With vocals as heart-wrenching (in the best way possible) as that of Kim Doyoung (born Kim Dong-young), why wouldn’t one break out into a major song fest? Yet, the NCT 127 main vocalist holds a humble ground, and is widely known for his loving and welcoming personality that never shies away from showering love on his fellow members, and thoroughly supporting them through it all.
While the Seoul-based unit of the NCT brand debuted on July 7, 2016, under SM Entertainment, and became the second sub-unit of the the grand scheme of the ‘Neo Culture Technology’ concept, Doyoung was also chosen as a member of the group’s pioneering rotational unit NCT U, alongside fellow members Taeyong, Ten, Taeil, Mark and Jaehyun, who together formed the groups for singles 7th Sense and Without You. Ever since then, the singer has gained quite a name for his acting skills after his debuting performance in the theatre musical Marie Antoinette as Count Axel von Fersen in 2021.
He’s also made his mark among the South Korean public with his performances in Kdramas like Midnight Cafe 3: The Curious Stalker (his web drama debut), and Dear X Who Doesn’t Love Me. Other than that, his credits also include appearing as one of the three MCs on Inkigayo along with Jinyoung (GOT7) and Jisoo (BLACKPINK)
Without further stirring the pot (“Sseuka-Sseuka”), and teasing the singer, host and actor for his infamous and iconic Regulate pose, let’s dive into the honey-like melody of his cover songs.
Some Mesmerising Cover Songs by Kim Doyoung
Time Spent Walking Through Memories by Nell (2019)
As Andy Samberg’s famous line of Brooklyn Nine-Nine goes, this performance left us all with “Chills, literal chills”. As the main vocalist of NCT 127 covers the Korean rock band Nell’s song, his voice echoes through the silent set of the TV show, and its resounding melody will have you clenching your chest due to all the feelings your heart may be brimming with. This live performance has it all, and should be at the top of your must watch list. It will easily and single-handedly lead you to declaring him as your favourite NCT member, especially owing to the stability with which he handles himself while pouring his heart out.
Falling by Harry Styles (2021)
After listening to this track cover, you’ll find yourself Falling for Doyoung too. You will never catch his artistry slipping out of his hands, which just leaves you in awe of how much control he has over his vocals and the emotions they’re able to convey to the audience.
breathin by Ariana Grande (2018)
Doyoung had even expressed his desire of wanting to collaborate with Ariana for a musical project during one of the interviews of NCT 127’s American tour leg. With fellow NCT member Kun, i.e. the leader of the Chinese unit of the group – WayV – joining the video for playing the piano (also arranged by him) alongside the main star of the performance, the cover has a reserved a soft spot in the hearts of NCTzens.
RAIN by TAEYEON (2019)
With this cuddly cover, the birthday boy proved that he can do it all by himself, as even the backing vocals on this song are his own.
Also read: The Interest of Love Theories: Who Will Choose Whom in this Twisted Game of Love?
Beautiful by Crush (2019)
The Goblin OST is still a big household name with Kpop artists covering it time and again. While making his masked appearance on the Korean variety show The King of Mask Singer, Doyoung won hearts yet again with a delivery that started off mellow, but soon unleashes sorrowful fury with his signature high notes one can’t get enough of.
이름에게 (Dear Name) by IU (2019)
Filmed by fellow 127 member Johnny, Doyoung can be seen caught in the midst of a winter wonderland, and his warm and soothing harmony makes for the best partner to the overall aesthetic that feels like a cosy embrace.
idontwannabeyouanymore by Billie Eilish (2019)
Doyoung owned up to the aesthetic of singing in the subway. As the rest of the world went on with their daily hustle, he otherwise stopped time with this Billie Eilish cover song with this street busking session during the group’s 1st World Tour period in USA. With his ethereal vocals as sweet as sugar, his cover melted into our hearts while exhibiting, what the audience may define as, peak ‘boyfriend behaviour’.
마음을 드려요 by IU (2020)
If his gaze in the thumbnail hasn’t pained you enough already, his feather-like ever-soaring smooth vocals will definitely leave you in tears. No matter how many synonyms of the word ‘soft’ I use to describe this cover video, they’ll always fall short in describing the kind of emotions it brews in one’s heart.
Mine by Bazzi (2018)
Stepping out of the usual cathartic streak of song performances, Doyoung sports a rather chic outlook while covering Bazzi’s Mine. Introducing it as one of his favourite songs at the time, the singer was eager to share the video with his fans all around the world. Even audiences who weren’t originally Kpop enthusiasts took notice of it and were swept off their feet by his charm.
Which of these Doyoung cover songs is your favourite? He’s also sung quite a few other songs during his live broadcasts, but unfortunately, all the audios for the same are quite unclear and distorted. Here’s to praying that we are blessed with a new cover by the man of the hour. Tune into his solo OSTs, or other songs on Spotify.
Happy Birthday Doyoung!