Review

Song Review: P1Harmony – DUH!

P1Harmony have developed a big global following, particularly in the States. However, I’ve had a hard time connecting to their music in any reliable way. It’s funny — from music to personality to variety content — some idols are just an instant match with my personal taste while I struggle to get into others no matter how much I try. This is no knock on P1Harmony themselves. They’re a very talented group with a handful of great tracks. I guess it’s just the way things work when it comes to fandom.

New single DUH! is unlikely to unlock any new passion from this particular K-pop fan. The song continues the group’s hip-hop heavy sound, unveiling fun, fast verses that showcase their flow. These segments are a lot of fun. Their freewheeling energy works well over the old-school production — particularly during verse two. This reminds me of the group’s debut-era work, particularly 2021’s Disharmony: Break Out mini album.

Sadly, this potential is wasted on an underwhelming chorus. Yes… we’re chanting again… just like so many other boy groups in 2025. There are only so many ways you can chant, and once you hear enough choruses like this they all blend into one cloying (and frustratingly predictable) mess. I get why K-pop agencies do this. It’s much easier to chant and dance than sing and dance. But as a purely musical experience, DUH!‘s centerpiece doesn’t offer much to look forward to. It’s another example of P1Harmony pulling me in only to let me go moments later.

Hooks 7
 Production 8
 Longevity 8
 Bias 7
 RATING 7.5

Grade: C

18 thoughts on “Song Review: P1Harmony – DUH!

  1. Well, just another average boy group song. Raps are fine, production is cool, though old-school hip-hop is basically boy group’s drum-and-bass/UK Garage, chanting’s meh. Can only imagine what if they continued the moody, but promising Siren-Scared sound… now THAT had potential…

    Rating’s the same.

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  2. I thought the whoo whoo theme in “Siren” was annoying until I … checks notes … listened to that one a surprising number of times back when. So with the whooeeeee whooooeee theme here, I am just not going to second guess them. Actually, Siren and Duh could mash up very nicely.

    So I will say YES. Low 8’s for me. Possibly mid-8’s.

    Their producers add a nice polish to them – I think its that they have genuine deeper voices that are clean not mushy. When the producers double and triple up the chorus lines, it sounds like they overlay it the old fashioned “sing-it-again” way. Because the timbre is clean, the multiples are shaggy and thicker but still clean. Most other producers in kpop would use pro-tools fussing which thickens while subtracting quality.

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  3. If this were another boy group doing a shouty chorus I would roll my eyes, but I think this 80s hip-hop sound really suits them. Otherwise it’s the usual…I guess Sad Song was an anomaly and the Siren-Scared ship has long sailed. Jiung’s bratty “not gonna repeat myself” at the end made me laugh but I’ll give it a pass since there’s still a teenager (hard to believe) in the group.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. A few days ago I discovered Xia’s Rock the World because of this blog, and have been thinking that we need that type of energy back. There’s so much K-pop groups can do with hip-hop and dance music, but here we are.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. While the genre has been retread to death recently, judging on its merits, the verses are fire, and each one has its own hook while still sounding like it belongs with each other verse. The chorus holds its own, though I could personally do without the wheeee waaaahhh screech so persistent in it.

    9,8,8,9 = 8.5

    Liked by 1 person

  6. oh I completely disagree. I think this is one of the best songs they’ve come up with in a while. The chorus is really good imo? I dont find it chanty, if anything blue by zb1 is also chanty? The production is realllly good in this.

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      • I had that thought as well… I had to go back and listen to that one to see how much of the instrumental was similar.

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    • AGREED. I was really rooting for this song to get AT LEAST a B rating it’s great. This is the throwback hip hop genre done well. Their whole EP is fully my vibe and I hope Work (work) get an MV that song is amazing! I feel like the only reason it wasn’t the title track is because of Ateez-work from last year

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