Kang Daniel poses with fans at an event in New York.
The Shops at Skyview
Kang Daniel’s latest EP Glow To Haze has been described as a “five-track movie.” The five-song scenario begins with the uptempo song “Movie Star,” followed by “Episode” and “Love Game,” that employ catchy rhythms to convey the excitement and promise of love. The remaining songs are wistful. “One Call Away” is a pretty ballad about lovelorn sleepless nights, while the lonesome lyrics of “Little Bit Lost” mention leaving town and looking in the rear view mirror.
The soft-spoken k-pop singer, songwriter, model and actor (Rookie Cops) discussed his new music during a recent visit to New York as part of his 12-city U.S. tour. Although he didn’t perform in New York, he did attend an event in Flushing, Queens, meeting fans at The Shops at Skyview. The four-week immersive event was titled Skyview High. About 1,000 participants celebrated Asian culture with “summer school” classes spotlighting k-pop, Japanese fashion, and Chinese dim sum. Participants also donated a few locker’s worth of school supplies for a local charity. Kang was a special guest at the event’s commencement ceremony, where he answered fans’ questions about his music and career.
At 28 (Korean age 30) Kang has had a chance to look back at the dizzying success of his last decade and consider what matters in his life. That’s reflected in the new EP.
“Not everything lasts forever, and that brings a kind of sadness that is bittersweet,” he said. “So I wanted to express that feeling as a song, under the theme of love. I felt that would be a really fun project. That’s why I made Glow To Haze, with that feeling.”
The songs were inspired by his life, which has seen dramatic changes in the last decade.
“It’s all about my experiences,” said Kang. “The first three tracks are about love.”
Kang first embraced the spotlight in 2017 winning first place in the second season of the reality competition series Produce 101. He’s a former member of the k-pop group Wanna One, which the show created, then went on to have a successful solo career. In 2019, debuted as a solo artist with the EP Color on Me, that topped the South Korean Gaon Album Chart. His EPs Cyan (2020) and Magenta (2020) also topped the chart. His single “Paranoia” landed on Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart and his 2021 Yellow EP song “Antidote” became his first domestic number one single.
Kang Daniel and Skyview’s regional marketing manager Wesley Sin pose with the school supplies donated during the summer program.
The Shops at Skyview
Kang also served as the host of Mnet’s Street Woman Fighter (2021), Street Dance Girls Fighter (2021–2022), the TV special Be Mbitious (2022), Street Man Fighter (2022) and Street Woman Fighter 2 (2023). Although he’s emceed more than a few musical competition shows and aced Produce 101, he knows how anxiety-provoking it is to perform in a setting that could realize or destroy your dreams. While the shows are fun to watch, he knows what’s involved.
“There’s so many competition TV shows in Korea right now,” said Kang. “Yeah, even now too. When I watch the shows, I feel like, oh, I feel real sorry for everyone, the competition, even the staff. I mean, it’s fun to watch, but I really don’t want to relive those feelings.”
What keeps him going when things get tough is his lifelong love of music and performing.
Kang Daniel’s U.S. tour features concerts in 12 U.S. cities.
ARA
“I love this job,” he said. ”I love to make a song and write all the lyrics. I think the most important thing is that I love this. I can’t live without this.”
Kang wrote the lyrics for four of the Glow to Haze songs, including “Episode,” and was credited for the first time as a composer on “Love Game.” He’s loved music for as long as he can remember. He began dancing in eighth grade and studied dance at an arts high school. The longer he performs, the more he realizes that he loves it.
“I have always loved this job,” he said. “I love this job, but now I realize how much.”
Is there anything left to accomplish after winning four Seoul Music Awards, one Melon Music Award, a Circle Chart Music Award, and a Guinness World Record? Or after your acting debut earns multiple awards? Or after your name appears multiple times on both the Gallup Korea list of Most Preferred Idols and the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 list? What are his hopes for the next decade? More glow. Less haze?
“I want it to be more ‘glow,’ but even if it fades, I’ll still be doing music,” he said in flawless English. “Maybe I’ll try more acting.”
In the Disney series Rookie Cops he played an honors student at a police academy. If he acted again, he might like to try a funny character. Whether he takes more acting roles or not, he’ll continue making music. He’s already written quite a few songs his fans have not yet heard.
“As an artist, I’ve written a lot of tracks that haven’t been released yet,” said Kang. “Almost like 50 songs. Yeah, it’s my treasure box.”
After the Glow to Haze tour completes its U.S. run, Kang Daniel has scheduled performances in Mexico, Argentina and Brazil.
This interview was edited for length and clarity.
