Red Velvet’s Wendy has already established a successful solo career, but it’s existed mostly through ballads that suit her strong vocal power and expression. For new single Wish You Hell, she’s embraced an edgier sound that feels more in line with her group material.
As suggested by its title, Wish You Hell slots firmly within a specific template of ‘mid-tempo kiss-off track.’ There are many solo artists dabbling in this sound across the world and the style has enjoyed immense success over the years. It’s never done much for me, mostly because the energy is usually stuck in one gear and sing-song melodies tend to be the norm. Wendy makes for a reliably solid guide through Wish You Hell‘s emotional purge, her vocal flitting through the various segments with ease. In this way, the verses are stronger than the chorus. At least she gets to showcase her range.
Ultimately, the song is just too predictable for me. The chorus feels gimmicky and repetitive, harnessing a “been there, done” that melody that’s childish instead of empowering. And with hooks this obvious, there’s not much chance the song will grow more addictive with time.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 7 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.25 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I thought I was listening to Meghan Trainor 😅 This song could have gone a lot of ways, maybe lean in to a more Olivia Rodrigo lovelorn take on the vocals. But I guess this song is just fine for me! I kinda like the childish chorus with the opposing lyrics.
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The beat sounds good (or maybe I happen to like songs with some good bass, and I’m not aware of it), but I wish there was more to it, like a power note or a bombastic final chorus to elevate it to the 8s (wasn’t a fan of the abrupt end of the song). Or even a strong chorus like you mentioned. I’d only give the bias a 8, making it a 7.5.
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Huge RV fan here. Love that she tried something different for her comeback but I wish the chorus was better written.
At least her album has some great b-sides. Queen Of The Party and His Car Isn’t Yours are my favourites!
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Absolutely the same. Red Velvet are my ultimate group and Wendy is my bias.
It isn’t a bad song, but it is missing something to it. The ending I think needed more ad libs and overall I think they needed to up the bass.
I would have loved to see Wendy go a full Avril Lavigne early 2000s edgy song. It would have been fresh and something not seen as often in kpop. I give it a C+ though since she can perform it live so well.
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Its too much on the nose, the abcdefu-effect, for me.
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Yes! That’s one of the songs it reminded me of… and I dislike that song very, very much.
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its probably one of the worst songs of the new decade
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I cannot put into words the rage that song makes me feel. In a bad way.
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Can’t tell whether to like it or not. It’s so nice to see Wendy tackling something more rock-focused for her comeback but the chorus is so underwhelming to me. It also would’ve been nice if there was a standout power note and a better final chorus in the song.
Something tells me that it’ll grow on me a bit with further listens because I like everything else about the song surrounding it.
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I love RV and, of course, Wendy. But this is just okay. The other songs on the mini sound more promising…7-7.5/10
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I love RV and, of course, Wendy. But this is just okay. The other songs on the mini sound more promising…7-7.5/10
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I don’t want to be brutal in Jenna Maroney kind of away, but that was awful.
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I don’t get why choruses need to be one, maximum two repeated english phrases/barely sentences. Just adding another one to this would have already been better.
At least Taeil said hi today
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Yeah, the chorus struggle is real. They’re what I like to call “catchphrase choruses,” and they don’t often leave much room for rhythmic or melodic variation.
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Killing the vibe from the get go. I don’t know if this is laziness, but when idols themselves write lyrics I feel like they at least give it a try..
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In principle, a one line chorus isn’t bad. Its just that this particular example is not clever, and the concept is rather thin and underplayed.
Yes, yes this is where I usually pull out “Rock Me Amadeus” which is clever as all hell, despite repeating the word “Amadeus” some sixty times.
So instead, I will share early Madonna “Burning Up”, her debut, in which the chorus is the line “I’m burning up for your love” repeated four times in a row. And yet, compelling.
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What a nice way to remind me how much I freaking love Madonna’s first album.
I’m burning up, burning up for your loooove.
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Oh your point makes a lot of sense, I just listened to both of these (a bit glad they forced me to learn german in school lol), and yeah they totally work, also remembered Take on me from A-ha, I mean I don’t know how clever that one is but it sure works. I guess it’s the gradual changed that happen in each repeated chorus and section that make it still be interesting each time🤔
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I don’t have any nostalgia towards either of the songs so imo you are, probably, being a little swayed by nostalgia because the choruses on both songs suffers from the same that wish you hell does.
Now, if with “underplayed” you meant that the instrumentals on them are better than on wish you hell, I’ll agree. For me, the instrumentals and the verses are doing all of the work. I don’t find either of the choruses all that compelling.
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Her voice saved the chorus for me.
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I just came across a tweet today about how female singers in the 2000s made great kiss-off tracks LOL.
I hear a bit of Build a Bitch by Bella Poarch in the instrumental. overall decent but Like Water (song and album) is still her best.
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No wonder that’s why both the song and MV give me an early 00’s vibe haha.
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i like this a little better than like water
8/10 for me
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I think Red Velvet is one of those few acts Nick and I tend to disagree on (for example, I absolutely adore “Psycho”). Chorus is pretty simplistic but it gets the job done as far as I’m concerned. I don’t think this is one of her better efforts, but it’s at least a low 8-8.25 for me as of now.
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I think we probably just disagree post-Psycho. Up until then they were one of my top girl groups, but everything since then just hasn’t connected with me. It’s kind of frustrating, tbh!
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That’s fair. I still like most of their more recent material, but I don’t think anything is knocking “Russian Roulette” off the top spot for me.
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“Psycho” is awful lol. The only song of theirs that comes close to being so bad is “Bad Boy”
But RV have a knack for releasing major growers. I remember listening to “Feel My Rhythm” and “Birthday” and going “well, that was disappointing” but a few listens later and they’re actually kind of genius?
“Chill Kill” was also decent, too.
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Jesus what a snoozer!
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A plain song being support by a powerful vocal and smooth steady low power production. The whole album is tend to be a ballad style too.
Low 7 or high 6.5 for me.
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This song sound like they should be released on Halloween or somewhat around early October that could definitely gain free attention and promotion for it.
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This song’s energy somehow reminds me so much of Give You Hell from The All-American Rejects that i had to play that song right after listening to this lmao.
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I like this song.
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