[Song & MV Review] Hello Venus - 'Paradise'

Hello venus -- 'HELLOVENUS X DEVINE CHANNEL Part.2 : Paradise'

Track list:

1. Paradise

While some of you may claim that "Paradise" is a simple, fun summer song, I beg to differ. It's incredibly insipid and boring, and it failed to stand out in any way. The brass instrumentals, keyboard, melody, and beat are all repetitive with the only deviation really marked in the chorus. But even the chorus sounds hollow and lifeless, falling flat and dull to the ears. I hoped that the disappointing melody would be compensated with some stellar vocals, but the vocals were just...awful. I'm personally not a big fan of the high-pitched, cutesy, almost scratchy style of singing which seems to be the style Hello Venus opted for with this song. The members sound strained during the high notes, singing more with their head than with their lungs, and the "Hey, neo geo-gi-seo wait!" part grew unbearably annoying the more I listened to the track. The only member who sounded decent was Lime whose vocals were wasted with this sad effort of a summer song.

MV Review

The 'beach' concept for "Paradise" is not original by any means, and I was let down once again when the MV tried to appeal to the viewers with camera angles that focused on the members' derrieres, other womanly body parts, and making cloyingly cute, seductive faces at the camera. It was almost uncomfortable to watch, especially because the facial expressions seemed forced and unnatural, like the girls have been practicing those same expressions in the mirror for days before the MV filming. If there is one thing I did like about the MV, it's the bright color scheme, including everything from the girls' colorful surf gear and their neon nails to makeup. These elements successfully achieve and evoke the lighthearted summery feeling, especially the carefree mood of a fun day at the beach. Now if only the song did the same....

Overall, Hello Venus's summer comeback was unimpressive and poorly executed. Neither the song nor the MV is good or creative enough to be memorable, and the girls' label will just have to try harder to give us something to buzz about.