Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.
INTERVIEW Baek A-yeon breaks free of toxic relationships in new EP 'Dear Me'
A teaser image of Baek A-yeon's new album “Dear Me” Courtesy of JYP Entertainment
By Kwak Yeon-soo
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Balladeer Baek A-yeon is a storyteller. Her songs illustrate relationships at every point ― when they are happy, stagnant and devastating. It is her tragic songs where Baek shows her mastery as a storyteller.
With her most recent album “Dear Me” released on Nov. 21, the 25-year-old singer-songwriter returned with the confident Britpop-influenced ballad track “Sorry for Myself.” The song is about comforting herself after heartbreak. Baek's warm, sweet vocals are poignant over electrical guitar sounds, rhythmical drum beats and the piano melody.
“I wanted the album for myself and others as therapy,” Baek said during an interview with The Korea Times. “Back in the day, I was naive and trusted people easily. But now I'm a little careful in doing so because some experiences have taught me not to trust anyone blindly. The whole experience of betrayal and disappointment was stressful and confidence-crushing.”
When asked what prompted her to return with ballad tracks instead of medium-tempo songs that were well-received in the industry and by the public, she admitted there was a dilemma in choosing between what she does best and what she loves most.
“This time I wanted to go with what I love the most and experiment to the point that each song sounds different from the previous one,” she said.
During the interview, Baek shared her first-ever break away from her daily routine. “One day, when I was preparing for the album, I felt like I needed a refreshing deviation from work. So I spontaneously booked a ticket and traveled to southern city of Busan. That was the first time I did something unexpectedly. It was a bit odd but an invigorating experience,” she said.
Baek also remarked that she writes letters to herself whenever she's under stress, or when she's in a challenging relationship. “When I write things down, the feelings become more manageable,” she said. “And all my written scraps become a good resource when writing the lyrics. The lyrics for my previous single So-So was inspired from my writings.”
The other five tracks are also ballads: “True Lies,” a fairytale love song with an orchestra “Starlight,” a melodic, electric-soul feel “Hug Me,” retro vibes “I Wish” and a melodic song with harp solo “Infinite Loop.”
The balladeer said that her biggest achievements so far were ranking No.1 on music charts and holding a solo concert. She feels proud that the people now know her by her name from beyond her appearance on an SBS talent search show.
On the other hand, the singer said she regrets focusing too much on her singing techniques instead of trying her best to express the feelings through songs. “For the song Shouldn't Have... , I was obsessed with the idea that my voice should sound pretty.”
Baek debuted on television in 2012 by appearing on season 1 of the survival competition “K-Pop Star” in which she won third place. Her hits include “Shouldn't Have...” “So-So” and “Sweet Lies.”