NCT’s Mandopop subgroup offers warmth for a cold winter

Holiday albums are a pop tradition, even in K-pop. Eternal White, a winter-themed release from NCT’s Mandopop subgroup WayV, is more of a seasonal album than a holiday one, bringing a cosy, sentimental groove to the ’90s-hip-hop-inspired “Eternal White”. The upbeat title track aims to keep the beat going through the grey of winter. Members KUN, TEN, WINWIN, XIAOJUN, HENDERY and YANGYANG slow things down a bit for the wistful a cappella opener “The Fifth Season”, the English-language R&B track “Stay” and the regretful ballad “Lover After Me”. KUN, the leader and main vocalist of WayV, co-composed “First Time”, a warm, midtempo love song that encapsulates the album’s intention to soothe its listeners through the winter months.