A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.
I didn’t have elevated anticipation for ZEROBASEONE’s newest album, but it’s quickly become my favorite project they’ve released. There’s not a song I dislike, with Kill The Romeo and Insomnia standing out most on first listen. However, sometimes it’s better to wait a few days before posting a “buried treasure” because late-album track Road Movie has emerged as a big sleeper hit.
On first listen, I don’t think I could get past Road Movie’s predictable chanting. But digging under the hood, this song has a far more interesting structure and execution than expected. Yes, there’s a bunch of that “boy group 101” chant-singing, but the track completely changes during its vocal-forward pre-choruses. These segments have the drama of musical theater, drawing upon the members’ voices in ways no other ZB1 song has yet attempted. The melodies here are strong and beautiful, colliding with the gruff, experimental nature of the choruses in a compelling way. And when the guys do opt for a more NCT-style performance, the instrumental delivers a series of fascinating swerves over sparse production that reminds me of SHINee’s excellent One Minute Back.
I love the way the chorus blends in with the second verse, giving Road Movie far more continuity than you’d think. I’m actually surprised how often I’m returning to this song, especially when it’s surrounded by others that are usually more my style.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
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There’s something beguiling ab this song. I’m not crazy ab the rap sections but anything was tolerable if I could get back to that beautiful ascending prechorus with such enchanting vocals. The NCT comment is spot on but I agree that the execution was interesting here. The outro felt nostalgic and familiar. I wouldn’t have minded if the track never stopped.
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I’m more drawn to the easy listener Insomnia but this one is definitely strange and intriguing. The chanting is a bit jarring but a vast improvement over the spoken word parts of Solar Power. I agree this is their best album to date, the only skips for me are The Sea and Yura Yura, whereas the title tracks of the last two albums were skips.
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This track is probably the most polarizing song for me that I’ve ever listened to, honestly I couldn’t get myself to like any of the parts together but separately they’re fine.
I’m just ultra pissed though because the first twenty seconds are amazing.
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I’ve seen people from the fandom dislike this song. it has the least streams in the album on Spotify, after YURA YURA Korean version. it’s not my most favorite song on the album (that honor belongs to Insomnia), but I understood this song on the first listen. it’s a well-done “mixxpop” song.
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Bonkers, in a good way. It does the construction well, seamlessly. But in the end, is it interesting? To what purpose it is shifting? Its like a collection of 4 or 6 elements all in the same key and time signature, run one right after another. A collage of chips all in the same color.
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This is a really solid album, I think insomnia, road movie, and good so bad turned me into an actual zb1 fan.
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