Koreans reveal the real reason why Meovv will always struggle on the charts after 'Burning Up' comeback

Article: "Is it just me or does MEOVV(미야오) for some reason always feel kind of... off?"

Source: Pann

1. The intros have no energy or impact. They feel drained.

Honestly, this doesn’t apply to just Meovv, it’s true for most idols after 4th gen. Of course, composers know music better than any of us, but lately, intros feel so flat and uneventful that when you first listen to a song, there’s nothing pulling you in. I don’t get why they make them like that. Even if “easy listening” is the trend right now, fine, remove the bridge, simplify the mix for a clean sound, sure. And maybe drop the third-verse key change explosion. But why also make the intro weak?

If the intro has energy, it immediately tells you what kind of vibe the song has, it draws you in and lets you sink into the mood. But nowadays, with lifeless intros, I find myself listening with a kind of “analyzing” mindset, like “Hmm? What is this song even about?”, and it takes two or three listens before it finally clicks as good.

You don’t need loud instruments like in BLACKPINK's Kill This Love to make an impactful intro. Songs like IVE’s Love Dive, NewJeans’ Attention, and ILLIT’s Magnetic manage to sound light yet still carry weight and presence. But when I listen to idol songs these days, the intros feel neither energetic nor memorable, they just start and end in a rush.

2. The problem with Meovv: it feels like there are 5 Rosés and 5 Jennies.

(This might sound like a compliment, but it’s not... at least not within a team.)

Sorry to bring up BLACKPINK, but this is one of Meovv's biggest issues.

Individually, Meovv's members have great tones and rap delivery, they’re top-tier in that sense. But when you look at them as a group, the blend of voices really matters, and theirs feels too heavy across the board. That makes the overall sound tiring fast.

For example, take Blackpink’s Jisoo. Her tone is distinctive but not exactly “unique,” right? Yet within the team, her voice plays a crucial role. If Rosé, Lisa, and Jennie are the “heavy sushi,” then Jisoo is the pickled radish, she balances things out, providing a clean transition and preventing the group’s sound from becoming too thick. Her light, even “plain” tone becomes its own kind of identity in that team context.

Now, with Meovv, if you listen to Gawon, Narin, Soo-in, and Ella (I’m not sure about Anna), they all have very strong tones. Individually, that’s great. But as a group, when everyone’s heavy, it becomes exhausting. Honestly, Anna doesn’t even seem to play a balancing role like Jisoo.

Group songs and solo songs are totally different, there needs to be space to breathe. But when a team’s format has no rest points, and you fill all three minutes with Rosé- or Jennie-type vocals, it just gets monotonous.

So you have a weak intro, but then a melody that’s too heavy, it’s disorienting. Without a “pure,” airier member to provide relief, it sounds like one same singer performing nonstop. Whether Anna steps into that balancing role or not might determine if they find their groove.

And since almost all the members (except Anna, really) share similar tones and colors, the group doesn’t feel cohesive, it feels repetitive.

Every member needs a recognizable role. When people hear a song, they should instinctively feel, “Oh, this part suits X member.” But Meovv lacks that image-matching factor. Everyone’s similar, so you can’t tell who’s who personality-wise or sonically.

BLACKPINK worked because it was one Jennie, one Rosé, one Lisa, and one Jisoo, not four Jennies or four Rosés.

3. Stylistically, Meovv should go for a strong beat, but the beats sound weak. 

For comparison, look at NewJeans, an “easy listening” group whose vibe perfectly suits that genre. That’s not to say NewJeans is better than Meovv, but that their sound fits their concept. Their airy tones, visuals, and group dynamic make chill, minimalist tracks feel natural. 

Meovv, on the other hand, seems to want that same “soft hip-hop/easy listening” sound you hear from artists like Koi, BIA, Ice Spice, or Pink Pantheress, but the group’s actual character doesn’t match. 

If you look at Meovv's members’ voices and abilities, they’re heavy, more Nicki Minaj, Doja Cat, Cardi B. So imagine if Cardi B or Doja Cat sang NewJeans’ “Ditto”. Would that fit? Not really. 

Meovv's music needs to lean more energetic, something closer to BIGBANG’s Fantastic Baby than NewJeans’ ETA. That’s the kind of track that would actually fit their vocal weight and charisma.

4. Above all else, Meovv's songs are just… ambiguous. Honestly, this might be the biggest reason everything feels off.

5. Meovv needs to choose: are they going for “luxury” or “B-grade quirky”? You can’t do both. If it’s supposed to be a luxury concept, why are they dancing in convenience stores and appliance shops in the music video? But if it’s supposed to be a B-grade, self-aware concept, why keep up the mysterious, polished image? ㅋㅋ It’s like they can’t pick a lane.

1. [+23, -4] Speaking of intros, even ADP's 'Famous' would’ve sounded more solid if they’d added a short 1–2 seconds of that western-movie “wooong” sound before the main instrumental kicked in. These days it’s like they’re cutting seconds off just to make songs fit the 2-minute trend.
2. [+21, -0] I honestly don’t know what Meovv's concept is. Is it a cat concept? Besides the debut track “Meow,” nothing else really hints at that. It’s not exactly a “strong” concept since the songs are more easy-listening, but it’s also not luxurious,  they wear slightly offbeat tracksuits and the MVs feel goofy. Even from the comeback teaser photos with polka dots, I thought it’d be Y2K style, but nope. Just... ambiguous. 
   
3. [+18, -0] I wrote almost the same post after their debut, their singing style all sounds like “waterlogged sweet potato” vocals. Everyone sings in that choked-up, breathy, emotional tone. Too much Rosé influence. That works when one member does it as a garnish, but when all five use it, it just gets frustrating to listen to.
4. [+15, -1] The song’s vague, yeah, but also Narin shouldn’t be center. She’s got insane talent, stage presence, and expressions, but no visual impact or star power. Anna or Ella should be the center instead.
5. [+14, -0] Honestly, the biggest issue is the song. Look at NMIXX, people used to say their voices didn’t blend, but once they got a good track, they took off. For post-4th-gen girl groups, a good song alone can change everything.
6. [+10, -1] The members themselves don’t have that “I want to stan them” charm. All five look more like rich influencers than idols.
7. [+10, -0] The OP’s spot-on. The song endings and MVs are weak, which makes even short songs feel long. Plus, the members all sound too similar. I think the root issue is when they first tried to make them all into “cat-girl” characters. Even strong concepts need at least one member with a “soft stan appeal” (like Jennie, Winter, Kim Chaewon). Meovv doesn’t have that “gateway” member to pull in new fans, and that’s a major strategic miss.
8. [+8, -0] Teddy’s beats work because YG’s signature roughness gives them flavor. Without that slightly tacky punch, they fall flat. Meovv's rap line is too weak,  Teddy’s songs only shine when the rap holds its own, like 2NE1 or BLACKPINK.
9. [+8, -0] Feels like TBL didn’t really plan Meovv out, they just debuted them thinking “they’re tall, pretty, and skilled, so they’ll blow up.” No strategy, no clear concept, no direction. Same issue with ADP. When that happens, artists get left behind like Jeon Somi.
10. [+8, -0] After watching their Abracadabra cover, I think Soo-in stands out a lot, but the rest, while talented, just don’t have that 'stan-attractor' charm.
11. [+8, -11] You can tell from ADP, TBL never planned to make Meovv their main project. If they wanted to push Meovv hard, they would’ve added Youngseo. It’s like they picked the leftover trainees, all pretty and capable, and just debuted them so they wouldn’t lose them to other agencies. You can tell from how unprepared their direction was. Meanwhile, ADP is clearly well-planned, which makes Meovv's setup look even more half-baked.
12. [+7, -0] This post nails it. Other feedback’s been said before, but this analysis hits why their songs feel mismatched, like if Cardi B tried singing NewJeans’ “Super Shy.” The beats are delicate, but the voices are overpowering.
13. [+4, -0] It feels like TBL just threw together five tall, talented, pretty girls and assumed, “eh, they’ll blow up somehow.”
14. [+4, -0] Even their “golden spoon” marketing feels off from the start.