[Joynews24 reporter Jeong Ji-won] Singer Kim Jae-hwan has returned with his most unmistakable sound yet — playing guitar and delivering a cathartic rock vocal. His new single I'll Come Pick You Up, due on the 22nd, is a rock ballad that captures the most sincere feelings he wants to share with listeners and fans after his military discharge. Kim Jae-hwan played guitar and contributed to the lyrics and composition, showcasing his skills as a producer.
Ahead of his comeback, Kim told Joynews24 in a recent interview in Seoul that he hopes to earn the nickname \"Confucian rock star\" and to keep singing in a style that truly represents him for years to come. He also spoke candidly about Wanna One’s reunion, announced after seven years. Below is the full Q&A with Kim Jae-hwan.
◇How do you feel about your comeback?
I spent a lot of time during my military service imagining how I wanted to look and sound after discharge. I did my best to come back in the form that suits me best.
◇What were you wrestling with?
Before enlisting, I tried many styles — ballads, dance, and more. This time, I chose a genre that my friends, fans and the people I love told me suits me and looks good on me.
◇You must have done a lot of thinking during your military break.
I love many kinds of music, but I thought about which music would feel most like me and make me happiest on stage. I tried to find music that felt authentic to me and paid attention to what fellow soldiers said. Many told me that playing guitar while singing looks cool. Since I’d done a lot of dancing before, I realized it was time to perform with a guitar. The military band even suggested I try playing guitar with an orchestra — it felt like fate. I actually started with band music, and the songs I listened to on my way to school as a kid were in the tradition of Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Lee Moon-sae and Kim Kwang-seok. I’ve always liked that kind of music — it felt like my roots. That’s why I prepared this song.
◇The lyrics sound like something you’d say to waiting fans.
By the time of my discharge, I knew fans would be disappointed to learn I couldn’t come back immediately. I felt sorry for making them wait a year and a half and then asking for more patience. The track and melody I received matched my feelings perfectly. Fans came to pick me up on the day I was discharged, and now I wanted to say, I’ll come pick you up. I wanted to comfort people with an honest story.
◇It sounds like your approach to music deepened around your enlistment.
After Wanna One ended and I pursued solo work, I thought a lot about music. I enjoyed performing ballads and dance tracks, but I kept asking myself, \"What music makes people think of Kim Jae-hwan?\" I wrestled with that question a lot. The military gave me time to think deeply, and I believe this song marks my second act.
◇Did you talk about a Wanna One reunion while you were in the military?
While I was serving, I kept light contact with the members and checked in. Talk of a reunion came up closer to my discharge. The timing just worked out.
◇Do you expect opportunities to perform on stage beyond variety shows?
It’s not easy. Everyone hopes for it, but turning that expectation into a concrete plan is hard. All we can do is hope — and maybe pray. He laughed.
◇You chose a band sound as the rock trend returned.
I’m not following the genre because it’s popular. I wanted the image of me playing guitar and singing to be front and center. Before Wanna One, I always auditioned with a guitar. Now I want to do that properly. Music has become fun again.
◇Did you release a single rather than a mini-album to meet fans sooner?
Yes. Albums take longer, so I prepared and released a single to get it out faster. But I put the same care and sincerity into this single as I would an album. It’s packed with my true feelings and stories.
◇What genre do you think Kim Jae-hwan represents?
I’ll figure that out as I continue to work. I need to grow and answer that question as a singer, artist and songwriter.
◇Will you stop doing dance tracks going forward?
I don’t like watching old dance videos of myself from before I enlisted — they make me a bit uncomfortable. I won’t stop dancing entirely, but if I do, it will be more restrained. If fans want dance stages at concerts, I’ll do them, but dance won’t be my main focus. Going forward, band, folk, straightforward guitar ballads and rock band sounds will likely be my primary direction.
◇It’s impressive that you handle guitar parts solo without session musicians.
I prepared for auditions on guitar and grew up close to the instrument. I’m not as skilled as professional session players, but as a singer-songwriter I can handle what I need. I practice every morning — an hour and a half to two hours of fundamentals is my routine. I use a metronome and vary techniques to balance my left and right hands. I studied practical music, and many friends work as session players, so I visit them for lessons. It’s like weight training — if I want to be a rock star, I have to practice guitar seriously.
◇What qualities make a rockstar to you?
Guitar and high notes. Not just a single high note at the end of one song, but enough endurance and vocal power to carry a full live set of 22 songs. I practice vocal technique a lot. I want to preserve my voice and perform for a long time, so I take vocal lessons and train carefully.
◇Any specific goals for your activities?
I want to play many rock festivals. I’d love to perform at Pentaport and at overseas rock festivals. I don’t need to be a headliner — I just want to go to rock festivals, sing, and jump around with fans. That would be enough for me.
◇Isn’t that ambition small for a rockstar?
A rockstar should stay humble even with big ambitions. I want to be a hardworking rockstar with a long career. When I see Yoon Do-hyun, with tattoos and growling vocals, I think he’s incredibly cool and I want to live boldly like that. But I grew up in a household where I didn’t even have my ears pierced and my parents would scold me for wearing skinny jeans.
◇What does Wanna One Kim Jae-hwan mean to rockstar Kim Jae-hwan?
I was able to make music because of Wanna One. Even during my solo career, I signed autographs as Wanna One Kim Jae-hwan. That wasn’t meant to carry a special message — it’s just how most people remember me, and that hasn’t changed.
◇Is there a nickname you’d like to be known by?
Confucian rock star.
◇Is there a part of this album you’re especially proud of?
I think the melody and lyrics fit together well. I worked in a producer’s studio overlooking a river, and I was very happy — that feeling came through in the lyrics. It feels comfortable, and the chorus hook turned out strong. If I had to score it, I’d give it a 90 out of 100. Filling the remaining 10 points, though, might take me 30 years.
