FTIsland rocker goes solo

Lee Hong-ki

Lee Hong-ki of the rock band FTIsland is going solo, releasing his first album this month.

Media reports said the public is anxiously awaiting the release from Lee, 25, who has also appeared as an actor on TV and in movies.

Lee’s career has been colorful. Not only did the band break out many hit songs like “Lovesick,” “After Love,” “Memory” and “Pray,” but his band participated in many soundtrack albums for TV series, including “You’re Beautiful” (2009), “The Heirs” (2013), “Bride of the Century” (2014) and “Modern Farmer” (2014).

The band debuted to Japan in 2008 with their second album “Colorful Sensibility” and has been active in the Japanese market since.

The band started this year with a world tour, called the “2015 FTISLAND FTHX Tour,” during which it appeared in France, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and the United States. After releasing the single album “PUPPY” in August, the band embarked on a Japan concert tour titled “Where’s My PUPPY?” across eight cities.

Lee’s musical talent generated headlines in April when he displayed an impressive performance in the TV music show “King of Mask Singer” on MBC, where celebrities are invited to sing with their faces covered by masks and the audience and judges guess the singers’ identities.