[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] CJ ENM announced on the 24th that it will handle the production and distribution of singer Choi Baek-ho’s 50th-anniversary debut album, “Applause,” through O’PEN Music, the music division of its O’PEN program for supporting emerging creators.

O'PEN Music is a support program aimed at discovering and nurturing emerging composers. It provides participants with support throughout the entire process required for a composer’s debut, including composition, mixing, and recording. To date, the program has produced a total of 115 composers and released more than 600 tracks in collaboration with them.
“Applause” is an album consisting of eight tracks in total, including the double title tracks “Applause” and “Afterglow,” as well as “It Was My First Love,” “Strong Liquor,” “I Just Sing,” “Please Accept These Flowers,” “Life, What Is Life?,” and the 50th-anniversary version of “On Romance.”
Eight composers from Oppen Music—including JAYINS, Moon Jung-wook, Lee Yeon, SAMIN, Cody J, JUHWAN, and All Day On—contributed to this album. Choi Baek-ho has served as Oppen Music’s lead mentor and has maintained a special bond with the composers who have come through the label.
CJ ENM stated, “We will continue to create a healthy ecosystem that broadens opportunities for Open Music composers to collaborate with various musicians and expands the genre diversity of K-pop.”
All tracks from Choi Baek-ho’s new album will be released at 6:00 p.m. today via various online music platforms.