[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] The title of singer Nam Woo-hyun’s (35), a member of the group INFINITE, second full-length album, “2X8,” contains several meanings that are exquisitely intertwined. First, “10”—the sum of the numbers 2 and 8—signifies that this year marks the 10th anniversary of his solo debut. “16”—the product of those two numbers—represents both the number of tracks on the album and the 16th anniversary of INFINITE’s debut. Furthermore, the album title is also linked to Nam Woo-hyun’s birthday, February 8.

During a roundtable interview with Edaily at a café in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 13th, Nam Woo-hyun shared his thoughts on the comeback, saying, “I’m so excited to present my second solo studio album. I’m grateful to the fans who have waited so long.” While explaining the various meanings behind the album title, he smiled and added, “If you turn the number 8 on its side, it also resembles the logo symbolizing INFINITE.”
◇ “Devil,” Written After a Nightmare… “My Dance Skills Have Also Upgraded”
Nam Woo-hyun has included a whopping 16 tracks on the album. Having personally participated in writing and composing all the tracks, he demonstrated his capabilities as a singer-songwriter spanning a wide range of genres, from pop rock to R&B, synth-pop, and ballads. “To mark the 10th anniversary of my solo debut, I wanted to properly present high-quality music to my fans,” he said. “I set a goal of 16 tracks from the start and worked on them for about a year to fill the album to the brim.”

The title track is “DEVIL.” It is an up-tempo song featuring an intense pop-rock sound and a fast dance beat. The lyrics depict a fatal temptation and instinctive attraction—the feeling of being drawn to someone even while knowing it’s dangerous, and sinking deeper the more one tries to break free. Nam Woo-hyun said, “I felt this was a song that would really showcase my strengths when combined with the music video and performance.”
This song was inspired by a strange experience he had during a period when he was suffering from insomnia. Nam Woo-hyun recalled, “At the time, I had the living room window open, and I had a vivid sensation that a spirit was entering me; after that, I kept having nightmares.” He added, “At the time, I kept wondering, ‘Why is this happening?’ and ‘Did some kind of demonic entity enter me?’ So I recorded the melody that came to me in the early morning on my phone, and I used that melody as the basis for the song.”
Nam Woo-hyun is determined to showcase his significantly improved performance skills through the “Devil” stage. Having participated directly in creating the choreography, he said, “I practiced a lot so I could stand on stage with confidence,” adding, “The INFINITE members even reacted by saying, ‘Your dancing has improved,’ and ‘Did you always dance this well?’ “You can definitely look forward to my upgraded dance skills,” he said confidently. When asked about his goal for the music charts, he smiled and said, “I’d be happy if we made it into the top 100.”

The album also includes the fan song “Boys and Girls,” performed alongside the INFINITE members. Nam Woo-hyun wrote this song while reflecting on the past 16 years he’s spent with his fans.
“When I see the look in our fans’ eyes at concerts, I can feel that they’re reminiscing about the times they spent with INFINITE,” he said. “I wanted to capture the brilliant moments of our youth that we’ve shared with our fans over the past 16 years in this song.”
He continued, “The driving force that allows me to continue my career is the group INFINITE and all of you, our fans,” and shared his feelings during the songwriting process, saying, “I even shed tears imagining this song—filled with the members’ voices—echoing through the concert hall as fans sang along with us.”
Among the tracks on the album, he singled out “Tree”—named after his nickname—as the one he’s particularly attached to. It is a ballad that conveys the message: “Just like a tree that has grown strong over a long time, I will be a reliable haven where you can lean on and rest whenever times are tough, and I will be with you for a long time.” Nam Woo-hyun said, “I wrote this song with the hope that it will remain in this world longer than I do and be loved by many people.”

◇ Overcoming Illness and Musical Growth… “My Vocals Have Become Even More Solid”
Meanwhile, Nam Woo-hyun previously revealed that he underwent surgery in 2023 for GIST, a rare form of cancer. GIST is a rare tumor caused by a mutation in the Cajal cells found in the muscular layer of the gastrointestinal tract. It causes symptoms such as abdominal pain and fatigue, and the tumor can sometimes lead to intestinal obstruction.
He confided, “It was the biggest crisis I’ve faced since my debut. Singing was so difficult that I even considered quitting.” He added, “I underwent surgery under general anesthesia for 10 hours, but after the procedure, my lungs were collapsed, so it took a long time for them to expand again. The process of doing breathing exercises was also extremely difficult.”
He suffered from intestinal obstruction and his weight dropped as low as 54 kg. Nam Woo-hyun stated, “I went through such a difficult time that I couldn’t eat properly for three months. Fortunately, my weight has now recovered to 64 kg.”
Nam Woo-hyun, who is managing his health through regular follow-up checkups, said, “I gained a lot of musical inspiration from the process of enduring and overcoming those difficult times.” He added, “After getting through that exhausting period, I was able to create good music and grow as a person. I also practiced breathing exercises diligently after the surgery, which has made my vocals much more solid.”
Nam Woo-hyun released all the tracks from his album on the 14th, the day after the interview. From the 6th to the 8th of next month, he will meet with fans at the KBS Arena in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, for his 10th-anniversary solo debut concert, “Arbor Day VI – EVER GREEN.”
At the end of the interview, Nam Woo-hyun emphasized, “Through this promotional run, I want to show you just how much I’ve grown over the past 10 years,” adding, “Isn’t it boring if an artist just treads water? I hope you’ll watch with interest as I continue to develop as a singer.”
He plans to fill the next 10 years with diverse music and performances. Expressing his desire to hold a solo concert at the K-Sport Dome, a 10,000-seat venue, he said, “I still can’t forget the overwhelming sense of awe and the thrill I felt when I performed a solo stage there during an INFINITE concert,” adding, “Someday, I want to put on a solo concert there with my fans.”