Review

Song Review: Oh My Girl – Dun Dun Dance

Oh My Girl - Dun Dun DanceThis past weekend, I wrote a few thoughts about the current state of K-pop’s girl group landscape. And, Oh My Girl are the antidote to almost every gripe I have. They consistently offer strong vocals, quirky, unique songs and a sound that’s all their own. With last year’s Nonstop and Dolphin, they were finally rewarded for the quality of their discography. Due to this boost in popularity, Dun Dun Dance arrives with heightened expectations. I’m not sure it lives up to the hype, but the song slots nicely within their strong singles run.

Like so many tracks this past year, Dun Dun Dance has an obvious city pop influence. In this case, the genre’s tropes form a component rather than the overarching theme, but I fear they drag down the energy. This dance track could do with an extra kick. It’s breezy and chill, yet seems to long for a more effusive spirit. This is compounded by a number of unnecessary trap-rap breaks, which interrupt the flow and give the track a stop/start structure at odds with its disco-lite beat. Past songs like Knock Knock or YooA’s Diver struck a more satisfying balance.

Even so, Dun Dun Dance is an inoffensive, enjoyable slice of summertime pop. Its chorus bounds with optimism and will likely become an earworm over time. I was initially unimpressed with Nonstop, and that song turned out to have incredible staying power. But, I’m not hearing a world-conquering, Dolphin-esque hook within Dun Dun Dance’s limited arsenal. Instead, the track plays as musical salve – cheerful and healing but not particularly compelling.

 Hooks 8
 Production 8
 Longevity 9
 Bias 8
 RATING 8.25

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44 thoughts on “Song Review: Oh My Girl – Dun Dun Dance

  1. This mini-album is spectacular. You won’t find the best song OMG has released, but you will find six slices of “Thank you, sir. May I have another?”. 2021 has finally given me a mini-album where I want to listen to every track over and over. I should’ve figured that OMG would deliver.

    My initial assessment of “Dear OHMYGIRL”:

    01. (*02) – Dun Dun Dance: Very charming song. Neither their best, nor their worst. A very welcome addition to my playlists.
    02. (*03) – Dear You: A good easy listening piece. The verses seem to pale compared to the lush chorus, but it’s still cohesive.
    03. (*01) – My Doll (Hello, Play In Your Dreams): Absolutely LOVE this song. This probably won’t get as much attention as the rest of the release, but damn.. ..it bulls-eyed me instantly.
    04. (*06) – Quest: Definitely dripping with IU vibes and would slot comfortably on any release by her. A good listen.
    05. (*04) – Invitation: Best word to describe this is “groovy”. Good vocal work in this one.
    06. (*05) – Swan: Almost has a high school musical vibe, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

    * = Order of my favorite tracks, but the difference from 1 to 6 is not that far as I had to wrestle the order quite a bit. Really happy with the whole release.

    Ref (My Doll): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoDUJV9f5kc

    Liked by 6 people

  2. I like that the song doesn’t take itself seriously. They look like they’re just having fun. But like you said, a little too much trap breakdowns, but I don’t think it affects the song that much. At least an 8.5/10 for me.

    (The mini album is NICE, 6 solid tracks, I enjoy Dear You and Swan the most.)

    Liked by 5 people

  3. Apart from the really off putting rap breaks, I’ve come to a conclusion that my problem with Oh My Girl is that their songs have too much unison.

    I really liked the ideas in teaser intro, somebody should make a song out of this.

    Liked by 2 people

    • All of the intros were great in their own way. Some could’ve been fantastic full releases. Here are the six intros for each track on Dear OMYGIRL; listed in the order they were released:

      Dear OHMYGIRL, Track Film 1: Hi! My stranger:
      Representative song from Dear OMYGIRL: “Invitation (Who Comes Who Knows)” – Track 5
      Focus: Ji Ho
      Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLX5lS6m_5I

      Should’ve been a full song? Hell yes! This could’ve been such an impactful/soulful piece. I can imagine all of them pouring their talents into something emotional and resonant. Ji Ho has always been beautiful, but they went the sultry look with her makeup and I almost didn’t recognize her. I very much approve of this new styling (pops eyes back in sockets/rolls tongue back in mouth/plugs nose bleed).

      ——————————————-

      Dear OHMYGIRL, Track Film 2: To. My spring, You’ll have a dense forest.:
      Representative song from Dear OMYGIRL: “Dear You” – Track 2
      Focus: Arin
      Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsFe6xX4ZPg

      Should’ve been a full song? Meh. It’s a little too Sci-Fi OST for my tastes. I love lush synth pads, but melding them with OMG needs special effort; which they’ve pulled off well numerous times in past offerings. I was never focused on Arin during OMGs early years. I recognized her as the maknae, so I didn’t fire up the XY’s to see her in “that” way; but man, she has matured into a stunning woman.

      ——————————————-

      Dear OHMYGIRL, Track Film 3: My Lovely rival. Power up my best player:
      Representative song from Dear OMYGIRL: “Quest” – Track 4
      Focus: Mimi / Seung Hee
      Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEKLvQ7jQXc

      Should’ve been a full song? Hell yes! Many wanted more quirk. This sampler is brimming with it. This could’ve been my favorite track if fully fleshed out. Seung Hee is completely owning the mid-length pink hair this cycle. Mimi is maintaining her flair and charisma.

      ——————————————-

      Dear OHMYGIRL, Track Film 4: My little confession.:
      Representative song from Dear OMYGIRL: “Swan” – Track 6
      Focus: Binnie
      Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JOPuVmMKtg

      Should’ve been a full song? Yep. This “could” have been a better song than Dun Dun Dance; provisionally. It would’ve lost the summer vibe, but it would have made up for that with a thick dance floor pulse. May I add that Binnie is heart-stopping gorgeous in this.

      ——————————————-

      Dear OHMYGIRL, Track Film 5: We are all weird, a little bit like stranger pretending to be a human.:
      Representative song from Dear OMYGIRL: “Dun Dun Dance” – Track 1
      Focus: YooA
      Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYlCG8Uv-74

      Should’ve been a full song? Yep. Slow, but not a ballad. Cute, but not aegyo. Might have been a good exploration of their vocal charms if they keep the instrumentation in the background. Always nice to see my bias.

      ——————————————-

      Dear OHMYGIRL, Track Film 6: Oh. I’m so sorry. Play with me in the dream.:
      Representative song from Dear OMYGIRL: “My Doll (Hello, Play In Your Dreams)” – Track 3
      Focus: HyoJung
      Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0XZ8G3ywN4

      Should’ve been a full song? Meh. Another sampler with Sci-Fi OST feelz. This is not a reflection on HyoJung, whom I am really starting to appreciate more and more.

      ——————————————-

      Liked by 1 person

  4. I’m slightly disappointed about this single because I had such high hopes this would a spectacular blending of city pop and Oh My Girl’s signature fantasy elements. Unfortunately, my favorite part of the orchestral arrangement (there’s a descending bell line that gets built upon when it reoccurs) is buried under Mimi’s pre-chorus rap. I really wish the top liner had given that section a stronger melody. I wish the raps didn’t interrupt literally every section of this song, hahaha.

    My other grip is that Binnie’s first line and Mimi’s second verse rap all start off with the BTS Dynamite cadence. So, no, thank you, haha.

    The song has def already grown on me because the Dun Dun hook is really good. There’s no denying. That little melody stuck in my head from the first teasers. I wanted a few more lifts of epic in this song.

    I love the group shouts/ad-libs and Seunghee’s scoop note. Actually most of the members shine in their own way. Yooa sounds really good; her solo EP and other promotions have really elevated her to an all-around A-list star level. I feel like her performance persona (on mic/on camera) reflects this in the best ways,

    Mimi’s raps would be amazing if placed correctly.
    I feel like Seunghee’s, and Hyojung’s power vocals are way underutilized.

    I don’t know why but the whole album really feels like the sort of material a solo artist, like Taeyeon, might release.
    I’m going to enjoy this comeback and promotion – but it will take me a minute to get over my gripes with the song.

    Liked by 3 people

    • In my comment on Dun Dun Dance, I said it’s neither their best, nor their worst. I didn’t go into the specifics for that assessment. You did.. ..and you nailed it on every single point. Mimi was over-utilized / Hyo Jung was under-utilized; as was Ji Ho. YooA is my bias, but she went a little too nasal in her delivery in this; she completely pierces me when she sticks to her breathy lower register. Binnie was did a great job, but can you ever really get enough of her. Then there’s my delightful problem child Seung Hee. I swear they didn’t need lights on the set with her around. Arin is really starting to carve her own niche in each new release and I approve.

      Liked by 3 people

  5. This song is good! but at the same time, I can’t help but feel like there is something missing. It’s kind of frustrating on why I can’t figure out what’s holding it back, but it’s another solid add in Oh My Girl’s fantastic discography.

    Some notes to note down today (Yes this is off topic):
    Rocket Punch is working with Stupid Squad for their title. Kind of worried honestly…
    Fromis_9 returning with a mini album called “9 way ticket”….I can’t help but think of the sweetune-produced “Ticket”.
    EXO’s making a comeback! great!
    I hope BLITZERS and ONEUS are gonna smack us in the head with their singles!
    Really excited for Everglow’s comeback! after the triumphant “La Di Da”, I am kind of curious where they’re going.
    TRI.Be is coming back with “RUB-A-Dum”….I think it’ll be good.

    Liked by 2 people

    • God I’m so pumped for Oneus’s comeback. I usually avoid listening to teasers if I watch them but I forgot to turn the volume down and god damn are my expectations high (which is exactly the reason I avoid listening to them). I think this comeback is really cementing the end of their gothic, high fantasy type concept which I’m sad about but a Michael Jackson inspired one is the next best thing I guess.

      Liked by 1 person

    • I think Rocket punch’s teasers so far sound very promising though. I admit I don’t know about Stupid Squad though…any notable songs (in both good and bad way) they worked on?

      Like

      • They sure do! but keep in mind, Woollim did this back in January this year. Burn It is a reggaetón song, but the teasers showcased something dramatic. So it probably will be the same case.

        I’ll be really glad if I’m wrong.

        Like

        • I like Stupid Squad’s work with GWSN!!!
          Puzzle Moon is a banger. If anything I feel like we’re going to get something that sounds more like a Woollim gg song (aka an uptempo Lovelyz song)

          Also, Burn It, wasn’t a Stupid Squad song…
          and that song certainly didn’t disappoint. It was reggaeton but I thought it was incredibly dramatic and moving.

          If you ask me, Woollim has been on a good streak so far this year ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

          Liked by 1 person

          • For the first paragraph: I am kind of partial to their work…I neither like nor dislike it.

            For the second paragraph: Yes, I know that Burn It isn’t a stupid squad song. I meant that the teasers sounded more like this:
            “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg4nklAQ2ZQ”
            “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSNhJoLLrDk”
            When the actual song was very different from the teasers…but in hindsight, Pump It Up kind of followed what the concept teasers offered.
            Agreed on Burn It! One of the best songs this year!

            And on the third paragraph: Musically, I agree! With Golden Child’s excellent mini album, the unbeatable combination of Nell and Kyu and DRIPPIN coming back with Young Blood, It’s been really great! and I hope Rocket Punch continue that.

            Now generally…..Most of Infinite leaving, Lovelyz STILL not having a comeback…It’s been pretty rough not gonna lie.

            Like

    • Missing? Hmm. Well, OMG is known for releases that completely fill your head. Between the powerful vocals and lush orchestrations, they usually find a way to fill your entire noggin with a tapestry of sound without making you feel it’s getting too crowded. That’s their charm. Dun Dun Dance, however, is a little stripped down (by OMG standards) because I think they were going for light and airy. It works, and it doesn’t. I think if this was released by another group such as fromis_9 or Lovelyz, I’d be less critical of what it isn’t and more appreciative of what it is. That’s my take.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Ah Oh My Girl how I have missed you. This girls just now how to have a good time and it’s a joy to listen to. I can’t help but smile. I think this is ushering the deluge of bright summer songs that I am very much looking forward to. I hear the City Pop influence that people are mentioning but I wish we’d just call it like retro or 80s or disco influence because at this point the term is loosing its impact and meaning lol. Like there’s not enough of actual City Pop in this to warrant calling it that.

    I actually don’t mind the rap breaks because the trap is really bubbly and not as harsh as it is in most songs. I will say the song is like 30/20 seconds too long but I don’t really mind out. Inoffensive is a good way to describe this song. Like it’s not blowing my mind but it’s still a solid bop. I think at this point in their career the best we can expect from a group is a solid bop cause it’s not really feasible to pull out your career defining song every comeback. But the girls have to disappoint (me at least)

    Liked by 2 people

    • Yeah, not really feeling the “city pop” label either. While I think the rap breaks were a excessive, I don’t think they really interrupted the cadence of the song. If you tap your feet from the start to the finish, you don’t really experience a skip. It’s just a little jarring due to vocal focus. Still, it’s a toe-tapper 😀

      Like

  7. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give it an its OK!

    It sounds to me like a better version of every Twice summer song ever with way better vocals. However those vocals compared to what OMG can really do sound more strained. The girls don’t sound as effortless with the higher notes as they usually sound. Its less bell-like than their usual timbre.

    I’ll take it anyway.

    Like

    • Yeah, was a little let down by YooA; of all people. Don’t get me wrong, I’d take a less than perfect effort from her over many top tier singers, but still. Less nasal, more breathy next time. Please?

      Liked by 1 person

  8. It’s not a great song but I would take this any day compared to nonstop. My only complaint is that they should let hyojung and seunghee sing the last chorus instead of yooa and jiho.

    Liked by 2 people

  9. I definitely could have done without the smattering of trap breaks, but otherwise this is breezy n summery pop bliss and I’m quite happy with it. Feels like a more laid-back, matured attempt at what they were trying to do with Bungee back in 2019, which is fine with me! I think the recent success of Rollin’ and some of OMG’s own songs has proven the public are yearning for a return to simple, catchy feel-good bops and I think they’ve solidly delivered that here.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Oh and additionally I can’t tell you happy I am they got to do an actual, real non-CGI outdoors MV again!! I don’t think they’ve had one since Windy Day which was FIVE years ago. So many pretty shots in this.

      Liked by 2 people

  10. I wish they had another pink ocean/ windy day album in terms of how strong the album is. These last two mini albums both have one or two songs I like (dear you;swan) with one or two songs I’ll never listen to(quest; whoever comes). I want to at least be able to appreciate every song on the album.

    Like

  11. I was hoping the song would be as quirky as the video. It might be the UFO in the city with the summer vibe, but this feels like oh my girl’s solo day. I hope they go back to doing tracks like coloring book and remember me. They just blew up;they should show off just how weird they can get. At the very least dun dun dance isn’t as trendy as nonstop. That song never grew on me

    Like

  12. It’s a nice, simple, feel-good song, which is honestly all I’ve really been looking for from a song lately. Oh My Girl’s voices carry this kind of light breezy sound well. More fun to me are the parallels to the Solo Day music video, which is pretty much my go-to summer track. Nothing like discovering UFOs on the SoCal (?) beach for a good time.

    Liked by 2 people

  13. I never seem to like girl groups for some reason. I’d rather listen to Jessi, CL, or Cheetah than all this prettiness. This song is bouncy and fun enough for a summer playlist. It won’t stick with me for very long but it’s inoffensive.

    Like

  14. I had such high expectations and really liked the teaser as well. For me the final product is just ok? I was a bit disappointed. The song isn’t bad, it’s just unmemorable, which their previous comeback definitely wasn’t. I liked bits of the chorus but won’t be coming back to it.
    High 7s for me.

    Like

  15. I love Oh My Girl! I haven’t picked a girl group to support for a few years now and I’m grateful to have watched Queendom and gotten to know these amazing women. I think this group will be the group for me for some time! Some of my favorites from their discography are Windy Day, SSFWL, Twilight, Vogue.

    I was doubtful when Nonstop first came out, but it had far more staying power than I anticipated. Dun Dun Dance is also quite nice. It’s a bit tame than I would like it to be. I wish that the producers utilized other conventions other than rap breaks to make the song more interesting. It’s predictable and harmless.

    I love Seunghee’s vocals in the chorus where she sings “feel so hiiiigh~”
    I like the background harmonies in the rap breaks and I also like Mimi’s rap during the chorus! Adds that extra level of catchiness!
    I love Hyojung’s smile, she’s definitely Candy Leader!

    I would rate this 8.25 also. 9 for the bias! I’m happy to see Oh My Girl come back. Here’s hoping for a second comeback sometime within this year!

    Liked by 1 person

  16. I don’t know how I feel about this title track– it didn’t stick with me right away. But I have to admit that I said basically the same thing about Nonstop last year, and that one ended up being a huge grower for me, so I’ll have to wait and see. This EP as a whole, though, is really strong. “My doll” is the standout track for me– what a unique sound that I don’t know if I’ve heard in kpop before. But all the tracks are gorgeous. A beautiful showing from OMG.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Oh man, I ignored this for a long time. It’s actually not that bad! I think I love the chorus the most. Those trap breaks are kill some of the energy of course. The post-chorus is also not for me, the Dun Dun Dance doesn’t slip off the tongue and the rap afterward is not my favorite. It’s got a lot of city pop feel, but it’s not quite there. And as others say, the vocals are just a bit off.

    Like

  18. Can’t get enough of Dun Dun Dance..have been spamming it for weeks now. I love them all but Seunghee is just something else in this one..love her. She is an underrated vocalist.

    Like

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