[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] “K-Pop Hot Talk” is a weekly column that highlights memorable quotes gathered while covering the K-pop scene. <Editor’s Note>

◇“If I ever win an award, I think I’ll be jumping for joy for a whole week.”
JAY B, the leader of the group GOT7 and an active solo artist, made this remark during a recent interview with E-Daily, expressing his hope to win the R&B/Soul category at the Korean Popular Music Awards (KPMA).
JAY B debuted as a member of GOT7 in 2014 and has been actively performing both domestically and internationally. As a solo artist, he has been consistently releasing new songs and building his own unique musical universe. On the 27th of last month, he released his third single, “Chapter One (Chptr. 1),” featuring the tracks “Honey Dew” and “Sweetie.”
JB is focusing his solo career on R&B. He explained that he was frequently exposed to breaking beats, soul, and funk music while doing breakdancing as a child, and that he became deeply immersed in the R&B genre while listening to the music of D’Angelo and Music Soulchild during his time as a trainee at JYP Entertainment.
JB said, “When I listen to various genres of music and then return to R&B, it feels like coming home,” adding, “I guess my ears just respond to R&B.”
J.B. emphasized the importance of striking a balance between his musical tastes and his fans’ expectations. He explained, “Rather than sticking solely to the music I like, I try to find a middle ground where I can sing for my fans while also satisfying my own musical cravings.”
His new song, “Honey Dew,” is the result of this deliberation. J.B. explained that he chose a promotional track that places more emphasis on dance and performance than “Layback,” the title track from his previous third mini-album, “TR.EE.”
“The title track from my previous release had a stronger R&B vibe, but this time I wanted to focus more on dance,” he said, adding, “I think I’ll be able to show fans an energetic performance they’ll enjoy.”

“Honey Dew” also conveys the idea that the self who sings for fans and the self who creates music for himself merge into one. J.B. explained, “It tells the story of finding a compromise where I can sing for my fans while also quenching my own musical thirst.”
He maintained a relatively composed attitude regarding the success of his solo activities. He intends to view the achievements he made with GOT7 and the success he garners as a solo artist as separate matters.
J.B. said, “I know it’s incredibly difficult to reach the heights I achieved with GOT7 on my own,” adding, “It’s not that I have no dreams regarding my success, but I try not to obsess over it. I just hope I can continue making the music I love without feeling indebted to anyone.”
That said, he hasn’t given up on his desire for musical achievement. J.B. cited having his skills recognized for R&B music at the Hanyang University Music Awards as one of his goals.
“If I reached No. 1 on the Melon chart, it would actually be a little scary,” he said. “I’d probably wonder if it was a dream.” He continued, “On the other hand, if I won an award at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Music Festival, I’d feel like, ‘Ah, now I can finally rest easy.’”
J.B. also spoke highly of the talent of his fellow musicians active in the domestic R&B scene. Mentioning Samuel Seo, Crush, Dean, and Horim, he said, “There are so many truly outstanding R&B artists.”
He then touched on the recent resurgence of band music, saying, “It’s really cool to see artists who have consistently made the music they’ve always loved—rather than just following trends—gaining recognition.” He added, “I think if I keep making the music I love, a great moment will come someday.”