SHINee’s Key has a history of becoming a K-pop savior on this blog, breaking long streaks of “7” and “8” rated songs with music that pushes bolder and further. That certainly occurred in early 2023 with his single Killer, but his follow-ups have been less adventurous. Both Good & Great and Pleasure Shop found him operating in an ultra-smooth, somewhat sanitized commercial dance sound. Thankfully, new single Hunter gets back to his jagged electropop roots.
When I think about the word “K-pop” and all it entails, SHINee are one of the premiere groups who immediately come to mind. So, whenever I hear something that sounds remotely like their classic period, my K-pop loving brain sparks up. Hunter might as well have been a long-lost SHINee track from the 2010s. It would have benefitted greatly from the full group on vocals, but Key delivers the track with panache all on his own.
Working with frequent SM collaborator Kenzie (among many other creators), Key has reinvigorated the funky synth sound of classics like 2015’s Married To The Music. Hunter doesn’t infuse this formula with any new ideas of its own, but sometimes all you want is a well-delivered pastiche (especially when K-pop is sounding less and less “K” these days). Hunter surges with an exciting chorus, paired with a MJ-style rhythmic coda that highlights the song’s retro leanings. The song needs an extra thirty seconds or so to bloom into its full potential, but that just isn’t the formula of today’s era. Working within 2025’s restraints, Key once again proves his unique space within the industry. I don’t know that we’re quite back to Bad Love levels yet, but Hunter is definitely his best title track since Killer.
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 9 |
