NCT’s Jaehyun recently completed his military service and will be joining 127 for their comeback later this summer. Before that, he’s back with new solo track 99 Degrees — a stark, emotive ballad with R&B flair.
It takes a few key factors for me to enjoy a ballad. As I’ve said many times before, you either need a killer melody, standout performance or dynamic arrangement. There are few ballads in K-pop that feature all three of these elements, especially given the industry’s current love of “vibes” over virtuosic performances. With Jaehyun at the center of 99 Degrees, the song relies most on his standout performance. As usual, his vocals are captivating and unique and it’s nice to hear them stretch out over an underproduced ballad like this.
On the other hand, 99 Degrees‘ melodies are pretty flat and the arrangement rarely builds to anything of note. The song climbs to a semi-climax toward the end, but seems hesitant to push over the edge. What we end up with is a fine return from a voice we’ve missed, setting the stage for more dynamic material to come. However, I don’t know that I’d have much reason to return to 99 Degrees on its own.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 7 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7 |
Grade: C-
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
love him but his music is so uninteresting
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what are your thought on roses?
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it was cute but nothing special unfortunately
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What are some ballads that you do enjoy?
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TVXQ – Love In The Ice
G-Dragon – Untitled, 2014
Taeyang – Eyes, Nose, Lips
BTOB – It’s Okay
B1A4 – Lonely (more of a midtempo)
EXO – Miracles In December
Golden Child – All Day
Woohyun – Close Your Eyes
Infinite – Between Me And You
Seventeen – Simple
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Hello by Boys Republic is amazing too
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I was going to put that on the list but it feels more like a mid-tempo to me. But yes, I agree!
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oh, me me, ask me! … glad you asked!
Adding to Nick’s list:
Crush – Beautiful
Kim Sung Kyu – Beautiful
AKMU _ How can I love the Heartbreak …
Roy Kim – Linger On
Park Hyo Shin – Wildflower
Oh My Girl – Closer (more of a mid-tempo)
TVXQ – Magic Castle (covered by everyone)
Lim Young Woong – Our Blues, Our Life
Jeong Hongil – The Memories I can’t Reach
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Haha this made me laugh. Thanks for the recommendations!!
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I really like it! It’s really simple but it’s catchy and he sounds great. A more dramatic bridge or progression in melody later in the song would’ve been nice. At the very least its miles better than the other single released today and should get quite a few plays before it becomes irritating.
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It’s nice to hear Jaehyun again after so long. I just wish it wasn’t a ballad, but I’ll take what I can get.
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Kinda of a strange song to me by its construction – it pulls upon so many genres in sequence and doesn’t quite make up its mind what kind of song it wants to be when it grows up. Odd production choices which I suppose could be artistic but for it doesn’t gel.
Starts with a free flowing sketch of a melody and sentiment, unclear what time signature it is in. The chorus kicks in, slow melancholy, seems to be a slow 4/4 time? Back to the verse which is clearly 6/8, like a light R&B then ends with a bluesy hold. Chorus is wispy falsetto, this time around oh gosh what am I counting I will just go with 6/8 again. An electric guitar pops in for a few bars in the break, why?
I gotta say, I think someone like an Onew could pull this off, but I think Jaehyun needed more time singing it with just the piano to figure out how to craft the vocal to provide a solid through-line for the song.
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See for example, Onew “Circle” live.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0qAqPo2Tto
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