Earlier this month, TREASURE made their comeback with their 4th mini-album, Love Pulse, led by the title track PARADISE. TREASURE’s comeback follows on from their Pleasure special mini-album and single YELLOW from February 2025, as well as news of a leadership change to Junkyu and Asahi and early contract renewals with YG Entertainment.
TREASURE’s PARADISE is a pop track that suits the summer season quite nicely. It’s bright, upbeat from the onset and a lot of fun, particularly thanks to the brassy elements in its instrumental. There is potential for PARADISE to become super-infectious in my life because of these brassy elements, had I put the song on repeat in the last week. I just didn’t have the time to do that in the past week, with me wrapping up some work and reviews to take a break. That being said, the instrumental is probably PARADISE‘s strongest asset. While I do appreciate the vocals and rapping in the track, PARADISE isn’t the most definitive showcase of their abilities. The hooks and melodies are also quite bright and lively, but they also aren’t TREASURE’s best effort to date. But altogether, everything in PARADISE comes together to become a pleasant summer listen with a light pop bop instrumental.
I quite enjoyed the music video. TREASURE does a good job of making me want to dance along to the music when I watch this video. The mood is also extremely bright and smiley throughout, which helps convey the constant desire to dance and makes their music video even more likeable and enjoyable. PARADISE is about escaping to a place of pure happiness with someone special, hence why we see a lot of imagery of the beach, sunset and fireworks throughout the video.
Like the rest of the comeback, the performance for PARADISE is just as energetic and bright. I liked the dance break during the bridge of the song. The “P to the A to the R to the A” move kind of reminds me of the “Woo to the Young to the Woo, Dong to the Geu to the rami” move from the 2022 Extraordinary Attorney Woo K-drama.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
TREASURE returned at the start of the month with a special mini-album (their third overall), PLEASURE. The title track, YELLOW, heads up this new album release. Also featured on the album is the single LAST NIGHT, which was released in December 2024.
YELLOW follows the same thread as LAST NIGHT, opting for pop rather than their familiar heavier hip-hop dance sound. Even though it is marketed as a ‘special’ release (which usually means YELLOW and the songs on the album are not part of the usual realm of TREASURE’s releases), I am still not entirely convinced YG Entertainment knows what they are doing with the group. But that is a topic of a larger discussion. YELLOW is pleasantly soft and mellow for a pop release, highly fitting for a song titled after the colour yellow. But as a whole piece, I find YELLOW to be quite plain. Because of this, I felt like the order of YELLOW and LAST NIGHT should have flipped, with YELLOW being more of a pre-release and LAST NIGHT being a more compelling title track for the group. I cannot pinpoint anything distinct about YELLOW that would set it apart from its competition, whereas I felt the previous release had that through its execution. That said, I liked a few elements in YELLOW. I enjoyed the vibrant and bright tone the members brought through their vocals and melodies. The bridge was sweet, with JAEHYUK, DOYOUNG and JEONGWOO sounding quite heart-warming. The chanting at the end was charming. The rapping in the second verse was nicely done, allowing the rappers to maintain a connection to their hip-hop roots in this pop song.
The music video shows the members preparing for a dance competition, where one member’s crush will attend as part of the audience. It is a cute music video, with DOYOUNG being the main character and the rest of the members being bubbly and happy around him. I like the whole sequence where his crush touches his shoulder, and he cannot let that go, even in a later soccer game. But I also like the revelation that the crush also had a crush on him, placing a love heart on him.
The routine plays towards TREASURE’s youthful and bubbly charms. Like the song, it was nice and pleasant, but nothing memorable came out. However, I liked their wavy motion when the “It’s love” chants began.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.8/10
YG Entertainment promised when TREASURE returned earlier this year, KING KONG (the comeback at the time) would not be their only release this year. And as promised, the group returned with their new single LAST NIGHT yesterday.
LAST NIGHT leans into dance territory, swapping out their usual hip-hop influences for pop melodies. The track is bright, upbeat, and refreshing to my ears. It also has a feel-good energy that makes LAST NIGHT attractive. Vocally and rapping-wise, the members did a great job. I particularly like JIHOON’s fast-paced rapping, which added an interesting element to the middle portion of the song. LAST NIGHT’s hook (‘Ma ma ma my love’) was catchy. The pop melodies were good, and I found them easy to listen to (even as the instrumental blasts its way through). But there is also a side of me that feels the melodies are typical and plain. There could be more flair to make LAST NIGHT even more compelling. Apart from that minor wish, LAST NIGHT was an enjoyable song.
There isn’t too much to the video, but I like the straightforwardness this brings about. The music video shows the members coming together to watch fireworks after a day of having fun and hanging out with one another. Like the song, the video instils feel-good vibes and makes me smile while watching it. It also felt appropriately casual and light-hearted.
Based on what I can see in the music video, the choreography is simple and straightforward. LAST NIGHT doesn’t call for anything too complicated or difficult, so the routine feels fitting for the song. I liked the move that coincides with the hook, which embodies the already mentioned simple and straightforward mantra.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
Almost a year following the release of their REBOOT studio album and the track BONA BONA, TREASURE has finally made their long awaited comeback with their new single KING KONG. It has also been recently confirmed that KING KONG won’t be the group’s only release of the year, with another comeback due later in the year. But until then, here are my thoughts on KING KONG.
KING KONG is bombastic, to say the least. For the most part, I really enjoyed KING KONG. From electronic instrumentation to the delivery with many layers of oomph to it, the resulting product that is KING KONG feels powerful and vigorous. The song opens with some crunchy beats and a sing-talk motif that I am not unimpressed with. I kind of thought it gave KING KONG‘s verses a stylish vibe. The pre-choruses of KING KONG focuses on vocals and melodies, which I also enjoyed. This is then followed by a catchy chorus, with a slightly groovy second generation influence on the instrumentation and some shouty yet delivery. The second verse features a rap breakdown that needlessly stripped away the cool instrumentation that KING KONG had featured thus far. The length of the breakdown disrupts the flow of the song and deprives us from the momentum and drive that the earlier parts of KING KONG had. The bridge sees the returns of the vocals and that is the part of KING KONG that I am continuously returning. Partly because of the vocals, but also what comes next. The best part of KING KONG has to be the really angsty and gritty tinny instrumental break that just grabs your attention. From the top of my mind, I think KING KONG‘s instrumental break surpasses all other instrumental breaks. KING KONG then finishes with the usual anthem affair that YG Entertainment songs close out with. I am not against it this time around, but I think something less repetitive would have been better. Overall, KING KONG isn’t without its weakness. But it is still a beast of itself.
The music video appears to pay homage to King Kong himself and potentially other big monsters. There are a few scenes that sees the members appear to serve as the King Kong in their universe, like through the presence of the beastly eyes some of the members have and how some scenes position the members on top of a building that mimics the infamous scenes of the King Kong movies where the infamous King Kong had scaled the city buildings. I also really like the set made of the big skeleton. Not sure where the other scenes lead us, but I am sure they are all related. I also like the styling of the members throughout the music video. They all look very stylish and cool.
The choreography for this comeback is super cool, just like the other elements of this comeback. I liked how they mimicked some of the famous King Kong moves/poses throughout the choreography, which further highlights the beastly and powerful nature of the choreography. And that dance break is definitely the highlight of the routine!
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
As mentioned in my last review for TREASURE last week (i.e. the kaboom version of their side track B.O.M.B), I would be posting an album review for REBOOT this weekend. And here it is! REBOOT dropped at the end of July with BONA BONA as the lead title track. Ahead of the comeback, TREASURE also dropped the until track MOVE, which is also featured on this album. In total, 10 songs feature on the album.
As the name of the album alludes, REBOOT kicks off a new era for TREASURE and I think the studio album really shows that. Some of the songs, especially in the beginning, holds true to that. While some other songs do fizzle out towards to the end. But nonetheless, REBOOT shows a promising future for TREASURE. Let’s hope that YG Entertainment doesn’t get lost (again) with what to do with TREASURE and ‘reboot’ them again.
2. I Want Your Love – The element that wins me over in I Want Your Love is the instrumentation. The dance pop track features some really cool club beats and synths that reminds me of the music from ‘00s that I grew up on. The vocals and rapping were very solid efforts from the members. The vocals, particularly during the pre-choruses, also carry the same nostalgia. I really like the whispery underlay in the bridge, as well. I think a more memorable hook would have made I Want Your Love the ideal song. What we got was pretty good in itself, but it just lacks that really ear-worming effect. (9/10)
3. Run – When I hear Run, I find it very hard move away from the song. Run takes us down a very energetic rock path that has me bouncing along. Honestly, the energy that the members convey is enough for me to rate Run a 10/10. I also like the addition of electronic synths to give Run some zing, and a really cool and clangy hip-hop second verse. Their vocals and rapping were superb, pretty much keeping up with the dynamic tempo that the track was running (Ha!) at. That anthem bridge and high note at the end was really great, as well. (10/10)
5. G.O.A.T (ft. Lee Young Hyun of Big Mama) – The first unit track on the album is by the rap unit (Choi Hyunsuk, Yoshi and Haruto). The energy in this track is very show-stagey, which I am digging. The brass elements emphasises this further. I like the playful and dynamic approaches to the delivery which the rappers adopt,, which makes G.O.A.T a very fun and playful listen. The anthem chorus was perfectly executed by the members. Lee Young Hyun from Big Mama features on this track and she comes in towards the end. Her vocals and adlibs just effortlessly fitted into the rap-centric track, carrying us off in the end alongside the rappers in another head-banging end to the song. (10/10)
6. Stupid (멍청이) – All members return for Stupid. The upbeat energy is toned by a small bit to make way for this vocally centric track. The track still pounds away with a heavy beat, but it also features some really nice acoustic guitar riffs in the background. Other than that, Stupid steers into pop energy territory, which comes off it was nostalgic, as well. It reminds me of some previous works by done previously by other YG Entertainment groups like iKON and BIGBANG. Unfortunately, the hooks aren’t there in comparison to the other songs on ahead of the track and I felt the drumming was little heavy handed, particularly when we entered the bridge of Stupid. (7.5/10)
7. The Way To (어른) – The vocal unit (Jihoon, Junkyu and Jeongwoo) stays on to perform The Way To, taking us down a balladry path. It is a beautifully orchestrally instrumented ballad, paced in a way that allows you to take everything in the track all in. You can feel the emotions behind the members vocals. I did think the melodies were slightly underbaked, with the vocals feeling “quite short” in terms of being drawn out to matched the pace of the ballad. But still a lovely listen. (7/10)
8. Wonderland – Summery beats and energy comes back into play alongside all of the members in Wonderland. While the track is a decent listen, I think Wonderland is my pick for the album’s plainest track. Everything in the track, from the instrumentation to the vocals/rapping, felt very ordinary. I also don’t feel much of TREASURE’s usual energy in the song. (7/10)
9. B.O.M.B – I reviewed the kaboom version of B.O.M.B already, so I will be taking my rating of that version to implement in this review. I also did make some comments on the album version of B.O.M.B in that review, so click here to read the full review of the kaboom version of B.O.M.B. (8/10)
10. Lovesick (병) – The final track on the studio album is Lovesick. It was previously featured on the group’s 1st Japanese mini-album, which was released last year. It is a wholesome and dreamy track to finish on. Lovesick features a simple instrumental, melodies and hooks – all of which makes it easy on the ears and is a nice way to ease out of the album. I can imagine having this track on the background, while staring outside the window and taking in the prettiness of a bright day. (8/10)
TREASURE returned last week with a gift for their fans. B.O.M.B is a side track off TREASURE’s second studio album REBOOT, which was released a few months back. As a bit of a teaser for this coming weekend, a full album review post on REBOOT will be coming your way. But ahead of that, I wanted to review the new version of B.O.M.B, otherwise known as the “kaboom version”. In other TREASURE-related news, the title track off REBOOT is BONA BONA, which also dropped alongside the album.
Had I gone forward with just the album review, B.O.M.B(the side track version) would have been described as “a really pleasant pop track from the ’00s”. I would also made specific comments on the dreamy instrumentation and the really smooth melodies that made the song pleasant. I probably also would have said something about the catchy hooks, in addition to the melodies, particularly around the choruses. The ‘kaboom version’ of B.O.M.B retains all of that, but adds more to the instrumentation to give it liveliness and energy. And honestly, this does help make the song feel more fun and energetic, which I think would have been well received by their fans. Whether all of it was necessary is a different matter up for discussion. I am definitely on board with the brass and extra bass that was added to the song. However, I felt the bomb dropping and explosion sound effect and the inclusion of a hip-hop dance break was cringy and embarrassing. But even while I feel this way about these specific elements, they didn’t detract from B.O.M.B whatsoever, and everything that was the side track version of B.O.M.B is very much still there. So overall, the side track version of B.O.M.B is probably my preferred version, but I don’t mind the kaboom version, as well.
We didn’t get a music video for this kaboom release, but rather a performance video. As such, I will be combining both the video and performance components of the release together. The hip-hop concept that they went with for this comeback makes sense for TREASURE, but I am not entirely sure about the song. But at least they keep it casual and don’t lean too much into it. We do get some closeup of the members, and a dance battle break that the members keep lighthearted and fun. As for the choreography, I find it to be quite good. It suits the group and the song in many regards. The choreography and energy feels youthful, which fits in with the members. The key moves during the chorus felt cutesy, which goes hand-in-hand with the lyrics which is about how one’s crush makes them feel giddy and alive.
Song – 8/10 Music Video / Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
As mentioned in yesterday’s review of MOVE, I am keen on reviewing TREASURE’s newest release sooner rather than later due to the likes of the pre-release single MOVE. Well, that review comes today as TREASURE makes their official comeback for the first time in nine months (that last comeback being HELLO and The Second Step: Chapter Two) with BONA BONA and their second studio album, REBOOT. It is also the first official comeback of TREASURE as a 10-member group, following the withdrawal of Bang Yedam and Mashiho late last year.
Right off the bat, the synth selection for BONA BONA is very cool and reminds me of the 00s pop tracks. It really sets up the song super well and an opening like that is sure to attract many listeners. The verses in BONA BONA (and bridge) maintains that impression with great vocals and rapping, along with a nice nostalgic touch with the synths and the 00s direction. Then comes the choruses. They feature intense brass and marching drums, which gives BLACKPINK’s Kill This Love vibe. While I did question the change in direction from synths to marching band vibes at first and am still unsure if the intent of this was to draw us back to Kill This Love, TREASURE does manage to make it their own and create a high-octane and intensity centrepiece for BONA BONA. In true YG Entertainment fashion, the final chorus of BONA BONA is substituted out for an electrifying and anthem-vibe ending. Personally, I am into the presence of the electric guitars riffs in the background and how well it fits in with the rest of the song. The members really give it their all in terms of energy and this creates a very satisfying, strong and epic ending to BONA BONA. While I personally don’t think BONA BONA necessarily exceeds the bar that was set by MOVE, it is still a very strong comeback nonetheless, full of energy and vigor.
The music video starts off with what looked like a scene that could have been lifted out of MOVE, with the members donning suits in a blue-grey metallic set and Junghwan as the centre of focus. The sets start to expand from there with the black and white styling and blue-greys coming through, but it feels very different in this video vs. to the pre-release video. I did note that the set for the first chorus really felt similar to the Kill This Love set that was blown up (i.e. the stone walls/structure etc.). The only new set that felt original for this music video is the ship deck at the end of the video. I also like their more casual outfits for this scene and the summery vibes that feels a bit more fitting for the current season than the likes of the dark and confined sets we see at the start of the video.
The choreography, as you would expect, was intense and powerful, just like the song. The marching and air drumming just makes so much sense. Similarly, the energetic ending was just right for that part. The group also looks super focus and are very much in the zone, which helps makes the rest of the routine (from what I can see in the music video) super engaging to watch.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 8.5/10 Performance – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.5/10
It was announced in June by YG founder Yang Hyun Suk that TREASURE would be making their comeback with their second studio length album, REBOOT, in August. And ahead of that full group comeback, it was announced a unit of five TREASURE members would be making T5. IN that video that announced the releases, Yang Hyun Suk shared that the five members, who were unannounced at the time, were chosen after they each put their hand up in response to a question posed to the group – who thought they were the most handsome in the band. In the end, So Jung-hwan, Junkyu, Jihoon, Yoon Jae-hyuk, and Doyoung were announced as members of the unit and T5 debuted last month with the pre-release single (to REBOOT), MOVE.
MOVE has been out for a month now, and my impression of the song is pretty much the same now as it was then – that MOVE is a fantastic song. Described as a groovy and energetic (both of which are clearly and successfully delivered in MOVE) dance track by the members, MOVE still draws upon the hip-hop influence that YG Entertainment is known for. I really enjoyed their synth selection, which brings both crunchy effects and fluid momentum to the song. The beat gives MOVE oomph and punch. The brass element that forms part of the instrumental break is probably one of the most unexpected and unique twists to a song that I have ever experience and has fast become my favourite/standout moment of MOVE. The song also had some memorable hooks. The more melodic moments of MOVE, such as in the pre-choruses and bridge, showcased a strong showing of vocals. And I liked the enhancement of the final chorus with Junkyu’s higher pitched falsettos in the background. But the winning aspect of the vocals for me is the processing that occurs during the choruses. The deeper tone approach and additional processing to make said vocals fit in with the crunchy selection of synths was amazing and a smart move If I had to be critical about anything, maybe the verses could have featured something more riveting and showstopping in terms of melodies and vocals. But honestly, this is just a minor thing to me. As MOVE is of this caliber, I am definitely looking forward to reviewing BONA BONA (the title track off REBOOT) sooner rather than later.
The music video for MOVE is very much performance centric. But I will still keep the music video and performance aspect of the review separate, given there is a bit more to the video with the closeups and concept. MOVE’s video is simplistic yet stylish. I love the black and white look they were going for, with the subtle blue/grey coming through some strongly. The visual effects are awesome. But taking the video to the next level are the member’s visuals (as you expect from a group of singers who self-nominated themselves as being handsome and confident in their looks). Their closeups in suits are one aspect, showcasing their stunning and handsome looks. But a sexier concept arises during the performance scenes, with the members’ outfit styling and camera work coming together to show impact and confidence. The members’ looks here also probably serves as one of the more iconic looks of this era of KPOP in general.
Performance-wise, the unit nailed it. While their styling already makes you think sexy, the moves really goes the extra mile and emphasises this concept with the body waves and the drag of the finger down their bodies. But it also serves well with the groovy and energetic aspects of the song, as well. The best part, hands down, is the routine during the saxophone instrumental break.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 9.5/10
Following my last album review (BLACKPINK’s BORN PINK), I thought I also review another YG Entertainment album that I have been holding onto. The album, as you can tell from the title of this post, is TREASURE’s THE SECOND STEP: CHAPTER TWO. It is the group’s second mini-album and was released in October 2022, and it features the title track HELLO, along with four additional side tracks. THE SECOND STEP: CHAPTER TWO follows the group’s earlier comeback in 2022 and first mini-album, THE SECOND STEP: CHAPTER ONE (title track JIKJIN). It is also the first release to not feature Bang Ye Dam and Mashiho, who were on hiatus at the time of the mini-album’s release and subsequently left the group following the mini-album’s release.
2. VolKno (CHOI HYUNSUK, YOSHI & HARUTO) – Following the more pop-centric title is a surprising mix of hip-hop and rock. It is purely electrifying, intense and just so powerful. Everything I ever wanted from a rock release in KPOP is in VolKno. The track is delivered to us by the three rappers of the group, so it is safe to say that their delivery falls into the rap/hip-hop style. And I don’t mind that, as their trio’s delivery just amp up everything else in the song. The best part of the song is when they get chanty during the bridge, which is a nice bright change in direction. I found to be a great head-banging sequence, before the song goes back to its intense rock body. (10/10)
3. CLAP! – CLAP! returns to the mini-album to the bright and pop-like profile that featured in the title track and kicked off the mini-album. There are some added reggae influences to certain parts of the song, which differentiates the song from the title track. The rapping was nicely done and gave CLAP! some much needed oomph. However, the element that really prevented me from enjoying the song are the vocals, which I found to be disappointing. The vocals took on a more standard melody, which ultimately dulled the song for me. I wished the members were more expressive and the melody line was a bit more exciting, just to give CLAP! a much more substantial edge. (6/10)
4. THANK YOU (고마워) (ASAHI & HARUTO) – HARUTO is definitely a busy person as the only TREASURE member to appearing in all five songs on this mini-album. In THANK YOU, HARUTO join forces with ASAHI to give us this pop style song. At first, it sounded more like a pop rock song. But it ended up settling for more on the pop side as THANK YOU progressed along. In the end, I found this song to be quite a pleasant listen and I really did enjoy it. (8/10)
5. HOLD IT IN (물 어둡다) – Ending the mini-album is the album’s most subdued mix, opting for a more prevalent R&B vibe for the most part. But there is more to HOLD IT IN than what meets the eye. For example, we get some relatively soft pop dance backing for the chorus, jazzy ballad styling in the second verse and marching drums in the bridge. Altogether, TREASURE delivers another pleasant ender to the album that just had the right dose of pretty much each of the different styles mentioned whilst also managing to stay cohesive somehow. (7.5/10)
TREASURE is nominated for Rising Star and Best Electronic Song (for JIKJIN) in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support TREASURE and JIKJIN, and your other favourite artists, songs and performances by clicking here to vote today!
I know I promised this review a few weeks back when HELLO topped the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 3rd Week of November 2022, but it unfortunately slipped from me. Apologies for that! But now, I am finally getting around to having a deeper look at HELLO, TREASURE’s latest comeback single. It was released as part of their second mini-album, The Second Step: Chapter Two, at the start of October. It is also the first comeback to not feature Bang Ye Dam and Mashiho, who were both on hiatus at the time but subsequently withdrew from the group a month after HELLO‘s release.
I didn’t pay much attention to the track upon its release as I had a lot going on in my life at the time. But listening back now, I am disappointed I missed and didn’t pay attention to such a fun, energetic and lively track like HELLO. I find it interesting that TREASURE is releasing music as vibrant and colourful as HELLO, especially since I feel like YG Entertainment aims for a certain niche within the KPOP community. Songs like JIKJIN, which are more heavy handed and serious sounding, are what I expect from YG Entertainment’s output, though 2022 appears to be changing that up. I guess their company is trying to captialise on TREASURE’s youth and energy. Anyhow, whilst the song does fall into the dance pop category thanks to its heavy (and at times, explosive) EDM approach, there are some typical YG Entertainment tropes, namely the chanty chorus, the hip-hop tinge and the anthem approach at the end of the song. All of this pretty typical arsenal for any YG artist, but TREASURE manages to breathe fresh life into these elements and really make it feel different. And I appreciate this ‘reinvention’. I also enjoyed the rock elements to the song, which is definitely on trend in 2022. Again, still not tired of it, hence why I enjoy it a lot! HELLO is also quite catchy, with strong hooks (which is the result of the chanty delivery of the chorus), which ultimately adds to the fun and liveliness of the track. I do think the song could have used some bolder moments in terms of vocals and rapping, just to give HELLO a bit of an edgy and a more memorable front. While what we got in HELLO was pretty solid, I do think more of the instrumental, rather than the vocals or rapping, after the song is over.
With a song like HELLO, I expected a party in the music video. And we got just that! HELLO is a song about coming together to combat the loneliness and emptiness that some might feel, and we got representation of that. At the start of the video with the members being alone and in their own worlds. But as the song progresses, the song brings the members together. And then a crowd, which finishes off the video in a party like fanfare. The fireworks work really well with the instrumental and heightens the viewing experience. I also like the simplicity of the dance choreography scene inside the white studio, with the coloured lighting and the big HELLO in the background.
The choreography for this comeback was on point. I love the vibrancy and energy that the members brought to the routine, which was also quite vivid and powerful. What amazes me is that the routine doesn’t give them much opportunity to take a break, but as we hurdle towards the end of the performance for HELLO, the members are still full of smiles and energy, which ends off the performance in such a positive and satisfying manner!
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
I have finally moved onto albums from February! Hooray! (That being said, I don’t have time to write up studio album reviews over this weekend, so there might be one or two from January coming in the next few weeks). Anyhow, first up in the start of the post-January album reviews is TREASURE with their first mini-album, THE SECOND STEP: CHAPTER ONE. It is the group’s first album release in over a year (their last being MY TREASURE from January 2021) and features the title track JIKJIN. Three additional side tracks are featured on the album as well, making it a shorter mini-album with four songs in total.
Overall, a fair mini-album from TREASURE. It seems like the title track focused more on the hype energy that is synonymous with YG Entertainment’s release, while the side tracks focused more on the vocals and softer side of TREASURE. Both show potential and promise for the group, and definitely has me wanting more from the group in the future.
2. U – U starts off with a piano melody and sounds like a soft track from the beginning. But U emerges as a groovy track from the first chorus. Both sides of the song stay from then on, creating a neat pop track that is fun and showcases the group’s vocals. With the chorus, I liked the short and sharp guitar riffs that brings the groovy/funky nature of U to life. I also liked the slight glitchiness we get ahead of the final chorus, which helps keeps the song interesting (and not repetitive) in its final moments. (8/10)
3. DARARI (다라리) – As far as I am aware, DARARI is supposed to get its own music video and that it has been shot already. But it appears that it hasn’t been released just yet. Hopefully, we don’t have wait long for said music video. Anyhow, DARARI is an extremely pleasant upbeat R&B track that has very catchy and memorable hooks. I like how everything rolls off so smoothly in this song, and how easy on the ears it is. Again, the group’s vocals are on display in this song, and they sounds really solid throughout DARARI. (9/10)
4. IT’S OKAY (괜찮아질 거야) – Final track on this short mini-album is a ballad. I guess YG albums aren’t immune from having the mandatory ballad (quite sure I have used this joke somewhere before). My impression of IT’S OKAY is that it is pleasant. For a mellow guitar-driven ballad like this, this is a good impression. The vocal work is nice, and I liked how they added definition via backing vocals and harmonies in the chorus. The ad-libs at the end showcased their abilities really well. Also, the way they incorporated the rappers felt logical and fitting for this mellow style. (8/10)
Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10
THE SECOND STEP: CHAPTER ONE / JIKJIN Teaser Image
TREASURE kicked things off in 2020 with back to back comebacks, starting off with their debut BOY and comeback singles I LOVE YOU and MMM. The group then kicked off 2021 with their MY TREASURE comeback before subsequently disappearing from the Korean music scene for the rest of the year. They did make their Japanese debut last year and did have a horror (I think) web series on YouTube. But the point is, they haven’t released any new music in over a year, which was disappointing given the momentum they gained. That is until today. TREASURE has made their long awaited comeback with their first mini-album, The Second Step: Chapter One, and new single JIKJIN.
JIKJIN is a hard-hitting hip-hop dance track that really packs a punch when it needs to. I really like how profound some of the beats and percussion (such as in the pre-chorus) were, which really made JIKJIN dynamic and energetic. In addition to that, I enjoyed the pop-like sequence during the verses (the part preceding the pre-choruses). It got me tapping along to the song and it appealed to my personal taste. For the chorus, I felt how the producers took the ‘Ooh‘ and turned it into a engine-like effect to be quite cool and creative. I was unsure of it at first, and it made me laugh. But repeat listens helped me come to realize that it was different and fascinating at the same time. I also felt that the rapping and vocal works were extremely strong and robust in JIKJIN, which also helped me enjoyed the track as well. I raise this because I actually enjoyed the second verse rap sequence, which surprised me given that it isn’t usually my style. Once we hit the bridge and you could hear the club sound emerging in the background underneath the vocals, you get a sense of where JIKJIN is going for its final moments. And so it came as no surprise that they went a shouty final sequence that reminds you of other YG songs. But this one isn’t as typical, given that they managed to incorporate the original chorus into the mix. The shouty nature also made that sequence super energetic, as well. And as mentioned before, the instrumental mix we get at the end was extremely dynamic and intense, ending JIKJIN on a high note for me.
The music video is reported to cost more than $400,000, which is approximately the amount allocated to BLACKPINK’s music videos. While I do find this fact very interesting, I do question where the money was directed. To me, it seems like most of the budget would have gone to renting those spot cars that we see throughout the video. They also erected screens in a very familiar location (we have seen that circular concrete structure in music videos like VIXX’s The Closer, ONEUS’ TO BE OR NOT TO BE, Kim Lip’s Eclipse etc.), which I will admit brought new life to that structure. I am a bit disappointed by this, as they really hyped the video up to be something super cool. But I don’t think it lived up to that hype. On a more positive note, I enjoyed the cinematography throughout the video, which really helped make the video dynamic as well.
The main point of the choreography seems to draw on that car concept that is evidently in the music video and my comments on the chorus sounding ‘engine-like’. Elsewhere, I liked the various parts we saw in the music video. The pop sequence I mentioned for the verse seemed to have nice flow, and the final sequence in the song definitely seems to be the performance’s peak in terms of dynamism and energy. Looking forward to see everything on stage later this week.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
BTS’ Dynamite was voted by you to be the Best International Song By a Korean Artist. All songs in this review will be eligble for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Check them out and remember to vote for your favourite at the end of the year. In the meanwhile, check out the winners for the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.
Last week, I covered some 2020 international releases that occurred in November through to January of this year. This included Chungha’s Dream of You, Baekhyun’s Get You Alone, Dream Catcher’s No More, Jung Daehyun’s Amazing and TWICE’s Better. This week, I will be covering another five releases including Japanese songs from MONSTA X, NCT 127 and TREASURE, and Western songs from Mark Tuan and Jackson Wang. For those who are wondering, I will be covering The Boyz’s Breaking Dawn in the next edition of this International Song Review segment, which will be whenever I can fill up the next post with five songs. Let me know of any comebacks by KPOP artists in international markets, so that post can be published sooner! (However exclude songs that already have a Korean version).
Wanted – MONSTA X
I personally didn’t enjoy this latest release from MONSTA X the first time I heard it. It felt like it was missing the surface of the instrumentation because nothing really stuck out at me. However, listening to the song a couple of more times really helped the song grow on me (which is the usual case for me) and that initial thought has left my mind. The song pretty much fits in with MONSTA X’s works. The verses actually felt very typical for the group, though I must say everything had a melodic tinge to it and is not as aggressive (but it was getting there). Even the rapping had that tinge. The chorus is where Wanted becomes quite dynamic and more interesting, thanks to its impactful bass and heavy synth usage. I really like the consistent thumping and the vocal work from Shownu and Kihyun throughout the section. Joohoney and I.M follows up with a bit of their usual rapping abrasiveness, before the focus moves onto Minhyuk and Hyungwon, and then it moves back to the already mentioned members. I do wish there was a bit more heft, especially when it came to the verses to make the song even more appealing and bring it up to par with their Korean releases. But overall, Wanted was a decent song to add to their choreography. The music video for Wanted was quite simple but cool at the same time. I really like how the video embraced an industrial look for the first part when the members are dressed in black outfits. The video becomes a little more sleek with their outfits infusing a little more colour that really stands out amongst the flashing lights and black outfits. The camera work is also commendable. The choreography looks good, but I didn’t see anything new or dynamic within it. (8.1/10)
Gimme Gimme – NCT 127
Gimme Gimme taps into what seems like a more intensified version of the EDM that NCT 127 is known for through their Korean songs. Just this version mixes in a more prevalent form of hip-hop, but also feels a little annoying thanks to that one whiny squealy synth that just sticks around for what pretty much felt like the entire song’s length. There was just so much of this synth throughout the song, it was pretty to not to notice it. In some of the parts that didn’t have the squeaky synth, the rest of the instrumentation made up for it by reincorporating the same sound just with different synths. If we were to take away the EDM and squealing synth, the members sound pretty good. They had to do a lot of competing to be heard over Gimme Gimme‘s instrumentation, but they handled it just fine. The rappers were super aggressive, but this worked out well as it gave the some some additional edge. Taeil, in particular, stood out with his vocals from the rest of the members, especially with that high note that just took the song to a new level. As for the music video, I felt it was pretty plain. SM Entertainment’s music videos have been quite top notch lately. But this felt like a let down. I am not keen on their outfits as it doesn’t feel as cohesive as it could have been with the warehouse like setting they are in. They do like stylish, but they just stick out. I did like the solo shots of the members and the various transitions between them. As for the choreography, Gimme Gimme lives up to the expectation that NCT 127 had set for themselves. It is very impactful, intense and powerful all at the same time. The dance break is definitely the peak of it, showing us exactly what we hoped to see from this high-octane song. (7.1/10)
Beautiful – TREASURE
This release caught me out of the blue. At the time when I discovered the song, I only found out that this was a soundtrack for the anime, Black Clover. Upon some further research, I found out today that TREASURE will be making their official debut in Japan at the end of March with Japanese versions of their title tracks and Beautiful. Beautiful taps into a more refreshing side of EDM, opting for lightness and pop, rather than going heavy handed with the synths and other instrumentation. In many ways, Beautiful aesthetically feels like an extension of TREASURE’s more pop centric Korean releases. The vocal work and rapping sounds pretty good. Nothing impressive from the group this time, but it works really well with the pop sound. There is no official music video or choreography for Beautiful that features the members (though this might change with an unannounced release of a music video between now and the end of March). Instead, the music video that was released was a little over a one and a half minute long video of the anime. So I don’t have much else to say about the video. Because of this, I have only decided to give a song rating for Beautiful. (8.5/10)
One in a Million – Mark Tuan & Sanjoy
We move away from JPOP for the remainder of this post, with the next artist is someone whom I haven’t actually reviewed any solo work for yet. I am talking about Mark Tuan, who has previously dabbled in solo work through a Chinese single (Never Told You, 2020). The song I am focusing on today is his most recent release, One in a Million, which features Sanjoy. It is also his first release since leaving JYP Entertainment. One in a Million delves into R&B, mixing up the genre with a bit of dance electronica. Together, the two genres combines to make the new song feel quite sleek and subtly upbeat. It is quite a pleasant combination and outcome for the two genres. I find Mark’s vocals to be quite interesting. He draws out his lines, giving the song a slow pace. That on its own isn’t my cup of tea. But in combination with the subtle upbeat touch, the vocal work surprisingly comes off as quite hypnotic and drives me to wanting to replay the song as there is an alluring charm to it. The music video that is released alongside One in a Million is a cute animation that fits well with the song’s lyrics and features two people who some might say are fated for each other. The video shows the girl leaving behind an umbrella behind at a convenience store. The guy recognizes the umbrella as hers (as it was the one that was opened in his face) and rushes to the station to return it to its owner. But unfortunately, fate at this instant does not want them to be together. When he arrives at the platform, she has already boarded the train. They get off at the same station and recognize one another. But this time, the rest of the city’s population doesn’t want them to be together. They both then run into each other a bar, with a happy relationship blooming from that point I presume. Mark and Sanjoy also feature in the video as the artists playing in the bar, and they seem happy to the new couple they are witnessing. (8.4/10)
Alone – Jackson Wang
Shortly after his departure from JYP Entertainment, Jackson Wang made the announcement of a single release unexpectedly. The single was titled Alone and is actually a Mandarin pop single. Based on the tone of the song, along with his vocals, you can tell that this is a hefty song. Alone lyrically shows his feelings about his life and journey thus far. Musically, it shows off Jackson’s versatility. Most of this songs thus far (that I can remember) have been dance centric songs. His works as a GOT7 member has been primarily in the hip-hop or pop domains. Alone is more so a ballad, mixed with some synths to give it is a modern and trendy feel. It remains consistently paced and neutral for the entirety of the song. The momentum comes through his vocals, which sounds really emotive. The raspy nature of his voice really shines and this just elevates the song to a whole new level. is also quite easy to get lost in this song, especially since it gets me swaying along quite early on (swaying is my self-made indicator of a good ballad for those who don’t know). The music video reflects the tone and lyrics of the song quite well. For the entirety of the video, he is alone. This makes perfect senses, especially as he sings about being alone on this journey. I am not completely familiar with Jackson’s life story. But it seems like there are references to a warming family (the table with an abundancy of food) and his time has a fencer (the Olympic rings), to which he left behind to pursue music and his career as a singer. His face is scarred and bruised, testament to the hard journey he had to endure along the way, as it isn’t an easy path. The end of the music video gives a little bit of advice to never give up on our own journey. It will be lonely and it will be hard. But if you enjoy what you are doing, it will turn out fine. (9.6/10)
TREASURE is definitely one of the next big groups with great potential to make it big in the KPOP industry. And they begin their next step in the KPOP industry in the year 2021 with their 1st Studio Album, MY FIRST STEP: TREASURE EFFECT. This studio album has topped album sale charts. Together with their other single albums combined, the group has sold over a million albums since their debut. A massive feat, given that they just debuted six months ago. Their first studio album combines their three previously unveiled single albums (including title tracks BOY, I LOVE YOU and MMM) and three new songs (which include the title track for this album, MY TREASURE) – all revovling around the pop genre. The album also features a pre-debut single and new versions of I LOVE YOU and MMM. All tracks aside from the new versions of those songs are reviewed in this post. Let’s go into the deep dive!
2. Be With Me (나랑 있자) – Be With Me is a pop song follows MY TREASURE. It is pleasant, at best. But it doesn’t really excite me or reel me in. There isn’t much else to the song aside from its simple tune and melodies. There are notable aspects of Be With Me including: solid vocals, raps that give the song the little playfulness, that whistling that adds a little more dynamism into the song. But these aren’t enough to overlook the song’s lack of excitement or dulled appeal. (7/10)
3. SLOWMOTION– SLOWMOTION has a bit more heft to it thanks to the addition of a thumping beat. It may not be much as the song does fall into the pop realm (like the other songs on this album) and there is a tinge of plainness due to the lack of uniqueness. But I find the very small differences between this song and the preceding song are the reasons why I find the listening experience to be quite enhanced. I personally enjoyed the direction in which the vocals were taking us, but I felt the rapping brought it down as it felt typical. (7.5/10)
5. Come To Me (들어와) – Come To Me was released alongside BOY in August 2020. The song, too, falls into the pop genre that has taken over the side tracks of this new album. But it is slightly quite different to the other side tracks thus far. I really like how the energy pops in Come To Me really pops out, which makes the song quite appealing. The melodies of this song are quite easy to get into and helps makes this side track stand out even more. The vocals and rap work fit well in the song’s pop profile, serving as a great introduction to the group and their potential (which followed through). (9/10)
6. I LOVE YOU (사랑해) – After many many listens, I LOVE YOU has become a favourite of mine throughout 2020. Hence, I have adjusted the song rating for I LOVE YOU to be 10/10 (originally 7.5/10). This is not be reflected in review post (for now). Click here to read the original review for I LOVE YOU.(10/10)
7. B.L.T (Bling Like This) – B.L.T has more of a dance profile to it. It is quite energetic and there is a bit of groove to the chorus, which makes the instrumentals of the song stand out amongst the other side tracks. Them exclaiming the title was quite catchy as well. It helped make the song become quite infectious, as I could help dancing to it whilst listening to the song for reviewing purposes. The song’s biggest letdown was the trap-based sequence for the rap. It wasn’t necessary to have this sequence as it just ruined the funky energy that I was enjoying a second before the breakdown happened. (8/10)
9. Orange (오렌지) – Orange was released alongside MMM in November 2020. It is the album’s slowest song. But instead of giving us a typical and straightforward ballad, TREASURE manages to give us a mid-tempo R&B track that feels fitting for the Fall season that it was released in. It feels warm and sounds touching. Orange showcases potential behind their vocals and rapping, whilst also showcasing a more delicate and emotive side of the song. It shows range and definitely a highlight on this album. (9/10)
10. Going Crazy (미쳐가네) – Going Crazy was a previously performed track, dating back to January 2020. Like the majority of the side tracks on this album, Going Crazy opts for a pop style. It is extremely pleasant, with the dance instrumental bringing a really stylish and sleek polish. I quite enjoyed the song. Despite it being released a year ago, Going Crazy slides quite well into the album and it is a great canvas to show off both their vocals and raps. It isn’t the most exciting song out there, but it serves as another great introduction to TREASURE and ender to their first studio album. (9.5/10)
Also making their comeback yesterday was TREASURE. For those who missed the second half of 2020, TREASURE made their debut with BOY back in August and made comebacks with I LOVE YOU and MMM. And with these releases under their belt, the newest male group to the YG Family have been sweeping the rookie awards of this ongoing award season. They are also my pick for best rookie of 2020 (hint hint). This comeback with a full length album and (I guess) the title track, MY TREASURE, was originally hinted to be a December release. But their company made the decision to delay it slightly to allow the members focus on more special performances which they are performing at award shows and end of year music festivals. But as we are now in mid-January (and YG delivered on their promise), we are here today to check out MY TREASURE.
I personally find TREASURE to be a very interesting group, given their company’s background. MY TREASURE doesn’t conform to anything that YG Entertainment is known for. I had that inkling through their earlier releases. But MY TREASURE seems to confirm that TREASURE is going in a different direction to what the roots of the company were based on. The new song itself is very cheerful and vibrant in a pop music manner, which works extremely well with the uplifting nature of the lyrics. I feel that the company/members ultimately chose this song as their comeback track for these characteristics. It definitely brought some light back into our lives after such a hard year. I appreciate this greatly and think the effort pays off, as the song does make you want to smile as you listen to it. I also really like the warm feeling the song gives off thanks to the brass- and string-based instrumentation, particularly during the chorus. Another positive aspect of this song is that with this style, more of TREASURE’s vocals are showcased. I definitely enjoyed this as well, as it really allowed TREASURE to show more of that side of their music. The rapping was still quite good, giving the song some much needed oomph and additional intensity. The hooks were catchy and memorable. But while this upbeat and pop sound is fantastic, I just wished there was more to the song. At the moment, MY TREASURE feels like it could have been pulled off by any other male group. I just wanted a bit more personality and indivduality, adding to what we saw in their earlier works from last year. I also wonder where TREASURE would go from here and how this more pop-centric sound would alter YG Entertainment’s portfolio. But it still a great listen, nonetheless.
With such uplifting lyrics and such a vibrant sound, it was clear that this music video would be along the lines of that bright and cutesy style. I am glad that the members didn’t get dragged into a cutesy concept, as that would be a bit much for me (as always). ‘Bright’ would be the best term to describe the song with. There is a lot of smiles in this music video, and also frowns being turned upside down. I also liked the splash of colour in their sets, making this a really pleasant video to tune into. The video does take a slightly serious turn, showing a lonely child, students taking exams in a very harsh environment and a child blocking their ears from hearing their parents arguing. But we see their hearts shine, showing us that they will shine through the hard times no matter what.
Like the music video, the performance was definitely bright and vibrant. But I will be honest, there isn’t much else to the performance. I didn’t find any moves that were captivating or worth mentioning. You could blame the song, but I felt the creative minds could still manage to find somehow one-up their MMM and other performances.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 6/10 Overall Rating – 7.9/10
TREASURE is back with their final release of 2020. The group has definitely been quite busy since they made their debut in August of this year with BOY. They followed up their debut single with I LOVE YOU in September. Once promotions for the second single was wrapped, the group was confirmed for a third single (MMM, the focus of this review) which dropped earlier today and a full-length studio album in January next year. For those who are wonder, December won’t be a month off for these guys as they prepare for and perform at a number of award nights and those end of year music festivals.
TREASURE has so far stepped away from YG Entertainment’s association with hip-hop. BOY was more of a departure than I LOVE YOU was, but both felt to be outside the common hip-hop bubble. MMM, on the other hand, pretty much steps back into that bubble. While I do like their individuality, I also liked that MMM plugged themselves back into the roots of their company. It says that they are still a YG group despite the different musical influences that they are drawing upon. MMM retains the modern KPOP hip-hop influenced structure (rap intensive verse, followed by a vocal-heavy pre-chorus, which leads into the chorus – a typical structure nowadays from how I see it), whilst also incorporating the EDM that they have really embraced in all their releases thus far. The peak of the EDM in the chorus was a very interesting centerpiece to the song. It works really well with the more serious nature of the song and it seems to add a bit of dramatic flair to the song. For the hooks during this part of the song, I thought they were weak at first. But those ‘Mmms’ and ‘Treasure you‘ whispers ended up feeling quite substantial for the song in retrospect. To me, the chorus was probably the only impressive part of the song. Everything else felt a little hit and miss for me this time. The instrumental had a nice Middle Eastern flair, but it failed to excite me for the most part. MMM manages to change it up by throwing some energy at us and keeping the EDM more consistent for the final chorus. It was a needed move, but I wanted more oomph to really get out of the repetitive loop that the song felt like it was stuck in. Similar ‘repetitive loop’ comments can be made in regards to their vocals and rapping. MMM doesn’t feel like their most impressive foot forward, in my opinion, and I will be picking their earlier singles over MMM any day.
The music video looks quite good. I like their use of the industrial look of their setting and the use of black and white throughout the video. It gives off a stylish look and adds a bit of simplicity to the music video. This also make the choreography scenes that feature their more colourful outfits feel like a ‘splash of colour’ and thus stand out a bit more. They do opt for the choreography and closeup formula, but it isn’t really that noticeable to me. I only realized it when I was typing out their review. Some fans mentioned that the video features YG Entertainment’s new building, which I thought was a little fun fact to add to the review. I think you can definitely say that this is a YG video. Hahaha… 🤣
The choreography for this comeback is definitely a highlight. Let’s definitely talk about the choreography they had for the EDM centrepiece. It looks amazing, complicated but very sophisticated. I didn’t want to say this before in the song review section, but those ‘Mmms’ had a sensual sound to them. And it looks like the choreography had that effect as well!
Song – 6/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 7.2/10
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