Kpop Review: "Play" by Chunha feat. Changmo

Chungha is back with another infectious dance hit guaranteed to please fans!

The Song:

This is a great summer song that makes you want to dance, even in the ever-rising temperatures. While it is not my favorite of Chungha's singles so far, I know it will grow on me. It's just not the most memorable song for me. While songs like "Gotta Go" and "Stay Tonight" easily got stuck in my head, it will take me a few listens to get into this one. I think most fans of Chungha, and kpop in general, will really enjoy it though!

I will say that I did not find Changmo's feature necessary at all. I usually don't mind him as an artist and generally think he's quite good, but in this case I felt like his part took unnecessary focus away from the main artist of the song, Chungha. Also, the fact that he wasn't included in the music video made it all a bit awkward.

The Music Video:

The choreography in this video was great, as usual! I mean, what else can you expect from such an incredibly skilled dancer like Chungha. It's very different from her last single, "Stay Tonight," which had a lot of voguing in it while this one had more Latin influences. I am always blown away by her talent, but Chungha really impressed me with her dancing in this video in particular. I'm used to seeing her doing more hip hop and pop choreography, so when she came out dancing like a professional salsa dancer I was amazed! I feel like ballroom dancing is such a different world from modern dance and the fact that she can do both is very impressive. She got to show another side of her and her talents that we, as fans, do not always get to see. She proved that she is not stuck in just one method of dance, but rather is willing to branch out and show all different types.

The entire video was gorgeous and nicely filmed. There were some really pretty visuals with lots of summer themes like flowers and pools of water. Her styling matched the music video's concept well with floral flowing fabrics, perfect for dancing in the hot summer weather. Once again, this was a big difference from "Stay Tonight," which had Chungha in tight leather outfits, dark makeup, and a fake lip ring. I love both stylings just as much as the other and love that she is able to show so many different sides of herself not just through her content but through her visuals as well.

It had a unique concept that I haven't seen very often in other music videos. While many artists take on a Latin vibe to their music and videos, few focus on the aspects of that culture like "Play" did. For example, she showcased the traditions of the matador and salsa dancing rather than using Latin culture and sounds to be sultry and sexy like other artists have. I would say that I feel like she portrayed Latin culture in a very respectful way, but as a white person that is not my place to say. Either way, I think it was a really well done music video.

Overall, I feel like this was a very strong single for Chungha and is a perfect summer comeback with a unique concept. I can't wait for her to release a full album (hopefully!) soon, because these singles just aren't enough!! I really want to see a complete body of work from Chungha compiled into a full album, because her singles never disappoint and her b-sides are just as good.