[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] “Now, for the first time, solo artist Son Ho-young is able to make a sober self-assessment of what he does best.”

Singer Son Ho-young (46), a member of the group god, made these remarks while introducing his new single “Go Around” during a comeback roundtable interview recently held at his agency, Gemstone E&M, in Mapo-gu, Seoul.
Son Ho-young, who debuted as a member of god in 1999, began his solo career in 2006 with the release of his first studio album, “Yes.” “Go Around” is his first new release in about five years, following the March 2021 single “In the Flow of Time.”

◇“It’s Time to Focus on Myself Rather Than Imitating Others”
In this interview, Son Ho-young reflected on the time leading up to his solo debut, saying, “Driven solely by the desire to sing well, I sought out Park Sun-joo and practiced singing for eight hours a day.” He added, “I thought my skills would improve dramatically if I practiced that much, but that wasn’t the case.”
Regarding the background behind his concept at the time, which emphasized his muscular physique, he laughed and said, “I originally started working out to alleviate symptoms of a herniated disc, but since I’m the type who doesn’t know when to stop, I ended up building the kind of ‘ripped’ body that was trendy at the time.”
Now, 20 years later, he says he’s focusing on bringing out his own unique charm rather than imitating other singers or trying to present a new image.
Son Ho-young said, “In the past, I set role models for myself and took on various challenges by following their lead. Now, I think it’s time to let go of that and focus on myself.”
Citing his unique voice as his greatest strength, he revealed, “Going forward, I plan to focus on finding the music that best suits my voice.”

His new song, “Go Around,” released on the 14th, reflects this new direction. It is a rock-based pop track that conveys the message of breaking free from the scrutiny of others and the noise of the world to set out on one’s own path, with lyrics written by Son Ho-young himself.
Son Ho-young said, “I wanted to convey messages to listeners like ‘Going straight isn’t the only answer,’ ‘It’s okay to take a different path,’ and ‘It’s okay to run away.’ I put the message I want to share with people my age into the lyrics.” He added, “As we go through life, there are many times when we get shaken by the noise around us. Since I’m a sensitive person myself, I also wanted to tell myself, ‘It’s okay.’”

◇“When I’m on stage, I feel like I’m twenty again”
Following the release of his new song, Son Ho-young will hold his solo concert “HORIZON” at the KBS Arena in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, on October 31 and November 1. Marking the 20th anniversary of his solo debut, the concert will serve as an opportunity to reflect on his musical journey and create new memories with his fans.
Son Ho-young said that through his long career, he has come to believe that performing is what he does best. “When preparing for a concert, I get involved in the direction and pay attention to even the tiniest details,” he said. “But once the concert actually starts, none of that shows. Even if I make a mistake, it feels fun and cute.” He continued, “When I step onto the stage, I feel like I’m back to being twenty again,” adding, “This time, too, I want to share the joy with my fans by playfully teasing them.”
As members of god, they are now approaching their 30th debut anniversary. Son Ho-young remarked, “All the members are down-to-earth people and quite timid. Since we’re people who understand fear, I don’t think we’ve ever gone too far off track,” adding, “We care for one another and continue to feel grateful toward our fans. That’s why I think we’ve been able to stay together this long.”
He also remarked, “god was a group with many flaws and shortcomings. However, those very flaws actually ended up becoming our strengths.” He continued, “These days, idols are so thorough—from the preparation process to their practice and strategies—that there are no gaps. When I see that, I can’t help but think it will be difficult for a group like god to emerge again in the future.”
Son Ho-young said he doesn’t want to position himself as someone competing with younger idols. “I don’t think I’m an idol anymore,” he said. “Still, I’m grateful that there are people who recognize me the moment they hear my voice.” He added, “I want to share songs that bring comfort and happiness by drawing on that unique identity of mine.”