Young K first debuted as the bassist, main rapper, and lead vocalist of one of the renowned boy bands in the Korean music industry, DAY6 in 2015. Six years later, he debuted solo in September with the EP 'Eternal.' Now, Young K has come back with his first solo release since returning from the military in April with his first-ever solo full-length album, 'Letters with notes.'

'Letters with notes' contains 11 new songs, in which, notably, Young K took part as a lyricist and composer for all the tracks. The singer kicked off his return with the melodic pop-punk pre-release single "let it be summer." Featuring the title song "nothing but," the album also includes "waited," "Dreamer," "Bungee Jumping," "natural," "STRANGE," "SOUL," "playground," "babo," and "what is..."

The album is full of messages revolving around hope, self-love, and life where the listeners would be able to hear Young K's soothing and vibrant vocal prowess. The title song, in particular, conveys the concept of continuing to shout for love and singing "This is all I have" until the end, even when no effort is working. In the final song, he asks, "If what we had wasn't love, what is love?"

In honor of his much-awaited solo return, allkpop had the pleasure of talking to Young K about 'Letters with notes,' participating in the creation of his album, a piece of advice, and more. Read our exclusive interview with the multi-talented Young K below!

Young K's shout-out to allkpop:

allkpop: Hi, Young K! First of all thank you for your time answering our questions, and congratulations on your new album, 'Letters with notes'! I'm sure that there were a lot of preparations for this full album compared to mini- and single albums. Could you please tell us how the album preparations went for this release, from cherry-picking the songs to working with producers in the studio, recording the songs, and filming the music video?

Young K: Thank you for having me! I decided to work on an album because I wanted to sing, and I also missed being on stage. Honestly, I didn't initially aim for a full album; I just wanted to write good songs. Since I put my best effort into each and every song, I couldn’t predict which one would be selected as the title track. After handing in all the demos, they go through a confirmation process, and that’s how the album comes together. 

allkpop: You've been participating in the creation of your albums for years now. Do you feel or consider this as an achievement every time you get to write lyrics and compose songs? How is it important for you to take part in making your own music? The feeling is just different when you get to participate in the creation of the songs, right?

Young K: I think one of the biggest things about creating my own album is the responsibility. There wouldn't be an album if I didn't write songs, which means fewer chances for me to perform on stage. However, I do feel joy and freedom in the process of songwriting. I get to be whoever I want to be, and I can create any character I like.

allkpop: What is the difference between writing songs for yourself and writing songs for other artists? I recently interviewed H1-KEY and Jo Yu Ri, where you also took part in writing some of their songs. H1-KEY members are thankful for your participation and Jo Yu Ri wants to have a special stage collaboration with you!

Young K: The most significant aspect I prioritize when writing a song is ensuring that it aligns with the music. Once I know who the song is intended for, I research them and envision how they might approach the songwriting. I'm very grateful that they chose the lyrics and performed with such talent. It’s a huge honor for me as well, and I'm down for anything.

allkpop: 'Letters with notes' has 11 new songs, and notably, you took part in writing and composing all of them. If you could summarize the message you'd like to deliver with all 11 songs in a few sentences, what would it be? How can you tell in words the whole message you'd like to convey with the whole album?

Young K: The summarization of this album would be "love." Love can be in many forms, such as love for My Days (DAY6's fandom name), family, or even music. Without love in our lives, it'd be very hard to go on. Each song holds different shapes and sizes of love with different words and notes.

allkpop: You gave a bunch of pieces of advice to your juniors. I especially heard that Stray Kids' Bang Chan learned a lot from you! What is it that you would like to tell or relay to your younger self or trainee self, that may be of help to younger idols pursuing the same career as yours as well? 

Young K: To my younger self I would say, "You think you're doing your best, right? Do more. Prepare more. More is coming." But to everyone else, I would say, "Give your best, but always remember to stay healthy. That means both physically and mentally. Always take care of yourself, look at yourself, and make sure you know how you are feeling." I would say this because I only know the life of mine. The words are relevant not only to those aspiring to become musicians but to all individuals who are in this world together.

allkpop: Apart from your singing career, you're also the DJ of 'Kiss the Radio.' How's your experience working on the show so far? You've interacted with a lot of idols, from 2nd to 4th generation idols! Do you have any fun or memorable episodes or stories from the show?

Young K: Being able to meet a variety of different guests remains intriguing to me. Seeing artists who are over 10 years younger makes me realize how time is passing. The most memorable guests would be Sungjin and Dowoon. With them, I can play around the most.

allkpop: Next month will mark your 8th anniversary since your debut in DAY6! September is the month when you made your solo debut as well. Congratulations by the way! I wanted to ask if it is just a coincidence that you debuted both in DAY6 and as a solo artist in the month of September. I also realized that your new album, 'Letters with notes' will be released in the same month as well, September!

Young K: Thank you so much! I suppose these occurrences feel like destiny, as no one intentionally planned such coincidences, myself included. Yet, people often say that things happen for a reason, so I guess I'll just enjoy this journey and strive to make you all proud.

allkpop: What growth or improvements have you seen from yourself for 'Letter with notes' compared to 'Eternal'?

Young K: Different me, me with the addition of time. My voice has changed — how I think of it as growth — so the results are likely different. As producer Jisang Hong told me, continuous growth is crucial. If that’s not possible, at least strive for meaningful changes. I've dedicated effort to my musical growth, yet the ultimate assessment rests with the listeners.

allkpop: Since the album title is 'Letters with notes,' if you were to write a letter to Young K, to yourself right now, and after a few years, let's say 5 years, you'll get back to this letter and read it as Young K from the future. What would the letter contain?

Young K: The letter would contain: “How are you? Are you good? Hope you're enjoying music as much as I am. Stay happy.”

allkpop: You debuted as the bassist of DAY6! Over the years, have you ever found an interest in playing other musical instruments?

Young K: I tried playing other instruments, but I haven’t truly succeeded in mastering any of them. Currently, my main focus is on becoming a better vocalist.

allkpop: I read in an interview that one of your insecurities is your face. That some people are intimidated by you, that you look angry. Are you still working on practicing smiling in front of the mirror, or have you just accepted your looks and who you are? Are you the kind of person who often thinks or worries about what other people may think about you?

Young K: I've stopped consciously practicing smiling since I haven't heard anyone being intimidated recently. Fortunately, I've had many opportunities to naturally smile. But yes, I still consider how others perceive me and interpret my words. It’s not about my own insecurity, but rather about listeners' comfort.

allkpop: To wrap up this interview, do you have anything else to say to allkpop readers and your fans who are going to read this article? Feel free to also drop your goals, be they music- or personal-related!

Young K: Hope all of you stay safe and healthy! Take care of yourself. Ask yourself how you are feeling. The most I can do is sing for you, and I hope it brings some comfort. My goal is to continue performing on stage for as long as possible. This won't be possible without all of you, so please understand how amazing you are. You make Young K exist.

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