Finally, Kang Young-hyun: DAY6's Young K embraces the man behind the name 

More than a decade has passed since Kang Young-hyun became Young K, the bassist and one of the creative forces of the K-pop rock band DAY6.

Now, the 32-year-old is finally taking time to turn his attention inward — toward his private, imperfect, vulnerable, sometimes petulant and deeply human self.

“I approached the album by asking myself what it means to be most like Young K, and what sides of Kang Young-hyun I had overlooked during the 11 years I had lived as Young K,” Young K said during a roundtable interview held on Wednesday in central Seoul ahead of the release of his second full-length album, “Youngest,” on Monday at 6 p.m.

Speaking to reporters, Young K was friendly and articulate, answering questions with calm wit.

But while Young K represents the persona he has carefully refined to be worthy of the spotlight and the public’s affection, the person behind the stage name can be “imperfect, frustrated and vulnerable,” he admitted.

“As I set out to find that part of myself, I realized there were many different sides to who I am,” he added.

For Young K and his band, DAY6, last year was a whirlwind.

Young K debuted as DAY6’s bassist and vocalist under JYP Entertainment in 2015 and has since become a central pillar of the band’s musical identity as both a songwriter and lyricist. He is solely credited for the lyrics of some of DAY6’s biggest hits, including "You Were Beautiful" (2017) and "Time of Our Life" (2019), and also wrote for other artists, including girl group H1-KEY’s 2023 hit "Rose Blossom."

Last year, DAY6 celebrated its 10th anniversary at the height of a newfound surge of popularity, as songs released years prior returned to the charts amid renewed public interest in rock music. On domestic streaming platform Melon’s year-end chart, DAY6 placed six songs in the top 100, tying with girl group aespa for the most entries.

After pouring so much of himself into DAY6, Young K believes it is now time to turn inward.

“It was painful at first because I had to acknowledge so many of my shortcomings,” he said. “Facing the parts of myself I had ignored and admitting, ‘Yes, this is also who I am,’ meant accepting that I am not perfect.”

But as difficult as the introspection was, he was able to better embrace himself after that process, which the singer described as “the necessary step that allowed me to move forward.”

“Youngest,” which comes two years and 10 months after his first solo full-length album “Letters with notes” (2023), features 15 songs, led by “Shut The Door.”

The lead single is a classic Young K-style track — bright, melodic pop-rock with frank, down-to-earth lyrics about shutting the door on the outside world and choosing solitude as others talk behind his back, betray him and spread gossip about him.

Although including 15 songs on a single album has become increasingly rare in K-pop, Young K said he insisted on keeping all 15, which was already narrowed down from an initial 25.

The album spans a wide range of genres, from the hyperpop- and punk rock-inspired "Whatever" to the country track "Heading Home."

"I know that 15 songs may not feel out of place with this fast-moving, short-form era," he said. "But I don’t know when I will get another chance to release an album, so I approached it with the mindset that, whenever I do get the opportunity, I should put out as much of what I have as possible."

Among the DAY6 members, keyboardist Wonpil has listened to every song and described the album as a "masterpiece," Young K said with a smile.

Asked whether he had ever considered himself a musical genius, Young K jokingly admitted that he once thought of himself as a prodigy — before rather quickly coming to his senses.

"I thought I was a genius who would shake up the world before I became a trainee," he said. "That was when my ego was at its biggest, and it was completely shattered when I joined JYP Entertainment."

Even though his second solo album arrives after DAY6’s rapid surge in popularity, Young K said he is not particularly concerned about keeping the band’s recent results.

"If I had entered the charts and received attention from the very beginning, I might have been afraid of falling back down," Young K said. "But because it took us such a long time to reach this point, I am simply grateful that I got to experience it even once. More than anything, I think I am left with a sense of gratitude."

Following the album’s release on Monday, Young K will kick off his solo concert tour, "Youngest," with three shows on Aug. 14, 15 and 16 at the Inspire Arena in Incheon.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [[email protected]]