DAY6 Tackles Their Demons In Mini Album “The Book of Us: The Demon”
DAY6 released a new mini album “The Book of Us: The Demon” on May 11. The day before, JYP Entertainment announced that the group would be temporarily suspending activities, including promotions for the new release, to focus on the member’s mental health. This is the third part of “The Book of Us” era.
Review: (daebakwhovian) I’m not a super-fan, but I’ve always admired Day6 for their ability to combine the idol fame from being in a Big 3 company while mixing their blend of multi-genre/pop-rock into the market. Their lyrical composition skill is really brought out in this album, which is all about dealing with imbalance in one’s emotions and efforts. The title song “Zombie” expresses the relatable state of existing through life without really living. Although featuring few melodic variations, the track has well-timed modulations and guitar riffs that create just the right amount of angst and hopelessness (there is also an English version on the album). In “Tick Tock” the mournful guitar and well-timed rise and fall of the vocals encapsulate the feeling of running out of words to say at the end of a relationship. “Stop”, on the other hand, uses a wall of sound and driving beat to show exasperation over a relationship doomed from the start. Even though there are some I like more than others, there’s not a bad song on the album. On another note: although I’m sad that they won’t get to promote this song the way they may have wanted to, I hope this is a sign of an upward trend of companies prioritizing their artists’ mental health. Hopefully, the more companies and groups-especially those with influence like JYP- acknowledge the importance of mental health and provide resources and recovery time, the more the stigma of seeking help will decrease.
Overall: Displaying Day6’s lyrical expertise, “The Book of Us: Demon” is relatable and highly re-playable.
NU’EST Takes Aim In “I’m In Trouble”
Veteran group NU’EST released their eighth mini album “The Nocturne”, their first comeback in seven months.
Review: (daebakwhovian) So I have never heard a NU’EST album before this, and I am now questioning my life choices because this is so good. NU’EST is one of those groups that have been in my peripheral, but I never really got around to listening to them. This is their ninth year in the industry, and although they’ve had their share of ups and downs, the fact that they broke the ‘seven-year curse’ of most idol groups is impressive in of itself. Although their aim was to show a different side of themselves with a darker vibe, the album avoids the pitfalls of some younger groups that try too hard to push a concept that doesn’t really work for them; all the songs show that they are confident in their style. This comeback really shows their experience because even if it’s not your favorite, it’s just a really well-crafted album with a little bit of everything. The first song, “Moon Dance”, serenades listeners with a sweet and catchy refrain while the lead single “I’m In trouble” features a sexy bass vamp and slick choreo. Other standouts on the album include “Must”, which was written by Ren for his late grandfather and “Shooting Star” which sounds like it was made to be sung along to by fans at the end of a concert (by the way, I miss concerts so much!). Overall: Dear NU’EST, I’m sorry for sleeping on you all these years. I’ll start to make up for it by streaming “I’m In Trouble” until your next comeback.
Raiden & EXO’s Chanyeol Pledge Loyalty in “Yours”
DJ and producer Raiden teamed up with EXO’s Chanyeol, R&B singer Lee Hi, and rapper Changmo.
Review: (kpopcorn) “Yours” is a song full of the unexpected. The hook coming in early was a pleasant surprise. I was not expecting the rapping in the beginning, but that transition from vocalist Chanyeol to rapper Chanyeol was so smooth! Maybe my heart dropped. Park Chanyeol stays reminding us that he’s multi-talented. We stan. I wonder, are Raiden and Chanyeol the only ones who showed up to the shoot? There are so many features in this song, but Chanyeol and Raiden are the only ones in the music video. With that said, this song is amazing! Main vocalist Park Chanyeol please rise! Chanyeol’s voice is deep and silky. Lee Hi sounds ethereal! Chanyeol’s low honeyed vocals, blends so well with Lee Hi’s angelic feminine voice. It creates a beautiful contrast. Meanwhile, the tight harmonies and back and forth communication between the two maintains their unity. There is a strong sense of teamwork throughout “Yours”, creating what feels like an authentic love story between two people. Changmo’s rap in the middle of “Yours” adds yet another dimension to this synth pop song. Lee Hi’s soulful runs and adlibs towards the end send chills up your spine. The chorus is so incredibly catchy, prepare for it to get stuck in your head. “I’ll be yours, I’ll be yours, baby…”
Also, as EXO-L, I’m shamelessly taking this opportunity to highly recommend that you subscribe to Chanyeol’s NNG channel on YouTube.
Review: (daebakwhovian) Wow, there is a lot going on in this song. The track mixes a lot of different elements at once: the 80’s synthesizer and echo effect in the background, Chanyeol and Lee Hi’s vocal exchanges and Changmo’s rapping. It’s not that all these elements don’t work together; but it took me a few listens to feel like I understood what I was listening to. Despite that, I think that Chanyeol and Lee Hi’s voices blend well together. I’ve been following Lee Hi’s career since she was on K-pop Star, so I’m excited to see her already being featured after her recent departure from YG Entertainment. The strongest and most memorable part of the song for me is the call and repeat of the chorus. Although, this OutKast reference was a pleasant surprise. The music video is also beautifully shot, using literal bursts of color and is supposed to “compare the process of love to the four seasons” (Source). Overall: Personally, I probably won’t be replaying this track, but the eclectic mix of effects and blending of different vocal colors make me excited to see what lies in store for these artists in the future.
Other Headlines:
- (G)-IDLE’s Shuhua gained attention when she stood up to malicious comments. On May 10, while on V Live, she noticed a comment that said “There’s something on your face. It’s ugliness.” A similar comment was left recently during group-mate’s Soojin broadcast, which she ended early. Shuhua told the person to “Get out!” and explained how those kind of hateful comments can be hurtful to family and friends. Watch a translated clip from the broadcast here.
- Actor Yang Se Jong enlisted in the military on May 12. His previous roles include Dr. Romantic, 30 But 17, and Temperature of Love.
- Both BTS and Seventeen released docu-series this week. BTS released the first two episodes of “Break the Silence” which follows their Love Yourself and Love Yourself:Speak Yourself tours from 2018-19 and is available for purchase through the Weverse app. Seventeen’s “Hit the Road” premiered Friday on YouTube.
- “Chicago Typewriter” actor Park Ji Hoon passed away on May 11 due to stomach cancer. He was 31.
- Upcoming drama “Backstreet Rookie” (Literal title: Convenience Store Saet-Byeol) had its first script reading this week. The SBS romantic comedy stars Ji Chang Wook (“Healer”, “Suspicious Partner”) as convenience store owner Choi Dae Hyun and Kim Yoo Jung (“Moonlight Drawn By the Clouds”, “Clean with Passion For Now”) as part-timer Jung Saet Byul. The webtoon-based drama is set to premiere June 12.
- Annual convention KCON announced it would take place online this year. The weeklong KCON:TACT 2020 SUMMER will be held June 20-26 and feature all-day streaming of both live and pre-taped content and interactive portions with artists and influencers. The event will take place on Mnet-Kpop’s YouTube channel.
- In other Mnet news, the K-pop competition/reality show “I-LAND”, the first project by CJ ENM and Big Hit Entertainment’s BELIF+ joint company, released a new teaser. Hallyu legend Rain and Block B’s Zico will appear as mentors to the participants; actor Namgoong Min will be the narrator. Watch the first teaser here.
What was your favorite headline this week? Let us know in the comments!