Do Dae-yoon, who first gained fame as a member of the group ‘Togeworl(Two Months)’ in 2012, is breaking his long silence and has been actively resuming his career since last year. Born in 1993, Do is 30 years old this year. While many wish to return to their 20s as they enter their 30s, Do feels differently. He finds comfort in being in his 30s now.
He doesn’t wish to go back due to the pain he experienced in his 20s. Debuting at the young age of 20 and achieving third place in Korea’s biggest audition program, Superstar K, he received a lot of love but also suffered from bipolar disorder. Do mentioned, “The sudden changes were overwhelming and scary. Becoming a star brought restrictions to my activities and I felt I lost my true self.”
Eventually, his bipolar symptoms worsened, and he moved back to the U.S., leaving Korea behind. He worked for a Samsung Group affiliate for a year and a half, living an ‘ordinary’ life. However, he felt something was missing, even though he was comfortable. Do said, “I liked the people I worked with and the working environment was good, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling of missing out.”
His return to being an artist was ultimately driven by his fans. Even when he was suffering from mental pain, it was his fans who comforted him. When he was about to give up his dream of singing in the U.S., a fan sent him a book. Do said, “Reading that book stirred many emotions in me. Knowing there were many who remembered me, I gathered the courage to give singing another try.”
Returning to Korea, he broke his silence last September with the song ‘Wanna go away.’ He plans to start the new year with the release of ‘Winter Child’ on January 29. ‘Winter Child’ captures the perspective of a snowman looking forward to the coming spring. It embodies the poignancy of enduring the cold winter and melting away with the arrival of warm spring. Do says, “We all sometimes feel left alone in the world. This song was made for those who may be crying in pain right now.”
In an interview with ChosunBiz at his studio on Jan. 25, Do said he wants to make music that gives courage and comfort to many people because he understands the immense pain of bipolar disorder.
You are releasing a new song called ‘Winter Child’ on the 29th. Could you give us a brief description of the song?
“It’s about a winter snowman watching the cold winter pass and the warm spring come, as it melts away. I wanted to capture a beautiful yet melancholic sentiment. Usually, people associate spring with hope, but for some, even the warm spring can be painful. Don’t we all feel the desolation of being alone at times? I wanted to create a song that comforts those spending time alone.”
What do you consider important in your music work?
“I think it’s most important not to force anything. Also, I have a habit of writing things down as soon as inspiration kicks. Good melodies and lyrics often come suddenly. If you don’t write them down, you might forget them forever. Even if I’m in the shower, I’ll run out to record a good melody. In fact, the melody for The Beatles’ ‘Yesterday’ came to Paul McCartney in a dream. If Paul McCartney didn’t have the habit of writing things down, maybe we wouldn’t have ‘Yesterday.’”
What are your goals for this year?
“I want to perform a lot this year. It’s been two years since I returned to Korea, but I haven’t been very active. To grow, I think I need to be more active. The music market, especially, is a fast-moving world. I want to keep up with that and develop further.”
Do you have a message for fans who miss ‘Two Months’?
“I’m so grateful. If I continue to make music, maybe I can release a song as ‘Two Months’ again in an event-like manner. I don’t want to close off all possibilities. But for now, I want to focus more on my activities. I want to present comfortable music with my unique color. I think my music can accompany fans in their busy lives and repay some of the love they’ve shown me.”
I heard you also had personal struggles during your ‘Two Months’ days.
“Looking back, the rapid changes and sudden attention were overwhelming. I’m naturally introverted, and there were many moments I had to hide myself while being active as a singer. This led to the development of bipolar disorder. The fame and rapid attention brought pain. I can talk about it with a smile now, but it was very tough back then. ‘Two Months’ was definitely a good nourishment for who I am today, but it’s also a painful past for me. If I have the chance, I want to make songs for people who have gone through similar pain.”
How did you overcome your struggles?
“It was the fans who were a great strength. When I was in a deep slump, a fan of my age sent me a book. It was ‘The Courage to Be Disliked’ based on Alfred Adler’s philosophical tenets. After reading it, I wanted to stand in front of the fans again. I felt that if not now, I would never gather the courage again.”
Do you have a musician you admire?
“Actually, I respect Jang Beom-june a lot, though I haven’t told him. He’s great at composing and a wonderful person. He’s the one who created the environment I’m working in now. Overseas, I like Ed Sheeran the most. He seems like a person without pretense.”
Is there a moment that stands out in your memory?
“All live performances are memorable. Even during Superstar K, I didn’t fully grasp the popularity. It was when I saw the audience who came to our national concert that I realized it. I want to create more moments like these in the future.”
What would you like to say to the readers?
“I tend to project my life into my music. What I want to say comes out in my music, and the content of my music reflects my real life. I want to be remembered as an artist who shows his life through natural music.”
