Apink’s Kim Nam Joo made her solo debut in 2020 but hasn’t released new material since then. Sticking with the monosyllabic b-word pattern of past track Bird, she’s returned with new single Bad. It’s a mix of blazing potential and crushing frustration.
When it comes to girl group material this year, there’s been a persistent trend of spoken-word, catchphrase choruses that upend an otherwise solid track. Such is the case with Bad. The song comes out of the gate swinging. The instrumental’s punchy, brass-powered energy is complimented by a robust vocal performance from Nam Joo. She brings plenty of drama to both the percussive verse and gentler pre-chorus.
From here, Bad swerves into a spoken word hook that sacrifices much of the excitement built from the verses. It’s not the worst iteration of this approach, but it feels like a missed opportunity. I’ve been hoping for a return to the bombastic brassiness that characterized K-pop’s 2014-15 girl group era, and Bad feels like an appetizer for that oeuvre. The problem is, some of us are ready for the full meal!
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 7.75 |
Grade: C+
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
She sells the shit out of the song, full leading lady style. There are moments in the instrumental which also sell the shit out of the song. Big brass. The song itself meets expectations.
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Ariana Grande’s Problem is my first thought. Feels like Bad is following Problem’s structure down to the spoken-word chorus.
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Hmm, something feels very off with the production in the verses, maybe the mixing? Also, I feel like this needs to be attacked vocally like Little Mix would do. Instead, it’s ringing kinda hollow.
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