Tasting Notes: Park Jung Min
Park Jun Min came out with a new single this past week, ‘Love Sick’ in both Korean and Japanese. I’ve been excited for it since he announced it more than a month ago.
I’ve touched on this in the past, but I started out as a huge SS501 fan, they were my original ult group and the only kpop group I listened to exclusively for a while, and so I get excited when some of the members post about their solo works. I knew that there wouldn’t be a lot of buzz around it, but I didn’t realize it would be so much that I would have no access to this song.
It’s not like I didn’t try. I spent HOURS going through social media and Google translating articles where others had posted pictures of their CDs or record stores in Japan with their full inventory…and yet the closest I got to listen to it was one person who had recorded their CD playing.
Listen, I understand I can find him singing the song live at various fan events, but I want the actual studio recording. I want to hear both versions.
So I’ve decided to wallow in this post, and show some of my favorite Park Jung Min videos. This isn’t a full on Flavor Profile, I’m not going to spend time on specific information about him. I just want to share the videos that are the reason why I like him, and why you should too. So then next time a single comes out I can find it easier.
An easy video to start off with is my favorite song of his (under his Japanese name, Romeo). Seriously, this is so known that it’s my favorite you are all probably groaning cause I’m making you listen to it again. I can’t help it. ‘Give Me Your Heart’ is SO GOOD (and what a DREAM it would be if he started doing music under his Romeo name again!).
‘Love Ya’ is really his song. Oh, I remember when this came out and how excited I was.
His. Song.
He was on Masked Singer in 2017, and while he didn’t go super far I really loved his reveal performance:
The other song that he’s sung at fan events that I wish I could get my hands on: ‘Yes or No’. (This is also the video that solidified him as bias wrecker).
This was his last single release, ‘XTC’, from the beginning of 2019.
He also does ballads and has been cast in several musicals. He has a good voice for them because of his work in musical theatre.
Performing ‘Not Alone’ on Music Core.
I had forgotten about this cute Youngsaeng/Jung Min clip until I went down a YouTube spiral.
Ah, old school idol variety antics.
And as a bonus, my favorite trio from the group doing a small medley. I just love them.
It’s really hard being a fan of groups and people no one else is anymore, so if you are like me and are sad that it’s hard to find his content we can share in our grief together and take every little bit we can.
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