It’s been three years since Park Jihoon was last featured on this blog. That’s practically a decade in K-pop time, as an entire generation of new fans crop up with no real idea who this guy is. For those unsure of the name, Jihoon was one of the pillars of Wanna One, the group formed through season two of Produce 101. He’s had a few great solo hits to his name and also found success as an actor. With Bodyelse, he’s getting back into the pop game.
Comebacks after this length of time can be tricky, especially for soloists. Rather than reinvent himself, Jihoon has played it safe with Bodyelse‘s pleasant — but inessential — sound. The song adopts a specific style of surging mid-tempo synthpop we’ve heard a ton of this decade. Usually, these songs are relegated to b-sides when artists want to show their more sentimental side. There’s a reason for this, as the sound doesn’t usually feel ear-catching enough to promote as a title track.
This is Bodyelse‘s main struggle. The song is pleasant and easy listening, but it’s so free from character that anyone could have performed it to similar effect. Jihoon’s never had a particularly compelling voice, and that further hinders Bodyelse‘s chances of standing out. No one will dislike this song, but I doubt many will go out of their way to listen to it, either.
Hooks
7
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
7
RATING
7.5