On 'RE:BORN’, VIXX’s Ken Takes Flight
For the past ten years, KEN has challenged himself as an actor and musician. On his latest project, he reflects on why he is just now coming into his own.
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VIXX's KEN has never backed away from a challenge. In fact, as he told me ahead of the release of his new project, RE:BORN, “This EP is about taking on challenges."
His quest for new artistic pursuits has paid off well. Since his debut in VIXX in 2012, KEN has consistently found new media to express himself through. In 2015, he made his debut on stage as a musical actor, and five years later, he released his debut solo EP, Greeting.
The new EP reflects these accomplishments with a conceptual twist: KEN takes two beloved Korean songs, “I Am a Butterfly” and “Heart”, and remakes them in his own dramatic style, breathing new life into music that young fans might have never heard before.
On the title track “나는 나비 (A Flying Butterfly)”, he looks back at his journey of becoming a confident, mature artist. “‘나는 나비 (A Flying Butterfly)’ is about the tough process of growing from a caterpillar to a chrysalis and finally into a butterfly,” he explained. “I think the hope that one day you’ll be able to spread your wings and fly can really comfort people who are still enduring their own difficult stage [in life].”
“HEART”, the EP’s b-side, epitomizes a different genre for KEN and reflects his growing interest in trying new sounds. Yet there is a common thread: “With ‘HEART’, the lyrics themselves feel comforting,” he told me. “I especially hope that when I sing ‘I miss you’ or ‘I love you,’ those words reach people as a kind of comfort.”
KEN reunited with his friend and producer YOONSEOK for the EP, and together, they created “나는 나비 (A Flying Butterfly)” and its B-side, “HEART.” YOONSEOK was intentional with how he directed KEN in the music, honing in on “the finer details so that my voice would blend naturally with the song,” KEN recalled, “Since we’ve known each other since childhood, he knows the strengths of my voice well and was able to bring them out in the recording.”
KEN’s goal was to convey all his emotions and feelings through the recordings, which he feels he achieved. “Maybe that’s why the staff told me my expressions while recording really showed the emotions I was feeling,” he said with a smile.
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Before he was VIXX’s KEN, he was simply Lee Jae Hwan. Born in Seoul and raised among two older brothers, KEN's interest in music came early. In fourth grade, he was inspired by Kang Sung’s song “Ya-in” from the drama Rustic Period, which aired in Korea from 2001 to 2003.
“Singing along to that song was the moment I first dreamed of becoming a singer,“ he recalled. “From then on, I threw myself into music. I joined a children’s choir so I could perform on stage, and in high school I was part of a music club called Pungnyu, where I sang at school festivals."
In 2012, after five months of training, he debuted under Jellyfish Entertainment’s boy group VIXX. The band would go on to become an iconic fixture in second-generation K-pop, and KEN was known as the “mood maker” of the group. He could be goofy and light-hearted, quick to perform aegyo or make the members laugh. He was, as one friend described him to me, the "happy pill" of VIXX.
When I asked him how he remembered himself at this time, he grew sentimental.
“I was curious, ambitious, and amazed by everything. I think I was a kid with big dreams of becoming a well-rounded entertainer,” he said, then added with a laugh, “That version of me—Lee Jae Hwan and KEN—is something you could only see back then.”
KEN began acting early in his career, landing his first musical, Chess, in 2015. “At first, I just wanted to show fans something new, so I challenged myself with musicals,” he said. “But once I felt how emotions and acting on stage reach the audience in real time, I actually felt even happier. That’s when I fell in love with musicals.”
Soon, KEN will star as Charlie in the Korean version of Kinky Boots. When we met, KEN had just been announced as the star, as photos of him looking dashing in thigh-high boots went viral online. “It’s a show I’ve always wanted to do, and one that fans have really cheered me on for,” he said. “I can’t wait to show a different side of myself through this role.”
The acting experience helped KEN improve as a musician, too. “Those experiences have helped me express emotions more delicately and added depth to my music,” he reflected. He was also touched to be recognized by his co-stars, who saw his depth and range as an actor. Their belief in him added to his confidence as an all-round entertainer. “Thanks to that, when I stand on stage as a soloist, I can connect with the audience confidently instead of holding back,” he said.
KEN told me that his official debut as a soloist also helped him mature as an artist. The biggest thing I’ve learned is responsibility,” he said. “Whether it’s an album, a stage, or a concert, I’m much more involved now from the very beginning of the process. That naturally made me feel a stronger responsibility to deliver good results for the fans who love me and wait for me.”
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This year, KEN has packed his schedule with several opportunities to connect with fans. Little Stars, a spin on VIXX’s fandom name Starlight, can also catch him at album fansigns, on the busking program, SBS The Listen, and soon, he’ll take the stage at The Grand Mini-Festival. “Just the thought of meeting fans makes my day more enjoyable,” he said. He’s excited about all of these performances because “they’re opportunities to sing for my fans.”
When he promoted Puzzle, his second album, KEN traveled across Asia to hold concerts in Korea, Japan, Thailand, and Singapore. But his biggest regret about Puzzle is that he didn’t get to meet fans from all over the world. “I wished I could have traveled to even more places to meet more Little Stars,” he said. “With this album, if the chance comes, I’d love to go around the world and see even more fans.”
KEN categorizes his relationship with his fans as extremely special and important to him. Many Little Stars have been with him for over a decade, and KEN is extremely accessible: He posts regularly on social media, as well as Bubble and the BeStage fan community. “Every conversation with fans feels special,” he said. “I love being able to share those everyday stories and talk with them. It makes me really happy.”
On social media, KEN can be a comforting presence. He'll often write encouraging messages on these fan engagement apps like, “May only good things come your way.“ As he reflected on why his relationship with Little Stars meant so much, he explained, "Just having people I can say those things to gives me strength, and when I get their replies, I actually gain even more strength in return.”
When life gets challenging, too, he is grateful to have a supportive community to fall back on. “I think of my fans and the people around me,” he told me when I asked how he moved through difficult times. “There are so many who love me, wait for me, and want the best for me, and remembering that helps me keep going.”
As promotions ramp up for RE:BORN, KEN is grateful for this encouragement. It’s an exciting – if not daunting – time for the singer. At thirty-three years old, he is just beginning to step into the artist he always wanted to be. That is why, he told me, the title track felt so perfect for him.
“Like the lyrics of ‘나는 나비 (A Flying Butterfly)’ I’m also in the process of becoming a butterfly,” he said humbly, “starting fresh and trying new things musically.”
