“Rose” by D.O.
D. O.’s “Roses” is based on a crush that the singer has on the addressee. He spends plenty of time fantasizing about her and, as the lyrics indicate, regards her very highly. And up until this point, apparently he’s been too timid to step to her. So it’s sorta like this game he’s playing where he’s like ‘I know she knows I like her’ but has no hardcore verification of such.
So now, as indicated by the bridge, he’s going to make a definitive move. And whereas the narrator may be “shy” and “cheesy” he definitely isn’t stupid, as he decides to do so by buying and presenting her with a bouquet flowers.
So then, he is tasked with determining which type of flowers to purchase. And as the title reveals he chooses the rose, since he considers it to be symbolic of her beauty – but of course she’s even “prettier” than that. So it’s like since he “can’t really express (his) feelings in words”, he’s doing it with flowers.
What “Rose” is all about
So this is a really sweet song – so much so that it stands to reason a K-popper had to drop it, since it may be a bit too innocent for mainstream Western audiences. Indeed most pop vocalist are not privy to acknowledging their own shortcomings while simultaneously being about to approach a lady – rather quite the contrary.
But D.O. isn’t coming off as someone who is so rich or sexy that the apple of his eye cannot resist his advances, even though he is, in real life, considered by many to possess both of those attributes. Rather he understands what it ultimately boils down, as far as being infatuated goes, is building up the courage to express your feelings in the first place.
Who is D.O.?
D.O., who is 28 years old as of the release of this track on 26 July 2021, is a member of Exo, one of K-pop’s most popular boy bands. He has been a part of said crew predating the days of their official formation in 2012.
And this track is from his debut solo EP, Empathy, which came out roughly a decade later, on the aforementioned date. And said project is a product of SM Entertainment and Dreamus.
Another milestone in D.O.’s life which transpired in 2021 was he, after 19 months of service, having fulfilled his mandatory military duty to the South Korean government.
D.O. has musically ventured off on his own in the past and has also served as lead vocalist on a couple of EXO tracks. And in that regard his most successful outing has been 2013’s Goodbye Summer, a collaboration with a K-pop girl group known as F(x).
It should also be noted that D.O. has put together a pretty extensive filmography, complete with a plethora of acting awards. In fact by the looks of things, despite Exo’s massive popularity, he may be even more renowned for his acting career than the musical side.
Did D.O. write this song?
Yes. Actually throughout his career, D.O. has also amassed a few songwriting credits. He is recognized as the sole author of “Rose”. And its producer is Emanuel Abrahamsson, a musician from Sweden.
