Song Review:: Lee Sungyeol (INFINITE): Asteroid {Debut}

• Release date: 2025 December 12

• Album tracklist: Asteroid, 한 걸음 더 가까이, DIVE

• Album runtime: 9 minutes

 Another of the YouTube recommendations my algorithm gives to me. Huh. I wonder if I could write a parody of Twelve Days of Christmas on my YouTube algorithm. Anyway, sorry. You already know that he's a member of INFINITE because of how I title these reviews, but this was news to me when I looked him up. I also found out his younger brother is also in a K-Pop group, Golden Child, which is delightful to learn. So, because he's a second gen idol, I have expectations for his capability. This song is the shortest of the three, but the average is good because the middle song is almost four minutes. But! This is his solo debut, fifteen years after his debut with INFINITE, so I'm very curious about what he's going to give us.

My favorite instrumental triumvirate is here for this song: guitar, drums, piano. Is it a basic combination? Yes, but there's nothing wrong with a classic sound, especially when we get some sort of melody going on in the instrumental. It provides a very solid base for him to sing against, which is honestly so important in a debut song, because we're looking to highlight his voice and what he is going to offer as a soloist. This kind of instrumental, with limited frills and still plenty of variation does that well. This is a good choice on his end.

Y'all, when he drops down into a lower register and raps? Gives me goosebumps because it's so different from the generally pleasant, comfortable vocals that we get through the rest of the song. Don't get me wrong, we've got a lot of really good variation which helps highlight both the versatility of his voice and how strong of a voice he has, but he doesn't really show off. But that rapping? That adds such a delightful note to an otherwise solid song that I'm left fully focused on him. This would have been a good song without it. With it, it's like he's saying "Yeah, I can do it all. Just watch." And with fifteen years in a completely cutthroat and fast-changing industry under his belt, that confidence is certainly warranted.

This is very much a vibes and visuals music video, and he has a long coat, so all is forgiven. Not that there's anything that needs to be forgiven for, because he is definitely showing off those visuals, but if there were, he'd be fine. He looks a little bit like the older version of Yujun from xikers, which is a huge compliment from me because I love that kid and think he's adorable. Apparently he hasn't gotten a lot of time for his voice in group songs, which means that his solo debut and getting to be the main star is probably years overdue, but better late than never, you know?