Super Junior comes back for a second time this year doing Latin sound with their exciting special mini album – One More Time! Released on October 8, this marks the group’s first release since Ryeowook’s long awaited return from enlisting in military service. He was gone from 11 October 2016 and discharged on July 15, 2018.
The extended play features three new songs with the promoted track, “One More Time (Otra Vez)”, that features Mexican boyband Reik. This marks a second time Super Junior has collaborated with a well-known Latin artist, the first being Leslie Grace earlier in the year on the song “Lo Siento”. Reik are known for winning the Latin Grammy Award for Best Pop Album by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 2009. Focusing on the song itself, “One More Time (Otra Vez)” contains a standard, but swift and catchy reggaeton sound. The lyrics are expressing not wanting to miss a romantic moment in front of them.
An alternate version of “One More Time” with just Super Junior and Korean lyrics exists also on the album, alongside a new remix of the Leslie Grace collaboration by Play-N-Skillz.
Tracklist (adapted from Spotify UK):
- One More Time (Otra Vez) [feat. Reik]
- One More Time (Otra Vez) [Super Junior only version]
- Animals
- Ahora Te Puedes Marchar (Now Feel Free to Leave)
What’s remarkable is that “Ahora Te Puedes Marchar” which more-or-less translates to “Now Feel Free to Leave” marks the first time Super Junior has released a full song in complete Spanish. The song itself a cover of Luis Miguel’s song of the same title from 1987. And while I can not comment on how well their pronunciation is due to myself not being fluent in Spanish, Latin fans of the group have noted that the members handling of the language is near enough perfect, with special commendations for Donghae and Shindong.
Steering away from trying to gain English (North American and British) popularity that’s been swallowed up by the likes of fresher groups such as BTS and Blackpink, Super Junior are taking a unique, strategic move to reach out to Latin America for when it comes to promoting outside of South Korea, Japan or China. Joining them also is KARD, who have been utilising a Latin-based sound since debut.
Despite loosing members and going through numerous scandals, Super Junior are finding new ways to reinvent themselves and reach out to bigger audiences. As one of old reigning groups of K-Pop, they aren’t ready to give up their crowns just yet!
