K-pop singer releases first album after 15-year training period

January 20, 2015

JYP Entertainment artist G.Soul, 28, has finally made his debut as a solo singer, ending his 15-year training period — the longest ever among the company’s trainees.

His debut album, “Coming Home,” was released Monday and is now heating up the local music charts.

“In 2001, I met a boy so shy he could barely even look into peoples’ eyes. He was only in sixth grade but when he opened his mouth and sang, I was shocked because I’ve never encountered an Asian voice with so much soul,” JYP CEO Park Jin-young tweeted on Jan. 9.

Park went on to say that he was amazed by the boy’s passion and talent.

“And after nine years of his life in the United States, the boy returned to Korea with 20 songs written and produced by him. I could not believe my ears. The little shy boy who I met 15 years ago was standing in front of me as an amazing artist.”

Park explained that the troubled U.S. economy made it difficult for the artist to debut overseas, and that he tried to convince G.Soul to come back to Asia. But the boy would not listen, according to Park.

“His unfortunate childhood, the loneliness… nothing stopped his passion for music.”