[INTERVIEW] 'The Flag': Kwon Jin-ah's love letter to people chasing their dreams

Promotional image for singer-songwriter Kwon Jin-ah's new EP, "The Flag" / Courtesy of Antenna

Kwon Jin-ah imparts a message of hope through new EP

By Dong Sun-hwa

Love is one of the most universal themes in music, but it is not the only subject that singer-songwriter Kwon Jin-ah wants to address. The 25-year-old, who has a thirst for self-exploration and self-improvement, always seeks to craft songs about diverse issues that reflect her own journey and growth.

For her latest release, "The Flag," Kwon draws inspiration from people who passionately chase their dreams against all odds. She lifts up their spirits with her mellifluous voice, conveying a message of hope and encouraging listeners to continue on. The EP, which is fronted by the lead single, "Raise up the Flag," hit shelves on March 2.

"At first, I did not really intend to write a song that encourages people, but 'Raise up the Flag' naturally became an inspirational song as I worked on it," Kwon said in a recent email interview with The Korea Times. "It was quite a coincidence. But for a person like me, who has a lot of things to say other than about love, 'The Flag' is my dream album."

For Kwon, the goal of this EP is to show her support for people striving to live their dreams.

"I paid attention to every little detail when gearing up for this EP, but I particularly worked hard to deliver my message as clearly as possible," she noted. "I thought it would be the worst if people did not get its meaning or misunderstood that I was just trying to do something cool. In the case of 'Raise up the Flag,' it is very conceptual and looks quite distinctive from my previous releases that mainly revolved around our reality. Its lyrics include the words like 'blood' and 'torture,' which are all symbolic expressions with hidden meanings. I hope people interpret them in their own ways depending on their circumstances."

Numerous fans are praising Kwon's vocal brilliance and the sense of emotional connection that "Raise up the Flag" evokes. However, many of them also point out that the song seems to show how strong-minded Kwon is.

Kwon thinks she is still fragile but feels she is progressing in the right direction.

"As a human being, I am both strong and fragile," she said. "But I still try to move forward, and I think this is the most important thing. I do not sidestep challenges and I pour a lot of effort into improving myself. Maybe this is why my fans think I am unshakable."

Singer-songwriter Kwon Jin-ah / Courtesy of Antenna

Kwon also has a deep affection toward "Butterfly," a tune featured on her new EP.

"I spent the longest time penning its lyrics," she said. "I am satisfied with its quality. It is a track that makes me contemplate my next steps."

When asked about her own ideal life, Kwon said it requires four basic elements: eating, sleeping, playing and working.

"It took me quite a while to realize how difficult it is to have these fundamental things in my life," she said. "I totally agree that a healthy body leads to a healthy mind."

The singer-songwriter first made her name known to the public on the third season of SBS's popular talent search show, "K-pop Star" in 2014. After finishing third on the program, she inked an exclusive contract with Antenna, home to acclaimed musicians like Lucid Fall and Jukjae.

Prior to making her official debut with the 2016 album, "One Strange Night," Kwon featured in hip-hop musician Primary's 2015 song, "U," together with RM of K-pop juggernaut BTS. She rolled out a series of hits following her debut, topping major music streaming charts in Korea with songs like "Good Bye" (2021).

Project group WSG Wannabe / Courtesy of MBC

Her career reached a turning point in 2022 after she became a member of the project group WSG Wannabe. The 12-piece act ― which was created on MBC's reality program, "Hangout with Yoo" ― is the female version of MSG Wannabe, an all-male act named after SG Wannabe. SG Wannabe was a popular vocal ballad group that enjoyed its heyday in the mid-2000s.

WSG Wannabe immediately became the talk of the town following its formation, with a YouTube video featuring the performance of its song, "I Missed You" garnering more than two million views.

"I could feel the power of a major broadcaster's TV show," Kwon recalled. MBC, SBS and KBS are the three major broadcasters in Korea.

"It was my first time being featured in such a program after appearing on SBS' 'K-pop Star'. I learned a lot of different things thanks to the program, and I think more people recognize me these days."

Singer-songwriter Kwon Jin-ah / Courtesy of Antenna

Kwon is particularly popular among female K-pop stars. A host of them ― including Jihyo of K-pop girl group TWICE and Irene of Red Velvet ― revealed that they are big fans of Kwon.

"I am not 100 percent sure, but maybe they like that most of my songs highlight independence," she said. "I once heard people saying that my music gives them the power to overcome sorrow despite their sad vibes."

From March 31 to April 2, Kwon is poised to hold her largest-ever series of solo concerts titled, "The Flag" at Olympic Hall in southern Seoul. Tickets for all three shows were sold out within two to three minutes of going on sale.

"The size of my upcoming concerts is large, so I am preparing for more diverse performances," Kwon said, hinting that they would be "very cool and entertaining."

"As of now, I have no specific plans to meet with my international fans, but I might go abroad and see them this year or in 2024."