Kim Jaejoong Celebrates 20 Years in the Industry with FLOWER GARDEN

One of the most interesting and intense stories coming from the K-Pop world, even to this day, is what happened in the major lawsuit between members of TVXQ! And SM Entertainment. Pretty much everyone is familiar with the breakthrough case, which is credited with the abolishment of slave contracts and introducing the seven year maximum contract length. While the lawsuit in 2009 shook up the entire industry and was ultimately collectively a huge win for the health of idols, the aftermath of the breakthrough case did a number on the careers of the members of JYJ, who brought forth the lawsuit.

It was common knowledge that the trio was blacklisted from the industry due to the lawsuit, and watching that pan out for over ten years has been a very interesting experience. On a moral standpoint, pretty much everyone agrees that it’s not fair for Kim Junsu and Kim Jaejoong to have been blacklisted in the entertainment industry, but despite that there wasn’t much really done about it. Both were unable to appear on national networks like MBC and KBS, which was a huge blow at the time before social media had blown up in the K-Pop space. They also had trouble promoting in Japan for various reasons, but it’s not hard to infer it probably stemmed back to the blacklisting. 

And despite that, both still continued with their careers and found success, even amongst the worst of the blacklist period. Now, Jaejoong has returned with his fourth full-length album FLOWER GARDEN, an exploration into his twenty year career as an idol. He’s been working on this album since the establishment of his new agency, iNKODE.

The Pre-Release: “I AM U”

On June 11, Jaejoong dropped the pre-release single “I AM U” two weeks before the full album. I have to say, Jaejoong’s vocal tone has really matured over the years, and this track does a great job to showcase just how talented he truly is as a vocalist. The song is a simple pop rock ballad, designed to emphasize the vocal line. It’s a beautiful track, captivating even for those who aren’t a fan of the singer, and a true testament to the artist’s talent.

I really like the simplicity of the music video as well, which shows footage of Jaejoong traveling abroad for a concert. Much of the video is made up of simple shots of him enjoying local scenery, his personality accentuated by the numerous shots of him attempting to connect with animals he comes across in the park. It’s endearing, and easy to forget that he’s actually 38 when he appears so youthful and full of life. There are clips of the concert performance as well, and it does a great job in showcasing his authenticity.

The Title: “Glorious Day”

“Glorious Day” is another pop rock track, though more energetic than the pre-release ballad. It has the same genre feel with the same strong vocal focus, just with a more upbeat overall tone. At its core, the song is a cheerful declaration of optimism, which is something we could all use a little more of. I really like the final chorus of the track where Jaejoong layers himself singing over the chorus, giving the song extra depth. The video is again fairly simple, though this time just showcasing him either performing with a band or enjoying the presence of spring just about everywhere. Simple concept, but it does fit the motif of the track very well. 

The Album

FLOWER GARDEN has a couple features, including MAMAMOO’s Moonbyul and MIYAVI. It opens up in a very loud and upbeat tone with “Good News” and “Glorious Day,” before the pop rock genre makes way for the softer R&B “Dream Party.” “The Light” featuring Moonbyul follows with the same soft and sweet tone, showcasing both a rap and vocal verse for Moonbyul. “To The Boy,” “Tru Love Tru Lies,” and “Summer J” follow much the same as the previous pop rock tracks.

Eighth track “Devotion” is where we see a bit of a shift in the musicality, though overall the tone of the album remains upbeat. “Dopamine (feat. MIYAVI)” sticks out immediately as a favorite, as the addition of MIYAVI’s guitar adds to the intensity of the song. Jaejoong’s vocals mesh very well with this style of guitar, and I’d love to see him do a heavier rock concept in the future. 

“Don’t” introduced a light bossa nova driven melody into the mix, which makes it stand out on the album immediately as it’s so different. I had expected a bit more darker tone earlier in the album, considering the concept revolves around his journey in music, but we finally get that in “Concrete Heart,” which presents as a powerful dark ballad. This is the kind of tone I really enjoy with Jaejoong’s vocals, at least personally. “Rain Shower” follows as a true ballad before the album conclusion with “I AM U,” which circles back around to the more optimistic tone of the beginning of the album. 

Jaejoong has proven the strength of his artistry in these twenty years of his career, and this album gives a more personal look into the crazy circumstances we’ve simply watched from the sidelines all this time. You can feel the sincerity in this album, and I think that authenticity is what makes this album so special. We’re glad you’re still here after all this time, Kim Jaejoong. And hopefully you’ll be here for many more years to come.

Edited by Cara Musashi