[NEW RELEASES] “I AM”

The 21-year-old Bernard Park, the winner of “K-Pop Star 3,” is in near-perfect form with his debut “I Am.”

Within the first few minutes of “Before the Rain,” the title track of Park’s first album, I was drawn into a sense of autumn with the singer’s mellow voice. This song is mainly to thank the people who have supported the singer while he dreamed of becoming a star. Renowned veteran composer Jo Kyu-chan wrote the single to help Park’s voice stand out.

Another atmospheric song from the album is a cover of Park Jin-young’s “Summer Jingle Bell,” which appeals with the use of an acoustic guitar and orchestral sounds.

“A Woman Like You,” “One More Day” and “To Be Honest” give rise to mournful memories of being apart from someone you love. The tracks are so emotive that it is hard to grasp that the singer is too young to truly know this kind of sorrow.

Although I’m not a big ballad fan, Park’s latest work is not too heavy or somber; it’s light-hearted and yet compelling. The singer’s inaugural record is an authentic, lyrical soundtrack for this season. By Kim Ji-min, contributing writer

“I AM”

Bernard Park

Label: KT Music

Genre: Ballad