Jang Han-eum turns Boys II Planet heartbreak into a Coachella dream

"Elimination was a turning point in my life as a singer"

Singer Jang Han-eum has turned the painful memory of being eliminated from a survival program into the foundation for his growth. In a recent photoshoot and interview for the August issue of 'At Style,' Jang Han-eum reminisced about his time being eliminated from Mnet's 'Boys II Planet.'

"When I was eliminated, it felt like everything was my fault," he confessed, sharing his honest feelings from that time. However, as time has passed, he now accepts the elimination not as a failure, but as a turning point. "Looking back now, it was an important turning point that opened the beginning for singer Jang Han-eum. I feel like the real start is now," he said, expressing his strengthened mindset.

Musical destiny in his name and growth in his third year

Influenced by his father, who works in music, Jang Han-eum began learning the piano around the age of six or seven, living a life close to music just like the 'Eum (音/sound)' in his name. Regarding why he chose his real name as his stage name, he said, "In the end, nothing was quite like my own name. I thought it was destiny, so I decided to use my real name."

Having debuted in 2023 with the single 'First Love,' he has now entered his third year and is feeling the changes on stage. During his rookie days, even smiling on stage was difficult, to the point where he repeatedly practiced smiling in front of a mirror, but he has now gained the composure to enjoy the stage. In his recently released new song, he moved one step beyond the 'dreaming self' shown in his previous 2nd mini-album 'DAYDREAM' to express a 'fluttering self' with a more natural and powerful vocal.

From child actor to a global artist dreaming of Coachella

Before becoming a singer, Jang Han-eum's career began as a child actor. Having made his face known to the public by appearing in dramas such as 'Boys Over Flowers' and 'My Husband Got a Family' around the age of five, he stepped away from acting while preparing to be a singer, but he still harbors a passion for acting. "If I get the chance again, I would also like to properly try acting in genres like teen romances or youth dramas," he added.

Now 21 years old, his gaze is set on the world. His ultimate goal is to stand on the stage of the world-renowned music festival, Coachella. "My goal is to stand on the Coachella stage someday. It doesn't matter if I'm thirty or forty," he stated, expressing his determination to become a global artist regardless of age.