A few weeks ago, new boy group YOUNITE teased their debut with pre-release track Everybody. Its playful hip-hop sound was super engaging and made room for an equally enjoyable chorus. With so many boy groups opting for a dark, gun-slinging shout-pocalypse style, YOUNITE seemed to be a fresh group worth looking forward to.
However, when YOUNITE’s album preview arrived, Everybody stuck out as an obvious high point. While I applaud the agency leading with their best material, that doesn’t leave much room for title track 1 of 9. This song has good intentions: a bright, fluffy bit of retro pop. But, it lacks the melodic bite and focused through-line that would make it stand out.
Opening with a catchy synth riff, the track quickly moves into a hesitant verse. The percussion here is frustratingly subdued, though it becomes more robust as rhythm guitar joins the fray. Similarly, the melody feels all over the place – errant bits of tunefulness that don’t add up to any memorable whole. This might be fine if 1 of 9 cleared way for a knockout chorus. Sadly, the song bunts. The hook is pleasant and breezy, but feels more like a collection of pieced-together ad-libs than a dynamic centerpiece. 1 of 9 gets by on its good vibes, but I’m tired of “vibes.” I crave the full brunt of a great K-pop track. Thankfully, Everybody reappears next on the album and improves upon 1 of 9 in every possible way.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 7.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
It’s a fine debut, if a bit generic bright theme. Skews young, so its not for me.
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Also, why the flip Brand New Music are debuting a new group when they already have AB6SIX and BDC who are in need of good comebacks.
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Please GOD bring BDC back.
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I agree that their pre-debut Everybody was better than this. Yes, I like the way how 1 of 9 feels fresh and playful, but it doesn’t really do much for me. As a result, I can describe the song as a bit…boring😕
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It’s scratching an itch, and I like how their voices sound together. It’s not earth-shaking, but I can deal with pleasant these days.
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But I Got The Feeling has a nice groove and a better melody.
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While I agree that Everybody is the better song overall, at least this one doesn’t have the unnecessarily slow prechorus which still takes me out of the song every time. I appreciate the vibes too. But yeah, this is very B-side overall. Not bad, though!
Though I gotta agree with mymagoogle. Three boy groups? Even bigger agencies struggle to balance two at a time, so what are BNM thinking…
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That last line was not needed and I pray this site shuts down every day bc what happened to the WE NEED BRIGHT CONCEPTS Nick..nothing will ever satisfy you and Everybody was average at best. ☺️
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With so many boy groups opting for a dark, gun-slinging shout-pocalypse style, YOUNITE seemed to be a fresh group worth looking forward to.
And now they may as well never release again because of one song that YOU don’t have a heart for. Yes go ahead and deem them as another waste of space in this industry that you love to claim is so oversaturated! Go ahead and log off for me or stick to writing for generic Japanese club tunes from 2012..stay there while you’re at it. 🙃
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“And now they may as well never release again because of one song that YOU don’t have a heart for.”
I didn’t know Nick’s opinion could singlehandedly shut down groups. Unless really it’s you thats putting way too much importance on what he thinks. This site is literally just a blog where he posts his opinions and you’re here “praying it shuts down every day” like come on now – find something else to be mad about.
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Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed today?
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The problem is not that this song is a bright concept. It is that it is a fairly generic bright concept. Just as there are by the books dark theme concept, this one is by the books bright theme concept. It just lacks punch and spark.
As a contrast, a few days ago was the ONF singles ranking. At or near the top for most of us is ONF “Complete”, which is a burst of bright concept sunshine and also a good song. Pastel suits, with schoolboy ties? Pastel hair? Goofy facial expressions? check check check. One hell of a hook or three? Yes, absolutely.
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Yeah i feel like people forget just because a group is doing a bright concept in the times where everyone is going dark doesn’t automatically make it good. 1 of 9 isn’t a bad song but I’m not gonna give it brownie points for doing kpop has seen done far better in previous years.
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Why would that line not be needed? I’m stating that I vastly preferred one song over another. And guess what… they’re both bright concepts.
Or, maybe I need to put that in caps for you to understand. THEY’RE BOTH BRIGHT CONCEPTS.
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Also lol at “nothing will ever satisfy you” when I literally wrote about another recent song by the same group that satisfied me. Yet, you’re pissed about that too.
I swear, some K-pop fans are pissed about everything. They bend themselves into pretzels to be pissed about things.
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Well, if you’re all-powerful, could you send Mirae back to space and synths and leave them there? Thanks in advance.
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Trust me, if I were all-powerful my first order of business would be to reincarnate Sweetune in all their glory. But yes, I’ll launch Mirae back to space while I’m at it!
Oh… and world peace. Of course world peace. 😅
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Thanks for your consideration! LOL!
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Istg Nick idk how you attract these sorts of comments. Like literally I read at least three different K-Pop blogs. One of them is pretty abrasive (I think most people know which one), one of them less so, but you strike me as the most mild-mannered of the blogs I read and you still get some of the worst comments. Idk with people, man, I just can’t.
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It’s one of the world’s mysteries. I think people assume because I show up at the top of google searches (which I have no control of, btw) I somehow speak for the whole K-pop fandom.
That’s definitely not the case! I’m open-minded, but also biased as hell. I mean, the name’s right in the blog itself!
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While listening my mind went to Cravity’s Adrenaline from a few weeks back. I don’t like this as much as that unfortunately. For what it’s going for, it feels a bit dull overall.
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Also the vocals are kinda bugging me. They feel heavily processed and rather hard to distinguish. Which strips a lot of personality from the song.
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I’m going to be a slight dissenting voice and say that I think I slightly prefer this song to Everybody. I liked Everybody, but I felt this one flows a little smoother – I don’t mind breezier songs like this, as long as it’s still a good time. That said, I’m interested to see more from them because both songs do showcase a lot of potential.
(while they’re doing that though, they better give BDC a comeback ASAP and ensure that AB6IX continue to have more opportunities too! Brand New please don’t let me down with all three groups)
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