Gosh, I haven’t written about a Jessica Jung song for over six years! I don’t remember enjoying much of her solo work, but simply hearing her name brings back all sorts of good memories. It’s always nice to hear new material from K-pop’s veteran acts, even if it becomes more and more infrequent as their career matures.

Jessica has one of those voices that feels foundational to modern K-pop. She was such an vital part of Girls’ Generation, riding high with the group through their imperial era. That appeal doesn’t always translate to an equally exciting solo career, but Beep Beep‘s lowkey vibe is a pretty good fit for her charm. The song has an effortless glide that belies the surprisingly rangy melody. It’s hard to pick apart a track so pleasant.

Of course, this being 2023 means we have a surplus of these amiable, subdued pop tracks. Beep Beep is no better or worse than most of them, which makes it liable to get lost in the shuffle. Insistent rhythm guitar adds steady groove yet never draws too much attention to itself. Apart from a vocal crescendo during the bridge, nothing about the song is overly showy. I don’t find any aspect of Beep Beep unlikeable, but there’s not enough diversity in the structure or arrangement to capture my attention. It just bounces along without consequence.

Grade: C+