When it comes to an all-rounder idol group with endless potential, ONEUS is the real deal. Having made their debut on January 9, 2019, their releases have been exemplary in just a span of three years. Their versatile artistry continues to capture the attention of many through continuous quality and electrifying song releases. Let us now take a look at ONEUS’ prominent title tracks, indicating their mark as concept kings with each comeback. 

DEBUT – VALKYRIE 

Introducing themselves to the world with this lead single, Valkyrie serves as a solid debut track that captivates you from the very first beat. With the concept of ‘lighting up the darkness’, the boys can be seen tackling the image of angel-like beings in the music video. The continual contrast between dark and light was intensely depicted throughout the storyline; showcasing a clever merge of wordplay between “Valkyrie” and “밝히리 (light up)”. This further enforces their overall message of ‘lighting up’ through a steady entry with their debut mini album LIGHT US. 

TWILIGHT

The boys then quickly made their return with their second EP, RAISE US. While their debut mini album explored the concept of ‘receiving light’, this comeback captured the continuation and determination in ‘taking a leap forward from the light they received’. This time, ONEUS adapted a royal concept while incorporating various symbolisms throughout the music video. The members portrayed the importance of chasing for the light, further signifying their hunger to continuously develop and soar as artists.

LIT

Not only is this song super addictive and lit, ONEUS took it up a notch with an avant-garde take for this comeback. With their EP FLY WITH US, they made their grand return inspired by Korean traditional culture, while focusing on the theme ‘moonlight’; a slight difference from their past ‘light’ related concepts. While Valkyrie and Twilight were notably darker, LIT is all about rising up to the challenge and just having fun. This comeback certainly solidified their image as novel artists; constantly bringing their A-game through their song releases. 

A SONG WRITTEN EASILY

With a deep longing for someone, ONEUS returned with their 1st Single Album IN ITS TIME and lead single A Song Written Easily. After a stretch of captivating past releases, the boys mellowed down with a track that focuses more on their emotional vocal skills. ONEUS once again showed their capability in absorbing various concepts and genres, this time, displaying a sweet, warm embrace with this track. Noticeably, the boys also had a more unified silky stage outfits, capturing the essence of soft, sentimental romance. 

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

As the title suggests, ‘to be or not to be’ implies the meaning of ‘to live or not to live’ from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. With their EP titled LIVED, the boys took on the concept of polarity throughout the music video, showcasing the struggles of wanting to continue living in distress or letting go of the very thing they love in order to live again. With this release, the boys conveyed a more dramatic turn with a much darker concept; a bold move that not many are willing to take. 

BBUSYEO

With this digital single, ONEUS took a 180 degree turn, expressing their cute and lively actions throughout the music video. Through this track, the boys showcased a bright and playful concept, something that was unseen since debut. They managed to showcase more personality through this contrasting genre, presenting fans with a delightful change. After a previously dark release filled with vengeance with To Be or Not To Be, this further conveys just how adaptable ONEUS is to changes and how they shine with every concept they undertake. 

NO DIGGITY

In your face and unapologetic would be the best way to describe this heavy rock and hip-hop based dance track from their EP DEVIL. True to their description, the entire music video was a daring attempt by the group in taking on an unfamiliar genre. Even so, the boys did not shy away from serving top notch facial expressions and fiery dance moves coupled with intense make-up and styling. This track appears to be a level up for ONEUS, at least concept wise, in an effort to push the boys out of their comfort zone. 

BLACK MIRROR

This 2021, ONEUS returned with an exhilarating and fun title track Black Mirror through their EP Binary Code. Paying homage to the iconic legend Michael Jackson through their choreography, this track portrays the reality in a world where digital devices are nonexistent. The overall concept is a refreshing change from their past releases and highlights an enjoyable vibe that many could groove along to. Needless to say, ONEUS achieved new milestones with this comeback, a clear indication of their growth over the years. 

As we revisit ONEUS’ past releases and explore their extensive discography, one thing that really stood out was their intricate planning and execution of concepts for each title track. The ability to always link their EP titles with their lead singles while maintaining a common theme took us on an exciting adventure to unravel the details. The use of literature, symbolism, and variation of colours and hues in their music videos present multiple meanings that hold significant explanations for each concept used. 

What is even more interesting is how fluid ONEUS is in absorbing the concepts and owning it for every comeback. With ONEUS, it is not just about releasing another K-pop music video but rather, delivering art and masterpieces to the audience. Their agility to always present something different and doing it so effortlessly certainly warrants them as concept kings within the K-pop industry. We are definitely excited to see their future releases and will be looking forward to many more surprises from the boys! 🙂

Bonus!

COME BACK HOME

While ONEUS did not promote this track on music programmes (this song was officially released as their final song for Road to Kingdom), we were blown away by this masterpiece. If Netflix needs a new series, then this is it. With this track, they proved they are a force to be reckoned with and is definitely here to stay. 

Written by: Lisa
Image by: Agnes

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