I wasn’t sure whether to write about this song or not since it’s barely promoted and the animated (AI slop) video doesn’t really fit my requirements for review. However, I’m very fond of CSR and their discography and it’s a slow day/week in K-pop. The group debuted in 2022 with a whopper of a mini album, recapturing the bright, melodic sound of past girl groups like GFriend and early-SNSD. That sound comes at a premium nowadays (hell, it’s practically extinct!), so even a so-so version of it like Can’t Hide Anymore (숨길 수 없는 맘인걸) comes across as very refreshing.
First off, it’s depressing to see what’s happened to CSR. They barely release music anymore and even this song had no real teasers or build-up. The members don’t appear in the video and this is not part of any larger album or project. It’s quite literally a scrap thrown at the fans. I’m committed to picking that scrap off the ground, dusting it off and putting it in a nice frame for posterity’s sake. Can’t Hide Anymore isn’t the most amazing thing I’ve ever heard and if it had emerged in 2016 when this sound was trendy it would’ve been overshadowed by so many stronger songs within the genre. But in a world where everyone’s sing-talking through their two minute tracks, Can’t Hide Anymore is a lovely little trinket.
The song carries the cadence of Lovelyz’ early work, moving briskly through a series of quirky hooks. There isn’t one knockout hook to center everything else around, which hurts the song’s memorability. Thankfully, the fizzy, synth-fueled instrumental keeps the energy high throughout, buoyed by CSR’s spirited performance. I don’t know that I’ll remember this song in a year’s time, but it’s a nice, nostalgic pick-me-up at the end of the week.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.25 |
Grade: B
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
So sad that they ran out of money for these girls. Their concept of all being born in the same year is so unique (and so Korean). It’s the perfect set up for them to mature their sound and image over time.
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I should have expected that MV to be AI slop, what was I expecting…
Damn it, CSR has potential in the landscape! They had some really good starting material and a concept that felt like a revival of that cute, near magical girl territory that existed years ago. And here we are. The song is fine, like you said nothing that really sticks out other than it feels like a real song with some level of earnest, which is really sad if you think about it.
Straight 8, imagine if that MV had a human animator.
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they didn’t even bother to include the girls that are literally part of the group….
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Ok, good to see they’re promoted it on music shows
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhF12TqIEyo
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i haven’t heard of them for so long that I thought they just quietly disbanded.
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ugh the AI slop immediately turns me off though, which is sad because I thought this group had great potential considering their amazing work in 2022 and 2023
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i just hope that the song itself isn’t AI…
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I didn’t even see the teasers until yesterday, so I was quite surprised and excited when I saw it was already out.
Sequence:7272 is still my favorite album of 2022, and probably the most consistently great and cohesive k-pop album in general, so CSR has been near and dear to me ever since.
While this new single’s production quality doesn’t reach their best work, their vocals and delivery are as bright as ever, making it another fun release.
I’m really happy they’re still around and can’t wait for (hopefully) more activity from them in the near future. As ignorant as their agency has been in the past, they at least seem to let them actively promote this on music shows.
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