New JYP Entertainment boy group NEXZ have split their attention between Korea and Japan. Six out of seven members are Japanese, but they’ve been promoting actively in Korea with Korean-language music. New single Nallina certainly takes cues from the K-pop side of things, offering a dance-heavy showcase that skimps on the hooks and hinges on a gruff centerpiece that’s more off-putting than addicting.
NEXZ… don’t go teasing me with a “Nallina.” This will only bring back memories of Block B’s heyday and the musical mischief they’d get into. JYP Entertainment would clearly like this Nallina to be mischievous and fun, but it’s simply too predictable to work. The guys vamp over a percolating bed of percussion. The instrumental has potential, choosing a wide variety of tones that give it addictive groove. However, Nallina has no interest in developing its assets. Instead, it reverts to boy group tropes at every turn.
Following a robust pre-chorus, Nallina stumbles into a dull hook that sees the guys shouting nonsense with the same exact texture as every boy group you’ve heard over the past few years. I don’t know how every act manages to adopt a similar tone when shouting, but this could just as easily be any NCT unit. Despite Nallina being a personality-fueled single, I don’t glean any unique personality from the performance — and I’m one of those fans who watched NEXZ be formed through the Nizi Project. I should be especially predisposed to this!
| Hooks | 6 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 7 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
*yawn* average boy group song, next!
6.75 (6, 7, 7, 7) for me
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I’d say it’s more OnlyOneOf than NCT, nowhere near either group’s level though.
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This is such a shame because it has potential to me. Something about that percussion really scratches my brain, verses are serviceable and I really, really like the postchorus (though it needs more synth). Unfortunately the production sounds too empty in places and the chorus kills the song completely.
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And I, too, thought of Block B TT
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Block B “Nalina” ranks favorably on the english lyrics scale. Its not so much a single line, because the lyrics actually are all over the place, but overall averages out to a “cringey cringetastic” ranking, which is about perfect for me.
There are a few lines which give me pause. Mishearing mispronounced english. The first being “what’s up deli boy” = not the line, but it would be funny to call out the deli boy. (For what, something wrong with your sandwich, the cheese to meat ratio not right?)
The second being “I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know but I’m ____, ____”. I don’t hear “hot”. I hear the opposite of soft. You know what you know what you know what what I mean mean.
Block B was always a favorite of mine as they were the punks in the room doing their own thing without much supervision. That did exist, briefly, in kpop. It is almost the complete contrast with this song here today which is so scripted.
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I do so love the english lyric ranking scale!
Im so [redacted] gave me a good chuckle, I hear it too and adding “you know what I mean” after it just makes it more plausible and therefore funnier. Misheard English lyrics were always such a classic in kpop, I remember the youtube compilations (some more and some less funny).
For some reason I only ever listened to their songs, but had I put in some effort I might have stanned them for real. They have a sort of energy we don’t see in kpop at the moment.
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Another phrase that needs to be retired is “nalina” / “going crazy” because we know that no idol is allowed to ever actually go crazy. Same with “I’m so Bad”. Just no.
Anyway, its a basic quote bad unquote boy song as done by just about everyone. There are some interesting moments here and there, but on balance its a pass.
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I wish this group would lean into the early sound of VeriVery, like a more groovy and funky sound. Like why are the kids always shouting, it’s so unnecessary, especially when they seem to have some decent singing ability.
I didn’t watch their show but I’ve seen a few of their dance practices and these kids have a nice bounce and groove to their style of dancing. It’s a missed opportunity to not have them show that in their sound.
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I like some of it, but not enough to punch through my indifference.
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well that was untrue; it’s grown on me.
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cringe…. 😔
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JYP Ent. really doesn’t know what to do with the sound of this group. They try everything to emulate other artist’s sounds and they are always sounds with dated drops
7.25 however
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Apart from your review about the song, please stop spreading misinformation about Nexz and edit your article or even delete it because they are not jpop group, no jpop group would release more korean music than japanese. They are labelled as a global boy group in their official website and is represented as a global boy group by jyp himself in the final ep of their survival show.
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i’ve been listening to nexz in preparation for their comeback despite not really clicking with their music and i have to say i did a COMPLETE 180 on this song when i checked their studio choom performance and dance practice. the boys are insanely talented and are synchronized in ways i didn’t even think were possible. i think it really just goes to show sometimes the members’ charms and execution can completely change the context of the song
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