Get ready for an electrifying return! Choi Soo-ho‘s comeback brings a dynamic EDM remake, delivering a track that feels both fresh and familiar, igniting excitement for his latest artistic chapter.
Recently, Choi Soo-ho sat down for a round table interview in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, celebrating the release of his second mini-album, ‘BIG IMPACT’.
‘BIG IMPACT’ is a new chapter that unveils a deeper evolution of Choi Soo-ho‘s musical artistry. The album features five tracks, including the title song ‘Big One’s Coming,’ alongside ‘Spring Breeze,’ ‘SAD MOVIE,’ ‘Old Photo Album,’ and ‘Follow the Stars.’
The “BIG IMPACT” Unveiled: A Familiar, Fiery Beat
The title track, ‘Big One’s Coming,’ marks Choi Soo-ho‘s electrifying debut in the EDM genre. He expressed his bold artistic intent, stating, ‘People often say, ‘A singer goes with their song title,’ so I loved this one. The album title is ‘BIG IMPACT’ after all. I wanted to make a statement, a powerful presence. Before, perhaps things felt a bit understated. I wanted to come out with an impact that everyone would recognize.’
Choi Soo-ho continued, ‘It hasn’t been long since my last album, but I wanted to show more of myself, so I prepared this early. As always, I’m incredibly excited to see the reactions. I’m especially curious about what the fans will think.’
‘The title immediately grabbed me. It’s actually a phrase I use a lot,’ he revealed. ‘I didn’t realize it before, but while preparing this album, I found myself saying ‘Big One’s Coming’ more often than I thought.’
Since first announcing the ‘BIG IMPACT’ comeback on the 9th, Choi Soo-ho‘s team has only promoted ‘Big One’s Coming’ as ‘a song with impactful lyrics’ and ‘where Choi Soo-ho‘s solid vocals meet EDM sound,’ without further elaboration. However, upon receiving the album on the day of the interview, it was revealed that ‘Big One’s Coming’ is the same song released three years prior by Song Min-kyung. The lyrics, composition, and arrangement for the original track were handled by Gnomic Norm, and Choi Soo-ho‘s ‘Big One’s Coming’ follows suit.
When asked if ‘Big One’s Coming’ was a remake of Song Min-kyung‘s song, Choi Soo-ho confirmed, ‘Yes.’ Regarding the differences between the two tracks, he shared, ‘It’s almost identical to the original. I did feel a slight regret about the title track being a remake, but with so many talented seniors releasing fantastic songs, I wanted to try expressing it in my own unique color from my position. There’s no major disappointment.’
Electrifying the Stage: Embracing the EDM Rhythm
Choi Soo-ho fondly recalled the exhilarating recording session for ‘Big One’s Coming,’ his first foray into EDM. ‘Honestly, I never thought I’d challenge myself with EDM,’ he confessed. ‘After creative discussions and meetings within the company, when ‘How about EDM?’ was suggested, I became interested, and as a listener myself, I couldn’t help but feel incredibly excited. I did worry if I could truly pull it off. I started with doubts, having no prior experience in the genre.’
Despite his initial doubts, the satisfaction is immense. Choi Soo-ho chuckled, ‘It was similar with my previous album – I have a bit of a finicky personality. I’m not satisfied unless it’s perfect, and with this album, I initially thought, ‘It’s a bit lacking.’ But the more I listened, the better it got. It’s exhilarating! I think it would lift anyone’s spirits on a gloomy day.’
Having appeared on ‘Mr. Trot 2’ and ‘Active Singer 2,’ Choi Soo-ho shared the encouraging words from his fellow artists. ‘Since it was my first time trying EDM, I thought, ‘This won’t be easy.’ So I asked my seniors for advice,’ he recalled. He received invaluable feedback that empowered him:
- 🎤 ‘You absolutely need a song like this.’
- 🔥 ‘To ignite the crowd’s excitement at events, you need upbeat tracks.’
- 👟 ‘It’s an excellent artistic direction.’
‘I asked the ‘Active Singer’ seniors like Shin Seung-tae and Enoch,’ he elaborated, acknowledging their insights into commanding a stage.
Dream Stages and Future Performance Visions
Choi Soo-ho‘s ultimate goal is to become ‘a household name.’ He candidly shared his personal metric for fame: ‘While everyone might have different standards, I believe someone truly famous is capable of holding their own concert.’
His dream venue is the Jamsil Gymnastics Arena. He has already graced its stage once, in May 2023, as part of the ‘Mr. Trot 2’ national tour concert. Choi Soo-ho reminisced, ‘The Jamsil Gymnastics Arena was the first concert venue I performed at, and the immense energy I received from the audience – their cheers, applause, and shouts – was incredible. I still live by that feeling, recalling it often.’
However, as a third-year artist with a limited discography, Choi Soo-ho candidly acknowledges a lack of sufficient material for a full solo concert setlist. He confessed, ‘I also want to release a full-length album. To be honest, this album felt a bit rushed, so I’m hoping to meticulously prepare and gather more material for my next release, perhaps even a full album.’
So, what does Choi Soo-ho‘s grand design for his debut full-length album look like? ‘I don’t have one yet,’ he admitted. He continued, ‘I’m diligently studying lyric writing and composition alone at home. I’m not sure how it will turn out, but I have the ambition to perhaps create and contribute at least one song to the next album.’
Finally, when asked about his goal for 2026, he simply stated, ‘To hold a solo concert. I’ll give it my absolute best.’
Choi Soo-ho‘s second mini-album, ‘BIG IMPACT,’ dropped on January 23rd at 6 PM KST across all major online music platforms.
While the choice of a remake might raise eyebrows, Choi Soo-ho‘s undeniable passion for bringing his unique energy to the EDM genre shines through. His dedication to crafting his own sound and connecting with fans on stage promises exciting future performances.
Editor: Minji Park 🎤
