NCT’s Doyoung debuted as a soloist earlier this year with a full album. Now, he’s capping off 2024 with the release of new digital single The Story (시리도록 눈부신). Rather than reinvent the wheel, the song sounds like an extension of his previous work, drawing upon his rich vocal for an uplifting ballad.
The Story feels almost like a fan song, though its subject matter is more broad than that. It unfolds with the sweeping sound you’d expect from a good belt-it-at-the-top-of-your-lungs ballad, complete with a soaring climax that’s the aural equivalent of taking flight into the sky (imagery that just so happens to feature in the accompanying music video).
I don’t have a ton of use for a song like this in my own music library, though we can always do with a dose of open-hearted optimism. I feel like it would get the most play as an OST to a good drama, but without that added context the song feels somewhat extraneous. It’s always lovely to hear Doyoung’s vocal, though.
Hooks
8
Production
7
Longevity
8
Bias
7
RATING
7.5