Itโs been a lovely April for EXO fans, known as EXO-Ls. Between the K-pop groupโs 10th anniversary, leader Suhoโs solo comeback with Grey Suit, and a celebratory fanmeet hosted by the group, fans have been up to their knees in content lately.
Luckily, the excitement doesnโt stop there โ EXO vocalist Chen (Kim Jongdae) is finally home from his mandatory military service! Although April is a special time for the group as a whole, it also marks the anniversary of Chenโs solo debut with 2019โs April, and a Flower EP.
To celebrate the singerโs long-awaited homecoming, hereโs a deep dive into Chenโs ten most melodically delightful tracks (OSTs/collabs included!).
Lilโ Something
In early 2016, SM Entertainment launched the first season of its year-long digital music project, SM Station. Among the many songs and collaborations released was โLilโ Something,โ a funky uptempo track sung by Chen and singer/rapper Heize and produced by Korean R&B group VIBE.
Throughout the song, Chen adds a bit of playfulness to his voice as he and Heize sing about deciphering their feelings for each other. โWe have a lilโ something these days,โ the lyrics go, โItโs like I know your heart, but I donโt // Itโs ambiguous, you and I.โ
For anyone familiar with EXOโs discography, Chen is no stranger to flirtatious lyrics, but โLilโ Somethingโ offers up a sweet, lovesick puppy side of him thatโs just too cute to ignore.
Beautiful goodbye
โLetโs talk about all those things we couldnโt say // when the breeze flows gently around us,โ Chen sings in his debut single.
Usually, spring is seen as an uplifting time of the yearโa chance to renew and find love after the cold winter months. However, Chen took the opposite route and combined the despair of falling out of love with the beauty of spring. As a result, he gifted his audience with โBeautiful goodbyeโ as the lead single of April, and a Flower.
Chenโs voice echoes throughout the songโs verses, letting every noteโevery wordโsink in. Lyrically, he sings of wanting him and his lover to walk away from each other as if nothingโs wrong so that their last goodbye is something beautiful. Itโs a powerful message, to say the leastโChen shows his wisdom that they shouldn’t stay together but instead be mature enough to leave the relationship cordially.
Portrait of you
If any song on this list knows how to utilize a piano motif, itโs โPortrait of you.โ Closing out April, and a Flower, the track is a swell of emotions, starting soft and gradually building to a full-blown orchestra. The fairy-like piano introโwhich is brought back again after the first chorusโis what solidifies โPortrait of youโ as a staple in Chenโs growing discography.
Vocally, there isnโt anything Chen canโt do, and heโs shown it time and time again. Although most listeners are aware of the singerโs boastful range, itโs always satisfying to see how he gets from point A (soft and gentle) to point B (intense and thunderous) in mere seconds.
โPass on a memory that still haunts oneโs mind // The one who canโt get rid of you is painting you.โ
Bye babe
Rewinding to 2017, Chen made his second SM Station appearance in season two with โBye Babe,โ an acoustic pop song complete with plucky guitar riffs and an incredibly addictive hook. This time, the EXO member teamed up with indie artist 10cm to express the frustration of dealing with an indecisive partner.
While the bright, vibrant melody could easily fool one into thinking this is a love song, itโs actually a slight burn to their lover on the receiving end. After many failed attempts at trying to pursue a woman who constantly ignores them, both Chen and 10cm decide sheโs not worth their time, nor is she as special or โone of a kindโ as she pretends to be.
The duo is also quick to point out that when a woman plays with a manโs heartโwhich is the case in the songโno one bats an eye. But if the roles were reversed and a man did the same thing, he would be seen as the bad guy.
โBye, bye, bye babe // even if you say this, no one will think youโre a bad person // whatโs the problem?โ
Although it may have seemed like an unexpected collaboration, it was actually one that Chen had dreamed of since high school. Between 10cmโs naturally light tone and Chenโs honey-like vocals, the pair complements each other effortlessly.
Shall we?
Kicking off Chenโs second EP in 2019, Dear My Dear, was its lead single โShall we?โ This track stands out as his most intriguing one to date, adopting a more retro-pop ballad style rather than his usual acoustic or orchestral numbers. In his V-Live, Chen revealed he chose โShall we?โ because it was a genre heโd never done, and it fascinated him.
Listening to โShall we?โ, it feels as if youโve been transported into an old romantic drama, with this song playing in the background. Alternatively, you can imagine it playing at a school dance at the moment when youโve finally mustered up the courage to ask your crush to dance. Either way, Chen channels his old soul for a timeless classic.
โWhat shall we do about tonight? Shall we cross the sparkling galaxy together?โ
Hold you tight
An essential for coffee shop playlists, โHold you tightโ is an acoustic pop song from Dear My Dear. Like many songs featured on this EP, the lyrics are brimming with charming intentions of wanting to hold a significant other in your arms.
With its cheerful tune and warm acoustic guitar, โHold you tightโ is the type of track to easily get stuck in your head and have you singing along instantly.
โIf love is something you can touch, itโs like that sky blue cloud in your arms.โ
Good night
Itโs interesting to see the contrast between April, and a Flower and Dear My Dear. While the former focuses on the aftermath of heartache, the latter is a beam of everlasting love and serenity. โGood night,โ the closing track on Dear My Dear, is a prime example.
As opposed to Chenโs previous piano-driven songs, this one uses acoustic guitar to convey love in its natural state. In short, โGood nightโ is like a lullaby that soothes the artistโs loverโs negative thoughts to make room for pleasant dreams. The hollow-like vocals in the background of the chorus would seem haunting if used in another context. Here, however, theyโre reminiscent of a light breeze blowing through your bedroom window at nightโletting you know itโs okay to unwind and rest for now.
โI hope you donโt worry. I hope youโre smiling. As if time stopped, good night. Good night. This night.โ
Best Luck
Outside of his solo albums, Chen is also in high demand when it comes to original soundtracks (OSTs) for popular K-dramas. In fact, heโs now revered as the โKing of OSTsโ in the K-pop industry and among the EXO members. Although choosing a favorite from his OST repertoire is nearly impossible, 2014โs โBest Luckโ showcases everything that makes Chen a strong vocalist and performer.
Released on the soundtrack for Itโs Okay, Thatโs Love OST Part 1, โBest Luckโ is a pristine love song that outlines the relationship between the showโs main characters, Jang Jae-yeol and Ji Hae-soo. Although the soaring track isnโt Chenโs most critically acclaimed OSTโthat title belongs to 2016โs โEverytimeโ with Korean singer Punchโit is the one most touted among fans as an example of Chenโs vocal prowess.
โMy trembling lips, your fluttering heart // You are my love, babe.โ
Uprising
Long before Chen had any solo albums or OSTs to his name, he had a short-lived rock stint with a song called โUprising.โ The singer debuted this track during EXOโs first concert tour, Exo from Exoplanet #1 โ The Lost Planet, as his solo stage.
Unlike the dreamy sonic palette heโs created for himself, โUprisingโ is everything April, and a Flower and Dear My Dear are notโloud, boisterous, and insanely energetic. The hard rock track showed Chen at his most rebellious, both visually and vocally.
As he donned black skinny jeans, a Rolling Stones muscle tee (sometimes paired with a leather jacket), and a matching pair of Converse sneakers, Chen belted and head-banged his way into fansโ hearts. With the rush of adrenaline pumping through his veins during each performance, itโs not hard to see why this is a fan favoriteโor why listeners are still dreaming of a Chen rock album in the future.
โNo matter what, I canโt be stopped // Yeah // I will finally show my true self.โ
Hello
Just as Chenโs solo career started with โBeautiful Goodbye,โ it came to a (temporary) halt with โHello.โ The ballad track was released in October 2020, just days before the singerโs military enlistment. It has become a tradition for many idols, specifically EXO members, to drop an โenlistment songโ before they leave for duty, and Chen was no exception.
Heavy with sorrow and remorse, Chenโs โHelloโ is a direct letter to fans and carries all the words he wanted to express. The lyrics show that he was regretfully at a loss for words and could not seem to convey his emotions, leaving him feeling inadequate.
โHello, it was hard just to say this word // While my mind was complicated for longโto decide what to say next.โ
Although announcing his military leave was daunting enough, the thought of leaving without addressing his fans must have been even scarier, especially with how much he cares for them. Throughout each leap into falsetto and every dip back down to his chest voice, his love and concern for EXO-Ls remain at the forefront.
Of course, this list could go on, but who knows what the future holds? In the meantime, weโll be eagerly awaiting the next โnewโ era of Kim Jongdae. Welcome back, Chenโand happy April.
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For more K-pop coverage, donโt forget to check out our coverage of SEVENTEENโs โDarl+ingโ here!
