The holiday season is upon us, which means K-Pop (and J-Pop) will soon be unleashing their seasonal efforts on the market. Alongside the release of their first Japanese album, NCT Wish are ready to usher in winter with the festive Wishful Winter. The song makes sense for November/December but feels like a throwaway in the larger context of their discography.
It’s difficult to review seasonal songs because they exist on a different plane and often have different goals that more traditional singles. Songs like Wishful Winter seek to offer a comfortable nostalgia through familiar melodic structure and the ever-effective use of sleigh bells. I guess NCT Wish succeed in this goal, but the song feels a little inert. It’s stuck between ballad and mid-tempo, never growing into something more thrilling. It feels as if the production is holding back at every turn. Wish’s vocals sound better than ever and Wishful Winter is at its best when it draws upon this asset with minimal instrumental flourishes.
My highwater mark for SM Entertainment’s holiday offerings is EXO’s 2013 winter album. This song doesn’t come close to touching those heights, but it’s always nice to have another seasonal track to throw on the playlist during this time of year.
Hooks
8
Production
7
Longevity
8
Bias
7
RATING
7.5