JISOO, one of the four members of popular K-Pop group BLACKPINK, hasn’t left the popular girl group, but has just released an EP, following her previous record-setting solo album Me. Though JISOO was the last of the four BLACKPINK members to release solo music, the wait was absolutely worth it, as Me became the best-selling solo female album in South Korea, selling over a million copies, which is another record JISOO now holds. The much-anticipated sophomore album, AMORTAGE, released on Valentine’s Day, 2025. In the four tracks of the album, JISOO lives up to her portmanteau. AMORTAGE, a combination of amor and montage, catalogues a relationship in four stages, vignettes of a love story at its most vital moments.
Dawning with earthquake, the initial impact of a heart-pounding crush echoes through the poppy opening track. The music video, where a corporate investigation collecting evidence concerning JISOO’s relationship explodes into a street race, and several dance-pop numbers across an open plan office, captures the anticipation and suddenness of the song — and the crush. As far as visuals, my personal favorites were the heart-shaped bomb and JISOO driving a race car through all her doubts, as “what if you’re wrong” shatters into her screeching tires.
Your Love, in a catchy, upbeat tune that I immediately added to my playlist, details the euphoric high of the relationship central to AMORTAGE. “Your love feels like a Sunday/when you’ve got nowhere to go,” she sings, finishing a breathy, staccato verse that bursts into an catchy chorus. But the album details the whole story of the relationship, and TEARS follows up with, “today are my last tears.” Despite her enamored love on the last two tracks, JISOO’s relationship has come to an end. But she doesn’t let heartbreak take her down for long. Hugs & Kisses only drives this point further, a tongue-in-cheek track about moving on, where she sings, “funny you’re wanting me back/I’m moving on/matter of fact.” Overall, listening to AMORTAGE can only be described as a good time. With catchy pop songs and a throughline story for those keen enough to pick up on it, I’d recommend AMORTAGE for anyone looking for a handful of new pop songs for their playlist!
