With over 3,000 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature.
The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets the full Bias List treatment!
Year Released: 2015
I’m usually pretty hard on ballads. I’ll always prefer up-tempo material, but every once and awhile a slower track really captures me. This happened in the early summer of 2015 – and I wasn’t alone in this sentiment. After years of toiling away on the b-list, BTOB reinvented themselves with It’s Okay (괜찮아요), and ushered in a new era of success that hasn’t slowed since. Sometimes the right song comes at just the right moment. It’s Okay played to the group’s history, while introducing them to a whole new subset of listeners who instantly fell in love with their strong vocals.
This is one of those big, chest-beating ballads that just hits you in the soul. Its crisp, mid-tempo beat draws from 90’s r&b, offering just enough bounce to slow dance to if you’re so inclined. Its rap segments come off as conversation rather than posturing, adding an almost poetic element to the track’s slow burn. But, It’s Okay’s sucker punch comes courtesy of its climactic power notes. Every pop ballad worth its salt knows how to build toward a satisfying crescendo, and It’s Okay does this with aplomb. The song delivers an immensely satisfying ascent as we hit the final chorus, utilizing both instrumentation and vocal bravura to forge a tense – and ultimately cathartic – energy.
Melodically, It’s Okay isn’t particularly galvanizing. But, this is the rare instance where that doesn’t really matter. The song is all about its evocative structure. Like a good K-drama, the track knows when and how to deliver the goods, confidently pulling the listener along for the ride. As soon as it’s over, you feel like you’ve been through an emotional saga – a little exhausted but with a lasting sense of fulfillment.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 10 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 9 |
Be sure to add your own rating by participating in the poll below!
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
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Kpop does Boyz II Men. Some nice falsettos in there. I could have done without the rap verse.
OT: I just did my first (and probably last) tour on kpopacalypse last night. (I swear that site does something more with cookies then he lets on – I had to reboot thrice.) Anyway, he had a post about how a singer holds That Kind of mic is a perfect test your bias is a good singer or not. I refrained from commenting (mostly because my computer was running too slow from weird shit happening while visiting that site). But in any case, look, this MV stylist had BTOB use That Kind of Mic. Are they holding it correctly? NO! Because it isn’t even plugged in, and they don’t use That Kind on stage ever. Pfft, even Kyuhyun holds That Kind wrong (qv “This is Love” MV and “One Voice” cover still pics. Only, like, Ella Fitzgerald wannabes use That Kind for realz.
Anyway, moving on. Nice performance here.
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We’ll have to disagree on the rap verse here. This is one of the few times that I find the rap to be one of the song’s highlights. And funny enough, I often find rap in BTOB songs especially cringey.
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Jeez people really have all kinds of excuses for not using their ear these years…
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It is pretty good. I like how breezy the chorus is, makes it stick to your head immediately.
Never a big fan of rapping where the rapper are just straight up talking over a beat, but i guess it’s not out of place here.
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I like it but I don’t think this is BtoB at their peak. I miss when they just did those fun concepts I like to watch( Insane , Beep Beep and Irresistible Lips) . I don’t feel a sort of connection with this song. I feel you , I also don’t like Mid-tempo tracks and ballads but their have been some which are my favorite K-pop Songs ( Lonely and Missing You are peak examples) . I don’t think it spells “8” hook , I am pretty sure 9 might be much more suited.
So here is my rating:
Hooks: 9
Production: 9
Thrill: 8
Bias: 8
Overall Rating: 8.5
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The song shows exactly what the group’s strongest point: their vocals. That was utilized so well with the whole message, which makes it such an emotional ride. The rap parts are also good and heartfelt (though there are other BTOB raps that I like more). The best part is the final part, that’s just purely beautiful. One thing that caught my attention is when you wrote it’s “a little exhausted” emotional saga. Not sure if we feel the same but yes my emotion is always “drained” after listening to this (prob bc it’s too emotional :)), that’s why I only listen to this in specific times.
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