[Review] Dangerous – BOYNEXTDOOR

Earlier this week, we saw BOYNEXTDOOR return with their 3rd mini-album, 19.99, and the title track Nice Guy. But last week, BOYNEXTDOOR pre-released the single Dangerous. This review focuses on the pre-release single, which also got the music video treatment. As noted in Nice Guy‘s review, we last saw BOYNEXTDOOR through their Earth, Wind & Fire comeback earlier this year.

Right off the bat, I instantly get a sense of goofiness from Dangerous. This is re-confirmed when you read the lyrics, which speak to their rebellious phase, which they do not want their parents to know. Very relatable! The pre-release focuses on the hip-hop genre, a slight deviation from their regular work. But not an extreme deviation – after all, they are produced by ZICO, a well-known hip-hop artist in the KPOP industry. Since Dangerous‘ release, I have been nodding along to the song’s beat. The synths are a bit slinky, but they are backed up with some good bass that makes the beats more pronounced. The members delivered the song with a goofy and playful demeanour, giving Dangerous that personable and relatable feel I mentioned above. Their rapping was solid. However, they could have made Dangerous even more playful if there were a few serious melodies. Again, like most songs released this year, Dangerous is severely short. But I think this plays in BOYNEXTDOOR’s favour. Dangerous is not meant to be taken seriously in any way, and a short pre-release is a good vector for that. It keeps the song short and sweet without directing too much attention towards it, which may be perceived as very immature, which has implications for the artist.

The music video shows one of the members stealing their parents’ car keys (as they sleep) so they can go out and have some fun with the rest of the group at the karaoke. However, they lose the keys in a rubbish skip, leading to a frantic search to find them (otherwise, the poor guy has to return home and explain why the keys are missing). And the night wraps up with a welcomed breakfast featuring some meat. We see some memes in the video, and the members try on their parents’ belongings (which I am sure we all had a snoop around before). It is a fun video, and I like how straightforward and literal they interpreted the lyrics. I also like how the video ends with the parents none the wiser, allowing BOYNEXTDOOR to continue their rebellious phase the next night.

Despite being a pre-release, BOYNEXTDOOR hit the weekly music shows this past week to perform their pre-release single. The members ensure they show just how fun the routine is throughout the performance. I liked the ending the most, with their odd shuffle around the stage.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10