Tag: ITZY

It has been almost a month since ITZY made their comeback, but I am finally getting around to reviewing their comeback single. The five-member group from JYP Entertainment returned in November with their 11th mini-album, TUNNEL VISION, led by the title track of the same name. It is the group’s first release since their Korean comeback with Girls Will Be Girls in June and their Japanese comeback with ROCK & ROLL in October. The group will also be embarking on their third tour next year.

Even after a couple of weeks after the release (enough time for the song to grow on me), TUNNEL VISION (as a song) doesn’t do it for me. The opening vibrant synth is intriguing enough to get me started on the song, and the edgy vibes and hefty beats of the instrumental were promising. But once the song ends, I find myself moving on from TUNNEL VISION as if it didn’t just play, or it never really existed. One of the most significant issues with TUNNEL VISION is its overly consistent nature, in which the song feels the same from start to finish. There is no buildup of momentum and/or energy, which holds back and exacerbates the lack of appeal of TUNNEL VISION for me. Similarly, the members fail to stand out in the song. The chorus and hip-hop influences were probably the most pronounced aspects of TUNNEL VISION, but the choruses’ chant felt dull and unexciting, and the hip-hop influences didn’t stick with me. I know I sound negative about TUNNEL VISION. But given that the song hasn’t grown on me or left any impression, I don’t see how I can be anything but that about it.

The song’s lyrics are about staying focused and not letting others cloud your line of sight to the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’. Conceptually, this was another interesting aspect of the song. With this in mind, the music video shows paparazzi, darkness, GPS systems blowing up, and other obstacles that prevent the members from moving forward. But this doesn’t stop them; the members push through everything. Even after the car accident and almost getting run over by a train (representing the hurdles to achieving their goals), they demonstrate their unrelenting focus, no matter what happens. I have to say, the car accident scenes, where the members are flying out of the car, and the train scenes were pretty epic moments in the music video and looked really cool. Likewise, the ending shot (see featured image) of the members at the tunnel’s end was super cool. The eyeball scenes though, had a creepy vibe, which is right up my alley.

As for the performance, ITZY does it again with their strong choreography skills. I really liked the ‘tunnel vision’ moves they did in the chorus. Two of them are memorable: one hand kept straight and the other in a wavy motion, raised to their face along their line of sight, while the other involves the members looking through a triangle formed by their hands. I also like how they incorporate the ‘crown’ at the end of the routine – it keeps me sticking around to the end.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

ITZY also returned on Monday with their 10th mini-album, Girls Will Be Girls, and the title track of the same name. It follows on from their yet-to-be-reviewed 9th mini-album, GOLD, and the also same-named title track and Imaginary Friend released in October last year.

I’ve listened to Girls Will Be Girls a few times now, and it’s a pretty solid track—definitely likeable. I really enjoyed the confident energy the members bring, which they’ve always done well in their title tracks. The dynamic instrumentation lends Girls Will Be Girls a great deal of power, intensity and momentum, and the textures are to die for. A great example of textures can be heard in the instrumental break before the second chorus – it’s so cool. That said, I do feel like Girls Will Be Girls could’ve gone harder. There are moments where Girls Will Be Girls feels like it’s about to hit that next level, but the song holds itself back. The instrumental behind the vocals could’ve been pushed more—it’s already good, but it’s missing that final punch. Girls Will Be Girls‘ chorus also initially felt a bit flat for me; the repetition, follow-through and delivery didn’t quite land, though I will admit it’s starting to grow on me.

The message behind Girls Will Be Girls is about being stronger when together as one (taken from Soompi), and we see that being portrayed in this very cool music video. We see the members come under attack from flying crows in what feels like a dystopian future. At the start, LIA is running away from the attack, and the other members band together to rescue her. From then on, the members stick together to overcome this crisis. In the end, the members face off against the big boss – the giant flying eyeball. I am sure the eyeball itself represents something. I am just not sure what.

The routine that accompanies this comeback hits hard. I really enjoyed the intensity and power of the choreography. The dance break is a definite highlight, with both the song and routine peaking. I also liked the slowdown movement, where the members have their arms/hands behind their backs and are leaning forward, just before the first chorus and dance break. Something is striking about it amid such an intense routine.

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

In addition to GOLD, ITZY also released a music video for the single Imaginary Friend. Today, I will finally get around to reviewing this additional title track from their GOLD mini-album released in October 2024.

ITZY changes things up with Imaginary Friend. Instead of the usual dance tracks that they are known for, they opt for a softer melodic R&B approach in Imaginary Friend. The contrast between their usual style and Imaginary Friend is very intriguing and striking to me, and this makes the track stand out. Instrumentally, Imaginary Friend features vintage pop guitars and band percussion that give the song a lot of bite despite being a softer sound. I also really like the rock tinge we get more of in the post-chorus hook, which just gives the song more oomph. What makes Imaginary Friend even better is the fact that the melodies and vocal work are actually compelling. Stunning vocals and melodies are a definite drawing point in my books, and Imaginary Friend features both. The vocal processing was also amazing and well used to help make the vocals feel etheral. In terms of effect the song had on me, Imaginary Friend is actually quite stilling. Every time the song popped up on my playlist or queue, I find myself pausing with whatever I am doing and actually listening to the song to really enjoy and connect with it. That usually happens with ballads and similar songs, but Imaginary Friend is a special track.

The following is what I got out the music video. We see two forms of the members in the video. We first see the members as students, struggling to get through the harsh social conditions of the school environment. And these social conditions manifest into physical injuries. Later on, we see the members run through darkness, stuck in a circle and trying to avoid shadows that are out to get them. Quite sure we could generalised to scenarios where people may struggle and who find themselves in a dark place. The second form of ITZY we see is through the choreography shots, where they appear more gracefully as if they are guardian angels. At one point, they also wear white outfits that make them look like angels. When we see the choreography shots, they coicinde with comforting lyrics about being an imaginary friend and protecting the person so they can dream. To me, this represents a form that can bring hope and comfort to those in a dark place.

Even in a graceful motif, the choreography still manages to incorporate the signature “crown” at the start and end of the routine. I liked the balance between soft and sharpness in the routine and how they managed to make the choreography fit the song (which I have described as very soft). The little bit of intensity we get in the post-chorus rock instrumental sequences is also well-crafted, giving us a little more oomph to ensure the entire routine is engaging.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.5/10 [updated on 26 April 2025 due to calculation error]

ITZY also returned this week with GOLD, the title of their 9th mini-album and latest title track. GOLD is also the first comeback in over a year to feature LIA, who went on hiatus last year due to anxiety. Glad to see LIA back on stage! This comeback follows ITZY’s 8th mini-album, BORN TO BE, and the single UNTOUCHABLE.

GOLD‘s powerfulness stands out to me. The opening kicks us off with an intro that just grabs your attention. It’s not perfect, as I keep thinking the vocals sound a little slurred during this part. But it definitely pulls you in. Moving onto the chorus, the clashing cymbals accompanying the hefty and prolific beat make it robust and hard to miss. It contributes to a bombastic result, and I appreciate that side of GOLD. However, all this power also acts as a double-edged sword. The powerfulness of the chorus and intro dominates GOLD, with the last remnants of the “It’s like gold” hook lingering faintly in the background (and that is only if I really pay attention). The rest of the chorus feels minute in comparison, and the verses are just forgotten. Listening closely, the hip-hop influence in GOLD is adequately maintained, even though the members’ delivery was lacklustre past the intro. The electric guitar strings were an interesting percussive element in GOLD, but the energy of the song’s central piece drowned its presence in both verse and chorus. The instrumental break was empty and stripped everything bold. Overall, I am genuinely perplexed with how GOLD weighs itself down and wish it was more balanced for better enjoyment.

It would help if the lyrics made sense. They probably do in Korean (given it is a Korean song), but the English translation feels like a hodgepodge of words strung together to say something. Based on the music video, I guess the members liken themselves to gold in the lyrics, as well as everyone else. Hence, at the end of the video, gold eggs are found in the place of the members and all the other people in the background. Aside from that interpretation, I did like how the music video embraced that bombastic side of the song. There were explosions, dramatic light shows, and even cracks opening on the ground. The CGI and practical effects were cool, even if the other elements felt random.

GOLD sounds better on stage, at least the one I watched to see the choreography for this comeback. There is a lot of head-banging and swinging arms in this one. But while it sounds like there is a lot of freestyling, the routine is still quite sharp and well-synchronised. I also quite like the configuration of the song’s intro. Also, the members look like they are having fun with this routine, even though it looks exhausting.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

Very early on in January 2024 and ahead of the official release of their BORN TO BE album release (led by the title track UNTOUCHABLE), ITZY also pre-released the single Mr. Vampire. Today, I will be reviewing this single. This was the second pre-release from the album (not including the solo releases that are also featured on the BORN TO BE album), with the first being the single that shares the same name as the album, BORN TO BE.

My thoughts on Mr. Vampire is fairly simple. Instrumentally, Mr. Vampire is a fun song to me. I quite enjoyed the percussion that features throughout the track. There are also some harps (in full and rather choppy later on) and whistle-like synths in the chorus (which I find to be quite familiar, but I just cannot pinpoint where I have heard something similar). These all help Mr. Vampire‘s backing piece to be engaging and intriguing to me. In terms of the members and their input into Mr. Vampire, that is where the song unravels for me. It is a fair effort from the group, but the melodies are incredibly dull and the vocal work feels strained. Nothing from the members pings me as memorable. In fact, all of it (if not most) was pretty forgettable. I wished what the members had to offer in Mr. Vampire was striking enough to be on par with the instrumentation. Or just even compelling enough to get a better reaction out of me. But as it stands, the instrumentation was by far the most memorable aspect of the song, and the rest of Mr. Vampire just … well… disappears.

The music video appears as dull as the song did. While I did like the colour palette that was used in the video and the close-up shots of the members do look real nice, there just isn’t anything more to the video (apart from the performance aspect of the release, and even then the song weighs this down as well) that sticks out. I also noticed some poor editing in the later parts of the video, where the lip-syncing just does not match up to the song. I understand the song is about falling in love, but I would have liked a touch of that vampire concept in the video. Maybe a bit of blood or some symbolism that represents the mythological creature.

As mentioned prior, the choreography for this pre-release was also bland and dull. But it is slightly better than the music video. From what I can see, there are vampire references in the routine and the chorus part of the choreography had a slight dynamic touch and sharpness that I was looking for in the other parts of this Mr. Vampire release.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

ITZY is nominated for Best Female Performance (Group) for CAKE, while RINGO is nominated for Best International Song by a Korean Artist (Japanese). Support ITZY’s CAKE and RINGO, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today.

Joining the Monday lineup of comeback is ITZY, who makes their comeback today with their comeback with their 2nd studio length album, BORN TO BE. The headline song of the album is the single UNTOUCHABLE. And it appears that JYP Entertainment has gone all out of this comeback, with 2 pre-release tracks (BORN TO BE and Mr. Vampire – the latter I will be reviewing later in the future) and 4 music videos for each of the solo singles from the four member lineup of this comeback (Lia is currently on hiatus, but she also has a solo single on the album and a lyric video was released instead). This is ITZY’s first Korean comeback since CAKE and KILL MY DOUBT.

I love that UNTOUCHABLE is bold and sends a strong and powerful message. However, I don’t think it is the song to win people back. I say that because I am a little iffy on the chorus. While I do like their approach and it standalone makes for a very good centrepiece, I am a little disappointed over the fact the producers chose synths over a rock centric backing for the chorus. The verses were a great incline towards the chorus, and thanks to the guitars in the background, it makes you expect a chorus with a rock vibe to it. We do get some presence of guitar in the chorus, but it isn’t the forefront, which is what I was hoping for. That being said, the chorus we do get in UNTOUCHABLE still comes off as bold and makes for quite a statement piece. The vocals, rapping and overall delivery of the chorus (and other parts of the song) was on point, with the ad-libs at the end serving well. The part of UNTOUCHABLE that could use a revamp are the verses. They fall short from feeling memorable and comes off as more of a blur when you compare it to the choruses. The part of the UNTOUCHABLE that could have used a rethink is the post-chorus, which felt a little werid for me. I am not exactly sure if it fits into the bigger picture that is UNTOUCHABLE.

This music video made me go wow! We are only 8 days into the new year and there might already be a strong contender for Best Music Video of 2024. The crispness and high quality of the video definitely takes it to the next level. You can feel the intensity at the start with all the guards standing around the members, and via the lighting that mimics a prison or lasers directed at them. The members themselves look stunning and fierce throughout the video, depending on which part you are watching. The best part of the video has to the beginnings of the final chorus, with the guards exploding in slow motion and ITZY dancing at normal speed in the midst of that chaos. We also get sole really cool cinematography in the final moments of the video, as well.

I found the performance to be quite striking and bold, which is on par with the song itself. The movements were very sharp and it showcases ITZY’s knife-like precision. There are some graceful moves in the routine and I felt their presence helps balance everything out, so it isn’t too precise and edgy to watch.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

ITZY is nominated for Best Female Performance (Group) for CAKE, while RINGO is nominated for Best International Song by a Korean Artist (Japanese). Support ITZY’s CAKE and RINGO, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today.

Ahead of their official comeback on 8 January 2024 with their second studio album, ITZY has pre-released the single BORN TO BE. This upcoming comeback will be ITZY’s first return with a four-member lineup, after it was announced that LIA would not be part of this comeback due to anxiety. It also follows on from the group’s CAKE comeback in July of this year and their more recent Japanese single RINGO.

BORN TO BE attempts to become the group’s most powerful and bombastic sound yet, based on the visual aspect of this release (more on that in the music video and performance aspects of this review). And while I do hear it during certain parts of the song, I just don’t think BORN TO BE gets there. I personally thought the song was rather tame. Sure, the instrumental was busy and loud (though it was very clear to me that it was typical and lacked originality), and ITZY’s delivery at times alludes to a powerful undertaking. But I felt something was holding back the song from realizing its full potential. To me, a more innovative instrumental could have resolved some that. For example, I was waiting for some added vibrancy and intensity to kick in during the final chorus to make everything at the end feel more enhanced. That would have made BORN TO BE‘s ending to be more satisfying to end on. Also, I wished the chorus was less monotonous with its ‘Born To Be’ repetitive hook. I felt that really dulls the song down quite a bit. But it isn’t all bad news for ITZY. The shoutier moments of BORN TO BE felt like a statement, and I actually like the stillness (relative to the rest of the song) that the pre-chorus brought to the track. The vocal backing in the instrumental break was actually refreshing and different to the usual synth-only dance breaks we get. Overall, I definitely think more can be done with BORN TO BE.

The music video goes for a darker than usual concept for this performance centric music video. But I also like its simplicity. It might not be apparent, given the different visual effects utilized in the video and the amount of dancers present in video. But when you start breaking it down, there really isn’t much. The room is literally dark, with post-production used to apply a limited yet cool set of visual effects that plays out above the members/dancers. LCD screens are below the members as the ‘floor’, which at times was lava or just a white foundation for the group and dancers to perform and ‘pop’ out on. Minimal lighting was also used – there was enough so that you can see the members/dancers, but not enough such that the background feels like it is darkness. At a certain point, red carpet was introduced along with a rock formation that some of the members danced upon, just to give some form of height and depth to the video (otherwise, the video would have been very flat). I like it, simply because all of the above works well together with the song to show us what was intended out of BORN TO BE.

Performance looks amazing. The synchronisation at the pre-chorus is probably my highlight, simply because the angles at which their arms are at make it super difficult to achieve. The sheer volume of dancers (alongside ITZY) makes the chorus looks epic. And the dance break was awesome to watch. We might just have a contender for the 2024 KPOPREVIEWED Awards already.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8.1/10