In May 2020, Jinho, the oldest member of K-pop group Pentagon, took a leave of absence to fulfill his mandatory military service. Korean men between 18 and 28 years old are required to serve, regardless of stardom, fame and fortune. Group members tearfully gave their goodbyes and good lucks and continued as a group of eight.
However, this was not a permanent switch, and Jinho returned to Pentagon in November 2021. The group returned to its nine-member configuration, but it wouldn’t last forever. On December 3, Hui, another group member, left for his service. Not only is he the group’s leader, but he has been a major composer and lyricist for the group since its conception.
With the group’s powerful composer temporarily departed, many wondered who would front this comeback. With the trailers and teasers dropping, fans’ questions would be answered in due time — January 24. Coming back with their 12th mini-album, Pentagon’s general concept this time around was hard to pin down. The only universal observation was that it vastly strayed from their last concept, the rom-com parody “DO or NOT.” Instead, with cooler-toned photos and elegant styling, the general feeling was more suave and mature.
With these factors as a frame of reference, the discography was both interesting and enjoyable to listen to:
“Feelin’ Like”
In most comebacks, the title track can either be the smash-hit success or tanking factor for the group’s effort. Luckily, “Feelin’ Like” is the former. The music video sets the tone by incorporating various members in suits inside an art gallery. The smooth tempo finds a steady rhythm alongside lyrics that insinuate the temptation of this love. “My sharp eyes/ I’ll only see you/ Me and you under the full moon/ Hold me, yeah,” the bridge goes. The chorus itself can become repetitive, but that doesn’t necessarily mean awful. To me, the chorus is a catchy tune to tap your feet to.
“One Shot”
The follow-up song to the title track, “One Shot” goes into a differing avenue entirely. The soft rock pairs well with the concept of being victim to your partner’s attacks and advances. This song also incorporates an anti-beat drop, which was a pleasant surprise. After the tension came silence, matched with bass and low vocals asking “Are you ready?/ One shot”. The sentiment repeats over and over, asking if they can handle being shot by their lover from the intense love.
“The Game”
Composed and written by the youngest member, Wooseok, “The Game” is the most unique track on the album. Acting as if this love is a game that can have a losing and winning side, the song’s voice is excited to see who will become the victor. With a mixture of piano and EDM effects, it almost feels like it shouldn’t run as smoothly as it does. In addition, the lyrics mention famous statements and people like “Rocinante,” “Figaro” and “Galileo” to show how elevated the mind-game has become.
“Call My Name”
Somber and mysterious, “Call My Name” improves upon the stereotypical notion of forbidden love. Comparing their romantic interest to forbidden fruit, they can’t help but confess that they can “Call my name.” The beat is playful and somewhat upbeat, causing a confusion of emotions, much like the characters in at play.
“Sparkling Night”
The most upbeat song in terms of instrumentals, “Sparkling Night” is a compelling song. Despite this, there is still an underlying fear that their partner will fall out in love, though they still move alongside the relationship. The mixture of optimism and pessimism and lo-fi elements make the song that much more relatable.
“BAD”
Given the genre switches throughout the album, it’s a nice change of pace to end with a softer song. It looks back at the fault they see within themselves and how that reflects on the relationship, saying how their partner is better off without them. Despite this, they still love and cherish them, wishing they could be a better version of themselves.
Sierra Thornton can be reached at [email protected].
