The month of SHINee solos concludes with the release of Key’s new mini album Pleasure Shop. He’s consistently been a K-pop artist who knows exactly what he wants from his music, and often those desires point toward the dancefloor. Last year’s Good & Great dabbled in house music and Pleasure Shop is largely a continuation of that trend. I enjoy this sound, but the song could push itself far harder.
There’s a style of modern house that fits perfectly in the background of an H&M or Forever 21 store. It’s stylish, sleek and rather unobtrusive. Most of Pleasure Shop fits in this category. Its chorus misses the opportunity to go big and bold, choosing instead to ride the groove while pulling its melodic punches. Insterestingly, the song’s most gripping segment comes during verse two, where Key adopts a rap-like flow and the momentum suddenly perks up. This forceful delivery suits him best and matches the intensity of the percussion.
More than anything, Pleasure Shop needs a better hook. You can hear shades of past SHINee songs — especially house tracks like Good Evening and View — but the melodies are too flat and unmemorable to stick. Compare this to RIIZE’s Impossible — another 2024 house track — and the difference is stark. Key elevates the material and ensures a certain level of longevity, but I’d like to hear him experiment a bit more with this genre.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.25 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
A watered-down Impossible, unfortunately. Liked the way it build up slowly and maintained the energy for the rest of the track.
8.25 (8, 9, 8, 8) for me.
LikeLike
I wish he went all the way in… it does give watered-down Impossible.
LikeLike
I am of two minds, because I agree that it is watered-down, yet that fits thematically with the lyrics and the MV, the virtual world that gives fake happiness, so it brings the whole thing together conceptually.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I get what you’re saying, but agencies better not start saying “we made this song boring because that’s the concept” 😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
which is why I am of two minds 😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
To me this is highly disappointing, if not annoying. The triumphal days of Bad Love and Killer seem *so* far away, and the whole ep is probably the most boring Key has ever recorded (I can barely distinguish one track from the others, they all sound pretty – or unpretty – similar indeed).
Taemin and Onew’s latest works are definitely much better and somehow refreshing and surprising. This is not what I’m personally expecting from Key, and not something I’m interested anyway.
LikeLike
so true. Each track on the mini c=has me confused which one is which. everything seems to have the house trend which is not typical of key. I’m am very sad to say but this fall key did not exceed my high exceptions… :<
LikeLike
I enjoyed Overthink more than I did the title track.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a midtempo smooth groove which makes me interested. He’s either hedging his bets or exploring a subtler sound. Either way, sounds nice to me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
while the title track is good, its b-sides r actually better. nobody is saying whether the title track r good or bad but everyone is raving over the b-sides especially Overthink . Overthink, I Know and Golden Up is stucked in my head now, follow by Novacaine. lesser for Pleasure Shop
LikeLiked by 1 person
The song’s fine, but it doesn’t come close to Killer and Bad Love.
LikeLike
I thought exactly the same about this release: a continuation of “Good and great” and nothing more, even the MV seems like an extension of what came before. Key is great but his last few releases are getting a bit boring and I know he has more to offer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This song is a solid 9.5/10 for me based on the first few listens – a more iteration of View/Impossible two 10/10 songs.
LikeLike
*A more mature iteration of View/Impossible, two 10/10 songs themselves.
LikeLike
Ok Pleasure shop did not hold up in the end
LikeLike
My gay self was popping to this😍
8.75/10❤️
LikeLike
I thought exactly the same about this release: a continuation of “Good and great” and nothing more, even the MV seems like an extension of what came before. Key is great but his last few releases are getting a bit boring and I know he has more to offer.
LikeLike
ppl are comparing to impossible but it sounds a bit like lady gaga’s alice as well
LikeLiked by 1 person
Empty house, stylish and soulless, is one of my least favourite subgenres.
It suits Key, but this one just isn’ t for me. Also, I know he says ‘pick and choose’, but the first thing I heard was ‘Pikachus’, and heck, it’ s Key, he could have made that work too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pretty disappointed with this song.
Key does a good job with it, but meh.
LikeLike
It might be bc I barely remember Key’s previous work during 2021-2022 (I don’t exactly know if that’s the time frame, I didn’t really pay attention to his music back then) but this freaking SLAPS oh my god, i LOVE IT.
9/10
LikeLike