Jung Yong Hwa of CNBLUE is back. My ultimate bias is back with his 2nd Mini Album. The title track is called ‘YOUR CITY’, a 90’s pop song. It’s Yonghwa’s comeback after 6 years, after military service, corona, etc. So happy that finally Yonghwa can release his songs that I think mostly different from CNBLUE’s music. This time Yonghwa serves us with retro 90’s pop songs in my opinion. As always Yonghwa writes his song himself and working together with good musicians to compose the songs in this album.
Let’s talk about the MV first. It’s a one-shot music video and Yonghwa is looking good here, correction, as always. Also thanks to the stylists for his suits, make-up and hair-do. The MV is entertaining and the part when Yonghwa throws the suit is kinda memorable to me. Oh, the guitar solo part is my most fave, where he also throws the guitar! That’s because guitarist Yonghwa is best. Also I can feel the break-up feel in this MV.
Your City ~ Actually Yonghwa already gave us fans spoiler before the official release. He sang it in one of the show in Daejeun last week (or about two weeks ago). At first I was still processing the song. But slowly Your City grows in me. I think the decision to make this as title track is genius. This is so different than CNBLUE’s music. The musical instrumentals in the song are quite strong, like the sound of the guitar that I like. So groovy. Yonghwa’s soothing voice is so calming. He knows how to add the ornaments into the song. It is so lovable especially the “tarata tata” part, it makes us can sing along and dance… that part is smart.
Pain Healer ~ Wah love this song. It’s super completed song I think, from the vocal to the arrangement. But it’s still easy listening. The guitar riff (I hope I’m right) is so strong and I likeee. The music is for me is kind of modern. Yonghwa’s head voice and the music combination is so sexy in my opinion.
On Your Time ~ It’s like a 70’s pop song. I don’t know where Yonghwa gets inspiration making this song… it’s so different, with retro sound. Same like Your City, this song is slowly growing in me like I really enjoy listening to it. Yonghwa’s vocal is so good and the melody is easy listening I just can’t help but dancing listening to this song.
Small Talk ~ It reminds me of Trigger, CNBLUE’s song in the latest Japan single Let It Shine. Yonghwa really explores not only pop and rock but also electronic music. Pop retro. Heard synthesizer that is so strong. But still it’s not far from Yonghwa’s melody style and band music. You can jump jump jump when listening to this song live.
SEASON OF LOVE ~ I think this is my fave song after Your City. 90’s dance music that is so groovy and likeable. The melody is so good and it makes us dance. Yonghwa’s vocal is no doubt here. The chorus part is gluing in my head… baby baby you know that is the season of love…
note to self ~ slow song that we all love. I think it’s like 90s-2000s brit pop song, the genre that Yonghwa likes. But what more likeable from this song is the lyrics… Read that from someone’s trans on X (twitter), it’s like a comforting song. Yonghwa knows how to make the song’s gluing in our head. The chorus is my fave.
It’s kinda hard to choose but my top 3 in this album are Your City, SEASON OF LOVE and note to self. But Yonghwa said that all of the songs in the album are masterpieces which I agree. If you listen to the music, he makes them rich and I believe, with passion.
For this comeback Yonghwa didn’t come to music show to promote but he came to university festivals instead. And of course to youtube channels, radios and some famous variety shows. This kind of promotion I think is suitable for Yonghwa now because he can reach varied audiences, and he can perform live in a big festivals. He is a performer after all.
The album has 2 versions: Over City and Among City. I already ordered mine and can’t wait to receive them. They have photo books inside the album and I’m so happy that Yonghwa holds a lot of events like video calls, pop up cafe event and even offline fansign.
After all I hope he satisfied and happy with this album, also with the promotions. After this, Yonghwa with CNBLUE will hold a concert in Korea, after 6 years at Olympic Hall on 7 and 8 October 2023. I wish I could go there but sending my love to all Boice who come and enjoy the concert. It’s gonna be awesome and anticipating surprises from the concert.
Hope Your City album reaches a lot of audiences and viewers from Korea and around the world even if you’re fans or not, because this album is good and worth to be heard.
Here I share some of good and recommended youtube shows that Yonghwa guested for the promotion.
In Lee Mujin Service, Yonghwa covers girl groups’ songs: Lonely by 2NE1, Rose Blossom by H1-Key and No Celestial by New Jeans. Yonghwa also plays recorder with Mujin who is playing guitar, which is worth to watch. Thanks to Lee Mujin Service for inviting Yonghwa, so we can listen to Yonghwa’s arrangement for the songs and all of them is dope!
Yonghwa appeared on The Seasons 3 with AKMU. The highlight of the show is the duet with Suhyun. They sang AKMU and CNBLUE’s song. ‘How I Can I Love the Heartbreak, You’re the One I Love’ was sung so beautifully. The perfect harmonization makes me repeating the video. And they also sang LOVE. I never knew that they can make LOVE so different. Yonghwa and Suhyun are good singers. It’s a nice show you should watch.
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Finally what we’ve been waiting for, Jung Yong Hwa on Killing Voice. As Always impressed us with his good voice, powerful vocal. This time Yonghwa performed CNBLUE’s and his own songs. Love the songlist, especially they include Then, Now and Forever, the emotional song for me and the masterpiece, One Fine Day. His famous songs such as You’ve Fallen For Me, Because I Miss You and For First-Time Lovers (Banmal Song) are also on the list, closing it with Your City, his latest song. A must watch.
Last but not least. FNC also released Your City commentary film by Jung Yong Hwa himself. This is good cos we can finally understand the songs in the album, I mean the story behinds each titles. I noted that Yonghwa made ‘Small Talk’ for live performance. And ‘note to self’ to help others to feel comforted. Right!
Pictures: FNC Entertainment