For VERIVERY‘s KANGMIN, the concept of Free Falling is less about having all the answers and more about figuring things out as he goes. Known as the youngest member of VERIVERY, he’s spent years performing as part of a group—but this time, the focus is entirely on him. Taking on a solo project meant handling everything more independently, from recording to expressing his own musical direction. The result is an album that feels honest and in-between—balancing confidence with uncertainty, and familiarity with something new. We had a chat with KANGMIN where talks all about stepping onto the stage alone, the challenges behind the scenes, and what this debut means for him moving forward.
The title Free Falling is very expressive. What made you choose it, and how does it reflect the overall mood of the album?
KANGMIN: The album title, Free Falling, represents the state of staying in the air before finding the perfect balance, rather than its literal meaning of falling without control. I chose this title because it seemed to represent my current state well. I’m not certain where I’m heading or if I’m on the right path, but I’m determined to move forward without stopping.
When you started working on this, what did you want to prove to yourself as an artist?
KANGMIN: I wanted to prove that I can stand on the stage alone and make the audience feel something even by myself.
Did you ever reach a point during the process where things felt more challenging than expected? How did you handle it?
KANGMIN: I think the recording process was particularly challenging. In addition to having to record and work on an album by myself without the members, I also had my solo fan
meeting tour at the time so I remember putting extra care into my throat condition.
Which part of making this album felt the most natural to you, and which part pushed you the most?
KANGMIN: Every part felt natural yet like a new challenge for me. I’ve been on many stages so far, but I never took responsibility for each stage all by myself, so standing on the stage as a solo artist felt familiar and new at the same time.
If someone listens to just one track from Free Falling, which one would you recommend first, and why?
KANGMIN: I’d like to recommend the title track, “Free Falling.” It represents the album’s keyword, ‘free falling,’ most directly, and it expresses the love between me and my fans with
the theme of ‘the relationship that pushes and pulls through continuous love and wounds’.
How did the other VERIVERY members react when they first heard the album (or have they not heard it yet, if so why not)?
KANGMIN: The members all shared so many compliments on the album and my performance, as well as giving various pieces of advice, including what direction I should move forward to capture the stories I want to tell even more.
Did your vision for the album change much from the beginning to the final version?
KANGMIN: From the beginning, I had a clear idea of what story I wanted to tell, so the album’s general vision stayed the same. However, now I have more ideas of what to do in the future,even though I’m not 100 percent certain those are correct and I might have different ideas later.
What do you think people might be surprised to discover about you through this album?
KANGMIN: I think my vocal sounds quite different from my voice in VERIVERY’s music, so my fans might be surprised to hear the new sound I’m presenting through this album.
After this release, what do you think you understand better about yourself as an artist that
you didn’t before?
KANGMIN: I didn’t realize it when I was promoting with my members, but I actually don’t speak very well. I felt like my awkwardness comes through too much during schedules or when
meeting other people, and that inspired me to work more in that sense. And I believe this album provided me with an opportunity to reflect on my identity as an artist by
focusing more on ‘KANGMIN’s music’ than ‘VERIVERY’s music.’ It was a great chance for me to really think about what music I want to do and what styles of music I enjoy.
Do you like to leave a message for your fans, VERRER?
KANGMIN: VERRERs, I got to make a solo debut through my first single album, Free Falling! I poured a lot of effort into this album to honestly convey my messages to you based on the
experiences so far, so please give it a lot of love and support! Thank you!
Free Falling marks an important first step for KANGMIN as he begins to define himself beyond VERIVERY, while still carrying those experiences with him. We’d like to thank KANGMIN for taking the time to speak with us and share more about his solo debut. You can stream Free Falling right here: