"Dice" is a song by South Korean singer

Onew Lee Jin-ki (; born December 14, 1989), better known by his stage name Onew, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, actor and host. Born in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi-do, Onew was discovered at the 2006 SM Academy Casting and signed a contract with ...

. It was released on April 11, 2022, through

SM Entertainment SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency. It is one of South Korea's largest entertainment companies where it was established in 1995 by record executive and record producer Lee Soo-man. The company ha ...

and served as the lead single for the EP of the same name. "Dice" was written by Kang Eun-jung, Will Lobban-Bean, Griffith Clawson and Jesse Fink, and produced by Lobban-Bean and Hitchhiker.

Background and release

Following the release of Onew's debut solo EP, ''

Voice The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal tract, including talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, shouting, humming or yelling. The human voice frequency is specifically a part of human sound production ...

'', in 2018, he went on hiatus due to

mandatory military service Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day und ...

. In March 2022, his agency

announced he would resume his solo music career with the release of his second EP ''

Dice Dice (singular die or dice) are small, throwable objects with marked sides that can rest in multiple positions. They are used for generating random values, commonly as part of tabletop games, including dice games, board games, role-playing ...

'', led by the single of the same name. Another song was originally intended as lead single but it fell through. Onew instead opted for "Dice" because he liked its rhythm. Image teasers were uploaded to social media beginning March 31, and the song was released alongside its accompanying music video on April 11. Onew promoted the song with performances on ''

M Countdown ''M Countdown'' () is a South Korean music program broadcast by Mnet. The show features appearances by popular music artists who also perform live on stage. It is broadcast from CJ E&M Center Studio in Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul. ...

'', ''

Music Bank Music Bank may refer to: * ''Music Bank'' (TV program), a South Korean music program by KBS **''Music Bank World Tour The ''Music Bank'' World Tour is a worldwide live concert tour of South Korean music show '' Music Bank'' by the Korean Broa ...

'', ''

Inkigayo ''Inkigayo'' ( ko, 인기가요; English title: ''The Music Trend'', previously ''Popular Song'') is a South Korean music program broadcast by SBS. It airs live every Sunday. The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who p ...

'' and ''

Show! Music Core ''Show! Music Core'' (), or simply ''Music Core'' is a South Korean music television program broadcast by MBC. It airs live every Saturday at 15:30 (KST). The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who perform live on stage. ...

''.

Composition

"Dice" is a "breezy" and "mellifluous" pop song underpinned by rhythmical guitar plucking and synthesizer sounds that intensify in the chorus. The lyrics compare love to a game; Onew sings about rolling the dice and betting on love despite knowing it's a game he will likely lose.

Music video

The music video for "Dice" opens with Onew gazing at a woman through a hotel window, only to witness her be abducted by a masked individual. Onew enters the hotel in an effort to save her and is met with various foes along the way. He traverses the hotel's many rooms by rolling a magical dice, disguising himself first as a prince and then as a bellboy. He eventually reunites with his love interest, who does not require rescuing and instead dispatches the enemies herself.

Critical reception

Writing for

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

, Sarina Bhutani called "Dice" "one of Onew's most unique works to date" and described it as "a song that feels like wind in your hair and sunshine on your skin". Divyansha Dongre of ''

Rolling Stone India ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its cov ...

'' praised it as a "quintessential summer single", highlighting Onew's "signature dulcet vocalizations".

Year-end lists

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Dice''. Recording * Recorded at SM Starlight Studio and SM Yellow Tail Studio * Digitally edited at SM LVYIN Studio * Mixed at SM Blue Cup Studio * Mastered at 821 Sound Mastering Personnel * Onew – vocals, background vocals * Kang Eun-jung – lyrics * Will Lobban-Bean – composition * Griffith Clawson – composition * Jesse Fink – composition * Cook Classios – arrangement * Hitchhiker – arrangement, guitar, keyboard * Lee Min-gyu – recording * No Min-ji – recording * Lee Ji-hong – digital editing * Jeong Eui-seok – mixing * Kwon Nam-woo – mastering

Charts

Release history

References

{{Onew 2022 singles 2022 songs Korean-language songs SM Entertainment singles