NCT’s JAEHYUN is Back With a Boiling Hot New Single
- Maggz
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Written by Maggz
| “99 Degrees” is the yearning summer ballad of our dreams (plus our must listen playlist for all things JAEHYUN)
Our jazzy vocals king has finally returned and delivered an aptly named track about falling in love and how seeking perfection in a relationship is not always the way to happiness. Recently returning from his mandatory military service, NCT’s JAEHYUN released a new emotional ballad on July 10, 2026 titled “99 Degrees.” Opening with soft piano melodies that build in intensity as the song progresses, JAEHYUN’s vocals are front and center, letting his musicality and stage presence shine through the performance.
The music video that accompanies the track follows JAEHYUN through his memories of love and life, capturing his journey of letting go of the unrealistic ideals of perfection, embracing changes and bumps in the road, and finding a way to pursue happiness through the messiness of human existence. Sitting alone in an empty theater at the beginning of the video, JAEHYUN seems distressed thinking about his past and future, but by the end, at peace as he walks away from the flames behind him, seemingly changed.
Are you new to JAEHYUN’s style and want to hear more? See our recommendations below for next listening once you’ve looped “99 Degrees” enough.
JAEHYUN “I Like Me Better” (Cover, Lauv)
There’s over 100 million views on this video and it’s safe to say that I’m over 1000 of them. This is such a classic place to start for anyone looking to dive into JAEHYUN’s vocal prowess. Filmed in the rainy streets of London and the sparkling riverside of Paris with simple styling and iconic silvery hair, this love song comes alive in JAEHYUN’s cover. The video feels like a travel vlog and leans into JAEHYUN’s charm and warmth, leaving any viewer with a smile on their face after his constant breakage of the fourth wall, inviting you in through the screen with a smile. The video will leave you wondering who in your life you like yourself better with.
YouTube KBS Kpop
JAEHYUN “Close To You” on LEE MUJIN Service (Cover, Carpenters)
LEE MUJIN Service is always the place to find raw and stripped back vocals from your favorite K-pop artists, and JAEHYUN’s appearance on the show in August 2024 is no exception. Artists often perform shortened versions of popular song covers or songs that mean a lot to them personally, performing live with an in-studio band or pre-mixed tracks and accompaniment. JAEHYUN brought the Carpenters classic “Close To You” as one of his prepared tracks and it’s a joy to hear his beautiful, rich voice. LEE MUJIN always provides insightful observations about his guests, such as his commentary about JAEHYUN’s ability to use his vocal instrument masterfully: “Your voice remains stable and smooth in those moments [when you’re hitting high notes]...I think you have a lot of potential ways that you can make your own music with your voice.” Check out his full episode for more of JAEHYUN’s vocal stylings, including a stripped back version of “Smoke” at the top of the show as well as other covers.
YouTube NCT
JAEHYUN “Roses”
The ultimate breakup track, “Roses” serves as the second song on the tracklist for JAEHYUN’s first solo album J - The First Album. A man in pain, he sings of a past love who recently broke his heart, his lover having moved on so quickly to someone new while he still suffers in everything he comes across that reminds him of their relationship, “Quit me like a cigarette, played me like a clarinet, see the river I'm crying. My heart is sore from pulling out these thorns, these mended scars, they reopen every time.” With a lyric like “I’m triggered every year, Valentine’s” he makes a subtle and coy nod to his fans, who call themselves Valentines due to his birthday falling on February 14. Even if you aren’t freshly single, this song really hits, trust me.
YouTube SMTOWN
JAEHYUN “Unconditional”
“Met this girl from California, something about her aura, got me good at sticking around,” has to be one of the most iconic opening lines in recent years. “Unconditional” is the ultimate lover boy track, committed to his partner with no need for “honey on the side.” With a music video set in Southern California and long, bleached out hair and one of those 90s stretchy plastic headbands, JAEHYUN’s quirky and goofy personality shines through, backlit with groovy beats and melodic whistles. For a bonus listen, I highly recommend checking out the behind the scenes recording vlog to hear how they got the song sounding perfect, JAEHYUN’s commitment to his artistry crystal clear when given a look inside the studio. This track remains a fan favorite, released as a single months after his J - The First Album debut in August 2024.
JAEHYUN “Lost”
If there’s one song NCTzens have been begging for a studio release, it's the unreleased track “Lost” by JAEHYUN. He performed this soulful and emotional track during the NEO CITY - THE LINK Tour and fans have been hooked since. “Still here in 2026” one fan commented recently on the YouTube video, an unofficial upload with over 150,000 views. Should we get a J album part two, SM Entertainment would surely make a lot of JAEHYUN fans happy if this song were to land on the tracklist.
JAEHYUN recently held his JAEHYUN FAN-CON TOUR in Taipei on July 4 and 5 and will meet US fans once again at KCON LA on August 13, performing with NCT 127 as a headliner. The group will perform as M COUNTDOWN Stage headliners for their third year in a row, this year treating fans to an hour-long set. NCT 127 will preview music from their upcoming seventh full-length album at the festival and embark on their fifth world tour, NEO CITY - THE REDLINE, in Seoul in September. Tickets for KCON LA are on sale now.
Let us know below or on Instagram what other JAEHYUN songs or performance moments are on your “must-listen” list!
JAEHYUN
Comments