Hello. Welcome back to the usual transmission of song reviews. We start off today with where we left off on Monday. Joy, one fifth of Red Velvet, made her solo debut at the start of the week with Hello and the mini-album of the same name. She is the second member to officially go solo, with the first being Wendy, who made her solo debut earlier this year with Like Water. While we are all excited to hear from Joy (and the other members through solo and unit promotions), I am still waiting for a full group Red Velvet comeback, which hasn’t occurred since December 2019 with the release of Psycho. But I guess we just have to wait a little longer. In the meantime, let’s have a listen to Joy’s Hello.

If Monday’s review was for an emotionally charged rock track is at one end of the spectrum, then Hello is another rock-influenced track at the other end of the spectrum. Joy’s Hello is cover of a 1999 single titled Good Bye by Park Hye Kyung. I personally do not have much to say about the song aside from the fact that I really liked it. I didn’t know what to expect from Joy when it was announced that she would be making her solo debut. So I was geninuely surprised to hear such an enjoyable song that really boasts addictive and colourful energy. Joy’s cover carries over the same energy and cheerful vibe from the original song. If anything, Joy’s version amplifies the energy, released in a day and age where technology gives that opportunity to take it to the next level. But the rock influences within Hello is only one side of the song’s instrumental. There is a lot of brass during the chorus to really heighten the energy and happy feeling of this version. And this really appeals to me (because you know I like my brass). I also find the song really suitable for the upcoming season of Summer, as it is chirpy, extremely upbeat and refreshing to listen to. It ticks all the boxes of what you would want in a song positioned for release in Summer. As for her vocals, I find Joy’s vocals make this version super sweet and youthful, which fits her image and personality. Like the original song, the choruses was probably its most defined moments, with the verses falling into the forgettable category unfortuately. The chorus had the really catchy and colourful melodies that the song relies on. Overall, Hello was a great step for Joy for her solo career. Hopefully she returns soon with an original track as the title track that shows off more of her skillset!

The music video for Hello was super cute. While I am sure there is a deeper meaning to the video, just looking at what you can see on the screen in a literal sense already brings a smile to your face. Based on the start of the video, it appears that Joy is in some sort of stagnant part of her life. She clearly looks tired and is pretty much over whatever she is experience. So after some responsible cleaning up, she starts afresh and goes on a road trip. On this road trip, she comes across a young girl and decides to take her home. The only probably is, she is relying on a map that is handdrawn (by the young girl I persume). So she seeks the assistance of local bikers. seafood divers, farmers and surfers, who point her in the direction of the young’s girls home. After a long road trip, we see Joy reunite the young girl with her family. It is such a happy and feel-good type of video, complimenting the energy coming from the song. Even the waves and smiles on the faces of the locals bring one to your face.

Not entirely sure if there will be any choreography for this solo debut. Based on the original performance of the original version, there was no choreography. Instead a live band played in the background while Park Hye Kyung sang live. There is a possibility that Joy might do the same. But I think this is a great opprtunity to separate the cover from the original. We will find out more come Friday when she makes her first appearance on stage with Hello.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – To Be Updated
Overall Rating – 9.4/10 (To Be Updated)