Though Yeji burst onto the scene as part of girl group ITZY, she first stepped onto my radar as a contestant in SBS’s 2018 talent audition show The Fan. In fact, a ton of talent ended up flourishing from that program! Even back then, it was clear she had the makings of a charismatic soloist and now she gets to flex that charisma with her first single and mini album.
Air harnesses Yeji’s skills as a dancer, giving her an upbeat retro sound that hinges on electro elements and builds to a satisfying climax. Right from the start, she captivates with a crisp, confident vocal that melds power with vulnerability. The song slowly builds throughout this opening verse until the synth beat kicks in for the chorus. I’m not as sold on the melodies here, but the production powers them with a glossy pop sound and chugging percussion. Air snowballs from here, with each piece becoming bigger and more impassioned until electric guitar joins the fray for a stellar final minute.
To me, this plays like a softer, slinkier version of ITZY’s early-2024 standout Untouchable. It’s a great sound for Yeji and positions her perfectly within the current crop of dance pop divas. From here, I hope she takes the chance to go even bolder with her performance, as I could easily see her leading the pack of K-pop solos.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
My god, you can never go wrong with a slinky, groovy dance beat! The hooks command your attention and the way it grows stronger with each chorus alongside the production pulling up some extra tricks from its sleeves, it’s just great. I’m just unsure of its longevity, but for now, I like it.
8.5 (8, 9, 8, 9) for me.
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this is definitely the strongest release of today. JYP female solo debuts have all been great and Yeji is no exception.
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I give it a solid 8. I think the verses could’ve had more momentum instead of killing time, and I find her voice a little pointed/nasal at times (but that could just me and my preference). A solid solo debut outside of that. Very fun and a good foundation so we see who she is.
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A 9 for me. I absolutely love it. The retro disco synths are fantastic and addictive. Yeji’s performance is really strong. When the 1st teaser of TWICE’s Set Me Free came out I thought the song would sound more like this.
The rest of the EP is also very good and fun. This is a very good solo debut.
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I like it, and it capitalizes on one of Itzy’s biggest strengths, the insertion of interesting ad libs. This one follows Born To Be’s direction of adding more and more of them to each chorus, and it works really well. I’m not sure if it is unique enough to stand out over the years, but overall a solid track.
(8,9,8,9) = 8.5
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I had no expectations going into this debut and left out pretty satisfied. This is right up my alley
Well done miss Yeji. Great music and MV
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I liked Yejis solo track in Untouchable, and this did not disappoint.
8.5/10 (8, 9, 9, 8) for me
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I don’t see this getting stuck in my head, but I do see it making for some amazing performances. Giving Yeji a chance to hit the dancefloor and show off her skills is so smart! I know her vocals aren’t for everyone (I personally love them) but I feel like almost anyone could enjoy this on first listen. Also, she looks gorgeous in the MV. I’m very biased towards Yeji (she and Yuna always draw my eye in Itzy) so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I think this is amazing even if it’s not my favorite type of music.
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I was speechless at first listen,I have to listen to kpop songs at least twice to like them, this and set me free by Twice,I loved at first listen
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Already my favorite title track of the week!
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Unexpectedly you’ve place such a high score for this! I feels it’s quite generic as a pop music and as some comment said above, soloist just can’t go wrong with this approach but I’m looking more from Yeji, perhaps a stronger melody, or a sharper production. But I do expect more.
8/10 for me.
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yeji clearly has the goods to be a top tier soloist, something I couldn’t say I saw from her work in itzy. Air isn’t a masterpiece but i can totally see it being the start of a great solo career, a track we can look back with fond memories
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This is a fine song, nothing wrong with it, but it doesn’t provoke much excitement. Though, I could totally see this as a b-side in Key’s Gasoline/Killer album. I think icy cold tones really suit dance floor adjacent songs
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