ONEUS Kicks Off 2025 with “IKUK”
It’s hard to believe five years have officially passed since ONEUS’s debut. In that time, the quintet has given us a diverse discography with immaculate concepts, and that continues to reign true with their latest album Dear.M. The new album contains 17 tracks, with 11 of them being “Penta” versions of their previous title tracks, which are essentially just re-recordings of previous releases without ex-member Ravn. The album also contains their winter single “Rupert’s drop.” The first four tracks, including the title “IKUK,” are new releases.
“IKUK” is an interesting title track, and it takes a couple listens to really dive into the sound. The track combines modern pop elements with retro R&B, which makes for an interesting listen. The retro rhythm guitar that takes most prominence in the chorus is an excellent element that immediately captured my attention. It’s a bit hard to describe all of the contrasting musical elements in the song which should clash, but somehow work so well together. The track is catchy and unique, managing to give the group another differentiating sound to their genre repertoire.
With ONEUS, we know performance will be top, and that’s certainly the case with “IKUK.” A sophisticated feel is the centerpiece of many of their concepts. The video features many extra dancers to elevate the performance, most notably during Hwanwoong’s solo piece before the final chorus. The majority of the video features dance performances, both from the full group and in solo shots. This definitely elevates the quality of the video, which otherwise would have pretty basic scenery. I think it’s a very smart way to create a high-quality video without a gigantic budget that one of the big four companies might have. The way the video is shot also helps with this, combining to make a brilliant artistic formula out of a smaller budget. Big props to the creative director: the video is incredibly immersive into the concept and definitely elevates the overall comeback.
Check out the music video for “IKUK” below!
Edited by Cara Musashi