Choi Minho debuted in k-pop classic SHINee as their second-youngest member at age 16, and is actually the least prolific soloist from his group, with fellow members Jonghyun and Taemin especially being very well recognized. Now in his 30’s, he’s become an actor in both dramas and plays, alongside being a singer, rapper, and songwriter.

Here are my credentials: Despite being a huge ShaWol (I mean obviously, look at the name of the blog), Minho is actually the member I know the least about. I’ve covered SHINee as a band, and given each of the other members (Key, Taemin, Onew, and Jonghyun) a full review, but Minho didn’t have enough songs for me to do one for him, so instead, I featured him in my first boy group soloist ranking. But he’s now come out with a full album and so, I figured that it was time. So, let’s get into it!

Single #1: I’m Home

I’m Home is part of SM Entertainment’s station releases, one-off singles from idols who haven’t done them yet, but is still Minho’s official debut, so it’s where we’re going to start. Minho’s always had a lovely voice, but when given a whole track to himself, it really shines, and has such a gentle, soothing quality to it. The song sounds a bit like it’d be an OST for the mandatory break-up episode in every k-drama, with its melancholy, wandering sound and heartbroken lyrics like “the melody you hummed, I hum it without meaning” or “my worn-out heart wanders aimlessly”. It’s not the kind of song I’d go out of my way to listen to, but it’s still nice once in a while, and Minho does it as well as it can be done.

Single #2: Heartbreak

Heartbreak is a chameleon of a song, wading between several different kinds of tracks. It doesn’t quite lean into the abject melancholy enough to be depressing, it’s not fast enough to be a dance track, and it’s not hopeful enough to be some kind of power ballad. But, while that irritated me the first time I listened to it, I think it’s actually its strongest asset. Its clippy, pulsing beat is a great contrast for Minho’s gentle, smooth voice and clear emotion. He’s someone who’s acting even as he sings, a talent that (as a singer myself), I know is more difficult than it sounds. The video, while it’s not quite as good as the one we’ll discuss in a minute, is a solid complement, perfectly echoing the feeling the track gives of driving at night, reminiscing on all the bad decisions you’ve made. It’s woozy, perhaps that’s the best word, like it comes close to touching the ground but never quite gets there, and all in all, it’s my favorite of his singles before the album.

EP #1: Chase

Chase, like many k-pop songs does, deals with the end of a relationship, and grieving it accordingly. It very much sticks in a midtempo, minimalistic field, which, while it works well for his voice and more sing-talk-heavy style, isn’t really my thing. Minho is an engaging singer, but unlike the other main tracks that aim to soothe and glide along, this song seems purposefully choppy. I knew before this that Minho was an actor, but this MV is his directorial debut (thus the title of this review, and it was honestly great! I actually liked the video more than the song, from the warring red and blue lighting that gives way to a sickly yellow, the cut-backs from mostly light shots of before and the dark shots of after, and the effective way it uses quick breaks of silence. Well done, Minho.

From the EP, I enjoyed the light acoustic guitar and easy groove of Prove It (my hidden gem) and the gentle vocalizing in Waterfall. Mostly, though, it’s not dissimilar to his other tracks.

Single #3: Stay For A Night

Stay For A Night, while it sounds similar to Minho’s other tracks, is somewhat of a step in a different direction. Working in a bit of humor in its MV and an off-kilter beat, it’s feels much more like an indie song than mainstream kpop, despite being produced by SM Entertainment. It’s the kind of song that you leisurely stroll home to on a peaceful evening, not the kind of song that you headbang to in your mirror, but that’s okay.

Album #1: Call Back

Call Back starts with Minho playing at a piano, voices echoing around him, and though at first it seems to be based on the same ideas that led to songs like Chase and I’m Home being just alright, it actually goes in the opposite direction. That’s not to say that it leans into disco like a Key song or EDM like SHINee, but I think that it’s his strongest single so far, with the way it melds Minho’s more ballad tendencies with a solid underlying synth sound.

The chorus especially surprised me, as it’s quite simple, just a vocalized hook and a couple phrases, but it manages to become the centerpiece of the song, with a laidback catchiness that’s fueled kpop hits like iKon’s Love Scenario or New Jeans’ Super Shy. I’m really happy, personally, with the direction he chose to go in for this, building off of what made his past songs feel true to him but elevating it.

From the album, I enjoyed the jaunty piano of Slow Down, the insistent, percussive beat of synthy Came And Left Me (my hidden gem), and NingNing’s feature in Because Of You. Mostly though, while this album goes do some exploration into hip-hop and R&B, it’s pretty par for the course with his discography (which, again, not a bad thing! I want to stress that), and so isn’t really something I’d seek out to listen to.

Single #4: Tempo

With Tempo, we return not only to the k-drama-like video and overall feel of Chase, but to its light hook as well. It’s pretty much in line with the rest of Minho’s singles: a solid beat (or tempo, if you will), a chorus that’s light on its feet, a short runtime, and an overall coffeeshop sound. There’s not a lot I can say about it that I haven’t said before. I still have absolutely no idea what the song’s lyrics have to do with the MV; clearly it’s a song about intimacy, so why are cars crashing all over the place and why is Minho running all over Seoul? I suppose I’ll never know.

Verdict: TL;DR

I’m glad I did this! Sappiness (somewhat, but not really), aside, I’m glad I got to learn more about Minho, who’s always been the SHINee member I knew the least about. I watched a couple episodes of Romance In The House, which he stars in, and his feature in Yumi’s Cells (which is adorable, btw, go check it out!). I also looked at his interview with Korean Englishman, and of course, his and Key’s infamous I Live Alone episode together, which never fails to make me laugh.

My Top 5 songs were Call Back, Heartbreak, Chase, Prove It, and Came And Left Me, with Because Of You as an honorable mention. Minho gets an 8.25 out of 10 from me. He tends towards an understated coffee shop sound that floats in one ear and out the other, a bit like New Jeans or Yuju, and there’s nothing wrong with that; I do like most of his songs. But like I said with I’m Home, it’s just not the kind of sound I search out. I’m someone who loves the craft and, to be honest, the drama of music, and while that drama is present in the videos, it’s not always in the songs themselves. That being said, when he does go the extra mile by adding synths or strings, he’s made some wonderfully atmospheric songs that set him apart from other soloists of his generation.

Next time, we’re onto a huge k-pop group, one of the few that debuted before SHINee that’s still very much around and kicking. Tschüss!