Luna’s Return is a Certified Tearjerker
MeUs have been struggling in this f(x) drought, but Luna and Amber are consistently aiding fans with their solo works until the much-anticipated return of the girl group. Just this year alone, they’ve supplied us with certified bangers—like the duo’s SM Station tropical house track “Lower” that dropped on January 5, the live version of “Free Somebody” with everysing and HEDA from February, and Amber’s Rogue Rouge mixtape released on April 19. Now, Luna has returned after her critically acclaimed solo album Free Somebody.
“Night Reminiscin’ (그런 밤)”
The solo singer’s title track, “Night Reminiscin’ (그런 밤),” is definitely not the upbeat dance track one might anticipate after “Free Somebody,” but it’s still so satisfying to hear Luna’s heavenly vocals over a new melody. There is no question she is one of the best vocalists in the entirety of SM Entertainment. Accompanying on the track is ballad singer Yang Dail, whose deeper, velvety vocals complement Luna’s lighter, honey-like ones.
It’s hard not to tear up when hearing the vocals alone, but even the lyrics are heart-wrenching, speaking of love, loneliness, and longing. She sings, “When the day darkens and that kind of night comes / I escape my thoughts and miss you / I’ll tell you I miss you and want to see you / I’m getting intoxicated by music in this room alone,” thoughts that have likely crossed many lovers’ minds when missing someone (translation credits to hearteumi@functionlove.net). The soft delivery and gentle piano are a source of comfort for this lonely song. Ballads like these are successful because of the emotional coloring the singers add to their vocals; Luna and Yang Dail should be credited not only for their clear vocals but also for their ability to convey emotion.
The music video is just as lonely as the song, with Luna as the sole star of the show. She’s seen in several shots around an open bedroom layout that at some points looks as if the furniture is perched on a cloud. There’s a pale blue tint to the room almost like the break of dawn right before the sun rises, with sunlight occasionally filtering in through closed blinds. After the first chorus, there’s an eye-catching scene where the lights throughout the room light up with the corresponding piano note in the small break between the first chorus and the second verse. At one point, she even holds a sweater, presumably of her absent partner, to her face to smell. Luna herself looks healthy but her facial expressions alternate between pensive and bittersweet, almost as if she’s happy to be missing this person because it means she’s at least thinking of them.
“Falling Out (원하기 전에)”
Luna was kind enough to gift us another track for this single, entitled “Falling Out (원하기 전에).” The song has a similar ballad vibe to “Night Reminiscin’.” Personally, “Falling Out” also melodically reminds me of Suzy’s “I’m in Love with Someone Else (다른 사람을 사랑하고 있어).”
This B-side is about the pain of hiding a one-sided love. It seems to capture the exact moment where she is confronted by this person and must walk away before she wants more and gets hurt again. She describes the once again bittersweet feeling of the beauty of falling in love and how it makes even the simplest things in life sweeter, like walking down the road she always travels. However, throughout the song, she pleads for this person to refrain from showing any signs of affection before she’s tempted and asks for more. The song becomes more urgent, vocally and instrumentally, as it goes on, but softly concludes as Luna gives in to her longing and asks the person to hug her warmly.
If these two tracks do not trigger even one tear, then you’re probably heartless. Sadly, Luna is one of the more underappreciated vocalists in the K-Pop industry, but that hasn’t deterred her from releasing quality music. Even if you’re not a fan of slower songs, you’re bound to appreciate the artistry behind this release. It may not gain as much popularity because it only consists of ballads, but this single should hold us over until we hopefully get a full comeback from f(x).