Song Review: ENHYPEN – Checkmate

It’s become an expectation that HYBE groups will film music videos for at least two tracks on each album and ENHYPEN are already back with a clip for their song Checkmate. This follows the release of Bloody Paradise released last month and offers a more thrilling sound. 2026 is the year where K-pop’s tempo officially heightened. This has seemingly come at the expense of fully-fleshed out song structures and… well… singing… but we can at least take solace that the industry has rediscovered its place on the dancefloor. Checkmate is ENHYPEN’s most high-octane track since Drunk-Dazed, released all the way back in 2021. Unfortunately, it’s also a full minute shorter and must contend with that clipped runtime. Gone is the possibility of a bridge or any fun diversions that don’t serve the song’s immediate purpose. One could argue that Checkmate even lacks a chorus, though its insistent “check! check!” shout-along hook takes that position. What we’re left with is a fun blast of energy, pummeling from beginning to end. I love the sound of Checkmate, but I wonder if it might be the audio version of empty calories. Because the track lacks real songwriting substance, it feels like it might pet...