#linked one without the mv since i think the mv might be intense for most

[martilyongabo]

lucina (03.06.2024)

[thinkin-bout-milgram]

Mahiru Shiina Theory, Trial 1

T/W: Stalking, mention of suicide

Alright, today we’re going to be talking about one of my favorite cases, Mahiru’s! Before we get started, I’d like to thank @/iaobug for translating the text in Mahiru’s video into an easy to read and understand format! If you guys want to see the translation I’m using, I’ll link it here.

For the format of this theory and all other prisoner theories, I’m going to format it as a list of claims, followed by evidence/my rationale to support each. Then, at the end, I will summarize my claims into what I think actually happened.

So, let’s begin with Mahiru.

Mahiru’s love is the one who died.

I think that from the focus of the MV being entirely on whoever this person is, it makes it pretty clear that he, the only person the video really cares about, must be the victim if Mahiru is in the “killer” position. 

Additionally, in her audio drama, Mahiru admits that her love might have killed someone. Granted, she’s defensive about it and deflects the blame, but it makes it seem like the object of her love must be the one who died. Trying to find how that occurred will help us figure out the video.

Mahiru thinks about love constantly.

This one is pretty obvious once you get to know anything about her, but it’s most obvious through her guide, “This is How to be in Love with You” (also the name of the song). She begins her story after finals, talking about how to find love and make the other person fall for you. 

She immediately jumps to someone she makes eye contact with being “the one,” even though she hasn’t talked to him. She clearly believes in love at first sight. Every experience she has since coming to Tokyo, she thinks about in the context of possible love. From days 1-7, she’s just thinking about this guy and trying to get to know him.

She also thinks about him when he’s not there, as seen on Day 7 with her romance novel. Even catching a glimpse of him outside of her work once (Day 6) makes her think about him at work every day from then on out, hoping she’ll be able to see him, or even talk to him.

Mahiru believes the cause of death is her intense love.

Mahiru seems to be quite overbearing in her relationship. She’s thinking about love constantly and thinks of even the smallest things as a major milestone. At the same time, she’s so blinded by love that she seems to do things without much regard for what he wants. For example, she says that she asks questions he doesn’t want to hear because he looks cute when he’s confused (0:37), and that she calls him early in the morning to wake him up so he’ll wish her good morning, even though she knows she goes to sleep before him (1:25). 

Though she seems perfectly aware of this behavior, she never really realizes that she’s causing a problem and plays it off as a cute and silly thing instead. She says “sorry” a lot, or does things like asking for forgiveness ahead of time: “I’m going to start relying on you if you’re kind to me, so please forgive me, thanks!” (1:34). She doesn’t give any opportunities to actually talk about the problem, she just briefly acknowledges it and continues on.

Mahiru seems to think that she was too much for her love, and while she feels awful about it, she doesn’t seem to be doing anything to correct it in the future. In her audio drama, she says something like “If my love caused this, then maybe I just shouldn’t live anymore,” because her kind of love is so integral to her person. Her entire self is love; she doesn’t know how to handle it if her overbearing personality is what caused her love’s death.

Mahiru changes her personality to suit the person she wants to be with.

One look at her guide will tell you that much. She seems to really want to have every shared interest with him, so she just pretends. She buys the same bread as him even though she can’t eat it all, she says she goes jogging too so she can jog with him, and she even says on Day 11 that it’s crazy how similar their interests are, and that she “feels like a totally different person since she first saw him.”

It’s even on the front cover. The tagline isn’t something like “how to make someone fall in love with you,” it’s “how to become someone that anyone can fall in love with.” She focuses on changing herself for her crush rather than finding someone who will accept her as she is.

However, while all of this is very cute and very Mahiru, the further you get into her story, something becomes increasingly clear:

Mahiru is an unreliable narrator.

The video clearly indicates that there are two different stories going on; the Mahiru in the room with the couch and the feathers, and the Mahiru in the guide. I believe that the events of the guide are how she remembers the story, while the ones in the room are closer to what actually happened. Looking at the two of them as the same story, with one being more factual and one being more skewed, is going to help us determine what actually happened. 

There’s support for this beyond the weirdness that starts occurring in the guide, though. The video literally starts with Mahiru reading a book, then getting a shiny look in her eyes. The colors in her eyes are then immediately shown as the cover of her guide, which shows up immediately. I think that the book essentially is the guide; it’s the story that she’s created to be the account of the events. 

To better understand the story, I think it’s best to look at it one day at a time, and to see when the video cuts out of the guide into reality.

The first seven days occurred how they occurred in the guide, more or less.

It all seems pretty plausible. Mahiru moves to Tokyo after finals, thinking about falling in love, as Mahiru does. She catches a guy’s eye and falls for him, and immediately sets out to have him notice her. 

After Day 3, we cut back to real life Mahiru with the same gleam in her eye as before. We see the first of the blue feathers fall as she seems to set out on her quest to become this guy’s one and only. Then, we go back to the guide on Day 4.

She orders the same bread order, and notices he likes jogging, so she takes up the hobby to have a similar interest. She thinks about him at work and while reading romance, hoping that he thinks the same way about her.

Now, I say that she “notices he likes jogging,” even though Mahiru reports it as them going jogging together. That’s because this is the first inconsistency; Mahiru says they go jogging together, yet in the Day 5 picture, she seems to be jogging alone. The lack of appearance of the boy in the guide is very important, and will be something I’ll go back to as her story unravels. 

Mahiru acts like she’s in a relationship even without being in one.

After Day 7, the video cuts back to her in real life with the phone scene. She wakes him up so he’ll say good morning and says she wonders if he’ll “get angry soon.” This makes it seem like he might not be treating this as a cute good morning phone call. He might instead be thinking it’s some random girl calling him and waking him up every morning, and is understandably getting annoyed.

There’s also the line I mentioned earlier about Mahiru apologizing in advance for starting to rely on him. Yes, “starting” to. I think that this whole phone call situation happens before she even thinks they’re in a relationship, showing that she’s definitely willing to break the boundaries of normal social interaction in the name of love.

The video then goes back to the guide on Day 8. 

Day 8 is when things start to get suspicious.

On Day 8, Mahiru “ambushes” him outside of his job in order to confess her feelings. However, while this shows, the lyrics say “We fought sometimes, I was happy to get hurt.” Then, in the next part, she says that it was a success. It doesn’t make sense if they fought and she got hurt if it was truly successful.

Her report of the night is also weird. She says that she’s choosing not to believe that it was several hours, and that it felt like no time passed at all–which, in the non-fantasy version, probably means that it was basically no time at all. She then doesn’t actually say the results; she just says “you can probably tell by the look on my face.”

Again, though, the lyrics for Day 8 don’t match her happy confession story she’s trying to portray. The lyrics on the second part say “this sickness is pretty bad.” I assume this is meant to mean love sickness, but I wonder if it’s alluding to another kind of sickness, meaning Mahiru’s delusion. After all, this is the last day when Mahiru tells the story without outright lying.

Day 9 is when Mahiru begins to misreport the story.

Day 9 is Mahiru’s bar date with the guy. The text in her guide begins to get slanted, very clearly indicating that something is off about the picture she’s painting. However, there’s something else suspicious about this.

Mahiru mentions that he’s an extreme lightweight, or she’s just really good at holding alcohol. If this implies that she had a lot to drink, it’s very possible her memory is deceiving her, too. If nothing else, the mention that he gets blackout drunk super easily feels weird as things start becoming less clear cut.

Days 10 and 11 don’t have a ton going on in them to talk about, but I’ll still mention them.

Day 10 has extremely slanted text. It’s a shot of Mahiru and her beautician in the mirror as she works on self care. I find it a little weird that Mahiru says she goes to her beautician with love advice when, according to her narrative, things are going perfectly. What is there to get advice on?

These last 3 days combine together to make me think that it’s possible that Mahiru got rejected, drank to forget it, and then went to her beautician to try to look even better to try to win him over, and to get advice from her on what to do next.

Day 11 is one I already mentioned, where Mahiru talks about how close their interests are. Other than showing that she’s probably changed herself a lot for this guy, it doesn’t really add much to the overall narrative.

Days 12 is when Mahiru takes a turn for the worse.

Day 12 is the most concerning entry so far, as she says she went to his house for the first time. She didn’t eat anything, and she doesn’t remember anything. Though, in the lyrics, she talks about “the nights that I don’t want to say goodbye.” If it was such an amazing night that she never wanted it to end, why can’t she remember anything?

This is also when the complete lack of appearance from her theoretical boyfriend comes back. Where is he? Why isn’t he with her in the house? It’s possible that he’s just off of camera, taking a picture of her, just like it’s possible he was for most of their dates. Except, then, why isn’t he in the mirror?

It’s not like it’s impossible for people to show up in mirrors in this video; the beautician literally does that on Day 10. The only reason why he wouldn’t show up in the mirror is if he wasn’t there to be seen. If he’s not in the hallway with her, why isn’t he there? 

The only conclusion that makes sense to me is that she broke into his house while he wasn’t there. She didn’t eat anything because there was no meal, and she didn’t remember anything because she didn’t do anything with him. She invited herself over, rather than him inviting her over as she reported.

Mahiru is completely stuck on this guy, and is forcing him to stay stuck with her.

After Day 12, we cut back out to the real world, where she looks outside of bars which look like a cage. She then turns back towards the camera with a… mischievous? Look on her face. 

She then proceeds to jump on the couch with a hug-like gesture, scattering blue feathers everywhere. 

One of these blue feathers was seen earlier, when Mahiru first catches his eye and decides to chase after him. I think that these blue feathers represent him, being caught with her in this room, which appears to be a cage. They’re feathers, because he’s stuck like a caged bird. He can’t escape her adoration for him, because she’ll keep pursuing him no matter what he does.

It’s possible that this is Mahiru’s kill moment. After all, though she’s holding Es in a more loving embrace than Haruka, her hands are still around their neck.

However, unlike Haruka, I don’t think Mahiru literally choked her victim. I think that it’s a metaphorical sign of her strangling someone with a relationship, giving them no escape from her and her love. That’s why her jump is a hug, which makes the feathers–representing the boy–scatter away from her. Her killing method is metaphorical strangulation, meaning that her overbearing love is what killed her victim–the relationship was just never consensual in the first place.

Days 13 to 16 are what sends her lover over the edge.

Mahiru’s fantasy is getting deeper with each of the final days.

On Day 13, she comes back from a wedding holding the bouquet, theoretically meaning she’ll be the next to get married. She says that her dream of getting married to her love might not be a dream for much longer, but at this point, in what we think happened, they’re still not together. This is just Mahiru trying to justify herself.

On Day 14, she and her boy go to an outdoor cinema together. This time, we actually see his hand! This implies that yes, the boy can show up in her visuals, he just hasn’t before because he hasn’t been there. It’s also odd how she said she had to “practically beg” him to go to the movie, considering she says back on Day 11 that they have crazy similar movie tastes. He should want to go to a movie he’d also enjoy with his girlfriend, but instead she has to beg. This is probably because instead of his girlfriend, it’s that weird girl who waited outside his work to ask him out out of nowhere.

Day 15 is her going to the shrine and wishing for something she’s already decided on. Though, if she’s already with her dream man, I’m not really sure what she’d be wishing for. Marriage, I guess? She seems to think her wish is the most obvious thing in the world, though–probably because her wish is to be with him.

She also says “may no one get in our way,” which is weird, considering there’s been no indication of anyone doing such a thing. Maybe someone else has caught his eye, considering it seems like he doesn’t actually have any interest in Mahiru? 

Day 16 is our unceremonious end to Mahiru’s love guide. She’s practiced all of his favorite dishes and is waiting for him with them for when he gets home! 

Except, they’ve never lived together. And I’m not even sure that he’s told her all of his favorite dishes. So, it seems like Mahiru has stalked him enough to know his favorite recipes, broken into his home, and cooked them for him. Yeah, I’d be interested to see his face when he sees you there too, Mahiru.

Mahiru wakes up.

After this, Mahiru wakes up on the couch with the feathers scattered over the floor. She looks at them with a look of horror.

I think it’s probably safe to say that this is her finding the body. What’s still not entirely clear to me is how he died. It seems like it’s probably either suicide, his only means to get away from this crazy stalker girl, or he literally had a heart attack or something. While it’s possible she hugged him so hard he couldn’t breathe or something, that seems a little too implausible to me, and it wouldn’t really place any of the blame on her previous actions. For the build up to matter, it seems like he must get overwhelmed in some way.

And now, a summary of my theory.

Mahiru is an unreliable narrator who describes the events how she wished they happened. While she seems to think that her sweet love in her relationship was just a bit too clingy, in reality, it was full on stalker behavior that got the better of him. She broke into his house multiple times, learned lots of information about him and even tracked down his workplace before asking him out the first time. Her stalker behavior started before she even got rejected.

This killed him indirectly somehow, and when she found his body, she created this false narrative in her mind to protect herself, much like Futa. She refuses to really accept the actions that were at fault and just plays it off like she can’t help it because she has so much love to give.

VOTE: GUILTY

Mahiru needs to understand that what she thinks is not reality, and that her actions were bad. I mentioned that she’s like Futa in this way, and I think that’s pretty true. Her actions went too far and accidentally killed someone, and now she’s trying to reframe the events in order to protect herself from guilt.

I think that Mahiru feels less responsible for her kill, though, even if you remove the denial. Mahiru doesn’t really take any accountability for what she thinks she does wrong in her fantasy scenario anyway. Futa tries to convince himself he was right, but it’s clear that’s denial. Mahiru convinces herself the situation was entirely different, then doesn’t even really take accountability for the fake situation.

She got a pretty resounding guilty vote in the first trial, so we’ll see if her narration becomes more or less reliable the next time around.

[masterhandss]

I definitely think Mona and Aizou have a strong relationship. In the beginning The Umbrella, well in all the stories we see Umbrella and it's a bit like the story of Mona's parents and also for Sena, she lent an umbrella to Medori. There is a similarity between Mona's father, Aizou and Medori, they are all singers and are good at playing guitar.

I think it's a story that repeats with both the mother and her daughters, and that's a very beautiful thing. Of course, if Mona heard her parents' story, she'd remember what happened between her and Aizou. Sorry for bad English 🙏

That's okay, your english is fine! Mine can be pretty bad too sometimes haha.

// spoilers to the Watashi, Idol Sengen Manga Chapter 10

I won't deny the importance of umbrellas in the Narumi family, and how interesting it is to know that Aizou lends his umbrella to Mona. It was definitely one of the scenes that made me interested in the Watashi, Idol Sengen manga.

There is honestly was more similarities on how the umbrellas are used by Mrs. Narumi and Mona than there are with Sena (which gives the Mona version more points), but knowing how Sena and Midori end up, I guess just having an umbrella is enough XDD I also didn't realize that Mr. Narumi, Aizou and Midori all play the guitar (gotta rewatch some LIPXLIP MVs later lmao) so thank you for pointing that out!

Given that using an umbrella to find love is apparently a tradition in the Narumi family (lmao haha it's so cute), it's no surprise that most of us are making a connection and assuming that Mona and Aizou might have something soon.

But, at the same time I feel like Aizou and Mona's umbrella scene just a red herring (or at least isn’t important in the grand scheme of things). I don't remember where I read that post, it was either here on tumblr or twitter (I'll link it if I find it, if anyone knows please tell me!), but there's a post that explains that Mona might not have a love interest (or at least it's not something her songs will dwell on since she wants to focus on being an idol) because of how she uses an umbrella.

According to that post, compared to Mrs. Narumi and Sena who we see receive and lend an umbrella within the MVs in honeyworks, the instances we see Mona with an umbrella in a song she's holds it on her own which represents her independence.

We have yet to see the umbrella scene with Aizou be represented in an MV, which means it might not be an important event in her life at all, compared to her mother and sister.

If you read the Watashi, Idol Sengen manga, you know that Mona went from someone who wants to be just like her mom and sister to someone who wishes to be identified separately from them and define herself in this world without being a "Narumi". The fact that she's been carrying an umbrella by herself without lending or giving it to anyone might be a representation of wanting to focus on herself.

That's the details in the post I've read, but that's not all actually. I haven't gotten to translating it yet so non-piccoma readers might not be aware but there's more to just that scene than Aizou handing her an umbrella. While Aizou does give her an umbrella and Mona does take it, she doesn't actually use it. She closes the umbrella that Aizou gave her, and continues to walk in the rain.

Even when Aizou was handing it to her, she firmly rejects it since he's Yuujirou's partner. She had no choice but to take it because Aizou walked away before she could return it. After hearing some girls on the streets praise LIPxLIP, Mona's hatred for them grew even more, so she just closed the umbrella and walked back home.

Mrs. Narumi and Sena's umbrella scenes are pretty sweet and romantic. Mrs. Narumi's moment feels like fate, she was in the dumps (emotionally and kinda literally) and someone kindly shields her with an umbrella and shows concern for her despite being a stranger. Sena lending an umbrella to Midori is the beginning of their interactions and a very crucial and heart-throbbing moment for them both. Meanwhile, the umbrella scene between Aizou and Mona is kind of intense, and Mona's constant rejection of the umbrella reflects that.

The fact that Mona doesn’t use the umbrella essentially breaks/denounces the scene as an “umbrella scene”. 

This is why I stand in the line between thinking that the Mona-Aizou umbrella scenes is foreshadowing and thinking that it's a red herring. Aizou's intentions were good when he reached out to her, which makes the scene nice and sweet, but Mona's anger and rejection makes it unlike the umbrella-related experiences of her family.

Who knows, maybe the umbrella scene between Mona and Aizou does mean something, I'm not too sure. Remembering that Aizou likes to play the guitar surely helped to make me lean towards that side, but given the kind of character Mona is, I think getting a love interest is something that won't be portrayed in her stories and MVs. I'm cool with either outcome though :))

Thank you for the ask!!

[kpoprambles00-blog]

Spring 2019 comeback review [Part 1]

I don't give a shit if it's the middle of summer, there were way too many good comebacks in the spring. I can't NOT talk about them.

Seriously, I don't know who was in charge of the scheduling for this comeback season, but good LORD they were out to kill me. Every other day it seemed like we had a major comeback, or at least a comeback I personally was interesting. And while that's great, because it gives me a lot of material to talk about here... it also gives me a LOT of material to talk about here. It's one of the main reasons why this is so late; there were almost TOO many damn comebacks and reviews. This review nearly ended up being three parts long. That's how intense it got.

But in the end, I've narrowed it down to 20 songs I wanted to talk about. (I say that as if 20 is a small number...) Now, keep in mind, I have already done some reviews of spring comebacks; namingly, Dreamcatcher, MAMAMOO, TWICE, BLACKPINK and (G)I-DLE. They won't be mentioned here (because that would be overkill at this point), but if you want to read my reviews and find out what I thought of each comeback, they're all on this blog!

Anyway, that's enough rambling. I'll be here for another two months at this rate. Spring comebacks, let's go!

EVERGLOW (에버글로우) - BON BON CHOCOLAT (봉봉쇼콜랏)

~ MV link ~

I didn't think I'd be able to say this after (G)I-DLE, but... this might just be one of the most promising girl group debuts of the 3rd gen. If not THE most promising.

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.

You, straighten up your shoulders and get up Look at the world outside the window That's been trapping and hiding you

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

~ Dance practice link ~

And that brilliance makes a lot of sense when you realise that that was choreographed by Lia Kim. Yeah. Lia Kim from 1MILLION. Only one of the most successful and celebrated dance companies out there right now. She is really fucking good at what she does, and that mastery comes across in spades here. This routine ebbs and flows in all the right places, and you can really tell how considerate she was when choreographing it; you can tell she wanted it to match the song perfectly, and she really fucking nailed it in that regard. It also helps that the girls of Everglow themselves are all great dancers, too; they've got so much power and finesse to their moves that helps them flow excellently from one move to the next.

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)

~ MV link ~

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. 😊

When things were hard, you were always by my side That's the reason I was able to live I won't forget, I'll always remember

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)

~ MV link ~

...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?

Just pretty but not attractive at all I'm different from the kids, I'm different Don't measure me by your standards alone I love being myself, I'm nobody else

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.

~ Dance practice link ~

Now THIS is how you debut a rookie girl group like Itzy. This is one of those routines where I watch it and can't help but wonder how the fuck they're even alive after such an energetic routine. It by no means negates the fact that the song is a mess - I don't think anything could at this point - but damn, this is about the best choreo we could've gotten here. It also helps that all five girls are excellent performers, and they pull off each move with so much finesse and clarity that it's awe-inspiring. And yes, the hairflips are equally as amazing. ESPECIALLY Yeji. Like... goddamn girl, Ariana Grande called, she heard how much her ponytail suits you and wanted to say you can keep it.

So while the routine is possibly one of the best this year, the song... couldn't be further from that. Yeah, if I make a worst list this year, this'll be on it. I sure as hell hope JYP actually give Itzy a song that shows them some respect next time, because this goes down as one of the worst debut songs in my memory. Yeah. I dislike it that much. These girls deserve better, full stop.

TAEMIN (태민) - WANT

 ~ MV link ~

Debuts aside, someone who's had my attention from day one of their solo career is Taemin. I remember hearing "Danger" for the first time and being blown away at just how well he handled himself outside of SHINee. And he's never really let up that momentum; "Press Your Number" was fantastic, "Move" was one of the biggest songs of last year, and now he's released his follow up to that, "Want". And even though I liked "Move" for what it was, I think "Want" might just be its slightly better cousin.

Taemin's established an image for himself that is frought with sex appeal. I mean, seriously, just go watch this man dance if you haven't already. You'll see what I mean. It suits his vocal tone, too, since he's got this very breathy yet charismatic whisper of sorts that just sounds really damn unique. That image was pretty much perfected with "Move", but "Want" evolves on it in a few interesting ways. The instrumental takes advantage of this strange, distorted sample that sounds super different and mysterious; it's not something you can describe easily. But then there's also a thumping bassline and some really interesting, deep synths that work beautifully alongside it. Everything in the instrumental is masterfully crafted, and it all plays into that main image Taemin is going for - this song is dirty, and it's not afraid to show that.

That says a lot about Taemin as a performer, too. He uses his aforementioned breathy tone in some places, but then dips into his lower range and full-on belts in others. It's a really damn clever mix of the two, and it only serves to further the song's tone. The vocal distortion effects used here and there are goddamn great, too! This sort of sexy image is not something Taemin's ever shyed away from; he's embraced it, and "Want" makes that message loud and clear. It's so damn well put together, and carries out its concept with such elegance and poise (and a hell of a lot of charisma to boot).

Don't even get me started on the lyrics - you thought the song was sexy? Hooo man, that's nothing. These are straight up FILTHY. They really play into the Adam and Eve concept shown in the video, too. It's very reminiscent of Gain's "Paradise Lost" in that sense, and I really, REALLY like it.

You'll want it more, you'll burn up more I'm your eyes, I'll make you open up new eyes I'm your toy to make you innocent

But, of course, it's Taemin. He doesn't just have a reputation for being sexy. He has a reputation as one of the best goddamn dancers to come out of K-Pop, period. And yeah, watching the choreography for this song shows exactly what I mean by that.

~ Dance practice link ~

I feel bad for anyone who attempts a dance cover of this song. Damn, I even feel bad for the fucking backup dancers here. Taemin is just THAT good. He's got such a fine sense of poise and finesse to every movement he has, and you can really tell he doesn't just dance for the sake of it. Taemin is one of those rare people that really feels whatever routine he's dancing to; this is a masterclass in that. And yet, it's as if he's holding back; he knows we're going to want to see him go nuts and blow us all away, but the choreography is restrained... which links perfectly back into the theming of the lyrics and music video. Honestly, the dance makes this song a near masterpiece in my eyes; it's flawlessly executed and masterfully put together.

To think I was nearly going to leave this song off this list because of having so much to cover... I'm glad I didn't. Taemin's one of the strongest solo artists in K-Pop at the minute, and he delights with each and every single comeback. He can step on me and I'd say thank you, and that just about sums up how phenomenal "Want" is as a song.

HWASA (화사) - TWIT (멍청이)

~ MV link ~

When I found out that Hwasa was going to get a full-on solo, I can't begin to tell you how happy I was. She's been my bias in MAMAMOO since day one, and her solo projects on past albums have been great. So to see her get a promoted solo was awesome! Yes, it was cut short to actually let the girls breathe between promotions for this and Gogobebe (as well as preparation for their concert), but that's completely understandable. And yet, the song doesn't feel rushed or undercooked at all - it's a full-on solo effort from Hwasa, and a very successful effort if you ask me!

Outside of the debacle with the girls' schedules, I feel like RBW are doing a good job managing MAMAMOO, and that's clearly evident here with Hwasa. They noticed how popular she's becoming, especially after her viral MAMAs performance last year, and decided to capitalize on that by giving her a solo. And not gonna lie, "Twit (멍청이)" is just about the perfect song for Hwasa. It is LITERALLY her strengths and personality condensed into a song. She gets to show off her sultry, confident side that she's known for, whilst also showing a lot of vulnerability and tenderness in the lyrics; she's got a charm that's so damn hard to place, but this song does it perfectly. I couldn't imagine anyone else singing this - it just wouldn't suit them like it suits Hyejin.

The song itself is certainly memorable, too. The instrumental is more reminiscent of standard pop, with some interesting flute elements that make the melody incredibly catchy. The trumpet synths in the second half work really well in contrast with the more natural guitar tones in the verses, too; "Twit (멍청이)" is very good at building and maintaining its momentum as a song. None of it feels forced or shoe-horned in at the last minute, and I really like that! It feels very complete and distinctive.

Like I mentioned, though, the lyrics are much more emotional than you'd expect. Yes, the song itself is confident and in your face (and Hwasa's voice is powerful as all hell, let's be real), but the lyrics are... certainly surprising. Hell, there's even a goddamn reference to Korean folklore, and the story of Simcheong. There's more to the relationship here than you'd initially think, that's for sure. Hwasa admits that because she's so confident and independent, she's often the driving force in this relationship. And yes, she can bring out the best bits of her partner, but at the same time, they're very reliant on her, and she tends to resent them and push them away because of that. They're... surprisingly complex. I seriously didn't expect that sort of emotional gutpunch from a solo project by Hwasa of all people, but damn, I love it! It's super effective.

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)".

~ Dance practice link ~

Not only can you tell that she's really getting into the choreography itself through her facial expressions and movements, but the relationship she has with her backup dancers is nothing short of amazing. It adds so much electricity to the routine, no lie. Every single person here shines, Hwasa or not, and the routine itself is pretty great to boot! The position changes are really fun and interesting to watch, and they certainly do a great job of keeping your attention. They do a great job of letting Hwasa shine, too; you really get the sense she's the star here. Regardless, it's a surprisingly solid routine that suits her perfectly.

That's how I'd describe this entire debut, to be honest: it suits Hwasa perfectly. RBW made a great decision in giving her this opportunity, and it's something I hope she keeps up with in the future. Hell, this was successful enough to warrant a solo comeback in the future, right? I even heard it in H&M one day. That was very surprising, but... also absolutely amazing. Just like the song!

ATEEZ (에이티즈) - SAY MY NAME

~ MV link ~

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.

Say my name, my name is in the search results I have my name tag that I wanted so badly I have friends all around me

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

~ Dance practice link ~

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...

These guys... these guys are scarily good. Like... whoa. They don't have a single bad dancer. Every single one of them looks like they're into it, they're feeling the vibe of the song, and they just... proceed to murder every move given to them. Like... I only get this kind of vibe amongst groups that are KNOWN for their dance skills, like BTS or SHINee. But even then, they admittedly have their flaws... I'm not seeing one with this routine. It's... freakishly perfect. So much so that I'm kind of disturbed by it a little? I honestly didn't know who to watch during this dance practice. It's the definition of captivating. I would fucking KILL to see this done live, good lord...

(Also Jongho looks fancy as fuck, I love it.)

Yeah, so, um, bear with me while I go buy this album. These guys are going to be huge. I can feel it. Not to be THAT person, but I felt it with BTS when they debuted, and look where they are now... I haven't had this kind of gut feeling about a boy group for a hot fucking minute. You bet your ass I'm following ATEEZ from now on. Every single ounce of hype around them is real.

SUNMI (선미) - NOIR (누아르)

~ MV link ~

I remember mentioning on this blog before that "Heroine" was my favourite Sunmi song. It was just the song that stood out to me the most, since I liked "Gashina" but admittedly got a teeeeeensy bit tired of it after how much it blew up, and also since I... really didn't like "Siren" that much. So as far as solo Sunmi songs go, "Heroine" was the standard as far as I was concerned. But I couldn't be any happier to say that "Noir" IS that new standard, and it's by far my favourite song Sunmi's put out yet.

The song itself is actually quite interesting; it's got a very dark tone overall, with its deep synth line, echoed backing vocals, and the striking minor chord progressions. And yet, it's all anchored with what I can only describe as an 80s drum line, full of snappy bass beats and really memorable rhythms. It's a very interesting song musically, but where "Noir" REALLY shines is the messaging. The lyrics, the music video, even the live performance she did on M!Countdown - all of it ties back into the overarching theme.

That overarching theme is one that's very goddamn relevant, actually. In an age where social media is so prevalent, a lot of people get hung up on the attention. A little bit of popularity is never enough. That's what Sunmi thinks "Noir" is, as she described in an interview; we're in an age where people are so addicted to attention that they disregard their own safety in order to get it. It's a trap far too many people fall into, and Sunmi touches on it in a way that's simultaneously candid and very haunting. She even gave us an example of it in real life, too - remember that picture she posted leading up to this comeback? A picture of a hand full of what seemed to be Advil?

Everyone immediately started to panic, and freak out over her well being... but that was the point. We gave her the attention because she implied she was going to do something dangerous. It's a fucking ingenious way of promotion, that's for sure, but it really does show that the themes "Noir" touches on are still alive and well. (KPOP Junkee did a fantastic explanation of this on their YouTube channel.)

In terms of the lyrics, though, they seem to be a bit more cryptic; at first glance, they seem to be about a tumultuous relationship of some kind. BUT that's not the only way you should look at this. DKDKTV made a fucking great video explaning "Noir", alongside an interesting theory - what if we're meant to be looking at these lyrics from more of a Jekyll and Hyde point of view? Sunmi's trying to convince herself to embrace the dangerous lifestyle "Noir" describes, i.e. putting yourself in dangerous situations to get other peoples' attention.

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

~ MV link ~

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!

Why I'm pretty, why I'm cute Why am I not tired of hearing that over and over? People say that I'm pretty, that I'm cute

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.

~ Dance practice link ~

To be honest, yeah, this routine is quite basic. But a major upside to routines like this is that the idols get time to breathe properly when they're performing. And considering how fucking balls-to-the-wall energetic "Bboom Bboom"'s choreography was, yeah, I'm okay with this. (I still have NO clue how they kept their energy during those stages, that dance is exhausting.) Of course, people are going to hate and say that this dance was designed purely to go viral. How, may I ask, is that a bad thing? How is having a dance that's simple, fun and easy to pick up bad? Not everything has to be mind-blowingly hard. Sometimes it just needs to be accessible, and that's probably how I'd describe this routine overall. It's got some nice elements to it (particularly in the position switches), and it's very easy for anyone to look at and join in with. It's also a hell of an arm workout. 💪

In the end, I really like "I'm So Hot"! It's fun, it's funky, and it's one of my favourite MOMOLAND songs so far. I'll admit that I do miss Daisy and Taeha, though - hopefully they come back soon so we can see an OT9 performance of this!

IZ*ONE (아이즈원) - VIOLETA (비올레타)

~ MV link ~

Alright, I've wanted to talk about this song since it came out so let me just get this out of the way:

THIS IS HOW YOU HAVE A NON-REPETITIVE STRUCTURE AS AN ARTIST.

"Violeta" has pretty much the exact same structure as "La Vie En Rose" - a relatively quiet intro, nice verse, chorus, rap and second verse, next chorus, final bridge with adlibs, final chorus and final drop to really add emphasis. Their layout is exactly the same. But to say that those two songs are the same is SO goddamn wrong that I might just punch you. Yes, they have the exact same structure. But that works in "Violeta"'s favour, because it's a structure that works. It's a way for IZ*ONE to keep a style and sound whilst still having the freedom to change it up a bit. It's really fucking clever.

In terms of the song itself though, it... actually really surprised me! I certainly didn't expect IZ*ONE to lean into deep house, but here we are. That flute melody is really damn effective, since it's often layered over some interesting percussion snaps and some goddamn angelic synths and melodies. And yeah, the deep house aspects really work here - it all builds up to an explosive conclusion that left me very impressed. I wasn't sure about it on the first listen, if I'm being honest, but it really grew on me!

Lyrically, this song is kind of what you'd expect from a girl group like IZ*ONE. It's one of those really sweet lovey-dovey love songs, full of wonder and charm. That sort of stuff just doesn't appeal to me, but I don't mind it when the song is so distinctive.

Your smile that's drawn in the sky is shining so bright The beautiful flower in your heart You're my Violeta

But, of course, what I was looking forward to the most here was the choreography. And considering "La Vie en Rose" had my favourite routine of last year - and one of my favourite K-Pop routines I've ever seen - my expectations were admittedly very, VERY high.

Buuuuuuuut yeah, they fucking killed it. AGAIN.

~ Dance practice link ~

Okay, admittedly, I don't like this as much as "La Vie en Rose" in the end. But that's perfectly fine by me - routines as good as "La Vie en Rose" are a real fucking rarity. "Violeta" is still fantastic routine, and one that's just a goddamn spectacle. It's a lot more graceful and monumental in a few places, which makes sense considering how powerful the instrumental can be here and there. It's beautifully put together, and expertly performed by all 12 members - Chaeyoung in particular really stands out here. Her skills are NO JOKE. Overall, the transitions are gorgeous, the moves are diverse and delightful to watch, and this routine is still fucking amazing. IZ*ONE are probably one of the best girl groups out there right now in terms of choreography. Yeah, I mean that.

So "Violeta" ended up being a pretty great comeback! I did see a lot of people saying that maybe this should've been the debut song instead of "La Vie en Rose", but I disagree - I feel like this is the perfect follow-up. It keeps IZ*ONE's momentum going steadily, and I really hope they keep up this standard, because I might just end up stanning them if they do. I'm THAT close to becoming a WIZ*ONE. I just don't want to have my heart broken when they inevitably end promotion. ;-;

KARD - BOMB BOMB (밤밤)

~ MV link ~

...y'all mind if I just fangirl for the next 5 minutes? I hope so, because that's inevitably what's going to happen here.

I mean have you SEEN this motherfucking video. KARD just... decided to do That. Like they fucking WENT there. (BM and Somin in particular. Hoooooooooooly fuck.)

But let's be honest, this is the song KARD have been destined to make since they first came about. For those of you who were complaining that all of their songs sounded the same, and that you were sick of that California junkee vibe they had going on, then HERE YA FUCKING GO. They didn't come to mess around this time.

If I'm being honest, I'm a huge Hidden KARD, and this is straight-up one of my new favourite songs of theirs. It sits up there for me alongside "Rumor" and "You In Me". It's big, it's bombastic, it's in your face, and it's the kind of song that pulls you in from the get-go. Yes, I'm not the biggest fan of the slightly wet percussion that's used here and there in the verses - I think it sounds a little off - but everything else is just gorgeous. The pre-choruses have this echoey, atmospheric build-up to them thanks to the percussion and harmonies, but then the choruses themselves have this... almost wiry synth that's very reminiscent of something like Yezi's "Anck Su Namun." It fits that sort of Middle-Eastern vibe beautifully. And yet, while that's the sort of instrument that I'd normally despise, it really works here - and I think that's in large part to how much pure charisma the members have.

I'm not going to mince words here, BM absolutely runs the fuck away with this song. He's made for stuff like this, where his energy is naturally called for, and he can do what he does best - being hype as fuck. But that doesn't mean the other members fall short; J.Seph singing is always something I'm happy to hear more of, since I like his singing just as much as his rapping. Jiwoo's lower, slightly rough vocal tone sounds fantastic no matter what she sings, and Somin? Somin BODIES this song. It's stuff like this that make me happy she left April - just think what would've happened if she didn't. Her vocals are absolutely killer here, and from how confident she appears in the live stages, she knows it.

And yeah, with a song like this that's meant to be hype and fit for a party, the lyrics aren't going to be all that special. But since that's not the focus, I'm more than willing to let that slide here. They're fun and catchy, and that's all a song like this really needs if you ask me. (I also like how BM straight-up knows how thirsty everyone is over him. Can he BE any more self-aware?)

Don't try to sober up Just get drunk with the vibes [...] I'm dizzy, why are you messing with my heart?

Of course, one of my favourite things about any KARD comeback is seeing the choreography, since there aren't that many male/female groups out there right now. I always love seeing how the routines work around having both male and female performers, and I've got to say, "Bomb Bomb" might have one of KARD's best choreographies to date. You thought their vocal performances were charismatic? HOOO BOI.

~ Dance practice link ~

This shit right here is why I stan KARD the way I do. The thing I said before about creating a routine for both male and female performers is done excellently. There isn't a move that feels out of place in this routine, and every single member gets their chance to show off - well, apart from J.Seph, who's stuck behind 6 foot tall BM for most of the choreo. Which is a crying shame, he's really fucking good! But aside from that, Somin and Jiwoo are probably at their best with this sort of concept; you can tell that they're not only looking good, but they're really getting involved with the choreography, too. They're into it, and it shows. And then there's BM, who I don't even think I need to explain at this point. He's a fucking dancing machine, and if you've seen KARD before, you know exactly what I'm talking about. But all in all, no member (for the most part) overshadows or outshines another here, and this gives a routine that's both very well balanced and REALLY fucking fun to watch.

Basically, a great song and great choreography makes for a happy me. KARD fucking killed it with this comeback, and I'm so glad to see them shut down the hate they've been getting with something like "Bomb Bomb". I get the funny feeling this is going to be one of my songs of the summer this year - I've certainly had it on repeat enough to warrant that. 😅

•••••

...and that's only part one of this comeback review. This one took long enough to get out as it is, so no promises as to when part two will be up. I'm going to try my best to get it up soon-ish, but I'm also working on two album reviews right now, sooooooooooo God knows when that will be. Someone kill me pls. K-Pop has been too good this year so far... 💀

SOURCES FOR THE ENGLISH LYRICS I USED IN THIS REVIEW:

Bon Bon Chocolat (봉봉쇼콜랏)

You're My (너는 내게)

DALLA DALLA (달라달라)

WANT

Twit (멍청이)

Say My Name

Noir (누아르)

I'm So Hot

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BTS BS&T JP.VERSION THEORY

THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS: A new beggining to death.

The story begins with two men who are reunited. Jin pulls up to a gas station with his truck, which will later become transportation for 5 more boys. Jin starts with words like “haven’t seen you in a long time”, or “it’s me”, vaguely. Namjoon and Jin, buddies who may have known each other. Namjoon, living a boring life getting some cash by working nightshifts, and Jin with his mischevious smile.

2. From here on, I’m guessing they all get together under god knows what conditions. There are a couple of plot lines.

V, a boy who comes from an awful family with an alcoholic father. He finds himself together with other outcasts, party tigers. The circumstances of him joining them: V has killed his father, fled the scene.

Later on, he finds himself in the comfort of Namjoon, forming a tight bond with his hyung.

3. Not only these two are close. Another pretty pominent relationship is of Suga’s and Jungkook’s.

Pretty sure they have a very close relationship, sweetly wrapping their arms around each other, the iconic flannel of Jungkook’s that’s hanging in Yoongi’s motel room.

4. They seem to have fun each day, everyone is happy together, living life without a care with frequent shannenigans.

5. When there’s a party, there’s liqour. Red solo cups are pretty popular in house parties and this is how the boys indulge in some innocent, or later on not really, drinking. They just can’t run away from the boheme of life.

6. The one who seems to indulge in hard liqour the most seems to be Namjoon. He is frequently seen associating himself with green substances. The very first instance of him having contact with weird green looking stuff is lighter fluid. A lighter that has been given to him by Jin.

RM, drinking Absinthe (BS&T KR. Version (the colour green is commonly associated with poison) 

RM, smoking substances, resulting in thick smoke

7.Namjoon gives Jungkook the same drink he was having in the KR. Version of BS&T. (It’s obviously the same “Absinthe”. Actually, if you look closely in the JP. version, at the 00:50-00:51 mark, the bottle on the table, where both RM and Jungkook are sitting, has a writting on it “..SENTE”. Pretty obvious). Reason as of why Jungkook’s poor unfortunate soul had to drown it’s sorrows with liqour is up to interpretation, but I dare assume it’s because

things between him and Yoongi started going downhill. They did have a pretty intense fight. Besides. Jungkook was seen wearing the RUN flannel in the very first seconds of BS&T, JP Version. Either way, Namjoon sins in his own way, he pushed Jungkook into consuming hard liqour, making him incredibly unwell later on. Not to mention the boy got hooked on it too (lollipops in his mouth, all in bright colors, a drowsy expression, ect… ) - 8. Then we can see RM’s hands smeared with what seems to be blood. This guarantees he has done some dirty work already and his hands turned out to be unclean. The chain on his neck with a lock indicates, that he is locked up and he can’t get out of the sins he has commited.

9.V sees that he can’t reach his dear friend anymore…

Let’s remember the prologue where V called for his hyung…

And then we are shown a scene of the ‘’BTS short film Reflection’’, where RM trying to answer but he couldn’t. (also, more chains)

10.V decides to avenge Jin for corruping Namjoon.It’s done by kiling Jin in the JP.Version of BS&T

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Backround information

V is the devil since he commited the greatest sin - a murder (That would be 2 people now, Jin and V’s father.)

Killing Jin was no big deal since he had the power to take Jins life. V, as he was the most Lucifer of them all, and Jin, who has made a deal with the devil in the KR.Version of BS&T. We all saw how Jin kissed the sculpture with huge black wings and then we saw V with the same wings as the aforementioned sculpture.

V could be called ‘’the fallen angel’’. Since Jin kissed the sculpture, he made a deal with the devil, who was V. And Jin was killed by V. The devil took one’s soul. Jin became the kind of guy who fell in the dark world and couldn’t get out… And it was shown as the deal with the devil.

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11.Jin apologizes for corrupting everyone while fighting with V.

12. Jin gets fatally stabbed by V. V feels happy and free…

13. While still holding the sharp object in his hands, V is going somewhere through unrecognizable places (all you can see around him are curtains, he tries to get out of them). In the end, he fights his way out to the balcony with a dead end. If he were to go back, he would find himself in the same old world, with the same mistakes and responsibilities that await him, since he killed Jin. There’s nowhere to run. He reached a dead end. If he goes further, there’s only death. Personally, I thought he will jump just like in the KR. Version of BS&T.

14.Jins spirit is wandering around. He can’t take pictures with a camera anymore (and he used to always capture photos), so uses his hands to frame the last memories (dead people can’t hold items in their hands, obviously).

This brings us to BTS Spring day.

15.They hold a funeral outside their Omelas house for Jin, in the forest, to which they get by a train. (I’m assuming they reside in two places, “Omelas” and the train wagons, also, Yoongi in the motel)

16. Now this is important to point out. Very subtile but important. Jimin and Jin are very close. Jimin is close with Hobi too but let’s leave that aside or now…

Let’s remember RUN when Jimin came into a bathroom and all of the guys were partying. As from now on, we know that Jin is the one who took the whole ’’squad’’ with him down the dark and dirty hole… Jin welcomed Jimin to the party and dragged him in.

Let’s remember, I Need U. Jimin was burning photographs. Those photos were made by Jin. Jimin is in pain because Jin has died and he wants to burn them, it just brings so much suffering, thinking of the happy days together.

Next we see that Jimin and Jin are linked by apples, I assume. In BS&T JP.Version Jimin had an apple when he was sitting in the room with Suga, he then bit the said apple in the following scene.

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*Backround infromation*

2 Jimins. One in a room dressed up fancy with Suga and the other one released by Suga, dressed in a more street like kind of style…The casual Jimin is the unclean one and the one who is sitting in the room with Suga is the pure one. The unclean one wanted to prevent the same mistake he made to stop the pure Jimin from biting the apple (the casual Jimin has already bitten the apple as it was shown in 00:58-1:01, he was dressed up casually I dare say.) But Suga covered the pure Jimin’s eyes, didn’t let him see the unclean one.

So I’d say Jimin was in a halfway of making a deal with the impure world…But then the unclean Jimin was taken back to the saturated colour section from where he came from and where Jin is. So the pure Jimin probably made the same mistake (indulging in the dirty pleasures) because you can’t turn time back. And in the KR. Version of BS&T Suga covered Jimin’s eyes. But before that Jimin held an apple and Suga held a blindfold, which later was tied on Jimin, then Jimin was tied to a door and he couldn’t let himself free. He was freaking out until he removed the blindfold… In the JP.Version Jimin always had his eyes covered by Suga’s hands too, which indicates the one who didn’t let Jimin leave everything and the one who dragged Jimin in FULLY with the rest of the members is probably Suga. Yet Yoongi’s role isn’t unraveled nor executed fully.

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But then in ‘’BTS Short Film Awake’’, Jin is holding an apple and remembering something, which probably is Jimin.

17.So this is why Jimin was the one who was mourning Jin the most: because they were very close and Jimin was the one who hanged the shoes on the tree (shoes on tree mean that someone has died). So this brings us to the conclusion that the Spring Day MV is about the mourning of Jin.

Let’s remember the Spring Day performances. Jimin is waiting for Jin and when Jin comes, a huge flash appears, similarly to the ‘’light at the end of the tunnel’’. They hug. Everything looks like Jin is saying goodbye to Jimin.

9. Then let’s remember those 6 white petals. Jin holds the flowers wearing white. 6 petals = 6 friends he has corrupted and left in the real world. Jin he feels really bad for them as he regrets everything he has done. If you watched the MV you have probably noticed that Jin did everything other 6 members did in their MV’s but just like a memory.

Jin is now alone. Dead. Detached from those 6 petals resembling his friends. He’s always seen holding lillies, white lillies are commonly associated with death. Not only does V throw 6 petals of lillies away (I Need U, JP. Version), connecting Jin and V with the death motive, Jin is just always seen around those white flowers. It’s like a weird purgatory of sorts.

And here it is. The (almost) whole world of the 7 boys explained, with their underlining stories and struggles. We very much hope you find this theory plausible and it makes sense, since, well, it does to us. Thank you for your attention.

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