[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] “In the past, when people called me ‘Mr. Soran,’ I would correct them by saying, ‘Soran is the band’s name; my name is Go Young-bae.’ But now, I just reply, ‘Yes.’”

Go Young-bae of the band Soran laughed as he gave this response when asked about the biggest change since transitioning to a solo career during the press showcase for his new mini-album *Layer*, held at 2:00 p.m. on the 18th at the MPMG headquarters in Mapo-gu, Seoul.
Since their debut in 2010, Soran has been beloved for their refreshing and stylish band sounds, as heard in songs such as “Autumn Neck,” “Ricotta Cheese Salad,” “Perfect Day,” and “Studying You.” They have also been active at various music festivals, earning the nickname “Emperor of Festivals.”
Soran, which had been active as a trio consisting of Go Young-bae (vocals), Seo Myeon-ho (bass), and Lee Tae-wook (guitar), transitioned to a solo act led by Go Young-bae following their solo concert held last January.
Since the transition to a solo act, Go Young-bae has been releasing new songs and performing on stage nonstop.
“I’ve been trying to fill the void felt by fans who may be missing the band’s former lineup,” he said with a smile. “I’ve been pushing myself so hard that the agency even told me, ‘You can stop now.’”
He continued, “I felt the most proud when I heard people say, ‘Go Young-bae really works hard,’” adding, “I’ve been practicing singing diligently, and my singing skills have improved rapidly recently; it was great to hear people say I’ve ‘found my voice.’”

“Layer” is the first full-length album released by Soran as a solo artist. It consists of a total of five tracks, including the title track “Just Before the Breakup,” as well as “Draw an Apple,” “Delivery,” “Ceremony,” and “Hello.” All tracks will be released at 6 p.m. today via various online music platforms.
Ko Young-bae explained, “‘Layer’ is a word I’ve always wanted to use in a song title or album title,” adding, “I wanted to capture the stories and thoughts about what I’ve built so far and what I will build in the future.”
The title track, “Just Before the Breakup,” is a song about the moment just before a breakup when you ask your partner to stay by your side just a little longer. He completed the track by teaming up once again with producer Park Woo-sang, with whom he previously collaborated on last year’s “There Is No Sin in Loving” (Sama-je).
Go Young-bae said, “The fact that ‘No Sin in Loving’ received so much love—to the point that it became one of Soran’s signature songs—served as the catalyst for me to collaborate with producer Park Woo-sang once again,” adding, “This time, we created a song with a much deeper ballad feel than our previous work.”

“Sama-Jae” gained popularity after generating buzz through challenge videos featuring popular K-pop idols and other colleagues in the entertainment industry. Go Young-bae expressed his gratitude, saying, “The response to the video featuring Ailette’s Won-hee was particularly positive. After that video was released, it became much easier to get people to participate in the challenge.” He continued, “People are still leaving comments on the video featuring Flave’s Eun-ho,” adding, “It’s like they’re coming to a public well to fetch water—many people are just checking in,” which drew laughter from the audience.
Three tracks from the album—‘Draw an Apple,’ written by producer Hwang Hyun, who has penned K-pop hits; ‘Delivery,’ a collaboration with 10CM; and ‘Ceremony,’ featuring Miyeon of iZ*ONE—were previously released as singles. ‘Greeting’ was unveiled in an unfinished version and received a positive response from fans.
Soran said, “In the early days of our debut, we were heavily influenced by John Mayer and My Ant Mary. These days, we often listen to J-rock and rock ballads, and I think that influence has naturally seeped into this album.”
He continued, “By collaborating with various musicians, we’re trying to create music with a different vibe from Soran’s previous work,” adding, “Next year, I’d like to release an album filled with songs featuring a band sound reminiscent of Maroon 5.”