When Taemin released his single Veil last week, I was surprised it wasn’t paired with a music or performance video. After all, he’s one of K-pop’s premiere visual artists, with choreography and sheer star presence often elevating the songs themselves. It turns out we just needed to wait a few days before that video materialized.
Of course, this blog isn’t often concerned with the music videos. I watch them all and I watch some of them many times, but I’m much more liable to enjoy the music on its own merits. When it comes to Taemin’s solo work, I have a harder time getting into his moodier works. These are often considered “performance pieces” above all else, so rather than focus on sharp melodic hooks they’re much more concerned with the overall performance package.
Veil doesn’t skimp on theatricality. It’s stuffed with choral vocals and thumping percussion. It’s like a Broadway show performed in hell. You can practically smell the brimstone emanating from the claustrophobic instrumental. It’s a vibe that works well as “music to perform to,” but as a song there’s not much that really compels me here. The melodies are circuitous or sometimes nonexistent, making Veil feel like an extended monologue rather than a tightly constructed pop single. This is all by design, and if you simply enjoy watching Taemin do his Taemin thing you’ll surely enjoy this.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 7 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.25 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I will be forever obsessed with Taemin but this is just not good.
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There is a secret inverted scale of the quality of the song versus the quantity of vigorous arm movements in the dance. The quality songs don’t require much at all.
In “Move”, the first lines of the chorus had the barest wisp of arm movement, three beats off the beat, then a gentle pulse for the next section of the chorus.
“Veil”, whoosh arms go this way, arms go that way, body doubles over, trying to will passion and meaning emphatically into being. The song just doesn’t work.
https://youtu.be/QWUKCiWuXNY
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When the distortion effects first came in, I thought it was my neighbour doing DIY
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My least favorite title song from Taemin. Much prefer Finale. Taemin is my favorite soloist out there, but I was somewhat expecting something like this because after his last comeback, he said that it might be his last “commercial” oriented album. I remember wondering what his new agency thought of that but then realized Taemin’s a workhorse and his bread and butter has generally been appearances/concerts. Fans consider this a scary/hellish version of Heaven but the later is a much superior song imo.
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Oh ho, a Broadway show performed in hell! Gimme Gimme. That is EXACTLY the vibe I live for.
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Haha I’m glad it found its listener!
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Aaaand another song with Taemin dancing around the edges of confession and Catholic guilt. This kind of 19th century struggle is catnip for me.
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One of his weakest
Hoping it grows on me
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