YOOK SUNGJAE (BTOB) – KPOPREVIEWED

The next album for review is YOOK SUNGJAE’s single EXHIBITION: Look Closely, released earlier this year. Like standard single albums, this one featured three solo songs, including the title track BE SOMEBODY. This is his first solo release since leaving CUBE Entertainment at the end of last year and signing with iWill Media. He also remains a BTOB member.

1. BE SOMEBODY (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for BE SOMEBODY. (8/10)

2. Without You – While I am not a fan of the consistent use of the metallic twang and similar effects in Without You, the choruses hit the spot for me. The instrumentation was gratifying and reminded me of the early 00s punk rock vibe. YOOK SUNGJAE’s vocals are superb throughout Without You, and I love how prolific he gets during the choruses. (8.5/10)

3. The Ghost – Similar to a recent song review I posted, a full English song from YOOK SUNGJAE was unexpected. But he sounds good in The Ghost. His vocals are a definite highlight and you can feel the emotions. I do think the producers could have gotten more out of YOOK SUNGJAE had The Ghost been in Korean, just for a better connection to what he is singing in The Ghost. The track combines band instrumentation and synths to make a dramatic single. But I think the instrumentation could have felt more polished and refined to hit the nail on the head of the dramatic flair. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.2/10

Teaser Image for *Exhibition: Look Closely* / *BE SOMEBODY*

Sorry again for the radio silence since Tuesday. Work has been busy again. But I am back for the weekend and that means more reviews for you! Restarting the roll is YOOK SUNGJAE’s solo comeback with his same name single album and latest single BE SOMEBODY. This follows his 2020 solo debut with Come with the Wind and Yook O’Clock.

Like his solo debut back in 2020 with Come With The Wind, I had expected YOOK SUNGJAE’s solo return to be of a balladry kind. So hearing the pop rock behind BE SOMEBODY actually felt quite refreshing. Now, the pop rock style that BE SOMEBODY opted for isn’t anything new or innovative. But it was still good. The climb towards the choruses created some good momentum towards the chorus. The eventuating intensity in the chorus from the instrumentation was quite remarkable and help give the song a well-rounded punch. To complement that, SUNGJAE employed some gusto behind his vocals, which helps makes BE SOMEBODY even more more impactful. While this shows me his vocals, BE SOMEBODY could have used some variety in the same department. I noticed that once he enters high territory (about 40 seconds into the song), SUNGJAE remains in that territory for the remainder of the song. I would have loved it if he explored more of that deeper tone that he kicks off BE SOMEBODY with throughout the track. It could have grounded the song a bit better and not feel too neutrally high from that 40 second mark and onwards. There are some examples in the song (i.e., the rap-speak lines between the pre-chorus and choruses) where there are attempts to ground BE SOMEBODY, but they were rather brief and limited in number to really make a mark. But overall, I still find BE SOMEBODY to be a great song. Just more could have made it stronger.

The song conveys the message of breaking free to become somebody, rather than being someone they are not. This, along with the music video, feels linked to the fact that he has more freedom to be himself now that he has left CUBE Entertainment (but not BTOB – an important distinction there). In the video, we see him as an art exhibit, but people don’t pay much attention to him. It isn’t until he is put out there more via performances and the internet (different mediums) does he gain more attention. With the performances and internet, he isn’t bound to just one particular artform anymore. The art smashing to pieces towards the end of the video is representative of breaking that ‘one artform’ boundary he is expressing through this comeback. A well thought out video, overall, that I hoped I correctly interpreted.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10