It didn’t take long for QWER to go from little-known girl band to chart mainstays. 2024’s T.B.H shot them to instant stardom and they’ve been successful ever since. Bands have enjoyed a resurgence overall in K-pop, but I love when QWER function less as a band than a poppy idol group who just happen to play instruments. Such is the case with new single Ceremony.

Strictly by definition, I suppose you can call Ceremony a rock song. However, it’s just as easy to imagine it being given to a group like Twice back in their early years. Remove the guitar and you’ve got a typical idol pop track, sugary sweet and singalong. Of course, this only makes me want Ceremony to lean further in this direction. It’s crying out for an addictive, synth-led production that injects a glossy bubblegum bounce into the track. As it is, I feel like Ceremony is trying to have it both ways and ends up less distinct because of these compromises.

On the plus side, Ceremony‘s chorus is addictive on very first listen. It’s the kind of hook you can easily sing along with, which makes it perfect for streaming. I’m not sure how well this melody will age with time, but QWER sell it with plenty of energy. The Korean charts will likely eat it up, and that’s the exact trajectory the group needs to maintain.

Grade: B-