August 7, 2015

[Review] Hara - Choco Chip Cookies (feat. Giriboy)

Okay. To be honest, Hara was one of the last girl group members I would have expected a solo debut from. Based on my predictions at the beginning of the year, I thought we'd see debuts from the likes of Taeyeon and Soyu before Hara. Even within KARA, Seungyeon or Gyuri seemed like logically better (smarter?) choices for a solo start. Well, I guess let's see where DSP takes this.

Bubblegum pop isn't really in my tastes. Hara has a sweet voice here, and is probably suspect in terms of how much tampering was done behind-the-scenes, Still, even outside of extra editing she has been on a natural progression with her singing abilities so try not to judge too hard in that regard. The major flaw with this song is that it's just not very memorable. The supposed "hook" of the chorus isn't that catchy, and there's simply nothing that interesting going on. Giriboy's feature does help a little, but ultimately only helps the song keep relevancy rather than push it towards something better.

In contrast to the vocals, the choreography of "Choco Chip Cookies" is very mature. The movements are subtle but it's a very different feel compared to the singing you hear. The inclusion of a couple dance was a nice touch, especially when you take the MV into consideration. I'm not too sure, but if the male dancer partnered with Hara is the same in the video shots as her boyfriend then well done. I always look forward to the smaller things found in MVs and there's nothing standout in a video with emphasis on Hara's looks and dancing.

As far as eye candy goes, Hara is a top girl group visual and has been for a long time. Her tanned complexion looks really good and there isn't much to talk or complain about regarding her appearances. She's enjoying her solo debut, enjoying the company of a significant other, and enjoying the fun shenanigans with summer.

"Choco Chip Cookies" delivered a surprise debut out of KARA's visual. It's a pop track with very sweet vocals out of Hara. Coupled with a good showing from Giriboy and more mature choreography, and you have a decent song. Amidst some powerful summer comebacks though, Hara fails to standout with this romantic summer song.

[ Overall: 78 / 100 ]

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