Song Review: ONF – Love Effect | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion

It was incredibly smart for ONF to enlist in their mandatory military service together, assuring they would return as a full group within two years. So many boy groups choose a staggered approach, which is fine if you actually release music during these configuration changes. But too often, this simply results in diminished returns. If we don’t count last year’s special surprise single, it’s been twenty-two months since we last heard from ONF. This long-awaited return deserves a celebration, and the ebullient Love Effect (바람이 분다) is happy to deliver.

Paired yet again with longtime collaborator Hwang Hyun, Love Effect feels like a victory lap. It’s not one of the group’s stronger singles, but it encapsulates so many things that make ONF essential. I appreciate its bounding, optimistic energy. Even its requisite second verse rap break is smartly transformed into a jazzy interlude in keeping with the robust instrumental surrounding it.

The song opens with a steady kick and builds from there. The members’ vocals are commanding and colorful as ever. Their performance sounds like one long smile — an exhale after such a long time away. This compliments Love Effect‘s open-hearted warmth. Fans will no doubt place it beside past title tracks Complete and Beautiful Beautiful — two songs that went on to top my year-end charts. Love Effect is not nearly as idiosyncratic or effective, and that comparison hurts it. But as a fan of bright, anthemic boy group pop, I’m pleased to hear the group continue to carry the torch for this undervalued genre.

Hooks	8
Production	9
Longevity	9
Bias	9
RATING	8.75

Grade: B+

10 thoughts on “Song Review: ONF – Love Effect”

not nearly as efficient? 🫤 i think always placing a new release by a song that’s had time to marinate will always dim the quality. the “B+” rating makes the song look a lot more abysmal than it is, even to trained ears

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Glory Hallelujah, ONF is back!

With a great song too. I mean, they are right back to it, aren’t they. Best of all it sounds like ONF too, they sound like themselves, with lines that seem to quote “Complete” and “Dam di dam di” and others.
Its an easy YES for me.

I’d give a flat 9.

It may have been higher if the song was over 3minutes. There is enough content to have lengthened it, easily. That one line outro is just begging to be stretched with vocal over it.

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Super happy with this release! I think there’s a lot of callbacks in the production and composition to their past works, a great way to assure fans they’re back.

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While cruising through ONF memory lane this morning, I came across the gem. The advantage of all members enlisting at the same time is that the army can have all or most of the members give a performance. Lots of fancams from this too. They are selling the shit out of their song in their fatigues, such presence and immediacy.

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I’m not sure about the rest of the tracks but this song is a 9!!!!!!

Pure Kpop fun! I simply love it! 🤩😍

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Admittedly, I’m not a big fan of ONF’s music, but I quite like Arrival off their new album.

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I never knew how much I missed them until I heard this 🥲❤❤❤ This… is something they do best. And they’re still the best it. Those vocals, the cheerful vibe – they came back the best way possible and I love it so much.

All that gorgeous harmonization and that chorus and that bridge – it’s perfect. It really speaks “ONF is back”. ❤

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ONF is my favorite kpop group and has been for years. I don’t think i’ve even been so excited about a comeback. I loved the song, I definately got Complete vibes from this, especially with the video being shot primarily outside. The song is fun, bringt, full of energy and I absolutely loved the piano during Wyatt’s part.

I also listened to the mini album and Arrival is amazing. It was my favorite from the highest medley. Although i wish they would have promoted that as the bside, I understand why they went with Dam Dam Di Ram. Its like a blend of Secret Triangle and Dry Ice. I love it…I just love ONF. Enough fan girling now 😄

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This is such a classic sound for them, it instantly gave me a hit of nostalgia and happiness. I don’t remember them having such funk/jazz influences in their title tracks? On first listen I didn’t realize the Butter/Get a Guitar riff in the outro was throughout the song too. Another vote for Arrival as being amazing, it’s like The Realist of the album.

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