Jeong Sewoon invites people to stop by his ‘musical garden’ and gain comfort through ‘Where is my Garden!’

As the season has changed from the springtime blooms to bright summer, singer-songwriter Jeong Sewoon has welcomed the transition with his fifth EP, “Where is my Garden!” released Wednesday evening.

This is the soloist’s first release since “24 Part 2,” which was put out in January 2021.

In a press conference Wednesday, the singer described his latest album as “an album that sings the hopes that the youth carry.”

The titular garden is Jeong’s private place where he heals and comforts himself by unplugging from work.

The singer said the themes that round out his green space are “comfort,” “healing,” “youth” and “relaxation.”

“I hope my songs will be able to give comfort to people, especially the younger generation, and support them when they listen to my music. I hope they would be able to revel in the energy and message I want to convey,” he said.

When asked what his definition of “carrying youth’s hope” is, Jeong said most people his age had just started their careers, so he wants to cheer them up with his songs.

“For example, a senior at work could tell a newcomer to do something, but how could they know if they are new? This can make them upset, so hopefully, my music will be able to make them feel better.”

The singer said he needed a place to stop by and rest, and expressed his hopes that his music could be a “rest area” where people can stop by, rest and gain some energy.

The singer said wanting to comfort people is the main reason he wants to invite listeners to his “musical garden” and added that the garden is filled with the vivacity and vibrant energy of the youth.

This time, he produced all of the tracks for his fifth EP.

Leading the six-song package is “Roller Coaster.” 

“Unexpected moments happen in life, and they bring us varied emotions, from being stressed to being happy. It’s impossible to plan every moment, so life is like a roller coaster,” Jeong said. “But what I want to say is that let’s just let those moments flow, don’t be stressed and just enjoy it. This is what I want to say.”

But unlike the song’s message, the singer said he was very calm as a person. He said he has never been low, and the little things in life bring him joy.

“I feel like I’m on the highest part of the ride when I make memories to cherish with my staff members or when I successfully end my schedule. That’s being happy for me,” he said, laughing.

Jeong went on to say that the song has a funky melody, and the powerful brass sounds in the background will make people feel good.

“There’s also a choreography for this song, and I’m sure it will be a dance move that everybody can easily follow and enjoy,” he added. 

Surprisingly, “Roller Coaster” is the only track the singer didn’t write the words to, but he was pleased with what lyricist Kim Eana came up with.

“Since we’re close, she melded in many of my thoughts and creeds into the lyrics well. We had a lot of conversations with each other while working on the song,” he said.

The other sidetracks that make up the album are: “Garden,” “10 minutes,” “Book,” “Nerdy” and “Pull me down (With zai.ro).”

Jeong said that he enjoyed trying and exploring different music styles, adding that he’s already excited to see what his next album will be like.

“I’m learning the saxophone at the moment, and I played the instrument for my sixth track, ‘Pull me down.’ I want to learn cello in the future, so hopefully, I’ll be able to fill that sound in my next album.”

At the end of the event, Jeong Sewoon expressed his hopes that his version of comfort would land well.

“I didn’t know that I was gone for this long after I dropped an album last year. People think I might have done nothing, but I did many things. I wrote an essay as I was preparing for the album, and it was fun, so those emotions are also blended on the album. I wish people would freely stop by and listen to my music anytime, anywhere,” he said.

By Park Jun-hee (junheee@heraldcorp.com)