One of this K-pop generation’s biggest mysteries is how Oh My Girl went from being a leading girl group to an act that barely gets promoted anymore. WM Entertainment has really dropped the ball with this one, and that fumble has extended to their musical choices. This spring’s Real Love was a breezy little bop, but far from the group’s best. And now the agency seems to have squandered YooA’s potential as well.
I adored YooA’s 2020 debut. She’s the perfect K-pop solo star: quirky voice, unlimited charisma and fantastic dance skills. A song like Diver capitalized on all of these qualities. But, my expectations for her long-awaited comeback began to dampen with the pre-release of Lay Low and Melody. Both b-sides felt slight and uninspired, and sadly those qualities extend to title track Selfish.
Selfish is what you get when you take a few (annoying) musical ideas and run them into the ground. It’s a very repetitive track, and its repeated elements are grating from the start. The song’s “I want you babe, I want you” hook is placed up front and thrust upon the listener over and over. I’m ready to raise the white flag of surrender after the first go-around, but Selfish decides we need a shout-chant post-chorus to finish things off. Neither of these segments are a wise use of YooA’s considerable skill. And by the end, it seems even she has given up – offering a halfhearted “Zoomzooozooozooo” in place of a bridge. Truncated verses hint at greater potential, but overall Selfish is a disappointing return.
Hooks 6 Production 8 Longevity 7 Bias 7 RATING 7
