Son Ho-young, a member of the national group god and a solo artist, has returned after a long wait to mark the 20th anniversary of his solo debut. His digital single "Go Around," released on October 14, is his first new song in five years and a release celebrating the meaningful milestone of his 20th solo anniversary.
Meeting in Seoul recently, Son Ho-young confessed regarding the number of 20 years, "Honestly, it doesn't fully sink in yet." He added with determination, "Only after reaching 20 years have I finally begun to see the regrets of my past footsteps. It feels like the time has finally come where the 'real Son Ho-young' should start taking shape."
▲ "Started My Solo Career Arrogantly; Finally Found What Fits Me After 20 Years"
For Son Ho-young, the past 20 years were both a continuous challenge and a long journey toward discovering his musical identity. Recalling the early days of his solo debut, he shared a candid and sober self-evaluation.
"Having debuted at the young age of 19 and receiving immense love as god, I think I started my solo career somewhat arrogantly without realizing it. Because of that, my maturity came late, and I couldn't properly establish my musical direction. In the past, whenever I heard a song that sounded great when sung by someone else, I recklessly took on the challenge trying to fit myself to it. While I ended up exploring various genres, it always felt like I was forcing myself into clothes that didn't fit."
The new song "Go Around," arriving after five years, is a track truly fitting for Son Ho-young, found after enduring those periods of wandering and soul-searching. Built on a minimal track, it blends his signature refreshing, warm falsetto and comfortable vocals into a light rock-based pop genre that fans can pleasantly sing along to at festivals or concert venues.
"I spent a very long time contemplating to find a song that sounds genuinely good to me and that listeners can comfortably sing for a long time. I wondered why I couldn't find a song that suited my vocal range and truly matched who I am much earlier. Using the 20th anniversary as an opportunity, I have finally taken the first step toward finding the direction that fits me."
▲ "I Had a Lot of Fear and Pressure, but I Wanted to Keep My Promise to Fans"
As this marks his solo return after a prolonged hiatus, he did not hide the pressure and fear he felt as a vocalist. He spent countless nights agonizing over selecting and completing the track, and he frequently delayed the release out of fear regarding how the public might respond.
"To be honest, I have a lot of fear. Whenever I released an album, I often pushed back dates because I was scared the outcome wouldn't be good. This time, while the title of '20th anniversary' gave me energy, the pressure on the other hand was enormous. But thinking of the fans who trusted and waited for me for so long, I believed I could never let this 20th anniversary pass by without doing anything. I gathered my courage with the mindset that I had to do it no matter what."
The title "Go Around" also carries the phrase he says most often and wanted to tell himself: "It's okay."
"Living through life, you don't always have to charge straight through things. You can run away, and taking a detour is fine too. In the past, I practiced for eight hours a day until my voice was hoarse, wondering, 'Why isn't my singing improving as much as I hoped?' and felt tormented when the results didn't match the hard promotional efforts. When things didn't work out despite trying so hard, my heart broke. But as time passed, I realized there isn't just one right answer. 'Go Around'—you can take a detour, or you can avoid it. I want to convey that comforting solace and sense of liberation to our fans and to many people going through difficult times."
▲ "Still Climbing the Steps; I Will Remain a Singer Who Keeps Trying"
Although he stands in the position of a veteran with 28 years as god and 20 years as a solo singer, Son Ho-young still describes himself as "someone who is climbing the steps one by one, a little slowly." His persistent musical ambition shone through his attitude of constantly examining himself with a cool head and striving for improvement.
"I still consider myself to be in a growing phase. Throughout life, I realized that I'm a sensitive type who takes a particularly long time to prepare (laughs). As time passed, I learned to accept my limits and my position more calmly and clearly. Won't I have improved even more once another 20 years pass? Starting with this single, I plan to immediately prepare my next song and continuously carry on my solo activities."
The greatest driving force that allowed him to endure 20 years has undeniably been his fans and the members of god.
"My greatest pride is my fans. My pride and gratitude only grow larger as time goes on. Just hearing words like, 'It was worth waiting so long,' or 'I love it so much,' is all I could ever ask for. And the members of god are a real family whom I can lean on at any time. Although timing didn't work out this year, preventing us from holding a year-end group concert and leading me to focus on solo activities, they are a reassuring presence that always has my back."
Rather than massive hits or flashy success, Son Ho-young aims to "become a singer whom fans can be proud of." Anticipation is high for how his steadfast dedication over the past 20 years will bear fruit through his new song "Go Around."
Meanwhile, Son Ho-young's 20th-anniversary digital single "Go Around" will be released on various music streaming platforms on October 14. He is then scheduled to meet fans at his solo concert "HORIZON," held at Seoul's KBS Arena on October 31 and November 1.
[Photo = Gemstone E&M]
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)