By this point in my life, most of the K-Pop groups I used to religiously follow are either radio silent, a shadow of their former popularity, or have disbanded altogether. So it always comes as a pleasant surprise when I hear news of a long-awaited comeback from one of the previous generation’s greats.
During Super Junior’s heyday in the early 2010s, Yesung always seemed to be somewhat overshadowed by other members of his troupe. Siwon was the classically handsome one (and, it turns out, the resident homophobe), Heechul and Shindong were the television personalities, and Kyuhyun was the baby face. Recently, however, with the members scattered all over the place until fairly recently, some of the more background members were able to step into the spotlight, including Yesung.
Pink Magic and its eponymous title track is Yesung’s third mini album, and his decade of musical experience is readily apparent; the song stays confidently assured and well within his vocal range throughout, with good production and efficient phrasing. I wish there was a bit more progression, a bit of a ramp-up to something, however; Pink Magic tends to stay somewhat flat from the beginning to end, and would’ve been improved with some additional mixing.
Until Super Junior eventually returns with a full comeback, however, Pink Magic will more than satisfy my cravings for a return to that mid-2010s era of K-Pop—where I knew all of the artists, stayed up until the wee hours of the morning for new releases, and memorized trivia backwards and forwards.