First and foremost, a little discussion: I debated for a while whether I would do a deep dive into this song. This is the first OST I’ve come across in this project, and the first song not written by any of the members, only performed. And the biggest part of this project for me is breaking down the English translation of lyrics, understanding how these songs fit into their overall discography, and appreciating the lyrical geniuses that they all are.
But! It’s also about the music and the performance! And I am a completionist, and it would be a shame to skip over the many OSTs the members have participated in over the years simply because they didn’t write the lyrics. The performance is still a huge part of the song.
I’ve approached this post the same I always have. However, because many of the OSTs were not written by 3RACHA or other members of Stray Kids, these kids of posts will look a little different (and will probably be significantly shorter).
That all said…I REALLY like this song. Full disclosure, I have not seen any of Yumi’s Cells, but I’ve definitely added it to my watch list. It sounds like a really sweet concept. Before I get into all of that, though, let’s look at the lyrics.
Couple disclaimers: I don’t speak Korean. I am using my limited SKZ knowledge and English translations. These are my own thoughts based on those translations and not meant to be a definitive interpretation.
Here is the audio to listen to as you read the lyrics:
If you are also unaware, Yumi’s Cells is a drama that first aired in 2021. It’s based off of a webtoon, and follows the day to day life of an office worker – Yumi – through the eyes of the cells in her head. To make the obvious and common comparison, it’s similar to Inside Out in that way. Of course, we got the SKZ Code parody version “Hyunjin’s Cells” in May where the members were Hyunjin’s cells and controlled him while he worked a shift at the JYP café.
Season 3, which is the season this song was written for, aired this Spring (April – May 2026). It follows Yumi a few years after season 2, now a successful writer, as she meets and falls in love with her new editor, Soon-rok.
Stone Music put out a “release greeting video” with Han where he briefly talks about the song: “I tried to capture in the lyrics the emotions Soon-rok experiences as he gradually changes due to Yumi, who visits him unexpectedly, expressing his heart as he becomes more honest and gains courage.”
So, this is from Soon-rok’s perspective (Yumi’s love interest). Again, I have not watched the show, but from the music video, it’s clear he’s meant to be more of a stoic type. Polite and unemotional. And through meeting Yumi, he starts to open up. The lyrics portray that so well, talking about color coming into black and white days, “a color called you.” Ugh. Swooning.
And Han’s performance is very fitting. He sings in a consistently higher register and with a lighter quality than we often see in Stray Kids songs and even his solo songs he’s released through SKZ-Record and SKZ-Player. It’s not like we’ve never seen this from him, of course, but it’s such a good example of his range, both in actual notes and in vocal expression. There are, of course, signature Han moments, like the echoes in the last chorus. They have his very distinct sound to them.
This isn’t his first OST appearance. Han, Felix, and I.N did a song for Genie, Make a Wish, and he did a song for Typhoon Family last year. But this is Han’s first time doing an OST solo for a romance show. And we all know how much of a romantic Han is. He has not been shy about his love for reality dating shows and romance dramas. And he was very excited to be involved in this OST, evident by his Bubble messages on the day it was released:
“It’s todayyyyy
30 minutes lefttttt
Ahhhhhhh
I’m excited
Please listen well
OST hahaha
Exciting, so exciting”
I love that he got to be a part of this soundtrack, that he got to participate in some way with a romance drama, and that he showed yet another side of his endless talent in his performance.
Sources:
Let It Show Release Greeting Video
Let It Show English Translations
SKZ Code, Ep. 97: Hyunjin’s Cells #1
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