yestoday

KANGTA - Eyes On You. 7.5/10

LOONA - Luminous. The padding percussion acts as a great driving force behind this already-impelling song. The form is satisfying. I love the unique incorporation of unexpected sound effects—is that a swordfight clatter? After all this, though, I still have to say I liked Sick Love better! 9/10

ENHYPEN - One In A Billion. This is honestly fairly similar to what I foresaw for a soundtrack for this WEBTOON. The intro and/or buildup of the song went by too quickly, which is something that I typically dislike. The drop itself was underwhelming, but the “oh, ohh, ohhh” part of the chorus made up for most of it; I liked that. 8/10

Kim Jaejoong - Nobody Like You. Holy shit, I’ve been so used to hearing him sing heavy, dark rock songs, I forgot just how diverse his voice can be. This song hit like a tidal wave: coruscating brightness like an enrapturing snare. The sounds aren’t anything unseen of before, but it’s the genre that just so happens to fit my taste. I like it very much. 9/10

Choi Yoojung - Sunflower (P.E.L). This along with the rest of the album has such a compellingly cute feeling. 8.5/10

DIA - The Blinding Past. 7.5/10

NCT 127 - 2 Baddies. Not even a riveting pre-chorus? The parts that were previously the saving grace in experimental NCT 127 songs—the pre-chorus and bridge—didn’t even reach the excellence of its preceeders! The vocal mixing a bit rusty, as well… sorry, the whole Nokia-recorded effect is just not for me. I will say that how they layered the final ending chorus gave it a half-point bonus. 7.75/10

SORN - Nirvana Girl (ft. YEEUN). 9/10

BLACKPINK - Shut Down. God, I love this more than I expected to. The string sample gives it a superiorly unique aura. Although the melody itself is not very dynamic, it gets pure creativity points. 8.5/10

LAY ZHANG - VEIL. 8/10

RoaD-B - ICARUS. My dear, dear Sweetune—how could I ever thank you enough. 9/10

CNBLUE - Let It Shine. 8.75/10

NMIXX - Dice. I really can't decide if I like this or O.O better because I love them both very much. This is expeditiously going in the "i'm the joker but in a hot way" playlist. 8.75/10

MAKAMAKA - I Am. This is so SISTAR; I'm crying real tears of joy. 9/10

The Rose - Childhood. 8/10

Jun - Limbo. Nothing could have prepared me for how innately VIXX this sounds. 8.5/10

Jay B - Go Up. 8/10

Kep1er - Sugar Rush. 8/10

XIUMIN - Brand New. I like Feedback and Serenity so much more—and How We Do, but the Mark bias may or may not be kicking in. 8/10

CRAVITY - Party Rock. This isn't my sound, but there are some B-sides off the albums that I enjoyed, such as Colorful! 8/10

MIRAE - Drip N' Drop. Sorry, I love them, but it sounds so fucking generic. 7.5/10

EXID - FIRE. Oh, this concept… my bad, didn't mean to moan. Hani… Hani… Jeonghwa… this eyeliner. You can tell Hyojin has been producing for TRI.BE because this sounds exactly like a TRI.BE song. Maybe my emotion towards these girls is clouding my judgment more than I'm letting on, but I love this. 8.5/10

ONEWE - Still Here. You all know how much I adore ONEWE’s sound, but this feels a bit repeated. 8/10

TREASURE - HELLO. The BLACKPINK-ass opening threw me so off-guard… I love it though, holy shit. This infinitismally close to the type of 2010s escapism EDM I was just begging to return after David Guetta and Bebe Rexha’s I’m Good dropped. 10/10

AB6IX - Sugarcoat. Okay, this was better than I anticipated from the teasers. I was getting a strong ASTRO Candy Sugar Pop vibe from it, so I was expecting something that sounded closer to that. This is a lot sleeker, though, and I fucking love it, actually. While the hooks are fairly mediocre, I’m really into this instrumental. 8.75/10

SEULGI - 28 Reasons. I was crazy excited for the music video for obvious reasons, and while I was a bit let down for it not being as cinematic as I had in mind, I’m always appreciative of the performance aspect of any song. These dark, clean-cut solos recently have been really doing it for me, if I’m honest. I can see there being a limit to how much I’ll be able to take though. The rest of the album also goes insane… is Los Angles even real? 8.75/10

Rocket Punch - Doki Doki Love. 8.25/10

ITZY - Blah Blah Blah. These are some of the rare, less forced-sounding rap verses I’ve heard in a while among recent releases in K-Pop. The music video is so cool. 8.5/10

KINGDOM - Long Live The King. I do admit that the bulk of KINGDOM’s title tracks have the same gist—this one included—this somehow still stands out to me in particular. This is an easy favorite title track. This chorus is stronger than usual! Also Mujin looks absolutely insane with that purple hair. The new members also seem very promising! I knew good things were coming when I noted that the teasers looked like every ONEUS concept combined. 9/10

JAMIE - 3D Woman. This is like a 180 for her. This is so different for her, but I'm really into it. 9/10

DKZ - Uh-Heung. Oh, that classic fingerstyle guitar sample that I have been whoring out for since the beginning of time has returned, this time at the hands of DKZ. The drop was pretty bold ramp up; I don’t dislike that, though—it’s the sudden hip-hop switch immediately after it. I’m a bit tired of post-chorus raps being so unnaturally inserted. I’d say this started out promising, but I began to lose interest as the song went on and the format lost individuality. 8.25/10

The Rose - Sour. One of my favorites in the album, along with Cure and Time. I must say: I have some mixed feelings about Woosung’s perm. 8.5/10

Stray Kids - CASE 143. Aww, this doesn’t sound as outstanding as their past few titles. It’s like a discounted rip-off of Maniac. I don’t dislike this track inherently, but it’s just the subconscious comparison to Maniac that makes it feel not as spectacular as it probably is. (You hear it too, right? The format and the drop especially was drawn off of Maniac, like they were trying to recreate its fraternal twin. I love the music video, though, and it does sound Halloween-y! 8/10

DREAMCATCHER - VISION. I'm so serious; why didn't they done a spy concept sooner… they look so hot. I will say that the CGI this time around seems a tad more shoddy than past projects, so maybe the production team was getting a bit ahead of themselves with this one. Although not immediately riveting, I like the chorus. The chord progressions are really smooth on the ears. 8.5/10

TAN - Beautiful Lie. Pink hair Changsun is too powerful. I feel like I'm focusing more on visuals than music at this point, and you know what? I don't give a fuck! Are you seeing Hyunyeop? Sunghyuk? This song has such an uplifting beat and enticing bass line. I love how full it is at all times, like every nook and crevice is filled with one riff or another. Anyway… more lore? 8.75/10

MAMAMOO - ILLELLA. There sincerely isn't a single title of theirs that isn't irresistibly catchy from the get-go, whether you despite to admit it or not. They have such a talent for making a the most unique-sounding compositions, both on main vocal melodies and backing productions. It's been a bit since I've heard a reggae beat in K-Pop as noteworthy, personally, as this (the last one of this altitude being Sukhumvit Swimming, of course—my one and only). The dance break was undeniably pretty disconnected from the rest of the arrangement, but I'll excuse it because it didn't downtune or hinder any of the ass-shakeibility momentum going on beforehand. 9/10

Kwon Eunbi - Underwater. She is so pretty. I love how much stellar energy the chorus excavates, but the rest of the song just doesn't quite match up to that strength. The palette of the music video are a lot blander than what the song is giving—or at least, from the colorful splashes I'm hearing from it. 9

Lee Chaeyeon - Hush Rush. This is the most generic beat I’ve ever heard. It’s listenable but so boring… why did they do Chaeyeon like this; I’m so sorry, queen. The bridge gave it a desperate, minor boost in character, so at least it has some semblence of identity. I want to like this because the music video is cute, but I just cannot feel anything at all from it as of now. But whatever—it has a solid and noteworthy choreography, thankfully. Her strong suit is at least able to be showcased through this debut. My mutuals were right about the B-sides being prominently better. I loved all three immensely—with Danny claiming number one spot! It's just another case of the title track alone residing in mediocracy limbo, I suppose. 7/10

BAEKHO - No Rules. I started getting more into it when the beat dropped and the guitar came in, but overall, the song was pretty mild in terms of arrangement. Nothing really stood out, but it’s not bad—just mid in all aspects. On the album: the first two tracks both hit so hard. Festival in my car is like the lovechild of NU'EST's Fine and—as a pleasant realization—PENTAGON's Off-Road. I love it so much. 8/10

JO1 - SuperCali. Stirring up the spooky spirit! 9/10

UP10TION - What If Love. College has made it impossible for my excitement for even my ult’s excessively-rare-and-hence-so-long-awaited comeback to ferment… I’m impractically late on listening to this, but dear god, it sparked things through my veins. The 10s are in their era equivalent to PENTAGON’s Feelin’ Like! Sorry, I know I’m a bad music reviewer because the moment it comes to my ults, nearly everything is automatically nigh delectable to my brain. The eccentricity of the song is good at a dismissable level, but the things the pure existence of it makes me feel are not dismissable! Are we seeing this center Yein… ARE WE SEEING THIS CENTER YEIN? As for everything else they prepared: why is the rest of the album so fucking good? Even the token closing ballad (Rewind) is good… this is the best UP10TION album ever; are we being for real, holy shit. God, I'm sorry for being so late on listening to this. I'm sorry to the boys; I'm sorry to fellow Honeys; most importantly, I'm sorry to myself—how could I deprive myself the experience of listening to Angel for four whole days? On another deranged and psychotic note, half of these songs are giving me major disbandment vibes—namely Bloom and Starlight—but I didn't say that; you didn't hear me say that at all, right? 9/10

Park Jihoon - NITRO. Everything I said about UP10tion applies here. Except—this is genuinely awakening something inside me. I won’t speak further for now. Post-album-listen thoughts will be recorded, though: I am happy to announce that Jihoon has officially overcame his mid music era. Look at Midnight! I'm so proud of him. Now, I can rightfully confess that I seldom remember what Gallery sounds like, save the hook, and the B-sides of HOT&COLD got boring after the first week. 9/10

Kep1er - We Fresh. It's a bit messy, but aren't we all nowadays. Most of the B-sides on the album didn't prove to be any more noteworthy, but if I had to choose one that was decidedly better than the rest, I would pick Dreams. 7.75/10.

RAVI - 유행 지난 춤. Hip-hop is not my field of expertise, but I like the beat. Wonshik always has great energy. 8/10

Wonho - Don’t Regret. It’s pretty! The rhythmic guitar builds a veautiful atmosphere. The aesthetic of music video is right down my alley, as well, even if I feel like it doesn’t particularly match with my perception of the song’s aura for the most part. 8.5/10

LE SSERAFIM - ANTIFRAGILE. Alright, this song didn't live up to the hype I saw for it, but I can definitely sense it being a grower. The camerawork for this music video is fascinating, however… the themes remind me of LOONA—Why Not? in particular. But god, Chaewon has me swooning so hard. 8.25/10

N.Flying - I Like You. This is so fucking cute; it reminds me of Yaho B-sides. It's practically the most N.Flying-like sound you can think of. My loves… I want to spare so much affection for this, since this is their last album before 두 얼간's enlistment, but they simply cannot resist choosing one of the lamest tracks on the album as title, can they? This is also meant as a compliment, by the way, because these B-sides are even better than this sweet little tune of a title track that I already love. 8.75/10

(G)I-DLE - Nxde. Their message is clear and bold. The concept is honestly really respectable, and I love how they executed it. The chorus is catchy and flamboyant enough to stick but not feel overdone in brass. It's another I-DLE smash hit. Even more Soyeon's raps were better fitting this time… Unfortunately, I still need to state the obvious: it's an opinion exploited for hate, but I will have to agree that she is overdoing it with the English lines. I don't agree with the part that it's ruining the song, though. Anyway, Shuhua is serving this choreography like a three-course buffet. Yuqi's voice is seriously driving me to borderline madness, and I can only imagine Soojin being here for this concept. 9/10

Lee Chanhyuk - Panorama. Let's go 80s synthwave—again! The song was in a format we've seen recycled many times by now, but I feel a hyper strong connection to it in an explicable way. The music video and the lyrics were way too resonant, and I definitely shouldn't be getting into all of this in a music review, but shit. Out of all the songs with depressing meanings behind them, I don't think I have ever seen one that expressed my own thoughts better. This is exactly what it feels like when I can't comprehend realities apart and existence seems unworldly. I'm in between space and time, and the crush of both of them is maddening. 8.75/10

WEi - Spray. Okay. They knew they ate with these outfits, but it's another typical noise song with the exact same format as approximately three hundred other 4th Gen. boy group songs. It's not their best. 7.75/10

ITZY - Boys Like You. I am genuinely confused as to where all this sudden ITZY hate is coming from because I love this. I want to call it outdated in the most endearing way. It's nostalgic and sweet—something picked right out of the Carly Rae Jepsen pop rock era. 8.75/10

Pink Fantasy - Bizarre Story : Get Out. I’m so glad to see them back on this concept right on time for Halloween! The vocals are sufficiently mixed for the ghostly choir feeling. Harin's cuter timbre surprisingly especially brings out the haunts; I wish she had more lines, but then again, they all sounded good on this. The choreography is astounding as always. It just brims with nugu glory. The one objective complaint I have is the one note that flies during the chorus. Twice. I honestly didn't like that choice, and I can hear the exact progression of notes that would be in its place if they didn't go with that, and I like it a lot better. 8.5/10

KIHYUN - Youth. I loved his debut single an astronomical amount, so I'm understandably expectant for this, right? Did this live up to Voyager? No! This song is so, so lovely, and unfortunately just barely misses the threshold that our wondrous Voyager set high. No shame in sounding basic, though, especially if it's still a sound I like. The lyrcism is treacly wonderful. Kim Ina my beloved. Assuming the rest of the mini album promotes the same theme, this is inspiring me to find time to look into the lyrics of the tracks Hyungwon helped write for him, as well… it's so pure. I've been missing adequate pureness in my life. 9/10

Jo Yuri - Loveable. It's evidently not as well-developed as her other title tracks, but the drop that you can sense creeping up on you from the first note is gratifying enough. I think it's pretty well executed. Those echoey tambourines carry treasured innocent joy. I also think it's cool how this single album is titled in reference to her previous comeback but "in Minor", and even song is "in minor." 8.5/10

CLASS:Y - ZEALOUS. The hook is disproportionately catchier than what the flat buildup set it up to be—in a way I want to say I literally do not find the rest of the song worth caring about besides the "zela-zela-zela-zelous" section. 8.25/10

CLASS:Y - Tick Tick Boom. God, maybe MBC really are onto something with these double title tracks. Both of these slap, and this method seems to be faring well, just going off of the views and the likes count. I wasn't expecting them to take a smooth Latin-inspired turn, but they were fantastic with this! It's on a balanced line between calm and lively that's incrediblly easy to listen to. On another note, the music video for this is hitting… maybe I've simply been extra emotional lately, but damn. 8.75/10

EPEX - 사랑歌. Hmm. It's a cool concept, and it clearly has zest. Though, it feels empty—like it only has seasoning but no base food. Anyway, nothing from them has reached anything close to Do 4 Me, and at this point, I'm losing hope in expecting to. 7.75/10

TEN - Birthday. Something about the vibe in its entirety just feels unaligned to me, but then again, it’s clearly modeled to spotlight a breathtaking choreography (and I mean very breathtaking), rather than showing off its own dazzle. Nevertheless, it incorporates a lot of sounds I like—even if it’s in the lamest ways possible. New Heroes and Dream in a Dream continue to reign superior—in composition and lyricism. Don’t get me wrong, I love it’s cuntiness, still. 8/10

Rie (OnlyOneOf) - because. This lovely OnlyOneOf solo series is officially past the half-way point! This song follows the precious trend of being light and touching, but in every series, one is bound to be the least favorite. I think, as of now, it may be this one. Also, that Call Me By Your Name reference was just… slightly… cringe. Ignoring that, though, it still objectively sounds less bejeweled as the previous tracks. 8/10

ALICE - DANCE ON. They bring a dash of color into this monochrome reels of moments of my life right now. The slope of the melody has a touch of citrusy nostalgia laced in it, I swear. 8.75/10

TFN - AMAZON. It's going to take me a while to get used to that name change… even with how much we made fun of "T1419," it as least had some distinguishable feature to it, as laughable as it is. Now, it's just laughable, with no unique trait. Sorry, back to the song: it sounds no different from the majority of what they've been releasing. I will have to go with the "I have nothing against it, but it's just tiringly formulated and uncaptivating" response again. 7.75/10

Acid Angel from Asia (SSS) - Generation. Okay, I don't even stan them yet, but I just wanted to say that I really vibe with those "lalalalala"s. I need to stan them, though. My Chaeyeon is here… My BUSTERS baby… I'll come back to you soon. 8.75/10

VIVIZ - Rum Pum Pum. 8.5/10

Jin - The Astronaut. This feels like a special occasion… I love the buoyant drive, abiding updraft. The Coldplay energy is definitely eminent. 8.5/10

This is not related to K-Pop, but on this day, I listened to this new Rina Sawayama album that my friend recommended me, and it wholly saved my soul. It easily beats Rina and Sawayama for me… but I don't know how controversial of a take this is. It's so original; it has such a fresh flavor of different familiar sounds that are mashed together in just the right blend of stew to give it a scintillating magnificence. Holy (Til You Let Me Go), especially, is the one for me. I gasped, for real. Every song on here is definitely going to be up there on my Apple Music Replay for this year.

Park Bom - Remembered. 8.5/10

YooA - Lay Low. I love the vocal distortions; holy shit, this is so catchy. The rhythm is ingenious, and the synth layers are such a lovely fleece coat on my ears. 9.25/10

NATURE - LIMBO. Oh, the synth caught my attention from the start. They look glamorous! The arrangement of this is honestly speaking to me… it’s just the right amount of messy and layered to tickle my brain. The energy is fortified furthermore by the rapid, boiling bass line and the descending horns sound effect (is there a name for it?), both of which are surpising when they first hit your ears, but you realize that initial shock is what pulls you further and further into the song as it continues. 9/10

HIGHLIGHT - Alone. I have heard so many good things about this prior to listening; I was so hyped to get to it. Deep house typically takes a hot minute to entirely immerse me, since its prominent, groovy bass line either hits or misses at first. I love how all the pieces fit together on this track: their smooth vocals vocals over slick beats is objectively nice to listen to. The melody itself is a bit basic, in my opinion, but again, these all grow on me in due time. Dark HIGHLIGHT is definitely a sight to behold, though. On that note, ‘Yoseob looks ridiculously hot’ is something I never expected myself to say in this day and age, but that hairstyle takes it for me. 8.5/10

YooA - Melody. The song itself feels breezy and weightless; it’s cute! I’m not sure how I feel about the way she’s taking on the IU drift in her voice, but this song gives sweet feelings. 8.5/10

KIM JONGHYEON - Lights. He’s luring me in with this space concept… he knows… Okay, but anyway, it’s a spry and cheery song packed with everything bright and good. The vibes are undoubtedly immaculate. I just wish this was my type of sound. (The key shift into a really random hip-hop bridge caught me off guard, but I suppose it wasn’t really unpleasant. I bet TheBiasList hated that, though. How has he been lately? I haven’t had the time to read up on his website in ages.)8.25/10

SEVENTEEN - DREAM. Okay, I sincerely hate to be that person, but their inspirational UNICEF-promotion style is getting old already. 8/10

CRAXY - Poison Rose. The visuals in this music video are so cool, namely the piano playing; that was nice. This song has lots of enticing elements, like the heavy, resonating bass throughout the chorus creating outstanding contrast. I quite like the style, and the vocals were solid! 8.75/10

Xdinary Heroes - Hair Cut. It's unique, yet not exactly down my alley. I personally still wish for more of an actual "band" sound from them, but of course, that's all subjective. 7.75/10

ICHILLIN’ - Draw (MY TIME). I think the pre-chorus was creative, but overall, nothing shone at all. It lacked a gleam that makes it interesting to hear. I suppose I could see myself potentially listening to this in certain moods. Those moods would come very rarely, though. 7.75/10

AleXa - Back In Vogue. The hook goes hard. She captures the showtime opulence so well. 9/10

Jeong Eunji - 나에게로 떠나는 여행. Oh my god, she devours this light pop rock genre. It reminds me of Younha. 9/10

TRENDZ - VAGABOND. It’s not bad. I think this may be my favorite title track from them. Although their sound variation has pretty much been a solid beeline since their debut, this one just leaves a slightly better taste in my mouth. 8/10

Kim Sunggyu - Like a dream. 8/10

Chen - Last Scene. I don’t think the chorus was built to what it was meant to be. The instrumental is minimalistic throughout most of it, which is great, as it places more emphasize on his vocals alone. It also makes the ending stand out more when the orchestrals pull through in a long brewed forte. I would simply ask for more dynamics. 8.25/10

VERIVERY - Tap Tap. The off-beat verses are really throwing me off. This is one of the cases where I… dislike how disjointed the sections of this song is. Man, this is hard to rank because I love the chorus on its own, but I can’t stand the key change in between. It’s a shame; this has all of the material—even the concept and dance are so charming—it’s just unfortunately organized. 8.5/10

YooA - Selfish. Finally, the big boy title track. The previous two have been wonderful, so I had held up the same standards for this! Maybe I shouldn’t have, though, because while I admit it’d be undoubtedly catchy on its own, compared to the pre-releases, it can only sound generic. I love the choreography, though—I love the snappiness. This comeback is making me see her in a new light. Her voice has such a broad range of timbre… I feel like every song sounded like a different person. I suppose that’s a skill on its own! 8.25/10

FIFTY FIFTY - Lovin’ Me. I know nothing about these girls, but I think this song is just swell and right down my taste alley. My only complaint is the vocal mixing, as I am usually not one to enjoy a muffled or staticky vocal track when it lasts the whole song, whether it was intentional or not. 8.75/10

DRIPPIN - The One. Okay, this is nice. This is the superhero race-pace done well. I was expecting a metallic, noisy drop for the chorus, but this is nice! Even when the noise drop did inevitably arrive at the bridge, it was honestly pretty tolerable and well-fitting. I love how consistent the rhythm is nearly the entire way through. The rest of the album, however, is fucking scrumptious. Silence would be one of the newborn songs that occasionally comes along and reaffirms me that I like 4th Gen. boy group music. 4th Gen. boy group music is my friend.8.75/10

VICTON - Virus. I liked it the very first few seconds because we all know how I love ethereal synths. Then, I didn’t like it because it immediately interjected the wonky bass line that never goes anywhere. Then, I liked it again when it brought back pretty rain drop synths throughout the chorus. This song was a rollercoaster, to say the least. It feels pretty unorganized, but I can’t dislike because there are so many elements I like. Also, Subin. Hey… if Chan leaving means Subin gets distributed this much more screen time, then maybe he should sit in that corner and think about what he’s done a little longer; I don’t know, man. The second track on the album, Time Chaser, may be one of my new favorite songs by them, though… 8.5/10

JUST B - ME= (나는). Damn, they knew exactly how to get to me by starting off with that pretty rhythm guitar. The video’s visuals are aiding this song’s affect immensely… this lighting is exactly how this song feels: sanguine and assured, the sunset that promises to lead to the next day. I genuinely love this sound so much, and I think it’s the type to even grow on me more and more. 9/10

woo!ah - Rollercoaster. My camp girl ambassadors are back, bringing the disco bass and Y2K pop synths with them. This is so, so pretty—so, so lovingly saccharine. I feel like this reminds me more of the stars than Catch The Stars. 9/10

SECRET NUMBER - TAP. Hello? Is the return of tropical-house-R&B-influenced K-Pop in the middle of this globally-warmed-winter? I’m fucking elated. 9/10

STAYC - POPPY. Okay, this is adorable. You can’t hate this. I love the beat drop so much; the rest of the song simply dulls next to it. 8.75/10

ARTBEAT - MAGIC. 8.25/10

CSR - ♡TiCON. I feel like I lack critical thinking right now because all I can think to say is “I love this,” but I’ve basically been saying that for every song at this point. I don’t know! I love the 8-bit sound effects! I love how much fun is laced in these rhythms! 8.75/10

B.I - Keep me up. God, the release of this album is probably, like, the most anticipated release on my agenda ever since BTBT dropped. And would you look at that! Hanbin secured the renown circle building that every K-Pop group with lore has filmed a music video at! Okay, time to comment on the actual song. It took a minute for it to get good good, but when the vocal distortions came in at the pre-chorus, that was when shit started going down. I can’t not comment on the choreography. Hanbin is seriously the most talented motherfucker ever; I seriously cannot wrap my head around how he does… all of this—how he writes, produces, directs, and dances this will on top of all that he already does. He’s the definition of an artist and performer at heart. (On side note, I will say, though, I'm a bit disappointed he didn't put the version of BTBT without Soulja Boy on this album; for some reason, I completely convinced myself he would. However, with the way this album saga is seemed to be set up, I'm assuming after part two there'll be a "special" or "compilation" version of these albums, and maybe then, he'll have the non-Soulja Boy version of BTBT attached as a bonus track. Damn… I just want to listen to a cohesive, fluid version of BTBT without losing the immersion to Soulja Boy's verse. I think I should clarify that I don't despise his feature; I would just prefer the version with Hanbin and DeVita alone over it any time.) 9/10

CORBYN - BURN. New Corbyn music… GUYS! NEW CORBYN MUSIC! This guy always fucking hits. He does the melodic edgelord hip-hop beats right. 8.75/10

FIFTY FIFTY - Higher. New Corbyn music… GUYS! NEW CORBYN MUSIC! This guy always fucking hits. He does the melodic edgelord hip-hop beats right. 8.25/10

Ryu Sujeong - PINK MOON. City pop Sujeong? Sign me the fuck up… you don’t understand how much I missed her singing. Her styling is literally so cute in this. 8.5/10

EVERGLOW - Ghost Light. BITCH! No one told me EVERGLOW collaborated with TheFatRat… I literally love this dude’s music. And he did not disappoint here; this is so fucking good. I feel like it legitimately perfectly merges his style over EVERGLOW’s signature power. This is crazy. I can’t believe they did something together, and I wasn’t aware until hours after its release. Sheesh! 9/10

&TEAM - Under the Skin. I haven’t been keeping up with whatever HYBE has been up to recently in the slightest. I’m gathering with every context clue that this is the resultant song for a new (another) survival show boy group. This has made no noise on my Twitter timeline, but I’m guessing that may have something to do with either it being a Japanese group or me barely being on Twitter nowadays. Anyway, I do like the song. I tend to always have a thing for survival show-tinged songs—the spiritedness, the sentimentality, the hope intertwined. Honestly, this also sounds like it could be something straight out of the title track rejects file for TXT’s emo era. 9/10

BoA - Forgive Me. First, I want to say she looks glorious with this gritty, fierce concept. She’s a slayer anytime, but no matter how much slay she puts in it, it doesen’t make this song that much more enticing to me. It’s a fine song, but there’s nothing particularly remarkable about it. I like the rowdy rock elements and her belting on it, though. 8/10

TEMPEST - Dragon (飛上). I’m so sorry… this is their most mid title track. What happened? They were on a great route, being an oasis of freshness in the modern day 4th Gen. boy group generic noise pool. They fell down the hole too soon… Hopefully they’ll be able to pull themselvees back out and return to what they had before in their next album. 7.75/10

NMIXX - Funky Glitter Christmas. They just really had to beat everyone else to the Christmas releases. Good for them! This is like a cute medley mixed with a twist. It would likely never cross my mind to listen to this again though! (JYP’s best Christmas song remains Christmas EveL… that was unique and innovative and every bit brilliant.) 8/10

ONEUS - Dopamine. Only the ending-bridge really stood out to me, sorry. That part alone gave it the extra 0.25 point boost. 8.25/10

TO1 - 얼음 땡. It has the same tone of funkiness as 1TEAM’s Ullaeli Kkollaeli… and we all know the emotions I have clinging onto that. 8.75/10

Kang Daniel - Nirvana (Feat. pH-1, WDBZ). Like album, like repackage: delectable. Man, I love this guy. 8.75/10

Red Velvet - Birthday. The hook was just as underwhelming as the unexciting build-up. At least the RV charm is still there and distinguishable, though. In a way, they can never really go wrong with the signature choral harmony. 8.25/10

Mill (OnlyOneOf) - beat. This is an interesting divergence from the previous songs… I kinda love it. Like, it threw me off at first, but it’s so not bad. Ending at the damn phonebooth again… the lore, the drama! 8.5/10

KARA - When I Move. Alright, setting all emotions aside, setting all sobs and tears during their MAMA stage aside, I will, on oath, produce an objective review of this song. This might me my favorite 2nd Gen. group revival comeback of this year. They haven’t lost a single ounce of their glamour and skill; it’s genuinely insane. While it doesn’t really feel as on character for their original sound as, say, Girls’ Generation’s group comeback, I must admit this undoubtedly suits them just as well. Like, they eat this up so much; I’m so sorry, they just do! Now, adding back in my Kamilia feels: fuck the quality of this is ineffable. I shiver every time the beat drops… the power in their vocals is still unparalleled even after all this time. I love everyone. I love everything. I’m so emotional. I missed all of them. I miss all of them so much. Youngji being alongside Nicole and Jiyoung… my heart, my fucking heart is so full. They’re so gorgeous, my god, they are stunning and haven’t aged a day in any aspect whatsoever. I watched their Killing Voice recently, as well, and I could not fucking believe how they were able to reproduce the exact tones, timbres, harmonies as those CDs a decade later. It genuinely baffled me and awakened way too many feelings. The moment Seungyeon sang that first note I felt the world spinning. I had no idea how badly I needed them back until now. How much is it to pray this won’t just be a mere one-time thing? (Please don’t answer that.) 9.5/10

ASTRO - 가장 좋아하는 사람에게 이별을 말하자. Damn! I had no idea they were having a Japan comeback at all, so imagine my shock to see Eunwoo’s face in my recommended with the letters “M/V” attached below him. Anyway, I’ve actually been quite into piano-heavy soft tunes lately (for studying reasons… ugh), so this really came at just the right time for a good opinion of it. Fantagio you sly bitch! Sanha sounds extra nice in this, by the way. His voice fits this song like a puzzle piece. 8.5/10

ATEEZ - Paradigm. Hmm, this is one of their worse title tracks. Still, it’s decent. The chorus just was in no way as cohesive and drilling as their others. 8.5/10

P1Harmony - Back Down. Cute. Quirky ass video. I don’t have much to say about the song, though. It’s nothing differential from their other title tracks. 8.25/10

ITZY - Cheshire. THIS IS MY FAVORITE FROM THEM. EASY. She is a splendid, pristine specimen for my “i’m the joker but in a hot way” playlist. This is also absolutely their best bridge. I love Yuna. 8.75/10

RM - Wild Flower. Namjoon’s reformed style of solos have been right down my alley. It’s cinematic, grandiose, and has a touch of gleam. Youjeen has a magnificent voice that powers the effect. I’m actually highly excited to listen to the rest of this album. (Also, “flowerwork,” I hear?) 8.75/10

XEED - Dream Land. I don’t know who these kids are but there’s so much good material in this song. The random trap breakdown verse was annoying, but I’ve gotten used to it enough nowadays. Other than that, though, I like how bright the rest of it sounds—and it’s not in an overbearing superhero kind of way. It’s just energetic! 8.5/10

Yein - Bus. Why is this the best indie ballad I’ve heard in a while. I love the subtle lilts in her voice. It blankets the song with a delicate and dulcet ttenderness. This is so precious to me. The just right, precise dose of gentle longing in the chorus is too wonderful to my ears. 9.5/10

CORBYN - Cold. It’s impossible for this man to miss. The muffled percussion build atmosphere. There’s some really well-placed cut-offs. As always, I love those orchestral instruments—and those vocals… man! 8.75/10

Seo Inguk - Fallen. 8.25/10

THE BOYZ - All About You. 8.25/10

MINHO - CHASE. The SHINee solo saga being officially complete holds extreme satisfaction to me. While I quite enjoy the chorus of this—it’s light and agile, skims across the ears—the “running, running, running” part felt a little lazy and generic. The beat is also a bit too repetitive for my liking, but all in all, it’s not badly composed. 8.5/10

C9 - Merry Merry Christmas. I love Younha. This honestly has such a heartwarming chorus. I’ll have to giveit extra points for that. Maybe I’m just soft. 8.25/10

Weeekly - Happy Christmas. This is a more traditional style of Christmas special, yet somehow also one of the more enjoyable ones I’ve heard so far this year! 8.5/10

WEi - Gift For You. Christmas songs in minor keys are the best, but this one honestly felt like it had no essence. The producer was probably rushed and that’s underestandable. 8/10

Red Velvet X aespa - Beautiful Christmas. I’ll be honest, this is not my type Christmas song—too reliant on the power of friendship and not enough on the actual holiday magic. 7.75/10

Super Junior - Celebrate. Okay, I’m vibing with the sparkliness, but the refrain is arguably a bit boring. I have to say, the gradual and consistent build to the end saved it a bit. 8.25/10

NCT DREAM - Candy. There’s nothing to say; I love this song, and this remake gave me such an intense rush of euphoria. The Dreamies have to do Happiness next… I’m imagining Jaemin doing scrinkly Woohyuk’s rap. I love this Candy one too much, I’m telling you I need more already. Also, I cannot explain it but Renjun is too perfect in this. I can feel my heart ripping apart. 9/10

CHUNJI (TEEN TOP) - 이별이 늦어져서 미안해. My babe Chunji finally gets the opportunity to debut solo and TOP MEDIA gives him the lamest ballad ever… it’s alright, I suppose I just have to accept it at this point. 7/10

NewJeans - Ditto. Although certainly dreamy and atmospheric, the sectionality of the overall form is a bit too blurred for my personal taste. However, I can’t deny it’s well-made with an engaging flow and tempo! I do like it as a song, but I just don’t see myself listening to it extremely often. 8.5/10

Ha Hyunsang - When Winter Comes. 8.25/10

Apink CHOBOM - You are the inspiration (I will give you all reply). 8.25/10

Stray Kids - FAM. Okay, I've already heard the Japanese version ages back, but I didn't know the lyrics then so this is hitting way different—especially with the music video. God, I love these guys so much. I love when groups make a song about themselves: not about fans, love, fame… just them appreciating each other. Also, "Every day, every night, you can always see the stars; freckles like constellations" has to be the loveliest line of lyrics of ever. 9/10

Moonbyul - PRESENT. 8.5/10

Vernon - Black Eye. 9/10

WayV - Phantom. The is actually pretty interesting. I’m enjoying the spooky continuance; they grabbed onto the essence and made it chillingly powerful. They all look hot, too—emphasis on Ten and Xiaojun… and Winwin, whew. 8.75/10

ATEEZ - HALAZIA. The visuals and choreography are insane as usual. I automatically like it, for the genre is right down my lane, but I have to say it dosen’t seem to possess the ability to immediately hit like so many of their previous songs. Perhaps it’s in a structure that I’ve grown way too accustomed to? They’ve fallen victim to the lame anti-drop trend. That being said, the hardstep bridge breakdown was redeeming; at least there was something that sounds distinguishable! 8.75/10

Let's start from the beginning: for the longest time, I had planned to check out some Wong Kar-wai movies, as I've seen exhibitions of the aesthetics, and they just seemed so wonderful to me. These are the colors and atmosphere I adore; I knew it was right down my alley after MAMAMOO's Wind Flower music video bestowed upon me a transcendental sensation. Then, of course, came the additional boost of finding out Changsub's parodied character in Show Your Love was, in fact, from Days of Being Wild.

Last night, after a day's worth of BBB (self-coined: Beatcom Bingeing Brainrot), catching up on the sweet selection of stages for the 220624 "Summer Workshop" Music Bank half year special (more Moon sibling collaborations… I am begging), and settling in to finally listen to the second season premiere of Korean Cowboys Podcast (it was the social media episode; I cannot say I agree with all of their points this time, but I respect it).

The film-watching-impulse seed was actually planted in the midst of my Chinese lesson—before I listened to KCP, actually, since I was doing that lesson's homework while listening. I love that Chinese teacher so much, but I still don't remember her name. I have gathered information for everything else about her, though, like: she's a '98 liner; she's from Sichuan but, ironically, can't eat really spicy things and gets teased by her friends for it; she has two 妹妹, but they're not her 请 sisters (she's a single child), they're her younger cousins, and they're both taller than her; she went to Thailand to teach kindergarteners Chinese for a learning program in her sophomore year of college, and since she's good with kids, they all really liked her and clung onto her leg to not let her leave; her favorite K-Pop group was EXO; she had a mini-phase in high school where she was obsessed with Ok Taecyeon, but she never spent money on idols since she got yelled at by her parents the one time she bought an album; she really likes the K-Drama Hospital Playlist; she watched Goblin, so she knows 陸星材 (very important to me—she thinks Sungjae's cute like a little brother); she covered Apink's Mr. Chu with her friends once a long time ago; she has seen Reply 1997, based on her description of the plot, but keeps calling it a different one because she gets the different Reply shows mixed up (she doesn't think Seo Inguk is that hot, contrary to everyone around her); her favorite and most built Genshin characters are Ayaka and Kokomi. Sorry, I'm getting sidetracked again. Also, I should probably stop because I realized how creepy this appears now.

Anyway, at some point, our textbook brought up Hong Kong, and I absentmindedly said, "I would like to go there," just trying to say shit and not thinking much of it. But, then, she asked me why. So, I kind of had to make up with a reason in that position. I simply brought up the fact that I liked Wong Kar-wai's film aesthetics, and then we ended up going on another side-tangent over this topic. I cited 阿飞正传 as the one I watched, and everything else she showed me as ones I planned on watching. The thing is, I have actually not seen 阿飞正传 at the time of speaking to her. I decided that my words here would officially condemn me to watching it immediately after the class ended. And so, I did—after speedrunning the assigned homework while listening to Aaron and Joel rant about social media and, when that podcast ended, to Younha's 2007 albums, because why not? (I just saw Sungjae singing 혜성 on a Beatcom episode earlier, so maybe that's what provoked this choice of music.) That is how I ended up browsing through every variation of 123movies for Days of Being Wild (1990) before, eventually, remembering that asianembed.io existed.

• Hyolyn - Waka Boom (My Way) [feat. LEE YOUNGJI]
• Kep1er - The Girls (Can't turn me down)
• LOONA - Pose

• WJSN - Aura ; the chillstep electronica enchantment
• VIVIZ - Red Sun! ; the whimsical bossa nova-type
• Brave Girls - Whistle ; the nostalgic tropical house mix

1. Whistle. I got jumpscared in the most unexpected way when I first heard this LMAO… are you telling me the first like didn't sound exactly like "WE ALL LIE…" I heard the Sky Caste theme for a split second, and I jumped. Anyway, that's not the point, sorry; that was just a jocular anecdote. Although I will admit that this song didn't stand out to me from the get-go (besides my Sky Castle war flashback), it grew on my exponentially each time I listened to it after. The more details I noticed and the more vibes I absorbed, the more vibrant this entire tune flared in my brain.

I've always been a tropical house lover; I'm sorry for being a basic bitch, but I have to admit that the summery EDM wave in K-Pop a few years ago was utterly my shit. What ultimately sealed the deal for me was the evident incorporation of legato strings in Eunji's rap after the first chorus and the bridge. Now, that is not something you often hear with the splashy pops of tropical house percussion. For the lack of an English word coming to my mind: 不愧是 Brave Brothers! I had no doubt there was going to be something genius in here the moment I heard "Brave Sound" at the beginning, but what I was expecting was not this. I think that was what made it particularly special and fit into the grandiose mold of a Queendom finale. With the violin in action, the entire atmosphere seemed to click into place for me. I see this as something to be played over SISTAR's Lonely music video.

Also, out of the six songs here, I think this one coincided most with the sound of the original artist, and I appreciated that! While that factor does not have any direct affect on these rankings, I think it did indirectly sway me a touch, as I had a nostalgic basis to draw upon. I feel like I'm back in 2017… I can imagine I'm on nugu twt… and this being my meaningfully-obscure-song-of-the-month that I would fancam the fuck out of on Twitter.

Hooks: 9
Production: 9.5
Longevity: 9
Bias: 10
RATING: 9.4

2. The Girls (Can't turn me down). Girls. Girls. Girls. Girls. Alright: I know what you're thinking, but JUST HEAR ME OUT. So, this is a rugged and turbulent song, and it sounds objectively awful… at first. When you really focus in on it, though, I swear it's not as shitty as its surfaces noises (and this statement isn't even the result of Stockholm Syndrome or brainwash—I came to this conclusion on, approximately, my third listen. Usually, if a song turn out to be a grower, it takes plenty more listens than that for the effect to begin taking root in me).

I feel like the laser beam/electrified plucking sounds weren't really necessary at the drop immediately. I would've rather the drop slide directly into the "Can't turn me doooo-ow-ow-ow… ow-ow-ooowowowown," and then, maybe, have the zappy laser beams come in after as a post-chorus breakdown—but whatever; it worked for the second chorus with the rhythmic rapping over it ("GOTTA KEP ONE!" [Mark Lee vibing GIF]). That makes up for it enough for my happiness. God, I know many people hate this one, but that is genuinely the only major complaint I have about it. Like, the vocal game was just fine in this, too, but it simply had the misfortune of letting the flourish it had be overshadowed by the more than distracting instrumentals. I loved the hooks; the melodies all sounded purposeful, that they were actually inserted at their positions with foresight. The underscores of brass in the first verse also struck a chord just right in my brain! It reminded me of the iconic loop in Red Velvet's RBB (Really Bad Boy).

While, yes, my bias points definitely racked this song up at least a solid two places (seeing how close some of the final ratings in following are), I will thoroughly justify my stance til the end! This is actually something I can see myself listening to regularly. Come on, guys, it's not that bad… These girls were born into the noise music generation; let's cut them some slack here—especially when this is good noise music.

Hooks: 9
Production: 8
Longevity: 8.5
Bias: 9.5
RATING: 8.75

3. Red Sun!. It's safe to say this was the most distinct out of the six, being the only one that didn't contain heavy elements of EDM. Bearing a near identical title (and now that I think about it, they kind of exhibit a somewhat similar sound, as well) to Brave Girls' previous round performance, save an exclamation mark, Red Sun! is a fresh and eccentric topping for this tracklist. It's a wonderful oasis of sunshine indie, storybook afternoons among British gardens, and whimsical tea parties in the midst of all this seriousness, isn't it?

And I loved this fantastical tang; it's something that they—as VIVIZ—haven't done yet, but they know it all too well from their earlier days. It was a surprise to hear this from them but also didn't feel unfamiliar at all. I can see this as the girls trying to keep in touch with their orchestral GFRIEND origins but not without the addition of a twist to unique to their new name—a twist that reminds me an awful lot of several pieces from IU's Modern Times album, which have clearly drawn inspiration from many movements of world jazz and bits of warm Caribbean chord progressions. Hmm… I think I'd like to compare Red Sun! to Havana, in particular.

See, after all this praise, I just hate to admit that this simply isn't my favorite genre, even back when I forced myself to consume massive amounts of Lee Jieun's music (for culture). I swear I love it dearly and will never skip it if it comes on. This may not be my most ideal sound but I still hold it deeply close to my heart. Plus, Eunha's high notes make me feel floaty and free, and the vocals are unmatched—so dreamy.

Hooks: 9
Production: 9
Longevity: 8.5
Bias: 8.25
RATING: 8.7

4. Aura. Okay, so this has to arguably the most basic song here—by that, I mean it sounds like it could be a typical title track for them and doesn't in particular hold the flair of grandeur I would expect for a Queendom finale—but the thing is: that doesn't undermine this song at all. While I'm typing all this, I haven't checked out the stages themselves yet (as to not let that have any influence on my opinions here), but I can see this being the framework of a wonderful performance. It has the storytelling laced in it naturally. I have high hopes for WJSN's final stage… I hope it takes full advantage of what this song is providing for them.

Aura is a rather tamed song, to be honest—almost ambient at parts if not for the crystal vocals piercing through and the soft drive of a marching snare. It uses the same whistling effect as Brave Girls' Whistle, but that supplement is, unfortunately, conceivably less requisite in this song. (I almost wish it wasn't inserted at all, so the deep and misty immersion wouldn't be shattered by a conspicuous high tone that calls for your attention.) I liked the hook very much: it was mysterious and alluring. I want to say it was, above all, "cosmic," but that isn't precisely true. More than spacey—despite the cosmological dialogue in courtesy of Seola at the beginning—I was gathering a stronger dark fairytale vibe. Let's say these keywords, and see if they resonate with anyone else's initial interpretation of this song: a curse, a kingdom, a monarchy, a myth, a secret spell, a chance.

The thing is, I know this should be my type of song, but there's just something inconceivable that offsets it from my cherished prime spot; I just can't put my finger on it. There was something imperfect about the chorus to my ears. Maybe I wanted it to have a harder drop and, therefore, a more amplified rush at the song's highlight? 

Hooks: 8.5
Production: 8
Longevity: 8
Bias: 9
RATING: 8.4

5. Waka Boom (My Way) [feat. LEE YOUNGJI]. Getting this off my chest first: that chuckle at the beginning was so hot. Other than that, this being the first song I heard impressed me a lot. This song is still energetic through and through—that's without a doubt. It's the kind that seems hilariously messy but conveys clearly that the disorder is the joy of it all: it catalyzes your brain juices and triggers a node that lets your limbs run loose. This genre was my ultimate shit at one point; back in my earlier K-Poppie days, this type of pure electrolyte fueled my life essence.

Hence, I'm just as shocked that it would end up this low on the list, but I think I'm able to pinpoint why this time… I hate saying it like this, because I don't want to seem like I'm targeting her or blaming her alone, but Youngji's rap ruined the whole flow for me. Like, I was so into it! The bass drum was swelling, the referee whistle was going at it, Hyolyn was belting, but then, the wonderful foliage of meshed sounds faded back for a sudden change in tone. It wasn't unpleasant or anything. just offsetting, and I feel that cutting back had a negative impact on the carnival hype it had been building up.

I like it for its obtrusiveness and its hardy effect, truly, but the composition has its weaker points and is definitely not the best work to sprout from this subgenre of my beloved disorientingly-noisy music. All in all, though, it has what it needs to make its moment in a competition! I think Hyolyn made a wise choice to close off her Queendom 2 run with a bang as prominent as this.

Hooks: 8
Production: 8.5
Longevity: 8
Bias: 8.5
RATING: 8.25

6. Pose. Oh my god, listen, I actually love the instrumental. This could been a whole banger if they took the arrangement down a different route. The hooks just weren't doing it… Actually, were there even full-on hooks? The yelling-for-a-chorus trick feels like an overused joke nowadays, and this statement isn't even directed specifically to this song. These power-chants can nestle just fine into some anthems, but I'm getting the impression that producers have been getting too carefree with throwing this formula around; it's simply not one that works for every hype tune out there.
Interestingly enough, Pose was also noticeably rap-heavy. Inherently, that isn't bad, of course, but it's just so unlike them—LOONA has never done this before. I can't say I'm not a little downtrodden. I can make a fairly backed inference that this was definitely not what the people were expecting—or wanting—from them. I sure as hell wasn't looking for something like this in them. I'm a little bewildered as to why they decided to fumble their bag like this. LOONA have phenomenal voices: a much stronger vocal game worthy of being exhibited—especially for this final round—than what this style allowed them to show! I wish they took advantage of their intrinsic astral elegance rather than conforming to the 4th Gen. hip-hop masses. It felt as if it was deliberately restricting their potential.

To sum it up, this song held the energy of a more toned down modern-age NCT 127 title track. Perhaps that prompts its potential as a grower (as NCT songs always are)… but for now—although I don't despise it—it's a solid last place out of these six, for me. It simply does not seem to suit LOONA and their esteemed abilities. 

Hooks: 8
Production: 9
Longevity: 7
Bias: 8
RATING: 8