A Year of Roses and Love with Lee Taeyong

Growing up, our first brush with romance came with literature in which roses symbolized love. We were conditioned to perceive this flower as the ultimate emblem of love, where the deep, red color and silken smooth petals represented the passion between two souls. As we grew older and the rose-tinted glasses came off, we started seeing relationships for what they truly were. Soon we realized that finding love wasn’t as easy as slipping a foot into a glass shoe and it definitely takes more than a magic carpet ride to reach out to your loved one. The myopic viewpoint we had all our life grew broader, allowing us to see beyond the rose. Below the velvety petals rested a stem spiked with thorns, waiting to prick your palms.

But in NCT Taeyong’s universe, a rose is more than love. It is a symbol of two cardinal aspects he lives by; self-love and romance. The kind of romance that keeps you glued to your classic literature at 3 AM; the kind of self-love and acceptance that soothes your soul. We all know the story that bonds Taeyong with roses but for those who may be unaware here it goes. Growing up, the rapper wasn’t too fond of an atopy-induced scar at the corner of his right eye. Upon his debut, the scar was visible to millions of fans who affectionately compared it to a rose. Over time, the resemblance manifested and bloomed to become an integral part of his artistic expression.

On his June 7th, 2021 SoundCloud release titled “Rose,” Taeyong focuses on love as he takes his listeners on a journey of romance, apprehension and risk. The promotions for the unofficial release began on June 3rd, with Taeyong releasing carousel posts containing photographs of himself and of course, the flower itself. The visuals captured Taeyong’s shy, endearing side that fans know him for whilst keeping the striking visuals the world admires him for. Surrounded by roses of various hues, it was later revealed that the rapper handpicked the locations for the shoot. The big clue finally dropped on June 6th with the rapper asking his fans (whom he adoringly refers to as TyongFs) “What color do you think roses are? Check out my Instagram at midnight (KST)”

Featuring Red Velvet’s Seulgi, “Rose” is co-written and composed by the SM artists with Taeyong arranging the track alongside his long-term producer SQUAR. The dreamy-synth indie-pop track begins with a bright, playful piano and synth arrangement, layered with an occasionally recurring click sound. It’s difficult to pinpoint the origins of this sound, but it does remind one of an old-school cassette being inserted into a record player. It’s almost as if the artists are coming from a place of reflection and reminiscing as they walk down memory lane.

The feel-good sonic composition paves the way for Taeyong’s vocals to take the center stage. Here’s the thing, over the years, we’ve seen him embrace his fierce rapper persona. As a rapper, Taeyong is undoubtedly gritty and powerful with his delivery. However, as a vocalist, he is the complete opposite. Mellow and raspy with the power to enamor his listeners, hearing the rapper switch between melodic rap and vocalizations is an absolute treat.

As opposed to the standard lyrical arrangement which begins with a verse, Taeyong and Seulgi opt to kick off the song with the chorus – a style that has been a favorite amongst pop song makers. The chorus gives a solid introduction to the core idea driving the storytelling where the protagonist is willing to jump through every obstacle and walk down every thorn-infested path to get to his loved one: “I’m jumping through that ro-ro-rose/Even your thorny way of talking can’t stop me/ Jumping through that ro-ro-rose/ One step at a time, one step at a time.” 

Seulgi’s feature on the track brings a touch of class and luxury as she accentuates the fervor of the track through a predominantly lower register vocal performance. Her introductory verse opens more chapters of the romance as she confesses about finally sharing the same sentiments, and in doing so, her character guides the male protagonist through the thorn-infested path: “So come on, gently, more slowly, that’s right, try to come closer to me/ You’ll be thrilled to make eye contact with me again/ It seems like it took a while for this day to come/ Now I know we feel the same something.”

At first , one may interpret “Rose” as a tale of trepidation and exhilaration as two protagonists navigate through a new romance. While that interpretation is true, the track leaves behind far too many lyrical gems which shows “Rose” is not solely about ‘new romance’ but rather an affectionate tale that shows how one can approach a new romance. It’s a theme we subtly see spread throughout the track with the repetition of “one step at a time.” In the grand scheme of life, we’ve grown comfortable with the idea of chasing after what our hearts desire at the speed of light. After all, time is limited and desires are endless. Such is true in matters of the heart too. Some may rush into a relationship with the looming fear of missing out on their chance of happiness. Nevertheless, with the repeated reminder from both the lyricist “Rose” teaches us to approach love “one step at a time” as opposed to diving into it head first. 

The second verse is where we get a deeper understanding of the consequences of the said trepidation. Packed with lyrical metaphors, this verse is a dizzying confession of a lover smart to know the troubles that lie ahead yet brave enough to pursue a grand romance. Here, Taeyong chooses to symbolize love using a rose and the complications a new love affair may entail through thorns. With lines such as “I know it will hurt to lie down in the garden of roses,” Taeyong raps about entering the unchartered territories of love, knowing pain could be part of his fate. 

As the verse progresses, we see a man debating with two versions of himself – one that’s analytical and sees the world in black and white, and the other that’s enamored with the idea of love: “With no explanation, my heart knows that it wants you and that’s a problem/ If I don’t dare to be hurt by the thorns then eventually that dream will be impossible.” 

He concludes the verse on a hopelessly romantic note where he pictures the protagonists in a dream: “And one night, I’d like to travel to a dream with you and the language only us know.” With a language that they (protagonist) only know, Taeyong and Seulgi plant the idea of an exclusive bond of love, dialing up the romance.  

The track ends with the chorus and while there’s no major lyrical shift, I am particularly a fan of how the performers chose to conclude the track. They could have opted to conclude the track with either one of them engrossing the listeners with their unique vocal colors as both vocalists are strong enough to shine on their own. Yet, they chose to blend their vocals in the outro, creating a heavenly sonic harmony. The blend between Seulgi’s dulcet vocalizations and Taeyong’s raspy vocals carefully arranged between the synth arrangement creates an outro that instantly etches itself in your heart. It’s quite difficult to get the Taeyong and Seulgi harmonization out of your head.

With “Rose,” Seulgi and Taeyong have displayed their flair for writing about nuanced human emotions. It is a theme that Taeyong has grown more confident exploring in different lights as a member of NCT, SuperM or as an experimental artist on SoundCloud. Love, just like music genres, is an acquired taste. Not everyone may be a fan of your definition of love or the path you chose to acquire it and to a certain extent, “Rose” discusses this at length. While many may get discouraged upon seeing the obstacles that stand between them and love, “Rose” chose to widen the grey area, opting to show that while the risks involved are valid, you may be denying yourself a romance you grew up adoring. One step at a time. That’s all you need to keep in mind.