TaeMin's Comeback With "Advice" Is Ushering A New Era For K-Pop Right Before His Military Enlistment

SM Entertainment

The latest musical comeback shaking up the K-Pop world for good is finally here. 's is back. Following the revelation of his military service enlistment, TaeMin announced his 3rd mini-album titled "Advice" on May 2, 2021. "Advice" was officially released on the 18th of May, 2021 and almost immediately, it received an incredible response from both fans and critics worldwide. The album topped both Korean and international charts, recording a number 1 on the iTunes Top Album charts of 41 international regions!

 

Concept

Right off the bat, there's a gothic feel to the concept of this comeback besides the obvious grunge and punk vibe. Black ink seems to be pervading the overall aesthetic theme. At the same time, another predominant concept seems to be that of the game of chess and consequently strategy. This is carried over to the music video for the lead single and the title track, 'Advice' where we saw a distraught yet composed TaeMin initiating a game of wits, a push and pull of sorts, where he ultimately comes out victorious.

TaeMin's Comeback With "Advice" Is Ushering A New Era For K-Pop Right Before His Military Enlistment

SHINee's Twitter

TaeMin's Comeback With "Advice" Is Ushering A New Era For K-Pop Right Before His Military Enlistment

SHINee's Twitter

 

Fashion & Appearance

TaeMin showcases two distinct concepts when it comes to artistic expression through fashion. In one set of teasers (pictured below), he's wearing a nude beige crepe top with a sword held to his chest in a field of reeds. A field of reeds is a common metaphor for confusion and indecisiveness. Upon closer inspection, you can also see what looks like bones in the background but those bones most definitely belong to some ancient animal, giving the entire scene a medieval atmosphere. There's a pictu