Fans of Cube Entertainment artists are more than familiar with his name, but for those of you who aren't, Shinsadong Tiger is one of the biggest hitmaking composers in the industry today. He's raised groups like 4minute, B2ST, and T-ara to the top and has even been nicknamed the 'Hand of Midas.' The composer recently sat down for an interview with Joy News 24, and reporters immediately noticed that his phone was ringing nonstop. All of the calls were actually from idol producers, hoping to catch his attention for one of his tracks. With a shy laugh, he explained "I get a call every two minutes, nearly.  I feel like I'm going to become neurotic." Even amidst his busy schedule producing for idols, he recently gave something new a try: his very own project album, "Supermarket - The Half." Like a supermarket, he aimed to produce a variety of different musical genres that listeners could pick and choose from according to their taste. "Just like how the local marts are being pushed out of business with chain stores and supermarkets, there are music genres that are being forgotten with the new trends." For a producer of idol music, his refusal to follow the hottest trends in music may make some cock their heads with confusion, but it's just an expression of his confidence in being able to produce different genres of music. "I'm known for being an idol composer, or a composer that only makes music that fits the trend. I'm also sometimes criticized for using auto-tune, and I do admit that I felt really pressured to take my name away from all of that." As a reflection of those thoughts, his recent album is filled with retro and analog sounds. His trademark 'hooks' are nowhere to be found, and the use of English in his lyrics is kept to a minimum. For the first time ever, he even gave the ballad genre a try. "I tried to escape from the trends, but my album itself turned out quite trendy. What can I say, I'm a trendy person." When asked about some of the stereotypes he's been labelled with as an idol composer, he stated, "There is definitely a negative view towards composers for idol music. They think that we create superficial music, but it's not true. I believe that our music is capable of touching the emotions, and it's upsetting that we're not acknowledged for it. When I made B2ST's 'Soom' and 'Shock', I wanted to give it a similar sound color, but give it a unique touch. Unfortunately, people criticized me for plagiarizing myself. They fail to see that it depends on who the team is, and that the songs adhere to a color specific to them." He continued, "Trend music can't escape being put on the chopping block. There's a lot of room for comparisons, but I think that in itself is a form of the public taking interest. Through such controversies is how the music market grows." Speaking of trends, the latest pattern seems to follow hit composers like E-TRIBE and Bang Shi Hyuk producing their own idol groups from scratch. Will Shinsadong Tiger be joining them? "I do have a few that I'm training in hopes of becoming an idol producer, but it's a lot harder than I initially thought. I thought long and hard about it, but it takes a lot more than just a few good ideas and passion. I'm not 30 years old yet, so I still have a lot of time and freedom. I want to continue pursuing music before I give it a try when I feel more responsible." Shinsadong Tiger concluded, "For me, my responsibility lies in helping my friends shine on stage with my songs." Source: Joy News 24 via Naver