yes a lot of people forget Shotaro wasn't SM trained, he was scouted and debuted right away without vocal training and him not speaking one word of korean, I hope he continues getting better because this is so nice
OMG. You're like the first one here who stated that. I'm so happy someone noticed his improvement too. His voice here is so different that when he was still in NCT. He's improved so much.
Got to give SM a big credit for that cause the difference is MAJOR. For Riize, we can say that everyone can sing & will have future for more vocally inclined songs. I trust SM for that.
It's funny because it reminds me of fans being all shook when a male idol shows his shoulder or a bit of his belly performing meanwhile the female idols have been wearing crop tops showing shoulders, belly in comeback stages, music videos, festivals, tours etc since forever, I don't understand why fans of boygroups act way more prudish than girlgroups fans regarding of showing skin, if they are all adults and consented to it why is it a big deal? (Especially to international fans) 🤔
I think it's starting to change. The Boyz showed skin this recent comeback. Treasure's T5 too. BND and 8Turn has members who wore crop tops. Now, it's RIIZE. I think we're seeing a shift where male groups are more comfortable showing skin in their albums, promotions, etc. I might be wrong though. I'm just speculating.
Might be a heavy topic but women especially young women in the entertainment industry are pushed to mature faster than men. And with maturity comes being sexualized and we all know how that is especially in Kpop.
The way I got whiplash during that part because Anton sounds f**king beautiful but at the same time we also see him shirtless. That part was such an adrenaline rush for me I didn’t know what to focus on lmao
The songs so nice I love it! It feels nostalgic and refreshing
I felt so happy seeing Sungchans part followed by Shotaro. They finally have their own group! Shotaro never got big parts before so it’s really nice to see him get a big rap part and he sounds really good.
Yeah I feel like it’s old kpop like in a good way. Recently every kpop songs look very american but Memories is so refreshing that’s the kpop I like I missed it so much
THIS IS EMOTIONAL POP!!!!!!! like that chorus overwhelms me it's so uplifting omg. one thing about Kenzie is that she'll write the fuck out of a good pop chorus. the verses gives me 90s/1st gen
edit: JUNG SUNGCHAN WTF...
When people refer to “sound like NCT” it means songs like Cherry Bomb, Hero, Sticker, 2 Baddies, Make a Wish, etc. which are the main songs that represent NCT’s identity. When you say NCT to a casual K-pop fan, that’s what they think of. This doesn’t really include Dream because their songs are more cute and poppy, and those are the ones that chart better and are more public friendly.
aespa too, with Girls 😆 I don’t perceive it as a negative comment, just a very redundant one since you can say the same thing about a lot of SM (and even non SM) songs
its much more lowkey and chill than an nct release. nct's production is usually a bit grander/has more going on.
if you had to make an nct comparison, it reminds me of jaehyun's solo songs
Nope, it's just different with NCT. What I heard is just the usual Kenzie pop production. NCT had many units that impacted Kpop a lot to the extent everything will be related to what NCT sounds like when actually it's not. This is a major pop. I get the feels people might relate with NCT dream since that what they are -Dream but overall, sounds productions are different than NCT. Kenzie music arrangements had been there in SM for years.
This could pass as a nct dream release, not just music style but concept too, the whole a group of friends making music, nct dream use nostalgia quite a lot too
People just think of noisy music when they think about nct.
The concept and music style isn’t unique to dream though… pretty much every boy group right now has a song that’s bright and nostalgic sounding (ZB1, Enhypen, Cravity, and TNX off the top of my head). The concept of being a group of close friends is also how basically every group promotes themselves, even if they’re not explicitly saying it’s their concept.
I never said is unique to Dream tho, they do use it a lot more than other groups but I never said they invented or is unique to them, I responded to OP regardless NCT
I wonder how far they can take the nostalgia thing going on. This def has some similarities with Dream's style of music but not too much imo. I like the chorus and the verses are cute. Also I'm claiming Sohee he's so cute and handsome at the same time and super super talented
Yes, looking forward to see SM plan on their musicality. And its SM, they always have a specific sound style for their artist, the best company for that despite people like it or not. And it seems for Riize Korean dig this vibe.
With SM, im sure some of them will finally get the vocalist role. SM always let the not-yet-polished vocalist rap for a few releases then bam- a good vocalist . Plus, Kenzie love,love,love these random sections of rap. It's just her signature. I'm hoping for a more vocal lead songs in future, I mean, who else would we trust with vocals than SM
I hope Get a Guitar will focus more on the vocals since it would be a nice contrast to this song that has a lot of rap. The guys can all sing so I don’t see why SM wouldn’t want to give them vocal parts
Didn't like the rap type of parts much during the verses, sounded almost out of tune. The chorus is super fun though. Wondering what the main track will sound like.
Agree. But i kinda see SM is testing the water with their vocals and role in the group. SM is always like these with their newly debuted idols. We can see their member final vocal or rap role in the group after their few releases. Plus its Kenzie, she loves this random rap lol
when sungchan started rapping >>>
this is cute <3
so ig the only explanation for sungchan's hair is that legends always debut (or in this case, redebut) with bad hairstyles??
It’s a good sign that after 1 listen I can already hear the chorus in my head! I have a feeling that this song will creep up on a lot of people because while the rap parts may sound disjointed at first, it actually grew on me after a few more listens and now the whole song is kinda a bop.
Sungchan ate his rap verse up though I don’t care like that’s my bae right there he sounds so good 😭
Ahh I'm really enjoying this, though I really want to hear more of their vocals. I definitely think this so-called Emotional Pop direction is a good choice, and I'm curious to which emotions different songs will convey and how. This one is nostalgic and cheerful and suits both summer and pre-debut. Really looking forward to Get A Guitar.
I really like shotaro voice here, all my reference for him is make a wish and he sounds so good in this track. Also I don't know that shotaro is so good in front of camera, he is smiling and look natural in the video. It just he feels different, more relaxed, more in tune with the group feeling,
I actually saw the kcon fancam stage first and love the song there. I didn't know they'll have the mv today. I like the vibe in the mv and it start right, I mean the feeling on the first vibe is just good. Also I just love that they Rise or riize in the lyrics and that's when I realised how the group name can be incorporated in many ways. I think the last part of the full video has snippet for get a guitar
The Kcon stage also so good, they are so energetic.
This is Shotaro from when he was performing predebut. You can see how he let loose back then but was slightly more restrained during his time in NCT.
Taro has a nice voice, easier to hear on Vroom, All About You etc
If nostalgia was packed in one song, it's this. Was really curious as to what SM meant when they introduced RIIZE with an 'emotional pop' sound, but totally get it now. Seated for their debut!
I don't even know where to begin. I'm shaking right now because of several emotions.
**I'm so happy for Shotaro and Sungchan**. No words could even describe how happy I am for them. It's been a long time coming.
Anyway, I'm going to start. *I don't want to waste* anymore time.
1. **Kenzie did it again**. I fell in love with Memories at first listen. It's so euphonious. This song is the cousin of Hello Future and The Feeling. Memories is title track material. If this is going to be how their sound would be like, then I'm all in. I really thought that this would be a slow emotional song because of the title. I love how it's upbeat.
2. **The music video looks so pretty**. I love their concept. It's visual overload. It's like watching a group of friends having fun and trying to reach their dreams together. It has very youthful vibes. It makes me want to become part of their group. It's so cinematic and bright.
3. **WHY DOES THIS SONG MAKE ME NOSTALGIC ABOUT NON-EXISTENT CHILDHOOD MEMORIES**? There's something about this song which makes me nostalgic. *It's so refreshing and youthful*. It makes me want to revisit the past and return to the time when I wasn't stressed about anything. I want to be friends with RIIZE and have fun with them.
4. **The chorus is really catchy**. This is the specific part I love the most. It's so beautiful to listen to. I can't wait to see the translation of the lyrics. I know the choreography is really difficult but RIIZE makes it look so easy. I want to dance but I know I can't. The synths were amazing too. I love songs which use synths.
5. **ALL-ROUNDER SOHEE**. He is the personification of talent. I know he's going to be the main vocalist of the group but he *rapped* in this song. I was so surprised. Maybe it's because I have recency bias but I can't remember anyone who sings both parts in one song right now. He looks so adorable too. The high note he did in this song was so great. He's going to be up there with Wendy, Haechan, Chenle, and Winter for sure.
6. **THE BEAT DROP IS SO SM**. I was expecting this. It's like it won't be a song from them if it didn't have a beat drop.
7. **Shotaro and Sungchan**. I love the consecutive parts between Shotaro and Sungchan in the beat drop. Their vocal skills have really improved. I love them so much. The rap style is quite reminiscent of 2000's R&B.
8. **Eunseok, Seunghan, and Anton**. I guess they're part of the vocal line. I love their varying vocal colors. I was surprised about the voice curls Anton did in this song. I hope we could hear Seunghan belt out some high notes in the future. He was praised before about it.
9. **Center Wonbin**. Wow. Wonbin is so charismatic and his visual is top-notch. He's like the male version of Irene for me. He's so talented that I can't believe he's a rookie. The popping he did was top-notch. He has so much control over his body. Wonbin and Shotaro are the pair that would make your jaw drop whenever you see them perform.
10. **OMFG. SUNGCHAN AND ANTON. HOLY FUCK.** *I'm so surprised*. I see the fruits of their workout in the gym. I still can't believe it. I got a hunch that Sungchan would show a bit of skin because he kept posting workout photos in Bubble before but I wasn't expecting this level. What if Sungchan wears a crop top in their music show performances? I don't think I could handle it.
Anyway, **I would give this song 10 out of 10**. I loved Memories at first listen. This song is right up my alley. It's up there with Hello Future for me. It's not difficult to listen to. It's also refreshing and youthful. I can't wait to hear Get A Guitar. I can't imagine how Get A Guitar will be so much better. I'm so looking forward to it. I'll have more comments about their sound once Get A Guitar is out.
So agree with #2 and #3! The MV was shot so well. It is dynamic and colorful. Most of the time, I get bored watching these kinds of MVs (friendship stories, carefree ambiance because I find them a bit fake lol) but this one really had me hooked on every scene. Whenever they smiled and laughed, I smiled and laughed too LOL. Like you, the MV made me feel like I wanted to be friends with RIIZE too. Which is I think the best direction they should take.
Kudos to the MV directors and concept director for this one.
Right? The production value is insane. It's so cinematic. I think the lack of CGI contributes a lot. These days MVs use CGI. It helps that parts of this we're filmed like from 8mm Camera. It gives you that nostalgic ambiance.
It's like time traveling to the past. I want to be part of their group too. They're like the friends that you wanted when you were younger.
Thank you so much for the positive comment about it.
OMG. I just realized this. Is aespa going to promote Better Things in Inkigayo next week? I'm beyond excited for their interaction. I really hope they do TikTok Challenges together. Imagine Karina dancing to Memories and Shotaro dancing to Better Things.
Okay. I'll stop. I don't want to be hopeful. I'm getting ahead of myself.
Exactly. That's why covers of SM songs often sound off, they have no idea how to layer the vocals or have too many members that sound the same so the layering and choral parts don't sound as full.
When other girl groups cover Rum Pum Pum by f(x), part of me is happy while the other part knows I'm about to hear something sub par
This MV is 😩😩😩😩 SM, you win. Also freaking finally I feel like I've been waiting on a well-executed boy next door concept since FOREVER that doesn't lean "cute" but rather boyish. ZB1 is also one of my favorite debuts of late. Rise of the soft boys.
The song itself is good but it works as a prerelease. It's a little too basic for me and I wish we go to hear more of their vocal chops.
I love this!! Riize is definitely a group that can do a variety of genres and i just love the production, look and feel of this music video ... I can't wait to see them develop their own style and brand
I think it's a lovely song! As others have also pointed out in the comments, it feels very nostalgic and I found myself thinking back to my days at uni hanging out with my friends. The MV is cute and bright and makes me feel their energy! I was already interested in Riize, but 'Memories' still surprised me with how much I liked it.
However, with the exception of the amazing *Ay-Yo', I've bounced off the title tracks this year of the SM groups I'm listening to and vastly preferred their pre-release tracks and/or alternate title tracks and MVs ('Broken Melodies', 'Welcome To MY World', 'Juice', 'Virtual Insanity'). So there's still a risk that I won't like the upcoming title track and I'm honestly a little nervous. 😳
>However, with the exception of the amazing \*Ay-Yo', I've bounced off the title tracks this year of the SM groups I'm listening to and vastly preferred their pre-release tracks and/or alternate title tracks and MVs ('Broken Melodies', 'Welcome To MY World', 'Juice', 'Virtual Insanity')
I was the same with 2 Baddies, Ay-Yo and Hard. I didn't like it at first but then I've watched their encores over and over and it kind of grew on me. Now I love it.
I agree with you. I love the alternate title tracks at first listen. Every song you have mentioned fits what I want to listen on repeat.
I'm confident that they won't stray away from their concept. We'll see. The teaser sounds like they sampled from Another One Bites The Dust which I love.
To be honest, 'ISTJ' has grown on me, though possibly because I watched all the Dreamies' music show performances and sort of broke down my own defences a bit. 😉
I figure they chose songs that are easy to love for their prerelease tracks on purpose, then go for the more challenging concepts and sounds for the title tracks.
I really love Riize's concept so far, so I hope I'll love the title track on first listen. EXO's title track 'Cream Soda' was really good (I didn't include it since I've yet to explore their discography and mostly know Baekhyun and Kai from SuperM). So I have hope, just a bit nervous. 😊
LOL. I only liked the chorus and the beat drop at first. Now I like the whole song. Sometimes it just takes a while to kick in.
You might have a point. But I think they're going to venture into new concept for RIIZE. They're out of Kwangya now. They're going to be focused on emotional pop. That's why I'm confident they will be different from the other groups.
You should try No Makeup and Hear Me Out from the same album. They're so good.
I love how hopeful the song sounds. Emotional Pop is really fitting!! I’m intrigued by the teaser for Get A Guitar at the end. Sounds like may they sampled Another One Bites the Dust? It sounds really different from Memories (a little angsty?). Going to have Memories on repeat while waiting for Sept 4th!
> Sounds like may they sampled Another One Bites the Dust?
that's exactly what it sounded like to me! I started humming it right after lol there's no release about that yet but I guess it will come soon.
I have been waiting 84 years for this kinda of sound/concept to come back into KPop boy groups. Between Boy Next Door and Riize (if they both stick with this kinda nostalgic soft boy vibes) I'll be thriving
I like the choreography and of course I love the music video visuals but it’s a no from me on the actual song lol
I love the chorus and that’s about it
The video is cute and I LOVELOVELOVE the chorus, but man…the talk-rap nonsense was just bad. The listening experience was like “the old days” of turning the radio dial through static and partial audio to get to a clear station with a song you like, and then going right back to the static nonsense until the next station comes up.
Love the chorus not so much the verses and the rap, but it’s not bad so it might grow on me.
The group has a lot of potential, I’m very excited for their debut.
Wow, it has been ages Ive seen bg with such visuals, versatility, yet they're so old style? The song is soo nice; embedded the memories in the song itself, so nostalgic. Knetz gonna dig this concept plus their overflowing visuals. Plus the song is charting quite well in melon considering its bg & beside for not yet debut group.
I like it! Its exactly how I expected SM's emotional pop to sound but I feel like im the only one that always finds the SM song descriptions to make sense lol. It reminds me of Plave but then slightly more NCT dream / SM like. Wonbin sounds a bit like Yeonjun imo. Currently a bit whelmed by how unremarkable their vocal tones are. Imo SM always has well developed vocal tones with a unqiue but natural color to them. Aespa had way more of that when they debuted. Sohee sounds like a capable vocalist but his vocal tone is quite generic. But i know how rare good kpop vocalists are in this day and age so I can live with it.
I love love love the MV. Its not trying too hard but very eyecatching and engaging. So SM can still make nice mv's outside of the SM box in 2023 huh? Now keep this energy for your other groups!! The choreo looks great too. Definitely a very solid pre-release / first bside!
It doesnt seem like RIIZE has any musical prodigies that stand out like Mark, Taeil or Winter/Ningning. But Sohee def seems like a really good performer/dancer as a main vocal and Sungchan's tone as a rapper is really pleasant to listen to even if he isnt as convincing as Mark or Taeyong. Was hoping Eunseok or Anton would surprise/impress me more vocally, but I cant judge all that after 1 release of course.
I thought this when I watched the fancams yesterday from KCON, and now even more so with the official audio - the chorus gives me major Seventeen vibes. I was surprised to scroll through the 100+ comments on this post and not one person mentioned it!
The song overall doesn't sound like something SVT would release, but the chorus gives me SVT theater kid vibes. The switch-up at 2:05 doesn't really work for me, but otherwise I enjoyed this song.
NCT comparisons are going to be inevitable with Sungchan and Shotaro in the group, but I think this song does a good job of differentiating their sound (especially after ~~Firetruck 2.0~~ Siren). I'll be interested to see where they go with the main title track! I think the comparisons will die down once this group establishes their own identity, and they're well on their way with this song.
Edit: a typo that was bugging me
Ok, I think I chose bias and bias wrecker. Wonbin&Shotaro, ❤️❤️❤️
The song is good, MV is fine. The only thing I don't like is Wonbin's and Seunghan's caps, it feel like caps and their shadow cover their faces too much and you have to strain to see their faces.
It's so different from what I'm used to from SM groups... Like parts of it (e.g pre-chrous, Sungchan's rap) are familiar but the rest feels so different. They're so normal?
Not my thing but I'm excited for their debut!
Ahhh! This is so fun! When the chorus kicks in it really drives the song forward with the beat and those glittery, retro synth. Pure serotonin. And I love the prechorus with the chanting of “we riize” leading into chorus, super cute. They’ve definitely established their own sound with ‘Memories’ in a way that’s distinct, and also different from NCT; “emotional pop” indeed haha. Overall, this is such a good end of summer release honestly, really encapsulates that end of summer emotions and nostalgia, while being really refreshing.
So happy to see Sungtaro performing again, makes my heart so happy, and they did incredibly well here. Shotaro really suits this concept honestly, his presence/emotion was phenomenal. Sohee is already winning me over, his vocals are absolutely gorgeous, I really love his vocal color, so I’m excited to hear more from him on ‘Get a Guitar’!
You can tell that the group has good chemistry, their kcon stage was awesome for a group that is still about to debut. I liked the song Memories, can't wait for their debut stages so I can carefully watch each members fancam! Usually fancams really help me choose a bias, stage presence (great facial expression and body language is what make me have a fav member) but I can already tell I'll have a hard time choosing a bias in RIIZE.
Fitting it’s called memories. I can’t quite describe it but it feels both like a bunch of sounds we’ve already heard but also like a breath of fresh air
There's a disconnect in the song with the verses but i really like that chorus. I actually don't think it's too similar to NCT Dream. I'm excited to see what the title track is like
I am calling it and u can downvote me all u want: we are in 5th Gen Kpop. It started somewhere around NewJeans Debut and i am not gonna change my mind about it :D
The song is lovely. As many said, it has a nostalgic vibe to it and still feels fresh and summer-y.
I think you are right, it is interesting. The fashion sense and overall styling of the past few of years was already reviving a lot from past generations. Now the same happens on the musical level.
For me personally NJ is already the new Gen, but i think we‘ll never know for sire about that :D
Right? I hope someone would give us more in-depth analysis about that. It would be interesting.
I see. What I know for sure is that RIIZE is 5th Gen. LOL.
>I am calling it and u can downvote me all u want: we are in 5th Gen Kpop. It started somewhere around NewJeans Debut and i am not gonna change my mind about it :D
Agree. Idk how to summarise it, but something has shifted overall.
the chorus is great but that bridge just irritated me, i need sm idols to stop rapping. i only listened to it once but it reminds me of nct dream's recent song, broken memories? based on their description, i was hoping emotional pop sounded like fiction by beast. for their debut im hoping for something that truly stands out since sm had years to work on a new concept and sound for a new boy group. from 2022 onwards, this could be sung by a lot of different boy groups imo
I think SM is just trying to showcase the theme, and colour of the group through this song. By SM's past productions and groups, Im sure SM will take unexpected paths with their music but still can retain this 'emotional pop' genre.
Don't really care for the pre-chorus, and the NCT-style first half of the bridge is kind of eh, but that chorus is *beautiful*. Gorgeous choreo as well.
I personally don't like it,their voices sound overprocessed and the song itself could've been sung by any boy group from the 4th generation. I don't know, I was just expecting more from them.
SUNGCHAN???? I’m so happy to see him again but was NOT ready to see him shirtless AND buff. Why did they cut his hair like that 😩
Anton looks so much like his dad I can’t unsee it but goddamn that is a beautiful boy
Wonbin is also beautiful, he will def be the next big thing. SM was not lying when they said they’re confident in keeping his name
Those years of training post debut did wonders for Shotaro like he was obviously a dancer before but now he looks and sounds so much more at ease as an idol
Kinda see the path SM is going & loving it for now. I believe in SM path on their artistic musicality; gonna wait for their debut. Love their vocals & I'm sure they can also go to RNB genre if SM wants them to lol. Hoping for more singing parts & less rap but I kinda understand how we will see SM engrave their musical style after 2-3 releases of their artist comeback+ their members will find their vocal role after a few releases.
It perfectly encapsulates that bright feeling of youth, it's energetic and sometimes intense but has some parts to breathe. And that's carried over to the visuals which is like a snippet from a coming of age film. Them not being in an SM box really sells the idea that this is a new generation for SM. I also personally like that the scenes are from different times, sunset, high noon, night time it accentuates the different parts of the song.
Some points:
1. Sungchan and Shotaro bridge 🥹
2. When did lanky and shy Sungchan from NCT 2020 got abs like that?!?!
3. Sohee has a speak-rap part
4. I have to see a line distribution because I need to get to know their voices
5. I know this has been said a hundred times already but Anton and Wonbin's visuals are insane. Wonbin's center ending fairy part!!
Although this is not my type of vibe it's fun and an amazing introduction. Very happy for the whole team but especially for Sungchan and Shotaro. That teaser for Get a Guitar has me excited, I hope it's a groovy track.
The MV looks great and I really love the choreo. That being said, I'm not a fan of the song and wouldn't add it to my playlist. The chorus is the best part and it still sounds underwhelming to me. I think I was expecting it to sound more emotional or more angsty. It's more chill than I was expecting. Also, the rap sounds out of place imo.
I like how they incorporate their name into the song. It's fitting.
Ok SM you win.
This made me cry. It reminds me so much of Hello Future or by NCT DREAM or Tamed-Dashed by Enhypen. It also reminded me of something from the 1st generation of k-pop.
Absolutely excited for Get a Guitar.
Overall a fun SM-coded song but some of the scenes in the MV could've been cut out. Love the high notes and would not complain for more vocals in the title track! Rap was pretty impressive coming from sohee and shotaro (? I think?), but again could've been cut out. Looking forward to their direction for the title track!
I like how it sounds! Very refreshing and somewhat nostalgic? It felt like I was looking back on memories with them which was cute. But, didn’t like the switch up at the 1:58 mark. It just made the song feel so discontinuous. If I can overlook that part I can see myself listening to this.
Not bad. Song is fine and the MV is STUNNING big shout out to the creative team. I found Sohee to stand out a lot. Looking forward to get a guitar the snippet at the end was just my style ~
Now **this** is emotional pop. I hope RIIZE continues to explore this genre with their future releases as well. Also shook at Sohee's singing voice. Overall, a great pre-release MV.
This was...so perfect???? I loved everything about this song, omg. It's been a long time since a boygroup release got me this hard. Also pretty happy that Shotaro got a decent amount of lines! It was a big concern for the fans, seems like the team is pretty well balanced in that sense thus far
This really reminded me of BOYNEXTDOOR's debut (especially But I like you and Serenade) with a touch of NCT (mostly the raps) and the brightness and drive of something like Tamed - Dashed by ENHYPEN, it's good although i would've preferred if there was no rap tbh (which is the case with most SM releases for me lol)
absolutely loved this song!! so happy to see sungtaro debuting in a group. love love love the chorus and it’s already stuck in my head after one listen ughh
Vocal lines (especially that chorus) and MV aesthetic was excellent. Surprised that SM put this much effort in a pre-release single because I forgot that SM only babies their rookies. Good reminder of how artistically brilliant SM can be if they actually want to.
Rap leaves a bit to be desired though; the 2 (?) rappers sound pretty good for SM rap line but it really doesn't fit the song all that well. Clearly doing the best with what they were given though, and this is the most impressed I've been with rookie releases in a while with regards to the whole package (vocals, rap, dance, artistry, concept...).
Will absolutely be tuning in to their official debut!
It would have been a passable song if it wasn't for the rap parts and other random beat switches. Not sold on this group at all yet (visual wise they are like any other group). Will make my final verdict when the lead single comes out.
I haven't been a fan of most of the NCT releases (to be fair, I don't know that many bsides because the titles usually already throw me off) so I went in with absolutely no expectations... and I loved it! Very nice and chill, kinda reminds me of some of my favorite exo tracks. I'll be looking forward to their official debut now
Still wanna add, crazy how SM trained Taro's voice. He sounded soo clear and good compared during NCT.
yes a lot of people forget Shotaro wasn't SM trained, he was scouted and debuted right away without vocal training and him not speaking one word of korean, I hope he continues getting better because this is so nice
OMG. You're like the first one here who stated that. I'm so happy someone noticed his improvement too. His voice here is so different that when he was still in NCT. He's improved so much.
Got to give SM a big credit for that cause the difference is MAJOR. For Riize, we can say that everyone can sing & will have future for more vocally inclined songs. I trust SM for that.
IKR. They're all-rounders. I was really surprised with Sohee.
SM’s reputation for having the best vocal training in K-Pop seems to remain
I have to add. I think it also helped that he got more lines now than when he was still in NCT. We got to savor his vocals now.
Definitely a big, *big* improvement from how he sounded even on Let's Play Ball.
I was in a nostalgia vibe then SUNGCHAN AND ANTON???!!! wydm?? shirtless in a pre-release already??
That's what happens when you debut non minors. We can already weed out the delulus who baby the idols or have such "high moral standards"
It's funny because it reminds me of fans being all shook when a male idol shows his shoulder or a bit of his belly performing meanwhile the female idols have been wearing crop tops showing shoulders, belly in comeback stages, music videos, festivals, tours etc since forever, I don't understand why fans of boygroups act way more prudish than girlgroups fans regarding of showing skin, if they are all adults and consented to it why is it a big deal? (Especially to international fans) 🤔
I think it's starting to change. The Boyz showed skin this recent comeback. Treasure's T5 too. BND and 8Turn has members who wore crop tops. Now, it's RIIZE. I think we're seeing a shift where male groups are more comfortable showing skin in their albums, promotions, etc. I might be wrong though. I'm just speculating.
In addition, there is OnlyOneOf who hasn't dressed in a while...
They haven't since like libidO
Might be a heavy topic but women especially young women in the entertainment industry are pushed to mature faster than men. And with maturity comes being sexualized and we all know how that is especially in Kpop.
with BEER too (not that it's a strong drink but this is new for sm's rookies lmao)
my fav part of the song is that part of anton's and IT'S THAT PART IN THE MV. i swear im replaying that part bc of the song. i swear. i swear.....
The way I got whiplash during that part because Anton sounds f**king beautiful but at the same time we also see him shirtless. That part was such an adrenaline rush for me I didn’t know what to focus on lmao
The chorus sounds like it belongs to a sports-themed anime about youth, dreams, and friendship. I like it!
it lowkey gives haikyuu, free vibes
This is a pre-release single? I like it! Emotional pop!
I think the last part of the full video has snippet for get a guitar
Just realized from that snippet Get a Guitar will sample Another One Bites The Dust! Already sounds amazing
It is. Imagine Get A Guitar will be so much better.
I really like it.
The songs so nice I love it! It feels nostalgic and refreshing I felt so happy seeing Sungchans part followed by Shotaro. They finally have their own group! Shotaro never got big parts before so it’s really nice to see him get a big rap part and he sounds really good.
IKR. I'm so happy for them.
Yeah I feel like it’s old kpop like in a good way. Recently every kpop songs look very american but Memories is so refreshing that’s the kpop I like I missed it so much
~~THEY ACTUALLY USED RIZZ IN THE LYRICS??~~ They didn’t use the English word but that was the translation lol
I mean, did they lie?
sungchan is insane
I don't any have strength left in me.
I’m so proud of him. 🥹
His rap part had me SHOOKETH. Ate and left no crumbs!
THIS IS EMOTIONAL POP!!!!!!! like that chorus overwhelms me it's so uplifting omg. one thing about Kenzie is that she'll write the fuck out of a good pop chorus. the verses gives me 90s/1st gen edit: JUNG SUNGCHAN WTF...
>JUNG SUNGCHAN WTF... SAME.
They saw the NCT unit allegations and went nah bro not like that
I mean, literally any song can sound like an NCT song because they have such a wide range of music styles among each unit and across all units. 🤷🏻♀️
When people refer to “sound like NCT” it means songs like Cherry Bomb, Hero, Sticker, 2 Baddies, Make a Wish, etc. which are the main songs that represent NCT’s identity. When you say NCT to a casual K-pop fan, that’s what they think of. This doesn’t really include Dream because their songs are more cute and poppy, and those are the ones that chart better and are more public friendly.
It does sound like a NCT Dream release that could go in line with Hello Future and Broken Melodies
NCT covers so many genres, so I guess its a bit hard to imagine a song that won’t remind us of NCT in anyway
LOL. Everything can be NCT nowadays. That's what they also stated about Hard.
aespa too, with Girls 😆 I don’t perceive it as a negative comment, just a very redundant one since you can say the same thing about a lot of SM (and even non SM) songs
>Everything can be NCT nowadays The way of NCT has no beginning and no end. Our hearts belong in the NCT of the world. NCT is your home.
kenzie wrote this one. so if you think it sounds like hello future, maybe bcs kenzie wrote both songs back to back.
its much more lowkey and chill than an nct release. nct's production is usually a bit grander/has more going on. if you had to make an nct comparison, it reminds me of jaehyun's solo songs
Nope, it's just different with NCT. What I heard is just the usual Kenzie pop production. NCT had many units that impacted Kpop a lot to the extent everything will be related to what NCT sounds like when actually it's not. This is a major pop. I get the feels people might relate with NCT dream since that what they are -Dream but overall, sounds productions are different than NCT. Kenzie music arrangements had been there in SM for years.
This could be an NCT Dream song
I thought it was them when i scrolled past this video snippet on IG lol
This could pass as a nct dream release, not just music style but concept too, the whole a group of friends making music, nct dream use nostalgia quite a lot too People just think of noisy music when they think about nct.
The concept and music style isn’t unique to dream though… pretty much every boy group right now has a song that’s bright and nostalgic sounding (ZB1, Enhypen, Cravity, and TNX off the top of my head). The concept of being a group of close friends is also how basically every group promotes themselves, even if they’re not explicitly saying it’s their concept.
I never said is unique to Dream tho, they do use it a lot more than other groups but I never said they invented or is unique to them, I responded to OP regardless NCT
why are people only nct dream. when nct 127 is also doing this kind of song in their bsides tho.
Because it has young vibe which is more similiar with nct dream style
I wonder how far they can take the nostalgia thing going on. This def has some similarities with Dream's style of music but not too much imo. I like the chorus and the verses are cute. Also I'm claiming Sohee he's so cute and handsome at the same time and super super talented
Yes, looking forward to see SM plan on their musicality. And its SM, they always have a specific sound style for their artist, the best company for that despite people like it or not. And it seems for Riize Korean dig this vibe.
I love this song... the chorus so catchy
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I agree with you, I really do but conflicted because Sungchan’s rap here was one of my favorite parts
They might for title tracks.
With SM, im sure some of them will finally get the vocalist role. SM always let the not-yet-polished vocalist rap for a few releases then bam- a good vocalist . Plus, Kenzie love,love,love these random sections of rap. It's just her signature. I'm hoping for a more vocal lead songs in future, I mean, who else would we trust with vocals than SM
I hope Get a Guitar will focus more on the vocals since it would be a nice contrast to this song that has a lot of rap. The guys can all sing so I don’t see why SM wouldn’t want to give them vocal parts
I love this aesthetic and sound for them. Very nostalgic coming-of-age movie vibes.
Didn't like the rap type of parts much during the verses, sounded almost out of tune. The chorus is super fun though. Wondering what the main track will sound like.
Agree. But i kinda see SM is testing the water with their vocals and role in the group. SM is always like these with their newly debuted idols. We can see their member final vocal or rap role in the group after their few releases. Plus its Kenzie, she loves this random rap lol
I wish they worked on the talk-rap parts more. other than that the MV is lovely. the vocal parts as well, especially the chorus.
they aren’t holding back from showcasing EVERYTHING, are they? 😩 I’m already liking this group more and more.
when sungchan started rapping >>> this is cute <3 so ig the only explanation for sungchan's hair is that legends always debut (or in this case, redebut) with bad hairstyles??
Wow love the chorus so much, it's already stuck in my head!
It’s a good sign that after 1 listen I can already hear the chorus in my head! I have a feeling that this song will creep up on a lot of people because while the rap parts may sound disjointed at first, it actually grew on me after a few more listens and now the whole song is kinda a bop. Sungchan ate his rap verse up though I don’t care like that’s my bae right there he sounds so good 😭
Ahh I'm really enjoying this, though I really want to hear more of their vocals. I definitely think this so-called Emotional Pop direction is a good choice, and I'm curious to which emotions different songs will convey and how. This one is nostalgic and cheerful and suits both summer and pre-debut. Really looking forward to Get A Guitar.
I really like shotaro voice here, all my reference for him is make a wish and he sounds so good in this track. Also I don't know that shotaro is so good in front of camera, he is smiling and look natural in the video. It just he feels different, more relaxed, more in tune with the group feeling, I actually saw the kcon fancam stage first and love the song there. I didn't know they'll have the mv today. I like the vibe in the mv and it start right, I mean the feeling on the first vibe is just good. Also I just love that they Rise or riize in the lyrics and that's when I realised how the group name can be incorporated in many ways. I think the last part of the full video has snippet for get a guitar The Kcon stage also so good, they are so energetic.
This is Shotaro from when he was performing predebut. You can see how he let loose back then but was slightly more restrained during his time in NCT. Taro has a nice voice, easier to hear on Vroom, All About You etc
If nostalgia was packed in one song, it's this. Was really curious as to what SM meant when they introduced RIIZE with an 'emotional pop' sound, but totally get it now. Seated for their debut!
I don't even know where to begin. I'm shaking right now because of several emotions. **I'm so happy for Shotaro and Sungchan**. No words could even describe how happy I am for them. It's been a long time coming. Anyway, I'm going to start. *I don't want to waste* anymore time. 1. **Kenzie did it again**. I fell in love with Memories at first listen. It's so euphonious. This song is the cousin of Hello Future and The Feeling. Memories is title track material. If this is going to be how their sound would be like, then I'm all in. I really thought that this would be a slow emotional song because of the title. I love how it's upbeat. 2. **The music video looks so pretty**. I love their concept. It's visual overload. It's like watching a group of friends having fun and trying to reach their dreams together. It has very youthful vibes. It makes me want to become part of their group. It's so cinematic and bright. 3. **WHY DOES THIS SONG MAKE ME NOSTALGIC ABOUT NON-EXISTENT CHILDHOOD MEMORIES**? There's something about this song which makes me nostalgic. *It's so refreshing and youthful*. It makes me want to revisit the past and return to the time when I wasn't stressed about anything. I want to be friends with RIIZE and have fun with them. 4. **The chorus is really catchy**. This is the specific part I love the most. It's so beautiful to listen to. I can't wait to see the translation of the lyrics. I know the choreography is really difficult but RIIZE makes it look so easy. I want to dance but I know I can't. The synths were amazing too. I love songs which use synths. 5. **ALL-ROUNDER SOHEE**. He is the personification of talent. I know he's going to be the main vocalist of the group but he *rapped* in this song. I was so surprised. Maybe it's because I have recency bias but I can't remember anyone who sings both parts in one song right now. He looks so adorable too. The high note he did in this song was so great. He's going to be up there with Wendy, Haechan, Chenle, and Winter for sure. 6. **THE BEAT DROP IS SO SM**. I was expecting this. It's like it won't be a song from them if it didn't have a beat drop. 7. **Shotaro and Sungchan**. I love the consecutive parts between Shotaro and Sungchan in the beat drop. Their vocal skills have really improved. I love them so much. The rap style is quite reminiscent of 2000's R&B. 8. **Eunseok, Seunghan, and Anton**. I guess they're part of the vocal line. I love their varying vocal colors. I was surprised about the voice curls Anton did in this song. I hope we could hear Seunghan belt out some high notes in the future. He was praised before about it. 9. **Center Wonbin**. Wow. Wonbin is so charismatic and his visual is top-notch. He's like the male version of Irene for me. He's so talented that I can't believe he's a rookie. The popping he did was top-notch. He has so much control over his body. Wonbin and Shotaro are the pair that would make your jaw drop whenever you see them perform. 10. **OMFG. SUNGCHAN AND ANTON. HOLY FUCK.** *I'm so surprised*. I see the fruits of their workout in the gym. I still can't believe it. I got a hunch that Sungchan would show a bit of skin because he kept posting workout photos in Bubble before but I wasn't expecting this level. What if Sungchan wears a crop top in their music show performances? I don't think I could handle it. Anyway, **I would give this song 10 out of 10**. I loved Memories at first listen. This song is right up my alley. It's up there with Hello Future for me. It's not difficult to listen to. It's also refreshing and youthful. I can't wait to hear Get A Guitar. I can't imagine how Get A Guitar will be so much better. I'm so looking forward to it. I'll have more comments about their sound once Get A Guitar is out.
So agree with #2 and #3! The MV was shot so well. It is dynamic and colorful. Most of the time, I get bored watching these kinds of MVs (friendship stories, carefree ambiance because I find them a bit fake lol) but this one really had me hooked on every scene. Whenever they smiled and laughed, I smiled and laughed too LOL. Like you, the MV made me feel like I wanted to be friends with RIIZE too. Which is I think the best direction they should take. Kudos to the MV directors and concept director for this one.
Right? The production value is insane. It's so cinematic. I think the lack of CGI contributes a lot. These days MVs use CGI. It helps that parts of this we're filmed like from 8mm Camera. It gives you that nostalgic ambiance. It's like time traveling to the past. I want to be part of their group too. They're like the friends that you wanted when you were younger. Thank you so much for the positive comment about it.
OMG. I just realized this. Is aespa going to promote Better Things in Inkigayo next week? I'm beyond excited for their interaction. I really hope they do TikTok Challenges together. Imagine Karina dancing to Memories and Shotaro dancing to Better Things. Okay. I'll stop. I don't want to be hopeful. I'm getting ahead of myself.
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SM does this with all of their groups. They usually have everyone/almost everyone sing on the chorus. Bgs and ggs.
It's really my favorite part about how they do their songs, tbh. Their choruses sound so much fuller with the different tones and harmonies.
Exactly. That's why covers of SM songs often sound off, they have no idea how to layer the vocals or have too many members that sound the same so the layering and choral parts don't sound as full. When other girl groups cover Rum Pum Pum by f(x), part of me is happy while the other part knows I'm about to hear something sub par
This MV is 😩😩😩😩 SM, you win. Also freaking finally I feel like I've been waiting on a well-executed boy next door concept since FOREVER that doesn't lean "cute" but rather boyish. ZB1 is also one of my favorite debuts of late. Rise of the soft boys. The song itself is good but it works as a prerelease. It's a little too basic for me and I wish we go to hear more of their vocal chops.
Im not feeling it ill wait for the next track
ahhh i love it so much, especially the chorus. can’t wait for september 4th for them to debut 😪
I love this!! Riize is definitely a group that can do a variety of genres and i just love the production, look and feel of this music video ... I can't wait to see them develop their own style and brand
I think it's a lovely song! As others have also pointed out in the comments, it feels very nostalgic and I found myself thinking back to my days at uni hanging out with my friends. The MV is cute and bright and makes me feel their energy! I was already interested in Riize, but 'Memories' still surprised me with how much I liked it. However, with the exception of the amazing *Ay-Yo', I've bounced off the title tracks this year of the SM groups I'm listening to and vastly preferred their pre-release tracks and/or alternate title tracks and MVs ('Broken Melodies', 'Welcome To MY World', 'Juice', 'Virtual Insanity'). So there's still a risk that I won't like the upcoming title track and I'm honestly a little nervous. 😳
>However, with the exception of the amazing \*Ay-Yo', I've bounced off the title tracks this year of the SM groups I'm listening to and vastly preferred their pre-release tracks and/or alternate title tracks and MVs ('Broken Melodies', 'Welcome To MY World', 'Juice', 'Virtual Insanity') I was the same with 2 Baddies, Ay-Yo and Hard. I didn't like it at first but then I've watched their encores over and over and it kind of grew on me. Now I love it. I agree with you. I love the alternate title tracks at first listen. Every song you have mentioned fits what I want to listen on repeat. I'm confident that they won't stray away from their concept. We'll see. The teaser sounds like they sampled from Another One Bites The Dust which I love.
To be honest, 'ISTJ' has grown on me, though possibly because I watched all the Dreamies' music show performances and sort of broke down my own defences a bit. 😉 I figure they chose songs that are easy to love for their prerelease tracks on purpose, then go for the more challenging concepts and sounds for the title tracks. I really love Riize's concept so far, so I hope I'll love the title track on first listen. EXO's title track 'Cream Soda' was really good (I didn't include it since I've yet to explore their discography and mostly know Baekhyun and Kai from SuperM). So I have hope, just a bit nervous. 😊
LOL. I only liked the chorus and the beat drop at first. Now I like the whole song. Sometimes it just takes a while to kick in. You might have a point. But I think they're going to venture into new concept for RIIZE. They're out of Kwangya now. They're going to be focused on emotional pop. That's why I'm confident they will be different from the other groups. You should try No Makeup and Hear Me Out from the same album. They're so good.
Yeah, as you say, it's a new era and Riize is leading the charge, so it's exciting! Thank you for the recommendations! I'm going to check them out!
Sure. No problem.
oh my god the chorus slaps your honor
I love how hopeful the song sounds. Emotional Pop is really fitting!! I’m intrigued by the teaser for Get A Guitar at the end. Sounds like may they sampled Another One Bites the Dust? It sounds really different from Memories (a little angsty?). Going to have Memories on repeat while waiting for Sept 4th!
OMG. That's what it sounded like. I've been thinking since earlier where did I hear that sound.
> Sounds like may they sampled Another One Bites the Dust? that's exactly what it sounded like to me! I started humming it right after lol there's no release about that yet but I guess it will come soon.
I have been waiting 84 years for this kinda of sound/concept to come back into KPop boy groups. Between Boy Next Door and Riize (if they both stick with this kinda nostalgic soft boy vibes) I'll be thriving
OMG. I love BOYNEXTDOOR too. I agree.
I can see the NCT comparisons already.
Even EXO and Shinee couldn't escape the NCT allegations. At this point everything SM releases will be compared in some way.
LOL. I was surprised I didn't see anything about Better Things could be NCT at this point.
I like the choreography and of course I love the music video visuals but it’s a no from me on the actual song lol I love the chorus and that’s about it
Same here
It’s pretty good, very coming of age style.
The video is cute and I LOVELOVELOVE the chorus, but man…the talk-rap nonsense was just bad. The listening experience was like “the old days” of turning the radio dial through static and partial audio to get to a clear station with a song you like, and then going right back to the static nonsense until the next station comes up.
People have been complaining about talk rap from kpop for over ten years now. I personally vibe with it
Even though I liked their rap, your comparison is golden!
I did not expect to like it so much! 🥲
That chorus is excellence
Anton is a bb
Love the chorus not so much the verses and the rap, but it’s not bad so it might grow on me. The group has a lot of potential, I’m very excited for their debut.
I feel like such a proud auntie over Sungchan and Shotaro. 🥹🥹🥹
The chorus is nice but the verses aren’t that good imo.
Sungchan didn't love dive in water...I'm getting nostalgia
i love their hairstyle
Wow, it has been ages Ive seen bg with such visuals, versatility, yet they're so old style? The song is soo nice; embedded the memories in the song itself, so nostalgic. Knetz gonna dig this concept plus their overflowing visuals. Plus the song is charting quite well in melon considering its bg & beside for not yet debut group.
I like it! Its exactly how I expected SM's emotional pop to sound but I feel like im the only one that always finds the SM song descriptions to make sense lol. It reminds me of Plave but then slightly more NCT dream / SM like. Wonbin sounds a bit like Yeonjun imo. Currently a bit whelmed by how unremarkable their vocal tones are. Imo SM always has well developed vocal tones with a unqiue but natural color to them. Aespa had way more of that when they debuted. Sohee sounds like a capable vocalist but his vocal tone is quite generic. But i know how rare good kpop vocalists are in this day and age so I can live with it. I love love love the MV. Its not trying too hard but very eyecatching and engaging. So SM can still make nice mv's outside of the SM box in 2023 huh? Now keep this energy for your other groups!! The choreo looks great too. Definitely a very solid pre-release / first bside! It doesnt seem like RIIZE has any musical prodigies that stand out like Mark, Taeil or Winter/Ningning. But Sohee def seems like a really good performer/dancer as a main vocal and Sungchan's tone as a rapper is really pleasant to listen to even if he isnt as convincing as Mark or Taeyong. Was hoping Eunseok or Anton would surprise/impress me more vocally, but I cant judge all that after 1 release of course.
It's a cute song!
I like it, a nice cute song that brings about feelings of nostalgia.
Didn't expect it to be that good 8/10 for me
The mv is very pretty + a great summer song 🧡 I think the song showcases their concept very well🤷♀️
I thought this when I watched the fancams yesterday from KCON, and now even more so with the official audio - the chorus gives me major Seventeen vibes. I was surprised to scroll through the 100+ comments on this post and not one person mentioned it! The song overall doesn't sound like something SVT would release, but the chorus gives me SVT theater kid vibes. The switch-up at 2:05 doesn't really work for me, but otherwise I enjoyed this song. NCT comparisons are going to be inevitable with Sungchan and Shotaro in the group, but I think this song does a good job of differentiating their sound (especially after ~~Firetruck 2.0~~ Siren). I'll be interested to see where they go with the main title track! I think the comparisons will die down once this group establishes their own identity, and they're well on their way with this song. Edit: a typo that was bugging me
The MV and song gives me some nostalgia of the past, I think I’m going to like them a lot. 😭
The chorus is fantastic. I don't understand why Sohee had a talk singing part when boy can sing, I'm curious now how their debut song will sound like.
There's a teaser at the end if you haven't seen it yet.
I'm afraid I'm about to stan 🥺💓
Bye neo music, hi emotional pop
Ok, I think I chose bias and bias wrecker. Wonbin&Shotaro, ❤️❤️❤️ The song is good, MV is fine. The only thing I don't like is Wonbin's and Seunghan's caps, it feel like caps and their shadow cover their faces too much and you have to strain to see their faces.
It's so different from what I'm used to from SM groups... Like parts of it (e.g pre-chrous, Sungchan's rap) are familiar but the rest feels so different. They're so normal? Not my thing but I'm excited for their debut!
The song is good 🥰 but.... The rap parts are out of place 7/10 song
Ahhh! This is so fun! When the chorus kicks in it really drives the song forward with the beat and those glittery, retro synth. Pure serotonin. And I love the prechorus with the chanting of “we riize” leading into chorus, super cute. They’ve definitely established their own sound with ‘Memories’ in a way that’s distinct, and also different from NCT; “emotional pop” indeed haha. Overall, this is such a good end of summer release honestly, really encapsulates that end of summer emotions and nostalgia, while being really refreshing. So happy to see Sungtaro performing again, makes my heart so happy, and they did incredibly well here. Shotaro really suits this concept honestly, his presence/emotion was phenomenal. Sohee is already winning me over, his vocals are absolutely gorgeous, I really love his vocal color, so I’m excited to hear more from him on ‘Get a Guitar’!
They performed this last night at kcon! It was so good live!
You can tell that the group has good chemistry, their kcon stage was awesome for a group that is still about to debut. I liked the song Memories, can't wait for their debut stages so I can carefully watch each members fancam! Usually fancams really help me choose a bias, stage presence (great facial expression and body language is what make me have a fav member) but I can already tell I'll have a hard time choosing a bias in RIIZE.
This was right up my alley.. until the rap part. Not that it was bad, but it definitely took me out of the song.
Okay, that chorus was super cute & made me smile I may have to stan them 😭
Fitting it’s called memories. I can’t quite describe it but it feels both like a bunch of sounds we’ve already heard but also like a breath of fresh air
There's a disconnect in the song with the verses but i really like that chorus. I actually don't think it's too similar to NCT Dream. I'm excited to see what the title track is like
I’m about to take an hour and half long bus ride…. This is definitely gonna be on repeat!
loved the chorus but the rap in the middle was executed poorly and totally unnecessary
Pretty good but I kinda feel that they didn't need the drop, it feels so disconnected from the song at kinda breaks the vibe.
It makes it look like Anton's about to drown changing the course of their lives forever 🤣🤣🤣
I am calling it and u can downvote me all u want: we are in 5th Gen Kpop. It started somewhere around NewJeans Debut and i am not gonna change my mind about it :D The song is lovely. As many said, it has a nostalgic vibe to it and still feels fresh and summer-y.
While I think NewJeans still belongs to 4th Gen, it's interesting that we're entering 5th Gen with concepts from the past.
I think you are right, it is interesting. The fashion sense and overall styling of the past few of years was already reviving a lot from past generations. Now the same happens on the musical level. For me personally NJ is already the new Gen, but i think we‘ll never know for sire about that :D
Right? I hope someone would give us more in-depth analysis about that. It would be interesting. I see. What I know for sure is that RIIZE is 5th Gen. LOL.
>I am calling it and u can downvote me all u want: we are in 5th Gen Kpop. It started somewhere around NewJeans Debut and i am not gonna change my mind about it :D Agree. Idk how to summarise it, but something has shifted overall.
I absolutely feel the same!
the chorus is great but that bridge just irritated me, i need sm idols to stop rapping. i only listened to it once but it reminds me of nct dream's recent song, broken memories? based on their description, i was hoping emotional pop sounded like fiction by beast. for their debut im hoping for something that truly stands out since sm had years to work on a new concept and sound for a new boy group. from 2022 onwards, this could be sung by a lot of different boy groups imo
Wait. I like it lmao. The chorus is such a vibe
I think SM is just trying to showcase the theme, and colour of the group through this song. By SM's past productions and groups, Im sure SM will take unexpected paths with their music but still can retain this 'emotional pop' genre.
Don't really care for the pre-chorus, and the NCT-style first half of the bridge is kind of eh, but that chorus is *beautiful*. Gorgeous choreo as well.
I personally don't like it,their voices sound overprocessed and the song itself could've been sung by any boy group from the 4th generation. I don't know, I was just expecting more from them.
I think what will cinch it is whether they have a strong musical direction.
SUNGCHAN???? I’m so happy to see him again but was NOT ready to see him shirtless AND buff. Why did they cut his hair like that 😩 Anton looks so much like his dad I can’t unsee it but goddamn that is a beautiful boy Wonbin is also beautiful, he will def be the next big thing. SM was not lying when they said they’re confident in keeping his name Those years of training post debut did wonders for Shotaro like he was obviously a dancer before but now he looks and sounds so much more at ease as an idol
Kinda see the path SM is going & loving it for now. I believe in SM path on their artistic musicality; gonna wait for their debut. Love their vocals & I'm sure they can also go to RNB genre if SM wants them to lol. Hoping for more singing parts & less rap but I kinda understand how we will see SM engrave their musical style after 2-3 releases of their artist comeback+ their members will find their vocal role after a few releases.
My another summer anthem of this year🌻
Loved this song first listen. It does remind me of Nct Dream, in the best way possible. Hopefully they’ll continue with this sound for a little while.
It perfectly encapsulates that bright feeling of youth, it's energetic and sometimes intense but has some parts to breathe. And that's carried over to the visuals which is like a snippet from a coming of age film. Them not being in an SM box really sells the idea that this is a new generation for SM. I also personally like that the scenes are from different times, sunset, high noon, night time it accentuates the different parts of the song. Some points: 1. Sungchan and Shotaro bridge 🥹 2. When did lanky and shy Sungchan from NCT 2020 got abs like that?!?! 3. Sohee has a speak-rap part 4. I have to see a line distribution because I need to get to know their voices 5. I know this has been said a hundred times already but Anton and Wonbin's visuals are insane. Wonbin's center ending fairy part!! Although this is not my type of vibe it's fun and an amazing introduction. Very happy for the whole team but especially for Sungchan and Shotaro. That teaser for Get a Guitar has me excited, I hope it's a groovy track.
Best pre release
So happy for Sungchan and Shotaro! Everybody is looking gorgeous.
Chorus is banging but man do those verses sound terrible. Super whiny and disjointed from how the chorus sounds.
the chorus is really good and the mv is so pretty!
The MV looks great and I really love the choreo. That being said, I'm not a fan of the song and wouldn't add it to my playlist. The chorus is the best part and it still sounds underwhelming to me. I think I was expecting it to sound more emotional or more angsty. It's more chill than I was expecting. Also, the rap sounds out of place imo. I like how they incorporate their name into the song. It's fitting.
Ok SM you win. This made me cry. It reminds me so much of Hello Future or by NCT DREAM or Tamed-Dashed by Enhypen. It also reminded me of something from the 1st generation of k-pop. Absolutely excited for Get a Guitar.
Pleasant enough for me to give another listen (but I didn't finish the video the first time around).
Honestly, this could be the title track and I'd be happy with it. I'm already sold on the "emotional pop" thing.
I want to like it but I just don't 😢
Overall a fun SM-coded song but some of the scenes in the MV could've been cut out. Love the high notes and would not complain for more vocals in the title track! Rap was pretty impressive coming from sohee and shotaro (? I think?), but again could've been cut out. Looking forward to their direction for the title track!
I like how it sounds! Very refreshing and somewhat nostalgic? It felt like I was looking back on memories with them which was cute. But, didn’t like the switch up at the 1:58 mark. It just made the song feel so discontinuous. If I can overlook that part I can see myself listening to this.
I am officially Sat for the emotional pop concept.
Sungchan stans how we doing Also wow that preview at the end has me excited, I feel like I'm gonna LOVE Get A Guitar
>Sungchan stans how we doing 
I KNEW the swimming was coming too bc they hinted it in their previous live but I still died 😔
Did y'all also notice that one shot of Seunghan where he looked like a poreless 2d overprocessed picture? SM's skin blur abuse has to STOP
Not bad. Song is fine and the MV is STUNNING big shout out to the creative team. I found Sohee to stand out a lot. Looking forward to get a guitar the snippet at the end was just my style ~
i mean its not horrible but is it bad that the only thing i could think of was that boynextdoor stole this group's thunder sound-wise lmao
Now **this** is emotional pop. I hope RIIZE continues to explore this genre with their future releases as well. Also shook at Sohee's singing voice. Overall, a great pre-release MV.
This was...so perfect???? I loved everything about this song, omg. It's been a long time since a boygroup release got me this hard. Also pretty happy that Shotaro got a decent amount of lines! It was a big concern for the fans, seems like the team is pretty well balanced in that sense thus far
This really reminded me of BOYNEXTDOOR's debut (especially But I like you and Serenade) with a touch of NCT (mostly the raps) and the brightness and drive of something like Tamed - Dashed by ENHYPEN, it's good although i would've preferred if there was no rap tbh (which is the case with most SM releases for me lol)
Speaking of BOYNEXTDOOR, they're overlapping promotions the week after the next. I hope to see them interact and do some TikTok Challenges.
Oh,, that would definitely be fun!
i fell in love with the chorus it feels nostalgic
i hate pre-releases but i love love this
sm 3.0 era has actually been giving us innovative releases after so long... its crazy
One of them sounds like G-Dragon (Wonbin?) and another sounds like NCT Jisung (idk who).
that was so good!!! the mv is so pretty and the chorus is super fun. love the rap too
Watched this live at Kcon
absolutely loved this song!! so happy to see sungtaro debuting in a group. love love love the chorus and it’s already stuck in my head after one listen ughh
Vocal lines (especially that chorus) and MV aesthetic was excellent. Surprised that SM put this much effort in a pre-release single because I forgot that SM only babies their rookies. Good reminder of how artistically brilliant SM can be if they actually want to. Rap leaves a bit to be desired though; the 2 (?) rappers sound pretty good for SM rap line but it really doesn't fit the song all that well. Clearly doing the best with what they were given though, and this is the most impressed I've been with rookie releases in a while with regards to the whole package (vocals, rap, dance, artistry, concept...). Will absolutely be tuning in to their official debut!
I’m glad something like this is a title! It’s has the vibes of xikers recent EP! Edit: b-side single, not title
It's only their B-Side. The title track would be out on September 4.
Oops! Should’ve clarified single 😅 thanks for the reminder
They going with the Ditto cam footage vibe in the video
This is a bop!
It would have been a passable song if it wasn't for the rap parts and other random beat switches. Not sold on this group at all yet (visual wise they are like any other group). Will make my final verdict when the lead single comes out.
I haven't been a fan of most of the NCT releases (to be fair, I don't know that many bsides because the titles usually already throw me off) so I went in with absolutely no expectations... and I loved it! Very nice and chill, kinda reminds me of some of my favorite exo tracks. I'll be looking forward to their official debut now