Tag: Kim Jae Hwan

Making his solo comeback yesterday was Kim Jae Hwan, with his newest single Spring Breeze. It is Kim Jae Hwan’s first release of the year, with his last comeback being in September 2022 with BACK THEN and Empty Dream. More recently, we heard him as part of fellow Wanna One member Park Woo Jin’s solo debut album, featuring in the pre-release single Self Portrait. On other related matters for his comeback, here is a fun fact! Wanna One, the project group that Kim Jae Hwan used to be part of, previously released a single that shares the name as his latest title track – Spring Breeze. Anyway, with that now out of the way, let’s get stuck right into the newer song.

With a title like Spring Breeze, this contemporary pop song is fittingly breezy. The main drawing element in the instrumental is a folksy flute or whistle. It isn’t striking, like how flutes and whistles are usually used in KPOP nowadays. Instead, it is quite light and soft, but it is distinct enough to be noticed. The guitar work adds what feels like a complimentary acoustic flair to the song. The rest of the instrumental, through percussion and beat, adds some body and meat to the song. Despite that, the instrumental for Spring Breeze remains quite balanced overall, which enables that ‘breezy’ descriptor to be applied to the song. Kim Jae Hwan brings even more heft to Spring Breeze via his vocals, which helps makes him stand out quite a bit. In particular, this vocals soars during the pre-choruses, creating the impression of an incline in momentum. Interestingly, Kim Jae Hwan then opts for a lower tone to begin the choruses, creating a relatively striking moment for Spring Breeze. This adds a bit more appeal to the song, as it is clever way of drawing attention to the song. My main issue is the fact I didn’t get much out of the melodies and hooks aside that they sound decent. I feel that is partly due to the design of the song. They literally flow by and they don’t really have much of an anchor to become memorable. This becomes a problem when you do a more casual listen and aren’t exactly paying attention towards the details of the song. These elements that usually become the centerpiece of the song, but instead they end up flowing out the other ear soon after. It isn’t an indication of the melodies/hooks sounding bad persay, but rather a lack of opportunity to process them. Overall, Spring Breeze is a nice track to listen to. But as indicated by my comments on the melodies/hooks, Spring Breeze could easily be lost to the strong competition around it.

The music video is miss for me. I really liked the flowy and breezy bits of the video, which makes complete sense for a song about memories that appear again during the months of Spring that is titled Spring Breeze. However, I am not entirely sure about the more striking looks of the video, such as Kim Jae Hwan’s full black outfit and the bold blue circle on the ground during some of the solo/choreography shots. They just don’t fit the rest of the aesthetics of the video, in my opinion.

I did have concerns, given how light the song, where the choreography would lean towards. And the fact that it easily could have been overdone. But the choreography gears towards a more aesthetic approach, which is a safe move. The routine appears graceful, softly delivered and smooth, not sharp and impactful like other routines out there. This compliments the song well. The ending with the tree formation by the remembers reminds me of EXO’s Wolf for some reason. Trees have appeared in choreographies since 2013, so I am not sure why the flashbacks are happening here.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6,5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

One of the two comebacks to start off this week belongs to Kim Jae Hwan, the main vocalist from the now disbanded project group WANNA ONE. For those who missed it, WANNA ONE reunited at the end of last year for a special stage at the 2021 MAMAs and a special release of Beautiful (Part 3) in early 2022. Since then, the members have returned to their current solo and group activities. Kim Jae Hwan, in particular, made his solo comeback with Snail back in June of this year, which I have yet to (but will) review at a later date. He then made a quick comeback yesterday with his fifth mini-album Empty Dream and the title track BACK THEN.

BACK THEN is another track from KPOP that has opted for the trending rock genre. But Kim Jae Hwan portrays the genre in a manner in which he could excel in, combining it with a more vocal centric genre like R&B. The rock and R&B track that is BACK THEN feels quite balanced between the two genres. What I did like about BACK THEN was how seamlessly it was able to flicker between a softer R&B approach with the verses and the more intense rock sound in the chorus. The bass in the verse appears to be the thread that brings two the parts together, as it sets up the verses to have some momentum in which the rock in the chorus can then carry onwards. Together, I feel BACK THEN as a whole was satisfying and was very appealing. As mentioned before, this combination feels like a no-brainer for Kim Jae Hwan, as it allows him to showcase his vocals quite well. Given his vocal capabilities, he is able to go that extra mile and add oomph to his vocals to match the energy that the rock, but is also able to express his emotions in both the R&B verses and rock choruses effortlessly. I just wish the memorable melodies of the song extended into the verses, just to give BACK THEN a more profoundness that help make the song stick. I also thought the R&B could have gone a step further a feel more ballad-like to really maximize the impact BACK THEN could of have.

BACK THEN is said to capture the feelings of longing for your ex following the breakup (taken from SOOMPI) and I feel that Kim Jae Hwan had captured that essence in his vocals. Though, I feel like he doesn’t completely capture said essence in the music video. The entire video showed the aftermath, but it just felt lacking. As cliché as it might look and sound, I kind of wished the music video had a ‘before’ breakup and an ‘after’ breakup concept. I think this more typical approach would have really captured the song in a visual sense really well. Aside from that desire, I liked that the music video also captured the rock aspect of the song with Kim Jae Hwan rocking out with his guitar to the song in some scenes and having a band in the background. It made sense to include and I am glad that it did.

As seen in the music video, the comeback is able to flick between a band version and a dance version for this comeback. I do hope we get to see the dance version in full during promotions for BACK THEN. From what I do see, the choreography looks decent. Kim Jae Hwan is still for some of it, presuming so he can hit those notes while performing live. But when he is full participating in the choreography, it appears to be full power, and I quite liked how he and the dancers embody this.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

One of the comebacks that occurred whilst I was on break for Christmas and New Years was made by Kim Jae Hwan. The soloist wraps up the year with his fourth mini-album (The Letter), which was released as soon as the Christmas holidays had passed and we were in that limbo awaiting the new year. Leading the charge on this mini-album is the title track Unforgettable. This is Kim Jae Hwan’s second comeback in 2021, with the first being April’s I Wouldn’t Look For You.

Unforgettable is a ballad that captivates me. And I am sure the song has captivated a lot more people as well. Without a doubt, the standout element of Unforgettable is Kim Jae Hwan’s vocals, who really portrays the heartfelt emotions and sadness behind the lyrics so well. I really enjoyed how powerful and piercing the vocals are during the chorus, with this really pulling your attention right into his vocals and helps with captivating me. The instrumental for Unforgettable is more on the typical side of ballads, with an orchestral backdrop to Kim Jae Hwan’s vocals. But this doesn’t weaken the song. In fact, I feel that the orchestral elements help build Unforgettable, allowing Kim Jae Hwan’s vocals to reach its powerful nature in a balanced and regulated manner. And like other ballads that captivate me, Unforgettable gets me closing my eyes to take the entire song in and swaying along to the melody – signs of a great ballad. To me, there is nothing wrong with Unforgettable, earning the second 10/10 of the year!

In addition to the emotional vocals we get from Kim Jae Hwan, the music video brings an additional emotional layer that really gets to you. Well, it did for me, at least. Kim Jae Hwan sings about unforgettable memories, which the music video shows he shares with the female character. The pair appears to be quite close, donning matching wooden rings. However, we do see that there is a bit of hesitancy in the relationship from both parties. Soon, we are lead to believe that the couple breaks up and we see Kim Jae Hwan adjust to the lack of his companion. However, I think the ending reveals that she in fact had passed on (this was a bit of a hazy detail in the story, and I wished it was better clarified) and that he was laying flowers at the site where she died, with the flowers bounded to one another with the same wooden ring in which the pair had exchanged with one another. While this wasn’t a plot twist, it just made the story incredibly sadder to watch and made the song more emotional upon reflection. Kim Jae Hwan’s acting in the video was also very good in this video.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

Next up on the list of solo reviews is Kim Jae Hwan. The former Wanna One member began his solo career in 2019 with releases such as Begin Again and The Time I Need. He then entered a fairly quiet year in 2020 (he did release a few singles, but there was no notable or significant comebacks). Over a year in from his last major comeback, Kim Jae Hwan finally returns with his third mini-album, Change, and the lead single, I Wouldn’t Look For You.

I Wouldn’t Look For You delves back into the Latin pop trend that has been dominating KPOP for the past few years. Personally, I don’t mind this influence in this song, as it felt refreshing with all the guitar work for the entirety of the song and the horns that come into play during the chorus. And this Latin pop influence is all over a basic balladry piano piece, tapping into the genre that Kim Jae Hwan is probably most known for. The rain sound effect was also nice touch, aiding in the delivery of the emotional side of the song. Altogether, the instrumental is very enjoyable and pleasing to me. But the instrumental, especially in this song, only contribute to a small part to the song’s appeal. I Wouldn’t Look For You‘s biggest asset is Kim Jae Hwan vocals. With some songs, the instrumental is what what really plays a big part of getting it over the line to being likeable in my books. This is the case for the more upbeat dance tracks that thrive on dynamism and energy. Like most ballads, the vocals play the most important role especially in songs where the instrumental is fairly consistent throughout the entire song (which is the case for this song). In I Wouldn’t Look For You, Kim Jae Hwan infuses so much emotion into the song. He pushes the song forward with his heartbreaking tone, especially when it came to the chorus. It definitely made the song captivating and worthwhile to listen to. His autotuned high note after the stilling bridge was also really good (and it sounds even better live!). Overall, another really strong showing of Kim Jae Hwan in this song.

Finally, a video with a plot line that I can make sense of! It has been a while, but here is what I think is going on in the video. It seems like Kim Jae Hwan’s character nowadays is more preoccupied with hanging with friends (or are those his bandmates) than with his girlfriend. Once lovey dovey (i.e. Kim Jae Hwan would play music to his girlfriend, while she stares lovingly at them), the pair now fight often, leading to Kim Jae Hwan leaving. However, he makes a stop and attempts to get in touch with her to apologise. Whichever way he gets into contact with her, he is unsuccessful. So I am guessing here that he assumes that she doesn’t want to be with him anymore and continues to drive off into the distance. My guess is that he thinks by going back, he would be doing no good and continue cause grief to her. Hence, he chooses not to find her. Unfortunately, as Kim Jae Hwan races off into the distance, the weather causes him to crash and die. His girlfriend hears of this and is heartbroken when she goes out to the crash site. It is definitely a heartbreaking story and one worth watching.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9/10

Kim Jae Hwan is nominated for Best New Male Solo Artist. Begin Again is also eligible for Best Song of 2019 (The Time I Need and Nuna are NOT eligible this time around). To support Kim Jae Hwan and your other favourite artists, click here to vote before the 31st of December.

I have one major tick box that needs to be ticked when it comes to writing these reviews. It needs a music video. When Kim Jae Hwan released The Time I Need two days ago, it did not have a music video. And hence I decided not to proceed with the review. But a music video was released yesterday, so now the review can be written. Accompanying The Time I Need is Nuna, as the second title track. But there is no music video, so no review. This is also Kim Jae Hwan’s first comeback after the release of Begin Again earlier this year.

It was slightly surprising to hear that Kim Jae Hwan didn’t release a ballad this time around as the title track. I had expected another ballad from the soloist, particularly given how ballads are well suited for the colder season. But at the same time, I am happy to hear that he is branching out with his sound in the main track off his mini-album. I found The Time I Need to be a very pleasant song. However, it is a typical pop track and it unfortunately doesn’t develop into anything grand or epic. Though, I did like the consistent fast keyboard tapping in the instrumental as it came off somewhat striking. What does earn a big tick is that Kim Jae Hwan’s voice was shown off nicely. Some parts were slightly muffled, which helped transform the song into some you would hear off a record player. I thought that was a nice and interesting touch. Overall, it was still a nice track. It just needed to develop in some manner to be even more interesting.

The main set that the music video looked really cool. The 3D clock that came out of floor is definitely going to be an iconic look. And if it doesn’t get to that status that it will definitely be an underrated set up. I also thought the colour emphasis was really good. The green scenes looked really beautiful, while the clock set were well accented with just the colour black. The sunset scenes with the yellow wall looked really nice, while Kim Jae Hwan’s red leather jacket gave off a bold look. The lighting played a really important part in the music video, especially during the sundial replication scenes. Overall, ticks all around for the music video.

A song about time should include clocks. They obviously did so in the music video. And I liked how they also included it in the choreography. The start looked really nice, with the backup dancers spinning arm clocks. The circular formations and flailing arms looked really cool during the chorus as well. The female back up dancer felt liked a shadow, which I thought looked really cool technique, as well.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

This week, we continue that reunion of Wanna One that we saw a few weeks back. The ‘next’ member to return to the industry is Kim Jae Hwan, who was the only member to resign with Swing Entertainment for his solo promotions (i.e. the company that Wanna One was signed under when they were promoting as a group). While it has been a while since we have heard from Kim Jae Hwan, the artist made his official debut on Monday with Begin Again, the title track on his first mini-album, Again.

It is the expectation that the main vocalists of a group would make their debut with a ballad. We have seen this happen countless times and Kim Jae Hwan was no exception. I personally thought the ballad was rather nice. It takes on a typical piano and classical instrumental approach. So there isn’t really much to comment on in this aspect. But there many that can be made about his vocals. I like how they do shine brightly over the typical instrumental. You can his voice with no hindrance, which I think was smart. I find his voice to be charming from his previous works as part of Wanna One and I think Begin Again showcases this charming nature nicely. I also like the melody that presents itself in the chorus, which acted as a very flowy effect which I am known to enjoy. I particularly enjoyed the ending, especially how he came at us with high note after high note. It definitely gave the typical approach some uniqueness.

The video shows a couple (played by Kim Jae Hwan and actress Kim Yoo Jung). They were all lovey-dovey before, where they were playful with one another. However, something caused him to depart from the relationship (based on the lyrics). And something brought them back together again (the running around different floors scene). I am not sure about these two aspects of the video. But we see them exchange gifts (I guess as a restart to their relationship). He gives her a dress, while she gives him an emotional letter. Flash forward to the future where I think they are getting married or engaged. She wears his dress and they exchange rings. However, Kim Yoo Jung gets cold feet afterwards and takes away his ring, which I guess shows that she can’t go forward knowing how he left her and hence was unable to ‘Begin Again‘. I think this was a nice twist in the emotional love stories we see in music videos. However, I do want to know why he left her and the rest of that middle bit that I am not too sure about.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10