Song Review: NEWJEANS Make A Comeback With "How Sweet" And ALEXA Comes Back With "I'm okay"

NewJeans (뉴진스) - How Sweet 

Review 

"How Sweet" is distinctively NewJeans, to the point that I had to search to make sure it was a new track and not something that I had already heard before. Apparently, their company decided to go the easy way and have the group copying and repeating themselves, creating a formula, or an algorithm, that produces the so-called NewJeans sound. I forgive them at first because I thought it was nice they were trying to carve a new niche for themselves and create something unique from where they could showcase their unique identity, but it has been 2 years already and all their songs still sound exactly the same. 

Musically the song is a unique blend of super-mellow, retro-90s, hip-hop with R&B, infused with Miami bass influences. The music video transports the viewers to a nostalgic, 1980s world as the quintet's car breaks down on the road, but nothing really interesting happens in course with the group's ultra-laidback attitude. Director Shin Woo-seok invites viewers to see the world through fresh eyes, with subtle animated characters adding an extra layer of whimsy and magic that end up stealing the show, leaving the girls as secondary characters in their own music video. 

Lyrically, "How Sweet" celebrates the simple joys of youth, with its addictive hook, but again nothing is exceptionally memorable. As for the choreography, it feels even more laidback than usual, as if that is even possible. The only positive thing is the duration of the track, which is at least decent and the song feels like a proper song and not an extended commercial jingle, like most their previous releases. Which is also weird, because the MV must be also a Coca Cola commercial, judging from the many shots that their logo is shown clearly. 

Release Info & Mini Bio 

NewJeans, is a five-member girl group under ADOR (still an independent label under HYBE). The group made its debut on July 22, 2022, with the digital single "Attention" as a pre-release to their debut EP album "New Jeans" which came out on August 1, 2022. NewJeans made a comeback today on May 24, 2024 with their second single album "How Sweet" and the the song "How Sweet" as the single's title track. The album will contain two tracks and the instrumental versions of them, of which the other track "Bubble Gum" has been pre-released on April 27, 2024, and the physical release in eleven versions: six Bunny Beach Bag CD Versions (NewJeans Ver.,Minji Ver.,Hanni Ver.,Danielle Ver.,Haerin Ver.,Hyein Ver.), two CD The POWERPUFF GIRLS X NJ Box versions (A and B version) and three Weverse Album versions. This album is the follow-up to the group's second EP "Get Up" that was released on July 21, 2023, although in the meantime they released the amazing English OST single "Gods" as the theme song for the 2023 League of Legends World Championship.

Track list

1. "How Sweet" 
2. "Bubble Gum" 
3. "How Sweet (Instrumental)" 
4. "Bubble Gum (Instrumental)" 

AleXa (알렉사) – I'm okay 

Release Info & Mini Bio

AleXa, the Korean-American solo artist under ZB Label that debuted on October 21, 2019 with the digital single "Bomb", released her new, eighth, digital single today on May 24, 2024 titled "I'm okay" as the follow-up to her seventh digital single "Sick" that was released on February 23, 2024. 

Review

"I'm Okay" is a powerful pop-rock, retro-90s anthem that addresses mental health struggles and aims to break the silence surrounding these issues, especially in conservative countries like Korea in which those issues are pretty much still a taboo. Alexa, who herself battles with bipolar disorder, infuses the song with honesty and vulnerability, creating an emotionally charged statement of compassion and care for those facing mental health challenges. It encourages the listeners to shatter judgments and shame associated with mental health and embark on a journey of hope and healing.