‘28 Reasons’ Review: Seulgi’s Solo Artistry is the Past, Present, and Future of K-Pop

In a fastly growing K-pop industry where talent is a given, Seulgi is one of the most talented artists right now with a deadly combination of unparalleled skills in singing, dancing, and even drawing with many years of experience. She has become a powerhouse in K-pop by showcasing her soft, sultry vocals and powerful dancing primarily as the lead vocalist and main dancer of Red Velvet, but also in the subunit Irene & Seulgi, and even as a member of the supergroup Got the Beat. But, with the release of her long-awaited solo debut album, “28 Reasons,” the world can experience Seulgi as just Seulgi for the first time, and what a joy it is. Through six beautifully curated and crafted tracks, Seulgi has embraced her darker, mysterious side to capture listeners in a musical journey that challenges them to reflect on the complex coexistence of good and evil.

The excitement for Seulgi’s solo debut started before its release, especially with the drop of the official album teaser. In 1 minute and 28 seconds, the album teaser is packed with explosions, nods to thrillers, and even emotional acting from Seulgi. Fans commented that this album teaser felt more like a Hollywood-esque movie trailer than the typical K-pop teaser music video and praised Seulgi’s artistic vision with the album’s alluring, sinister theme. Thus, the scene was set for “28 Reasons” to become an album that pushes the boundaries of K-pop.

From the first line of the title track and album’s namesake, “28 Reasons,” Seulgi makes it clear that her album is not going to be just any other K-pop album. After four loud bass beats, Seulgi mischievously opens the song with, “I kiss your brother / I steal that heart.” She then goes on to sing lines like, “I’m breaking every rule / I want to keep teasing you” and “You know all 28 reasons to run away / So, why are you leaning on me again.” Together these lyrics convey two contrasting, but perhaps intertwined sides of attraction — pure interest and mischievous intent — similar to how little kids express their interest in someone by being mean to them. Beyond the dramatic lyrics, the instrumentals are surprisingly quite simple. At most, there are only a groovy bass line, a haunting whistle, and arpeggio strings. Thus, the delivery of the complicated lyrics rests solely on Seulgi’s vocals, which she excels at. She’s coy and sultry at times, but powerful too, especially during the acapella portion of the chorus towards the end. “28 Reasons” is a simply addicting song for listeners.

However, the song that displays Seulgi’s best vocals on this album is “Dead Man Runnin’.” Featuring lyrics written by Seulgi herself, “Dead Man Runnin’” expresses the story of someone with past scars warning those who have hurt them in the past. Seulgi ditches all mischievousness from “28 Reasons” and focuses solely on vengeance when embracing this character with complete swagger. She sings in a vocal tone that is grittier than her usual tone and overpowers even the intense bass in the instrumentals. Her vocals build up to the final breaking point at the end of the song, and it is hauntingly glorious.

The third song of the album, “Bad Boy, Sad Girl,” does a complete musical 180 from the villain-esque “Dead Man Runnin’” by featuring Seulgi’s lovely, whimsical vocals and pairing it with Korean rapper Be’O’s similarly brighter tone. The song is like a breath of fresh air on a summer day within the otherwise heavy, darker album. If “Bad Boy, Sad Girl,” represents the summer day, “Anywhere But Home” features summer night drive vibes. Seulgi’s vocals here are more airy and dreamy, floating above the bass rhythm and soft electronic piano riffs. This song is very easy on the ears and should be added to driving playlists immediately.

Through “Los Angeles,” Seulgi adds a new musical style to her growing repertoire — EDM pop dance. The highlight of “Los Angeles” is the musical drop that features bold techno sounds. However, as cool as the drop sounds the first time, it does not feature Seulgi’s vocals, which are perhaps the best elements of the album, and also gets repetitive. Nonetheless, it is a head banger that highlights Seulgi’s willingness to explore different sounds. The final song of the album is “Crown,” which is a regal ending worthy of this phenomenal album. It once again features Seulgi’s powerful vocals, but in a more grandeur manner aided by the expansive instrumentation.

There are more than 28 reasons why Seulgi’s “28 Reasons” is one of the best K-pop releases of the year, but one is the opportunity to experience Seulgi’s artistic brilliance in its fullest and purest form. Seulgi creates the perfect harmony between K-pop’s original roots of simplicity and modern K-pop trends’ sonic dynamism. From the album’s themes to its lyrics, it is evident that Seulgi put a lot of thought and effort into creating a K-pop album like none other. It leaves listeners thinking, if this is what Seulgi can do in just six songs, imagine what more she can do in the future.

—Staff writer June K. Park can be reached at june.park@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @junekimpark.