In2it have made their second comeback of 2019 with the release of their title track “ULlala: Poisoning” on the 13th of November. The MMO Entertainment boys most certainly have not had it easy as a rookie group, from the gritty Boys24 survival show’s intense competition to members recently leaving the group.

Their releases have been anticipated with a lot of expectations that have not been met. Although it can be seen as a testament to their individual talents and the potential they have as a group, it’s a dangerous place to be especially amidst strong rookie competition. Unfortunately, “ULlala: Poisoning” is another release that fell short of expectations.

The title track kicks off with marimba-esque instrumentals that give off a Latin American impression mixed with the generic electronic pop sounds that we have become so accustomed to. Though the lyrics are not sophisticated or deep in any way, the vocals take centre attention. In particular, leader Inpyo’s vocals stand out from the rest and compliments the style of the track noticeably.

As K-pop lovers know, trends come in and out with groups experimenting with a trend in their own style. However, In2it have ridden the trend waves repeating not reinterpreting it to their own. The direction they decided to take with this comeback is a little surprising seeing as the Latin American fusion trend seemed to have died down in 2018.

In their defense, it can be interpreted as a way of flaunting feathers and showcasing their abilities as rookies with different sounds. With that said, it’s also important to distinguish themselves and their signature sound through this rather than the other way round. Yet, with “ULlala” In2it still lacks that distinct feature that differentiates them from a sea of groups doing the same thing.

Of course, there are factors that may have affected the rookie group, one known possibility is members leaving the group: Jinsub leaving in 2018 and Sunghyun leaving the group September of this year. This could have affected the group’s footing into the direction they would grow against these setbacks.

Seeing as the song speaks of poison, a dark theme is without a doubt expected. The MV consists of shots of the boys in dark-tone backgrounds, with moody purple, to sultry red to an all-consuming dark blue night sky and many more set colours. This may be both confusing in terms of themes and not entirely reflexive of the tone of the track.

The MV sets are simple studio based backdrops and reliant on the colour lighting for each member respectively. Yeontae sits in a generic scene surrounded by a variation of flowers in mismatch vases. Rapper Jiahn surrounded by glasses of water turning into, what I’m lead to think, poison.

The MV tries to look simple focusing on the members with a dash of props here and there. Sadly, it comes across as generic, unnerving and quite uninspired. It’s a shame to say that about an In2it comeback as it’s clear the level of potential in the group.

It’s not all bad, as another strength to focus on is the choreography. The track is not particularly fast in tempo, but the choreography packs a lot. Despite being two members down their synergy in the choreography makes up for what the MV production lacks.

Once again the MV production and lighting let the choreography scenes down with choppy and inconsistent transitions in between. With a spectrum of everchanging colours clashing and interchanging making for an unsettling feel to the MV.

Having seen their past MVs, fans won’t help but assume a certain level of expectation to their comeback MVs. For example, their summer comeback “Runaway”; the MV was simple, choreography focused and emulated the message and tone of the track. “Sorry for my English” a fun dance-pop track with a bright narrative-driven MV. Yet, ‘ULlala: Poisoning’ does not boast in great strength of the track or MV.

For such a young group, In2it can push past the oversaturated generics to mark their space within the competition. However, the “ULlala: Poisoning” MV is not strong nor memorable enough to give them that.

(YouTube. Images via MMO Entertainment.)