[Review] SUGAR – JUNGWOO (NCT)

Ahead of his upcoming military enlistment in December 2025, JUNGWOO has made his solo debut with the single SUGAR. This is his first music release in over a year – his last was through his participation in NCT 127’s Walk studio album. Since then, NCT 127 embarked on a world tour, Neo City – The Momentum, which ended back in May this year.

For me, I found SUGAR to be a decent listen despite the unfavourable lead-up to the release. The less-than-a-week notice of the release and lack of marketing didn’t build much hype for the song, and SUGAR lacks standout features. But SUGAR still had enough to feel and sound sweet and pleasant. JUNGWOO’s vocals bring the sweetness to the table, while SUGAR‘s melodies and the subtle grooviness in the instrumental were the pleasant aspects of the song. The rapping in the second verse was a neat addition to the mid-tempo track. There is also a refreshing tone and foot-tapping upbeat nature that makes SUGAR feel more suited during the summery periods, and would have been a likable hit had it been released during that period. But irrespective of its release date, SUGAR is still a nice listen overall.

The music video sees JUNGWOO visit the dentist, after which he indulges in sugary treats – so much so that he turns into a working piece of art. Talk about trajectory! But upon reflection on the lyrics, there is probably more to the video than what meets the eye. The sugar most likely represents his fans. He enjoys being in their presence (i.e., he is the centrepiece of the artwork) and they bring him comfort (i.e., the scenes where he is enjoying the lollies and soft drinks). The dentist appointment can be seen as his military enlistment – a period of time where he can’t be with his fans (i.e., the sugar), with the subsequent scenes about him eating the sugary treats and the artwork also doubling up to represent his hopes that, following his military enlistment, he would be able to continue making sweet memories with his fans.

For the performance, I really liked the bubbly and bright energy he brings, personality wise, to the routine. It makes the whole routine feel comforting, familiar and enjoyable, which I am sure JUNGWOO’s fans like. There is a bit of a mature/sensual vibe behind some of the moves – these appear primarily in the second half of the chorus, and I enjoyed kicks that follow.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10