SHINee's Key Returns with a Chilling Horror Concept in New Album 'HUNTER'

SHINee's Key has shed his lighthearted variety show persona to embrace a chilling horror concept as he returns to his musical roots.

On the afternoon of the 11th, Key held a press conference at the Pullman Ambassador Seoul East Pole to discuss his third full-length album, 'HUNTER'.

Key described the 'HUNTER' album as having "horror" as its main theme. He explained, "The title track came together relatively quickly, and the album consists of 10 tracks. I selected the songs while imagining performing them live. The album offers a variety of genres and is enjoyable to listen to in sequence."

He added, "The people I've worked with now understand my style well. When I presented a big idea, they suggested we explore it through a horror narrative, which led us to focus on creating an eerie atmosphere."

Key confessed, "When I decided on the album title 'HUNTER', I had no idea that the Netflix animation 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' would be released."

He continued, "I was surprised when the animation came out after we had already filmed the music video. There's a global challenge involving the high-pitched song 'GOLDEN' from the 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' OST. One of the tracks on my album features very high notes, and I hope it gains more attention due to the 'GOLDEN' challenge."

Key humorously remarked, "I'm grateful that my album 'HUNTER' is being released when people are already familiar with the word 'hunter' due to 'K-Pop Demon Hunters'. Some reactions to my comeback trailer speculated if I was influenced by 'K-Pop Demon Hunters', but the timing didn't allow for that."

Regarding the animator of 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' drawing inspiration from SHINee, Key said, "I heard about it later and thought they might have referenced our iconic image from when we performed brighter songs. It made me proud, but we don't travel by private jet," he joked.

About the title track 'HUNTER', Key revealed, "Initially, it wasn't themed this way. It was originally about wanting to know someone's number, but I suggested keywords that gave it a wild animal vibe. Writer Kenji captured these keywords well in the lyrics." He further explained, "The song deals with the battle of a divided self. It's not about zombies or ghosts but aims to be ambiguously strange."

Key noted, "These days, there's not much difference between mini-albums and full albums since releasing a full album doesn't mean promoting for six months." He added, "For fans, a full album means they get to hear 10 new songs and see 10 new performances at concerts, which is meaningful. For artists, creating music videos and selecting songs can be burdensome, but a full album is a gift for the fans."

Key also mentioned, "I don't think my identity as a solo artist is very strong. When choosing songs, I ask myself, 'Would I listen to this if it were another artist's song?' I don't stick to a specific genre and aim to present good songs as they come."

Key expressed nostalgia for 2010s music, saying, "I know the current trends, but I love the composition of older songs. They make my heart race." He added, "I tend to choose such songs, which might be why people think they are 'so Key'. It's truly my taste, and I believe it resonates with listeners."

Key's third full-length album 'HUNTER' is his first since his second album 'Gasoline' in August 2022. The album includes the title track 'HUNTER' and nine other tracks, such as 'Trap' and 'Strange'. 'HUNTER' is a dance track featuring a grand bass, heavy kick sound, rhythmic guitar riffs, and various synth pads. The performance of this track was pre-released at the 'SMTOWN LIVE 2025' concert at Tokyo Dome on the 9th and 10th.

Key's third album 'HUNTER' will be available on various music streaming sites from 6 PM on the 11th.