BTS’s J-Hope is quickly making up for lost time — not that there weren’t projects and songs released during his military enlistment as well. Just two weeks after his duet with R&B crooner Miguel, he’s back with solo single Mona Lisa. This time the music is a bit more upbeat and groovy, but the song feels just as slight as its predecessor.
Funny enough, Mona Lisa sounds more like it could have been released pre-BTS-enlistment than post. From the trap percussion to the repetitive hooks to the just-over-two-minutes running time, much about this transports us right back to 2019-2020. This quality makes Mona Lisa feel more like an appetizer than a full-on statement. Ambition is low, the trends are trending and the flatness of the production seems designed for looped play on streaming services. If this is the criteria we’re holding the track against, I guess you can say it checks all the boxes. However, nothing here feels fresh or exciting in any way.
J-Hope’s voice is slurred with effects, at times accentuating its texture but more often flattening individual character. The verses and chorus seep together, following a similar rhythmic pattern and keeping the energy rather monotonous throughout. With a contrasting hook (maybe Miguel should have been featured on this track instead?), we might have a satisfying slow jam on our hands. As it stands, this is another underwhelming entry in J-Hope’s recent catalog. I hope we’re building up to something more dynamic in the future.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 7 |
| Bias | 6 |
| RATING | 6.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
HOBI JUST BECAME THE FIRST BTS MEMBER TO KISS A GIRL IN AN MV IM CRYIN
LikeLiked by 2 people
the way I actually believed this and clicked on the video faster than the speed of light
LikeLiked by 1 person
you need to watch the mv twice and stream on spotify or apple music to see it
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good job.
LikeLiked by 1 person
it exists. Nothing else I have to say
7/10 (7, 7, 7, 7) for me
LikeLike
Eh, classic generic vibey trap song. No opinions tbh.
7 (7, 7, 7, 7) for me
LikeLike
I feel this is trying to be Hotline bling but without proper structure and instrumentals. Ans I didn’t even like Hotline bling. Sigh.
LikeLiked by 3 people
ngl the opening keys kinda reminded me of bruno mars’s that’s what i like
LikeLiked by 3 people
Sounds like a mediocre Drake song, I liked the beats but the vocals are so processed, his natural vocals could have lent some character to the song. Nevertheless, this was definitely made to ride the trend bus and for Hobi to dance to it flawlessly so i think it works in that aspects.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Feast your ears on this banger instead
LikeLike
A far better choice. 2nd Gen wins every time.
The little slow down at 0:45 1:47 is fantastic. A proper break, high note, and dance break too. And OUTRO ties it all up with a bow.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Millennial K-pop fans now giving Gen X vibes, I love that it’s so poetic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I try not to swear much, but after the first line I caught myself muttering “oh christ no”. Even the dance is so BTS circa 2018, with all hired dancers standing in for the rest of the guys.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Having become a fan of BTS specifically in 2018, I am pretty sure that neither the sound/lyrics nor the dance/aesthetic of this song/video has anything to do with the 2018 BTS era. If only !
LikeLiked by 2 people
I mean…. It’s not annoying, I will give it that (?). It exists. It is a song and it is OK. Non-descript.
The choreo is nice, though.
I hope we can expect something more (in any way) from BTS as they come back, because I am not even underwhelmed by this. I am kinda whelmed, mid 🤣
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is one hundred percent right up my alley, love the post-chorus. I dig the melody too. The production is a little bit average, but I think J-Hope does a good job delivering the lines, it’s convincing.
An 8 to me
LikeLiked by 2 people
There are some songs meant for listening and some meant for performing. Watch the clips of his current tour and tell me you don’t see pure joy and mischief radiating off him when he performs Mona Lisa. It’s not my favorite Hobi solo, not by a long shot. It was his dance that pulled me into BTS and his rap that kept me there. I will be happy for him to be done with this tik tok music phase and return to his rap roots. In the meantime, let him show his sexy side on stage for a while. It’s about time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I kind of agree with you. This song is totally not my cup of tea, but he has been radiating on stage lately!!
Still like J-hope.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The lyrics make giggle, though I’m not sure it’s in a positive way…
The dance is cool.
The song is boring.
6/10.
LikeLike
j-hope why, i trusted you 😦 straight 7 and i’m sorely tempted to yoink it down to 6
also, have you heard skz’s new ep? i thought it was a vast improvement from their previous mixtape, what about you? c:
LikeLiked by 1 person
j-hope is my bias and I liked Sweet Dreams, so I was excited for this. right from the first line I was disappointed. the rest of the song was very mediocre. not horrible, but not for me. I’d give a similar rating
LikeLiked by 1 person
very uninspired. Compare this to Arson and Burn, this feels quite blah. Nothing to make me replay it.
LikeLiked by 1 person