I enjoyed Seventeen’s Hot more than most seemed to, but the song didn’t have much longevity. In fact, it’s been years since a Seventeen title track has stuck around long on my playlist. It seems that, ever since Pledis Entertainment merged with HYBE, Seventeen’s sound has lost some idiosyncratic edge. Repackage track _World is a perfect example of this dilemma. It takes the group back to their funky roots but smooths over the aspects that make them such a force.
_World is a catchy little bop – amiable and light. It’s not trying to be anything earth-shattering, so it’s not fair to heap expectations on it. But when you’ve got a group as dynamic as Seventeen, it’s hard not to be disappointed by music that plays it safe. The group’s songwriters are joined by HYBE’s usual behind-the-scenes production talent, which is likely the problem here. Too many cooks in the kitchen tend to water down the soup, and _World feels like a rehash of things the agency has already done with BTS and TXT. Portions sound almost identical to 2019’s Boy With Luv, for example. In short, _World lacks punch and vision. It wafts by with a pleasant pop sheen, but that same sheen smothers personality. And, mid-tempo funk tracks like this thrive on personality.
However, if you’re in the market for a straightforward, slightly retro summer track you could do worse than _World. Even at their tamest, Seventeen are reliable purveyors of pop. Their vocals here may suffer from the patented HYBE processing, but they don’t miss a beat. _World works as pure fan service — the kind of track that will have audiences bouncing along between more impactful songs on their setlist.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 7.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Nothing special, perfectly serviceable contemporary hit radio fare and that’s it. Funky mid-tempos tend to be my thing, but this one just doesn’t hit as hard as other similar songs do. Rating is about right.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Couldn’t agree more, if the song was a color it would be beige. That’s all i got honestly.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Beige is the perfect color to describe this song! Also, for example, white or light grey would be suitable here.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s unfortunate that while SVT and BTS seem to blitz to the top of the kpop world i find myself more disconnected from their material than ever before.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Off topic, but The Weeknd’s Less Than Zero is hittin me right in the feels currently. Might have eclipsed Out Of Time for my fav song on DAWN FM.
LikeLike
I’m impatiently waiting for Less Than Zero to become the world-conquering smash it deserves to be.
LikeLike
I’ve literally played it 7 times in a row
LikeLike
While you’re waiting give a listen or two to “2 Be Loved” from Lizzo’s new album. It’s basically Max Martin doing his thing and it’s wonderful, if straightforward. (For less straight, try “Everybody’s Gay” from the same album. Absolute discotheque bliss!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My two favorite songs! The Thriller-esque funk/brass vibes in the latter are like my childhood returning.
LikeLike
it’s a subdued but still serviceable pop song, svt are at their best went their vocals get to shine but hybe’s vocal processing is starting to really annoy me…
LikeLiked by 4 people
when* whoops didn’t notice my typo. also i guess everyone sounding the same during the chorus is becoming a hybe special huh?
LikeLike
I suppose we will just have to accept that Seventeen have settled into a mellow middle age. I mean, even Genesis and all their solo work went through a mellow middle age in the 80’s after all their Prog Rock stuff in the 70’s. This song here reminds me of Super Junior’s “Magic” which was also released in their middle-age.
‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMZ5nK5G71o
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have feared this middle age for so long like it’s some kind of D-Day – nobody wants to see that in their favourite group. Alas, I guess I’ll have to accept it too…
LikeLiked by 3 people
I’m still struggling to accept it – knowing Woozi’s talent as a producer and seeing the enormous potential they have as a group, it is so frustrating to me when they settle for mediocre.
LikeLiked by 1 person
i can barely tell dokyeom and seungkwan’s voice in here. what the hell
LikeLiked by 3 people
I noticed that too. DK starts off sounding like DK then the line morphs in SK voice, like one of the those photo morphing shorts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks HYBE, I hate it! Their unique vocal tones were such a powerful asset of the group TT
LikeLike
This pretty much joins the ranks of all other recent SVT title tracks where I don’t particularly care for the song, but it seems nice enough so I can’t complain. Everyone’s voices in the chorus especially sound the same so I’m looking forward to seeing a performance.
LikeLike
Thanks, I hate it. I can’t even tell who is singing when half the time when I’m not looking at the video (barring Hip Hop Unit).
LikeLiked by 3 people
the vocal processing, while still annoying, wasn’t even as bad here as in hot and other face the sun tracks. it’s cute, i like it. much better than hot.
LikeLike
you worded exactly how i felt! and i’m really sad as a long time carat, but i will continue blaming hybe and hitman bang thank u
LikeLiked by 1 person
Las voces están perfectas, me gusta Seventeen desde su debut, y han progresado mucho, y si lo que hacen en hybe les ayuda a crecer bienvenido sea hybe y su excelente capacidad de promoción
LikeLike
Yeah, the song is cute and makes me happy as a carat but the actual music itself falls flat for me. Which sucks since I’ve been feeling lukewarm about Seventeen’s stuff since Attacca 😔 I was watching the MV waiting for the chorus to kick in until I got halfway through the second verse and realized… the chorus had already happened LOL. I was hoping for a knockout catchy chorus to really uplift the song.
Also it might be because I’m a hardcore carat but despite the vocal processing I can identify everyone’s voices hahah
LikeLike
It’s pleasant to listen to and has that lazy summer day vibe. I like it better than Hot for sure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As a long time carat, I have to admit that I’m not loving this comeback. I was really excited when I heard the Highlight Medley, I thought I would really love this. I think I’m going to blame Hybe for everything. I haven’t really loved a title track since the merger. At least I’ll have my b sides to keep me comfort. And their variety show appearances/GoSe—which still feel unhinged and uniquely Seventeen.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And that’s the third mediocre title track in a row. What a disappointment. Debating whether I should attend their upcoming concert.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Their setlist for the Seoul concert was pretty solid. Plus they never miss with their stage presence. I can only dream of a chance to see them live 😥
LikeLiked by 1 person
their upcoming concert seems promising, though. im just glad the setlist is decent and yeah, we still can vibe with their older sounds.
LikeLike
rating is about right, but im gonna rate it lower i guess. but this is definitely miles better ahead than darling and hot. darling and hot are just pure 5/10 from me while this deserve around .. 7,5 /10.
LikeLike
Idiosyncratic is a /great/ descriptor of svt’s style, that’s such a nice way to put it. Of course as a a carat I will always be heavily biased and I still feel they have that edge somewhat, but yeah I definitely understand “pleasant pop-sheen.” _World is just very nice. Sweet and cute.
I think you might find the other song from the repackage, Circles, slightly too tame, but the lyrics seem to be striking a chord within many carats. I wonder if that’s the song carats will remember the most from this era in the future.
DK’s chorus (DK in general) makes me so happy. It feels a little saddening since I think the chorus is actually great. Singable and catchy, but somehow it feels smothered.
Svt’s leaders recently performed Cheers live on MTV we speak music, with much less vocal processing, (plus Woozi took things up an octave higher for the last chorus and it was amazing) which gives me hope that when/if svt perform this on tour, they’ll do the same.
I am always marveling at how fast you write your reviews. Thank you for always reviewing seventeen!
LikeLike
That’s just me rambling about HYBE’s vocal processing now but ffs it’s a choice that makes NO sense to me even when you look at the other less vocally skilled groups they have, like TXT and enha. Talking about svt specifically, they CAN sing, and not only that but their voices all have a distinct color and tone which makes their songs dynamic and even more charming, it’s one of their biggest strenghts. Sometimes the autotune is a stylistic choice that varies in levels of success, it can lead to great songs (Vernon’s GAM3 BO1) and not so great songs (leader line’s Cheers), but they at least have a little bit more control over it. But when you look at more “hybe-esque” groups in sound like the other two I mentioned that still don’t have the power to choose over their songs, HYBE likes giving them anthemic, powerful songs (like TXT’s more emo songs rn and enha’s Tamed-Dashed) that could make great use of more organic vocals to convey more emotions, it’s literally capping the songs’ potential at this point.
I just don’t understand what they are doing. It’s clear to me that Bang PD likes a very specific type of voice, that airy, high-pitched tone we’ve gotten used to listen to since BTS, but Jungkook, Jin and Jimin have done a great job before without that heavy autotune. Are they so unconfident in their vocalists’ training? It’s not possible they haven’t noticed that it’s doing more harm than good and it makes me really upset because I WANT to like the songs HYBE’s boygroups have been putting on, they’ve been delivering good stuff consistently.
Anyway, _World. Great song but I wonder when Seventeen’s title tracks will have the same soul they used to have. I get that they are not the effusive teenagers they once were (they made it very clear with Attacca’s Rush of Love concept trailer by scratching and burning their boyhood and all) but they didn’t have to lose their ambitiousness and energy as they grew up. At least they still give us great album tracks. I still listen to Your Choice religiously, it’s SUCH a great mini album. But I miss their energy and their title tracks lack punch.
LikeLiked by 2 people
You said it perfectly. The song is solid but lacks personality. Seventeen have definitely done better and I would love for them to release a song that really grabs my attention like some of their earlier work did.
LikeLike
I don’t mind the direction SVT is going with their music but I really do miss the youthful sound they used to have. I guess their music is maturing as they themselves also mature. Same with THE BOYZ now that I think about it while writing this. No group can be youthful their whole career I guess.
LikeLike
This was a sold 6 for me but I just saw the live performance; their liveliness and the energetic dance definitely elevates it. Now it’s an 8!
LikeLike
It’s actually pretty good once you see the performance/choreo. 8 or 8.5 for me (because I find it catchy and also cuz I’m kinda biased towards svt)
LikeLike
I dont understand why everybody’s hating on this and saying it wasnt good? The whole vibe was cute and refreshing for me, their vocals and everything slayed, ofc i dont like the rating☠️ tbh i really love this song, ig some ppl wanna be “diffrent” and quirky a lil☠️☠️☠️
LikeLike
I like this much better than HOT (which actually makes me inexplicably angry whenever I hear it).
That said, this song is absolutely devoid of identity. Because this is Seventeen, a group with a very unique identity and style, that may be a worse crime than a song that is only grating.
LikeLike