On February 6th, global pop group IZ*ONE released their debut Japanese single “Suki to Iwasetai” (I want to say I Like You).
IZ*ONE (pronounced as “Eyez One”/IZ=12 and the meaning is 12 members coming together as ONE).
The group features Jang Wonyoung, Miyawaki Sakura, Jo Yuri, Choi Yena, Ahn Yujin, Yabuki Nako, Kwon Eunbi, Kang Hyewon, Honda Hitomi, Kim Chaewon, Kim Minju and Lee Chaeyeon.
The 12 members are the finalists of Mnet’s “Produce48” which began with 48 trainees from South Korea and 48 members of Japan’s AKB48G (AKB48, SKE48, NMB48, HKT48, NGT48).
I have written about IZ*ONE since they were announced on the final episode of “Produce48” and the fact is that the group is a monster rookie group that have broke sales records, won multiple “Best New Artist/Rookie of the Year” awards since their debut on October 29th and recently had a sold-out day/evening performance in Japan.
When the group debuted, they not only scored the #1 song on the Daily Oricon Charts and Soundscan Charts on debut day but days prior, their music video for “Suki to Iwasetai” received 1.74 million views in the first 24-hours. A major accomplishment of becoming the first idol debut in Japan to have that many views in 24 hours.
Granted, many idol groups that debuted in Japan took years before their music videos would surpass a million views after their debut and many Japanese music companies did not release the full music videos, as the goal was to put a teaser up to make people want to purchase the CD+DVD release of a single.
Nevertheless, it was smart planning to release the music video of “Suki to Iwasetai” in its full version and in two weeks, the video has surpassed 7.5 million views, while their enormous hit song and their debut song in Korea “La Vie en Rose” has surpassed 64 million views since its release back on October 29th.
Having reviewed their Korean debut mini-album “Colorize”, I am reviewing the two Type-A and Type-B singles. I won’t be reviewing the WIZ*ONE releases as I had no luck on obtaining it or the box set which sold out quickly or was way too expensive to order via proxy, as it was sold only through IZ*ONE’s online store. But if I do manage to purchase it, I will review it at a later date.
“Suki to Iwasetai” Type-A features a cover with the group with the Shibuya Scramble on the background and of course, signs being replaced with IZ*ONE, while the Shibuya 109 (which is currently collaborating with IZ*ONE with a pop up store for the month of February and an IZ*ONE cafe) is right there in the middle. While Type-B features a more closeup photo of the group.
The CD insert is a tri-fold with the lyrics to each of the main three songs and production credits.
Each CD came with a photo card, I got another Jo Yuri and an Ahn Yujin and each CD card comes with a message card code for those who registered for WIZ*ONE (the name of IZ*ONE’s fan club) site in Japan.
So, let’s kick it off with a review of “Suki to Iwasetai”. The song is about loving someone and the other person not reciprocating those same feelings back. Literally a song about love that’s starting to fizzle and the lyrics about “I will make you say you love me. You’ll be the one that will say it. Say you love me. Won’t you kiss?”.
I like how the song switches the lyrics towards the second half, instead of “Suki to Iwasetai”, it becomes “Suki to Iinasai” and the lyrics become even more painful and a desperation of wanting the other person to show love and also one more kiss.
It’s a very good song which I’m going to admit that it took several listening sessions to get used to because I loved “La Vie en Rose” and was expecting, more like hoping, that it would be a similar stye of release. But of course, they are partly managed by AKS and in Japan, the songs are for a Japanese audience. And once I accepted that and focused on that style of music, the more I listened to it, “Suki to Iwasetai” would be a song I would listen to a lot. First watching the music video on YouTube and then listening to this single on replay.
It’s a very good, catchy idol song and love the beat and the overall lyrics that went into this song!
The second track is titled “Kenchanayo” and it’s interesting because it’s a song I really like a lot, it’s a type of song that I picture IZ*ONE in animated form. It’s that fun and upbeat.
The song is about being in love and the first experience of emotions of love and wanting to know if you can touch the person you like, thoughts of wanting to make a move but not yet having the nerve to do it. Wanting to be brave but yet, go back and forth of “I’ll do it” and then “No I won’t”. Drowning in love and discovering the emotion of love.
For type A, the main coupling song is “Gokigen Sayonara” featuring Jang Wonyoung, Ahn Yujin, Honda Hitomi, Kim Chaewon, Kwon Eunbi, Kang Hyewon and Lee Chaeyeon.
The song is about saying goodbye and a relationship that has suddenly ended. While the lyrics may seem sad and like a breakup song, the way it’s presented is more of an upbeatsong.
How the experience gave them the courage and so much and how it was good to meet that person and while there is loneliness, you have to move forward.
I was reading one Japanese fans impressions of the song and how she felt it was written with “Produce48” in mind. Developing strong relationships but unfortunately, those who became members of IZ*ONE had to separate from those who didn’t make it.
Thinking about it, I can see how the lyrics would correlate because it was heartbreaking seeing Kang Hyewon and AKB48 member Sato Minami to say goodbye, like mother and daughter. AKB48’s Takahashi Juri, Shitao Miu and NMB48’s Shiroma Miru, who were close to many of the members and so close but yet they didn’t make the final 12. While the friendships continue, as Takahashi and Choi Yena still hang out when they are together in Tokyo and Shiroma has posted Instagram of meeting Jang Wonyoung and Kang Hyewon, “Produce48” is over, they have to leave it in the past and move on. They learned a lot about their experience on the show and no matter how painful it was not to become a member of IZ*ONE, the experience changed their life.
As for “Nekko ni Naritai”, which is the main coupling song in the Type B single, at first when I heard they were releasing a song with this title, I was thinking of a cutesy song (memories of NMB48’s Watanabe “Milky” Miyuki cat song came to mind). But in came out to be a cool, smooth track with cool beats and lyrics.
The song features Miyawaki Sakura, Jo Yuri, Choi Yena, Kim Minju and Yabuki Nako and is a song about wanting to be a cat because a cat is able to have freed, goes at its own pace, wants to be alone, and the lyrics ask “You know? Alright. Am I selfish? I know, alright. Are you selfish?”.
I suppose it’s a song that many of us who had strict parents can probably empathize with.
And to round things off, each single type comes with the instrumental versions of each track!
As for the music videos, both Types come with the “Suki to Iwasetai” music video, while Type A comes with the “Gokigen Sayonara” music video and Type B with the “Nekko ni Naritai” video.
Surprisingly, there is no region block on the DVD, which is great and I’m guessing the label anticipated that with a global group, many people around the world will be purchasing the CD’s, so they kept it region free! So, that was awesome! I do wish they released a Blu-ray version as it would have been cool to watch these music videos in HD.
“Gokigen Sayonara” featured an upbeat dance music video, colorful and no doubt shows off the “Colors” theme that IZ*ONE is known for. I also liked the fact that they played up Lee Chaeyeon as a dancer and also used Jang Wonyoung, as the center quite effectively.
“Nekko ni Naritai” on the other hand features an outdoor music video. Completely different style. The way the music video was shot, it had the urban metro style and a lot of good closeups of the five members and a lot of shots taken in the Shibuya area, especially at Shibuya Scramble.
Overall, both are solid singles and for IZ*ONE fans, you feel obligated to buying both in order to get “Gokigen Sayonara” and “Nekko ni Naritai” and of course, the third is the WIZ*ONE version (if you were able to pre-order it early and live in Japan to get it from the IZ*ONE online store) for the Jang Wonyoung/Miyawaki Sakura song “Dance o omoidasu made”.
IZ*ONE debuted in Korea with enormous success and the group manages to repeat that success with their debut in Japan with their first single “Suki to Iwasetai”. A single that has been on my playlist on repeat over and over. It’s that good and highly recommend this single!
