So, the million dollar question is: what is a De-aeseohsta? Yes, it’s a Romanization of the Korean title (디에세오스타) of Honey Popcorn’s new single, but that doesn’t shed much light on the meaning. From what I can tell, it’s a word (phrase?) that doesn’t naturally translate to English. So… I’ve got nothing.
Yes, I just spent the entire first paragraph of this review talking about the song’s title, because honestly there’s not a lot to discuss when it comes to the music itself. Honey Popcorn’s 2018 debut struggled to establish any sort of identity for itself beyond pleasant background music, and De-aeseohsta pretty much follows suit. The track is stronger than its predecessor, but so beige that it’s difficult to recall once it’s finished playing.
On the plus side, De-aeseohsta boasts a refined energy that feels welcome in this age of hyper-quirky pop. In this way, it sounds like something 2014-era Apink might record if they were hard up for material. The instrumental pairs spirited synths with a pleasant percussive shuffle to create a slightly hazy, laid-back atmosphere. The girls’ vocals are suitably airy, if devoid of any unique personality. The song’s chorus has a nice early-GFriend vibe, perfect for an enjoyable b-side but unable to draw much attention on its own. Kudos to the girls for not slavishly following trends, but they could definitely use an injection of musical ambition if they want to stand out among the crowded field of K-pop rookies. So far, K-pop is giving us a bummer summer, and De-aeseohsta is another ho-hum comeback to add to the pile.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 7 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.25 |
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The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Dear friends,
As you know, my GFRIEND and I are currently going through a trial separation. During this time, I met Honey Popcorn. She’s different from all the others. My friends are trying to convince me not to like her. They say she’s from a different neighborhood and she has a questionable past. I don’t care about that. I only know how I feel when I see and hear to her.
Though we’ve only shared a couple of moments together, I feel that there’s a future for us. I want her to stay. I want my friends to realize she’s a real person with something to offer the world. Please stay, Honey Popcorn. Let us walk the flower path together.
/headbow
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I mean, eww~
Btw really can’t stop laughing at some parts of the vocal, this kind of singing plus production is the most comedic thing in pop music nowadays for me
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Basic girl kpop. I swear I have heard the chorus a dozen times before.
Honey Popcorn are usually known in the kpop-ular press as “the girl group composed of all Japanese former adult entertainers”. To me, pfft whatev, we had Samantha Fox back in the day. To the Korean teenage fans this is more of a Big Deal. The songs themselves aren’t terrible but they are terribly generic.
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Sooo I did my research, de-aeseohsta is a spell name or smth by the lyrics.
“The spell that I love… De-aeseohsta!”
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Ah, I should have known! When in doubt, it’s always a magical spell.
Zimzalabim!
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Well, Honey Popcorn’s first song was named “Bibidi Babidi Boo” which is also known as “The Magic Song”, so at least they’re consistent.
Tsk.. ..how silly of these groups. They should be like Secret, Brown Eyed Girls or Berry Good. Neither of these groups would ever stoop to using song titles associated with prestidigitation!
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It seems to me like Yua is still refining her vision for the group and what exactly she wants out of it, it feels like Honey Popcorn are playing it safe and testing the waters still. They’re both a passion project and a novelty group so I don’t foresee them making too many waves, but if they want to keep improving the quality of their releases they’re at least on the right track.
I was surprised by the B-sides for this one, “Violet” was shockingly good. The vocals and production had a lot more power, and adding in some rapping gave the track a bit more personality. It really felt like something a more established group would release and could have made for a stronger title track, but I don’t think it really embodies what they’re going for.
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Yeah, Violet is surprisingly great. It really should have been the title track.
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