[Album Review] 30 (1st Studio Album) – SUNGJIN (DAY6)

The next album up for review is SUNGJIN’s (from DAY6) debut studio album, 30. This album dropped in November 2024. The studio album features 10 tracks, including the title track, Check Pattern. For those who missed it, Check Pattern earned a 10/10 in my full review earlier this year (link below). I had high expectations that the album would be similar based on my listens to it back then when it was first dropped and throughout this year. And this review validates that expectation. 30 is definitely a fantastic album, filled with ballads of various kinds. SUNGJIN made sure most songs were engaging and captivating, either by his vocals or instrumentation.

In 2025, SUNGJIN regrouped with his fellow DAY6 members to release their fourth studio album, THE DECADE, to celebrate their 10-year career.

1. Covered In Love (동화속아이처럼) – Opening SUNGJIN’s debut studio album is Covered in Love, a nice and bright pop ballad that sounds very welcoming and warm. SUNGJIN’s vocals and the song’s melodies have such a pleasantness that helped make the song inviting to all. These also complement the fondness he expresses in the lyrics of love in his younger years. (9/10)

2. Check Pattern (Title Track) – Click here for my full review of Check Pattern. (10/10)

3. I Don’t Wanna Do Anything (아무것도안하고싶다) – I Don’t Wanna Do Anything is such a relatable song for me. The title basically says it all. SUNGJIN presents this indie pop ballad with effortless simplicity, without cutting any corners. I really liked the nasally tone he adopts throughout the track, and the instrumental was quite dreamy, up until the bridge, where the song picks up. I wish the final chorus had continued the momentum of the bridge rather than just returning to the original choruses we’d already heard. But what we got in the end was still very good. (9/10)

4. Nowhere You Are (어디에도없는널) – Nowhere You Are goes with laidback vibes in a rock ballad style track. While combining laidback vibes and a ballad can sound like a bore, the rock influences that come through and SUNGJIN’s raspy vocals make it engaging. For the former, I enjoyed the instrumental most when it was building upon itself. With regards to the latter, you can also hear the emotions behind SUNGJIN’s vocals and lyrics, which speak to remembering a former relationship in the present. (8/10)

5. as always (나무는 결국 겨울을 견뎌낼 거야) – as always is another rock ballad, but it is an amazing one. At its peak, the instrumental developed into an emotively powerful backing piece (with thanks to the electric guitar riffs in the background), taking as always to the next level. The same can be said about SUNGJIN’s vocals. For me, the pause in instrumentation was the best moment in the song. It was well placed to give the song a moment to consolidate what it had built up towards and give the final chorus a chance to be quite impactful. Both was delivered and gave as always a breathtaking moment. (10/10)

6. Wednesday Night – Wednesday Night was a short yet upbeat track. While I do appreciate the upbeat instrumentation and brightness that the track exudes, Wednesday Night was a bit of a blur for me. Apart from the noted points, I don’t remember too much from it. (7/10)

7. EASY – EASY is another short one, and it is also upbeat. But what makes EASY more likeable and memorable is the retro vibes in the rock track. These retro vibes remained throughout the song and, combined with SUNGJIN’s brighter vocals, helped make EASY quite an engaging track to tap my foot to. (9/10)

8. You Wake Me Up – You Make Me Up is another powerful ballad from SUNGJIN. Without a doubt, the power comes from SUNGJIN himself and the dynamic lines in the song. His raspy vocals just give You Make Me Up so much emotion and colour. The instrumentation was also a stunner, building alongside SUNGJIN’s powerful delivery. (10/10)

9. I Don’t Wanna Lose – If there is any song that really sells SUNGJIN’s vocals on this album, it would be I Don’t Wanna Lose. The raspiness that SUNGJIN uses to launch into the choruses and maintains in the rest of the centrepiece of the song was amazing. The pre-choruses see SUNGJIN stunningly build his vocals. The chanty bridge was also a highlight and felt just right for that moment. The rock ballad instrumentation also helped to heighten the appeal, emotions and SUNGJIN’s tone in the song. (10/10)

10. Memories – Closing out SUNGJIN’s debut studio album is the single Memories. It is another emotive ballad where SUNGJIN sings about coming to terms with the need to let go of an old relationship. His vocals deliver so much emotion in Memories – it is purely captivating to listen to. The organ and orchestral instruments really bring it all together to make it even more heart-wrenching. (9/10)