Suho’s rock-infused balladry has taken him to the top of the charts, but there are more engaging tracks on his new album than comeback single Grey Suit. Thankfully, SM Entertainment has decided to promote the upbeat Hurdle alongside this ballad, resulting in a second music video and a second Bias List review!
I would have been happy with promotion for either Hurdle or Morning Star — both of which boost the tempo and break Suho out of his shell. There’s a strong 90’s vibe running through the entire album, evoking a different shade of nostalgia than K-pop’s current 80’s revival. Hurdle takes a more anthemic approach, melding funky verses with a driving chorus. I love Suho’s delivery, which has a casual – almost slurred – appeal. He brings great personality to a track that could have easily felt generic and overly polished.
The stars of this show are definitely the chorus and pre-chorus. A robust blend of guitar and synth gives the track plenty of weight, culminating in a fun, shout-along climax that delivers the energy I’d been hoping for. This final minute is a ton of fun and makes me wish the entire track had dropped its guard and embraced a more ferocious energy. If I’m being critical (and when am I not?), the verses are a little long-winded and forgettable. But, Hurdle is definitely the best solo Suho track we’ve heard yet. With any luck, he’ll build upon its charms and continue to unleash his inner rock star.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
BASED
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His performance was so swaggy omg. Will you be doing a buried teasure for morning star? I have to say, Grey Suit has grown on me. The lyrics are pretty and I’m a sucker for good vocals and his was amazing. Suho seems to really have grown artistically with this album, at least in my opinion. Would love to see more of his hurdle side.
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The performance for it today? Whew, just watched the fancam and his live vocals are so good! What a great song.
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OMG yes! This is my favorite Suho track of all time (along with “Morning Star”) and I’m so glad this is getting promoted alongside the title track.
This track (along with today’s live performance) gives me major “Harry Styles” vibes, especially with the bridge with his belting and the “shout-along” refrain. Though, it keeps that unique vibe that Suho has with his voice and vibe. The MV is fun (and hilarious) too!
I was very surprised with the album being very strong. Even the “ballad”-type songs are growing on me.
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Also, what’s with the SM “balladeers” going upbeat this year (I’ve heard SHINee’s Onew’s upcoming album will consist of upbeat songs too)?!?! Because I’m loving it!
On a personal note, I’m curious about what EXO’s Chen is going to do with his upcoming album (post-military comeback) if he ever decides to release one this year.
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I dream of rocker Chen 🤞 we got a taste of that in the bridge of “Drop That”
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That was my favorite part of the song! He definitely snapped.
We also got a taste of that in his solo stage of EXO’s first tour (“Uprising”), his solo in EXO-CBX’s Japanese album (“Watch Out”), and in one of his OST’s (“Rainfall”). (The last one was calmer than the other two, but it still counts).
I missed when he challenged himself with his voice and slayed the hell out of those rock songs. Because now the closest we’ve gotten to see him sing like that was at the end of the bridge in “Trouble”, where he belted like a rock star for about 10 seconds.
And I know he is good at ballads and it seems like he’s very comfortable doing so, but I just miss this side of him so much. I’m crossing my fingers that we get something closer to rock for his new album, especially with pop rock/punk making headlines in the k-pop industry.
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Yes!! Chen is my favourite vocalist in the industry and I would love to hear a rock based album from him.
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This is a trend I sincerely hope will continue for a long time! (Especially for Chen’s next album…if any kpop soloist deserves a rock album, it’s him.)
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Off topic but I’d love to see a Rania song ranking! They have a lot of interesting material (Style, Just Go, Demonstrate, etc. etc.) so I’d be very curious to see what your opinions were on each song!
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This is my fave in his album. Followed by Morning Star and Grey Suit.
Anyway, since everyone’s talking about solo album and comeback. I would love to see a Xiumin solo album. He haven’t had any even post-military. It will be interesting to hear him sings upbeat too because I believe he sings so well but not given so much lines. I love all of them but I would like to see them all shine individually too. ❤️
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Looks I posted on the wrong thread. Forgive me 🥺🙏
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I agree that the final minute of this song stands out! It’s a satisfying climax.
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