H1-KEY quietly released one of my favorite songs and albums of last year with their summery Lovestruck EP. Now, they’re back to celebrate their anniversary with a very different sound. Not Like A Movie (세상은 영화 같지 않더라) takes advantage of their strong vocals but doesn’t do much else that feels notable.
Mid-tempo tracks like this are a dime a dozen in K-pop and often relegated to the second half of albums to be performed in cute outfits at fan concerts. Or… they’re released as anniversary singles with limited promotion. As usual with H1-KEY, the song is sung very well but that’s not enough to make it compelling. The verses float by with limited melodic appeal despite the girls really going for it and delivering some powerful notes. Meanwhile, the chorus is sentimental sludge repeating the days of the week in an instantly familiar (then, instantly forgettable) chant-sung hook. I probably won’t listen again unless they tack this onto another strong album and it gets played by default.
Hooks
7
Production
7
Longevity
7
Bias
7
RATING
7