Photo = Starship Entertainment

 

[Hanteo News = Reporter KANG SUYOUNG] MONSTA X KIHYUN showed stronger confidence than ever for his solo comeback after three years and nine months.

 

KIHYUN met with Hanteo News at the Starship Entertainment building in Seoul on the 1st to talk about his second mini album, “BORDERLINE.”

 

KIHYUN said, “I think I have returned more confidently than ever,” adding, “The source of this confidence comes from the fact that not only the title track ‘So Good,’ but all seven tracks on this album are of great quality.” He also put a lot of effort into selecting the tracks. “Every single one of them is my pick,” he said, adding, “More than ever, we took a long time to collect songs.” He chose “Stealin’ Air” as the B-side track he put the most effort into on the album. “The high notes are one thing, but there is also a slightly rap-like feel in the middle, and since it is not a song that can be easily pulled off, I really put a lot of effort into recording it,” he recalled. “I am usually the type to finish recording one song in an hour and a half, but this song took almost three and a half hours.”

 

He also shared his first encounter with the title track “So Good.” KIHYUN said, “It was a song that our local manager in the U.S. played for me while MONSTA X was on the Jingle Ball Tour last December,” adding, “Even though I heard it during a brief waiting time, it would not leave my mind.” He explained, “Even though it was far from the music I had been doing, it had the vibe of JAMES BAY, an artist I liked,” adding, “We were going to choose other songs as the title track, but the reason this song eventually became the title track was because it kept feeling like it was pulling me in.” Deciding on the title track was not easy. “I thought about it while taking walks, and I kept thinking about it even while working on my schedule, so I actually reached a point where I had so many thoughts that I could not choose,” he said, adding, “Only after I was told there was one day left before the deadline did I decide on ‘So Good,’ thinking, ‘Okay, let’s really trust my choice.’” The members were certain from the beginning. “As soon as the members heard ‘So Good,’ they said, ‘Hey, this is the one you should go with,’” he added.

 

He also shared the meaning behind the album title. KIHYUN explained, “BORDERLINE is about how once you cross the line, you are now riding it,” adding, “I named it BORDERLINE to express myself crossing that line, trusting my choice, and moving forward.” He added, “If my first solo album ‘VOYAGER’ was an album about setting off on a journey, and the second, ‘YOUTH,’ was an album that gathered youth and pure emotions, then this ‘BORDERLINE’ and the title track ‘So Good’ contain the feeling of the most current version of me within that journey, the version of me in my 30s.”

 

He also clearly shared his beliefs on why his name is not included in the production credits. KIHYUN said, “I know myself very well,” adding, “I do not think I have an aesthetic sense, and I do not think my lyric-writing or composing ability is better than those who have professional expertise.” He explained, “If putting my ability into this album would actually become harmful, then of course I would have no intention of including it,” adding, “Instead, I am always the one who first suggests the overall direction.” The same reasoning applied to not including any featured artists. “This time, I thought I definitely had to make an album filled entirely with myself, and I also thought a lot that MONBEBE would want that more,” he said.

 

He also opened up honestly about his vocals. KIHYUN said, “I think it would be really great if I could be included among the top 5 idol vocal kings,” adding, “You know how there are things where people take the first syllables of idols’ visuals? I hope there could be something like that for vocals too, and I would like my name to be in it.” As vocalists he respects, he named EXO BAEKHYUN and SEVENTEEN SEUNGKWAN. “Since I am limited to people who were active around the same era as me, those two came to mind first,” he said. For this comeback, he said, “What is a little different is that I will be able to show the stage with just my vocals, without any dance performance,” adding, “I think if I really sing well, those parts will all be made up for.”

 

He also teased a vocal challenge. KIHYUN said, “A lot of people said the song is not easy after listening to it,” adding, “I plan to do it more as a vocal challenge.” He also shared a heartwarming episode from the process of suggesting the challenge to the members. “I sent a message in the KakaoTalk chat room saying, ‘SHOWNU, MINHYUK, one person on a first-come, first-served basis for my vocal challenge,’ but there was no reply for quite a while, and it seemed like the two of them were watching each other’s reactions,” he said, drawing laughter. “Since I did the challenge during SHOWNU X HYUNGWON, SHOWNU said he would take moral responsibility and do it.”

 

He also spoke about how his mindset changed after his military service. KIHYUN said, “While serving in the military, I performed at more than 300 events over a year and six months, and I thought a lot about whether I would fall behind and whether the fans would forget me a lot,” adding, “But after I came out, those worries felt so meaningless, and I am even on tour now, so I think I am such a blessed person.” As he entered his 30s, his attitude toward life also changed. “I entered my 30s thinking, ‘Let’s live while doing what I want to do, and let’s take on a lot of challenges.’ Looking back now, I think it was such a good time,” he said, adding, “People sometimes ask me if I want to go back to my 20s, but not at all. I like where I am now.”

 

Toward the end of the interview, he also expressed his desire to hold a solo fan meeting and concert. KIHYUN said, “I think I should do at least one solo fan meeting or solo concert that the fans want,” adding, “I personally think this album is an album with a level of completeness that is almost close to No. 1.”

 

KIHYUN’s second mini album, “BORDERLINE,” will be released today at 6 p.m. through various music streaming sites. Attention is focused on what kind of borderline KIHYUN, who has returned after three years and nine months, will cross with this album.

 

 

grace@hanteo.com

 

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