a performance and held hostage. Later on they escape, only after they make a statement out of their escape. Further to that, HONGJOONG and SEONGHWA’s song is about their chemistry together, so the music video is definitely sending a message that nothing can hold them back when the two are together. Aside from that, I like the darker vibes of the music video, which matches up with that grungy feeling I was getting from the song. The only part that I didn’t like in the video is the use of the grills as part of their styling. Never liked them and probably never will.
As far as I am aware, MATZ is the only unit track from the latest ATEEZ album to actually have a ‘performance video‘ (i.e., there is choreography). Just like the song, the routine is super intense and the pair (along with the dancers) make sure to reflect this in the performance. I also like their chemistry and their individual expressions, which adds to the energy and vigor of the performance.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
Also making her comeback today is CHUNG HA, who returns for the first time in 1 year and 8 months since her Sparkling comeback in July 2022 (and what was supposed to be the first part of her second studio album Bare&Rare). Since then, CHUNG HA went on an extended break from the industry, left MNH Entertainment and signed on with More Vision (the home of Jay Park, Honey J and some dance crews). Today, she returns with the single EENIE MEENIE, which features HONGJOONG from ATEEZ.
Signing onto a hip-hop label was the first sign that CHUNG HA was going down the hip-hop genre. But I did not expect that she would lean in this hard into the genre through EENIE MEENIE. Despite being well rooted in the genre, I feel that EENIE MEENIE keeps itself laid back. The instrumentation going with a minimalistic vibe, with the bass giving EENIE MEENIE a lot of character and personality to work with without the aid of much else. That being said, CHUNG HA does offer a bit more to the song down the track, with the pingy twangs we hear during the instrumental break adding further to that character and personality. As for her delivery, CHUNG HA’s main vectors in EENIE MEENIE are both graceful vocals and a sing-speak approach for the central piece of the song, with the latter being the more prominent delivery mechanism. There really isn’t much to the song that really give us an opportunity to sink our teeth in. But yet, I found EENIE MEENIE‘s minimalistic approach and CHUNG HA’s vocal charisma to keep us captivated and bring forth a stylish aesthetic. As noted above, HONGJOONG from ATEEZ also features in the song. His usual energetic delivery style is here, but I like how he also holds back to make sure he fits in with the rest of EENIE MEENIE. It might not be the track you expect from CHUNG HA, but it is definitely impactful and memorable.
First watch of the music video and I am totally digging it. So much so that I had 10/10 floating in my brain from the first watch. The entire video dons an urban look, which I find is simple and effortless looking. The post-production throughout this video is on point (particularly the changing garage doors). So are the camera work and styling. That person in the very shiny outfit was creepy but definitely a memorable aspect of the video. Also memorable is CHUNG HA’s visuals. Her outfits alone look amazing. I also like that HONGJOONG was part of the music video. Always nice to see the featuring artist in the video, no matter how brief it is.
Another part that contributes to the music video are the choreography shots. And given that this is CHUNG HA we are talking about, this aspect is (not surprisingly) nailed amazingly. She is both charismatic and captivating throughout the performance for EENIE MEENIE. It was hard to turn away from the her dance and the choreography scenes in general. And there is also a human slide that she slides down in the performance. As if that wouldn’t be up there with the rest of her epic performances from the past.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 9.5/10
Welcome back to the Weekly KPOP Charts, this time for the 1st Week of the final month of 2023. We are practically on the home stretch to the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024. It is also that time of the year where I need to get a move on with some scheduled posts for over the Christmas break, which will be my focus for the next few weeks ahead of Christmas. So you can imagine there is a lot to do to keep the posts coming out running over the upcoming holiday break. But before I get back to those posts, here is the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 1st Week December 2023.
ICYMI – 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards
If you have yet to vote in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards, click the link here to be taken to the voting page to support your favourite artists, songs and performances of 2023.
This week’s throwback song comes from SHINee’s Melon Music Awards performance from last weekend. Of the four songs from the last decade (i.e., 2010s) that performed, my pick this time around is Dream Girl.
Non-Korean song of the week
Jun.K (otherwise known as Junsu from 2PM)’s latest Japanese single, Command C+Me, is this week’s top Non-Korean song of the week. It ranks in the 18th position this week.
The Charts
Congratulations to ATEEZ and their comeback single Crazy Form for rising to the top of my Weekly KPOP Charts for the 1st Week of December 2023. For more of the charts, keep on scrolling down below.
Pos.
Song
Artist
Change
1
Crazy Form
ATEEZ
(▲ 20)
2
God Of Music
SEVENTEEN
(▲ 24)
3
Sweet Venom
ENHYPEN
(▼ 2)
4
Chill Kill
Red Velvet
(▲ 4)
5
LALALALA
Stray Kids
(▼ 2)
6
OOTD
Dreamcatcher
(▲ 6)
7
Talk Saxy
RIIZE
(▲ 57)
8
Soñar (Breaker)
NMIXX
(NEW)
9
Chasing That Feeling
TXT
(▲8)
10
To. X
TAEYEON (SNSD)
(=)
11
Baby Baby
Nam Woohyun (INFINITE)
(▲ 64)
12
What The Hell
DKB
(▲ 63)
13
NO WHERE, NOW HERE
ROTHY
(▲ 62)
14
VROOM VROOM
Weeekly
(▲ 18)
15
Must Have Love
ATBO
(▲ 60)
16
the soul savior ~ I don’t need a superman
Billlie
(▲ 59)
17
Gum
JESSI
(▲ 58)
18
Command C+Me
Jun.K (2PM)
(▲ 57)
19
Playground
LUN8wave
(▲ 56)
20
WATCH IT
THE BOYZ
(▼ 4)
21
I
Park Bom ft. Dawn
(▲ 12)
22
Screen Time
EPIK HIGH ft. HOSHI (SEVENTEEN)
(▲ 53)
23
Roller Coaster
24K+
(▲ 52)
24
Dropkick
&TEAM
(▲ 12)
25
ODD-VENTURE
MCND
(▲50)
26
Baddie
IVE
(▼ 2)
27
In The Mood
Whee In (MAMAMOO)
(▲ 27)
28
NEW STAR
n.SSIGN
(▲ 15)
29
War Cry
&TEAM
(▼ 22)
30
Do It
Youngjae (GOT7)
(▼ 7)
Songs leaving the charts
The following songs have wrapped up their nine week run in the charts system, and will no longer be on the charts from next week:
KPOPREVIEWED 