Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
Of all of the big-name K-pop groups currently working, SEVENTEEN is especially ripe for successful sub-unit releases. And while they’ve already given us quite a few unit tracks as part of their albums, they’ve yet to establish a spin-off with its own album and full fledged promotions. Boo Seok Soon (or BSS) seems to be a tiny step in that direction. “Just Do It” may not have a proper music video or B-sides to go along with it, but this trio (consisting of members Seungkwan, Hoshi, and DK) has the potential to get there.
Co-written by bandmate Woozi, “Just Do It” hearkens back to the fun-loving, funk-laced sound of SEVENTEEN’s debut year. Though the group’s 2017 artistic growth has resulted in some of their best material, I’ve long hoped that SEVENTEEN won’t completely disregard their funk-pop side to chase whatever the K-pop trend may be at the moment. Similarly, I would hate to see the group relegate these types of songs to sub-units and album tracks that might not garner the same attention.
Regardless, Seungkwan, Hoshi and DK carry the track brilliantly. The instrumental pulses with energy right off the bat, cruising along a punchy power pop guitar riff and prominent beat. I love that it never devolves into some energy-killing trap breakdown like so many other recent boy group tracks, relying instead on a simple, shout-along hook. This is pop with a capital “P,” and its confidence goes a long way in covering its limitations. It’s also much more rap-focused that you might expect given the fact that this sub-unit draws solely from SEVENTEEN’s vocal and performance teams. Compared to a modern classic like “Mansae“ or “Adore U“, “Just Do It” feels like a goofy throwaway. But in a month of K-pop that has rarely felt fun or exciting, there’s nothing wrong with a little catchy absurdity.
