KIHYUN is back with his first solo release in four years! The main vocalist from MONSTA X made his solo debut with VOYAGER in January 2022 and returned promptly the same year with Youth. After that, he enlisted in the military and was discharged in February 2025 before returning to music through MONSTA X’s N the Front comeback last year. Earlier this week, he returned with his second solo mini-album, Borderline, and the title track So Good.
With VOYAGER and Youth being some top-notch solo work, and knowing what KIHYUN is capable of with his vocals through MONSTA X’s releases, I had some high expectations for So Good. And as expected, KIHYUN delivers with the new song. So Good is a rock ballad. The instrumental opts for soft rock elements during the verses, and it knocks it out of the park by amping the background during the choruses. I found the way KIHYUN’s vocals soared during the choruses (relative to the verses) and at the bridge to be stunning and captivating. Elsewhere in the song, it was so easy to get lost in his voice. Something that So Good does well is its length. It’s short, sharp and sweet. Yet, its execution has me coming back for more.
According to Soompi, So Good is about trusting your instinct in a world that pressures you into expectations and norms, and that by trusting one’s instinct, life becomes liberating. In the music video, we see KIHYUN surviving in a dystopian world that used to be Earth. The video begins with KIHYUN lying in front of a crashed spaceship (as if he had been flung out of it). The expectation is that he would just give up, but after feeling his emotions, he moves on until he reaches a mountain of clothes. While I am not sure what the clothes mean, he dreams that there are better things at the top or on the other side of the mountain. However, the cartoon, which represents those societal expectations and norms, tries to stop him from climbing the mountain. But he pushes on and makes it to the top, where he thinks he finds water. But in reality, the mountain rumbles and pushes him away. In that moment, the video shows how liberating it is to trust your instinct, just like what the song’s lyrics suggest. I am not exactly sure if my interpretation is correct, particularly the ending. But this is my theory at the moment. Let me know if you have other ideas.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
Another year has wrapped on the Weekly KPOP Charts segment, so here is a recap of the songs that topped my Weekly KPOP Charts segment between July 2025 and June 2026 (inclusive).
Normally, you have the usual suspects emerging at the top of the charts with their songs. But as always, there were a few surprises over the last year, especially when there is a very catchy song or an artist that is slowly making their mark.
So let’s have this walk down memory lane and see who topped the Weekly KPOP Charts between July 2025 and June 2026.
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!
MONSTA X is nominated for Best ‘Return to Stage’ in the 2025 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support MONSTA X by voting for them today via the link here.
JOOHONEY (aka JOOHEON) of MONSTA X kicks off the year with his first solo comeback since his 2023 debut with Freedom and the mini-album Lights. And he comes in swinging with his new single Sting featuring legendary boxer Muhammad Ali (through an infamous audio clip at the start of the song). In the lead-up to the release of his second solo mini-album, 光 (Insanity), he also pre-released the single Push, featuring labelmate REI from IVE.
Hip-hop tracks aren’t my usual preference in KPOP, and STING leans heavily into the genre, which works against it for me. That said, I appreciated the intensity that JOOHONEY aims to exude in the song. His rapping, though shouty at times, had good flow and convincingly delivers STING‘s aggressive tone, supported by abrasive synth work in the instrumental. Ultimately, though, my issue with STING goes beyond genre bias. I expected more from STING‘s chorus. The centrepiece, meant to be the hookiest part of a song, relies on a flute-like synth that doesn’t fill out the background as well as it should have, and JOOHONEY’s repetition of Muhammad Ali’s infamous line “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee“. As such, I felt the chorus was uneventful and unimaginative. especially since others have been doing a similar thing with their chorus (though better). Elsewhere, the verses and bridge flew by, leaving little impression beyond the aggressiveness mentioned earlier.
The music video sees JOOHONEY channel the aggressive, intense nature of STING into the visual media of the comeback. We see JOOHONEY deliver the song with some head nodding, feeling the song’s vibes. We see him perform some choreography with the dancers. Honestly, it isn’t bad. But the most impressive parts of the video don’t involve him. Rather, it involves the bee that is the subject of the song – the CGI butterfly turning into a bee, the massive bee that sits behind the rapper at one point, and the bee that JOOHONEY spits out at high speed, enough to break the lens.
The choreography for this comeback is exactly how you imagine in it. Just as the music video does, the performance for STING portrays an aggressive, fierce side of JOOHONEY. I don’t think it is the moves, though. I actually put it down to his stage presence, which really leaves an impression as he performs the song, with the dancers helping fill any gaps along the way.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.2/10
Welcome to the next Weekly KPOP Chart post for Week 1 of September 2025, which spans from August 31 to September 6, 2025.
The usual (unexpected workload from my 9-5 job) from the last couple of weeks repeated itself again. This prevented me from writing any new reviews this week until yesterday. I am not going to even try to predict if it will persist. When I had expected the unexpected to not occur, it recurred and I am left too tired at the end of day. We will just wait to see how the week turns out.
Anyhow, here are the Weekly KPOP Charts for Week 1 of September 2025.
What else am I 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 DAY6’s all-time classic Congratulations.
ICYMI – DAY6 dropped their 10th anniversary album, THE DECADE, this week. Reviews for the lead singles are in draft at the moment.
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 KANGDANIEL’s latest single, NO DAY.
The Chart
MONSTA X’s long awaited comeback track, N the Front, ranked in the top spot this past week. Congratulations to MONSTA X!
Earlier this week, MONSTA X made their first album release since 2023 (as the majority of the group were carrying out their respective military enlistments) with their 13th mini-album, The X. The mini-album celebrates the group’s 10th anniversary since their 2014 debut. Leading the mini-album is the title track N the Front, and the pre-release Do What I Want (which I have already reviewed).
While it has been almost a week since N the Front dropped, the song has left the same impression on me during every listen I have given it thus far. Put simply, N the Front is shouty and boastful, but it does so without much to it. While shouty and boastful can make a strong song (and this is definitely the potential N the Front has), I just felt the repetitiveness in this song leaves only the hook in mind and makes you forget the rest. If you were to ask me about what else is going on in the song, I couldn’t tell you about it. And that says a lot, given MONSTA X themselves and their songs are powerful. That is how I would describe the synth-based instrumental that forms the basis of N the Front. However, I couldn’t fully describe it without relistening to the track and tuning out the repetitive hook. Even the members themselves appeared to be overshadowed by the hook, though re-listening to N the Front for the purposes of this review has made me realise that the raps in particular are pretty strong, while the vocals were okay at best when away from the song’s hook. Obviously, the hook is where the members are their strongest within the song.
The music video shows the force and power behind MONSTA X, telling people around them not to mess with them. Otherwise, you might turn into green goo like the guy they tied up and relocated in the van via loud music. Other parts of the video convey a message that they are different and should be allowed to be themselves. I actually liked the various premises of the video, which include taking over a TV studio and commandeering a junior taekwondo class. The best part of the video has to be the bridge, as JOOHONEY and I.M are delivering the lines “Make the ground shake, bring the earthquake, Feel the floor crack, we are not fake“, and the people we see in the video are stomping along with the music. It is a very cool and commanding part of the video, which is why it is my favourite part of the song.
Despite recently going on hiatus for back pain and treatment, it is nice to see I.M participate in the promotions for the comeback. While he isn’t performing the choreography, he is still actively joining the members on stage throughout the performance to deliver his parts of N the Front. As for the choreography, it is definitely a powerful routine with a hip-hop influence that looks cool. I also enjoyed the bounce in the routine during the chorus.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
Hey there, welcome to the next Weekly KPOP Chart post for Week 3 of August 2025, which spans from 17 to 23 August 2025.
Tiredness got the better of me this week. I am looking right at that unexpected workload that continued unexpectedly, which wore me out by day’s end. No clue if it will persist into the new week, but I have some reviews already scheduled and ready to go for the weekend ahead.
Anyhow, here are the Weekly KPOP Charts for Week 3 of August 2025.
What else am I 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 VIXX’s Dynamite.
In the midst of the unexpected workload and crazy deadlines, Dynamite appeared, hit hard and pushed me forward. It was so amazing in the moment that I had to repeat Dynamite to get multiple doses to replicate the same effect.
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, once again, JEON SOMI’s CLOSER.
The Chart
MONSTA X’s pre-release single for their THE X mini-album, which will drop the week after, Do What I Want, ranks in the top spot this past week. Congratulations to MONSTA X and welcome back!
It has been over two years since we last heard from MONSTA X as a group through their 2023 release of Beautiful Liar, the title track from their 12th mini-album REASON. Since then, the group has been on hiatus due to military enlistments, while those who finished their enlistment (Shownu) and those who had not enlisted yet (I.M) focused on solo activities. Now that all members are available, they will be celebrating their 10th anniversary as a group with the release of their 13th mini-album THE X on 1 September 2023. In anticipation of the album release, MONSTA X has dropped the single Do What I Want.
The new single is quite different to what I remember of MONSTA X pre-2023. While the track does sit within the hip-hop realm, like most of their past title tracks, Do What I Want distinctively draws upon Brazilian funk, which is very unique and different for the group, but also KPOP in general. And the final result is definitely something fun, energetic and lively. There is also a club beat in Do What I Want, which I appreciate for keeping the single grounded and giving it some bite. But at the same time, it is quite generic and so does zap some of the fun and energy from those livelier and funkier moments. Do What I Want also lacks a strong hook. The song’s spoken hook in the song’s centre does have a catchiness to it, but it felt underbaked and does not necessarily reflect the song’s energy. It does create some contrast (i.e., between the low and high tones), but it wasn’t enough to be the song’s main selling point. The group’s delivery (i.e., rap and vocals) is sound, but without that strong hook, I don’t really remember much of the delivery. Overall, Do What I Want is refreshing and different, but I miss the old MONSTA X edgy hip-hop dance sound that we heard previously from the group.
I do appreciate the group doing something utterly different music-wise. And to match the completely different music, the group has gone for a very wild and chaotic visual to accompany the new song. The members are horned and sharp-eared creatures in the music video, which is very unusual. I am not entirely sure what these horns represent, but it’s possible they’re connected to the upcoming music video for THE X‘s title track. Regardless, the members are seen vibing along and being very free with the music and each other in a home video-style video in a summery fashion. This seems pretty normal. But while being perplexed isn’t the way I expected MONSTA X’s first music video in a while to go, I will admit it is very memorable for obvious reasons.
There might also be some choreography to the release, with the routine being shown slightly alongside the second and final choruses. However, I don’t think there is enough for me to comment on it. If it is the accompanying choreography, it does share that wildness that I mentioned earlier with the flailing arms and such. So, I won’t include it in the ‘Overall Rating’ for the time being.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
Today, I am posting another album review – this one is for MONSTA X’s first subunit SHOWNU x HYUNGWON. Their first mini-album, THE UИSEEN, was released at the end of July 2023. This mini-album features the title track, Love Me A Little, and four other side tracks. To me, THE UИSEEN is one of those albums where the title track was the weakest track of all and the side tracks all surpassed the standard created by the title track. There is definitely a side track on this mini-album that would have served better as the title track. To see which of the side tracks I thought had what it take to be title track material, continue reading below.
2. Love Therapy – Love Therapy would have made a far more convincing title track than the actual title track. Grungy vibes feature in Love Therapy thanks the ongoing presence of a very texturally crunchy synth. But as the song enters chorus territory, Love Therapy becomes groovier, which a very cool development in the song. The duo comes off as very charismatic in Love Therapy, with strong vocals from both. SHOWNU really oozed a lot of sleekness and style through his vocals, while HYUNGWON’s rap-speak moment in the bridge was a highlight. I think the song could have benefited from a more robust hook that isn’t repetition of the song’s title. But as it is, it is quite a strong side track already. (8.5/10)
3. Roll With Me – For me, there was a fair bit to like in Roll With Me. The element that resonates the most with me in this track are the soft and gentle vocals from both SHOWNU and HYUNGWON. There is just something so captivating about their vocals and the melodies that rolls along in Roll With Me. However, as equally as strong as the vocal work, the instrumentation was quite something. The haunting vibe and striking piano makes for a solid base, and the contrast with the vocals made Roll With Me even more compelling to listen to. (9/10)
4. Play Me – Groovy and funky vibes take over in Play Me. I like how the track keeps the soft trajectory going from the previous track. It is a motif that I find works well with SHOWNU and HYUNGWON, especially when it came to the post-chorus sequence of the song. The falsettos were also a nice touch to the song. I would have liked to hear more riveting melodies, as this would have helped take Play Me to the next level. But what we got was pretty good already. (8/10)
5. Slow Dance – Ending the mini-album is Slow Dance, which is a R&B track. There isn’t much to talk about in this song, other than it is a solid effort from the duo. Once again, they take the soft direction and the groovy air does remain in Slow Dance. But I do like the upbeat nature and the oomph they do put into the chorus, which makes it more charged and appealing listen. But once again, punchier hooks and stronger melodies would have made Slow Dance even better. (8/10)
SHOWNU x HYUNGWON made their debut as the first official subunit of MONSTA X earlier this week with the single Love Me A Little, and their 1st mini-album, The Unseen. It is the first time we are seeing a unit from MONSTA X, who made their debut 8 years ago in 2015. And the duo’s unit debut follows MONSTA X’s latest comeback Beautiful Liar and REASON, and also serves as SHOWNU first release since completing his military enlistment earlier in the year.
While the song had good bass, and the vocals brings a satisfying deep and groovy tone to the song, Love Me A Little‘s instrumental is the song’s weakest point. Aside from the hefty paced drum beats, repetitive piano work and a few synths (most of which were percussive, so it blends in with the drum beats) to give Love Me A Little some texture, there isn’t much else to the background for a good portion of the song. It does lend well towards a sensual slow-burn atmosphere which Love Me A Little does go for, but it also doubled up in creating a sluggish and dry atmosphere as well. Thus, I found it difficult to maintain focus on Love Me A Little. It doesn’t help that the song didn’t have any memorable hooks or melodies to standout on or compensate the instrumentation. It isn’t until after the second run at the chorus do we start hearing the incorporation of additional instruments to the background, such as a brass element, strings and electric guitar. This does increase the appeal of Love Me A Little and gives the song some much needed flair, but I personally felt this was too late in the game. The instrumental’s existing makeup also gets interesting and builds towards something a lot more dynamic, which helps Love Me A Little end on a much stronger note than compared to the first two thirds of the song. I wished there was more to Love Me A Little, something that sparks a bit of energy and dynamism a lot earlier in the song.
As per the title of the song, the duo sings about wanting more love for themselves from their partner. The video doesn’t make much of a plot-line. Instead, we see the pair in an emotionless state caused by the lack of love that their partner is giving them. Honestly, there isn’t too much else to the video, so the music video becomes one of those that you watch once and you don’t really need to watch it again. On the flipside, however, the video takes a dark and moodier approach, which works well with the sensual slow-burn atmosphere of the song. I did like the choreography sets and locations chosen in the music video, and the transition between the pair in the driver’s seat of the car.
If there was any aspect of a comeback this duo would be sure to ace, that would be the performance aspect, given they are the dancers of their group. And they really did showcase a really cool and captivating performance to watch. Firstly, they made everything look effortless and smooth. Secondly, the dance sequences towards the end of the song were so well-executed and their chemistry was on point. Their backwards bending move was super cool and clean to watch – it is the part of the routine that I would gladly watch again and again.
Song – 6.5/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 7.2/10
As already mentioned prior to my break, one of the first posts after posting the outstanding Weekly KPOP Charts will be the annual ‘Personal Favourite’ post. Each year, to help round out the first half of the year, I post a list of my personal favourite songs from the 1st half of the year in July of each year. As we are now in July 2023, it is time to post my personal favourite songs from the 1st half of 2023 (with a few extra tidbits).
For this year’s post, I am following what I did last year, as I quite liked how that turned out. This means in addition to the usual list of 10 songs (which are in no particular order and not related to my reviews as songs do grow immensely on me) for the first half of 2023, I will also be posting two songs from the November – December 2022 period. And I will be posting 3 non-Korean songs (i.e. English, Japanese etc.) by Korean artists that caught my attention so far this year. So without further delays, here are the list of my personal favourite songs of the year thus far (in no particular order, of course).
From November – December 2022
Personal favourite non-Korean songs of 2023 thus far
Personal favourite KPOP songs of the year so far (January – June 2023)
JOOHONEY, one of two rappers from the male group MONSTA X, made his return to the stage a few weeks back in May 2023 as a solo artist with the single FREEDOM and the mini-album Lights. JOOHONEY has previously release solo music before in a form of five mixtapes since 2015, but this new release is being dubbed as his official ‘solo debut’. This makes JOOHONEY as MONSTA X’s third member to release ‘solo music ‘debut’ as a solo artist, following the likes of fellow MONSTA X rapper I.M in 2021 (with God Damn) and main vocalist KIHYUN in 2022 (with VOYAGER).
FREEDOM unexpectedly embraces multiple sides of JOOHONEY and it a stunning display of what JOOHONEY has to offer. Given his main position in MONSTA X is a rapper, I kind of expected him to gear towards that typical hip-hop genre with the title track. But I am all for surprises, asFREEDOM is definitely one in itself and definitely is full of them. Opening up FREEDOM is a spectacular showing of honey-like vocals from the rapper over a beautiful piano backing. A minute or so of this beautiful vocal/piano piece, FREEDOM diverts itself to that expected territory of rap and hip-hop. During this segment, JOOHONEY takes on an angsty persona that contrasts heavily with the preceding vocals. But this was short-lived, as vocals take over during the pre-chorus, returning us to a glimpse of the start of the song. For FREEDOM‘s choruses, the song keeps itself on its toes by blending together JOOHONEY’s vocals and with the harshness of rock elements, which highlights a more dynamic side of JOOHONEY. To me, the choruses highlights the blend of the intensity we get from JOOHONEY’s rap/hip-hop side with the mellow side that comes from his vocal. For the second verse, FREEDOM keeps us on our toes, with the vocal centric start before a dramatic and super intense instrumental break in place of the rapping/hip-hop side we heard earlier in the first verse. Obviously, such a break would allow JOOHONEY to highlight another side of his career – his dancing abilities in the performance and serves as another twist to FREEDOM. The song then closes with the rock-infused/vocal centerpiece, but with an extra layer of electric guitar riffs and intensity to signal that end.FREEDOM is designed to be a cool song and to highlight the best sides of JOOHONEY. That brief is, without a doubt, met. At times, FREEDOM does feel a bit much, but multiple listens and time have helped combat this feeling. Potentially, the song could have been dialed back and explore just one or two of the sides that FREEDOM had explored. But that could have limited FREEDOM to be rather one-dimension and would have meant we would missed out on a unique and personal song from JOOHONEY.
The music video for FREEDOM was pretty cool. Along the vocals and piano at the start of the song, we see JOOHONEY climb up the stairs to seek the freedom he mentions in the lyrics. That and the end with the ending poses/lights gave off a religious undertone, which I thought was interesting. I am sure those moments were symbolic rather than religious though, but that this is all speculation from my end. When we get to the more angsty rap/hip-hop, the video shows a more confronting and intense side of the artist with the use of fluorescence effects, which gave off a cool yet mildly unsettling moment. And everything else in between seemed to give off a more urban and casual vibe based on the outfits of JOOHONEY, the dancers and the sets. Overall, a pretty good music video.
As for the performance, the live vocals made it a captivating performance to watch. As for the rest of the performance, it all looked good and works well with the music. I really enjoyed the dance break enabled by the dramatic instrumental break mentioned before. The stomping moves and intensity both JOOHONEY and the dancers showed gave off a super powerful impression and made it an awesome watch.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
Welcome to the first 2023 album review of the year! Yes, I know it is May. And yes, this might technically not be the first 2023 album release to be reviewed this year. But it is the official start a more focused look at the 2023 releases. Starting my ‘focused look at 2023 releases’ is MONSTA X’s REASON, the group’s 12th mini-album, which was released in early January 2023. It is also the group’s first release since most of the members renewed their contracts with Starship Entertainment (with the exception of I.M, who chose to look elsewhere for solo promotions, whilst continuing activities with the rest of the group). The main single off the mini-album is Beautiful Liar, which also dropped on the same day. REASON follows the release of their SHAPE OF LOVE mini-album from 2022.
2. Daydream – Daydream features a creepy and haunting instrumentation, a complete shakeup if you were expecting something daydreamy. It is quite unsettling, but the track stands out because of this. As for the members, they do a decent job. I like that they do lean into the eerie vibes the song gives, telling us their desire to not wake up and realize their lover had left them. But I was expecting them to really kick Daydream up a notch. While they do go in that direction at certain moments, it doesn’t get Daydream anywhere, which is a bit of a disappointment. (7/10)
3. Crescendo (춤사위) – Crescendo is your typical hip-hop track with a traditional Korean twist to the instrumentation. It is a really cool mash of traditional and modern, with both sides feeling very balanced and harmonious with another (as far as a hip-hop track can go). There was never a dull moment in the song. Alongside the instrumentation, MONSTA X kills it with the rapping and vocals, always bringing an unexpected surprise as the song progresses. A personal highlight on the album. (10/10)
4. LONE RANGER – LONE RANGER incorporates a Wild West flair, giving the song a strong sense of character from the get-go. I like how it is more subtle than other songs that have the same influence, who tend to have it more in the forefront and in-your-face usually. The flair is paired with a relentless stomping beat, giving LONE RANGER intensity and propels the song forward. The vocals are very clean and deliver the catchy hooks effortlessly. Kihyun ended the song off amazingly with his ad-lib. The rappers of MONSTA X also do an amazing job as well, with Joohoney’s second verse rap sequence having a bit of a grow and an impact oomph in the song. (9/10)
5. Deny – Deny tones down the album with a smoother approach and a jazzier undertone to its instrumentation. The song falls more into R&B territory. I like the glow that radiates from the vocalists, while the rapping gives Deny a really sleek vibe. It was an enjoyable track to listen to, overall. (8/10)
6. It’s Alright (괜찮아) – Ending on a happier tone, the album ends with the single It’s Alright where they talk about going back to their lover. The track keeps true to MONSTA X’s hip-hop roots. But this time around, they go with an old-school 90s vibe. And this makes the track so likeable. The melodies in this track are amazing, especially the English lines in the choruses. There is some really nice piano work in the background, which just adds a classy tone to the song. (9/10)
The next mini-album up for review this week is KIHYUN’s first mini-album, YOUTH, which featured a title track that shares the exact same name. Alongside, YOUTH (the title track), four side tracks also make up the mini-album. YOUTH (both the album and title track) follows KIHYUN’s solo debut earlier in 2022 – Voyager, which was released back in March 2022. YOUTH was a neat follow up to VOYAGER, showcasing more of KIHYUN and delivering that mini-album that KIHYUN definitely deserves to flaunt his talents and undeniable potential as a solo artist. Next up on the wish list is a speedy solo comeback from KIHYUN (Side note – he just returned in MONSTA X’s Beautiful Liar) with another album.
2. Bad Liar – Kicking off Bad Liar are some vocals on a lower register, before KIHYUN soars upwards with some powerful vocals when it came to the chorus. I found the instrumental to be a dramatic one, but also quite electrifying once we get into chorus territory. I do think some more substantial electric guitar riffs would have been really cool addition to the song and taken Bad Liar to even more electrifying heights. (8.5/10)
3. STARDUST – Next up on the mini-album is STARDUST. It is a straightforwardly fun and upbeat track that brings some retro synths into the mix of band instrumentation. I like the head-nodding potential behind the track and how KIHYUN sounds throughout the track. It is a fairly simple track, but definitely a standout for me on this mini-album. (9/10)
4. Where Is This Love – Where Is This Love is an all-English ballad that really showcases KIHYUN’s vocals. I honestly did not expect an all-English track from the soloist, let alone an all-English ballad. This is probably the hardest type of an all-English track, given that is it hard for a non-English speaker (regardless of their vocal abilities) to convey emotions just as well as when they are singing in their mother tongue. But he does just that. Throughout Where Is This Love, I really liked how KIHYUN shows range with this track, going effortlessly between soft whispery moments and the more powerful moments where KIHYUN really shows emotions. It is a nice balance between delicate and passion, which makes Where Is This Love a strong track. (9/10)
5. ‘Cause of You – ‘Cause of You ends the album with a soft and lovely pop track. I believe there are some acoustics influences present in this track, along with some piano work and very light and subtle sprinkling of synths in the background. It is a very airy track, overall. Melody and vocal-wise, I didn’t find the track interesting. KIHYUN does sound pleasant throughout ‘Cause of You, but it isn’t his most impressive display of vocals on the album. (7/10)
MONSTA X also made their comeback on Monday alongside SF9. Beautiful Liar is the title of their latest track and it leads the group’s 12th mini-album, Reason. It follows the group’s early 2022 comeback with LOVE (which I nominated as Best Rap or Hip Hop Song of 2022 in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards) and their 11th mini-album SHAPE OF LOVE, the release of Late Night Feels (a collaboration with San Feldt), and contracts renewal where all but one member renewed their contracts with Starship Entertainment (with the exception of I.M, who left Starship Entertainment but confirmed that he will continue to promote as part of MONSTA X).
The electric guitar start to Beautiful Liar and the punk rock influence from the electric guitar’s presence for the rest of the song has to be one the most exhilarating starts to a song. It leaves such a strong impression that it makes Beautiful Liar really irresistible to me. I really do want to say similar comments to Beautiful Liar‘s instrumental, but the choruses (which I will discuss a little later) do hold me back from saying that. Anyhow, the first verse (which is actually the first run of the chorus, but it is delivered in a manner that made it feel like a verse) features such a sleek vocal line from I.M, Minhyuk and Hyungwon, while I.M and Jooheon really takes it up a notch with a rap sequence in the second verse that really delivers impact. Each of the verses is followed by Kihyun, who blasts us with his powerful vocals as the electric guitars ramp up the song. The choruses had a neat melody that has a memorable ring and it felt emotional yet charming. However. if I had one complaint about Beautiful Liar, it is that the chorus could have more oomph in the instrumental department. This would forces the vocals to be more powerful, which I reckon would have done wonders to Beautiful Liar. The way the pre-choruses ramped up to the chorus suggested a continuation of that exhilarating start and an electrifying nature, but we never got to see that become reality. It was interesting that in place of a what should have been the second chorus (third, if you count the first verse – I do not), Beautiful Liar skips to a second rap verse before bringing back the chorus for a final run. But this is not a complaint, as this structure gives us a second dosage of awesome rapping from the rappers (which I am all for). I do think there was a missed opportunity for the group to have concentrated the momentum and energy to form part of the final chorus to give Beautiful Liar a more deserving and punchy end (just to end the song on a higher note). But overall, Beautiful Liar is still a strong song, which works really well for MONSTA X, despite the complaint and suggestion around the choruses.
I am not exactly sure what the video for this comeback is about. But I do have a theory. The cloaked people surrounding the the members throughout the video represent the lies MONSTA X’s partners have told them. At first, the members want to protect their love for said partner, thinking their love is real and the lies are lie themselves. A fight against the cloaked figures ensures. Note their red jackets, with the colour red being referenced in the lyrics through the line “At the end of your red tongue, like the color of red, you got sores, I will kiss, I love your lies.“, suggesting that the love the members have for their partner is still very real. But as the video progresses, we see the members change into outfits that have a black and white theme to them. The white in the middle of the video donned by I.M most likely represents a sense of innocence in their mind, whereas the all-black clothing worn by the other members represents a toxic version of themselves that has come about from the lies. We see the toxicity break loose (i.e. stomping to break the glass) and take over the minds of the members. In real life, this results in the members (once dressed in red) to become dressed in black and white checkered outfits, represents the lies/toxicity are slowly taking over and corrupting the members. And instead of a fight like at the start of the video, the members are hyping up the crowd of cloaked figures (i.e. lies), which may represent to us that the members are now embracing the lies that their partner once told them. And while we don’t see this, I think the members are supposed to become cloaked figures as well, once the lies/toxicity fully takes over. It is a bit of a crude theory and I may be wrong. But if I am right, I liked the idea of the symbolism.
From what we can see in the music video, the choreography for this comeback looks pretty decent. But as I have yet to see the full performance, I can’t say with 100% certainity whether there is anything that stands out or not. So I will comeback tomorrow or Friday once we do get a live performance to provide proper comments. But for now, accept my interim ratings.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.4/10
This review kicks off a big week of reviews coming to you on this blog. And that honour of the day goes to KIHYUN, who returns as a solo artist after his solo debut with VOYAGER seven months ago. The new single is titled Youth and is featured on his first mini-album of the same name. KIHYUN also participated in MONSTA X’s comeback earlier this year, LOVE.
Youth follows on neatly from his solo debut track, with both tracks falls into the rock genre. However, we aren’t talking about copies here. Youth is more on the alternative side of the genre and there is some really good energy coming from the song. Within the first listen, I was digging the sound and having a bit of a dance in my seat. That is probably the best first impression you could get with any song. KIHYUN did a superb job in terms of vocals, once again. I really liked the huskier tone he adopts in the verses of Youth and the way his vocals push upwards to give us a more explosive chorus. The melody was just fine, but I found it to be fulfilling given the way his vocals rode the energy that came from the instrumental. This created a satisfying centrepiece to Youth. His lower vocals at the end of Youth was also stunning way to close up the song, making the song feel complete, especially following the high of the chorus. However, with a few more listens in the bag, I have consistently been caught off guard with the fact that Youth is short. I wanted more to the song. Maybe the ending we got potentially could have been a false one, and KIHYUN had another go at the chorus to catch us off guard. This doesn’t change the fact that Youth is good and that I am happy with Youth. But hopefully we can get a longer title track from KIHYUN in the future.
YOUTH’s lyrics expresses the emotions felt by a person at the crossroads between their younger and current self. It touches on the whole idea of maturing into an adult, but also wishing those days when we were young to return. I felt the music video depicted KIHYUN as his younger and current self quite well. We see KIHYUN as his younger self in the first half of the video, with him jumping about in the bedroom and having fun at the playground, just like a young kid would be doing. His current self is depicted in the second half of the video, but I think we see two sides. We first saw what his younger self had thought he would become when he matures into an adult – dark and lonely. But we a truer representation of KIHYUN now when he is in the studio taking photos and videos towards the end. And he definitely looks content and happy about where he is now. It is a nice video that woks extremely well with the lyrics and has a deep meaning.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
KPOPREVIEWED 