EXO’s D.O. Turns Up the Passion on ‘Mars’: Song Review

D.O.’s (Doh Kyung-soo) singing is at all times a special one for me—a euphonious voice of sweeping sonorous melodies. Those melodies shine bright as he turns up the passion on “Mars,” the lead single off his third mini album Blossom, within a short film-esque music video—like an ode to love and longing over a vivid pop tune. 

“You and I live on different planets/I have never left Mars in my life/Venus is where I can see you.” “Mars”’ opening verse nods to the boundaries and distinctions between a man and a woman. She is from Venus, the planet of love, while he is from Mars, the planet of passion. They complement each other, spicing a life whereby love prevails over differences. D.O. muses, “Should I fly to that far-off place to reach out to you?” and is striving to make the communication happen.

“Mars” appears lush and balmy; it breathes more life through D.O.’s charming presence; his smooth vocals meander across a tranquil acoustic realm, accented by soft guitar sounds speaking to its essence. It suggests that the allure of a love song awash in desire, like “Mars,” is a major musical catalyst in and of itself. At the heart of the allure lies the universal human experience of love and an urge to connect with someone else. That’s exactly what “Mars” does—its beauty lies in its ability to take one there, where it creates a vivid portrayal of the desire that consumes the artist.

The pre-chorus details his restless nights and his racing heart, growing fonder by the minute for this person. While the chorus reiterates that he’s still stuck on Mars, D.O. delivers the lines with a sense of unflinching passion, expressing how love’s influence transcends space and time, rendering the moment valuable and fueling his desire to finally meet the one he’s been waiting for.

The song’s subsequent parts center on his potential feelings—of awkwardness when he suddenly sees her, the worries he has, the heart-pounding moments, and all the stuff that stirs his imagination about this amazing encounter, making him wish to get closer to her faster than feeling worried. As time goes on, the fear will be gone, for he’ll be by her side, with no spaces in between. The video draws to a close, featuring D.O.’s efforts to establish contact with the beloved, eventually done through a correspondence of messages between the two. At this point, he sings, “You know I fly from Mars,” although he’s still outlying, so far away.

“Mars” is a mellifluous number that everyone may relate to—an engaging narrative through music. It relates to us in a very familiar sense in that it mirrors back to us the feelings and experiences of love and longing that we may have experienced in our lives. D.O. understands that and makes a pleasant pop song out of it.