It’s the end of November, which means it’s time for the fifth entry in OnlyOneOf’s ambitious Underground Idol series. This series has been a highlight of 2022, delivering a diverse tapestry of genre and mood while adhering to its interconnected storyline. Cynical viewers might see the group’s past two years as one long audition to star in a BL drama. And with 2023’s upcoming Bump Up Business web series, I guess the audition proved successful. But, their work in this genre stands as a welcome oasis of emotional depth in an industry filled with “look at me, I’m so bad” hype tracks.
Following Rie’s brilliant Because, Mill takes us in a more energetic direction. As its title suggests, Beat is much more indebted to hip-hop. It takes the abrasive textures of past title tracks libidO and Skinz and fuses them to an upbeat banger. In a way, you could call this the OnlyOneOf version of a hype track, though nothing is ever that simple with this group. Mill gives an aggressive performance, his vocal texture more jarring and in-your-face than other members. This makes Beat a bit disarming on first listen, especially given how much of the track is shouted.
Fortunately, Beat is underlined by a great groove. The percussion is robust, incorporating familiar OnlyOneOf elements but offering a funkier take on their “artpop” genre. There isn’t much melody to be found, which is a shame. Mill’s singing voice has a lot of character, and it would’ve been nice to hear more of that. But, Beat is clearly cut from a different cloth than past Underground Idol offerings. Taken as a piece of the overall collection, it’s a welcome shift in intensity that sets the scene for Nine to finish the series next month.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.25 |
Grade: B
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I Like this! with a Big Ell.
Maybe even love it, with a small ell.
Something about Shouty McShouterson is actually working for me here. Maybe I am just missing my Do Han Se fix. In any case, I will take it!
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Too much shouting to my taste. Still, I hope it’s gonna grow on me as the time goes by. At least, I found the track’s vibe to be more engaging, rather than annoying (as most songs like this fall into the latter for me).
Givin’ it a flat 8, as of now.
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Flat 8 feels about right, maybe possibly 8.25 for me.
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For anyone trying to find this on US itunes, it is credited to Mill & OnlyOneOf “undergrOund idOl #5 – Single” as its title.
https://music.apple.com/us/album/underground-idol-5-single/1656344753
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i’m super biased towards onlyoneof so i can’t help but love this haha. the mv took me out of the immersion a bit though lol
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I guess they spent all their budget and couldn’t afford extras to play the bullies so they just had some 35 year old dudes at the company do it 😭…. assuming that’s what you mean.
Oh well… maybe it’s camp….
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LOL yeah it was honestly kind of funny tbh. i don’t mind it that much they’re working with what they have i suppose
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This style is the least to my taste out of the Underground Idol singles, but it suits Mill and I like the libidO-sounding instrumental. Hoping to wrap up the series with a nice, slow ballad!
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The sound for this isn’t the most catered to my taste, but I could tell that from the first initial mv teaser, so there’s no surprise or disappointment really on my end. Still find it a lot of fun. That bridge absolutely made me ascend though, OnlyOneOf’s production quality will never be anything less than top tier.
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Oooh this is a great contrast to the previous releases. I really like this, however it does sound really repetitive. Don’t know how that chorus will be in the long run.
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This song is very in-your-ear. There’s so much clattering, banging, shouting, and intensity in this track, that sometimes I want to step back a little bit from listening to it. But later on, I found myself wanting to hear the song again. There’s something that either Mill or the producers put in this that makes it a pretty satisfying earful.
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