Korean comebacks from individual members of 2PM can sometimes seem superfluous. This isn’t because they’re unwelcome, but because they’re often re-releases of already existing Japanese material. The guys are so popular in the j-pop world that their most exciting material tends to be released internationally. Such is the case with Going Going, which was originally a b-side track on Wooyoung’s 2017 Japanese album. Even before the song was given this music video treatment, I much preferred it to the aural headache that was Party Shots. I’m glad that it’s finally receiving the spotlight it deserves, even if it’s only a pre-release before next week’s full comeback.

Going Going‘s instrumental takes its cues from one of my favorite pop eras — the late 80’s/early 90’s New Jack Swing movement. And as a recreation of that signature sound, the track feels suitably authentic. Its staccato drum beats add a welcome dose of funk that provides a dynamic base for the retro synths and rhythm guitar that flesh out the arrangement. I particularly love the spiraling fills that bookend the chorus, which act as mini breakdowns that keep the beat from feeling too staid.

As a laid-back piece of funk-driven dance pop, Going Going doesn’t push too far when it comes to melody. Wooyoung is not one of 2pm’s powerhouse vocals, but he possesses an impish charm that works well on a song like this. The breezy chorus is eminently hummable, even if it lacks ambition. But this isn’t a song trying to be anything more than a good time. And in these brooding, ballad-heavy winter months, that’s a very welcome sentiment.

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