So many of the conversations I have with friends, colleagues, and family in the months and weeks before the holiday season all boil down to where we’ll be and who we’ll be with on any given day for the months of November and December. Even if you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas, for some reason it just feels important to be with our families (biological or otherwise) during these cold, dark months. It seems fitting then, that one of the groups that so beautifully embodies the concept of ‘family by choice’ releases such a gorgeous tribute to these feelings just when we need it most.
One of the subunits of NCT, NCT U, is an ever-changing lineup of members and styles that serves to allow the group and its artists the freedom to try new things. This particular release, Coming Home, is ballad featuring Doyoung, Taeil, Jaehyun, and the NCT U debut of Haechan. It is the ultimate in winter Kpop, a soft, nostalgic ballad with sweet lyrics, fake snow, and a blurry filter. In some behind the scenes footage of the men featured on the song, they all talk about how they’ve always wanted to do a real winter song – they got their wish.
In the same behind the scenes video, Haechan calls the song a bop. He rolls his eyes and ruthlessly teases the other members for not understanding the word ‘bop’ – they think he’s calling it cooked rice – and lords over the table with his mad English slang skills. But slang is hard and I think I have a slightly different meaning for the word than Haechan does…to me, a bop is more of a summer song…all light and upbeat and danceable. This song, Coming Home, makes me want to pack my carryon and board a plane for the East Coast. I want to go to PA and snuggle in a blanket in front of my parent’s fireplace, staring at the Christmas tree covered in the decorations from my childhood and pretty little white twinkling lights. There would be tiny scraps of wrapping paper still in the carpet and new toys and clothes and books to look through and play with, but we would all mostly just be sitting quietly together and sipping hot chocolate.
(hungover on sugar from the day before)
Merry Christmas.
Coming Home, NCT U
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