Ten’s Bewitching New Single “Birthday”

Few K-Pop idols are more captivating than Ten. In his work with WayV, NCT, SuperM, and his solo career, the Thai idol has established himself as a performance powerhouse with one of the most mesmerizing stage presences in the industry, and his new release “Birthday” shows Ten at his most alluring yet.

“Birthday,” the latest installment of SM Entertainment’s “NCT LAB” project, is a slinky song about celebrating a night together as if it's a birthday. Sung in full English, the lyrics are innocent yet provocative, carefully tip-toeing the line between romantic and sensual. The R&B track is already erotic as it is, with Ten’s passionate falsettos swelling and ebbing throughout the song, but the accompanying music video is where things get truly steamy.

In the video for “Birthday,” Ten adopts an androgynous look complete with smokey makeup, revealing clothing, and in many shots, a hat with cascading sheer fabric. The video is mostly performance-focused, allowing the dancer to entrance viewers with his sinuous moves, but the rest of the video features close-up shots of Ten as he seductively gazes into the camera. All in all, it’s an incredibly intimate performance that few other K-Pop idols could pull off so well, but for someone like Ten, this sultry image feels only too natural.

Check out the video for “Birthday” below, and try your best to remember to keep breathing.

Edited by Aleena Faisal