Han Jong-ho is a singer and music producer, who graduated from Dankook University's Department of Korean Language and Literature. His stage name as a singer is Yose. He made his debut on February 10, 2020, with the release of his first single, ‘Snowman Love’. And he followed up that release on July 1 with the song ‘Can't Wait’. A music video of the new song on YouTube has garnered more than 24,000 views, proving the novice entertainer is on the rise.

▲ Yose, a singer and music producer from Dankook University majoring in Korean Language and Literature. (Photo from SISUN news)

   The first single released by Yose is called 'Snowman Love'. It expresses the subtle feelings of love between men and women by using the theme of a snowman. This song was inspired by feelings Yose experienced while working as a server in a part-time job. While preparing the album at that time, he underwent many negative factors forcing him to drop the project and join, the army. Upon his return, it was not easy for the singer to restart his career because he developed vocal cord nodules after he was discharged from the military. The song was meaningful because it was the first one he recorded after overcoming these difficult times.

   The next song ‘Can’t wait’ is the second single from his album. The song was inspired by the fact that everyone in the world was restricted from doing what they wanted to do because of COVID-19. It talks about the anticipation of a certain moment, expressed smoothly in the form of a relationship between man and a woman in the first verse. Overall, the singer, producer wants, people to enjoy his music. To understand more about his values, the Dankook Herald (DKH) interviewed Yose.

Q1. What made you dream of becoming a singer and music producer?

A. Rather than having a specific incident trigger my dream, I think I entered this path as I naturally made music and rapped since I was young.

Q2. Did you have any problems pursuing this dream as a graduate of the Department of Korean Language and Literature? If so, how did you overcome them?

A. I think there were a lot of times when it was difficult to understand each branch and field at the same time, because I was working in parallel with my studies that were not directly related to music. I took a leave of absence and tried various other things. Of course, there has been a lot of trial and error, but in the end it worked out.

Q3. When did you feel the proudest and most difficult while working as a singer and music producer?

A. I am proud when people enjoy my music, especially, my new song released in July. Someone told me how the song made them feel while listening to my music and, I remember feeling touched by his remarks.

Q4. Where do you get inspiration when you write songs?

A. I get inspiration from every situation. Meeting people, talking to people, books, music, art works, and so on.

Q5. When was the most memorable moment while working as a singer and music producer? 

A. Last year, when I could not speak for six months due to these vocal cord nodules, it was a cruel and precious experience that I will never forget.

Q6. What is your biggest goal as a singer and music producer Yose?

A. My biggest goal is to become an artist with influence, but instead of running towards this goal, I want to focus on what I can do right now.

Q7. Do you have any advice for students who dream of becoming singers or music producers?

A. I do not think I'm in a position to advise people who dream like me, but rather to share the advice I've heard from many seniors and what I've felt while experiencing it. I think it is better to figure out what you want and pursue it step by step. If you find answers to questions such as why you want to play music and why you want to produce music, you will be able to draw a road map to achieving those goals. But these days, there are so many different ways, so I think it is a good idea to understand your own character and set your own direction.

   Throughout the interview, Yose proved that if there is anything you really want to do, it is important to do your best to achieve your goals. We look forward more of Yose's future activities including the release of his next song.