Ryugujo (龍宮城) are one of a handful of newer J-pop acts with permanent occupancy on my playlist. Year 0, Class 0, the survival series that formed them, remains my favorite TV show of the year and their partnership with Queen Bee’s Avu-chan makes them an exciting new voice in music. 2 MUCH leads their first EP and feels like an evolution in the scope of their sound.
Prior to this track, the group released two songs that featured prominently in Year 0. Rondo‘s emotional balladry and Mr.FORTUNE‘s impish rap may seem at odds with each other, but 2 MUCH fuses them together into a cathartic anthem. Its sound is poppier than expected, but delivered with a gutsy gusto that leads to some wonderfully abrasive moments.
Ryugujo’s most striking asset is their power of expression. This has clearly been mentored by Avu-chan, with phrasing and vocal inflections that will be familiar to fans of her style. The guys sneer and growl their way through the track, filling each line with character. Yes, it’s performative – but driven by a palpable sense of commitment that makes it believable. Even its most polished melodies have an idiosyncratic edge that helps them stand out.
Above all else, 2 MUCH is simply a satisfying listen. I love its insistent build — especially the resounding percussion during the second pre-chorus. The chorus itself is shout-to-the-rafters excellence, countering its pop effusiveness with a kitchen sink instrumental that feels chaotic and raw in the best possible way. And rather than dole out this megawatt hook too often, 2 MUCH stubbornly pulls back for an unexpected rap verse before moving into a key change finale and resounding outro where the group’s pre-show chant closes things with conviction.
Yep, it’s the conviction that sells it.
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 10 |
| RATING | 9.25 |
Grade: A
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I had high expectations with the score but it’s rubbish.
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loveee this
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This group intrigued me, but I guess when the music’s not on par with the “attitude,” I wouldn’t love it. Love the off-kilter vibe and the melancholy, but the music? I felt nothing listening to it. It sounds like a generic j-pop/rock track. And the vocals. This is one of those moments where I appreciate k-pop vocals, since these boys sound like they’re in perpetual puberty. Most J-pop vocals give me that sort of sound: very juvenile, whiny, and nasal. In j-rock and indie genres I can love that vocal tone, but not in j-pop, no. And that extended note in 02:56 , it made me truly cringe. I can only describe it as a fingernail being scratched on a chalkboard. It’s not doom and gloom though, as I very much liked the key change near the end, and the moments of instrumental breaks, but that’s about it. I like this group as a performance group, but as someone I can count on for good tunes? Nah.
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It’s funny that you call out the vocals specifically because that’s one of the biggest draws for me. However, I don’t think I would have said that before I became a big J-pop fan. I remember being really turned off by J-pop idol voices back when I started dipping my feet into the genre.
Now, I’ve really grown to love the imperfections and character in performances like this. It feels more raw and unique and draws me in for repeat listens, even if it may not always be note perfect.
I’m personally getting tired of some K-pop (and Korean-produced J-pop) groups who sound technically proficient but every members’ voice is so similar that they just blend into one generic haze. But, everyone has different preferences, of course!
(Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that the member singing that note at 02:56 *is* most likely going through puberty. He’s the youngest in the group 😅)
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Ok, I kinda get the imperfections and the rawness of the vocals. I can kinda see it as a plus cause it feels more genuine and grounded. It also doesn’t help that k-pop vocal production tends to overly polish the vocals to the point where the voices sound robotic (HYBE is the greatest offender in this). But sometimes, when I listen to j-pop, I do tend to yearn for some “harmless” vocals found in k-pop, cause unlike you, I’m the type of person who wants to just vibe with the music in the background. This is the reason why I like NewJeans and tripleS and all those vibe-heavy groups, and why I relish in this new wave of k-pop where understatement, subtlety, harmlessness, and vibe reign supreme. And sometimes, “harsh” and raw vocals from j-pop takes me out of the flow because they do stick like a sore thumb lol. But it’s all good.
That was harsh of me to say that RYUGUJO sound like they’re in perpetual puberty when in fact, the members are probably going through puberty LOL.
Weird thing though. I listened to the RYUGUJO debut EP and got instantly hooked by that track “Japanese Psycho,” then followed by the next track after that “Sensual.” Then I tried listening to “2 Much” again, as well as “Mr. Fortune,” which I didn’t really pay attention to when it first came out. And you know what? I kinda liked it. Maybe sometimes I just need to hear a b-side which I love from the EP before I “get” the title track.
I get it now, Nick. I get it now.
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Wow this makes me weirdly happy haha. Not that everyone has to like the same thing, but I’m pleased you were willing to give this a second chance! And YES to “Japanese Psycho” being the song to turn things around. I’m currently obsessed with that one. It’s actually a solo track from their leader Keigo (red hair in the mv).
And not to push more Ryugujo on you (or anyone reading this), but if you have the time and interest I’d highly recommend watching the series that formed them. Not only is it extremely entertaining (and a quick watch), but it really explains the reasoning behind why the group performs the way they do. I honestly don’t know how I’d respond to their music if I didn’t have that background first.
Here’s the first episode for anyone who’s interested. It’s subbed in English. All fifteen episodes are available on Youtube and they’re about twenty minutes each.
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Thanks for the recommend! I actually watched the 1st episode some time ago also due to this blog lol, but I wasn’t able to continue watching it, but maybe this time I’ll watch it all the way through!
And yes, Japanese Psycho is really good! I tend to give music I don’t like 2-3 listens before I either put them in my playlist or forget them completely. And sometimes, title tracks that I don’t like end up in my playlist because they’re carried by a strong suit of b-sides, which is the case in Ryugujo’s EP.
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