There have been a number of great boy group debuts this year, and KickFlip were the first out of the gate. But despite their (over)long gestation since 2021’s Loud survival series, their music didn’t immediately connect with me the way other groups’ has. It’s been a slower burn, with May’s Freeze easily their best title track yet. Their third mini album is scheduled for later this month and promotions kick off today with pre-release Band-Aid (반창고).
Despite a few misgivings (does that incessant trap percussion recall the irritating twisting of a wind-up toy to anyone else?), Band-Aid is anchored by a standout chorus that offers a very promising roadmap for KickFlip’s future. As TWS’s brilliant hey! hey! showed us last year, there are a lot of great sounds (and melodies!) to be mined from idol-pop-meets-teen-rock. Band-Aid is at its best when it leans into these elements. Its opening verse is a total buzzkill, pulling back with that annoyingly tinny percussion. But after this, we’re off to the races as the track bursts into its exciting chorus.
While the percussion remains an issue, I love the blazing guitar that takes precedence during this segment. There’s a real sense of release during this chorus, echoed by effusive melodies that perfectly channel the energy. The slowed-down verse two is a bit of a disappointment, but works much better without the tinniness. From here, Band-Aid truncates its segments, opting for briskness rather than development. This feels like a missed opportunity, but I’m willing to overlook the flaws with a chorus this fun.
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8.5 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Instant classic. 3 fantastic releases so far this year? Incredible. They’ve grown on me so much on repeat listens.
I’ve learned to embrace the trap rattles and ticks at this point, otherwise it’s be hard to enjoy kpop at all.
The length doesn’t bother me. I agree this deserves to be a bit longer but I’m grateful for what we have here. Maybe fans could create extended versions, that’d be cool.
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I love how they’ve expanded out from the pop punk influence into metalcore. I didn’t like these subgenres 20-25 years ago but it sounds just right here in their proper pop place!
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I hate it’s not on Spotify yet
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Probably won’t be until the 22nd, too… 😦
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no 😭
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oh wow this song SLAMS
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Missed this kind of straight-forward teenage post-breakup song. These are still the BTS tracks (I need u, run) I replay the most… And one can always do with a dose of “I’ll be back” (bonus: Nina’s version in Niziu project) Amaru and Donghyeon’s vocals really suit that kind of track
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This kind of transported me to the 00s lol, with that pop-punk chorus – I love it! The verses could definitely be more engaging but this chorus is killer, and the nostalgia factor is carrying hard for me.
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Bright and Youthful. The skittering drum I think is used well as it creates the illusion of momentum. Dare I say propulsive. The vibe is very OST-adjacent which is a good thing.
Yes, good song. Rating is about right – mid- 8’s.
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Nice, bright song, but first love and first heartache is so far in my past I find it hard to relate. They’re younger than my own kids, who are also beyond first love and first heartache. I have that issue with a lot of the younger groups. They aren’t talking to me.
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I feel about the same – that kpop has skewed so young these years. Its hard to relate to many or most of the new debuts. It is as if the kpop industry has forgotten that there is real money in the older set too, yanno the ones who pay for all their kids’ stuff.
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This is giving me the ebullient energy of fromis_9’s Like You Better but teenage boy edition.
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Kickflip is demanding my attention. I love the direction they are going.
9,8,8,9 = 8.5
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I love KickFlip I hope they get more popular ❤️❤️❤️
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