The former member of the group TO1 signs his grand return as a solo artist with a raw, dark, and deeply rock debut single album.
CHIHOON has officially launched his solo career with the release of his very first single album titled “LOVEHATE”, available since July 2, 2026, at 12 PM KST. To mark this new beginning, the artist shared an album cover with a striking visual, instantly plunging his listeners into a grunge and tormented universe that contrasts radically with his previous projects.
As a reminder, CHIHOON became known to the general public as a rapper, producer, and original member of the group TO1 (formerly TOO), formed through the survival show “World Klass”. Known for his musical versatility and his sharp pen, he left the group in 2022, leaving his fans waiting for his future projects. It is now under a brand new artistic facet that he reinvents himself, a 180-degree turn that can be followed closely on his official Twitter account.
The unveiled visual identity confirms this very asserted rock and underground aesthetic. The cover comes in the form of a chaotic collage dominated by black, white, and blood red, centered around a huge broken heart, whose two halves are heavily stitched back together with metal staples. The words “LOVE” and “HATE” are tagged on it in paint, reinforcing this destructive emotional duality.
The visual swarms with dark and melancholic details that evoke breakup and disenchantment. One can distinguish the neck of an electric guitar, a crushed lipstick trace, as well as a half-empty drink glass. Several handwritten or printed inscriptions dress the image, notably heartbreaking phrases like “Love will tear us apart”, “Nothing lasts forever” or even a piece of pinned paper where the mentions “I hate you” and “I need you” are crossed out to leave legible only the painful conclusion: “I hate myself”.
This first solo project lays down strong thematic foundations, promising saturated sonorities and raw, emotional lyrics. “LOVEHATE” is already available on all global streaming platforms, marking the official start of CHIHOON‘s solo era.
Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: SNS CHIHOON
