Bae Jin-young Reflects on His Journey and Solo Debut with 'STILL YOUNG'

"Being part of groups like Wanna One and CIX was a valuable experience. The exposure to big stages and group dynamics is something I consider my strength. I prepared this album based on those experiences."

Recently, singer Bae Jin-young, who released his solo album, reflected on his eight-year career. In an interview with TENASIA at a café in Gangnam, Seoul, on the 13th, Bae discussed his first mini-album 'STILL YOUNG'.

Bae expressed his feelings about releasing a solo mini-album, saying, "I'm grateful to release an album under my name after eight years of debut. Although there's anxiety and a sense of responsibility, I'm excited to pursue the music and performances I want."

He confessed, "I've had a longing for solo activities since my time with Wanna One and CIX." Bae explained, "Back then, being part of a group was more important, so I focused on that. But I wanted to try what I always wanted to do and what I'm good at, which led me to challenge myself with a solo album."

Bae also shared what he learned from his experiences with project group Wanna One and group CIX. "During Wanna One, I learned a lot about group dynamics and performing on big stages. Similarly, with CIX, I had great stage experiences and diverse opportunities," he said.

He opened up about leaving CIX and C9 Entertainment to join the new company Aura Entertainment. Bae stated, "I felt that AURA Entertainment respects the musical direction and artistic path I pursue. It's important to share the same vision with the company, which is why I chose them."

Bae admitted, "I had a lot of concerns. I wanted to pursue the music I desire. I felt the need to take on new challenges. This decision was driven by my ambition and thirst for the stage." He added, "My role model for solo activities is the late 'King of Pop', Michael Jackson. He did various types of music, yet his entire body of work became a genre of its own. I want to be recognized in that way, with my own color and genre."

Bae also addressed the controversy surrounding the teaser video of his travel date with i-dle's Miyeon on the YouTube channel 'TRIP KODE', which was released on the 9th and later deleted. The video was styled as a modern version of the 2017 MBC variety show 'We Got Married', sparking controversy. Collaborations between male and female artists in the idol market are sensitive due to the pseudo-romantic emotions that underpin the industry, making it easy to receive negative reactions.

Bae explained, "It seems the issue arose because the video thumbnail was labeled as a 'modern version of 'We Got Married'. However, I didn't know who the other person was, whether they were male or female, when we started." He continued, "It was simply a game to raise the other person's heart rate, and I was surprised by how it was portrayed. I approached it purely as a game, and even when I saw the other person, I wasn't flustered. But seeing it labeled as a 'modern version of 'We Got Married' was surprising."

Bae expressed his desire to pursue acting in the future. "If there's a good opportunity, I'd like to challenge myself with acting again. It would be nice to do it alongside my singing career," he said. "The advantage of being an actor is experiencing 'another self'. I played a villain in a Thai movie, and it was really fun. Except for the long makeup process, I enjoyed it and would like to do it in Korea as well." He added, "I'd like to play a crazy villain like Kim Young-kwang in 'Trigger'."

Towards the end of the interview, Bae stated, "I want to grow as a performance-oriented artist." He shared, "I got into this profession because I love and enjoy the stage so much. My goal is to perform on big stages like dome tours or major events like Coachella."

Bae Jin-young's first mini-album 'STILL YOUNG' includes five tracks, featuring the hip-hop genre title track 'Round&Round'. The album was produced with the support of Grammy-nominated producer Eric Blu2th Griggs and Grammy-winning composer Ninos Hanna.

Meanwhile, Bae Jin-young's first mini-album 'STILL YOUNG' will be released on various music sites at 6 PM on the 14th.

By Min-kyung Lee, TenAsia Reporter 2min_ror@tenasia.co.kr