Song Review: Superkind – Watch Out | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion

I’ve always been a proponent of keeping K-pop weird, but sometimes these agencies come up with ideas that are better left on the cutting room floor. Perhaps inspired by the legendary (for all the wrong reasons) A.I. group Eternity, new debut Superkind has a “virtual idol” among their ranks. Maybe it’s my age showing, but I don’t understand the purpose of this. Idols are already styled within an inch of their lives, to the point where they barely look real. In this setting, what does a virtual idol actually bring? Beyond the ability to work forever, that is…

Superkind’s Watch Out is a decent (if generic) boy group track that would have worked just fine with four members. The addition of the virtual “Saejin” is an awkward distraction from a visual standpoint. The technology just isn’t there yet, making the music video a real cringe-fest. Seajin’s “vocals” are on the track itself, though they blend in with the other members. I half-expected (half-desired?) his lines to be delivered in a monotonous computer voice – or at the very least the sound of a dial-up modem!

I guess what I’m trying to say is, if you’re going to go for a concept this out-there, you might as well push it all the way. Instead, Watch Out fades into the K-pop background. I like its driving percussion and touches of electro bass, but the song doesn’t have much of a hook. The melodies are a bit one-note, never peaking in any notable moment. But on the plus side, the non-virtual members seem to have a lot of potential. How long will it be before Saejin gains emotional awareness and usurps all their lines in Terminator: Rise Of The Machines style?

Hooks	7
Production	8
Longevity	8
Bias	7
RATING	7.5

10 thoughts on “Song Review: Superkind – Watch Out”

i thought this song was the best today until i listened to move like this

also yurina’s comeback was good too

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mymagoogle says:

June 20, 2022 at 11:04 am

The nostalgia is strong in this one.
It is so 2018, which is actually refreshing. It reminds me of Oh My Girl “Bungee”, which you might want to check out.
‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTD_yleCK9Y

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I’m surprised you reviewed this as I thought the very concept about the AI member would drive you away 😂

Honestly… I liked this. The song itself was pretty cool, the MV even cooler, and actually…. I thought the AI member was great. That Eternity shit was awful. Compared to that, this was very well done!

Of course, I am a strong lover of Vocaloid music and have been so for quite a while, so I’ve never been put off by the concept of automated voices making music. Heck, some of my all-time favorite songs are Vocaloid ones sung by the vocaloids themselves! I even fell in love with kpop only because I enjoyed the vocaloid covers of kpop songs. And the “vocals” of the AI member were actually done well (if they have been computer generated that is) – because I know how awful it could have sounded, but it mixed pretty well here.

So on that note, this song was pretty decent and so was the AI! 🙂

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At least it’s not I’m Real.

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Oh is that what they are trying to do here.
I don’t mind vocaloid per se, but the song is still kind of bland. I wouldn’t be surprised if the AI member here is actually just the backing track left on and perhaps autotuned to add a slight metallic edge.

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When I was in middle school my best friend talked about Kaito so much I thought he was a person she knew. I didn’t learn what vocaloid was for several months. While I never got super into vocaloid, I did really like the crowd sourced nature of it; people all over the world were making music and animating videos. That appeal isn’t really there for me with an AI idol. I’m curious what they will do about things like variety shows and photo cards.

All that said, I actually do like this song.

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I appreciate the straightfowardness of the track, but I wish for better hooks. The mv was super cringey and I hope saejin breaks his virtual leg and stays out of a few of their comebacks.

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