The Magical Girl Summer with Choi Yoojung

Photo: Fantagio

Choi Yoojung is back! The former member of I.O.I and Weki Meki has made her solo comeback not long after the I.O.I reunion, so she’s certainly been busy. Yoojung originally made her solo debut back in 2022 with her single “Sunflower (P.E.L),” and now returns with a quirky magical girl concept in single “비장의 무기 (Perfect Target).”

Upon first impression, this track appears to draw from the sound and potential virality of Choi Yena’s “Catch Catch,” both in sound and in concept. There is a repeated vocalization in the opening aimed at getting it stuck in your head, Yoojung sings in an almost comically high-pitched voice, and a quirky otherworldly theme at the center of the concept. It is hard to ignore a lot of the similarities in career between these two, both having established themselves as rappers in prominent girl groups and neither originally associated with an overtly cutesy image. I think it’s kind of a shame that the song goes in this direction, mostly because it can easily take away from Yoojung’s own personal musical talents and be overshadowed by this notion of chasing for a similar success, warranted or not. It’s not necessarily a bad strategy, and it’s the type of sound described as gen 2 that a lot of fans have missed, but it does raise some doubts on the authenticity of the song regardless.

Yoojung’s vocal tone is generally deeper than the high-pitched focus of this comeback, which kind of threw me off. It’s an artistic choice for the concept, and I’m personally not a big fan of the overly kawaii voice. But to play a bit of devil’s advocate, it is a staple of older K-Pop (think Orange Caramel) and is beloved in its own right. I did enjoy her rap verse since that sounded like her more authentic voice, and overall the song isn’t a bad song by any means.

The music video is visually exuberant and entertaining for the overly quirky magical girl visual elements, including cameos from members of ASTRO. I love the costume designs and the Sailor Moon-esque magical girl transformation, evoking a sense of playfulness that has become increasingly rare in the genre. Really have nothing bad to say about the music video, it’s a magnificent showcase of the concept and a welcome reminder of the lighthearted energy that more serious contemporary releases sometimes forgo.

Check out the music video for “비장의 무기 (Perfect Target)” below.