Popular Idol’s Single Hit With Scathing Review And Shocking Half Star Rating
Former IZ*ONE member Choi Yena, who has been carving out a solo career since the group’s disbandment, recently released her new single “NEMONEMO.”
While fans anticipated another hit from the rising star, the song has been met with some criticism. Most notably, music reviewer So Seung Geun left a particularly scathing rating on the popular Korean review platform IZM. The review stunned many, particularly due to its blunt reasoning and low rating — just half a star out of five.
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According to Seung Geun’s review, “NEMONEMO” struggles to present itself as cohesive music. He likened it more to a chaotic mix of sounds, something one might hear in a video game or an anime soundtrack.
The reviewer pointed out that the frantic beats and overwhelming synthesizers drowned out the lyrics entirely, leaving little room for listeners to appreciate the song’s melody or structure. He went on to mention that while the sound might successfully align with Yena’s quirky, carefree image, it fails to stand as a proper musical composition.
If this was an attempt to sonically represent Choi Yena’s carefree, tomboyish vibe as seen in the video, then it worked. But if the intent was to be considered music, then this was a mistake. There’s no music in the 3 minutes and 30 seconds of this.
— So Seung Geun
Yena, who has experimented with rock and pop-punk influences since going solo, has taken a different musical path from her former IZONE members. However, So argued that despite this bold move, the songs she has produced post-IZONE have failed to gain mainstream traction, largely due to weak melodies and a lack of staying power.
After IZ*ONE disbanded, Choi Yena explored a solo career in rock and pop-punk, taking a different path from her former groupmates. However, these songs, with their weak melody lines, failed to trigger any lasting popularity. In the end, mainstream music is all about the melody.
— So Seung Geun
As the biting review keeps making the rounds on social media — shocking fans and even casual listeners who come across it — many are left to wonder if Yena’s career will continue on the same trajectory.
