K-POP Releases We Missed – Weekly Roundup For The Last Week Of May

Born out of lack of time and wanting to shed more spotlight on smaller groups, we welcome you to the weekly series for roundups, where we mention releases from the past week we missed to review but still want to comment on.

What a weird week it has been! We’ve been busy and at the same time we haven’t. Releases also have been rather slow this week but this week prepared us for next… It’s going to be interesting for sure. Let’s hope June not only brings us finally summer weather but also the summer bops! I am desperate for some sun at this point. And if climate change doesn’t provide it for me then at least songs can. Anyway, let’s get into the songs for this week!

PURPLE KISS – Find You

Lina: I had forgotten for a minute there who Purple Kiss is. Got confused with Purple Beck if I am quite honest and got excited there is something new. Welp. Anyway this is for an ad and it’s really cute but not like I’ll be listening to it again.

Una: Lina mentioning Purple Beck feels like a personal attack. We could’ve had a great girl group there. Find You is really cute and actually sounds like something that could be a solid b-side for the group. I also had to google their names because I wanted to know who the very good vocalists was – Goeun. Also someone said in the comments to try listening to this at 1.25x and they were onto something.

SHINee – Superstar

Una: SHINee’s Japanese releases just hit differently. This is incredibly groovy and fun and I’m just happy to have any SHINee content, let alone such good one. Let’s go boys, we are so ready for that album!

Lina: Oh yes, SHINee give me the CONTENT. I love SHINee’s Japanese music as much as I love their Korean stuff. I hear Superstar duturing their fan meeting last Sunday and it was an instant bop. So happy that they released it already! This is like the Japanese version of Attention or Heart Attack from the DMC album and I am here.

Gaho – Rush Hour

Lina: Given I have still the Itaewon Class OST stuck in my head while I am trying to erase the actual drama from my memory, we haven’t gotten nearly enough Gaho music as we should have. I am glad to see Rush Hour finally giving us something. Rock Gaho is amazing even if he is just with us during the chorus and towards the end of the song. A bop onto my playlist it goes.

Una: Love this. This is definitely a bit of a different vibe and I’m here for it. Also, don’t kill me, but this lowkey reminds me of something Jonas Brothers would release and I kinda mean it as a compliment because I vibe with them still. That bridge, though, so good. Is anyone still listening to the phenomenal Stay Here? Because that doesn’t get old.

Hong Dae Kwang – Step With Me

Una: Very cute, both the song and the music video.

Lina: I am here for this one. It’s pretty and I really like Hong Dae Kwang’s voice!

Ab6ix – Gemini

Lina: These Universe releases are so weird. I mean I appreciate the random releases but they are not really making me want to even download the app nor sign up for this weird fan forum, I am hoping we have outlived it soon. Anyhow, Gemini is a softer song compared to usual Ab6ix releases and I love that it dropped during Gemini season, Una is alive. This is just an easy pop listen for me, it’s not bad but also not great so I don’t know how I feel about it.

Una: First ASTRO, now AB6IX giving me Gemini songs? Thanks, guys, I appreciate it. I actually… enjoy this for a Universe release – it must be that nice chorus which somehow ended up stuck in my head. Daehwi is truly incredible, you could recognize his voice any time and anywhere, I really loved it in this song as well. This is honestly a pretty solid track for me, I would’ve actually accepted this as a title track, only if maybe arranged a bit differently. But the lowkey retro vibes in that instrumental are doing it for me.

Onew  – Goodbye Days

Una: This is really soothing, Kei and Onew are a great match, both strong vocalists who can be as gentle as possible when needed. This sounds like a big comfort song, honestly. Yes, we do need that solo comeback. Now.

Lina: Onew we need that solo comeback sir. I’ll take any OST or musical in the meantime though. Kei is a wonderful vocalist, and I think her voice really compliments Onew’s outstanding vocals. I can’t believe this old man is playing a teenager in the musical. Only SHINee I guess.

TXT – Love Sight

Lina: Yes, we will include every Doom OST on here and what about it?! I am obsessed with this drama and Una loves TXT so including Love Sight was a given. It’s nice to here the boys actually singing with not too much voice altering going on and the OST is really pretty and suits the drama, so I am here for it.

Una: I was so excited for this and the overall OST line up for this drama, and so far they have not disappointed. TXT are great at slower songs which they don’t have that many opportunities to sing (so far) and this OST proves once again that they can most definitely deliver all the needed emotions. As always, I got surprised by how much Yeonjun’s voice fits these slower, emotional tracks. Also, they were giving me full on late 90s r&b vibes during that section before the last chorus and I knew right away that was Yeonjun singing because he really comes through when I least expect it. I really love Love Sight and it’s a blessing to hear their vocals clearly like this. Yeah, I’m biased and I don’t care, this is a treat for my ears. My two worlds colliding.

Red Velvet’s Joy – Je T’aime

Una: Not me thinking this will be a remake of Lara Fabian’s Je T’aime. My brain is too tired. Anyway, similarly to the original song, this is a bit too cutesy in its vocal performance, like Lina will also mention. Definitely not something I would listen to much, but Joy showed a lot of great vocal qualities here and it’s about time she gets the recognition she deserves.

Lina: Still not sure why my girl has her solo debut with remakes but okay. Je T’aime is cute and suits Joy’s voice tone quite nicely, though it is a bit too cute-y for me. I wish she could have gotten power ballads like Wendy or something fun and silly. Je T’aime is just a pre-release and gives us a taste for the rest of the album… I am a bit iffy about it so far but we will see.

GWSN – Like It Hot

Lina: So, GWSN is a pretty small group still but I feel like they have released some bops so far and I was kind of really excited for Like It Hot. The song is not what I expected it to be though? The chorus is pretty catchy and from how high the verses are I am glad the chorus lowered the tone, it’s a nice contrast but not entirely what I expected. GWSN seems to be pretty under appreciated and the music video budget is eh… but let’s go I guess?

Una: GWSN have fallen off my radar completely (except occasional Miya videos I come across on Instagram) so I was surprised when Lina mentioned they were having a comeback. Like It Hot is a bit weak and definitely doesn’t reach it’s potential. The chorus is definitely its best aspect but I wish they were a bit braver with the post-chorus as that could’ve sold this song to me a bit more. They look really nice, though.

Jinyoung – I am into you, I mean Love you

Una: I barely found the audio version of this soundtrack and then he goes and releases a whole video. Sometimes Lord is kind. I can’t believe I’m hearing this voice again, I’ll take anything at this point and this OST ain’t half bad honestly. I missed his r&b vocals and this honestly sounds like absolute heaven to my ears – Jinyoung’s voice is one of the easily recognizable ones and he sounds fantastic here. Can’t believe I’m writing any type of review for him. Keep it coming, king. I’m so excited for his new drama, he better provide with an OST for that too.

Lina: Oh, Una sent me this after looking for it for a while. Jinyoung has such a beautiful voice and we are about to eat any of his OSTs. Once he gives us a prober comeback, it’s over for us all.

woo!ah – Purple

Una: This is hilarious. Po-po-po-po is what I hear. This reminded me of how ATEEZ’s San kept going viral for his fantastic pronunciation of the word purple.

Lina: Not entirely sure what’s going on here. Is that “Purple Purple Purple” supposed to be catchy? I don’t know the verses and bridge have a few good moments. But the chorus and especially that last chorus is… something I guess.

IMFACT Taeho – GGOMA

Lina: First off, where is IMFACT? I am so confused about what they are doing and what’s going on but even as I watch this and it has 132 views this song is fun! GGOMA feels very experimental but it put a smile on my face. I love how upbeat and jazzy this is, love the saxophone in the instrumental as well. Can stuff like this blow up instead of radio mainstream stuff…

Una: IMFACT, how we miss you. This is incredibly fun and bright and I’m honestly completely here for it.

Weeekly – 7Days Tension

Una: I love that they’re pursuing this type of concept still, it’s slowly becoming something you associate with them right away. This is cute, but like Lina, I’m still listening to After School.

Lina: This is cute and fun. A nice surprise from Weeekly, but I am still jamming to After School.

Sparkling – DIAMOND

Lina: Well, I have had time to get used to this song while watching the shit show that this drama is. I am not quite sure why I keep watching it. Maybe it’s like an accident I just can’t look away. Anyway, I actually like this one more than the SHAX songs, but neither are really songs I’d be putting on my playlist

Una: That chorus sounding like some NOIR song. Jokes aside, this is weirdly interesting to me, although not something I’d listen to. It’s cool to see them experiment a bit, though.

Ben&Ben (ft. Young K) – Leaves

Una: This roundup seems to be never ending but at least we finish it with a bang. This is such a phenomenal combination and dear Lord, will I ever stop being in love with Young K’s voice? And also Young K himself but that’s not the point. This is really stunning.

Lina: Wow… this is absolutely beautiful and Young K is such a nice addition to the song. Wow. Just Wow.

Well, this concludes our roundup for this week! Hope you are enjoying this new format as much as we do. Until next week.

Header Image Source: Made by Lina for hallyureviews