Despite being a huge presence in K-pop, I get the sense that most newer fans are not be familiar with Kim Junsu. If there’s one soloist’s discography I’d point them toward, it’s his. Songs like Flower, Tarantallegra and Rock The World should be a part of everyone’s music library. Junsu doesn’t come back often with new music, but he’s returned with a full album today.
Junsu is well-known for his ballads, but I much prefer his upbeat dance tracks. Fortunately, these are usually the ones he releases as title tracks. That continues with Gravity‘s EDM assault. He’s taken us straight to the club with this one. The beat thumps with presence and drive right from the start. In fact, I’d argue that Gravity relies too heavily on this beat. The verses are more fully drawn than the chorus, which feels like a sketch rather than a fully-realized centerpiece. I get that “talking over a beat” is the preferred approach in K-pop right now, but Junsu has always been about the choruses! In this regard, I need much more than what Gravity is giving us.
Fortunately, there are moments where the song’s potential pokes through. I adore Junsu’s vocal and it’s nice to hear it pulling the verses forward. He can belt it out with the best of them, but he restrains his power for a sultrier take here. That makes Gravity‘s non-chorus even more disappointing. If you must hold back, give us a sense of release somewhere. I can hear a thumping dance beat in so many tracks right now. I want to hear him sing!
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8 |
Grade: B-
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
1. Intro: Drawn
Analysis: This is a beautifully spooky and delightful intro that completely makes you feel drawn into the project. There is definitely something special about album intros—they just hit differently!
2. Gravity
Analysis: This was certainly a unique track. I love how daring the production is, getting progressively louder and bigger while taking various twists, turns, and sudden dives. However, the slight use of vocal effects sounded a bit unusual to me, and I was surprised the song ended so suddenly. It felt like it needed just a little more room to develop. Still, it is a very interesting and distinctive song, especially for a Korean soloist.
3. Homage
Analysis: I really enjoy the guitar elements sprinkled throughout this track. It feels like a very daring production choice.
4. Forest of Memories
Analysis: A four-minute song in 2026?! It truly brings a smile to my face just to see a track of this length nowadays. In addition, this song reminds me a lot of “Hello” by ZEROBASEONE, which is a ballad I personally enjoy. This is a very standard, classic K-ballad. While I understand it is intended to be soft and gentle, I do feel it lacks a few high notes or power notes to really make it pop.
5. What About Your Goodbye
Analysis: Wow, another ballad, and this one is five minutes long! That is fantastic. It features more climactic moments than “Forest of Memories,” so I can definitely see what he was trying to achieve here. However, it’s not quite my personal style, so it probably won’t be a track I return to very often.
6. Beat’s Knockin
Analysis: This track brings a wonderful amount of energy to the album. The rising chorus is very cool, and the guitar instrumental break is excellent (and you all know how much I love a good guitar break!).
7. eXtreme Love
Analysis: This one starts off incredibly strong and pushes forward with full rock power. I feel like this song possesses a very commanding presence and feels more like a natural title track than “Gravity” does.
8. Slowly
Analysis: A nice, slow song appropriately titled “Slowly.” It has a wonderful, easy-listening vibe to it, reminiscent of a wave drifting gently in the breeze.
9. Like Like Like
Analysis: This track starts off softly and gradually grows bigger, much like a expanding flame. It beautifully plays with sweet, layered vocals and soft, airy instrumentation. It then takes another turn, returning to a slower and softer pace, before leveling out to a standard tempo as it nears the end.
10. Outro: Reached
Analysis: The atmosphere of this track makes it feel as though we are standing in a massive coliseum. We usually don’t see many outros on albums these days, so this was a really fun addition. It also makes frequent use of the word “DA!”, tying back nicely to the title.
Conclusion: Many of the tracks on this album beautifully incorporate the guitar to some extent. Overall, it is a very solid project, and it completely piques my interest because of how distinctive his musical style is. I can’t readily think of another artist quite like him, which is a wonderful position to be in.
If any of you are longtime fans of his, please let me know your favorite song recommendations! I only recently discovered him back in April when I was exploring TVXQ! and JYJ. This album definitely leaves me eager to discover more of his unique charms and artistic personality. Surprise me, XIA!
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oo an album? I’ll check it out, my main knowledge of him outside a few group songs is that he has a great voice and was in Death Note the musical in Korea I think?
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Xia / Junsu has been in so many musicals. It has been his regular gig since the TVXQ breakup – SM got him essentially blacklisted from appearing on any Korean TV music shows from about 2009 until 2024. On the other hand, having so much experience singing and performing live for so many years, live live, has meant he has developed serious performance skills.
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Xia showing once again how its done. I love the throbbing beat, the immensity – if I crank this up in a car, I will be that car going BUMP BUMP BUMP at the stop light next to you and I won’t care what you think.
What I also like about this song in particular is that it is a leading man doing a solo song that sounds fully like a solo song. So many younger solo artists choose or are given songs that are meant for multiple voices in a group, and they can’t quite deliver on all those. Xia has chosen a song that suits him to perfectly as a solo artist. Also the way he owns the stage in front of the backup dancers, he is our focus, he is not one of many he is the One.
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