Over the past week, momentum surrounding Agust D‘s first studio album has reached an all-time high after the record’s release. Entitled D-Day, BTS‘ Suga released his first-ever studio album on April 21st, following his two first EPs that preceded the newest release, Agust D (2016) and D-2 (2020). This new solo endeavor comes in light of BTS’ temporary break from group activities, as each member promotes their individual music, ahead of mandatory military conscription.
D-Day, albeit only a few days old, has already managed to reach an all-time high in sales among all of the member releases, and it is only expected to reach an even larger audience as time goes by. The rap album is also considered to be SUGA’s most intimate letter to fans, depicting extremely personal and intimate moments through its lyrics and music videos.
Even amidst all the focus required to finally internalize the messages behind the songs, collaborations are still not cast aside. In track nine, “Snooze,” fans recognized two large names in the music industry as a whole: late composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, and The Rose’s Woosung. While Sakamoto’s name may not entirely be foreign to many due to his outstanding work as a composer, Woosung may not be such a prevalent figure for BTS and Agust D’s fans. So who exactly is behind the low and sultry voice singing in “Snooze?”
Who is Woosung from The Rose?
Perhaps not entirely foreign to many fans of rock-indie music in South Korea, Woosung is the vocalist and guitarist of the band The Rose. Born on February 25, 1993, Kim Woosung, also known as Sammy, is a Korean-American singer and songwriter known for his raspy mixed voice, wavering between a mesmeric tenor and low baritone. This consistent relocation between head and chest voice, as well as his constant shift between tones, have granted him the title of one of the most unique voices in the South Korean music industry.
To the surprise of many, Woosung’s childhood was spent in Los Angeles, California, although he was born in Wonju in South Korea. In 2011, Woosung moved to his birth country upon auditioning for the reality show K-Pop Star, from which he was eliminated not long after, forcing him to teach English in the country. In reality, his first interest lay in playing American football, but upon dislocating his shoulder, the singer admitted in Seoul that he had to give that dream up, opting to pursue music instead and finally audition for The Rose.
How did Woosung join The Rose?
In 2017, Woosung finally reached his big break in music upon debuting as the vocalist and electric guitarist of The Rose, alongside Hajoon, Dojoon, and Jaehyung. Despite not becoming a large name in K-Pop as a genre, The Rose has still maintained a relatively popular stance in the music industry, mostly due to their constant deviation from what K-Pop entails as a genre – strong dancers and choreographies, big-scale music videos and catchy songs.
On a side note, Woosung was also the last member to join The Rose, giving a main voice to this idiosyncratic indie band, known for experimenting with different genres, including a mix of R&B, indie, and rock, all of which can be picked apart in their discography made up of two mini albums, several singles, and a full-length album released in 2022.
Despite already being an active figure in the South Korean music scene since 2017, Woosung’s name has received a surge in searches upon collaborating with BTS member SUGA, in their joint track “Snooze.” Coming almost as a critic towards the music industry, the song explores the constant microscopical attention musicians are in from a young age upon entering the entertainment industry. The tune comes almost providing comfort to musicians and actors who are put under pressure to become cultural icons among the skyrocketing competitors in K-Pop.
Clearly belonging to the similar theme found in D-Day, “Snooze,” is the perfect song to describe the consistent pressure that idols and musicians have felt from the moment they become public figures. Coming on as almost a shift in his repertoire marked by the intensity of the song, Woosung also provides some of his broadest registered notes in “Snooze,” consistently staying in the typical tenor vocal range provided by the interesting melody from the song.
After years of not releasing new music, The Rose finally reached the stage again through their full-length studio album “Heal,” which reached platforms in October 2022. Currently, aside from promoting “Snooze,” and his solo music endeavors, Woosung is working diligently on his world tour alongside The Rose.
