Eric Nam says a solo K-pop career doesn't have the same “appeal” as a group

Eric Nam has opened up about the hardships of taking on a solo career in the K-pop music industry.

The Korean-American recently musician discussed his thoughs on K-pop as a soloist in a new interview with Variety, where he revealed that there are more responsibilities to bear as a solo musician in K-pop compared to being part of idol groups.

Nam described his own personal journey as a solo artist as “hard”, before adding that he “carry everything on their own”. He compared it to idol groups, where multiple members “get to share the load”.

He also noted that being a solo artist means missing out on the “appeal” groups have due to a higher level of interaction among the members and fans. “Other than the music and performances, fans really love the chemistry within idol groups,” Nam added. “It’s a huge appeal seeing the human side of their favorite idols interacting with others.”

Despite that, Nam encouraged aspiring soloists to look on the bright side of pursuing a similar path. “I’d encourage them to do it. But be aware that it’ll take a lot of time and patience,” he said.

“There’s opportunity costs, so be willing to invest in the markets you’re interested in and make sure your team understands this,” he advised. Moving forward, the ‘I Don’t Know You Anymore’ singer has shared plans to “reverse engineer” the success he’s earned in South Korea, aiming to replicate that on a global scale.

Eric Nam recently announced his sophomore album ‘There And Back Again’ with a new single from the upcoming project ‘Any Other Way’, due out January 7, 2022. It will be his second all-English full-length release following 2019’s ‘Before We Begin’.