Lee Taeyong is best known as the leader of kpop behemoth NCT, as well as their subunit NCT 127, which debuted in 2016. But, since 2020, he’s also had a fairly successful solo career. He enlisted in the military in April of 2024, and he’s coming back…in about three hours.

Here are my credentials: So, confession time. I’m a fan of NCT Dream, and a casual fan of NCT Wish, but 127 has never been for me. I like Taeyong as a person, from the little I’ve seen of him, but so far the solo music I’ve heard of his hasn’t been my thing either. Since he’s coming back from the military today, 1 wanted to give his music another chance. Let’s get into it!

Single #1: Long Flight

I suppose it would be apropos to say that I watched Long Flight on a long flight; I did not. I watched it in the airport after my flight was delayed, because I refuse to pay for in-flight Wi-Fi. Nevertheless, this wasn’t what I expected for his debut. I feel as though this song is the twin of Huh Yunjin’s Blessing In Disguise, melding a confessional-style lyricism and a bubbly sensibility, with a poppier sound than I was expecting. Taeyong’s voice isn’t as harsh here as I’m used to in 127’s music; instead it’s much softer and smoother when he sings. He has quite a nice voice, actually, and I was really surprised by how much I liked it and the song in general.

Single #2: Love Theory

Taeyong is often presented as a contradiction central to kpop: a tiny, bubbly man who looks like the human version of Strawberry Shortcake, unabashedly loves roses and stuffed animals but who could probably out-rap anyone I know by a mile. This song delves into that, bathed in pink and a cartoonish style, and melding Wonstein’s gentler voice with a fun, laid-back chorus on Taeyong’s side. I don’t enjoy this song as much as Long Flight, to be honest; I think it needs a pop of something more, personally. The song feels like it’s building up to a more hefty hook, but then it just doesn’t. Either way, despite my gripes, it’s a lot of fun to watch, and won more than a few giggles from me.

EP #1: SHALALA

Shalala is exactly the kind of song I was afraid of from Taeyong’s solo career. As makes sense for an idol most defined by his rapping, is very sing-talk heavy. But I hate it. I’m sorry. I think it’s the worst kind of screechy, painful noise music with and I couldn’t even make it through the second verse without taking my headphones out. I did eventually finish the song, because I’m stubborn if nothing else, but I found very little redeemable about it besides the goofy music video. I know Taeyong is both a great writer and a great rapper, but I don’t feel like you would if you just listened to this song.

From the EP, I enjoyed the emotion of 404 File Not Found, but as for my hidden gem, it was a toss up between the bouncy, groovy Move Mood Mode and the gentle Ruby. Move Mood Mode pairs Taeyong with Wendy, and this blog is basically one long Wendy appreciation post at this point, so of course I loved it. Ruby is undoubtedly the most poignant song here, expressing love for Taeyong’s beloved childhood dog of the same name. It made me a little teary. Maybe I’ll make up my mind before the review’s done. Either way, despite the title track, I really liked this EP in a way I absolutely wasn’t expecting.

Single #3: Gwando

Gwando is as different from Shalala as you can really get, despite coming from the same fairly short EP. It’s a return to Taeyong’s gentle singing voice, thankfully, and feels a bit like waves lapping at a shore. I was expecting it to meander along in the way of Long Flight, but to my surprise it actually has a lovely slow build, combined with a gentle whistling hook and an insistent piano. And though the video was filmed in Pattaya, in the south of Thailand, I was equally shocked to see Taeyong not only mostly shirtless but with his tattoos on full display. He just looks very comfortable, and it’s nice to see. It’s such a nice change from Shalala, at least on my end.

EP #2: TAP

Tap, being Taeyong’s last official comeback before military service, had to go all out. Combining SHALALA’s in-your-face rapping with Love Theory’s abject silliness, it’s honestly a bit difficult to focus on what the song’s trying to say when I keep getting distracted by what the hell is going on in the music video, and equally, what the hell “I’m saucing on you” means. Do I want to know? I’m not sure. My biggest issue with it, besides the vaguely nonsensical lyrics, is that it needs a stronger hook than “tap, tap, tap, tapping on me”, which is now, painfully, stuck in my head. All in all, I absolutely like it more like Shalala, but that’s not really a high bar, is it?

From the EP, I enjoyed the ethereal sound and surprisingly gentle vocals of Moon Tour and the joyful build of 404 Loading (a sequel to 404 Not Found), my hidden gem was the choppy, synthy Run Away, with its great electric guitar and chant-out final chorus.

Single #4: Rose

Rose is the first of three “special videos” released while Taeyong was away for his year and a half of mandatory military service, and is, unsurprisingly, just as low-key and cozy as you’d expect. Named for Taeyong’s rose-shaped birthmark (and representative flower), it’s a sweet “hello” to the fans missing him. The music video too is liable to give you a toothache, showing Taeyong curled up on the couch in a fluffy cardigan, tending to plants on the windowsill, and, most excitingly for me, goofing around with Red Velvet’s Seulgi, an old friend of his since their SM Rookies days. Not only do they sound lovely together, but her presence adds to the comfort the whole thing radiates. It’s truly a crime that this song’s not on Spotify.

Single #5: 501

As is becoming a theme with Taeyong’s music so far, after the gentle touch of Rose, 501 is a hard swing back in the other direction. I was wincing from the first second. This song is like SHALALA on steroids, and somehow even less melodic. In some ways, it’s the most NCT song Taeyong’s ever done, from the neon green and black leather aesthetic to the ear-aching…uh, rapping? I guess I legally have to call it that? that goes on and on without a break. For what’s probably only the third or fourth time in the history of this blog, I gave up. I couldn’t finish the song. It’s terrible, guys, I’m sorry.

Verdict: TL;DR

I’m glad I did this. As mentioned, I didn’t know much about Taeyong before this deep dive, and I’m happy to say I’ve changed that. I’ve always liked him as a person from the little I knew, but I like him even more now. I finished this review the day he came home from military service, so it was a lovely capstone to my little journey to watch him reunite with the members. While I was editing, as per usual, I watched some clips. My favorites would have to be his appearance on Hong Seokcheon’s Jewel Box and his Meme-terview with ELLE Korea.

My Top 5 songs were Run Away, Ruby, 404 Loading, Rose, and Moon Tour, with 404 File Not Found as an honorable mention. Taeyong gets a 7.75 out of 10 from me, which is honestly higher than I thought. I know, I know. Pitchforks at the ready. I’m a Czennie traitor. But seriously though, I mean it when I say that I’ve gained a whole new respect for him and his work, especially his lyricism. Me from a couple of months ago couldn’t have imagined that the same person who made SHALALA and 501 could also make Rose and Ruby. Credit where credit is due, Taeyong, you surprised me.

Next time, we’re onto our final post of the year. Tschüss!