Daytodaebak/ June 9, 2020/ ICYMI/ 0 comments

E’LAST Dreams Big With Debut “Swear”

Eight member boy group E’LAST debuted with the mini-album “Day Dream”. E’LAST is the first group from E Entertainment.

Review (daebakwhovian): Having finally (kinda) gotten over the fact that new groups will inevitably have members younger than me, I’m trying to keep up with more rookie groups. E’LAST (standing for ‘everlasting’ and a step-up from the pre-debut name ‘EBOYZ’) comes from a smaller company and I almost missed their debut. They’re already gaining some traction partly from having two former Produce X 101 contestants: Won Hyuk (placed 33rd) and Lee Wonjun (placed 47th). My first impression of their title track: I’m intrigued. I have to admit, I wasn’t completely blown away or anything from this song, nor did it necessarily rewrite the rules. That being said, there are a lot of interesting things going on. The gorgeous instrumental intro sounds like it could be the opening to a historical drama and the rap matches the rest of the song. And the synchronization of their choreo (seen in their debut showcase) is especially impressive for a group that has only been training together for about a year. The real standout for me though was the vocals in this song. When I first heard this song, I thought it was a bit odd for a title debut track. There was no trendy backtrack, no immediate ear worm hook. But I think this was a perfect chance to highlight their amazing voices. The rest of the mini album does the same and is perfect for a young group. Although this group didn’t enter instant-stan status for me (*cough* ATEEZ *cough*), I’m excited to see what they will bring in the future. Overall: Lot’s of potential!

Bang Ye Dam Introduces Himself With A Goodbye In “Wayo”

Long-time YG Entertainment trainee Bang Ye Dam makes his solo debut before his actual debut with the single “Wayo”. Confused? Join the club.

Review (daebakwhovian): First of all, let’s explain some context. Bang Ye Dam was first introduced to us as a contestant on the second season of idol-making reality show “K-pop Star.” He finished in second place and signed with YG (back in the simpler times of 2012). Fast forward to 2018 after years in YG’s dungeon, he participated in another competition show in 2018 called “YG Treasure Box”, ultimately leading to the announcement that he would be in the finalist-made boy group TREASURE (also originally planned as TREASURE 13 with sub-units). Unfortunately for TREASURE and their fans, this was the time that YG was found out as the messy step-child of the Big 4 agencies became mired in scandals and the group’s debut was postponed. After a lot of empty promises, a member leaving the group, and an agency reorganization, YG remembered it was also a music company revealed plans for the now 12-member group and Yedam’s solo that he had apparently been preparing for a long time at this point, even though the actual group won’t debut until July. Caught up?

Now for the actual song: I really like it. It’s simple and catchy, using a sliding acoustic guitar backing and a memorable hook (now everyone knows how to say ‘why’ in Korean). Although technically a rookie, those years at YG must have paid off since his vocals rival some of his seniors in the industry. The music video was a bit mediocre for me, but it did show off his potential stage presence and how natural he felt in that environment. (Seriously, why do so many K-pop love ballads have stalker-ish vibes? We need to talk). The track felt like a very typical YG ballad, but not in a bad way. I’m assuming he’ll be one of the main vocalists of the group, so this release makes me more excited to see what’s in store for TREASURE. Overall: Sentimental, natural, worth the wait. (But please don’t make us wait again, YG).

WayV Creates Futuristic Music Video For “Turn Back Time”

NCT’s Chinese-sub-unit-that-is-also-sorta-independent WayV released their first full-length album “Awaken The World” with the lead track “Turn Back Time”.

Review (daebakwhovian): Navigating the NCT universe may still be a bit confusing for casual fans, but WayV is its Chinese based fourth sub-unit, operating under SM Entertainment and its Chinese branch Label V. It’s probably my favorite sub-unit, though I feel like they aren’t as hyped as the other groups. Despite being a bit underrated by some fans, I found this to be a really strong album. The title track, “Turn Back Time” reminds me a bit of their ‘cousins’ NCT 127 latest single “Punch”. I thought that both were a little loud and overused some of the electronic effect to the point that it took over the artists’ spotlight. But where “Punch” went all the way, “Turn Back Time” pulled back enough for me to appreciate other elements of the song. The chorus was easy to sing along to, and I don’t understand Chinese, but I really enjoyed the rap. The music video was also cool (I tried to use a better word, but it really is just cool-looking), but I do wish they had used less of the shrouded-in-darkness effect for the dance breaks so we could actually, you know, see the dancing (I also need more shots of Ten with highlights, but whatever). The rest of the album is solid as well. I liked the interesting descending structure in “Bad Alive” (although I don’t get the obsession with $1000 shoes?). The group returns to its sexy vibes reminiscent of their “Love Talk” with the tracks “Only Human” and “Up From Here” before closing the album with a summer party sounding “Electric Hearts” and the upbeat “Stand By Me” which makes you want to sing along and hold up your lightstick. Have I mentioned how much I miss concerts? Overall: WayV named this album “Awaken the World” so fans would stop sleeping on their talent.

Other Headlines:

June is going to be a busy month!

• In unfortunate news, Lim Young Min officially left AB6IX after receiving a DUI citation and having his driver’s license revoked. When the incident was first reported, the agency, Brand New Music, announced that he would be halting all promotions with the group and their album release, originally scheduled for June 8, would be pushed to June 29. Four days later, the agency and Lim announced he would permanently leave the group, saying that he didn’t want to cause harm to the group. Meanwhile, the agency has been very transparent in the changes they are making to the group’s appearances, schedules, and merchandise. Having had friends affected by drunk driving, I’m just glad nobody was hurt. Hopefully this will be a learning experience and AB6IX can continue strong.

• 2 pm’s Jun. K reminded us why he’s a main vocalist and made his first comeback since completing his military service with “This Is Not A Song, 1929” which, ironically, is actually a pretty good song. Watch the MV for the ballad here.
• WJSN (Cosmic Girls) released the mini-album “Neverland” and the MV for the title track “Butterfly”.
• Momoland released a ‘special’ album (which I think just means they aren’t going to promote it like a regular album?) “Starry Night”. You can watch the MV (or ‘Special Video’ I guess) here.
• Singer/rapper/song-writer Heize released the EP “Lyricist”. Watch the aesthetically pleasing MV for “Lyricist/ Things Are Going Well” here.
• Mnet competition show Road to Kingdom is winding up to its finale. With Golden Child and TOO eliminated, the five remaining groups (Oneus, Verivery, The Boyz, Pentagon, and ONF) have released digital tracks. The chart scores will factor in to the live finale airing June 18.
• SBS/Netflix drama The King: Eternal Monarch starring Lee Min Ho and Kim Go Eun finished its run this week. Despite ending with disappointing domestic ratings for writer Kim Eun Sook (who wrote hit dramas including The Heirs, Descendents of the Sun, Goblin, and Mr. Sunshine), the show was very popular with international fans. Up next in the channel’s schedule is Ji Chang Wook and Kim Yoo Jung’s Backstreet Rookie (literal title: Convenience Store Saet-Byeol)

What was your favorite headline this week? Let us know below in the comments! (Commenting policy).