Itaewon Class soundtrack singer Gaho talks K-dramas, his first LP, Fireworks, and sharing his emotions and stories

Start Over, from the soundtrack of hit K-drama Itaewon Class, was a No 1 hit in South Korea in 2020

Its singer, Gaho, talks about pouring his emotions into his first album, and his hopes to light up the world

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Korean singer Gaho, best known for Start Over, his song on the soundtrack of 2020 hit Korean drama series Itaewon Class, has released a new album, Fireworks. Photo: @gaho88882970 twitter

Published: 7:15pm, 27 Nov 2021

While Squid Game and Hellbound are the biggest K-drama hits of 2021, in 2020, everyone was talking about Itaewon Class. And everyone who had watched that show was listening to Gaho’s song Start Over, which was featured on the soundtrack and became a hit single in South Korea.

Fast forward to the end of 2021, and Gaho (Kang Dae-ho) is still a very popular official soundtrack vocalist but also trying to make his own way as a singer-songwriter beyond the world of Korean dramas.

Along with a variety of rearranged covers of popular songs, including ones by artists such as Blackpink and Olivia Rodrigo, he is turning the focus to his own music, and released his first full-length album, Fireworks, this month.

“I still want to do all that, but when I write my own music, I can share my own stories rather than providing a soundtrack for the stories of others,” he says.

Launched on November 23, the 12-track Fireworks follows his first EP, 2018’s Preparation For a Journey, and is a fitting follow-up, because Gaho has certainly had some ups and downs since its release. In 2020, Start Over was a No 1 hit in South Korea and won a variety of awards, but none of his other releases, even those featured in popular K-dramas such as Start-Up and Stranger’s second season, has resonated quite as much.

Having received a burst of energy from Start Over, he now has to make his own impact and ignite the sky with his Fireworks.

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