The end of an era ft. fromis_9 – DM

The end of an era is an article series where I’ll be reviewing various KPop comebacks. I’ll grade their Title Track, MV concept, choreography and determine who shined the most during this era. Today I’ll be talking about fromis_9’s DM.

Song meaning:

DM is a lighthearted love song about confessing your feelings to that special someone you’ve had your eye on for quite some time. Throughout the record, the girls express their desire to become more than just friends.

Title Track:

As said before, “DM is a lighthearted pop song” with an up-tempo beat that doesn’t stray far away from the girls’ core sound. In my opinion, it amplifies it and takes the girls vocally to the next level. What hooked me instantly about “DM” was the slow pre-chorus. It glides listeners into the main chorus exceptionally well. Not to mention Saerom and Gyuri’s sweet vocals were perfect for this part of the record. The hook was just as catchy as the pre-chorus and truly brought the track to life.

However, I hope to see them progress further in their music evolution because DM does have similarities to “We Go.” I’d hate to see them continue to release the same song repeatedly. As for the record’s subject matter, it’s nothing too original. Singing about your crush is a commonly used trope in k-songs for girl groups these days. It’s a neutral topic that is relatable to both sides of the spectrum.

Overall the title track gets a solid 10 out of 10

MV:

Y’all, this MV had me grinning from ear to ear. It’s such a sweet video. The storyline follows the members anxiously getting ready for their first date with their special someone.

The opening scene starts with Nagyung waking up in excitement for the night ahead. Then, she slightly daydreams about what the evening holds for her. The scene continues with Seoyeon deciding what shoes she wants to wear for the occasion. Throughout the video, we have a chance to see everyone’s preparation for their big night out.

However, something I noticed was that the girls may not be meeting a significant other but possibly celebrating a special occasion with their fans. Because at some point they end up at a street named “flover Rd.” A street named after the group’s fandom name.

In my opinion, the video captivates the bright spirit of the song magnificently and shares a storyline that is both relatable and enjoyable to their audience.

Definite 10 out of 10

Choreography:

The choreo for DM looks relatively easy to accomplish. However, after trying to learn it myself, I now realize how Intricate and complicated the choreography is. And I must commend the girls for making it look so easy. Their smooth transitions and how the choreo switched speeds to match the song’s tempo made the record come alive.

Choreography gets a 8 out of 10.

Who owned this era!

This was a hard choice to make because it seems as though every member shined equally during the Midnight Guest era. However, if I had to choose who caught my eye the most, it would be Hayoung. DM captured her overall vocal ability and made her stand out. When I first heard Hayoung’s whistle note in DM, I immediately had to find out who sang it. Because she sounded like a fusion of Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande. A Mariah Grande!!!! Overall she really captured my heart and wrecked my bias list for sure!

END

Thanks for reading my struggle piece; I’ll try to post more of these every week,
so stay tuned!

Sarah
Sarah

Meet Sarah! The creator of tokkistar. She started the platform as a youtube channel that would later become the media outlet tokkistar.com. She has been a kpop fan since 2007 and a jpop fan since 2006. Her all-time favorite groups are SHINee, The Wonder Girls, SNSD, and RV. In Sarah’s spare time, she likes to learn new things, brainstorm, and read manga. She is currently reading “Sweat and Soap.”

SARAH BRITTON

Sarah is the founder and content manager of TokkiStar. She has been a K-pop fan since the age of 13 but began as a J-pop fan at 11. Some of her favorite groups include SHINee, Wonder Girls, Red Velvet, SVT, WJSN, NCT, Day6, The Rose, and SNSD. She is currently anticipating the day Pristin reunites.