ITZY‘s Yeji, How to Show Off Your Ability [Jeon Hyo-jin’s Selfish Pick]
- Based on albums released from February 28th to March 28th, arranged in order of release date-
◆ Onew‘s 2nd full-length album [WE: Dream Chaser]: The villain waits for the hero’s transformation (EVILDOER), One-way traffic (一方通行: Traffic Love), All the things I love (All the things I love)
- The god of romance, the devil of band sound, the authority of storytelling. Onew showed unique material, high-quality band sound, and the diverse and well-placed members‘ tones and emotional expressiveness with their 2nd full-length album.
A villain in a drama who makes everyone happy only when he dies, but looking back, the villain has always waited for the hero’s transformation. ‘The villain waits for the hero‘s transformation’, ‘They say love alone is not love. ‘One-Way Traffic’ that throws a kick with ‘I’m in love too’, and the birth of the 2025 spring season song ‘Dazzling’, the love that romantic band OnewE holds in these various forms.
- I like Infinite who plays like Infinite. It‘s an Infinite-like track with a mature beauty. The guitar riff expresses subtle emotional lines tensely and delicately, and that’s not a bad thing. On top of that, the groovy, synchronized dance performance is portrayed right before your eyes, amplifying the charm.
◆ Jennie‘s 1st Full-length Album [Ruby]: with the IE (way up), Starlight
- Of Jennie, by Jennie, for Jennie. Her first album [Ruby], released after establishing her one-person agency, contains Jennie’s pursuit of beauty. Although she is openly targeting the American pop market, Jennie‘s capabilities as a rapper and vocalist still stimulate the curiosity of domestic listeners.
The recommended ‘with the IE (way up)’ can be called the foundational song of the album. It aggressively mixes the present and blueprint of the Jennie brand with her unique powerful rap flow. ‘Starlight’ is the only song in the album that pricks your ears as it is sung in Korean, and it starts with a narration and resonates with Jennie’s delicately built vocals.
- It‘s obvious when you have talent. As the first soloist of ITZY, Yezi has brought an album that blends the group’s and her own musical styles. Yezi‘s movements, imprinted as a performance powerhouse, and her solid vocals give the joy of imagining the stage.
‘Can’t Slow Me‘ is a track that gives vitality with a Latin rhythm and is a perfect fit for Yezi’s endless moves with its groove. Also, ’258‘ is a song with an easy progression and a refreshing song about endless love that transcends 24/7, making you feel good the more you listen to it.
◆ SF9 [LOVE RACE] : No No No
- K-pop nostalgia, composed by Jung Yong-hwa and written by SF9 members Youngbin and Hwiyoung, ‘No No No’ is an attractive song with a fast tempo and rhythm that runs through the album name [Love Race].
The funky guitar arrangement in the house gives off the feeling of CNBLUE, the band Jung Yong-hwa belongs to, while also diversifying the spectrum of SF9. Above all, the highlight of this song is ‘No, no, No No You don’t understand’, which will stick in your mouth after just one listen. It boasts an addictiveness that will make you shout ‘No matter what, Yes!’, giving off the feeling of a K-hook song from the past.
◆ Jung Dong-won‘s 2nd regular album [Gift of Long Legs]: Age to Confess Your Love
- Baby Seol Woon-do appears. ‘Age to Confess Your Love’, a gift from senior Seol Woon-do to Jung Dong-won, is the perfect song for him who is about to turn 20. It is the story of a man who is beginning to open his eyes to love. The boy’s voice and breaking point, full of excitement, tickle the hearts of those who listen. Jung Dong-won is challenging genre expansion through JD1, but when it comes to singing trot, he completes the most delicious records.
◆ X-Diary Heroes‘ 6th mini album [Beautiful Mind]: George the Lobster
- You can hear as much as you know. If you didn’t know about George the Lobster, it would have been just a song boasting a rock sound that just ends.
George the Lobster is an old lobster discovered in Canada, and it is estimated that he was 140 years old when he was discovered. Crayfish must constantly shed their skin to maintain eternal life, and like these crayfish, X-Diary Heroes sings about their determination to live fiercely with endless challenges. From the curious title, meaningful content, and vocals that keep the fast-paced performance from going by, this song confirms the band‘s growth.
Jeon Hyo-jin, Donga.com Reporter jhj@donga.com
This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.
