Song Review:: Shin Wonho (Cross Gene): Fill Me

• Release date: 2025 September 10

• Album tracklist: Fill Me

• Album runtime: 4 minutes

 I have no idea who this fellow is, so I'll need to look him up. I assume everything is fine, but I'll just take a quick look so I can place him within the general K-Pop arena. Which of course reveals that my 2012 debuts pop up literally everywhere. I feel like I keep running into them as soloists, which is great that they're continuing music careers, but at the same time, it's a little funny. This of course will not be news to you that he's a member of the apparently still active group Cross Gene, because I helpfully labeled that in the post title above this. They're due for a comeback soon now that the three of them are out of the military. Fingers crossed. I'd like to see a 2012 debut have one. And four minutes of song! I think I just fell in love a tiny bit. It's fine.

That's a way to start with a song. I may be adding this to my Halloween playlist because it's actually quite spooky. Oh! It's got that one instrument! Hold on! The gayageum? Is that what I heard? That's literally the only traditional instrument I know by name and I apologize if that isn't the correct instrument, but there's definitely something like it that pops up a few times. What's that one zombie show set during the Joseon period? Is it Kingdom? It's on my list to watch, but I haven't seen it, which is why I'm not positive that that's what I'm thinking of. If it wasn't for the shivering strings, between the beat and the alarm-esque pings, I'd peg as something a lot more modern, but the strings that only come in do a lot to lend a very traditional sound to it. It's an intriguing blend.

Shin Wonho goes up a little bit higher at some points in the song, but we don't have a corresponding dip lower than where the notes are  to give it that lovely kind of range that drives me batty in the best way. But, he is in two different tones with his voice, so I'm definitely pleased about that. There is a point where it sounds like he's got a harmony with himself, but instead of going higher, he goes lower, and that is deeply intriguing. I'm fully going to guess that this is a very seductive song and I'll take a look at the lyrics in a moment to confirm that theory, but on the whole, other than lacking something lower for the main melody, it's got some interesting things going for it.

Okay. Storyline notwithstanding and I'll get to that in a second, it's a lot of weight for a soloist to carry the full four minutes largely by himself, so well done to him for that. You can tell that he's an actor. The use of black, white, and shades of gray do a good job to highlight the sense of loneliness within the music video, as well as focusing on the sense of doom and apocalypse that seems to be pervasive through it. The fact that really the only colors in the thing are his hair and the yellow talismans makes them stand out all the more. Now, the storyline. Wow. That's a full movie right there, and, oh, I'd love to do a full big analysis of what is going on. Is it a good thing or a bad thing that he escaped? Also, definitely Halloween material. Sold. Done. Next.