Since leaving SM Entertainment for Griffin Entertainment, SHINee’s Onew has been pretty prolific, releasing a mini album, OST and — as of today — digital single Yay (만세). He seems ready to spread his musical wings, crafting a diverse set of songs that reflect his various strengths. Yay traverses several moods within its three minute frame, remaining disarmingly off-kilter throughout.
It would have been so easy for Onew to go down the expected ballad route, but I’m happy to see his new solo music take a funkier approach. Yay has moments when the beat drops out and we hear a more languid approach, but most of the song is upbeat and rhythmically engaging. It has the tone of freeform jazz, even if the structure is more taut than that. A surprising bulk of the song is devoted to a catchy (but repetitive) “oh oh oh” centerpiece. I would have used this hook more sparingly, but there’s no denying its bright, singalong spirit.
Yay‘s bassline echoes the same melodic structure as this hook, and that’s probably what makes it feel so repetitive. There’s a point where repetition becomes monotony, and Yay precariously skirts this line. I had a similar feeling about his September single Beat Drum, which makes me wonder if this is just an approach Onew enjoys. As it stands, I appreciate Yay more than I love it. It’s nice to hear new sounds in K-pop, but I don’t think I’ll be returning to this often.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.75 |
Grade: C+
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
That “Oh oh oh manse” melody doesn’t seem strange to me 🤔… If you take the post-chorus melody and put it over the groove beat of Infinite’s New Emotions, you’ll get a bit of the same experience, well, at least that’s what I feel right now
Rating: 7.75 (7, 8, 8, 8)
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The production isn’t 8 imo, it’s even worse. The background music drowns out Onew’s voice. God knows how they managed that.
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The whole way though or certain parts? I guess the chords are a bit loud
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Second half
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I’m not really hearing the difference
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an absolute 10 for me
my opinion is that ONEW and his team are crafting songs the way ONEW likes… regardless of anyones opinion
anyways, I love this song, it suits my taste and it makes me happy
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Some songs unintentionally feel like a straight line with boring melodies, on trend production, or less than stellar deliveries. “Yay” feels like it was meant to be a straight line with a lot of emphasis of the groove. I actually feel like the bassline came first and onew is riding the groove for the hook. It is catchy after all. Even the breakdown for the prechorus feels natural and interesting when a section like that can easily come off as trying hard to be shocking , momentum breaking, or frustrating
obviously I don’t think the song in and of itself is meritless, far from it, but I think onew having a unique tone is an important ingredient. Delivered by a more generic sounding performer, I think I’d be in-between how I feel about the song now and how Nick does. Maybe closer to Nick lol…. 8.75
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Onew has said that he wants to focus on performing live and connecting with audiences, both fans and general public. He even skipped out on promoting Beat Drum on music shows in favor of doing more festivals and fancons, where he’s been absolutely thriving. (I mean, who would’ve thought we’d see Onew at Waterbomb? Certainly not SM, but who am I to question their choices 🙄)
Anyway I feel like (most of) his post-SM output has really been geared towards that festival-friendly fare. This song is a tad underwhelming as is, but I’d imagine it’d be super fun to sing along with a crowd. I know I was doing the 월화수목금토일 sick! chant from All Day for a month straight before the song was even officially released 😅. Similarly, I’ll probably be more excited about this song once we get a live performance, that’s the difference that performers of SHINee’s caliber make.
Thank you for your thoughtful and balanced takes, always good to get a different perspective on things!
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As someone else pointed out, the chorus has shades of Infinite’s New Emotions. While I really disliked that vocal hook back then, I find Onew’s version more tolerable, even if the repetitiveness still isn’t quite my thing. Beat Drum and All Day had similar chant-heavy moments, which work wonderfully for live shows—especially as he leans more into the festival circuit. I also loved the live band arrangements of the Flow songs; they brought texture and depth that elevated the originals, and Onew looks right at home in front of a band.
As a long-time SHINee fan, with Onew, Taemin, and Jonghyun being my primary (vocal) draws, I admit I’m biased here. Do I understand TikTok? No. Am I tired of dance challenges? Yes. Do I wish songs would stop dropping below the 3-minute mark? Absolutely! But Yay embraces this, while still carrying Onew’s unique charm. His distinct voice is key in that regard.
The ad-libs and the pre-chorus are hands down my favorite parts. The warm, funky vibe suits his tone so well. When he came back, I hoped for something in the vein of the Circle or even Dice albums, but Onew apparently has other ideas right now. I respect how intentional he is about experimenting and highlighting his brand of quirky, bright and comforting.
Circle was an album I immediately wanted on vinyl, while Dice became that over time. Even if Onew’s current direction is different, I’m excited to see where he takes his solo career. He’s clearly much more in control and hands on after signing with Griffin. I’m sure, I’ll get a b-side, that’ll have more longevity on my playlists like Maestro. Maybe I’ll even get bright & happy from the same lane as the excellent Sunshine moved in.
I’ve never been that into cute and bright music/concepts, and I’m still slowly learning to appreciate it after getting into Kpop. But Onew’s ability to pull it off without crossing into peak cringe territory is kind of impressive.
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Oh, I just realized Benjamin Samama is credited for both New Emotions and Yay.
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The first thing I thought of hearing that hook is that it sounds like a vocal exercise haha.
This is super catchy, but it’s not as well-developed as Beat Drum was. Someone called it a straight line and that’s kind of what it is, but that’s also what it’s meant to be. I appreciate it for what it is, because it’s fun and upbeat and it’s so authentically Onew.
I feel incredibly lucky that one of my favourite vocalists is taking such a fun and unique approach with his music. Ever since joining Griffin, his personality is shining through in his work even more and I adore it! I’m rooting for him entirely, though I’m sure he doesn’t need it at this point. This new phase in his career feels like a cheerful victory lap.
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when reading reviews and comments in this website, i am increasingly feeling like i am just reading people mentally m*sturbating… myself included
despite the efforts to hide what it is just personal taste behind pseudo technical names… this is just people vomiting what suits their preference, over and over, nothing less nothing more
there is just not one way of writing a song, there is just not one way of producing, mixing, …
i myself like this song and i do not love TWS – hey! hey!, for example
although that does not make either song better than the other
TWS – hey! hey! is a phenomenally crafted song, but I only listened to it once and I am listening to YAY non stop… reasons? no idea… there is no rational to it
giving points seems childish to a certain degree
is like giving a score to womens beauty, or a friend telling you “how do you like that girl? her nose is too big and her eyes are small” well i just like her, go f yourself
is this website useless? no, of course not, i appreciate it for what it is
I will still read it, but keeping a healthy distance
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Sorry, but I’m not sure I understand the point of this comment? You’re basically just defining what a review is. I maintain that it’s impossible (and kind of pointless) to be objective when writing about art/entertainment unless you’re doing a purely technical breakdown, which has never been the point of this blog.
For me, I read critique for one of two reasons:
1. To find recommendations or validate/celebrate my own taste. In this case, I try to seek out reviewers/critics that have similar preferences.
2. To find out how others are experiencing things I like/dislike. For this to work for me, I usually have to enjoy (or at least be curious about) the perspective of the reviewer. Maybe their personality’s fun or their writing is good or they simply have a vast knowledge about something specific.
Hopefully The Bias List fits one or both of these criteria for most readers, but it might not. No need to keep me at “a healthy distance,” though. I won’t bite!
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This is one of the most interesting comments I’ve seen just because of how puzzling it is. I thought you were gonna criticize HOW people talk about songs in this space but you seem like you just have a problem with people stating their opinions confidently with more technical vocabulary than you would find in a YouTube comment section. In order to have discussion about art you’re probably gonna have to state your opinion… I feel like you just don’t think about what forms your opinion of a song, at least not often.
that comparison to judging a woman’s face was quite the reach too
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I don’t think there is much special to the song to make it a must listen, but it is well-executed and, if nothing else, Onew seems so happy lately. He is literally glowing from the inside. I find myself coming back to his live performances over and over instead of adding his new songs to my playlists. There is something infectious in his energy this year, like he has finally found himself after the long break. If he never again releases a song that blows my mind like O (Circle) and stays in this pleasant, well-done, festival -oriented, cheerful and cozy vibe, I will be happy even if it’s not my favourite sound because he definitely has earned it to be comfy and settle! What a trip SHINee has had until now and hopefully will keep having for the foreseeable future!
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