AtrocityCL's K-Pop Review Blog

Chris Lee/李克里斯/이크리스 AtrocityCL YouTube Channel For other ways to follow this blog besides simply bookmarking it or using Tumblr, you can also get notified via my Twitter Critical Discussion Spotlight: MAMAMOO's Usage of Blackface About the Blog and Myself Generally, new content is posted every two to ten days. ___________________ RATING GUIDE: 10 - Perfect; the best (impossible to earn) 9 - Extremely good; amazing 8 - Good; solid 7 - Above average 6 - Slightly above average 5 - Average 4 - Slightly below average 3 - Below average 2 - Poor; weak 1 - Extremely poor; mediocre 0 - Horrendous; the worst (impossible to earn) ___________________ For an entire list of all posts/reviews, refer to my archive page. Feel free to also send in review requests, feedback, or questions—both personal and K-Pop questions are accepted. (This is also the best way to contact me as I do not check personal messages received on Tumblr.) ___________________ Thank you for exploring and reading this blog! I greatly appreciate it.

[atrocitycl]

Moving to Wordpress: The New Web Address

https://atrocitycl.wordpress.com/

While the new blog is still being refined and updated, it will officially be where I post new content.

A future post will come soon on the Wordpress blog explaining why I have decided to transfer the blog over. (And to ease readers, it is nothing drastic at all; I am very thankful to Tumblr for providing its excellent blog service and providing a very newbie-friendly experience for bloggers. The move is more for technical reasons if anything and I would very much recommend Tumblr still.)

New content will be on Wordpress from now on. That said, this blog will stay very much remain intact as it will still be usable for reading older posts.

[atrocitycl]

Returning Soon! (Update)

Hello, readers.

Quite clearly it has been about four or so months since the last review. This current post is a small--yet very necessary--update to let readers become aware that I will be returning with more content in the future.

In fact, I plan to move this current blog to another hosting site. Once the transfer process is finished, I will then update this current blog with the new web address.

Reasons for this “digital moving”--if we can call it such--will be explained in a future post, though in short: I am going to start looking at this blog in a very long-term manner and, after much thoughts, I realized Tumblr might not be able to provide that longevity I am aiming for.

However, of course, I am running into slight technical issues and thus, that will delay upcoming reviews for a few more weeks. Nevertheless, I look forward to getting settled over at the new blog hosting site and will alert readers as soon as possible once I am ready.

More content is to come soon, but until then: take care and continue to stay positive.

- AtrocityCL / Chris

[atrocitycl]

TWICE - “Likey” Review

(Music Video) / (Dance Practice)

TWICE – Likey

Reviewed on March 21, 2018

Unlike the group of TWICE songs where both composition and vocal execution are both questionable, “Likey” holds as vocally decent and definitely strong with its composition.

_______________________________________________________

Song Score: 6/10 (6.25/10 raw score) - “Slightly above average”

- Vocals: 6/10

- Structure: 7/10

- Instrumental: 7/10

- Lyrics: 5/10

My heart’s fluttering Me likey Me likey likey likey Me likey likey likey (Rub dub rub dub, heart heart) Me likey Me likey likey likey Me likey likey likey (Rub dub rub dub)

I keep wanting to show you every little thing, each and every one In that small screen, I want to look the prettiest But I’m still hiding these feelings in my heart

Getting all dolled up is so annoying But I can’t just be careless Every day, you make my heart race But you can’t find out so I’ll blatantly:

Put on BB cream, pat-pat-pat Put on lipstick, mam-mam-ma Shall I make a pretty pose for the camera? Look at this and smile for me And please press it--on the bottom That cute and red (Heart heart)

But it’s so typical to say "I like you" It’s not enough to express my heart But I like you, I can’t even sleep I don’t care if I run late

My heart’s fluttering Me likey Me likey likey likey Me likey likey likey (Rub dub rub dub, heart heart) Me likey Me likey likey likey Me likey likey likey (Rub dub rub dub)

I’m holding in my breath so I can zip up Pulling it over my waist once more All done, baby There are so many pretty clothes in this world

Put on BB cream, pat-pat-pat Put on lipstick, mam-mam-ma Shall I make a pretty pose for the camera? Look at this and smile for me And please press it--on the bottom That cute and red (Heart heart)

But it’s so typical to say "I like you" It’s not enough to express my heart But I like you, I can’t even sleep I don’t care if I run late

I’m just looking at you but I couldn’t say anything Come a little closer Please know my heart I don’t want to hide it anymore

I feel down today I try to act like I’m not but people ask if I’m sad I’m upset because you’re not reacting at all And my senseless friends keep calling me to come out Oh wait, wait I’m finally getting something from you All day, my mood goes back and forth Up and down, now I’m dancing

My heart’s fluttering Me likey Me likey likey likey Me likey likey likey (Rub dub rub dub, heart heart) Me likey Me likey likey likey Me likey likey likey (Rub dub rub dub, heart heart)

_______________________________________________________

New Format

          As mentioned in the prior review, I am adopting a new reviewing format. To list out the differences, there are two places of change: the ratings and the old “analysis” section. For what changed with the rating system, I have taken away the “Sections” rating and consolidated it into “Structure” as a more overarching, simpler way of handling it. It still deals with the same topic of how a song is structured with different sections, but rather than focusing on each section I found it more efficient and effective to focus on all of them and their effects on the song at large. In terms of the analysis portion, as noticed, it is “gone” and instead will now be replaced as the bulk content of reviews. So from the old Personal Message section to the song review itself, reviews will simply have all of its writing compacted into one spot. Furthermore, though, for what drastically helps both readers and me, I will be adding in headers as a form of organization. This way, for readers who are skimming for the meat of the review to read or for readers who wish to see my main critiques or praises to a song in an easy form, the headers will essentially convey all of the key points. The written content itself will be to explain and elaborate on those headers.

          In the end, this all becomes a win-win scenario: all types of readers—from those merely skimming or for those who read every word, or for those here purely for musical discussions or those also here for a social perspective to specific songs and situations—benefit with this introduction of headers and it allows me to be far more concise with my writing. This, however, will mean I purposefully ignore some discussion points in songs but again, with being realistic due to how busy I am and how that is further exacerbated next semester, I need this format to still remain somewhat active. (The only complaint I have with the current format is that paragraphs are not consistently copy-and-pasted in Tumblr. Currently the workaround is to not use paragraphs when writing these reviews, but I hope to find a more permanent solution that will enable the use of indentations.)

Where Have I Been?

           Given that some readers might be curious on why I have disappeared from reviewing K-Pop songs, I simply have been far too busy to keep up. I even struggle with just watching my current queue of videos and dramas—though as noted in the previous review, I have finished two dramas that I plan to review. (One drama will consist of me ripping it apart with criticism while the other will be of high praise.) All that said, I am still aware of a few requests I have and will get to them whenever it is possible. Unfortunately, I might have to change the idea of “requests” to “recommended” as I can no longer consistently uphold my promise of reviewing every requested song I receive.

TWICE’s “Likey”

           With all of that cleared up, let us finally address TWICE’s “Likey.” For months I have desired to review this song as, boldly stated, I believe it is perhaps one of the best generic K-Pop songs I have heard as of yet. (Also by “generic K-Pop” I refer to what more objectively might be known as “bubble pop” or a variation on that term—such as “bubblegum pop.” Basically, the idea is that “generic K-Pop” is a pop song that heavily relies on fast-paced, catchy, and upbeat styles and elements in order to hastily grab listeners’ attention. Conceptually, though, I urge that readers do not conflate “bubble pop” as, for example, purely a “feminine” concept. While the initial imagery in one’s head might be that of “Likey” and its “feminine” cuter, colorful aspects, the genre of “bubble pop” also easily and equally applies to boy groups. One defining example in my mind—and arguably another generic/bubble pop song that ties with “Likey” as the best in K-Pop—would be Infinite’s “The Chaser.” Even if that one focuses on a more “tough” and “cool” concept—a more “masculine concept”—musically speaking I argue it aligns directly with “Likey”: fast-paced, upbeat, and catchy, and it relies on use of color-popping dances and other aesthetics.)

           Now certainly “Likey” is not the best song I have heard in an overall sense, but once again to reiterate, it is one of the best songs with this particular genre and style. Factoring in non-musical aspects as well—be it with the choreography and stages and music video—and “Likey” seems to have solidified its place as one of the most iconic K-Pop songs of all time, akin to how Infinite’s “The Chaser” is still consistently hailed as one of the best and iconic songs of K-Pop history.

           Nonetheless, even if I equate “Likey” to the legendary “The Chaser,” there are still potential problems with the song. But, indeed, “Likey” is not as polarizing as other TWICE songs have been. As much as I have sincerely been a fan of them lately—after all, their genuine and loving personalities are very entertaining and heartwarming—I still hold myself as being one of their serious (yet respectful) critics. While TWICE has pleasantly surprised me with past songs such as “Knock Knock,” I still cannot say the same for “Like Ooh-Ahh,” “Cheer Up,” “TT,” “Signal,” and even “Heart Shaker”—though I might excuse the latter song as just average versus being worse than such. On topic again, the point is this: “Likey” manages to avoid the weaker, lower tier songs and instead finds itself comfortably sitting with “Knock Knock.” Unlike the group of TWICE songs where both composition and vocal execution are both questionable, “Likey” holds as vocally decent and definitely strong with its composition.

Problematic Features

           Let us now begin with finally focusing on the song itself. To first begin, it is worth noting the current critiques I have towards it. Perhaps as some readers might have already predicted, while TWICE’s vocals are passable in this song, it arguably is still the group’s weakest musical point. Now, the group’s main vocalists (Jihyo, Jeongyeon, and Nayeon) and lead vocalist and main rapper (Mina, Chaeyoung respectively) are definitely solid, but once again I find that the sub vocalists are somewhat lacking. (An exception might be with Tzuyu; her part in the first verse was a surprising improvement.) Specifically, though, my main critique here lies with the pre-choruses’ vocals: sections that were potentially too vocally intensive for Momo in particular.

           This is not to claim that she cannot sing or is a bad singer; instead, what I mean by the prior statement is that, for the pre-choruses, the line distribution should have better accommodated the members’ vocal ability and comfort. Ignoring the pre-choruses, arguably every other section corresponds to an appropriately matched member and her vocal specialization. For example, with the post-choruses to “Likey,” Sana—a sub vocalist for the group—handles a majority of them. This, however, works favorably: given Sana’s weaker vocals but that the post-choruses rely less on intense vocals but rather catchy singing, it means that Sana’s vocals are able to handle the task effectively and comfortably. On the other hand, with Momo’s role of being a sub vocalist (and potentially a rapper as seen in other cases) and yet having to handle the pre-choruses’ slightly more demanding vocal level, we now find a situation of a mismatch. Momo’s vocals come off as overly strained, pressured, and this all sharply contrasts prior sections where the vocals in the other sections come off smoothly and easily.

           As for other potential issues with “Likey,” the remaining are more minor critiques. One is—given the nature of “Likey” and its key phrase—repetitiveness. Unlike past songs such as “Knock Knock” where a key phrase (knock knock) is repeated frequently, “Likey” uses a similar formula but lacks the faster pacing behind “Knock Knock.” If I recall correctly, in my review of “Knock Knock,” I (should have) mentioned how the “knock knock” phrases were quickly delivered and in addition to that, were then readily contrasted by vocal beltings. This, as a result, meant the excessive repetitive feeling many listeners would feel is removed: the repetitiveness of the single phrase no longer holds if listener are equally given belting and myriad of paces to balance. With “Likey,” though, those same protective features are not implemented. When the post-choruses arrive, the repeated use of “Likey” is not only at a relatively slower pace, but nothing else is introduced in order to provide any form of variety. Sadly, a sense of staleness and repetitiveness are the outcomes due to such. Finally, for perhaps a point that might not even be worthy of mentioning, “Likey” also has a very gentle problem of how the choruses are equally at fault for coming off as repetitive. However—and emphasis on “however”—this might be due to how well “Likey” hypes up to the choruses. Thus, rather than those sections being repetitive due to repeating key phrases and the like, I might merely be finding it repetitive as it feels as the choruses drop drastically from the verses and pre-choruses—but, in this situation, I would not claim this is necessarily a major flaw. (For an example of where this would be a flaw, 4Minute’s “Hate” provides such. That song excellently builds up and hypes itself, but the choruses are incredibly disappointing and repetitive.)

“Likey” as an Iconic Korean Pop Song

           Nevertheless, even with those criticisms in place, “Likey”—as discussed earlier—is still a song I would now place as iconic for K-Pop. One of its defining aspects is the song’s instrumental. Its instrumental is structurally and audibly beneficial to “Likey” as a whole. It is impressive. A prominent example of such is during the first verse. On top of how the instrumental adds a welcoming, deeper sound that meshes in with TWICE’s vocals, the first verse showcases how subtle and yet effective the instrumental can be. During this section, in order to begin accelerating and hyping the song, the only transformation that occurs halfway in is that the beats become slightly more frequent and that an additional beat is thrown in. Even if incredibly subtle, the payout is enormous: this indicates to listeners an upcoming change—both literally with the upcoming pre-chorus but also with how upbeat the song is. Although I might be overly praising this section, I will—on a personal note—claim that the first verse in “Likey” is one of the best verses I have heard in many K-Pop songs.

           As for other gold moments, the iconic Dahyun-Chaeyoung rap duo section towards the end of the song is also worthy highlighting. Despite the two ladies not necessarily showcasing absolutely perfect flow and rhythms, what allows the rap section to excel is how creative it is. From how the rap is able to lead in through a bridge to the fantastic, dramatic pause in the middle that amplifies Chaeyoung’s finishing rap lines and finally to the concluding, instrumental solo break, this rap section—even if not individually or mechanically enticing—is compositionally stunning. In clearer terms and without potentially making up English words: the rap section is phenomenal with its composition—its structure and format. And, of course, we cannot forget Dahyun’s and Chaeyoung’s rapping that do execute the section.

The Takeaway

           Although “Likey” is not flawless, I consider it an above average song. Numerically speaking, yes the lyrics do bring it down but if focusing on the song in of itself, I confidently say that “Likey” deserves to reside as a timeless, iconic K-Pop song. “Likey” is able to take on the generic pop genre and yet, unlike others that at times fall short due to overly investing more into comeback concepts (focusing on the music video only, outfits, etc.) rather than musical content and quality, “Likey” manages to capture both components. JYP Entertainment, indeed, was able to produce not only a beautiful music video, choreography and stage costumes, they were also wary of equally balancing and cherishing the musical piece.

           Unfortunately, though, I will not necessarily end this review without a harsher point. While “Likey” and “Knock Knock” (and a few notable album songs) have been very strong releases, TWICE is—to me—one of the most inconsistent groups in K-Pop. I do not mean inconsistent with concepts; I refer to instead how they can release a song that is atrocious and on the next comeback will have a “Likey”-tiered song. On an individual level, I hope the ladies of TWICE continually improve their vocal abilities and current trends do show that is very much happening. But, in terms of JYP Entertainment’s role, I hope for more consistent, high quality pop songs. I hope that the composition of future TWICE songs will continue to be at the level of “Knock Knock” and “Likey” and not, for example, “Signal” or their earlier songs that focused far less on musical appeal and more on sheer attention-grabbing via catchiness and hooks. And so, while I do consider myself a fan of TWICE and wholeheartedly support the ladies, I still will continue to be a critical listener of their songs.

_______________________________________________________

[atrocitycl]

MAMAMOO - “Starry Night” Review

(Music Video)

MAMAMOO – “Starry Night”

Reviewed on March 20, 2018

More seriously, however, it is true I have not reviewed many of MAMAMOO’s recent songs. This decision was ultimately due to how the ladies already have excessive spotlight on this blog, but “Starry Night” changes this trend. Why? I was disappointed. And of course, bold stances oftentimes make for more interesting reviews and thus, I am reviewing MAMAMOO after quite a long time.

_______________________________________________________

Song Score: 6/10 (6.00/10 raw score) - “Slightly above average”

- Vocals: 7/10

- Structure: 5/10

- Instrumental: 5/10

- Lyrics: 7/10

[Introduction instrumental]

My hands were cold but now it’s already spring Dreamy breezes blow here and there Different from usual, I like this feeling Maybe tomorrow will be a different day

The shadow of the darkness remaining in the deep night The moon is shining, drawing out a light As much as I removed you from my body The water in the tub becomes the lingering feelings and overflows This space filling up with my sighs

When late night comes When I’m all alone Starry night

It’s a starry night You blow over to me All those nights we shared makes me drunk Starry night

(Ya ya ya) Starry night (Ya ya ya) Starry night

Winter passes and flowers bloom The scent of the warm air wraps around me Nothing changed, each day is the same But still, I wait for tomorrow

At the end of the day, I’m here Day by day Drawing you out Do you want me to leave? No I’m still here I’m just covered by the dark night sky So you can’t see me

When late night comes When I’m all alone Starry night

It’s a starry night You blow over to me All those nights we shared makes me drunk Starry night

(Ya ya ya) Starry night (Ya ya ya) Starry night

Starry starry night A night without you I feel so empty The picture of us is fading But I’m denying this reality Even when I close my eyes, I can still see you, why? Leave me alone I’m breaking down

Starry night It’s a starry night You blow over to me All those nights we shared makes me drunk Starry night

(Ya ya ya) Starry night (Ya ya ya) Starry night

_______________________________________________________

Watching MAMAMOO Grow

Many reviews are lined up to be posted soon, but I do apologize for not doing such sooner. (I have spent a lot—if not all—of time on break binge-watching two dramas, both of which I plan to review soon.) Another review will be explaining this change in review format and why there is a change in the first place. As a result, while readers might find this new format odd and potentially even lacking in terms of length, I ask for patience so that in the next review or so I can clarify everything (and even my absence).

On topic, regarding MAMAMOO, I have surprisingly not been keeping track of the ladies. Now I have been aware of their recent songs, but in terms of variety shows and the like, I have not been following them as much. However, I have recently started catching up and I recommend readers and fans of MAMAMOO to watch their latest reality show: One Lucky Day. It is a different take to many other reality shows in that, as its title implies, luck decides much of the members’ experiences. In short, a wheel is spun for every major decision—and yes, I will consider meals as a “major decision.” Hwasa, after all, would strongly agree. More seriously, however, it is true I have not reviewed many of MAMAMOO’s recent songs. This decision was ultimately due to how the ladies already have excessive spotlight on this blog, but “Starry Night” changes this trend. Why? I was disappointed. And of course, bold stances oftentimes make for more interesting reviews and thus, I am reviewing MAMAMOO after quite a long time.

Understanding MAMAMOO’s Change in Musical Style

Regarding the prior statement, although it may come across as arrogant and even rude, I do wish to clarify that “Starry Night” is not a bad song per se; the problem is that it could have been even stronger. My main criticism lies in a question: Why is it that, during the chorus/post-chorus, a passive and plain instrumental is positioned as the highlight when MAMAMOO’s vocals are one of the most priceless, iconic “instruments” in terms of mainstream Korean Pop music? In my argument, then, this song is disappointing in its inefficient use of MAMAMOO’s vocals.

But, before I launch into and elaborate that critique, I still wish to first defend “Starry Night” and its current composition. More importantly, though, I wish to clarify that my critique should not be interpreted as a critique on MAMAMOO’s potentially shifting musical style. Indeed, many fans have noticed that RBW Entertainment seems to be directing MAMAMOO in different musical directions: from their iconic, pop-based “Um Oh Ah Yeah” to their vocal powerhouse of “Decalcomanie” to, with skipping ahead, a pop-ballad of “Paint Me” and finally now to “Starry Night”—a song that combines a pop song structure with ballad elements. It seems that, overall, MAMAMOO might be turning towards a more “mature” musical route. (And I loosely say “mature” as I do not wish to imply that “bubble pop/generic pop” is immature. However, using the term “mature” tends to more easily encapsulate the idea that MAMAMOO’s songs are less about being catchy and more about musical qualities in of themselves.) Rather than sticking with very upbeat and standard pop songs or relying on sheer vocal power to shine, the ladies now appear to be more invested in soulful, calmer yet vocally complex songs. However, of course, I am not on the marketing or musical team for MAMAMOO; whether “Starry Night” and even prior comebacks are due to experimenting with different genres or a slow progression towards ballad-based songs is something I can merely speculate on.

What is my point in discussing all of this? Overall, regardless of whether this change in musical style is still temporary or more permanent, I wish to remind fans to be supportive of their artistic direction and decisions. Thus, while I will be critiquing “Starry Night” in a manner that seems as if I am critiquing their change in styles, I hope readers do not interpret it in only that manner. Certainly I may refer to the “usual MAMAMOO style” that I find would have been more effective for “Starry Night,” but if we strip away that label and instead speak more objectively—that the choruses/post-choruses should have relied on vocals rather than just an instrumental—then we find that this critique is less MAMAMOO-centered and more general as have been my attempts for many past songs.

A Riskier Approach to the Choruses

Finally onto the review and criticism itself, the song still excels in different aspects. The building up through the verses and particularly Moonbyul’s rap sections definitely lead the song to moments of desiring a satisfying climax to follow through with. However, that is where my critique is: despite all the excellent build up and the smooth and versatile vocal delivery, the choruses/post-choruses are counterintuitive to the song itself. What would come as a natural climax is not a passive instrumental that brings an effect of pausing and dragging the song, but the very opposite: not necessarily “Decalcomanie” styled vocals of beltings and note holds, but at least a vocal-orientated chorus/post-chorus. This way, rather than having the current gap that appears to exist at the climaxes of the song, we would have choruses/post-choruses that directly run off from the current build up to fill in those gaps and—given how MAMAMOO’s vocals are worth utilizing at every possible chance—find a climax that seems to cleanly tie up all of the song’s current features of passive rapping and verses.

Unsatisfying if not Disappointing

All in all, if the earlier phrasing of “disappointing” is inaccurate, perhaps unsatisfying is the more appropriate term. “Starry Night” is not a bad song at all—as seen, the only critique is with how its current composition handles the choruses/post-choruses. Nevertheless, the song leaves me yearning for more; what could the song have been if the composition included MAMAMOO’s distinctive, spicier vocal prowess at the choruses/post-choruses?

I personally am interested—as always—in how MAMAMOO and RBW Entertainment will approach future comebacks. Their current title track and album in whole appear to focus more on calmer, refined types of songs rather than traditionally more upbeat and catchy pop songs that they have performed in the past. Will fans hear a return to “Um Oh Ah Yeah” or “You Are The Best” or even “Decalcomanie,” or are the ladies to continue in their current direction of, ultimately, a pop-ballad genre? Where I personally hope MAMAMOO takes their musical career is with expanding their current pop-ballad form but emphasizing that pop layer more than currently. The result, I presume, would lead to Taeyeon’s style of songs: think of “I” or “Why” or “Make Me Love You”—songs that utilize ballad vocals and instrumental and yet have the higher pacing and excitement of pop songs. That to me would be an extremely ideal genre for MAMAMOO to explore given how pop-ballad is still a niche music area in K-Pop but also that MAMAMOO seems to naturally specialize in that realm. They, after all, have the vocals necessary for such but can equally pull off pop song styles and concepts.

Returning to “Starry Night,” I find that while it appears empty with its climaxes, fans can still appreciate it as another musical experiment by MAMAMOO and that it still is enjoyable. The issue is wondering if it could have been more enjoyable.

_______________________________________________________

[atrocitycl]

Hello. Could you please review Nirvana by Ravi (VIXX). I've read both positive and negative comments regarding the song and personally enjoy it. I would love to read your take on the song details. How is life and studies? Hope everything is going well for you. Thanks in advance from Afaaf from Maldives. I know, I'm requesting VIXX again but what can i do, they are still my bias : ) : ) Also feel free to skip on this song review if you are too busy. I understand :)

Hello. It has been a little more than a month since I have last checked on this blog, so I do greatly apologize for not responding.

I will queue this request in along with the other reviews I have lined up for next week.

For readers curious on where I have been, I have been very busy with university work and thus, have had to unfortunately put reviews aside to keep up with studies. 

However, I will be on break next week and I intend to use that time to catch up on approximately eight songs. More significantly, though, I will be experimenting with a few new review formats and I am curious on what readers will think and on the effect it has on timeliness of reviews. In short, I indeed plan to cut down some parts of the current review outline for the sake of having more time and that--with some arrogance on my end--I believe I can now finally review songs in a more engaging, brief manner. That said, the overall scoring system should still be relatively the same; I am not doing an entire overhaul. 

More will be seen, though, next week. Thank you again for sending this in, and I will definitely try to get to this song.

[atrocitycl]

Infinite - “Tell Me” Review

(Music Video)

Infinite – Tell Me

Reviewed on January 16, 2018

Specifically for what amazes me, it is not just—as many fans are currently praising—the vocals or even how the song itself is structured. What grabs my attention is how the composers purposefully crafted “Tell Me” so that its flow is that of short, choppy bits. Whether vocally or instrumentally, by slicing up the song in brief pauses, this gives the song an impactful effect: “Tell Me” is now able to adopt two contrasting positions. One position is that the song is able to give off a calmer, smooth flow but equally, the song is also able to possess an exciting, energetic and powerful style—all simultaneously as well.

Personal Message: I am still working on the review for SF9—a review that is now far beyond overdue. But, I wish to put out other reviews for songs that have been released very recently. Furthermore, with these upcoming reviews, they should be very brief and thus, this allows me to experiment a bit more with my writing style before addressing a requested review. And, with all that said, I am indeed back to university but I will definitely have time for reviews—more so if this new, concise style works. In short, the plan is for reviews to focus mostly around one core feature of the song at hand. Preferably, it would be a defining feature so that reviews focus less on a robotic analysis of songs and instead richer discussions come out. And, in the end, reviews will hopefully become incredibly brief and far more realistic to both read and write.

Focusing now on Infinite, I was definitely looking out for their current comeback. Especially with Hoya’s departure from the group, I wondered—in addition to whether if Infinite would disband or not—if that would have led to the group adopting a new musical style. While the review will partially address this, I will argue that, ultimately, Infinite’s musical style has remained the same—though for “Tell Me,” it is a bit more nuanced. But overall, especially if we draw upon Infinite’s prior hits such as “Last Romeo” and especially “The Chaser,” the group still maintains its rigorous, intense and upbeat style. (And, as I perhaps have said multiple times in the past, “The Chaser” truly is one of the most defining moments in K-Pop. It is fantastically composed by the composing duo of Sweetune, and I predict that “The Chaser” will remain as not only Infinite’s peak song, but also one of the best hits in K-Pop history.)

Turning our attention now towards “Tell Me” and the review itself, I will admit I initially did not find myself attracted to it. In fact, even after reviewing it, on a personal level it still does not pull me in. However, despite personal biases that I have, I highly admire the song’s composition and production. I will even go as far as to say that it is definitely a solid song and one I recommend—and indeed, this is significant considering “Tell Me” does not fit my personal preferences for songs. Specifically for what amazes me, it is not just—as many fans are currently praising—the vocals or even how the song itself is structured. What grabs my attention is how the composers purposefully crafted “Tell Me” so that its flow is that of short, choppy bits. Whether vocally or instrumentally, by slicing up the song in brief pauses, this gives the song an impactful effect: “Tell Me” is now able to adopt two contrasting positions. One position is that the song is able to give off a calmer, smooth flow but equally, the song is also able to possess an exciting, energetic and powerful style—all simultaneously as well.

____________________________________________________

Song Score: 6/10 (6.00/10 raw score) - “Slightly above average”

- Vocals: 7/10

- Sections: 6/10 (6.14/10 raw score)

Introduction, Chorus, Verse, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Post-Chorus, Verse, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Post-Chorus, Bridge, Chorus, Conclusion (Post-Chorus)

1.     Introduction: 6/10

2.     Verse: 6/10

3.     Pre-Chorus: 7/10

4.     Chorus: 6/10

5.     Post-Chorus: 6/10

6.     Bridge:  6/10

7.     Conclusion (Post-Chorus): 6/10

- Instrumental: 6/10

- Lyrics: 5/10

Anywhere Anytime

Wherever I go, wherever I am I miss you so much, I can’t take it anymore Please come back to me again Please come back to me again Wherever I go, wherever I am I miss you so much, I can’t take it anymore Please come back to me again Please come back to me again

I ran away, I’m getting used to it Like a misunderstanding, I thought the end was here I messed everything up I’m in another typical drama I feel so empty Only filled with regrets

I love you in my mind I want to hear those sweet words from you Just like before I know you in my heart Words that comforted me I’ll look back, I’ll hold on Just like the days when things were hot

Wherever I go, wherever I am I miss you so much, I can’t take it anymore Please come back to me again Please come back to me again Wherever I go, wherever I am I miss you so much, I can’t take it anymore Please come back to me again Please come back to me again

Tell me love (Love love lo-lo-lo-lo Love love lo-lo-lo-lo) Tell me Love love lo-lo-lo-lo Tell me tell me Tell me tell me (Love love lo-lo-lo-lo Love love lo-lo-lo-lo Love love lo-lo-lo-lo) Come back to me baby

Let’s go I miss you all day Every day, I draw you as if I’m a painter Even deep into the night I hear you in my dreams Memory replay Don’t pass me by Come into my arms I’m lost, looking for you, go walk walk hard

I love you in my mind I want to hear those sweet words from you Just like before I know you in my heart Words that comforted me I’ll look back, I’ll hold on Just like the days when things were hot

Wherever I go, wherever I am I miss you so much, I can’t take it anymore Please come back to me again Please come back to me again Wherever I go, wherever I am I miss you so much, I can’t take it anymore Please come back to me again Please come back to me again

Tell me love (Love love lo-lo-lo-lo Love love lo-lo-lo-lo) Tell me Love love lo-lo-lo-lo Tell me tell me Tell me tell me (Love love lo-lo-lo-lo Love love lo-lo-lo-lo Love love lo-lo-lo-lo) Come back to me baby

I want to hear your voice The melody that rang in my ears Whisper to me once more I know I’m so selfish but I’ll try to embrace you

Wherever I go, wherever I am I miss you so much, I can’t take it anymore Please come back to me again Please come back to me again Wherever I go, wherever I am I miss you so much, I can’t take it anymore Please come back to me again Please come back to me again

Tell me love (Love love lo-lo-lo-lo Love love lo-lo-lo-lo) Tell me Love love lo-lo-lo-lo Tell me tell me Tell me tell me (Love love lo-lo-lo-lo Love love lo-lo-lo-lo Love love lo-lo-lo-lo) Come back to me baby

_______________________________________________________

Analysis: First, before discussing the effects of the choppiness, I believe it is worth clarifying and identifying what that choppiness even is. When listening to the song, both the vocals and instrumental are sliced into different bits, and we can tell by the different points of emphasis. For example, with the vocals at the choruses, the lines are stuttered and rather than the singing gradually becoming more intense, it skips in blocks towards higher notes and beltings. To better understand this, consider the opposite: “The Chaser.” In that iconic song, not only are entire lines directly sung from the very start to end in a linear fashion, but the vocal beltings that occur equally follow a linear path via gradually expanding versus, in “Tell Me,” having the beltings hit hard only towards the end of lines. So, in summary, while “The Chaser” follows a linear style of the song’s intensity increasing as the song runs its course, in “Tell Me” we notice that it spikes throughout the song. There are moments where it is relatively tame but at other moments, the song will include many faster paced moments all while returning to that calmer state in only a short duration.

Now for why this choppiness is incredibly effective in “Tell Me,” as mentioned earlier, it allows the song to become versatile with its style as it now becomes both a calmer song but also the standard, upbeat style that Infinite is known for.

Focusing first on how “Tell Me” establishes its calmer position, let us ignore the spiking, choppy style. If we ignore that feature of the song, we will realize it is in of itself a rather plain song. The post-choruses provide an excellent example: it is nothing more than Infinite’s vocals fading in and out of the instrumental—and of which is only repeating an edited, robotic sound of “love.” Again, comparing this to “The Chaser” and it is the complete opposite: in “The Chaser,” its choruses (the climactic equivalent) showcase vocals and instrumental that pair up together at their highest, energetic peaks to give off Infinite’s signature upbeat style. In other words, then, we find that “Tell Me” with its actual physical sounds and pacing is far from fast or exciting.

And yet, we still are under the impression that “Tell Me” has a sense of urgency; the choppiness that is added creates the notion that “Tell Me” is constantly in motion and set with a faster pace. Because of the slight pauses and breaks inserted through the vocal beltings and almost every line that the members sing, that is what allows “Tell Me” to equally appear as energetic despite sonically that not being the case. After all, the pre-choruses perhaps best show this effect in action. Listening at that section, the instrumental itself becomes passive—this is to build up toward the choruses. Nevertheless, the vocals that occur seem to be far from passive: very short yet sharp beltings occur rather than a singular long belt. If the pre-choruses followed a single, longer vocal belt, then indeed the song would appear to be slower—but that is the not what occurs. Instead, the segmented bits create a sense of a faster pacing especially because of how the choppiness allows more than one vocal belting to occur.

Overall, although the ratings might not truly highlight the song’s impressive, unique, and effective style, I argue this song deserves the current praise it is receiving. The song takes a new approach to a pop song that I have yet to encounter, and despite the major risk at play, it does pay off with its outcome. Additionally with the men of Infinite delivering their fantastic vocals and now we have a desirable pairing: unique, effective song composition with the vocal skills to execute it.

_______________________________________________________

I will finish the review for SF9 soon along with perhaps too many TWICE songs to cover as well. A bonus review—or even two—are in mind, so I am excited for that as well. (And both of which will hopefully include interesting discussions as well, whether it be musical or social.)

Until the next review and finishing an already growing stack of homework, “I love you in my mind”—and this is perhaps why I need to find better ways of ending reviews. Just look forward to SF9 and TWICE reviews.

[atrocitycl]

Could you analyze TWICE's "Heart Shaker?" I understand that since you're also doing their "Likey" song as well it's fine to not review it if you don't have the time.

Hello. Apologies for not directly replying sooner. I have read this message the day it was sent, but I didn’t have a chance to reply until now.

I plan on reviewing both of TWICE’s “Heart Shaker” and definitely “Likey.” So, definitely look forward to these reviews--and in fact, for an extra bonus, I plan on reviewing “TWICE TV6″ as well at one point.

Thank you for sending this in and I hope to get to these songs rather soon.

[atrocitycl]

Sunmi - “Gashina” Review

(Music Video)

Sunmi – Gashina/Leaving

Reviewed on December 31, 2017

With “Gashina,” although it is not a weak song per se, I hesitate to praise it as a stronger song. Overall, while the song certainly excels with its performance value (such as with its choreography and on-stage appeal) and does have a powerful, alluring instrumental, I find that—especially if focusing purely on the music—there are two significant concerns: disappointing climaxes and excessively segmenting the song.

Personal Message: I hope readers all had wonderful holidays to celebrate—or if none, then at least wonderful, regular days. Personally, while my winter break started off rather rough, everything managed to work out in the end. For a highlight so far of my break, seeing my little cousin from Hong Kong is endearing. Perhaps I am at the age where fatherly instincts are kicking in, but I find myself adoring children nowadays—that or it might be due to advancing further in my teaching career and thus, I appreciate children and teenagers even more. Either way, children are adorable and sweet and I hope in the far future I have the privilege to be a parent. Though that said, I arguably am already a parent: to Venus, my dog.

Onto more serious and relevant topics, this review will finally be addressing a request sent three months ago: Sunmi’s “Gashina.” Afterwards, I also have another request to finally get to. I deeply apologize to requesters for the significant delays. Also, given how hectic the holidays have been with family gatherings, this review might be far shorter than usual—and in fact, many of the “catch-up” reviews will inevitably spill into January. Nevertheless, I hope to address the core concerns and strengths at play in “Gashina.”

With “Gashina,” although it is not a weak song per se, I hesitate to praise it as a stronger song. Overall, while the song certainly excels with its performance value (such as with its choreography and on-stage appeal) and does have a powerful, alluring instrumental, I find that—especially in a musical orientated view—there are two significant concerns: disappointing climaxes and excessively segmenting the song.  

_______________________________________________________

Song Score: 6/10 (5.50/10 raw score) - “Slightly above average”

- Vocals: 5/10

- Sections: 5/10 (4.67/10 raw score)

Introduction, Verse, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Verse, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Bridge, Conclusion (Chorus)

1.     Introduction: 6/10

2.     Verse: 6/10

3.     Pre-Chorus: 3/10

4.     Chorus: 4/10

5.     Bridge: 5/10

6.     Conclusion (Chorus): 4/10

- Instrumental: 6/10

- Lyrics: 6/10

[Introduction instrumental]

Your cold eyes, they kill me The fire in your heart that used to grow, why are there only ashes remaining? Maybe time is medicine But I’m getting weaker The sad pain is getting numb, too

Fine, I’ll forget you I’m going to live like a flower I’ll be myself Can’t nobody stop me now No Try me Everyone wants my scent But only you don’t know, like a fool Are you sure you’re not crazy? Why are you leaving the pretty me here and going?

You’re leaving me here You’re leaving me so easily You promised we’d go together But you’re leaving, leaving

You’ll see me all sharp and you’ll bow your head low My thorns will dig deeper in you, yeah You already bent and twisted me So don’t act like you’re sorry But the one who’s really twisted, it’s not me, it’s you

Fine, I’ll forget you I’m going to live like a flower I’ll be myself Can’t nobody stop me now No Try me Everyone wants my scent But only you don’t know, like a fool Are you sure you’re not crazy? Why are you leaving the pretty me here and going?

You’re leaving me here You’re leaving me so easily You promised we’d go together But you’re leaving, leaving

You have withered, I have bloomed And it’s over Even if you want to come back You may seem like you’ll be fine without me right now, but no matter how much I think about it: Are you sure you’re not crazy? Why are you leaving the pretty me here and going?

You’re leaving me here You’re leaving me so easily You promised we’d go together But you’re leaving, leaving

_______________________________________________________

Analysis: With the first concern, I am referring specifically to the choruses—a section that oftentimes carries the climaxing role of songs. Now, on the surface, my concern seems unwarranted: the chorus is a rather explicit climax and, in many ways, seemingly does serve that role well. It takes the build up from the verses and pre-choruses and then transitions the song into a song break that emphasizes heavier bass and beats along with using the song’s iconic lines.

However, while I do agree with these points, I find that if we zoom in more closely to the choruses, we find an issue with consistency and that ruins the climaxing that occurs. During the first half of the choruses, the slowing pace and manipulation of deeper sounds fit with the song in whole. With how “Gashina” was composed, each section is sharply distinct from the other: the verses function with an average pacing; the pre-choruses function with a dramatic slowing; and the choruses—if focusing on just the first half—provide an instrumental-focused, slow rhythm and pacing. And, though the choruses are interestingly the least energetic parts of “Gashina,” it still works as a climax as listeners will know that the calmest part of the song is indeed still the climax. But, as hinted, this consistency is not in place: the choruses at their second half begin to then switch to what listeners would normally expect as a climax: a more hastened and stronger delivery. Although this midway chorus transformation does help listeners easily grasp that this is the climactic part, I argue it disturbs both the song’s supposedly distinct, individualistic sections and also potentially confuses listeners over what is the song’s climax. Is it the chorus’ initial, dramatic slowing with the heavy instrumental, or is it the lighter part where the vocals come back into play? Though both are, realistically, the answer, I find that this lack of consistency is troublesome. If the composers were aiming to have a dynamic climax and choruses, the two types should have been connected more easily rather than, in its current state, essentially having two choruses in one.

And with this topic, it also relates into the second critique: excessively segmenting the song. More clearly, I am referring to how “Gashina” ultimately suffers more from having individualistic, distinct sections that are unable to recycle smoothly; in other words, the flow from verse to pre-chorus to chorus may be fluent, but when it goes from chorus to verse once again, that is when the song becomes rather choppy in that transition. (Furthermore, as a side note, it should be acknowledged that sections being fluent and easily connecting to the next are not always necessary or automatically a positive trait; for an example that comes into mind, EXO’s “Dancing King” is a relatively segmented song and yet, it is that segmented style that augments the song.)

With that understood, this rough segmenting and transition only becomes a problem for “Gashina” due to how the choruses function as, otherwise, I would imagine the entry into the second verse would be fine. If the choruses were consistent and thus maintained a slower, heavy style as is in the first half, there would be a natural flow to recycle: going from a lower intensity back into the verses’ average delivery. But because the choruses end on a more elevated state and that the choruses already transitions within itself, we now have a mismatch on both sonic and structural levels. Sonically, the choruses ended slightly too energetically and structurally, having to hear two significant changes—chorus to verse but also, in the chorus itself, first-half chorus to second-half chorus—and it ruins a lot of the song’s usual transition timings. (Specifically, that the song should have only made major transitions during verse to pre-chorus to chorus to second verse, not verse to pre-chorus to first-half chorus to second-half chorus and then finally to second verse.)

Overall, however, these points of criticism are relatively minor. “Gashina” is still a decent song, and in particular its instrumental deserves a lot of praise for helping address the multiple shifts in the song along with adding a unique combination of slower, heavier sounds. Nevertheless, I find that if the song’s flow were a bit smoother and less choppy especially towards the chorus and its transition to the second verse, it might have been a bit more appealing to me.

_______________________________________________________

To the requester, apologies that this review took far too long to finish. The next review will be SF9’s “O Sole Mio,” and afterwards, I hope to address the new songs from TWICE along with two very fun songs that normally do not fit songs I review here but will be reviewed as they provide interesting discussions about (Korean) pop music in general.

Until then, stay healthy and happy over the holidays (or regular days for those celebrating nothing). While “[y]ou’re leaving me here” for now, I hope to return quickly with more reviews.

[atrocitycl]

Jonghyun - “Lonely” Review

(Music Video)

Jonghyun (SHINee) – Lonely (ft. Taeyeon)

Reviewed on December 19, 2017

For this review, while I will be giving numerical values as per usual, I will not write the analytical section that elaborates and explains the assigned ratings. This is, in my view, to respect one of Jonghyun’s musical works in of itself: I wish to focus less on a critical breakdown of “Lonely” and instead, I desire readers to simply listen to the song and admire his vocals (and Taeyeon’s) and his role in also working on the song’s composition. There are, after all, times where music works—ironically—not in a musical sense, but in an emotional sense. The latter is what I want everyone to focus on for this review.

Edit: This was meant to be posted yesterday, but due to personal issues—which I will share about in the next review (though they are utterly minor in comparison to Jonghyun’s situation)—it was delayed. Nevertheless, today is still a time to give our thoughts to Jonghyun and all those affected as well as to those who also are struggling with depression.

Personal Message: This was not how I intended to return back to reviews after a two month hiatus. There are so many thoughts in my mind, but first and foremost: I ask readers to keep Jonghyun, his family, and his friends in your thoughts and prayers. For those unaware of what occurred, here is a brief summary: Soompi’s article. This is an incredibly tragic situation, and after reading more about his suicide from various sites, I cannot help but cry. Even if I was not personally familiar or invested in him and SHINee, he is still a part of the K-Pop community. Furthermore, I have always respected him as an artist. And with that, what is perhaps the most painful aspect about his suicide is how, according to one (potentially unreliable) source, he felt worthless because of his belief that he lacked musical talent and skills—a thought that is completely false and unjustified. Certainly his feelings of sadness and emptiness stem more from just that notion, but nevertheless, if that thought was true, it is deeply saddening that he did not see the beauty of his skills—and the beauty of his loving, sweet, hardworking personality towards members, family, friends, and fans.

Rest in peace, Jonghyun. And of course, for readers who also feel hopeless, lonely, or worthless, I hope the truth is realized: everyone is worth it; you are worth it. “2018 is the year to take of our mental health” is a phrase my friend has been using, and I feel it is worth emphasizing here as well. No one deserves to feel depressed and suicidal—talk to others and professionals for help. Also, take the time to share as much love as possible to everyone. There is enough negativity in the world, so let us all do our share of bringing in positivity.

For this review, while I will be giving numerical values as per usual, I will not write the analytical section that elaborates and explains the assigned ratings. This is, in my view, to respect one of Jonghyun’s musical works in of itself: I wish to focus less on a critical breakdown of “Lonely” and instead, I desire readers to simply listen to the song and admire his vocals (and Taeyeon’s) and his role in also working on the song’s composition. There are, after all, times where music works—ironically—not in a musical sense, but in an emotional sense. The latter is what I want everyone to focus on for this review. (Furthermore, I also wish to highlight the music video as it is equally thought-provoking and tear-inducing.)

_______________________________________________________

Song Score: 7/10 (6.50/10 raw score) - “Above average”

- Vocals: 7/10

- Sections: 6/10 (5.83/10 raw score)

Introduction, Verse, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge (Chorus), Conclusion

1.     Introduction: 6/10

2.     Verse: 5/10

3.     Pre-Chorus: 5/10

4.     Chorus: 6/10

5.     Bridge (Chorus): 7/10

6.     Conclusion: 6/10

- Instrumental: 6/10

- Lyrics: 7/10

[Introduction instrumental]

I’m sorry, it’s my fault Thank you, it’s all thanks to you These were words you said out of habit Even though I knew you were struggling too You probably think I’m a fool If I say that things are hard with a crying face Will it truly get better? If I cry and say it hurts, who will have a harder time? Everyone will be fine

Maybe we trapped each other inside our own misunderstandings No, you don’t understand me Whenever I see your worried eyes

Baby I’m so lonely so lonely I feel like I’m alone When I see you so tired, I worry that I’m baggage to you, that I’m too much Baby I’m so lonely so lonely I feel like I’m alone I don’t want to make it obvious to you I’m used to just holding it in Understand me

We’re together but, we’re not walking together Loneliness and misery The difference is only one memory (Ooh) But why do you keep trying to write it as something else?

Baby I’m so lonely so lonely I feel like I’m alone I don’t want to make it obvious to you I’m used to just holding it in Understand me

(Ooh) Leave me alone (Ooh) Baby I’m so lonely so lonely I feel like I’m alone Baby I’m so lonely so lonely I feel like I’m alone Still, I don’t want to hide it from you But I’m used to just holding it in Understand me

[Conclusion instrumental]

_______________________________________________________

Analysis:

_______________________________________________________

Reviews will be returning as I am now on a month break from university. There is a lot of personal news I wish to share—both good and bad. But for sure, I intend to catch up on as many reviews as I can.

For now, however, I wish for our thoughts to be with Jonghyun, his friends, his family, and the K-Pop community at large who are affected by this news.

[atrocitycl]

What are your thoughts on SF9's O Sole Mio? I understand that you're often busy, but if you have time, I'd love to see you review this song

Hello. Apologies for not replying sooner. That said, I did read this message the day it was sent.

I actually planned on reviewing “O Sole Mio,” so this request will work out perfectly. I have some--as per usual these days--bigger school assignments to finish up before I have time to review songs, but “O Sole Mio” will definitely be a part of the list. Currently, the plans are as follow: Sunmi’s “Gashina,” then SF9′s  “O Sole Mio,” and then TWICE’s “Likey.”

Thanks for sending in this request, and while it will most likely take a while to reach SF9′s song, it will still be reviewed at one point. 

[atrocitycl]

VIXX LR - “Whisper” Review

(Music Video) / (Dance Practice)

VIXX LR – Whisper

Reviewed on October 28, 2017

So, unlike the many fans and listeners who praise VIXX LR’s latest song, I argue the opposite: that, if we move beyond stylistic preferences, we will find that “Whisper” is an incredibly incoherent song. That lack of organization is why I struggle to critically enjoy the song—even if, as many have said, the vocals and the like are rather appealing.

Personal Message: It has been an entire month without any reviews, and I greatly apologize for this. While better time management would have prevented this situation, I had to pause writing reviews and subtitling videos for the sake of keeping up with my studies. However, all is going well in my life and I hope to better allocate my time so that I can maintain a consistent schedule with reviews. After all, my university life is only going to get busier in the future—not less. So, I hope and plan to develop a schedule that will allow reviews to carry on, and of course, to be more concise with reviews.

Regarding this review, it finally addresses a one-month-old (if not more) request. To the requester, I apologize for the massive delay (and likewise to the reader who also requested Sunmi’s “Gashina”). As of now, I believe I might have to temporarily stop accepting requests—or at least, I will have to put a disclaimer on their finished dates. That said, if reviews become far shorter to write, this dilemma toward requests might be unnecessary.

On topic, however, VIXX LR—a sub-unit of VIXX—will be the artist we focus on. “Whisper,” while no longer quite a newer song, is at least still VIXX LR’s latest song. Many fans and listeners cherish the song: comments from various sources appear to praise the duo’s vocals, and regarding the song’s composition and production, many also favor the song’s “chill” stylistic approach. Although stylistic preferences are certainly acceptable and are by no means wrong to have, I personally question—challenge, even—many listeners’ and fans’ take to “Whisper.” A song’s style is not sufficient for determining whether a song is excellent in quality or not; we need to go deeper and account for the composition at play. Unfortunately, though, analyzing “Whisper” in this aspect brings many concerns. So, unlike the many fans and listeners who praise VIXX LR’s latest song, I argue the opposite: that, if we move beyond stylistic preferences, we will find that “Whisper” is an incredibly incoherent song. That lack of organization is why I struggle to critically enjoy the song—even if, as many have said, the vocals and the like are rather appealing.

_______________________________________________________

Song Score: 5/10 (5.25/10 raw score) - “Average”

- Vocals: 6/10

- Sections: 5/10 (4.86/10 raw score)

Introduction, Rap, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Rap, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Post-Chorus, Bridge, Chorus, Conclusion (Post-Chorus)

1.     Introduction: 6/10

2.     Rap: 6/10

3.     Pre-Chorus: 4/10

4.     Chorus: 3/10

5.     Post-Chorus: 4/10

6.     Bridge: 5/10

7.     Conclusion (Post-Chorus): 6/10

- Instrumental: 4/10

- Lyrics: 6/10

Tell me your love to the point where I melt Tickle my heart Show me your love Yeah we’re burnin’ up, baby Whisper yourself into my heart

Especially more so today Time seems to freeze when I see you I can’t handle you, it transcends narcissism My instincts have already gone up I try to calm down my excited heart but it breaks down Calm down, down, down My body is slowing down right now, now No limit, limit, what is your limit? Tell me ahead of time Everything has levels But you’ve erased that process You are my song, yeah baby I’m different from the other wolves who only look for you at night I look for you every moment of every day, girl

You can have all of me, it’s alright Do you know what I want? Carefully, right now

Softly, whisper to me, girl Whisper to me It’s quiet but it feels dangerous You have me specifically flexin’ It’s a secret sign Our own party without anyone knowing Whisper language

I can use both arms and legs but I can’t fully express everything I don’t care about a party filled with losers My focus is on you Chillin’-chillin’ we need a secret This is something that happens on a screen I’m feelin’ like a Gosling I’m sure of this feeling Love you, love you, love you, love you, love you Really love you I can’t figure you out but my head is already there I hope at least half of my predictions will be the answer I hope this night connects us We can be quiet Because I think this is strangely more fun

You can have all of me, it’s alright Do you know what I want? Carefully, right now

Softly, whisper to me, girl Whisper to me It’s quiet but it feels dangerous You have me specifically flexin’ It’s a secret sign Our own party without anyone knowing Whisper language

Whisper Yeah tell me, tell me your love Whisper Yeah I can even hear your breath, love Whisper Yeah tell me, tell me your love Whisper Yeah I can even touch your voice, real love

Don’t hesitate anymore, feel your vibe However you feel, movin’ Falling into the black hole, my black hole You don’t care about the meaning of beauty But you just show yourself to me I’ve already gone crazy but you drive me crazy again You make me fly until the end

Once again, whisper to me, girl Whisper to me Burn me up, like you’re testing me You analyze me like you’re flexin’ It’s a secret sign Our own party without anyone knowing Whisper language

Whisper Yeah tell me, tell me your love Whisper Yeah I can even hear your breath, love Whisper Yeah tell me, tell me your love Whisper Yeah I can even touch your voice, real love

_______________________________________________________

Analysis: Before boldly critiquing the composers’ work, I find that we still need to acknowledge what many fans and listeners have established: sonically, “Whisper” pleases our ears. We find this sentiment supported by individually focusing on each section. For example, the rapping sections are rather developed. If we listen to the first rap section that occurs, we should notice that Ravi’s part is more than just a straightforward, typical, rhythm-based rap. The composers also introduced moments where the rap drastically slows down and instead adds in tune versus rhythm—this being clearly heard with the pitch-enhanced (or pitch-edited) bits that are dispersed throughout. This all works in favor, though, of creating rap sections that function more than as a song’s break. After all, notice how in many K-Pop songs the rap sections tend to provide a mere change of pace in a song. But, in “Whisper,” with the rapping being rather flexible and complex—and later in the song, also being mixed in with Leo’s singing—this allows listeners to interpret the rapping as a main core of the song’s aural appeal.

But, all of that said, “Whisper” as an entire song is incoherent—and sadly, no amount of individual, aural appeal can compensate for the song’s lack of organization. Consider the song in this manner: as if it was an essay. Yes, I can already hear the skepticism with this analogy: “This makes no sense; the only thing we see is your teacher-side showing.” But, bear with it for a few more moments. Imagining that “Whisper” is an essay, we can understand that its individual aspects—its individual paragraphs—are beautifully and thoughtfully written. However, we notice a problem with this essay: Although each paragraph is strong individually, none of the paragraphs make sense when we put them together to form an actual essay. One paragraph focuses on a certain topic, but the next paragraph switches to an entirely new topic—and again, individually we acknowledge that those single paragraphs are perfect. The same applies to “Whisper.” While its individual aspects are solid—such as the singing or the rapping—none of these aspects easily connects to the other. As individual chunks of a song, “Whisper” is great; as a unified, single song, “Whisper” is not great.

Diving into examples of this incoherence, let us focus specifically on the conflict that occurs between the rapping and singing. Again, both on an individual level are excellent but the song lacks in relating the two together. This is why the choruses are structurally jarring despite how Leo’s singing soothes us. When the choruses arrive, listeners are disorientated by the sudden changes: despite a rap section building up to the choruses, rather than a chorus that builds off that hyping, it instead begins from a new beginning. In other words, given that the rapping and even the pre-choruses seem to be working together toward a climactic point, it is odd that the choruses fail to follow through. Instead of the choruses being a notable, climaxing point where the rap sections and pre-choruses come together, it appears as if the choruses completely begin its own song. The instrumental at the choruses, for example, are not similar to the rap or pre-chorus sections and instead take a sudden calm approach. Furthermore, Leo’s singing style—while definitely serene and beautiful—does not complement Ravi’s rougher rap lines.

What would have been preferable, I argue, is if the duo’s vocals were similar in style or perhaps even alternating in a dynamic fashion. Towards the latter half of the song, post-choruses are introduced and these sections take on an interesting form: a blend of both Leo and Ravi—a blend of singing and rapping. If this was established sooner in the song, I foresee this incoherence problem being prevented. Or, as mentioned as well, if the two vocal styles were able to relate directly this would be another potential solution. If Leo’s singing at the chorus, for example, was slightly rougher and focused on intensity so that it would match Ravi’s rapping style, there could have been a clear connection there. The opposite holds as well: if Leo’s softer, graceful singing is to be kept, then Ravi’s rapping could have followed a softer demeanor to match. Overall, without having an aspect that relates the two’s rapping and singing, it leaves “Whisper” sounding divided. In these duo situations of blending in rapping and singing, I find that Mad Clown’s and Soyou’s duo song of “Stupid in Love” provides a strong example of balancing the two different vocal performances. In “Stupid in Love,” Mad Clown’s rapping is definitely of a faster and more intense style. However, Soyou’s singing style still matches due to an instrumental that remained consistent and how, even if her pacing is slower, her own vocals were kept in a more direct, rough manner versus being airy and soft.

All in all, if not for this lack of cohesion in the song, I would predict “Whisper” excelling due to not only having solid rapping and singing, but also due to a powerful chemistry between those two aspects. As it stands, though, that is not the case. Without that cohesion—that sense of connecting the song into smooth, single piece—it does not matter how brilliant the rapping or singing are. Fans should definitely still enjoy the song for its “chill” style, but in terms of discussing the composers’ decisions and analyzing the song in this critical manner, I argue “Whisper” is a relatively weaker song—or at least, it lost a lot of its potential. Of course, however, disagreements can and should occur—this is why I write reviews, after all. For discussions. For creating a space where fans can critically and maturely discuss why they believe a song is strong or weak. And, in the end, “Whisper” still manages to hold onto a five—a rating that indicates that, overall, the song is not exactly bad, but neither is it necessarily good.

_______________________________________________________

Whether this was a smart decision or not, I decided to use some of my usual “homework time” to instead write this review—but, I find that this was a worthy decision. Sunmi’s “Gashina” should be finished soon, and afterwards, I will see if I can realistically end October with two more reviews. Six posts has been my goal and I intend to keep it that way, but perhaps four might be more plausible for the next few months.

Once again I apologize to requesters and readers for the lack of content, but I do greatly appreciate any time given towards this blog. Until then, look forward to—hopefully—October ending with Sunmi’s “Gashina” and “[w]hisper to me” that I need to fix my work habits.

[atrocitycl]

GFriend - “Love Whisper” Review

(Music Video) / (Dance Practice)

GFriend – Love Whisper

Reviewed on September 23, 2017

While I do agree with many that this song is worth praising, I still find that there are some questionable aspects. Specifically, while many are praising the choruses in “Love Whisper,” I will challenge that point by arguing that, as beneficial as the choruses are, there are some downsides to them that fans have not necessarily discussed.  

Personal Message: I sincerely apologize to readers for not posting any reviews in twenty days or so. Moreover, to those who have requested reviews, I do apologize for not getting to those requests directly and am instead reviewing another song. The reason behind this is that, truthfully, I have yet to analyze those requested songs. I have, on the other hand, done all the analytical work for “Love Whisper” and merely need to write the review—hence why this review is prioritized ahead of requests when that is never the case. Thankfully, once this review is finished, I will promptly work on the requested reviews and hope to finish them both by next week. (I also have another bonus drama review in mind after a friend recommended another one to watch.) As for my absence, I have been incredibly busy with university work. On the positive side, however, with reviews being fairly more concise than usual and that I am still attempting to make my writing more concise (this is where my writing is oftentimes rightfully critiqued), I find that reviews will resume a normal schedule soon.

Onto this review, “Love Whisper” is GFriend’s latest comeback—though they have released an extended, different title track as of a few days ago. But, in a technical sense, I still consider “Love Whisper” their main comeback and a relevant one. Many fans and listeners have been praising this song—musically for Yuju’s part in the choruses, but also that conceptually GFriend has returned to their “standard sound.” (And for context, their prior comeback, “Fingertip,” was a different concept—both stylistically and musically.) While I do agree with many that this song is worth praising, I still find that there are some questionable aspects. Specifically, while many are praising the choruses in “Love Whisper,” I will challenge that point by arguing that, as beneficial as the choruses are, there are some downsides to them that fans have not necessarily discussed.  

_______________________________________________________

Song Score: 7/10 (6.50/10 raw score) - “Above average”

- Vocals: 6/10

- Sections: 7/10 (6.67/10 raw score)

Introduction, Verse, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Verse, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Bridge, Chorus, Conclusion

1.     Introduction: 6/10

2.     Verse: 6/10

3.     Pre-Chorus: 6/10

4.     Chorus: 8/10

5.     Bridge: 7/10

6.     Conclusion: 7/10

- Instrumental: 7/10

- Lyrics: 6/10

I can’t express my heart Like the nice breeze and the song we listened to together I feel good, especially today

Under the dazzling and clear sky On a day where sweat beads fall We’re holding hands and walking on top of the messy flower road I’m with you

I can hear it from anywhere if I listen When I open my ears to the trust you have in me Like your eyes that twinkle A precious story, I'll tell you Open your ears Our unforgettable voices and stories that are filled with my heart for you, flutter like a dream

Today was another gorgeous day I keep thinking about you all day I want to tell you--who is so kind I will send my heart on a cloud and tell you

A heart fluttering moment When rain drops fell without warning We held hands and ran on top of the messy flower road I’m with you

I can hear it from anywhere if I listen When I open my ears to the trust you have in me Like your eyes that twinkle A precious story, I'll tell you Open your ears Our unforgettable voices and stories that are filled with my heart for you, flutter like a dream

I will tell you more today I’ll gather my heart and fill it up [Instrumental break] I can feel you When I close my eyes, when I open my ears, I feel the trust you have in me

Like your eyes that twinkle A precious story, I’ll tell you Open your ears Our unforgettable voices, filled with my heart for you, flutter like a dream

_______________________________________________________

Analysis: First, though, let us discuss why many have been praising the song. Focusing on the chorus as this section will be our core topic, I do admit this section has been one of the best I have heard recently and even in general. The most appealing factor to it, I argue, is how the chorus functions in two differently ways: as a transitional build up, but also as a typical, climaxing point. With the first reason, listeners can note that the choruses begin with unison singing and the instrumental taking a heightened, amplified stance. Sonically this does not bring anything particularly important, but structurally this almost creates a pre-chorus within the chorus itself; in other words, the choruses start off by creating even more hype and excitement in addition to the actual pre-choruses. Thus, when the second half hits, the choruses become even more mesmerizing. Yuju’s vocal belting now appears to be even more satisfying given that the song finally reaches an actual, musical climax and furthermore, with every other section focusing more on building up and less on aural appeal, Yuju’s singing in contrast seems even more tuneful and engaging.

Now in a more general sense, there are also other praises to the song’s composition. For example, listeners should also admire that a majority if not every sound at play tends to complement other sounds. Drawing on a concrete example, let us discuss the drums. Rather than opting for drums and beats that hit harder and sound deeper, many of the beats in “Love Whisper” carry a tap-like, softer sound. This, however, is a brilliant decision by the composers as the beats now easily mesh with GFriend’s vocal style in the song—specifically, that of being gentler and higher pitched. This is also potentially why the bass line functions as it currently does: it is discreet throughout the song, only poking out in the spotlight during the pre-choruses. Elaborating on what I mean, given that “Love Whisper” is, overall, a lighter, softer, and higher pitched song, any deeper sounds utilized—such as the bass—are kept down and hidden in order to preserve that key, signature sound the song has established.

Nevertheless, as mentioned earlier, “Love Whisper” is not without its flaw. Namely, the choruses that are seemingly perfect are, ironically, the song’s biggest flaw—in an indirect sense, that is. I find that the song overly relied on its choruses. For one, every section but the choruses are plain in both structure and sound. The verses and pre-choruses, for example, merely progress the song along but do not quite contribute anything in a musical sense. This is why the singing in all the other sections is simpler and lacks the type of tuneful depth that Yuju shows off in the choruses. Even the choruses’ first half is not exempt: this part merely functions on a structural level as the unison singing merely indicates that there is an upcoming climax, but in of itself the unison singing does not allure listeners. All in all, then, the point is this: “Love Whisper” thrives almost solely off the choruses’ second half, the half where Yuju’s intensive, complex and tuneful lines come into action. Everything else in the song merely builds up to that point or attempts to accelerate the song in that direction, and that is what troubles me. Unlike songs where the choruses are the highlight and yet, every section still carries prominent weight, I personally find that the composers emphasized the choruses excessively to the point that everything but the choruses is dull.

But, in the end, perhaps the choruses’ glory is in fact due to the other sections purposefully being tamer in comparison. I find that this is not the only option and that one can make an incredible, capturing chorus without having to sacrifice other sections. Nonetheless, “Love Whisper” is still a fantastic song. Although the other sections are more plain in comparison, they still function decently and are not genuinely lacking; the issue is that “Love Whisper” could have been even better than it currently is—but as seen, it still is a solidly composed song.

_______________________________________________________

This actually might be the shortest review I have ever written, but it might also be the first time where I managed to get my ideas across without excessive, unnecessary details and without being too scarce in explanations. I am excited if this is the case as I can definitely resume a more reliable reviewing schedule if all reviews can be this brief yet argumentative.

VIXX LR’s and Sunmi’s latest songs have been requested, and I will finish them by next week. Once again, I apologize to requesters and readers for not being more active with reviews, but I do appreciate the understanding—and of course, for this review, whether one reads or skims it. Look forward to more reviews to come and until then, “I feel the trust you have in me” to be more dedicated with my studies so that I have time to keep up with reviews. Look forward to VIXX LR’s “Whisper” as the next review.

[atrocitycl]

Please review Sunmi - Gashina

Hello. I will certainly be reviewing this song once I am done with another request. Thank you for sending this in and I will hopefully be able to review this song--and others--around this week.

Also as a note to all readers, apologies for the lack of content lately. I am incredibly busy but, I plan to review multiple songs this week as a way of catching up. 

[atrocitycl]

Hello. This is Afaaf from Maldives. Could you review VIXX LR's Whisper. VIXX is my favourite Kpop group and i would love to read your detailed review of the sub unit song. You mentioned on your latest post that you are very busy with Uni. As a college grad i know how hectic it can be. Make sure to take lots of breaks and get enough sleep. That's my advice. Haha! Thanks in advance.

Hello Afaaf. Thank you for sending this in. Although I am, as you have mentioned, quite busy these days, I will definitely start working on VIXX LR’s “Whisper” as the next review. I have started partially listening to the song, and I think it will definitely bring an interesting review--or so I hope. Furthermore, thank you for those tips: now that I think of it, I have been neglecting breaks and getting enough sleep due to how much work there has been. 

Look forward to the review to come out in a week or so; I am too booked this weekend to work on reviews but I expect next week to be far more free. (And, for other news, I am also planning on reviewing a Taiwanese Pop song after this request for those who are wondering where September will take us.) Thank you once again for sending this in, and likewise, stay healthy as well.

[atrocitycl]

Drama Review - “Fight My Way”

(Official Trailer 2)

Lee Najeong (Director) – Fight My Way

Reviewed on September 3, 2017

I highly recommend this drama. While it is not perfect at all and does contain—in my argument—certain, significant flaws, I find that this drama is still one of the best I have ever seen. Furthermore, as I will focus on in this review, this drama’s main strength lies in how it is incredibly versatile and this reason is, perhaps, why the drama was incredibly popular—both in South Korea and even elsewhere. After all, Fight My Way arguably flourishes in the two main aspects of dramas: it appeals to a wide audience; and, it contains solid theatrical features in order to maintain said wide audience.

Personal Message: Edit: As one can tell, I intended to post this review far sooner. I am incredibly busy with university, so I hope for readers to be understanding with the lack of content lately. It has been two weeks since the prior post, but I will sincerely attempt to still be active with this blog despite how hectic my university schedule is. In fact, just finishing this review was incredibly fun and rewarding and it is moments such as these that I regret not writing every day.

Apologies for the lack of content. University has indeed started as of this sentence and thus, I will be busy with upcoming classes. I expect this semester to be by far the busiest, but I will do my best to post around six or so reviews per month. I also will still try to catch up on other reviews from the summer that I have not reviewed: GFRIEND’s “Love Whisper” and Blackpink’s “As If It’s Your Last.” But, considering there are recent comebacks that might be more relevant to review such as PRISTIN’s “We Like,” those mentioned reviews might have to unfortunately be skipped.

Regarding this review, this will be a “bonus” review: a review that still attempts to bring critical, thoughtful discussion but one that will ultimately be hindered by lack of experience. Therefore, readers should feel free to openly challenge this review’s take to the drama or at least interpret the review lightly. After all, while I do enjoy watching dramas from time to time, I am exceptionally inexperienced with the theatrical aspects that are involved. Lastly, for the remaining clarification needed, while it should be noted that there are many to praise and credit for the production of a drama, in this review I will explicitly credit and oftentimes refer to Lee Najeong—the director of Fight My Way. I have decided on doing this as, if I am correct, the directors are the ones in charge of directly guiding how each scene appears in the drama—this being akin to, say, an author of a novel. As a result, she will be who I explicitly credit but of course, in the overall scheme of creating a drama, I hope to remind readers that all staff members deserve credit.

With all of that, let us head into the review for Fight My Way.

_______________________________________________________

Recommendation: I highly recommend this drama. While it is not perfect at all and does contain—in my argument—certain, significant flaws, I find that this drama is still one of the best I have ever seen. Furthermore, as I will focus on in this review, this drama’s main strength lies in how it is incredibly versatile and this reason is, perhaps, why the drama was incredibly popular—both in South Korea and even elsewhere. After all, Fight My Way arguably flourishes in the two main aspects of dramas: it appeals to a wide audience; and, it contains solid theatrical features in order to maintain said wide audience.

Plot Summary: Summarizing this drama is a bit difficult. Overall, Fight My Way focuses on four main characters: Aera, Dongman, Seolhee, and Jooman. Rather than a singular event being the driving force of the plot, this drama differs in that it is solely minor events that move the plot. For example, the drama might focus on how Aera and Dongman are developing romantic feelings towards each other and the comedy that such brings, or it might opt for a more serious route with showcasing how the two—and even Seolhee and Jooman—constantly face failures with their careers. Ultimately, what can be most appreciated is how relatively tame the plot is and yet how deep and impacting it can be upon viewers; it truly is a drama that addresses “life” in of itself—though in a comedic, romantic, and serious manner.

_______________________________________________________

Analysis: One distinct aspect to the drama, and perhaps its strongest point, is how it manages to capture a wide audience. This is a surprising point given the typical trends of dramas: targeting a specific audience and then complying with that very audience’s desires. However, with Fight My Way, despite the drama being explicitly labeled as a romantic-comedy, Lee Najeong’s directing is not limited to fulfilling the ideas such a genre encompasses. Without spoiling too much about the drama—hopefully, that is—let us home in on a scene that perhaps best illuminates Lee Najeong’s and the drama’s versatility with genres. (I will be vague so as to not spoil moments.)

During one specific scene and episode, we find that Aera fails to acquire a certain job role due to unjust decisions. In her defeated state, she ends up running into Dongman. Fast forwarding, we find the two sitting together on a bench as Aera eventually reveals that she did not in fact get the job. After Dongman’s insightful, lingering quote of how, in summary, pretending to be fine and refusing to cry are not “cool acts,” Aera finally sheds tears—though, comically, she mentions that if anyone sees her cry, Dongman will become her murdered victim. And, for the remaining details, as avid drama watchers might predict, Dongman indeed shields Aera with his jacket before finally pulling her head into his chest for her to cry into.

Now, for what makes this scene so momentous, it is due to how well the director balances various tones and even genres if we dare go that far. Simplistically, the director could have opted to focus on one specific tone and flesh it out—a simple example being heavily emphasizing the romantic aspects to this scene. But, instead, Lee Najeong includes the three main points to the drama: seriousness, comedy, and romance. With the serious take to this scene, for example, Aera’s depicted situation is far from merely being “only in dramas”; her being rejected of that dream job had a lot of social commentary if we dare analyze Fight My Way in this lens. For what occurred, Aera lacked—or more accurately, lacks—“social capital”; she is not young nor deemed pretty, she lacks formal education via college degrees, and she lacks “experience.” The most upsetting aspect, though, is that she is skilled and has the passion and work ethics. Sadly, none of those traits matter when her overall social capital does not suffice—“capital” that is hard for a lower-classed individual to have due to their circumstances.

And so for what this reveals, Fight My Way despite being a romantic-comedy does at times become incredibly solemn—a feature that not only helps balance out the drama, but is one that attracts viewers who otherwise would be repelled away by excessive romance and comedy. Likewise, though, the director still accommodates for those who are watching primarily for the romance and comedy—such as, admittedly, in my case. Quite clearly, those aspects are also fulfilled within this very episode and scene given Aera’s remark of threatening Dongman’s life to maintain her tough persona and how Dongman does very sweetly hold her close and comforts her. All in all, this versatility is arguably why the drama does well in terms of having a very broad yet loyal audience: it simply captures the spectrum of viewers who care more for serious aspects such as social commentary (be it gender or class as the drama tended to focus on), but also for viewers who merely want to gush over the romance.

Moving on to focusing on the drama in a theatrical sense, we will transition to this point as while we understand why the audience is broad, we now need to understand why that very audience remains loyal to watching the drama. The answer, then, is we need to focus on how the drama plays out in a technical, theatrical sense.

For what initially caught my attention and perhaps many other viewers, Fight My Way’s aesthetic appeal—this ranges from the overall setting to as specific as what the actresses and actors wear—entirely goes against the average drama: it is humble. In fact, even Park Seojoon, the actor who portrays Dongman, addresses this point and embraces it as he finds that this allows the drama to focus less on sheer visual appeal and more on the actual acting that occurs. But even without the added bonus of the acting having a greater presence, there is another benefit to the drama’s lack of exquisite fashion or a setting that is luxurious: the drama unveils the beauty of “normal”—that there is, indeed, beauty to sceneries that would seldom exist in dramas. From simple t-shirts and sweatpants to smaller apartments to a roughly established rooftop hangout spot, Fight My Way boldly challenges the way many other dramas utilize their settings. In many cases, gorgeous settings are used to help viewers escape reality but with this drama, Lee Najeong seems to want viewers to see reality—to see that their own lives, to certain degrees, are reflected in the drama.

For another theatrical aspect that I do wish to cover, as with any drama, we definitely need to spend time covering the acting—the skill that brings dramas to life akin to vocalists bringing a song to life. Regarding the acting, as stale as the following will sound, I find that the actresses and actors have all done an excellent job. There were minimal—if at all any—moments where I found the acting to be far too exaggerated or simply unfitting. To perhaps best explain why the acting is quite impressive, I think we ought to look not at emotional scenes—scenes that typically are used to gauge acting—but rather we need to look at comical scenes. After all, emotional scenes are easily manipulated beyond just acting: music; mere empathy; tears on everyone; and so forth. In other words, I find that it requires much more acting to make someone laugh versus to make them cry and hence why I believe that focusing on comical scenes is important if we are to gauge the acting.

Once again to prevent spoilers, I will be extremely vague but I do wish to refer to a certain scene. There is a time where Dongman finds that Aera is dating someone, and in short, much laughter is to come. Most impressively, though, is that the humor has less to do with witty scriptwriting and more with Park Seojoon’s performance (and, of course, Lee Najeong’s directing). Through purely facial expressions for example, viewers are able to gather many details: that Dongman’s world has shattered. It is through his horrified look that viewers not only get basic comedy out of such, but it is also when viewers could start piecing together that, perhaps, Dongman does have a crush on Aera and thus we are able to laugh at Dongman’s regrets and poor decisions of being mean to Aera. Similar types of acting-based comedic scenes also occur—a notable one being when Dongman begins to finally notice how Aera is attractive to him and seems to be struggling for breath as he wonders why her legs are now pretty despite, quite obviously, Aera’s leg never physically changed at all. (And, this is even more comedic when we factor in how, in many prior episodes, Dongman was extremely repulsed at having to touch Aera’s hair.)

(That said, for a serious moment and digression, readers who know what scene I am referring to might have found it disturbing—and that is not due to sexual undertones as that was not there. Rather, I refer to Dongman controlling Aera’s fashion. In terms of what viewers need to understand, this is where viewers need to be aware of cultural context—that, indeed, Dongman’s act was less of being oppressive and more of protecting, though that can and should be openly challenged or even defended depending on one’s argument. Nevertheless, it is worth bearing in mind why such a very stereotypical drama romance scene was used there, and of course that it added the comedic element of, as explained, Dongman acting as if Aera’s leg had suddenly changed.

Ultimately, how viewers interpret that scene is up to individual ideas: one can find it disturbing and offensive and rightfully so, but equally one has to bear in mind different cultural takes and how the “fashion control” that occurs is, in the appropriate cultural context, less about a man controlling a woman and more as merely “protecting” an individual. And, overall, I hope this single scene does not entirely detract from the drama’s otherwise very positive messages about gender equality and feminism—after all, both Aera’s and Seolhee’s depicted characters offer the most balanced perspective one could ask for and I admire the drama for offering what I argue is true feminism: that a woman should behave how she wants. Aera’s character presents the typical “strong woman” that many appreciate and love when it comes instantly thinking of feminism, but Seolhee’s character also presents the side that is oftentimes forgotten: that there is nothing wrong with desiring to be a stay-at-home-Mom and that her main dream in life is “to be a mother”—though I have now arguably just spoiled a very powerful line from her as viewers who watch the drama will see. Without this tangent getting any further, I simply wish to end it with the drama’s message about feminism: that it is not just only about a “strong woman” like Aera; feminism also means giving a voice to women who do not want to be like Aera but instead are more like Seolhee. And, before men are dismissed, much is also to be appreciated for the drama showcasing that a man crying, being emotional, and showing moments of weakness is, as Dongman would say, in fact “cool.”)

On topic, now that we have covered many reasons for why the drama is a stronger one, I unfortunately cannot end the review here. I recommend Fight My Way and will claim it is by far one of the best dramas I have seen, but it would be erroneous to claim it was objectively the best. It does have, as any drama does, many flaws—some of which, I will argue, are too significant to ignore.

One prominent problem that the drama struggles to handle is that towards the last four or so episodes, the drama’s tone and genre versatility disappear. Suddenly, Lee Najeong’s impressive directing where there is a balance of seriousness, romance, and comedy becomes predominantly just serious. Much of the comedic aspects are lost, and given how central humor is in the drama, having it entirely put aside—while understandable as the drama is attempting to conclude neatly—leaves a noticeable void. Likewise, many of the romantic scenes are lost—though if heartbreak counts, then perhaps “romance” in a distorted sense does still remain. (And readers should watch the drama to understand this supposed “heartbreak” that occurs towards the last episodes. Before readers claim I spoiled the ending, I will say that is far more complicated.)

Even so, while one could indeed dismiss the prior point, I find that what ultimately prevents me from claiming that Fight My Way is the best drama is due to poor character developments that occur for non-lead characters. Many supporting characters are simply far too one-dimensional, and this does hinder the plot and complexity of the drama. One key example is Hyeran, Dongman’s ex-girlfriend. Her character exists to cause tensions between Aera and Dongman but, the infuriating part is Hyeran lacks reasoning for her heinous acts. The drama, in essence, simply did not develop her character enough for there to be understandable reasons—or at least, I personally do not count “Hyeran became divorced and now wants to go back to her first option: Dongman” as a thoroughly developed character. It would have been far more interesting as a character and plot if, for example, Hyeran was actually a typical, well-behaved human and that she had a deeper past with Dongman. Instead of relentlessly and disturbingly chasing Dongman after being divorced, what if the two were previously in a very respectful and close relationship and ended on good terms and that she now wonders if they could get back together? This route not only prevents Hyeran from being a superficial character, but it also suits with the drama’s realistic style and causes conflicts not due to, essentially, being stalked but because Dongman has feelings he needs to address if he is to understand how he truly feels about Aera. Other characters such as Moobin are also one-dimensional and positioned as antagonists merely for the sake of having antagonists. Rather than relying on generic, binary characters of “good versus evil,” the drama would have been more appealing by having actions that are centered as moral dilemmas rather than the characters themselves. A good example of what I mean is if we look at one of our leads, Jooman: a man whose heart is, without doubt, full of love and helping others. The “evil” that exists, then, is whether too much kindness can ironically become bad.

In Jooman’s case, I argue he was an example of excellent character development and of straying away from the generic, “good versus evil” archetype. For his situation, his kindness with a new co-worker, Yejin, has led to some misunderstanding with Seolhee, his partner—more so as Yejin begins developing feelings for Jooman and is unaware of his relationship with Seolhee (or at least initially). Certainly Jooman never did anything inappropriate with Yejin at all, but as Aera presented, the problem was not focused on that: “It doesn’t matter if you didn’t sleep (have sex) with her or not.” The problem was Jooman constantly lied to Seolhee when helping Yejin as he did not wish to cause mistrust or create suspicion of an affair that did not exist. Now of course, Jooman’s true mistake was simply the lack of open communications and being truthful, but if it took a lie of how he was meeting his friends in order to get an incredibly intoxicated Yejin home safely, Jooman valued doing “what was right” even if it meant having to lie to Seolhee. The main takeaway, overall, is that Jooman’s character presents a situation where he is innately a good person and yet it is his actions that prove complex. He never intended to betray Seolhee’s trust but, in difficult circumstances of wondering what is ethically right—of caring for the safety of a co-worker at the cost of having to lie—we find a character who does away with the typical “good versus evil” setup that Moobin and Hyeran and other character rely on. This level of depth in characters—even for the supporting ones—would have made the drama far more insightful and pleasing. As it stands, many non-lead characters are simply far too one-dimensional and lack convincing, realistic reasons for what we would perceive as inappropriate and cruel behavior.

In the end, I still find Fight My Way to be an incredible drama and the best I have seen. I recommend it to both those familiar with Korean dramas or for those who might be watching one for the first time. Assuming one can overlook poor character development in supporting characters and how the drama becomes excessively serious towards the final episodes, Fight My Way is easily one of the better dramas produced. For me, I personally came for the romance—and rightfully, bawled so much at the most climactic kiss scene I have yet to witness—but ended up very much embracing its serious aspects and social commentary about class and gender and even other aspects such as family. Dongman’s relationship with his father, for example, mirrored my own life: while my father and I are at times somewhat distant, we still do express our love. A particular scene that I heavily related to was despite Dongman and his father having a hefty argument, in the end both left each other gifts and realized they both are the same—and comically, Dongman’s father questioned where Dongman gets his behavior. And of course, there is always the romantic aspect to delight in—though for me, love is still distant. That said, I also feel similar to Dongman with developing a crush for someone but this is definitely far too embarrassing to elaborate on. All in all, as Fight My Way has proven, it truly is a drama about “life” and thus, many readers would most likely find it a worthy drama to watch.

_______________________________________________________

Apologies for the lack of content for the past two weeks. University is incredibly busy, and with other technical tasks I need to handle—scholarships, working as a writing tutor soon, and so on—it has become hard to find time to write reviews. Given that this review is, despite being a “bonus,” is exceptionally lengthy, the next post will come in a week or so. Song reviews will come as usual, but I ask for readers’ understanding and patience—and likewise, for those waiting for Fiestar subtitled videos.

Until then, look forward to usual song reviews and as always, thank you so much for reading or skimming this review.

[atrocitycl]

G-Reyish - “Johnny Go Go” Review

(Music Video) / (Dance Practice)

G-Reyish – Johnny Go Go

Reviewed on August 17, 2017

And so, for where this review will be going, I hope to provide a more respectful and thoughtful argument as to why “Johnny Go Go” is a weaker song. After all, using the idea of “copying concepts” to claim that “Johnny Go Go” is a bad song would be akin to me arguing that my reviews are terrible because the blog is not aesthetically pleasing.

Personal Message: To the requester, I greatly apologize for the delays. Also, I did receive the follow-up message you sent and to that: thank you for the kind words and, there was no need to apologize for forgetting to leave a “thank you” with the initial request message. Nevertheless, I greatly admire how respectful and polite you are and although I did not quite directly reply to the follow-up message until now via this review, it was very heartwarming to read. Thank you being incredibly sweet.

Now regarding once again the reasons for such a delay, I have unfortunately fallen into one of the deepest holes known to humankind: dramas. Specifically, I have found myself hooked to a relatively new Korean drama and indeed, I plan to at least write a short bonus review on it. It is perhaps the best drama I have ever watched and is a rather versatile one in regards to both plot and theatre aspects. (To clarify, the latter, in my case, is referring to the acting and camerawork.) That said, there are still some significant flaws I have found to this drama, but I will hold off on revealing more—and even the drama’s title—as I hope the review will cover those points. (And yes: I did cry at a certain scene—but rather than the usual, emotional and saddening ones that oftentimes make me cry, I cried due to the scene being incredibly wholesome and endearing.)

On topic with this requested review, this song did prove to be one of the most challenging to review and that is not due to its composition per se; what made reviewing this song quite difficult is I had to decide between if certain aspects of the song were due to the production or the composition itself. In other words, based on the music video’s audio and other YouTube videos that claim to be the official audio, it should be noted that the instrumental to the sound is rather muffled. Now why this matters—and again to tie back into “production versus composition”—is that it would greatly affect the song’s ratings. If the lower quality, muffled instrumental is due to the production stage being faulty—the stage where the song is physically put together via recording takes and computer usage—then I will pardon the instrumental. After all, my reviews focus less on the physical production and more on the theoretical aspect—the composition itself. A song’s composition (to my understanding at least) is when we can focus on asking why; why does the song use a certain sound and pattern here? It is where we can speculate and discuss certain effects and strategies versus merely if the song’s physical quality is satisfying. A simple example of this situation is with Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun’s “Don’t Say No”: her music video’s audio had an instrumental that “sunk,” but in official audios, the instrumental was completely crisp and clean and thus, the latter would be the appropriate song to critique.

Relating this to G-Reyish’s situation, however, we come to an uncomfortable finding: supposed official audios still have the muddled instrumental. And so, I was put in a dilemma of deciding if the instrumental was indeed to be considered merely poorly produced or if this was its intended sound—and, if it was truly intentional, then how would such factor for the song. Readers might understandably be upset, but I will suspect that the instrumental is purposefully to sound as it is—and there are reasons for arguing why the composers would want the instrumental to sound muddled.

With those technical points clarified, let us focus on the review. Interestingly, a noticeable amount of listeners seem to dislike the song—and in fact, we can visually see this via YouTube dislikes on G-Reyish’s music video and live performances (if I recall correctly). What is troubling, however, is that many listeners being repelled are not drawn away due to the song itself: many merely dislike “Johnny Go Go” due to it being supposedly similar to T-ARA’s earlier, disco concepts. (For readers who are unfamiliar: T-ARA, now disbanded if correct, initially entered the K-Pop scene with disco-based pop songs such as with “Lovey-Dovey” and “Roly Poly.”) And so, for where this review will be going, I hope to provide a more respectful and thoughtful argument as to why “Johnny Go Go” is a weaker song. After all, using the idea of “copying concepts” to claim that “Johnny Go Go” is a bad song would be akin to me arguing that my reviews are terrible because the blog is not aesthetically pleasing. This is problematic because, as I hope this example demonstrates, the only proper way to claim my reviews are horrendous (which is not far from the truth) is if we actually critique the reviews themselves—the writing and analysis—rather than something that is completely. Therefore, I hope to do the same for “Johnny Go Go”: I will focus on and critique the song itself; the song’s disco genre and concept are completely irrelevant—barring perhaps situations where the concepts might explain certain decision making reflected in the song itself.

_______________________________________________________

Song Score: 3/10 (3.00/10 raw score) - “Below average”

- Vocals: 2/10

- Sections: 3/10 (3.17/10 raw score)

Introduction, Verse, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Verse, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Bridge, Chorus, Conclusion (Chorus)

1.     Introduction: 4/10

2.     Verse: 4/10

3.     Pre-Chorus: 4/10

4.     Chorus: 3/10

5.     Bridge: 2/10

6.     Conclusion (Chorus): 2/10

- Instrumental: 3/10

- Lyrics: 4/10

Woo woo woo woo (A-yo) (She's comin' at ya) (Introduce, G-Reyish) (Let's go)

I fell for you at first sight My cheeks turn red What do I do? The moment I saw you, my heart was electrified I do not know what to do

I'm afraid you'll run away I'm afraid you'll disappear You keep looking at me Oh my, I don't know what to do I keep liking you more I can only see your eyes Come play with me tonight

Hey mister Johnny Go, Johnny Go D-D-D-DJ go You'll start to like me, oh whoa Johnny Go, Johnny Go D-D-D-DJ go Oh I'm going to tell you Love for you Ba babababa, barababa baba Woo woo woo, woo Ba babababa, barababa baba Woo woo woo, woo

You shot me a look I'm shaking Why am I being like this? Whenever I look at you, my heart starts pounding I get so dizzy

I'm nervous that you'll come closer I turn red and breathless You keep looking my way Oh my, I don't know what to do I keep liking you more I can only see your eyes Come play with me tonight

Hey mister Johnny Go, Johnny Go D-D-D-DJ go You'll start to like me, oh whoa Johnny Go, Johnny Go D-D-D-DJ go Oh I'm going to tell you Love for you

(Make the volume louder, So I can move to the rhythm) (Turn the lights up) You ready? Get set, go

Hey mister Johnny Go, Johnny Go D-D-D-DJ go You'll start to like me, oh whoa Johnny Go, Johnny Go D-D-D-DJ go Oh I'm going to tell you Love for you

Johnny Go, Johnny Go D-D-D-DJ go (Now time's up G-Reyish) (One more time say: "G-Reyish") Johnny Go, Johnny Go D-D-D-DJ go Oh I'm going to tell you Love for you Ba babababa, barababa baba Woo woo woo, woo Ba babababa, barababa baba Woo woo woo, woo

_______________________________________________________

Analysis: Already, one troublesome aspect to the song is how generic and plain its sound is on all levels—both vocals and instrumental. Harshly stated, the vocals in the song focus less on tune appeal and seem to instead focus more towards being suitable to the song’s displayed concept—that of being cheery and cute. While understandably this occurs as superficial elements—the emotional and visual artistic appeal—are in fact key components in pop music, there is a point in which overly emphasizing those features could be at the expense of actual music appeal. Not surprisingly, that is exactly what occurs. In “Johnny Go Go,” the vocals are incredibly stagnant as a result: we hear exaggerated cheerful, higher pitched vocals without any change. For example, the vocals never extend to lower ranges or even change stylistically. The result is merely hearing the same vocal sounds and having to hear it in a chant-like manner as there are no moments where the singing includes beltings or is slowed or hastened. Certainly vocal variety in of itself is not essential—in fact, “variety” in a general sense in songs is never necessary per se—but indeed having variety drastically helps. There is only so much appeal that can be gleaned, after all, from hearing singing that flows and sounds the same from the very start and to the very end of the song.

As for the instrumental, the same can be said as it relies on usual, fast beats to create an upbeat style to the song. The main issue, however, is that the instrumental itself also fails to add variety—this we can hear from how, despite the song following the typical pop structure of going from verse to pre-chorus to chorus, the instrumental remains relatively similarly throughout. Furthermore, what also greatly hinders the song is when we consider how the instrumental is muddled and more specifically, how it fails to utilize its bass sounds. Now, as stated earlier, it can be understood on why this occurs—if, again, this muddled sound is indeed intentional and not due to production errors. Given how the vocals remain at a higher pitched and is following the same rhythm throughout and never significantly changing, having an instrumental that sounds muddled allows it to easily mesh with the singing. Should the instrumental have contained powerful bass sounds and beats instead of the current sound where those said aspects are kept down and limited, it would potentially create a sharp disparity between the instrumental and vocals. Indeed, while I argue the song is ultimately not aurally pleasing, I will still acknowledge and credit the composers for having the song be organized and easily connected—both in sections and with how the instrumental and vocal complement each other. Nevertheless, with an instrumental that lacks sharp, clear sounds and how the vocals are already uninteresting, this combination becomes far from admirable.

All in all, the disco-pop genre is one that can work. Although the following comparison might not help at all with the general public’s criticism towards “Johnny Go Go,” T-ARA’s disco-based songs, while I would hesitate to call them solid in any sense (now that I am more experienced with reviewing K-Pop songs), they do provide examples of aspects that can work. For example, in “Lovey-Dovey,” ignoring how the vocals would easily land a two as in this review, the song contains far more variety and more importantly, the song’s sections all held an important role. For “Johnny Go Go,” the song almost lacked a direction: the climactic points were minimal in contrast to other sections and the build-up was far too predictable and generic—to name a few examples. In “Lovey-Dovey,” each section provided the song a specific outcome and even within those sections, there were unique aspects included so as to prevent being another, typical pop song. For example, the choruses in T-ARA’s song might include the typical, filler “catchy” lines that are quickly sung, but it includes contrast from lines that are noticeable different and more strenuous. Ultimately, then, it meant that “Lovey-Dovey” ‘s choruses—even if not too impressive—were at least more than a simple, generic chorus that merely runs its course without introducing aspects that can be paid attention to. That said, “Lovey-Dovey” would also poorly hold up in a review but it does provide some insight on what would have benefitted the composers for “Johnny Go Go,” and of course I hope readers do not misunderstand this point and interpret it as justification to further bash G-Reyish on the basis of T-ARA’s music. A song “being better” is already a subjective claim but more importantly, setting up musical conflicts never benefits anyone whether it is fans, artists, composers, or producers.

G-Reyish’s “Johnny Go Go” might have disappointed me, but I do hope future composers (or future songs if the same composers are kept) continually improve. Likewise, I hope G-Reyish do manage to hold onto their disco-pop music genre if that is indeed what their group has as their stylistic preferences. What I personally would be interested in is if G-Reyish and their composers could perhaps one day release a song that is distinguishable as disco-pop but, if they could somehow do away with the vocals needing to be as rigid and plain as it is in “Johnny Go Go”—vocals that are excessively high pitched and lacking in variety. In other words, it would be very creative and most likely aurally pleasing if the ladies delivered more natural, flexible vocals all while still having the upbeat, electronic-based instrumental of disco-pop accompanying that said singing. (And of course, there are times for higher pitched, rigid singing—or if we have to use this term, that of “cutesy vocals.” TWICE’s “Knock Knock” is the best example of those types of vocals being functional and extremely effectively, though it should be noted that those “cutesy vocals” mostly work because of the contrast from more strenuous, tuneful vocal beltings.)

_______________________________________________________

To the requester, once again thank you for being incredibly patient and for everyone reading: recall that reviews are to begin discussions and are not to be used as forms of personally attacking artists and composers. For example, the composers of “Johnny Go Go” are not pathetic or stupid at all; in fact, the composers are indeed musical geniuses and hence why they are composers in the first place. They had a certain goal in mind when creating the song, but I personally just happen to disagree with their goal and have reasons for such—reasons that can be easily challenged and proven wrong. Likewise, G-Reyish should never be attacked for “copying T-ARA” as claiming such is rather pointless; after all, every K-Pop artist copies another due to the limits of “concepts.” And, more importantly, the ladies should not be personally attacked for their vocal abilities. Their singing in this song needs to be kept in that appropriate context; in this song, their vocal delivery happens to be poor but that does not mean their vocal skills are poor. Overall, I hope despite this review potentially being quite harsh, that it is used and interpreted in a constructive, mature and thoughtful manner. I encourage fans and readers to disagree or to agree; what matters is that listeners are critically engaging and are not merely disliking G-Reyish’s song due to its sheer concept.

With all those clarifications aside, thank you to everyone for reading or even skimming this review. I greatly appreciate it all. Regarding upcoming reviews, I have two bonus show reviews: one is a drama and another is about making a drama (Idol Drama Operation Team)—though with the latter, I will also review the respective drama that came out of it. Afterwards, we will resume with song reviews, many being catch-up from last month but also recent comebacks such as from GFriend and Girls’ Generation. Until then, “Come play with me tonight”—and by that I refer to reading my questionable, mediocre reviews at night—or at different times depending on readers’ preference. Perhaps I do need to figure out an actual closure rather than relying on quoting song lyrics and having them become taken out of context. Let us just awkwardly end here similarly to the many awkward, romantic moments in dramas.

[atrocitycl]

EXO - “Ko Ko Bop” Review

(Music Video) / (Live Performance)

EXO – Ko Ko Bop

Reviewed on August 11, 2017

And so, despite fans’ massive praise towards and the song and even despite how the song overall is not “bad” per se—indeed, it scores at an average as readers will soon see—I find that the most disappointing aspect to the song is the loss of potential. In other words, “Ko Ko Bop” could have been a rather solid song, but in my argument, the post-chorus in the song is detrimental enough to entirely limit the song’s potential appeal.

Personal Message: Before getting further, as always, thank you to the requester for sending this in. Furthermore—and arguably more importantly—I also thank both the requester and readers for once again being incredibly patient for content. August is certainly still the month where I am planning to review many songs at a time, but there have been some slight delays for the past few days. To explain the reasoning behind these slight delays, I have been spending the last few days playing video games with my younger cousin—an activity I personally wish to cherish while I still have some extra free time left during summer. The upcoming university semester will by far be the most rigorous and busy semester I will have ever experienced and thus, I am in a situation where I have to temporarily put aside a few hobbies. Given that reviewing K-Pop songs is vital to my well-being akin to breathing, that leaves video gaming and perhaps even subtitling videos as the hobbies I will have to give up for a few months. (Though realistically, I will definitely still have time for those activities. Having a proper balance is what is most important—a tip that should help readers returning to school. I will still subtitle videos and find moments to relax with gaming.)

Dramatic speech aside—after all, I make it sound as if I am about to undergo intense K-Pop trainee training—let us focus on the review at hand. EXO’s “Ko Ko Bop” is indeed the men’s latest song, and from the rudimentary research I have done, it appears that the song is rather well received by fans. Many fans have been praising the song and in particularly loving the song’s unique style—a style that meshes elements of EDM and R&B if I am correct. That said, I personally remain a bit hesitant to equally praise the song. EXO fans might be upset at the upcoming harsher criticisms I have for “Ko Ko Bop,” but I will leave this as a reminder: music reviews are never to leave objective answers; that is impossible in the fine arts field where everything is, unequivocally, subjective. Instead, the purpose of music reviews is to begin or add onto current discussions about a song. Regardless of how fans emotionally feel towards this review, what matters is the review sparks a discussion and allows fans to be able to analyze the song in a more critical fashion.

And so, despite fans’ massive praise towards and the song and even despite how the song overall is not “bad” per se—indeed, it scores at an average as readers will soon see—I find that the most disappointing aspect to the song is the loss of potential. In other words, “Ko Ko Bop” could have been a rather solid song, but in my argument, the post-chorus in the song is detrimental enough to entirely limit the song’s potential appeal. Additionally, although I have yet to see fans commenting on this, I will also be comparing “Ko Ko Bop” to “Dancing King”—another song by EXO. Certainly the two songs are stylistically different, but if we focus on the composition structurally, both songs are quite similar and I find that by comparing “Dancing King” to “Ko Ko Bop,” readers might have a better understanding on exactly why the post-choruses are quite problematic.

_______________________________________________________

Song Score: 5/10 (4.75/10 raw score) - “Average”

- Vocals: 5/10

- Sections: 5/10 (4.86/10 raw score)

Introduction, Verse, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Post-Chorus, Verse, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Post-Chorus, Bridge, Chorus, Conclusion (Chorus)

1.     Introduction: 5/10

2.     Verse: 5/10

3.     Pre-Chorus: 6/10

4.     Chorus: 5/10

5.     Post-Chorus: 2/10

6.     Bridge: 5/10

7.     Conclusion (Chorus): 6/10

- Instrumental: 5/10

- Lyrics: 4/10

[Introduction instrumental]

Shimmie shimmie, Ko Ko Bop I think I like it Don’t be nervous, don’t be shy I’m entering into your dizzy heart As if I’m familiar, I’ll softly spread inside

Ah woo, it’s a silent night Ah woo, it’s a night for you I can’t hold back, I’m falling I’m drunk from your body Forget the typical me that you’ve known My hidden instincts shimmie up

It goes down down baby Trust your body It goes down down baby To the rhythm and shout Oh oh oh, we are, oh oh oh We going Ko Ko Bop

[Post-Chorus instrumental]

Shimmie shimmie, Ko Ko Bop I think I like it Little by little, down down, don’t be shy No matter what anyone says, don’t listen Just be beautiful as you are right now I wish time would stop Baby are you down?

Ah woo, it’s the last night Ah woo, it’s our night Don’t be nervous and come Trust all of you with me The reins are loosening Just put it down today Don’t be cautious, shaking up

It goes down down baby Trust your body It goes down down baby To the rhythm and shout Oh oh oh, we are, oh oh oh Break it down now

[Post-Chorus instrumental]

You shine more as the night deepens Your eyes tell me everything On this nice night, I want you I know, it’s okay, let’s start now It’s about to go go

It goes down down baby Trust your body It goes down down baby To the rhythm and shout Oh oh oh, we are, oh oh oh Going Ko Ko Bop

Down down baby Whisper in my ear It goes down down baby Set my heart on fire Oh oh oh, crazy, oh oh oh Going Ko Ko Bop

_______________________________________________________

Analysis: Now before entirely getting into the criticisms I have, I once again wish to heavily emphasize that “Ko Ko Bop” is not a “bad” song—bad in the sense that the song is below average (a five) if we are to follow my numerical ratings. Certainly, even if the post-choruses are extremely faulty, the song still has many strong points that can partially compensate. For example, the instrumental is effective in both its sonic and structural appeal. In fact, the instrumental serves as the foundation to the song as many aspects are based on the slower, heavier bass and strong rhythm of the instrumental. At the pre-choruses, the bass line’s increased activity combines naturally with the vocals in order to build up the song and guide it along. Even at the verses, the vocals are constantly complemented with the rich, deep bass. All in all, the instrumental helps create a stable flow to the song that helps keep it organized and aurally pleasing.

Unfortunately, the song’s post-choruses ruin those positive traits: the flow becomes entirely shattered. For one, the post-choruses introduce sounds that entirely conflict the established R&B stylistic sounds. To go from a slower, calm beats and bass line to an ear-piercing electronic ring is far too abrupt and unfitting without any forms of transitions to ease that very change. Additionally, on a structural level we also lose a sense of organization when we consider that the choruses already served as a climactic point—and yet, the post-choruses equally serve that role considering how upbeat and intense the sections are. And this is where comparing “Ko Ko Bop” to “Dancing King” is helpful: in “Dancing King,” it too follows a similar structure with having an instrumental break—though there are slight differences as that instrumental break took the role of a chorus rather than a post-chorus.

Nevertheless, the instrumental break in “Dancing King” was used effectively as it was not to pause and divide the song; rather, the instrumental break was used as an extension of the pre-choruses—a section that essentially held a climactic peak for the song. Thus, on a structural level listeners are able to hear how the instrumental break was still a core, connected section and factoring in how the utilized sounds suited what the prior sections have used, “Dancing King” had a very successful and appealing usage of an instrumental break. On the other hand, “Ko Ko Bop” fails to replicate the same situation: as mentioned, it already becomes confusing by introducing sounds that do not suit the established, deeper and rhythm-based sounds used in every prior section. Furthermore, on a structural level, “Ko Ko Bop” ‘s instrumental break (the post-choruses) does not serve as an extension of the choruses; instead, it renders as a forceful dragging of the choruses and the result is the song having the choruses and post-choruses battling over which section is the climactic point.

What would have been desirable to hear in “Ko Ko Bop” is if the composers abandoned the post-choruses and instead opted for longer chorus or for the song to reset its cycle after the chorus. Interestingly, the song does include an example of what the former idea would sound like: at the ending of the song, two choruses are played back-to-back to create, effectively, a longer chorus. What happens is perfect: rather than having a post-chorus play, we instead get a chorus that fulfills the usual climactic role of a pop song and the section also concludes itself and would not need to be forcefully dragged out by a post-chorus and the like. And, of course, the longer chorus would stay loyal to the song’s core sounds and style and thus, “Ko Ko Bop” would retain its original organization and cohesion.

Overall, “Ko Ko Bop” may not be a “negative” song and essentially only possess merely one troublesome feature, but that one troublesome feature is incredibly problematic. Even if the post-choruses in of themselves do not entirely lower “Ko Ko Bop” ‘s rating, I personally find myself quite disappointed in the song’s composition knowing the potential it had if the post-choruses was scrapped away or revised. But, once again, the song in its entirety is still functional and enjoyable even if one section heavily impairs it.

_______________________________________________________

This review is surprisingly and disturbingly short, but as I have learned over the few years of improving my writing, length hardly matters. In fact, the shorter length the better; what matters most is that ideas and arguments are conveyed clear and concisely and thus, even if this review is quite short I feel that I have focused on the main criticism I had and did not waste readers’ time with random details. (And admittedly shorter reviews that get to the point are enjoyable on all sides—readers and I.)

Thank you once more to the requester for being patient and sending this in, and thank you to readers for taking any time to skim or read this review. I do sincerely appreciate it. I will be promptly reviewing the last request I have received as of this sentence: G-Reyish’s “Johnny Go Go.” That song will perhaps reveal that my claims of “harsher criticism” here are, in comparison, quite lenient. With “Johnny Go Go,” I find that it is a rather weak song not only with its composition, but potentially with its production—assuming, though, that it merely is not the music video itself having audio problems. More will be discussed in that review itself.

Until then, “We going Ko Ko Bop”—which I am assuming is referencing dancing. But, since my dancing is actually some dark magic that inflicts blindness upon those who witness it and years of horror, let us avoid that and instead just go with the usual farewell: look forward to the next requested review, of which I will work hard to finish soon.