Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha marks the grand comeback of the biggest k-drama breakout star of 2020: Kim Seon-ho. The wealthy and dapper second lead that we all fell in love with in Start-Up is now the hero of his own k-drama romance. While there are many of us in Team Good Boy who are still licking our wounds from last year, we are ready to move on and see Kim Seon-ho have his happy ending.

Does the new tvN-produced and sure Netflix hit live up to the hype? Find out in our spoiler-free Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha review. Take note that I am only reviewing the first two episodes, so a lot of my opinions about the show may change from now!

I mean, I was so quick to declare Record of Youth as the perfect k-drama for zillennials, but that one turned out to be pretty disappointing.

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha Plot

With such a unique name, you’d expect the show to be about a cha-cha dancer moving back to their hometown to live his dream. But this remake of the 2004 film Mr. Handy, Mr. Hong tells the story of a city girl dentist from Seoul, Yoon Hye-jin (played by Shin Min-a), who moves to a small seaside village called Gongjin to open her own clinic. She does this after quitting her comfy job in Seoul when she is fed up with her money-hungry boss.

In Gongjin, she meets the handy Hong Du-sik (played by Kim Seon-ho) who does everything in their town. And when I say everything, I mean everything — being a barista in the cafe and the sauna, a painter, a renovator, a soapmaker — you name it, and he has the license to do it.

Yoon Hye-jin’s privileged upbringing in Seoul becomes a nuisance when her snobbish behavior turns everyone in town against her. But Hong Du-sik is well-loved by everyone in their town because of his jolly can-do attitude. Du-sik helps Hye-jin adjust into her new life in the province and eventually fall in love in the process.

The promos leading up to the show also promised that it was going to offer warmth and healing. While the first two episodes of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha didn’t really tackle any of those yet, there were some subtle hints about the two leads’ families having a complicated past. And we were also introduced to a whole slew of whimsical characters from the village who will surely provide some entertainment and heartwarming moments as we learn more about them.

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha Review: The Characters

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha is shaping up to be one of the best romantic k-dramas of 2021. I’m not gonna lie, I’ve been biased about this series because Kim Seon-ho is probably my favorite k-drama actor right now. But I’ve been in a drought with k-dramas lately where nothing that I’ve been watching has been serving.

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha episode 1 was one of the few k-drama episodes in a while where I was hooked from start to finish. Let’s start with the cast and characters.

I didn’t think much of Shin Min-a coming into the show, but the girl can admittedly breathe life to her character. The problem with having an unaware snobby rich city girl as the main character is that she can easily become unlikable. Shin Min-a is able to do her job in making Yoon Hye-jin just the right amount of annoying, and more importantly, rootable.

As for Kim Seon-ho, his Chief Hong character doesn’t feel too different from roles that he has played before. I mean he does the easily irritable/tough love character pretty well as we saw in his role as Han Ji-pyeong (Start-Up), and Cha U-sik (Welcome to Waikiki 2), but Hong Du-sik doesn’t feel too different. So if you fell in love with him before, then you’ll probably enjoy him here as well.

Hong Du-sik still feels like a two-dimensional character without a lot of concrete motives, but we still have a long list of episodes to go through where we can explore who he is, so I’m giving the show a pass.

We can’t talk about Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha without bringing up the entire village of Gongjin. I presume this show is going to be a lot like It’s Okay to Not Be Okay where we learn more about the supporting characters’ backstories one by one.

There’s no one as iconic as Chef Toto in Vincenzo yet, but I already appreciate their presence a lot even if the first two episodes don’t do a good job highlighting their personalities. One of the things I’m looking forward to is how Yoon Hye-jin will get along with the more conservative elders in Gongjin. They already badmouthed her just because she had the galls to wear *gasp* leggings while jogging, so I’m hoping that getting to know Hye-jin more will help them reflect on their outdated values.

Then episode 2 of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha fleshed out the washed-up 90s one-hit-wonder, Oh Chun-jae, whom Hye-jin had a pretty awkward and hurtful encounter with.

If the writers keep the village residents as a central element of the show, then I undoubtedly see it raking in success. The characters are interestingly whimsical, and it would be a shame if we didn’t give them enough shine.

And perhaps the most stunning character in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha is Gongjin itself. I’m a sucker for TV shows set in gorgeous beaches like Yangyang Beach in Lovestruck in the City, so I’d like to point out how much value the seaside village adds to the show “about healing”. It really does a lot for me whenever we get a relaxing view of the sea, the boats, or the mountains. The setting being so present sucks us deeper into the universe, especially when complemented by the simpler people we meet in the village.

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha Review: Final Thoughts

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha has never been presented as a groundbreaking k-drama, but does it have to be? I’m not gonna lie and say that it’s a “must watch” show (for now), but I’ve been waiting for a quality romantic comedy to sink my k-drama lovin’ teeth into. In that aspect, it seems to do its job well.

The k-drama led by Kim Seon-ho and Shin Min-a is a cute harmless romantic story that doesn’t really take a lot of effort to watch.

The future episodes promise to add some spice into the story, but I have a pretty good feeling about the general vibe of the show just from the first two episodes alone. It’s going to be a breezy boy-falls-in-love-with-girl thing where Hong Du-sik teaches Yoon Hye-jin the “simpler life”… until we start to unpack some of their family baggage from the past. And maybe throw in a richer and more handsome second lead into the mix, then you’ve got yourself a winning romcom!

Like I said earlier in this Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha review, the show has a lot of potential depending on how they use their supporting characters.

Because aside from them, it’s really hard to see where the show can potentially go from here — and not in a good unpredictable kind of way — but in a “how are they going to stretch this to 16 episodes” type of thing. I hope the writers are able to introduce enough compelling elements soon to help the story be more interesting when the main romance plot starts to peak.

For example, the cliffhanger of episode 2 doesn’t really entice me to watch the next one because I don’t know what conflict I should be looking forward to.

But overall, the main characters and their insane chemistry are enough to make me enjoy the show. I mean I was hooked from the very first scene of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, and it kept me smiling until the end of its 80-minute running time, so there is something really great here. Not all k-dramas impress me from the start so I have no doubt that it will pick up soon.

Plus, who doesn’t love a good ol’ princess and the pauper story? There are some pretty funny moments thrown in there set up by the premise of a clueless city girl living in a conservative small town.

And if there’s anything to look forward to, it’s Lee Sang-yi’s character. We haven’t encountered him yet, so things can only get more interesting from here.

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Do you have a Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha review of your own? Leave your thoughts and questions about the show in the comments below!

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The post ‘Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha’ Review: A Cute, Light Romcom K-Drama appeared first on Zoomers Corner.

Well ladies and gentlemen, the unthinkable has happened: Lana del Rey has released the follow-up to her universally-acclaimed 2019 album, Norman Fucking Rockwell! last Friday. It was a rocky road getting to that finish line with all the delayed album releases and controversies she’s been getting herself into.

But we are finally here!

I tried to put off writing this article for the sake of Journalistic Integrity because I know how much my first impressions can be inaccurate when it comes to music. This boy needs time to digest the music. And after listening to the album on endless loop since it came out on Spotify, I’m now pretty confident with my overall Chemtrails Over the Country Club rankings.

If you missed it, I also did a track-by-track ranking for Norman Fucking Rockwell! last year, which was tough to do because of how much top-quality songs are in that album. Will the same ring true with its successor? Where will your favorite track from the album land? What will earn the title of best song in Chemtrails Over the Country Club?

Find out the answers to your questions below!

11. For Free

Is it my aversion towards songs with features or do I just really not find this a good song? I don’t really know the answer to that question, but one thing’s for sure: it is not my cup of tea and is easily the worst song in my Chemtrails Over the Country Club ranking.

Featuring Zella Day and Weyes Blood, For Free is a swooning folk rock cover of a Joni Mitchell deep cut.

It’s not really a track I would skip, but it’s not really something that I would actively look forward to listening to either. Aside from the fact that it’s not my favorite sonically, For Free concludes the whole album which has soured me on the song even more. Yes, Lana has placed covers as finales in her albums before, but this was such a bummer because it had features in it.

Don’t get me wrong: the harmonization is beautiful among the three ladies, but I feel like the album could’ve ended with a bang if Lana took the reins herself. This would’ve served better as an interlude into the latter half of the more folky side of the album.

10. Dance Till We Die

Dance Till We Die is probably the most forgettable track in the album, and would’ve completely left my entire brain vortex if it weren’t for that bridge.

If you’re someone who has followed her work for years, it would’ve shocked the bejeezus out of you like it did to me. Lana del Rey puts on her cowgirl hat and belts out notes like we’d never heard her before; she was definitely channeling the signature sound of Joni Mitchell here!

The lyrics in Dance Till we Die continue to build on the feeling of “pre-fame longing” which seems to be an overarching theme throughout Chemtrails. They tell a story that could only be told by Lana herself as she projects her life experiences under rock-and-roll references and metaphors. For example, one of my favorite lines throughout the album is in this track: “Clementine’s not just a fruit / It’s my daughter’s chosen name” which is… fictional, right?

‘Cause she’s not a mother… RIGHT?!

9. Breaking Up Slowly

I promise I’m not just listing out album track order backwards! But the fact of the matter is, the last three songs in this album are also the weakest ones. It actually seems to be a common theme throughout Lana del Rey’s discography for the second half of the album to be less interesting. Just look at Ultraviolence, Norman Fucking Rockwell!, and Lust for Life.

Although uncredited as a singer on the track, Breaking Up Slowly actually features Nikki Lane for the majority of the song… even more than Lana herself! So from that alone, you’d understand why I placed it low in my Chemtrails Over the Country Club ranking.

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While I don’t mind features — I actually loved most of them in Lust for Life — this just had too little Lana in it for my liking. Nikki’s deep voice worked well with Lana’s higher notes, especially in the chorus. It actually felt like a track straight from a musical with the rhyme-y words and how the two songstresses played off together. I pictured this whole scenario in my mind where Nikki was a mother comforting her daughter, Lana, whose heart had just been broken for the first time.

8. Wild at Heart

In my opinion, there’s a big jump in quality from Breaking Up Slowly to Wild at Heart in this ranking. I could confidently say that I thoroughly enjoy all the tracks in Chemtrails from here on out.

Wild at Heart is the fifth track in the album, and serves as a pseudo-“checkpoint” for the album. This is where the songs with folk-rock and country influence start to flow, and then Breaking Up Slowly ups the ante even more later on.

I like this particular song because of its sing-along chorus and might be the best one in articulating Lana del Rey’s feelings about her fame. Lyrically, it’s a spiritual sequel to her 2012 song, Ride. If that song was about the difficulties of finding fame and the dangers of the open road, Wild at Heart is about embracing the danger to deal with her newfound popularity.

Musically, it’s like a lab scientist mixed all the chemicals from several Norman Fucking Rockwell! songs and came out with this track. It directly samples How to Disappear in the chorus, which some have called lazy but I think genius. Wild at Heart also sounds like The Greatest and Mariners Apartment Complex in various parts.

7. Tulsa Jesus Freak

A fan favorite, Tulsa Jesus Freak is the song in Chemtrails which feels most like classic Born to Die Lana. The lyrics namedrop Jesus Christ Himself as she has previously done in Paradise, and the tempo in which she sings is reminiscent of her earlier trap-pop days like we’ve heard her before in Off to the Races. She also does the cutesy Lolita voice quite a bit.

Care I say, it actually feels a lot more like Summer Bummer from Lust for Life. Don’t hate me.

It instantly grabs your attention with its repetition of the “white hot forever” lyric and purposeful use of autotune.

I think this is the only song that you could legit dance to in the entire album. And in that way, it feels out of place. I’m just saying if Tulsa Jesus Freak was released as a single before the album dropped, it would’ve thrown many people off. Thankfully, it is preceded by the more experimental titular track in the album which helps reduce that feeling that it’s amiss.

While I think it’s a stellar addition to Chemtrails, I’m personally not looking for songs that remind me of the “old Lana” anymore, hence its low ranking.

6. Let Me Love You Like a Woman

A lot of fans were underwhelmed when this was first released as a promotional single, with most of the criticism stemming from its minimalistic production. But little would they know, it wouldn’t even be the most “minimalist” song in the album!

If you’re wondering why Let Me Love You Like a Woman is this high in my Chemtrails Over the Country Club ranking, I honestly think it’s my “familiarity bias” kicking in.

I never really disliked it like other fans, except for a short period of time where I got tired of listening to it over and over again back in November. It felt like a natural progression from where we had left off in NFR, especially when you consider that we had a dominance of piano-heavy tracks in that album as well. I guess my biggest criticism would be how the lyrics feel like an unfinished poem from her spoken word project, although it does have many memorable one-liners which almost make up for the lack of lyrical depth.

The instruments build throughout the song and never completely “go off” which may have disappointed listeners. But I think it was always the intention for Let Me Love You Like a Woman to end in a soft whimper as opposed to an explosive bang, as I had realized when I listened to it in the context of the album.

5. Dark But Just a Game

I am shielding myself from the hate I might potentially get from placing this as “only #5” in this Chemtrails Over the Country Club ranking. But look, I actually think this song is a bop… not as much as others though.

Dark But Just a Game is probably the most experimental track in the album with its unusual structure. It may be jarring for some first-time listeners, but once you start to get the hang of the changes in tempo and beats, you’ll be able to find the magic in the track. Lana del Rey also flexes her vocal mastery as she switches up her singing style numerous times.

When I was listening to this album for the first time, I was watching a Youtube video of nighttime driving in Seoul for the vibes. And let’s just say Dark But Just a Game is the perfect song to listen to when you’re on a long drive under the night skies.

4. Not All Who Wander are Lost

Not All Who Wander are Lost is the perfect track to follow Dark But Just a Game if we’re still on that hypothetical road trip. I bet a lot of people my age are able to appreciate this song for its theme of spontaneous, pointless & long-winded exploration.

From its lyrics about “wearin’ the same clothes for three damn days”, to having too much time to think about “seasons of old” on the road, you’ll feel like getting into a backpacking trip with someone special when you listen to this.

Not All Who Wander are Lost is able to set the mood for the more stripped-down second half of the album, with a chorus that’s meant to be sung with whoever’s holding the guitar around the campfire. It’s not a special and spectacular song by any means, but it’s able to bring back a lot of good memories of pre-COVID-19 days when we were a lot more free to go anywhere we want to.

3. Yosemite

If you had asked me to put out my Chemtrails Over the Country Club ranking after my initial listen, Yosemite would’ve been in my bottom tier. Much like the entire album, you have to listen to this song a couple of times to truly understand it.

The thing that stuck out to me at first was how she sang “seasons may change / but we won’t… change“. It turned me off because it felt like she was forcing the lyrics in that meter. She would then do the same thing with “winter to spring / spring back to… fall” in the following line. I cringed at those moments because I knew Lana could write something better than that.

But with more listens, I eventually appreciated the quirkiness of those lines. Those wouldn’t be the strangest “forced lyrics” she would have in this album after all.

Then Yosemite transcends into this feel-good love anthem that cements Lana del Rey’s transition “out of the black”. The song was made even better when I learned that she had put off releasing this track in Lust for Life three years ago because it was too happy, and she wasn’t there yet.

Well, happy Lana has arrived and I am here for it.

2. Chemtrails Over the Country Club

Unlike Let Me Love You Like a Woman, I’m confident that my high ranking of this track isn’t because I was familiar with it even before the album had dropped. This one takes you to a summery, “detached” old-rich place with its intricate storytelling and soft instrumentals. It also has a spectacular music video that served us visuals and that glorious twist, which personally helped me get into the song even more.

Chemtrails Over the Country Club feels experimental because it doesn’t sound like the other tracks in this album or her previous works. Jack Antonoff’s production is able to build this song to a good chaotic climax where Lana del Rey swoons about sun and moon signs, and then ends with a well-deserved prolonged percussion outro.

Lana is also at her best lyrical game here; I was actually disappointed with the quality of lyrics of the other tracks because I was expecting something as masterful as what she had displayed here.

1. White Dress

What a glorious opening track! I was so nervous before taking my first listen of the album because I knew she wouldn’t be able to top NFR, but what if it would turn out to be a horrible album?

With literally the first note of White Dress, all my doubts were erased.

And after running through the whole album, I knew that it would be take the #1 spot in my Chemtrails Over the Country Club ranking… it wasn’t even close! It was that good. Even after multiple listens, the novelty hasn’t worn off for me.

Can you believe that Lana and Jack only recorded one version of this song? They were able to do that in one take. Despite the imperfections like the sound of Lana’s vape and her breathy vocals — which had been placed there on purpose — I wouldn’t have it any other way.

As a whole, Chemtrails isn’t particularly relatable because the lyrics are either about fame, or they’re too specific to Lana’s experiences. The latter rings true for White Dress, but it’s able to capture the ubiquitous feeling of nostalgia that everyone longs for — from a simpler time when we were nineteen. Reminiscing those times makes us want to go back even if our lives were less glamorous.

I got goosebumps the first time I heard Lana del Rey go for those freakin’ high notes again and again because we haven’t heard her do that before. It would send a precedent for the entire album where we experience her upper register like never before. Honestly, I didn’t understand what she was saying most of the time, but I was living for it.

And listening to those parts still excite me every time I put on the song…. especially the downatthemeninmusicBUSiness conference part. Especially that.

The Verdict: 8/10

Overall, Chemtrails Over the Country Club is an outstanding album in its own right. I feel like everyone who didn’t like the album just had their expectations too high, or isn’t a fan of the direction Lana del Rey took with this album. But if you feel that way, I don’t blame you. The folk rock genre is such a far cry from her cinematic trip-hop Tumblrcore era… or even her foray into blues in Honeymoon six years ago.

Chemtrails suffers from a weaker last leg which oftentimes feels like someone had just sneakily recorded Lana jamming along for fun with her friends. And aside from the opening track, nothing feels like a particularly explosive moment — like the production in Cinnamon Girl, or the entirety of Venice Bitch — because of the softer sound she was aiming for.

Although there were many shocking moments when it came to Lana’s vocals. She explored all the colors of her voice with how she embraced her upper register a couple of times, and all the

With everything being so stripped-down, most of the tracks need time and multiple listens to grow in your heart and locked in your brain. Once you do that, Chemtrails becomes a modern easy-listening classic.

Do you agree with how my Chemtrails Over the Country Club ranking turned out? Leave your thoughts in the comments below! And if you missed it, you can view our track-by-track ranking for Norman Fucking Rockwell! here.

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The post ‘Chemtrails Over the Country Club’: All Tracks Ranked and Reviewed appeared first on Zoomers Corner.

It’s the k-drama that will have you doing spit takes and thigh slaps from all the hilarious hijinks! This Welcome to Waikiki review is basically one huge fangirling session because I just finished it last weekend, and it was so freaking good. I’m so glad that I was able to see this in my Netflix algorithm because it would’ve been so easy to miss out on this hidden gem.

The sequel of the show has found some newfound popularity after the entire Asia population fell in love with Ji-pyeong from Start-Up. The actor who plays him, Kim Seon-ho, stars in Welcome to Waikiki 2, leaving the first season to go unnoticed.

But we all know that a show being obscure does not mean it’s automatically a bad show. Find out why Welcome to Waikiki is the perfect example of that after the jump. And good news: we are keeping things relatively spoiler-free for this one!

Welcome to Waikiki Synopsis

Before we delve into the actual Welcome to Waikiki review, let’s first get to know what it’s all about. The JTBC-produced show is good ol’ classic comedy sprinkled with some cute romance in between. When we say “classic comedy”, that means leaving your expectations of smart humor out the door.

We follow six normal young adults — three men and three women — who always find themselves in insane situations while living their daily lives. All of them eventually stay together under the roof of the breathtaking Waikiki Guesthouse which they also run. The ensemble of roommates include the petty Kang Dong-gu (played by Kim Jung-hyun), his sister Kang Seo-jin (played by Ko Won-hee), the geeky Bong Doo-sik (played by Son Seung-won), and the breakout star of the show, Lee Joon-ki (played by Lee Yi-kyung).

Things start to shake up in the guesthouse when they see a random baby inside one of the rooms. Later on, they learn that the adorable but awkward Han Yoon-ah (played by Jung In-sun) left her there because she was afraid of being a single mother.

The guys feel bad for her situation, and slowly welcome her into their family. Dong-gu is the most reluctant one at first because he found her ditziness quite annoying. But in traditional k-drama style, he soon starts to develop some romantic feelings for her.

They are also joined later on by Dong-goo’s ex-girlfriend and aspiring model, Min Soo-ah (played by Lee Joo-woo) after she falls for a scam. While her brash attitude and history with Dong-goo makes it hard for her to win over the hearts of the other characters, she soon finds herself fitting in naturally with them.

Welcome to Waikiki Review

Welcome to Waikiki is a fun and easy-to-pick-up k-drama with a lot of heart. We actually placed this show in our 2021 list of feel-good, lighthearted k-drama recommendations, and for very good reason.

It’s like a sitcom presented k-drama style; think high production value and tight writing. The sticky situations they get into are usually a direct result of their own ridiculous choices and their stubbornness, and their problems snowball into bigger ones until they get their well-deserved comeuppance. While most of the situations only happen within the space of a half-hour, certain storylines last for multiple episodes. Basically, you’d still have to watch the entire thing in order.

Don’t get it twisted though: Welcome to Waikiki is not pure unadulterated comedy. They suck you in with ridiculous humor at first, and then inject some romance and a tiny wee of drama later on. It doesn’t get in the way of the show’s “flow” though.

In fact, some of the best moments in the show come because there’s a little drama in it. You’ll find yourself laughing at a guy munching on buffalo bones to go viral one minute, and then loudly cheering on a guy who confessed his feelings for the girl.

It’s the perfect show to watch if you’re looking for a fun little break from all the heavy k-dramas that you’ve been watching. Whenever I was on a binge for the weekend and needed something to rinse off some major boredom from the previous show I had watched, I’d always put this on because I knew that it was a guaranteed way to improve my mood.

There are many good things about this show which make it a required watching experience for everyone who likes to have fun. So… that’s everyone.

The Good

First, the humor is different (in a good way) from many modern American sitcoms that you may be accustomed to. It doesn’t rely heavily on sarcasm or witty comebacks to get some laughs out of the audience. Instead, it focuses on the situation at hand and how the characters deal with the unrealistic ridiculousness they are faced with.

I will admit that the show’s humor does tend to border on childish sometimes especially when it gets to slapstick territory. But once you get used to it, you’ll find that its part of the charm.

As we said earlier, Welcome to Waikiki starts to veer into romantic territory halfway through. While this allows room for more melodrama into the show, those parts are usually kept to a minimum. The romance is not really why someone would watch this particular k-drama, so it’s okay even if they are largely forgettable.

The writers are still able to work in the humor into the romance relationships anyway. Having them in the show also helps with some key character development, so they are very much welcome. My only gripe is how a large portion of the final episodes does get brought down a bit by all the romance drama.

What I’m saying is the romantic relationships (especially the build-up to them) is enjoyable to watch, but ultimately, it’s not really the number one reason why you should seek out Waikiki.

Aside from the humor, the cast of brilliantly funny actors makes the show really enjoyable. I found myself constantly surprised with how committed they are to making themselves look like clowns for laughs. I’ve always had the idea that Korean actors are afraid to look un-beautiful, but Waikiki proved me wrong. I mean when one of your main girls’ quirks is being able to grow a moustache overnight, looking beautiful doesn’t matter.

All of them look like they’re having fun throughout it all. While the show didn’t explore some relationships among the characters as deeply as they could’ve, I was able to feel the chemistry among them. This is especially towards the latter half when the actors have become noticeably more comfortable with one another. I could not imagine other actors filling in their roles.

And if I do see these actors in other projects, I don’t think I would be able to disassociate them from the people they played here.

The characters are really the ones that turned this show from “just good” to great. Everyone is likeable in their own right, especially Lee Joon-ki. He is an aspiring actor who has the most memorable storylines in the show. He just steals the scene all the freaking time with his huge movements and wacky facial expressions.

The other ones in the ensemble cast are able to balance him out pretty well, but trust me: all of them are dorky idiots… idiots we love.

Unique is a word that encapsulates Welcome to Waikiki. You’ll notice this from how it’s edited and all the way down to the set design. For instance, the entire show is presented in pleasing pastel colors which helps bring accentuates its lightheartedness and easy-watching vibe. Aside from that, there were so many memorable one-off/side characters who brought so much laughs into the show even if they were only there for a little bit. If you ask me right now, I could probably name half of them.

I just wanted to point these small things out in my Welcome to Waikiki review because they all add up together to make the show even more brilliant than it already is.

The Bad

There are only two cons I would like to point out in this Welcome to Waikiki review, and they are pretty minor in the grand scheme of things. The first one has to do with the awkward first impression it gave me. I will never forget how I tried to watch this way back in May, but the very beginning of the show involved toothpaste getting into the mouth of a sleeping Dong-goo. Just like that, I turned it off because “meh, it wasn’t for me”.

I obviously ended up giving it a second try and fell in love with it afterwards.

Looking back, Waikiki relies on a lot of similar “childish” humor at the first couple of episodes and it isn’t going to be everybody’s cup of tea. I know it didn’t seem like the show for me who was so used to American sitcoms. But the more you watch it, the more you get used to it. Then it really starts to get when Yoon-ah starts to settle in with the other residents in the guesthouse.

If you’ve read any of my reviews, you’d know that how long an episode lasts is a huge deal for me. For Welcome to Waikiki, every episode runs for approximately 60 minutes… and that is a lot of comedy to get through in one sitting.

Even if I was laughing my ass off and having fun with what I was watching, I would find myself constantly checking how much time was left before it ends. I just don’t think a scripted comedy series was meant to have that running time. As I learned, you do get tired from laughing a lot and there is some fatigue involved from having too much fun.

As a result, the last twenty or so minutes of most episodes recurringly become an afterthought. If I’d already get exhausted halfway through a single episode, that does make me doubt how “binge-able” Waikiki truly is.

  Welcome to Waikiki Rating: 8.5/10 

Any questions about our Welcome to Waikiki review? Leave them in the comments below! And if you missed it, you can view our reactions and review for other episodes here.

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If Welcome to Waikiki isnt your cup of tea, check out our list of the best k-dramas to watch for Gen Z’ers here. Don’t miss out on anything by following us @ZoomersCornerPH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The post ‘Welcome to Waikiki’ Review: A Funny, Underrated K-Drama appeared first on Zoomers Corner.

While everybody was busy binging all the holiday classics or catching up on Start-Up, Netflix released one of their most unique k-dramas that flew under the radar: Lovestruck in the City. This was one of the k-dramas that I placed in my to-watch list ever since I saw the trailer with Ji Chang-wook in it.

I found some of his projects to be great, like Healer, as well as The K2, which made our list of the best k-dramas for Gen Z. So I had some sort of expectations for this k-drama — not a lot, but some.

The first two episodes didn’t deliver a super strong impression like most k-dramas, but it looks like it’s going to head into an interesting direction soon. Now you’re probably asking: should you watch Lovestruck in the City? Read more to find out our answer.

And yes, we are keeping things spoiler-free!

The show follows six good-looking singles and their complicated love lives at the heart of South Korea’s capital… and that’s basically all there is to it. It isn’t really as complicated as other k-dramas that throw every plot twist they can to prolong the show.

At least, not yet.

Lovestruck in the City dares to be young and different with its storytelling format alone. A documentary crew follows our characters as they get interviewed about their romantic lives.

We follow the love story of 32-year old architect Park Jae-won (played by Ji Chang-wook) and 29-year old Lee Eun-oh (played by Kim Ji-won), who works in marketing. As the interviewer asks them questions related to their romantic lives, we cut to flashbacks about their summer fling in Yang Yang and the eventual fallout.

We haven’t really gotten to the other characters’ stories yet, but we do know Choi Kyung-joon (played by Kim Min-seok) and Seo Rin-yi (played by So Joo-yeon) are in a long-term relationship. No drama yet, but we’re basically just waiting for the other shoe to drop with that couple!

Rounding out the gang are author Kang-geon (played by Ryu Kyung-soo) and I-break-hearts-for-breakfast Oh Sun-young (Han Ji-eun). They’re huge question marks right now because we don’t really know how they fit into the other characters’ lives just yet.

After watching the first episode, there was one thought that I couldn’t let go of: this is such a Netflix original. Everything felt and moved like those quirky lower-budget rom-coms produced by the streaming giant.

They aren’t necessarily groundbreaking, but they all leave you with that warm fuzzy feeling after watching it. I’m talking movies like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and The Kissing Booth — hell, it even reminded me of their reality shows like Dating Around and The Circle.

There’s something about a show’s production that reminds you of Netflix originals, like the lighthearted story, the small but cute animations, the irresistable soundtrack, and the gorgeous setting. All of which Lovestruck in the City has in spades.

Despite what the title of the show implies, we don’t actually see much of Seoul yet.

Most of the first few episodes are spent in the beautiful Yangyang Beach, which adds a lot to the young, modern & fun vibe the show is all about. It’s a lot like I’m Drunk, I Love You where the beach setting and the vibe is half the enjoyment of watching it.

It’s a joy watching Ji Chang-wook’s portrayal of Jae-won, primarily because it’s great seeing him out of the action-suspense genre and into straight romance territory. On the other hand, Kim Ji-won won me over with her portrayal of the happy-go-lucky Eun-oh. Her persona fits so perfectly with the carefree nature of Yangyang Beach.

Everything just works together to breathe life to the show. You may not remember what the story is about, but you’ll remember how it may just have been the most visually-stunning kdrama you’ve ever watched.

The documentary format also works extremely well because the show has to keep things snappy and dynamic. Ultimately, it’s a double-edged sword because the interview scenes are probably the weakest part of the show. It feels necessary though, because they’re weaving together all of these narratives in the space of thirty minutes an episode.

Yes, you heard that right: one episode only lasts thirty minutes which makes it a great show to binge-watch. Again, with that kind of bingeability, it’s a k-drama trapped in the body of a Netflix original.

Lovestruck in the City is just not like the other k-dramas I’ve watched before because the presentation is so unique and different. It’s not that at all surprising because in Korea, it is distributed by KakaoTV and does not have to play by the same rules as cable and network TV stations.

Given that, you can definitely feel the heavy Western influence throughout the show.

I literally gasped when the “Rated 16+” warning showed up in the beginning of the second episode because there was sex involved. It was interesting to see these characters openly talk about and engage in sex, only because the topic is annoyingly avoided all the time in k-dramas. These are grown characters and it’s so important for sex to be covered in a show about romance.

Unfortunately, Lovestruck in the City doesn’t really wow us with the plot in the first two episodes. While the visuals are a delight to watch, the k-drama will leave you with a resounding “that’s it?!” when the credits roll.

For the viewer with a short attention-span, the stop button would be too tempting to press halfway through the first episode.

The 30-minute running time works against the show in that regard, but at the same time, it’s not really an excuse for the underdeveloped story. Lots of shows have hooked us in from the very beginning and have given us more exposition in a smaller window of time.

And that’s the problem with having the show revolve around six characters: their stories will need some time to cook.

Even the story of Kyung-joon and Rin-yi’s first time was too short to have any kind of impact on the viewer. It felt like a free sample without any of the good stuff. For now, they’re nothing but side characters that don’t really add anything to the show.

And don’t get me started on Kang-geon and Sun-young, whose names I had to Google before writing this review because their impact in the show was close to nonexistent. I’m sure I’m going to end up loving them, but it sucks that they got lost in the shuffle in the first two episodes without as much as a set-up of their upcoming character arcs.

Obviously, patience is key for this series, but even then, I am not holding out for a groundbreaking plot with this one. Lovestruck in the City seems perfectly content with delivering us picture-perfect shots and whirlwind romance as opposed to delivering a captivating story.

Which I guess is fine because not all k-dramas have to change the game, but for the viewer who is bored with watching usual romcoms, this is not the show to start with.

Lovestruck serves you the most basic romcom plot while covered in all the glitz and glam. It’s not all bad, but it can be a bit bland.

I know that the good parts are enough to make me stick around for the next few weeks. The second episode left me with more hope for the show since we actually got to a more interesting predicament in the end; something the pilot failed to do.

Lovestruck in the City is one of the freshest k-dramas to hit Netflix because of its heavy Western millennial TV influence. If you’re not into k-dramas, either because you’ve clouded your mind with too many preconceptions about the genre, or because it’s too much of a commitment, then I would personally recommend that you give this a chance.

For the picky k-drama enthusiast, it may just be alright to skip this one because it lacks some flavor that makes it stand out from much superior titles. The first two episodes have not given us a real reason to really vouch for it. Maybe the time will come when it progresses beyond its cute presentation and gives us more conflict to chew on.

If the show manages to pick up its pace and develop the supporting characters better, then it might just end up being a memorable k-drama.

There is some potential there. But from what it’s given us, it’s nothing more than a show that’s good for a quick binge through a weekend.

Did you enjoy Lovestruck in the City? Let us know how you found it in the comments below!

Still looking for a show to watch this weekend? Take this quiz to find out which Netflix show you should be binging through based on your personality. Don’t miss out on anything by following us @ZoomersCornerPH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The post ‘Lovestruck in the City’ Review: It’s the K-Drama for Millennials who Don’t Watch K-Dramas appeared first on Zoomers Corner.

Which tracks in Ariana Grande’s fourth studio album still hold up in 2020, and which one gets the title of “best song in Sweetener“?

Some may say that Ariana Grande’s magnum opus is her latest album, thank u, next, but if anything, Sweetener was the project that catapulted her into modern icon status.

This year, we are celebrating the second anniversary of Grande’s fourth album by ranking all fifteen tracks in it. Read more to find out which ones we think should be erased from memory and which one we declare the best song in Sweetener.

The Not-So-Sweet Tier

15. get well soon

Within the Grande fandom, the entire Sweetener album is polarizing. Some say that it’s her best work to date, while some swear it’s her worst. And there’s the camp who says that Pharrell Williams ruined sweetener, while there are those who vehemently defend the tracks he produced.

Whether a song has awakened love or hate in the listeners, at least you could say it has made an impact. The worst sin you could commit in a sea of memorable tracks is to be forgettable… which unfortunately, get well soon is.

14. successful

Tracks like successful are why I enjoy going back to albums years later and reevaluating their rankings. If I had ranked the entire album based off my first listen, I would say that successful is the best song in Sweetener.

It’s actually the very first non-single track I enjoyed off this project, but now it’s just okay.

There is definitely an appropriate mood to play this song, and that’s when I feel like celebrating myself and my accomplishments.

But would I listen to this song over and over? Probably not. While I dug the N64/video game-inspired production the first listens, it gets pretty old soon after.

To give credit where it’s due, I will say that the lyrics are pretty empowering and fun to sing along to!

13. pete davidson

*Insert obligatory “aged like fine milk” joke here”*

Regardless of its title, pete davidson is a cute little interlude that serves its purpose in the album to transition into the final track. It works in that respect but never really gets past first gear.

Do I feel like people are biased against it because they weren’t fans of Ari and Pete when they were together? Yes.

In hindsight though, pete davidson is an important track in the album because the internet was just eating up all the news about the doomed couple at the time. If you think about it, this track is actually a tiny time capsule that makes us remember that weird stage in Grande’s life.

12. the light is coming (feat. Nicki Minaj)

Confession time: I actually liked this song a lot when it first came out! I never got the hate against TLIC, but as time passed, it seemed like the hate just grew bigger and bigger. It was even ranked #1 in the top 10 worst songs of 2018 by pop music Youtube reactor, AjayII.

It’s just meant to be a fun experimental project with Nicki Minaj after their successful collaboration back in 2014 with Bang Bang. However, the production does get pretty old years later like most Pharrell-produced tracks in the album.

Sweetener fans, do you still hear “you wouldn’t let anybody speak and instead” ringing in your ears?

11. sweetener

The title track of this album is shockingly… immature. If it weren’t for the sexual euphemisms (lick the bowl), it could probably pass off as something Tess from Camp Rock would sing.

To this day though, I’d find myself singing along to the Bop It-inspired chorus out of the blue. I’ve also had multiple people ask me what Grande song was playing when they heard this playing in my car. So I guess the track works by giving us that I-hate-it-but-it’s-stuck-in-my-head feeling in the vein of hits like MMMBop and Baby.

I will say though, if Pharrell ruined the production of anything in the album, it’s this one.

10. borderline (feat. Missy Elliott)

This is a fun bop which does not have a ton of replay value because the production doesn’t go anywhere exciting.

I know every reviewer has said it already but Missy Elliott’s talent was thoroughly wasted in this “collaboration”. She had a pretty forgettable feature, which is unfortunate because the both of them would kill it if they showed out.

I also have some issue with the lyrical content in this one, but that’s a pretty small thing for what feels like a filler track that’s just meant to get you on your feet.

The Sweet Tier

9. raindrops (an angel cried)

I normally wouldn’t rank a short album intro this high. But God damn, Ari ate this up and really said she is going to serve everyone in 40 seconds. I’m now left wondering if this would be the best song in Sweetener if it was actually a full-length track.

That power note doe!

8. blazed (feat. Pharrell Williams)

This track is not an instant bop. I remember having ranked the entire Sweetener album back in 2018 and placing blazed at the bottom of the rankings.

But during quarantine, I took another listen and couldn’t get it out of my head! It’s a laid-back mid-tempo pop song where Ariana doesn’t feel too out of place with Pharrell’s eccentric production.

Of all the collaborations in the album, this is the only one that actually worked.

7. God is a woman

GIAW was released as the second single from Sweetener. Not being an Ari stan when it first came out, I was pleasantly surprised with this track’s R&B sound that casual listeners never really heard from her since her first second ever single, The Way.

I admit that I’ve gotten quite tired of the song from playing it over and over again. However, it doesn’t take away from how good the track is especially with its stunning and memorable music video.

6. no tears left to cry

I remember when I had first listened to this on the radio and got confused. There are a lot of things going on with the production that it’s easy to feel disoriented. If you don’t listen attentively, you’ll think that it’s a hot mess of songs thrown together.

But now, I can say it’s “complex” rather than “confusing”. It was such a strong comeback single for Grande who had just gone through the Manchester Arena bombing, as she declares that she “ain’t got no tears left to cry”.

This song holds a special place in my heart for getting me through some tough times. Even though there’s a sense of delusion behind the lyrics, it’s perfect for those moments that you just have to cry while you party.

The Sweetest Tier

5. goodnight n go

This track is just so perfectly wholesome and cute. As the title implies, it has this goodnight lullaby feel that makes you want to cuddle up with someone and talk the night away with this song playing in the background.

It heavily samples Imogen Heap’s Goodnight and Go, but it doesn’t feel that way because Ari injects her personality and musical style so well that she makes it into her own! The last chorus where she hits a high note to cap off the song is probably the best few seconds in her entire discography.

4. breathin

If I didn’t play breathin so much for the past two years, it would’ve been my personal best song in Sweetener. Nevertheless, this Max Martin-produced track is pop perfection, serving as one of Grande’s career highlights.

Like NTLTC, it is a song that makes you want to cry and party at the same time. Through the lyrics, Ari lets us into her state of mind by detailing her all-too-familiar experience with anxiety. On the other hand, the upbeat tempo encourages us to shout along with her and dance to the beat of our inner demons.

It’s a shame we never really got to see breathin take off as a single since it was released right before thank u, next. But we’re still lucky that Ari was able to give us a music video for it even though a lot was happening in her life during that time.

3. everytime

We all have that one toxic person we can’t move on from, and everytime never fails to remind us of them. I love playing this song whenever I want to remember my stupidity in keeping people who are just not good for me.

Musically, you could tell that Grande is in her most comfortable with tracks like these that combine R&B and pop influences. The production is a lot simpler here than in the other tracks, but it complements the vibe that the song is going for.

Now everyone sing along with me: “why oh why does God keep bringing me back to you?”

2. R.E.M

This track in a word: dreamy. Even Pharrell’s never-ending moaning in the background couldn’t stop my enjoyment of this track!

It’s one of those songs that makes you want to close your eyes and imagine a life with someone you really like.

Even though the production doesn’t change much, you’ll never get tired of listening to it over and over again. R.E.M is a track that is defined by Grande’s vocals. She grabs the listener by the ears and demands that you join her in a journey to romantic fantasy.

Ari’s vocal mastery is on full display here, and I know this because I’ve tried to sing it on-key to no success.

1. better off

Surprise! Only a few of us Ariheads will say that this is the best song in Sweetener.

I’ll even take it one step further by saying that it is the greatest song in Ariana’s entire discography.

I could write an entire standalone article to justify my hot take, but you guys aren’t prepared for that. The simple but beautiful melody makes it a timeless track that you could easily listen to without getting tired. It’s also one of the rare times that Ari doesn’t really “go off” vocally; you could even say she was holding back here.

With both the production and vocals being so understated, better off forces the listener to focus on the story she’s telling through her words.

And when you do that, the song just hits you in the heart. If you’ve been following Ari’s life, then you know that she’s singing about Mac Miller, someone whom she really loved, in this track. In fact, she has said she was not going to perform this song live anymore after he had passed away.

On a personal level, I place better off in such a high regard because I could empathize with her headspace in this track. Grande candidly details her experience of letting go of someone who wasn’t particularly good for her.

And that wraps up our ranking of Sweetener! If there’s anything I want you to take away from this, it’s that better off is the best song in Sweetener, periodt.

This album may not be Ariana’s strongest on a musical level, but the impact the entire era had in pop culture cannot be denied.

Want to argue about which one of has no taste in music? Leave a comment below! Read our review of Lana del Rey’s Norman F***ing Rockwell here. Never miss out on anything by following us @ZoomersCornerPH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The post What is the Best Song in ‘Sweetener’ — Ranking & Review (2020) appeared first on Zoomers Corner.

Five months later, we’re still bitter about Lana del Rey’s universally-acclaimed album losing out to Billie Eilish in this year’s Grammys. But we’re doing the impossible and ranking all the tracks in Norman Fucking Rockwell, her best work yet. This alternative pop album released in 2019 has become an instant classic, especially in this post-modern apocalypse we are currently living in. NFR is written and produced by Jack Antonoff and Lana del Rey herself.

If you’re a first-time listener, I recommend listening to this album from start to finish to experience this masterpiece in the way it was intended to be. Tracklist order matters, people!

Also, out of respect for the modern female alternative icon, we are also following the weird capitalizations she used in naming the album tracks.

14. Bartender

In this song, Lana details her love affair with a… bartender? The lyrics are definitely all over the place, which does not help the repetitive production. I still stand by my initial thought that NFR could have been a no-skip album if it weren’t for this track. It doesn’t help that it follows “The greatest”, which is one of the best songs in the album. You either love or hate the chorus, where Lana gets into the ASMR trend by repeating “bar-t-t-tender”. While I personally like it, the lyric is just a cute little somethin’ somethin’, but doesn’t improve the song that much.

Imagine my disappointment when she announced that “Bartender” was going to be part of the triple music video she had released at the start of the year, which you can watch below. But to give credit where it is due, I thought the fun, fiery ACAB visuals really added to the song. The “Bartender” segment is definitely the strongest out of the three.

13. Doin’ Time

To be honest, I enjoyed listening to this Sublime cover when it first came out. Well, every song that appears from here on and out is a bop, but it just so happens that I have to rank all of them from best to worst.

“Doin’ Time” was released as a 2019 summer track, being one of Lana’s more popular singles. It has enjoyed moderate mainstream success and was even given sufficient budget for a music video. And you know it had some budget because it wasn’t shot on an iPhone. The only reason this song is so low is because I’ve played it so much before the album came out that I eventually became tired of it. Plus, with it being a cover, I didn’t feel it was as personal as the other tracks. Fun, light, and tropical is how I’d describe this.

12. Love song

Following the happier tunes in the album, “Love song” mellows it down with a romantic and shockingly optimistic serenade. This is a strong candidate for your Songs to Walk Down the Aisle To playlist: a simple piano ballad that describes what it feels like to be thankful for someone you are truly in love with. If your only exposure to Lana was her early work, you never would have guessed she had the capability to bust out something like this.

This song follows “Fuck it I love you” and “Doin’ Time” in the album, so this song closes out a trilogy of songs where happiness reigns supreme. It also marks the beginning of sappier instrumentals. And for those reasons, “Love song” screams transitional track to me. While it is definitely not a filler track, it does not feel like an important track which is why I’m placing this at a lower rank than the other ones.

11. Norman fucking Rockwell

Serving as the opener of the album, I thought this titular track did its job in setting the tone of the album from a musical standpoint. When you first listen to this, you get the idea that the rest of the album is going to be more laid-back than Lana’s previous works.

This song has a lot of killer lyrics that I’m always waiting for a moment to whip out. “God damn, manchild, you fucked me so good that I almost said I love you” and “you’re fun and you’re wild, but you don’t know the half of the shit that you put me through” are literally the first two lines of the song. Talk about hooking your audience in! Aside from how quotable the lyrics are, Lana’s singing ability is showcased in this simple track.

10. California

As a Lana fan, the most interesting thing about “California” is the subject of the song, who may or may not be her ex-boyfriend Barrie. Serving as an ode to her past relationship and her love for the state, you can’t help but feel nostalgic when you listen to this song. Lana’s ability to paint a picture of a setting, and a relationship, is clearly highlighted here.

This is ranked tenth simply because I don’t find myself listening to this song a lot. But when it does come on though, I don’t really want to skip it either.

9. Fuck it I love you

The colorful and ahrt visuals that were on display in the double music video made this track so much better. As the music video exemplified, this fast-paced funky track is something you’d want to play surfing on the beach. The lyrics are sad with a sense of delusion coming from one’s desire to be happy. There’s not much to say about this, except that it’s a mid-tier, “good enough to bop to” song.

8. hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have – but i have it

Well that’s one long-ass title… but it grabs your attention, doesn’t it? Even with all the anti-feminist accusations Lana has received as of late, this track is a good indication that her heart is in the right place. This is Lana in her most poetic state. The production is at its most basic in this one, drawing us into her angelic voice and into a sense of intimacy. It adds emphasis to how important this song is in Lana’s discography, who is now able to speak to us about her experience as a woman. The fact that the words she had written for this song is front-and-center makes it extra special.

While I appreciate this song for what it is, I have never really found a perfect time to listen to this. I acknowledge that it may have to do with the fact that I’m not a woman myself, but it’s more because I liken this song to a spoken word poem of sorts. While I enjoy it, I wouldn’t want to listen to it all the time.

7. Mariners Apartment Complex

This torch song was the first track to be released in the messy rollout of NFR, dating back more than a year before the actual album dropped. I think “Mariners Apartment Complex” is one of the songs you’d have to suggest to someone who wants to know what Lana currently sounds like. The maturity in the lyrics shows how much she has grown as a person in the past years. It’s also worth acknowledging how she is finally the less passive one in her relationship, as she sings, “You’re lost at sea, then I’ll command your boat to me, and / Don’t look too far, right where you are, that’s where I am / I’m your man“.

Alright, we see you Miss Lana. And speaking of which, she addresses her critics in the second verse which I found cathartic! It’s also worth noting that the acoustic guitar and drums here are more prominent than in most of Lana’s work, making this a standout track in her entire discography.

6. How to disappear

In the Lana del Rey fandom, this track is not a favorite from NFR. And that’s primarily because before the album was released, she had sung it live in an iTunes event with just a piano accompanying her. The album version changes up the instruments significantly, the most prominent one being the addition of what sounds like bell jingles. As a result, the song sounds like something out of a Twin Peaks Christmas special. Can you already imagine Lana standing onstage in front of red curtains, singing this song?

Lyrically, Lana does it again by serving us a colorful narrative of events. As an aside, I personally love the change in instrumentals; going back to a piano version would make it a pretty basic track. With that said, I think that this song would have been received more warmly if the live version didn’t precede it. And I love me some Twin Peaks!

5. Happiness is a butterfly

I have to confess, I hated this song for the first few months NFR was out. It was only after the triple music video had dropped that I came around to loving it. I couldn’t help but cringe whenever I heard the lyrics “happiness is a butterfly“, but now, I don’t really mind it because the song features my favorite lyric from this album: “If he’s a serial killer, then what’s the worst that can happen to a girl who’s already hurt?”. There’s also an addictive talk-singing part that I just have to follow along to whenever I play it on speaker.

This one isn’t flashy, but it’s definitely a grower. If you’re having trouble getting into the song, then maybe the visuals will help you out with this one. I mean, how adorable is Lana with a butterfly on her nose?

4. The Next Best American Record

You don’t have to do anything, I can already hear you saying I’m tasteless. A lot of people think this is one of the weaker tracks in the album, but I find it the most underrated one out of all. I’m putting it at fifth because I’m a whore for lyrics. And for this song, the words give me a sense of nostalgic excitement and joy that makes me feel like I’m young and in love. It depicts what an ideal relationship looks like in my head (“We were so obsessed with writing the next best American record / that we gave all we had ’til the time we got to bed ’cause we knew we could“) which is basically a relationship of two ambitious people pushing each other to be their greatest selves.

Fun fact: this was supposed to be released back in 2017 for her album, Lust for Life. They had even shot a music video for it! However, because the track had leaked, they used the footage for another song, “White Mustang”, instead.

3. Cinnamon Girl

Production-wise, this is where NFR is hit its peak. I remember during release day, “Cinnamon Girl” was the track that everyone was raving about, and for good reason! The piano accompaniment and electronic sound fuse together in such a beautiful way that supports the emotionally-loaded lyrics pretty well. “Cinnamon Girl” climaxes with an instrumental break that showcases Jack Antonoff’s work at full display. Overall, this is a technical masterpiece.

Here, Lana del Rey is at her most Lana del Rey, channeling what is left of her inner sadgirl to talk about her reluctant desire to be with somebody knowing there’s a chance that she could get hurt. Because if her early work is anything to go by, this girl has not had it easy.

This is Lana in her most romantically fragile state… so Tumblr aesthetic people will enjoy this! But a word of caution: bring out that roll of tissue paper when you listen to this.

2. The greatest

This song is about nothing, and about everything at the same time. The lyrics speak of longingness and the desire to go back to simpler times. Out of all the tracks in the album that have a nostalgic theme, this one definitely hits the hardest. And again, the music video helped drive the point home to listeners. More than that, there’s something about the simplicity of the lyrics and Lana’s delivery that makes it a lot more poignant. This is her swan song.

When I say that NFR is an album to listen to during the apocalypse, it’s because of songs like this that take a more defeatist approach to the crap the world is going through. Almost a year since its release, “The greatest” is still relevant — and maybe even more so now that we’re in quarantine, while everything else is happening outside our homes. “Oh, the live stream’s almost on.“

1. Venice Bitch

Whenever I recommend this song to non-Lana fans and tell them it’s over nine minutes long, they look at me like I’m crazy. But this track is just that damn good. And you know why I think this is Lana del Rey’s best song ever? Because it’s just so timeless. This was one of the earliest tracks released for the album, and almost two years in, I am still not sick of it. Lyrically, “Venice Bitch” is a lovely voyage to that corner in Lana’s mind that houses hopeless romanticism intertwined with the American dream.

Musically, it’s a psychedelic pop song which shows Lana’s versatility as an artist. Despite it being uncharted waters for her, she nails it out of the park! In the middle of the song is a long guitar break, but it does not exhaust the listener, and more than that, adds depth to the theme and mood of the song.

Overall, this is a bop of a song that goes with every mood you’re in. Rain or shine, this is a song that you could sing to, drive to, cry to, smile to, escape to, relax to… again, “Venice Bitch” is freaking timeless.

The Verdict

Even if we weren’t able to talk about the album as a whole, trust me when I say that Norman Fucking Rockwell is one of the best pop albums of the 2010’s. Maybe one of the best albums this decade, period. All ears will definitely be on Lana as she prepares to release her next album, Chemtrails Over the Country Club. In the meantime, let’s relive my personal AOTY 2019 pick, NFR in all its glory:

The post A Track-by-Track Ranking and Review of ‘Norman Fucking Rockwell!’ appeared first on Zoomers Corner.