Finally solo, Bae Jin-young wants to show fans the rest of himself

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Finally solo, Bae Jin-young wants to show fans the rest of himself

Published: 15 Oct. 2025, 08:00 Updated: 16 Oct. 2025, 19:01

SHIN HA-NEE
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Singer Bae Jin-young poses for photos ahead of an interview in southern Seoul on Oct. 13. [AURA ENTERTAINMENT]

Singer Bae Jin-young has worn quite a few hats over his eight-year career in K-pop — first as a contestant on Mnet’s “Produce 101” (2016-19), which made him a member of the now-disbanded Wanna One, and later as part of CIX, which he left last year.

Now stepping out on his own as a soloist, the 25-year-old says his story as an artist is not even halfway written.

“I believe I’ve only shown about 40 percent of what I have so far in my career,” said Bae during a roundtable interview in southern Seoul on Monday, a day before the release of “Still Young,” his debut EP as a solo artist.

“That is part of the reason I wanted to go solo, as I felt like I wasn’t able to fully express who I am while promoting myself as part of a group.

“I hope you’ll look forward to the remaining 60 percent,” he added with a smile.

“Still Young,” released on Tuesday, features five songs: The lead track “Round&Round,” along with B-sides “Playlist,” “Thrill,” “Click” and “Songs ’bout U.”

“Round&Round” is a hip-hop-inspired dance track, a surprising departure from Bae’s usual calm and soft image, both in personality and vocals. The contrast, he said, was deliberate.

An album cover for Bae Jin-young's first solo EP, ″Still Young″ [AURA ENTERTAINMENT]

“I wanted to leave a strong impression,” he said, citing the unexpectedness of the intense concept is the song’s biggest hook.

Bae has been actively involved in the overall creative process of his solo debut, from the album cover to the music video.

“I’ve listened to a lot of music and watched many performances, and realized that I enjoy upbeat sounds and style,” he said. “So with this album, I went for the kind of music that I wanted to do.”

Bae found initial stardom when he participated in the second season of Mnet’s audition program “Produce 101” series in 2017. He earned a spot among the show’s 11 finalists, and debuted as a member of Wanna One, known for songs like “Energetic” (2017) and “Beautiful” (2017), until the group's disbanding in 2019. He then joined CIX, debuting with tracks including “Movie Star” (2019), before leaving the group and his former agency, C9 Entertainment, in August 2024.

Explaining his decision to leave CIX, Bae said that he wanted to carve out his own path with a new team and vision. He shared that he had discussed future plans and personal matters with his former bandmates when making the decision, but did not elaborate further.

“I believe my experience, which not many people have had, is my biggest strength,” he said. “I want to make most of the good things I learned during my time with Wanna One and CIX in my solo career.”

Looking back on his journey so far, Bae said that he has become much more comfortable in his own skin, both on stage and in daily life.

Singer Bae Jin-young poses for photos ahead of an interview in southern Seoul on Oct. 13. [AURA ENTERTAINMENT]

“I’ve always been introverted and not that good with words,” he admitted. “During my downtime, I realized that I’d been living inside my shell. So I started reaching out to friends more actively, and tried new things not just as singer, but as a person.”

Recently, several former Wanna One members, including Ha Sung-woon and AB6IX’s Lee Dae-hwi, have been actively appearing on television and YouTube talk shows together alongside Bae, creating anticipation for a potential reunion.

Even after years apart, Bae said meeting his former bandmates again felt completely natural.

“One of the online comments that stood out to me was that ‘Being Wanna One suits Bae Jin-young well like it’s his personal color,’” he said. “I’m really grateful for all those who supported us and still follow us — if the timing and schedules allow, we all hope to make [the reunion] happen one day.”

BY SHIN HA-NEE [[email protected]]