KAI

In the 13 years of being in the music industry, KAI says he’s about to live his fifth life as an idol. Returning to the music and entertainment industry after two years of military service, he’s ready to serve face and talent with new music. 

“You know, it feels like I’m making my fifth debut,” the 31-year-old singer says. “I've debuted as an EXO-K member first, then EXO, and then a solo artist, and, of course, Super M. And now, after this, it feels like I’m making a fifth debut this time.”

Debuting in 2011 as part of one of the biggest K-pop groups in existence — EXO and its sub-group EXO-K (the Korean counterpart of EXO), KAI — whose full name is Kim Jongin — has dedicated most of his life to the spotlight since the age of thirteen. Winning a contest hosted by SM Entertainment, KAI immediately signed with the agency and began to train in hip-hop dance as well as ballet. From the moment his teaser dropped as a member of EXO, the singer became a third-generation K-pop heartthrob for his charismatic stage presence, smooth moves and suave appearance. Much to say, and to no surprise, he was deemed the center and main dancer of the group. 

Maintaining his popularity at a consistent rate, KAI re-debuted as a member of SM Entertainment’s super group, SuperM, in 2019 before he made his impressive solo debut the following year with “Mmmh”.

Compared to the upbeat, uptempo, dance-pop tracks EXO/EXO-K and SuperM’s music would often entail, KAI was determined to make his solo his own and embarked on a different route to explore what suits his taste. Releasing hit singles like “Mmmh”, “Peaches”  and “Rover”, KAI has slowly mastered a sense of intimacy and maturity in his sound that fits his heartthrob image like a glove. His baritone voice carries a honey-like tone that can ease — or even tease — the listener, no matter the genre.

Now, two years after “Rover”, KAI is set to release Wait On Me - The 4th Mini Album as an ode to his revival. 

It’s lunchtime in Seoul, and KAI hops on the Zoom call in one of the many conference rooms in the SM building. Often compared to a bear by fans for his look and wholesome image, KAI’s look for today takes another approach as he dons a cheetah print coach jacket and a baseball band tee under. “It’s been awhile!” he smiles brightly with a wave, as he gets comfortable in his seat.

Just two and some weeks away from the release of his fourth EP Wait On Me, KAI has already gotten a headstart by promoting his first pre-release single “Adult Swim”. He’s not denying the nervousness creeping up on him.

“When we were starting to make this album, I was trying to think outside of the box because of this pressure of coming back after two years,” he begins to explain. “I was thinking too much about ‘What kind of new side of me should I present to everyone?’ So I wanted to get out of that typical goal. Then, when I first listened to ‘Adult Swim’ there was a feeling of freshness and a cool vibe. But at the same time, the chorus carried deep beats as if you're diving into the water, going deeper and deeper into the sea."

The call to action from the song’s chorus can be interpreted as a welcome invitation to “dive in” to KAI’s new era and bring anticipation to listeners and fans on what more there is to come. The seven track project explores a variety of genres blending together such as Latin trap with 808s, mid-tempo with a hint of reggaeton, a flair of techno and hip-hop, Jersey Club and Afrobeats rhythm influenced by the genre.

The lead single “Wait On Me” is a harmonious union of pop and the Afrobeats rhythm, where KAI’s sultry baritone vocals compliment the rhythmic beat or percussion and synth. Upon the first listen, one can even argue how it may be the musical love child of KAI’s past hit singles “Mmmh” and “Rover”. He smiles at the comment made on the other side of the call, as if someone gets what he was saying all along.

“Actually, it’s funny you pointed this out, and I'm really happy to hear that because I also told myself this,” he begins. “It's somewhere in the middle of ‘Mmmh’ and ‘Rover’ to some extent with the genre itself. But at the same time, the genres were very different even between those two songs. They were such significant songs by myself that many fans loved. And I felt really satisfied to find a middle ground with ‘Wait On Me’ because the song and genre are very different. I feel like people always define someone in their own perspective; like there’s a thousand different views and that's exactly how the audience perceives me. Some will remember me with ‘Mmmh’, and some will with ‘Rover’ and ‘Peaches’."

"But I don't really put too much meaning or significance into finding my own color, because I know that the audience will go for what they want to see through me. And that’s why it ironically wasn’t important for me to find a different color but more so finding the middle of between the two.”

In short, it’s the same but different. While it may sound like the safest route to go for an artist, Wait On Me is a perfect ode to KAI’s return. It’s a symbol of the revival of the K-pop star’s ongoing journey of exploring new concepts and sounds that would be in and out of his comfort zone. In this case, KAI is sticking to his rhythmic roots where his feet and body take the lead in dance. But it's different in a way that the music, tempo and beat are different. 

“I can still say I’m still finding myself,” he begins, looking down at the table in front of me. “But maybe, there's actually no answer to that. It's a limitless journey. I want to keep going through it. Because if you feel like you reached a destination, it might actually lessen my driving force. Just like ‘Adult Swim’, if you stay calm in the water, you're just drowning. But as you swim and put in the effort to go up, then you'll finally be able to go up to the surface to breathe out. And I feel that has a sort of resemblance with my career.”

He ends his last sentence with a nod before he looks back up at the camera. It’s as if everything happening is finally hitting him. In the midst of the madness preparing for this comeback, KAI has been hands-on and actively putting everything together to make sure things are well-presented. This conversation included. Releasing new music is not his first rodeo, but it is his first return after a hiatus from the public eye in two years. Still, he's racked up 13 years of experience and become an idol’s idol.

“Throughout these 13 years, I've actually tried everything — all the concepts, moods — that you could try as an artist as if you’re giving endless transitions like a chameleon. That is the most entertaining part that I enjoyed myself and is my biggest strength — to always try to find what I am good at," he says. "At the same time, I also challenge myself to do different things and I managed to do all of that within 13 years. Including my years of dancing and training, I spent more than half of my life as an artist. In the last two years, I was able to live a normal life as Kim Jongin. So whether you see me as KAI the idol or Kim Jongin, it’s not as important because they co-exist, as they’ve become such a large part of my life. And now as I make my ‘fifth debut’ it’s been a huge motivation that this is the power that has brought me to where I am after 13 years."

"I was away for two years and during that time, I feel like things have changed a lot and shifted, and that is exactly the reason why it actually feels more like I'm redebuting myself.”

You can follow EXO and KAI on Instagram. Wait On Me - The 4th Mini Album is out now on all streaming platforms.