Buried Treasure: Infinite V (Sungkyu & Woohyun) – Beautiful | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion

A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.

You spend over a decade waiting for something, and then it’s suddenly dropped in your hands when you least expect it.

Fans of Infinite (myself very much included) have been clamoring for a main vocal unit of Kim Sungkyu and Nam Woohyun ever since the group’s heyday. We’ve even pre-emptively given them a name: Infinite V. Soundtrack song Beautiful isn’t credited as such, but it will be credited that way in my heart (and on this blog). After all, one of The Bias List‘s first ever posts was a feature on their 2012 stage performance of trot classic 해뜰날. Some voices are a match made in heaven, and Sungkyu and Woohyun have that perfect blend of contrast and unity that makes music feel full and exciting.

We’ll see if we end up getting an official debut from Infinite V, and if we do I hope it sounds something like Beautiful. As I would have hoped, the song forgoes drippy balladry and matches their vocals to an equally powerful track. We’ve got a synth rock banger here, broad enough to match the needs of a drama OST but bolstered by the panache these performers bring to anything they touch. It has a classic Infinite touch — much more so than the group’s 2023 comeback, actually. If we can’t get Sweetune back behind the board, I’m happy we’re at least veering back toward this driving energy.

It’s too early to tell whether Beautiful will slot comfortably among Infinite’s many classics. It may be too slight to compete with the heavy hitters. But I guarantee it’ll become a staple on my own playlist. I live for the moment Sungkyu and Woohyun’s vocals blend during the song’s climactic power note. The nimble synth that follows is a nice bonus, injecting some funk to the rock energy that drives most of the track. When it comes time for the full group to make a comeback, I hope they borrow some of this intensity.

Hooks	8
Production	9
Longevity	9
Bias	10
RATING	9

Grade: A-

4 thoughts on “Buried Treasure: Infinite V (Sungkyu & Woohyun) – Beautiful”

Does this sound like a highly polished version of every OST bright theme song ever? YES.

Do I love it anyway? YESSSSSSS

Gah, I just love dipping into the OST world from time to time to find chestnuts like this.

I mean, I am so old school, to hear people just actually singing and playing their hearts out live live to the recording in minimal takes and it comes out this good, that reflects the quality of the material and the performers. Also the OST world, because they whip these things out in a couple days, so it all has to be good.

Lots of little nuggets, like the synth break underlying the chorus and at 2:08 with the harmonized ooooohhhs soaring, which also mimics classic Infinite sounds from “The Chaser” era. mmm mmm mmm.

This is a good opportunity to highlight an old OST ballad a couple years ago from Kim SungKyu also called “Beautiful”. This song is in heavy rotation whenever I need a pickup.

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I was very pleasantly surprised when I listened to Beautiful, I was expecting a sentimental ballad but got a catchy, slightly eclectic pop song instead. I wish they’d done less electro effects on the vocals in the post processing, but I like it enough to forgive that. Woohyun has writing and composition credits on this, so I’m curious to see what else he turns out if he keeps going down this path.

I remember him saying last year in his comeback interviews that he and Sungkyu were discussing Infinite V but were trying to figure out a style that was different from their solo and Infinite stuff . . . if this is what they’re leaning towards, I’m down for it! It’s energetic and little belt-y, with a more modern vibe than Infinite and a harder vibe than their solo work. Could do with a bit more power, but it’s a nice start!

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