Concept
The concept for this album is a free expression of feelings and emotions to offer a ray of hope to people all over the world, struggling at the moment from the darkness of the pandemic. A set of black and white concept photos was released for this album that captures the simplicity and elegance that is portrayed by D.O. On the other hand, the second set of concept photos is a burst of bright, spring colours. D.O radiates with energy and his smile is contagious. He’s surrounded by flowers and a lovely blue sky, prefacing the sweetness of his music. The third set of concept photos evokes nostalgia. The setting is indoors but the window gives us a glimpse into the clear sky outside. D.O has a vintage camera which further amplifies the desired concept. All the concept photos show D.O is a gentle and warm light, making fans even more expectant of his solo album.
Fashion and Appearance
D.O. 디오 The 1st Mini Album [공감] 🎧 2021.07.26. 6PM KST#디오 #DO(D.O.) #공감#엑소 #EXO #weareoneEXO pic.twitter.com/axDQqog3hK — EXO (@weareoneEXO) July 21, 2021 D.O has three distinct outfits in his concept photos: a presumably white knit cardigan, a grey-beige blazer over a white shirt and cropped pants, and a striped tie reminiscent of a school uniform and finally, another knit cardigan, which adds to the cozy mood of the music and the concept.
D.O. 디오 The 1st Mini Album [공감] 🎧 2021.07.26. 6PM KST#디오 #DO(D.O.) #공감#엑소 #EXO #weareoneEXO pic.twitter.com/emy5Tv5hxv — EXO (@weareoneEXO) July 14, 2021 The outfits are not extravagant and loud but rather quietly classy and do their job of conveying the equally soft and gentle mood of “Empathy”. It perfectly encompasses the delicate nature of the concept while also successfully evoking the right mix of emotions.
Music and Music Video
“Empathy”, D.O’s first solo mini-album is made up of 8 songs spanning 24 minutes and 31 seconds. The songs are ‘Rose’, the title track, ‘I’m Gonna Love You’, the B-Side track featuring Wonstein, ‘My Love’, ‘It’s Love’, ‘Dad’, ‘I’m Fine’, ‘Rose - English Version’ and finally ‘Si Fueras Mía’ which is the Spanish version of “It’s Love’. Fans were especially impressed by his pronunciation and diction in Spanish with native speakers complimenting his skills.
— #백현아오늘은 (@EXOLKaiBaek) July 27, 2021
— kat. (@sechanville) July 28, 2021 D.O has proven once again that his incredible talent knows no bounds. The music video for ‘Rose’ has elements of animation, which add to the innocent and lovely vibe. Overall, “Empathy” deserves to be “Album Of The Year” without a doubt. AKMU’s Latest Collaboration Album “Next Episode” Is A Cultural Reset REVIEWS|Jul 27, 2021
