By Angel Yang and Katelyn Jiang
EASY – LESSERAFIM 8/10
On first thoughts, “Easy” by Lesserafim was different compared to their previous comebacks: the instrumental is based off a trap beat and sounds like American pop music. I was definitely shocked upon hearing “Easy” for the first time, but as I listened to it more, it started to grow on me. The melody is memorable, and the chorus is catchy. Other than Kpop, I usually listen to r&b and hip-hop, so this song was immediately added to my playlist.
However, I only gave this song 8/10, because the vocals had little to no effort put into them. The instrumental is laid back, so it makes sense that there would also be fewer high notes. But this doesn’t mean that there can be an unnecessary amount of autotune added to the members’ voices. Taking Yunjin’s first few lines as an example: her voice was already muffled, so adding autotune would only make it sound stranger. Not to mention the last verse: their voices were literally shaking with all the autotune added. Overall, though, I still think that this is a great song, and Lesserafim definitely suits their new style.
LIKE MAGIC – JYP COLLAB (J.Y. Park, Stray Kids, Itzy, NMIXX) 3/10
Even after listening to “Like Magic” several times, I still have no words to describe this song. It really does feel like an advertisement song (even though it is) in the sense that there’s not much thought put into its arrangement: the initial verses and the chorus don’t have much connection, and there’s no clear melody. If I were to compare this Coca Cola ad with the Newjeans one, I’d pick Newjeans—while their song is also not something that I’d put in my playlist, at least it was catchy and memorable. However, this is a long awaited JYP nation, and it’s nice to see all these groups in one music video. This song definitely feels like a JYP song with the early 2000s style and beat.
However, I’m not sure if this was due to conflicting schedules, but we didn’t really see a shot with all the JYP groups together, which makes this seem less like a collaboration. The different vocal styles between the boy and girl groups also made the whole song sound weird, and their voices were even more obvious since there wasn’t a loud instrumental. Still, considering the groups that were featured in this song, I would say that the verses are okay, but the chorus is a bit dry.
LOVE 119 – RIIZE 7/10
For a boy group, RIIZE always produces unexpected songs. With “Love 119”, it gives a chill vibe with its pop beat and the members’ voices. This song almost sounds like a ballad, but RIIZE has managed to sing it in a pop style, which is a nice change compared to other boy group songs that tend to be more aggressive and louder. This is the type of song I’d play in the winter or at night, and I also feel like it has the melancholic feeling of winter heartbreak. Furthermore, the lyrics (and Sohee’s high note at the end) really added to this song and made it more catchy.
I liked the chorus, but I’m not too sure about the chanting at the pre-chorus. It sounds like they’re trying to shout, but it’s also too quiet so it becomes kind of annoying. It disturbs the quiet, sad atmosphere the rest of the song creates, and just doesn’t really fit. Certain transitions during the song also feel quite abrupt, but after watching the music video it made more sense, since it was cutting between different storylines for each of the members. This song needs some getting used to, but once I listen to it more it’ll probably grow on me.
UNTOUCHABLE – ITZY 5/10
As much as I love Itzy, this song is mediocre at best. The same goes for many of their more recent songs like “Cake”, “Can’t Tie Me Down”, and “Sneakers”. Itzy has always had unique melodies, and while their songs used to be pretty good, they’ve only become more repetitive and monotonous. This song sounds like Itzy, but at the same time, it doesn’t. There’s just something missing in this that makes it sound generic: it might be that they’re playing it safe, because the melody is quite flat, and there’s not much to spice it up other than a few high notes.
Underwhelming doesn’t seem like the right word to describe an Itzy song, but I feel like this fits “Untouchable”. After watching the music video, their outfits and the entire videography just feels like the editors and directors put no effort into it. There’s not as many bold graphics or bright colors, and it just looks like an average girl group MV. While I wouldn’t put this in my playlist for daily listening, it would be a good workout/exercise song. Hopefully the girls get a better song for their next comeback, and I hope Lia gets better soon.
SHH – IU 9/10
As always, IU songs are literal masterpieces. While that may be a slight exaggeration, “Shh..” is my favorite song from IU’s new album. Everything from the melody to song arrangement to vocals and lyrics is well produced. Also, it’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into the lyrics, but I don’t really understand the entire story between the mom and the daughter. Watching the music video made me more confused—is IU Tangwei’s (who was featured in the MV) mother or is she just someone who looks like her? Nevertheless, I found that I really liked the genre of this song: it’s sort of like a ballad, but there’s the groove and bass parts that makes it r&b.
The collab between IU, Hyein (Newjeans) and Wonsun Cho was also a nice surprise. Hyein especially surprised me with her verse and chorus. Maybe it was because Newjeans songs tend to make all the members’ voices sound similar, but she really showcased her vocals with this feature. I’m not that familiar with Wonsun Cho, but her voice is also really unique and adds depth to the song. I really enjoyed this comeback and I’m looking forward to what IU comes back with.
ONE SPARK – TWICE 8/10
To be honest, I’m kind of disappointed with Twice’s new comeback, and I feel like their pre-release single “I Got You” was better than “One Spark”. For some reason, the instrumental arrangement of this song reminds me a lot of their Japanese songs, or even their “Fancy” era. Despite initial mixed feelings, the melody is catchy, and I especially liked the intro and chorus. Each member’s parts also fit their voice well, and this song is just well produced overall. There’s not much to say about this comeback, as it sounds just like a Twice song (although the line distribution did become more equal as opposed to previous title tracks). Compared to the other songs from 5th and 6th gen, this song does sound a bit different, as they’ve added a bright synth texture, and it almost sounds too “colorful” for newer song trends. However, this is still a solid song, and listening to it never fails to make me energetic.
LOVE OR DIE – CRAVITY 8/10
Truthfully, if it weren’t for my friend who was an avid stan of Cravity, I never would’ve known about the group’s existence. Although they have had some notable releases like “My Turn”, “Cloud 9”, and “Break All The Rules”, they have never seemed to have a hit so great that it really brung up their popularity and reputation. The group has been around for nearly 5 years but has unfortunately failed to gain as much momentum as its many 4th generation peers in the industry. However, this just may be the song to break their unlucky streak.
Although this is not a terribly revolutionary release in Kpop, I personally enjoyed this song. Firstly, the members are all able to showcase their talented vocals throughout the song, and their voices all match very well with this type of concept, bringing a soft contrast to the strong instrumentals. Additionally, the song carries out a robust melody throughout its entire duration, giving the song power and a burst of energy. The song was also long enough for three choruses, two raps, and a bridge, which is extremely rare to see among songs in Kpop nowadays. However, the song also strikes me as a bit basic and repetitive as it does not bring anything special or out of the ordinary to the Kpop scene. Still, this is definitely a song that I would listen to, even without needing to be forced by my friend.
PLOT TWIST – TWS 7/10
As a huge fan of Seventeen and Fromis_9, I was very excited when Pledis announced that they were going to be adding a new group under their label. In fact, I was so invested that I had even watched the 20-minute documentary the company released on YouTube about the group, where they also included their pre-debut song “Oh Mymy: 7s”. However, this song was so mediocre, that I immediately messaged all my friends about it as soon as I finished the video. At that point, my interest in the group had mostly faded away, but I was still hopeful that their debut would be better.
TWS debuted with their song “Plot Twist” in early 2024. It follows the refreshing concept that many 5th generation groups have chosen to follow for their discography. And unfortunately, this was not a song that I really enjoyed. I would definitely understand if this was someone’s favorite song, or if someone really enjoyed it, but for me, the song falls flat on its entirety. Although I get that the song is supposed to be refreshing, there is no buildup and zero excitement when I listen to it, it just has the same feeling and pace all throughout the song. This definitely is a solid debut for the group, but Pledis seemed to have played a bit too safe with the refreshing concept.
DASH – NMIXX 10/10
When it comes to Nmixx, I have to admit that I was a hater in the beginning. I thought that the change-up parts were annoying and ruined the actually tolerable parts of their songs. But it turns out that their music is an acquired taste because I have quite literally fallen head over heels for this group and their songs.
I am so happy that this song was the one to finally win Nmixx their first award because it is definitely one of their best. This was probably because when compared to some of their older releases, the change-up parts are much more digestible and not as sudden. However, it still incorporates the change-up aspect of the group unlike “Party O’clock” or “Love Me Like This”. The song overall is nothing too intense but powerful enough at times to still leave an impact on the listener. Especially when mixed with the great harmonies and backing vocals of the girls, it creates a contrast in the song. Although I am all for the intense mixpop concept, I am happy that the watered down (but just as amazing) version is finally bringing the group their deserved recognition.
NIGHTWALKER – TEN 8/10
I personally believe that Ten is one of SM’s most important idols as he showcases extreme talent in vocals, dance, visuals, and stage presence. As a member of NCT, his abilities shine through and bring the group so much more strength. However, it is seemingly strange that SM has never seemed to give him a solo release that captures his talent as an idol, and I believe that this still stands true for “Nightwalker”.
“Nightwalker” gives me the same feeling that nearly all of Ten’s solo releases do: something pleasant, and certainly not bad, but nothing spectacular and up to level with the idol that he is. The structure of the song is nothing short of typical in Kpop nowadays, a powerful instrumental that brings you all the way up until the anti-drop during the chorus. There are good, solid moments that occur throughout the song, but nothing to really catch your attention and keep you wanting to listen. However, one thing that I do enjoy about this song is how it creates a feeling of spookiness that is elevated by the choreography and performances in the music video. Although definitely isn’t a bad song, it is just one that strikes me as a bit too basic, but nonetheless still enjoyable enough to listen to.
X:IN – MY IDOL 2/10
When I first listened to this song, it felt like a fever dream. I was wondering how a song like this had been written, approved, and then actually released by a group. Its understandable to maybe why a group would want to pay homage to the groups that came before it, but the idea was executed so poorly that this can only be seen as a joke. The song is backed by a cheesy-EDM beat and a chorus that just lists off various significant groups and figures within the Kpop industry. Overall, it just seems like the company’s cheap attempts at trying to create a viral song through a catchy and simple song.