I was lucky to be front row at Hwasa’s showcase stage during this year’s KCON LA and that performance crystallized her strengths as an artist. Though I haven’t always loved her solo work, she’s racked up a solid discography of varied material. And with Hwasa’s charismatic execution, nearly anything can turn into a hit.

New single Good Goodbye is a departure from the sassy, upbeat material she usually releases, taking the energy down for a languid mood piece. The song is sparsely produced, particularly during its verses. These segments pass by without much impact, leaving the heavy lifting to the chorus.

Good Goodbye centers on a breezy hook that blends sentiment with pop shimmer. I’m not sure if something can be “muted” and “anthemic” at the same time, but the chorus blurs this line in a satisfying way. I feel like I’ve heard its melody before in K-pop (it’s very Teddy-coded, actually), but the familiarity works to the song’s benefit. Ultimately, the track is too slight to elicit many sparks — especially after such a long hiatus since her last comeback.

Grade: C