Here are my credentials: To be honest with you, I don’t know that much about ONEUS. I became a fan of ONEWE through a review I did of them last year, and ONEUS has been on my list to cover since. I’ve heard a handful of their songs through recommendations, but I moved this review up after seeing some very impressive clips of their performances on the competition show Road To Kingdom, and I’m excited to see more. So, let’s get into it!

(Part One) (Part Two)

EP #9: Pygmalion

Erase Me, ONEUS’ first comeback after Ravn’s departure, begins light on its feet, with a tip-toeing, twinkling beat that reminded me a bit of a lute. I really loved the pre-chorus’ build too, but I’m of two minds with the chorus. In isolation, it’s really great. The combination of a fast paced guitar, strings, and EDM works so well, and its sense of grandeur and drama put it among their best. But coming right after the pre-chorus, the transition between the two doesn’t quite work for me. As a whole, it’s probably the most “ONEUS” they’ve sounded since early songs. I really do like it; it’s just that I can’t get over the feeling that there’s some connective tissue missing. Maybe it’s the kind of song that will smooth over with more listens.

From the EP, I enjoyed both the strong, synthy beat of Unforgettable, and the melding of restrained verses and bursting choruses of Halley’s Comet (my hidden gem).

EP #10: La Dolce Vita

I have to say, always a touch hesitant with kpop groups doing songs inspired by Latin Pop, and Baila Conmigo is no exception. A lot of them have been really great—I always point to SONAMOO’s flamenco perfection I Knew It as a favorite—but some of them are just…no. (I’m looking at you, Mamacita, YOU.). This song falls somewhere in the middle; I like the way they incorporated actual Spanish lyrics into the song, and worked in Latin American influence as well, in the brass, the electropop, and in the choreo too. The chorus comes a bit out of nowhere from me, although I think that its transitions are smoother than Erase Me’s. On the whole, I enjoyed the MV, though I admit I started laughing into my hands when Leedo started sliding on the floor covered in gold dust, because what was the point of that? Regardless, I think it’s pretty good, and a worthy addition to their discography.

From the EP, I enjoyed the gentle build of Epilogue, and the all-Spanish version of Baila Conmigo.

Single #4: Rupert’s Drop

Especially in contrast to ONEUS’ usual bombastic singles, Rupert’s Drop is almost startlingly gentle. Though its instrumental feels full, its simplicity feels like a look behind the curtain, offering a chance for the vocals to take center stage. The song is more solidly poppy than their usual, too, not that that’s a bad thing. I don’t know if it needed to be a single, but I did enjoy listening to it.

Fun fact: a Rupert’s Drop is the result of dropping a pinch of molten-hot liquified glass into frigid water, causing it to be about the shape of a tadpole, but also, due to this process, incredibly strong. I’m not a scientist (Editor: no kidding), but I assumed the vast majority of people would have no idea what it was either, and so, for the three people who haven’t stopped reading by now, you’re welcome. Moving on.

Album #2: Dear.M

Often, in kpop, abbreviated titles mean abbreviated songs, and I’m afraid to say that I Know You Know (IKUK) clocks in at just under three minutes. In case you couldn’t tell from the MV’s thumbnail, we’ve had enough of flower fields; it’s now time for vampires. And I’ve never complained about tight pants and flowy, unbuttoned white shirts a day in my damn life, so I’m here for it. (Enhypen may sue.)

If it seems like I’m talking longer than usual about the MV, there’s a reason for that. While the rest of the song is pretty alright, I think IKUK’s chorus lets it down somewhat, giving itself over to the kind of run-of-the-mill anti-drop that so far ONEUS has managed to avoid. It’s especially disappointing because I think that one of ONEUS’ greatest strengths are their choruses. That being said, I absolutely love the orchestral drama and the choreo of the instrumental bridge. I just wish it was in asong that was strong all the way through.

This is ONEUS’s second full album, and it’s actually almost all full of “Penta Versions” of their hits—recordings of songs originally recorded with Ravn now with only five people. I never know how to feel about groups doing this, especially when the reason a member left / was forced out is up for debate. But, I’m also not versed in this specific situation, so I’ll leave it up to To Moons to decide how they feel. Of the new songs included here, my favorite is definitely the cheering, joyful We Are Young, which is sure to be a crowd favorite at a concert.

EP #11: 5X

The funny thing about becoming a kpop fan around 2019 is that nearly all of the boy groups I started listening to then are in their late 20s / early 30s now, meaning that some (or all) of the group has to perform mandatory military service. X comes just a few months after member Seoho enlisted in the army, meaning that it’s their first comeback with only four members. All in all, I thought the song was pretty good; its chorus is one of those that gets you shaking your shoulders before you even realize you’re moving. As a piece separated from its artist, I really liked it. But there’s nothing about it that feels unique, or feels like ONEUS. If you played it to me and asked me to guess who sang it, I’d have no idea. I kept waiting for something…more, something that set it apart from a lot of songs similar to it. The music video is much the same—fun, with retro influences and solid choreo, but nothing remarkable.

(Also, speaking of the MV, whoever kept putting Hwanwoong next to Leedo throughout did him so dirty; despite this being something like the fifteenth video I watched, I didn’t realize how tiny he is until this moment, and as a fellow tiny human composed of pure rage, I wince in sympathy. Someone get the man some vengeance.)

From the EP, I enjoyed the clever word play and synthy sound of Love Me or Loser (my hidden gem), the sunny, hazy sound of Bad, and the Korean version of previous single Time Machine. This is one of their strongest outings in a while, in my opinon, and it leaves me excited for the future.

Verdict: TL;DR

I’m glad I did this. I knew next-to-nothing about ONEUS before this review, and what I knew was pretty much secondhand. For this review, not only did I end up watching a lot of their traditional performances, all of which were excellent, but I also watched a couple short interviews and their frankly hilarious attempt to build IKEA furniture with Fuse. (A crazy sequence of words but I enjoyed it thoroughly). My personal favorite would have to be a compilation of Xion and his brother Dongmyeong being…themselves. It was adorable; I’ll link it here.

My Top 5 songs were Luna, To Be Or Not To Be, Valkyrie (Rock Version), Bing Bing, and Twilight, with A Song Written Easily as an honorable mention. ONEUS gets an 8.5 out of 10 from me, which may surprise you after all of my nitpicking. Overall, I think that ONEUS thrive when they’re doing something different, combining kpop with traditional Korean influences and this palpable sense of drama that they’re so good at. Unfortunately, that only makes it all the more frustrating when they fall back on trends or their songs come so close to perfection but don’t quite get there.

I’m sure I’ve sounded a bit unnecessarily harsh, especially in this last part, so, in explanation, I’m going to put in a paragraph from my review of Purple Kiss, a group who has a very specific sound: “Groups having their own, very clear, identity is a topic I genuinely care about, and something that I feel is becoming less common, which is one of the reasons I mostly stan 2nd and 3rd generation bands. I’m not saying that I want groups (or the idols in them) to be pigeon-holed, but looking at, say Girls Generation, Dreamcatcher, or Stray Kids, their styles (inspiration from vintage pop, rock, and trap/hip-hop respectively) are very evident while still managing to have variety and keep innovating.”

Next time, we’re onto a girl group. Tschüss!