Music Monday, March 31, 2025 – “Always” by ENHYPEN’s Jay Park

Jay Jongseong Park has been my ENHYPEN bias since their debut. But I guess I’m not much of a fan if I didn’t even know of his connection to rock and the fact that he can play guitar.

But that definitely all changed after experiencing the incredible performance that is Jay’s cover of Bon Jovi’s “Always” that was released last Friday.

I don’t want to be overdramatic. But I was honestly in tears by the end of the more than seven-minute video. Especially as he started on the last section of the performance, a cover of Bon Jovi’s 1995 Wembley performance of their quintessential rock ballad. (Now imagine Jay performing this in an iconic international stadium, yeah?!)

But like, where in the world have I been?! I don’t think I would have ever expected a performance like this from Jay. And since first experiencing the performance, I’ve come to learn he has expressed a strong affinity for rock music and how it has influenced his musical tastes and personal expression. Not only that, he is a passionate guitar player as well. (Which was quite evident in the performance video.)

I’ll have to do more Googling, but if this is Jay’s first performance and showcase in this way, then what a song to have chosen to do it with. And not even just the song itself, but a specific and memorable performance of the song by the original artists.

“Always” is of course an epic rock ballad and one of Bon Jovi’s most successful songs. One that has massive popularity with audiences worldwide. The emotional performance of the song and the universal feelings of love and longing in the lyrics, coupled with the engaging instrumental performances of the band; it’s not hard to see why it has enduring success to this day.

So for Jay to have chosen this song to showcase his talents and love for rock, I think is absolutely perfect. The reasons I just listed for the song’s lasting popularity could easily describe Jay’s performance too. An emotional and passionate performance from Jay, both vocally and with his guitar skills, of a song with a universal message and relatable, even if very romantic feelings; I’m sure this performance has won Jay many new fans.

Just glancing through the comments, I see appreciation from fans of ENHYPEN as well as fans of Bon Jovi as well. The nostalgia of the song is very real, especially for a 90s kid like myself. And for younger fans who weren’t even born 10 years after the song was first released, they’ve been introduced to one of the classics.

I don’t know if I can fully find the words to even fully describe how I feel about this performance from Jay. It is a resonant performance from an artist I was already fond of. But even more so now after experiencing this amazing performance. How exciting! I am so looking forward to a future solo release from Jay. And maybe he will be able to treat us all with a song that will have as much of an impact on future audiences like “Always” has had too!

Absolutely amazing performance. If you haven’t yet, definitely check it out. And if you have, you might be like me who has already watched it several times already!