Kim Jae-hwan to unveil solo album on May 20

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Kim Jae-hwan / Courtesy of Swing Entertainment

Kim Jae-hwan, a member of now disbanded project boy band Wanna One, is set to release his debut solo album in Korea later this month, his management agency said Monday.

The 23-year-old will drop his album, “Another,” on major local streaming sites on May 20, according to Swing Entertainment.

Although the label did not disclose further details about the genres and concepts for the new record, the revealed teaser images hinted that it will be a ballad-tinged album with a heartfelt, romantic vibe.

Kim, who debuted through the idol audition show “Produce 101” in 2017, went solo after the popular 11-member boy band disbanded at the end of last year. As the main singer of Wanna One, Kim has cemented himself as a powerhouse vocalist.

“Filling a mini-album with my voice requires extra effort. For a soloist, I think having a strong voice is the most important factor to succeed. So I had to change my vocal style to get away from the soft, tender vocals I used before,” Kim said in a recent interview with The Star magazine.

“In the process of working on my debut album, I gained confidence. But I'm still nervous about how the public will react to my music. I hope they like it,” he added.

Kim recently gained much attention after taking the first win on “Immortal Songs,” performing a cover of Shin Seung-hoon's hit “I Believe.” The rendition received praise from the original artist.

“I've seen a lot of singers perform my song 'I Believe,' but the way Kim interpreted the song in his own way with an acoustic guitar was amazing. It looks like he will become successful as a solo artist as well,” Shin wrote on his Instagram.

After dropping the debut album, Kim will hold a solo fan meeting “WIN:D” on May 26. Then he will be embarking on his very first Asia fan meeting tour to Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia.