Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
This past weekend I wrote a few thoughts about the current state of K-pop’s girl group landscape, and Oh My Girl are the antidote to almost every gripe I have. They consistently offer strong vocals, quirky, unique songs and a sound that’s all their own. With last year’s “Nonstop” and “Dolphin,” they were finally rewarded for the quality of their discography. Due to this boost in popularity, “Dun Dun Dance” arrives with heightened expectations. I’m not sure it lives up to the hype, but the song slots nicely within their strong singles run.
Like so many tracks this past year, “Dun Dun Dance” has an obvious city-pop influence. In this case, the genre’s tropes form a component rather than the overarching theme, but I fear they drag down the energy. This dance track could do with an extra kick. It’s breezy and chill, yet seems to long for a more effusive spirit. This is compounded by a number of unnecessary trap-rap breaks, which interrupt the flow and give the track a stop/start structure at odds with its disco-lite beat. Past songs like “Knock Knock” or YooA’s “Diver“ struck a more satisfying balance.
Even so, “Dun Dun Dance” is an inoffensive, enjoyable slice of summertime pop. Its chorus bounds with optimism and will likely become an earworm over time. I was initially unimpressed with “Nonstop,” and that song turned out to have incredible staying power. But, I’m not hearing a world-conquering, “Dolphin”-esque hook within the limited arsenal of “Dun Dun Dance”. Instead, the track plays as musical salve — cheerful and healing but not particularly compelling.
