[Sportschosun reporter Jeong Bit] Young K of DAY6 said he put the hurt he felt in real-life relationships into the title track of his second solo album, "Shut the Door."
Young K met with Sportschosun at JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul in Jongno District, Seoul, recently and said, "My friends were once caught badmouthing me," adding, "I turned that experience into a song, like writing in a diary."
The title track of Young K's second solo album, "Young Kest," is "Shut the Door." Despite its bright melody, the song captures the feeling of shutting the door and retreating into a private space after being worn down by the world and by other people.
Young K explained, "'Shut the Door' is a paradoxical song." He added, "I thought of it as a song about closing the door of your heart and going inside, only to feel a sense of liberation and freedom there."
The music video also visually expresses those conflicting emotions. Young K said, "From the planning stage, I held meetings with the director," and added, "I said it would be nice if nature unfolded after the door was closed, and if there were a white bed there. I wanted to run around freely inside that space."
He continued, "I think the lyrics, which contrast with the expansive sound of the music, stand out even more." He added, "I wrote it honestly, like a diary, about Kang Young-hyun, and it was a song I finished relatively quickly. But I never expected it to be chosen as the title track."
The lyrics also reflect real episodes with his friends. Young K said, "My friends were caught badmouthing me," and added, "But they are still my friends, and I enjoy being with them, so writing about it actually comforted me."
Young K said he played the finished song for his friends. "They listened to it, cried, and said they were sorry," he recalled. "We are doing well now."
He added, "Because being a celebrity is such a unique job, I think people talk about you a little more often." He continued, "For everything you lose, there is also a lot to gain. I live receiving a great deal of love."
It was also an intentional choice to express strong lyrics in a soft and sweet way. Young K explained, "Rather than singing a harsh story harshly or a sad story only in a sad way, I think balancing it with opposite emotions can soften both sides." He added, "I thought it would also feel less burdensome for listeners."
He also included a sing-along section with live performances in mind. Young K said he hoped, "I really want the audience to shout along with 'Shut the Door.'"
This album was also an effort to erase the boundary between Young K on stage and Kang Young-hyun as a person. Young K said, "For the past 10 years, I wanted to separate Young K and Kang Young-hyun as much as possible." He added, "If Young K is someone close to a finished version, someone ready to be loved by people, then Kang Young-hyun is someone who can be petty, feel dissatisfied, or get hurt."
He continued, "I tried to live by refining and shaving away even the human side of Kang Young-hyun, but I think the emotions that had been boiling inside came out this time." He said, "He is a less polished person than Young K, someone who can even have bad thoughts at times. I did not have the confidence to reveal all of that."
Now, however, he feels able to show an imperfect side of himself. Young K said, "I think Kang Young-hyun himself has become somewhat refined now." He added, "Maybe it is okay to show a more human and imperfect side."
He also realized that he has perfectionist tendencies. Young K said, "I used to think I was not a perfectionist, but looking back, I think I do have some perfectionist traits."
He also pointed out what he discovered about himself through this project. Young K said, "I think I want to be free, I am quietly strong-willed, I get lonely easily, and I am a fragile person." He added, "From the outside, I may look like a cheerful guy who brushes everything off with a laugh, but I realized that in reality I cry a lot and get hurt a lot."
He emphasized, "I realized that Kang Young-hyun is the person who made Young K, and in the end, Young K is not that different from Kang Young-hyun."
Young K's second solo album, "Young Kest," will be released at 6 p.m. on the 27th through various music streaming platforms.
Jeong Bit, rightlight@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
