DAWN knows a thing or two about his life being held under a microscope.
The 29-year-old artist, real name Kim Hyo Jong, has had his life in the media circus since the reveal of his romantic relationship with fellow Cube Entertainment labelmate and idol HyunA, which was seen as taboo in the K-pop industry, in 2018. Both DAWN and HyunA did the unthinkable and remained committed to their relationship, prompting the label to cut both of them out. The duo sparked support from fans domestically and abroad, solidifying their status as one of K-Pop’s most beloved power couples. They later signed to Psy’s P Nation label and released their solo EPs. For DAWN, he released his 2020 hip-hop album “Dawndididawn”, which marked his debut as a solo artist. Both DAWN and HyunA later released a collaborative EP called “1+1=1” in 2021, which was the first — and only — in K-Pop history for a couple in the industry to release one together. But DAWN and HyunA were known for their unconventional and unconditional love. After leaving P Nation in 2022, DAWN and Hyuna announced their break up.
Now working with producer duo GroovyRoom’s AT AREA, DAWN is ready to share his music in his own words. His new EP “Narcissus” tells the story of his life in his 20s as he experienced love, loss, and finding himself through it all.
“I prepared [this album] like it was my first album,” DAWN tells ELLE Singapore over Zoom from Korea. “For the first time, the stories I wanted to tell with those thoughts and good feelings. I really prepared it with a lot of effort like it was my last album.”