Of all the newly debuted girl groups, TS Entertainment’s Sonamoo has mostly passed me by. I found their debut underwhelming, but thought Cushion was a step in the right direction, at least melodically. With I Like U Too Much (넘나 좋은 것), they’ve assimilated into the current cutesy trend, losing some of their identity along the way. Even so, the song has its moments.

Specifically, it has one fantastic moment. The chorus is divided into two parts. The first half is standard girly pop melody, but quickly gives way to a funkier, attitude-infused refrain. Had the whole song been built around the sound of this particular hook, I’d be absolutely raving. It’s a brilliant distillation of what the group should really be — light and bouncy, but with a bit of edge. As it stands, this hook is enough to keep the track above water, but everything that surrounds it is nothing particularly special. The instrumental leans heavily toward fairytale string sections with just a hint of guitar. It keeps a bright energy throughout, avoiding the urge to go fully saccharine. I just wish it had more impact.

And therein lies the problem. It’s hard to feel anything about this track. There’s definitely nothing to hate, but it doesn’t really beg for repeated listens either. Sonamoo have shown us that they can pull off a more hip-hop influenced concept, and I really think that veering edgier would help them make a name for themselves. I Like U Too Much certainly isn’t going to do it, though it’s a pleasant enough summer diversion.