Lyrics
?
Choreography? Performance?
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

For some odd reason, this debut song sounds like it was produced for IZ*ONE or Kwon Eunbi. It sounds similar to IZ*ONE - PANORAMA. The major difference is that the female rapper of New-L has one of the deepest and powerful voices that I've heard for a long time in K-pop, which is a plus in the way I rate songs; I believe New-L's rapper is ChaeLin. ChaeLin's rapping voice is similar to Yubin from Wondergirls; this is a huge compliment. Hopefully, ChaeLin has more rap lines in future songs(if they get popular that is...). New-L's vocalists Wool and DiDi have such adorable/cute voices. Although their vocals are similar to members of the former k-idol group IZ*ONE, I enjoyed it as a nostalgic imitation of an era that has long passed. With that being said, I am not claiming that New-L is copying IZ*ONE. It is simply a song that draws inspiration from the IZ*ONE era.

"Focus" has an interesting upbeat instrumental that is super catchy. If you enjoy IZ*ONE music, then you'll probably appreciate a return of that style of music. During parts of the debut song, you'll notice either a flute, clarinet, or a recorder being played(Personally, I don't know what instrument it is); the instrument used that I mentioned adds a layer of hype or progression towards a strong chorus. The build up from the bridge of the song to the chorus is simply addictive; I find myself playing parts of the song repetitively because of how awesome the hook is.

All the dresses that New-L showed off in their music video is quite delightful. They definately should wear the sparkling ones for their showcase!

A factoid released to me from a K-netizen is that DiDi is the first Burmese K-pop Idol in history. You may notice DiDi's make-up palette is identical to a famous k-idol, Jeon Somi(Former I.O.I); the make-up palette has a striking effect to those who see it for the first time. It is very beautiful. The other members also have sparkling face stickers(I forget the actual term for them. I think it is called "sticky emblems".). The stylist and make-up artist should get a raise for doing a wonderful job on New-L.

EDIT#1(9/30/2024): I listened to their album. Their tracks "Beautiful Night" and "Tomorrow" are adorable tracks; these two tracks aren't similar to "Focus", but are a good listen. Since they only debuted a few days ago, there isn't much content out like any public appearances. I'll be waiting...

Lyrics
NPOP Limited Edition Performance
INKIGAYO DEBUT SHOWCASE
Dance Practice
MNET Showcase
MCOUNTDOWN FANCAM
OFFICIAL CHOREOGRAPHY
SBS INKIGAYO(2nd Showcase)
X's Live Vocals on
SBS Power FM Youngstreet Radio
Hosted By Wendy(Red Velvet)
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

MEOVV is a visually appealing rookie group of 2024! Not only are they beautiful, fitting korean beauty standards to the extreme, but they may resemble other k-idol super stars. Narin looks like a spitting image of a young(a lighter complexion version) Yoonmirae(MFBTY). Gawon looks similar(side-profile may be off a slight bit from being exact) to the Jung Sisters: Jessica Jung(SNSD) and Krystal Jung(f(x)). Anna looks definately like Lia from Itzy. Ella almost has the same facial structure as Danielle from New Jeans; however, Ella has a more vogue model appearance. Sooin looks like Suzy(Miss A), but with long, straight hair; throughout one of the teasers, I found myself uttering Suzy's name whenever she did an acrobatic move, fighting through the countless hoard of soldiers, who were guarding the cartoon cat vending machine. It is as though Suzy's live spirit fled into Sooin's body and possessed her. You may think that I'm delusional of comparing their looks to previous k-idol stars, but I'm being demure in my assessment. Take it as you will, but you will definately contemplate and connect the dots. You'll remember what I have said and wonder if MEOVV is blood-related or biologically-related to these aforementioned k-idol stars of the past.

Most people say that the music video was a "nothing burger". I beg to differ! They are not following the same "YG Formula" nor are they repeating Teddy's formula either; the sound has a more cool vibe to it like a cat lounging around(hence, their name: MEOVV). Although the sound is technically Teddy, it is composed by 24, Jumpa, Claudia Valentina, Zikai. The lyrics are encompassing Teddy's usual spiel of flaunting wealth; however, it is dialed down a notch. Yes, I'd have to agree that the lyrics are trite and embarrassing in 2024 because no one in society(for the most part) flaunts their wealth in front of impoverished people, unless they are an arse or a jerk. The instrumental is not the usual Teddy The Black Label sound. It is more akin to funky EDM and the concept isn't exactly a "Girl Crush"; it is more flaunty and jaunty. The best way to describe the overall concept is a light-hearted, well-mannered girl crush. It is not exactly a replica of BlackPink, BabyMonster, or 2NE1. Another way of describing MEOVV's debut is that it is more à la mode to 2024, a modern fashioned girl crush, in short.

Anyways, I can see all the haters out there saying that it failed to be an anthem because it lacks a bombastic climax. They say that it is stale, boring, empty, flat, pallid, unremarkable, and the list goes on. The movie set was a bit desolate, especially within the cafeteria(tables, chairs, and benches scattered around); however, it is mainly to showcase the members' visuals. The main focus of debuting groups is to introduce the members' appearance, so it is understandable that the environment wasn't too distracting; empty areas such as a cafeteria is the perfect place to show off their visuals. MEOVV is not trying to be BlackPink, BabyMonster, or 2NE1. The critics are super demented! Often, I read comments comparing and contrasting MEOVV's debut with Teddy's original work. That's where the problem arises. The producers of MEOVV was not trying to clone previous groups that they worked with; this is an entirely new group carving their own path in the k-pop industry. Negative commenters have also said that MEOVV is a "discount girl crush". That was the last straw really! Again, people are expecting another "girl crush" group of the same caliber as YG Entertainment's groups. We've been there, done that, and got the T-Shirt. MEOVV is providing the audience with a modern change to girl crush. I kind of blame the teasers because it was over-hyped to the point that everyone had high expectations. It is what it is, I suppose. With that being said, I enjoyed the music video opposed to the majority, who don't understand nuance.

By the way, the group of Sasquatch(big foot) dancing at the end was totally random. I really don't know what to say about that since it has no real relation to the whole concept/theme. My assumption is that they had to provide the audience with some comedy, but I found it more questionable than funny. Instead of using Sasquatch costumes, they could have just used cat costumes to fit the concept of their song. What I pondered the most was the lack of cats in the video. I was fairly certain, before the debut dropped, that they'll add an oversupply of felines in their debut. A theory that I came up with was that there were computer generated images of cats in the video, but they scrapped the idea. If you have noticed all the empty spaces within the video, then you'll clearly see that the spaces were intended to be place-holders or pedestals for cartoon cats or actual cats. It was probably the main intention for all the empty space. I wonder why they didn't add cats when there's clear indication or motive to do so.

NPOP showcased MEOVV's "Limited Edition" performance. It was just as expected. They were superb! You can tell that they have some sort of signature move with the "cat claw". It is a nicely added addition to their "purr-fect" choreography. I bet their future releases will have cat-like movement or even cat-like mannerisms. It is somewhat rejuvenating to have cat-related choreography in k-pop; I don't believe there was ever any cat-related content besides AOA - Like A Cat or CocoSori - Exquisite.

The Inkigayo showcase was questionable. MEOVV's stage environment changed at the end of their performance, as well as their clothing. I thought this was live, but it truly wasn't. I'll be waiting for a complete showcase in the future.

From my observation, MEOVV has a ton of intricate movements in their choreography. Not only are their movement visually pleasing, but each move is difficult to do. These moves that they execute aren't easy to do; this may offer a challenge to those who participate in dance covers or "random play dance". What sets them apart from many girl groups is that they keep their elegant composure without sacrificing precision in their movement. It is a rare feature in any group to have a massive amounts of difficult moves without any errors. MEOVV was on my mind to be a contender for 2024's best debut dance/choreography, but they simply couldn't knock down BadVillain at all. BadVillain's energy is unmatched in this category. Although MEOVV didn't topple BadVillain, they are still top tier dancers. With that being said, I really hope MEOVV's future comeback will be much stronger than their debut. MEOVV have the potential to be a force of reckoning in the k-pop arena, a group worth everyone's attention.

Conspiracy Theory: MEOVV's debut was intentionally created to be mediocre for the purpose of having other groups shine much brighter. The "other groups" that I speak about are probably YG Entertainment group comebacks. We all know that YG Entertainment is having a world tour next year, so Teddy is giving us mediocre "girl crush" songs before the main attraction arrives, such as BlackPink, BabyMonster, Treasure, and 2NE1. This is mainly speculation, but I believe the next group to have a medicore debut is IZNA(WakeOne). Remember, this is just a huge assumption with no evidence to back it up. It is more of a hunch of mine that they will intentionally have IZNA flop a bit or have a "meh" debut. I truly hope I'm wrong with this prediction. It is sort of a strategy that YG Entertainment and TheBlackLabel look like they are initiating here. Before the main course, they give us the side dishes, which will be mediocre at best. Those "side dishes" that I speak about are MEOVV and IZNA(WakeOne). Remember, all of what I have said is just based on a cookie crumb trail that I followed and inspected out of curiousity; I could be entirely incorrect about all this. It is a matter of time before events start unfolding and revealing the whole truth of what is being played to the fans and the general audience. Another theory that I have is that The Black Label and WakeOne could partner in YG Entertainment's world tour, adding MEOVV and IZNA in their line-up. Not only will this be beneficial, but it could strengthen The Black Label, WakeOne, and YG Entertainment's partnerships. Hybe, JYPE, and other k-pop entertainment agencies wouldn't anticipate a move such as the combining forces of YG Entertainment, The Black Label, and WakeOne. Again, this is just a conspiracy theory. Just imagine the possibilities of agencies combining forces.

EDIT#1(9/9/2024): I was going to place MEOVV as a contender for 2024's best debut visuals, but I realized that I placed UNIS there. There is no way that MEOVV can topple UNIS in the visual department; each member of UNIS is visually stronger than MEOVV's members. Although I enjoyed MEOVV's debut, they simply didn't have enough to topple other groups out of my contender's list. Hopefully, their next comeback will be alot stronger; I know that these young ladies have what it takes to be number one. I hope Teddy does something to enhance his own group! It is strange that Teddy gave other groups stronger music while MEOVV(Teddy's own creation/his pride and joy) didn't hit as hard as people expected it to do.

EDIT#2(9/30/2024): WOW! MEOVV's Live Vocals are amazing! On SBS Power FM Youngstreet Radio, which was hosted by Wendy(Red Velvet), MEOVV sang their debut Meow live. They are definately a powerhouse! I hope to hear more live vocals from these amazing felines(ah hem)...I meant to say...young ladies.

EDIT#3(9/30/2024): I have conflicting thoughts about MEOVV. MEOVV's visuals are breath-taking! Basically, they are simultaneously vogue models and k-idols. If they present some kind of showcase that will change my mind, then I'm more than willing to put them on my contender's list, alongside UNIS. Every video MEOVV releases, I'm always stunned by their visuals. The cat-claw signature move is just a cherry on top and/or a chef's kiss to their supreme vogue visuals. Everything they've done so far is impressive!

Dance Practice
Lyrics
KOREANET Interview
(A Performance Mid-Way)
Showcase Fancam
Choreography? Performance?
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

L5ST released their "bro-mance" music video. It's a good listen.

L5ST's dance practice shows a solid performance. There's a dude in the group who covered his whole identity during their practice. It offered a bit of mystery and suspicion, but more so, the ninja-like character distracted me frequently like a bee buzzing, annoyingly, in a room.

Apparently, there's no public appearances or any showcases just yet, but they've done a couple interviews here and there. It is nearly the end of the month without any sort of public appearance. This reeks of trouble to be honest, not to mention that one of the dancers in their choreography was mysteriously covered in black from head to toe, hiding his identity. Usually, rookie groups showcase instantly after their debut.

EDIT#1(9/30/2024): After digging through the internet, I finally spotted their live showcase called "J-Stage O!" within a place called Live Hall; this was recorded with a fancam, which was filmed a week ago. It looked like they performed in a private/exclusive venue in front of a small crowd. I thought that they did fairly well. The problem with groups debuting these days is that they aren't promoting in bigger, well known stages; honestly, showcasing in well-known stages are quite pricey; however, isn't it the priority of the company to invest in their own group? Tiny venues such as these only give them exposure to a tiny crowd of people(who are already familar to L5ST) when they should be exposing themselves to a wider audience, country wide, where new fans can be made. Now, I'm not downplaying the decisions of their company; it could be that the decision to go "cheap" was their only option within their budget. It is what is it, I suppose.

Performance
LYRICS
Debut: UNO(Natural Version)
KBS WORLD TV
MUSICBANK SHOWCASE
MNET M2 PERFORMANCE37
MUSICBANK Choreography
Dance Practice Behind The Scenes
Dance Practice?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

143 Entertainment has been around for almost one generation(about 4 years). Under their label is another group called "iKon", who were considered as a top tier group 2 generations ago. "iKon" was under YG Entertainment before they transfered to 143 Entertainment. Although they are inactive, they've proven to be consistent in making memorable tracks. Anyway, MADEIN could possibly make a good imprint in the korean music charts if they follow the successes or footsteps of "iKon". I'm not holding my breath though; sometimes, the same recipe to success is different for other groups. MADEIN is just getting started.

MADEIN's album "Rise(Ascending)" totally rocks! The tracks within the album "Rise" are: Uno, Dadarida, Dopamine, and Timeline. "Uno" is a typical pop song, "Dadarida" sounds a bit afrobeat-ish, "Dopamine" is more of a club dance song, and "Timeline" is a ballad. Personally, I had a blast listening to these songs. Anyways, now I will talk about the negative aspects of their debut music video. First of all, I'm not totally against Artificial Intelligence; there are certain aspects of artificial intelligence that can help alleviate the pain of constructing a huge amount of objects within a project; the manual production of effects may take months while artificial intelligence can do the same work-load as quickly as a few days, which is exponentially faster than the work of an average human. When there is a task that requires a huge amount of work, then artificial intelligence does the grunt work instead of a human being having to pain-stakingly hand-draw billions of pixels; the mechanism within artificial intelligence is a process that removes a huge chunk of arduous and time consuming work, which is everyone's preferred method. In MADEIN's music video, artificial intelligence made everything look awful. Let me explain. The visual effects were great overall, but there was way too many unnecessary A.I. footage crammed in the video, which made it look like an amateur designed it. It looked like they inserted the A.I. footage all in the wrong places. Simply, there was too many A.I. imagery that served no real purpose but to captivate or "wow" a certain demographic(possibly a minority that praises graphical fidelity over actual relatable content). All the fans really wanted was a simple music video with the young ladies. Instead, fans received a hand-full of A.I. garbage and snippets of MADEIN themselves. Fans weren't asking for much either; they simply wanted a well edited video without all the superfluous A.I. slop. This is the best example of where Artificial Intelligence severely fails. Artificial Intelligence is usually utilized in the lighting, shadow, and graphical objects, which would be enough to have a pleasing video. It doesn't help that 90% of the video is A.I. generated, which drowned out the main attraction, the members of MADEIN. The fans deserve a better music video than this one.

As I said before in previous blogs, rebranding a group's name is rather risky because the name could displease the established fanbase. New members added to the rebranded group could also change the sentiment surrounding them. Although I found the newly added members quite satisfying, I bet that there are those foaming at the mouth like a pack of rabid racoons, ready to attack the newly added members. It is what it is. Rebranding is usually risky, but I think 143 Entertainment was forced to change the brand. Limelight, the original name of their group, wasn't really recognized in the k-pop community; they are slightly in "nugu" or unknown territory. Usually, k-idol groups start to diminish overtime because fans lose interest and find another group that they find more of their liking. I think Limelight was fading into the shadows, but I personally think that rebranding actually saved them from their fate. With new monster groups that are out right now, groups like Limelight would inevitably be overcomed and knocked down to oblivion. The only option had to be rebranding, which I didn't mind in this particular situation. It's risky, but it had to be done.

Limelight's original members are MiU, Suhye, and Gaeun. The added members are Mashiro(former Kep1er), Yeseo(former Kep1er), Serina, and Nagomi. I'm not complaining. 7 members is a good total. The more, the merrier.

Let's talk about the lyrics. It is cute, catchy, and simple with the chorus being spoken and counted in spanish. It's not a complex lyrical song at all; it only serves to make the audience happy.

The instrumental is simply a dance song with a trance/electronic/happy hardcore transition during the chorus. It is appreciative that they brought back an era long and lost, which is a time where people danced together, whirling glowsticks. Yes, there was a time where people enjoyed glowing objects being twirled and hurled around each other.

The concept of this music video is simply dream-core or cute-core. I think 143 Entertainment is attempting their own rendition or re-creation of ILLIT(BE:LIFT) or APRIL(DSP Media). Although the song is a fun listen, it's nothing original or ground-breaking. You may claim it is a "copy and paste" of other dream-core, which is plausible. Take a look at April - Take My Hand(Performance) and see for yourself. If analyzed in depth, then you'll notice how both groups look identical!

MADEIN executed their choreography masterfully. They killed their KBS MUSICBANK Showcase! I love every bit of it. Some parts of their choreography remind me of GWSN's Puzzle Moon, but it is more like a mirror reflection, not a duplicate. There's an old saying that "birds of a feather, flock together." Their choreography displays alot of unification; MADEIN's movement is definately looking like birds migrating to a better climate before the winter season. Elegantly precise, MADEIN's choreography is made to look like a group of swans paddling across a great lake; each member's movement are synchronized, each offering a visual touch of heaven.

Let's talk about MADEIN's fashion. Wow! The choices of jewelry made these girls glitter during their MUSICBANK showcase! While they executed their choreography elegantly, the sparkling jewelry gave each member a princess look; whenever a princess shows up to the red carpet or ballroom, all eyes are on the princess; in this case, all eyes are on MADEIN. Their swan-like fashion is fabulous, each member wore white dresses with unique features attached to their clothing. Basically, the best label that describes their visual concept is "Swan Princesses".

MADEIN released their natural version of "UNO", which is the re-editted debut due to a majority of people negatively criticizing the over-use of artificial intelligence. The new music video is exponentially better than their originally released music video. 143 Entertainment is a label that actually listens to their fan's constructive criticism, unlike many k-pop labels out there.

After viewing MADEIN for quite some time, I discovered a particular doppleganger within their group. Nagomi looks like Yena(Former IZ*ONE) and a younger Baek Jiheon(fromis_9) combined. I'm not complaining about this. A Yena/Jiheon clone means fans can enjoy another pretty face in the kpop industry.

DEBUT STAGE
Performance
Dance Practice
Lyrics
Arirang Radio Live Session
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

GENBLUE, a 6 member Taiwanese girl group, just recently finished their korean debut "COCOCO". It is odd that they'd do a korean debut instead of a chinese one, but I heard from netizens that they were going to do a full chinese lyrical one(don't quote me on that though). Possibly, there's a bigger market in South Korea for the type of music that GENBLUE produces than the market in Taiwan; there could be a higher profit to do a Korean debut than a Chinese debut. Airing on July 29, 2023, the reality survival show NEXT GIRLZ is responsible for creating GENBLUE; previously, GENBLUE had 9 members, but 3 of them were removed from the final line-up. Within 2023, GENBLUE had made a pre-debut album called "For You" as well as digital and special singles. The music video was a fun watch; it was a racing concept with a neon/radon light color scheme, which was exuberantly decorated through-out the background. The feel of their music video is almost like visiting an inner part of any city during the night, where there are flashing lights on the walls of store-fronts and billboards. In the music video, you'll find plenty of graphical effects such as sparkling blue flames; there are also computer generated trains and race cars.

"COCOCO" has a catchy chorus, but it is repetitive for the purpose of dancing to it(obviously). The instrumental is fast and groovey. Overall, it is a fun dance pop song to enjoy. If you love 2NE1's old discography of dance beats, then you'll naturally gravitate towards GENBLUE's music. 2NE1 and GENBLUE both have a similar style. 2NE1 and YG Entertainment type of music videos always have some sort of race car in it; GENBLUE must have the same taste as YG Entertainment when it comes to displaying fast cars.

Your attention should be on details when viewing GENBLUE's choreography. There's alot of fancy finger dancing in their debut choreography. Yes, you heard that right; the main focus of their dances are their fingers. You may find it funny at first, but you'll appreciate the fine details executed by these young ladies, especially with how acrobatic and fancy their fingers move. Although their leg movements are minimal, you'll find all their arm movements executed elegantly with style/flavor.

GENBLUE's fashion is quite colorful; to be exact, there are two colors that are emphasized in their fashion. Their debut stage outfits were more focused on the color magenta; at first, I thought it was pink, but it was a darker shade of pink. The color between violet and pink is the color that I'm refering to. Hopefully, magenta is the right name/label for pieces of their outfits. Anyways, they totally rock the color magenta. The patterns of their clothing look zebra-like with a delicate amount of denim material, so that the presentation doesn't drown in the magenta, which is their main color for their debut. I'm also loving the detailed materials added to their clothing like glasses, necklaces, ribbons, tassles, etc; all these details help with the atmospheric immersion. The environment plays a part in their aesthetics as well; it is blueish tint surrounding the members, which is to give the audience a new, fresh vibe. I'd say that the fashion details are quite extravagant(I'm lovin' it).

Overall, GENBLUE is a decent group. My main concern about this group is their methods of promotions. Are they going to stay in the South Korean, Tawainese/Chinese, or both markets for promoting their music? It may sway fans back and forth since they may be expecting korean comebacks or vice versa(a chinese comeback). A group juggling between South Korea and Taiwan may come with its own perils, both for GENBLUE and their fans.

Dummy + Sour and Sweet Showcase
Mnet Showcase
Studio Choom Performance
Studio Choom Full Focused Performance
Sour and Sweet Lyrics
100 Seconds of ARrC(Live Vocals)[Dingo]
Dingo Live(Live Vocals)
It's Live(Band Live)
Dance Practice
Relay Dance Practice
Pre-release: Dummy
Dummy It's Live(Live Band)

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .9/1
Cosmetics: .9/1
Fashion: .33/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 1/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 1/1
Concert Ready: .9/1

Best 2024 Debut Rap/Hip Hop(Exclusive Extra): 1/1

TOTAL 17.03 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
17 divided by 17 = 1
1 multiplied by 100 = 100%

FINAL SCORE: 100%

ARrC stands for "Always Remember The Real Connection". This 5 member group is under Mystic Story, a subsidiary label under SM Entertainment; Mystic Story is a merge between Mystic89 and APOP entertainment. Known groups from Mystic Story are Billlie(a girl group) and Brown Eyed Girls(a legendary girl group).

S&S(Sour and Sweet) is a roller-coaster of a song. As a result of hearing this song, you will either be ecstatic or nauseous. Like riding on a roller-coaster, you will be willing to experience more of it or you will be hurling chunks(your already eaten lunch) unto the concrete pavement, which is the result of riding on a tumultuous path of a roller-coaster. Roller-coasters go up, down, twirl, side to side, or in unpredictable directions, depending on which roller-coaster that you ride. There are people who will enjoy the experience while others will be in regret/remorse for listening to a structurely disorganized(cluster-f*cked) song; you may even think the composer has a "scatter-brain" mentality. In other words, the composer could have intentionally rearranged the parts of the song randomly to create a chaotic sounding composition. Unfortunately, there isn't a grey or middle area that one can position themselves when confronted with this song. Consequently, you will either think this song belongs in the treasure or trash bin. Personally, I found it a good listen; however, I understand how someone can find this song annoying. The chorus may turn you away with the wacky sounding "oh-woah-wee". There are sudden spurts of fast and slow paced rap/vocal lines, which can sound disjointed; the lyrics are almost unharmoniously placed together like stacked blocks in a game of Jenga. Since the blocks aren't placed accurately, the tower of blocks look as if it is about to fall, but somehow barely balances on top of each other for the next player's turn. S&S is best described as a game of Jenga when all the blocks are wickedly close to falling over. Imagine a tower of Jenga blocks stacked diagonally, leaning dangerously to the side, identical to the building called the "Leaning Tower of Pisa". You will find yourself in awe that this song still managed to be entertaining even if it is structured in disarray.

I loved ARrC's music video. ARrC's music video included their choreography, "The fox and the grapes" fable, graphical effects, a fantastic setting and materials, gigantic grapes, and the group just enjoying their time. Overall, a fun music video.

The lyrics of the song is based on a short story found within Aesop's Fables, which is a book containing a collection of short stories made for children or anyone looking for classic wisdom. These short stories within Aesop's Fables all have a moral message. Particularly, "The Fox and The Grapes" is the fable that is being told by ARrC's Sour and Sweet. Not to ruin the full story, but the moral of the story is that it is easy to despise what you cannot get. Since the fox can't get the ripe grapes from the top of the tree, the fox gives up and calls the grapes sour. Although the ripe grapes are obviously sweet, the fox pretends(or makes excuses) that the grapes are sour because the ripe grapes are out of its' reach. It is interesting that ARrC incorporated one of Aesop's Fables into their debut. This is a huge sign of creativity that many dismiss because many people don't look any deeper into the meaning of the lyrics. Instead, most people will just judge a book by its cover(only regarding the surface level) and ignore the meaning of the lyrics.

Let's take a look at their choreography for "Sour and Sweet". I felt the move done halfway through the song was awkward; it is when 3 members bow down with their arms sprawled upward away from the audience(their backside facing toward the audience). It seriously looks like they are farting, waving their flatulence(a putrid odor/gas) to their audience. Any move will do besides that lewd move; I call it the "waving fart bow". Overall, every move that they do is solid, done in rhythmic precision. My favorite part of the choreography is when all the members interlock their arms together, almost like multiple pretzels connected to each other; ARrC does this "team interlocking move" near the end of the choreography. I forgot to add that the introduction and ending has a dark trance vibe to it, which makes their moves look alot sharper. Although the choreography abruptly ends, I found the ending choreography quite sufficient like a ribbon, tying a gift's wrapping paper securely, ready to be shipped to the recipient.

Again, I hold the same opinion from my last blog about their visuals for their pre-debut; obviously, I would like to emphasize that their fashion is their weakness. This time they are wearing loosely-fitted(baggy) pants, loosely/unbuttoned dress shirts, and a tie. Is this really Mystic Story's trendy male fashion? It's a huge joke! It is like ARrC woke up late to prepare for their debut showcase. Rolling out of bed, ARrC indecisively search their surroundings for previously worn clothes to wear for their debut. At a last ditch effort to look stylish, ARrC adds ties to their already shabby clothing. Isn't it blatantly obvious that ARrC is trying too hard to remain relevant to current fashion trends? Not only do they wear ties, but it is worn in an unraveled fashion like a chain or necklace; their ties are simply to veil or hide their poorly chosen clothing. They might as well have worn nametags instead. From all my years of watching fashion shows, this looked mighty lazy because it is. Mystic Story is cheapin' out on their fashion, putting together clothing that they found in a "lost and found" box and giving it to ARrC to wear on their debut. ARrC really doesn't deserve such cheap fashion.

Dingo Music had ARrC do a 100 seconds of live vocals. Included within their 100 seconds, they do live vocals for S&S, as well as other k-pop hit songs. 4 days after the 100 second Dingo Live, ARrC releases Sour and Sweet Live. Simultaneously, ARrC did a live vocal and choreography of Sour and Sweet. At the end of August, they also showed up at "It's Live", which is a live vocal showcase with a live band. I would like to say that all their performances are impressive for a rookie group. In the K-pop industry, many rookies are afraid of going live right away, but ARrC steps up to the batter's box and hits a home run with their performances without hesitation. It feels like ARrC have no doubts on their talent and it pretty much shows on what they put forth.

Overall, their debut has a moral message, which made me like it alot more. On a surface level, you may love or hate it because of how unbalanced the song's composition is structured. If you like songs with roller-coaster effects, then you'll love it. If you generally hate roller-coaster effects, then you'll probably be blowing chunks out in the nearest restroom or on the concrete pavement. ARrC and other groups can't please everyone since each person has their own taste of music. "Dummy", their pre-debut track, is the crowd's favorite while the track "Sour and Sweet" is for the one's who appreciate finding the meaning by opening and turning the pages of a book. I bet if ARrC's management rearranged their discography differently, then their debut would of had a great reception. For example, if ARrC's management decided to place "Dummy" as their debut track instead of "S&S", then there would have been world-wide praise, positive reinforcement, and admiration without negative feedback. So far, there's mixed reactions of their debut. It is what it is. We can't turn back time and change their debut and pre-debut track arrangements. Personally, I have no problem with anything; however, many people may find the debut arrangement quite dissatisfying. While their debut wasn't as good as their pre-debut, I still hold this group in high regards; I chose this group as a contender for the best 2024 pre-debut rap/hip hop k-idol group. Until some debuting group in 2024 can match or topple ARrC's "Dummy", which I doubt, ARrC is still a top tier rap/hip hop rookie group. Hopefully, their debut, overall, leaves you with a sweet taste instead of a sour one.

Edit#1(8/29/2024): ARrC is not like any other group in the k-pop industry. They are very goofy, nerdy, and friendly; the interactions between members is super awkward, but satisfying to watch. Anyways, hopefully k-netizens and international netizens can calm down, enjoy their music, and laugh at their interactions.

Edit#2(9/4/2024): I rated ARrC as a top tier group with a score of 100%. If you take a look at my score sheet, then you'll notice that I rated their fashion below average. Please take the time to look at their fashion and critically analyze their clothing in S&S(showcases, music video, etc.). You can go to your nearest bargain clothing outlet(i.e. Target, Walmart, etc.) and purchase each of their outfits for under $30 USD. I am not sh*tting you! You can look exactly like ARrC with only $30. Mystic Story is super cheap! Anyway, overall, this group excels in every other category, except fashion.

ARrC is being love bombed as I type this blog. "Love Bombing" is when someone or a group is giving a ton of compliments on a certain individual. Particularly, social media loves this group; therefore, they are commenting on how awesome this group is. Mystic Story definately has another shining star on their palm with ARrC, beside Billlie, a sister group. Remember, as an added note, Mystic Story is a merge between Mystic89 and APOP Entertainment; APOP Entertainment has Gain and Miryo, who are members of a legendary group, Brown Eyed Girls. Mystic Story is in fact a subsidiary company under SM Entertainment, so ARrC is in somewhat good care.

My overall impression of this group is that their pre-release "Dummy" went to infinity and beyond. Depending on how their future debut is received, I will stamp this group as a contender for the best debut rappers/hip hop artists of 2024. As a spectator looking into South Korea from the outside, I wonder if South Korea is having some kind of hip hop/rap renaissance. ARrC is like NCT on steroids with a sprinkle of Riize's vocals. You'll also love the string bass for their instrumental; it is bringing back a nostalgic vibe of old school break beats from early 1970s to late 1990s.

As for their choreography, everyone is on point. The dance that they do at the end of their performance music video was full of swagger; I'm assuming the name of the central dancer with the black tank-top is Choi Han(this guy has swagger beyond belief). Overall, ARrC reminds me of b-boys or break dancers, except without the fancy acrobatic freezes or poses.

From my assumptions, the rap line is Hyun Min(Main Rapper), Choi Han, and Jibeen. I'm assuming that the rest are vocalists: Kien, Ziwoo, Rioto, and Doha(Main Vocalist). Kien has an interesting voice with a slight squeek to it, which could prove to be catchy in their future content. "Dummy" has the catchiest chorus for 2024; I found myself rapping and singing the lyrics: "Dummy need this, Dummy need that" continuously throughout the day. Admittedly, I was humming the soothing vocals through-out the day without even realizing it.

The only obvious weakness of this group is fashion. I know ARrC was going for an underground city look for their Dummy Pre-release, but the vapidness found in their styling can divert the audience's attention elsewhere. Visually, this group may require a fashion director or stylist. ARrC could benefit from wearing matching clothing with added trinkets, embroidery, or attached jewelry(it could even be designer patches) to add a polished look without having to break the bank. Simple additions to their clothing can magnify their style. My advice can be taken or left; I'm just adding my 2 cents of an opinion to what I believe could add an extra "umph" to their style.

I've placed them on my list of highly anticipated debuts; I'll be eagerly awaiting for their debut, which is set to be released on August 19, 2024!

Lyrics?
Choreography? Performance?
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: .5/1
Instrumental: .5/1
Lyrics: .5/1
Addictive Song: .2/1
Stage Presence: .5/1
Facial Expression: .6/1
Objective Movement: .44/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .44/1
Cosmetics: .6/1
Fashion: .5/1
Music Video Score: .44/1
Visual Role Model: .5/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 0/1
Live Visual: 0/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: 0/1

TOTAL 5.72 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
5.72 divided by 17 = 0.336470588
0.336470588 multiplied by 100 = 33.647058824

FINAL SCORE: 33.6%

Social media has been attacking this group since 2022; to this very day in 2024, they are still going at it. Clear:I's pre-debut was never launched, resulting in a disbandment. At the end of July, magically, their group rekindled, and they finally released their debut: Quest. Storming through all social media platforms, the hate train arrives to demolish their progress and try to eliminate this group by what seems to be like a boycott of some sort. The enraged k-pop community feels justified in putting a wrench within the gears of the machine in order to make Clear:I flop on their debut. It is important to know why all of this is taking place; the track record/history of the members has stirred the k-pop community in the wrong way, almost like putting a stick in a honey bee's nest. Apparently, two of the members: Sang(former ILUV) and Do Hayoon(former ILUV) was accused of bullying Min Ah(former ILUV); their bullying resulted in Min Ah attempting to take her own life. This is a serious matter that was dealt in court; however, rumors/gossip went around that the court threw the case away to never be revisited again. There are also rumors that Min Ah won the court case; however, Sang and Do Hayoon are still participating in k-pop group activities like the controversies had never happened. Personally, I do not know all the details of what has transpired between all the members and previous groups involved. All of the information about this incident is a consortium of "she said this or she said that" kind of gibberish. There is no way for me to confirm any of the incidents without evidence or testimonials, which is most likely confidential and private information. In other words, I wasn't there to bare witness to anything to take sides in this altercation. That being said, I will review Clear:I's debut in an unbiased way with the best of my ability without all these accusations clouding my judgement. Clearly, there is a stigma surrounding this group; it is almost like Clear:I is ostrasized from progressing any further in their k-idol career. Unfortunately, there are members of the group that were not involved in the alleged bullying; yet, they are guilty of association. It gets wilder and wilder as I read more about this group. Netizens have casted their judgement on Clear:I; their verdict of Clear:I is guilty before being proven innocent.

The music video is blurry from the start with light effects that create a visually impairing effect; the cinematographer had used a bad lense filming or the editor had an exciting time playing with an inventory of filters. Poor video quality should have been identified before-hand and removed, the effects were horrendous. The audio's tone seems to be heighten to a point where the vocals sound like it is screeching. Off the bat, the production is entirely low quality without any correction; in other words, the production was obviously rushed to meet a due date.

The instrumental doesn't mesh well with their vocals. There was no consideration in choosing the proper background music. Clear:I's vocal range is best suited for a different genre of music, such as Girl Crush concepts or a dance pop song similar to "Six Bomb - Wait 10 Years Baby". Instead, Clear:I is attempting a cute/love concept, which doesn't suit their strong, dominating voices. In conclusion, the instrumental and vocals are coerced together using cement, but even cement can't hold it together; you can clearly hear the non-cohesiveness between the instrumental and vocals.

Visually, Clear:I is pretty with a "Girl Next Door" type of fashion. The outfits look a little too normal; they are wearing what a regular young woman would wear on a daily basis. There is no effort into impressing their audience at all.

As for their choreography, there is no showcase, dance practice, or performance out as a demonstration of their talent. So far, from what I see from their music video, their dancing is regular, no ornate movements that stands out.

Clear:I has an unmomentous start at debut, especially with an enraged k-pop community ready to pounce and shred on all content being produced by Clear:I. Not only that, but their music video was a disaster. If anything, then there might be hope in their dancing skills if they decide to showcase them. Will this group disband after being run over and railed by waves of hate-trains or will they continue their quest as a group against all odds and ignore their haters?

KCON Fancam(2 Months Before Debut)
Lyrics
Dance Practice
Performance?
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: .9/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: .8/1
Fashion: .8/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: .8/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: .8/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .55/1

TOTAL 13.65 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
13.65 divided by 17 = 0.802941176
0.802941176 multiplied by 100 = 80.294117647

FINAL SCORE: 80.2%

At the beginning of 2024, Super Junior's Eunhyuk and One Pact's Jongwoo decided to produce a Reality Show called "K-pop House" on Fuji TV; this k-pop boy project is to document the process towards a debut. Gradually, the group debuted with the name: Celest1a, which consists of Japanese and South Korean members, who were contestants in multiple survival shows.

We are finally blessed after about 8 months with a high quality music video called "Panda". The setting of their music video takes place in what looks like an underground fortress or stairway with extraordinary light effects, which look like an escape from the darkness that surrounds the environment. The members of Celest1a look like they are in some-sort of ceremony or ritual; Celest1a is escorted or assisted by mysterious/occult-like characters, who are dressed in thin coverings, hiding their identity. Although the middle-eastern-esque clothing is simple, it is aesthetically pleasing.

Everyone's vocals are confident and powerful. The lyrics feel reassuring and liberating, as if I'm led towards the right direction from desolation. Celest1a gives off a leadership vibe, which may not be important in k-pop; however, the audience or fanbase can feel at ease with Celest1a's killer performance in acting/modeling. The instrumental has a good melody accompanied with rhythmic vocals; this is a recipe for an enjoyable track.

As for the chorus, you may find it random, hilarious, or both. "Panda" is such an unnecessary word to use, but I think the point of using "Panda" is to hook their audience with a repetitive word. There can never be anything wrong with associating a k-idol debut with a bamboo-eating mammalian creature. There may be folks in the audience that may find the chorus annoying within a serious sounding song; it is understandable to feel annoyed from hearing the word over and over and over. The best approach towards the chorus is to not take it too serious and to be relieved by thinking of a panda; the chorus is almost like a comic relief within a serious situation. It would have been interesting to at least have an actual panda in their music video.

Now as for their choreography, it is certainly a solid dance, executed very well from the members of Celest1a. During the chorus when a member starts repeating the word "Panda" expressively, they initate a dance, which I call the "strong man dance", where each member are lifting their arms above their head, flexing their biceps, which I found quite fitting for their song, especially to their chorus. The "bicep dance move" or "strong man move" is often used in many choreography in k-pop. Imagine a panda executing this move!

Visually, the whole group feels like members were personally taught by Taemin from Shinee. My statement may be farfetched, but please review their movement and style. Taemin(Shinee) could very well be their role-model.

Congratulations to Celest1a for completing their debut! Hopefully, there is more content to be released to showcase their talent.

EDIT#1(8/31/2024): There's not much content out after their debut except for a dance practice. Like I said before, each individual member moves like Taemin from Shinee. It's super impressive!

Unison Street Performance/Busking(Shorts)
Lyrics?
Choreography? Performance?
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: .22/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: .44/1
Music Video Score: .44/1
Visual Role Model: .44/1
Live Vocal: 1/1
Live Visual: .55/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .77/1

TOTAL 9.86 OF 14 POINTS

Calculation:
9.86 divided by 14 = 0.704285714
0.704285714 multiplied by 100 = 70.428571429

FINAL SCORE: 70.4%

A 4 member vocal focused boy group that only did covers of songs since 2019. Now, they are debuting in 2024. It's better late than never. Congratulations to Unison for debuting!

Edit#1(8/29/2024): Unison did some kind of street performance or busking, which turned out to be a great performance. The only way to find Unison is by throwing a frisbee in a public park and accidently hitting them with it while they are busking. This unknown group is an under-appreciated and under-rated gem in the vocal-based k-pop scene.

Lyrics
KBS Music Bank Debut Showcase
Arirang Live Session
Choreography? Performance?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .8/1
Cosmetics: .9/1
Fashion: .7/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: .33/1
Live Choreography: .8/1
Live Visual: .8/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 13.99 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
13.99 divided by 17 = 0.822941176
0.822941176 multiplied by 100 = 82.294117647

FINAL SCORE: 82.2%

Cool Down is a fresh summer time bop! For those who like 1st or 2nd generation type of k-pop(Y2K for short), Dignity has you covered! The song obviously draws inspiration from an old group called "Deux". If you don't know who Deux is, then you won't be able to find them through conventional methods. Here is a link:

Deux - In Summer

Dignity's "Cool Down" is a modern-day re-master or reincarnation of "Deux - In Summer"; however, the instrumental keeps an unwavering pace, which is perfect for those who like a modern day dance beat. In other words, the song doesn't stagger or stray away from its original direction; you won't hear too many chops or interjections such as adding unnecessary over-the-top rap verses or high notes that stop the pacing of the song. Dignity offers a fresh breeze needed in these times, especially when many entertainment companies keep pumping out hot junk.

Luo, formerly known as Moonbong, was part of two groups that rebranded and disbanded: SEVENUS(formerly known as Masc) and JN Entertainment's Boy Group. By the way, I loved Masc's song: Strange. Luo can't catch a break; he had to go through all these difficulties throughout his career. Hyeongjin was also part of the JN Entertainment's Boy Group. Hopefully, these two members can be part of an established group, so that they can focus on their career as k-pop artists. Anyways, the rest of the members look like they are new to the scene.

For now, I'll be waiting for their showcases since their music video didn't really display much. Overall, their debut should be added to your playlist as it is a nice summer bop.

EDIT #1(7/29/2024): Dignity's choreography is way too easy and simple to do, especially the arm propeller dance or helicopter arm dance that they do. Ronald McDonald himself has done more complex movement than Dignity. Although the song is a bop, their dance moves were obviously choreographed by a child attending kindergarten or someone who has procrastinated until its dead-line. Veteran/Experienced dancers will notice this straight off the bat.

EDIT#2(8/25/2024): Dignity's Hyeongjin is facially identical to BTS' Suga. If you were to put them both in the same room, then you might have to figure who is who for possibly 10 minutes. This was a shocking realization! Anyways, I didn't bring attention to him for no reason. Hyeongjin has elite/top-tier/upper-rank strong rapping talent, a natural MC voice. He pretty much carried the song "Cool Down" unwaveringly. If you were to remove Hyeongjin from the line distribution, then you'll figure out instantly that he is a crucial "cog" or mechanism that keeps the song afloat and functional. Everyone sings well, but who stands out the most is obviously Hyeongjin; it's like night and day when one notices a "key" character or V.I.P.(Very Important Person) within a K-idol Group. Hyeongjin is just "him".

Dance Practice
Lyrics?
Choreography? Performance?
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 0/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .55/1
Cosmetics: .33/1
Fashion: .33/1
Music Video Score: .44/1
Visual Role Model: .33/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 0/1
Live Visual: 0/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: 0/1

TOTAL 7.98 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
7.98 divided by 17 = 0.469411765
0.469411765 multiplied by 100 = 46.941176471

FINAL SCORE: 46.9%

A corny and cheesy song like a cheese-corndog! I bet the song made you blush in embarrassment.

Edit#1(8/25/2024): Although the song is corny and cheesy, you'll love the retro feel of this song. Unfortunately, I only gave this group a low rating because they did not do any public appearances. Music like this is often disregarded because it simply re-hashes old music. Currently, the trend of music in South Korea is to update the outdated, evolving music to a global level; Sleeper-Hit's "Tell Me You Love Me" just won't cut it in these modern times. Regardless, it is a good listen.

Dance Practice
Performance
Showcase
Lyrics?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: .77/1
Music Video Score: .77/1
Visual Role Model: .77/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: .77/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .77/1

TOTAL 13.85 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
13.85 divided by 17 = 0.814705882
0.814705882 multiplied by 100 = 81.470588235

FINAL SCORE: 81.4%

You may be wondering or curious about the members of Like A Movie debuting in the group APEX. It is because Like A Movie is actually APEX; Like A Movie rebranded their name to APEX. You may also wonder why I'm covering this group since they've already debuted. I've concluded that rebranding is equivalent to starting from scratch; basically, it is an entirely new group; in other words, a debut. For a slight moment, I thought that I was hallucinating when I saw Siryu, Mingyu, and Joha in the group. The new members who joined the rebranded group are: KDAY and Gyeom, who were originally from NCUS(under different names). With my deductive reasoning, I'm assuming that Top Cloud Entertainment decided to pull the trigger and rebrand Like A Movie because of many factors. First of all, Woohyuk left the group with severe panic disorder while performing on stage. Second, Howoo had injuries and left the group without any valid reasons. Third, Domo left the group because he was evading his military service, which is mandatory in South Korea. Like A Movie was stricken with a series of bad luck because of the sudden departure of 3 members. At this point, their group's name is tarnished, unlikely to be salvaged. Like A Movie is like a sailboat unable to sail because the main parts are permanently damaged; the rudder, keel, hull, tiller, boom, jib, mast, and mainsail no longer work. It is actually a great idea for Top Cloud Entertainment to take action(almost like a leap of faith) to rebrand the group. Although rebranding is risky, I think this was the right decision that Top Cloud Entertainment to make since Like A Movie's current state was in shambles. Rebranding is risky because of the potential risk of losing their established fanbase. The new name and/or added new members may repulse their current fanbase. Imagine established groups like Stray Kids changing their name to Stray Children; additionally, imagine Stray Children adding a convicted sechs offender, Seungri from BigBang, into their group. This would change certain fan's or all fan's perspectives and perception of their once favorite group. Although loyal fans will stick around, the general sentiment changed by simply changing their name and/or adding new members.

Let's talk about their debut music instrumental. Notably, the instrumental part before the chorus(the pre-chorus) is mesmerizing. It sounds like the instrument used in Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, or Pakistan to charm snakes; I believe the instrument is called a pungi, bin, or murli. I'm not entirely certain of the origin of the instrument or if it is the correct name of the instrument, but it gives off a catchy middle-eastern sound. I found the instrumental catchy.

The vocals of APEX are fairly good; the rapping feels a bit like Stray Kids. In order for me to make a final assessment on their vocals, I probably would need to listen to their live vocals, which wasn't released. I'll be waiting for their live vocals within a month or so.

From their showcase, performance, and dance practice videos, I'm certain that APEX has solid dance skills and choreography. My favorite part of their choreography is near the end when they point their hands like they're holding pistols while someone is in the center receiving the shots. Other than that, every member hit the beat of the song, executing each move precisely to the bass/percussion.

I wish they could have worn the clothing from their music video for their public appearances; the clothing looks like middle-eastern/arabian/pakistani garments. Visually, this would have been eye-catching and unique; it is important to stand out from other groups; however, I haven't seen them wear it in their showcases. Hopefully, they can give that a chance since it would help with their recognition.

Anyways, I hope APEX receives all the luck that they can get moving forward since Like A Movie was a total train wreck of bad luck.

AUDIO ONLY
Instrumental
Showcase
Dance Practice
Performance?
Lyrics?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: .9/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .77/1
Cosmetics: .7/1
Fashion: .66/1
Music Video Score: .44/1
Visual Role Model: .66/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: .55/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 12.34 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
12.34 divided by 17 = 0.725882353
0.725882353 multiplied by 100 = 72.588235294

FINAL SCORE: 72.5%

Astell's debut is like discovering a brightly radiant cereal box; however, as you open and peer into the cereal box, you discover that it is completely empty, devoid of any substance. Basically, Astell's debut lacks content. There was no public appearances, music video, dance practices, or any content of that nature; I don't want to sound like a spoiled brat, but k-idol debuts should release as much content as possible to attract fans(fans mean more revenue/money being funneled to their debut); it is almost standard procedure or normal activity to do during a debut. Astell's debut reminds me of those "false-front architectures" from the Old West, where the front of the building shows a stable structure, but it is actually a facade once you've looked on the other side; the other side of these false-front architectures has no walls(three walls not built), no roof, and no furniture. It is almost like Astell is dangling carrots in front of their audience while the audience is eagerly awaiting to receive their carrot. Eventually, when the audience had thought that they would finally snatch a carrot, Astell cruelly decides to consume it, leaving the audience frustrated. I can keep going on with these analogies and scenarios; however, I'll stop here. Overall, it looks inconsiderate of Astell to not produce content for their fans after their debut announcement; fans are willing to support them; there was not a single word on social media of their where-abouts after their debut announcement. Astell's debut failed to meet their audience's expectations.

There's nothing out yet, except for the audio and instrumental. Is the music video delayed? Apparently, there is only a teaser with all the members walking towards the camera. I guess I will have to wait like everyone else for actual content. From listening to the audio, it has this hardcore gangster concept/girl crush vibe. The song is slow-paced with a catchy instrumental; in my own words, I can only describe the instrumental as dark ambience. There's no information about this group besides a member, who stirred up k-pop for a bit. One of the members of Astell is well known: Byeoljji, who is formerly from We Girls. She produced a rap, which she intentionally created to ridicule another k-idol; I believe she was trying to ridicule another k-idol named "Sleepy". This controversy was short-lived and a tiny blip in k-pop history, which no one can really recall(except for me, of course).

Edit #1(7/25/2024): By August 9, I will give this group a score, but the group lacks content. A week after their debut, I was contemplating whether or not I should "yank" or stop my review of this group. How can one review a debut when there's nothing to review in the first place? This group exists. Their social media account show photographs of them working on their debut; however, nothing is being released. Also, there are many fancams of Astell doing dance covers on stage of already released k-pop songs; however, they aren't even promoting their own original work. It could be that their company "Errday" is slowly debuting Astell by small increments via dance covers or busking(street performances); I'm assuming that Errday must be dead-broke; companies with a limited or small budget may have a difficult experience in properly promoting their newly created group. The lack of promotional content are obvious signs that Astell's company "Errday" is in some kind of problem, most likely a financial one. If Astell is not suffering financially, then it could be a dysfunctional work environment or poorly executed business plans. Who really knows?

Edit #2(8/10/2024): Although it has been a little over a month, Astell finally released their music video. I do like the dark and gloomy atmosphere within a ballroom(prom room?) that is portrayed in the music video; it has a count dracula vibe without the vampiric or ghostly activity. It fails to deliver the correct graphical aura/effects such as wind, thunder, mist, and other elements to display a proper storm, which the music video needed; a large fan, dry ice(for fog), and a camera flash could have been enough to create artificial storm effects.

Astell showcased their debut song about 2 weeks ago, but I had to do a thorough dig on the internet to find the showcase; it was well hidden amongst a wall of posted showcase videos. Astell looked like they were either glistening or sweaty during their live performance(you may feel disgusted, aroused, or both); overall, they performed quite well in what seems like hot temperature during the night. That must have been tough. A part of the choreography that I found unnecessary is when a member of Astell runs from one side to the other; this could have been done in a more glamorous way without it looking like an athletic sprinter or a cross-country marathon runner.

Dance Practice
Lyrics?
Choreography? Performance?
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .8/1
Cosmetics: .1/1
Fashion: .1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: .1/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 0/1
Live Visual: 0/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: 0/1

TOTAL 9.1 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
9.1 divided by 17 = 0.535294118
0.535294118 multiplied by 100 = 53.529411765

FINAL SCORE: 53.5%

What the heck? Specifically, Howon University is debuting a k-idol boy group! Isn't this a first? While I was a bit skeptical about viewing this debut, I decided to give it a chance. If I had to choose one word to describe this group, it would be "impressive" for what they have to work with. Apparently, Howon University has a specialized department just for K-pop. It is rather interesting and somewhat baffling that a university would delve into the k-pop industry. Aren't universities suppose to be associating with higher forms of education instead of different degrees of butt shaking? I'm flabbergasted of the notion that there is a department in a university analyzing BlackPink's twerking. I thought I've seen it all, but strange things seem to pop up into existence from out of no where. It would be hilarious if there is a part of the department simply for studying the curvature of Laysha(for fashion reasons, of course). Anyways, I was pleasantly surprised by the story that's embedded into the music video. It's quite a common narrative though. The music video has a fairly typical love story: boy meets girl, boy wants to express his love to girl with a letter, boy finds out that girl is with another guy, and, lastly, boy gets his heart broken. It is what it is, I suppose.

Anyways, I'll wait for more content from this group; their debut lacks content, but I think there's a fair amount to observe. I'll have to wait for an actual showcase. I wonder if the University will allow a showcase of their own boy group. So far, their dance practice is decent. I've noticed that some of the members execute their moves in a terrible posture like they are hunchbacks of Notre Dame. They need to work on their formation and posture. With that being said, it would be profitable for universities to give scholarships to K-pop Trainees that register and attend their courses. Not only would universities be raking in profits, but students can study courses like bio-chemistry while achieving a PHD in K-pop. I'm laughing now, but it would probably be a sought after endeaver to achieve such an honorary degree for entertainment. We live in strange times where someone in the streets can flaunt their degree in K-pop Studies without being ridiculed.

Lyrics?
Choreography? Performance?
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: .33/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: .33/1
Stage Presence: .33/1
Facial Expression: .33/1
Objective Movement: .33/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .33/1
Cosmetics: .33/1
Fashion: .33/1
Music Video Score: .33/1
Visual Role Model: .33/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 0/1
Live Visual: 0/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: 0/1

TOTAL 5.3 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
5.3 divided by 17 = 0.311764706
0.311764706 multiplied by 100 = 31.176470588

FINAL SCORE: 31.1%

Honestly, I don't know how to rate children since their voices and movement are still developing; it would be dishonorable to ridicule children at such an early stage in life. I would just encourage them to do their best and if it doesn't work out, then they should just move on to their next hobby or passion. I wish these children the best!

Showcase Live Stage Concert
Showcase 2
Live Session
Lyrics
Choreography? Performance?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: .66/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: .9/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .9/1

TOTAL 15.46 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
15.46 divided by 17 = 0.909411765
0.909411765 multiplied by 100 = 90.941176471

FINAL SCORE: 90.9%

B.D.U. stands for "Boys Define Universe". As a precautionary step to finding out that this group was formed from a survival show, I had to play the music video from a distance, a 10 foot pole's length to be exact. With my hands covering my ears, I proceeded to play the music video. Actually, B.D.U. wasn't bad at all. From my experience of listening to a plethora of survival show contestants, I've always had a bad after taste like moments after eating an entire onion. MNET's reality survival show "Build Up: Vocal Boy Group Survivor" finally dished out a pretty good group. It looks like B.D.U. has a 2 year contract, so hopefully we'll get great music coming out of this group within their duration. In their debut showcases, they did a live vocal performance, which was near perfect. You can hear tiny mistakes here and there with their vocals, but that's just me being over-critical in judging performance. Don't forget that they were also doing their choreography with their live vocals, which was tremendous! My initial impression of this group is mostly on the positive side. Although their vocal prowess is, like I said before, tremendous, groups like this may suffer the lack of creativity. Hopefully, their company is able to consider different concepts for B.D.U. that suits them and aren't generic, a "copy and paste" of what existing groups have already attempted. Simultaneously, their music should be competitive in the k-music market. There's plenty of hurdles for groups these days since it is over-saturated with clones of other groups. People will stan a group that has an original concept, offering a fresh and brand new aesthetic. Anyways, B.D.U. has a good start with a good first impression. Hopefully, they get the attention of music lovers with any form of promotional content. I forgot to add that their music video had a narrative; I love when music videos incorporates a story while being able to display the group's visibility. There are plenty of music videos simply displaying the k-idol's performance while neglecting a story. It is simply the result of a lazy director to not add a story or even a director cutting corners and going the cheap route as much as possible. B.D.U.'s music video was a bit grainy in video quality, but I think it is the style that they have chosen to go with. I kind of blame this Y2K concept era of music, where everything looks like it is being recorded by an old school camcorder created in the late 1990s. In my opinion, B.D.U. requires a more opulent fashion/look to accentuate their already naturally gifted appearance; usually, more oppulence in appearance, the more attention they will receive from the public eye. This Y2K style(trend) video cinematics that they are trying to pull of, especially in the music video, doesn't serve them; there are better avenues to explore instead of riding this Y2K concept bandwagon that has plagued the kpop industry for the past years.

Lyrics?
Choreography? Performance?
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: .33/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: .33/1
Stage Presence: .33/1
Facial Expression: .33/1
Objective Movement: .33/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .33/1
Cosmetics: .33/1
Fashion: .33/1
Music Video Score: .33/1
Visual Role Model: .33/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 0/1
Live Visual: 0/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: 0/1

TOTAL 5.3 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
5.3 divided by 17 = 0.311764706
0.311764706 multiplied by 100 = 31.176470588

FINAL SCORE: 31.1%

Honestly, I don't know how to rate children since their voices and movement are still developing; it would be dishonorable to ridicule children at such an early stage in life. I would just encourage them to do their best and if it doesn't work out, then they should just move on to their next hobby or passion. I wish these children the best!

Live Debut: Voyage to the Unknown
Asphyxia Dance Practice
Wave Dance Practice
Lyrics?
Choreography? Performance?
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 0/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 13.66 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
13.66 divided by 17 = 0.803529412
0.803529412 multiplied by 100 = 80.352941176

FINAL SCORE: 80.3%

At first glance, you'd think that IHOTEU is a J-POP group; however, as you listen to the lyrics, it is actually korean. After all, IHOTEU's members were formerly from DENPAMARU!, a 2022 live idol group from South Korea. A ton of people only assumed IHOTEU is a japanese based group because of the sound of the music, as well as their fashion. IHOTEU looks deceptively japanese. Yes! Your eyes are playing tricks on you! Anyways, this group is awesome! The only problem I see about this group is their exposure to the public; barely anyone knows about this group, only a few thousand, which is a tragedy. People usually ignore the japanese aesthetic because it is over-used and over-rated in modern times; however, IHOTEU seems to have integrated their korean styling into a japanese style. In May, I accidentally skipped this group because I was certain that this was JPOP, but I was dead wrong; I never gave it a listen at all. Now, I'm regretful for not giving this group a chance. I apologize greatly. Overall, it was a fun listen! Not only was it fun, but their live debut showcased their outstanding performance. Do not be quick to judge, as I have, about the japanese aesthetics and sound. You'll soon enough regret not having a listen!

Show Champion Showcase
Lyrics?
Dance Practice
Performance?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: .33/1
Music Video Score: .66/1
Visual Role Model: .55/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: .55/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .55/1

TOTAL 12.64 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
12.64 divided by 17 = 0.743529412
0.743529412 multiplied by 100 = 74.352941176

FINAL SCORE: 74.3%

There was a week delay for their music video debut because an issue was found in their distribution process. I discovered I:MOND by reading about one of the members, E-seol, who was originally from the groups X:IN and MEP-C. Youngwon was formerly from Melody Pink, which is a group who I never heard of until now. The other 2 members of I:MOND is unknown. Anyways, I:MOND's debut song "Slippery" is a nice, little dance song. The music composition follows a basic/rudimentary structure of typical dance songs; unfortunately, there's no extra bells and whistles. Although "Slippery" is enjoyable for those looking for a dance song, it may sound generic to say the least. The instrumental has cave echo sounds, electric guitar sections, and disc-jockey record scratching that made it feasible; the sounds balanced out the song quite well. As for the vocals of I:MOND, all of their voices are decent, but nothing spectacular; in other words, I was not awestruck with sparkling, wide eyes. From attending thousands of fashion shows and showcases(I'm not exaggerating either), I can say that I:MOND's fashion is below average, especially for a modern k-idol debut. I've seen plenty of unknown entertainment companies with a "shoestring" budget(only able to afford a ball of yarn) that still managed to display their idols/models flashy and prismatically. No offense to the ethnoreligious groups or cultures, but I:MOND has a fashion sense of an Amish. There are so many ways to spruce up groups without a million dollar budget; it only takes creativity. While watching the music video, I've noticed that I:MOND's music video environment is located at one of those cargo shipping areas, which is a place where most low-budget entertainment companies, companies going the cheap route, or companies going out of business shoot their music video; 9Muses shot their music video for "Hurt Locker" on one of those cargo ship locations. I'm not certain if it is the exact same one, but it is most likely another one because of the color of the shipping containers. Anyways, I wish I:MOND luck in their future endeavors and I hope to watch more content from I:MOND; hopefully, in their next comeback, they aren't wearing any clothing bought from a garage sale or a thrift store. I have nothing against people wearing cheap clothing like a hobo, but for a k-idol group, it truly matters! A k-idol group's main objective is to attract their audience by any means necessary; fashion is a staple priority when it comes to grabbing the attention of others. It is an injustice to have these beautiful young ladies to wear such sumber/drab/dull outfits; in my opinion, k-idols wearing drabbish clothing is criminal.

MNET MCOUNTDOWN SHOWCASE
Live Session?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?
Dance Practice
Studio Choom Performance
Lyrics
PRE-DEBUT:
HURRICANE
+82

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

Debut Choreography of the Year(Exclusive Extra): 1/1

TOTAL 15.66 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
15.66 divided by 17 = 0.921176471
0.921176471 multiplied by 100 = 92.117647059

FINAL SCORE: 92.1%

I'm on the fence with mixed feelings about BadVillain's debut. Simultaneously, I'm astonished and bitter from watching their debut music video. BadVillain is a hodgepodge of all my favorite girl groups wrapped into one group; BadVillain is like a pizza with all your favorite toppings. Although it is astonishing to have a group with all the ingredients that make up an outstanding group, other fans may compare and contrast this to YG Entertainment's groups, such as BabyMonster. BadVillain is pretty much the frankenstein monster of K-pop. The reason that I say they are a frankenstein monster is because it feels like they borrowed and join together all of the best parts of different girl groups. You can sense heavy influence from YGE's BlackPink and other girl crush focused groups, such as Everglow. I'm not upset that it follows a typical girl crush concept; I absolutely love that they took YGE's girl crush concept formula and remixed it to create their own unique spin to the concept. BPM Entertainment has been mishmashing and experimenting with all sorts of girl crush concepts to create this frankenstein monster of a song; the bridge to the chorus could really hook alot of people(it did to me). Now, I have to tell you what made me bitter. The pre-debuts +82 and Hurricane led me to believe that their debut would sound similar, so BadVillain's debut was instantly put on my list of highly anticipated songs for June. Since +82 and Hurricane was a hip-hop/rap/trap oriented, I was expecting their debut to be exactly the same. As soon as their debut dropped, I rolled my eyes in hearing another typical girl crush concept music video; however, I started to appreciate it for what it was. Imagine for a moment that you are a passenger on a train. Everything is running smoothly on the train, but the train conductor, without any announcement to their passengers, purposefully derailed the train from going to the announced destination. Now, the train is traveling on unusual terrain and going straight to an unknown destination. Wouldn't you feel mad about the change of direction of the train's destination? I sure would be. This is how I feel about the pre-debuts +82 and Hurricane leading to their debut "BadVillain". BPM made a detour or U-turn from their original artistic direction to a standard direction; in this case, a girl crush concept. Again, I am not hating on the group or company; I felt reluctance, and/or hesitation, and in due time, bitter, since they changed the direction of their group's concept. Anyways, BadVillain's instrumental is classical/orchestral; it almost sounds like a symphony made by Beethoven. Although I loved the instrumental, the chorus is not memorable. The bridge to the chorus is epic though. The ending part with a ton of "LaLaLaLaLaLa" verses could be somewhat annoying, a hit or miss part of the song. It really depends if you've heard "LALALA" too many times from other songs in kpop(I sure have). As for the rapping, one of the members(I believe her name to be Chloe) sounded like Soyeon from (G)I-DLE; however, she adds a squeeky/whiney dash to her voice, almost sounds like squeezing a rubber ducky. In no way am I insulting her rapping, it is actually catchy and unique to their arsenal of vocals. By the way, their vocals are angelic; however, their rapping is villanous; they can play in both departments masterfully. When it comes to their choreography and dancing abilities, they are definately on the top. I love all their intricate dance movements, which is all done with conviction. There is no half-heartedly done moves here; they hit each move packed with a wallop like a whip snapping in the air. Will BadVillain dethrone Le Sserafim's position as the leading female dancing k-idol group? It sure looks like it. Le Sserafim must be shaking in their boots as of right now. All jokes aside, there's alot BadVillain can offer in terms of dancing; in their introductory performance, one of the members does a back hand spring(I believe that the name of the backflipper is INA)! I was shook in amazement!

Visually, BadVillain can rock all outfits, costumes, decor, and masks effortlessly. It looks like BadVillain takes the cake for best versatile fashion for 2024. Seriously, you have to look at all of their outfits from their camouflauge gear to their majestic attire; definately, BadVillain deserves 2024 K-pop Fashionista award(if there is one).

EDIT#1(7/5/2024): BadVillain has to be one of the ultimate groups of 2024 with high skills in choreography and rapping. All their visuals are all on point too; they are killing it with their outstanding fashion and cosmetic artistry. They've excelled in all aspects, but one. My main concern for this group is a major one, which is live vocals. Many groups have fallen because of this main factor. A huge chunk of spectators, especially South Koreans, harshly judge on whether or not a k-idol can sing live. K-netizens are very harsh when it comes to live singing and this harshness is justified in my honest opinion; all it takes for you to understand is by checking out South Korean forums. I hope that BadVillain can show off their live vocals, so they can avoid the incoming hate train from K-netizens and global music critics.

EDIT#2(9/6/2024): BadVillain's channel was hacked and deleted! BPM is apparently trying to recover everything! This is unfortunate. The links that I posted may not work!

My Opinion On +82:

If Hurricane was a battlefield, then +82 sounds like gladiators fighting other gladiators in a Roman coliseum. If anyone has ever heard of camelot era music, which is rare for anyone in Generation Z or younger to experience, then you might think the instrumental was sampled from introductory music used in medieval jousting tournaments. Hurricane and +82 sound like fight songs overall; +82 amplifies the effects that were present in Hurricane and adds unto it catchy phrases. To be honest, I don't know if they are repetively saying "bad", "gah", or "bah"(I think my hearing has diminished). All the "Bah Bah Bah" and "Gah Gah Gah" words are impactful and groovey. I never felt the need to move my head like woodpecker, knodding my head forward and backwards, to the "Gah Gah Gah" and "Bah Bah Bah" until I heard this track. The fashion is quite fitting for the video with all the members wearing outstanding individualistic street apparel, giving each member their own flare and separate style. You should check out one of the members with what looks like a white scarf(the furry snake-like garment that wraps around her)! She's gorgeous! I believe her name is Kelly. As for their dancing, I'm loving the hip hop ground work that they are doing; they are not afraid of getting down and dirty; this separates Bad Villain from the rest of the other kpop idols, who look clinical and sanitary in their movements. Alot of kpop idol choreography look like they are at a tea party while Bad Villain's choreography looks like they are out in the trenches, not afraid of the grime. All these girls are pretty much ready for war with their 8 pack abs(I know I'm exaggerating), but Bad Villain is visually impressive by showing how fit they are; I haven't seen a fitness oriented female k-idol group for quite a while(the name of the group escapes me). Wow! Their pre-debut films have been astounding to the senses so far. Currently, I'm only curious on what I'm going to experience with their upcoming debut, which is speculated to be released in June.

My Opinion On Hurricane:

BPM Entertainment has a special group for KPOP enthusiasts in 2024. Remember that BPM Entertainment is also working with VIVIZ(formerly known as GFRIEND), so this entertainment company ain't joking around. BADVILLAIN is particularly focused and specializes in rap/hip hop, but they also have angelic vocals, which aren't really heard in this performance. Fitted in camouflage drip, Bad Villain is looking like they are out in a battlefield and methodically eliminating their competition. With an unknown 7th member, they have added another combatant to their fully fledged armada. I love all the non-stop energy in their rapping. A catchy part of the rap is when one of the members start saying "Echo Echo Echo". The instrumental is wild, the pulse/beat sets the song to a fast tempo. If k-idols can exude anything, then Bad Villain exudes attitude, confidence, and ferocity. Fierceness leaks out of their dancing like water running out of a faucet. It is said that all the members come from a dancing background, so it is no wonder we get such a masterfully done choreography. There's alot of things in my mind about this group, but it is better to save it for the future.

Virtual Angel Lyrics
Virtual Angel Showcase Stage
Dance Practice
MONTBEST Performance
MBC Radio Live Session
Live Concert? Live Vocals?
Pre-release 4/4: Air
Pre-release 3/4: Candy Crush
Pre-release 2/4: Flower Rhythm
Pre-release 1/4: Birth
BIRTH LYRICS

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: .33/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

Debut Album of the Year(Exclusive Extra): 1/1

TOTAL 15.99 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
15.99 divided by 17 = 0.940588235
0.940588235 multiplied by 100 = 94.058823529

FINAL SCORE: 94%

The long wait is over! ARTMS has finally released their debut track "Virtual Angel" from their album <Dall>, which stands for Devine All Love and Live. Before I begin their final review, I'd like to reiterate what I have said on a previous blog post and refresh your memory that ARTMS members were originally from LOONA(LOO∏Δ); there was alot going on within their original group and company, so I will not get into it; it will take forever. It is better for you to research LOONA for yourself. The members of ARTMS consists of Jinsoul, Haseul, Kim Lip, Heejin, and Choerry. To be honest, I would love the whole LOONA to be back together, but the world doesn't revolve around my desires or wishes.

Virtual Angel was awesome! The teaser pictures that ARTMS released on certain social media websites showed the members in dark-themed outfits, especially one of the members with black wings attached to their back; however, ARTMS didn't wear any black wings for the music video. The song itself was rumored to sound dark, but as soon as the debut dropped, it didn't sound dark at all; nevertheless, we were given a smooth dance pop song, which I appreciate alot. The smooth sound is not the only thing that I appreciate but the beautifully written lyrics, which was sung with angelic voices; they definately are "Virtual Angels". You may feel partially in favor of the flickering video clips; it made me a bit dizzy after the first watch. After the first watch, you should be able to watch it normally; or at least, be able to withstand the imagery. Sadly, Folks with epilepsy will probably be suffering episodic stuttering or shock after watching Virtual Angel; I feel sorry for those who experienced epilepsy while watching. As expected, the music video has a story with unknown symbology to be dissected, which I will attempt to figure out later in this blog. In their showcase, each member wore white clothing covered with more white drappery and tassles; the white clothing was embellished with a baby blue symbol. The fashion is quite fitting for their song. If they came out with any other type of clothing, such as leather, then it would break and destroy the theme; however, I'm not totally against wardrobe changes. I know for a fact that ARTMS can wear any outfit that goes against the theme and they'll still get praised and adored no matter what. If ARTMS decided to wear garbage bags to their showcases, then it will be the next fashion trend in South Korea. I could be taking it a bit far, but it is only the truth. Anyways, in their showcase, they demonstrated their choreography, which was done elegantly without them busting a sweat; their experience from their time in LOONA paid off and it shows how professionally they are at dancing.

Let's talk about the symbology found in this music video. You may have spotted the upside down pyramid or inverted pyramid; this symbol represents a shift of power in the physical world. It may mean that the power is divinely given to the impoverished and the rich/wealthy has become powerless. The spiritual meaning of this is the divine power above has come down to physical existence, such as angelic forces coming from heaven to visit earth. Basically, this usually means enlightenment or awakening from a dormant state, such as being asleep, in a state of unconsciousness or a state of non-existence. Scattered throughout the music video are subliminal phrases like "Save me savior", "Be Not Afraid", and "Savior". These phrases are spread randomly within the music video; actually, they are comments directed to the viewer or observer, which is you(the one watching the music video...YA...YOU!). The only person that can save you is you. You are the savior that you've been waiting for all this time. Once you've reached enlightenment, you are able to save yourself(you are the angel); hence, why ARTMS placed the inverted pyramids within the music video to emphasize that the divinity is within you, not outside of yourself. At the end of the video, the focus is now on the young girl with the camcorder, who seems to be recording the 5 symbols in the air. The 5 symbols represent the 5 members of ARTMS as the virtual angels. Virtual means simulated though not in actual fact, form, or name. The young lady with the digital camera(camcorder) is observing the virtual angels. The young lady with the digital camera is a representation of the actual angel(YOU). Remember, that virtual angel means the essence of an angel, but not the actual angel. The story of the music video is implying that the savior is your own self and looking outside yourself for a savior is simply finding a virtual angel, which is not your savior. Sorry for repeating myself like a broken record player, but I want to drill the message to the audience's mind. The frightening cult of ARTMS within the music video were searching for their savior outside of theirselves and found the virtual form of an angel, which was a sham. Anyways, the symbology and/or message that I interpreted could be entirely different from what ARTMS intended it to be. This was simply my interpretation, a puzzle that I pieced together from my observations; there are many theories out there to be crafted, but for now, this is what I have. You can take it or leave it.

ARTMS is offering a great album with 11 tracks to interpret; <Dall> is an album jam-packed with content! This is a "must-buy" for people who want to listen to wonderful tracks. From my analysis, <Dall> is a contender for debut KAOTY(Korean Album of the Year) because ARTMS offers a wide variety of genres in one album; each track in the album are bangers or bops. For theory-crafting types of people, such as I and other people, especially who were originally part of the LOONAVERSE fanbase("Orbits" for short), this is a pricless album that can offer insight of the nature of reality or simply music to shake your butt to. Although I was never an "Orbit", a part of the original LOONA fanbase, I can confidently say this album is worthy of your attention. I 100% recommend ARTMS' new album and their future endeavors.

"Air" is ARTMS' fourth(and last) pre-release track from their album <Dall>. It's not hot air nor is it cold air. You will simply get air, you breathe it in, and you breathe it out. Breathing is a simple process that all of us do on a daily basis. This song encapsulates on how it feels to breathe. It is a simple dance song, not complex at all. ARTMS look like they are just partying in one of those foreclosed town houses, which a real estate agent probably permitted ARTMS to inspect the inner and outer quarters. Hopefully, the real estate agent doesn't come back and find them just partying and shooting a music video inside! Oh ARTMS, you're suppose to tour foreclosed homes to lease or own the home, not party in it! lol! Like I said before, these ladies are celebrating and taking it easy before their actual debut. I'm not certain people know the concept or saying "Wu Wei" from Tao Te Ching. "Wu Wei" means effortless effort or actionless action. Particularly, this song incorporates a Wu Wei-esque style instrumental, blending well with their catchy lyrics; a style that isn't complex, but a simple style; the song has hints of reggae and afro-beat if you listen to it closely. By understanding the simplicity of air, one is able to understand the concept of Wu Wei. Is ARTMS closet or undercover Taoist? The reason that I ask is because this song has Wu Wei written all over it. The best way to understand Wu Wei is by describing or grasping(understanding) the scientific process of air. Anyways, It is a breath of fresh air just like their previous pre-release track Candy Crush. If you found "Air" to be awesome like I did, then you'll probably be anticipating for their debut! ARTMS is finally debuting with their track song titled Virtual Angel on May 31. I can't wait! I have no clue what it is about, but knowing ARTMS track record, then we're all in for a treat.

Candy Crush is ARTMS' third pre-release from their album <Dall>. If you listen to alot of old city pop from the 1980s/1990s like I do, then you'll find the instrumental familiar. Before accusing ARTMS of plagiarism, you have to listen to the instrumental and do a thorough analysis. It is suspiciously recognizable to an old american instrumental, which I will not name here(If you know it, then you'll notice instantly). Rest assured, the instrumental isn't a copy; it has its own style and changes, an entirely new composition. All city pop type of instrumentals have this type of pace that seem to sound identical. With that out of the way, ARTMS' R&B sound is natural, almost like they time traveled back from the past to the future and brought us a wonderful gem-like candy of a song. What a treat! Definately, ARTMS are R&B Queens, as well as visual queens while roller-skating. ARTMS is beautiful, especially with them fitted in modern street apparel. It's hilarious how most K-pop idols are all in "try-hard" or grind mode to get the attention of everyone while ARTMS, in their new music video, is simply relaxin', chillin', and having fun. They aren't competing with any other kpop idols; therefore, no one can compete with them. They are all on another level! ARTMS is just crushing on candies! It's like they confidently know who they are and don't have to pander to their viewers. I'm loving the aura that they are giving off, it is therapeutic and a breath of fresh air to listen to this track. I can't wait for their last pre-release "Air" on May 10.

<Pre2 : Flower Rhythm> is the second pre-release track of their album <Dall>. This particular EDM track is delightful for people who like doing body rolls all day. ARTMS effortlessly dances in an elegant fashion; they were mainly doing body rolls, struts, cat-walks, and swagger(there's different names for the type of dance). Confidence that they have shown in LOO∏Δ is also shown here, but multiplied by the umpteenth degree. ARTMS' delivery is blooming & their rhythm is majestic here. These girls are visual queens and their aesthetics are overwhelmingly artistic, it is like their presence brings an entire atmosphere filled with bright colors and an array of sparkles. It is as if I was transfered to another dimension of flower bliss with this awesome track. I can't wait for their next pre-releases on April 25 and May 10.

ARTMS, who are 5 members of the original LOONA(LOO∏Δ), have pre-released one out of four music videos: <Pre1 : Birth>. I've got to say that this pre-release surprised me because I did not expect them to create a haunting/horror-esque music video. Personally, I have no clue what the video is about, but I could only come up with some theory-crafting of what I think the song/music video is about. My interpretations could be entirely wrong. I love how the original members of LOONA transformed their whole image into some kind of experimental pop or acid trip hop. I'm not entirely sure of the genre; it is way different from what they previously produced. They stemmed so far away from their original material that it may be too alien for the original fans. I'm not entirely certain if their fanbase appreciates the change of LOONA. People who are expecting an ordinary kpop song will have mixed feelings about this song. Most people who are listening to kpop would frown upon this song because it is not a dance song. Unless, you are into interpretative dancing, then yes, you can dance weirdly to it. Regular people wouldn't expect kpop to sound like this and this may repulse them. However, for me, I'm open to listening to all types of music. I can't wait to hear their other 3 releases coming out on April 11, April 25, and May 10. Anyways, below I will provide my interpretation of Birth.

This track is so mysterious and open to interpretation, but I think ARTMS has the true meaning of the song. Let's first do an analysis on the images of the music video. The white lady with the one horn is the Artemis, who is the Greek Goddess of childbirth. The tinier children are nymphs, who are Artemis' entourage. The deer/stag could represent men because in many greek stories, Artemis changes men into stags/deers with her powers. However, I'm not entirely sure because this video shows the stag with one horn. The stag could be interpretated as Artemis herself. It is strange that she shoots an arrow at the deer/stag(herself). Could this imply self-deletion? I can't say that word here, but it is when you take your own life. It feels like the nymphs(children) are visiting their Artemis(mother) after she had died(implying that she took her own life)? At the end, it shows Artemis as a glowing spirit. This could mean that she is no longer on the mortal realm; the ARTMS members are still in the mortal realm without their mother, but she is still around in spirit. The lyrics say that they are in "delirium", which means a type of confusion. Are the ARTMS members confused because their mother has passed away? There are a few scenes where someone is crying. This song could be about them going to their mother's funeral, but they are confused because it feels like their mother never left them since her spirit is in the background. This music video/song is esoteric; it has a hidden meaning. There's another meaning: Birth is death. Notice how everyone is alive, but they all look like they have died inside because of an incident. Below is an analysis on the lyrics.
Take away a bitter kiss
Were you that sweet
Birth and death are described as sweet and bitter(bittersweet). Birth is sweet and death is bitter.
Everything my everything
I wanna ask you one thing
Would I hold you in my heart
And close my eyes
Basically, when you say "Everything my everything" that is refering to someone you love, but in this case since the title of this song is "Birth", they are refering to a child. Could this be an emotional attachment to a child? When you close your eyes and hold someone in you heart, that could mean an emotional attachment to someone(that someone being a child).
Take me don't lie to me
Through this long night without you
Though you fade away
You stay still
You swallow me
I can feel it deep inside
I think this whole part of the lyrics is refering to the memory of someone. Memories tend to fade and sometimes stay still. Memories also "swallow" you when you remember everything about a person.
I could gather ex boyfriends
Searching for you with that handout flyer
Thank you, I've become your monologue
I've been rolling down my sleeping
I could make it better future
When I wake up tomorrow
I'm born with a fake smile
I'm not sure what they mean by "handout flyer". Could this be a missing person? When you handout flyers, it is usually pieces of papers or pamphlets describing either some event or something either wanted for work or something that is missing. In this case, since the title is birth, it could be for a missing child or finding a missing child? The next line is "I've become your monologue"; I'm thinking this person talks to themselves. The lyrics also say "rolling down my sleeping". When you are rolling in your sleep, it means that you can't sleep. In this case, the person can't sleep because something in the future is bothering that person. Since the person couldn't sleep, they wake up with a fake smile.
An illusion in delirium
Sheds light to my manipulated memories
Close your eyes and swear to yourself
Love me, it's a gift
Basically, someone had false memories and it was revealed by the confusion. At the time of birth, usually when a child is born, they see the world in confusion since it is the first time experiencing the world for what it is. And, the "Love me, it's a gift" could be the mother telling her new-born child this?
I'll forget you, be forgotten, I'll leave you be
I just keep lying to you, Lie lie lie
Fake it heart, fake it all
My pure face has been a lie all along
Fake it love, fake it all
What is the truth
Again, I think the mother is faking their love for her new-born child. I'm only assuming this because the title is called birth.
Everything is yours
Hate me, it's a blessing
Again, I'm thinking that a mother is talking to her child. She's giving her child everything, but asks her child to hate her.

Anyways, I think I'm too far gone now. I really don't know what the lyrics mean in its truest sense. It's really up to ARTMS if they want to reveal its true meaning since I have no clue. LOL! I bet many people know what's going on, who know more about the LOONAVERSE. Since I'm not part of the fanbase, I don't know any of the details about anything. It could be related to that or it could be something entirely different. From my understanding, this whole song is about an unloving mother birthing her child in a confusing world.

LYRICS
Choreography? Performance?
MNET MCOUNTDOWN SHOWCASE STAGE
Live Session
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: Not Applicable/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: Not Applicable/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: .66/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: .33/1
Live Choreography: Not Applicable/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 11.65 OF 14 POINTS

Calculation:
11.65 divided by 14 = 0.832142857
0.832142857 multiplied by 100 = 83.214285714

FINAL SCORE: 83.2%

WATERFIRE is a 4 member boy group, who were contestants of many survival shows; particularly, they are known for recently participating in a MNET survival show called "Build Up: Vocal Boy Group Survivor". As noted, WATERFIRE is a boy group mainly focused on vocals. I think many people remember Sunyoul, who was a former member of UP10TION. Unfortunately, UP10TION is breaking apart slowly, but I don't think the group has disbanded just yet; hopefully, activity happens within UP10TION to revive what they've built. Anyways, all I have to say is WATERFIRE possess excellent vocals. If you remember a group called DAY6, then you might like WATERFIRE. Although WATERFIRE doesn't play instruments such as guitars or drums, you will still enjoy their vocals. I promise!

EDIT#1(6/30/2024): I just realized that k-idol groups who do ballad style/R&B type music has to be reviewed and rated in a different standard because they do not incorporate any sort of choreography. It wouldn't be fair to rate groups like WATERFIRE under the same standard as typical k-idol music. Instead of rating under the same standard(out of 17 points), I would have to rate groups like this out of 14. This is to ensure the rating system is fair in its assessment.

Lyrics?
Performance
Showcase
Showcase(1 Year Ago)
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: .44/1
Instrumental: .44/1
Lyrics: .66/1
Addictive Song: .33/1
Stage Presence: .55/1
Facial Expression: .55/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: .88/1
Music Video Score: .66/1
Visual Role Model: .66/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: .66/1
Live Visual: .66/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 10.15 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
10.15 divided by 17 = 0.597058824
0.597058824 multiplied by 100 = 59.705882353

FINAL SCORE: 59.7%

It feels like B-ours is resurrecting old korean music from 20 years ago(I'm not certain if they are intentionally creating music to sound like this). I'm not against music that takes the audience back in time, where music was simpler; however, I think South Koreans and international audiences prefer modern pop music or at least music that resembles sounds that are up to date; I'm not entirely sure if there is a market for old school sounding music(it could be very tiny). I'm assuming that B-Ours found a midi file from a Windows 2000 PC and decided to use that as their instrumental. B-ours needs a bit more practice/training on their vocals. Since it is a music video, I couldn't observe many parts of the choreography; it was mainly tiny snippets of their choreography, so I can't make a proper judgement. Overall, I think it is a cute karaoke bar song for the early 2000s; this song is for people who are curious of how early 2000s South Korean music sounded like.

Edit#1(6/24/2024): Within the deepest crevices of youtube, I was able to watch their full showcase, which was from a year ago! A normal internet search of "B-Ours" only provided me with separate fan-cam versions of "Be Ur Girl"(each member having their own individual fan-cam); there was no recent group live footage besides the one that I found, which was performed a year ago. Whenever I search for this group on the internet, I end up empty handed like searching for water in a vast desert. It shouldn't be this difficult to find B-Ours, especially since they debuted a month ago; however, they've managed to be unnoticed and dodge public awareness. I noticed k-idol groups stop promoting their debuts when it results in poor viewership/attention and only gathers miniscule investment and/or opportunities; the incentives of promoting their group aren't favorable. B-Ours looks like they abandoned promoting their group or stopped producing content for their debut, which is unfortunate. The reason for their lack of promotion or production could be accumulated expenses or unpopular public reception. Overall, I felt their debut was short-lived.

Lyrics
Performance
MCOUNTDOWN Showcase
Live Band Concert
2023 Pre-Debut: Miracle

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 1/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 1/1
Concert Ready: 1/1

TOTAL 17 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
17 divided by 17 = 1
1 multiplied by 100 = 100

FINAL SCORE: 100%

NEXZ brought us a chill/relaxing debut song. There may be some in the general audience who will find this song somewhat boring and its smooth melody to cause them to sleep(a snooze-fest); however, their choreography and visuals make up for it. This makes me question whether or not this is the perfect choice for their debut song because it doesn't demonstrate their vocal potential. Debut songs should hook in their audience to have their audience desire more of them, but I believe the song falls a bit flat in direction. I bet JYP Entertainment is simply cooking up or saving future songs in their hidden stash of bangers for future comebacks; JYP Entertainment are obviously playing it safe and strategic with NEXZ since they are noticably competing with other upcoming k-idol groups, who already have huge fanbases, such as TWS. Personally, I found the song quite pleasant to listen to while running errands, doing low-maintenance activity, taking leisurely walks, or simply sitting in a vehicle without it being too disruptive to others. Nothing else to really say about this debut except that you'll love the vibe or simply snooze to the vibe. The "Z" in "NEXZ" is a symbol that represents snoring while sleeping. Hopefully, their future releases won't lull the audience to sleep like their debut.

Edit#1(6/5/2024): I called their debut song a "snooze-fest" because it is; however, I didn't say they were a bad performing k-idol group. They were simply given an unfavorable song to debut with because it doesn't hook audiences(or makes the audience excited). In their live band performance, their live vocals were perfect; they sang their entire song without a single flaw. Not only did they sing live, but they also did their choreography while singing live. To be honest, their live performance is better than their studio recorded tracks. Everyone should recognize that NEXZ is a powerhouse offering the whole package: flawless live singing while executing their dance choreography with appealing visuals. I do recommend this group 100% for all audiences; hopefully, they don't get boring songs like "Ride the Vibe" in future comebacks.

Second Track: Starlight
Lyrics?
Choreography?
Showcase?
Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 0/1
Facial Expression: 0/1
Objective Movement: 0/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 0/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 0/1
Live Visual: 0/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .33/1

TOTAL 8.33 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
8.33 divided by 17 = 0.49
0.49 multiplied by 100 = 49

FINAL SCORE: 49%

257 is an independent k-idol group with a chill, cool, and collected two track album called "Black Out". Another track in their album is called "Starlight", which is nice as well. There's no accurate information about these 3 young ladies online; they're pretty much unknown. A random factoid that was presented on the internet is that "257" represents the month of each member's birth: "2" is February, "5" is May, and "7" is July.

Edit #1(6/18/2024): I only gave 257 a low score because they never made a public appearance for their debut. "Blackout" was such a great song; I have this song in my playlist permanently. If this group kept on promoting, then they would have made a potentially large fanbase. Since 257 is an independent group, I don't think they have the funds to make an impact in the kpop industry because music showcases require large sums of capital to promote there. Sadly, independent labels usually have tiny pieces of lint and toothpicks in their pockets, which is never really enough to promote on reputable music shows. Unfortunately, 257 will be swept under the rug along with great unknown groups of 2024.

LYRICS
Showcase Stage
Performance
Encore Stage
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: .1/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 14.76 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
14.76 divided by 17 = 0.868235294
0.868235294 multiplied by 100 = 86.823529412

FINAL SCORE: 86.8%

This is the first time that I have ever heard of a decentralized k-pop idol group; it probably is the world's first. With a squad consisting of a whooping 24 female members, tripleS is turning heads with their debut album: Assemble24(5 versions), which consists of 10 tracks. The fascinating feature of this group is that they can split their group into Sub-units. So far, they've split off into these sub-units: Acid Angel From Asia, +(KR)ystal Eyes, Acid Eyes, Lovelution, EVOLution, NXT, Aria, Glow, and possibly even more in the future. The possibilities are endless with this group because they can shuffle and alternate between members as an advantage, which makes this K-pop group the most versatile in different genres. Will this shape the music industry differently in the future? Quite possibly. The benefits of having a huge squad at this capacity is to have members fill in as back-up dancers; instead of hiring back-up dancers, members, who are not participating with vocals, can simply take part in that role. An awesome advantage of having such a huge group is that anyone with an injury or someone in a hiatus can be substituted with any member of the group. People have not recognized how endless the possibilities are with a decentralized group. If a vocalist is having a bad day with a hoarse voice, then another vocalist can simply fill in for them. Every one is basically covered in the long run; there's enough dancers, rappers, singers, and models to fill in the gaps whenever it is needed. MODHAUS is definately playing it strategically within the K-pop music industry; I'd say that it may lead to a successful group. One thing that caught my attention was that the group is involved with NFT(Non-fungible Tokens); I'm not really into these monetary instruments/investments, but it is somewhat risky to involve NFT's with K-pop. NFT's are experimental for the value of NFT's are currently fluctuating in price; in other words, the cryptocurrency space, and other digital currencies, is filled with volatility and possibly "rug-pulls". If you have a surplus of funds or a disposable income, then at your own risk or peril, you may want to invest in these tripleS NFT photo cards called "Objekts"; you may walk out with a large return on investment if you are smart and cunning enough. I'm not here to offer investment advice, so it is best to simply ask a licensed financial advisor/expert's legal advice about tripleS NFT's. Anyways, tripleS is definately changing the K-pop landscape if they are able to gain popularity amongst newcomers, veterans, and the casuals. Will this end the need for traditional/standard groups with a member count of 10 or less? It really depends if the audience or fans will accept such a change to continue and thrive. There's always a need for smaller groups because fans want to be able to root for familiar kpop idols instead of an infinite selection of kpop idols. The problem that I see arising is the audience may succumb to confusion between quantity and quality. Will the K-pop fanbase/community be dealing with anger or indecisiveness for the massive amount of k-idols to select from? Choosing a bias is now a dilemma for their fanbase/audience. Well, from my point of view, there's always room for every type of group, decentralized or not. Now, it really depends what the fans will support and be attentive to. Overall, an infinite amount of substitution can help with scheduling as well; concerts will not be delayed or cancelled because a member is missing in action. From my imagination, I can picture a music video/showcase that's 12 minutes long with all 24 members alternating amongst each other to present their particular role as a singer, dancer, or model. The problem with having such a large group is line distribution; each member should have an equal amount of lines to sing within each song. Like I said before, it would actually help to extend the duration of each song to be around 12 minutes(to compensate for the amount of members); however, I can see fans frenzied or enraged over a 12 minute long choreography or singing! Personally, I'd be quite cheerful, ecstatic, and amazed about a fully-featured 12 minute K-pop choreography and singing; it would be one of a kind. I wonder at times how MODHAUS has the budget to maintain such a member intensive group; they must be filthy rich/wealthy! Anyways, anyone's imagination can run wild with a group this large, so I will leave it as that.

Anyways, the debut song was good; it wasn't too extravagant or anything; it was a dark concept of a music video with an ominous atmosphere, black birds dying and accidents about to happen. The creepy parts of the music video had my butt clenching for a few seconds. It is a good tune. It will take time to remember anyone in the group though since there is no particular person that has caught my attention; mostly, it was overwhelming to try to remember names and faces. In situations like this, it is best to gradually accustom myself to the members. It is a difficult task because there are too many options to choose from that it makes me not want to choose anyone as a bias. I bet many have the same issue of being overwhelmed by the amount of members; I don't think it is just me who feels this way. Anyways, there's so much change happening in the K-pop industry with upcoming rookies, especially with this group tripleS.

Edit#1(6/9/2024): I've seen members perform live vocals for other songs, but not for "Girls Never Die". The members who sang live are within TripleS' sub-units Aria and EVOLution. By the way, their live vocals were pretty good. As for now, I'll be waiting for their live vocals for "Girls Never Die". When that is released, I will increase their score depending whether it was good or not.



Edit#2(6/29/2024): Modhaus did a good job hiding tripleS' encore stage because I couldn't find it at all until someone directed me to it. I have mixed feelings about their live vocals. You may say that encore stages do not qualify as live vocals and you are right. Modhaus should plan an actual live vocal performance for "Girls Never Die". You can tell that some members of TripleS are vocal queens, but some of them, I had to cringe hard and cover my ears. It wouldn't be fair to say that TripleS are vocal queens because only specific members can sing extremely well. You can even say that those specific members are vocally "hard carrying" the whole TripleS. If I could illustrate to you an overall description of tripleS, then it would be 4 members, with fidgety knees, carrying the other 20 members on their back and shoulders. Before I found this group, I predicted there was going to be an imbalance of singers, dancers, and visuals. Simply, there are members who specialize in certain roles that outshine the other members; while that's true, there will be members who fail in those roles horribly. As a conclusion, one can only judge TripleS individually and give credit, where credit is due. I can't say for a 100% certainty that the group is vocally outstanding; it is only a specific set of members who sing outstanding. It is the same for the dancers. Certain ones can dance extremely well while some need alot of work. There's alot of chaos that can ferment within a 24 member group if it is not organized in an orderly fashion.

LYRICS
Performance
Dance Practice
LIVE DEBUT SHOWCASE

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 1/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: 1/1

TOTAL 16 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
16 divided by 17 = 0.941176471
0.941176471 multiplied by 100 = 94.117647059

FINAL SCORE: 94.1%

WOW! WOW! WOW! This group is HAWT!!! I'm fairly certain that you will get an ear-gasm listening to their debut. They sing and dance live perfectly! Not only that, but all of them are charismatic models with their own individual style. If you remember groups like Highlight, Vixx, Viction, JBJ, and other kpop idol groups with heavy emphasis on vocals, then you will LOVE them. I guarantee it!

Lyrics
Choreography
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: .11/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: .11/1
Stage Presence: .33/1
Facial Expression: .33/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: .11/1
Music Video Score: .33/1
Visual Role Model: .11/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 0/1
Live Visual: 0/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: 0/1

TOTAL 6.43 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
6.43 divided by 17 = 0.378235294
0.378235294 multiplied by 100 = 37.823529412

FINAL SCORE: 37.8%

Daychild has to be the weakest vocal kpop idol boy group that has debutted for 2024. If you are looking for a monotone song to make your life even more boring, then look no further because you've found Daychild. Although their vocals are awful, you'll find their rapping average at most, which is the best the group has to offer. They should have just debutted as a rapping group instead of bringing us this illuminated stinky diaper of a song. There's nothing else I can say but vitriol, so I'll refrain from saying anymore.

Edit#1(6/7/2024): With further review, I found Daychild's choreography and dancing to be decent, as well as their rapping. Personally, I couldn't listen to their song again because of their terrible vocals. The best way for this group to move forward is to heavily work on their vocals or simply abandon the prospect and pursue other fields of entertainment. My suggestion is for Daychild to move into rapping or something else. For the love of GOD, I beg of Daychild not to do vocals ever again. If there is a morsel of progression, then I can consider it, but it is such a waste of time having to deal with debuting groups that obviously still need to train. There's a reason BabyMonster and other groups like them trained in the YG basement for years upon years. Basically, it is to hone their skills, correct their errors, and experiment with their vocal ranges. Daychild probably needs 5-10 years of training before ever considering in stepping foot in a competitive arena, such as the kpop industry.

MNET SHOWCASE
LYRICS
SHOWCASE
Live Session
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: .11/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 14.77 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
14.77 divided by 17 = 0.868823529
0.868823529 multiplied by 100 = 86.882352941

FINAL SCORE: 86.8%

Once upon a time, I went to a shoe store and tried on a new pair of shoes, which I found to be flamboyant. To my disappointment, none of them fit; none of the shoes on the rack were of my fitted size; it was either too big or to small. TOZ is not a one-size fits all type of group; they cater to a younger demographic. They've managed to pull off the "boy next door" or "my high school friend" type of look perfectly; however, it was a mediocre execution of the concept compared to many kpop groups of the past. I'm not certain if it is only me that recognizes this, but every "boy next door" concept is starting to look like a rendition of each other; it is almost like the producers reduce, reuse, and recycle the basic components of what a "boy next door" concept looks like, which makes it feel disorienting. This group debuted back in 2023; apparently, they do have a fan base, which shocked me at first since I didn't enjoy their first Korean mini-album. Overall, the issue here is a demographic issue. TOZ seem to be in favor of younger people in Japan. Don't let my post dissuade you from enjoying this group and buying their first Korean Debut Mini-Album. This group's sound isn't for everyone, but it could be for you. For now, I will not be wearing and walking around with these "nu shoes".

Lyrics?
Choreography? Performance?
Audio Only
Showcase
Showcase 2

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: .33/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .33/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 0/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 1/1
Live Choreography: .33/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL ? OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
12.65 divided by 17 = 0.744117647
0.744117647 multiplied by 100 = 74.411764706

FINAL SCORE: 74.4%

Most, if not all, trot singers can do live vocals, which is amazing. Although trot singers can do live vocals, their choreography isn't executed in a timely manner, which is fine by me. Trot should be a pre-requisite before anyone can attempt to become a k-idol; however, I don't make the rules in how things work. A good chunk of k-idols have a difficult time going up on stage and singing live because their main focus is in dancing and keeping their looks in order. K-idols only worry about vocals when it comes to recording their album's tracks in a studio. Live vocals actually don't have a huge market because people use their money to only purchase songs to dance to or listen to music while multi-tasking. Another part of the market is that people often purchase singles or albums because of popularity; usually popularity is the by-product of being extremely beautiful/handsome with outstanding fashion/cosmetics or a trendiness with their studio recordings. This is really where trot music falls short because simply the younger generation express no interest or attraction to live vocals. They couldn't care less if their k-idol is perfectly executing their high note; they simply want to cheer on their beloved k-idol, who is adored on a mass scale. Anyways, I might have gone on a tangent, but I promise it is related. ANEX perfectly sung "Hitman" live on stage. Most of the crowd looked like they were either adults or elderly, which is typical for trot showcases. Trot is usually enjoyed by older generations; younger generations simply ignore trot all together. Unfortunately, ANEX didn't put out a music video. It turns out that they are pretty much out of the radar to becoming a popular trot group. It is times like these that I find myself contemplating if I should blog about trot music because it usually goes to deaf ears, in one ear and out the other ear from the general masses. There are people who still appreciate old-fashioned korean music, but that group is slowly dwindling as more people draw their attention to new kpop music. Anyways, ANEX did a tremendously fantastic job in their debut.

Lyrics
Choreography
Showcase
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 14.66 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
14.66 divided by 17 = 0.862352941
0.862352941 multiplied by 100 = 86.235294118

FINAL SCORE: 86.2%

PickUs is April 2024's unexpected ball from left field, a surpise that caught me off guard; this group spontaneously announced their debut without any early notifications or teasers. To be honest, I was extremely hesitant to cover kpop idol boy group projects because they often disappointed me in the harshest way, especially a group that was hand-picked by fans; however, their debut proved my prejudice wrong. This group has the whole package: vocals, dancing, and visuals. All I have to wait for is their showcase. If we're lucky, then they may release live performances. By the way, the whole group initiate this hilarious airplane choreography near the end of their performance that made me chuckle for a moment, but I realize how creative and genius it was. Another impressive move at the end of their choreography is one of the members perfectly do a spin move; I'm not entirely certain of the terminology, but I think the ballet spin move is called an "air pirouette" or in ice skating terms, a "double axle" or "triple axle". Overall, this group is an unexpected surprise!

Live Concert Showcase
Lyrics

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .33/1
Cosmetics: .33/1
Fashion: .33/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: .33/1
Live Vocal: 1/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: .33/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .33/1

TOTAL 11.98 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
11.98 divided by 17 = 0.704705882
0.704705882 multiplied by 100 = 70.470588235

FINAL SCORE: 70.4%

Trot isn't exactly K-pop in my opinion since it is not popular amongst younger generations world-wide; I would consider trot as just old fashioned korean music or k-music. Regardless whether trot is k-music or k-pop, I'll cover it since it is their debut. Trot requires you to be at least 20 years old(adult or elderly) because trot are mainly songs about love, losing love, or finding a place for yourself; these are activities that adults do. "Love Score" is about love, so it gets a point for that one. Anyways, TROIKA are of the right age(over the age of 20) to sing trot; however, the physical appearance of TROIKA is a disappointment to pure trot listeners because you need to be balding and/or have a moustache. I have to take points off for that one. Modern trot requires comedy, yet hardly any comedy is in their music video; I have to take points away for that one. If you haven't noticed yet, then you must not be paying attention. I don't know how to rate trot in the slightest. Stereotypically and from my personal experience, Trot has always been played loudly in the background around drunk elderly or young adult South Koreans in either bars or Korean BBQ restaurants; the worst part was if these establishments had a karaoke machine. You'll find yourself with other South Koreans drunk off their rocking chair singing old tunes; it was completely embarrassing for everyone, but it was fun for what it was. Anyways, Troika isn't Kim YoungChul or Hong Jin Young, but they can sing trot rather professionally. They may be the future of trot. Unfortunately, trot doesn't evolve; it stays old fashioned and it is best to have it remain traditional as much as possible. Any slight deviation from its traditional roots will only degenerate or destroy the structure of trot. I could be proven wrong though. If TRIOKA can add their own style into it without breaking the structure or integrity of trot, then TROIKA might revolutionize trot. We'll wait and see. By the way, support this group or possibly drink some booze to them at least. Trot is obviously a dying genre and it needs all the support it can get.[On a side note, I can't give this song a "perfect score out of 100".]

ROCK THANG LYRICS
Dance Practice
DEBUT MEDIA SHOWCASE
Live Vocals? Live Concert?
Pre-release Music Video:
Tiot - Moonrise
Frame the Blueprint : Prelude to Possibilities
Find the Way

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 14.66 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
14.66 divided by 17 = 0.862352941
0.862352941 multiplied by 100 = 86.235294118

FINAL SCORE: 86.2%

TIOT(TIME IS OUR TURN), formerly known as Redstart Boys at pre-debut, is a 5 member group who recently released their music video "Rock Thang". You may have noticed these kpop idols as contestants from the survival show "Boys Planet"; however, they were eliminated within the show. From their failure, they've created their own way from the ashes. I've noticed a trend of K-pop Idol Groups, especially male groups, doing this type of "Chanting Rock Hop" or "Pop Rock/Hip Hop Rock" route, where their chorus is mainly yelled. Personally, I love canticle shouts/calls. Although there is yelling chants here, you can appreciate parts of the song that either have intricate rapping or a demonstration of their beautiful vocals. Within the instrumental of Rock Thang, you may notice a trap section interwoven before the chorus; this may be a hit or miss, depending if you are open to this type of music. I'm in favor of remixes within the instrumentals involving trap like this; it has its own flavor like picking either ketchup or mustard as a condiment to your meal(or possibly mixing your condiments together). Recently, you may have noticed a group called Xikers, who released their song "We Don't Stop". If you like Xikers, then you most likely will be interested in TIOT's Rock Thang. Also, I'd like to mention that Rock Thang is replete with Kum Jun Hyeon's high notes; he has outstanding control over his vocals. Overall, I'm loving TIOT's sound. Visually, you'll find their looks charming as well. Once you see their choreography from their media showcase, you'll find yourself off your seat trying to imitate their moves. It's a fast paced dance; nevertheless, it is a fun choreography to try for yourself.

EDIT: I was ready to give this debut a high score, but TIOT didn't release a live vocal/concert for Rock Thang. Before "Rock Thang", I've seen them successfully do live vocals for various songs. Hopefully, they will release a live vocal for "Rock Thang", so that I can bump up the score.

Redstart Boys was rebranded to Tiot in 2023. From what I can hear, they have the voices for creating ballads; possibly, even rock & rap ballads. They've released pre-debut tracks back in 2023 that felt like hits. These guys are multi-talented and they can already act like they are from K-Dramas. When you watch these guys, you'll get a ton of BroMance vibes. lol Anyways, this group just needs the proper advertising and promotional material online/offline, and they'll be in the hearts/minds of alot of people. I guarantee it. Now, if they don't get the recognition, then there's no possible future for them in the kpop industry. Again, I'd like to repeat that this group is multi-talented, but all they need is exposure to the populace. People will love them right away.

Lyrics
MusicCore Showcase
Korean Sign Language Version
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: .66/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .66/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: .66/1
Music Video Score: .33/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 12.97 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
12.97 divided by 17 = 0.762941176
0.762941176 multiplied by 100 = 76.294117647

FINAL SCORE: 76.2%

Big O!cean is breaking boundaries and setting a new category of genre called "S-pop," which stands for sign language pop. The very first of its kind, Big O!cean is a hearing-impaired kpop idol group, who are bringing awareness towards disabled individuals world-wide. KSL(Korean Sign Language), ASL(American Sign Language), and ISL(International Sign Language) are used by the group. This group can introduce a new type of choreography that incorporates different forms of sign language. It would be interesting to see more members added to the group or freshly created kpop groups in this new genre. Imagine a group using sign language while rapping and doing dance choreography. It would be beyond talent and entertaining! They've created a whole new bar of creativity and artistry alongside being a kpop idol group. The possibilities are endless now that we've been introduced to such a group like Big O!cean. If you're looking for a developing trend or movement, then Big O!cean has something new on the table.

Lyrics?
Choreography?
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: .33/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: .33/1
Stage Presence: .33/1
Facial Expression: .33/1
Objective Movement: .33/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .33/1
Cosmetics: .33/1
Fashion: .33/1
Music Video Score: .33/1
Visual Role Model: .33/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 0/1
Live Visual: 0/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: 0/1

TOTAL 5.3 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
5.3 divided by 17 = 0.311764706
0.311764706 multiplied by 100 = 31.176470588

FINAL SCORE: 31.1%

Honestly, I don't know how to rate children since their voices and movement are still developing; it would be dishonorable to ridicule children at such an early stage in life. I would just encourage them to do their best and if it doesn't work out, then they should just move on to their next hobby or passion. I wish these children the best!

Lyrics
Dance Practice
Sing! & Shine Debut Showcase
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 14.66 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
14.66 divided by 17 = 0.862352941
0.862352941 multiplied by 100 = 86.235294118

FINAL SCORE: 86.2%

Watch Out! Look no further and set your eyes on a modern day Apink. Although they may have the vibe of Apink, their sound has a bit of WeGirls(Afternoon Entertainment). This group is like an Apink and WeGirls combination. From my imagination, I can picture these girls doing well in Christmas/Holiday themed types of songs/carols because of their vocals(they have soothing voices like Apink). The choreography is amazing, especially when they move their arms like the pattern of waves, which is displayed around at the end of the song; it is not a coincidence that their group name has "wave" in it. I'm personally not fond of choreography that has the dancer lying down on the ground, but they make it look fun; in reality, the ground may have dirt or stones that can either damage delicate clothing or sharp enough to penetrate the skin of dancers. It's just a pet-peeve of mine to avoid ground dancing, especially since Bewave looks like they wear expensive outfits.

SHOWCASE
Showcase 2
Showcase 3
Lyrics
Live Session
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: .33/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 14.99 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
14.99 divided by 17 = 0.881764706
0.881764706 multiplied by 100 = 88.176470588

FINAL SCORE: 88.1%

Be dazzled by Unicode's full line-up of japanese born kpop idols. The music video displays simple, cute, and stunning visuals. You'll find the song quite pleasant to the ear and not overwhelming; all kpop songs don't have to be sporadic and overly zealous. It keeps the kpop genre diverse with different flavors for different days. This is the type of music that you listen to while waiting for your clothes at a laundry mat. The vocals and instrumental are mesmerizing and addictive with its synthwave/retro/chill 90's sound. I especially loved listening to the last portion of the song, which was a chef's kiss all unto itself.

Music Video?
LYRICS

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 0/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 13.66 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
13.66 divided by 17 = 0.803529412
0.803529412 multiplied by 100 = 80.352941176

FINAL SCORE: 80.3%

ViV is one of the hottest groups that I've seen for quite a while. I'd say this group is one of the hottest of Spring 2024. Alas, the only thing that is preventing them from stardom is promotional advertising and a lack of music video; this is probably the entertainment company's fault for not doing their work. There's also no one spreading their songs on social media, which is why I couldn't find this group in the first place; I would have covered this group a long time ago, but there was no information about them at all. It is as if they are being censored or hidden from the public. Further more, their group name could upset fans of VIVIZ, so their debut is a bit cursed from the start. If you haven't noticed yet, a ton of already established k-idol fanbases will clinch and shake their fist at any group who are copying their favorite k-idols, even if it is just a name, such as "ViV". It is what it is. Anyways, this group reminds me of two under-rated groups with high energy, Hot Place and 4TEN; the tracks that remind me of "ViV - Bomb" are: "Hot Place - TMI" and "4TEN - Severely", which were also not promoted at all. There's other groups that remind me of ViV, but the group names aren't registering in my mind at the moment. It's crazy how people don't spread dope tracks like this. Instead of tracks like this being popular, they just die into obscurity. Hopefully, ViV doesn't just disappear like all these k-idol groups in the past, who have "banger" songs. ViV has to be the "best-kept-secret" songs, but I personally would like them to be well known.

Lyrics?
Choreography?
Showcase
Live Session
Live Concert

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: Not Applicable/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: Not Applicable/1
Cosmetics: .66/1
Fashion: .66/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: .66/1
Live Vocal: 1/1
Live Choreography: Not Applicable/1
Live Visual: .66/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 11.3 OF 14 POINTS

Calculation:
11.3 divided by 14 = 0.807142857
0.807142857 multiplied by 100 = 80.714285714

FINAL SCORE: 80.7%

I don't classify this as K-pop, but I'd like to just bring awareness that there are classical music coming from South Korea. If you like Phantom of the Opera type of music, then you might like CREZL. CREZL already debutted last year, but this year they officially made an original music video.

EDIT#1(6/30/2024): I've decided to rate this out of 14 points instead of 17. It has occured to me that ballads/classical music and other music of this nature does not require choreography and it is also unnecessary because it would definately look awkward.

LIVE SHOWCASE
Lyrics
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: .33/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: .33/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .33/1

TOTAL 12.99 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
12.99 divided by 17 = 0.764117647
0.764117647 multiplied by 100 = 76.411764706

FINAL SCORE: 76.4%

NCHIVE's showcase was a disaster! Standing cluelessly like deer in front of headlights, Yu Chan & HA.L decided not to initiate their dance moves at the introduction of their song. Not only did they both look like imbeciles, but the rest of the members were like "what the f*ck." Anyways, this is a mistake that I've seen plenty of times, and I can just shrug off the memory of their mishaps like nothing happened; however, since debuts are first impressions, critical fans may not "stan" them for making such an error. There are alot of unforgiving fans who will cherry pick mistakes and simply leave their fanbase; it could be minor mistakes that would displease and repel newly entering fans. I, however, will look past these mistakes and see the long road ahead. Although there was a huge flub in the beginning, I found the music video rather satisfactory. Everyone is basically a visual from what I've seen. The créme de la créme is their instrumental, it's nice to vibe out to. I would have given NCHIVE a high score, but I have to be fair, especially if members forget what dance moves to perform to their own song; mind you, they're not dancing to someone else's song. As a side note, one of their members, Min Jun, was injured prior to their debut, which makes their debut possibly less impactful then it should have been. It's unfortunate that the absence of a member could be a reason their debut showcase didn't do as well. With praise, I'd still recommend this group. Min Jun(the missing member) could be a wild card. We'd have to wait and see.

Media Showcase
Halla Lyrics
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .66/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: .33/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: .9/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 13.55 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
13.79 divided by 17 = 0.797058824
0.797058824 multiplied by 100 = 79.705882353

FINAL SCORE: 79.7%

Triple IZ consists of members from Secret Number, ICHILLIN', & X:IN. Truly, I don't know why they would make this project group when they each already have an established group to mend & tend to; unless, of course, it could be that the members of their groups are on hiatus or there's some unresolved internal conflicts. It is what it is, I suppose. I stumbled on this song while I was scrolling around the internet; it came out of no where. It's a melodic song with suave lyrics. Hopefully, you won't be upset on what I'm about to say, but this song sounds almost identical to what Kard has produced(I'm not pointing any fingers or anything, but just listen to any Kard song and you'll realize the similarities). It is recommended that songs like this include a wide range of vocals, especially deeper voices, which complement with higher pitched vocals. Kard has already created pleasantly sounding music like this. I'm not trying to instigate any war between Triple IZ and Kard; I just find that Kard does this genre of music best because they have a diversity of voices that complements each other. The choreography is quite charming to observe for older audiences, but the movements may not cater to younger generations(the dancing may be too sensual). There seems to be people on the internet calling this group "NUGU"; I don't necessarily agree with that. For people who don't know, "NUGU" is usually an insult or a jokingly term towards a kpop group/idol who are unknown. Dita(Secret Number), E.Ji(ICHILLIN'), Aria(X:IN) aren't really talked about in the kpop scene because most fans usually pick their idols out of popularity. There's a "bandwagon effect" in play when it comes to fanbases of kpop idol groups; when groups of people have chosen their biases, then others will jump to the trend, ignoring the less popular idols. It's just the way things are in the kpop industry; the chosen idol may not be talented what-so-ever, but people just pick them because they are either controversial, did something trendy on social media, extremely beautiful, funny, or other reasons. Anyways, Dita, E.Ji, and Aria aren't popular, but they are talented. Popularity just happens like a roll of a dice. Anyways, this debut was a good listen, but it doesn't do the genre any justice like what Kard has done. Although I'm a bit of a Kard bias/fan, I did my best to give this song a fair shake.

Lyrics?
Choreography?
Showcase At Start(Ends in 3 minutes)
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: .11/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .44/1

TOTAL 13.55 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
13.55 divided by 17 = 0.797058824
0.797058824 multiplied by 100 = 79.705882353

FINAL SCORE: 79.7%

Honestly, I don't know how to rate children since their voices and movement are still developing; it would be dishonorable to ridicule children at such an early stage in life. I would just encourage them to do their best and if it doesn't work out, then they should just move on to their next hobby or passion.

Edit: After listening to this music video one more time, it felt like I was in the middle of a factory observing the production of chocolate bars. The music video and the song gives me this Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory vibe. If this group continues this type of music(or similar concepts), then they could pull off fun/trendy/popular music videos like how Crayon Pop has done in the past. I don't think they intended their group logo to look like the "Anarchist" symbol; I hope someone can alert them to use another symbol for their group.

Edit #2(6/19/2024): I found their live showcase. These kids are better than I thought! They are the future of Korea!

Lyrics
Showcase 1
Showcase 2
Choreography
Live Concert

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .8/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 1/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 1/1
Concert Ready: 1/1

TOTAL 16.8 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
16.8 divided by 17 = 0.988235294
0.988235294 multiplied by 100 = 98.823529412

FINAL SCORE: 98.8%

Nowadays is quite a funny name because that's what old geezers say when they've had a fun childhood and a boring adulthood. It would be funny if there is a group called "Backindadays"; this group would be a counter group to Nowadays. Anyways, this 5 member group is quite handsome; however, Yoon is presented to look like a meanie on their profile teasers(he was carrying around a fake assault rifle & bores a hole in a mannequin). Why would a label put one of their kpop idols in such a negative light? It has me scratching my head about that. Cube Entertainment made alot of heavy hitters such as 4minute, CLC, Beast, BTOB, etc. Like I said before, Cube Entertainment does strange things to their kpop idols that has me scratching my head. Anyways, I bet they intentionally do this because they want negative attention(negative attention is still currency). I think CUBE Entertainment know what they are doing; they've been in the kpop industry for a long period of time. The whole song is fun, fast-paced, and it should have all the youngsters trying out the choreography. At the end of the song, the choreography ends abruptly with a jump, which appears poorly choreographed and lackluster. The chorus of the song has a interesting part; it is when one of the members say "Where ever your heart goes oh". I particularly found this part of the song catchy. Obviously, the music video is of high quality and budget. Cube Entertainment seems to have an unlimited budget for music videos. I love that there is a story within the music video. While Nowadays, the "Anti-love Squad," are portrayed as the heroes, a blue cupid is portrayed as the criminal. They are chasing around the blue cupid; they are also collecting evidence of the blue cupid's criminal activity. Quite the story that they have going on in this music video. As a note, Cube Entertainment has been relying on (G)I-DLE's success for such a long time. Will Nowadays activity lift the heavy burden off (G)I-DLE's shoulders for even a few seconds? Cube Entertainment hasn't had a killer line-up, only (G)I-DLE has been carrying this company since the disbandment of 4Minute. I might be stepping on people's toes here, so I will stop. This was a great debut; I hope to see more of this group in the future. Is there a chance that this group will be a heavy hitter like all the predecessors? Time will tell.

Lyrics
Choreography
LIVE DANCE PERFORMANCE
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 14.66 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
14.66 divided by 17 = 0.862352941
0.862352941 multiplied by 100 = 86.235294118

FINAL SCORE: 86.2%

SPIA is a 5 member girl group, who was formerly known as Campus Girls. After their Pre-debut, two members left, but they ended up getting 2 more in their place. Cinematography on their music video was high budget, crisp, and expertly done; there was no bad shots at all from what I have observed. The instrumental is epic and fits well with this somewhat of a girl crush concept. The cosmetic artist, stylist, or make-up artist is a master at their talent. From looking at their teaser/trailer videos, the whole 5 member group was entirely innocent looking. Once the debut dropped, everyone ended up becoming too sechsy. It was unbelievable how well their hair was done and make-up. Big kudos to their fashion stylist or whoever picked out their outfits. Everything was masterfully done, this also includes the video editor, who put together all the footage. My favorite part of the choreography is when they aim their fake pistols to the sky and say "oOoOo"; that "oOoOo" is catchy; however, I found the rest of their choreography plain(that's just me being picky though). Overall, I wish SPIA success. Actually, they don't need my wishes; they've already produced a fine piece of art.

Lyrics
Inkigayo Showcase
Performance
LIVE CONCERT

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 1/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 1/1
Concert Ready: 1/1

Best Live Performers of the Year(Exclusive Extra): 1/1

TOTAL 18 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
17 divided by 17 = 1
1 multiplied by 100 = 100

FINAL SCORE: 100%

There's nothing I can say that hasn't already been said about this group. Babymonster is dominating the kpop scene without even debuting yet. Now that their 7th member, Ahyeon, is back, they are finally debuting. There's really no competition; they are in fact a sister group of BlackPink, so they are working with alot of experienced staff plus more. YG Entertainment is on the top right now; set aside all those scandals, which I will not get into, they are reigning supreme in the kpop arena. The only competition that I see are older generations doing a massive comeback such as Everglow, a group under a Chinese label, but they aren't as active or hyped as they previously were.

Edit#1: There seems to be a disagreement amongst the kpop community(knetizens and netizens) that "Batter Up" is their official debut. "Batter Up" is the OT6 debut, a debut with 6 members. "Sheesh" is the OT7 debut with all 7 of the members; "Sheesh" is their official debut.

EDIT#2(9/3/2024): What I'm about to say is actually old news. Ahyeon and Chiquita were criticized for over-dancing. After I watched the footage of what the netizens were criticizing, I totally agree. In a group performance, it is important to move in unison with the group on whatever performance it may be. Now, if it was a solo performance, then Ahyeon and Chiquita could go all out and add their individuality to their dances without any sort of compromise. Since it is a group performance, adding individuality to their dancing would only make the performance look awful and disorganized. Unless, everyone in BabyMonster decided to over-dance as well, then there would be no issue at all. Personally, over-dancing isn't really an issue. I think folks in the audience/fanbase may have OCD or just really picky in how things should be done. It is a matter of perfectionism really; there's people out there that want everything to be nailed in nice and tidy into a board. A nail that sticks out of a board is usually a problem with certain netizens. Everything has to conform to the standard. In this situation, certain netizens don't want Ahyeon or Chiquita to express themselves to their full potential. The issue here is conformity and nonconformity. Is Ahyeon and Chiquita willing to sacrifice their freedom of expression to please their audience/fanbase/critics? It really doesn't matter what they choose, as long as they can live with their decision or not.

VVUP - Locked On Lyrics
Performance
Showcase

Live Vocals? Live Concert?
First Pre-debut
Digital Single:
VVUP - Doo Doom Chit
Lyrics
MNET Showcase

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: .7/1
Facial Expression: .7/1
Objective Movement: .7/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .7/1
Cosmetics: .5/1
Fashion: .5/1
Music Video Score: .7/1
Visual Role Model: .5/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: .5/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 10.16 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
10.16 divided by 17 = 0.597647059
0.597647059 multiplied by 100 = 59.764705882

FINAL SCORE: 59.7%

The music video was odd because I was expecting the setting to be in a South Korean school; however, the setting ended up being located in some random western school with random american students. The environment felt unsettling with all 4 members dancing on top of tables, surrounded by american students. It would have been amusing if the librarian or teacher came in to discipline or de-escalate the situation & the members gazed their eyes on the teacher/librarian and they all "Locked On" to the teacher/librarian as the new target. Instead, we have all these american students as stage props or background characters doing absolutely nothing and pretending to be jealous of VVUP. The setting for the music video felt forced into existence. Nevertheless, I've come to witness their vocals, so it wasn't as bad as I thought. Anyway, VVUP's vocals are underestimated in kpop; I don't think anyone is taking their vocals seriously. There's alot they can do with their voices if they were given advanced songs, but that's just my wishful thinking. I see the potentiality of their vocals(like I said about their pre-debut), but there's only so much you can put in a debut. The choreography and showcase wasn't released for their debut yet, so I'm waiting on their releases. My observations still ring true and still linger in my mind that these girls look very similar to older generation kpop idols. It is the magic of cosmetics & possibly computer generated images, I suppose. I'd give this a higher score if the music video's environment or theme wasn't forced, but I could only wish for better things.

Edit#1(8/29/2024): Sadly, Hyunny has left VVUP due to health issues. This group has high vocal potential, but now the group has been diminished. Like I said before, the production team behind VVUP is low quality(which produced awful visuals and music video), but the group itself has the vocal prowess that everyone has been looking for when it comes to k-pop groups. Nevertheless, I hope 3 members can continue and climb through with one less member through their career.

This 4 member group has potential. The pre-debut only gave me more questions than answers, so I can't make a proper opinion. I haven't seen their choreography & rapping skills yet(if available). The potentiality that I see is their vocal abilities. The song wasn't particularly catchy, but it was merely to display or showcase their ability to sing. Are these gals memorable? I'm not entirely certain, but their faces look familiar. Hyunny's facial appearance is partially similar to Nana from After School/Orange Caramel. Park & Suyeon also has partially similar facial appearances as Black Pink's Jisoo & Gugudan's Sejeong(both combined). By the way, as a side-note, Park & Suyeon look like twin sisters! I'm not even joking about the similarities, but it is a bit shocking. Anyways, I can't wait until their actual debut. Again, I see potential in this group, but it may be a flop depending on many circumstances. I will reserve the rating once the debut drops.

Edit(3/14/2024)[10:14:25 pm]: After I watched their MNET Showcase, I'm fairly convinced that they have potential. It was hilarious how the audience responded in the middle of their performance; in the middle of their performance, there is a cut or a break from the song that forced the audience to respond with a cheer/round of applause, but the song and the 4 gals continued their performance. I would be tricked as well since the song sounded like the end of the song. I'm not sure if the composition of the song was to have the audience react like that, but it worked. By the way, I watched the music video again, and I noticed an excessive amounts of graphical effects and photos all over the place. It is a bit confusing, but I'm guessing these special effects was to garner attention of the viewer. For me though, I'd rather have those effects minimized or out right removed, but I can see the allure of it for a much younger audience with an attention span of a goldfish. As I said before, 3 of the members faces resemble older kpop idols(when they were young, of course). I think it could be the cosmetics on Hyunny that creates an almost identical face as Nana(After School/Orange Caramel). Park & Suyeon have the same facial structure as Jisoo(Black Pink) & Sejeong(Gugudan), or a bit of a mix of the two combined. I know I'm not seeing illusions, but I find it uncanny. I am confident in giving this pre-debut a rating since I watched their live performance, but I'll reserve the rating once the debut drops. All I have to do now is wait for their actual debut.

Lyrics?
Choreography? Performance?
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: .66/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: .33/1
Stage Presence: .33/1
Facial Expression: .33/1
Objective Movement: .33/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .33/1
Cosmetics: .33/1
Fashion: .33/1
Music Video Score: .33/1
Visual Role Model: .33/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 0/1
Live Visual: 0/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: 0/1

TOTAL 5.63 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
5.63 divided by 17 = 0.331176471
0.331176471 multiplied by 100 = 33.117647059

FINAL SCORE: 33.1%

Honestly, I don't know how to rate children since their voices and movement are still developing; it would be dishonorable to ridicule children at such an early stage in life. I would just encourage them to do their best and if it doesn't work out, then they should just move on to their next hobby or passion. I wish these children the best!

Lyrics
Showcase
Choreography
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: .8/1
Addictive Song: .8/1
Stage Presence: .33/1
Facial Expression: .33/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: .8/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 12.72 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
12.72 divided by 17 = 0.748235294
0.748235294 multiplied by 100 = 74.823529412

FINAL SCORE: 74.8%

At first listen to the audio, I was taken back to the past. I knew in the back of my mind that I listened to this before or something similar. What I did next was to research a little bit more about this group. It hit me like a bag of bricks. They're under Brave Entertainment! It has the same sound as Brave Girls - Deepened and other Brave Entertainment produced songs. No wonder I was reminiscing about the past. Is this group like a Modern Day Brave Girls or Brave Girls 2.0? Why did they choose the name Candy Shop? Anyways, these girls are good at what they do. They are slightly the whole package. The biggest and noticeable flaw in this group is that I don't remember anyone at all; not a single member stands out or is recognizable. They are almost like card board cut outs or ginger bread men, who I can't tell apart. I'll cut them some slack since this is their debut, but it is important to burn or imprint your image and sound into the audience's mind. When you are a dancer, singer, presenter, performer, or whatever, it is a basic requirement to make your audience love you or attentive to what you are presenting(make it bold). If you don't do that, you are basically a footprint on the beach, which will be washed away from the ocean, leaving behind no trail or marks. Often times, I see alot of kpop idols that are perfectedly talented and skilled in their craft, but they are forgotten because there is no charisma or they lack quirkiness(quirky aspects of themselves). Leave out the quirkiness and you start to look like an empty husk of a person. Candy Shop is a well-rounded group with singing and dancing skills, but they are difficult to remember, which is important, especially in a competitive arena such as the kpop industry.

LYRICS
SHOWCASE
Live Concert

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 1/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 1/1
Concert Ready: 1/1

Best Visuals of Year(Exclusive Extra): 1/1

TOTAL 18 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
17 divided by 17 = 1
1 multiplied by 100 = 100

FINAL SCORE: 100%

I can already tell you that this group is going to be big in the future, but hopefully, no internal conflict or drama happens within the group or management. It has a growing fanbase, especially amongst the younger generation. Social media has their eye on this group. Theoretically, kpop groups only get better as they train on their skills; they may even win everyone's heart and make a viral hit song. I'm only speculating that this group will make a mark in 5 years(if they remain a group). Only time will tell whether or not anything will happen.

The only issue I have with this group is: they're super young. They are literally South Korean babies(there's also baby foreigners in the group as well). From my understanding, they aren't forced to do this kpop idol lifestyle; they chose it for their own self. When I was this young, I was climbing trees, flying kites, playing badminton, and riding my bicycle; children do all sorts of recreational activities when they are young. I can only hope these kids have time to enjoy their youth and are surrounded by people who can offer emotional support, especially in this brutal and toxic kpop industry. With that aside, South Korea has an interesting future in store for them with this promising group: UNIS.

Edit: This group is outstanding so far, but I've heard fans express their concern over line distribution. Apparently, their Twice cover was not evenly distributed amongst the members. Honestly, it is not a big deal. It is simply a cover; however, I do understand fans feeling betrayed that their bias(their favorite member) is not getting fair treatment. Lines are only distributed to a member who can sing the part extremely well; there is a possibility that members did an awful job covering the lines, so they were excluded from participating in the cover. From what I heard, "die-hard fans" took the unfair line distribution too seriously(to the heart) that they unstanned UNIS. It is a bit too early to make rash actions, such as unstanning, towards a k-idol group who just debutted. UNIS is still in its infancy stage and, just like any k-idol group, it will go through problems and course-correction along the way. Young fans are too hot-headed to see the metamorphosis of UNIS. Don't you know? A catepillar must go through the process that happens in a cocoon before it becomes a butterfly. The die-hard fans of UNIS have to be patient with the transformation process of UNIS, which is still at its beginning stages.

Edit#2(8/4/2024): Unfortunately, one of the members, Kotoko, has fainted on a live stage performance at a festival called "Midsummer's Night" in Haenam(or Haenim? I'm bad at spelling); it was a mini-kpop concert. Anyways, UNIS was doing a cover dance of "Twice - What is Love?" and Kotoko just fainted out of the blue; it was totally unexpected and devastating to watch. By checking UNIS track record, they've done phenomenal performances since debut until this dreary event. Incidents such as injuries, exhaustion, or other ailments tend to happen to k-idols; this is actually normal and there's no way around such things. Even the best of the best of k-idols get the brunt of injuries. No one should blame anyone for these occurences. Sure enough, we can prepare ourselves to prevent or mitigate such incidents from happening such as getting adequate sleep, eating nutritious food, and other such methods. From an objective perspective, Kotoko is a fragile young idol compared to the rest of the members; Kotoko might need extra, more emotional support, or intensive care than the others in UNIS; netizens nicknamed Kotoko as the "fake maknae". People call her by that nickname because everyone thought she was the youngest, but she is not. I hope her company can provide any extra support for her moving forward. If the company neglects the extra care needed to support a member such as Kotoko, then we'll be seeing the same incident happening again, history repeating itself. Fainting is not a performance issue, it is a health-related issue. UNIS will be fine moving forward. In order for UNIS to move forward, attention to their health and well-being should be priority number one. Management should do a regular health check or diagnosis before doing showcases by simply asking the idol whether or not they are feeling great. That's one step in the right direction. This incident also fueled arguments for those who are against debuting minors in the k-pop industry, which is totally understandable; however, I believe we are underestimating the youth and their abilities. UNIS has shown the public that minors can do what adults can do; they even over-exceeded expectations throughout their debut. The k-pop industry and community should safe-guard young idols, but it is entirely wrong to block their full potential when they are capable of doing it.



Edit#3(9/26/2024): Gehlee, the filipina beauty pageant model of Unis, has drawn attention for her "Pick Me" behavior; Wonyoung(IVE) was labeled "Picke Me" as well. This is a non-issue. I think the reason she has antis name-calling her is because she was nominated as the #1 most beautiful faces out of 100 k-idols in South Korea for 2024. This was the result of an online poll or by some other means that I do not know of; I'm not entirely certain of the details of how the ranking system works, but Gehlee was chosen out of hundreds from what I saw. Anyways, she is garnering alot of praise and also unwarranted hate. I really don't understand the hate towards someone that didn't do anything wrong; Gehlee doesn't deserve the hate.

Edit#3(9/26/2024): Seowon, the maknae of Unis, was profusely coughing/sneezing on stage; however, she seems to professionally disguise it when she was in the center to sing her lines. I hope F&F Entertainment is doing their job in taking care of their k-idols, especially Seowon, who is one of the youngest k-idol prodigies in the industry. From what I observed, Seowon looks like she has allergies. This is usually caused by particulates in the air such as pollen or perfume. There's also the possibility of food allergies; k-idols eating food that they are allergic to before a performance. Anyways, I hope all is well with Seowon.

Media Showcase
LYRICS
Live Vocals
Pre-Release:
RESCENE - yoyo

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: .33/1
Live Choreography: .8/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 14.79 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
14.79 divided by 17 = 0.87
0.87 multiplied by 100 = 87

FINAL SCORE: 87%

Opinion on [Rescene - UhUh]

Rescene has the elegant sounds of WJSN. This took me by surprise because I never had to bring up WJSN(Cosmic Girls) for a long time as a comparison. Their vocals are similar to WJSN in many aspects; each member of Rescene offers a lovely distinct sound, almost like the vocals of each member is an exotic/unique instrument in an orchestra or even as multiple songbirds harmonically chirping in a tropical rainforest. I love the variety and diversity of the vocals, especially a plethora of vocals in one group. Visually, their fashion and overall look feels similar to the original LOONA; however, there's a bit of discrepancy in style. Classy, smooth-sounding, and cool is my overall impression of Rescene's look. It looks like this group has a high budget from the start by just observing their pre-debut and debut music video/showcase. Now, they are far from perfect though. The choreography isn't as great as I thought; I watched their debut showcase and the movement looked a bit stiff. With discriminate eyes, you can also identify moments where their dance moves aren't accurately timed to the song. If you are a regular person watching their choreography, then you wouldn't care whether or not the timing is off. Personally, since I've watched thousands of South Korean choregraphy, it is a problem since I've seen many dancers crashing into each other on live performances because of bad timing in their dance moves. Timing & accuracy is important. There's alot of room for improvement, so I expect their group to be top notch when they're exposed to more dances. Anyways, this group is a hybrid of WJSN and LOONA. I'm lovin' their whole entire presentation.

Opinion on [Rescene - yoyo]

Smooth, Classy, and Cool! High budget pre-release. This group is giving me a Loona vibe.

LYRICS
MNET SHOWCASE
Live

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: .33/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1
Most Popular(Exclusive Extra): 1/1

TOTAL 15.99 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
15.99 divided by 17 = 0.940588235
0.940588235 multiplied by 100 = 94.058823529

FINAL SCORE: 94%

Visually, ILLIT gives me a New Jeans vibe(almost like a replica of New Jeans); however, they are all cutey pies. I'm not saying that New Jeans aren't cute. ILLIT amplifies their cute character by a hundred-fold. I don't know how to explain it in detail, but their cuteness is the major factor going for them so far, and dare I say it, exploitative towards those who fall easily to cuteness. They are giving the audience what they want: cuteness. Basically, ILLIT is cuteness overload. If anyone remembers the group APRIL, then you'll also have similar feelings because of the cuteness. The difference between APRIL and ILLIT would be a slight difference in demeanor; ILLIT being alot gentler in their movement. Now to talk about their choreography. The choreography can be done by anyone, even a paraplegic army veteran can do the steps; the dance moves are catered to a wide-ranged audience. Their movements are simple and it should be; their dance moves are matching the song perfectly, which is entirely simple. Simple & Catchy Lyrics, but it is my favorite since it incorporates MBTI(Myer-Briggs Type Indicator) into the lyrics. I love it! Overall, this song is a spring bop.

EDIT: I am not taking sides on this skirmish between Min Hee Jin(CEO of Ador) and Bang Si-hyuk(Chairman of HYBE). It is just 2 rich folks that don't want to lose their positions of power within the K-pop industry; basically, it is a competition on who can add another yacht or lamborghini to their collection. It is a shame that these rich folk have to drag both Illit and New Jeans around in the mud with them. I'm just sitting back and observing the sh*tshow with my bag of popcorn. Who knows what will come out of this conflict?

EDIT #2: By the way, Illit is disliked by many who value live vocals; however, from my perspective, the kpop industry thrives by its diversity. It is best to just acknowledge that Illit has good choreography and visuals. Although they aren't the best at vocals, their strength relies on their choreography and visuals. I'm not the type to just dismiss their talent because they have bad singing voices. Simply, I accept their flaws and enjoy what they have to offer. The only problem is if the fanbase start defending Illit's bad vocals when they clearly aren't great in the vocal department. You don't blame a whale because it is incapable of flying; you simply acknowledge that they are good in other sections such as swimming. I'm certain that people will continue hostility towards Illit, and other groups with bad vocals, such as Le Sserafim. However, there is a fine line where criticism may turn into harrassment; it is best to keep things respectable and proper. Illit is still a new young group, so it wouldn't be nice to improperly greet a group at the entrance.

EDIT #3(6/17/2024): Every time I visit social media, there's always some trending news about ILLIT. Apparently, BeLift Labs created some kind of Microsoft Power Point Slide Show of how New Jeans was plagiarizing other groups. Although I'm not against BeLift Labs of defending ILLIT, I found this whole presentation to be quite uncalled for and pathetic. Imagine a cowboy reaching out to their holster, grabbing their revolver, putting their index finger within the trigger guard, twirling the gun fancily, and then shooting it. Moments later, the cowboy realizes that he shot his own foot. This is what I thought of when I watched Belift's accussations of New Jeans. BeLift made a video thinking that it will aid them in their case, but it back-fired. Instead of using the ammunition against their opponent, they donated their ammunition to aid their opponent. Like I said before, I'm not taking any sides with these internal affairs of Hybe. I'm simply a spectator with a bag of popcorn viewing the sh*tshow. I'd like to say that BeLift could have been on the high ground if they kept silent and let things just play out. Instead, they have to deal with a PR nightmare, which was the result of their 30~ minute video.

EDIT #4(9/2/2024): ILLIT's fandom name is "GLLIT". There's a bit of an uproar and split feelings about the name from netizens since the name sounds lewd/inappropiate. ILLIT seems to love the name though. It doesn't look like the name is changing any time soon. From my perspective, it doesn't really matter what name they choose since Antis(people who are against their group) will create jokes to slander any name, regardless of what is chosen. People will always find creative ways to make fun of a group and their fandom no matter what is presented. Overall, the name of the fandom is just fine.

Lyrics?
Choreography?
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: .33/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: .33/1
Stage Presence: .33/1
Facial Expression: .33/1
Objective Movement: .33/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .33/1
Cosmetics: .33/1
Fashion: .33/1
Music Video Score: .33/1
Visual Role Model: .33/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 0/1
Live Visual: 0/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: 0/1

TOTAL 5.3 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
5.3 divided by 17 = 0.311764706
0.311764706 multiplied by 100 = 31.176470588

FINAL SCORE: 31.1%

Honestly, I don't know how to rate children since their voices and movement are still developing; it would be dishonorable to ridicule children at such an early stage in life. I would just encourage them to do their best and if it doesn't work out, then they should just move on to their next hobby or passion. I wish these children the best!

California Love:
Lyrics
Choreography
Showcase
Live Vocals? Live Concert?
No Pressure:
Lyrics
Choreography
Showcase
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: .33/1
Fashion: .33/1
Music Video Score: .33/1
Visual Role Model: .33/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: .33/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .33/1

TOTAL 10.98 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
10.98 divided by 17 = 0.645882353
0.645882353 multiplied by 100 = 64.588235294

FINAL SCORE: 64.5%

Update for their second part of their debut(California Love)(3/13/2024[01:04:21 pm]):

This is their second track to their debut. I still hold the same opinion. Every member sings and dances exceptionally solid; their MTN Star Showcase demonstrates their skills live. After reviewing their choreography, I particularly found their dancing rather pleasant during their chorus; one of their moves looked like they were balancing on a surf board. For their California Love music video, it was mediocre at best; it felt like a vlog, where a person is just recording their vacation. Like I said before, the production is super cheap. I guess they are promoting this to a rather different audience; I'm not entirely certain about this. The person responsible for promoting their content is doing a pi$$ poor job at it; barely anyone watched it. To be honest, I hope to see more of them, just not in poorly created production.

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: .33/1
Fashion: .33/1
Music Video Score: .33/1
Visual Role Model: .33/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: .33/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .33/1

TOTAL 10.98 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
10.98 divided by 17 = 0.645882353
0.645882353 multiplied by 100 = 64.588235294

FINAL SCORE: 64.5%

There's nothing to complain about NOMAD. Their singing and dancing is exceptionally solid. The only issue that I have is their make-up(face cosmetics). RIVR & DOY don't look healthy at all. I'm not entirely sure if their make-up is responsible for them looking alot older than they are. They should consider different cosmetics or hiring a decent professional stylist/make-up artist. Make-up is suppose to make you look younger, not make you look like an old geezer. The budget of the music video was not the cost of a diamond, but a cubic zirconia; it felt super cheap. Personally, I could afford the production of their music video with the cash in my back pocket. I hope their company can afford better stuff and hire more people for their production. Alas, Nomad has the talent, but the production team behind this music video was, at most, subpar. If a company is debuting a group, then a company shouldn't half-a$$ the production. They are trying to grow their brand, not tarnish it. Unless, of course, this is simply a "throw-away group" that will vanish within a few months.

Lyrics?
Choreography? Performance?
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: .33/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: .33/1
Stage Presence: .33/1
Facial Expression: .33/1
Objective Movement: .33/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .33/1
Cosmetics: .33/1
Fashion: .33/1
Music Video Score: .33/1
Visual Role Model: .33/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 0/1
Live Visual: 0/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: 0/1

TOTAL 5.3 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
5.3 divided by 17 = 0.311764706
0.311764706 multiplied by 100 = 31.176470588

FINAL SCORE: 31.1%

Honestly, I don't know how to rate children since their voices and movement are still developing; it would be dishonorable to ridicule children at such an early stage in life. I would just encourage them to do their best and if it doesn't work out, then they should just move on to their next hobby or passion. I wish these children the best!

MNET SHOWCASE
Lyrics
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: .33/1
Objective Movement: Not Applicable/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: Not Applicable/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: .33/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: Not Applicable/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 10.32 OF 14 POINTS

Calculation:
10.32 divided by 14 = 0.737142857
0.737142857 multiplied by 100 = 73.714285714

FINAL SCORE: 73.7%

I stopped listening to ballads after Davichi and T-ara created their masterpieces, but from time to time, I still find snippets of audio from K-dramas to enjoy sometimes from known and unknown korean singers. A Six's Lies All Love kind of re-ignited that flame of enjoying ballads again. It felt like a blast from the past hearing this track. Although my phase of depression has been done and over with, I stumble on tracks like this that reminds me about sad moments of my life, which is not a negative. Ballads are simply a reminder that depression fades away in due time. Anyways, I loved this track. The choreography was a bit funny because they are slowly walking from place to place on the stage; there's some music shows that have blurred their only choreography, which is hilarious. Anyway, if you forgot that ballads existed, then this song will spark memories or feelings again. Although I don't listen to ballads anymore, I recommend this song. By the way, A Six is a collaboration group mixed with members from BAE173, Fantasy Boys, and CLASS:y.

EDIT#1(6/30/2024): I've decided to rate A Six differently from typical K-idol groups because ballad style music doesn't require choreography. A Six will be rated out of 14 instead of 17. Choreography would just be awkward in ballads to be honest and unnecessary.

Showcase
Lyrics?
Choreography? Performance?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: .33/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: .33/1
Stage Presence: .33/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: .33/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: .33/1
Visual Role Model: .33/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: .33/1
Live Visual: .33/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .33/1

TOTAL 8.97 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
8.97 divided by 17 = 0.527647059
0.527647059 multiplied by 100 = 52.764705882

FINAL SCORE: 52.7%

I found this group on accident & it saddens me that this group is buried so deep in the internet. You need to either use binoculars or a device to detect hidden kpop groups. It looks like they're doing a girl crush concept, which is a concept that's a decade old(outdated). Honestly, I don't care if girl crush concepts are still around; I give all music a chance. I still listen to many girl crush songs. They are all talented and gorgeous wearing what seems like airplane stewardess style outfits. These gals are hardcore gangstaz doing their choreography in what looks like a car garage or a cellar? I'm not entirely sure, but they are totally dedicated. If you haven't realized yet, then you're in for a rude awakening. There are tons of groups in South Korea like N-Day that try to get into the entertainment kpop industry, but they are out of luck because they have either no business connections, funds, sponsors, investors, and/or their company is dead broke. Actually, I've seen many beautiful South Korean girls that are incredibly talented, but they're just out of luck because there is no real support for them. All you have to do is look around and rookie idols are every where trying to make it big. I once known a south korean who has taken ballet for 6 years, but who never even had a single recognition for all her hard work and efforts. It's the sad reality. Anyways, N-Day is one of those groups. Hopefully, people can shed some light on groups like this.

EDIT #1(6/29/2024): I raised their score a tad bit because they did their showcase.

Lyrics
Choreography
Live Concert
Showcase
Pre-Debut:
TWS - Oh Mymy : 7s

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: 1/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 1/1
Concert Ready: 1/1

TOTAL 17 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
17 divided by 17 = 1
1 multiplied by 100 = 100

FINAL SCORE: 100%

TWS's music video looks like it is inspired by GOT 7. In their pre-debut, I found Hanjin dancing horribly! Shinyu was showing mediocre dancing as well. Sometimes, there's alot of pressure on them that they tend to perform horribly. Kyungmin is multi-talented: sings, dances, and visually appealing in performance. The whole group shows alot of conviction and precise movement in their dancing, which is awesome. I hope to see more of them. Hopefully, I don't see more of what I saw on their pre-debut song.

Lyrics
Choreography
Showcase
Live
Pre-debut:
DXMON - Burn Up

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: .33/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 14.99 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
14.99 divided by 17 = 0.881764706
0.881764706 multiplied by 100 = 88.176470588

FINAL SCORE: 88.1%

Most stylish group for January 2024. You'll also love their hair. Everything about this group is stylish. TK gives me a G-Dragon(Big Bang) vibe.

Lyrics
Choreography
Live Showcase

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: .33/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 14.99 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
14.99 divided by 17 = 0.881764706
0.881764706 multiplied by 100 = 88.176470588

FINAL SCORE: 88.1%

Over-exceeded my expectations in every field!

Lyrics
Choreography
Showcase
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Score Sheet

Vocals: .9/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: .9/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: .9/1
Visual Role Model: .9/1
Live Vocal: 0/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: .9/1
Live Instruments: 0/1
Concert Ready: .66/1

TOTAL 14.16 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
14.16 divided by 17 = 0.832941176
0.832941176 multiplied by 100 = 83.294117647

FINAL SCORE: 83.2%

Everyone sings great until the rapping part. Kwon Hyeop's rap was cringey that it made me laugh out loud. I'm not sure if Kwon Hyeop is intentionally trying to copy BTS V, but it is not working out for him at all(it doesn't suit him). By the way, Ijun is seriously attractive; you can fall deeply into his eyes.

Lyrics
Choreography
Showcase
Live Concert

Score Sheet

Vocals: 1/1
Instrumental: 1/1
Lyrics: 1/1
Addictive Song: 1/1
Stage Presence: 1/1
Facial Expression: 1/1
Objective Movement: 1/1
Choreography/Dance Aesthetics: 1/1
Cosmetics: 1/1
Fashion: 1/1
Music Video Score: 1/1
Visual Role Model: 1/1
Live Vocal: .9/1
Live Choreography: 1/1
Live Visual: 1/1
Live Instruments: 1/1
Concert Ready: .9/1

TOTAL 16.8 OF 17 POINTS

Calculation:
16.8 divided by 17 = 0.988235294
0.988235294 multiplied by 100 = 98.823529412

FINAL SCORE: 98.8%

The group's choreography is awesome! They do alot of hand/arm dancing(I think the dancing is called "tutting"). There's a part of their choreo that stuck out to me. It was when they formed a diamond(a sideways square) with their arms! Andamiro has Rizz(charisma), but it may be too early to say since it is their debut. I hope to see more of this group in the future!

Edit: After re-listening to their song and re-watching their music video, I had to bump up(increase) the score. Voyage is a song that has to grow on you for a period of time in order to appreciate it. It's one of those songs that requires time to be digested.

Lyrics?
Choreography? Performance?
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?
Pre-Debut: Liar

Honestly, I don't know how to rate children since their voices and movement are still developing; it would be dishonorable to ridicule children at such an early stage in life. I would just encourage them to do their best and if it doesn't work out, then they should just move on to their next hobby or passion. I wish these children the best!

Pre-debut NXD - Jump

RBW(RainbowBridgeWorld) just released their 5 member kpop idol group: NXD(NeXt iDentity). On April 18, NXD released their pre-debut special kit "Jump". From what I've heard so far, they sing great. I can only assume that alot of younger people, their target demographic, is enjoying this song. After listening to their track "Jump" multiple times, I found their chorus annoying. It is a hype song at first impression; however, a repetitive listen to this song will make you want to "jump" off the top of a 10 story building. Overall, it is a "one listen and drop" song, nothing more, nothing less. Unfortunately, I'm unable to make a decent judgement on their dancing capabilities since the song doesn't accommodate for complex movements/dances; their dancing is mainly to cater and capture the attention of younger audiences, not to impress an older/dying generation. Although I've expressed a dislike to the song, I'm inclined to wait for future releases because their vocals are impressive.

Pre-Debut Single: 3Way Project - On My Way

3 Way(World Wide Wonder) Project is a 6 member boy group. In my honest opinion, this group feels like a carbon copy and paste boy group, a mediocre duplicate of The Boyz from 2021 & reminiscent of X1(Swing Entertainment). Equivalent dancing & singing to a conveyor belt robots, 3 Way feels procedurally generated and bland, almost like watching open heart surgery, but without the blood. It is like this group went up stairs from their biochemistry class and did their after school project on the roof. I'm a sucker for beginning groups, so I will give them the benefit of doubt. There's a slim chance that they can turn their debut to something grand, so I will not count these boys out just yet. I'll be waiting for their debut, but I am not losing any sleep for it.

Pre-Debut: KELT9b - Get Ya

KELT9b reminds me of MINX(They are now called Dreamcatcher). Is KELT9B the next Dreamcatcher? They are giving me this rock and roll/cheerleader vibe, but they can also delve in the same style as Dreamcatcher, which is a possibility. This group has a ton of energy at pre-debut. I wonder how crazy their actual debut is going to be like.

Second Pre-Debut
First Pre-Debut
Lyrics?
Choreography? Performance?
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

Two Pre-debuts a year apart from each other is a bit questionable. I understand pre-releases or pre-debuts leading to an actual debut, but two pre-debuts a year apart of each other screams lack of confidence. There's also no follow-up anouncements of a debut date. This usually tells the audience that VVS are frightened of actually initiating a debut. What is VVS afraid of? From what I've listened to so far, they have fairly decent vocals. It may need retouching or slight work on the edges, but they've made two nice music videos. The snippets of choreography aren't bad from what I can see. VVS is touching the water with their toes in order to test the temperature of the pool. How many times does one have to test the pool for the right temperature until one dives into the pool? VVS is biding time and putting things in order for a safe debut, which sometimes doesn't go as planned. Is VVS aiming for perfection? Fans can't wait another year for another pre-debut. You have to be some kind of saint or guru to patiently wait for that long. Fans demand a debut while their face isn't riddled with wrinkles and their hair is still intact and attached to the top of their heads; by the time VVS debuts, their fanbase will probably be elderly being pampered within a nursing home. Many don't have the luxury or priviledge to wait that long.

Pre-Debut:
Where Is The Love(Black Eyed Peas Remake)
Lyrics?
Choreography? Performance?
Showcase?
Live Vocals? Live Concert?

MEP-C is a multinational girl group, who recently did their pre-debut remake of Black Eyed Peas' "Where is the Love". To be honest, this is more of a cover than an actual pre-debut. Regardless, I will still review Mep-C. So far, there are 8 members; however, only 6 members participated in their pre-debut remake music video. Anika, who participated in the remake pre-debut music, unfortunately, could not partake in the pre-debut music video because of an ankle injury. The music quality has a muffled sound; it is almost like MEP-C recorded their pre-debut using a car's exhaust pipe. Although the music quality is not all great, I found a liking to their choreography, which was executed finely by the members. These girls can dance fairly well within the gloomiest of all places, which was on a wooden stage, right under a bridge; the film director recorded footage of MEP-C squatting in what looks like dilapidated rooms with the drywall utterly decimated. Someone please hire a contractor or a construction worker to repair the place! Anyways, I found their visuals to be mediocre. The gloomy setting could have contributed to their mediocre visuals. It could also be the lack of stage presence. None of the members gave me the impression that they are giving 110% of their effort. You may have realized this as well, but there is a lack of passion amongst the members. If you watch many successful debuting groups, then you'll notice a certain enthusiasm emitting out of those members, who look like that they genuinely want to be there. As for MEP-C, these girls look stone-faced or stoic(in short, a "poker-face"), not displaying any enthusiasm at the slightest. MEP-C just seems to be doing everything as instructed without any pizazz; every action that they initiate feels like they are on auto-pilot while cruising along a predictable path. I know it may be too early to cast any hard judgement on a group's pre-debut, but it occured to me that they are competing with other groups that desire the spotlight more than they do. On the other-hand, MEP-C doesn't seem to desire to be the center of attention or be present at their own pre-debut. Hopefully, their future debut brings out a full package instead of an incomplete one like their pre-debut music production.