TW: mention and discussion of cultural appropriation, racism, and the n-word. Deeper discussion in a separate post.

Here are my credentials (one last time): uh…none? I can name about three SHINHWA songs off of the top of my head, which is slightly embarrassing. I know of course about their incredible legacy, but similarly to BTS, I’ve been a k-pop fan for half a decade now so I figured it’s time to get to know such an important group better.

(Part One) (Part Two) (Part Four)

Album #8: Winter Story 2004-05

How Do I Say is more relaxed than many of their songs have been thus far, and though it’s somewhat a ballad, it’s guitar-driven and overall feels much more low-stakes than a lot of their more angry music. I really enjoyed this one with its “how do I say, I love you baby?” It may just be a better quality recording system, but their voices sound very good in this track, and I really enjoyed the harmonizing especially. I’m still not the biggest fan of a random rap verse shoved in there, but with the harmony in the background, I didn’t mind as much as usual. I watched their 18th anniversary performance of this, and I admit it, I was won over seeing them have so much fun singing together.

From the album, Winter Story 2004-2005, I liked the background vocalizing in Rain On A Sleepless Night, the lyricism in Red String, the catchy 60’s (?) beat of On A Night Like This, Lyn’s feature in Erase All Of Time, and of course, the drama of the hilariously-titled Painfully Loving You. This, unsurprisingly, was another ballad-heavy album, so not my favorite.

Album #9: State Of The Art

Hey Dude starts differently to a lot of their songs, with a sprightly, springy guitar and some quite catchy hand-clapping that’s a nice contrast from how quiet the last two albums have been. The music video I was watching was a behind the scenes cut and so I had a very similar feeling watching it that I did to Young Gunz: though it was nice, it’s not something I’d replay often. From the album, Summer Story 2005, I liked the energy of the intro, but I don’t have a hidden gem for the rest as it’s mostly new versions of their previous songs. I did enjoy the Rock & Roll version of How Do I Say though; it really complements the song’s strengths and gives it a 70’s feel that I’m absolutely in favor of.

Once In A Lifetime is a ballad if ever there was one, and is made to spotlight their voices, which it definitely does. It’s a very heartwarming and gentle track (“once in your lifetime, fly to the stars”), which is about what I expected, so I don’t have much to say about it. I still don’t understand why so many songs insist on having a rap in every one, though, because I know they can all sing and rapping isn’t needed in a song like this. You’re My Everything is also a very standard ballad, and though Once In A Lifetime distinguishes itself, this one falls into the “pretty but forgettable” category.

From the album, State Of The Art, I enjoyed the strong background vocals of Thanks!, the surprisingly hard-hitting beat of Doobob, the catchy underlying hip-hop of Paradise, Ivy’s voice mixing with SHINHWA’s in Highway Star, and the gentle warmth in Chance.

Album #10: Volume 9

I was expecting Snowy Night to be another ballad in the vein of You’re My Everything, but I was pleasantly surprised by how upbeat it actually was. It has a jazzy undercurrent with some lovely strings and excellent harmonizing , and another behind-the-scenes music video of them fooling around that definitely got a few smiles out of me. 

Run, as befits its name, is all about a group of criminals running away while SHINHWA attempts to save Eric, and it’s good to know that even if the band themselves are wearing shirts (albeit under a laughable amount of leather), the bad guys will be predictably shirtless. But really, this is another song I respect for the very reason that it knows exactly what it is and doesn’t take itself too seriously, instead just deciding to throw up its hands and have a good time. Its “oh, eh, oh, let’s move it” is now stuck in my head, and I suppose I had that one coming.

From the album, Volume 9, I enjoyed the gently swaying chorus of Voyage, the slowly rising vocals in Just One More Time, the layered rap verse under the harmony in 2 My Luv, and the laughter in their voices in spoken-word Do You Remember?.

Album #11: The Return

After a 4-year break, SHINHWA returns in style with Venus. Venus has a lighter electro beat than I was expecting, and feels tailor-made for a dance-floor in the same vein as Kara’s Lupin or SHINee’s Ring Ding Dong with its call-and-response, the slinking quality of the verses, and distorted EDM background. Unsurprisingly, I absolutely loved this one, and it became one of my favorites right away, especially after the trap breakdown and excellent final chorus. Right on the roller skating playlist.

From the album, The Return, I enjoyed the palpable emotion in Hurts (I even didn’t mind the rap!), the sharp disco of Red Carpet, the upbeat drive of Let It Go, and the classical flourishes in Be My Love. So far, though I’ve enjoyed a few songs, I haven’t liked any enough to feature as a hidden gem, but here, I finally did! My hidden gem was the hopeful, acoustic-guitar driven, soundtrack-worthy On The Road, with its swirls of emotion and lovely warmth. It would be absolutely perfect for a road trip. Overall, I really liked this album; I think it’s one of their strongest.

(Part One)(Part Two)