Song Review: GFRIEND – Season of Memories

Disbandments are all too common in K-pop but few hit as hard as Gfriend’s sudden breakup in early 2021. Following a fantastic run of singles the previous year capped by the buoyant disco magic of Mago, many had expected even greater things from the girls in 2021. Expectations that were horribly dashed by arguably the most sudden disbandment in recent K-pop history. And while most of us firmly believed that to be the end of GFRIEND, the girls have re-united for their 10th anniversary with the sprightly pop of Season of Memories.

GFRIEND’s musical identity has always felt as though it’s had one foot firmly planted within the sounds of the Japanese market. And while their classic efforts (Rough, Time for the Moon Night etc.) harnessed a more melodic sound to great effect, Season of Memories in many ways plays as a direct re-interpretation of current hits, harnessing sounds almost directly lifted from the discography’s of groups like Yoasobi. And while this may not inherently be a bad thing, it’s not the music I personally want from GFRIEND. Sure, the general sentiment may be that it stands out more than the traditional reunion ballad that many groups opt for on such occasions but given the general strength of GFRIEND ballads, I honestly wouldn’t have minded one.

But while I personally stand slightly underwhelmed, it’s hard to deny that at its core, Season of Memories is rock solid. The bouncy guitar imbues the track with a healthy dose of personality and though it’s a sound harnessed better in other tracks, it remains fun nonetheless. It’s got a persistent bounce that engages and a performance thats expectedly great. It’s just as a long time fan, I can’t seem to get onboard with it the same way I have with almost all their other efforts. And though in the end that may place Season of Memories lower on my GFRIEND tier list, given the circumstances, I’m just happy it exists.

Verses: 7

Chorus: 7

Production: 8

Performance: 8

Final Rating:  7.5 / 10