NCT’s Ten launches solo career with EP release

Ten, a member of K-pop supergroup NCT, opened a new chapter in his music career Tuesday with the release of his first solo EP, eight years since his debut.

“I feel very nervous and burdened, because this is the moment I have waited for a long time,” Ten said during a press conference held in Seoul a few hours prior to the album’s release. “But I enjoyed the process of preparing for the album, whether recording it or filming the music videos, and it was also fun to discuss the album’s concept with company staff.”

Debuting as the sole Thai member of the 26-member boy group managed by SM Entertainment in 2016, Ten has also participated in various subunit activities within the group, including NCT U and WayV, as well as in SuperM, a project group comprised of seven members from four SM-managed boy bands.

He has further demonstrated his potential as a soloist by releasing several solo singles, including “Dream in a Dream,” “New Heroes,” “Paint Me Naked” and “Birthday,” through SM Station, a digital music project by the K-pop label.

His first EP, “Ten,” features six tracks, all sung in English, showcasing his broad musical spectrum and unveiling a new facet of himself as a solo artist.

The 27-year-old spent a year filling the album with songs of all different genres because he wanted to “demonstrate his diverse charms and talents” as a musician.

“The process of preparing group and solo albums is different. During group activities, I usually think about how to interpret the songs that I receive and make it suit me, but this time, I thought a lot about what to do,” he said. “I wanted to explore Ten through this opportunity because I didn’t know what I wanted to show or what kind of person I am. While preparing for the album, I thought every aspect was Ten.”

Having released several singles, all with flashy concepts, deciding on the concept for his first solo album was the most challenging, he said.

“I discussed the fashion concept extensively with company staff, suggesting it be flashy yet simple,” he said. “I wanted people to see me first and the costume later.”

Leading the album is “Nightwalker,” a rhythmic and addictive pop-dance song with a mysterious atmosphere and lyrics about the feeling of being drawn to an irresistible presence.

The album also carries five other tracks of different genres, “Water,” “Dangerous,” “On Ten,” “Shadow” and “Lie With You.”

“I’ve shown a lot of powerful and flashy sides of me so far. Tracks like ‘Lie With You’ represent a side that hasn’t been shown before,” he noted, describing it as a “simple easy-listening song.”

Ten expressed his aspiration to explore even more diverse genres of music in the future as a soloist.

“I enjoy alternative music. I also like it when hip-hop and pop blend together,” he said. “Since I haven’t explored many music genres alone yet, I believe I can show even more diverse sides of myself in the future.”

sshim@yna.co.kr