Review

Song Review: Suho (EXO) – Who Are You

In a K-pop climate where everyone seems to be harnessing rock touchstones, EXO’s Suho has thrived on the genre for years. It’s been a sweet spot for his solo music and new title track Who Are You continues to paint him in this light. It’s a sprawling mid-tempo seemingly designed for road trip sing-alongs.

This isn’t a sound many would associate with K-pop, but solo releases tend to be a different beast than full-group promotions. This is a “stand behind a mic while strumming a guitar and emoting” type of performance and Suho has proven himself a great emoter. However, a track like this also benefits from build and development. I like the widescreen transition between verse and chorus, but even at three minutes in length Who Are You doesn’t give itself the chance to build toward a proper climax. Instead, the song repeats its same structure two times before simply ending. This dulls some of its overall effect, even though it’s a satisfying listen while you’re in the thick of it.

Hooks 8
 Production 8
 Longevity 7
 Bias 8
 RATING 7.75

Grade: C+

3 thoughts on “Song Review: Suho (EXO) – Who Are You

  1. This is a light pop/rock song that could have been released almost anytime with small changes in timbres. For this old lady, it could have been a cover of some 90’s band single which didn’t quite make it on radio. Or as a cover of some unreleased CNBlue or Day6-style track.

    It’s fine. Suho sounds great as expected.

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  2. I had not heard any of Suho’s solo work, but I’ve appreciated it so far. Feels like he transitioned to a “dad-rock” phase… but I can be here for that too!

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