JUNG DAEHYUN: A new energy, a new path with “Haengro”

B.A.P member and singer JUNG DAEHYUN has found his path. With “Haengro” (meaning Itinerary or Route), he has confidently established his own musical identity and now appears ready to move forward into the future.

Recently, his new track “Haengro” has shown signs of becoming a long-term hit. It reached a new peak on YouTube Music’s “Daily Popular Music Videos – Korea” chart, and its popularity only grew in the second week. It also remains in the Top 20 of the “Korean Popular Music Videos Top 100.” Holding steady alongside global stars, JUNG DAEHYUN is proving his rising status as a solo artist.

“Haengro” blends DAEHYUN’s signature clear high notes with the sound of a live band. The song carries a message of hope: even in the midst of youthful confusion and imperfection, we must rise again and find our own rhythm to move forward. With vibrant live instrumentation, drums, guitar, and bass, he commands the stage with a charismatic presence, delivering all the energy of a passionate live performance, and demonstrating his growth as a vocalist. Fellow B.A.P member Bang Yongguk contributed to the lyrics, composition, and arrangement, further enhancing the track’s quality.

The lyrics are especially memorable: “Once again, I lost my way in frozen time, but this time I’ll get back up,” “Some might say it was a mistake, but let’s leave our mark among the tracks,” “I’m walking again—because at the end of this road, I’ll bloom and shine.” The lyrics offer encouragement to lost youth, while also feeling deeply personal.

JUNG DAEHYUN shared:

“I wanted to make music that’s easy for anyone to listen to. A song that’s simple and catchy, that sticks with you instantly. Musically, I was looking for a sound that’s powerful but still fresh. I layered a calm vocal tone over an energetic band sound, and the chemistry just felt right. The atmosphere is clear, pure, and uplifting—but the vocals stay gentle. That balance is what completed “Haengro”.”

It’s a track that transcends the seasons—perfect for the light breeze of late summer or the lonely chill of winter. He adds:

“Since the song is about youth, I realized the season didn’t matter much. I thought it could be a song for any time of year, but personally, I feel like it fits especially well at the end of the year, during sunset. Right now, as summer transitions into fall, it feels even more perfect.”

This is quite a departure from what DAEHYUN has shown before. While B.A.P was known for powerful performances and intense concepts, DAEHYUN stood out as the group’s main vocalist and visual. Who would’ve expected him to adapt so naturally to a refreshing band sound?

“Even back during B.A.P, we explored various styles, but it was mostly the strong concepts that stood out. There were lighter songs too, but now that I’ve gotten older and returned after a long time, I wanted something that touched on this kind of emotion. That’s how “Haengro” was born.”

A hit’s success also depends greatly on the producer, and JUNG DAEHYUN made a clear choice: Bang Yongguk, someone with whom he shares a deep connection. The result? A perfect synergy.

“Yongguk hyung produced the entire project. For this key moment in my solo career, I needed a good song. I’ve been telling him for a long time, ‘If you’ve got a great track, think of me.’ I was lucky enough to receive that gift.”

He continued:

“Yongguk hyung is someone I still have a lot to learn from. I worked hard to grow, but he’s shown even greater progress and results. Ever since we were 20 and 23, I saw him as an adult who made a lot of sacrifices for us. These days, we’re close like friends, but I continue to respect him deeply.”

JUNG DAEHYUN defines youth as something multifaceted.

“At first, I wanted it to be a personal story, but then I widened the perspective to speak to all youth living in the present. There’s already so much content out there about this topic, so I was worried it might feel generic. But Yongguk’s lyrics and title were truly unique. When I first heard the word ‘Haengro’ (행로, meaning route or journey), it felt unfamiliar—but I knew he wouldn’t have chosen it lightly. Once I understood the meaning, I liked it immediately. The fact that the lyrics are entirely in Korean, without a single English word, also appealed to me. The word Haengro is rarely used, so it felt fresh—so I chose it as the title.”

He added:

“The song supports youth, but it’s also almost 100% my story. Like anyone else, I’ve had joys and failures. I went through a period of wandering, and now I feel like I’m halfway through—ready to enter the next chapter. Like the lyric says, ‘At the end of this road, I’ll bloom’, I wanted to express my desire to flourish at the end of this journey. When I look at today’s youth, they seem much more free, assertive, and direct in expressing themselves. That mix of strength and fragility feels like the essence of youth, and that’s what inspired me most.”

JUNG DAEHYUN is an artist who has endured a lot: overwork, hardship, and dark periods. Haengro is a song made possible because he survived those tunnels.

“The more time passed without singing, the more I wanted to sing. I felt like I was losing everything I had. The time when I completely gave up on music was the hardest in my life. Singing was the one thing I wanted, and the only thing I knew how to do. When I couldn’t do it anymore, I felt like I was withering. I swore I’d never go back to that time again.”

Today, he’s found more peace. He no longer chases numbers, he chases meaning. When asked what his goal is, he says:

“The only feedback I want to hear from this release is: ‘I feel happy.’ In the past, I hoped people would say things like, ‘Your vocals improved,’ or ‘You look better,’ or ‘Your dancing’s amazing.’ Now, more than anything, I want to deliver steady, lasting happiness. That all of us can be happy—and that we can walk our own haengro.”

Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: MA Entertainment