ITZY wtf happened?? Comeback Catch up - Bet On Me, None of my Business, Cake, Born To Be, Mr Vampire!

I'll defend Mr Vampire that song slaps

KO1NZELL

And I’m totally ok with that lol

Koko3op

I'll say, I personally enjoyed the songs but if you ever get the chance, a reaction to Itzy's First Take for their Japanese Song Ringo and Chaeryeong's Lee Mujin Service!

Joi Grant

Nahhhh. You missed the vibe my guy lol sorry

Joshua

Ohhh no way!! That’s a shame

Koko3op

It's even worse if you listen to their recent Japanese comeback and compare their Japanese songs to their Korean ones. It just seems like JYP has no idea what sound to stick to with their girls. Both ITZY and Nmixx suffer from it I fear.

Grayson Smith

Jyp stepped down from CEO a while ago so Slap “Park Wook”

Angel

I LOVED itzy (still love the girls) but whoever their management team is….they do NAWT like them. I think if they never released Sneakers the hate train would’ve never started. I do like Mr.Vampire tho!

Angel

I like Lessera more than Itzy at this point but watching Itzy dance practices during this comeback, it just reminded me how great dancers they are, perhaps just lacking in terms of choreo & stage direction vs Lessera. Coming back to JYP, he "retired" from management/CEO duties but wanted to keep doing the things he liked, e.g. singing, producing, writing, etc.. I am likely projecting but I can imagine a rather bad working dynamic in their company, where each team is competing with other teams, so they don't collaborate & communicate. But at the same time, you don't get true risk-taking & creativity because they are too afraid of accidentally pissing off the boss, because though he is "retired", he is still hanging around. Which would result in what we see now. Still good work happening but disjointed and yet safe But perhaps, I'm being too harsh on JYP. Twice is being managed very well. And all said and done, JYPE is the safest of the kpop companies if you are an investor. Its rock solid and would be the last company to implode. Even if kpop blows up, you can bet JYPE would still be trucking along

Mint

AHHHH I didn't know about the multiple teams, also JYP retired yet has been releasing music and performing so it seems he still wants to be an artist and is also hosting shows to create new groups like HUUHH LOOL. Also in terms of cohesion, we saw it with ITZY rookie era, the songs were different yet carried the same energy which worked very well. And I think they DID hold that title but I'd say Le Sserafim are a little bit stronger than then now which is part of the issue of why they fell behind too, newer groups that can also do what they do debuted with better songs/concepts. I do think it would've been inetresting them doing the NMIXX sound though.

Koko3op

Out of the new album the only songs I like personally are Lia’s blossom, Mr vampire and Born to Be. (Born to be took a few listens and some Za to get hooked on tbh) but in my opinion the lack of Lia’s distinctly different vocal sound compared to the other girls made it hard to listen to a few of the newer releases without it sounding repetitive. If Lia was in Born to be and untouchable I think the songs would’ve balanced out the production more.

Keke

Lots of thoughts, sorry. Itzy is part of the 3-Is that really cemented me long-term into kpop (Idle, Itzy, Izone). And I've always wondered how I would've managed them, haha Song by song, I think the quality has been alright until this last album. But they really needed some cohesion in their overall direction. And its so hard to spell out what makes cohesion but you notice it when its missing. It doesn't mean that you have to keep the same sound. Some artists change sounds each time but you can sense a throughline that's been missing with Itzy How would I have managed them? I actually think they are the best GG dancers in kpop so I would have leaned in hard on that. Their dance practices are spectacular. I would have taken Nmixx's original experimental sound (O.O, Dice) and given it to Itzy and paired it with super hard choreo. That experimental sound would have seemed like an evolution if performed by Itzy and allow them to own a niche Nmixx could have then started with a simpler sound like "Love me like that" which they eventually had to backpedal into. Nmixx are so incredibly talented (vocal & performance) that they didn't need a fancy concept or experimental sound (at least not initially). They could have just rocked by showing how to do the basics right. I don't think we can blame JYP alone for this though. JYPE's problems started when JYP himself "semi-retired" and he delegated out by breaking his company into multiple teams with each managing separate artists. To an outside observer like me, what seems to have happened after that, is each team started pursuing their own experiments without consulting each other. "Working in silos" like how we like to say in the corporate world. Resulting in the incoherence and cross-cutting that we see now

Mint

I'm not big on Itzy music but the only title that really hooked me was loco and i miss that from them.

Ashley

I’m happy to see someone defending them and I see your perspective and you obviously see them from a different side as a MIDZY so it’s more specific. As a general observer though, compared to every other group the change in sound every “couple months” cos of JYP overworking them seems messy and such a massive divergence from their initial branding which was SOLID and CONSISTENT lyrically, sonically and energy/performance wise. We also see this happening with NMIXX so it’s not only unique with ITZY hence why I said JYP needs to be humble and get help with his girl groups. What he did successfully for 2nd/3rd gen groups simply does not work now. In the same way IVE mis stepped with Baddie after a string of CONSISTENT hits that suit THEM, it feels like these are the missteps that’ve happened with ITZY for several comebacks. I’m not surprised Sneakers did well in Korea lol, knetz have their own tastes but it’s catchy but doesn’t take away from the other points of their group identity in an area with several other girl groups demolishing them in every other part of an artists identity.

Koko3op

I disagree but it's understandable,

Candice Blair

Ah sorry I meant hit after hit for me personally, not like actual charting, I don’t follow that kind of thing

Joe B

Sneakers was hit as well, and Cake charted decently in Korea. The only song that did badly is Cheshire, and Untouchable still has a chance to rise. ITZY never did debut high in the charts. They were always risers.

Candice Blair

I know this is long, but I'm defending my girlies. Wow. It seems I'm the only one who still enjoys ITZY, and they are fine to me. I don't know what people want from them tbh. I fans have a completely different image than K fans, it seems. Korea loves the side of ITZY with Sneakers and Cake, while I fans hated it. It was too much hate, which is where the Kill My Doubt album originated. I love all sides of ITZY, it seems. Musically, I feel like they are still the same and will always do things differently while maintaining the same messages in the songs, except for Loco and Mafia lyrics. I've been a Midzy since 2019, and every ITZY comeback has gotten hate. People only backed off when the song turned into a hit. With Sneakers, it turned out to be their best charting song in Korea after "Dalla Dalla," and I fans became so cruel and have not let up. Kill My Doubt album is them showing their vulnerable side, especially with Bet on Me after sneakers. We don't know how long Lia will take to return. Sungjin from Day6 took almost four years to come back on stage and sing after he took a hiatus for the same thing. Yes, he did military time between that, but even after he returned, he still wasn't ready to sing and perform. It will be unrealistic for ITZY to wait for Lia to come back. Only so many solos and units could be done before people would say things like ITZY is disbanded. Tours are planned well in advance, and they can't cancel a tour they will be doing. I love the new album, and I feel like they showed different sides of themselves again. Their slogan is literally "All in Us," and I think they are showing just that. I don't think many groups could pulled off Born to Be like they did. They learn the choreography in 2 days. 600 people auditioned to dance with them, and 36 made it. The choreographer said he didn't have to change a thing with the choreography because it was just that good. Their comeback stages for Born to Be have probably been better than some of the gayo/award show stages we got. Born to Be is probably my favorite album after "Crazy in Love." "Untouchable" reminds me of a 2nd generation song, and I find it refreshing. Mr. Vampire is a banger. Their solos show each girl differently and what I expected from them. Plus, they finally got to write lyrics and push the direction they wanted. I feel they are still trendsetters. I don't want them to follow the trend; I want them to continue to do things differently, and I feel like they are still. Tbh, I feel like some group's music is things that ITZY has already done. Do I think JYPE and Division 2 are stupid and should do things better with them? Yes. But I also feel like it's a double standard when it comes to ITZY compared to other girl groups as well. Things accepted from K-pop stans for other girl groups are not applied to ITZY at all. I also don't think it's that JYPE doesn't care about ITZY. This comeback had a big budget. I don't think any of the MV's are cheap. If anything, JYPE needs to market all its groups better. ITZY does it for me and is my ultimate girl group after Miss A. I will continue to blast the "Born to Be album," Kill My Doubt", "Cheshire," and "Checkmate," along with the others. I will be seeing them on their "Born To Be" tour.

Candice Blair

Haven’t liked their comebacks in so long, but you’re right the debut to maybe Not Shy I think, was hit after hit

Joe B

Like from afar i've already seen what's going on with NMIXX and i'm like huh? Love me like this was such a goood angle

Koko3op

It's always wild to me to see groups get worse over time when it's really supposed to be the opposite 😅

Ezra mooneyham

JYP's management of their girl groups in the last 2-3 years has just been autrocious but Itzy has probably had it the worst so far. It was a complete free fall after Sneakers, creativity and production wise. Their attention is probably on Nmixx now but even they have been VERY inconsistent with their releases. I LOVED expergo and Love Me Like This and it was quite literally what made Nmixx finally have their break through in Korea but with the next comeback they just immediately abandoned that R&B sound. Where does that make any sense??? The only JYP girl group that hasn't dissapointed me so far is NiziU but they only just made their K-Pop debut and most ppl still view them as a J-Pop group only.

Enemo

jyp really f’ed up with itzy !! during their early years, they really set the scene for 4th gen girl groups. everyone was calling them 4th gen leaders. when i tell you i was up to date with all their comebacks. but honestly after sneakers released, it all went downhill gosh. it’s even more tragic because when sneakers released, groups like newjeans and lesserafim were debuting. Even nmixx from their own company!! all these newer 4th gen girl groups took their spotlight. i hope jyp is embarrassed for wasting the potential of such a strong group like itzy. also i think jyp should stop debuting more girl groups for a while bc he cant even handle what he already has LMAO but that’s a whole different convo.

Brooke

It is SUCH odd timing for solo's and I feel like they'll underperform simply cos people are not checking for ITZY the same way.

Koko3op

Yeahh it is tired!

Koko3op

Nailed it!! It really is a shame and happy new year!

Koko3op

😭 i just typed my thoughts and patreon said no and deleted it when i accidentally pressed on the video lmao. tldr; loved bet on me and none of my business as they rarely do songs like that. and ive always preferred songs like that lol. i love the work they put in this current comeback, from the solo songs that fit their styles a lot. born to be isnt my favorite but i liked the process, they had dancers auditioned for this! its fucking ridiculous how their songs in this comeback has actual(or more than usual) singing bridges and their main vocalist isnt here? the team handling itzy obviously isn’t interested in bringing more when like you and everyone here says that they have so much potential. they’re in a very long slump. but i still think they did better than i expected with lia not around 😭 jype just sucks and thats it. like damn last year was an absolute girls generation with girl groups just dominating the scene? i dont follow nmixx but its sad to know whats happening with them based off the comments here. jype wasting itzy’s potential and i just know that its not their passion in this thats lacking. anyway thanks for checking them out again! happy new year 🍻

actuallyhaetnim

Untouchable sounds basic and generic, this kind of hard concept is tired at this point. I wish they would take out the rapping also. I like Lia’s solo blossom though and I don’t mind Mr vampire.

i was tuned into every single itzy title track until sneakers bc it just put me off THAT bad personally lol but its insane to see what monsters they were in the beginning with their momentum and how hard things trickled since then. i hope JYP can turn things around for these girls (if they care to), each of them are beasts in the own right. like, is it just me that feels like its odd timing NOW to give everyone solo songs and mvs? during studio choom's artist highlight series the obsessions with ryujin and yeji were HIGH and i feel like it would've been good for them (although they could've just not been ready at the time). i haven't heard these new songs just yet but i wish the best for this group, they have too powerful of a presence to just be thrown to the sidelines.

twomillionmerits

Yuppp. Now that I think of it a song like IVE Baddie would’ve been just fine for them sonically with different lyrics but that kinda attitude

Koko3op

I haven’t been feeling anything from Itzy since Sneakers to be honest. Mr Vampire is the most enjoyable thing they’ve done to me thus far since. Tbh it felt more them and I enjoyed the freshness of a chiller track but that’s also some of my own music preference coming in. But it’s very strange how JYP is moving they were very much trendsetters in 2nd and 3rd gen but it seems to me they’re having a very hard time comparing in this 4th gen landscape. ITZY started the gen but is quickly getting over shadowed and buried by newer fresher groups

Skipz12

Yup the 1.5 year branding curse is starting to strike with NMIXX. I think JYP has great ideas that they abandon after a while to try something new. With an industry that is moving too fast, I just think JYP is too proud to admit that they are falling behind when it comes to their girl groups. We'll see if that changes.

Haley David

And that's the thing, NMIXX are becoming inconsistent and a little all over the place also. JYP needs to humble himself and realise how he manages groups especially girl groups is better suited to older gens, much like YG. He needs to really look forward and collab with A&R that can rebrand his girl groups in an innovative way. Something that HYBE does very well.

Koko3op

itzy is getting middle child treatment and it doesnt help that their under div 2 of jyp which previously mismanaged got7. the fact that their cb is so close to nmixx makes the difference in creativity very obvious just from teasers and prerelease content. hopefully something shifts musically when lia comes back bc i do think their performances for this comeback have been very engaging compared to their last 2 comebacks.

Anita

Honestly I just don't think JYP has any interest in helping ITZY get back to being trendsetters. There are too many girl group competitors and while I think ITZY has the ability to do something innovative that gets them back into the conversation, I don't think JYP wants to invest in it. So for now their attention turns to NMIXX.

Haley David

I applaud Itzy for continuing to go while their main vocalist Lia is on hiatus but I would've rather the group pauses until she returns, you can definitely notice a sound difference without her. It's like JYP is just doing choreo based songs and not songs with strong music.

ManofSteele

I definitely think their production is dated and no seemed to agree 😭 Like I’m all for a nostalgic sound moment but this project was giving outdated sound. Mr vampire verses were cute tho. Also in an unexpected turn of events, turns out that Ryujin has my fav voice in itzy haha, her tone is so pretty.

kisa

Hahahahahahha not the sheree don't make that faaaaace reference!! But yeah it really is a shame

Koko3op

the continuous frown throughout the video, oh…dont make that face 😭😭😭 very sad to see how jyp has just kinda most their way with them. personally i didnt think the most recent cb was that bad but it’s definitely a downgrade from where they used to be. hopefully whenever lia returns they can use that energy to try and revitalize the group

umyeah0_0

I miss wannabe, not shy , loco era I don’t know what jyp is doing to them but mannnnn

Lea Dan