Ongaku Cafe (2010-2019): IZ*ONE - COLOR*IZ (October 2018)

IZ*ONE may be a temporary group but already, the group has defied expectations and this album has no doubt made listeners become part of the WIZ*ONE collective. It’s a well-produced, addictive and catchy debut mini-album and with the added photo booklet, photocards and more. IZ*ONE’s “COLOR*IZ” is highly recommended!

GROUP: IZ*ONE

ALBUM: COLOR*IZ

LABEL: Stone Music Entertainment

DURATION: 31 Minutes

RELEASED: October 29, 2018

아름다운 색
O` My!
라비앙로즈 (La Vie en Rose)
비밀의 시간
앞으로 잘 부탁해 (IZ*ONE ver.)
반해버리잖아? (好きになっちゃうだろう?) (IZ*ONE ver.)
꿈을 꾸는 동안 (夢を見ている間) (IZ*ONE ver.)
내꺼야 (IZ*ONE ver.)

I’ve written about my love for the music show “Produce48”.

In South Korea, there is a television show called “Produce 101” in which they get young women (season 1) and young men (season 2) from different talent agencies and they compete to become a 12-member pop group.

The first season led to the first temporary girl group I.O.I. who were contracted to be a group for one year. The second led to the formation of the boy group, Wanna One, who were given a year and a half.

But for the third season, Mnet was going to collaborate with Japan’s AKB48G for “Produce48” in which 48 Korean young ladies from different talent agencies and 48 members of AKB48G (which comprise of Japanese idol group members from the groups AKB48, AKB48 Team 8, SKE48, NMB48, HKT48 and NGT48) all becoming trainees and the top 12 trainees would be voted by South Korean audiences who would become a group for 2.5 years.

The group would become known as IZ*ONE (pronounced as “Eyez One”. IZ signifies the #12 and 12 members becoming ONE). The group would consist of 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.

Miyawaki Sakura and Yabuki Nako are from the Japanese idol group HKT48 and Honda Hitomi is from the Japanese idol group AKB48 and both would be temporarily leaving their Japanese idol groups to focus on all IZ*ONE activities.

Truth be told, this concept was unheard and a few people panned it because they thought there was no way K-Pop and Japanese idol stars can mesh together, those criticisms didn’t last long because “Produce 48” had solid ratings but they also had a large international fanbase.

And while there are people who had a hard time accepting the final 12, as some of their favorites fell out of the top 12 ranking, thanks to the VLIVE steaming platform, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, people got to see how these 12 would eventually grow together as a group.

But October 29th would be the big day for the group. That day at 4:00 p.m., their debut music video “La Vie en Rose” would be released on YouTube, at 6:00 p.m., their debut mini-album “COLOR*IZ” would be released and at 8:00 p.m., they would perform their first show-con (show/concert) in front of an audience.

The results proved to be fantastic for IZ*ONE as their music video would nearly reach 5 million views on YouTube for the first day, making it the highest viewed K-Pop debut music video, reaction videos showed fans in shock that the song was like a comeback song more than a debut and fan reactions were simply wonderful. And by the end of the first week, IZ*ONE would sell over 80,000 copies of “COLOR*IZ”, debut at #1 in eight countries and would become the fourth K-Pop girl group to have the largest album sales in the first week (joining TWICE, SNSD and Black Pink).

The group are starring a four-part reality series titled “IZ*ONE CHU” and have appeared on various variety and game shows.

By day 11, IZ*ONE would win their first music award on M Countdown and would even have the #1 album in Japan despite not having debuted in Japan yet.

And their music video “La Vie en Rose” is currently (as of November 10th) en route to receiving 20 million views and all part of their huge international fanbase, known as WIZ*ONE.

I pre-ordered the “COLOR*IZ” set weeks before the release but with only 60,000 copies made, the albums sold out and more copies had to be printed immediately. So, while “COLOR*IZ” achieved record breaking album sales, if albums were available in stores during that first week, it would have been interesting if they would have broken 100,000 sales (which they ended up doing after stores were able to restock after the first week).

Which leads me to my review of IZ*ONE’s “COLOR*IZ” which was released in several formats, Rose version and Color version. The Rose version comes with a 112 -page photobook and the Color version with a 104-page book. Both come with different photos, different folding photo cover. Each came with two photocards (one individual and one unit) and you will get a CD featuring one of the 12 members and some offered random posters.

The other two versions were Khino Set versions (for Rose ver. and Color ver.) which are small units which plug into your smartphone or tablet, you download an app which will then pull songs from the unit and download them to your phone. While a proprietary product, one thing that fans liked is that both Khino releases came with 12 photo cards (not one of the individual or unit random photos but one of the photos featured in the folding photo cover).

You can also purchase the digital version of “COLOR*IZ” but instead of 8 songs, you only get 7 (“Nekkoya ~IZ*ONE ver.” is not included in the digital album release).

Since I pre-ordered, each of my versions came with a Jang Wonyoung foldout, my color version came with a Jo Yuri card, a unit card with Kwon Eunbi, Miyawaki Sakura and Lee Chaeyeon with a CD featuring Ahn Yujin. My Rose version came with a Jang Wonyoung card, the same unit card and Yabuki Nako featured on the CD.

Both have really good photobooks and with each photobook, there is also the lyrics included as well. Which version to get depends on you. “Rose” version features photos with the members with flowers/roses, while you get that girl crush, yet elegant vibe. While “Color” version is very cute and colorful.

But the music contents are the same for both CD’s and I have to say that this is an album that I absolutely love and have listened to every song on replay many dozens of times, it’s a well-rounded album that fits the concept of the members of the group but also managing to incorporate each member and creating a good balance.

The first song “Aleumdaun Saeg” (Beautiful Colors) is a song that showcases Kim Chaewon as one of the prominent vocals, from her cute vocals, she sets the pace for this addictive song by Fixman.

The second song is “O’ My!” and is a fun song that many people are familiar as the theme song to “IZ*ONE CHU”. A cute song with cool beats, it’s a catchy song but possibly the song that I probably got tired of listening too much. But it’s a catchy, cute, upbeat song!

The third track on the album is their debut song “La Vie en Rose” and I absolutely love the transition, the beats, the vocals and overall arrangement. It’s a song that I haven’t grow tired of and I probably listened to it over a hundred times. That’s how much I love this song from Ferdy and MosPick.

I absolutely love Kwon Eunbi, Jo Yuri and Lee Chaeyeon’s vocals on this track!

The fourth track is their ballad “Bimil-ui sigan” (Secret Time) from BOOMBASTIC and Jay Park and we learned on “IZ*ONE CHU” that Choi Yena was shocked that she was chosen to do the rap portion for “La Vie en Rose”, because she is primarily a vocalist. She did a fantastic job rapping on that song but for those who watched her on “Produce48” knows that she can sing and “Secret Time” is a song where you can hear her sing!

The song is quite positive about the struggles one went through to achieve their dream despite no matter the bad things others would say and how one did think one would make it, believing those difficult times would disappear.

And the remaining four tracks on the mini-album are songs that were primarily performed on “Produce48” but now features IZ*ONE members performing the songs.

The fifth track is “Ap-eulo jal butaghae” (Please look forward to it) and was performed on the final episode of “Produce48” and the original featured Lee Chaeyeon as the lead. This version is more balanced to showcase all members of the group but for the most part, a cool song and it’s cool to see Jo Yuri now taking on the high notes.

The sixth track is “Suki ni natchaudarou?” (Will you like it?), the only Japanese track on the album written by Akimoto Yasushi (better known as the man behind the AKB48G and 46 groups.). While the song is not as powerful as its “Produce48” counterpart, the song is good in its own way and also how it incorporates each of the members. The song is still Choi Yena driven, which is a good thing!

The seventh track is “Kkum-eul kkuneun dong-an (yume o mite iru ma)” (While Dreaming). While the Japanese title is included with the song’s title, it’s important to note that this is an all-Korean version sung by members of IZ*ONE and was available in the “Produce 48 – Final” with both Korean and Japanese versions.

While the song is no doubt a major ballad for IZ*ONE, it was another song that originally incorporated the Top 20 members of “Produce 48”, so I do prefer the original but this IZ*ONE version is still very good and also, well-balanced among the members of the group.

And the final song is “Nekkoya”, the theme song for “Produce48” but an “IZ*ONE version”. This version is also the full Korean version of the song and incorporates all members of IZ*ONE. But still a wonderful, catchy song that I also never get tired of!

Overall, “COLOR*IZ” is a wonderful mini-album from IZ*ONE and setting up for a full album which I hope “Rumor” and “1000%” which they performed on their Show-Con is included. But also I look forward to what other kind of tracks will be developed in the full-length album version.

Also, I like the added incentive of releasing two booklets with photo cards and more! As an K-Pop idol album, I have seen people buying dozens to hundred versions of the album and now, it’s even better, because fans in Korea can now attend the fan meeting and meet the IZ*ONE members up-close. And last, I like how K-Pop albums are much more cheaper than Japanese albums, so you’re getting a great deal for under $25!

IZ*ONE’s “COLOR*IZ” is highly recommended!

4.5 STARS out of 5

Ongaku Cafe (2010-2019): IZONE – COLORIZ (October 2018)

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