[Review] ONF continue to deliver with the ethereal & dramatic “Bye My Monster”

About six months ago, ONF successfully returned from the military and it was a welcome one, as they can usually be counted on to provide something great, or at least interesting with their comebacks. They certainly don’t break the mold on that expectation with their latest comeback on the dramatic “Bye My Monster” off their BEAUTIFUL SHADOW mini.

The title track is a big change from their last one, but with ONF the concept itself has never seemed particularly relevant as they can usually pull anything off, and they prove as much here. “Bye My Monster” is part-musical, part-soundtrack to a concluding montage from a romantic drama, setting an ethereal soundscape that reminds one of early Oh My Girl, and to a lesser extent the works of Lovelyz and WJSN. It’s a novel concept for a boy group, and a simmering drama is expertly build in the verses through light and floaty vocals and instrumental cues. That all ends up coming to a head in the chorus, which enters suddenly and impactfully, as the vocals and melody kick into gear, while the rock sounds also finally enter for a jolt of energy. It also incorporates Rachmaninoff’s “Symphony No.2” quite seamlessly, and while the mix of softer classical stuff and harder guitar could’ve been done poorly, it never feels particularly out of place.

As good as the song is, “Bye My Monster” definitely also seems made to be performed, and the darker tone of the music video does indeed come with engaging choreography. In particular the point move where they put their hands in for an “all for one” moment and then it transitions to them drawing the story literally out of the words is striking. For all the lore shit in K-pop nowadays, this is one track that felt like it was deserving of some overly dramatic messy music video, and while it wasn’t that (for better or worse), what we did end up getting is still a great showcase.

In the hands of a lesser group, “Bye My Monster” had the potential to stall and feel boring, neither eing able to effectively build tension in its quieter moments to make them relevant or simply not being able to deliver the soaring vocal drama that the soundscape is advertising. Fortunately, ONF is one of those groups who absolutely can deliver, and they especially do so at the end of the bridge with the “hyeseongil ppuniya” harmony. It really is a beautiful, majestic sound whose theatrical nature grows on you during repeat listens, and ONF continue to show they’re always worth paying attention to.