Woodz, as is well established by now, is quite the multi-talented, all-rounder artist. From starting out as the main rapper for Korean/Chinese group UNIQ, to co-founding musical collectives and even a production team, challenging himself with Show Me the Money 5 and Produce X 101, and co-producing numerous tracks for artists and shows – Woodz (previously Luizy, but always Cho Seungyeon) has spread his name far and wide within the industry. Dipping in and out of groups and shows, all the while maintaining a solo career in the meantime, is by no means an easy feat that Woodz has accomplished throughout this time. Also known to create the majority of his discography himself, we’ve seen him experiment with multiple genres and slowly transition from rap to vocals.
Since 2014, the diverse experiences he’s gained have helped develop the skills he has today, and the progress is reflected in his own songs. Indeed, “Pool” — his debut track as Woodz — is a totally separate vibe from subsequent tracks such as “Equal,” “Woops!,” and “Love Me Harder.” They not only reflect his constant desire in trying something new, but also the growing depth he explores within music, and in turn himself.
Knowing his extensive background, the overall song and performance for “Feel Like” did not disappoint one bit. It’s suave, daring, and smooth — all the best essences of Woodz enhanced by tenfold. He clearly oozes with confidence and ease as an artist fully grown in his shoes, yielding a very pleasant surprise. The electric guitar riff introduced in every chorus gets me every single time, too. Suffice to say, the song will be on replay quite a few times. But what did seem to fall short was the execution of the music video, which could’ve enhanced the artist’s thematic portrayal a lot more effectively.
On one hand, the quality of the MV was top-notch, particularly in capturing Woodz’ key dance moves. The production team had a keen eye on how to best capture an artist’s visual performance through the use of lighting, shadows, and a contrasting balance of minimalism versus maximalism to have Woodz stand out until the end. The outcome was a constant focal point that maintained our attention onto the artist, without failing to impress as well. Viewers are also able to better pay attention to the song, as the MV guides them through the best parts both visually and audibly. In this regard, the filmography of the music video truly contributed to its quality.
On the other hand, where it earned points with showcasing choreography and key moments, it fell short of portraying a solidified concept/theme for the song. Splattered throughout the MV were aesthetic set-ups or backdrops for Woodz to dance or film profile shots in, along with the Westernized pub set that seemed to be randomly juxtaposed against the other scenes. Although the camera work was superb and really helped the viewer stay engaged throughout the choreography, the rest of the MV felt more like an eye candy mash for Woodz’ performance.
This isn’t to say that artistic and visual diversity is not welcome – it is beyond welcome, and plays a huge part into what makes any MV dynamic. Just, in this case, it was lacking that underlying connecting factor which should have pieced together these separate shots to provide one visually whole music video. Not to mention that the pub name — “sinto como” — may be a misspelling of “siento como,” which better translates to “feel like” (the song title). Considering there was a cultural note involved, it seems as if the rest of the music video failed to develop what could’ve been a new, unique Western concept for the artist.
In short, the set designs seemed distinctly apart from one another without a unified theme or concept, which lent itself to a more underwhelming MV than what could’ve been for an artist as sharp as Woodz. While the threadbare approach could be welcoming for those who prefer solely focusing on Woodz, others who may have been interested in how the artist plays out a concept may have been disappointed.
Nonetheless, this comeback in itself was a pleasant surprise and a surefire step forward for Woodz as a growing solo artist — indeed, he continues to prove that he can conquer any musical genre and direction as an all-rounder. Considering his journey as Woodz only started from 2018, every release since then has cemented this new identity as one to continually look out for. Let us know in the comments below what you thought of his latest comeback!
(YouTube; images by Yuehua Entertainment)
