Jung Woo-seok, or better known as WOOSEOK, began his journey as an artist over ten years ago when he was casted by Korean Cube Entertainment and debuted as a member of the K-Pop group PENTAGON. From 2016 until very recently, the nonet kept him busy working in genres like Pop, R&B and Hip-Hop.
It’s been no secret that WOOSEOK enjoys rock, as fans of PENTAGON heard him over the years expressing a love for the genre. In interviews, YouTube content, and his personal messages, he’s constantly referred to legends such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Oasis, and Foo Fighters as inspirations and added them to his playlists. It seemed like only a matter of time before he dove into the genre on his own.
For his solo debut, WOOSEOK went for an indie, chill vibe with songs “Navy Blue” and “Sketch”. His new EP, ender to ander, leaps past the soothing instrumentals from the first single and brings chaos and honesty in a way he hasn’t shown before. With production elements of electronica, grunge and pop punk, each of the seven tracks are sure to mark their spot on your playlist. Or maybe the entire EP will become your soundtrack of the summer.
Melodic Magazine got to talk to Wooseok on his recent transition to rock music and his journey as an artist.
Your songs cover a variety of subjects from mental health, love, heartbreak, friendship and more. Is there any particular subject or topic that you find the easiest to write about?
Maybe mental health, but each one is not easy for me. Lately, rather than focusing on one theme, my goal has been to capture the variety of emotion within one song’s story.
The song that you wrote with fellow PENTAGON member Shinwon, “One Shot”, was one of the first times fans got to hear you in a rock genre track since many came to know you as a rapper first. Do rock and more grunge style songs come to you more naturally?
Before PENTAGON even became a group, I liked rock music. I just wasn’t prepared to make music with a real rock band, but I love rock music. So while active with PENTAGON, I just enjoyed rock music on my own time and enjoyed what I was doing with PENTAGON at the time. Even though dance and pop music didn’t come as naturally to me, it was easy to make because I often worked together with my members like Hui to make our music.
Do you see yourself continuing to experiment with genres and styles of music in the future in your solo music?
I’m always open to trying to show new things as a member of a band rather than a [member of a] K-Pop idol group. I’m thinking about the song and performances I can present in that context. So for now, rather than just the genre, visuals or new music, I feel like I’m in the process of shaping a whole identity.
What are some of your personal favorite songs that you’ve written or produced?
I’ve made hundreds of songs throughout my career, so that makes it really hard to choose. Among PENTAGON’s tracks, the song “Nostalgia” is most important to me. That’s why when I do solo concerts, I make sure to put it on the setlist. Even though it’s not the most famous song, it means a lot to me. As far as unreleased songs, I love 심, which means the Heart and the Mind. The song is especially meaningful to me.
You are known to be a well-rounded musician- playing instruments, singing, rapping, composing, songwriting and also producing. Which of these skills do you currently work on the most?
Right now, vocals and guitar…just everything for my live show.
Do you have any unexpected hobbies or interests outside of music?
I like animals. Puppies, cats, everything. Even Capybaras. [Laughs] I also like just talking…Just a good chat in person. I’ll invite my band members to my studio and we just sit and talk. Sometimes we’ll listen to new music. I’m kind of old fashioned. Sometimes we’re up talking until like 3-4:00 AM without any kind of alcohol. Just hanging out.
Are there any indie or lesser known artists that you’d like to collaborate with?
So many. One is SURL. I invited them to my show and they came, so I was very surprised and touched.
What about really big artists, like people you really admire too?
There are just so many. One of the legendary artists from Japan, HYDE, is so cool. I love Dominic Fike, Stereophonics, Miguel. ODIE, too.
If someone doesn’t know your music and wants to get to know you, what song would you recommend as an Intro to WOOSEOK?
Honestly, all of the tracks from my new album, ender to ander. But especially the title song called “직선 (Straight Line)”.
What plans for live shows can fans expect for the rest of 2025?
Right now, I feel that performing closer to the audience makes the vibes cooler. My goal in this area is to explore a variety of stages, even if it’s big or small. I already tried a really small show with only 78 audience members, so next I would love to take on an outdoor festival stage with the band.
Lately, do you have any specific inspirations for your own music?
Animations- I love anime and other animated movies and tv shows. In music, I’ve been drawing inspiration from the lyrics of the artists who were active even before I was born. I didn’t know how to tell my own story before, but with older songs, they seem to reflect the artist’s own story even more. So that gives me the confidence now to tell my own story.
Are there any lessons or knowledge that you learned growing up in PENTAGON that have informed the way that you make music for yourself?
Generally- stage presence, and having harmony with your fans. For PENTAGON, I am the youngest member for over seven years. But now I’m the leader and being the front man of my own band, so I had to learn those qualities of being a leader from my members, like Hui [the leader of PENTAGON].
What are your wishes for 2025?
I really want to do more performances and visit many countries internationally. I want to meet my fans as well as share my music with people who don’t know me yet and make them part of my team. Like not just calling them the name “fan”, but as one united team sharing the same space and same energy through everyone.
Follow along as WOOSEOK’s career blossoms and check out his new EP, ender to ander, here: Spotify // X // Instagram
This interview was conducted with assistance from a translator.
