Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
YENA‘s solo career has thus far been defined by a spunky pop-punk sound that has done her well since it pairs nicely with her energetic persona. However, for this comeback with “NEMONEMO” she’s switched directions a bit, with many comparing it to broader J-pop, but really it sounds similar to something a utaite who started doing original songs might release. If you watch anime, this won’t be an unfamiliar sound, but it’s something groups like QWER have brought over and it’s a savvy move for her as “NEMONEMO” still emits energy that’s distinctly YENA.
Basically, it’s a relentless, danceable, bubblegum track with bright synths that seem to be bouncing everywhere. That can be a tough soundscape for the artist to keep up with, but thankfully YENA is up to the task and matches the manic energy perfectly (the more subdued dreamy pre-chorus is nice as well). It’s a nice change from a lot of current K-pop because it clearly doesn’t take itself seriously, and YENA delivers her lines with an appropriate aloofness, which she has to when the track is about making your face square or something. I dunno. It’s not important, and the fact that it’s a nonsense song just meant to be fun is a perk. The general vibe reminds me of Crayon Pop or Orange Caramel in that they’re basically reveling in how unserious it is.
That said, I’m normally not a fan of songs that forgoes choruses for like borderline spoken catchphrases because it requires the hook to be good and the instrumental to be interesting. Fortunately for YENA, she manages to accomplish both, as the unbridled instrumental absolutely goes off, and I found all of “yena jigeumina geudaеro”, “ppittulppaettulhae like”, and “NEMONEMO NEMONEMO sign” difficult to resist. They stood out as addictive and memorable, especially since she says them in a diction where you can almost hear her smirking, and the attitude she’s able to imbue into this track makes it hard not to smile along.
“NEMONEMO” is basically a shot of dopamine that’s an immediate mood booster, and it actually stands out as something unique within K-pop as well. I don’t see any reason this couldn’t be as popular as the anime OST tracks that seem to constantly go viral in Korea nowadays, as it’s basically a madcap opening for a quirky romance anime. Pointless fun, mansae!
