Kim Jonghyeon, formerly JR of NU’EST, released his second EP Brilliant Seasons on January 3. Brilliant Seasons comes a little more than a year after his debut EP MERIDIEM in November 2022. First previewed at his Sparkling Eternity fan concert in December 2023, Brilliant Seasons contains six tracks: 

1. “Intro (Tempus)” 

2. “MOTTO”

3. “New Season” 

4. “Whatever” 

5. “I’m so dirty, How can I love you”

6. “Don’t Worry”

The Title Track: “MOTTO” 

Composed by OLLIPOP and Ryan Lawrie, “MOTTO” is a track brimming with positivity. The song talks turning every situation into an opportunity. Jonghyeon tackles each day with enthusiasm. The lyrics, such as “even when I’m soaked wet in rain / I’ll always find the rainbow after the rain,” spell out this mentality.  

The accompanying music video also pairs well with this free-spirited outlook. While some sets feature Jonghyeon looking serious and dapper, most of the music video is playful. Many scenes are oozing with colors and with weird, wacky visuals. Jonghyeon spends his day doing just about anything: creating his own paintings, spending time with dogs (one of which has human hands!), sitting in a bathtub while surrounded by parrots, and dancing on top of a cereal bowl.  

Continuing the Flow of Seasons in the B-Sides 

Brilliant Seasons cycles through emotions like the year does with seasons. “New Season” and “Whatever,” two songs that Jonghyeon co-wrote and co-composed, feel laid-back but in different ways than “MOTTO.” “New Season” creates an unbothered vibe with bits of brass backing Jonghyeon’s rap, and “Whatever” supports Jonghyeon’s soft singing with guitar.  

Following those two comes a sadder shift in tone with “I’m so dirty, How can I love you.” From its title alone, it conveys the heartbreaking environment further apparent in the melancholic singing. By “Don’t Worry,” the third song co-written and co-composed by Jonghyeon, the EP ends with its brightest tune. It builds back confidence with the message that “my life is gonna be fine.”

Edited by Aleena Faisal