Kyuhyun of boy band Super Junior bid farewell to the first month of the year by becoming the latest to hop into the January music melee with his new album. The singer-turned-soloist’s “Love Story,” released Tuesday evening, touches on the moods and melodies of the fall and winter ambience.
The fall-winter-themed six-track package aims to talk about the little stories that happen in love and the moments that happen, as well as the emotions he feels while looking back at those memories, the singer said during an online press conference held Tuesday. He was accompanied by veteran singer-songwriter Yoon Jong-shin.
“Love Story” is a follow-up to the singer’s previous album and his “2021 Project: Season.” The vocalist has been releasing songs that go well with each season, from summer to winter. The series’ first album, “Dreaming,” came out in 2020, and the musician released summer-themed balled “Together” in July last year.
The artist once again teamed up with songwriter Kenzie, who wrote the singer’s solo debut “At Gwanghwamun.”
Leading off the album is “Love Novel,” which the singer described as “a ballad song that makes you revisit your past love while reading past love novels.” Kyuhyun went on to say that the term “love novel” continuously appears throughout his track. He added that the term itself felt powerful, which is why he decided to go with it.
“I recently rewatched ‘Love Letter,’ and the movie hit me differently. It was clearly different from when I watched it when I was young. And I think the same applies to my song. It’s like revisiting the love letters after breaking up with your lover,” he said, adding that listeners should pay attention to the little details.
When asked why, the singer said it’s because songs with calm melodies and poetic lyrics are becoming scarce in the music industry. “I think my music would be a great fit for those who’ve been longing for songs that remind people of the winter season,” he said.
The singer added that he is also going back to songs with good lyrics. He continued, saying how he can look at and listen to music from a broader perspective.
Speaking about how he conveys his emotions through his songs, Kyuhyun said he listens to ballads almost every day. “I listen to ballads for 364 days. Whether the weather is hot or cold, I listen to ballads, which is how I’m able to extract my feelings and sorrows.”
The wunderkind also described his latest album as defining his emotions, which is what he has always wanted to do as a singer. Kyuhyun went on to say that there is a different kind of ballad for each season, but the autumn and winter vibe best fits his voice and tone. He also expressed the hope that listeners would be able to fill in the year with his songs, since the series is a mixture of the four seasons.
Talking about how he came up with the idea for his album, the singer said he wanted to meld in his taste of love. “People usually go from the start and end it. In line with the saying, if we see dating as a one-year cycle, I think love usually starts in the spring season, gets intense in summer, and becomes less passionate as the cold nears.”
Kyuhyun continued, saying he is happy that he can fill his album with the moods of different seasons. And, of course, the musician’s favorite season was winter. When asked why, he said he loves ballads with a bright tune that suit the hot season, but since the singer is closing this chapter of his album, he wants to go with wintertime.
The singer also had time to look back on his solo journey. In his eighth year as a soloist, Kyuhyun said he is currently at the phase where he is “maturing” as a singer.
“I became a singer because my love for music was immense. I was also one of the first artists from my company to drop an album as a soloist, and the moment of joy when I released my song still remains in me,” he said.
But Kyuhyun said his motto in music has shifted to making “good” songs worth listening to.
He went on to say that he has moved to a stage in life where he genuinely enjoys singing. “I have set my heart on music that has a specific message or meaning, and I hope my thoughts land well with listeners.”
The six-song package was released at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
By Park Jun-hee (
junheee@heraldcorp.com)
