Review

Song Review: BOYNEXTDOOR – ddok ddok ddok

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After three years, BOYNEXTDOOR are finally set to release their first full album next month. This usually means extra promotions including a pre-release or follow-up. Without much teasing at all, the group has dropped ddok ddok ddok (똑똑똑) as a taste of what’s to come. Fans will know the significance of this title given the group’s “knocking door” schtick, though the song itself feels different from their usual fare.

ddok ddok ddok takes a harder hip-hop turn, even borrowing the stylistic vocal effects utilized by groups like Cortis. Unsurprisingly, this is a not a pleasant development for me. BOYNEXTDOOR have always had a strong hip-hop base to their sound, but it’s usually playful and upbeat. In contrast, ddok ddok ddok feels way too serious and sonically dull for a group like BOYNEXTDOOR. Their personality and individual character have been such vital pieces of their success, and ddok ddok ddok feels as if it could have been released by any boy group angling to capture the current trends of the industry.

Beyond everything else, ddok ddok ddok just isn’t very fun to listen to. There’s potential in its sparse, cavernous groove but the guys’ flow is either predictable or obnoxious with very little space in between. The chorus doesn’t inject any new element or texture, maintaining the rhythmic taunts from the verses and pre-chorus. Hopefully this isn’t an indication of the album’s overall sound because this is easily the weakest track the group has ever promoted.

Hooks 6
 Production 7
 Longevity 7
 Bias 7
 RATING 6.75

Grade: D+

28 thoughts on “Song Review: BOYNEXTDOOR – ddok ddok ddok”

  1. I like that they listed all their albums as part of the lyrics, but that’s about it. Here’s to hoping the title track is better!

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    • The Action was already a horrid EP for me and to follow up we have knockknock ….. Really hope they redeem themselves cause this insanely sucks

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  3. Really gotta ask you how feel about Charli XCX’s ‘Rock Music’. I think it sounds cool and abrasive like a lot of her work does, but that buzzing sound playing throughout wears out its welcome fast, as does the glitching effect on her voice when she says the song title.

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  4. i have to assume this is gonna be the intro, which i guess its fine for that purpose, but if its an accurate representation of what the album’s gonna sound like then i’m worried. the beginning of the song emulating one and only era only to immediately spiral into pots and pans would be a fun way to imply a genre/concept change or rebrand if i..actually wanted a genre/concept change or rebrand. which i never do

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  5. BOYNEXTDOOR have become one of my favorite groups after hearing songs like “I Feel Good” and “Hollywood Action.” However, I was really disappointed by “Knock Knock.” Everything about it feels monotonous. The instrumental, the melody, the rap — none of it leaves any impression on me.

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  6. Nooo!!? What is this NCT + Cortis esque boring track??

    Bring back my fun, playful, upbeat Boynextdoor back!!! This is such a dumbing down of their personalities which made them so special, now they feel like any other ABC kpop group out there.

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  7. It’s not the best thing they’ve released, but I thought it would sound much worse based on this review! This actually reminds me more of the recent hip-hop songs by fellow 5th gen boy groups RIIZE and TWS (Bag Bad Back and Head Shoulders Knees Toes). I enjoyed the instrumental flourishes and melodies in the pre and post choruses and the members’ charisma is fantastic as always. Probably an 8.25 for me right now

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    • I totally agree, it does not remind me of Cortis, but it does remind me of Riize’s and TWS’ similar output. I did not like those two songs, and I don’t like this one either. I don’t think it’s horrible, it’s just something NCT would do and we don’t need more of it. At least not me.

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  8. i seriously could not care for this group anymore. i was obsessed with them and previously called myself a stan for songs like one and only or earth wind and fire, so you can expect how disappointed i am. I was first irked out when i heard hollywood action, but it grew on me. but this?? i understand groups will have to become mature over time, but said groups can do that while being unique?? im not against hip-hop influenced tracks in k-pop, dont get me wrong, but i’m pissed when groups are doing it when basically everyone else (from the big companies obviously) are starting to do the same thing. by the end of the year, all of HYBE’s groups are gonna have the same concept if they keep this up.

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  9. Sounds great! I swear it has the exact same sound effects as Bag Bad Back lol. I wish the new cortis sounded like this (loved the debut, hate the new one including REDRED). It’s simplistic which I could go either way on over time, but for now I’d say 8.25.

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    • I was thinking that this was another song that was on the very long list for BTS, who very quickly and wisely passed on it, and it was passed down and down within Hybe until it landed with this group. No idea if that is what happens, but that’s my working hypothesis. If so, I predict more of this sound in all the junior groups.

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      • If you look at the credits it’s just zico and his friends. Penomeco who’s a part of fanxychild (with zico, crush, and dean), lil moshpit who was a producer with him in the latest show me the money season, and poptime who has produced all of bnd’s music up until now.

        I dont like the song either but i think it’s closer to “khip hop” than enhypen or cortis. the english translation is pretty bad but the lyrics have a lot of double entendres about the dark side of fame which is very zico and penomeco to play with language, i find that interesting. I also like how the doorbell is incorporated in the beat but that’s about it.

        The music video is verryy hybe though, very ugly and so dim i had to put my brightness up. I’ve been following this group for a while and this feels so unlike them it truly feels like they’re doing zico cosplay :// which is what some people were accusing them of doing with one & only, but i digress.

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  13. i’m kinda moving lol,, i don’t like it, but i do see what it’s trying to do. i’ve been here with riize and tws. this song doesn’t quite have the same dramatics as bag bad back and hskt, and the most interesting parts come in right before the song ends. i’m giving it a chance

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  14. I don’t know BND that well, but I always check out their comebacks and have enjoyed their cheeky playfulness. So when I opened this mv I kept waiting for the joke, for it to suddenly skew toward parody or silliness. So when it just stayed the course I decided I must have entered an alternate reality.

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