Nothing has been more depressing than watching the slow downward drift of Woollim Entertainment. They’ve long been host to my favorite K-pop artists and an A&R team who reliably selects top tier songs. However, the agency hasn’t released more than a three-song single album since November 2022. I’m not sure what’s going on, but their resources are clearly depleted, meaning artists have only been able to make one comeback a year. It’s finally time for DRIPPIN to make their long-awaited return, nearly a year after the underwhelming Seven Sins.
New single Beautiful Maze gives their music a brighter makeover, but doesn’t do much to set itself apart from the pack. It’s an extremely safe release, harnessing trendy synth textures and a driving beat that stays constant all the way through. It’s a pleasant mix of elements, but squanders the ambition that highlighted DRIPPIN’s excellent “Villain” series. From production to melodies, the song feels like a flat line, never daring to journey from its base elements.
If you’re going to relegate your artists to one release per year, it’s even more important that this release says something. As enjoyable as Beautiful Maze is on a surface level, it feels more like an obligation than a pleasure. It keeps the DRIPPIN ball rolling in fine fashion, but does nothing to expand or define their discography. They would have been better off going back to the well and releasing the excellent Reach Out Your Hands or Silence as an overdue title track.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 7.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I probably like it a bit better than you, but the b-sides were really much better. Really liked Black Mirror.
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Really forgettable, very 7.25 for me, which hurts to say because I know they have the capacity to have great songs.
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Extremely disagree with this. This is one of the most emotional DRIPPIN releases I’ve ever heard since they debuted and in my opinion the melody takes the cake as one of their most effective yet. This is how you make an Pop/R&B single – the hook might be repetitive and unnerving in nature and that is supposed to be the representation of the loss of someone. You keep returning to something you know can’t be there but you still do it even though its tiring.
There is something in the delivery of this song that creeps my soul. Obviously this is just my own take of the song but I just don’t think this song is generic. Seven Sins is that tbh – and for me as long as we can get out of noise music I will take WHAT I CAN. Once in a while I feel like a break out of the maximalist is good.
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Seeing the rating I expected something uninspired but after listening to it I like it a lot!! Personally 8.5/10 for me
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I actually liked this quite a bit, even if it’s nothing groundbreaking. A nice driving beat which doesn’t switch up a dozen times always helps, and I think the guys conveyed a certain emotional heft which also worked in its favor. I could see this just as easily being given to Golden Child who could’ve spun their magic and elevated it even further, but it still surpassed my expectations for DRIPPIN I guess.
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While the trendy synth and driving beat is getting tiring(and even annoying), I enjoyed this comeback! I feel like the sound at least suits Drippin and trust me..theres a lot of groups using this trend and it doesnt suit them in the slightest. And i feel even tho they used this sound they still managed to keep some of Drippins overall style in all 3 of the songs, especially Black Mirror! Oh how i wish Black Mirror was the title track instead😭😭
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Oh Drippin, I will never forgive Woollim for giving these kids that terrible name. A bunch or random letters and numbers would have been better. I’ve been rooting for these kids since pdx101, Hyeop and Yunseong were 2 of my favorite participants. I still feel like Yunseoung should have been in X1 but oh well.
This song was fine, it reminded me of something Golden Child or even Nine.i would release. I like that the song keeps a consistent pace, no crazy beat changes, not much rapping. I don’t think i’ll revisit the song by itself but i’ll probably watch a stage performance.
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