Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post.
I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: a 0.5 shift here, a 0.25 shift there. But, it’s a fun way to keep track of how my feelings on songs have changed over time – as well as which tracks currently have momentum on my playlist.
And remember, just because a song is marked as a “faller” doesn’t mean I hate it! Falling from a “9” to an “8.75” is no shame. 9+ rated songs occupy a totally different playlist in my music library, so I’m pretty particular about what qualifies. It’s a high bar.
This month’s feature covers the period from October 21st to November 17th.
RISERS
AM8IC – Link Up
Rating: 7.75 → 8
Close Your Eyes – SOB (with Imanbek)
Rating: 7.75 → 8.25
DKZ – Replay My Anthem
Rating: 7.75 → 8
LE SSERAFIM – Spaghetti (ft. J-Hope)
Rating: 8 → 8.5
NCT Dream – Beat It Up
Rating: 7.75 → 8.25
NEXZ – Beat-Boxer
Rating: 8 → 8.75 *Biggest Riser*
&TEAM – Back To Life
Rating: 8.25 → 8.5
FALLERS
ALLDAY Project – One More Time
Rating: 8.75 → 8.5
Close Your Eyes – X
Rating: 8.5 → 8.25
Joochan – Rise & Shine
Rating: 8.25 → 8
Sunmi – Cynical
Rating: 8 → 7.75
U-Know – Stretch
Rating: 8 → 7.5 *Biggest Faller*
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I love how SOB and X are now the same rating.
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It all evened out somehow!
I like their new album but the music kind of lost the qualities I LOVED about their first two minis and doesn’t feel as uniquely *them* if that makes sense.
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SOB is a huge grower ngl, like the driving dance beat and that chorus pretty much makes it up for the corny lyrics and the vocal effects in the pre-chorus 😭😭 (if you’re gonna do corny lyrics, make sure the beat and energy is good!). It’s now an 8.25 for me as well.
Even 82MAJOR’s Trophy is a grower. The performances have been fun (lowkey love the silly spinning trophy move) and the chorus’ catchy too. That’s an 8.5 for me now.
One More Time had so much potential to be in the 9s, but that evil labubu had to ruin it with his poor excuse of a rap. It still is an 8.25 (9, 8, 8, 8) for me
Didn’t expect X to fall though. But it’s still good, though I still prefer Snowy Summer and All My Poetry over it. Didn’t expect Spaghetti to rise as well. Idk, I like the beat and all, and the chorus is an earworm, but I haven’t really personally check the song since release day.
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Oh and also VVUP’s House Party is so ridiculously stupid, it’s actually intriguing to me. Grew quite a lot from mid-7s to an 8.25 (8, 8, 9, 8) 😭😭
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House Party has had a chokehold on me from the day it came out so I’m glad others are seeing the vision. 🙂 It’s such a fun song, and sometimes that’s all you need.
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ik this is an old post by now I just want to agree that Tarzzan is a true musical terrorist
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I’m really looking forward to end-of-the-year lists (from you, and others like Billboard and NME), so I can try to catch up on all that I’ve missed. It’s really gotten away from me this year, for some reason.
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nick, my prediction of all-day falling was correct!
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It toppled a little (entirely due to Tarzzan’s verse, tbh)
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i absolutely hate how this song could’ve been something great if it wasn’t for tarzzan 🙄
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Not sure if I can say SOB is a riser because I only paid attention to it when the album came out. I like it a lot right now (I have no idea about what the lyrics are about, so they don’t bother me). X is also rose for me…
ME by Kang Seungyoon is my biggest riser.
From last month, Tempest’s IN THE DARK has something about it that makes me really nostalgic and emotional every time I listen to it. It’s been playing nonstop since it came out and it’s not stoping for now.
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wrote that in a hurry so I apologize for the typos😓….I forgot about Xikers’ Superpower. I think it’s from October, but that song grew on me a lot. At first I found it a little shouty, but when I listen to it these days it makes me super happy. First Xikers’ title that I like❤️
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Nooo, Pinocchio didn’t rise for you 😞
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Spaghetti and Beat Boxer much deserved rises. One More Time should have hit harder in the choreography, so I’m mostly disappointed dance wise rather than song wise (although criticizing the Tarzan rap is fair!).
Purple Kiss’ “Breathe” was a standout for me this month. Hijacking this comment section to share my thoughts on it.
As you may expect from a group’s final release before disbandment, they gave this one so much energy and emotion, and what could have been a mid/high release was vaulted into a higher tier for me from their performance. That first pre-chorus is so powerful, and they built such a powerful ending by having the members sing so earnestly layering together with each other. I’d give it 9,9,10,10 = 9.5
Goodbye, Purple Kiss, you were amazing. Top 5 strongest discography top to bottom of active groups I was following. May you RIP (Rest In Playlist)
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