JYP Entertainment has been on a roll this year and as the agency released great song after great song I made a silent prayer that one of those great songs would make it to ITZY. I’ve always liked this group, but my interest in their music has waxed and waned as they struggled to find a sound that matched their undeniable charm. New single Motto is a different look for them, moving further towards pure pop than they’ve ever attempted on a title track.
Summer is almost upon us, and Motto makes a bid to rule the season. Its shimmering synthpop is instantly atmospheric, but rather than stay muted and aloof, the song bursts into a charging chorus that throws everything at us at once. I miss big choruses in K-pop, so this is an exciting development — especially from a group I didn’t think was all that interested in the approach.
Motto‘s chorus is airtight — one of the best of the year. However, a chorus can’t drive a song all by itself. In comparison, the verses are a mixed bag. I hate how K-pop producers seem to believe that every pre-chorus must slow to a sludgy halt in order to properly set up the hook. Dance music should rarely slow and if it does the arrangement and melody must kill. These slower moments in Motto fracture the vibe, even if the electronic build that follows (especially after the bridge!) delivers the goods. I could see my rating evolving upward as my ear gets more used to Motto‘s structure, but even if it stays where it is today this song is an undeniable success for the group.
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
Grade: B+
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
best itzy song in years!!! pure pop perfection and i’m thrilled because kpop has been so muted and boring this year. BRING BACK GOOD CHORUSES AND SONG STRUCTURE !
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Or howabout just skipping this notion of the prechorus anyway? I mean, I am old, so I have no idea when the Prechorus became a thing. An obligatory thing, especially in kpop. Back in my day it was just verse-chorus-verse-chorus-break-chorus. They just went straight to the chorus. All the prechoruses sound the same anyway and have the same stupid percussion progression from quarter notes to eighth to sixteen notes.
Anyway, it sounds like something they tried to try for TWICE, didn’t quite work out, assigned it to Itzy instead. Just my speculation. I can almost hear where Momo and Nayeon’s lines and the rest of their characteristic voices would all be. It’s bright and poppy. It’s fine.
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I completely hear you on the pre-chorus thing. I feel like they became a required element with the EDM-pop of 2008-2012 (an era I really dislike, sorry Nick!).
I remember watching React to the K, that YouTube channel where college classical musicians react to Kpop, and for every song they were like, “okay, here comes the drop,” as if every song had to have a build-drop or build-anti-drop structure. But they had grown up in the EDM and post EDM 2010s.
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I feel like this shift was especially seen in 2019, right? Or am I wrong?
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I think the verses really bring it down, but it reminded me of the music that a lot of girl groups were releasing in 2019. An 8.25 from me.
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Anyone remember Bim Bam Boom by Rocket Punch?
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ITZY officially took their crown back! I also listened to some songs on the album and dang, I didn’t expect Tangerine (YUNA) to be this good! My pick for buried treasure
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It’s such a fantastic burst of energy! It’s like a natural but mature successor to their Dalla Dalla to Wannabe run and I mean it in the best way possible. I agree the slowdown in the pre-chorus is a momentum killer though
8.5 (8, 8, 9, 9) for me
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this is straight up pop perfection, and undeniably the best gg song this year so far. I hope this becomes a hit because the girls deserve it
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So happy for Itzy getting their groove back. This track felt like rock and roll but more refined.
Also thankful that they chose to NOT go with the trendy sound most KPop groups go for recently.
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JYPE is on a roll this year, KickFlip, Xdinary Heroes, NMIXX, and now Itzy. I adore the chorus so much but I do think, like you said, the verses could be better
Same rating as Nick for now
Also what are your thoughts on the IOI TT based on the teasers?
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The teasers sound kind of boring tbh
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very boring. I love the girls but idk what they were thinking choosing that track as their big anniversary comeback (and essentially their 2nd proper comeback). it’s way too subdued.
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Oh this was a winner for me the moment I heard the chorus in the teasers! Seeing Justin Reinstein’s name in the credits when the tracklist dropped also had me excited since I quite like the other songs he’s co-written/produced for other girl groups (Kep1er – Back to the City, TWICE – The Feels, several fromis_9 titles, etc). I agree that the verses are a bit more mixed but overall I’m very happy with this! Also seeing the dioramas of past Itzy MV sets appear in the first few seconds of this MV had me a little nostalgic, can’t believe it’s been 7 years already!
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Why does this look like a Japanese release to me? 🤔 It must be because of the more pecked and faster cadence in the chorus. Their Japanese releases often use fast-paced, almost spoken phrases with instant rhythmic engagement. I’m not sure about that yet, because I’ve never really liked ITZY’s Japanese songs. Actually, I don’t think catchy choruses are ITZY’s strong suit
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it is very ringo-esque
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are you referring to Sheena Ringo by chance? if so that’s certainly a name I wasn’t expecting to see on this blog
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no lol, ringo by itzy
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This song was surprisingly good. Even though it follows the current dance pop trend, it feels complete and has a decent bridge to top it off. The weird autotune during the chorus was annoying, but it’s still a solid chorus overall. I also really liked the production of the pre-chorus and the build-up.
However, I was really hoping that instead of just trying to follow a trend, they would mix ITZY’s signature energy and charisma over a dance/EDM-type beat so the girls could shine more. This track felt like it was holding them back, fitting them into a cute and soft image—which isn’t really what comes to mind when I think of ITZY.
Still, it’s pretty solid and stands as one of the best title releases of May so far, alongside “Top 5” and “Heavy Serenade.”
Final Rating: Mid 8
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Im in such a weird and tough spot when listening to this song. On one hand, it sounds very good, super catchy chorus and production is standard synth-pop. On the other, this is an absolutely boring execution of this soundscape ESPECIALLY for Itzy. It is so barebones,blueprint synth-pop reminding me of Chasing That Feeling by TXT. Both are pretty good but the group’s touch/color doesnt seem to be there. It really sounds and feels like a cosplay rather than a true evolution…?
Also, the music video is absolutely boring.
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also concluded that its really the chorus for both of these songs that make them so good. The rest is just…fine.
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This is a good direction for them; I think the switchup in the prechorus (esp. the second part) makes it sound more like ITZY than, say, Twice (the chorus is giving me Set Me Free vibes). Most of all, I’m just really glad that they’re trying something different. This would make a great start for a third act.
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Motto is good . I love the energy , definitely in line with the current dance trend going on but they gave us a full chorus with a proper bridge which is rare in Kpop these days. The only I had was as I was watching the mv and listening to Motto , it didn’t feel like I am listening to an Itzy track , I wish the incorporated their identify or vibe in this . The album highlight made me feel like this is Itzy tho
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and when the world needed them the most, they returned
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OMG I DREAMED of days Nick would rate an Itzy title track higher than an 8.5
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