Super Junior-D&E haven’t even made their comeback yet, but it’s already embroiled in controversy. Title track GGB will not be performed on music shows after its title was deemed derogatory toward women. Honestly. I had to look up what “GGB” means before I realized that the real issue likely stems from the Korean version of the word/acronym, which is indeed problematic.
Anyway, today we have pre-release ballad Rose, which will never be found problematic by anyone. It’s a nice, worthy slow burn that matches member Donghae’s songwriting strengths well. More than anything, Rose reminds of the times YG Entertainment artists would get pensive and emotional in between their hip-hop bangers. Tell me you can’t close your eyes and picture Bigbang or Winner performing this! Rose isn’t an especially compelling example of the form, retreading many melodic flourishes we’ve heard before. However, it’s delivered well and offers a moment of respite before we brave the controversies of the infamous GGB in a week’s time.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.25 |
Grade: C
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Kpop stans love to hate on record labels, but sometimes record labels do rein in the bad ideas. Now under their one duo aegis, they have no one to tell them no. I mean, SM would not have even touched the word in Korean. In English, sure, the kpop censors have blithely ignored bad words in other languages, but never in Korean. And heavens forbid they mutter a word in Japanese in a Korean song, or have anything remotely red and white striped. Oof, third rail.
Kpop stans love to think their boys are the bad boys, but when they are actually bad, they hate that.
That said, this prelease is another pleasing example of Donghae’s writing skills. One can easily imagine him plucking it out on the guitar. Not nearly the height of “Growing Pains”, not the lows of other songs, but aiight. That said, I would be surprised if they go ahead with the release or have an expensive first mistake on their own label.
Semi-related note: Hubby and I were watching the movie “Dumb Money” about the GameStop stick thing (actually a highly entertaining movie), and the song “W.A.P” was used, which reminded me of when it was released, how it kept some Big BTS release from hitting Billboard Number 1 (which was funny to me at least). The most outre image song up against the most overthought image song. W.A.P is a song kpop will never come close to.
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Not sure what you’re referring to here, since Dynamite did in fact dislodge WAP as number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of its release. As I recall, the two songs then kept switching places at No. 1 and No. 2 for a few weeks.
Perhaps you’re talking about the inaugural Billboard Global 200? However, the only reason I know WAP outdistanced Dynamite on that chart is because it was mentioned in something I saw while fact-checking that Dynamite was the BTS song you were referring to. I don’t remember anyone making a big deal out of that, although perhaps delulu fans were butthurt.
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Aish I had it the wrong way around, that then this rather than this then that. Outside of kpop world and kpop boards, in the US there was a general commentary about how the top two songs couldn’t be more different – squeaky clean boy band fare vs full-on hip hop by leading ladies in a highly evocative style.
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I like Dynamite, but I’m not a fan of most of BTS’ recent songs, and not much of a fan of their English language songs. Their pop sensibility is not what is most unique and refreshing about them.
Also their discography is in no way squeaky clean, and as fans themselves of Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B, I suspect they would be upset and hurt at people holding them up as moral exemplars by comparison rather than saying they personally like one song or the other more.
My biggest gripe about WAP is that neither Cardi B nor Megan participated in writing it. It’s a song about female sexuality performed by women, but written by men. Make that make sense.
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Is it weird that this song made me think of Green Day? Maybe it was something in the delivery. It’s alright. Not sure I’ll be coming back to it though.
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