Happy New Year, everyone! Hopefully 2021 isn’t already sucking for you all and if it is, I’m so sorry. To be fair, I feel like 2021 is really just an extension of 2020 at this point but hopefully as a collective it won’t prove to be as awful as 2020 was for most people. Anyways, as for K-pop, let’s see if it can continue to be somewhat tolerable as the year progresses.
As always, my opinions are just opinions and are formed from subjectivity, not how well your faves sing or the sound mixing or othe technical wibbly wobbly stuff, mkay?
SMTOWN ‘빛 (Hope)’ Official Video @SMTOWN LIVE “Culture Humanity”
On stream, I held a discussion with like the one person who comes every time about these type of COVID songs. SM beat everyone to the punch to release another somewhat condescending “We’re in this together, so cheer up and have strength” pandemic song with all their artists. I mean, if you actually get strength and feel better listening to these songs, good on you – I don’t want to diminish that feeling, but I just can’t fully get behind it.
Queen WA$ABII (퀸 와사비) – 까먹었다 (I forgot)
Quirky banana song is…okay? To be honest, I still don’t know how to feel about this song. I don’t hate it but it’s also not for me. Entertaining watch and it’s only 2 minutes, so watch if you wanna waste 2 minutes of your life.
Rolling Quartz 롤링쿼츠 – Blaze 블레이즈
Finally some K-rock! I always appreciate the rock sound and K-pop is sorely missing that sound. Unfortunately, I found their debut song kinda flat. The song stays relatively the same the whole time without much variety. Not a bad debut but wanted more.
Ryu Sera(류세라) – Lean On Me(기대)
A ballad I find alright actually. This gets a pass from me.
EDEN(이든), ATEEZ(에이티즈), Maddox(마독스), Eden-ary – Call Me Anytime
The song starts off with some cringey English lines along with late’90s/early ’00s melody that instantly turned me off from the song. Next.
프로미스나인 (fromis_9) ‘별의 밤’
This one was kinda boring, not gonna lie.
백예린 (Yerin Baek) ‘You’re so lonely now, so you need me back by your side again’
No overly long intro so that’s an improvement. The song still falls short for me under normal Yerin Baek standards. I almost like it but it’s missing something I can’t quite put my finger on. Maybe the chorus?
woo!ah!(우아!) – I Don’t Miss U
It’s not as bad as I thought it would be, but I’d still out it under the usual girl group stuff that isn’t offensively boring or egregious but average. I think it’s passable.
DALsooobin(달수빈) – Eyes like Snow(눈 닮은 눈)
I like the snow and that’s about all I will say about this song.
Lee MinHyuk(이민혁) – PLAY(재생)
Coffee shop music.
WILLOW(윌로우) – Let’s Just Sing
Not bad, not bad at all. It starts off already preppy and poppy sounding. I like her voice to so I’ll forgive dragging out the lala intro. I shall pass this one.
Yang Da Il(양다일) – Sometimes(요즘)
Inoffensive coffee shop music. Not bad but not outstanding either and boring if you don’t like this kinda stuff.
김필(Kim Feel) – 불면(sleeplessness)
This song has a mellow sad vibe to it that drags out through the song. It can be rather depressive so skip if you don’t wanna feel more depressed than you already are. Song isn’t really my cuppa tea.
YoonDo(윤도) – Once in a December(12월의 어느 겨울…)
By the title alone, you better know what you’re getting yourself into when/if you press the play button. That is all.
Hong Jae Mok(홍재목) – It’s not your fault(위태로운 건 너의 잘못이 아닌데)
More coffee shop sounding music with piano and light jazz bar vibes to it. Since that’s not really my jam, I’ll pass.
OST Section
Solar(솔라(마마무)) – Blue Bird(Run On(런 온) OST Part.3)
Pretty meh.
SEOLA (WJSN) – At the end of the day(하루 끝) (Drama: Growing Season)
Pretty average drama stuff here – sentimental, mellow ballad.
And that’s it for this week. Since not many people read my weekly review posts, the number of songs I review starting this year will be shortened since I’m sorry but I don’t wanna suffer through a onslaught of songs weekly when I got to review the J-pops too.
But wishing you a happy and blissful 2021 and good healthy for all. Take care and until next week, people.
