Bang Yong Guk is a rapper, songwriter, and record producer hailing from South Korea, who is currently signed under YY Entertainment. He made his appearance as a solo artist in 2011 with his impactful track "I Remember," which features Yang Yoseop.

Last May 2, Yong Guk released his awaited mini-album 'THE COLORS OF LOVE.' The EP comprises six songs with the title song "Ride or Die" expressing the concept of having someone who remains steadfast in your life until the very end. It also includes the B-sides "Breath," "Green (feat. SOOVI)," "Rain On Me (feat. COE)," "UFO," and "I DON'T CARE."

This year, Yong Guk is going on his solo world tour, aptly titled 'THE COLORS OF BANG YONG GUK,' which kicked off last May with a show in Illinois. It was then followed by 9 other cities in the United States. Afterward, the rapper embarked on his European tour with a total of 5 stops. Right after is his Asia tour, which includes his shows in Manila, Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, and concluded in Bangkok on July 26.

On July 14, Yong Guk successfully concluded his show in Manila, where he impressed the audience with his captivating stage charisma, coupled with his powerful rap prowess. The setlist includes "RACE," "UFO," "Ride or Die," "Xie Xie," and "See you later," among others.

Prior to his Manila show (presented by OfficialKEvents and Root Company), Bang Yong Guk took some time to chat with allkpop in the backstage area. During the interview, he delved into his musical journey, his solo tour, and other interesting aspects of his career. Read on to discover more about this talented rapper!

allkpop: First of all, welcome to Manila! Is there anywhere in the Philippines that you'd like to visit if you had the time and opportunity to do so? Any bucket-list items you'd like to try in the country this time around? Maybe the next time you'll be here since you're busy with your tour now!

Yong Guk: As you know, I'm on a quite tight schedule just like the last time I came. I don't really have that much time to walk around or do any sightseeing as we're going to the next stop quite quickly. So as I came here, I started to wanna visit Manila for resting purposes, not working purposes. I've never been to Cebu!

allkpop: In an interview, you said that over the past years, Yong Guk is someone who never changes. How would you introduce yourself maybe in a third POV to someone who hasn't heard of you or your music yet?

Yong Guk: I believe that since I debuted till now, I'm still the same person with the same values. It's quite hard to guess how others would introduce him, so it's a bit of a difficult question to answer. Since everyone might have a different impression of me, different ways of introducing myself.

allkpop: You have several albums under your name, but what has been your favorite singing project or album so far, and why? The one that you think represents Yong Guk the most.

Yong Guk: The first album I made after I left my previous label, and it was the first full-length album I released as a solo artist. That's probably the one album I was the happiest making. And if I would pick a song to represent myself as a person, it would be "Journey," which is part of that exact album.

allkpop: You take part in creating your own music, writing, and producing. What does your day look like in a recording studio? 

Yong Guk: A typical day for me is waking up, making my way to the studio. And I tend to be held up in the studio until at least I do one thing right. Like, yes, I've completed one thing, achieved something today. Until that happens, I'll stay in my studio.

allkpop: It's been over a decade since you first debuted! How, in your opinion, has the industry you're in changed since then, and how have you adapted to those changes?

Yong Guk: As you know, I started off as a K-pop idol and I was doing a lot of K-Pop activities for quite a long time, for a long period of time. And I have noticed that K-Pop has changed, and it's a lot more time-relevant now. I can see that K-Pop has grown so much as a genre worldwide, that as a previous K-Pop artist, I'm very proud and happy 

allkpop: Being on a solo tour is always like one of the things an artist has on his or her bucket list. It's a dream for every artist to hold a tour! How does it feel to finally go on a solo tour and perform live in front of your fans?

Yong Guk: A live performance is not possible without fans, so I'm very very thankful to my fans for making it possible for me to go on tour. It makes me truly happy that there are people, who are actually physically traveling to the venue to come and see me perform.

allkpop: Speaking of live performances, do you have any rituals or preparations you do before taking the stage?

Yong Guk: I need a bit of downtime sometimes to calm myself down, close my eyes, and think of it like a meditation in a sense. I've done quite a lot of interviews, and one thing I always say is that I need to hype myself up, and get in the right state of mind before going to perform.

allkpop: Preparing and releasing albums, preparing for your performances, I wanted to ask how you usually balance your personal life with your music career and such. What do you usually do in your spare time, to unwind after a long tiring day?

Yong Guk: Except when I'm making music and I'm out performing or doing music activities, I prefer to pretty much do nothing. I barely go outside either and I spend a lot of my time at home recharging, think of it as my social battery as a musician. Musicians use their social battery almost 24/7, so when I do have downtime, I recharge that social battery.

allkpop: Is music something you wanted to do for the rest of your life since then? When did you realize that you really wanted to pursue this career?

Yong Guk: When I was really young, I just tried making music and then uploaded them online, and the reaction was actually pretty good, and that's when I was like, "Oh, yeah, I want to do music." In terms of until when I would like to do it, I'm not that sure. I always live in the present, and I find the present more relevant than the future anyways, you never know what's going to happen. So I'd like to focus on the fact that I'm making music right now and I'm happy with that.

allkpop: As you've been in the industry for years now, what lessons have you learned throughout your career and how do you think they have impacted you as an artist?

Yong Guk: Throughout my music career, I feel like I have gotten to a point where it's now part of my personality to not really hold on to whatever's happening. I just live quite freely and go with the flow of life. I don't want to focus on things that passed because the past is in the past.

allkpop: Where do you see yourself a few years from now?

Yong Guk: I believe I'll still be making music in a few years. Just like how I'm happy right now, I truly believe that a few years from now will be just like this — making music and being happy.

allkpop: Your fans look up to you, not just as an idol but also as a role model, who inspires them. Just to wrap up this interview, do you have anything else to say to your fans worldwide? Is there anything your fans can expect from you in the future? Please leave a message for them!

Yong Guk: My recent album, 'THE COLORS OF LOVE,' centers on love and loving yourself. One thing I would really like to tell my fans worldwide is thank you so much for loving me, but I want you to love yourself just as much as you love and honor me. I respect my fans worldwide for also loving me.