Bae Jin-young's Solo Debut Postponed to October: A New Chapter Begins

Bae Jin-young, who was set to make his solo debut this month, has postponed the release of his album to next month.

According to TENASIA's report on the 25th, Bae Jin-young will officially debut as a solo artist on October 14th. This marks his first solo endeavor in eight years since debuting with Wanna One in 2017.

Last August, Bae Jin-young left CIX after his exclusive contract with C9 Entertainment, which he joined during his appearance on Mnet's 'Produce 101 Season 2' in 2017, expired. CIX debuted as a five-member boy group in July 2019, with Bae Jin-young as a key member.

After four months as a free agent, Bae Jin-young signed with the newly established Aura Entertainment in December last year. The agency also represents Brown Eyed Girls' JeA and Han Seung-woo. Fans are eagerly anticipating his first solo album under Aura Entertainment, which comes 10 months after joining the company.

CIX made a comeback with their 8th mini-album on the 8th of this month. Fans were curious if Bae Jin-young would reunite with CIX on music shows, as his solo debut was initially expected in September. However, with the debut now pushed to October, an official reunion with CIX did not occur.

CIX, without Bae Jin-young, held their first round interview to commemorate their release earlier this month. The members shared, "We occasionally exchange greetings with Bae Jin-young and support each other's activities." They added, "We have been discussing his departure for years and respect his decision after much consideration."

Recently, Bae Jin-young appeared on the YouTube channel 'Donghaemul and Baekdu Eunhyuk(동해물과 백두은혁)' and revealed he is preparing for his solo debut. He stated, "I participated in planning meetings and incorporated many of my ideas into the album. It's music that everyone can enjoy together." When asked by Eunhyuk if his concept was still 'sexy,' Bae Jin-young replied, "It used to be, but now it's different," hinting at a new transformation.

An industry insider involved in Bae Jin-young's debut preparation commented, "Bae Jin-young has been known as a practice enthusiast since his 'Produce 101 Season 2' and Wanna One days. This is his first time experiencing such a long hiatus while preparing for his solo debut after changing companies. He has worked hard to exceed public expectations."

Lee So-jung, TENASIA Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr