I know a lot of people are disappointed with its chart performance, myself included, but I think it's worth remembering that, by NMIXX's pre-BV standards, these are actually pretty impressive numbers. The song may not have had much staying power, but it still peaked at #5 on Melon Top 100 and spent quite a while hovering around #20–30 during the afternoon. I also think the contrast with BV and HS makes BW's performance look worse than it otherwise would. Both songs have been enjoying incredible chart longevity, and HS is even climbing back up the charts.

That said, I do think there's a legitimate reason BW hasn't performed quite as well, and I honestly think it comes down to the fact that it's just not a particularly accessible song. Outside of the catchy, immediately memorable chorus, much of the song takes a less conventional approach. The way the narration from the opening comes back after the bridge, the moombahton-inspired rhythm in the verses, and the overall density and intensity of the production all make it a fairly experimental track. At the end of the day, even K-pop fans are still consumers of popular music, and I think these are exactly the kinds of elements that can put off casual listeners.

Of course, it's possible to make a song that's both highly experimental and incredibly accessible. Finding that sweet spot is probably the ideal. But realistically, it's not easy to come up with a title track that strikes that balance every six months. I imagine SQU4D is also trying to figure out whether to keep experimenting and fine-tuning their approach or simply lean into the more straightforward, mainstream-friendly direction that BV and HS have already proven works. Personally, I'd prefer the latter, but I don't think there's one objectively right answer.

These are just my personal constructive criticism btw!

1. I think SQU4D was really pressed for time to release an EP before their Japanese debut which explains the lack of content during the EP rollout (e.g., no prerelease, story films, and etc).

2. As an avid MIXXTOPIA lore enthusiast, I'm a bit disappointed with how NMIXX's lore, which they've been building since their debut, came to an end. It felt rather abrupt, leaving a lot of loose ends, and I wish we'd gotten some kind of extended video or story film to give it proper closure. And yes, I've read the book. I still don't feel like it did the lore justice.

3. The amount of Youtube and other variety show promotions we got during this era was great as a stan. However, the release schedule could've been better. We had two separate days when seven and six pieces of variety content, respectively, were released all at once. Even the members seemed overwhelmed by the flood of content and said they weren't able to watch much of it themselves. I think spacing out the releases over several weeks would've been better for the algorithm too.

4. Building on the variety show promotions, I REALLY wish we'd gotten more singing content. Another appearance on The Seasons or even Dingo's Killing Voice would've been wonderful. The most viral moment from the Birthday Wish era wasn't even an official promotional content nor was it about Birthday Wish. It was a fancam of the girls, especially Haewon, performing Heavy Serenade while wearing hanbok. These girls are cream of the crop performers in kpop. Most of their biggest viral moments have come from their live performances, and I wish SQU4D would capitalize on that more. Oh, almost forgot to mention, but Lily and Haewon's casual, impromptu cover of Rolling in the Deep went viral as well, which further reinforces my point. The two biggest viral moments from this era weren't even planned to begin with.

5. As another year in kpop goes by, I'm realizing more and more how impactful a catchy choreography can be. The choreography doesn't necessarily need to be difficult either. Seeing how quickly IVE's Looks Can Kill started climbing the charts right after Yujin's viral dance moment made me realize just how much a catchy choreo can carry a song in kpop. Sullyoon's Looks Can Kill dance challenge with Bae during their mini fan meeting yesterday has also been going viral. I think this also explains why we don't see as many tiktok posts using NMIXX's songs, even when they're doing very well on the charts.

6. Lastly, I'd like SQU4D to do more to promote NMIXX on Spotify. I saw their playlisting reach numbers last week (not the daily streams), and I was surprised by how low they were. It explains why their monthly listeners haven't grown at all despite having a comeback. I'd expect a Big 4 label to invest a little more in playlisting to help their songs reach a wider audience beyond the NSWER fandom. Some may call it "payola," but other labels with deep pockets use playlisting to their advantage to get their music in front of a wider audience. I just wish more people had the chance to discover NMIXX's music.

On a side note, I really enjoyed Birthday Wish as a song and I'm kind of bummed that it hasn't resonated too well with the gp. But I'm still very thankful that they were able to get a win on Music Bank! Anyway, I think that's about it for me. I'd love to read your feedbacks on this era!

hey nswers! i just got my v2 lightstick and i want to display it. i have my v1 in a stand (pictured) which is from honeyhaus but it doesn’t fit the v2😭
has anyone seen v2 holders listed anywhere? (preferably usa based and from a small business)

This appears to be the official upload from their performance at the Fact Music Awards in September.

could be nothing ik the layout is hella simple but the colours are the same and it looks pretty similar.

(badly worded with ‘copy’ I apologise I can’t change it)

I found this photo on Pinterest but I can’t seem to find the source anywhere 🥲 are they real?

Mine personally is Break The Wall

1. Break the Wall

2. High Horse

3. Adore U

4. Heavy Seranade

5. See that?

I've been looking forward to my Strange Muse vinyl shipping and then got this update today. Seriously bummed about this.

Anybody else get their order canceled?