SEVENTEEN – KPOPREVIEWED

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 2nd Week of May 2024

May 12, 2024Posted in Weekly ChartsTagged SEVENTEENLeave a comment

Welcome back to another Weekly KPOP Chart post – this time for the 2nd Week of May 2024. Still no luck on coverage of new KPOP tracks. Just four reviews this week – one of which at the start of the week and the rest all posted yesterday. Again, I am hoping to be more productive week on the blog from tomorrow. Let’s see how I go. This coming week promises comebacks from ZEROBASEONE, aespa, ENHYPEN, Mark (from NCT), DXMON, ITZY and more. Per usual, you will have to wait to see who I cover in the new week – until then, here is the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 2nd Week of May 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. This week is a song that I forgot about for a while (despite it being featured in this segment before). But it randomly appeared in my mind this week and I had to relive it! The song is titled Dreamer, which was HISTORY’s debut track from 2013. The track and music video features IU.

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 Stray Kids’ fresh new release Lose My Breath, which features Charlie Puth. It ranks in the 11th position this week.

The Charts

SEVENTEEN’s MAESTRO is the top song for 2nd Week of May 2024. Congratulations!

Position	Song Title	Artist	Change
1	MAESTRO	SEVENTEEN	(▲ 3)
2	Magnetic	ILLIT	(=)
3	Mars	Doh Kyung Soo (D.O – EXO)	(NEW)
4	BE SOMEBODY	YOOK SUNGJAE (BTOB)	(NEW)
5	Nectar	THE BOYZ	(▲ 16)
6	Girls Never Die	tripleS	(NEW)
7	Beautiful Maze	DRIPPIN	(▲ 26)
8	But I	Solar (MAMAMOO)	(▼ 7)
9	HEYA	IVE	(▼ 6)
10	Midas Touch	KISS OF LIFE	(▼ 4)
11	Lose My Breath	Stray Kids ft. Charlie Puth	(NEW)
12	I Like The Way	Kim Woojin	(▼ 1)
13	Come Back To Me	RM (BTS)	(NEW)
14	BBB	PURPLE KISS	(▲ 55)
15	Love or Die	BAEKHO & BIGONE	(NEW)
16	Impossible	RIIZE	(▼ 1)
17	Youth2Youth	EPEZ	(▲ 52)
18	Bye My Monster	ONF	(▲ 51)
19	Welcome To My Show	DAY6	(▲ 50)
20	SWEAT	ZEROBASEONE	(▲ 49)
21	Deja Vu	TXT	(▲ 25)
22	Earth, Wind & Fire	BOYNEXTDOOR	(▼ 6)
23	Q&A	HyunA	(▼ 11)
24	Choke	82MAJOR	(▲ 45)
25	Colors	Solar (MAMAMOO)	(NEW)
26	I’ll Be By Your Side	DAVICHI	(▲ 34)
27	PUNK HOT	1CHU	(▼ 8)
28	Psychic	Lay Zhang (EXO)	(▲ 41)
29	As Always	Lee Changsub (BTOB)	(▲ 40)
30	STILL ALIVE	XXIN	(▲ 39)

[Review] MAESTRO – SEVENTEEN

April 29, 2024Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged SEVENTEEN3 Comments

The second Monday comeback that I want to focus on today is SEVENTEEN’s grand return with their 2nd compilation album 17 Is Right Here and the title track MAESTRO. It is SEVENTEEN’s first release since October’s SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN and GOD OF MUSIC.

MAESTRO leans the group back into their darker sound profile, which has always been a positive experience for me. And MAESTRO lives up to that expectation. The title MAESTRO instantly makes you think of classical music, and the song begins with a brief appearance (and sees a recurrence in the choruses) of piano. But we see the song quickly revert into its true form – a R&B dance track. A touch of funky guitar work, fast-paced rapping from S.COUPS and VERNON, and sleek vocals from MINGYU and JOSHUA gets MAESTRO moving along before we hear a stunning WOOZI and DK vocal-focused pre-chorus that builds the anticipation towards the chorus. The chorus that follows, and that we return to throughout MAESTRO, felt logical and charming to an extent. But I was disappointed with the reliance on the ‘La La La‘ as the hook. It definitely has potential to catch on, but it also feels empty and doesn’t really have as strong of a command as did latter parts of MAESTRO had. We do get a second half of the chorus, but that doesn’t ping me as memorable. MAESTRO then changes gears slightly with a techno beat feels unexpecting, yet so charismatic and pummels the song forward. It is paired with WONWOO’s rapping and JUN’s vocals – the former creates a perfect sense of intensity with said beat, while the latter felt a little lost in the beat. We return to another amazing pre-chorus (brought to you by DK and SEUNGKWAN this time around) and another run at the chorus. Then comes the bridge, which I think is one of the best moments of MAESTRO. THE8’s delicate vocals was supreme, as well as the follow-up rapping from S.COUPS and DINO. In the final moments of MAESTRO, the techno beat returns as a mini instrumental break and WONWOO’s deep and gripping vocals closes out the song nicely. Overall, a few minor flaws, but MAESTRO still comes off as an epic song for SEVENTEEN.

MAESTRO‘s music video has officially become the first contender for Best Music Video for 2024. You heard it first here! The editing, the concepts and even just the amazing closeup of the members just captivates me from the get-go and takes my breath away. The video sees SEVENTEEN have total command just like how a maestro would have control of an orchestra, and the intensity that comes off SEVENTEEN’s portrayal of this has me spellbound. More specifically, we see them control the narrative of events in the video, such as the car crashes and WONWOO’s fight scene (which has been engraved into my memory bank). We see them also control the AI bots, who mimic the members. Even the massive metronome building in the end alludes to the idea of commanding the citizens of the city around them.

No surprises here, but the choreography overall showcases the song’s intensity quite well. If I had to name an example moment of that intensity, my vote is for the instrumental break, which translates into a dance break in the performance. The presence of the baton in the performance makes sense and is a great way of bringing the concept of the comeback into the performance, as well. And as usual SEVENTEEN’s synchronisation always has me in awe.

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

[Album Review] SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN (11th Mini Album) – SEVENTEEN

January 30, 2024January 19, 2024Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged SEVENTEENLeave a comment

SEVENTEEN brings their A-game in some form whenever they make a comeback. For their October 2023 comeback with God of Music, their A-game came in the form of practically everything, including their 11th mini-album, SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN. For example, in addition to the title track. the three unit tracks that are featured on this mini-album were an absolute knock out. And these tracks collectively helped bump up the overall album rating for the album. Continue reading to find out what I also thought about the 3 songs on the mini-album that have yet to be mentioned, as well as what I thought about the home runs on this mini-album.

1. SOS – SEVENTEEN starts off strong with SOS, an all-English pop rock track produced by Marshmello. The verses of SOS doesn’t necessarily have a tinge of rock to them, opting for a more EDM aligned backing. But things change in SOS once we get to the pre-chorus, where the synths are stripped away, some light guitar work comes into play and we see some really good vocal moments emerge. From there, the chorus features a heavier rock presence, as well as the raspier and rougher vocals that helps give off a grungier exterior. I particularly like how hard they go for the chorus, which takes SOS up a notch. The bridge was the lacking moment for me in SOS, as the inclining repetition of lines felt a little unpolished and muddy. (8/10)

2. God of Music (음악의신) (Title Track) – Click here for the review for God of Music. (10/10)

3. Diamond Days – Diamond Days throws it back to Shining Diamond from their debut album thanks to the ‘Slippin’ into the diamond life’ sample the song features. This makes for a great start and end to the song, especially for fans of the group since day 1. Unfortunately, Diamond Days doesn’t really follow through with this beginning/end. Personally, I felt the chorus was the weakest link of the song. While the EDM instrumentation was dynamic and vibrant, the repetition of the same words ‘Dia-Dia-…-Diamond Days’ and ‘Diamond’ was quite one-dimensional and became a bore quite easily. The verses were more engaging, with the EDM instrumental exhibiting a subtle funky profile and meatier vocal and rapping deliveries are present in the verses. (7/10)

4. Back 2 Back (Performance Team) – We remain in EDM territory with Back 2 Back. Performed by the Performance Unit (which is made up of HOSHI, JUN, THE8 and DINO), I really liked the dynamic flair that Back 2 Back carried. There was a lot going on, but nothing disappointed. In fact, every part felt engaging in its own right. Even the vocals and rapping throughout the track was super prolific and addictive. You can definitely see the amazing performance that the quartet will undoubtedly put on with such a strong song like this. (10/10)

5. Monster (Hip-Hop Team) – We need to remember that this mini-album was released prior to Halloween, so Monster was actually highly appropriate at the time of SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN’s release. The Hip-Hop team (which consist of S.COUPS, WONWOO, MINGYU and VERNON) had amazing delivery throughout the track. I like the variety of playful rapping and vocals we get from the unit in this track, which works wonderfully with the eerie, creepy keyboard or piano melodies in the background (which to me actually sounds very familiar, but I just cannot seem to place where I remember it from). Their flow and energy are superb, and I liked the little details such as the screams we hear throughout. Best part, for me, has to the lower toned pre-chorus. (10/10)

6. Yawn (하품) (Vocal Team) – The Vocal team turns down the dial of this mini-album a lot with the ballad Yawn. To say it is a beautiful song is an understatement. We hear JEONGHAN, JOSHUA, WOOZI, DK and SEUNGKWAN show off their beautiful vocals in Yawn over an equally stunning classical instrumented backing. And this backing get better as the song progresses, evident by the building momentum, which ultimately peaks in the bridge. The melodies make me sway along to the song, which you know I love out of a ballad. In terms of intent, the working theory (from what I have read about the song thus far) is that WOOZI wrote Yawn for SEUNGKWAN, whose close friend (MOONBIN from ASTRO) passed away in early 2023. (10/10)

7. Headliner – The final track on the album brings the 13 members back together again. And it is a really nice sentimental track to end SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN on. The vocals and background harmonies were really well done, while the instrumentation takes on a pop-rock sound profile. I particularly like the idea of the latter, as it gives Headliner some bite as opposed if it had gone down the ballad route. The melodies were also quite calming and soothing to enjoy. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9/10

[Review] Wait – DINO (SEVENTEEN)

December 14, 2023Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged DINO (SEVENTEEN), SEVENTEENLeave a comment

Beginning in April 2021, SEVENTEEN members have been releasing solo mixtapes as part of ‘The Thirteen Tapes‘ project. The first was HOSHI’s Spider in April 2021. WOOZI released RUBY in January 2022, followed by VERNON in December 2022 with Black Eye. Next up in the series is DINO, who dropped Wait two weeks ago.

Wait explores a hybrid genre of music that see jazz and glitch come together. It is a unique mashup of genres, and we should definitely commend DINO and the producers of Wait on going out there in terms of the sound profile. But I am kind of left wanting more from Wait. While the mashup does come off as a notable centerpiece, everything else in Wait (from the verses to DINO’s vocals) doesn’t come off as nearly memorable. And when I reflect on the song overall after listening to it, the overall feeling I get from Wait is that it is flat. I just wished there was a bit more zing and zest to the song, to give it that vibrant factor and to really hone it all in. We do get some variety from DINO in this song, like some rapping and a decent peak towards the end of the song, which makes me form the opinion that DINO’s delivery in Wait is good and decent. But it also could have been more exciting and eventful. Overall, I’d considered Wait to be a fair release.

DINO does a whole heap of waiting in the music video, with the song expressing his desire to move forward with his relationship, whilst his partner has reservations or hesitations on the matter. We see DINO pull a ticket number and is made to wait for his food, wait to cross the road, awaiting a text message reply but is met with the dreaded three dot bubble. All the waiting appeared to be fruitful though, as he is able to collect his food by the time the video wraps up. And attached to his meal is a dried flower and his ticket, which we see him respectively smiling at and lose earlier in the video. I take this as a sign of acceptance of their relationship and moving forward from his partner. I guess my only query regarding the video is why he has such a dirtied look when he is sleeveless during a choreography scene. Not sure what the connection is there.

Talking about choreography, his performance skills are shown off in this video/release. His moves were sharp and precise, and he looks so focused and charismatic whilst dancing. The whole bridge sequence was my favourite part of this routine.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 4th Week of October 2023

October 29, 2023October 29, 2023Posted in Weekly ChartsTagged SEVENTEEN1 Comment

Welcome back to the Weekly KPOP Charts, this time for the 4th Week of October 2023. Once again, it is going to be another short intro to get right into the post, as I have some posts to draft and schedule for this week. Plus, something special is coming this week. Plus the usual Sunday chores that comes with adulting life. So I am going to get right to it with the Weekly KPOP Chart post for the 4th Week of October 2023. (Honestly, how is it already November?)

Recap of the past week

Here is a recap of what I posted:

song reviews for a new release (SEVENTEEN’s God Of Music and RIIZE’s Talk Saxy),
song reviews for older releases (TREASURE’s B.O.M.B (kaboom ver.)),
an international songs review post covering Anne Marie and Minnie’s Expectations, LE SSERAFIM’s Perfect Night, ITZY’s RINGO & CHEN’s Light Of My Life, and
album reviews for ITZY’s KILL MY DOUBT, aespa’s MY WORLD and INFINITE’s 13egin.

Joining all those new releases above this week are the following songs:

DANG! (hocus pocus) – Billlie
Gummy Bear – Do Hanse ft. BIGONE
Like Heaven – KWON EUNBI ft. Paul Blanco
Truth or Dare – PIXY
JOURNEY – DV.OL
RUCKUS – GHOST9
Gum – JESSI

Listen to this Song – Park Boram
Plastic Candy – Haeseul (ARTMS)
Loved – B.I
Fallin’ – Mark Tuan (GOT7)
Poppin’ Love – WayV
To My Boyfriend – ILY:1

Throwback Song of the Week

It has been a T-ARA type of mood this week. And during this type of mood, I have been listening to a lot of T-ARA’s Sugar Free. As such, Sugar Free is this week’s Throwback Song.

Non-Korean song of the week

THE ROSE’s Wonder is this week’s top Non-Korean song of the week. It ranks in the 4th position this week.

The Charts

Congratulations to SEVENTEEN and their comeback single God of Music for debuting at the top of my Weekly KPOP Charts for the 4th week of October 2023. For more of the charts, keep on scrolling down below.

Pos.	Song	Artist	Change
1	God of Music	SEVENTEEN	(NEW)
2	B.O.M.B	TREASURE	(▲ 26)
3	In The Mood	WHEE IN (MAMAMOO)	(▲ 75)
4	Wonder	THE ROSE	(▲ 76)
5	Perfect Night	LE SSERAFIM	(NEW)
6	Talk Saxy	RIIZE	(NEW)
7	Chasing That Feeling	TXT	(▼ 4)
8	Give You My All	HIGHLIGHT	(▲ 35)
9	I’m Crying Over You	Kwon Jieun	(▲ 69)
10	RINGO	ITZY	(▲ 68)
11	STRANGER	SUNMI	(▼ 10)
12	Good Enough	CHANYEOL (EXO)	(▼ 3)
13	Baddie	IVE	(▼ 9)
14	I Love My Body	HWASA (MAMAMOO)	(▲ 18)
15	You & Me	Jennie (BLACKPINK)	(▲ 3)
16	Love It	YOUNITE	(▲ 26)
17	TROUBLE	EVNEE	(▼ 13)
18	Fact Check	NCT 127	(▼ 16)
19	Invincible	EVOlution (TripleS)	(▲ 18)
20	THIS IS LOVE	Queenz Eye	(▲ 58)
21	Hongdae R&B	BIBI	(▲ 55)
22	Back For More	TXT with Anitta	(▲ 45)
23	Star	DAWN ft. 10CM	(=)
24	HOWL	CHUU	(▲ 49)
25	Rockstar	Jay Chang	(▲ 53)
26	I’ll Be There	Jay Chang	(▲ 18)
27	Sage	FT ISLAND	(▲ 51)
28	SKIP OUT	Roa (Rocking Doll)	(▲ 50)
29	nothing but	Young K (DAY6)	(▲ 17)
30	Your City	Jung Yonghwa (CNBLUE)	(▲ 48)

Songs leaving the charts

The following songs have wrapped up their nine week run in the charts system, and will no longer be on the charts from next week:

Baggy Jeans – NCT U
Smooth Sailing – cignature
IN MY ROOM – Lim Young Min
SALTY BOY – ONEWE
Omnipresent – ONEWE
PADO (wave to me) – PENTAGON
I don’t wanna lose you – COiBLEN
SYNCHRONIZE – X:IN
SEOUL (Such a Beautiful City) – H1-KEY
Different Hearts – GINJO & SOLE
On My Way – Kim Woojin
Elevator – BAEKHO
WANT – B.I.G

Hongdae R&B – BIBI
Cheese – CRAVITY
Everyone Else Fades – Mark Tuan (GOT7)
I’ll Hold You – Ailee
The BAT – NCT U
Kangaroo – NCT U
PADO – NCT U
Alley Oop – NCT U
Rest – BDC
Social Path – Stray Kids ft. LiSA
Passion Fruit – THE BOYZ
Gold Gold Gold – JEON SOMI

[Review] God of Music – SEVENTEEN

October 23, 2023Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged SEVENTEEN4 Comments

Kicking off this week is SEVENTEEN, who returns with their 11th mini-album SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN and the title track God Of Music. Once again, SEVENTEEN has exceeded expectations by breaking records with the new mini-album, including becoming the most pre-ordered album release in KPOP industry once again. This is SEVENTEEN’s first comeback since their 10th mini-album FML (lead by the singles Super and F*ck My Life) and their first Japanese compilation album ALWAYS YOURS (lead by the single Ima – Even if the World Ends Today –.

Punchy feel-good energy is how I would describe God of Music. SEVENTEEN’s new song does not disappoint in any department, with the song making me do a bit of a boogie within the first listen. More repeats of the song since its release has me practically up and dancing. The liveliness of God of Music is thanks to the soul funk genre that the group went with. Plus God of Music had some extra lively elements that really helped enhance the energy and brightness of the song, such as the electric guitar riffs in the pre-choruses, the brass detailing in the background and that retro synthesizer riff in the instrumental break. The vocals and rapping are very strong in this track, both matching the energy that is coming off the instrumentation without much trouble. They blend with one another in the song, making everything feel super cohesive and strengthening the song further. The vocals in the pre-chorus propels God of Music forward in a manner that just sounds and feels so dynamic. The chorus itself features a really nice bright melody in the first half and then follows up with the punchy and catchy “Kung chi pak chi kung kung chi pak chi yeah” line. The verses themselves had some really nice rhythm and I liked the anthem-like direction that had going towards the end. Everything in God of Music melds together so well in the track, creating a super energetic and blastful song that feels just right.

The music video begins by setting the scene of a world where music has somehow disappeared. But this same world has SEVENTEEN in it, who reintroduces music into society. The song itself is an ode to music, celebrating how it can bring everyone together no matter where or who you are. We see music reach different life forms in the music video (from humans, ants, DJ donkeys and snails – the slower dragged out form of the music when the snail appears at the end of the video made me laugh). We also witness music reach people in different locations, including what seems like an urban American city, to the grassfields in the countryside and to the hospitals (which is a clever way of featuring S.Coups, who is sitting out most of the promotions to recover from a surgery). The bridge scene where SEVENTEEN and the crowd are marching across at the end was epic. Needless to say, the music video really matches up with the music and appropriately spreads the positive message in a fun and bright visual format.

We only get to see a small portion of the choreography in the music video. But from what I did see was a very lively and fun routine that pairs well with the music. I wish I can say more than that, but that is only what is on offer at the moment. Given that this is SEVENTEEN routine, I am willing to bet that the rest of the choreography will be fantastic, as usual.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.8/10

[International Song Reviews] MISAMO (TWICE), from20, SEVENTEEN, The Rose

October 21, 2023Posted in International Song Review, JPOP, Western POPTagged from20, MISAMO (TWICE), SEVENTEEN, The Rose, TWICE2 Comments

Aside from last weekend, I have been churning out song reviews for the releases of our favourite KPOP artists that are not in Korean. Most recently, I covered JUN’s PSYCHO, TFN’s ICE CREAM, Mark Tuan’s Everyone Else Fades and TXT & the Jonas Brothers’ collaborative single Do It Like That. This week, I turn my attention towards songs from TWICE’s first subunit MISAMO, from20, SEVENTEEN and The Rose.

Do Not Touch – MISAMO (TWICE)

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 14 July 2023
Release Type: Masterpiece (1st Japanese Mini Album)

MISAMO sees the Japanese members of TWICE (Mina, Sana and Momo) come together to form a trio in Do Not Touch. For me, the song is another case of “more could have been done”. Do Not Touch definitely has drive thanks to its beats, synths and guitar work. I also like the moodier vibes that Do Not Touch feature heavily of. It is a different side to the trio worth exploring more in the future, simply because I don’t think TWICE’s sound allows for it. The members doing a decent job of bringing the song’s hooks and melodies to the table, with some good harmonisations and solid vocal work through Do Not Touch. The rapping in the form it takes in Do Not Touch actually fits quite nicely with the rest of the song as is. However, Do Not Touch has a heavy dullness to it, which I wished was shaken off. I personally think sharper beats, more memorable melodies that build off that and a bit more vocal variation from the members would have removed the dullness felt and given Do Not Touch a much needed boost in the oomph department.

What the song lacks, the music video definitely makes up for. Everything from the fashion, to the styling, to the looks throughout the video are all very striking and thought provoking, which matches perfect with the art gallery/museum concept they had going on. The detailing and the colours at times really pop out,. Altogether, the memorability of Do Not Touch‘s music video is definitely through the roof. The moodier and mature vibes of the song come off quite well in the choreography, with the performance going down a slightly sensual path. In addition to that, the choreography also features an artsy aesthetic, which looks amazing in practice and I find to also be quite memorable.

Overall Rating – 8/10

Bad Revenge – from20

Language: English
Release Date: 5 April 2023
Release Type: Bad Revenge (Digital Single)

Despite not reviewing it last year, from20’s Chemical was definitely on my radar and ended up being nominated for Best International Song by a Korean Artist (Western) of 2022 in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. But I am not going to let from20 (former member of BIGSTAR under the stage name Raehwan) escape my blog this year. Bad Revenge was the soloist’s first release of the year. While Bad Revenge doesn’t necessary top Chemical, it is still a good song in its own right. Bad Revenge features a 80s retro synth backing which instantly convinced me to return for more when it was first released. In addition to that, from20’s vocals are great in Bad Revenge. However, I think some more vocal oomph could have taken Bad Revenge to the next level. I did like the vocal parts at the end of the song, which comes as an appreciative change in vocal colour and tone. Otherwise, Bad Revenge easily could have become overly consistent and that doesn’t always lead to a good outcome. I guess my final comment about Bad Revenge is that the song could have used more polishing the lyrics department, but that is a super minor thing and doesn’t take away from the listening experience that was Bad Revenge.

from20 spends most of the music video without his shirt on, and I am sure fans are loving that aspect of the music video. In addition to that, he is also fighting bad guys and works out in this video, determined to get to some happiness (as represented by the bottle in the middle of a laser field with the word “HAPPY” on it). I think there is a story somewhere in this video, but I find myself plugging in a lot of the missing information with my imagination. While that does give viewers some flexibility in terms of interpretation, I think this particular music video needs a few more details to it. The choreography looks very nice. I liked the groovy factor it brings to the table.

Overall Rating – 8/10

Ima (Even If the World Ends Tomorrow) – SEVENTEEN

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 23 September 2023
Release Type: ALWAYS YOURS (1st Japanese Compilation Album)

Ima (Even If the World Ends Tomorrow) features a pleasant pop rock background. I really like how the guitar riffs is upfront, while the drumming propels the song forward. There is a bit more to Ima, including the string elements, the touch of synths in the background, the more dramatic drumming in the pre-choruses, the piano in the bridge. Each of these elements builds an the pop rock sound to make Ima even more beautiful sounding. Aside from the instrumentation, the group continues to focus on their vocals and melodies in Ima, which sets a solid foundation in making the song a beautiful one. I guess the one thing I really wanted from Ima that did not eventuate is a peak in the vocals. They kind of left to the instrumental, which I think is fine. But I think some of the members could have had a stake in that to take Ima to the next level.

The music video shows an end of the world event playing out, where everyone around the SEVENTEEN members are running to safety and their surroundings are on fire etc. But somehow, SEVENTEEN sees the beauty in all aspects of this, embracing the “now” and focusing on what time is left on their friendship, not worrying about the future as expressed in Ima‘s lyrics. In the story, some members hang back and do not participate in the evacuation, while other members sought or helped others to safety (but end up backing away to focus on their friendship with one another – such is the case of DK and Mingyu). Overall, a pretty music video and works well with the song. The choreography for Ima brings a smile to my face, as it embraces the pleasant side of the song. The members’ smiles whilst performing Ima also helps give off that smiling effect. Majority of the dance moves are a lot smoother than SEVENTEEN’s usual work, matching with the melodies of the song quite well.

Overall Rating – 8.7/10

Back To Me – The Rose

Language: English
Release Date: 23 September 2023
Release Type: DUAL (2nd Studio Album)

While I don’t cover them nearly enough on this blog, The Rose is probably one of the best band acts currently associated with the KPOP industry. They only release music that represents themselves, and there isn’t anyone holding them back from showing this. Back To Me is a quintessential rock ballad track. Nothing more, nothing less. This pure rock sound that comes about in Back To Me is what I want out of the rock sounds in KPOP and I am glad that The Rose are the ones to deliver it. The build up in instrumentation are definitely the highlights of the song. Adding layers to Back To Me are the vocals from Woosung and Dojoon, who both sound emotionally charged and bring angst with their delivery to give Back To Me more impact. Their delivery definitely adds more oomph and meaning to the song’s message of wanting one’s ex to return, despite the screw ups caused by the person singing. Back To Me‘s chorus, with its entirety also serving as the main hook, is super catchy and memorable, as well.

The music video basically features the members in full on rock mode. I like how straight forward it is, encapsulating the energy and tone of the song very well. I would have liked more variation in the video, however. Maybe different scenery, just to give it a bit more layers. But what we got was pretty good.

Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[International Song Reviews] JUN (SEVENTEEN), TFN, Mark Tuan (GOT7), TXT & Jonas Brothers

October 8, 2023December 17, 2023Posted in International Song Review, JPOP, MPOP, Western POPTagged GOT7, Jonas Brothers, JUN (SEVENTEEN), Mark Tuan (GOT7), SEVENTEEN, TXT3 Comments

Another International Song Reviews post. This was supposed to be posted yesterday, but I was feeling very tired for some reason (like to the point where I could barely open my eyes at the grocery store, where there is a lot of stimuli that should have kept me awake). Decided to have a nap for an hour to write this post, but ended up over-napping to dinner. But I am feeling awake right now and ready to tackle the post, which will cover releases from JUN (from SEVENTEEN), TFN, Mark Tuan (from GOT7) and TXT and Jonas Brothers collaboration single! This post follows on from my review of Stray Kids’ Social Path (ft. LiSA), TXT’s pre-release single Back For More (with Anitta), Jung Kook’s newest release 3D (with Jack Harlow) and aespa’s Better Things.

PSYCHO – JUN (SEVENTEEN)

Language: Chinese
Release Date: 4 July 2023
Release Type: PSYCHO (4th Digital Single)

JUN’s PSYCHO is an instant like for me and I found myself playing the song constantly to relive the amazing instrumentation, vocals and atmosphere within PSYCHO. The entirety of PSYCHO is very well executed by JUN and the producers, but the best part has to be the chorus. Firstly, the transition from pre-chorus to chorus is flawless. With the chorus, the rhythmic bass beats and the twinkling instrumental elements creates such an alluring and hypnotic effect that pulled me in for more. The combination also creates this haunting feeling which goes so well with the PSYCHO theme that JUN features as the concept for this comeback. The instrumental bridge serves as an extension of what we hear in the background of the chorus, with further work to it to make it edgier and more suspenseful. This leads into the outro where JUN uses his raspy tone in a shouty manner that sounds so good. PSYCHO is definitely one of the best songs of the year, in my books.

Whatever you think of JUN as part of SEVENTEEN, on-camera or behind the scenes, put that to one side. His acting in this video is so good, playing a psycho so well. The editing definitely helps, but props to JUN, who is also an actor (in case you didn’t know). In addition to his acting, JUN has his body on display throughout the video and looks amazing in all the outfits we see him in. The video ends on a very interesting note, with the car looking like it is going to run into him. Amazing editing here, as I don’t think JUN was actually going to be hit in the car. As for the choreography, I really like how that hypnotic vibe was carried through with the twirling finger in arm move. I also really like the idea of the exaggerated smile within the choreography and basically the rest of the routine. There might be enough for a dance performance nomination at the end of the year (hint hint).

Overall Rating – 9.8/10

ICE CREAM – TFN

Language: Spanish
Release Date: 17 August 2023
Release Type: ICE CREAM (2nd Spanish Single)

After last year’s onslaught of multiple singles and releases, TFN has been very quiet in 2023. Prior to ICE CREAM‘s release, the group only released one single and one mini-album (both of in Japan) this year. Anyhow, what makes ICE CREAM super interesting is that it is a Spanish release, which to me felt like the next logical market for KPOP to expand into, simply because of the massive Latin influence KPOP had a few years back. Aside from the different language (which isn’t a first for KPOP believe it or not), I really like the pompous energy and beats in ICE CREAM. It makes for a super fun and dynamic listen. The brass elements adds to all of this, as well. The vocal and rapping work was equally as bombastic as the instrumentation, which isn’t a bad take on the song. They actually work well with the instrumentation. My only problem with ICE CREAM is that because it starts off and maintains the same energy throughout, the song does get repetitive towards the end. The instrumental break, which goes for a more dance approach to its instrumental – different yet fitting, does help cut the repetition. Altogether, ICE CREAM sounds like a song you would hear at a party. And given all within it, I wouldn’t mind celebrating to it.

As just mentioned, the music video is set at a poolside party, which is a fair call. That is where ice cream would taste best on a summery afternoon. It also looks like the pool is attached to a nice set of villas. The only time the setting changes is for the dance break/end of the song, where the daytime becomes night time and the villa becomes to the setting (not the poolside). Aside from that, the video features some fun closeups of the members. However, I wished there was more to the video. For the most part, the choreography could have been more dynamic and fun. Instead, we got pretty weak delivery from the members (I don’t know if they were tired or being cautious of something, but it looked like minimal effort was being put into the performance) and the moves that look like the choreographer had put together moments before the music video shoot. The most dynamic bit of the choreography was during the dance break, which looked cool. I wished the rest of the routine was just as dynamic and upbeat as the dance break.

Overall Rating – 7.4/10

Everyone Else Fades – Mark Tuan (GOT7)

Language: English
Release Date: 1 September 2023
Release Type: Everyone Else Fades (Digital Single)

The newest release on this post is Mark Tuan’s Everyone Else Fades. As soon as I listened to this song, I knew I had to cover it on the blog in the near future! Well, I have elected that day in the near future to be today. For the most part, Everyone Else Fades fits within the R&B pop genre. But it is the presence of rock in the chorus, that I like the most in the track. It gives the preceding line to the chorus “Everyone else fades into the background” so much more impact and delivers some oomph to the track, which in turn helps the track resonates with the listener. Mark Tuan’s vocals throughout Everyone Else Fades felt very raw yet soothing, delivering a heartfelt message of being around a person they love and having the focus be on them. with everyone else fading into the background. The harmonies stay in my mind after the song finishes and the impact of the central line keeps on replaying in my head. It is definitely a relatable and meaningful song, and also an effective one, as well.

The music video features Mark Tuan and actress/model Davika Hoorne at the beach. Despite the video featuring both of them, I like how it was edited to ensure that Davika Hoorne was the focus, which helps emphasise the lyrics and its message. The lack of other people in the video also helps. Even Mark Tuan, who should have been the focus of the video given that it is his song, felt delegated to the background during those shared shots. Don’t come at me though, as the video does offset this with solo shots of Mark Tuan elsewhere in the video, and I would like to know the meaning off the floating papers, as I felt that was pretty intriguing elements during his shots. But overall, it is a music video that picks up the message and gives effect to it quite well.

Overall Rating – 9/10

Do It Like That – TXT & Jonas Brothers

Language: English
Release Date: 7 July 2023
Release Type: Do It Like That (Digital Single)

Due to my massive backlog of songs to review, I hadn’t had a chance to review Do It Like That yet. This collaboration single between TXT and the Jonas Brothers (which I found to be quite unexpected pairing) is such a fun, light and fluffy listen, making it appropriate for the summery season where you don’t want something too heavy. Instead, Do It Like That is a very easygoing number that remains upbeat all throughout. I like the use of falsettos and bright tone to the instrumentation to maintain the song’s lightness. It actually took me a while to figure out that the different between the band and the group, they just sound so alike to me in Do It Like That. Not entirely sure if that is a good thing, but I wasn’t bothered by that. Overall, a neat collaboration between TXT and Jonas Brother.

The music video is fairly simple, with the Jonas Brothers playing their instrumentation whilst singing and TXT was dancing whilst singing, over white background. This to me matches the simplicity and lightness of the song. Anything more would have felt a bit too much for the song. The outfits worn by the two artists popped out over the white background, which was a nice effect to have in the video. It would have nicer to see TXT and Jonas Brothers interact with one another, but that would have only been possible had they come together to shoot the video (which was not the case). As for the choreography, the parts we did see in the music video (i.e. the chorus sequence designated for becoming a TikTok trend) is not complex by today’s standard. But it wasn’t until we saw the entire routine on their Lollapolooza stage did I fully realize how fun and lighthearted the choreography was. I quite liked it and how fitting it felt for Do It Like That.

Overall Rating – 8.5/10

[International Song Reviews] VERNON (SEVENTEEN), ATEEZ, TWICE, IVE

September 23, 2023February 23, 2024Posted in International Song Review, JPOP, Western POPTagged ATEEZ, IVE, SEVENTEEN, TWICE, VERNON (SEVENTEEN)3 Comments

As you can see, I am determined to cover more songs by Korean artists (or those who have a connection with the KPOP industry) that aren’t in the Korean language. Last weekend, I reviewed songs from KANG DANIEl, Golden Child, AB6IX and THE BOYZ. This week, I am reviewing VERNON’s BLACK EYE, ATEEZ’s LIMITLESS, TWICE’s HARE HARE and IVE’s WAVE.

Black Eye – VERNON (SEVENTEEN)

Language: English
Release Date: 23 December 2022
Release Type: Black Eye (Digital Single)

Going over my records during the week, I realized that VERNON’s Black Eye (which was released at the very end of last year) had not yet been reviewed on my blog. So, here is the review! Black Eye is a straight forward pop-punk track that brings forth a nostalgic feel, This song style is one that suits VERNON super well, and his delivery throughout Black Eye proves just that. VERNON’s hoarse vocals is perfect for the genre and I liked the oomph he gives to bump the song upwards. I did wish there was a bit more to the song instrumentation, just to take it to the next level – maybe a solo guitar moment would have been ideal. I also wished the f-word wasn’t bleeped out (this would have potentially helped the song become bolder) and the lyrics were not written to feel like an angsty barely-of-age adult thinking they are cool in their rebellious phase against the world. A more mature outlook would have been better recieved. But overall, Black Eye was definitely a strong solo track from VERNON.

Now that I put my thoughts on the lyrics into words, I can’t help but think VERNON channeled this mentality for the music video. It changes my way of looking at VERNON in the music video (especially when he is very close to the camera), which I had originally thought was a good showing of a more angsty and rebellious side of the SEVENTEEN member. Other than that, the video does a good job of channeling the energy and pop-punk vibes of Black Eye.

Overall Rating – 8/10

Limitless – ATEEZ

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 22 March 2023
Release Type: Limitless (2nd Japanese Single Album)

Again, Limitless is another song that I had realized that there was no review for. But that will change today. My understanding is that the song also serves as part of the OST for an anime titled Duel Masters Win. I don’t know too much about that anime, but the instrumentation of Limitless does fit the bill of an anime soundtrack. The synth work in Limitless has a forward trajectory and momentum that made it sound very cool from the get-go. When Limitless amps up in the chorus, the addition of the drumming percussion makes the track feel explosive. The electrifying rock back to the rapping in the second verse was also very exhilarating. As for the members, I wished there was a bit more character to their vocals and rapping. Everything felt held back in the track when it came to the members and it does dull out Limitless. A more robust melody and vocal line would have taken the chorus to new heights, and more oomph would have channeled more explosive energy into the song. The vocal part I did like was the pre-chorus, which featured a keyboard/piano like riff that just helped add a fragile tinge to the song, which I felt complemented Limitless‘ lyrics of embracing the limitless power and inner strength everyone has.

The music video sees the members go to the gym and participate in some sports like archery and fencing. I think the archery and fencing touches on the lyrics. They are sports that are usually seen as low-key and not as ‘active’ compared to the likes of basketball and soccer. But they do require just as much skill and technique, and the effort and inner strength one must find and input to play and win at archery and fencing pays off just as much as those other sports. As for the gym scenes, I think fans of the group will be swooning and loving those scenes. The choreography aspect of Limitless looks okay. But I expected something a bit more bombastic for this song and that expectation wasn’t fulfilled. The hand-off of the microphone to Hongjoong was probably my most favourite bit of the performance.

Overall Rating – 8.1/10

Hare Hare – TWICE

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 31 May 2023
Release Type: Hare Hare (10th Japanese Single)

Hare Hare continues TWICE’s success in the Japanese market with another bubbly and fun-sounding JPOP track. I found the track to be super catchy and that it brings back that brightness that featured in TWICE’s earlier works. Timing-wise, the brightness works really well with the summery season that it was released in. I would like to hear a tropic remix of the track, as I think that would work really well with the way Hare Hare sounds. While it is clear that I very much enjoyed the song, Hare Hare doesn’t necessarily bring anything new to the table. But it is still a great and enjoyable song. My only complaint about Hare Hare is the bridge. The breakdown did not fit the rest of the song whatsoever. If the producers somehow maintained that bubbliness that Hare Hare is quite consistent on elsewhere in the song, I think the breakdown would have been more successful and appreciable.

The music video works very well with the song, channeling the song’s bubbly and fun sound. The presence of the emojis, bubble words and the adorable bunnies around the members adds a neat cuteness to the visuals. The members also do a great job of channeling the same vibes from the song forward with their facial expressions and acting. I did think the platform on the soccer field needed a rethink. It was awfully plain and just didn’t fit the rest of the video. The choreography was super cute and fun, just like the song. It also channels the bounciness that featured in the instrumentation of Hare Hare, while the pre-chorus/bridge infuses a bit of sophistication and matureness to the routine to complement where TWICE is at with their careers.

Overall Rating – 8.5/10

WAVE – IVE

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 31 May 2023
Release Type: WAVE (1st Japanese Mini Album)

IVE’s WAVE serves as the group’s debut single in the Japanese pop market. For an entrance piece into an international music scene, WAVE was pretty good. There are some weak points to the song, like the not-so memorable verses, the lack of character from the members in the song overall, the odd intersection in the instrumentation of the bridge, and the missed opportunity to really heighten the song in the final chorus/moments of WAVE. But WAVE is catchy enough thanks to its repetitive yet monotonous hook (which I found to be charming the more I listen to WAVE, though it was the wrong move to continue on the monotonous nature in the rest of the song) and there were some strong moments that helps compensates for those weaker points. For example, I really like the hypnotic vocalisation that follows the first verse (by Liz) and second chorus (by Gaeul) of the song. The percussion and strumming guitar instrumentational also does a lot in WAVE in terms of making it more exciting (more than what the members added to the song) and moves WAVE along, while the whiplashes in the background makes off an interesting punctuation in the song. I did think (and this might be due to the music video) think the ending was lacking, just because I expected there to be some sort of concentration in the music. But instead, we got a repeat of what we heard already.

The music video for WAVE features IVE as squash players, patrons relaxing at the pool and rock stars. The first concept was quite fresh, given I don’t think any KPOP music video has gone with the squash concept before. Everything else was pretty much done before. But the video still highlights IVE’s amazing visuals. As for the choreography, I think there was opportunity for the group to do something bolder. What we got looked great, but the chorus calls for confidence and model-like. But instead, we got small movements which doesn’t appear to capitalise WAVE as well.

Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Album Review] FML (10th Mini Album) – SEVENTEEN

September 6, 2023Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged SEVENTEEN2 Comments

The next album review on this blog belongs to SEVENTEEN, who made a comeback with their 10th mini-album, FML, back in April of this year. From the start, the mini-album had received over 4.6 million pre-orders and it has since become the top selling album of the year, selling over 6.2 million copies to July 2023. That is a lot of albums indeed! The mini-album boasts a total of 6 tracks – double title tracks Super and F*ck My Life and 4 addition side tracks (3 of which are unit tracks from their hip-hop, performance and vocal teams).

Firstly, congratulations to SEVENTEEN on achieving the amazing feat of over 6 million sales. I believe that no other KPOP album has ever exceeded that amount, so it will be interesting to see whether their upcoming October comeback will break the already high record set by themselves. Secondly, FML is a fair album with some nice tracks on there. I don’t think it is their strongest album release ever, but it was still of a high quality and standard as I expect from SEVENTEEN. Read more on my thoughts on the individual songs below.

1. F*ck My Life (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for F*ck My Life. (8/10)

2. Super (손오공) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Super. (8.5/10)

3. Fire – The first unit track sees the return of the Hip-hop team. And just like the title suggest, this song is indeed fire. The rapping was very intense and powerful, and I really liked how punchy the ‘Fi Fi Fi Fire’ hook was in the song. Even though many KPOP songs have featured afrobeat in the past, the use of the afrobeat in Fire felt quite unique, as it gives off both a minimalistic and dynamic feel. This allows the members to be the focus of the song, but it also drives the energy forward, at the same time alongside the members. (8/10)

4. I Don’t Understand But I Luv U – The Performance unit takes on R&B in I Don’t Understand But I Luv U. What I really liked about the song is its instrumentation, which features a sultry flow, dramatic beats and moody electric guitar riffs. All of this makes I Don’t Understand But I Luv U so much more impactful and emotionally charged. The quartet brings very interesting vocal melodies to life in the song and conveys the emotions of confusion and love behind the lyrics quite well. (9/10)

5. Dust (먼지) – Following on from the previous song, I was expecting a ballad from the vocal team. But instead, we get a pop rock number in the form of Dust. I like how the pop rock influence was on the light side and that the vocal team members approach Dust in a softer and delicate manner with their vocals. The synths added to the song gave it a retro touch. While the song sounds nice, Dust is my least favourite unit track. This simply because there wasn’t much to remember the song by once it ended and I didn’t find much to pull me back for additional listens. (7/10)

6. April Shower – The final track on this mini-album returns all of the members to the microphone in the one song. April Shower features a very appreciable and easy-going groovy pop instrumentation. The melodies and vocals were all very easy-on-the-ears, with the former having such a beautiful ring. The dynamic rapping featured prior to the bridge infuses some punchiness to the song, while Mingyu and Wonwoo’s deep tones were stunning in the bridge. I really enjoyed how everything melded together in April Shower and how palatable the song is without it ever going over the top or needing to utilise anything hefty to get itself across. A nice and memorable listen at the end of the mini-album. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] F*ck My Life – SEVENTEEN

June 30, 2023June 28, 2023Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged SEVENTEEN2 Comments

Alongside Super, F*ck My Life was also a title track for SEVENTEEN’s 10^th mini-album, FML, which was released back in April of this year. A music video for F*ck My Life dropped two weeks after the album’s official release, hence why I did not review F*ck My Life on the same day (or there abouts) as Super. And I was unable to fit it into my schedule for review at the time of the music video’s release. But today, I will finally get around to reviewing to F*ck My Life.

Despite having a very bold title, F*ck My Life is surprisingly subdued and mid-tempo. While the title does make sense in the context of the lyrics (more on this in the music video section of the review), there is still a certain boldness that I wished was reflected in some way in the song. I felt like this boldness and its potential was pretty much swept under the rug. But based on what we got as the final product for F*ck My Life, I would describe this song as pleasant (for its overall sound) and thought-evoking (for its lyrics). But what this pleasant means is a bit iffy, even after two months. F*ck My Life is vocally centric, which isn’t unheard for SEVENTEEN. While I do agree with the notion that SEVENTEEN did well in making the track pleasant and flowy with their vocals, I personally felt the vocals gave off a neutral energy, which in turn doesn’t hold its ground after the song finishes. One of the things I did like was how the song felt like a conversation, rather than an overly emotional piece. This helps the thought-evoking impression come to life upon considering the lyrics. The instrumentation was also nice, but it isn’t wasn’t memorable. The only element of the instrumentation to leave an impression were those electronically modified vocals that feature at the start and end of the song, even after the song ended. This does raise the concerns that the vocals didn’t do as much in the song. Personally, I did think there was room for some rapping in the song, which I think would have made their pleasant track a bit more impactful. But, altogether F*ck My Life was a nice song, overall.

The lyrics of the song speak about wanting to “fight for your life” amidst all the dispiriting hardships life throws your way (taken from Soompi). In the video, the members fight for their lives after realizing the life around them is staged. A lot of the music video appears to be inspired by the Truman Show. Moments where the members had the realization of their staged life occurred after key turning points that occurred in the actual Truman Show movie, like the fallen stage light, the rain falling in one spot away from the character, the background people appearing to “block” members on what felt like command, a controlled sky, the appearance of cameras and the feeling of being watched etc. Even the departure of a friend was written into the music video, who dropped a “Fight for you life” badge behind for Joshua to find. In the end, all the members escape from their staged lives on a boat. Overall, it is a nice callback to a great movie and works well with the lyrics of the song.

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

[Album Review] Second Wind (1st Single Album) – BSS (SEVENTEEN)

June 25, 2023June 23, 2023Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged BSS (BooSeokSoon), SEVENTEENLeave a comment

BSS (Boo Seungkwan, Lee Seokim aka. DK and Kwon Sooyoung aka. Hoshi of SEVENTEEN) made their highly successful and popular comeback back in February of this year with Fighting (ft. Lee Young Ji). It is also one my favourite singles of the year thus far for its encouraging and positive message and exciting energy. Released alongside Fighting are two other singles, which forms BSS’ first single album Second Wind. This comeback also marked the trio’s first release since their debut back in 2018 with Just Do It. My overall comment on Second Wind is that the single album is fairly consistent, but a good listen nonetheless.

1. Fighting (ft. Lee Young Ji) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Fighting. (8.5/10)

2. LUNCH – LUNCH tones down the single album with a neo-soul R&B track, going with a much less “in-your-face” approach compared to the title track. The instrumental was a groove, and super enjoyable. The vocals here are much more soothing and delicate, which I very much appreciate following the likes of Fighting. The melodies are also pleasant. While all the of the above is good, LUNCH faces a bit of a repetition issue. I do feel like my interest of the song wanes as the song progresses. But overall, a good listen. (8/10)

3. 7PM (ft. Peder Elias) – Rounding out the single album is 7PM. It is a soft pop ballad, half in Korean and the other half is in English. This was a lovely pleasant listen, with melodies that is bound to make you smile. 7PM also features Peder Elias (who leads the English half of the song). Peder’s vocals meld extremely well with BSS, creating a harmonious and inviting atmosphere in the final song. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] Super – SEVENTEEN

April 24, 2023Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged SEVENTEEN2 Comments

Starting off this new week is SEVENTEEN, who returns with their 10th mini-album FML and two new title tracks, one sharing the same title as the mini-album (but styled as F*ck My Life) and the other is titled Super. This review will focus on the latter track as that is the only title track that has a music video at this stage. FML follows the group’s HOT and _WORLD era, their Japanese Dream comeback (which I have yet to review) in November 2022 and the successful return of the group’s BSS subunit in the earlier months of 2023.

Super is, with very little doubt, a very strong and intense single, joining the likes of past SEVENTEEN songs of a similar nature such as HIT and Getting Closer. However, those songs were more electronic and abrasive in terms of texture. While Super does head in that direction, I do find the newer song to be a bit more rounded with its beats and the synths used are a bit more intriguing and unique. That high pitch scratchy voice actually works really nicely in the background, almost harmonizing with the vocals in the song at certain points. That main instrumental centre piece in the foreground of the first half of the chorus was really cool. I can’t tell if it is percussive piece or a plucked string instrumental, but its presence in Super quite a scene setter. The drumming throughout Super was definitely a a constant highlight, but the faster tempo drumming in the second half of the chorus (which almost feels like the song is lurching out at you) drives up the energy incredibly well, creating a very invigorating peak and is my favourite part of the entire song. I did wish Super developed a bit more towards the end. What we got felt pretty neutral at best, and I felt a more explosive ender would have been a more captivating way to the end Super. The distant horns at the end were a nice touch, but more could have been done. As for the vocals and rapping, I liked how both felt balanced and didn’t overshadow one another. Super had an abundance of hooks and melodies that helped the vocals and raps make the song memorable and appealing to me, whilst also giving the members enough to work with it ensure Super was interesting. I also felt the balanced nature also helped bring everything together in Super, allowing for the instrumental to stand out and creating a very compelling listen.

This music video is epic. Conceptually, it might have been simple. But its execution was literally bold and intense, making it worth watching. The scale of the set was massive, but this allowed the producers and director to really showcase some amazing shots that helped make the video feel and look epic. The presence of so many dancers in the background added to this. The dominating red colour gave the video a mature and serious feel, but it also allowed the members to really pop out (in the case of the first set outfits) and a regal feel (in the case of the second set of outfits). Both sets of outfits looked awesome and showed off different profiles of the members.

As for the choreography, SEVENTEEN has done it again. There was a lot to take in and a lot to enjoy. The wavy sequence that opens up the choruses, the intensity of the second half of the choruses where the energy rises by many bars, how S.Coups was passed forward by the dancers and thrown forward by the last set (probably the most memorable aspect of the choreography to me), and the ripple effect at the end. Even the simple action of standing in the background and walking towards the end of the performance was felt artistic in the grand scheme of Super.

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

[Review] Fighting – BSS (SEVENTEEN) ft. Lee Young Ji

February 6, 2023Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged BSS (BooSeokSoon), SEVENTEEN2 Comments

It has been a while since we heard from BSS, one of SEVENTEEN’s subunits consisting of Boo Seungkwan, DK (Lee Seokmin) and Hoshi (Kwon Soonyoung). In fact, their only release before today was Just Do It from 2018. But that changes today, as the trio have returned with their 1st single album, SECOND WIND, and a new lead single titled Fighting. The new single also features the up and coming female rapper Lee Young Ji, whom Seungkwan has collaborated with via the collaborative cover of LIZZO’s Juice and Hoshi had previously featured as a guest on on Lee Young Ji’s webshow No Prepare (and it was hilarious).

If you are basing your expectation for Fighting on the unit’s first release, then you are going to be super satisfied with the likes of Fighting. It is a super energetic, dynamic and wild funky track that just gets you pumped and excited. This exact ‘effect’ is what the song intends to give off as the message behind the lyrics is telling us to not give up and push through the times of struggle and hardship (hence the title Fighting/Hwaiting – the Korean word for encouragement made popular by KPOP, Korean dramas and TV Shows). Again, the trio hit the mark in terms of expectations, delivering a fun and cheerful persona that helps liven and lighten up Fighting. There were some great vocal moments, especially that impressive high note at the end of the song and the energy they channel in the chorus. Fighting has catchy moments that just makes the song even better, such as the post-chorus hook that repeats the “Fighting” title and the ‘Na Na Na‘ that finds itself just ahead of the second verse. Lee Young Ji’s rapping was quite cool, and I felt it was a nice way to add a slightly more serious tone and keep Fighting grounded. I did think her part could have used a bit more bounce to just fit in better with the rest of Fighting. If I have to be critical, the one sequence that I am not exactly a fan of is the shouty rap pre-chorus sequence. The minimalistic vibe from this sequence just felt dull and the sequence really missed an opportunity to hype up the chorus and the song. Overall, Fighting is a fun track that delivers a positive message in the manner you would expect from BSS.

The music video for this comeback was super enjoyable. Firstly, I really liked the one set approach in this music video. Each set we get in this video is actually shot with another in the background or off to the side. For example, the bedroom location is right next to the coffee shop, while all of the sets of the music video appear in the background of the main choreography set (i.e. the street set). Not exactly a new idea, but what the producers did with this one set approach and how they tied the music video together to make it one cohesive video was super innovative in my books. Secondly, I enjoyed the energy that the members put into the video. They really made it funny and lighthearted. From their facial expressions to their actions with one another, it all made for a fun video. I also liked how the video ‘darkened’ for Lee Young Ji’s presence, which created a ‘serious tone’ to the video, which worked really well with the more ‘serious tone’ she brought to both the song.

I liked the comedic tone they inserted into the choreography, which helps keeps the performance true to their individual charms (and to their unit’s charm). From that, it was a fun routine that matches all of the characteristics you feel from the song. I really liked the first half of the “Fighting” routine of the choreography, which was probably the highlight of the entire choreography.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Album Review] FACE THE SUN / SECTOR 17 (4th Studio Album / 4th Studio Album Repackaged) – SEVENTEEN

September 4, 2022Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged SEVENTEENLeave a comment

The only album review I can put out this weekend belongs to SEVENTEEN. If you could not tell, I was preparing to post the review for FACE THE SUN and SECTOR 17 (4th studio album and the 4th studio album repackaged, respectively), following the reviews for the two pre-release tracks from the album (Darl+ing and CHEERS) – links below. In addition to these tracks, the album also features the title tracks HOT (released at the end of May), _WORLD (released in July), the Korean version of Fallin’ Flower (orignally released in Japan in 2020) and 8 additional side tracks.

To be honest, after writing this review up, I felt the album is one of their weaker releases to date. SEVENTEEN has always put out strong albums, and my final rating of the album might indicate that it is a fairly strong release. But this is the first time I can remember where I made a number of comments that expressed some disappointment with some of the songs on the album. But don’t worry, this is just my personal thoughts and there are still some strong side tracks on there. So, if you enjoy SEVENTEEN’s releases, you will definitely find something to enjoy from both FACE THE SUN and/or SECTOR 17. And if you are looking for a new song or not a SEVENTEEN listener, I will always recommend a SEVENTEEN album, as they have always been a well-rounded group!

1. Circles (놀고 놀아) – Opening the repackaged album is the track Circles. It is quite a pleasant mid-tempo ballad, which leads into the title track of the repackaged album quite nicely. Everything in Circles – from the melodies to the vocals to the youthful choir to the classical instrumentation – were all warm and welcoming. Listening to the song brings a smile to my face. It might not be the most innovative start ever, but it was definitely enjoyable. (8.5/10)

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

3. Fallin’ Flower (Korean Version) – I have previously reviewed the Japanese version of Fallin’ Flower. To see my thoughts for Fallin’ Flower, please click here to read the review for Fallin’ Flower. (9/10)

4. CHEERS (Pre-Release Track) – Click here to read the full review for CHEERS. (7.5/10)

5. Darl+ing (Pre-Release Track) – Click here to read my review for Darl+ing. (8/10)

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

7. DON QUIXOTE – For some reason, I felt DON QUIXOTE was quite an unsuspecting track to enjoy. It was one of those songs where I had no expectations heading into the song. But somehow, I am genuinely surprised with DON QUIXOTE. The chorus, which opens the track, falls squarely into the pop genre. It was a bit dry, but I appreciated the vocals in the pop sections of the song. As DON QUIXOTE progresses, we get hip-hop and rock influences on top of the pop, as well. The way these influences comes and goes in the track made it quite enjoyable. I wished there was a more explicit peak and drive to the song, as DON QUIXOTE almost falls into a neutral gear for me. But the already mentioned changes in style and instrumental helps keep the song afloat. (7.5/10)

8. March – March picks up on the rock influences from the previous song, and dives deeper into the genre. But while I am digging the instrumental, I am left disappointed with the vocals. I think the members could have really picked up on the rock influence and gone much harder with their delivery and execution. The rappers and that chanty bridge definitely have the right idea, as I found their parts to be a lot more satisfying. The vocalists, on the other hand, just seem to scrape the surface of the direction they could have gone down with. (7/10)

9. Domino – Domino is my pick for best side track on this album. It is definitely a cool track, with funky and groovy vibes throughout the track just screams a good time. I really liked the way the choruses start, with Vernon/Wonwoo’s countdown, the domino falling sound effect and the piano slide. The anti-drop that comes after was a great concentration of the funky and groovy vibes already mentioned. The addition of the electronic synths for the bridge was a neat development, as well. The vocals and rappers really did well in this song. I liked the breathy effect on the vocals and the rapping was sleek. (10/10)

10. Shadow – Next up is Shadow, which was a superb side track as well. Atmospheric and fast paced percussive synths in the verses, hefty guitar playing in the first half of the chorus and heavier pop rock is brought to round out the chorus. From there, the instrumental repeats but maintains the momentum it had created it for itself. The vocals in Shadow were really very well done, adding a suitable lively tone to the song and balancing out the heft that Shadow has. The roughness and textures of the rappers’ vocals were just perfect for a song like Shadow. Interestingly, the rapping was left to Dino, who nailed his rapping sequence perfectly and adds the right oomph to compliment the momentum of the song. (10/10)

11. ‘Bout You (노래해) – After such a hefty track, SEVENTEEN surprises with a lighter and smile filled summer pop track. Per most summer pop tracks, I am digging ’Bout You’s vibrant and playful manner. While the summery pop nature of the instrumental isn’t anything new to KPOP, I did still find it danceable and will not deny having a bit of a dance whilst reviewing the track. Overall, a fun track! (8/10)

12. If You Leave Me – The second last song on the album is another ballad. If You Leave Me, as alluded by the title, is a more emotional one (compared to the opening ballad of the repackaged album). The instrumental was only piano and I liked the beautiful tone it brought to the ballad. Per most ballads, there is a focus of vocals, and I liked the share of delicate and powerful vocals throughout If You Leave Me. The song also stands out with its interesting layering of vocals and the intertwining of vocals. The harmonies in the end were also just stunningly beautiful. (8/10)

13. Ash – Closing out the album is Ash, a trap hip-hop track. It is quite heavy on the autotune, which gave very different and unique vocal effects to members throughout the track. I kind of like that in this song as it gave Ash variety. Without this source of variety, I would have found Ash to be more of a bore than what it is. As alluded in the previous sentence, I don’t really care for Ash. It was more of a skippable song, in my opinion, which is slightly disappointing given you want the closer of the album to be memorable. (6.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.2/10

[International Song Reviews] Momoland, BM (KARD), Mark Tuan, THE8 (SEVENTEEN), Jamie & SEVENTEEN

September 3, 2022Posted in International Song Review, JPOP, MPOP, Western POPTagged BM (KARD), Mark Tuan (GOT7), Momoland, Park Jimin, SEVENTEEN, THE8 (SEVENTEEN)Leave a comment

Time for another International Song Reviews post. It appears with my attempts to focus on catching up with KPOP song and album reviews, I have neglected the other releases our beloved Korean artists have also been releasing in international industries. But don’t you worry, I have forgotten these tracks just yet. Last time I did an International Song Review post, it was back at the end of July and covered releases from YUNHO, SORN, Red Velvet, T1419 and TVXQ.

Over the next few weeks, I will be posting more International Song Reviews posts on a fortnightly basis and I will be increasing the number of reviews to 6 per post to help me catch up. As a result, the reviews will be shorter to compensate for this change. Today’s post will cover songs from Momoland, BM (from KARD), Mark Tuan (from GOT7), THE8 (from SEVENTEEN), JAMIE and SEVENTEEN.

Yummy Yummy Love – Momoland & Natti Natasha

Yummy Yummy Love was a collaboration between Momoland and Natti Natasha that released way back in January of this year. At the time of release, I remember thinking Yummy Yummy Love was a pretty mediocre song and the hooks that the pop song had felt very childish and elementary. Months on, and I can report that Yummy Yummy Love has been upgraded to a pleasant status. And it is thanks to those hooks that I thought were chidlish. They ended up catching on for me, making the song fun in its own way. The high pitched delivery of the chorus also works well with the pop instrumentation (which to be fair, I thought was a little too typical). Part of me still thinks that certain parts of Yummy Yummy Love (namely the ‘Ski-pi-di-bap, bi-pap, bi-pap, boo‘ first pre-chorus and the JooE’s rap-sing lines) could have been removed and replaced with something more aligned with the rest of the song. But overall, Yummy Yummy Love is a decent track to me now.

The music video was quite plain. I wished the video focused a little more on the fun aspects of the song, rather than the visuals of the members. I have nothing against the Momoland members and Natti Natasha’s visuals, as they do have a place in this video. But the video is supposedly set in a skating rink and I think only one person ended up skating (and it was an extra). The choreography, especially the chorus routine, is another memorable aspect of the release. I found it to be both fun and sexy, which worked well with the song and the collaborators, as well.

Overall Rating – 6.5/10

LIE (LOST IN EUPHORIA)- BM (KARD)

Also returning back in January of this year is BM (from KARD). His solo comeback was titled LIE, which stands for LOST IN EUPHORIA. There is a bit of Korean in this song (which technically would have LIE able to get a full review). But since it was predominately in English, I had put it aside for this segment instead.

With BM’s repertoire of rap/hip-hop tracks, it comes as no surprise that LIE falls into this category as well. But keeping in trend and changing up the dynamic slightly was a slow rock alternative instrumental, which I quite liked. There is a bit of melody that helps make LIE appealing to my personal taste. While it does look good for LIE and the fact that I don’t mind it, I did think LIE was lacking in some regards, especially as we reached the end of the track, The entire song sounds quite linear. And so by the time the song reaches the end, I was already tuned out as everything felt the same. I think BM could have gone harder in some parts and this may have helped kept the appeal of LIE going.

The music video for LIE was pretty much how I had expected it. It was moody and heavy, as the song’s atmosphere suggests. I liked how the video portrayed his struggles throughout the video, with the editing making it look a lot harder and darker. BM’s acting is also another aspect of this, and I commend the way he also contributed that portrayal (and the music video’s atmosphere). The green screen scenes could have been a bit cleaner in my opinion, just to bring it up to par with the quality of the rest of the video.

Overall Rating – 8/10

My Life – Mark Tuan (GOT7)

Another January release. This time, it is Mark Tuan’s solo release My Life. From all the solo songs Mark Tuan has put out this year (there has been a lot, and I will be reviewing a few of them in the forthcoming International Song Review segments), My Life has been one of the more memorable ones. For me, it is Mark’s vocals that steal the show. I don’t think we have heard Mark give us a ballad before (at least, a substantial one), and so to hear him in such a delicate, fragile and emotive state is quite something. My Life‘s melodies were stunning. The instrumental, for the most part was atmospheric piano and synths (the latter only appeared in the choruses). However, to close out the song, Mark brings in strings that just ends My Life in an impeccable manner. He doesn’t sing once the strings were brought into play, allowing them to do the speaking on his behalf and carry on the momentum that he had created with the piano earlier on in the song.

Given that this is a ballad, the music video doesn’t opt for anything flashy or dynamic. Instead, the video features Mark Tuan in quite still settings. He is either lying on the floor or table, draped across on the piano, and standing in the darkness. All of these shots were shot aesthetically to match the balladry nature of the song. I also really liked the slow pans of the camera, which match the slow nature of the song.

Overall Rating – 10/10

海城 (Hai Cheng) – THE8 (SEVENTEEN)

Released back in March is THE8’s solo comeback with Hai Cheng, a song titled after the singer’s birthplace. Hai Cheng is a fairly simple song when you describe it in words. One half is the piano instrumental. The entire song, from start to end, was beautifully instrumented with said piano. There is something so stilling about a song instrumented by only one instrument. The other half of the track is THE8 himself, who sings so sentimentally and emotively throughout Hai Cheng. Those who know THE8 for his works as part of SEVENTEEN might be surprised with the balladry sound that he had opted for in Hai Cheng. The melodies were so good, and had that swaying effect that I love when it comes to ballads.

The music video is equally as good as the song. The music video for Hai Cheng features THE8, who appears to revisiting home in this video. At the beginning of the video, he enters his home, puts a bag down and turn on the light as if he hasn’t been there for a while. After some reminiscing in the home, he revisits some of the sites that has been to in the past. We are then shown memories of THE8 with a female character in those exact same locations having fun as a couple and even dancing on the streets. The final shot of the girl leaving THE8 on the beach, and then we see a bird’s eye view of the tide engulfing him, was definitely heart breaking to watch.

Overall Rating – 9/10

Pity Party – JAMIE

JAMIE (formerly known as Park Jimin)’s solo comeback, Pity Party, was released back in February of this year. And since its release, the song was featured fairly often on my Weekly KPOP Chart’s International Song by a Korean artist segment. Hence, I am excited to actually review the track. Pity Party is a pop track, but has this subtle groove to it, which really made the song quite appealing to me. The guitar in the chorus was probably the most memorable aspect of Pity Party‘s background. A bit typical, but still brought a whole heap of vibrancy to the song and disco synths. JAMIE showcased strong vocals at certain points of the song (i.e. pre-choruses and the bridge), and I quite enjoyed her during these moments. The chorus hook was a bit plain and repetitive in hindsight, but I think I can still described them as catchy, as like how they appeared me when I first heard Pity Party.

Something I hadn’t mentioned above is that Pity Party went for a completely different sound profile when compared to her previous comebacks, And to match this change in sound, JAMIE has opted for a more mature visual as well. I liked this more sassy and attitude heavy look that JAMIE went with, which works well with the story and lyrics of the song. Essentially, JAMIE is holding a pity party for herself and some guests. She lures her ex to the party, drugs him and then proceeds to get revenge by burning him alive (off screen). Maybe not the pity party most of us had in mind, but definitely one that she wants. Like the video and song, JAMIE also opts for a mature vibe from the choreography. Its simple, but it still manages to look on par with the rest of the comeback.

Overall Rating – 8.3/10

Darl+ing – SEVENTEEN

Darl+ing was released in April, earning the title of SEVENTEEN’s first English language track and pre-release of their (at the time) upcoming fourth studio album FACE THE SUN. It was quite surprising to me at the time of release that SEVENTEEN opted for a soft sound for their first English language. I always thought that they would have made their English debut with a bolder sound. But Darl+ing was warming and soothing to listen to, nonetheless (despite the heavy thumping in the pre-choruses). The melodies were pretty and actually ended up bring memorable in its own way. The vocal work was weak in my opinion, but I think that was the result of the softer sounds and pretty melodies. The instrumental aligns with pop and the atmosphere as result of the background reminds me of their 2019 release HOME.

From what I could understand, the music video shows a ‘loss of innocence’ concept. The world was once happy, cheerful, bright and colourful. But upon Vernon’s discovery that there is more to the world than what they know (i.e. their shadows), the once perfect world starts unraveling around them. Each member soon becomes aware of this other world in their own way, like becoming aware of the darker reflection of themselves and watching the world around them change in different manners. In the end, all them fall to the other world, which is all dark and looks abandoned. The members are bruised and have cuts across their faces, suggesting that they now understand pain and hurt. It also probably sets up for their HOT music video, given that was a bit dark and mature. The choreography matches up with the bright and happy world, with the members displaying smiles and the moves were all soft and small.

Overall Rating – 8.3/10

Throwback Song of the Week

Non-Korean Song of the Week

The Charts

Overall Album Rating – 9/10

Recap of the past week

Throwback Song of the Week

Non-Korean song of the week

The Charts

Songs leaving the charts

Do Not Touch – MISAMO (TWICE)

Language: JapaneseRelease Date: 14 July 2023Release Type: Masterpiece (1st Japanese Mini Album)

Bad Revenge – from20

Language: EnglishRelease Date: 5 April 2023Release Type: Bad Revenge (Digital Single)

Ima (Even If the World Ends Tomorrow) – SEVENTEEN

Language: JapaneseRelease Date: 23 September 2023Release Type: ALWAYS YOURS (1st Japanese Compilation Album)

Back To Me – The Rose

Language: EnglishRelease Date: 23 September 2023Release Type: DUAL (2nd Studio Album)

PSYCHO – JUN (SEVENTEEN)

Language: ChineseRelease Date: 4 July 2023Release Type: PSYCHO (4th Digital Single)

ICE CREAM – TFN

Language: SpanishRelease Date: 17 August 2023Release Type: ICE CREAM (2nd Spanish Single)

Everyone Else Fades – Mark Tuan (GOT7)

Language: EnglishRelease Date: 1 September 2023Release Type: Everyone Else Fades (Digital Single)

Do It Like That – TXT & Jonas Brothers

Language: EnglishRelease Date: 7 July 2023Release Type: Do It Like That (Digital Single)

Black Eye – VERNON (SEVENTEEN)

Language: EnglishRelease Date: 23 December 2022Release Type: Black Eye (Digital Single)

Overall Rating – 8/10

Limitless – ATEEZ

Language: JapaneseRelease Date: 22 March 2023Release Type: Limitless (2nd Japanese Single Album)

Overall Rating – 8.1/10

Hare Hare – TWICE

Language: JapaneseRelease Date: 31 May 2023Release Type: Hare Hare (10th Japanese Single)

Overall Rating – 8.5/10

WAVE – IVE

Language: JapaneseRelease Date: 31 May 2023Release Type: WAVE (1st Japanese Mini Album)

Overall Rating – 7.5/10

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

Overall Album Rating – 8.2/10

Yummy Yummy Love – Momoland & Natti Natasha

LIE (LOST IN EUPHORIA)- BM (KARD)

My Life – Mark Tuan (GOT7)

海城 (Hai Cheng) – THE8 (SEVENTEEN)

Pity Party – JAMIE

Darl+ing – SEVENTEEN

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 14 July 2023
Release Type: Masterpiece (1st Japanese Mini Album)

Language: English
Release Date: 5 April 2023
Release Type: Bad Revenge (Digital Single)

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 23 September 2023
Release Type: ALWAYS YOURS (1st Japanese Compilation Album)

Language: English
Release Date: 23 September 2023
Release Type: DUAL (2nd Studio Album)

Language: Chinese
Release Date: 4 July 2023
Release Type: PSYCHO (4th Digital Single)

Language: Spanish
Release Date: 17 August 2023
Release Type: ICE CREAM (2nd Spanish Single)

Language: English
Release Date: 1 September 2023
Release Type: Everyone Else Fades (Digital Single)

Language: English
Release Date: 7 July 2023
Release Type: Do It Like That (Digital Single)

Language: English
Release Date: 23 December 2022
Release Type: Black Eye (Digital Single)

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 22 March 2023
Release Type: Limitless (2nd Japanese Single Album)

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 31 May 2023
Release Type: Hare Hare (10th Japanese Single)

Language: Japanese
Release Date: 31 May 2023
Release Type: WAVE (1st Japanese Mini Album)