After 14 years, Lee Hyun returns with third album 'A(E)nd,' reflecting on changing nature of love
Although love takes many forms and is understood differently by each person, Lee Hyun believes it is an emotion that evolves with time.
"I have come to realize at one point that the love I imagined when I was younger is not the same as love this generation lives and defines," the balladeer said during an interview Friday at a cafe in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul, as he walked reporters through his new album that will be released Tuesday evening.
The singer-songwriter's third mini album, "A(E)nd," is his first since he last released his second album, "You are the best of my life," in February 2011. Between the two releases, he has recorded drama soundtracks, performed in musicals and released several digital singles.
The main track "Let You Go" talks about the lingering regret of love that could not be kept and the aching moment of deciding to let one's lover go. The album cover also reads, "I can't love you anymore, nor can I wait for you anymore. All that's left are promises we couldn't keep."
"I used to believe that in a relationship, it wasn't just about the struggles between two people, but also about standing by the person I love when the world makes things hard for them. I thought that simply being there for them would be enough to give them strength. But now, I find myself questioning if that is really true and if we can call it love," the 41-year-old explained.
Finding a song that he could shape around his personal story required the singer to carefully navigate the selection process. He received approximately 40 songs from Pdogg, the producer behind BTS, and about 100 songs from Big Hit Music's Artist and Repertoire team.
The moment he heard "Let You Go," he knew it was meant for him.
"I was struck by the track's genre-blending sound. It is rooted in rock yet infused with R&B elements. While the melody is catchy, the song also features unexpected twists in its progression. These unique parts stood out to me and captured my interest," Lee Hyun reminisced.
When asked why it has taken more than a decade to release a new album, Lee Hyun said he had aimed to take full credit for both writing and composing all the tracks on his album.
"I began learning MIDI (a digital music production tool) seven years ago to gain a deeper understanding of music, beyond just writing lyrics and melodies. Despite three years of intense practice, I couldn't craft the result I had hoped for," the singer said.
"That was when I realized that my strength lies more in writing lyrics than composing music, and that writing lyrics is a better way for me to express my personal story and what I want to convey to the audience," he said.
With new music on the way, Lee Hyun has set his sights on holding concerts and meeting fans.
"I wish to hold a solo concert and have enough songs to perform at the concert. That desire pushed me to create an album so the concert could be filled with my music," he said.
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