As you may (or may not) know, LOONA’s Korean name means Girl Of The Month, since each of the twelve members debuted with a solo in a different month throughout 2016 and 2017, then in sub-groups, and then finally as a full, 12-person group composed of Heejin, Hyunjin, Yeojin, Haseul, Vivi, Kim Lip, Choerry, Jinsoul, Chuu, Yves, Gowon, and Hyeju (formerly known as Olivia Hye). So, I’m going to go in chronological order. Settle in, folks, this’ll be a while.

Here are my credentials: LOONA first appeared on my radar thanks to my Orbit friend, who showed me Paint The Town a few years ago. I became a fan myself only a few months before they disbanded, due to their great performances on Queendom, and I joined the boycott from when Chuu was kicked out (and may or may not have cried when they were all freed but that’s a story for another time). So, the women of LOONA have a special place in my heart, and obviously, I’m being more harsh than usual because this is a review, after all. Let’s get into it!

(If any of you are wondering, I watched the boycott MV, no way am I giving BBC a goddamn dime.)

Single #1: ViViD (Heejin)

Heejin’s solo, ViViD, is jazzy and upbeat, feeling like a great start. Though LOONA’s mostly known as a 4th gen group, I think that this song really shows their 3rd gen roots. I do like this one, especially the brass, but I don’t like the chorus’ inflection. Specifically, the way she says, “I’m like, oh my god yes,” which gets under my skin for no good reason. But otherwise, it’s in the top half of the solos for me.

The acoustic version, meanwhile, is a bit more interesting: it has a slightly Latin Pop feel with a melancholy guitar.

Single #2: Around You (Hyunjin)

Hyunjin’s solo, Around You, is more melancholy, but not in as interesting a way as ViVid’s acoustic version, staying squarely in the coffee-shop / K-drama soundtrack realm. Her voice is very nice, but it sounds like a lot of idols’ voices do. I do like the bridge, though; I wish the rest of the song utilized its kind of gentle presence.

From Hyunjin’s single, I far prefer the b-side, I’ll Be There, which reminds me of Red Velvet’s Russian Roulette in the choppy, video-game-esque production. Heejin and Hyunjin’s tones work great together, and the song sounds very like the sort of “golden age” of third gen k-pop, and specifically early Gfriend. Also, it was nice to see the two of them together having fun in the music video.

Single #3: Let Me In (Haseul)

Haseul’s Let Me In also follows the trend of a more melancholy vibe, but unlike Around You, I actually quite like this one. Like the best ballads, it distinguishes itself, with the orchestral flourishes and castanets reminiscent of a ballroom waltz, and Haseul’s powerful but delicate voice, and it feels like the first of LOONA’s songs to be totally unique. Filmed in the wintry landscape of Iceland at its famous plane crash, its sweeping visuals make the track feel like even more of a show.

Single #4: Kiss Later (Yeojin)

Yeojin’s Kiss Later is peppy and childish, as befits the subject of expressing the wish to slow down a relationship and her age (which was just 14 at the time). It also has a 50’s / 60’s vibe to it, with the surf rock guitar break and bighearted, brassy instrumental bringing some great energy to what’s a very fun track. This one isn’t my favorite of the solos, but it definitely has me bopping my head and getting a few laughs.

Single #5: Everyday I Love You (Vivi)

Vivi’s Everyday I Love You is the last of the members of the first subunit, and fits with them pretty well, staying in the lovesick category. It’s pretty good and I do like it, but it’s so similar to a few of the others that I admit I forget about it until it comes up on my playlist, though I never skip it. The chorus is great for roller skating, and I do always sing along since it has a tendency to get stuck in your head. As a side note, I forgot that Love from OnlyOneOf plays the love interest in this music video, so that made me laugh.

Special Single: The Carol

The Carol is a special single with Heejin, Hyunjin, and Haseul, and, as the name implies, it’s quite possibly the most Christmas song to ever Christmas. It’s springy and wintry and extols all the good things about the holiday season, and though it’s not a track I’d listen to often, it’s pretty good for what it is.

EP #1: Love & Evil

Love & Live is the first official subunit song, starring all the members of LOONA ⅓, and beginning the very expansive lore (which I won’t be getting into here). It has a light touch with its instrumental and vocals and a bright, youthful energy that makes it kind of the k-pop archetype. Basically, if you asked someone who doesn’t know k-pop what it is, this is exactly what it’d be. It’s not a bad song by any stretch, but it’s similar to a lot of other tracks I’ve reviewed.

Sonatine is the other single from this sub-unit, and leans more into the sweeping, orchestral direction that Let Me In did. With a backdrop of piano, strings, and a quick footed percussion, it draws from flamenco in its choruses, marrying it with more classic k-pop tropes. I think that this is overall a stronger track than Love & Live, and definitely more unique.

From LOONA ⅓’s EP, Love & Evil, I enjoyed the lovely intro (also called Love & Evil) and its lead-in to Sonatine, the twinkling piano and soothing vocal highlights of Rain 51Db, and the more upbeat doo-wop of Valentine Girl.

Next time, we’ll be doing the rest of the solos and subunit albums. Tschüss!

(Part Two)(Part Three)