[Review] Stylish – THE BOYZ

Following VVV from earlier this year, THE BOYZ is back with their new single Stylish and their 10th mini-album [a;effect]. It is also their first official comeback without JU HAKYEON, who was removed from the group following controversy last month.

Unfortunately, even after a few listens, I still find Stylish to give off the same first impression I got when I checked out the song yesterday – ‘overwhelmingly disappointed’. The new single attempts to create a trendy, sultry atmosphere through a moody hip-hop trap-based dance track. ‘Attempt’ being the keyword here. The majority of Stylish is delivered in a rap-speak manner that dulls the song and strips THE BOYZ of the personality they have built through their other releases; the instrumental is also unexciting by today’s standards. It also doesn’t help that the lyrics are very abstract, with the chorus building on the line “Even gibberish is Stylish” by following up with the song’s hook “Guap Guap … Shot, Shot … Bubble Gum Bubble Gum Pop“. Also, Stylish remained very neutral and consistent for over 1:30 minutes, sounding all very similar for this length of time, even during the approach to and the actual chorus during this time. Given that the song was dull and unexciting from the get-go, this isn’t great for Stylish. There was a minimal shift in energy at the start of the song’s last minute, but it is short-lived and definitely not enough to recapture my attention or develop Stylish in any way. I’m not sure why we have gone down this path for THE BOYZ, but I am not a fan of it.

The music video does a much better job of showcasing the song’s stylish side, which it doesn’t capture that well in the actual song. We are shown three sides of the group: a hip-hop industrial side, a more casual and urban side, and a charismatic model-like side. I prefer the last of the three styles, as that is what I think of when it comes to the word ‘stylish’. Other than that, the music video keeps to a minimalist concept, which helps emphasise each of these looks during close-ups and choreography scenes.

Based on what I can see in the music video, the choreography captures more of that hip-hop style than anything else from the song. I liked the confidence and attitude that is exuded from the routine. I also get a sleek vibe from the routine. Not sure if any move sticks out yet, as we haven’t seen a performance for Stylish just yet. If anything jumps out at me, I will come back and update my review.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.2/10