BIBI is a bright, underrated artist who is typically described within the genre of Korean R&B, though her sound has never been so straightforward. She's one of the brightest voices in music today, specifically in an industry that tends to push away women who speak so freely about their own personal struggles and mental or romantic shortcomings. Her debut album, Lowlife Princess: Noir, was a dark rumination on the way Korean society affects women and the men who interact with those women every day.

Now, she's back with EVE: ROMANCE, her sophomore album, and she's letting loose. In the nearly three years since the release of Lowlife Princess: Noir, BIBI has made the act of creating music feel less like work and more like play. She's trying new techniques, exploring different themes, and finding her own voice in genres she ires along the way. The catalog BIBI has amassed so far is incredibly impressive for someone so young, and this album is just another push forward that will leave listeners excited for what's to come.

14 Real Man

Track 9 - 3:02

After my first listen to the album, "Real Man" is the one that stuck with me the least, but I can see myself getting into it down the line. The instrumental is interesting, with some synths at the beginning that are backed up with an electric guitar that adds an element of coolness to its hip-hop beat. The voice effect in the song's second half once BIBI started rapping wasn't my favorite.

It felt like a pretty extreme departure from the way her voice sounds on the rest of the album, so maybe it just caught me off-guard. Additionally, I'm not sure how to interpret the lyrics of this song just yet, which always factors into my overall thoughts about new music. I'll let it linger and come back to it once I've had some more time with it.

13 Burn It (feat. DEAN)

Track 8 - 3:32

I'm a huge DEAN fan, so I'm always ecstatic to hear him in any capacity. This collaboration is one that brought two of my favorite artists together, so, of course, I was a fan as soon as it was released as a b-side to "Derre" in November 2024. The sensual R&B style fits both artists and their typical sounds so perfectly, and their voices complement each other so well.

The lyrics touch on the addictive quality of attraction, and how lust drives these feelings past what one might consider normal. The music video embodies those thoughts through movement with ease, celebrating attraction in all of its forms in subtle ways that viewers are sure to pick up on. Ultimately, other tracks on the album stood out more than this one, but I still go back to it fairly often.

12 Winter (Unreleased)

Track 14 - 1:58

"Winter (unreleased)" ends EVE: ROMANCE on a bittersweet note. BIBI's voice sounds incredible over nothing but an acoustic guitar, and this is just one song on the album that proves that. She uses the coldness of winter to symbolize the loneliness she feels while waiting around to see if the person she loves will come back to her. It's a short song that's filled with enough longing to fill an entire album.

BIBI sings "The more I love, the more you will leave me," something that's absolutely been said before, but feels like a brand-new discovery when presented through her voice. My favorite part of this song is the part where she mentions a paper boat drifting on the water as an inanimate object that keeps her warm with its memory during her lonely winter. The fragile boat can sail across the water without looking back, so why can't she?

11 Sugar Rush

Track 6 - 2:29

"Sugar Rush" is another track that was released before the album, and was an immediate favorite of mine for a multitude of reasons. It leans into BIBI's signature feminine power in such a careless way that you can't tell if she's being sarcastic or 100% serious. She's unapologetic in her vocal delivery from the second she opens her mouth. She sounds almost bored in each line, making everything she says feel like common sense that, obviously, you should know already.

"I don't need a man for no dessert

I got popsicles in my freezer

I got thirty-one flavors

No free samples, boy, you gotta pay first

I make bread, but I ain't no baker

Good girl on her worst behavior"

The music video is flashy and humorous, featuring Soyeon of i-dle and Yena, as well as two male dancers dressed up in rat costumes. Basically, it's a lot of fun that complements the song through its bright visuals and unserious nature.

10 Pygma Girl

Track 4 - 3:37

I love the vocal choices BIBI made on "Pygma girl." This song carries on the theme of lust that flows through the entire album, and her voice takes on a sultry effect to the point where she's almost whispering at some points, slurring her words together in an attempt at getting them all out in one go. She also raps, and the flow she adopts is hypnotic when layered over the simple piano instrumental.

At certain points, there are also hints of the bossa nova sound that peek through, specifically those where the piano is accompanied by a fuller band in the song's extended outro. It's a cool song that feels new for BIBI while also staying in familiar thematic territory.

9 Derre

Track 7 - 2:36

"Derre" was released as a single alongside "Burn It," and I watching the music video teasers with anticipation at what was being d. The LGBTQ+ tones of the video can't be understated because, after just one viewing, you'll know exactly what I'm referring to. BIBI's character is clearly attracted to a female classmate and seems to let that attraction consume her until the opportunity presents itself where she can swoop in and save her life when a fire breaks out (heat seems to also be a smaller theme).

The groovy sound the song starts with gives way to a less structured chorus that felt very discombobulated after my first listen. I wasn't sure if I liked what I was hearing, but it's unique, and I've definitely come around to it since then. The lyrics talk about the complicated feelings that come with keeping secrets and noticing contradictions in a relationship, something I'm sure listeners will relate to in one way or another.

8 Hangang Gongwon

Track 12 - 3:58

Whether it's nature or the elements, BIBI is riddled with symbolism on this album. "Hangang Gongwon" is a mellow song that uses references to nature to come to with the state of a relationship that appears to have been lost. The music video shows BIBI meeting a man in a park one day, but letting him walk away. This is clearly something she regrets, but, towards the end, we see an older woman wearing the same outfit on the same bench who is approached by an older man resembling the man BIBI met at the start.

"It's okay, the moon will rise soon

And then the sun will shine again, so don't worry

The river will flow, the river will flow, the river will flow

Don't worry, I'll lay my body for the big sea"

The video alone feels like an entire television episode, but the song itself is a beautiful departure into more gentle territory on this album. It serves as a seamless transition from "Bam Yang Gang," the song that came before it, and provides listeners with a melancholic feeling that moves the album into more personally honest themes.

7 Bluebird

Track 13 - 3:00

In a similar way, "Bluebird" follows "Hangang Gongwon" as the album's second half moves through sounds that are more comforting altogether. It was released alongside "Winter (unreleased)," so it explores similar themes of loneliness and hoping to meet the person she lost again someday. After a particularly harsh winter, we all get to the point where all we want is the welcoming warmth that comes with spring.

BIBI's sweet tone shines beautifully as she offers comfort to listeners and loved ones alike. She floats over an acoustic instrumental while promising a shoulder to lean on and a place to rest when you need it. I believe everything she says in this song solely because of how genuine she sounds with every word. I'm someone who usually leans toward her more heavy-hitting songs, but the simpler ones on this album really won me over.

6 Apocalypse

Track 1 - 2:57

"Apocalypse" opens the album with airy vocals and a dreamy instrumental to go along with them. She doesn't hesitate before diving straight into the symbolism that's found right within the album's title. Temptation keeps her tied to the one she loves, along with the promise to fall back into love through difficulties like infidelity and uncertainty.

"If this is a sin, I’ll gladly take the punishment

Plant an apple tree on my hips

A forest where life begins

Before love ever existed

What was it that made us"

The music video starts in a fantasy world where everything is colorful and happy, but we quickly learn that the apple is what's keeping her in this world where, although the one she loves is faithful and kind, he isn't like that anymore in the real world. She comes back whenever they experience difficulties, but, in the end, the viewer is able to decide if she'll take another bite or throw the apple away.

5 Bam Yang Gang

Track 11 - 2:26

The virality of "Bam Yang Gang" upon its initial release in February 2024 gave BIBI the attention she'd always deserved. It's a song that's different from her typical style that most casual listeners recognize, but it brought people into a softer part of her artistry. To me, it almost sounds like a nursery rhyme or a children's song that they learn and then quote years later.

"As you were leaving, you said to me

'You always want way too much'

No, what I'vе always wanted was one thing

Just one thing, sweet chеstnut red bean jelly"

As the music video shows, BIBI's character is told by her romantic partner that she always wants too much. While she accepts that assessment, she realizes that all she's ever wanted was the sweetness that comes with her favorite treat, something so simple that always gives her comfort and pleasure. It's a realization that takes some of the power away from those hurtful words and brings empowerment to yourself, as you come to with who you are and what you truly want out of life, even if it's just a snack.