'Thank U Hyung' Yunho Releases First Full Album in 22 Years: "Curiosity Was My Driving Force"

Yunho and Jung Yunho, Singing as One in His First Solo Album with Fake & Documentary Concept
"Balance Over Passion... I Immerse Myself Fully in What I Love"

Singer Yunho. Photo by SM Entertainment

"It took me some time to transition from my role as Beolgu in 'Pine.' Even during recording, I found myself slipping into the dialect."

Singer Yunho Yunho (real name Jung Yunho, 39), who regained the spotlight this year through Disney+'s 'Pine' and the viral resurgence of his song 'Thank U,' has returned with his first full-length album. At a press conference held on November 5 at Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel in Songpa-gu, Seoul, he said, "After 22 years since my debut, I'm finally releasing my first full-length album. This album captures the human side of Jung Yunho."

Yunho Yunho debuted in 2003 as a member of TVXQ, becoming a leading star of the Korean Wave with hits like 'Rising Sun,' 'Balloons,' 'O-Jung.Ban.Hap.,' 'The Way U Are,' and 'Mirotic.' He began his solo career in 2019 with his first mini-album 'True Colors,' followed by 'Reality Show' in 2023. This new album marks his return after two years and three months.

He said, "Curiosity has been the driving force that allowed me to keep going. Rather than being satisfied with where I am, I always wanted to seek out something new. That curiosity is fueled by the power of my fans."

The first full-length album, 'I-KNOW,' as the title suggests, means 'I know myself.' "Through the two worlds of 'Fake' and 'Docu,' I wanted to show both Yunho Yunho the artist and Jung Yunho the person. I wanted to deliver the real me behind the stage, not just the persona you see on stage, through my music," he explained.

The album is structured under the 'Fake & Documentary' concept, pairing songs that express a single theme from two perspectives. The double title track 'Stretch' features intense electronic sounds and conveys his inner feelings about dance and the stage, while 'Body Language' is a dance track blending blues, funk, and retro hip-hop, conveying the joy of everyone coming together through performance.

"During my TVXQ days, I was the bass of the a cappella dance group. I wanted to return to my roots and find songs that highlight the charm of the bass," he said. "Even within SMP (SM's signature performance-focused music), I wanted to show that I am still evolving."

He also shared an anecdote about earning the nickname 'Thank U-hyung' after 'Thank U' went viral as a meme on social networking services (SNS). "Thank U received much more love than I expected. While some people intended to poke fun at me with the meme, I realized it's important how you take it in stride," he said. "My elementary school niece calls me 'Thank U Uncle,' and everywhere I go, people call me 'Thank U-hyung' or 'Lesson Uncle.' It feels like I've gained another nickname," he laughed.

Teaser image for Yunho's first full-length album 'I Know'. Provided by SM Entertainment.

TVXQ, the group Yunho Yunho belongs to, recently received the Presidential Commendation at the 16th Korea Popular Culture & Arts Awards. He said, "Receiving such a meaningful award made me feel that all the time I've spent has been worthwhile. Having experienced the transition from tapes to CDs and now to the digital era, I'm grateful to still be able to perform on stage."

The new album features a total of 10 tracks, including 'Waterfalls' featuring EXO's Kai, 'Premium' featuring Minnie of (G)I-DLE, as well as 'Set In Stone,' 'Spotlight2,' 'Leader,' 'Fever,' 'Let You Go,' and the outro track '26 Take-off.' He explained, "'26 Take-off' incorporates the special numbers 2 and 6 for me. My birthday is February 6, TVXQ's debut date is December 26, and during my military service, I was assigned to the 26th Division."

"Although I'm often associated with the image of passion, the truth is, I'm not always passionate. I fully commit to the things I like and care about, but I'm willing to let go of things that don't interest me. Now, I try to look at myself from a third-person perspective and maintain balance," he said.

Yunho Yunho added, "There were hardly any times when I lived as Jung Yunho. With this album, I wanted to capture the pure version of myself from those days. Now, at 39, if people my age can find the courage to make their own choices by watching me, I couldn't ask for more." The album will be released at 6 p.m. on the same day.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.