Wonho (원호) made his solo debut last year after parting ways with the Korean K-pop group, MONSTA X. He recently made his comeback this year with the new single “BLUE,” part of his third mini album that dropped Sept. 14, “Blue Letter.” This follows the release of his two-part album “Love Synonym.”
“BLUE” is a pop song different from the other singles Wonho has released. It is a bright, upbeat song that is perfect for the summer season. The color blue is not a new element. Blue has been Wonho’s color from the start, dominating every music video he has released thus far. He takes it one step further in “BLUE ” by singing about it.
In an interview with Audacy, Wonho shared how blue became his “signature color… a great color to express emotions,” even though his preferred color is black. Overcoming “feeling depressed,” among other hardships, was his greatest inspiration when putting together the album “Blue Letter.”
Usually, blue is associated with sadness and feeling overwhelmed, as was portrayed in Pixar’s “Inside Out.” Wonho shows a different shade of blue, as well as himself, matching the beat’s pleasant party vibe. Previous singles had a more serious, solemn tone to them while Wonho seems to have fun in this song, playing a successful footballer who finally asks out his crush in the music video. Although he plays a jock, he paints himself as a kind and joyful high school student who is well-liked by his peers––in contrast to the stereotypical mean high school athlete.
The vocals are on point; Wonho seems to be getting better and more confident in his voice with each new release. The chorus is fast-paced and starts to slur the “feels like blue” lyrics into the next line. It wouldn’t hurt for him to pause in the song since the instrumentals in the background are pleasant. However, the speed may have been intentional to reflect how someone might feel when asking out their crush––nervousness, fast heartbeat, etc.
“Blue Letter” contains an English version of “BLUE;” however, I find it difficult to make out the English lyrics because it is fast-paced and the background music is slightly overpowering. Hence, I prefer the Korean-English version.
“BLUE,” with lyrics written by Wonho, is a light and airy track clocking in at around three minutes. It will probably get a great deal of radio time and is a notable addition to your summer playlist.
