[Album Review] JEONGHAN & WONWOO’s “This Man”
A seemingly incomprehensible subunit turned pure gold — JEONGHAN X WONWOO marry polar opposite vocals into a delightful symphony for their first subunit release.
Images throughout: PLEDIS ENTERTAINMENT.
When Pledis Entertainment announced the debut of JEONGHAN and WONWOO (JxW “This Man”) on May 19, 2024, the thought process behind the creation of this subunit seemed incomprehensible. With JEONGHAN and WONWOO having polar opposite voices, fans were left wondering how the duo would sound together.
The possibilities were endless, and “This Man” did not disappoint. Produced and written mainly by SEVENTEEN member WOOZI alongside Bumzu, the album contains three songs that explore the themes of love, loss, and longing.
“Last Night” starts with a melodic guitar sequence by Park Ju Won, immediately transporting listeners to a warm summer evening.
JEONGHAN and WONWOO’s contrasting but complementary voices make every verse addictive. The chorus is memorable with its pulsating bass, but the bridge, featuring Jeonghan's angelic voice steals the show.
The lyrics of the song beautifully capture the pain of missing an old lover you can no longer talk to: "This silent moonlit night / Insincere words / Got me confused, got me missing you."
Instead of voicing your feelings, you hope to see them in your dream once again, to experience the lost love just one more time in another dimension: “I'll jump over the wall of your dream and find it.” While simultaneously hoping that they are dreaming of you too: “I carefully knock on your door / Last night, last night.”
The music video that accompanies this song, produced by aHOBINfilm, is equally unique.
Combining the "This Man" urban legend and the mythology of Sandman, "Last Night" keeps you begging for more after the credits roll.
Fortunately, JEONGHAN and WONWOO have explained the theme in a 30+ minute-long audiobook that will quench fans' thirst for the lore.
The next song on the album is "Beautiful Monster," a solo by JEONGHAN. This track is again written by WOOZI and Bumzu but also features two Grammy Award winning songwriters David Brook and Jintae Ko, and highly accomplished musician and songwriter Mike Gonek.
As SEVENTEEN has 13 members, equal line distribution is a challenge. Additionally, with the vocal line containing members with different vocal colors, JEONGHAN’s delicate vocals often remain underappreciated.
However, his honey-laced dreamy yet skilful vocals in "Beautiful Monster" prove once again why he is a vocalist within the group.
Evident in the lyrics: "I can't stop myself from changing / I always want to wander around searching for you," this song is about longing for your lover. And JEONGHAN’s soft voice fits the mood of the song perfectly.
The only issue is that the song cuts off too soon, but that’s what the loop button is for!
The last song of the album is WONWOO’s solo track "Leftover," which he contributed to writing. The song encapsulates the feeling of being treated like a leftover: "I am left alone at the corner, just a trash can / Living with the wounds you discarded."
As a SEVENTEEN member, WONWOO is a proud part of the rap line. However, his singing skills in "Leftover" have left fans and non-fans shocked.
Not only does WONWOO showcase his powerful singing skills by hitting high notes, but his voice also conveys an agony that can be understood without reading the translation of the lyrics.
“This Man” is an album that no one anticipated but everyone is sure to fall in love with. Each song stands on its own, yet together they tell a cohesive story.
The melodious amalgamation of JEONGHAN and WONWOO has proven to be an enchanting experience that fans hope will be repeated often.
Edited by Chelsea Cheetham.