Berry Good is one of those K-pop acts who always seem to exist on the periphery. They’ve been around for four years (!) now, and released a slew of solid tracks, but their career never seems to gain any momentum. This is a shame, because the girls have a lot to offer. That potential is on full display throughout the diverse Free Travel, the group’s first full length album. Leading the pack is Green Apple (풋사과), which twists the innocent girl group concept just enough to work.

Green Apple opens with its trump card, an “oh, oops!” exclamation that manages to be at once irritating and irresistible. Skirting this line isn’t the easiest thing to do, but the remainder of the track does a good job taking potentially cloying moments and making them endearing. The instrumental’s endless supply of fizzy synths certainly helps, forging an upbeat atmosphere that’s in keeping with Apple’s brisk pace. The verses pinball between rhythmic pop and cutesy asides, with enough variation in the vocals to hold listeners’ attention.

Apple’s chorus presents a more driving dancefloor hook, with Twice-style layering creating an ebullient chant to follow each melody line. The post-chorus instrumental brings a bit of quirkiness to the arrangement, though it’s not memorable enough to leave much of a mark. And that encapsulates Apple’s struggle in a nutshell. It’s ridiculously fun pop fluff, but like any sugar rush, there’s not a whole lot of substance hiding beneath the breezy aesthetic. Still, I’ve always had a sweet tooth for pop music, and Berry Good know how to deliver in that regard.

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