Written by Nawal Chowdhury
Hong Dabin announced that he would take a hiatus from releasing music as DPR Live during an Instagram live in October 2023. The announcement was due to the artist feeling burnt out as DPR Live and wanting to release music unrelated to the DPR universe. For the time being, Dabin will be releasing music with his birth name under his self-founded company, CTYL (Coming To You Live). His first release as Dabin, “Till I Live,” was released on October 18, 2023. In “Till I Live,” Dabin details obstacles he has faced with an aggressive tone.
Following the release of his emotional and raw single “Till I Live,” Dabin released his second single “Tic Tac?” on January 5th. In a tweet, Dabin affirms the song is a celebration of true friendship. In the song, Dabin finds himself reflecting and learning how to let go of negative feelings. Fans of Dabin—DREAMers—who have been eagerly waiting for new music have described the two singles as worth the wait.
Listening to “Tic Tac?” felt as if a friend was telling me that everything was going to be okay. It felt warm. I found myself reflecting on myself and feeling nostalgic about the past. I was motivated to appreciate how far I’ve come in my own struggles and how I’ve learned from them. Dabin does an outstanding job at conveying self-reflection.
Dabin’s upcoming album Giggles will be released January 23rd at 6PM KST.
