A.C.E’s vocal gem Junhee is on a solo quest: one to prove himself as a single unit powerhouse. One month ago, the singer tested the waters with his debut single “Supernova”, a disco earworm that had us investigating its music video. In our recent exclusive interview with Junhee, he confirmed that all the green emblems are intentionally placed: ‘The closer I come into contact with them, the more confused and hallucinated I become while searching for the female lead…I intentionally built in these devices so viewers could interpret them freely in their own way.’
And the creativity for this album didn’t end there. The First Day & Night is a trip round the 24-hour clock. The eight-track record makes a solid landing with fabulous lyricism, artistry, and of course Junhee’s flawless vocals, which while shine in the A.C.E ensemble, absolutely deserved their own playing field. Junhee makes his debut album an interactive experience by assigning each song a time on the clock.
“Umbrella”, our 10am song, is a comforting bedroom pop jingle with a disco bassline sprinkled in. The subgenre has brought good vibes to K-Pop ever since Fifty Fifty’s Cupid, vibes of which suit Junhee very well. Despite his Korean upbringing, Umbrella is one out of seven songs on the album in full English, which Junhee sings like it’s his first language. Amongst the list of impressive aspects is an array of lyrics that are pure fun: ‘So this is karma / Knee-deep in the drama / You up and down, we in and out / The Devil wearin’ Prada’. For his Korean fans, Junhee also presents a Korean version as well.
At 3 o’clock we’re on the run in a sunny car ride with “Too Bad”. The warm track is imbued with all the feels of love, while the lyrics suggest a relationship on the cusp of breaking. As always, Junhee projects his voice like he’s experienced every emotion in the world. “You should come” marks 9pm; the chirpy tune will get your shoulders involuntarily dancing, and your heart filled with hope.
In “Night (2:00)” Junhee confuses listeners’ nervous systems; his lyrics will have you crying, but his singing will make you ascend.
‘Caught in the night
With the body of the wave in your sight
In my heart, in my heart
Was I ever in your life?’
Though arguably, the most tear-jerking line might be what comes right before: ‘Tell me, was I never known?’ The desperate plea heard in Junhee’s voice strikes the heart. We’ll be waving our arms along at his concert, that’s for sure.
You can listen to The First Day & Night here. Junhee is on Instagram.
