Lim Young Woong is a chart behemoth in Korea, but I’ve never featured his music on the blog before. His beginnings in trot music marked him as someone just outside the idol landscape, but as soon as the first teaser dropped for new single Do Or Die my interest was piqued. He’s made a complete 180 here, opting for early-2010’s EDM that feels miles away from today’s trends.
I’m hopelessly biased toward this sound. With each year that passes, I realize how highly I prize the 2010-13 era of pop music. Maximalism was the norm, driven by big, glistening melodies and dramatic instrumentals. Do Or Die would feel right at home during that period. In fact, it sounds more than a little like The Wanted’s Chasing The Sun. So while my critical mind pegs this as generic right off the bat, my subjective nostalgia for this style makes the track almost bulletproof.
Lim Young Woong sounds surprisingly comfortable within this soundscape, his voice matching intensity with the bombastic production. A few well-placed power notes would have been appreciated, but the natural peaks of the melody provide enough space for him to show off. And though the track is so derivative that AI could have written it, it knows how to hit all the pleasure centers in listeners’ brains. I hope its inevitable chart dominance spurs other acts to deliver more nuanced and interesting takes on this genre.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 10 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
Grade: B+
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Well, I only needed to see Chasing the Sun to go and watch this MV
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Yeah, my mind tells me this song is really basic/simple (especially the verses and prechorus) but the instrumental/production are really what I love about it. Basic yes, but I’ll eat it up.
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YES. YES. YES. I’ve been waiting for an EDM K-pop song like this since Everglow’s “Pirate”. I love this sound so much. It’s so nostalgic and powerful. I also love the visuals. There’s nothing better for me than seeing space-themed visuals supported with bombastic electronic music.
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Yasssss. I love Lim Young Woong. Ah, the voice.
Baritone, so that is actually as high as he gets. A touch of falsetto on the higher sections, so easily transitioned that you wouldn’t know it was. A remarkable performance.
The song itself. Holy white noise batman! I mean, its that hype chords white noise that sells it. This year, somehow, the Bluey theme remix album has become a staple on the ipod in car playlist. My kids who are not kids anymore, ask for it. This song would make a nice mashup with Bluey.
‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPGWqhjfF9Y
My favorite of LYW from last year. Live live singing. Like a calm breath just letting the song unfold.
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If he gets invited to perform again in MAMA, this song is PERFECT i can’t wait
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oh kpop is over if this man is getting into club bangers, he’s literally the final boss on the charts and no fandom will stand a chance if the ajummas are on his side AND he’s got some choreo
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