Eight years after his debut with CUBE Entertainment's boy band PENTAGON, JINHO has officially ventured into his solo career. Apart from these endeavors, he is also part of the crossover vocal group CREZL that was formed last year.

[CHO:RD] is JINHO's first mini-album, and it was unveiled after its Japanese version, which was released on August 28th. The five-track album features the tracks 'Goodbye With You,' 'Teddy Bear,' the focus single, 'Dear Precious One, Our Shimmering Days,' 'OVER,' and 'Bad Criminal.' "I selected the songs to align with the aesthetics and promotional aspects of Japan and Korea," he told allkpop

To commemorate the album release, we chatted with JINHO to talk about [CHO:RD] and the process behind it. Learn more about JINHO and his first album in an exclusive interview below!

Shout-out to allkpop:

allkpop: First of all, congratulations on your solo debut! How does it feel to finally take the spotlight as a solo artist after 8 years since your debut with PENTAGON?

JINHO: I had no idea how amazing and exciting it would be to showcase my own musical world. I'm having a good time every day, loving the process and watching for fan reactions.

allkpop: Tell us more about your first mini-album, and why you named it [CHO:RD]. PENTAGON's previous albums have this stylization as well (like ‘IN:VITE U’ and ‘WE:TH’) What made you incorporate that into your solo debut, and what does the name mean?

JINHO: This album is like a collection of short stories that I love. I made an effort to make every track evoke imagery like a novel or movie. Also, 'CHO' is my last name, while 'RD' stands for 'road,' symbolizing a path to get closer to me.

allkpop: How did the recording process go for the tracks now that you’ve done it alone? How did you make sure that there’s still harmony in your music?

JINHO: I talked with the writers for a long time about the direction that would work best for the recordings. Throughout the recording process, I considered how to look at myself objectively. Despite the fact that the songs' genres are all different, I think there will be a common theme or color that unites them because I was part of the creation of every song.

allkpop: Were there any difficulties that you faced while recording the songs? Which track do you think challenged you the most vocally, and which one is your favorite?

JINHO: The third track, 'Dear Precious One, Our Shimmering Days,' was the most challenging in terms of vocal range. While I was working on this song, I ended up raising the key in the end to get a cool, refreshing vibe because I wanted to capture the vibe of my favorite animation. (laughs) It's difficult to choose a favorite track because they're all like my children!

allkpop: There are double title tracks. Why did you decide to do so? What’s with 'Goodbye With You' and 'Teddy Bear' that made you think they’re perfect to be the title tracks?

JINHO: I selected the songs to align with the aesthetics and promotional aspects of Japan and Korea, as I released albums for each country.

allkpop: You participated in penning all the 5 tracks on the album.

JINHO: I’m quite happy with every song that I wrote for this project. If I had to pick one, it might be 'OVER,' which is the first time I wrote lyrics entirely in English.

allkpop: You also took part in composing all of them. Could you describe your experience of writing and composing songs to us? What did your days look like working on them? And which of the two did you work on first, building the melodies or writing the lyrics?

JINHO: Normally, I start with the melody and add lyrics later. But if I were working on my next album, I would like to try approaching it the other way around. Also, working with close friends and artists that have a good musical chemistry with me allowed me to develop the overall atmosphere of the songs and utilize our talents during the album's creation.

allkpop: This is not your first time producing songs as you also did it for your group in the past. For PENTAGON, of course, you need to create a song that all the members like. But now as a solo artist, you would just think of yourself. 

JINHO: Back then, there wasn't much pressure because I knew the members well and their skills were excellent. This time, however, since I have to handle everything from start to finish on my own, I think there's more pressure. That’s the biggest difference.

allkpop: What are your biggest goals now that you’ve embarked on your solo career?

JINHO: As I’ve been active as an artist, I’ve grown a strong desire to show more of my musical world. In the future, I plan to keep challenging myself!

allkpop: Lastly, please share your message with your fans and allkpop readers who will read this interview.

JINHO: This album has come to life all thanks to everyone who supports me. I'm incredibly grateful and will always remember and cherish each precious day. I love you all, thank you!

Socials:

Instagram: @jinhogwarts