Here are my credentials (again): I know more about Oh My Girl than a lot of the groups I’ve covered on this blog (though I recognize that’s not saying much). I watched the season of Queendom they were on and enjoyed their performances, I think I’ve heard most of their singles, and I’m a big fan of YooA’s solo career. But most of that is more surface level, and I wanted to get to know them better. So let’s get into it!
Remember Me is the start of a shift in their discography, from the cutesier, youthful sound of Coloring Book and Liar Liar to a more electro-based, synthy sound. I worried that it would feel less unique than those, but I needn’t have. The moment the chorus kicked in with its nostalgic, wistful vocals and Oh My Girl’s signature sound, I was relieved. The largest change was the post-choruses’ more sing-talk heavy direction and their costumes, but thankfully the heart is still the same.
From the EP, Remember Me, I enjoyed the gentle kind of catchiness in Twilight (my hidden gem), and their lovely voices in Our Story.
The Fifth Season is one of those songs that sticks in your mind long after you listen to it. Not just because it’s beautiful, though it is. Not just because it’s different from most k-pop tracks, though it’s that too. But because of something deeper that I can’t really put into words. Understated and elegant, it tiptoes along with light footed verses before flying forward with a string-led chorus that captures the hopeful feeling of spring perfectly. Adding to that, while I have no idea if the intention behind the music video was for the girls in it to be in love with each other, it was still lovely to see them sing about true love while roses bloomed around a female couple. Though it’s not a fixture on my playlists by any means, The Fifth Season remains one of my favorite k-pop songs, and this has only secured that.
Bungee is the single from the repackage album, and I feel a bit bad that it has to follow the Fifth Season. Following the trend of their releases going back and forth from straight pop to a more ethereal sound, its bubblegum is tooth-rottingly sweet in the best way. The verses themselves are pretty standard, but the chorus is just so full of genuine happiness that it feels like a throwback to Oh My Girl’s beginning years of fun-loving singles, and it’s nice to see.
From the 1st album, Fall In Love, I enjoyed the sweeping strings of Shower, the bouncy fun of Tic Toc, the sleek verses of Vogue, and the brassy confidence of Checkmate. For my hidden gems, I was stuck between two: Case No. L5VE, with its jazzy base and smooth vocals, and Crime Scene, with its great lyrics and summer-ready sound. Guess I just love a good mystery. And a good album, of course, because this certainly is one!
Nonstop is probably Oh My Girl’s biggest single, and solidifies their transformation into a somewhat more mature, minimalistic pop sound. I confess that I honestly prefer their earlier work than this, though, especially when we get into the territory of anti-drop choruses that are only dominated by hooks, which Nonstop veers close to. It’s not a bad song, but compared to tracks like The Fifth Season or Secret Garden, it just falls flat.
From the EP, Nonstop, I had expected to like Dolphin the best, because it’s so popular. And while it certainly makes for easy listening, I actually preferred the sprightly energy and confidence of Neon and the light strings of Krystal.
Dun Dun Dance starts with its hook, and feels much more like an Oh My Girl song than Nonstop did. While it’s still a more “mature” entry in their singles run, it keeps the potent sense of joy that characterizes their best. The chorus is more expansive, and while it has a series of hooks, they’re mostly concentrated in the post-chorus. It’s not their peak, but does it make me want to get on my feet and dance? Absolutely. The video was filmed outside too, which provides a welcome sense of peace and freedom.
From the EP, Dear OhMyGirl, I enjoyed the smooth flow and gentle touch of Dear You, the surprisingly catchy hook of Who Comes Who Knows, and the handclap-led percussive beat and sunny guitar of Swan (my hidden gem).
Real Love goes in a somewhat jazzier direction than they’ve gone before, with a brassy hook that offsets the more percussive beat underlying the rest of the track. But despite this good foundation, the chorus doesn’t go far enough for me, remaining on the same level as the rest of the track. Instead of building on what the verses started, it just kind of…stays there? It doesn’t use an anti-drop, no, but functionally, it’s the same as if it had. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little disappointed.
From the album, Real Love, I enjoyed the lighthearted, synthy Parachute, the lovely harmonizing in Kiss & Fix, the two-fold, vogue-worthy chorus of Blink, the dancefloor ready Dear Rose, and the soothing piano of beautiful ballad Sailing Heart. I also liked parts of Drip, but I’m not sure how I feel about the whole song.
Summer Comes is Oh My Girl’s most recent release as of now, and their first comeback with six members. I actually hadn’t heard it before this deep dive, but I’m glad I have now. Standing with its feet firmly planted in the season of its name, it has a pulsing dance beat and this great sense of throw-it-at-the-wall abandon that I missed in Real Love and Nonstop. The bridge and final chorus go even further in that direction, and I was happy to feel the urge to dance again.
From the EP, Golden Hourglass, I enjoyed the genuine joy in aptly-titled Celebrate, the teasing, pop-punk choruses of Queen B, and the catchy vocalized hook of Dirty Laundry (my hidden gem). I have no idea how a song called Dirty Laundry is so good, but it had me up and dancing once I got home from work.
I’m glad I did this! I had so much fun listening to their tracks and discovering some great b-sides, looked back at their time on Queendom, and re-watched YooA’s singles (which I definitely want to do a full review of once she has enough). I think I can officially call myself a fan now, though not a Miracle just yet. We’ll see how it goes! Also, funnily enough, I realized that I knew Mimi from her appearance on “K-Food Show”, but didn’t recognize her with such a different hair style, so I binged a couple episodes I hadn’t seen.
My Top 5 songs are The Fifth Season, Windy Day, Cupid, Knock Knock, and Sugar Baby, with Liar Liar and Swan as honorable mentions. Oh My Girl gets a 9 out of 10 from me. They have such a strong and cohesive body of work, singles and b-sides, and a distinctive sound that combines 60’s doo-wop, traditional instruments, strings, and k-pop in a very interesting way. I love their appreciation of nature too, and how many of their videos were shot on location, outside. It’s a nice break from an industry that, at times, can feel overproduced and formulaic, and though there are some times when they go a bit too similar to the crowd for me, they’re few and far-between.
Next time, we’ll be covering a group with a new release that I’m looking forward to! Tschüss!
