I’ve always appreciated Woollim Entertainment’s ability to curate music that stays true to its artists’ personas. While so many others rush to jump on whatever’s popular at the moment, a group like Lovelyz slowly but surely crafts a cohesive discography that feels like an intentional body of work rather than a ‘try everything and see what sticks’ approach. One could argue that this results in unadventurous or reductive music, but Woollim’s classicist touch has proven to stand the test of time. More importantly, their focus helps create a dedicated (if somewhat limited) fan base.
When it comes to Lovelyz, you can count me among those fans. Ever since their 2014 debut, I’ve appreciated their sometimes-cutesy, sometimes-elegant retro-styled synth pop. New single Beautiful Days (그 시절 우리가 사랑했던 우리) feels like a throwback to their debut era, bolstered by the kind of refined performance that only time can forge. It’s hard to call a dance track “subdued,” but Days has a breezy, dreamlike quality that comes across as very natural — if not immediately galvanizing in the way of the group’s most iconic work.
Beautiful Days is positioned more as a victory lap than a statement of intent. Its wistful chorus feels ripped from any number of past singles, as does the synth-heavy, light-as-air production. But, we’re retreading excellent territory here. I love that the song’s club-ready beat sustains through nearly the entire track, pausing only for a lush bridge that showcases the lower registers of the members’ vocals. This cohesive tempo reminds me of a simpler time in pop music, and results in a sneakily compelling production. Beautiful Days may not pack the punch that some might have been hoping for, but it’s another solid addition to an incredibly distinct singles run.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.5 |
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The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
You said everything that I was thinking and more, Nick! I love this song so, so much, and I think that I like it even more than Lost N Found. Even though there are so many unique elements at play in the instrumental, the music flows with their vocals so prettily. I’ll never get tired of Lovelyz’s signature sound.
Have you been able to listen to the album yet? It’s super solid from start to finish, and there’s even a song composed by both Genie’s composer and e.one! I don’t know how the K-pop gods lined that one up, but I’m not complaining.
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Yes, Close To You is great! Hopefully these producers will becomes staples within Woollim (along with Sweetune, of course).
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What are your thoughts on the B-side “Close to you”?
I personally think it would have been a Stellar title track compared to this!
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It’s a great song! Definitely a dream team of producers, though it sounds more public friendly than the very Lovelyz-esque title track. Not sure whether that’s an asset or a hindrance, but I like it just the same.
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Surely time for a Lovelyz top 10?
I like this a lot but its made me realise how much I like Lost N Found. That song grew on me so much that it may rattle my top 3.
The sound here is great but the chorus isn’t immediate. It is wonderfully arranged though.
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I’ve already got a top ten singles list for them, though it needs to be updated!
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Maybe that needs to be updated too 😉
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I always marvel at Spacecowboy’s arrangement skills, but (to me) Yoon Sang has always had the ear for pop melody in OnePiece, so as an Ah-Choo supremacist I miss his presence on Lovelyz’ most recent titles.
That said, Lost N Found grew on me as I got used to the twisty-turvy melody, and this one feels a lot more immediate to me. Probably because the phrasing of the vocal melody is in a very melancholic, smoothly-connected style, while Lost N Found has the same classic feel but jumps around quite a bit more. Overall, I feel like “Beautiful Days” is definitely on-form Lovelyz – stately, highly commendable writing; I’m jealous of Spacecowboy’s arrangement talent – but not outstanding Lovelyz. Of course, Lovelyz >>>> most groups, so “Beautiful Days” also >>>> most songs, but still. This group really gave us “Ah-Choo” AND “Destiny” AND “Candy Jelly Love” AND “Hi~” AND “That Day” AND “WoW” AND “The” AND…. you get the point. They set the bar high!
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First Oh My Girl and now Lovelyz coming at us with the harmonically interesting bridges this year. Can’t say I’m complaining. The transition into the final chorus is the highlight of the song for me, because we get a truly interesting situation – a C# melodic line on top of an F in the bass. Harmonic tension, yay! Then it goes straight into G minor… in a way that doesn’t feel at all forced. Lovelyz of course is no stranger to playing around with keys and chords. It’s part of the reason why I love them so much. I don’t know yet if this will become one of my favorite Lovelyz songs, because pretty much all their songs are great, but it’s another solid entry to their discography!
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