As 2025 kicked off, BABYMONSTER were still promoting their first album with a series of follow-up tracks. A second album has been promised for this fall (though take that with a grain of salt given YG Entertainment’s track record) and the summer-themed Hot Sauce acts as its opening salvo, released digitally to kick off the month of July.
The song takes its cues from 80’s hip-hop and the visual presentation of Seo Taiji & Boys’ early-90’s debut era. These are two touchstones I absolutely love, so Hot Sauce should work better for me than it does. Its bouncy, minimalist beat is a suitable nod to hip-hop’s formative years, but the song is too one-note to work. I have a strange aversion to the words “hot sauce” being used as a hook. Maybe I’m still scarred from NCT Dream’s aural assault four years ago, but even without that past trauma the sound of the phrase feels awkward and automatically gimmicky. Plus, there’s no real way to make a two-syllable hook be anything but repetitive, and even at two-and-a-half minutes Hot Sauce quickly wears out its welcome.
I also find BABYMONSTER’s flow a bit uninspiring. It’s very authentic to the era they’re seeking to replicate, but from verse to chorus it feels as if we’re listening to the same line over and over again. A different hook would have resolved this issue, letting the verses capitalizing on the old-school groove while a more melodic centerpiece pulls the song in a different, more modern direction. As it stands, I don’t see myself going back to this. It’s a bit “kiddie show does hip-hop” in a bad way.
| Hooks | 6 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 7 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Fun concept, meh song. Next.
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With that NCT Dream mention, I’m just surprised you did not mention TO1’s B-side of the same name, released in 2021 as well, now THAT’S an aural assault /j
Jokes aside, the concept’s fun, quirky, a decent nod to the 80s, maybe a bit too loyal and plays things too safe. Like a Kidz Bop version of 80s hip-hop. Idk, it’s nothing spectacular.
7.25 (7, 8, 7, 7) for me.
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I think I’ve wiped that TO1 monstrosity from my memory
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Pretty fun song. The hook isn’t as overbearing as I thought it would be due to how short/concise the chorus is. Song is pretty packed for 2:30.
Solid 8 for me.
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How many times did they have to say babymonster in the song though jesus. We get it, you’re b a b y m o n.
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Can’t see hot sauce referenced in music without my brain unhelpfully responding, “Hot sauce skibby dip dat!!!” At least it was memorable??
The production was fun here! Too much speaking, not enough singing for me, personally.
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It’s called rapping…
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I am aware, but thank you!
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some people will prefer more melodies and singing than sing-talk and rap and speaking btw
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OK, I think its fine. I appreciate kitsch in kpop. Its not the best example, but it is the one here today.
I was hearing hot sauce skippy dip day as done by Crayon Pop. Oh Crayon Pop, we knew thee when.
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I miss Crayon Pop and Orange Caramel… FM was also very good.
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It seems they tried to replicate APT or Hollaback without the great production and the great hooks… mhhh
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Well, this time I’m going against the grain. I really liked the song, and those three minutes filled me with energy, very different from the overwhelming feeling left by those “Hot Sauce” of two bgs that come to mind. It was refreshing to see that behind the typical 4th gen’s lyrics of “we’re the best” there was a desire to laugh at themselves. Of course, it immediately took me back to H.O.T, Crayon Pop, and Seo Taiji and Boys, in my case in the best way. I think the vocal delivery and rapping were also very enjoyable.
*Reading the hate comments in rym and YT is painful, because I did enjoy it T-T
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can I just say I think the only songs in their repitore worse than this song are the monstrosities that are Click Clack and Woke Up in Tokyo… for me personally Baby Monster is yet to release a good song… not one of their songs are in any of my playlists… their stuff is just unlistenable… it truly feels like they’re being given BLACKPINK’s rejects because all their songs are absolutely awful… Baby Monster needs a new producing team because their discography is just a mess and this is the latest shit stain to top it all off… they released Dream pre debut and it was all downhill from there
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