I'm now at the point where I think I'm going to stop reviewing Tiffany's solo releases on this blog. At the time of writing, she's recently released "Magnetic Moon", and it's not much better. I'm sorry, Tiffany. I DESPERATELY want to like what she's doing, but she's just making all the wrong moves with her solo music so far. Unless she drastically improves, I won't be reviewing her music here in the future. Not if it's as bad as "Lips On Lips". Sorry.

KEY (키), SOYEON (소연) - I WANNA BE

And now, for a solo effort that is fantastic in just about every way.

People REALLY need to stop sleeping on Key's solo stuff. I feel like people only pay attention to him when he's a part of SHINee, and even then, I feel he gets overlooked. When he released his solo album "Face" last year, I had no clue it came out - so much so that I didn't even know that "I Wanna Be" was the title track from the repackage! I thought it was just a mini album or single!

And that's a crying shame, because this might just be one of my favourite songs of the year so far. If I had to describe "I Wanna Be" in one word, it's anthemic. This song has such a fantastic sense of presence and atmosphere to it, and that atmosphere is one of absolute joy. The instrumental is downright magical in places with those synths chords and snapping percussion beats, and it never clashes against the more dance-influenced choruses - or the drop. The drop in this song may feel a little out of place initially, but when that ending comes around, it is stunning. The way the drop layers over the instrumental and Key's adlibs is enough to give me chills - and that it does! "I Wanna Be" is the kind of song that took me so much by surprise when I first listened to it that I immediately listened to it again. It's THAT good. It's breezy, it's uplifting, and it's a very cheerful and enthusiastic punch to the gut. To say it took me by surprise is an understatement.

That goes without mentioning the performers themselves. As I've mentioned, Key is being slept on, and that applies to his skills as a performer as well as his music. He's got a very magnetic presence behind the microphone, and he really pulls you into what he's singing immediately. Then there's the fact that Soyeon is on this song, which... she doesn't need any explaining at this point. She's one of the best (if not the best) female idol rappers in K-Pop right now, she's got her own precedent. And she unsurprisingly kills it here too. Her rap section may be short, but it's effective and impactful regardless.

The lyrics, too, are a nice surprise. In case you aren't aware, this is the last song Key released before his military enlistment. When you take that into account, the lyrics are probably enough to make any long-term Shawol tear up a little - hell, I got a little misty-eyed reading them once that final drop kicked in! They've got a celebratory mood that's tinged with the sadness of parting from someone you care about - but they're celebratory because you know you'll eventually get to see them again. They're just as genuine as the song itself, and they're a breath of (very welcome) fresh air.

Think of me when you're feeling alone
Even before this song ends
Always inside your heart, I wanna be

Unfortunately, apart from some edited fancams, we don't really have a proper look into the choreography for this song. I've seen bits of it here and there, but not enough for me to give my full opinion on it. I don't feel like I'd be giving an opinion that's fair, since I kinda like to see the whole picture before commenting. Regardless, "I Wanna Be" is a goddamn fantastic song that deserves way more appreciation than what it got. I can bet right now this is going to be on my favourites list at the end of the year. It's brilliant, and I hope that we get music of this quality once Key returns, too. 😊

CHERRY BULLET (체리블렛) - Q&A

Wanna know what one of my favourite things about K-Pop is? DEBUTS. I love seeing a brand new group with a shitton of potential come out of nowhere - it's probably why I like so many rookie groups. And while Everglow may still hold the title for the best rookie this year in my opinion, Cherry Bullet are another girl group who managed to thoroughly impress me with their debut.

When I heard that Cherry Bullet's concept as such was going to be video game-based, I was worried. I wondered if it was going to be stereotypical, or if it was even going to catch my attention at all. I didn't want it to just be superficial - and y'know what, they fucking nailed it. "Q&A" suits this video game concept incredibly well, thanks to the electronic synths scattered throughout the instrumental, as well as some of the phasers and effects that are used throughout. It sounds very retro and gamey, for lack of a better word, and it's as if chiptune and tropical house had a baby. A very pleasing, delightful baby. Weird metaphors or no, the song is good. It's catchy, and WILL get stuck in your head, it's bright, it's uplifting, and it's cute without feeling over-the-top or cheesy. It just feels like a genuinely bright debut, full of potential and excitement.

And that's particularly apt with Cherry Bullet, since some of these girls have pipes. Seriously, they can SING - Bora and Haeyoon are the obvious standouts here. The melody in "Q&A" is very litled and hard to sing in places, and yet these girls sound like they could do in their sleep. Hitting high notes is one thing, but doing it well is a completely different can of worms. And yet, each of the members has a very distinctive sound to her voice that sets everyone apart, and while I feel like some of the rap sections could have been a bit better, the harmonies and vocals really do make up for it in my opinion. I bet these girls would be amazing live - I'd LOVE to see the energy they bring. Speaking of energy, the lyrics are full of the energy you'd expect from a debut like this one. They're very much about love whilst being playful and cheery, and they get the job done just fine.




So everything's looking pretty damn good so far - what about the dance?

Turns out it's pretty great too! The biggest thing about it is how the choreographer obviously took advantage of the number of people on stage at the one time. There are a lot of groups out there with members in the double digits, but very few of them use each member effectively in their choreography. Cherry Bullet are a fantastic example of this. Every member plays a part in the choreography (which unfortunately cannot be said about the song's line distribution... ouch), and the girls are very well in-sync to match. Combined with some of the more intricate elements going on here, it's a very pleasing choreography to watch. The girls each bring their own energy and vibe to the choreo, and even though I have no idea how Bora is dancing in those shoes, they all kill it.

Cherry Bullet have so much potential, it's astounding. If FNC can keep it up and actually give these girls some proper momentum, we might have another big rookie girl group. And I really hope that's the case, because they deserve it! They really could become something great, and I have every faith that they will.

Hopefully they don't become TOO good though, because I stan way too many groups as it is. It's getting ridiculous at this point. Seriously. Cherry Bullet, I love you, and I want you to do well, but if I end up buying all your albums, then we'll have a problem. My wallet can't take much more at this point...

TAEYEON (태연) - FOUR SEASONS (사계)

What else can really be said about Taeyeon at this point? Her solos have all done incredibly well, each being more successful than the last. But with "Four Seasons", Taeyeon seemed to knock it out of the park for most people. The song was hugely successful for weeks on end, and to be honest, when you dig a bit deeper into it, you begin to see why.

"Four Seasons" is Taeyeon doing what Taeyeon does best - lyrically complex songs with a tinge of emotion that only she can really add. The instrumental is lavish and very unique, even if I do feel like the percussion line is a little overblown at times. It never overshadows Taeyeon's voice, which is a huge thing. If you overshadow the performer, that's a problem, and it's a problem "Four Seasons" thankfully never has. The muted guitar lines keep the pace steady as well, and the interchanging lyrics in the choruses keep the song feeling fresh and interesting. It's got a very interested, slightly stilted melody - it's paced very uniquely, and it makes the entire song very memorable and strangely catchy. The quality is high, and the memorability is high as a result.

The lyrics themselves are probably my favourite aspect of the song outside of Taeyeon herself, who gives a great performance as always. She's always so emotionally charged when she sings, I love it. But the lyrics here are referencing a breakup, and how tired and stale the now-ended relationship became. I love how they've got the slightest tinge of sarcasm and scorn to them in places, since it helps the song border on the edge of being a flippant kiss-off, and yet stops it before it crosses that border and allows for a bit more reflection and contemplation. They're deep, to put it lightly. And when they do have that scornful tinge to them, they're admittedly really entertaining! I kinda just want to see Taeyeon do a completely savage break-up song some time - I feel like she'd excel at it.

While I may not like it as much as some of her other solo releases, "Four Seasons" is still a solid solo from Taeyeon that really shows her versatility. She's had a fair amount of success so far this year, and long may it last! She's one of the best in the business, and "Four Seasons" only serves to highlight her strengths.

TXT (투모로우바이투게더) - CROWN (어느날 머리에서 뿔이 자랐다)

So, I sung the praises of Cherry Bullet earlier on - what about TXT? Arguably the biggest debut this year in terms of sheer popularity, TXT were kinda destined to be successful from the get go. Say what you will about them being under the same label as BTS, I'm going to review their debut like I would review any other group. (I do kind of feel like they were destined to be successful no matter how good or bad their debut was anyway, but that's a debate for another day.)

At first, I really wasn't sure what to think of "Crown". The bouncy synths are certainly inviting upon a first listen, and the morse code certainly piqued my interest. Which, for the record, it spells out "CROWN" and I find that insanely adorable. Cryptic messages aside, the song's pretty standard fare for a boy group - you've got trap percussion in abundance, you've got the upbeat energy of a debut, and you've got a pretty nice progression with some of those synths and vocal samples. But at times, the song can end up feeling a little overcrowded, especially in the choruses. It's hard to know what to focus on because you've got so many elements overlapping at once. I'd certainly prefer listening to a song that's too busy rather than one that's undercooked, but it's just something I noticed. 

But honestly, the song itself has grown on me. What hasn't grown on me is the lyrics. Now, I'm a particular fan of creepier concepts in K-Pop - hell, I'm a massive Insomnia. So to start reading the lyrics and have the hints at a possible tormented love story going on here? I was enthralled. I wanted to know where they were going to take this - would this be the unique little detail that would give TXT's debut a real spark? But nope. As soon as you reach the first chorus, we're back to being lovey dovey and talking about how the other person in the relationship makes having the pain of having a (metaphorical) horn on your head go away. I wasn't massively disappointed or anything, but I couldn't help but think about what could've been. There could've been something really damn unique and creative here, and I feel like the idea was just thrown out when the lyricists didn't want to put the work into fleshing it out. It's sad. But apart from that, the lyrics are fine. They're nothing too special, there's some nice imagery here and there, but they're just fine.

DIA (다이야) - WOOWA (우와)

Okay, so, we immediately go from one of my new favourite dances to one of my new favourite songs.

If you've never listened to "Woowa" before - which I suspect many of you haven't, because this song is criminally underrated - SIT THE FUCK DOWN AND LISTEN UP. DIA are about to show you how to do 90s-inspired dance-pop.

First off, I feel like I need to highlight my favourite (and the best) element in "Woowa" - THAT BOUNCY SYNTH. I honest to God wasn't sure what to expect going into this, because I've never paid DIA much attention. But holy shit, that synth. I nearly fell out of my goddamn chair. It's big, it's brash, and it smacks you across the face with nostalgia in a way not many songs can. When "Woowa" gets going, it's a monster of a song. The choruses are huge, the instrumental and melody are infernally catchy, and that synth keeps on coming back around to bring it all together. I'd be lying if I said I liked that strange flute-driven section right after the first chorus, though; it does feel a little jarring and out of place. But the rest of what's on offer here is an absolute banger, and really deserves a hell of a lot more love than what it got. I mean, JUST LISTEN TO IT. Please. I'm begging you.

I sure as hell wish the lyrics were as interesting as the song, though. They're standard girl group fare in every way possible - being uncontrollably in love with someone, and wanting them to actually say something and possibly kickstart a relationship. It's nothing you haven't heard 20 times before. It's just a shame, since the song itself is so explosive and full of potential. The lyrics very well could have been the same, and they just... aren't. Not to me, anyway. 😔




And unfortunately... The dance isn't much better. Not by a long shot.

Yeah, this is a disappointment in about every way possible. I was maybe hoping we'd at least get something interesting and retro to match the style of the song - you know, some wacking maybe? That'd be nice. But no - instead, we get a really sluggish, unfitting routine. I don't know who came up with that main point dance, but it is NOT good. It looks uncomfortable to do, the girls are barely moving, and it really just... doesn't work. This is a really boring routine overall, honestly. There were MOUNTAINS of potential here, and not a single bit of it was capitalized upon. And that makes me sad. There are probably fan-made choreographies out there that are better than this, honestly - and that says a lot.

Now I'm possibly starting to see why this song got so overlooked - the lyrics and the dance are just... not very good, or interesting, for that matter. It's a major disappointment, especially when the song is THIS killer. MBK have always had a bit of a... rocky history, so to see such a good song pretty much wasted breaks my heart. Please, if you haven't heard this before, go listen to it. The elements surrounding the song may not be anything special, but the song itself? It's one of my favourites of the year so far. Let's hope MBK steps it up a bit for DIA's next comeback, because if they keep this sound, and improve the dance and lyrics? Pretty sure I'd lose my damn mind.

PARK BOM (박봄), SANDARA PARK (산다라박) - SPRING (봄)