In K-pop there is a precise moment, undeclared, but inevitable, in which the image stops being enough. It’s the moment when the idol, built to work, must begin to explain itself. With Free FallingKangmin crosses exactly this threshold.
The first member of VERIVERY to debut as a soloist, Kangmin chooses to do so in the least predictable way possible: not by building a stronger version of himself, but by staging his own instability.
Free Falling it is not a project that seeks to reassure. It is, rather, an emotional diary that arises from a transition phase – the one that separates adolescence from a still incomplete idea of adulthood. The title itself is already a statement: falling without knowing where you will land, while still continuing to move forward.
After the experience in the survival show BOYS II PLANET, which ended with a ninth place and a new global exposure, Kangmin chooses to transform that moment into narrative material. Not perfection, but doubt. Not control, but awareness of the loss of control.
From a sound point of view, Free Falling moves in a space consistent with this tension. The intro, Intro: small, fragile and still herebuilt on a soft and fragile lo-fi, immediately makes the direction clear: vulnerability as a language. The main song, Free Fallinginstead moves on contemporary R&B-pop coordinates, telling an unstable relationship made of attraction and distance, of constant rapprochements and breakups. There is no resolution, only movement. Closes in the mirrora mid-tempo track that works on internal conflict: ignoring yourself or, finally, facing yourself. This is where the album finds its most explicit key — acceptance as a process, never as a point of arrival.
It is no coincidence that Kangmin directly participated in the writing and production of the project: Free Falling it is not just interpreted, it is constructed from within.
For readers meeting you for the first time: how would you introduce yourself in three sentences, without mentioning VERIVERY?
KANGMIN: I think I can be described with these three sentences – Kangmin is still young. Kangmin is honest. Kangmin is scared.
Your title track is called “Free Falling”. In your real life, have you ever experienced a moment that really comes close to this feeling — like falling and not knowing where you’ll land?
KANGMIN: When I first saw the expression “Free Falling”, I thought it fit the album very well and was similar to my life in many ways. I’m not really “falling”, but in the sense of not knowing exactly where I’m going, the expression and its meaning are very similar to how I live my life right now.
The album’s concept explores that strange space between being a kid and becoming an adult. Right now, do you feel closer to the boy you were or the man you are becoming?
KANGMIN: Right now I think I’m closer to a guy. I received the adult label after turning 20, but I still feel like I have little experience and have a lot to learn in many areas. I also think there is still a lot to figure out on my own and conquer, so I feel closer to the boy I was.
Many artists talk about what they earned growing up. But what do you think you lost along the way?
KANGMIN: I think I lost the connection with my friends in Busan. I really liked my friends there, but we rarely see each other because we live far away and have very busy schedules. It’s sad sometimes, but like I said before, I also gained other things.
If you could talk to the Kangmin who debuted years ago, what would be one thing you would warn him about and one thing you would tell him not to fear?
KANGMIN: I would tell him to just be himself. When we debuted, some parts of me were changed and built up a little, and I would tell old Kangmin not to do that. I also know that he would be afraid of not being loved, so I would like to comfort him so that he doesn’t feel that way.
You’ve always been known as the maknae of VERIVERY. Does working as a solo artist change the way others see you — or the way you see yourself?
KANGMIN: I’m about to start my solo career, so I don’t know if people who knew me as the youngest of VERIVERY will see me differently. But, working on this album, I got to reflect on myself and think more broadly than when I was promoting with the group, so I feel a little different.
This project plays on the contrast between boyish energy and more adult energy. Where does this contrast fit in for you?
KANGMIN: As I said before, age-wise I’m an adult, but I’m still experiencing a lot of things. This state, in which I am growing to become a full adult, relates well to the concept of “the boundary between child and adult”. To express the insecurity of being incomplete, I worked a lot on several aspects, including the tone and sound of the album. This is probably why this album has a younger and more unstable sound, rather than simply “youthful”, and I think this helps the listener to immerse themselves better in the project.
You are known for being direct in interviews. What is one truth about yourself that you have discovered in recent years that has been difficult to accept?
KANGMIN: I think it was hard to accept the fact that I was young. I started my career very early and thought I had more experiences than other people. Until a few weeks ago I thought I knew a lot of things and I was sure of it, but recently I realized that there are a lot of things I don’t know, so I’m trying to accept what I’m missing and work on it.
When you heard the complete “Free Falling” for the first time, what was the first thought that came to mind?
KANGMIN: My first thought was, “You did a good job.” I didn’t want to judge myself as good or not when I listened to the final version, but I wanted to tell myself first of all “you did a good job”.
If this solo debut represents a turning point, what kind of artist do you want to become from here on out?
KANGMIN: I want to become an artist who can communicate more honestly with fans, VERRER, and the public. At the same time, I want to show moments that fans can cherish and grow as an artist who truly loves his fans.
Last question. If you had to describe this moment in your life with just one word, what would you choose?
KANGMIN: I would choose “Free Falling”.
