Onew is one of five members of SHINee, one of k-pop’s longest running and most influential groups, alongside Jonghyun, Key, Taemin, and Minho. He debuted as an idol in 2008 (at the ripe old age of 19), and debuted as a soloist just after SHINee’s 10th anniversary in 2018.

Here are my credentials: As you may have gathered from the name of this blog, I’m a huge ShaWol (SHINee fan), and have been since 2020. That being said, I’m much more familiar with the other members’ solo careers, particularly Jonghyun’s and Taemin’s, and that’s why I decided, almost two years ago now, to go through Onew’s discography. What you’re reading now is a re-write of that original review, hopefully with some added maturity and some added thoughts on what makes Onew such a special artist. So, let’s get into it!

(Note: for time reasons [traveling] we’ll just be focusing on Korean songs, not his two Japanese EPs and his English single, but rest assured that I do in fact know they exist lol)

EP #1: Voice

Blue is a ballad if ever there was one, coming just on the heels of a year of deep loss and reflection for SHINee and just before three of their members began their mandatory military service. Onew’s voice has always been something special, but the way he sings here, it’s like he’s pouring his heart into every note, making quite an affecting performance. Usually I’m someone who’s fairly ambivalent towards ballads, but this one really won me over. I love dancing and beautiful production, but I’m a singer at heart, and so I couldn’t help love it. It’s one thing to sing a ballad. It’s another to do it like this. And the MV too is gorgeous, all in shades of blue, gray, and white, swirling around Onew in a vortex as he just keeps walking.

From the EP, I enjoyed the powerful build and gentle strings of Your Scent, the catharsis in the slow-building Illusion, and, of course, the warmth imbued in the acoustic album closer Shine On You (my hidden gem). This is quite a melancholy collection, on the whole, and thus I don’t find myself returning to it often, but whenever I do, I always feel like a weight’s been lifted.

EP #2: Dice

After a start like Voice, you’d be forgiven for expecting the rest of Onew’s discography to be ballad-heavy. But the next title track, Dice, goes in exactly the opposite direction. It’s incredibly poppy, almost cartoonish in its visuals, and honestly quite strange (which we’ll get to in a minute). It reminded me a lot of Jonghyun’s preferred style of laid back R & B paired with bright colors, albeit with a peppier through line. Though the song itself isn’t anything earth-shattering, Onew’s voice makes everything more enjoyable, injecting a welcome sense of excitement and sun. There’s something to be said for how much difference the kind of performance that he’s capable of makes; it’s the difference between thinking “oh, this is a good song” and returning to it the way I have after my first review.

And we haven’t even gotten to the music video, an acid-trip of a love story set on the backdrop of a dystopia that would make Wes Anderson proud. (Have you ever seen the Royal Tenenbaums? It was definitely on the moodboard for this). I can see why, for years, this MV was his most viewed. Any attempt to describe it wouldn’t do the ridiculousness justice, so just watch it for yourself.

From the EP, I enjoyed the bright, synthy feeling of Sunshine (which really does live up to its name), the 80s influences in the funky On The Way, and the vulnerable lyrics and easygoing beat of Love Phobia (my hidden gem).

Album #1: Circle

Full disclosure: writing this paragraph about Circle took me a solid fifteen minutes when normally I go through a song in five. There’s something about it that defies description, or maybe something that defies a simple review. From the gentle strings to the gorgeous choir of voices behind Onew’s, it’s a song that you can’t appreciate fully on the first listen. (Or, at least, I didn’t.) It grows on you, not like a weed but like a comforting vine, at times a little soothing, at times a little haunting. And while I appreciated Onew’s voice in Blue, Circle is what really made me fall in love with it; it’s so light and airy, but holds so much warmth and inner strength in it.

As for the lyrics and the MV itself, Onew takes the idea of a circle for a nostalgic retrospective through his life as an idol, a friend, and a person, cycling through seasons, years, and classic elements to arrive at something new. It would be impossible to include all of my favorite lyrics, so I’ll just share a few: “The joys of an unhurried sunrise of a slow dawn // something you cannot hold in your hand”, “The eternal cycle around the sun, the wind, the clouds, the rain, and the sea”, and “We can embrace each other wordlessly, we do, we do.” Do yourself a favor and spend five minutes—or, who are we kidding, fifteen—and just listen.

With Circle comes the first full album, one that Billboard ranked the best kpop release of 2023. To say I was a little skeptical the first time around would be an understatement, but it seems that Onew is destined to surprise. There’s so much to talk about and so little time, so I’ll just discuss my favorites. There’s the soothing, ethereal Cough, which makes you feel like you’re floating through time, the easygoing charm of Caramel underpinned by light funk, or the disco sound of Paradise, tailor-made for roller skating. My hidden gem—which was very difficult to choose—remains No Parachute, which combines layers of Onew’s great vocals with a bouncy beat and a lighthearted sensibility that’s quite addicting. Billboard’s award is well deserved.

EP #3: Flow

Beat Drum is both Onew’s first release since leaving SM Entertainment (and joining a company run by his childhood friend) and since returning from a very long break for his health. So I was curious, upon first listen, about which direction it would take: would it be a classic ballad like Blue, a pop smash like Dice, or something all its own like Circle. It turns out that Beat Drum takes a middle path, taking the incredibly upbeat sound and synthy feel of Dice while working in the new element of hip-hop and a much quicker underlying drum. It’s a song that sounds like a celebration, and though it’s different from his previous work, it still feels like Onew. My one complaint, though, is that it’s just too short. It’s not even two and a half minutes! I demand at least thirty more seconds of him harmonizing. I have been robbed.

From the EP, Flow, I enjoyed the woozy, dreamy vibes of Maestro, and the dance-floor ready sound of All Day. My hidden gem, though, is probably Hola, which skips along with its light footed sound and synthy beat.

Single #1: Mansae

While Beat Drum was a little bit on the subdued side, not even the most critical viewer could accuse Mansae of being the same. Right from the start, it bursts forward with an insistent, bass-driven beat, trippy percussion, and some delightfully funky interpolations. But the best part of this is that, despite all of the bizarre music video choices (funny as they may be), Onew’s vocals are really what take center stage. I’m often of the opinion that vocals go underappreciated in upbeat songs, but here, they’re rightfully the star of the show. It’s so nice to see! And I admit I smiled like a fool when Jinki yelled “Nan haengbokhae!” (I’m happy!) at the end. Because, you know, I think I believe him.

EP #4: Connection

I’m very biased when it comes to Winner, I admit it, not only because I love SHINee, but because it goes for one of my all-time favorite sounds, a slowly building power ballad. With a mix of melancholy and hopeful that is a perfect fit for Onew’s specific voice, the song feels full-to-bursting with the kind hard-won determination to keep going. The MV is at times heartbreaking and cathartic, watching him scream in the bathtub and belt on a rooftop, “As long as the traces of my fight remain, I’ll raise my fists and yell at the sky.”

I especially loved the bridge / outro, which brought in some almost gospel-like influences and connected his struggles to those of people around the world. And after all he’s been through in the last years, I can’t help but feel like it’s autobiographical. And I didn’t miss the hints to Jjong’s Lonely, especially with the bathtub. He even co-wrote it; forgive me for being emotional, but Jonghyun would be so proud of his hyung. And though he’s a decade older than me, I’m proud of him too. Did I maybe cry a little? Irrelevant. Moving on.

From the EP, I enjoyed the backing choir in Promise You, the funky influences in Boy, and the easygoing warmth and solid beat of Conversation, which was probably my hidden gem. This would have been a solid package even without Winner and Mansae, but all together, it’s a strong contender for one of my favorites of 2025.

Single #2: Confidence

Confidence wouldn’t necessarily be my first choice for a single, but by the end, it won me over. It operates on a simple beat with pops of funk and jazz that make a solid through line. It doesn’t have a lot of peaks and valleys, but more so feels like a laid-back version of Conversation, which obviously I’m on board with. The MV is delightful too, despite being fairly simple. I just like seeing Onew happy and embracing his sense of inner whimsy. And if that means him strolling around LA with a pair of wings and overalls that make him look twelve, so be it.

Album #2: Percent

I have to confess that anytime I hear that a song is called “Animals”, I immediately think of Maroon 5 (I’m old, I know). But it won’t shock you to learn that Onew’s Animals is completely different. Instead, it’s about how people have an innate sense of connection with each other “despite language”, and are all just animals underneath. The MV leans into these very entertaining Thriller-esque visuals, but undercuts them with enough humor to still feel like Onew, despite not being the same sound as any of his previous titles. I don’t know how he does it. The song itself is led by a strong underlying beat with funk layered on top, and I’m so here for it. I could have done without the short rap break, but overall, he pulled it off.

When it was announced that Onew would come back with a full album, I was so excited, especially after how great Circle was. Percent goes down a different path, perhaps reflective of him being in a far happier place than he was two years ago. This release is joyful and just feels like it was recorded through a smile. It was hard to narrow it down, but I enjoyed the jazzy groove of Caffeine, the strong rock edge in Far Away (that guitar riff!), and the piano-led, vocal-heavy Epilogue. I just wish it wasn’t so short! At 11 songs, it’s only 30 minutes, and I wish I got to hear more of Onew.

I admit I also got a bit emotional that the final song (after the epilogue) is Happy Birthday, and I can’t help but wonder if it was a nod towards Jonghyun, who also had a rendition of Happy Birthday in his second full album, though Onew’s is much more upbeat. Either way, it’s a sweet, sweeping way to end the album, and I quite like it.

Verdict: TL;DR

I’m glad I did this! Looking through Onew’s discography is something I’ve been meaning to do for a while, and through this, I gained a brand new respect for Onew’s beautiful voice and how well it fits with strings. I spent a good amount of time watching content while editing, from his KODE episode with Huh Yunjin (who I adore) to his appearance on Lee Mujin Service to him and the other members of SHINee reviewing their career with ODG. I’d really recommend any of those; they give you a great idea of who he is.

My Top 5 songs are Winner, Circle, Conversation, Hola, and Dice, with No Parachute as an honorable mention. Onew gets an 8.75 out of 10 for me, far higher than the original score I gave him in late 2023. I think there’s a couple reasons for that: my growing appreciation of ballads and especially of unique, strong vocalists, certainly, but also that, as he’s gained more creative control over his music, it’s been much more my speed. And much more his, which is what matters most. The genres he delves into aren’t always among my usual favorites, but when he nails it, he absolutely nails it, and more often than not, he proves me wrong.

And on a personal level, I’ve been a ShaWol for many years now (as you can tell from the blog name), and to see him not only come back from a much-needed break happier and healthier than ever but to make the kind of music he’s always wanted to makes me so, so proud.

Next time, we’ll be doing part 2 of the SHINHWA deep dive and a girl group supplemental. Tschüss!