Taemin Releases ‘2 KIDS’; Leaves More to Be Desired
Taemin of the K-Pop group, SHINee, has made his much awaited comeback to music. Earlier today, the 27 year old vocalist-dancer released the single from his upcoming two-part album. The track is called ‘2 KIDS’ and will feature on the two-part project called, “Never Gonna Dance Again”.
Taemin’s Sound is All Too Familiar
‘2 KIDS’ marks Taemin’s first release since his EP, “Want”, back in 2019. Taking a sharp turn away from his signature edgy dance-pop music, this track is a mellow, acoustic pop song. It kicks off with a sparkly-toned beat, accompanied by a steady acoustic riff reminiscent of The Chainsmokers. Taemin soon joins in with an airy verse, speaking of a separation from his ex-flame. The track opens with the lines, “Even if it hurts when you breathe in/ Leave me alone/ Let me be alone.”
And so, he details a tale of young love gone wrong over a familiar, heard-too-often pop arrangement. Lyrically, too, the writing explores familiar tropes of being “too young and too dumb to make it work”. The choral refrain says: “We were just two kids/ Too young and dumb/ Young, dumb and clumsy hearts.”
In addition, the track is accompanied by an official music video that sees Taemin roaming the streets of a city, sorrowful and heartbroken. And, while he continues to bring style and grace to the screen (the singer’s signature), aesthetic shots of the singer seem to make up the whole video.
‘2 KIDS’ Is a New Direction?
And, if there’s one thing people look forward to more than a Taemin comeback, it’s the captivating choreography he brings to the screen. Afterall, he is popularly known as the “Michael Jackson of K-Pop”. And, unfortunately, this release falls short.
While it can be said that Taemin wanted to explore new avenues, this particular release leaves a lot to be desired. Having delivered stellar, redefining pop hits like ‘Move’, ‘Want’ and ‘Danger’, the bar is set high. And, with ‘2 KIDS’, the familiarity is too resounding, and too prominent to set him apart.
By: Ahalya Narayanan
