▲ Son Ho-young of veteran K-pop group god is seen in this photo provided by Gemstone ENM. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)

SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- "It took five years to release a new song under the name Son Ho-young. I felt I absolutely couldn't let my 20th anniversary as a solo artist pass me by. That gave me the motivation to make up my mind again."

Son Ho-young of veteran K-pop group god spoke with a firm sense of resolve as he prepared to release his first solo new song in five years.

"I've always been very cautious and timid. But I'm also very ambitious and something of a perfectionist," he said in a recent interview at the headquarters of Gemstone E&M in Mapo-gu, western Seoul. "As a result, time just passed without me being able to release a new song."

Son will release his new digital single, "Go Around," at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

"Go Around" is a song conveying a message of comfort and encouragement, with Son participating in writing the lyrics.

"There are so many kinds of noise in life that can weigh on your mind," he said. "I'm sensitive, too, so I tend to hold on to those things. But looking back, there were many things I didn't really need to worry about. I wrote the lyrics about things I also want to say to myself."

▲ Son Ho-young of veteran K-pop group god is seen in this photo provided by Gemstone ENM. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)

The new song is also the result of Son's determination to make a fresh start on the occasion of his 20th anniversary as a solo artist. He debuted with god in 1999 and has spent 27 years as a member of the group and 20 years as a solo singer.

Despite his long career on stage, Son said he is still searching for his own musical identity.

"Maybe that's why 20 years since my solo debut doesn't feel like a long time," he said. "It feels like I've just turned 20 and am heading off to college."

Son released his first stduio solo album, "Yes," in 2006, followed by his second studio album, "Returns," in 2008 and his first EP, "U-TURN," in 2011. A decade later, in 2021, he released the digital single "As Time Passes." Although his releases have been far apart, he has explored various genres, including ballads and R&B.

"When I released my first solo album, I was full of confidence," he recalled. "I thought that, just as god had gradually grown since our debut, my solo career would follow a similar process. But expectations and reality were different."

"As a solo singer, finding my own color was important, but I think I simply thought I wasn't good enough at singing and focused only on improving that. I even went to singer and vocal trainer Park Sun-joo and practiced vocals for eight hours a day. But my skills didn't suddenly improve."

Son candidly acknowledged the challenges of going solo.

"With god, I only had to fill my 20 percent share as one of five members, and I could make up for other things through effort," he said. "As a solo artist, there were many areas that couldn't be filled through effort alone."

"But I think I'm finally beginning to understand my strengths," he said. "My voice seems to be somewhat distinctive. With this voice, I want to give comfort and happiness to those who listen to my songs."

Son, who still says he is happiest when he is on stage, will hold his solo concert "HORIZON" at KBS Arena on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.

"It's been a long time since I've held a concert, so I have the desire to show many different things," he said with a smile. "I don't want the 20th anniversary to feel like something from a long time ago. I'm working hard to prepare for it."

god, which Son is a member of, established itself as a "national group" with generation-spanning hits including "To Mother," "Love and Remember," "Lies," "One Candle," "Sky Blue Balloon" and "Road."

Son also expressed his affection for his bandmates, who have become his closest friends and family over the years.

He said the secret to god's longevity as a group is "consideration for one another and knowing how grateful we are to our fans."

"The members are also quite cautious. If we only thought about ourselves, things could go astray, but whenever someone says, 'We have our fans,' everyone tends to agree. I'm grateful for that," he said.

Regarding a new god song that many fans are waiting for, Son said, "The members probably want a new song even more. But choosing a new song for god is difficult and comes with a lot of pressure."

"The timing has been pushed back because of various circumstances, but we will definitely release a new song in the year of god's 30th anniversary," he promised.

"I'm simply grateful that you still call us a 'national group' and continue to love us. I think we're truly lucky. That also means we have a great sense of responsibility. That's why we're taking even better care of ourselves."

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