Next up is TO1, who made their comeback yesterday with No More X. This is the group’s second release under the name TO1 following Son of Beast, and their fourth release overall since their debut under the group name TOO back in 2020 (they rebranded earlier this year when their two co-managing companies had a conflict with one another).
No More X amps up the aggression compared to their previous comebacks, going for a more powerful and dynamic EDM backing. It is abrasive and rough around pretty much every corner. However, I also detect an air of typicaliness from the song, as it feels like your standard song from male groups nowadays. That being said, I still appreciate the blastful energy, aggression and rough textures that are present throughout the entirety of the song. No More X is just isn’t innovative. There is a still fair bit of the song I quite liked. No More X starts off with the main hook, the very catchy ‘Dum Dum Dum‘. It doesn’t appear so at first, but once it presents itself in the chorus, you come to the realisation that it is catchy and also adds a somewhat fun tone to the song. The dance instrumental break we got was probably the most promising part of the instrumentation, feeling quite vibrant. I also quite liked how grabbing the layer of instrumentation, hook and rapping was in the final moments of No More X. It seemed like there was a lot going on in that moment, but I found it to be a bold part of the song. The rest of the song is pretty much standard raps and vocals. There isn’t anything wrong with it, but I think they could have pushed themselves in the song more to make it even better. Overall, No More X seems to be a decent song, though I feel the producers/groups could have done more to make it even better.
The music video for No More X was pretty good. From what I understand (and from what I have read), TO1 becomes beast in this music video via some wine. We see the before (i.e. the scenes in which the members are wearing white and have this white light shining throughout the windows), and the aftermath of developing into a beast (i.e. the scenes in which the members are wearing black). I like this play of opposites. I do think the outdoor scenes when the members are wearing their black outfits (and hence have converted to the dark side) could have been a bit more edgy, with the choreography scene shot at night and in the rain being a good example of what they should have aimed for. But I think what we got did a good job of wrapping the song up in a visual manner.
I also thought the choreography for this comeback was fantastic. I like X formation that appeared during the first pre-chorus, and the X’s incorporated via their arms throughout the choreography. Highly relevant. I also enjoyed the boxing moves and the dance break was very powerful and fitting for the instrumental sequence we got in the song.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
It is time for another long overdue review for a release that occurred back at the end of May. As you can tell from the title of this post, this review is for TO1’s Son of Beast, which is the title track off their 3rd overall mini-album, Re:Born. If you haven’t heard of TO1 yet, then don’t fret. They were previously known as TOO for their first two comebacks (Magnolia and Count 1,2) last year. But due to a management dispute, the group ended up rebranding to TO1 earlier this year after signing on under WAKE ONE Entertainment and quickly returned with the appropriately named mini-album, Re:Born.
Son of Beast is an edgy sound for the group, more so than their debut single (Magnolia) and their most recent energetic Summer comeback (Count 1,2). But it isn’t a fresh sound for KPOP in a more general sense, with the song taking a page out of what we hear very commonly coming from male groups in the industry. There isn’t anything wrong with that, as we have seen many groups thrive with this typical edgy sound. But given that TO1 had the opportunity to rebrand, I was surprised to hear that Son of Beast didn’t capitalise on this opportunity to showcase some individuality. That being said, I did like the funky influences that were brought to the verses through the use of the bass guitar. I also really liked the rough texture that is brought to the song via the electronic instrumentation in the chorus. In a way, it also felt retro, as I don’t think it settled on the more modern touches of EDM of today. I was hoping for a bit of an instrumental break when we got to the bridge, which would have allowed the song to experiment within itself, bring more intensity and edge to the song, and also give the members a chance to showcase something along the lines of their Road To Kingdom appearance last year. But altogether, the instrumentation for Son of Beast was definitely good, despite it being more typical that what I had hoped. As for their vocals, I think similar comments could be applied. There was a good showcase of vocals, but no member or moment stood out for me. While the hook is related to their vocals in way, I tend to separate it in my reviews, so that it becomes its own element to chat about. I did enjoy the brief and snappy repetition of ‘I’m a Son of a Beast‘. That line practically was keyed into my memory from the first listen, thanks to the textures given to it by the autotuning. I would have liked to hear it in a bolder manner, so that it really zones into the word ‘Beast’ within that line. The rapping by TO1 members in Son of Beast was definitely more memorable, adding that needed intensity and edge to the song that I hoped a dance break could have concentrated. But overall, Son of Beast is a good track, taking the members in a direction that feels right. I just think more could have been done.
The music video for this release is one of those which you watch once and don’t really need to return to it again. It wasn’t that engaging or mind-blowing for me to click the replay button. Aside from the closeup and choreography formula adopted, the members do a bit of body work for some cars. But to me, that doesn’t seem that cool. The only thing that I did like about the music video was the final dance shot, with how the lighting and length of the set. But besides that, it was a ‘meh’ video to me.
As for the other visual aspect of this comeback, the choreography faired a lot better. It actually looked quite cool, especially when the members paired up in the second pre-chorus to bend backwards and the switching of rappers in the final sequence of the song. But like in the song review part of this review, I did want to see a dance break when we got to the bridge. And I feel if the members looked a bit more angsty, then the performance would have been even better!
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 5/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 6.9/10
It is time for another album review. And today, I am going dive into a 2020 rookie’s album. I am talking about TOO’s second mini-album, Running TOOgether, which was released around a month ago. It features the title track Count 1, 2 and four additional title tracks. It is my first time reviewing an album from this group. Previously, I was going to review their debut mini-album (Reason For Being: Benevolence) earlier this year, but ended up dropping it from the list due to timing. I might return to that album some time in the future but that might be a while away. For now, here is my album review for TOO’s latest album release.
2. Step By Step – TOO continues the bright upbeat vibes with the groovy and retro Step By Step. The song is a lot more jam packed and intense, as a result. This is no complaint though, as I find this song to be ideal for a good ‘let loose’ session. The song seems to have various influences from the 70s through to the 90s, including synth drums, brass and disco elements. Everything comes together to be a lively and undeniably catchy track. The chorus is super catchy and memorable. And the energy of Step By Step just extends the song’s appeal even further. The vocals were amazing and the rapping was effortlessly merged into the song. Everything in this song just comes together so well. Even better that it leaves me with a gigantic smile once it wraps up. (10/10)
3. Better – Better is your typical slow pop ballad. It is a nice number to settle to after two awesome upbeat tracks. The instrumental isn’t that ground-breaking as it follows most pop ballads with a drum and piano prominent instrumental. The ending brings in some minute rock influences, but I wished them somehow brought some of this influence a little earlier to give the song some additional life. Vocally, Better really sounds good. The harmonies were the element that initially drew me into the song. TOO definitely boasts solid vocalists and rappers as evident in this track. I just wished their debut track did a better job of highlighting this. (8/10)
4. Taillight – Taillight kicks it up a notch, going for an R&B number. Unfortunately, I found most of the song to be plain. That would be the concise way to describe the song. It just felt like an extension of the preceding track. Other than that, I don’t want to blab on, given that I didn’t notice much in the song. However, I do want to make a short note regarding Taillight’s melody. It was good and soothing. (7/10)
5. Dancing In The Moonlight– Based on what I am reading, Dancing In The Moonlight is actually a remake of 1972’s Dancing In The Moonlight by King Harvest. TOO and the producers of the remake did a really good job of modernizing the song for 2020. I really like the addition of brass to give the song a prominent retro feel and how they all sing together for the chorus. It really bolsters up the song. The trap-based rap sequence in the second verse was probably the most unnecessary inclusion in this version. It just doesn’t tie in with the rest of the song. The rap sequence that featured during the bridge was much more fitting for the retro and brass elements of the song. (9/10)
Making their comeback today is TOO, returning with their first release since making their debut earlier in the year with Magnolia. Since debuting, the group participated on the TV show, Road To Kingdom, where they competed against six other group to earn a place on future season of Kingdom. They didn’t win, but did prove viewers that they shouldn’t be underestimated despite being the new kid on the block. Today, the group return with the title track Count 1, 2, which featured on their second mini-album, Running TOOgether.
I just posted another review for a comeback with a feel good vibe, so it is definitely nice to continue with this vibe in a subsequent release. Count 1, 2 is such a stunning song. There is a funky and groovy instrumental to the song that I cannot get out of my head. The guitars, brass and percussion all blend together neatly and cleanly in Count 1, 2. The music is just vibrant and colourful, making the entire three and a half minute song so enjoyable. I am literally smiling from those feel good vibes and cannot help but groove along to the pop song as I write this review. Interestingly, the song purely relies on this instrumental and doesn’t employ much synths. It gives off some old school vibes, as well. This comment nicely segue-ways into my thoughts for the rap sequence. I like how its hip-hop direction fits so well with the rest of the song and doesn’t go down the trendy breakdown path. The hip-hop feel is quite natural and well planned. Alongside the rapping are the vocals, which I really drew me into the song. I made comments on how typical they sounded in their debut track. And Count 1, 2 proves otherwise, as they sound so showcase a lot of potential throughout this song. The falsettos and the melodies were extremely pleasant. The only other equivalent to this song that I can think of from the top of my mind if A.C.E’s Take Me Higher, which shared a similar set up and also showed off a nice feel good vibe as well. And that is saying a lot, as it grew to be a perfect song to my ears!
The music video shows the members having fun with one another. And for the most part, the music video for Count 1, 2 was quite fitting for the song. And I personally would have been fine if they kept to the lighthearted visuals and fun that the members had. Unfortunately, there was a segment in which the members appeared to be fighting and weren’t having fun. Thankfully, this was just a dream. Though, my KPOP theory mind is buzzing and is convinced that it is intentionally in this music video for a reason. Maybe foreshadowing for a future release? Who knows? I know am always asking for something more to music video such as a plot line. However, there is always a time or place for this. Unless there was an intentional reason for it to be in this video (i.e. to set up a future release), it felt unnecessary here.
I like the fun vibes that feature in this choreography. It doesn’t show off that potential they had built up on Road To Kingdom, but it was a solid routine that matched the upbeat song quite well. I do feel like it was cheesy at times, but obviously that was done to work with the song.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
Welcome all to my very special review to Road To Kingdom. I may have been very silent about the recent series. But I have been eagerly awaiting each performance to appear on YouTube after broadcasting on Thursdays to see what Golden Child, ONEUS, ONF, Pentagon, The Boyz, TOO and VERIVERY have prepared for us. In this special review series, I will be going through the actual rankings that came about from the first three rounds, short reviews of each performance and how I thought the rankings would go! This post will only cover the second part of the third official round (i.e. Your Song). Please remember, these are my thoughts only. Feel free to comment your ones below.
Your Song
Each remaining group had the ability to choose a song that was performed in this second part of Round 3. The song chosen by one group was allocated to the group they were paired with in the first part in Round 3. The scores from this part of round 3 and the preceding part were combined to determine which group would be leaving the competition next, ahead of the finale. Like in the previous round, I will be focusing on their arrangement, concept and choreography.
Be Mine – ONEUS (Original Artist: Infinite)
What I really liked about ONEUS’ version of Be Mine is that it doesn’t mess around. The melody remains as it is. It is just modernised to be fitting for a 2020 competition. They don’t add anything that would have taken away the nostalgic factor and hence this makes their stage a really good version of the original to just listen. I love that they did use violins in this version. I always thought Infinite’s classical remixes of their songs were the best and this was very appealing to my taste on a personal level. I feel that the rapping was a weak point in this arrangement. They did feel a little foreign to the original song. But as it is ONEUS’ version, they had every right to infuse some of themselves in a way into the song. For the stage, they took on a Romeo and Juliet concept. They opened the performance with a musical sequence from the play that just about everyone knows. On stage, we see the part where Juliet is dead and Romeo discovers her body. It is followed by the actual performance of the song. Keeping true to how they approach their arrangement, the performance doesn’t have anything too crazy in terms of stunts. It was a rather clean performance and they knew when to add some oomph to the performance to make it feel strong. What was cool was how they draped that piece of fabric with the two coat of arms of the houses over the page and RAVN cut it in half with a pair of scissors and walking through it, symbolising that nothing will keep the star crossed lovers apart. The performance ends with Romeo about to drink the poison and Juliet just waking up. The way they ended it gave the performance a cliffhanger, despite us already knowing what was to come afterwards.
It’s Raining – ONF (Original Artist: Rain)
Without a doubt, ONF’s stage was the strongest of the bunch. It is the performance from this round that I continue to come back to ever since it aired. The group chose a very well-known song but managed to make it their own. The original version is very sexy and mature in many ways. ONF’s version turns it into an extremely upbeat track and infuses likeable energy into it that really grabs your attention. I liked how the song retains famous inhale and exhale sounds. I also like how they incorporate the Complete saxophone into the song. It is a fun little nod to themselves in a song that pays homage to Rain. It also helps with the funky element that they have int their song. I found their ‘Rain, Go Rain, Its Raining‘ version to be extremely catchy and it made it fun. I also like that killer line that ends to the performance. ‘It’s raining, I’m crazy‘. That was awesome. For the performance, the group incorporated a Michael Jackson concept. Their outfits do that wonderfully and that dance break mid-way into the performance had all the familiar Michael Jackson moves. I also liked how they started off their performance with a reflection of their Road To Kingdom journey and how that opening piece with Hyojin was revisited partway into the performance so that the opening sequence made sense. For the performance, I enjoyed all the dance moves. I really liked their use of curtains, which added a really cool stage element to the performance and how it hid the members/dancers, allowing to them to enter into the performance in a dynamic fashion, matching the energetic style of the song.
Follow – Pentagon (Original Artist: MONSTA X)
Pentagon intensifies MONSTA X’s Follow, an already intense song. I did not know it was possible and this just intrigues me to continue listening to their version. Interestingly, it isn’t their instrumentation that is intense, but rather their delivery of the song that had that intense charge to it. What I also love about that despite it being amped up, I don’t find the performance to be overwhelming, which is a good thing. Their arrangement started off with an exotic-sounding sequence that sets their Egyptian concept in place and also foreshadows the intensity of the performance (that just keeps on growing as the song progresses). We then tick over into what sounds like a hip-hop based verse, before settling on an EDM pop sound. I was a little confused with this change in sound. I would have liked for them to continue that hip-hop sound as it sounded quite interesting. Nonetheless, the track nails the EDM pop sound, opting for a completely different range of synths to the original song. The dance break sounded awesome. I also really enjoyed the growling sounds the members executed, which added an animal-like side to their cover that just makes it so much more intense. Hui’s growl at the end of his high note, Yuto and Wooseok’s rapping just sounded so much more powerful. I really like the set for their stage, which really help further the concept. My favourite part has to be when the sarcophagus was opened to reveal Shiwon in it. Their entire dance break after Hui’s high note was probably my favourite part of the choreography (including Hui’s part of the dance break). I also liked that ending, with Wooseok walking back to the throne and the ‘glory music’ playing in the background.
Quasi una fantasia (Shangri-La) – The Boyz (Original Artist: VIXX)
After their stages in this show so far, it is very different to hear the group to start off with something so pretty sounding like what they did here. But don’t worry, they bring their signature intensity back for this stage later on. In fact, I really liked the contrast between the start and how far they manage to develop the song once it ended. I also liked how they bridged the two sections. Following the pretty sounding first verse, they went with a classical piece, before proceeding with the chorus which is where their arrangement slowly started to build. I really liked the percussion and EDM in the instrumental that followed, which is what gave their version the intensity that I have acknowledged earlier. In a way, The Boyz managed to make VIXX’s Shangri-La into an even more captivating and dynamic song. The group went with an Oriental concept, focusing on cherry blossoms for a large portion of their performance. I really like the flower they formed with their skirts (not really sure what to call those pieces of fabrics). They definitely added a pretty element but pushed the boundaries by wearing them and using them in this performance (especially since everything is quite masculine and powerful in a ‘strong sense’ in the competition so far). I liked the idea of the screen in which Younghoon walked behind and how it was used to form a tree. I also liked how his branch had nothing on it and as it went down the line, the branch started to flourish. This performance is definitely unlike their previous ones, but it was still captivating to watch.
Hard Carry – TOO (Original Artist: GOT7)
When I heard that Hard Carry was going to be one of the performances covered in this round, I was overjoyed. Hard Carry is my favourite GOT7 track ever. It was a powerful release and it left a strong impression on me. TOO’s version of the song is questionable for me. There were some good moments and I liked how they ‘translated’ the song into a hip-hop based sound. I personally don’t mind their direction for this song and would have been great if they somehow brought the intensity of the original over. Instead, their version came off as toned down and weak, which isn’t a great thing. I would have liked more of that rock sound that followed the first chorus. It had what I was looking for and would have been a great element to continue throughout latter dance breaks in their performance. It isn’t all bad news as I enjoyed their rapping and vocal work. I also enjoyed how they all contributed to the chorus, especially the final chorus, which I believe ties their performance and concept together nicely. For their concept, the group went with a street style. This fits in with their hip-hop sound quite well. I also liked how urban the stage and visual effect on the screen looked. Their outfits are edgy in a way that also fits their youthful image. Unfortunately, there was something that I didn’t really think suited their performance. Take the ‘all smiles rock’ sequence that followed the first chorus. It just looked weird and just didn’t go well with their intense dance portions of the performance. It looked a little playful when they were doing something so edgy. I did like it when they turned the lights down and had the fluorescent colours on their outfits glow. That looked cool. The dancing, for the most part, looked quite cool.
gogobebe – VERIVERY (Original Artist: Mamamoo)
VERIVERY was assigned gogobebe, which is originally by my favourite female group. It is the only song by a female group in this round. I liked how they brought in that foreign musical flair that suits the Aladdin theme they had on stage. They combined it with some modern synths to give it that oophm and energy that made it a fun stage. Take the final moments of the chorus. They added definition by bolstering the beat, and in turn, helped that part become quite dynamic. If I were to compare the two versions, VERIVERY’s version is definitely more enjoyable as it explores more of that fun side of the song, which is obviously required to be done for an appealing stage. They had a huge dance break in the middle and I liked how they kept that musical colour to it. I would have thought they went something extreme and be considered ill-fitting to give the performance that edgy feel and/or allow the group to sneak in some crazy moments into their choreography. As mentioned, the concept was Aladdin. Their outfits were quite nice and the stage props were cool. I was quite disappointed with the rug. I wished it wasn’t just on the floor, because this just cheapens the performance in my point of view. I liked how they had the lamp, but there was no reference to the Genie. It might have been a hard idea to pull off. But since they included Jafar into the performance, I am sure they could have added the Genie in some capacity. As for the dancing, I thought the entire performance looked great. I really liked how Jafar’s cane was floating about just before the dance break. Unfortunately, the cane was also the flaw of the performance, as Hoyoung dropped it at a critical moment. It was something I waited to happen on the show, as all these performances cannot be as perfect as they seem. And they recovered well and pulled off the performance without any other hitches.
And the ranking…
For this round, I agreed with the show on how they ranked their first and last place. ONF came out on top with such a cool performance, while TOO just felt short with their rendition of Hard Carry. It is the rankings in between that I did not agree with. Actually, I ranked the middle rankings in the opposite manner to the show. To see how it turned out, you can view the table below.
Performance
Artist
Actual Ranking
My Ranking
It’s Raining
ONF
#1
#1
Quasi una fantasia
The Boyz
#2
#5
gogobebe
VERIVERY
#3
#4
Be Mine
ONEUS
#4
#2
Follow
Pentagon
#5
#3
Hard Carry
TOO
#6
#6
As mentioned earlier, Round 3 was an elimination round. By combining the scores of the Collaboration and the Your Song rounds, the show ended up eliminating TOO for the competition. And my rankings also conform to that decision. For the rest of the rankings (which are irrespective of the performances in the Song Of King and My Song round), view the table below!
Ranking
Artist
#1
ONF
#2
ONEUS
#3
Pentagon
#4
The Boyz
#5
VERIVERY
#6
TOO
And that wraps all the rounds. We are left with five groups – ONEUS, ONF, Pentagon, The Boyz and VERIVERY. And they are off the finale, where they release and perform a new song just for the Road To Kingdom viewers. Whoever is victorious in the finale will go on to participate in Kingdom, as the first prize is a confirmed spot in the next show! To know my thoughts on the finale, you gotta check back this coming Monday! Until then, here are all the links to the previous posts.
Welcome all to my very special review to Road To Kingdom. I may have been very silent about the recent series. But I have been eagerly awaiting each performance to appear on YouTube after broadcasting on Thursdays to see what Golden Child, ONEUS, ONF, Pentagon, The Boyz, TOO and VERIVERY have prepared for us. In this special review series, I will be going through the actual rankings that came about from the first three rounds, short reviews of each performance and how I thought the rankings would go! This post will only cover the first part of the third official round (i.e. Collaboration). Please remember, these are my thoughts only. Feel free to comment your ones below.
Collaboration
At the end of the last round, Golden Child was eliminated, leaving 6 groups in the competition. In this round, two groups would pair up and would need to cover a song of their choice. Not all members were required for the stage. For this round, Pentagon joined up with ONF, VEIRVERY joined hands with TOO, leaving The Boyz and ONEUS to share the stage. The scores from this part of round 3 and the following part were combined to determine which group would be leaving the competition next, ahead of the finale. Like in the previous round, I will be focusing on their arrangement, concept and choreography.
Kill This Love – ONF & Pentagon (Original Artist: BLACKPINK)
I remember watching this performance for the first time after it had aired and not knowing which song was being covered at the time. I only recognised it was Kill This Love once it reached the chorus. I totally liked the intense and powerful route that this arrangement took, completely straying away from the original version. The guys made it very sensual when it came to the chorus, which I thought was memorable. Their concept took on a horror with a twisted romance and I enjoyed all the little details in the arrangement that gave it that profile and character. While the song was successful thanks to the vocals, I feel that the rappers really had the shining moments in this stage. Wooseok with his neck cutting left a deep impression on not only myself, but the rest of the competition. Wyatt’s deep voice gave the first verse some impact, while J-US’ interpretation of the ‘We must kill this love. It is sad but true‘ left me speechless. These alone were very memorable over the other performances. As for the performance itself, I thought it was fantastic. It was eerie, mysterious and had a suspenseful edge that left me wanting more. We have a female ghost, whom all the members are attracted to. Not in a romantic sense, but rather an addictive sense. The members looked insane, broken or terrifying throughout the performance because of this love. All of this makes perfect sense for the song choice, come to the think of it. The performance ends with Hyojin successfully getting back to the female ghost, but it turns out that it was all in his head (and hence the twisted side of the romantic story). The dance breaks were epic and their performance looked like they all came from one group. My favourite part has to be Hongseok being pulled from under his clothes and Wooseok’s neck cutting motion that I had already mentioned. Captivating performance, overall.
On – TOO & VERIVERY (Original Artist: BTS)
Unlike the cover of both Kill This Love (above) and Heroine (below), it was quite obvious from the get-go that TOO and VERIVERY was covering BTS’ latest track, On. This entire rearrangement of On takes on a militaristic character, which fits in neatly with the original song. You can hear parts of the original song in the background, which was the main give away at the start of the cover. I just wished with the chorus, they put a unique spin on it, instead of amplifying the original. That really would make this performance extremely strong. Take the second verse for example as they did with what I had wanted. I really liked their use of classical instrumentation and how they built on it as it progressed through that verse. It was a different direction to the original and it gave this collaboration some unique points. Without a doubt that the performance took a military based concept, which looked really cool. Some of their outfits looked a little bulky though, which I don’t think would have helped them in a performance sense. But that is only a minor concern. As for the choreography, damn it was good. They used a lot of the original choreography for the choruses, which made sense given that they used the original choruses. But their energy they gave during the choruses made the routine look really good. A military concept will definitely have the term ‘synchronisation’ associated to it. Their synchronization was truly scary during the chorus and once again, they look like one group. And while I am speaking about synchronisation, we need to talk about the dance break that follow the second chorus. They marching/turning that kicked it off and the fluid dance moves that followed made it a powerful routine that wowed me.
Heroine – ONEUS & The Boyz (Original Artist: Sunmi)
The final collaboration performance takes on Sunmi’s Heroine. As mentioned above, you don’t really know what song they are covering until after the rappers finish doing their thing at the start. The new arrangement kicks off with a ballad-like sequence, where the rappers rapped about their dream and how sorry they are to their loved ones for taking this hard path. Heroine‘s melody comes through during the first vocal sequence, but they continue the ballad-like atmosphere. We slowly get a buildup to the second verse, where the arrangement becomes more of that pop track we all know of. As the stage progresses, they infuse a club beat and drop to the performance which really captivates me, that is both powerful and memorable. For the stage’s concept, I found it very unique that they portrayed the life and journey to becoming an idol. We kick off with hopes and dreams that the rappers were rapping about, followed by training and auditioning. More training occurred afterwards until they were ready to debut. The makeup and wardrobe preparations were made and everyone got to dance on stage. This only gets us up to the end of the second verse. For the bridge, we get fans chanting each of the group’s name (including Golden Child, who were eliminated last round). All the other groups were touched by this. We see two members (sorry, I couldn’t catch their names/faces) sitting on the stage during this sequence, but only one of them rejoins the other members, while the other member walks off stage. It is said that the member who walked off stage represented all the idols who came and disappeared, which I thought was very thought evoking. At the end, we see all the team’s logos on the screen and the two groups hugging and smiling, showing us that they are all together in this journey in becoming an idol. The dance sequences were quite good and paired extremely well with the music. Hwanwoong’s solo moment really stole the show for me. But it is the concept that really makes this stage memorable and impactful.
And the ranking…
This collaborative round was really good and showcased awesome stages, some of which are probably the best in the whole competition. And it comes down to the all exciting ranking. Remember that the scores from this section of Round 3 and the next section of Round 3 were combined to eliminate another group. But that is discussion for the next post in this series. As for my ranking, I picked ONF and Pentagon to be the top stage, while TOO and VERIVERY was chosen as the weaker collaboration (but it does not mean their performance was bad!). For the actual rankings and where ONEUS and The Boyz sit on my ranking, you can see it all in the table blow.
Song
Artists
Actual Ranking
My Ranking
Kill This Love
ONF & Pentagon
#1
#1
On
TOO & VERIVERY
#2
#3
Heroine
ONEUS & The Boyz
#3
#2
And that wraps it up for the first part of the 3rd Round. The second part of the 3rd Round is dubbed ‘Your Song’, where the groups got to choose any song to perform. Check back on Thursday for that post!
Welcome all to my very special review to Road To Kingdom. I may have been very silent about the recent series. But I have been eagerly awaiting each performance to appear on YouTube after broadcasting on Thursdays to see what Golden Child, ONEUS, ONF, Pentagon, The Boyz, TOO and VERIVERY have prepared for us. In this special review series, I will be going through the actual rankings that came about from the first three rounds, short reviews of each performance and how I thought the rankings would go! This post will only cover the second official round (i.e. My Song). Please remember, these are my thoughts only. Feel free to comment your ones below.
My Song (2nd Round)
As part of the third and fourth episodes of the competition, the participating groups had to choose of their past songs and rearrange it for this round. The stakes are high in this round, as the rankings and points from the 1st and 2nd round together would determine which group would be eliminated from the competition. I will outline my thoughts on the elimination that occurred and who I thought should have been eliminated the end. Like in the previous round, I will be focusing on their arrangement, concept and choreography.
Wannabe – Golden Child
The original version of Wannabe is already quite sleek. Yet, their rearrangement somehow is more sleeker. They sampled Caprices No. 24 by Paganini, which is a stunning and well-known violin piece (just watch Joochan played it on the violin during the performance). The rearrangement of the song incorporates and emphasises the instrumental melodies with the use of orchestral instruments. And while this is very intense already, they add electric guitar riffs to top it off. With regards to the concept, it seems like their aim to reach for the white violin which is above the group while they perform, though its significance is unknown. Only the start and end of the performance seems to focus on the suspended white violin. I wished they somehow presented the significance of the white violin on this stage to give us some context (I think they tried to, but it wasn’t obvious). The rest of the performance is detached from the violin. The start is very dramatic and I really liked the ‘under and over’ moves they do. It looks complicated and well timed. As they kept the melodies of the original, the original choreography was also included neatly into the performance. I liked how intense and powerful the choreography was that accompanied Joochan’s violin solo. Actually, all the new elements in their performance can be described in the same way. This is definitely a step up from their 1st round performance.
Lit – ONEUS
What I really liked about this version of Lit is that ONEUS didn’t try to reinvent it. Instead, they kept true to the original and emphasised the folk elements of the original version. For the most part, the two version sound quite similar and that could potentially be a downfall to the stage. But instead, they made everything more defined and dynamic, giving an extra surge of energy to the original version to get to this version. And they just continued with the momentum as they progressed in the song, which makes the arrangement very appealing for me (just listen to Seoho’s rap sequence). As for the stage concept, it seems like ONEUS is playing on the ‘Kingdom’ part of the show. The folk elements lends very well to historical Korean times (when there were emperors etc.). A very recent adaption of this era in media is the Netflix Korean zombie show, Kingdom (see the pun? – I also highly recommend Kingdom, if you like zombies and horror). The peak of the performance incorporates zombies, which I thought was a genius and unique idea. And this allows them to intensify their choreography and also execute a wardrobe change, though I had a feeling it was coming based on their robes. I also thought the presence of all those traditional Korean elements on stage made it look cooler and set the overall tone of the performance. The concept alone stands out, the ending was bomb and this stage a strong contender.
The We Must Love (We Must Love & Moscow Moscow) – ONF
Intensifying the song seems to be the route everyone is taking. So far, the intensification is quite unique between performances. ONF’s rearrangement ofWe Must Love incorporates an orchestra and combines it with the electronic components of the original We Must Love. It then flows into a rock sound, before settling on an amplified version of the original. I particularly like Wyatt’s rap sequence, which is followed by MK’s vocals. That section purely thrived on intensity and ended up being the most powerful moment. The performance closes with a bit of Moscow Moscow, which I believe helps bring the story on stage to a close. Regarding the stage’s concept, Yooa (from Oh My Girl) features as the ‘puppet master’ that has kept the group under her control. I think she is has somehow casted a spell over the members (I feel that this is what that section of Moscow Moscow alludes to), as every time she leaves, the other members find themselves going back to her. This is just my take on the story and it might have missed some points, as I have kept it brief for the more important parts of this review. The choreography. While there isn’t any crazy stunts, I find the performance to be very graceful during the more ‘quiet’ moments of the stage. Take that beautifully executed start with Yooa in the middle and the members ‘waking up’. I also liked the solo sections, as there is always something going on aside from the choreography (i.e. conducting, masks, interaction with the backup dancers etc.). Wyatt’s and MK’s section mentioned above was particularly strong, along with the clock formed by the back up dancers and J-US and Yooa’s partner dance in the middle of the performance. Another strong showing from ONF.
Shine & Spring Snow – Pentagon
Pentagon departs from their particularly strong performance from the last round and brings a more fun and lighthearted feeling to this round. And there is a particular reason for this, as it allows the members to incorporate an emotional send off to Jinho, who performed with the group for the last time before enlisting in the military. I don’t understand Korean well, but I have to admit that I have tears in my eyes every time I watch this. It shows you that bond Pentagon has managed to form with one another, something that not many groups have. Essentially, that is the concept of the performance. The Western cowboy theme at the start threw me off, as I didn’t expect it to precede Shine. I liked how they bolstered the instrumental for Shine, which made this a strong performance in its own way. Shine was cut short to allow the members to say goodbye to Jinho via the big screen (and cry on the side), before the group returned with a ballad-y opening and subsequent energetic ending with Spring Snow. It seems that the members performed live (I am unaware of the rules regarding to lipsyncing on this show), but I just want take a moment to applaud Jinho for singing effortlessly while crying in Spring Snow. That is a very good talent to have. As for the choreography, they incorporated the original dance into it (tick), while also reinventing it by mixing it up with luggage (big tick). Their use of the luggage was quite fun and added a nice new element to the performance.
Reveal (Catching Fire) – The Boyz
It seems like the use of classical and rock instruments to amplify a song is the trend in this round. The Boyz choose Revealas their song choice. For me personally, I felt like was a weak song to choose, as they have other more dynamic and strong songs, such as No Air. The good news is, The Boyz proved me wrong. The arrangement starts off with a soft orchestral instrumentation, accented with deep thumps. The first verse ends with the impression of an epic drop, but instead we are treated to a fake drop. I don’t mind this as it just adds to the suspense of the performance. From the start of the second verse, we enter and gradually build to an epic drop that is the second chorus. It truly felt like we entered a war battle with this drop. But I note that this isn’t the intense form. That is withheld for the final chorus and closing segment of the performance, which features a faster pace of those deep thump and rock elements I mentioned at the start. For their performance concept, the crown they stole is stolen by another person. The entire performance seems to be preparation for battle to get the stolen crown back. And it is an epic (recurring word here!) performance. From the start, some of the members are part of a picture frame. Very peaceful but also very ominous. While they moved about when they were in focus, they remained frozen in the background of other shots (like an actual image), which eagle fans noticed. Other standout moments has to be when the two structures crash into one another (i.e. the second chorus) and the entire final chorus/closing sequence.
Magnolia – TOO
TOO is very limited with their song choices, as they just only made their debut recently. Balance is the key for this arrangement. The rappers who had the bulk of the verses added a little intensity and ‘dark energy’ through a mildly hip-hop approach. The vocalists have the cleaner sections of the song, showing off their vocal skills a bit. For the dance break, it seem like there is struggle between these two fractions in the music. J.You’s section (for reasons I will discuss later) appears heavenly sounding and very different to the two fractions. When the two fractions collaborate for the final sections of the performance, there is a much more profound sense of intensity that wasn’t apparent earlier in the performance, which helped bring a cohesive feel to the performance. It appears the concept also relied on balance. The rappers were part of the darker side, while the vocalists were part of the lighter side. J.You played the role of a God or angel, essentially bringing the two fractions together when they kneel down at the very end. J.You also holds a scale and it is balanced throughout the performance, providing further proof of this concept idea. The choreography was quite good. It becomes intense and shows off more of their capabilities after J.You’s solo part. The fighting scene was well choreographed that J.You was able to walk through with the balanced scales and had his eyes closed the entire time. I just wished the final moments of that sequence where he opened his eyes to ‘kill’ the fighters ended with him doing some urgent stomping, as his light walk felt weak for someone who just killed by opening his eyes. But the killer point of this performance is when Chan ‘kills’ Woonggi by twisting his neck. That definitely leaves a strong impression on the viewers!
Photo – VERIVERY
VERIVERY is the only group to choose a side track, rather than a title track. That is a very interesting decision, as Photo wouldn’t be well known. But it is a risk VERIVERY is willing to take. VERIVERY amplifies and intensifies their performance using rock elements, skipping the classical side of the intensification process that other groups had. The whispering moments in this arrangement was really cool and this adds a further level of intensity to the performance. They had an EDM-based dance break towards the end that allowed them to show off their dancing capabilities before returning to the intense whispering and familiar melodies of Photo. Even though they managed to amplify a weak choice, it doesn’t mean they nailed it. A lot of riding on their stage and they knew they had to make it powerful in a unique fashion. It is only this way does a choice of a weaker track is forgotten. Well, VERIVERY did just that with a horror-based concept. We start off the performance with Kangmin whispering the lyrics on a bed and the hands of two other members coming from under the bed, like a ghost reaching out for you while you are sleeping. The performance is injected with a blast of energy thanks to the introduction of those rock sounds and everything on stage looks chaotic for a moment. The performance settles down for a bit, before delivering the most frightening sequence of the entire performance. When four of the members and 7 of the dancers sit/stand on the bed, a female ghost appears in the background. You may not notice from afar (which makes it scary), but the camera zoom rights in on her, effectively scaring you regardless. Another scary part has to be just before the second chorus, where there are members twisting heads and being pulled for the bed. The group synchronises and showcases very sharp movements during the choruses and for the dance break. The ending brings back that chaotic touch, just before Kangmin wakes up from a dream. For a moment that looks like the case, but another member creepily stands behind him, telling us otherwise. I loved this concept.
And the rankings….
This was a very hard round to pick out a ranking from. Each performance was unique and I would gladly listen to these new arrangements of their tracks any day. But I have come up with an order, as promised. VERIVERY nailed their performance with the horror concept and earns the number one rank. The seventh place rank unfortunately is given to TOO. Not because their performance was weak or didn’t hit the brief, it is just I felt everyone else had a stronger performance.
Performance
Artist
Actual Ranking
My Ranking
Reveal
The Boyz
#1
#4
Lit
ONEUS
#2
#5
The We Must Love
ONF
#3
#2
Photo
VERIVERY
#4
#1
Shine + Spring Snow
Pentagon
#5
#3
Magnolia
TOO
#6
#7
Wannabe
Golden Child
#7
#6
At the end of the second round, the group with the least points when combining the first and second round points was to be eliminated. Golden Child came in last under this system and hence was eliminated from the show. This was quite harsh, especially since we were only unmasking their potential. The good news is that an early departure allows them to make a comeback sooner, and that will happen tomorrow! Unfortunately, I also said I would be choosing a group to leave the show. And that doesn’t really bring any good news to any group. While I just mentioned speak of their potential, I have some bad news to share. Based on my rankings, Golden Child would have left my version as well. The ranking after the two rounds is below.
Ranking
Artist
#1
VERIVERY
#2
The Boyz
#3
ONF
#4
Pentagon
#5
TOO
#6
ONEUS
#7
Golden Child
Sorry that I wasn’t able to bring any better news to all the Golden Child stans out there. If I had my way, no group would be eliminated. I am excited for Golden Child’s comeback tomorrow and can’t wait for their new release (the teaser/highlight medley looks and sounds promising)! Also check back tomorrow, as I will be posting the fourth part of the Road To Kingdom review series (i.e. Round 3 Part 1 -‘Collaboration’).
Welcome all to my very special review to Road To Kingdom. I may have been very silent about the recent series. But I have been eagerly awaiting each performance to appear on YouTube after broadcasting on Thursdays to see what Golden Child, ONEUS, ONF, Pentagon, The Boyz, TOO and VERIVERY have prepared for us. In this special review series, I will be going through the actual rankings that came about from the first three rounds, short reviews of each performance and how I thought the rankings would go! This post will only cover the first official round (i.e. Song Of King). Please remember, these are my thoughts only. Feel free to comment your ones below.
Song Of King (1st Round)
We enter the second/third episodes of the show and the 1st official round of the show. This round is where the groups pick a song by a more well known and experienced group to cover. For my comments this time around, I will focus on the music rearrangement (relative to the original songs), concept (use of stage, props and visuals) and choreography. As this round contributes to the group’s ranking, I will be writing a bit more than above so you have more of an idea to how I felt about the stages.
T.O.P – Golden Child (Original Artist: Shinhwa)
When it comes covers in KPOP, most old school KPOP tends to be the default choice. Golden Child’s choice of T.O.P (by Shinhwa) has its benefits and drawbacks. It is a well known song and if covered innovatively, they could ride on the song’s back to the top of the ranks. But since it is well known, many people would be more critical of a poor version of it. Golden Child’s execution seems to be a little lacking. While they seem to have a unique angelic concept going on, I find the performance and arrangement stayed in its slow state for longer than expected. I didn’t mind its slowness at the very start as it fitted with the concept, but I wanted the song and performance to pick up a little sooner. The performance and song starts going in that direction that I desired once we get to TAG and Bomin’s section of the performance. We get a a blast of edginess and energy, through Jangjun’s rap sequence. And the final chorus of the arrangement feature electric guitars that really pump up the energy. And they also incorporate the infamous melody. Choreography wise, I really enjoyed the dance break towards the end of the performance (i.e. with the fans and back up dancers). I also applaud them for their inclusion of the original choreography, as well. I also enjoyed the white and black feathers that dropped from the ceiling, which really helped bind the everything together visually.
Similar comments can be made about ONEUS’ choice of song. The song is quite well known, so it has those same drawbacks and benefits. The arrangement of their version really helps makes the performance quite strong. Right from the start, we are thrown a rap sequence that is very textural and ‘loud’. The cover also takes on a modern hip-hop vibe, which I think goes hand-in-hand with their high school rebellious concept (reminds me of BTS back in the day). I also liked that they made the entire song more dynamic than the original. The stage looked great, setting the scene. We see Hwanwoong being bullied and he (along with the other members of ONUES) exact revenge of the bullies in a fight scene. I wished the desks and props were a little more well used to show off an epic performance. What we saw felt a little too ordinary. The backup dancers executed most of the stunts in the choreography, so I don’t know if these should be counted. But that entire fight scene (along a few others stunts here and there) were performed nicely with the members. The final moments of Hwanwoong falling to his knees was a little terrifying for me. Namely his facial expressions. I don’t want to be rude, but I felt it was a little too exaggerated for this performance.
Everybody – ONF (Original Artist: SHINee)
This is a choreography that everyone should be scared of. To this day, Everybody is one of my favourite performance, namely for the helicopter move that wowed everyone when it was performed in the past. I liked how mysterious they made the song sound at the start with the help of that orchestral hymns opener. The arrangement built up using more of that orchestral touch before transforming into a rock track. The song then settles on dubstep (but also revisits some of those other sounds as it progressed forward) and continues to get even more dramatic. It is a bit of a ride, but it was a very powerful and angst journey. Their vocal work whilst performing this crazy track earns them praise. Can I also just point out how Wyatt brings a completely different and unique vibe compared to everyone else in this competition. The question is how ONF can one up that helicopter move. Well, the most obvious answer to do more than one helicopter. And that is exactly what they do. They left the hardest part of it to the fellow dancers and I am not too sure how I feel about that. We all know how dangerous the move is, but I wanted to see the members go that extra mile for the wow factor.
Very Good – Pentagon (Original Artist: Block B)
Pentagon waste no time when it comes to Block B’s most iconic song, Very Good. More specifically, the rock version of Very Good. Correct me if I am wrong, but Pentagon definitely amped up the rock sound and played towards their strengths performance wise. This version also allows the members to show off their strong stage dynamic in a way that really blows me away. Vocal work and rapping was top notch (and is something that I would love to see more of in their discography in the future). The performance itself takes on a grungy and angsty concept. It kicks off with Hongseok’s abs. I mean Hongseok escaping his handlers, just before the rock kicks in and the performance officially starts. We continue to see glimpse of Hongseok’s abs throughout the performance. I mean, a really rocking choreography. There is something about about Wooseok going mad that just visually looks so right and it fits right into the performance. Hui jumping on top of the angled fence was a really cool moment as well. Dance wise, I feel that Pentagon really stepped it up and showed a lot of character in this performance.
Rising Sun – TOO (Original Artist: TVXQ)
This modernised arrangement of Rising Sun is probably one of the best for this round. It made the famous song crunchy and extremely dynamic to listen to. I really liked the use of electric guitars in this arrangement, giving some definition to their take on the song. Vocally, this song proved that this male group is one to look out for. The rapping did the exact same thing. I just wished they kicked off their careers with a song of a similar fashion like this arrangement. Stage wise, how epic did it look when those drapes dropped from the ceiling. The lighting also looked spectacular. But this is obviously a dance competition as well, and their moves are spot on. The opening sequence looked really cool with that circle of members in the middle doing their tutting like arm movements. They follow up with more circles, with the members pairing up to lay on top of each other’s legs (there is a lot of skill there already!) in a circle and then all members contributing to a circle on the floor. The dance break that featured into the middle of the performance looked amazing, especially when that member stood in front of those drapes held by backup dancers and did a grand reveal of the members dancing in the background. Another circle followed with the members using their arms to look like the sun and a killer high note that wowed me. And the performance closes with a very intense rock sequence that looks very powerful. Big praises from all directions.
Danger – The Boyz (Original Artist: Taemin)
The Boyz put a faster tempo to this iconic song. They kept the melodies that Taemin had in the original, so the song appeared very familiar (as I find it hard to tell if it a Danger cover if it did not have its original elements). And they also made the instrumental sound a lot fuller or filled in. But I am going to stop talking about their arrangement of the song. I can’t hold myself back. I need to talk about the performance. You know I love to see a story line inserted within a music video. And a story line of stealing a crown in this performance keeps true to the song. We are shown the crown at the start of the performance in its glass case. And we are shown a little distraction trick, which I believe signifies the performance as a distraction technique (note: you actually see the crown during the performance in the background, so it appears that the members steal it at the last minute). The performance is a wonderful distraction. I am still in awe with their stunt at the beginning, where one member used the backs of four other members to do an epic climb and jump! The trust between the members alone must be very strong. The use of props was really cool as well. The chairs were used at the start as a distraction itself while one of the members fell from the table and another was pushed onto it. The table was well used at the end as the members ran and slide to the crown. And everything else in between looked really polished and well executed. What more can I say?
Mansae – VERIVERY (Original Artist: Seventeen)
VERIVERY turned a very fun sounding song into an even more dynamic track (something that I thought was not possible). Best part of this entire changed style has to be that ‘Groove It‘ sequence just before the choruses. That was unique and epic all at the same time. I have to be honest, there were a lot of parts that were very similar to the original. But VERIVERY put their own spin on it. Especially when it came to the high note section. There is also enough in the new version to give the members an opportunity to perform. For their stage, they used a sea concept, with the members visiting VERRERDISE. The flags they used at the start was used to form waves and added a fun component to the performance, keeping true to the song. I also wonder if the stage sprayed water onto them. It looked misty and I think water would fit well with the concept. As for the performance, they retained a lot of SEVENTEEN’s dance moves. I felt some of it was unnecessary, such as the basketball ring. The could have related that to the sea concept, which make the performance look more cohesive. They had their own moments to perform some of their stuff as well and those sections looked really cool, such as when everyone lined up and did a domino line of what seems to be a air kick lie down move. Excuse my poor description, but I don’t know how else to describe it.
And The Rankings…
This was a very fun round. All the performances in this round set the bar quite high for what is to come in the later episodes and in the upcoming Kingdom season. As for my ranking, I had to give it to The Boyz. They wowed me and I keep on going back to watch the performance because the arrangement of Danger is so appealing. As for the ‘wooden spoon’, that goes to Golden Child for the reason I explained above. For the rest of the rankings, you can find them in the table below.
Song
Group
Actual Ranking
My Ranking
Danger
The Boyz
#1
#1
Very Good
Pentagon
#2
#3
Everybody
ONF
#3
#4
Rising Sun
TOO
#4
#2
T.O.P
Golden Child
#5
#7
Mansae
VERIVERY
#6
#5
Warrior’s Descendant
ONEUS
#7
#6
That brings the first round to an end. All the groups are safe for now, but the next round features an elimination and I will definitely share my thoughts on as well! Check back on Monday for my thoughts on the second official round (‘My Song’).
Welcome all to my very special review to Road To Kingdom. I may have been very silent about the recent series. But I have been eagerly awaiting each performance to appear on YouTube after broadcasting on Thursdays to see what Golden Child, ONEUS, ONF, Pentagon, The Boyz, TOO and VERIVERY have prepared for us. In this special review series, I will be going through the actual rankings that came about from the first three rounds, short reviews of each performance and how I thought the rankings would go! This post will only cover the first episode (i.e. preliminary performances). Please remember, these are my thoughts only. Feel free to comment your ones below.
Preliminary Performances
In the preliminary performances , the groups were limited to 90 seconds to showcase their skills. The rankings in this set of the performances do not impact their ranking throughout the series, so it could be seen as a trial round. The performances are inserted below and I will briefly talk about my thoughts of each performance before getting to the all important rankings.
Beginning – Golden Child
Using a dramatic opening and Shrillex styled instrumentation, Golden Child wows us with a side that we have never seen before. This performance is very different to the visuals and energy we have seen in their Wannabe and Without You comebacks, which were darker and edgier than any of their previous releases. Much more intense and more powerful. I really liked how they connected with one another in this performance. Their stunts looked cool, but it didn’t have too much of a wow factor. My favourite part is when the two members shot each other and the other members fell onto their backs.
Phantom of ONEUS – ONEUS
ONEUS fuses things off with an eerie performance using masks and the intensity of the well known Phantom of the Opera. They then bring in one of their songs, Twilight. I liked how they kept their original choreography in this performance, fusing it all the other theatrics. ONEUS shows off some impressive stunts and dance moves, including the climb and sudden drop of Hwanwoong, and that smooth turn they do on the dance floor while sitting.
Lights On – ONF
ONF probably had the most intense music overall from the preliminary round. They had samples of We Must Love and Why in this performance, allowing them to incorporate some of those choreographies into the 90 seconds they had on stage. But it seems that ONF went a step further with this idea, incorporating a bunch of their past choreographies (including the ones of the songs they haven’t sampled). That is very impressive. Not only that, but they nailed the intensity and synchronisation elements of their choreography.
Road To The Throne – Pentagon
Pentagon begins with a short sequence of their most popular song to date, Shine. While that is lighthearted and fun, this performance was quite the opposite. In a matter of seconds, Wooseok is driven insane with scary masks. We are then met with strong choreography from the other members. The only negative thing I have to say in this whole section is that I feel Pentagon wasted a great deal of the 90 seconds with the Shine opener. I did like the throwback, but I think they could have found a better use of those few seconds at the start.
Sword of Victory – The Boyz
The Boyz kicks off their Road To Kingdom with an exotic sounding instrumental, which allows the group to play with some elegant moves. That is the one word that kept on revolving around in my head while watching this performance. That being said, there were a few crazy highlights that I can’t get over. That opening sequence where Changmin jumps up to a high height to grab the flying sword and Juyeon doing some tricks with a bouncing sword blew my mind.
dysTOOpia – Too
TOO is the newcomer out of all the groups in this competition. They too also included their only well known song, Magnolia to the performance. But they are the only group who put a really rocking dance break in between the two sections of Magnolia, which was rather unique. The opener really showed everyone that they aren’t to be messed with. Then they followed that up with a new routine, which I thought was impressive undertaking. They did keep the later Magnolia section as per this original choreography, but I personally didn’t mind that given everything that came before it.
Face It – VERIVERY
I get a military type of vibe from the performance thanks to their outfits and stomping vibe in the instrumental. Interestingly, there was very little stomping. The performance is something a lot fiercer and darker than what we are used to when it comes to VERIVERY usually. Despite that stomping vibe, I liked how the instrumental piece provided different textures, which allowed members to show off a variety of moves that fit smooth and rough sound textures. Quite clever, if you ask me.
The Final Ranking…
And now we come to the rankings. Probably he most important part of the show. ONF really wowed me with their performance. I felt they were the most creative and really showed off their performance skills to the other participants. And so I ranked them #1 in this preliminary round. As for the dreaded #7 place? That unfortunately went to Pentagon. Their performance felt pretty weak in comparison to the rest and it seemed like they didn’t put their best foot forward. For the rest of the rankings, they are in the table below!
Performance Title
Artist
Actual Ranking
My Ranking
The Sword of Victory
The Boyz
#1
#2
Road To The Throne
Pentagon
#2
#7
Lights On
ONF
#3
#1
Beginning
Golden Child
#4
#3
Face It
VERIVERY
#5
#5
Phantom of ONEUS
ONEUS
#6
#4
Into the dysTOOpia
TOO
#7
#6
And that is it for the preliminary round. Short performances, but definitely enough to get those exciting vibes going. Check back tomorrow for my thoughts on the first official round (‘Song Of King’).
1st Round – Song Of King Review & Rankings 2nd Round – My Song Review & Rankings 3rd Round Part 1 – Collaboration Review & Rankings 3rd Round Part 2 – Your Song Review & Rankings Final Round – FINAL Review & Rankings
There is a new male group entering the industry. TOO (Ten Oriented Orchestra) is a 10-member male group under N.CH Entertainment. The group was formed through the show WORLD KLASS, which aired in 2019. They were originally scheduled to debut on March 18 with Magnolia, but this was rescheduled for today (1st April). And even though they are newly debut, they have already been confirmed for their first competition show, Road To Kingdom, which is the male version of last year’s Queendom. They will be particpating/performing alongside Pentagon, Golden Child, VERIVERY, ONEUS, The Boyz and ONF.
I enjoyed TOO’s Magnolia and the group’s direction with this song. I just waited for an explosion that never came. I personally felt that it would really bolster the song and add some definition to their sound. Magnolia is a dance track, described to be a blend of trap and euro pop. It is a good mix and pleasant mix. But with a dance track, a pleasant mix doesn’t sound right. I wanted it go that extra mile, but we just never never got to that point. We get a teaser of this through the chorus when the electric guitars and rock influence are brought in, adding some depth to the song. But I just wanted more (sorry, if I sound a bit greedy). Their vocals and rapping infused some hip-hop influence to the song, which was good and helped out to an extent. But it feels very typical in that regard, as many other male groups have been doing that in the past few years. The transition from second chorus to the bridge was very awkward and sounded odd. I think that was the only section that had the song’s flow disrupted, but they managed to patch the rest of the bridge up with electric guitars.
This is a hard video to interpret, as I have very little clue on what is happening plot wise. Usually, I give the interpretation a go (see most of my other music video reviews that involve a plot line or my music video theory posts). But I am not going to try with this music video because I know I am going to screw up the interpretation of this story regardless of which direction I take the story. All I know is that it revolves around a flower (the magnolia) and focuses around a rebellion. Do you have any theories? Comment below! Apart from the story line, the video was well shot and the post-production edits/ transition made the scenes look more intense and cool. I also enjoyed their edgy look in the music video.
It seems like TOO has a lot to offer in the performance department. And watching them dance, it makes me excited to see what they will bring through their upcoming Road To Kingdom appearances. It is intense, edgy and powerful. I really liked the moments they have where two members versus each other. I thought that was a dynamic part of the performance.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
KPOPREVIEWED 