InterviewINFINITE's Jang Dong-woo turns alarm into anthem with 'AWAKE'
Jang Dong-woo of K-pop boy band INFINITE / Courtesy of Jang Dong-woo
Jang Dong-woo is starting his days with an alarm — literally. He wakes up at 7 a.m. every day to upload content tied to alarm-themed promotions for his new solo album and monitor fan reactions.
He has always been the loudest spark in the second-gen K-pop boy band INFINITE — the group's kinetic rapper, dancer and resident live wire, but on a chilly Monday morning during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul's Yongsan District, he leaned forward with the urgency of someone who has rebuilt himself piece by piece.
"This album is made out of my own money and thus falls entirely under my responsibility," Jang said, half laughing at the weight of it. "I finally understand why entertainment CEOs get so stressed."
A whopping six years and eight months after his first solo project, the INFINITE rapper-performer returns Tuesday with "AWAKE," a self-made, six-song mini-album designed to jolt listeners out of emotional autopilot.
The concept fits him. His energy fires fast, his words tumble out and even his jokes land with precision. But beneath that positivity was the steely resolve of someone who has spent the past few years reworking his entire 15-year career from the ground up.
Jang Dong-woo of K-pop boy band INFINITE / Courtesy of Jang Dong-woo
Jang described the years after INFINITE's military enlistment as "a natural delay" in releasing new solo material. The pandemic and several agency transitions stretched the timeline even further.
Eventually, he parted ways with his last company and decided that if he wanted to move forward, he would have to carry the weight himself.
"A big nest matters, but in the end, I realized carving my own path mattered more to me," he said. "After spending more than 15 years in the industry, I finally came to think there was nothing I couldn't handle on my own."
Handling things on his own soon meant self-financing the project, from production to the music video. He met with 16 composing teams, pushed heavily for the visual concept and refused to compromise on quality.
"I didn't want anything ordinary," he said. "I'm drawn to darker concepts, almost Joker-like, so I went through extensive meetings with the team to bring that vision to life."
Jang Dong-woo of K-pop boy band INFINITE / Courtesy of Jang Dong-woo
At the center of "AWAKE" is the track "SWAY (Zzz)," an iPhone alarm-inspired single built on a razor-sharp beat and a soundscape meant to jolt.
"Some people said they wanted to turn it off immediately," Jang said with a quick grin. "The alarm sound bothered them. But that's exactly the response I wanted. I wanted something people couldn't ignore. Good or bad, it should leave an impression."
Another gem from the album is his self-written track "Life," which Jang says represents the album's emotional center. It draws from personal experiences, including military service, a herniated disc and the unexpected clarity that came with it.
"I think being born is already a kind of success," the 34-year-old said. "Your failures eventually become your stories. That's the message of the song, and also why I chose not to make it overly sentimental or heavy."
Despite his humility, Jang is not shy about his ambition.
"Of course I want this album to do well," he says. "INFINITE's success came from music, concept and luck all aligning. I hope that luck comes back again. But even if it doesn't, 'AWAKE' in itself is proof that I can sustain creativity, and that my next big step is within reach."
Jang Dong-woo of K-pop boy band INFINITE / Courtesy of Jang Dong-woo
His next step is the quiet engine running beneath everything he does: training the next generation. He envisions forming a boy band grounded in strong performance, discipline and emotional awareness.
"I have instincts for performance and for choosing music that fits an artist," he says. "I want to bring out strengths in other people. Five years from now, that's where I want to be."
For now, he’s pouring everything into the solo album he says “took a loan to complete,” but his ambitions stretch well beyond it. Jang wants collaborations with global artists, from Travis Scott to Offset, and he also wants a third solo album built around a title track composed by his own hand.
"I'm doing this with the mindset of a rookie artist," Jang concluded. "I want people to see that I can do everything, that I'm a 'multi-player' and that I'm ready for more."