Jung Seung-hwan returns with signature poignant ballad
After military service and entering his 30s, the singer returns with soild ballad
While K-pop idols dominate the Korean music scene, one genre continues to quietly but steadily capture listeners' hearts — emotional, poignant ballads. Jung Seung-hwan, often hailed as a young blood of this classic genre, has returned with his first release since completing his military service.
'It feels strange, exciting and nerve-wracking all at once to officially return after my military discharge. Honestly, it still doesn't feel real, like I've gone back to being a rookie,' said Jung.
Marking this return after a two-year hiatus, Jung decided to present what he does best. His comeback features two ballads that begin with gentle acoustic guitar and build into stirring emotional peaks.
The main track, "One More Day," is a poignant tale of unanswered love, and Jung participated in writing the lyrics. The second track, "We, On The Spring Day," is a sentimental piece about longing to reunite with a past love.
'When people think of my music, they think of sorrowful, emotional and vocally expressive ballads. As this is the turning point of my career, I felt the need to release a track that fully embraces those elements,' Jung explained.
The inspiration for "One More Day" came from the Japanese animated film "5 Centimeters Per Second," a favorite of Jung's. 'I've written songs about one-sided love before, but I had this vague desire to write one that felt even more pitiful and raw. When I heard the demo, I thought it would be the song for the story I wanted to tell.'
Jung focused intensely on the opening lyrics of the chorus. ''Can I hate you for just one more day' — I spent the most time on that lyric. It felt more honest than saying, 'Can I love you for just one more day?' There's something about clinging to someone through resentment that reveals the narrator's last shred of pride.'
This release marks Jung's first project since being discharged from the military, where he served in a military band, in January. Now 30, he reflected on his time in the service.
'I spent the last years of my 20s in the military, and with discharge, I opened my 30s. I had moments where I had to face the less-than-ideal version of myself.'
Jung shared that he came up with the best yet most simple solution: relentless practice. 'There was no answer other than vocal training. All I could do was try to better myself through effort and discipline,' Jung said, adding that he recorded the main track more than five times, each session lasting over eight hours.
As he approaches his 10th debut anniversary next year, Jung remarked with a laugh, 'In my heart, I still feel 23. It's strange to realize how much my actual age has caught up.'
From the 19-year-old runner-up of the audition show "K-pop Star Season 4" in 2014–2015 to being dubbed the 'Crown Prince of Ballads,' Jung expressed a sincere sense of responsibility.
'There was a time when the nickname felt so heavy, but now I feel more responsibility than pressure. I often think about becoming the kind of person and artist who lives up to it.'
Currently working on his next album, Jung said he was contemplating its direction. 'I'm torn between making it all ballads or exploring a mix of genres. One thing that hasn't changed is that I'm always open to new musical ideas.'
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