Another comeback from the day is a long awaited one. DAY6 returns for the first time since April 2021 with a new single and mini-album, titled Welcome To The Show and Fourever, respectively. Since their last comeback with You Make Me and The Book of Us: Negentropy, the band had focused on unit releases (via Even of Day); solo work for Young K, Wonpil and Dowoon; and their individual military enlistments. This is also the group’s first official release as a quartet, following the departure of Jae from the band in 2021.

To me, Welcome To The Show hits the right spots. As a return to the industry following a 3 year hiatus, Welcome To The Show is an appropriately titled single for the occasion. The lyrics, penned by Young K, is about a serenade to those who have been on one’s side on the stage that is the world (taken from SOOMPI), and I felt the lyrics themselves were quite relatable and meaningful. Welcome To The Show‘s ‘post-Britpop and progressive house elements’ (taken from SOOMPI) instrumentation was amazingly executed by the band. I liked the lively and refreshing feeling all throughout Welcome To The Show, but a really defining element of the song is that it had impact and punch, which really sold the track to me. I also really like the exclamatory of the choruses, and how it felt like DAY6 was relaunching themselves at us – all of which felt endearing when you consider the lyrics and messaging behind the song. And this ‘relaunch’ and liveliness reminds me very much of my favourite DAY6 song of all time – Time Of Our Life. Welcome To My Show also shows off the band’s vocal work splendidly. At the start, the band starts off low and almost raspy-like. By the time the chorus kicks in, we are getting upward flicks in tone and high notes that adds more to that impact and punch mentioned earlier. The melodies are also great. I found it very hard to turn away from Welcome To The Show, and I think that will be my ongoing experience with this track.

In addition to DAY6 practicing and performing on a stage in the video, we also see a love story play out. The video features Yoo Seung Ho and Choi Hee Jin, as the main and established couple. Both are part of a stage production, with Yoo Seung Ho’s character being the tech person behind the stage and Choi Hee Jin’s character is a background stage performer. At the end of a rehearsal, Choi Hee Jin stays behind to feel what it is like to be the main character of the play, and Yoo Seung Ho notices this. He stays back to help make that feeling come alive with his technical expertise with the lights and joins her on stage. As part of this main character moment, the couple sees their happy and loving future flash before their eyes, before (and back in reality) Yoo Seung Ho gets down on one knee to propose to Choi Hee Jin. The shots and focus on the characters reminded me a lot of DAY6’s past music videos, and I thought the ending was quite cute.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 10/10
Overall Rating – 10/10