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EXO’s D.O. reveals he wrote title song ‘Rose’ for solo debut, fans predict 'cultural reset'

EXO's D.O.’s first solo project consists of a mini-album titled ‘Empathy’ and he released a mood sampler for his debut album

Almost two weeks ago the internet was ablaze when SM announced that EXO’s D.O. will be having his solo debut. He happens to be the sixth member to venture solo. Since 2019, most members are gradually having their solo debuts and fans were waiting to see when D.O. would.

D.O.’s first solo project consists of a mini-album titled ‘Empathy’. And while it is not a full studio album, fans were pleasantly surprised when it was revealed that the mini-album would have eight tracks. And we still have time for the final tracklist and highlight medley to drop, but a mood sampler was released on July 15, as well as information on the title track, ‘Rose’.

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D.O.’s title track ‘Rose’

D.O. was discharged from his mandatory military service back in 2020 and has since been busy. He participated in EXO’s latest comeback ‘Don’t Fight The Feeling’ and is also working as an actor. While he has released solo projects like soundtracks and for SM Station, this is the first time he will be debuting as a solo artist. 

With his soulful and powerful vocals, D.O. best suits the ballad genre. And while many wondered what kind of songs would make up his first album, it is no surprise that he has gone with a folk song for his title track. It was announced that ‘Rose’, the title track, is an upbeat folk song full of guitar acoustics with a romantic message. 

In 2019, we found out that D.O. had bought a guitar and was learning how to play it. Expectations are high since many wonder if the guitar in the song will be played by him or if he will play it during a live performance. Along with that, he has also written the lyrics for this love song about courage as he confesses his feelings to the one he loves.

Furthermore, there will be a bonus track in the album, an English version of ‘Rose’. It is also said to have a different charm from the Korean version as the lyrics feel like it's perfect for a romantic OST. Meanwhile, the mood sampler that was released hints at the type of vibe the song and the album will have. We see a youthful D.O. lazing around in the short video with a retro concept full of minimalist aesthetics like flowers and caressing sunlight accompanied by a soft guitar.

‘It’s a cultural reset’

Fans were so overwhelmed that they took to trend his real name, ‘Kyungsoo’, as well as his stage name, ‘D.O.’ Even the title track, ‘Rose’, started trending leading to a silly confusion as tweets about the title song and Blackpink member Rosé got grouped together. 

One fan tweeted, “ROSE BY KYUNGSOO isn’t just a song, it’s a cultural reset, it’s the oxygen you breathe, it’s a lifestyle, a reason to breathe, an escape from this cruel world filled with thieves, it’s an art, the first gift you open on christmas, a hug from a loved one.” Another fan tweeted, “THE LYRICS WRITTEN BY D.O. HIMSELF. AN ACOUSTIC FOLK WITH A LIGHT GUITAR RHYTHM. LYRICS DEPICTING A FRESH LOVE STORY. ENGLISH BONUS TRACK. SO WE ARE GETTING LYRICIST, GUITARIST, ENGLISH SINGING, FIRST LOVE MATERIAL KYUNGSOO.” One tweeted, “Everytime i hear that kyungsoo’s chuckle at the end of the video every cells in my body smile.” Another tweeted, “I think your return will be wonderful.I'm looking forward to seeing you.”