Roll out the red carpet and don your fanciest wardrobe, because we’ve got a K-pop legend coming through. Sunye is best-known as the leader and main vocal of Wonder Girls. She didn’t participate in my all-time favorite Wonder Girls album, Reboot. But, anyone who was part of K-pop classics like Nobody, Tell Me and Be My Baby deserves the utmost respect.
Though she’s released solo work before (mostly in OST form), Sunye has finally unveiled her first solo album. Genuine emerges with the backing of Blockberry Creative (ie: LOONA’s agency) and was preceded by the subdued Glass Heart last week. As its title suggests, Just A Dancer is much more upbeat. It’s not a total club banger, but rides the slinky synthwave influences that K-pop has fallen for over the past year or two. Immediately, I’m struck by how the track opens on beat and maintains that energy throughout its first verse. Too many K-pop tracks grow slowly from moody murk to a more robust chorus. I appreciate how Just A Dancer lays everything out from the start.
Unfortunately, the song struggles to build upon this promising verse. We take a distracting turn during the pre-choruses. The beat drops out and the momentum stalls. This occurs several times throughout the track, making it difficult to become truly absorbed in its charms. The chorus reverts to the driving synth of the verses, delivering a minimalist hook. I’m not bowled over by the melody, but Sunye commands attention through her performance. With a few twists, Just A Dancer could be a real standout. Instead, it feels more like a hint at better things to come.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 7.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Sophisticated and slink. Just could’ve been more dynamic
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Bit boring innit?
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(a bit)
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It could be better for sure but it’s definitely more engaging than I thought we would get from her NGL LOL
Glad to have her back both because it’s her and because she said ages ago that being married wouldn’t keep her from performing again but that was when she was still on her honeymoon. Now 3 kids and a decade or so later she fulfilled her original intention.
Related but – You didn’t cover her and MMD/MaMaDol’s Woo Ah Hip but I am still curious as to if you had any thoughts on it/them.
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Something about this song sounds like a Sunmi or Chungha leftover. It’s alright, but the solo lady field is rather crowded, and I don’t know if this differentiates Sunye enough, now, a decade on. The bones of the song are OK, but it needs more pizzazz.
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I unsurprisingly love this. The kind of subtle, elegant, slightly menacing bop that I’m always here for.
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will you be reviewing nicole’s song tomorrow? teasers seem promising
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Most likely! (unless it ends up being too boring for me to have anything to say…)
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She was my great discovery in Mama The Idol because I arrived to kpop at the end of the 3rd gen. She has a great stage presence.
About the song, it promised a lot at the beginning but then it deflates and leaves you with a somewhat frustrating feeling, however I am glad that this path looks promising for her.
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