Group BTOB member Seo Eun-gwang has returned with a full-length album that captures a singular musical world.
Seo Eun-gwang released his first solo full-length album Unfold on the 4th and announced a dazzling return to the music scene.
Unfold is an album that began with the question "What is life, and who am I, Seo Eun-gwang?" It starts from an empty "I" and contains the journey of finding oneself through the light and darkness of life.
The title track "Greatest Moment" is a song that sings of a journey to find lost light and memories. It depicts the process in which the longing for the "me of that time," which faded with time, and the "you who was brilliant" eventually awakens again within a person's inner self.
In addition, Unfold richly includes a total of 10 tracks that showcase Seo Eun-gwang's deeper vocals and wide musical spectrum: "My Door," "Last Light," When the wind touches, "Elsewhere," "Parachute," "Monster," "Love & Peace," I'll run, and "Glory."
Unfold, the full-length album Seo Eun-gwang released for the first time 13 years after his debut, is a record that contains his way of looking at life and the realizations he has encountered within it. Through 10 tracks that move from wounds and fear to courage and liberation, love and gratitude, Seo Eun-gwang proved his worth as Korea's representative "luxury vocalist" and introduced the new record directly through a Q&A.
Below is a Q&A related to Seo Eun-gwang's first full-length album Unfold.
Q. How do you feel about coming back with your first solo full-length album?
A. Because this is the moment to present the music that Seo Eun-gwang has prepared for a long time to the world, excitement outweighs nervousness. I hope people feel the artist Seo Eun-gwang through this album.
Q. Please introduce your first full-length album Unfold.
A. To create music unique to Seo Eun-gwang, the album began with the question "Who am I?" and is an album drawn by traveling inward. It is an album that met many versions of myself within me and expressed the various sides of Seo Eun-gwang.
Q. Is there a reason or behind-the-scenes story for choosing Unfold as the album title?
A. We chose the title with a double meaning, combining the wish to spread wings and take flight through this album and the idea that Seo Eun-gwang's story is now unfolding to the world.
Q. What kind of song is the title track "Greatest Moment," and are there any listening points?
A. It carries the message, "The present, living with all my past selves that I have walked with, is the greatest moment!" Because the perspective in verse 1 (the present me) and verse 2 (the past me) differ, I think listening to the song from each perspective will resonate more.
Q. You participated in the creation of nine tracks including "Greatest Moment." What stories and emotions did you try to convey?
A. In each song I open many doors within my inner self and unfold stories. I believe they are all various emotions true to Seo Eun-gwang that I possess and reflect the state of mind I am living in now.
Q. Where do you get inspiration when working on songs, and do you feel you have grown through the Unfold project?
A. Because this is my first time working on songs like this, everything I have seen, heard and felt in my 36 years became inspiration. So rather than growth, it feels closer to a "birth" of "just now awakening."
Q. Aside from the title track, is there a particular song among the tracks that you feel especially attached to, and why?
A. The final track, "Glory." You could say this song is the answer to the question posed at the start of Unfold. I wanted to express my heart full of gratitude, and this song reflects Seo Eun-gwang's current state of mind.
Q. Are there any memorable moments or episodes from the album preparation process, such as songwriting, recording, photo shoots or music video filming?
A. We shot the "Greatest Moment" music video at sea, and because of the tide we did a time attack to finish the sea scenes before the water came in, starting early in the morning. Toward the end of filming when the water rose, I changed only my shoes to rubber boots and tried to shoot so the shoes wouldn't come off. From the outside it was a somewhat funny and sad set.
Q. If you were to describe Unfold in one word or sentence?
A. A journey into Seo Eun-gwang's inner world.
Q. Through your first full-length album, what image do you want to show, what reactions or descriptors would you like to hear, or what goals do you hope to achieve?
A. I simply hope people feel Seo Eun-gwang. For a solo artist, having one's own color is a very important part. I also worked to find my own color, so it would make me proud to hear people say "the genre is Seo Eun-gwang."
Q. With the year-end concert "My Page" coming up, can you give a little spoiler?
A. As the performance title "My Page" suggests, I plan to show various pages of my life.
Q. Please say a word to Melody, the fans who have been waiting for Seo Eun-gwang's full-length album.
A. Because of our Melody, the present Seo Eun-gwang exists. I offer infinite thanks to Melody for being with me so I can exist this way. I will continue walking with you and show another side of Seo Eun-gwang, so please look forward to it. I love you.
[Photo] Provided by BTOB Company.
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