As NU’EST gear up to release one last album and say goodbye, here are seven songs by the K-pop act to take you down memory lane.
The first week of March started off on a sombre note for K-pop fans as five-member act NU’EST announced their disbandment just weeks ahead of their 10th anniversary. The group also announced that they would release one last album before finally parting ways.
On February 28th, Pledis Entertainment announced that when the members’ contracts expired on March 14th, JR, Aron, and Ren would be leaving the act. Baekho and Minhyun had decided to renew their contracts. Shortly after, the group announced that they would be disbanding, with the members penning heartfelt letters to their fans.
“When I look back on the past 13 years, counting both the time it took for us to prepare to debut as NU’EST and the time we spent with all of you as NU’EST, there was not a single day when I didn’t feel grateful. I know very well that that was possible due to L.O.Λ.E (the group’s fans) and the members, so I’m still afraid and scared of standing alone.” member and leader JR wrote to fans.
“It feels like just yesterday that I was 16 and left my parents to become a trainee in order to achieve my dream of becoming a singer, but somehow it’s already been 10 years since I debuted as NU’EST.” wrote Ren.
He continued: “When I was young, I was homesick for my family and caused people around me to worry with my anxiety and nervousness about my debut, but because I was with the other members, we were able to run together toward our common goal. After we debuted, it was thanks to L.O.Λ.E, who were always with us and made happy moments with us and cheered us on, that I was able to endure everything.”
As we prepare to say goodbye to NU’EST, here are seven tracks to remember the act by:
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‘Inside Out’ – Romanticize
From the group’s latest album – and also their first full-length album since 2014 – ‘Inside Out’ was testament to NU’EST’s growth over the years, presenting a cohesive sound that they had perfected during their tenure as an act. Confident, sexy, and oozing every bit the charisma of a seasoned act, ‘Inside Out’ emerged as one of the dark horses of K-pop in 2021.
‘Face’
Way back in 2014, ‘Face’ was the track that announced NU’EST’s glorious arrival on the K-pop scene. The thumping electro-pop beat offset by the group’s anthemic chanting sounded more fit for the generation prior to theirs, but NU’EST pulled it off with fluvial ease. Even after all these years, ‘Face’ is to NU’EST what ‘Fiction’ is to HIGHLIGHT (formerly BEAST) or ‘Ring Ding Dong’ is to SHINee.
‘Bet Bet’ – Happily Ever After
If ‘Face’ is special for the nostalgia it inspires, ‘Bet Bet’ remains a crowd favourite simply because of the emotion it evokes – even though the song is anything but sappy and sweet.
Marking Minhyun’s return to the group after almost two years – for those unaware, member Minhyun was a contestant on the music survival show Produce 101, and went on to be a part of the consequent temporary group Wanna One – the seductive future bass on ‘Bet Bet’ felt the start of a new chapter for NU’EST, blending their experimental growth in two years with the same ease and comfort of their early days. Smooth, sensual, and satisfying – this one just hit different.
‘I’m In Trouble’ – The Nocturne
If you didn’t listen to this song in 2020, what even were you doing? ‘I’m In Trouble’ is one of those songs that make you wish you could hit rewind on your memory and listen to the first time all over again. With trusted longtime producer Bumzu and member Baekho at the helm, the restrained, yet free-flowing sound on ‘I’m In Trouble’ became an instant classic and one of the group’s most glorious victories. Polished, groovy and sophisticated, this confident look suited NU’EST well.
‘Hello’ – Re:BIRTH
Serving up some old school pop ballad flavour, the NU’EST on ‘Hello’ may have been young, but no less charming and sincere. The song’s simple instrumentation was elevated thanks to the group’s smooth vocals, where they painfully and longingly reach out to someone who seems so close, yet is too far.
‘Overcome’ – Q is
Bringing a little bit of fantasy to everyday life, this smooth number showcases the band members wading through a snow-capped landscape, determined to find greener, sunnier pastures for the sake of their love. Emotional, sensual, and gripping, this was NU’EST at their vocal and conceptual best.
‘Good Bye Bye’ – Re:BIRTH
It feels poetic to be ending this with a song such as this, but ‘Good Bye Bye’ wins out in its vulnerability and charm. From their album Re:BIRTH, ‘Good Bye Bye’ channels circa late 2000s pop instrumentation to ease the pain of a broken heart. What makes it better is the group’s harmonious vocals on the chorus – working in tandem with the steady pop beat, the soft vocals never feel overpowering, reminding us both of an era and a relationship bygone.
You can read more about this topic over at the Asia Pop Observer.
