It wouldn't be one of my year-end lists without some Dreamcatcher, right? And dare I say it, "Deja Vu" is one of their best title tracks to date. It's symphonic, it's melodramatic, and it's full of electric energy from start to finish, even in the slower piano sections. The song is one big buildup that constantly feeds back into itself, and even though I thought the organs in the pre-chorus sounded cheap initially, the more gothic vibe is something I really hope Dreamcatcher continue to pursue. It's more of a step into symphonic metal than their standard thrash metal-inspired music, and it's gorgeous. Listen to this if you haven't already - it's worth it for that beautiful modulation at the end!

...well, this was a surprise.

This was a song I nearly forgot to listen to - but holy shit, am I glad I did. If I had listened to it sooner, it would be higher, I can guarantee you that! 

"Drip" is what I mean when I say I like girl crush concepts in K-Pop, because this song is beautifully pu(t together. It's got this beautiful melodic cadence that threatens to modulate, but never does, creating a real sense of tension that keeps you hooked from moment one. Every single girl is a charismatic performer, too, which is no surprise considering some of the Pristin V members are indeed part of this lineup - Eunwoo and Minkyeung (Roa, aka my PRISTIN bias) are major standouts here. It's the sequel to "Get It" we so desperately wanted, but with a glamourous, glitzy coat of paint that makes it stand out in the middle of such a busy year. It's goddamn brilliant, and I can only hope HINAPIA's music is this great going forward. If it is, I may have just found a new girl group to stan! 

To everyone that says "Bon Bon Chocolat" was EVERGLOW's best release this year, I'll say one thing: I disagree with you. Hard.

"Adios" is the EDM-fuelled shocker that I really didn't expect EVERGLOW to release, but that first verse tells you everything you need to know - these girls did NOT come to fuck around. It's got a massive synth-led, bigroom drop that appeals right to my EDM-loving heart, and the other elements of the song are just as impactful and surprising. Yes, the rap should have been longer, but when the rest of the song is this good, I'm willing to let it slide. "Bon Bon Chocolat" was good, but in my opinion, "Adios" is just superior in every damn way. EVERGLOW really filled an EDM void in K-Pop that T-ARA left behind this year, and I can only hope they continue to fill it in comebacks to come. This is great!

And I may as well continue to buck the trend of popular songs this year, and be honest - yes, I think "Feel Special" is better than "Fancy". By a great margin, actually! 

Yes, "Fancy" is undeniably iconic, and it'll be remembered for years to come. But "Feel Special"... this is a once in a blue moon song. It's an upbeat dance-pop track with some glitzy synths and a beautiful melody, as well as some of the most sincere and tear-jerking lyrics that I've seen in a title track for a while. Seriously, I cried watching the MV with English subs for the first time, and I'm not even a ONCE! 

On top of that, the girls of TWICE themselves are in their absolute element here - the amount of gasps I let out at their vocals was far more than I expected. So yes, it may not be the most culturally relevant TWICE track this year, but "Feel Special" is a goddamn stunning song that really shows how far TWICE have come. And hey, it's also the title track to my favourite album this year, so I think that says everything it needs to. I cannot fucking wait to see where TWICE go from here.

Just like with Dreamcatcher, it wouldn't be one of my year-end lists without MAMAMOO - and boy howdy, they made this year their bitch.

"HIP" is one of those clapbacks that's exceedingly rare in K-Pop, but all the more welcome. I feel like it's important to reiterate that these girls do not give a single fuck any more. They've been in the industry for so long now that they know how it all works - they know what feeds the trolls, and what really grinds their gears. So they made an entire title track telling them to fuck off! And it's amazing! 

Not only that, "HIP" is a self-love anthem in the same vein as "Yes I Am", albeit with a much more performance-oriented sound. It's got trap snares, a killer saxophone hook, powerful guitars, and some really playful and creative melodies that make this song addictive as hell. It's still MAMAMOO, but a different type of MAMAMOO. And it's one that I love just as much as I ever have. 💚

Alright, let's start the gushing, shall we?

Please don't let the title fool you - "Dumb Litty" is KARD's best title track. Hands down. I never thought they'd be able to match or even surpass "You In Me", but if they were going to do it, it was with a song like this one. And I can't even begin to describe how good this is. The blaring synths, the flute-driven melodies in the verses, the Bollywood-influenced bridges, the dirty melody, the members' charismatic performances, the sirens... "Dumb Litty" is insane. BM needs to produce every single KARD song from here on out, because he really gets the group and the concepts that they do well. This is fucking brilliant. 

Ah, ATEEZ. The underdogs of my 2019. 

I went from not knowing who ATEEZ were at the beginning of the year to having them as one of my ultimate groups in K-Pop. If that doesn't convince you to listen to them, I don't know what to tell you at this point. Every single ounce of hype you've probably seen around them is completely founded. None of it is being blown out of proportion - and "Wonderland" is a fantastic example of what I mean by that. 

It's a marching band inspired title track, with some powerful synths and prominent drum lines that really pull you in. The raps are also fucking amazing as well, with Mingi having his best verse to date, in my opinion. The members trade lines back and forth to increase the tension, the high notes and adlibs are triumphant and euphoric, and that final chorus. Ohhhhhh man, that final chorus. The amplified drum line and Mingi's coarse shouting cutting through Jongho's high note is just... holy shit. That was the point where this song made it into my top 5. And it's a mark of quality that ATEEZ have really proven to have this year.

May 2020 be just as good to them as 2019 was, because... Wow.

Alright, now we're getting to the part of the list that's completely arranged on personal preference. That's not to say the rest of the list isn't, but most of the songs here are ranked based on a little scoring system I came up with, just to keep things as fair as possible. But for my top 3, I... literally couldn't find any flaws. So I just picked my favourites!

"Zimzalabim" is the first of those favourites, and I quite frankly don't care how divisive this song is, it's a fucking revolutionary title track. I could write an actual, physical essay about this song's structure, and how it's perfect in every way, but we'd be here all day if I did that. So, I'll leave the gushing for my full Reve Festival review, and I'll say one thing: "Zimzalabim" is an innovative song that really didn't get the love it deserved.

It's also incredibly creepy, which is right up my alley, sooo... yeah. Those lyrics just about gave me an aneurysm when I read them, but in the best way possible. MORE CULT CONCEPTS PLEASE RED VELVET THANK YOU.

Rarely do I find a song that is just... flawless. It doesn't necessarily innovate, or do anything crazy new or special, but it's just a masterclass in making great music. That song this year, at least for me, was "Gotta Go".

I don't say it lightly when I say this song is my favourite female K-Pop solo I've heard. Like I said, it doesn't do anything new to reinvent the wheel, but what it does do is create a massive, emotional pop song that just about blew my fucking face off when I first heard it. It WILL give you chills - it definitely has with me a few times.

I think the biggest testament to its quality was that "Gotta Go" was my benchmark for songs this year. When a new song came out, and I really enjoyed it, I'd sit and think, "Okay, but is it as good as "Gotta Go"?" THAT'S how you know a song is special. And Chungha knocked it out of the fucking park here. Long live the queen, bitches, cause she's here to stay!

So, while "Gotta Go" is a flawless song, I did say it doesn't reinvent the wheel. It didn't necessarily change the way I look at music, or even just K-Pop. It's a master at what it does, but it doesn't have any massive surprises up its sleeve that really challenge the listener. For a song to top my list this year, it had to do exactly that.

So, um... remember how I said I had strong opinions about EXO in my b-sides list? Well...

This is it. This is what I meant when I talked about changing the way I look at K-Pop.

To start with the basics, EXO's entire concept for "Obsession" is LITERALLY my fucking dream come true. Dark personas, creepy makeup, a gorgeous MV with stunning visual effects, and a really dark, disturbing and just plain horrifying concept? YES PLEASE. 

But that's not why "Obsession" is my #1 this year.

It's #1 because it's innovative. It's #1 because it took my expectations going in, and threw them into a goddamn blender.

When SM described this song as having a "monologue" structure during the teasing phase, nobody really knew what they meant. We all just assumed that it was PR speak, which is a fair assumption to make. But no, not with "Obsession". No two parts of this song sound EXACTLY the same. Yes, they share a similar structure, and share some core elements to not make the song sound like an unstructured mess, but NONE of them are exact copies of one another. Some lyrics are changed, or a different member sings the part, or the melody is given a new spin, or some adlibs are added on top of the melody towards the end. It always keeps changing, innovating, and trying something new. No other K-Pop song has attempted this sort of structure, at least not to my knowledge. And to achieve that in just under three and a half minutes... I'm honestly still speechless every time I listen to it.

On top of that, it's just a fucking amazing song. The distorted, unnatural effect on the members' vocals in the verses is just brilliant. As well as that, the looping vocal sample, while grating to some, hammers home the concept of obsession beautifully. It's haunting, almost psychotic in a way. But that's exactly what they were going for! For once I'm not grasping at straws trying to find creepy things where there are none! I FEEL SO VALIDATED.

Never have I been so floored listening to an EXO song. Dreamcatcher's "What" held this title for quite a while, but I can confidently say "Obsession" is my new favourite song released by a K-Pop group. Ever. That's not to say I don't love "What" anymore, of course I do! But "Obsession" is just... so ridiculously, insanely perfect in my eyes. I WILL still be listening to this for years to come, I can guarantee you. Well fucking done, EXO.

...and to think we may still get a repackage of this album...

SOMEBODY FUCKING HOLD ME I'M NOT READY.

[gif source]

•••••

Well, that's it! Another year, another set of year-end lists done. I can only hope 2020 is as good of a year for K-Pop musically, because we're in for another doozy if that's the case. But I think I speak for everyone when I say that I hope it's a LOT better in terms of everything else. When it comes to non-musical affairs... I'm glad to see 2019 go. Good riddance. May we never have another year like it in K-Pop.

...keep the music though, that was fucking great.

Oh man, am I happy this song got the love it deserved through Queendom.

As I said in my review earlier this year, "Put It Straight" is a broken, pragmatic ballad that really tugs at the heart strings in a way I can't quite describe. The atmosphere and sense of tension is off the charts here, and I'll reiterate the statement I made in my review - if this is the sort of shit Soyeon can come up with when she's nearly on her own in terms of writing and production, she is a goddamn force of nature. 

"Silent Night" is by far my favourite song on Dreamcatcher's Raid of Dream, and I think you know why at this point. It's experimental with its psytrance touches, just like many of Dreamcatcher's b-sides tend to be, but those choruses carry so much weight and a smothering atmosphere that drew me in from the very first listen. It's very much a song about a tortured soul, which I find Dreamcatcher to be fucking amazing at conveying - "Trap" from Alone in the City is a similarly themed song, and it also happens to be one of my absolute Dreamcatcher songs period. But after this year, I can confidently add "Silent Night" to those ranks as well, because this is great!

Sometimes you hear a song and you're just taken aback by how beautiful it is. That's the experience I had listening to "Hush" for the first time. The fact that "You Don't Know Me" - which was, in my opinion, an unstructured, sloppy mess with tons of wasted potential - was chosen as the promoted b-side over "Hush" will forever mystify me. 

"Hush" is goddamn gorgeous, with its very organic-sounding synths, stunning harmonies and mythical yet calming vibe. It's like a more stripped back Oh My Girl song, yet one that really packs a punch by the end of its runtime. This song is goddamn idyllic, and I really hope Everglow make more music like this in the future. 

Remember how I said in my albums list that we'd be seeing CLC on my b-sides list too? Here they are! And they're packing heat. 

"Like It" is an absolute banger. There's no other way to describe it, it's just a monumentally powerful song. And yet, the lyrics give it so much nuance and elevate a great song into a damn near flawless one. But, in the end, it's the instrumental and vocal performances that really sell "Like It" for me. It exudes this staggering confidence and swagger in every beat, and it is goddamn impossible for me to avoid getting sucked in by the time that final drop hits. And when it hits, it hits like a fucking TRUCK. This is the sequel and sonic evolution to "Black Dress" I never knew I needed, but I'm SO glad it exists. This is straight-up title track material!

When I reviewed Kill This Love, I certainly did not expect this song to be the black sheep of the album. But when I turned to the internet, everyone and their mother was singing the praises of "Kick It", for some reason. Now, don't get me wrong, "Kick It" is a perfectly fine song, and I'm not here to drag it through the mud. But... really? We're going to just forget about "Hope Not" in favour of it?

It doesn't deserve that fate at all, because "Hope Not" is the most sincere and downright stunning song in BLACKPINK's discography. Lydia Paek really fucking knows what she's doing, and it shows. The girls' performances are tear-jerking at certain points, the muted electric guitar and echoey backing vocals give off a wonderfully melancholic vibe, and the lyrics are the single biggest gut punch in a song this year for me.

Chances are you haven't listened to this yet - change that. Now. "Hope Not" deserves so, so much better.

...to think this was going to be my b-side of the year for a while. Oh, how the times have changed.

If that doesn't tell you how good 2019 has been musically, I don't know what will, because "My star" SLAPS. HARD. I never in a million years expected Cosmic Sound to give MAMAMOO a song as raucous, powerful and purely charismatic as this one, but by god, did they do it. The bassline and trap snares immediately indicate a much, much more heavy sound than what we're used to for the girls, and yet they make it seem like they do this shit in their sleep. Hands down one of MAMAMOO's best songs to date!

...and yes, I still find the lyrics to be kinda creepy. Let me have my little yandere-inspired headcanon, okay?

I think it's safe to say that 2019 was a year full of surprises, and HOLY FUCK, EXO.

Just... what? When? How? Whaaaa? WHERE DID THIS COME FROM YOU WONDERFUL MEN.

I don't normally listen to EXO's albums in full, but after my... very strong opinions on the title track, let's say, I sat down to listen to Obsession in full. And "Trouble" just about knocked my fucking jaw out of its joint. Every single element of this song is sleek, slick, smooth, and just downright fucking sexy. It's dirty, and it's not afraid to admit it. 

And, of course, tHOSE VOCALS. 

CHEN. JONGDAE. WH A T.

And not even just Chen, this is one of my new favourite EXO songs based on the members' performances alone. "Trouble" is a fucking ten tonne weight of power and sexiness, and it's one I'm very happy to have experienced. PLEASE LET THIS BE THE THEME OF THE REPACKAGE TITLE TRACK OH GOD.

Oh boy, now we're getting to the point in the list where I just start feverishly gushing. And if "Trouble" didn't make that clear enough, "Love Foolish" sure as hell will.

I admittedly had no idea what to expect going into this, but ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhsweetbabyjesus. 

THIS is what TWICE should be doing forever from now on, because "Love Foolish" has such a level of precision and poise - yet also a level of style - that is unprecedented for a TWICE song, in my opinion. The dark, yet glittery synths, the vocal samples, the girls' emotionally varying performances, the stilted melody, Chaeyoung's hushed yet really damn sexy and charismatic hook, MOMO RAPPING.

MOMO. 

RAPPING. 

IN 2019.

That guarantees "Love Foolish" a spot on the list alone, but... this song is fucking outstanding. I really hope this isn't a once in a blue moon occurrence for TWICE, because this is one of the best damn songs they've done. I'm still stunned by it on every listen.

Have you ever heard a song that's so unique and distinctive, you sit there in stunned silence when you try to process it for the first time? And then, upon repeated listens, you realise it's everything you've ever wanted?

Yeah. That's "LP".

Never did I ever think Red Velvet could make a fusion of elevator music and the soundtrack to a 1960s shopping channel work, but HOLY FUCK THEY DID IT. "LP" has so much charm and personality that I would be here all day if I genuinely listed everything I love about the song. It's a modern vintage marvel. So, all I'll say is this:

Don't think that The Reve Festival: Day 1 stops with "Sunny Side Up!" - just like "Hope Not", this song gets overshadowed a LOT. Don't let that be the case. "LP" is too fucking incredible to be forgotten, and you deserve to listen to a song as wonderful as this one.

My #1 b-side this year, though... it really does continue that theme of surprises that 2019 has had going for it, for better or for (much) worse. Even though I thought "LP" was going to be my #1 for the majority of the year, sometimes, you find a song that's just... flawless. One that really leaves you emotionally wrecked, but in the best way possible. 

Yeah, I'm lucky enough to be able to say that that happened this year.

And it's thanks to ATEEZ.

I'm not even going to describe "Utopia" to you. If you haven't heard it already - fuck, even if you have - just... listen to it. Experience it for yourself. 

You'll come out the other side with tears in your eyes and a warm feeling in your heart, I promise you.

"Utopia" is a fucking masterpiece, and one of my new favourite K-Pop songs of all time. And that's all that needs to be said about it. It explains itself. Seriously, experience it if you haven't already. You won't regret it.

•••••

Like. Wow. This sounds like a song that a pre-established artist would release mid-way through their career, only to be received with critical acclaim and everyone calling it "their best song". BUT IT'S JUST THEIR DEBUT SONG. WHAT. There are very few debuts that leave me speechless - (G)I-DLE impressed me, yes, but they didn't drop my jaw or anything. Everglow DID. If you've been seeing a lot of hype around this song, then trust me when I say it's for a fucking good reason. 

"Bon Bon Chocolat" is one of the most intense and powerful girl group songs I've heard in the past year or so. I had no clue what to expect going in, admittedly, but man this was a fantastic surprise. The instrumental, for starters, is fucking nuts. It's got this phenomenal 808 bass line that permeates the entire song, along with some really interesting bass drum beats and some gorgeous, vibrant synths to help boost the melody. It's a tour de force of momentum that just does not fucking stop, and I for one am in for the ride. The vocal samples are another standout, as well; the minute you hear those fast-paced adlibs at the beginning, that's when you know that this is going to be something special.

Speaking of vocals, that's probably my only gripe with this song. Each of the members' performances are layered with quite a bit of autotune, which I'm not the biggest fan of. But the more I listen to it, the more I feel like it works in the song's favor. Sure, it does make their voices less distinct and makes it harder for you to get a feel for the members' charms (which is important for a debut, in my opinion), but the song is so damn good that it actually ends up working. In a weird way. The fact that the girls are able to pull of this sound and concept without sounding like they're trying to be the next BLACKPINK is... amazing in my eyes. It's a trap so many rookie groups can fall into, trying to sound like a hugely popular and successful artist. But Everglow have their own charm, and it shines from start to finish.

Lyrically, this song is certainly invocative of a debut. It's got that sort of "you can do anything if you believe in yourself" message to it, but it's a very confident and fresh take. The charm and personality of the lyrics actually works, and is boosted by, the girls' performances and that amazing instrumental. They honestly elevate what would normally be some pretty standard lyrics into something more interesting and worth your time.

Oh, and guess what? The choreo is phenomenal as well. WHO WOULD'VE GUESSED, HUH.


Overall, this was fucking fantastic. I absolutely cannot wait to see where these girls go next, because if it's anywhere near as good as "Bon Bon Chocolat", these girls are going to go far.

STAN TALENT, STAN EVERGLOW.

DAEHYUN (대현) - YOU'RE MY (너는 내게)

Alright, I'll admit that this is a very indulgent pick for me. But shhhhh let me have my moment okay.

For those of you who haven't been keeping up with the latest bullshit going on over at TS Entertainment, you might not know that B.A.P ended up basically disbanding a few months ago. All of the members gradually left the label - thank FUCK - and now they've all gone their own separate ways to follow new paths. Although, as a BABY since debut, I really do think they'll come back at some point. The boys are all incredibly close, and I don't feel like they'd just want to stop being B.A.P just because they're not under TS anymore.

But the first thing a lot of the members have been doing is pursuing solo projects, a lot of which actually dropped in springtime. Yongguk released "Hikikomori (히키코모리)", Youngjae released "Another Night", and Daehyun released "You're My (너는 내게)". And while all three songs are fantastic - you should seriously go check them out if you get the chance, they're hidden gems that more people should know about - I decided to review Daehyun's for this comeback review. I'd love to do all three, but I've got enough songs to review as it is.

And that's mainly because... well, Daehyun's my ultimate bias. (Well, at least my ultimate male bias; Hyosung from Secret is my ultimate female bias). He was my first ever proper bias in K-Pop, and he's been my favourite in B.A.P since day one. So it was inevitable that I was going to be interested in whatever he releases. And it turns out that he really decided to play to his strengths here, because "You're My (너는 내게)" is a mid-tempo ballad that really gives his amazing vocals room to breathe. Now, whilst ballads are not generally something I seek out, I'll make certain exceptions if I really like the artists. And yeah, I was always going to make an exception for Daehyun.

This actually reminds me a lot of one of Kyuhyun's solo songs, "At Gwanghwamun (광화문에서)", and considering that that's another ballad I really like, that's a great thing! Both songs are relatively chill, relaxed and pleasant to listen to, with their own instrumental swells where it's deemed necessarily. But I do honestly prefer "You're My (너는 내게)" a little more in the end - mainly since I feel like it has a bit more impact. The instrumental really suits Daehyun here, and the strings and piano lines are perfect for his vocal tone. They're very warm and welcoming, which is one of my favourite qualities about his voice. Whereas Kyuhyun always goes for a slightly breathier tone, Daehyun is very well able to lean into full-on belts every now and again, and... yeah. I do prefer this overall. Daehyun's voice is just killer for me.

And yeah, as is to be expected from a ballad like this, the lyrics are quite sweet and emotional. They're even a little bit pensive in places. But with Daehyun, I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that some of these lyrics are aimed at BABYs as a whole. He's always been very clear about how much he loves and supports the fandom as a whole; seriously, go look at his Twitter and you'll see what I mean. He's a very grateful, very kind person, and that's reflected in a lot of these lyrics. Yes, they can be about romance, too, but considering this is his first time really venturing out on his own outside of B.A.P... it makes a lot of sense. It's very heartwarming. 😊




While "You're My (너는 내게)" is probably going to feel like just another ballad to some people, to me - and probably a lot of other BABYs as well - it'll stand out as a big moment for Dae. Wherever he decides to take his solo career from here, you can bet it'll be good. He's a genuinely great guy with some real talent, and I hope both he and the other members of B.A.P do well in their solo careers. They honestly deserve it. 😊

ITZY (있지) - DALLA DALLA (달라달라)

...where... the fuck... do I start with this.

Okay, so JYP. One of the big three. Of course, going into the next gen of K-Pop, they'll have TWICE and GOT7. But they're mainly 3rd generation groups. Stray Kids are going to need a sister group of sorts to go with them into the next generation, right? So they debuted Itzy! And adorable name aside, these girls had a lot, and I mean a LOT of hype around them coming up to debut. Need I remind you that Shin Ryujin won MIXNINE? Yeah, that's just the start of it.

But... as we all know, this was originally supposed to be a six-member group. Of course, Somi was originally going to be a part of Itzy. But she left, and recently started her own solo career (which will be in the summer comeback review). So that leaves the remaining five members of Itzy to push forward as a beacon of what K-Pop can be, of how different and unique and memorable it can be, right? They might end up being the face of the next generation!

...with a song like this? God, I... kinda hope not...

Yeah, this is going to sound harsh. But JYP, this is NOT how you debut a promising girl group. I'm sorry, but it needs to be said - if you like the song, good for you, I'm glad you can find things you find enjoyable here. But I cannot listen to "Dalla Dalla (달라달라)" and think of it as anything else other than a raging dumpster fire. The only way this song is even listenable for me is if it's rearranged. Which, yes, that's the version I've been listening to since the day it came out. The original version is just... awful. AND THAT'S SUCH A GODDAMN SHAME.

Say what you will about me hating on Itzy for doing something different, but I really do love the image and concept that they're going for here. They're not trying to blend in; they're their own thing, and they make that clear from moment one. But... jeez, "Dalla Dalla (달라달라)" rams that message into your face so hard that it already feels stale. What the fuck happened, JYP? You have five of the most talented trainees out there in K-Pop right now, and you give them this as their debut song?! Don't get me wrong, it has its merits - the verses and choruses are nice. They're fun, upbeat and are great examples of bouncy bubblegum pop. They sound lovely! And the "don't care what people say" bridge is gorgeous as well.

But... the rest of this song... it doesn't even sound like music. It sounds dissonant. It sounds messy. It sounds downright atonal. It's like a rollercoaster that's going way too fast because of a fault in its engineering. It's got this awful mess of synths and blaring samples that just... doesn't mesh. At all. and it ruins the song's ending ENTIRELY. It's so bad. Seriously. I can't imagine a world where I listen to it and find it entertaining. Who let Skrillex lose in JYP's studio?

And the lyrics... yeah, they're fine, I guess. For a concept that was trying to be so different and distinctive, you could've had your songwriters come up with some more interesting lyrics, JYP. They're nothing we haven't heard before. They're spunky, yes, and they suit the girls' age, but... are they really all that different?




Thankfully, there are two good things about this song in the end: number one is the girls themselves. The hype around the members was certainly justified if you ask me. Every single one of them has their own charm and personality, and they seem like they're going to develop into amazing performers; if they're this good now, then I can't wait to see where they are in five years' time. But the second good thing about "Dalla Dalla (달라달라)" is THAT. MOTHERFUCKING. DANCE.

TAEMIN (태민) - WANT

You're a twit, a man who knows only me
Like delicate Simcheong*
Look around once in a while
You don't realise how hurt you are

* = this is the folklore story I was talking about; DKDKTV did a great explanation of it here.

Following on from that, if there's anyone who knows how to have fun in a dance, it's Hwasa. And damn, does she have fun with the routine for "Twit (멍청이)".

ATEEZ (에이티즈) - SAY MY NAME

Man, we were speaking of B.A.P earlier, right? And I've seen an awful lot of hype going around for ATEEZ; apparently they've just really caught on and people see a lot of potential in them.

WELL IF SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME THEY WERE A MODERN B.A.P I WOULD'VE JUMPED ONTO THE HYPE TRAIN WAY FUCKING SOONER.

Seriously, I've been discussing this with a friend of mine, and this sounds pretty much exactly like something B.A.P would've released back in late 2012, during the "No Mercy" era. I can literally imagine what member would sing what part. But don't think that that's a bad thing - "No Mercy" is still a fucking phenomenal song, and "Say My Name" is just as good. Dare I say, a little bit better in some ways?

Like I said, I hadn't listened to ATEEZ before this - but damn, the hype is real. The potential these guys have is astounding. The instrumental here is big, it's bombastic, it's what you'd expect from a boy group. The trap snares and blaring trumpet synths are nothing new. But it's the little touches here that make it truly special, like the whistle melody, or the natural acoustic guitar line. On top of that, ATEEZ are some of the strongest rookie performers I've heard in a looooooong time. They impressed me about as much as Everglow did, and that's saying something. A killer vocal line plus a really fucking great rap line is just the perfect recipe for a boy group in my head, and ATEEZ are the definition of it. They have so much effortless charisma that a lot of boy groups will strive to achieve, but will never quite get. These guys just have it ingrained in them from the word go, and that's hard to find.

I picked this song to review over "HALA HALA" in the end, mainly because I did find "HALA HALA" a liiiiiiittle cringey. That's mainly because of the lyrics - the whole Suicide Squad thing kinda pulled me out of the song. (Jongho's vocals didn't though, good LORD.) But as for "Say My Name", the lyrics are actually VERY different than what I was expecting! I was expecting some sort of uplifting message about how we're going to overthrow society's self-inflicted patriarchy (although Stray Kids did deliver on that front with the MV for "Miroh"). But it's more about how they gain strength from their fans and their success, and how it encourages them to keep pushing and moving forward. They're surprisingly sweet, actually! There are some nice little details here and there that make them really heartwarming.




Another thing I'd heard a lot about ATEEZ is that their choreographies are top-class; these guys are apparently fantastic dancers.

And, uh... do... do they even have a main dancer? Or is that just something that's applied to the group universally? I'm... pretty convinced they don't have one at this point...

I've already seen this before, I feel so high
Everything goes blurry, 1, 2, 3
Now I'm blind, I don't know why
I know what it is even if I don't see it, a bad ending

So while there technically isn't a dance for this song (I mean, there will be soon, since EAST2WEST won the #NoirChallenge & that's going to become the official routine - which they deserve, they're amazing!), there's still a hell of a lot to look at here. And overall, this is a serious contender for one of my favourite songs of the year as a whole. Sunmi knocked it out of the goddamn park with "Noir", and I would LOVE to see her try a concept like this again some time. It really shows how much of a professional she can be, and "Noir" is straight-up my favourite thing she's done. I love it. 👏👏👏

MOMOLAND (모모랜드) - I'M SO HOT

I find it very ironic that we're going from a song that's pretty serious to one that's... not serious at all. Not even in the slightest.

I won't hide the fact that I liked "Bboom Bboom" quite a bit last year, and I found "BAAM" to be even better. (No, I don't think they sound the same.) So going into MOMOLAND's comeback, I was curious to see if all the hate they had been getting would affect their sound; would they change it up from what they'd found success with to appease the haters, or would they stick with something more light-hearted and fun?

They ended up doing the latter, and I'm very much happy with what we got! Honestly, "I'm So Hot" might be tied with "BAAM" for my favourite MOMOLAND song yet. It's incredibly reminiscent of some of what T-ARA released back in their prime; a simple yet fun song with some interesting elements to make it memorable. The trumpet sample in particular is something I really like; I've seen some people say it's fairly grating, but I can't help but love it. The ragtime pianos and old-school vibes here and there really sell it for me, too! It's just an upbeat, fun pop song that you can really just enjoy yourself with.

But what I DON'T get is why people hate on this song simply because they find it "boring" or "nothing new", or even just because it's MOMOLAND. (Yes, rant incoming.) 

Since when have songs like this lost their place in K-Pop? To bring back T-ARA as an example, everyone adored "Roly Poly", "Bo Peep Bo Peep" and "Lovey Dovey" when they came out because of how fun they were. Those songs didn't try to take themselves seriously; MBK just wanted to give T-ARA fun, bouncy songs that would stick in everyone's minds. And they did. So why are MOMOLAND getting hate for doing the same thing? These sorts of songs deserve to be here just as much as anything else does. People need to get over their goddamn hate boner for MOMOLAND and just move on. If you don't like the song, that's completely fine! If you hate on the girls for "copying themselves", "never doing anything original", and saying that "they're just trying to repeat the success of Bboom Bboom", fuck you. You're part of the problem. K-Pop isn't a contest, in contrast to what some Twitter stans might believe. Grow up, stop wasting your energy sending needless hate to artists, and move on. Rant over.

In terms of "I'm So Hot" though, it's nothing too insane lyrically - which is what you'd expect going in. Or at least you should. The title alone tells you that this is going to be pretty face-level and superficial. But hey, you need something to turn your brain off to every once in a while, and when the song's as fun as this, I can't really complain!

There's not a lot to go through here in terms of the dance, either - but again, I don't really mind it that much.

IZ*ONE (아이즈원) - VIOLETA (비올레타)