Yuju & Sunyoul’s “Cherish” is the spring ballad everyone was trying for

Perhaps I’m a hopeless G-Friend stan. Or perhaps, after countless overly slow cookie-cutter ballads, I truly am desperate for anything that deviates even slightly from the formulaic norm. Whatever the case, Yuju and Sunyoul’s “Cherish” is the exact sort of song that my ears have been craving.

“Cherish” is the perfect example of what a good, mid-tempo ballad should be. Baring that in mind, it is impossible to ignore the valid comparison of “Cherish” and “Deoksungung Stonewall Walkway”. They are, in essence, the exact same song with different featuring artists. However, unlike YoonA and 10cm’s snore fest, “Cherish” is not hindered by singing ability. Where “Deoksungung Stonewall Walkway” utilized its bouncy, drum-driven melody as justification for whisper-singing, “Cherish” instead puts Yuju and Sunyoul’s dynamic voices at the forefront. Specifically, their vocals control the instrumentation as opposed to the instrumentation and melody controlling them. Yuju’s voice is audibly strong and, when required, drifts from gentle mid-tones to higher notes. Not to be overshadowed, Sunyoul is equally competent during his verses and balances Yuju well during their shared sections.

Speaking of vocals, “Cherish” is the sort of song that sticks in your mind (or at least makes it easy to coast through the MV) because of Yuju and Sunyoul’s punchy delivery. The listener is brought in from, literally, the first second by the duo’s shared exuberance. More than just being a cute duet, “Cherish” encapsulates the genuine excitement of young love.

My only complaint? The music video. There is so much that could have been done considering the energy brought forth by the song itself. Instead, we are given a basic as fuck MV chronicling a photoshoot of some sort and, as with most ballads, shots of the artists performing in the studio.

Even Yuju looks bored with the whole thing.