[Edaily Starin, Reporter KIM HYUNSIK ] “I wanted to repay the love shown by my middle-aged and older fans who enjoy ‘Solji singing trot.’”

Singer Solji (37) revealed this in a recent interview with E-Daily at a café in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, explaining what led her to release her first-ever trot special single since her debut.
Solji debuted in the music industry in 2006 as a member of the vocal group 2NB, and from 2012 onward, she gained popularity as a member of the girl group EXID with songs such as “Up & Down,” “Hot Pink,” and “Ah Yeah.”
Recently, she took on the trot genre through MBN’s trot competition program “The King of Active Singers 3.” Solji proved her genre-defying vocal prowess by making it to the final “Top 7” on the show.
“I’ve recorded backing tracks for trot songs in the past, but this is the first time I’m officially releasing a track under my own name,” Solji said, expressing her excitement.
Her foray into trot came earlier than originally planned. “I had actually intended to try my hand at trot in my late 40s,” Solji said with a laugh, adding, “When I first received the offer to appear on ‘The King of Active Singers 3,’ I initially declined.”
Her parents’ encouragement played a major role in her decision to participate. Solji said, “My father has been encouraging me to try trot for a long time, and this time, even my mother said, ‘I’d like you to give it a shot,’ which gave me the courage to go for it.”

The outcome of her challenge exceeded expectations. “I prepared for the competition with the mindset of studying, just like when I was a college student,” she recalled, adding, “In particular, I spent a long time pondering and researching how I could bring out the unique flavor of trot while infusing it with my own sensibility.”
Through *The King of Singers 3*, Solji has become a familiar face to middle-aged and older audiences. Naturally, her scope of activities has expanded significantly. She has appeared on KBS 1TV’s *Gayo Stage* and SBS Life’s *The Trot Show*, and by performing at various regional festivals, she is experiencing a new kind of performance culture that she hadn’t encountered during her time as an idol or ballad singer.
Solji expressed her joy, saying, “Since taking on trot, my fan base has expanded to include people in their 60s and 70s. I’m having a refreshing experience receiving such enthusiastic support from my parents’ generation.”
She continued, “My parents actually like my current activities more than they did when I was at the height of my career with EXID. I think it’s because my friends around me watch my performance videos a lot and recognize me,” adding with a smile, “It feels like I’m truly showing my parents how much I appreciate them.”

◇ Features 3 tracks including “Over the Limit”… “Captures a variety of charms”
The trot special single, set for release on the 15th, features a total of three tracks: the double title tracks “Over the Limit” and “The One and Only You,” along with the B-side “What Do You Think of Me?” Solji explained, “We’ve put together a diverse and well-rounded collection of songs, each with its own unique charm.”
“Over the Limit” is an upbeat dance trot track. Solji expressed her satisfaction, saying, “Composer Choi Gyu-sung, who wrote ‘Boogie Man’ for senior artist Hong Jin-young, gifted me a song he had worked on about ten years ago,” adding, “As soon as I heard it, I felt it was an exciting and fun track.”
“You Are the Only One” is a ballad trot track completed in collaboration with the production team Algonbi Honsu-saeng. It’s interesting to note that the song draws its inspiration from the story of a couple featured on KBS 1TV’s “Human Theater.”
Solji explained, “The lyrics tell the story of a husband who lost his memory in an accident and regains it while watching his wife play the piano,” adding, “I chose this song because I thought it would appeal to my parents’ generation.” She continued, “Regardless of the story behind the song, I recorded it while thinking of my mother.”
“What Do You Think of Me?” is a dance trot track infused with EDM sounds. Solji laughed, saying, “I played it for some close older female friends, and the reaction was incredibly positive. They told me, ‘You absolutely have to release this song,’ so I decided to include it on the album.”
In addition to her career as a singer, Solji has consistently performed on stage as a musical theater actress and has dedicated herself to teaching students majoring in practical music while serving as a university professor. Having now marked the 20th anniversary of her debut, she asked fans to view this new venture not as a “switch to trot,” but as yet another expansion of her artistic scope.
Solji emphasized, “As I mark my 20th anniversary since debut, I’m once again realizing the truth in my seniors’ words that ‘those who stick with it for a long time are the ones who succeed,’” adding, “I want to solidify the broader musical spectrum I’ve gained through this trot challenge.”
She continued, “I believe a new chapter for me, Solji the solo artist, has now truly begun. I’ll continue to work steadily on a variety of songs and look forward to greeting everyone with a new album next time.” Regarding an EXID comeback, she said, “We’ve been discussing the idea of preparing a new album together, but since we all have our own schedules, it’s not easy to coordinate our timing,” adding, “We’re waiting for the right moment to come.”