Ah, EXO-CBX. So good to see you again.

One of the things that I like most about Korean entertainment is that quite often they pull off tropes that would be tacky, cheesy, or otherwise embarrassing in a Western context. This happens in a variety of media – dramas, movies, music.

In this case, the hook for “Blooming Day,” the title track of EXO-CBX’s new mini-album, sounds AWFUL on paper.

Can I be your boyfriend, can I?

And yet, CBX make it work with their smooth vocals. The “ask” is over-the-top, but the presentation is low-key enough in the vocals and music (even the video isn’t overtly sexy) that the question sounds matter-of-fact rather than desperate.

My favorite part of this song is the bridge, which reminds me a little of “Forever” from The War album, the way that it goes full minor key and feels a bit inside-out.

As expected from SM and EXO, CBX’s second mini-album is full of complex pop songs. This album is built for grooving. Chill, but built on a layer of that 70s funk bass that permeated CBX’s first mini-album. Some of the music is super-nostalgic to me – really nice 80s synths – but coupled with modern beats so nothing feels like a retro throwback. It’s a really easy album to listen to. I’m especially fond of “Monday Blues,” “Blooming Day,” “Thursday” and “Vroom Vroom.”

As with their previous album, this one is tailor-made for working, single women – so much this time that there’s a track for every day of the week, from “Monday Blues” to a “Lazy” Sunday. SM continues its full-court press with the “virtual boyfriend” trope.*

This only works because of Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin – the most flirty and shameless members of EXO. CBX are energetic and playful, so their subunit appropriately explores happier types of music that regular EXO would never try out. Regular EXO has a mysterious image to maintain, after all. (Can you imagine DO trying to pull this off? Never gonna happen.)

Anyhow, I enjoy this mini-album a lot. The aesthetics are great, and I’m probably going to do a post soon breaking down one specific set of outfits because I like them so much. The music is good. Most of the songs are good (and none of them are bad.)

It is impossible to be sad while listening to EXO-CBX.

And that is a good thing.

*I have a theory that SM is feeling a tad threatened by BTS aka the internet’s preferred virtual boyfriend. There’s been a lot more overt fanservice and fantasy-building in regular promotions, which was usually reserved for fans only in concerts and fan events. Specific examples include the choreography for EXO’s “The Eve” and the cringefest that is NCT 127’s “Touch.”