Song Review:: LNGSHOT: Saucin' {Pre-Debut}

• Release date: 2025 December 22

• Album tracklist: Saucin'

• Album runtime: 3 minutes

 Well, well, well. I wasn't quite sure what to make of this group given that I'd never seen the name before (not that it really matters because there are at minimum hundreds of groups I'm still not familiar with even by name) until I saw a post about Jay Park debuting his first group. At which point my eyebrows raised, and I decided I needed to make sure I got this reviewed since they'll be one of the first debuts of 2026. That's right, I'm already worrying about the debuts in 2026. Unfortunately, even if I wanted to be really excited about the group, I can't, because even with only four members, the maknae won't be sixteen until a few months after they're supposed to debut. He's a May birthday. Not going to lie, I'm a little bit disappointed in Mr. Jay Park for this. So, Underage Protocol it is. What a shame.

This is actually kind of an interesting instrumental. If I had to describe it, and I have to because that's kind of the whole point of these, I definitely see it as ethereal techno, maybe watery techno even, which, like I said, is interesting. It's almost hypnotic in the way that the song repetitiously moves, because while we don't actually have a whole lot of variation to the song, I couldn't be bothered to be upset about it because there is just something about this song. 

I suppose this is the consequence of the second gen idols starting their own companies and debuting their own groups: a lot of them have a vaguely second gen sound that's been updated to fifth gen. There's a lot of rapping going on, and I'm not enthused by this, nor am I overly enthused by the shouting, but what makes the latter a lot more tolerable is the layering that's going on, so it's not just that. We aren't getting any big demonstrations of vocals either, which is the biggest disappointment of the song, but this isn't their debut song and we literally only have this song to recommend them. 

Oh, when I tell you I cackled at that opening scene of the music video, I disturbed my dog and he gave me the stink eye. I feel like, perhaps, other CEOs of K-Pop companies are being mocked, and using a controversial pic in the music video is absolutely genius and almost too on the nose. There is a lot happening in this music video and it's all very chaotic. There's also a corgi, which was a surprise. Also, apparently we're back to the completely nonsensical lyrics, but I'm sure there's some sort of point. Hopefully. It's also very swaggery, which is also not my favorite genre for groups that haven't debuted yet, you know? However, I also love that Jay Park seems to be taking a leaf from Zico's book as CEO because the amount of play that he and his kids are doing genuinely warms the heart. This is a fun start for the group, and even if I don't particularly like the song, I like how this is starting.