The Long-Awaited Return of Bang Yongguk

After two long, quiet years, Bang Yongguk has finally made his musical return. The forever-leader of B.A.P and soloist is back with his newest single “Race.” It comes as no surprise that Bang Yongguk would return with a loud, hard-hitting track to awaken all the senses. After releasing a mini-series on his YouTube channel, it was only a matter of time until the veteran artist would make his way back onto the scene.

“Race” is heavily rooted in rock and hip-hop themes that give it that edgy, charismatic, and rough-around-the-edges flair. There is also this level of confidence within himself that Bang Yongguk expresses throughout the song. He is confident in his abilities, in his craft, and he’s going to continue to keep racing to the top. Rising from the ashes and darkness, drive and grit keeps him racing, and while he’s in a race with only himself, there is a sense of empowerment that fuels the song. He implores his listeners to not give up and to keep going on when tackling their dreams and ambitions. 

The music video for “Race” is rather simple as the main focus is Bang Yongguk. However, it focuses on two versions of the soloist; one dressed in dark clothing that can be interpreted as his outer self that is cool, ambitious, and rebellious while one dressed in chrome, which can be interpreted as his inner calm and collected self. Together they balance each other out to make Bang Yongguk as a whole person. Although the artist is not seen driving on actual roads, the quick flashing lights and special effects add to this fast-paced energy that makes it so viewers are racing along with him or traveling beside him. It’s a delight to see Bang Yongguk on screen once again, doing what he does best. 

Bang Yongguk’s return is one that is highly anticipated by fans, especially older fans of B.A.P, but also an opportunity for the artist to meet a fresh wave of new fans who have yet to dive deep into the artist’s solo and group work. Despite only just a single, many can prepare for what has yet to come as he has solidified his name in the industry as a top tier writer and producer of songs. Fans know that Bang Yongguk has been carefully and quietly brewing up his next project.