It is a sad day for Cassiopeia and Bigeast around the world, as their beloved duo’s second half, Changmin, enlists in the military. Changmin of TVXQ has built up a spectacular 12-year career since his debut in 2003. Throughout that time, he picked up a few nicknames and stereotypes along the way, some of which stuck around even though he’s grown out of them. Today, in honor of his leave for the next 21 months, I would like to spend some time debunking some of these myths.

1)      He only knows how to scream

Changmin is probably best known for his extraordinary high notes. He certainly knows how to scream, and it’s a common occurrence for him to go on a show, and they ask him to demonstrate his high notes.

Unfortunately, that perpetuated the rumor that he can’t do anything else with his voice. On the contrary, Changmin has an extremely unique and versatile vocal color, and it shines through best in the lower vocal register. His song “Rise as One” is a good example of that.

His new Japanese solo album “Close to You” is also filled with beautiful, soft ballads that showcase his mature vocal tone and technique.

2)      He isn’t a good dancer Continue reading →