INTERVIEW From stadium anthems to dreamy rock: NCT's Doyoung soars solo

Doyoung of K-pop boy band NCT 127 / Courtesy of SM Entertainment

By Pyo Kyung-min

• Published Jun 9, 2025 8:00 AM KST

At first glance, Doyoung might seem like the quintessential SM Entertainment powerhouse — a fierce vocalist at the heart of NCT 127, one of the label's best-selling boy bands. On stage with his bandmates, he belts through high notes and intense choreography with razor-sharp precision.

But Doyoung's solo music tells a different story — one that's calmer, deeper and very personal.

"Performing as NCT 127 now feels like working on a group project with my closest friends. It's fun and I rely on them a lot," Doyoung said in an interview Thursday with The Korea Times at a cafe near SM's headquarters in eastern Seoul.

"Making music alone, on the other hand, is way harder," he expressed. "While group activities feel like a dopamine rush, solo work requires more introspection and communication, so there's a different kind of fulfillment when it comes together."

His second solo album, "Soar," set for release on Monday, reflects that shift — trading stadium-ready anthems for band-driven sounds.

While his solo debut "YOUTH" in 2024 captured the turbulence of growing up, the singer says "Soar" is about what propels him forward.

"If 'YOUTH' was about emotions I was learning to process, 'Soar' is more grounded. It's about the things that give me courage, like the thought of wings," he said. "I wanted to make music that really lifts people up. Songs that give you that extra push forward when you feel like quitting."

And those wings aren't just symbolic. Across the album's 10 tracks, they appear again and again in melodies that flutter and in lyrics about soaring dreams.

That approach comes through most clearly in the album's lead single, "Memory," a dreamy rock track with an honest, emotional pull.

The decision to make it the title track, according to Doyoung, happened almost by chance.

Just days before the album's internal deadline, songwriter Seo Dong-hwan, best known for IU's chart-topping ballad "Love Wins All," sent over a 30-second topline demo. "It hit me instantly," Doyoung recalled first hearing it late at night in Los Angeles, winding down from NCT 127's world tour.

With time running out, he jumped on a phone call with Seo and within hours, they had a first verse. The demo didn't even have a full instrumental yet, but when Doyoung sent it to SM's executives, the response was unanimous — "Memory" was the one.

Adding to the album's dramatic creative arc, seasoned veterans from Korea's rock music scene — Yoon Do-hyun of YB, Kim Yuna of Jaurim and Cho Won-sang of Nell — lent their talents to shaping several of the album's tracks.

A self-professed band music enthusiast, Doyoung also recently took part in the Seoul Jazz Festival — part of his long-held dream of performing at open-air music events.

"I watch live footage of artists performing in the summer breeze and I've always dreamed of being part of that scene," he said, naming Baek Ye-rin, Silica Gel and Hanroro as acts he admires.

With a playful smile, he added, "I hope someone will make those kinds of videos for me too."

Doyoung's musical pursuit isn't slowing down anytime soon. With Korea's mandatory military enlistment on the horizon, the 29-year-old singer said he is making the most of every moment.

"Nothing's set in stone yet," he said. "But until the day comes, I want to stay as active and close to my fans as possible — both solo and with NCT 127."

And yes — he reads fan feedback. A lot.

"I've come across comments that say my music saved them," he said. "That gives me a sense of responsibility. Music can be simple, but it can also be profound. That's why I chose to sing about it in this album. It may sound cheesy — but if not me, who else will say it?"