As most K-Pop fans know, TWICE has become one of the faces of the genre over the last several years. Besides BlackPink and BTS, no one has had the level of success they have had. TWICE has achieved national and international notoriety on a level that only compares to K-Pop’s top artists ever. Through their bevy of viral hits, they have helped turn K-Pop into a worldwide industry. Jihyo has always been thought of as the x-factor of the group TWICE. Not only is she the leader of the group, but she also has the most noticeable and powerful vocals. Although Nayeon is often considered the face of TWICE, Jihyo is the one who makes the group click and thrive in the way they do. Without her, TWICE would have never been able to have the level of success that they have had. Over the last year or so, TWICE has been having its members veer off and do side music projects. This started with Nayeon, who released her debut EP Im Nayeon in 2022. Earlier this year, Mina, Sana, and Momo from TWICE debuted as a subunit called MISAMO. Their debut EP, Masterpiece, was released earlier this summer. After much teasing, Jihyo’s new EP ZONE is finally here. This EP has been highly anticipated by K-Pop fans, as everyone wants to see what the leader of TWICE can do in her own project. With that being said, here is my opinion on Jihyo’s new EP ZONE. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are on this project, as well as how you feel about it as a whole.
Jihyo gets ZONE kicked off with ‘Killin’ Me Good,’ which is the lead single from this project. ‘Killing Me Good’ has a 90s R&B sound that has a bit of a Latin flair to it. This instrumental sort of fuses the Latin Dance Music that Jennifer Lopez was making in the late 1990s and the New Jack Swing music that was popular at this time. The melody has such a funky tone that will make anyone want to dance when they hear it, and the upbeat R&B beat that it is put on fits the energy of the track so well. This instrumental makes me think of the intro songs for 90s comedy shows like All That or In Living Color. Jihyo’s vocal performance on this track is so strong, matching the groovy and strong feeling of the instrumental. I love the growling sort of tone she sings with, as it makes the song feel so passionate and warm. ‘Killin’ Me Good’ may not have the most riveting instrumental, but it is a good way to start this project as it highlights Jihyo’s prowess as a vocalist. It is also a total earworm, as this song gets stuck in my head at least once a day, so it’s doing something very right. ‘Talkin’ Bout It,’ which features 24kGoldn, has a sound that brings it back to the late 2010s. The first thing I thought of when I first heard this song was Dua Lipa’s song ‘New Rules.’ This track has the kind of light Synth-Pop sound that would have fit in perfectly about 5 years ago. This song sounds so much like that music that I would not be surprised if the instrumental was actually made back then. The instrumental is not bad by any means, it just sounds a bit outdated. Jihyo’s vocals sound nice on this track, but 24kGoldn really stands out. I like how his deep pitch and subdued tone contrast Jihyo’s high pitch and strong tone; his vocal performance gives the song a level of texture that it benefits from. ‘Talkin’ Bout It’ is a solid Pop song that will appeal to big fans of Synth-Pop from the late 2010s. ‘Closer’ has a sound that I did not expect to hear on this project, and I have to say that it works. ‘Closer’ is a Reggaeton track with such a cool melody which I enjoy so much. It is impossible to not move to the rhythm of this beat when it comes on, as it is so smooth and catchy. I love the melancholy and almost futuristic sound of the melody of this track, as it contrasts the shimmering sound of the first two tracks and it provides a darker element that is super fresh. This is not the kind of song that a K-Pop artist would typically make, and I have to say that I appreciate it a ton coming from Jihyo. Jihyo’s captivating tone and pitch pop on this instrumental, ‘Closer’ has an electrifying amount of energy that would make it perfect to play in the club. I love hearing this kind of music from Jihyo, and I hope it isn’t the last time that she(as a solo artist or within TWICE) goes this route, because it sounds so good.
‘Wishing On You’ is another track that reminds me of the music that was popular in the late 2010s. Instead of going in a Synth-Pop direction that is similar to Dua Lipa, though, this track goes more in the Pop-Trap direction that is reminiscent of artists like Doja Cat or Kehlani. The song has a Tropical Keyboard-driven melody that is complemented by all sorts of weird, robotic sound effects. The beat for this song has a typical Pop-Trap feeling to it; it has an easy-going, snappy tempo that will get most people bobbing their heads when it comes on. This song does not have the more original or captivating instrumental, but the mundane nature it has is made up for with Jihyo’s excellent vocal performance. I especially love the high notes that Jihyo hits in the hook of ‘Wishing On You,’ as it gives the song some texture and vitality that make it much more engaging. ‘Wishing On You’ is a solid Pop-Trap that lets Jihyo show off her range as a vocalist. ‘Don’t Wanna Go Back,’ which is a duet with K-Pop soloist Heize, is another song with a sound that takes things back to the early 2000s. This song has a Pop/R&B sound that immediately made me think of some of the biggest artists from that time; particularly it calls to mind artists like Christina Aguilera or Christina Milian. This is not a type of music that is brought back to light often, and I appreciate that Jihyo went this route on this track. The light and sweet melody provided by a keyboard and a guitar that drive this song along is so pleasant and funky, and the punchy yet groovy beat it has is so fun and makes me want to dance around my house when I hear it. Both of the vocal performances on this track are great, with especially shining. This melody and beat let Jihyo show off the strength she has in her vocals, and the excellent range she exhibits gives the song so much emotion. ‘Don’t Wanna Go Back’ is a song with a nostalgic quality that brings me back to my youth, and that makes me appreciate it so much. I am going to be honest, ‘Room’ is the least captivating song on the record to me. This song just does not grab me like any of the other ones do. In my opinion, this track has the laziest-sounding instrumental of the project. It has a laid-back Yacht-Rock feeling that is warm and cozy, but just is not as engaging as any of the previous songs. ‘Room’ also has the most low-key vocal performance of the record. Jihyo’s vocal performance on this track is not bad by any means, but she does not show off the power and range that she shows on all of the previous tracks. ‘Room’ still has an enjoyable melody and I am sure there are a lot of people who like this one a lot, but it is just not for me. Jihyo closes ZONE with ‘Nightmare.’ When this song started, I thought it would have the kind of New-Wave Synth-Pop sound made popular by artists The Weeknd. Instead, the beat almost immediately morphs into EDM Trap, making this instrumental the most complex one of the record. The melody fuses New Wave music with Stadium Pop-Rock, and the beat has a hard-hitting Trap sound that will get any listener’s blood pumping when they hear it. I love how unique this instrumental is. Everything about it stands out. From the big and grand melody of the track to the bold and intense beat, ‘Nightmare’ feels like the ultimate climax. Jihyo’s vocal performance on this track is just as strong as the instrumental. Her emphasis in her vocals matches the grand energy that the track has, making the song feel so large and commanding. Jihyo definitely wanted to close out her debut EP with a bang, and she completely achieved that with ‘Nightmare.’
Jihyo’s debut EP ZONE has been one of the most anticipated K-Pop projects of 2023. Ever since it was announced earlier this year, K-Pop fans around the world wanted to see what she could do on a solo project. Jihyo has been known as one of the driving forces behind TWICE for such a long time now, and it was exciting to see that she was finally getting the chance to shine on her own. Unsurprisingly, Jihyo totally nailed it on ZONE. I love the diversity in the sound of this record; this EP is full of a plethora of completely different instrumentals that let Jihyo shine in so many ways. One of the biggest takeaways from this project that I have is just how much range Jihyo has as a vocalist and musician; it seems like there are no limits to her abilities musically, and it is easy to see that she can sound great on pretty much any kind of instrumental. ZONE has songs for all kinds of Pop fans. Whether you are a fan of older Pop or newer Pop, and whether you are a fan of calmer music or more energetic music, Jihyo has something on ZONE that you will enjoy. Jihyo absolutely nailed it on this project, and she proved why she is one of the brightest stars in K-Pop.
EAST SIDE VIBES 