"Dice" is a song by South Korean singer Onew. It was released on April 11, 2022, through SM Entertainment and served as the lead single for the EP of the same name. "Dice" was written by Kang Eun-jung, Will Lobban-Bean, Griffith Clawson and Jesse Fink, and produced by Lobban-Bean and Hitchhiker.
Background and release
Following the release of Onew's debut solo EP, Voice, in 2018, he went on hiatus due to mandatory military service.[1] In March 2022, his agency SM Entertainment announced he would resume his solo music career with the release of his second EP Dice, led by the single of the same name.[2] Another song was originally intended as lead single but it fell through.[3] Onew instead opted for "Dice" because he liked its rhythm.[4] Image teasers were uploaded to social media beginning March 31,[5] and the song was released alongside its accompanying music video on April 11.[6] Onew promoted the song with performances on M Countdown, Music Bank, Inkigayo and Show! Music Core.[7][8]
Composition
"Dice" is a "breezy" and "mellifluous" pop song underpinned by rhythmical guitar plucking and synthesizer sounds that intensify in the chorus.[9][10] The lyrics compare love to a game; Onew sings about rolling the dice and betting on love despite knowing it's a game he will likely lose.[10]
Music video
The music video for "Dice" opens with Onew gazing at a woman through a hotel window, only to witness her be abducted by a masked individual. Onew enters the hotel in an effort to save her and is met with various foes along the way. He traverses the hotel's many rooms by rolling a magical dice, disguising himself first as a prince and then as a bellboy.[9][11] He eventually reunites with his love interest, who does not require rescuing and instead dispatches the enemies herself.[9]
Critical reception
Writing for MTV, Sarina Bhutani called "Dice" "one of Onew's most unique works to date" and described it as "a song that feels like wind in your hair and sunshine on your skin".[12] Divyansha Dongre of Rolling Stone India praised it as a "quintessential summer single", highlighting Onew's "signature dulcet vocalizations".[9]
^Kim, Ju-hee (March 30, 2022). 온유, 솔로 앨범 '다이스' 스케줄 포스터 공개…내달 컴백 [Onew releases the schedule poster for solo album 'Dice'... Comeback next month]. Newsis (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 9, 2022. Retrieved April 9, 2022 – via Naver.
^ abKim, Na-young (April 11, 2022). 3년 4개월 동안 넓어진 온유의 스펙트럼 'DICE' [MK★컴백] [Onew expands his spectrum with 'Dice', returning after three years and four months]. MK Sports (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Naver.
^Lee, Hye-min (April 14, 2022). 샤이니 온유, '다이스'로 컴백…엠카 첫 방송 [Shinee Onew's comeback with 'Dice'... First broadcast on M Countdown]. Newsis (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Naver.
^Lee, Hana (April 23, 2022). '음악중심' 빅뱅, 활동 안 해도 1위‥온유·송가인 컴백(종합) ['Music Core': Big Bang takes first place despite not promoting]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 24, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022 – via Naver.