[Interview 1] MONSTA X's Kihyun: "My Own Song Found After Wandering, an Endless Challenge"

[Sportschosun Baek Ji-eun] MONSTA X's Kihyun has returned as a "more mature vocalist."

Kihyun will release his second solo mini album, "Borderline," at 6 p.m. on the 7th. The album comes three years and nine months after "Youth," which was released in October 2022.

"I am making a solo comeback after three years and nine months, or nearly four years. I am returning with stronger confidence than ever in the album's quality and message. Through this promotion, I will show people that this is the kind of music I make."

This album can be seen as a condensed showcase of Kihyun's music. After completing his military service and promoting with MONSTA X as a full group, he collected songs whenever he could. Then, starting in February, he focused on the project in earnest and selected seven tracks that best highlight his own color: "So Good," "Borderline," "Stealin' Air," "Domino," "Lazy Day," "Late Night Drive," and "Howling."

"This is my third solo album, and I am now over 30. My first solo album, 'Voyager,' was an upbeat song that marked the beginning of my solo career. My second album, 'Youth,' represented a process of exploring youth and pure emotions while gathering my musical identity. 'Borderline' is the album that can define my musical color. That is why this album is so precious to me, and I think it can clearly show where I am now."

The title track, "So Good," carries a message about the freedom that comes when you trust your own choice and move forward amid the many voices around you that try to force a single answer. Its gradually building guitar sound, Kihyun's delicate vocals, and explosive high notes come together to captivate listeners.

"All of the tracks are strong and dynamic, but I thought this one best showed my color and where I stand right now. I heard the demo during the Jingle Ball Tour in December last year, and it stayed on my mind from that moment on because it was so good. I have always liked the British singer James Bay, and the kind of voice I aim for is a little husky and well suited to rock. I thought this song would sound really good if I sang it that way."

Although it was chosen from among four title track candidates, bringing it to life was not easy.

"To be honest, it is a song with a perfect beginning, development, climax, and ending, and it requires a very delicate emotional arc. I did not want to take on such a difficult song. In the past, I used to feel trapped by rules and stressed whenever I stepped outside what was set for me, so I was a little afraid that those old habits would come back if I sang this song. But I also thought that maybe I should show a side that is different from the energetic stage performances people are used to, and that I should sing a song only I can sing so the public can say, 'This is Kihyun's music.' I had many worries, but I took on the challenge as if it were homework. Now that the album is complete, I think I made the right choice."

The album is especially meaningful because it tells Kihyun's autobiographical story of leaving behind confusion and gaining the conviction to trust "the map that is me."

"When I sing while performing intense choreography in a dance song with MONSTA X, it is hard to express the many shades of my voice. Then, while preparing for my solo work, I went through a period of deep confusion. What pulled me out of that was rock. When making this album, I struggled with thoughts like, 'I want to show a lot,' and 'I want to prove that I am a singer who can deliver the story inside a song in a way only I can.' But when the result of all that careful thought satisfies me, it brings even greater fulfillment. If my life were a map with a fixed destination, I feel like I am right in the middle of it now. After going through so much, my personality has become much more flexible, and I think both my thoughts and my music are maturing."

Kihyun plans to connect with fans through a variety of music built on rock, his signature strength.

"I used to have my own firm standards, and I applied them not only to myself but also to our members and other people, judging them too quickly. If things did not go my way, I would get very stressed. As that cycle repeated and I had no hobbies, I experienced the dazzling life of a singer that only a tiny number of people on earth can ever experience, but personally, it was hard. Then, during the COVID-19 period, when I was forced to take a break, I started thinking a lot, and rock changed me in many ways. Rather than staying trapped in a mold, I want to keep challenging myself. I want to continue challenging myself so I can become a mentally healthy person, and I want to make albums filled deeply with my own color."

Baek Ji-eun, silk781220@sportschosun.com, photo provided by Starship Entertainment