Treasure attempted a reboot last summer but title track Bona Bona still hinged on many YG Entertainment tropes. The album itself was much more varied and pointed toward a sleek, nostalgic sound that worked well for the group. New single King Kong promises another reinvention and its sound nudges a bit closer to realizing that ambition.
When King Kong is good, it’s great. The rubbery electro beat is a real treat, underpinning a swift verse and energetic chorus. There are times when the song feels as if it could have been plucked from K-pop’s bombastic second generation, and it’s at its best when leveraging this propulsive drama. A clobbering dance break hints at an even more exciting arrangement had the track opted to go bigger and bolder.
King Kong struggles when embracing the YGisms that have plagued most of the agency’s post-2017 groups. A second verse rap breakdown is awful (and long), destroying momentum in the most predictable way. I don’t know why K-pop tracks can’t either let their rappers perform over the song’s original beat or shift this segment to the bridge where it would be less jarring. The song’s chorus also suffers from shouting over singing. It’s catchy, but feels underwritten — especially when compared to similar efforts from years ago.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8.25 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
The dance made me giggle😍💃 but the song is surprisingly good! 😦😅
Maybe they could do the same for babymonster💕
I’ll give it an 8.5/10❤️
thanks for giving us music this time yg🥹
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The last time I listened to yg music I got told im gonna be hunted😦, I’ll be outnumbered 7 to 1😮, and I got sheeshed at😭😊😔💕🙂
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Tbh, this reminds me of Supernova’s brother if it was raised by YG (and properly btw or else we’d prolly get a male Blackpink reject). Sure not as strong as Supernova, but I like it. I don’t have much problems with the rap breakdown, cause it kinda stayed loyal to the rest of the production energy and vibe-wise (at least it didn’t feel empty with some bland trap beats and all). Just wish the outro was a lil stronger, but I still appreciate the song for its energy.
8.75 (8, 9, 9, 9) for me.
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This is good but feels kind of dated, possibly because of the “YGisms” as you call them. I agree about the sound, which throws me back to the second gen, but it’s like something’s missing, a modern twist maybe. We’ll see how the song evolves after more listens. I appreciate the Rocking reference lol
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Pros:
Prechorus and bridge
Nonempty chorus
Doesn’t sound like Bona Bona or Jikjin
Cons:
Sing-talk verses
Chorus reminds me of That That
Overall: Above average
I have gotten to like Treasure (especially Reboot) quite a lot after watching their silly dating show. This is better than expected and makes me hopeful for their next album.
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the teasers hyped me a lot. i wished it was one chorus longer
i do feel it will be a grower though
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Its a fairly workaday song, by the books. Not bad, but not great, just kind of meh.
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This is more fun than not, it really does have a second gen sound! We’ll see how often I’m willing to slog through that rap verse, but I really like the prechorus and the dance break and I actually love the sing-talk in the opening lines, that kind of attitude + vocal fry = very fun to sing along to.
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That bass beat has been bothering me because I swear I’ve heard it before and I racked my brain…was it Seventeen? Stray Kids? I drove my mental library to the point of surrender and then it came to me
Rush Hour.
The bass is the same one in Rush Hour by Monsta X.
Anyway, more pros than cons and I enjoy the fun the members have performing it too. Definite grower in my eyes (ears?) Will I become a Treasure fan? Time will tell
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I thought the second verse breakdown trend died a year ago.
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really wished ateez came out with something like this but they wanted to make it purr
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