By Sinead

Back in 2018, ‘Way Back Home’ was surely the song of the summer. Even when I arrived in Seoul the following year, SHAUN‘s EDM-inspired track was still a favourite in the karaoke booths.

This eminently hummable tune, from his debut EP, launched the South-Korean singer/songwriter/DJ/producer to the top of the charts, and gained him a legion of fans worldwide.

Fast-forward to today, and SHAUN is gearing up to release his latest mini album, whetting fans appetites with a trio of pre-release songs. From the Japanese city pop of ‘Night Walk’ and anime-theme-tune vibes of ‘Pixels’, to the gentle nostalgia of ‘Diary’, the upbeat energy of his as-yet-unnamed EP promises a welcome respite from the cloud of doom and gloom currently hovering over the world.

We got a chance to sit down with SHAUN before its release to talk about his musical philosophy, creative process, and upcoming music.

1. Can you tell us a bit more about how you became ‘SHAUN’?

At first, I thought about using “Kei” as my stage name, taking the initial K from my last name. But later I found out that someone else was already using the same name. So while I was thinking about what name I should choose instead, I decided to take inspiration from the vocalist of a band that I really liked at the time. That’s how I ended up choosing the name SHAUN.

2. You started off in an indie band (The Koxx) and then became a DJ and started releasing solo music. Looking back, how has your journey been in the music industry?

I believe that every moment in my life was necessary. All the situations and events that happened were needed, and each of them came together to make me who I am today. There were times I felt embarrassed about, and there were also moments I felt proud of. But I think all of those experiences were simply part of the journey that brought me to where I am now. I’m just grateful that I’ve been able to make it this far in a healthy way.

3. Congratulations on ‘Way Back Home’ ~ possibly your most well-known track ~ hitting 100 million views on YouTube! What does this song mean to you, and what is it that you think makes people keep coming back to it?

I think it’s simply because the music is good. The music is enjoyable, the melody stays in people’s memories, and it’s something worth listening to — so people keep listening to it. That’s honestly my simple thought about it.

4. You are a composer/writer/producer/DJ. Has moving between these roles influenced how you think about the music-making process?

I don’t really think of those roles as moving between different things. These days when I write songs, I often start either with a vocal melody or by creating a very simple musical phrase. So writing a song, singing it, and writing the lyrics don’t feel like completely different tasks to me. They’re all just part of the same process of making music.

5. Your new single is entitled ‘Diary’. Can you tell us a bit about the creation of this song, and what keeping a diary means to you?

I actually finished the first draft of this song about three or four years ago. It was a simple sketch, and the structure was already there, but the lyrics weren’t completed yet. I spent a lot of time thinking about how I should shape the song and what theme I should use to complete it. When we decided earlier this year that it would be released, I started writing the lyrics more seriously. That’s when I came up with the theme of a “diary,” which eventually became the song ‘Diary’ that you hear today.

6. We’re excited to hear about your upcoming EP! What can you tell us about the inspiration behind it?

I think of this EP as something that carefully holds all the experiences I had in 2025. You could think of it almost like a small collection of tracks, similar to a mini album. There isn’t really a grand concept or a big narrative universe behind it. As always, I’d just appreciate it if people see it as music freely created by a musician who
works as both a producer and a singer-songwriter.

7. Can you tell us a bit more about what is coming up next for you?

I’d like to perform as many shows as possible. If I’m invited, I’d love to go anywhere and perform. Since last year and continuing into this year, I’ve been doing a lot of performances in different places and meeting many audiences. I hope I can keep performing more frequently and stay busy with shows. At the same time, I’d also love to create and share more new music.

Listen to SHAUN’s new track ‘Diary’ on all streaming platforms.