Once a K-pop group reaches a certain stature, comebacks feel like big events because they just don’t happen frequently anymore. The last time Red Velvet released new music as a full group was all the way back in 2024 with their very good Cosmic. This time, they’re back with a bossa nova sound and summer theme. They’ve also returned on the twelth anniversary of their debut music video (the classic Happiness).
A few weeks ago, I was almost certain we were in for a summer of big seasonal bangers. With the likes of Red Velvet, fromis_9, Hyolyn, Sunmi and BBGirls making summery comebacks, how could we not be? But much to my chagrin, the output turned out to be more subdued than summer bangers of years past. Surfin’ Boy fits within this pattern as well. Of course, “subdued” doesn’t automatically mean “bad,” but coupled with K-pop’s current struggle to find memorable melodies, it tends to be a pretty uninspiring recipe.
Surfin’ Boy opts for a languid, mid-tempo groove that offers a nice playground for Red Velvet’s always impeccable harmonies. Their vocal performance is one of the song’s highlights, imbuing a so-so chorus with a welcome sense of drama and atmosphere. This continues into the standout bridge. But even with all these elements shoved into the song’s narrow frame, Surfin’ Boy still feels somewhat underwhelming. The song tries to throw every iteration of Red Velvet into one track, but this approach makes it come across as neither here nor there. It’s a fine effort — as even their least successful songs are — but you can imagine the sparkling gem it could be with a more dynamic execution.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8 |
Grade: B-
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Nothing memorable, if you ask me if I can recall anything from it, I’d say no.
Rating’s the same.
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This song reminds me of fromis_9’s Vitamin ME…meh verse with good chorus and bridge, except fromis’ chorus feels more upbeat. So yeah…same rating, 8.
And I listened to the EP and I think this is my least favorite RV release so far (with the average of 7.99 lol) (I’m a Reveluv)
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It’s actually a better song than we all think it is.
That said, I’m in such a lull with kpop this year that this does nothing for me emotionally or sonically. It isn’t Red Flavor bursting out of the gate with such joy. It’s another mid 8’s song to clog my ipod if I ever sync my ipod again
Also noting, I feel like the close harmonies in the chorus make it a Red Velvet song, because otherwise it could have been a Hearts2Hearts song.
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I’m kind of amazed you still have an ipod…
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Four of them actually, all ipod nano 7th. pink purple blue and green. Darling daughter is in possession of one or two of them, and I suspect she will semi-permanently borrow one or two when she leaves for college next week.
The ipod nano 7th is a great size, big enough but small enough, wired or bluetooth, and real easy to use. Also has radio reception. I brought one and a cheapo bluetooth speaker up the cabin up in the mountains last week where cell and internet is very low bars (almost off grid) and played it while doing a puzzle. Its also good for long day hikes or commuting.
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Impressive, Apple should put you on its marketing team. My last ipod had its batteries completely die around 15 years ago.
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My only real qualm is with the verses being so dull and unmemorable. I actually really enjoyed the chorus, the grooves it had and the vocal texture and harmonies. The bridge and outro were fantastic, and it really is rare to get those vocal performances anymore. Overall, I like it, but I agree it does not deserve a rating above an 8. I also agree with a previous comment about how underwhelming the entire album project was. This was by no means the Forever 1 treatment that Red Velvet deserve.
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Guess we’re tired talking about how bad K-Pop in 2026 is… and let me start my discussion regarding their aesthetic this time.
The whole album, concept, and MV just make me feel, horrified, for real, and it’s even more than their Midsommar referenced Cosmic. The AI slop concept teaser, the color palette of their highlight medley and so does their MV together with the drunk effect, especially when they’re filming about the sea, the mermaid, the “freedom”, but all in an indoor green screen area. I don’t know, everything feels weird and terrifying in the same time.
Musically wise, this EP also does the same thing – everything sounds so unsettled. I’m afraid that I will not listening back to this EP ever again, and I truly can’t tell why other than feeling scared.
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I did not feel the hype… at all.
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Im so healed yall🥹
Its been 100 year🤑
9/10🤑🙏
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gia_gunn_i_was_so_bored.gif
those verses are so meh, and the chorus just barely makes it good. the album is a chop for me as well.
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album was mid unfortunately, as a long-time reveluv they’ve done so so much better
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its not bad but very disappointing because cosmic is such a good song.
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“Cosmic” was never going to be topped. That’s a career peak. It’s like EXO’s “Monster”. Doesn’t mean the songs that came after weren’t also good.
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well, even if I don’t consider the other red velvet songs, this sounds pretty boring, something that I would forget quickly.
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cool. You’re in the minority opinion. If you’re bored, why are you commenting on it when you could be enjoying music you like? 🙄 honestly, promotion cycle has been a day and I’m already tired of people who don’t understand what the velvet side concept is bashing it for not being upbeat. That shouldn’t have ever been the expectation.
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and who the fuck are you lol??? I just simply expressed my lack of preference for this song, idgaf about concepts. in fact, I adore bad boy and psycho. stop acting so pretentious it’s annoying asf
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who the fuck are YOU? I’m not being “pretentious.” I’m saying, based on the reception outside of this specific review, your opinion isn’t the opinion of the majority of people and also you kind of have to gaf about concept here. It’s just a bunch of people whining because they set themselves up for disappointment. The group and their label STRAIGHT UP TOLD YOU that it wasn’t going to be upbeat. There was a highlight medley that made that CRYSTAL clear. So to then wait for the song to come out and complain that it wasn’t “upbeat like you were expecting”…why were you expecting that? that’s a you problem.
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girl wtf ??? yeah no fucking shit it wasn’t made for me that’s why I said it didn’t sound that great to ME. stop pushing your bs on me, it’s my opinion stop getting so pissy over it. and when did I say my opinion was the majority? why are you pulling statements out of your ass? I just expressed MY thoughts. Thanks for telling me I’m not in the majority, genius. I totally didn’t know that already. if people don’t like it then people don’t like, accept it or fuck off.
and you quite literally are acting pretentious, search up the definition.
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Pretentious (adj): someone or something trying to appear more important, intelligent, or sophisticated than they really are.
I’m not “trying to appear more important or sophisticated” nor do I think that stating an obvious fact that’s BEEN a fact for *twelve years* is “trying to appear intelligent.” Rather, by not doing a basic Google search on their concept and then not paying attention to the marketing materials, I’m arguing that people here who expected a Red concept from a Velvet album are either dumb or lazy. That’s not pretentious. It’s just true.
YOU scrolled down to find my comment to name call me because I called out the fact that most comments on this page have said they “expected” one thing from a group that explicitly told them not to expect that. That, to me, makes it seem like YOU think you and your opinion are “more important” than others. So from my POV, you are mad because I have a differing opinion, pointed out that most people don’t agree with the people on this page who, again, SET THEMSELVES UP for disappointment by not paying attention, and you are now swearing, asking me “who I am”, etc. Who are YOU? Someone with an opinion, same as me. If you can express yours, I am also free to express mine. If you can’t take it, don’t dish it.
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I’m wasting my time, you do whatever you do lmao i’m not reading all that
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I don’t really think of it as their career peak— they had so many bangers before it…
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Most people will agree that “Cosmic” is one of their best titles, if not their best title. Which says a LOT about it because they have so many bangers. You can hit a “peak” and then have a better song. Which means the peak moves up with it. That isn’t a diss to previous songs.
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I fear people don’t know what “peak” means. You can build up a peak by continually putting out amazing songs. So them having other songs that are amazing doesn’t negate what I said.
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I feel like a “peak” is pretty self-explanatory: it’s the best moment of their career. In my opinion they have much better songs than Cosmic, so to me it’s not a peak. We can have different opinions, it does not mean you know something I don’t.
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I just misunderstood what you were saying because you said “they have so many bangers.” I initially interpreted it as “Cosmic can’t be the peak because they have other songs that are equally as good” when what you actually meant was “I don’t think Cosmic is their best.” Agree to disagree on “Cosmic” in terms of quality.
As for the other comment I was notified about, I can’t respond to it because the screen keeps condensing for each comment. Regardless of pay, again, my issue isn’t that he doesn’t like the song. It’s that his REASON for “not liking the song” is expectations he went in with based on nothing. He is well aware of what their concept is and I know this because he’s done a deep dive into their discography. You can find it easily.
So to say “I thought it was going to be x” when all of the marketing told you it would be y is silly to me. It’s like walking into a bookstore, going to Sci-Fi, picking up a book with an alien on the cover, reading the entire thing and then going “I went into this book expecting a Romance, despite all evidence telling me it was going to be a Sci-Fi. It’s not a good Romance book, so I don’t like it. ” That’s the argument being made here. That’s a you problem and/or a media literacy problem.
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He literally never said that was the reason he didn’t like the track. Reread the review and tell me where he said he thought the song would be different. Rather, he says he wishes it was different, or that he had hoped for something else when he first heard they were making a comeback. Not that they lied to him or something LOL. You made up that whole argument yourself, you are shadowboxing
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Sorry didn’t realize that Nick had already clarified this himself! But we can’t delete comments so here I am lol
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I didn’t see your addition from the email notification. Glad we’re all on the same page now.
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I already addressed this, along with direct quoting the part that I thought was saying one thing before the reviewer clarified. Catch up.
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I’ll go against the grain a little here and say I liked this simply because it proves SM can do a normal single when the band’s not entirely under their label. Isn’t this sort of RV’s first like that?
I am actually relieved that this is a “normal” RV track and not something specific to them being back together, even though that in itself is a rare and cool achievement in kpop. (Kind of hoping SNSD chooses a normal song for their 20th too, and not one that’s specifically like, “We’re 20!”)
I like how pleasant this is, even if it feels more like a typical RV b-side. It would be extra shocking to me to get something like “Zimzalabim” at this point in their careers~ SM might not be interested in making that kind of musical statement with them anymore. But I’m still interested in where RV goes at this point, and a track that just says “normal” weirdly gives me hope that we’ll get a little more from them. (Though I can see why, as a kpop reviewer, this might not inspire the same kind of hope.)
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I think Red Velvet did their best with the given materials which is nothing exceptional as far as summer song goes. SM did the girls dirty again. The vocals harmonies during chorus is such an aural treat yes, but the song really lacked engaging verses (the rap parts were horrible) and catchy hook to make it memorable. Aside from chorus part, I did not remember anything about the song except the hawaiian vibe. The worst parts are all songs in the mini-album had subdued soundsnwhich is not exactly the kind of summer atmosphere that I thirst for. My expectations for KPOP summer have just taken another dip.
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The album was LITERALLY called “Velvet Summer”. Why was anyone expecting a bright, energetic concept? This is literally what the album concept is. Of COURSE it’s subdued. It’s a velvet album T-T
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We all know that most KPOP albums name did not always describe the whole album sonically…..all we know from the name is summer vibe so anyone can have any expectations. I bet most people expected another Red Flavor type of song so much that their expectation got shot down so bad after hearing the album. Other people also realizes that the title track verses were not exactly spectacular and most B-sides are pretty forgettable either so maybe this mini-album would work for summer drama OST but it is considered an underwhelming project for people who waited a long time for a whole group comeback.
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That might be the case for other groups, but that has never been the case for Red Velvet. If they label something Red, it will be a fully red concept. If they label something Velvet, it will be a fully velvet concept. If they label something Red Velvet, it will be a mix of both. Ex. The Red album, The Velvet album, The Perfect Red Velvet. They’ve LITERALLY done this before.
So again: “I bet most people expected another Red Flavor type” tells me “most people” are either dumb or not Reveluvs or don’t understand the concept. They’ve been a group for 12 years. If you don’t understand their concept by now, that’s on you. “It’s considered an underwhelming project for people who waited a long time.” I’m a debut Reveluv. I didn’t find it disappointing in the least AND it’s being well-received in Korea.
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Calling other people dumb is uncalled for man. Of course most casual listeners are not Reveluvs, its not as if they, especially new kpop fans, would care much for the concept of a group that they did not actively stan.
Hell most of them might not even know BTS abbreviation or “Black and Pink” concept so you expecting them to know Red Velvet concept to “enjoy” their album is nothing short of dumb..Well its good if you or Korea like the album, but I am most definitely not.
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The person who wrote this review is familiar with their concept because he’s reviewed their past releases. So I’m sorry you feel it’s “uncalled for”, but I feel like if the label and the group tell you straight up it’s not going to be upbeat and then you ding it for not being upbeat based on YOUR expectations alone, that warrants being called dumb. This is meant to be their job, no? They’re a professional? So you’re either unfamiliar with the concept (which can be fixed) or dumb when you expect a Red title track on a Velvet concept album.
BTS’ name abbreviation doesn’t affect their music. And BP flat out stole RV’s concept and then immediately discarded it. They never made it part of their brand. They put out the same song over and over for years. It’s not about knowing the concept “to enjoy” it. It’s about spouting off your opinion based on nonsense because you can’t be bothered to Google. When the album is called THE VELVET SUMMER and the highlight medley is full of R&B songs and the group has been known for a dual concept for 12 years and the company made it clear it’s going to be a Velvet track, when you go into it still EXPECTING something completely different, then that’s on you. To me, that tells me you’re dumb or lazy. You can’t be bothered but then think your opinion is just as valid as people who DO have the media literacy to understand that they’re not getting an upbeat song.
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Bruh I only brought up BTS & Blackpink to give example how much knowledge and attention that most KPOP casual listeners have so you are just setting yourself up for disappointment if you are expecting them to care about your beloved group concept. If you want to regard most casual listeners and Nick as dumb, then be my guest man your welcome to disagree with Nick review. Nobody even forces you to accept Nick or my opinion as valid so I don’t know what is the point of your agression. Ugh I guess this is why casuals can’t stand these fandom people obsession.
The thing is even changing my glasses with this “velvet concept” still did not make the album more enjoyable for me. It is still considered underwhelming compared to past “velvet concept” songs like Psycho or Bad Boy.
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I understand why you brought them up. I’m pointing out it’s not a good comparison because BP didn’t actually DO anything with the concept they attempted to steal and BTS’ NAME has nothing to do with their initial concept, which again, they’ve done a full 180 on. So you’re bringing other groups into this for nothing.
Nick is a professional reviewer. He’s done a deep dive into RV’s discography. He’s reviewed them multiple times. You keep bringing up “casual stans” like I called THEM dumb. I specifically said you might be uninformed *which can be corrected*, which is why I told you the assumption you went into it with is wrong based on the fact that the group, the label, AND the highlight medley would’ve told you immediately it wasn’t going to be bright or energetic. I’m not giving the reviewer, who is VERY familiar with their concept, a pass because, in his case, he knew and chose to disregard that in hopes that, despite all the evidence, they’d do a “red” concept. That’s dumb. You know how this works. So why would that be your “expectation”?
Y’all want to go “oooooh fandom obsession.” This isn’t “obsession.” It’s calling out that you were given all the evidence in the world that it WAS NOT going to be “bright and energetic”, so I’m asking you why you still went in expecting that? You’re bringing up other groups to deflect and getting upset that I said you’re either lazy or dumb. The company and the group told you the info you needed and if that wasn’t enough, you have Google. A better example of this situation would be if I went into an NMIXX album expecting something that *wasn’t* experimental. That’s their entire concept. So that’s MY fault for having that unrealistic expectation, not the group’s when they set you up with what you needed to know. It’s like going into a BP track expecting SNSD. You realize how inane that is.
You’re entitled to your opinion and I’m entitled to explain why that opinion is ill-informed. Google is free.
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You still did not get the point man. If most casual listeners did not even bothered to know more about BTS or Blackpink trivia, why would they care to know more about a lore/concept from a lesser known group like Red Velvet. Most casual listeners would just hear the song when the album comes out without listening to highlight medley or knowing about the concept beforehand. Even after knowing this is a “velvet” album, I still did not enjoy it much compared to their past “velvet” album after all.
And you seem to care so much about minority opinions from a minor website. Nick had always been upfront about his musical taste so those who frequent his site either share his taste or appreciate his point of view. So you must have known that you are just setting yourself up for disappointment if you believe they will always glaze your favourite group especially a boring “velvet” concept album. If you are not comfortable with this site, there is nothing keeping you here. Why are you still visiting this site instead of celebrating the album with others in your fandom space. Your action just screams insecurity over your beloved group songs reception so you need others for affirmation, then you got mad because others did not care about the album concept nor share your taste. How immature….
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it’s not lore, though. People know to expect Ed Sheeran songs from BTS and “girl crush” concept from BP. So if one of those groups told you explicitly they were going to do a new concept and then you expected the same thing, I’d say that was your fault there, too. My issue isn’t the OPINION. I don’t care if you “don’t like” it. I care if you “don’t like it” because of expectations YOU set up based on absolutely nothing. Which includes the reviewer, who IS familiar with their concept. So YET AGAIN, you’re entitled to not like it. I’m entitled to call out a professional reviewer for judging a song based on expectations THEY set up that went against 12 YEARS of a group’s discography and because they can’t be bothered to do their job.
Additionally, “casual fans who just listen to titles as they come out” wouldn’t have
a preconceived idea of what the song would sound like. So that argument is not relevant here, either.
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Yes we are entitled to our OWN opinions. If you want to call out the reviewer by posting your OWN comments I won’t bother to reply it either because that’s your RIGHT. HOWEVER, by replying to my comment it means you are initiating an exchange of opinions. It is OKAY if you are being polite, but being so aggresive by calling othera dumb or questioning others media literacy sounds like you are FORCING your own opinion on others and that’s definitely NOT OKAY. You need to learn about social decorum first before lecturing others of their supposedly lack of knowledge about your favorite group.
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I didn’t call out your *opinion* though. That’s what you’re not understanding and thus you keep going back to the argument that I’m upset you don’t like the song. It’s not because you or he “don’t like it.” It’s because multiple people, reviewer included, said the REASON for it wasn’t that the song was bad but because they *EXPECTED A DIFFERENT CONCEPT*.
if someone said “I don’t like this BP song because I was expecting them to do a song that sounds like SNSD”, you’d rightfully realize they don’t know what they’re talking about. It undermines the authority of their review. Saying “I was expecting a red concept after being familiar with them for YEARS and the marketing telling you ahead it was going to be a VELVET concept” is the equivalent of dinging an Action movie because you went into it expecting a Rom-Com. That’s on you and also dumb, imo, because you had ALL OF THE MARKETING to TELL you that your expectation was wrong and give you time to change said expectation.
you can claim I “lack social decorum”, but I have thoroughly explained the issue multiple times now and you keep claiming I’m arguing something I *am not saying* and have TOLD you now that I *am not saying* at least 3-4 times, as well as having explained it to multiple other people. So again…to me, that tells me you either aren’t reading what I’m saying because you want to argue a strawman OR you lack the literacy to understand what I’m saying because I’ve spelled it out for you multiple times now.
so before you come at me…AGAIN…for “forcing my opinion”, none of what I have said has taken issue with “the song isn’t my cup of tea”. My ISSUE has been, has always been, and continues to be people saying “it isn’t my cup of tea BECAUSE I was expecting a Rom-Com out of this Action movie that was clearly marketed as an Action movie from a director who does those two concepts and makes it REAL clear when he’s doing one or the other.” THAT is the argument you’re upholding. Not people’s “right to an opinion.” The right to ignore literally everything about every aspect of a release and then shit on it because YOU didn’t understand the marketing. That’s on y’all. This isn’t productive. I cannot make it any clearer for you the difference between what I’m actually saying and what you keep saying I’m saying.
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Bruh I have already told you that I don’t care about your problem with the reviewer, its your personal problem with him. If you did not call out my opinion, why the hell are you replying to my comment first then. I sure as hell did not want to have anything to do with you fandom people if you did not approach me first.
And I have already said multiple times that after knowing it was a velvet album I still did not enjoy it so it means I already got your point. You are the one who still refused to understand my point that most casual listeners like me (not the reviewer), who did not actively stan your group and never cares about their concept even though I had listened to all of their past discography, usually only checked out their album when it came out without listening to any sample highlight medley or seeing any marketing information. So its totally understandable if we might have different expectations than you fandom people and then get disappointed. Casual listeners might be uninformed or ignorant yes, but we certainly did not deserve being called dumb or lacking media literacy just because we did not care enough about your group to spend our free time checking out your group content before listening to their album. If this explanation still could not make you understand, then I gave up. I think I already humored you enough man.
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just to add to the “you need to learn social decorum” part:
do you realize how frustrating it is to explain something this clearly, repeatedly, for someone to bring up other groups, other album concepts, etc., for you to explain why that isn’t an actual apples to apples comparison, for that person to then bring their wife into it for some weird reason and STILL miss the point? You’re mad I said this was a literacy issue, but my saying it’s a dumb take doesn’t negate that that can STILL be fixed. When someone has gone so deep into their discography that they’ve reviewed solo b-sides? They know. So I’m allowed to say, based on THEIR background knowledge, not yours, not a casual stan, the REVIEWER’S, that that was a dumb expectation and they should’ve known better. Why you’ve decided that means I’m calling casual stans or you dumb is your own thing, but I’ve also made it clear that I was talking about people who ARE familiar and who still chose to miss the point anyway.
I started off polite. The more you argued something I didn’t say, the more annoyed I became. So this is also a silly argument. If you actually read what I said, we wouldn’t be having this conversation (STILL…) and I wouldn’t be questioning your literacy 🤷🏽♀️
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While I understand your plight, being frustrated does not excused your lack of social decorum. That’s why I called you immature, because that’s what a brat did when they are frustrated. Instead of introspecting themselves first, they started blaming others. You really think the reviewer will be willing to engage sincerely with someone who is full of hostility like you? Talking about tough luck….
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He’s not a professional reviewer, he’s not getting paid to do this, he’s a guy with a blog. You could have one too if you wanted, I’m sure there’s some people out there who would enjoy hearing from you, although with all due respect I cannot count myself among them.
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Y’all are haters cause this album is beautiful. “Hawaii” and “Orchestra”, especially. It’s very cohesive. Just say you don’t like a more subtle song and move on. Honestly, the vocal performance is what I care about and they deliver every time.
Is it their strongest title? No. But it’s not nearly as bad as y’all are making it out to be.
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oh we’re haters now just cuz we didn’t praise it?? you’re an example of why everyone shits on KPOP stans, because they’re annoying as hell. give me a comment on this post that was overly negative/hateful. let other people have opinions or fuck off
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No, not because you “didn’t praise it”. Because you all dogpiled to call it boring and “I expected a Red concept” from an album LITERALLY called *THE VELVET SUMMER*.
It’s not about an “opinion.” It’s annoying that y’all can’t be bothered to learn the concept of a TWELVE YEAR OLD group and then complain because it didn’t meet the expectations YOU set up based on your own flawed knowledge. If you can’t be bothered to figure out that Velvet means “not an upbeat song” and then you’re going to complain that the song they TOLD you wasn’t going to be upbeat isn’t upbeat, you can’t get mad when people assume you’re dumb.
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is the dog piling in the room with us?? literally like half the comments here are positive praise. I never mentioned anything about the “velvet” concept or whatever
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“like half” is your estimate. My estimate is different. You showed up to call me names in response to my comment and then want to tell me how “pretentious” I am. I’m talking about the general comments, not you as an individual person. The majority of the comments are saying they were expecting something else, despite the marketing telling you not to expect that. The group is 12 years old. That’s on y’all at this point.
You have the right to your opinion and I have the right to think people who set themselves up for disappointment are dumb. The end.
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I haven’t seen anyone calling it bad, simply not memorable. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing to be; every discography has a few songs that feel like filler episodes: not really necessary, but good to give a discography its cohesion, as well as stabilising a group’s sound.
I really don’t see why you keep bringing up the concept, though… sometimes concepts and production can be disconnected, sometimes it’s connected. For example, Key’s “Pleasure Shop” as an EP name vaguely made me consider if it would be a club-heavy song, but it was more of a bland house track (I did like it though).
Also, most people aren’t diehard reveluvs and therefore wouldn’t know what kind of song to expect from Red Velvet, regardless of the fact that it’s named “Velvet Summer”—maybe they’d just think it’s the name, or, like me, not even know that’s the album title because they only listen to new title tracks that pop up on their YouTube feed. That’s not really the kind of critique you think it is. People consume music differently and therefore have different standards for it. Frankly, even if a song DOES fit a “concept” that still doesn’t mean people should like it simply because it fits. 🤷♀️
Another example: Illit’s “Cherish” perfectly fits their concept, the name, and aesthetics. However, it’s not a song I’m very fond of. I don’t think that’s a crime lol. Sorry for writing such a long response, but I do think you’re simply overthinking it too much and should just let people enjoy whatever it is they enjoy, while you enjoy what you enjoy. It’s good that you like this song! So do I! But it’s none of my business if others don’t—I asked my wife and she disliked both it and RV’s concept photos lol. By your standards, should we divorce? 😂
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“The verses are repellant”
“the verses are pretty useless”
“the most boring song of the summer”
….those aren’t “bad” to you? sure, Jan.
I have explained multiple times why I brought up the concept. Quote, verbatim, from the review: “A few weeks ago, I was almost certain we were in for a summer of big seasonal bangers…But much to my chagrin, the output turned out to be more subdued than summer bangers of years past.” This person has done deep dives into their discography. They’ve been reviewing RV for YEARS. So to say “I was expecting a RED title track on an album called THE VELVET SUMMER” after hearing the highlight medley and being aware that Velvet track means “not bright and energetic”, why were you “almost certain” you were getting a concept that the label and the group *explicitly told you were not going to get*? You bring up Key, but that’s a completely different artist. RV’s ENTIRE thing is red side and velvet side. If they tell you the album is velvet tracks and then give you a highlight medley full of R&B songs, to continue to expect a “bright and energetic” song is dumb to me. They have never said “this is a red album” and given a velvet title or vice versa. This isn’t new. This has been their m.o. for 12 years.
Nowhere did I say you need to be a “diehard reveluv”. I’ve mentioned groups I’m not even a casual listener of. I still know what kind of music they put out and what the expectations for their releases *should* be. As I’ve mentioned multiple times before, *Google is free*. Like I said, it would be like Blackpink announcing a comeback and people being “disappointed” because it didn’t sound like an SNSD track. THAT’S what these “reviews” sound like: like you couldn’t even be bothered to do a bare minimum Google into a group before complaining. People do it all the time, not just in k-pop. Grinds my gears every time. You have a literal computer in your pocket at all times and access to much of the world’s knowledge and you can’t be bothered to find out more? the epitome of laziness to me. It’s one thing if you think it doesn’t sound good. That’s subjective. But complaining because you expected the exact opposite when it was crystal clear that wasn’t going to be the case isn’t subjective. It’s just dumb. I also didn’t say you had to “like the song because it fits a concept.” I said they have been known for 12 years for a DUAL concept and their releases are one or the other. So your anecdote about “Cherish” (even though I disagree there, too. Great song) isn’t relevant here because it’s about a completely different thing than what I said.
I also don’t care about your wife’s opinion. Not the question. She “didn’t like the teaser photos”? Ok? Which ones, because they were significantly different and neither one showed up in the mv. Again, that’s subjective. I’m also going to guess she didn’t tell you she “didn’t like it because she was expecting something completely different.”
So to make this CRYSTAL CLEAR for the next person who comes at me because they don’t understand what I’m saying:
The issue I have is *NOT* “I don’t like the song”. Whatever. That’s on you. My issue is if your REASONING for “not liking the song” hinges on the fact that, despite ample marketing making sure you knew before the track dropped that it *WAS NOT* going to be bright and energetic, you somehow STILL went into it expecting the exact opposite, then YOU set yourself up for disappointment and your misconception isn’t the fault of the group or the song. The only reason to expect the COMPLETE opposite reaction is being unaware (which, as I’ve now mentioned at least 3 times, you can fix by looking into it) OR you’re dumb. Period. I’m done explaining this when I’ve said the exact same thing across multiple comments. Although, I guess I can’t expect people to actually read what it is I’m saying when y’all have proven you can’t be bothered to have media literacy, either.
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That’s the whole point, though: people usually don’t google a group that’s having a comeback, much less look into the marketing of songs.
As for someone like Nick, the reviewer here, you can hardly blame anyone for hearing a name like “Surfin’ Boy” and have them not assume it’s more of a peppy summer song. Nick doesn’t do reviews as his job; this blog is not an official magazine or news site. It’s just… literally just someone’s blog of music that they like or don’t like, that’s all.
And it’s true that concept has always been central to RV, but they’ve typically managed to balance that with the visual and sonic aesthetics of everything else very well. I think that’s part of why people are so disappointed; they’ve always delivered both “velvet” and “red” concepts with songs that seemed very suited to them. Personally I’m not saying this song doesn’t fit them or anything, it’s just kind of mild.
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if you’ve spent years developing a following for your reviews and you’ve done a deep dive into their music, which he has (see here
https://thebiaslist.com/2026/05/04/red-velvet-a-career-in-song-ratings/
he’s even gone into their solo b-sides. He is more familiar with their discography than a random casual listener) then yes, I can hold it against him that he went into an album expecting the opposite concept of what all of the marketing told him it would be 🤷🏽♀️ y’all keep bringing up casual stans. That doesn’t apply here because HE KNOWS and I’ve explained that multiple times now.
set yourself up for disappointment because you went in with unrealistic expectations. I’ve already given multiple analogies. If someone said “I don’t like this Sci-Fi book I picked up from the Sci-Fi section with the Sci-Fi cover because I went into it expecting it to be a Romance and it wasn’t a very good Romance book”, you’d rightfully realize that’s on the reviewer. Same concept here.
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Wait, this exchange is still going on?? Here’s the point where I come outside, clap my hands and say “break it up, people.” The conversation is just going in circles at this point and rapidly narrowing (literally) thanks to this blog’s limit on comment space.
For my part, I will say that this quote from the review:
“A few weeks ago, I was almost certain we were in for a summer of big seasonal bangers. With the likes of Red Velvet, fromis_9, Hyolyn, Sunmi and BBGirls making summery comebacks, how could we not be? But much to my chagrin, the output turned out to be more subdued than summer bangers of years past.”
was not about Red Velvet specifically but the entire slate of summer comebacks mentioned, which all turned out to be more subdued/muted than I had hoped for. I listened to the Velvet Summer highlight medley prior to hearing Surfin’ Boy and knew exactly what we were in for. I still think it’s just an “okay” song, hence the “8” rating.
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Thank you for clarifying. That information changes the point I was making, so we’re all good.
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for me this song is an absolute 9 at least. i heard it before mv released. and it’s stuck to my mind as a memorable song. i think this song is summer sister of cosmic. the growth of this song is really like red velvet. start with feel of mystery then move until to feeling of happiness.
it’s totally red velvet.
and it’s remind me old songs from 80’s like how the mv is like a memory of a dream.
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It’s grown on me with repeat listens but my general stance is that chorus is very nice where the verses are pretty useless. I’d also give it an 8 bc it is a good song, it just isn’t that…exciting? I’d rather they’d have made this a simple summer single to tease a good Velvet comeback in the fall. And I say this as a big fan of them. Beautiful harmonies at least.
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I think the chorus is better than so-so, it really makes the song for me! Without it Surfin Boy would 100% be a skip because the verses are almost repellant to me lol. I usually like when SM composers come up with unconventional melodies that interact with the chords in interesting ways, but these verses just clash to my ear. The chorus + bridge save the song!
as for the b-sides…. disappointing. Hawaii is the most appealing to me because of the strong chorus melody and vocal mixing. Everything else is a skip unfortunately
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I like that it stills feels like them, but this topline just isn’t messing well with the instrumental. I can’t really see this being a grower. Great video though
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I personally adored this comeback. The MV, styling, song, concept, etc is great. I don’t have high hopes for the album (the highlight medley was very meh) but I love this title! 🐬🌊🏄
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nvm the album is pretty decent. Orchestra is my favorite. HGCV is good too although the constant start and stop of different instrumentals is very jarring
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1. “Surfin’ Boy”
Analysis: This might divide opinion a bit, but it stands as one of my favorite K-pop songs of the summer. I love the playful, Mario Kart-esque beat, which features wonderful variation and a great sense of sonic layers. The elements I don’t love as much are counterbalanced by a lovely, breezy chorus that is short yet punchy, utilizing Red Velvet’s ultimate secret weapon: their gorgeous vocal blend and harmony. Wendy definitely deserved a few more standout vocal moments as well. Even though the track runs under three minutes, it still feels complete and possesses a nice progression. My only real gripe is that I wish the guitar from the first verse had been more prominent throughout the song. I first heard this via a fan-con video a couple of days prior, fell completely in love with it, and have had it on repeat ever since. It may not be entirely flawless, but it is a stellar addition to their already impressive catalog of summer singles!
2. “Hot Girls Cold Vibe”
Final Rating: 8.25 (8, 8, 8, 9)
Analysis: Going in, I was hoping for a modern “Vacance” sound, but the structure of this track feels a bit unusual, causing the momentum to flatten out rather quickly. It could definitely use a bit more variety. While the creative switches and shifts were nice, they weren’t set up quite as smoothly as they could have been. Despite being the longest song on the album, it unfortunately didn’t feel that way and ended up slipping right by. Just imagine if this track had been the grand “Vacance” revival that this summer truly needed! I can only dream.
3. “Orchestra”
I really like the chorus a lot. The way the production utilized traditional elements felt a little tropey and modernized, but it wasn’t bad at all. At the same time, the song relies a bit too heavily on effortless vibes and the members’ harmonies. I just wish the production had been a bit more dynamic overall. Otherwise, it is a very solid track!
4. “Hula Hoop”
Analysis: This track is light and cheerful, carrying a nostalgic charm that sounds like something you might hear on an early Girls’ Generation album.
5. “Hawaii”
Analysis: The track is light, though it leans a bit stagnant. This feels more calmer than an epic summer getaway I was expecting based off the title. I’ve never actually been to Hawaii myself, but based on pictures and videos, I don’t think I would choose a song quite like this for a trip there (in fact, “Surfin’ Boy” feels much more fitting for a Hawaiian getaway than this track does!).
Final Thoughts and Album Rating
Overall Album Rating: 8.45
Conclusion: Overall, this project isn’t quite as adventurous or experimental as I would have hoped. Red Velvet occasionally seems subjected to the prevailing modern, ultra-chill, radio-friendly sound, but thankfully, “Surfin’ Boy” was a wonderfully refreshing surprise. I just wish the rest of the mini-album had matched that same strength instead of leaning quite so heavily on ambient vibes alone.
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I usually don’t comment on songs I don’t like, but I played this for my girlfriend and she loved it, so you never know. Having listened to it several times now I do enjoy the vocals in the bridge, but other than that this one’s a pass for me.
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I liked this song better on listen #2, but I think it could really benefit from making the vocals less fuzzy. I had a hard time picking out who was singing for a lot of it.
Album-wise, I liked Hula Hoop the most upon my first (and only, so far) listen. Hot Girls, Cool Vibe or whatever it was was awful. Could have been interesting, was not.
I think they’re brave to put out an album that sounds mostly bossa nova in the year 2026, and I appreciate how it veers almost to exotica; the entire album (except HGCV) could be the soundtrack to a post-war vacation romantic comedy. I’m going to listen more over the next few days, for sure.
It is definitely a let down after Cosmic, but to be fair I generally don’t like their Velvet songs, so… At least it’s not another Bad Boy or Psycho.
The thing I’m most disappointed by is that we will realistically have to wait another two years for another comeback as a full group. If this were one of two or three releases this year, it wouldn’t be a big deal.
Anyway, when’s Yeri finally getting her solo?
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Also I have to point out the flashes of BB Girls’ Lemonade and Seulgi/Irene’s Irresistible found here. In the case of Seulgi’s line, is this intertextuality or just a happy coincidence?
Also Joy’s voice on the last refrain is the killer part for this song. I saw a tweet that said this would have been a great album for Joy and I don’t disagree. She’s the most summery of them all.
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I just don’t fw this. I agree with an above commenter that says the beat sounds like Mario Kart, I just don’t think that’s a good thing 😭
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perhaps the most boring summer song of red velvet, if surfin’ boy scores 8, then alcohol-free can reach to at least 9.
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Why is there 15-20 additional comments about people bitchfighting over comments that aren’t even as mean as comparing this song to a cruise ship with dogshit hygiene? WTFFFFFFFF
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This album kinda suck man. It’s mediocre.
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Wow I was really banking on RV to save Kpop summer, but this was a huge flop. I first heard it from their Mnet performance and I thought the instrumental was extremely stripped down, so I went to the MV and it was still a huge letdown. TBH it takes real skill to make a bossa nova song sound super catchy for the general public, and this was no Alcohol Free. This was just nothing. This is probably the worst mixed RV title song I’ve ever heard. And it doesn’t feel like they cared at all in crafting this song… I didn’t even like Queendom or Power Up at first, but those had a real nice charm. I can’t say I would even return to this song.
Out of the SM releases this summer, I gotta say the male artists carried the most. Shinee Atmos was great, RIIZE Do Your Dance is still a song (but better than I initially reviewed), and Sunburst is absolutely great, but sadly no promos in Korea. Seriously, had Sunburst been a Korean song, RIIZE might’ve taken over the summer…
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I’ve listened to it a few times over as many days, and it’s still not doing anything for me. As another commenter said, the topline isn’t meshing. It “sounds” fine but does not allow me to engage. So I would say the production is up to standard, the vocals are great, but hook and longevity are very low. This is a 7, maybe 7.5 if I had any summer song pity points left.
And yeah the rest of the mini isn’t much better.
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I take it back, Orchestra is quite good. There’s good tension and clarity there. Also Hula Hoop delivers the basics.
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