Indie K-pop artists are a dime a dozen, but the vast majority make music that sounds indie. Small ambition, subdued energy, etc. You know… coffeehouse vibes. Every once and awhile someone comes along with a bigger vision — often emerging from unexpected places. That’s happened here with Fairy Mai, once part of girl group eite who released exactly one (very good) single in 2023. She’s back with a new moniker and an exciting dance sound. Digital single Light Please easily eclipses the vast majority of K-pop’s 2025 offerings.
Light Please answers many critiques I’ve had with current K-pop trends. It’s energetic, involves vigorous singing and stretches far over the three minute mark. The song finds its drive early on and never lets up, climaxing in an addictive guitar-led drop. What it lacks in killer melodies it makes up for in sheer bounciness. Much of the track is invigorating in its energy and Fairy Mai makes for an engaging tour guide through the whirlwind.
If I’m being picky, (and you know I always am) Light Please still lacks the suckerpunch melodies that turn a strong dance track into an all-time classic. The chorus’s refrain plays second fiddle to the instrumental, and it’s hard to blame it when the rhythm is so addictive. The verses are similarly generic, though once Mai stops talking and starts singing the song becomes more satisfying. Still, this is a very easy 2025 highlight when girl groups in particular are struggling to bring the high-octane goods. Her earlier collaboration Lipstick is also worth checking out!
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 10 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 9 |
i think we know what our savior of this terrible month is…
btw I loved this song, same rating (might even grow)
LikeLiked by 1 person
ohhhh when nick drops a review of an ultra-nugu song out of nowhere in the middle of the day you know he found something GOOD
this song is such a burst of energy, especially love the edge of seventeen vibes i got from that electric guitar! could do with another chorus and bridge to send the song shooting through the stratosphere
i could see it growing on me, but an 8.75 just to be safe
LikeLiked by 5 people
hi, i’ve seen you in a lot of song reviews. just wondering, how long have you been following this blog so far?
LikeLiked by 1 person
i discovered the blog back in 2020 during the pandemic when i was searching up kpop reviews wondering if there are any and started commenting back in march 2021
im basically the resident army and jpop stan here
LikeLiked by 3 people
You can actually thank a reader for recommending this song in the comments of the UAU review!
LikeLiked by 1 person
hi that was me hahahah. I was actually omw to comment that I’m so glad you liked this song! It’s always a pleasure when someone I’ve barely even/never heard of drops and absolute banger out of nowhere.
LikeLike
the song is actually 3:27 minutes long! the mv features a short version. you can listen to the full one on spotify.
LikeLike
thats good to know, now i like the song a bit more after listening!
LikeLike
Great find! Love the song. I hope it gets more attention.
Since this is a song with only few views (sadly) I was wondering what you think of this one, it also doesn’t have that many views:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNoXkrM00lk
LikeLike
i guess they didn’t have the budget to include the whole song in the mv haha
LikeLike
UNC is such a funny name for a kpop agency. What is unc cooking???
LikeLiked by 5 people
Yasssss a nugu under the radar hot one honey!
It sounds like a bit like a Lexie Liu which is aight by me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Came back to say that “Lipstick” is also great, and the last line before the chorus kicks in makes me chuckle out loud.
LikeLiked by 2 people
haha same!! 😭🩷
this is literally so good
LikeLike
I personally prefer this one to “Light Please,” what can I say, it is designed to tickle my gay guy sensibilities and it does what it set out to do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, after a few listens I think slightly prefer Lipstick as well. To me, it feels like what Katseye were trying to do with Gnarly. Love the energy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think you’re right on the money with that comparison! It’s brash and stupid but it feels a lot more authentic and fun.
LikeLike
Plus it’s actually funny.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Right! It reminds me of a classic of my young adulthood.
“Where’s my Juul”
…And one from my childhood.
LikeLike
the instrumental anchoring the background reminds me of the riff in Me Too – Meghan Trainor
LikeLike
Speaking of nugu, what do you think of this song? I quite like the vocal harmonies in the chorus.
LikeLiked by 1 person
chi chi was one of my favorites back in the day. They had quite a few members they wouldn’t let sing though
LikeLike
Opening guitar sounds a bit like the Buffy theme.
Idk it seems disjointed overall.
LikeLike
Big thanks to the person who recommended it. I liked both artists from the label and I never would’ve found them on my own
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hey Nick. Just wondering if you checked out that YouTube channel more. Looking at the first mv of that channel, and Koi Kat’s Let it Show sounds pretty good
LikeLike
Yeah, both of her songs are pretty good. I’ve cooled just a bit on Light Please but for me Fairy Mai’s Lipstick is the best of all. They’re definitely an agency to watch. They seem to be putting their focus on the music, which is very refreshing.
LikeLiked by 1 person