Younha (C9 Entertainment)

Singer-songwriter Younha returned with a fairytale of comfort and encouragement.

Celebrating her 20th debut anniversary this year, Younha embarked on a journey to Australia after the success of her 6th album’s main track, “Event Horizon.” While contemplating the next album, she encountered mangrove trees standing resiliently on a coastline, enduring the salty seawater. It was the moment that sparked the concept for her next album.

“My agency suggested exploring stories about people or history for the new album, but I felt those topics could be too sensitive. Then, after seeing the mangroves, I thought, what if I talk about living creatures rather than focusing on humans? That way, everyone could enjoy the stories and relate emotionally. Once again, nature had the answer,” said the singer.

The album is part of a trilogy that continues the narrative from her 6th album, “End Theory.” The first track, "Mangrove Tree," opens the story by encouraging the protagonist, a young girl. The lyrics, "There’s nothing to fear / There’s nothing to hesitate about," mark the start of her journey.

“The previous album tells the story of a young girl communicating with a comet hurtling towards Earth. In the end, the comet sacrifices itself by entering a black hole. This album picks up as the girl returns to reality, standing before a vast ocean, feeling overwhelmed. She finds courage from the mangrove tree standing between the sea and fresh water and dives into the ocean, beginning her adventure,” Younha explained.

The album's tracklist follows the girl’s encounters with various creatures and objects during her journey — such as schools of salmon, a sunfish and a boat with a broken engine.

The main track, "Sunfish," conveys a message about following one’s own path, determined by one’s own convictions rather than by others’ judgments.

In Korea, the sunfish is often seen as a weak creature that cannot withstand stress. However, Younha pointed out that the sunfish is a much more extraordinary creature than people think.

“Sunfish can move between the surface and depths of the ocean, up to 800 meters deep. It doesn’t belong anywhere but continuously moves, searching for its own path, just like myself exploring through genres and styles throughout 20 years. I thought that creating a song to clear up the misunderstandings about this fish could provide significant comfort in today’s society, where there’s so much obsession with how others perceive us.”

All ten tracks on the album, written and composed entirely by Younha, have titles in Korean, and the lyrics are written with minimal use of foreign words. “I believe that there are the unique emotions and nuance that only the Korean language can convey. I wanted to give Korean listeners the benefit of fully experiencing the emotions I sing about, and I wanted to feel proud of that.”

“I also hope that people might be inspired to learn Korean out of curiosity about my lyrics,” added Younha with a shy smile.

Marking her 20th anniversary, Younha describes this milestone as her “second twenties.” Rather than feeling like a veteran artist, she wants to feel as if she is starting anew and try everything she could not do when she was 20.

“The most challenging time for me was the five-year gap between my 4th and 5th albums. I felt like everything I had built was just a bubble, and I constantly questioned myself. What helped me overcome that was the sense of obligation and responsibility to the fans who were waiting for me,” Younha reminisced about her 20-year career.

Younha hopes this album will make listeners feel like they are standing on the boundary between reality and fantasy.

“Even in everyday moments, like sitting on the subway, I hope that when people listen to the songs from this album, they can feel like they’re a captain sailing a ship, experiencing a surreal sensation. I want these songs to give listeners that overwhelming, heart-racing feeling,” she said.

Younha (C9 Entertainment)