Welcome back for the Weekly KPOP Charts segment. Once again, I am hoping to draft up and post some new reviews – this time, for the Easter long weekend, which I will be on break for between Wednesday this week through to Tuesday the week after for the weekend. During this time, you will be seeing some scheduled reviews, with a primary focus on the recent debuts which I haven’t yet covered on the blog. So, I am going to make this a short introduction to get right to the charts and for me to move onto the drafting those reviews for you! And I have more than one already scheduled! So without further ado, here are the Weekly KPOP Chart for the 3rd Week of March 2024.
Throwback Song of the Week
Each week I pick a song from the past to feature in this segment. It is recognition for the fact I listen to more than just the currently charting songs. And revisiting these songs are truly a blast from the past. Plus, I am hoping that this segment introduces new listeners to some great songs that I have enjoyed from my many years of listening to KPOP. The throwback song is actually a compilation, courtesy of DINGO MUSIC, who featured DAY6 on the latest edition of Killing Voice. The main singles from DAY6’s discography were covered in this video, and it was a great trip down memory lane. Highly recommend that you check the video out.
Non-Korean Song of the Week
As my focus on this blog is primarily on KPOP songs, I draw attention to a particular song that isn’t in the Korean language in this part of the Weekly KPOP Chart post. That song is the top ranking non-Korean song on each Weekly KPOP Chart post. The past week’s non-Korean song of the week is V’s FRI(END)S.
The Charts
Congratulations to DAY6 and their long-awaited comeback with Welcome To The Show for debuting in the top spot for the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 3rd Week of March 2024.
Another comeback from the day is a long awaited one. DAY6 returns for the first time since April 2021 with a new single and mini-album, titled Welcome To The Show and Fourever, respectively. Since their last comeback with You Make Me and The Book of Us: Negentropy, the band had focused on unit releases (via Even of Day); solo work for Young K, Wonpil and Dowoon; and their individual military enlistments. This is also the group’s first official release as a quartet, following the departure of Jae from the band in 2021.
To me, Welcome To The Show hits the right spots. As a return to the industry following a 3 year hiatus, Welcome To The Show is an appropriately titled single for the occasion. The lyrics, penned by Young K, is about a serenade to those who have been on one’s side on the stage that is the world (taken from SOOMPI), and I felt the lyrics themselves were quite relatable and meaningful. Welcome To The Show‘s ‘post-Britpop and progressive house elements’ (taken from SOOMPI) instrumentation was amazingly executed by the band. I liked the lively and refreshing feeling all throughout Welcome To The Show, but a really defining element of the song is that ithad impact and punch, which really sold the track to me. I also really like the exclamatory of the choruses, and how it felt like DAY6 was relaunching themselves at us – all of which felt endearing when you consider the lyrics and messaging behind the song. And this ‘relaunch’ and liveliness reminds me very much of my favourite DAY6 song of all time – Time Of Our Life. Welcome To My Show also shows off the band’s vocal work splendidly. At the start, the band starts off low and almost raspy-like. By the time the chorus kicks in, we are getting upward flicks in tone and high notes that adds more to that impact and punch mentioned earlier. The melodies are also great. I found it very hard to turn away from Welcome To The Show, and I think that will be my ongoing experience with this track.
In addition to DAY6 practicing and performing on a stage in the video, we also see a love story play out. The video features Yoo Seung Ho and Choi Hee Jin, as the main and established couple. Both are part of a stage production, with Yoo Seung Ho’s character being the tech person behind the stage and Choi Hee Jin’s character is a background stage performer. At the end of a rehearsal, Choi Hee Jin stays behind to feel what it is like to be the main character of the play, and Yoo Seung Ho notices this. He stays back to help make that feeling come alive with his technical expertise with the lights and joins her on stage. As part of this main character moment, the couple sees their happy and loving future flash before their eyes, before (and back in reality) Yoo Seung Ho gets down on one knee to propose to Choi Hee Jin. The shots and focus on the characters reminded me a lot of DAY6’s past music videos, and I thought the ending was quite cute.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 10/10 Overall Rating – 10/10
Young K’s let it be summer is nominated for Best Rock Song in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support let it be summer and your other favourite acts by clicking here to vote today.
If you haven’t seen yet, I have posted the song reviews for Young K’s 2023 releases, nothing but and let it be summer (links below), over the last two weeks. And with that, I am ready to post my thoughts on Young K’s album that features these two tracks – Letter with Notes. This is Young K’s first comeback since his military enlistment and his first studio album. It dropped on 4 September 2023. Personally, I really like the variety that Young K offers in this album – there is a bit of rock, jazz, ballads etc. I kind of had the mindset that the entire album will just be variations of rock (given that Young K does come from a band) or just the more typical vocals/band formula. But there is a lot more to Letters with Notes as you dig further into the album. I highly recommend this release, especially if you are missing your DAY6 dose lately.
Letters With Notes Album Cover
1. waited(오늘만을너만을이날을) – Starting off the album is waited. To me, this 90s-like rock track is one of a few that I feel DAY6 easily could have executed together. It just had that whole band vibe that DAY6 has built for them. Well, of course, Young K does a really good job himself with his passionate vocals. I also enjoyed the upbeat and bright energy from the band instrumentation, the pairing making waited a lovely opener, and the glitchy-like echo of following the first chorus was a memorable and unique element of the song. (9/10)
4. Dreamer (꿈꿈) – Dreamer is a British rock track, with feel-good vibes at the forefront of the track. I really like the grungy guitar work in this track, which gives Dreamer a bit of grit, and the splash of brass in the background that emphasises and concentrates those feel-good vibes. Those same vibes are also exuded through Young K’s vocals – the best showing of his vocals is during the bridge, when the melodies curls up. The way he sings those ‘curls’ is impeccable. I find myself getting lost in all of the above often when I hear Dreamer on my queue, and that is definitely a solid indicator to how good the song is. (10/10)
5. Bungee Jumping – Bungee Jumping moves us into slightly softer territory, with a more mellow and pleasant vibe to its instrumentation (despite remaining upbeat). But before you think this translates a softer or mellow approach to Young K’s vocals, think again. I find Young K still puts some oomph behind his vocals during certain parts of the song (such as the opener to the chorus), which brings forth a bungee jumping-like effect to his vocals, which I find complements the title of the song well. Apart from that, everything (melodies, delivery etc.) feels pretty standard. (8/10)
6. natural – The instrumentation to natural evokes a foot-tapping reaction from me, which is another sign of a good song. I like how straight forwardly simple and pure the instrumentation, which complements the title (again) and the romantic intent of the song. Young K’s vocals are really nice in natural, with the soloist going down a more heartfelt and soft approach. I love how delicate he gets in this song, which contrasts nicely with the instrumentation. (9/10)
7. STRANGE – STRANGE reinvigorates the album with the infusion of synths alongside the band instrumentation. It ends up giving off a different dynamic to the rest of the traditional band approaches on the album, serving us with a playful vibe. You can also feel the refreshing energy coming from the soloist’s vocals. Throw in some catchy moments and you have a strong side track in STRANGE. (9/10)
8. SOUL (ft. COILB) – We revisit brass and band instrumentation in SOUL. This time around, the brass is more in the forefront and we also get a nice mellow touch via the presence of piano. Together, with the band instrumentation, we get a jazzy-like atmosphere. Young K himself brings so much soul and passion during the chorus, captivating and engaging me. So much so that I feel SOUL is his best effort vocally on this album. COILB’s rapping also complements SOUL quite well, with his delivery also giving passionate and soulful vibes. (10/10)
9. playground – The playful vibes come back to play in playground, with a funkier sound profile in this rock track. There also appears to be a touch of blues in playground. Young K’s vocals also play around, with his delivery throughout and the quirks in the vocals giving off confident, lively and cheeky undertones. I really like the dynamics of playground and just wished it had gone on and on. (9/10)
10. babo – Despite the song’s title being the Korean word for ‘fool’, babo is an all-English track. The instrumentation makes babo an interesting track, with the various detailing, pauses and changes that unexpectedly arises as the song progresses. Despite listening to the song a few times since its release, I do find that I still get caught off guard with some of it, such as when the song turns acoustic out of nowhere and fades away. But despite that, babo is still a decent listen. (8/10)
11. what is.. – The final track on the album is (no surprises) a ballad. I really like the atmospheric instrumentation of what is.. and how it further emphasises the emotional heft that ultimately comes from Young K’s vocals. In addition to the emotions, his vocals are stunningly beautiful, captivating and engaging us once again. It also made for a nice closer to this album. (9/10)
Young K’s let it be summer is nominated for Best Rock Song in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support let it be summer and your other favourite acts by clicking here to vote today.
Young K from DAY6 made his solo debut back in 2021 with the single Guard You. Following that, he carried out his military enlistment until April of this year. In September, he returned as a solo artist, bringing his first studio album Letters with Notes, the pre-release single let it be summer (which I have already reviewed) and the title track nothing but (the latter being the focus of this review).
While let it be summer was an energetic rock track, nothing but goes down the balladry path. The rock/band elements do remain in the instrumentation and the backing is also rather simplistic. These elements and its simplistic approach tones down the energy quite a bit to fit that balladry approach. But it is obvious to me that the execution of the backing remained passionate to enable nothing but to be an effective carrier of Young K’s vocals, which is so damn emotive. You can feel the heartbreak and pain behind his voice, which made the song so impactful to me when I first heard it. And it still remains that way every time I play the song again and again. Aside from that, I found the jerky piano at the start made for a stilling opening and a good beginning. But I would have liked more striking piano work elsewhere in nothing but to complement the beginning somehow. As it is, nothing but is still an emotive rock ballad that serves as a strong addition to Young K’s solo work.
The music video features both Young K and DAHYUN from TWICE, who we see are going through a break up. From Young K’s perspective (based on the lyrics of nothing but), he could feel that the breakup was coming. But he tries to hold onto what is left, as much as he can. We see him lose the ring in a car that is going to be dropped from up high. But no matter way, he tries to find it. DAHYUN drinks all of the water in the glass, and he goes to fill it back up as a way to keep her at the table. We see her hand back the presents that he once bought her – later shown to be frozen in ice (a metaphor for their relationship). But he still smashes his way through the ice to free the items. But no matter what he does, the video shows ultimately ends in their breakup. It is a really abstract yet interesting music video to watch. I also thought the acting of both Young K and DAHYUN was exceptional in this video.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
Young K’s let it be summer is nominated for Best Rock Song in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support let it be summer and your other favourite acts by clicking here to vote today.
In September of this year, Young K from DAY6 marked his return to the solo stage with his first studio album, Letters with Note. The first song from the album released was let it be summer, which dropped at the end of August as pre-release single. Following this track was the official release of the studio album and the title track nothing but (which I will be posting a review for in the coming days).
For me, I found let it be summer to be a very straight forward track. It is a lively and energetic rock track that never stops, with the rock energy continually pushing the song forward. The atmosphere of let it be summer can easily be described as feel-good, and has always evoked a foot-tapping or head-banging reaction from me (depending on the day). It also always puts a smile on my face for its celebration of summer. Young K’s vocals in let it be summer are just as dynamic as the instrumentation and I really like the extra oomph his singing gives the chorus. While my thoughts and impression on let it be summer is short and brief, I found the track to be super effective and a highlight on my playlist (and Young K’s album). As such, I nominated let it be summer as one of the contenders for ‘Best Rock Song of 2023’ in the 2023 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.
The music video also does not fluff around, showing two things – the first is Young K rocking about in the country side and the second is a younger actor (presumably playing the role of a younger Young K) hanging out and having fun with his friends. I really like the part of the video where the two words combine, with Young K and his younger self playing the guitar alongside one another. But while the song is energetic and dynamic, I wished the camera work wasn’t much so. There was a bit too much movement and it made it extremely hard to focus.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 7.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.4/10
At the start of February this year, Wonpil made his solo debut with Pilmography, two months prior to his military enlistment. This release comes in the form of a studio album (which is a rare form of a debut, though it has been done before), which is lead by the single Voiceless. In addition to Voiceless, there are nine other addition tracks on the album – some of which have been performed live by Wonpil in some form following the album’s release. Today, I will finally be reviewing the album (almost five months after its release).
Going into the album, I thought we would be getting ballad after ballad for some reason. I guess Wonpil looks like a ballad type of guy. But I was genuinely surprised that ballads only make up a small portion of the album. Instead, we got different song styles coming through. It is all in the realm of music that can be performed by a band, but it isn’t all rock (as one might think when it comes to band music) or ballads. I highly recommend you check out this album, as some of the songs are stunning. Others are surprising or just plain old pleasant. But all are very good songs.
2. Sincerity (지우게) – At first, I thought Sincerity was a straight forward ballad with striking piano, which I totally enjoyed. But as the song continues, it unexpectedly changes momentum via the insertion of synths during the choruses. It isn’t a complete shakeup though, as the beat is maintained and the song reverts between the two as its progresses along. I also found it to be quite cohesive, as a result. I enjoyed the way Wonpil’s vocals climbed to match the intensity that the synths bring and how he brought an airiness of the verses to give it some colour. (9/10)
3. A Writer in a Love Story (소설 속의 작가가 되어) – You can tell that A Writer in a Love Story is a lot more cheerful compared to some of the other song, thanks to its upbeat and jazzy tone. I feel that this brought a warm feel to the album as a result. And since it is cold where I am, I was really feeling it. I also like how Wonpil’s vocals compliments different genres, with his vocals sounding splendid in this enjoyable and pleasant song. (8/10)
4. Walk With Me (우리 더 걸을까) – The acoustic nature of Walk With Me feels very fitting for the Springtime in which the album was released in. It felt like a song that easily could have risen in the charts had it been standalone and well promoted, just like how some other Spring songs tend to rise out of nowhere during the Spring season on the Korean charts. Wonpil sounds sweet and warm touch to the song, complimenting the lyrics and overall feel of the song, which highlights the loving nature of the song. (8/10)
5. Stranded (외딴섬의 외톨이) – One of my picks for best song on Pilmography is Stranded, simply because I don’t mind having this song on repeat. It brings back synths, bringing forth a jazzy city pop vibe, and an upbeat tempo. Both are appealing aspects on a vocal centric album like this. I find Wonpil’s voice to be the best in Stranded, as he pulled out a few different techniques to make the song more interesting on his part. I particularly enjoyed his interaction with the backing vocals in the pre-chorus for this song. (10/10)
6. Someday, Spring Will Come (언젠가 봄은 찾아올 거야) – If you are looking for a softer and an ‘easy on the ear’ song, Someday, Spring Will Come is the song for you. It is, however, a more bittersweet song, reminding us that there is always good news down the track or ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ (for this song, the good news or light is likened to be Spring). The instrumental is interesting, bringing in horns and flutes into the mix. Not unheard of, but it a bit different set of instruments commonly heard. I enjoyed the percussion in this song, which made the song extremely pleasant. Wonpil’s vocals are good, but they felt a bit flat in this song. (7/10)
7. Pieces (휴지조각) – Another favourite of mine from this album. Pieces takes on a pop profile and explores Wonpil’s lower registers, both of which hasn’t really been touched upon on this album in great detail yet. I really like the pulsing melody in the verses and throughout instrumental. It creates an intriguing and different dynamic that is quite cool. I also enjoyed the building momentum towards the lyric-less chorus. It’s a bit abstract, but that makes the track unique and individualistic, which I am always for. (10/10)
8. Last Goodbye (늦은 끝) – We re-enter ballad territory with Last Goodbye, with features a piano only instrumental that is quite beautiful. It actually didn’t occur to me at first (only as I was typing this review) that the instrumental was just piano, as the piano compensated for what usual is present (i.e. some form of percussion, strings etc.). With such an instrumental, the focus is squarely on Wonpil. And as indicated throughout this album, he shows off his vocals in a manner that is extremely pure and untouched. (9/10)
9. Unpainted Canvas (그리다 보면) – Unpainted Canvas is an uplifting pop rock song that is so captivating to listen to. While I try hard not to think of DAY6 whilst writing this album review since this is Wonpil’s own work, I felt that Unpainted Canvas is the most DAY6-like track thanks to the rock band feel that the instrumental brings. I also enjoyed the lyrics, conveying one’s journey from young to present via the idea of painting or drawing a future. I also liked Wonpil’s vocals throughout this track, as well. (8.5/10)
10. A Journey (행운을 빌어 줘) – Final song on this stunning album is A Journey. Wonpil saves one of the best to the very end. It closes out with the message that he will be back as a better person and to wish him luck for what is to come next in his journey. It is also the most surprising track on the album thanks to its synth/band instrumental that drives the song forward. The chorus is just so vibrant and cheerful, and I like how Wonpil matches this energy with his vocals. (10/10)
Over the last year or so, we have gotten solo releases from each of the DAY6 members (aside from Sungjin, who was the first member to enlist into the military and prompted the band to focus on solo promotions for the time being). Jae has collaborated with other artists (but more recently left JYP Entertainment and is currently on a break from DAY6). Young.K made his solo debut with Guard You, and Dowoon also debuted with a collaborative single, Out of the Blue, with Song Heejin, before both enlisted into the military. This leaves Wonpil as the remaining member of DAY6. He has also flagged his intention to enlisting to minimise DAY6’s hiatus. But before that, he made his solo debut (like his fellow members) today with his first solo single, Voiceless, and studio length album, Pilmography.
Voiceless comes in the form of a stunning ballad. It is an interesting ballad, as it is not your typical emotional ballad style that is heavy on the emotions within its music or dramatically orchestrated as we have come across before. Instead, the instrumental behind Voiceless was striking, prance-like, folksy-like and upbeat in an unusual manner but a fitting way. This can be attributed to the waltz element that Soompi has pointed out to be in the song, alongside some bluesy elements. It makes Voiceless dynamic for me and kept me captivated. The instrumental also ticks that swaying motion that I find myself doing while listening to really great ballads. Even though Voiceless has such an instrumental, this does not shortchange the emotion impact of the song, as Wonpil sings about a ‘heartbreaking story of ending a relationship in order to lessen pain for the other person’ (taken from Soompi). And you can tell that Wonpil pours his emotions into the song as he sings. Talking about vocals, I really enjoyed how pronounced his vocals got, building as the ballad progressed. It helps make Voiceless more striking (as already mentioned) and it is hard to tear your attention away from the song. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of his softer moments, mainly because he went with a nasally effect which I wasn’t a personal fan of. I feel that the nasally approach this time around made the lyrics sound a little unclear. But apart from that, Voiceless is a fantastic ballad and title track that definitely makes me want to dive into the rest of the album.
My understanding of the music video is that Wonpil is in love with this mermaid. So in love that he writes a story about her. At the start of the video, he see him read the story he wrote about the mermaid. But over time, we see him pick up another story and another story, suggesting that he is tired of the mermaid story (and hence mermaid). As he does this, the water in the apartment rises. Once the apartment is completely filled with water, the mermaid appears in front of him to deliver the breakup news. The water drains and we can see the events preceding upsets him. We see him slip further into sadness (i.e. the water), whilst reminiscing of the days when they would swim together (I believe this is all in his mind however). We are then treated to a mini reunion on the beach, where she joins him above water (much to his surprise) and they have a nice stroll along the beach before he confess his love. But she lets go, and leaves his life, as the lyrics states. We get a emphasis on the fact that she leaves his life when she turns to sand, whilst Wonpil in on that small golden island. At the end, however, we see Wonpil sitting along the beach in a completely different outfit (something that makes him look more mature and possibly suggests a time jump). From afar the mermaid looks at him, knowing that while the breakup did hurt him, he emerged as a better person from it. A very aesthetic, well executed music video and heartbreaking story.
Song – 9/10 Music Video -10/10 Overall Rating – 9.4/10
The next album that I am reviewing belongs to Even of Day (DAY6’s first subunit), titled Right Through Me (which is also the name of the title track, as well). It was released at the start of July of this year, which makes this album review almost three months late. This appears to be the unit’s (comprised of Young K, Wonpil and Dowoon) last release for a while since Young K (who recently made his solo debut with Guard You) will be enlisting at the end of the month/later this week, with Wonpil and Dowoon set to follow down the track. So let’s have a listen to Right Through Me (the album) and see what we think of the album!
Right Through Me Album Cover
1. WE (우린) – WE is a pleasant synth band track that eases you into the album. I liked how the song is light throughout and its inspirational tone and message. While I usually make negative comments about consistency, I think it was well played in WE. It kept the song grounded for me, especially since Wonpil and Young K vocals make it feel as if you are floating away on a cloud. The drums are well defined in this song, preventing us from forgetting the presence of Dowoon. Overall, WE is a soothing and calming listen that begins Right Through Me (the album) on a positive note. (9/10)
3. WALK (역대급) – WALK enters a much more upbeat and vibrant territory (compared to the moodier title track) with its synths. It, combined with the rock influences, in the chorus definitely exudes a pop rock feel that I find to be extremely likeable. The energy that comes off the song (especially in the chorus) is quite intense, but it is also bright and positive. I do find the hooks subtle, but that doesn’t mean they don’t work. But if I did have to pick what made the song memorable for me, it would be the vocals, especially the vocals that are positioned in the background of the song. They really made the song feel wholesome and complete. (10/10)
4. all the things you wanted (네가 원했던 것들) – Returning the album to the more paced and slow side of the album is all the things you wanted. This song is a pop ballad, with a heavy influence from the 80s/90s. The particular synth selection that reminds me of that era brings forth a nostalgic effect, and the ballad as a whole elicits the swaying effect that I use as criteria for a good ballad. Their vocals are well highlighted in this song, with a strong portrayal of heartbreak and pain. While it sounds like I do have just praises, I find the song to be on the more typical side of ballads, sans the synths. (8/10)
5. from the ending of a tragedy (비극의 결말에서) – For from the ending of a tragedy, the unit steps back into rock territory with a much more concentrated sound. I just love the drumming in this song, especially in the chorus. It is very fulfilling and definitely gave from the ending of a tragedy some bite. Similar comments can be made about the rock guitars in this song, but I think Dowoon and his drums prevail. If I were to be critical, I wanted more from the vocals. They sounded good (as always), but were largely forgettable for me. (8.5/10)
6. Home Alone (나 홀로 집에) – Words that I usually use to describe songs like Home Alone, like ‘upbeat’ and ‘vibrant’ feels more so like an understatement for Home Alone. This synth pop song is without a doubt the unit’s most colourful and retro song on this album, more so than WALK. This colourful nature comes through multiple avenues, including the expressive vocals we get from the members and the intense rush of energy in the chorus. The highlight, however, has to be Dowoon’s inclusion at the mid-point of the song. It was surprising and unexpected, but definitely worthwhile addition to the song. (10/10)
7. LOVE PARADE – The final song on the album is probably the unit’s heaviest track, in terms of sound. LOVE PARADE is quite dynamic song, and it is a very satisfying track to listen to. Constant throughout the song is the heavy drumming. Once again, this is a testament to Dowoon’s skills, as the drums felt relentless and drove the song forward. Young K and Wonpil counters the drumming with their vocals, keeping the song from being too heavy. Dowoon also makes a few appearances in the song as a vocalist, with another one-liner after Young K and Wonpil, and also in the ‘Ba Dam Bum’ sections of the song (i.e., the ending sequence of LOVE PARADE). Overall, a strong ender to the album. (10/10)
I am really bad with reviewing nowadays. As a result, I have decided to refocus on reviews tomorrow instead of my original plans to focus on rookies tomorrow (as well as on the weekend). Hopefully, with this extra day on hand, I can catch up on some of the releases this week. The next release of this week’s reviewing agenda is Right Through Me, the title track from Even of Day’s (DAY6’s subunit consisting of Young.K, Wonpil and Dowoon) second mini-album, which dropped on Monday this week. This release follows the subunit’s debut with Where The Sea Sleeps, which formed part of DAY6’s The Book of Us series. The five member band also recently wrapped up the series with The Book of Us: Negentropy and the title track You Make Me, which was not promoted.
Right Through Me is a pretty decent song. It took me a few listens to actually get into it, but it got to me in the end. At first, I passed over the song because it felt dull and lacked much momentum. Boy, do I feel so bad for thanking that way. After those extra listens, I felt that Right Through Me had that necessary colour and drive. It might not be as prolific as DAY6’s releases, especially compared to their most recent title track. But there was enough there to convince me otherwise (in the end). I will admit that the first verse is a bit lacking and felt very consistent (from the beat to the vocals, to even the whole vibe of the first verse), and it wasn’t until the chorus did the song feel like it was going somewhere (bless those cymbals). In combination with those cymbals, Young.K and Wonpil’s vocals gave the chorus and song a breath of freshness and life that didn’t feel as present in the first verse. This instantly made the second verse, which was largely the same as the first verse, sound and feel more lively. I also liked when the piano came into play in the post-chorus sequence to the first and last choruses, which gave Right Through Me a jazzy vibe. It was an interesting colour and helped create a more lively appeal. And it was this inclusion that caught my attention and changed my perspective of the song. As touched on before, the vocalists did a good job with their lines and the melodies in Right Through Me were quite pleasant. In summary, I wished the song had more of an appeal during the first verse to hook me right on. But Right Through Me still managed to develop into a neat song, provided that you give it a chance and listen to more than the first verse.
Right Through Me is a song about heartbreak, after you lose the love of your life. Young.K’s loss in this video represents this type of loss. We see his partner turn up, leave her ring behind and leaves him. All he can do is stare and when the ring is later lost, he fails to find it. The scratch represents the pain felt from this type of loss – the literal heartbreak. But it doesn’t have to be applied to just relationship. And we see this in the other two members’ scenes. Wonpil represents the loss of family. At the start of the video, we see a family picture with the faces ripped out. We see Wonpil struggle being alone and he rips up his home as a result of this. When he picks up the cage at the end, I think he is reminded of happy memories and hence sheds a tear. I am not exactly sure what the ceiling collapsing mean, but it might be the further destruction of his home. For Dowoon’s scene, he experiences the loss of self. This one was not apparent to me, but upon searching in the comments of the music video, ‘Vincent Van Gogh’ says that because Dowoon’s animal is a dog from previous promotions, Dowoon losing the dog represents the loss of self. Dowoon desperately searches for his pet, but fails. And this results in him looking dejected and soulless. To tie everything together, I think all of this loss has something to do with their music career. We see them perform in that shop window, with pedestrians stopping by to watch and film the performance. But there is something wrong with the Even of Day members as they looked lifeless and monotone. So I think their experiences in becoming musicians were brought into the plotline of the story. The loss of relationships while you are struggling financially is my guess how YoungK’s scene’s link to the video. The lack of family support for a career in the arts is represented by Wonpil’s scene. And the loss of individuality and sense of freedom is represented by Dowoon. Each of which they want to break out of, as you can see at the end when YoungK jumps out of the window.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 7.8/10
After exactly two months since its release, I am finally getting around to writing an album review for DAY6’s seventh mini-album, The Book of Us: Negentropy – Chaos Swallowed Up In Love. It featured the title track, You Make Me. This is the band’s first comeback as a full group since the release of Zombie and The Book of Us: The Demon last year. And like the release of that album, You Make Me and The Book of Us: Negentropy was not promoted. Before we proceed onto the album review for DAY6’s new release, there are some things we need to make clear. This is DAY6’s last release as a full group for a while, as Sungjin enlisted into the military just prior to the release of the album (and the other members will follow suit in the future). But don’t worry, DAY6’s subunit Even of Day, made up of YoungK, Wonpil and Dowoon, will be return early next month! But until then, here is the seventh mini-album’s album review!
The Book of Us: Negentropy – Chaos Swallowed Up In Love Album Cover
1. Everyday We Fight– I find the opening song to the band’s latest album to be somewhat quirky, despite it falling into the band’s usual style of mid-tempo rock. The quirkiness come through via the odd synth that appears in the instrumental. I suppose that this gives the impression of ‘light at the end of the tunnel’, which I think goes well with the song’s message that each fight between partners will resolve. Minus those odd synths, the mid-tempo rock reminds me of some of their earlier workers, and their vocals are solid in Everyday We Fight Overall, a nice opener to the album. (8.5/10)
3. Healer – Healer seems to be DAY6’s most innovative track on the album. It is quite upbeat, combining EDM and band instrumentation to create a really fun and groovy number. The relentless energy, the song’s catchiness from the chant-style chorus and the autotune processed over the vocals make Healer a standout track and the hidden gem of the album. I don’t have much else to say to about the song, so I am just going to spend the rest of my time typing out this section by dancing in my chair to Healer ^^. (10/10)
4. Only (둘도 아닌 하나) – Only is a substantial song that showcases DAY6’s formidable vocals. It has a pop-rock style of instrumentation and features the message of sincere love. I enjoyed the old-school vibe of the instrumental, particularly the fade out we get at the end of the song. This entire prose gave Only an easy on the ears effect, which I tend to like. It is pretty much ideal following a high energy track such as the one preceding Only. It isn’t instantly the most recognisable song on the album, but it still a good listen. (8/10)
5. Above The Clouds (구름 위에서) – Opening Above The Clouds is the calming nature of the beach. Right after, Jae leads us into the song with his soft vocals. The song was written by Jae, and based on the title of the song and the lyrics, it was for someone close who he had loss. But rather than being a sad song that opted for the balladry effect, Above The Clouds ended up being a strong rock song, which works well with the acceptance of loss message behind the lyrics. In addition to the lyrics, the passionate and resonating vocals make Above The Clouds another stand out track on the album. (10/10)
6. ONE (무적) – While I do enjoy the odd curveball when it comes to music, I stayed away from ONE for its curveball. I appreciate the innovation and uniqueness of the song, but I felt the synths (in combination with the drumming and other band instrumentation) made it a bit hard for me to focus on the song. The rock side of the song does dominate and their vocals sound fantastic. But ONE just feels unnecessarily complicated for me. (6.5/10)
7. So Let’s Love (우리 앞으로 더 사랑하자) – The final song on the album and the final song on the entire The Book of Us series is So Let’s Love. Without even reading into the lyrics, you can hear the hurt and emotion behind their voices. It just makes the song so much more impactful. So Let’s Love brings forth a more traditional rock instrumental, which I felt was an interesting direction to end the album on, given the direction in which the rest of this mini-album took. But I am not complaining, as it was a passionate and heavy song for the group. (9/10)
Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10
The Book of Us: Negentropy – Chaos Swallowed Up In Love Teaser Image
DAY6 is officially back with a new mini-album, The Book of Us:Negentropy, which also serves as the final part of their The Book of Us series. This comeback, headlined by the title track You make Me, is also the first comeback in almost a year to feature all the members. For those who may not remember, DAY6 announced a hiatus the day prior to their Zombie comeback. DAY6 briefly made a comeback in August of last year. However only YoungK, Wonpil and Dowoon participated, forming DAY6’s first subunit, Even of Day. Unfortunately, we still won’t be able to see the group as a whole. Firstly, the group and JYP Entertainment confirmed reports that they were not going to promote the release. And secondly, prior to this comeback. member Sungjin enlisted into the military in March. However, he was still part of the recording process of the album and music video.
What I really enjoyed about You make Me are the range of textures that we get in the instrumental. Every part of the song has something unique and different to the rest of the song, which makes for a complex mix. But it somehow comes together and creates an unexpectedly warm atmosphere. The synths from the keyboard in the pre-chorus, the clashing drums and the return of the glitchy keyboard instrumental sequence we get at the end of the first and last chorus with the ‘You. Make. Me.‘, and the clashing drums following the second chorus (underneath Sungjin’s ‘If I. Lose You. …‘). DAY6’s vocal department, once again, shines so brightly throughout You make Me. It isn’t their most powerful or robust release to date. In fact, the vocal work in this song is surprisingly subdued and doesn’t really reflect the energy put through by those climatic instrumental moments. But their vocal work is pretty solid and felt very fulfilling nonetheless. You can also detect a slight tinge of emotions behind their vocals, almost yearning in a way. So they aren’t completely soulless in in this song. Overall, I find You make Me a decent song to listen to and definitely ranks as it is, towards the top end of my rating spectrum. However, at the moment, You make Me feels like it is lacking something. I am not sure what this something is, but the song just has this hard-to-pinpoint incompleteness about it. It could be some vocals that go a step further than what they have, or a more bitey hook to give You make Me a better edge. You make Me is definitely presentable as it is, but it wouldn’t hurt to give it that extra bit more.
Not entirely sure what is happening in this music video. But with a bit of help from the YouTube comments, a theory is formed. The start made it look like he got in a fight and was badly injured. However, he still made it to his girlfriend who is waiting for him. The way she comes to hug him tells me that she hasn’t she hasn’t seen him for a while. They drive off into the distance and along a dark road, his injury starts to catch up to him. He swerves onto the wrong side of a road, causing his girlfriend to be alarmed. She realizes that he has been stabbed and has been bleeding while driving. When they stop, she simply shakes him to not pass out. At this point, I noticed how pale both of them got in this scene. So my guess is that they both died. She probably died a long time ago (hence she greeted him as such at the start of the video but we didn’t realize it at first). And he loses colour (and turns pales) as he drives, so I guess he just died or dies driving away. We see a glimpse of the beach with footprints leading into the ocean as he passes out, before he wakes up in the car and shows her his bandaged wounds. He smiles, while she slaps softly him for causing her alarm. My guess is that he was dead all along. The bandaged wounds were probably some sort of representation of healing wounds as one commenter said (credit goes to Pen cil), as the song (and album series) is all about different emotions. They continue driving until they reach the beach, where they enjoy each others company away from the rest of the world. The beach, based on his vision when he passed out earlier, is probably a representation of the afterlife which to two enjoy together. After putting a story together, the video feel quite nice. I really like the warm and dark tones in the video, representing each stage of life shown in the video (i.e. death and afterlife). I wished the music video had some sort of electronic component to bring that part of the song to life. I am not talking flashy animations or massive LCD screens. More like light strobes behind the members as they perform with their instruments. I think that would fit the aesthetic of the video.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
Welcome to the announcement post of the winners for the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. During the month of December in 2020, I opened up a survey for the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Over 1800 of you voted during the month of December, a number that I did not expect to see! I am sure that you all are excited and are awaiting to see which artist has clinched victory in each category. I have definitely made you wait long enough 🙂
Like the previous years, I will announce the winners using GIFs and images. I have also announced the runners up for each category as Honourable Mentions below the GIFs. In addition to that, I have included the KPOPREVIEWED Choice, which is my personal pick for each category.
Unlike previous years, however, all of the winners of the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards (including the End of Year Charts and Best Song of 2020 Award) is included in this very one post! Towards the bottom of each post, you will see some page numbers. You can click on these page numbers to navigate to different award categories and the End of Year Charts. Here is a quick guide to the page numbers:
Page 1 – Artist Categories Page 2 – Visual Categories, Performance Categories, Weekly KPOP Charts related Categories Page 3 – Blog related Categories, Song Categories (excluding Best Song) Page 4 – End of Year Charts & Best Song of 2020 Award
Artist Caregories
The following categories are all fan-voted categories for the artists that were active during the eligible period of December 2019 to November 2020.
Select the page numbers below (just above the comments section) to go to the award categories you want to see the most! Page 1 – Artist Categories Page 2 – Visual Categories, Performance Categories, Weekly KPOP Charts related Categories Page 3 – Blog related Categories, Song Categories (excluding Best Song) Page 4 – End of Year Charts & Best Song of 2020 Award
As you can tell by the title, today’s focus will be on DAY6’s first unit, Even of Day, mini-album release that dropped at the end of August 2020. The title of the mini-album is quite lengthy, The Book of Us: Gluon, and it features the vocals of Dowoon, Young K and Wonpil (the other two DAY6 member, Sungjin and Jae, are currently taking some time off). The mini-album has a unique setup. There are only three songs on the album, including the title track When The Sea Sleeps. However, interwoven into the tracklist are an introductory track, two interludes and an outro track featuring commentary and vocals from DENIMALZ 3, the mascot of the three members who form the group (see the When The Sea Sleeps music video for the mascots). For this particular album review only, I have opted to include those tracks in the album review as they are a cool and individualistic draw point to this mini-album.
The Book Of Us: Gluon Album Cover
1. Landing (Introductory Track) – Opening the album is an instrumental track that depicts DENIMALZ 3 making their landing on a planet and discovering a whole new world (based on the ‘vocals’ in this song). The organ-like synthesizer brings a grand welcome type of vibe to the song, reminding me of synths used in the past as part of the theme song for a sporting event in a new city (i.e. Olympics and World Cups). The song then changes towards the end to be a lot more fun, colourful and upbeat. It is a great opener to the album! (10/10)
2. Landed(그렇게 너에게 도착하였다) – The members of Even of Day has said the main difference between their songs and DAY6’s usual discography is the incorporation of synths in the music. Landed is a very obvious example of this difference, with the presence of the synths compensating for the lack of guitars. It is a very different style but I still enjoyed it. I also like how the drums were quite profound throughout this song. What remains consistent between the unit and the original band are the vocals, which I find to be very dreamy and soothing in Landed. The instrumental reminds me 80s ballads and new wave love songs (which incorporated a fair amount of synths). Both come together quite nicely and is a pleasant listen, overall. (8.5/10)
3. Ocean (Interlude 1) – Ocean is the perfect track to have playing in the background whilst having a stroll along the beach. I find the whistling, harmonizes and vocalisations throughout the song quite uplifting and joyful, making this song suitable for Summer. It can go the extra mile and brings some warmth to the listener during Winter as well. I also like how the member’s mascot continue their ‘discovery’ theme, tying both the theme and title track (i.e. the sea references) together quite nicely. The song isn’t my personal cup of tea on this mini-album, but still is a pleasant number to listen to (especially if you find waves crashing into the shore therapeutic) (8/10)
5. Forest (Interlude 2) – Forest includes samples of forest sounds, similar to how Ocean contained samples of ocean waves crashing into the shoreline. Once the musical instruments comes into play, the forest sounds become quite subtle and I wished they were somehow more profound. However, the instrumental to Forest has a bit of a kick to it and is almost arcade game-like, which has very enjoyable upbeat energy to it. (8/10)
6. Thanks To(땡스 투) – Thanks To follows the same route as Landed as it sounds like another 80s ballad/new wave love song. What differs with the two songs is this one is a lot more playful with the synths (i.e. that deep burp-like synth sound that constantly repeats in the instrumental), taking the song a step further than Landed and providing an interesting textural background. Their vocals once again are really nice, compliment the instrumentation. The best parts are when Wonpil and Young K harmonize with one another, binding the song together to be one wholesome track. (9/10)
7. To Be Continued (sung by DENIMALZ 3) – Based on the title of this song, DAY6 might still have more coming our way in The Book Of Us series. However, the song could easily just allude to the fact that DENIMALZ has so much more to discover and that their discovery stories/songs will continue into the future. Instrumentally, To Be Continued is the most upbeat track on the ballad, thanks to the saxophone, which coincidentally reminds me of other saxophone centric KPOP tracks (Orange Caramel anyone???). It is fun, energetic and definitely an eventful closer to the album. I also find it cute that their mascots sing in this song and the autotune really gives a crunchy texture to the song. (10/10)
DAY6 started 2020 with the release of the mini-album The Book of Us: The Demon and the title track Zombie. However the promotions for the album and title track were halted even before the official release of the mini-album and title track due to the health of two of the members. While the two members (Sungjin and Jae) continue their recovery, the remaining members (Young K, Wonpil and Dowoon) have come together to form DAY6’s first subunit, Even of Day. The subunit makes their debut today with Where The Sea Sleeps and the mini-album The Book of Us: Gluon.
Where The Sea Sleeps brings the band back into the ballad realm. We have heard multiple ballads from the band (as a whole) before via their Every Day6 Project. That was three years ago. And while we have heard ballads as a side track from the group, a main promotional ballad is definitely a nice change. Where The Sea Sleeps is a very touching ballad. Interestingly, the emotional content in this song isn’t as much as I had expected. But yet, the vocals are quite delicate and there is still a bit of that emotional tinge to their voice that makes the lyrics more impactful. Wonpil and Young K takes the helms for the vocals and flawlessly sing their way through this ballad. I found their vocals to be very soothing, calming and captivating to listen to. The best past has to be their harmonising high note at the start of the final chorus was amazing to listen to, though Wonpil’s vocals at the very end of the song is a very close second. Oh, if you are wondering, the lyrics is all about reassuring their lover or friend that regardless of what the day holds, they will always be by each other’s side. The instrumental is slow, but it ticks the box as that swaying effect measure that I mention often is present in Where The Sea Sleeps. I liked the heaviness that the drums bring to the song, giving Dowoon a chance to shine in a genre in which drummers rarely get the opportunity to stand out. The start of the bridge was an interesting moment, where they seem to bring in synthesised drums (?), which is what sets this unit apart from their usual works under the name of DAY6.
I had expected we would be getting some acting from the trio. But surprisingly, we have presented with an animation which complimented the song’s lyrics and atmosphere very nicely. Each of the animals in the music video represents a member. The dog is Dowoon, the rabbit is Wonpil and the fox is Young K. They build a rocket ship and blast themselves into space. However, they run into some asteroids and their spaceship blows up, causing each the members to drop to the ground. Eagle eyed fans note that Sungjin (the bear) and Jae (the chicken) makes an appearance in the video during this part, with Dowoon holding the missing members very tightly during the turmoil. We then see Wonpil sinking in the ocean and he imagines himself drifting away on a boat, with the rest of the members (Jae and Sungjin included). Young K and Dowoon wakes him up and using a compass with the MyDay’s logo (their fandom’s logo), they make it ashore. This last part was based on comments that I read, adding a nice message to include their fans in the video (that with MyDay, DAY6 cannot be lost).
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9.6/10
2020 has proven to be an eventful year so, without a doubt. But since we are at the halfway mark already, let’s have a little reflection post on the last 6 months. In no particular order, here are 10 of my personal favourite KPOP releases since the start of 2020. I have also added some of my favourite sidetracks that I have encountered so far in the year as part of my top 10. This is also irrespective of my reviews and Weekly KPOP charts posts.
Apologies for another day late album review. I was a bit busy yesterday and only got the Weekly Chart Post out before the day was over. But before we proceed with any more reviews, I had to get this out so I don’t fall behind (I had cancelled a few album reviews this year because of this). The album I have chosen to review yesterday/today is DAY6’s The Book of Us: The Demon, which features Zombie. This is the third mini-album release part of The Book of Us series, following The Book of Us: Gravity (title track – Time Of Our Life) and The Book of Us: Entropy (title track – Sweet Chaos). Unfortunately, DAY6 will not be promoting this album, which is a major pity given how good the songs on this album (and any album of theirs) are.
The Book of Us: The Demon Album Cover
1. Day & Night (해와 달처럼) – Opening this album is Day & Night. While the track is quite upbeat and bright in terms of energy, I find it to be quite light and really nice as an opener track. It opens up with this synth that resembles harmonizing vocals and some short guitar beats. We are then thrown into a verse with really nice vocals and we hear the track slowly building up to the pop-centric chorus, which features a really appealing blast of energy and keeps in line with the rest of the song. As mentioned, the vocals are quite nice throughout the song, not just the verses. I really liked the melodies in this song, especially when it came to the pre-chorus. I also liked the alternating lines that Wonpil and Dowoon shared (Yes, we should celebrate as Dowoon has lines!!!). I find the lyrics to be very interesting. They sing about opposites happening (hot and cold; getting closer but disappearing from sight; up and down; sun and moon etc.). It is as if them and their partner cannot seem to be on the same page for this relationship to work (but it isn’t at that broken stage yet). Very nice song, overall. (9/10)
3. Tick Tock– Tick Tock approaches ballad territory, but it never really sets foot into that area. Instead, it has this upbeat-ness to it that really holds it back from being a ballad. This slow style isn’t usually my style, but there is something quite captivating in this song. It might be their mature sound, which compliments and adds onto the mature vibes we got from Zombie. The way Young K brings his raspy tone to the song at the very start was extremely impressive and impactful. The instrumental for this song has this really mellow yet heavy feel to it, which I think is very nice. It invokes that swaying effect, which I really enjoy when it comes to ballads (and hence why I feel it approaches that area of music). I also like the synthesizer keyboard that is used in the song, bringing that synth that I just cannot find the right words to describe. But it really makes the song sound unique and charismatic. The lyrics are quite depressing, referencing the moment they notice that their relationship is over. (8/10)
4. Love Me or Leave Me – Out of all the side-tracks on the album, Love Me or Leave Me is probably the one that jumped out at me. It has become my pick for best song (other than the title track) on the album. It starts off slow and it remains in a slow rock mode for about halfway into the first verse. The song then sudden ticks to a much faster tempo for the pre-chorus, with the synth keyboard being the most prevalent sound in this section. It then increases in tempo once again for the chorus, going for a relentless and loaded rock sound. It may sound messy, but DAY6 (given their past work) makes it into a cohesive track that really sticks. This sudden yet accumulating energy really helps push the song forward. The melodies really helped make their vocals shine, especially the post-chorus hook, which featured on the most intense moment of the instrumental. As per the discussion on lyrics thus far, DAY6 asks their lover to honestly decide whether to stay or to leave in their relationship. (10/10)
5. STOP(때려쳐) – DAY6 amps up the rock sound to ensure its influence starts at the very first second on the album. It is a sign that they are not messing around. Like how they are in the lyrics of the song, where they had enough with the lies and inconsistent excuses their partner is telling them. The song is quite good with decent vocals, memorable melodies and a standout chorus (i.e. when they all shout ‘Stop This’ and ‘There Is No Answer’). I really like the harmonies that follows those lines, along with the harmonies present in the bridge of the song. I also really like the electric guitar riffs that acted like accents or details within the instrumental. But while I do give a tick of approval for this song, I was hoping that STOP would build on itself and kick it up a notch as it developed. Unfortunately, it didn’t. So, I am slightly disappointed on that part. (8/10)
6. 1 to 10 – It seems like my wishes are answered in 1 to 10. As above, I wanted the preceding song to step it up. And it definitely feels like 1 to 10 does just that. In addition to that, it seems to take a page from their brighter songs on the album, allowing the song to become memorable in all regards. The guitar riffs and drum beats that make up the song’s instrumental are quite cohesive and consistent throughout the song. There is also a tense vibe to the song, which makes it thrill to listen to. In addition to the instrumental, the vocals are very on point. And that, in combination with the catchy melodies that the song features, makes DAY6 bring their A-game without the use of powerhouse vocals. Another perfect song, in my opinion. As for the lyrics, they change their tune by moving away from heartbreak to declaring their love for their partner. (10/10)
7. Afraid – The album ends on a much more emotional note than in comparison to any of the above songs, with Afraid being about the members becoming worried that their partner is becoming like them due their insecurities. The contrast with the rest of the album is quite strong for obvious reasons and this just draws your attention right into Afraid. Their vocal tone is what gives the song that emotional tinge and I felt that each member also brought their A-game this song, just in a completely different sound as the preceding song. The instrumental for Afraid brings together beautiful acoustic guitars and piano melodies, along with intense electric guitar riffs and drums. I thoroughly enjoyed how the song builds on itself, climaxing during the start of the bridge. The bridge is also my pick for the best part of the song, bringing a bit of trendy touch to the song. (10/10)
KPOPREVIEWED 