After overcoming a vocal cord injury, the "trustworthy singer" Kyungseo (real name Lee Kyung-seo, 24) has made her comeback.

Kyungseo held a press showcase at Ilji Art Hall in Gangnam, Seoul on the afternoon of the 19th, to celebrate the release of her first mini-album, 'ONGOING.'

Debuting in 2020 with 'Star in the Night Sky (2020),' Kyungseo is releasing a mini-album for the first time in three years. "I'm truly excited and thrilled," she shared, "I'm incredibly glad to offer diverse music to those who appreciate my songs through this mini-album."

Kyungseo's new album 'ONGOING' documents her journey of love and separation as she navigates through her mid-20s.

From wandering with no set address yesterday to her exciting visions of turning twenty-five soon, and finally accepting it all, the album allows listeners to lean into Kyungseo's voice at a new turning point in her musical journey. Kyungseo introduced 'ONGOING' as a compilation of "my ongoing stories of love, separation, and growth."

The title song of the album, featuring an inventive title, is 'My Heart Hit 120BPM at First Kiss.' Kyungseo explained, "It compares the excitement of transitioning from friends to lovers, and falling in love, to a heart rate."

She appeared in the music video, bringing the song's exhilarating emotions to life.

She confessed she had always wanted to "try acting in a music video but didn't have the courage," but took a leap with 'My Heart Hit 120BPM at First Kiss' as it was a "song she desired." "It was difficult, but as I kept at it, acting became fun. It felt different to let myself go, immerse in the situation, and express the emotions," she reflected.

The new album includes fresh-sounding 'Again, Spring,' which narrates the story of starting to love again as spring returns, 'It's Spring,' filled with a warm yet refreshing sound matching the transition of seasons, 'Curious,' a fusion of tropical house and popular pop, and 'Would We Have Been Different if I Understood You,' an easy-listening city pop genre track that signals the beginning of summer.

Regarding the last song, 'Would We Have Been Different if I Understood You,' Kyungseo stated it's "the only song in the album that talks about separation." She described it as a city pop-styled track that one could listen to comfortably while strolling slowly on a cool summer night.

With this album, she confessed that she wanted to "break down the boundaries of my music, explore various genres, different stories, and widen its scope." Fearless in her endeavors, Kyungseo expressed, "If my current music doesn't appeal to you, my next music might. I've come to enjoy such challenges."

Thus, the new album 'ONGOING' allows listeners to experience Kyungseo's versatile charm.

"Having released single albums and popular, lovable songs until now, being able to include five songs in a mini-album allowed me to explore themes of separation, the feelings before falling in love, and even variety in vocal techniques and tone," she shared.

She worked especially hard on giving the title song 'My Heart Hit 120BPM at First Kiss' a modern rock feel. "I tried to step out from the refreshing, pure, and girlish image to portray a mature and adult-like character through my storytelling and voice," Kyungseo added. Among the five songs, she chose the title track as it was the closest to the image she wants to progress towards.

Having mostly sung about love stories, Kyungseo herself acknowledged that she has "experienced deep love and separation."

"When I face difficulties expressing a song, I try to seek help from reading books or watching movies," she added, responding to an MC's question about whether the 'X' in her songs represents a particular person, "There might be a majority of 'X's, but I didn't specify a particular 'X.'"

Kyungseo, who is currently active in the SBS program 'Amazing Girls,' had revealed in a recent broadcast that she suffered from a vocal cord injury. "It's been two months since the injury," she revealed, "I couldn't walk back then, but now I can walk fine. I haven't tried running yet, but I'm recovering well."

The album is set to release on May 26 at 6 PM.

Kyungseo expressed her resolution, "When I perform, I say at the end that 'I want to be singer Kyungseo and person Lee Kyungseo who can share good music, good songs, and good stories.' I want to be a singer who can keep that goal."

Additionally, she made a promise, "If 'My Heart Hit 120BPM at First Kiss' hits number 1, I'll post a video of me working out to raise my heart rate to 180BPM, as the latter part of the title song depicts a heart rate rising to 180BPM."

Copyright © 2023 Kpop Reporter. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.