When you dive into RYE’s solo work, it feels like witnessing the evolution of an artist learning to trust his own instincts.

After nearly a decade of making music, both as part of the revered indie band cott and on his own, his perspective has shifted from collective creation to an inward, solitary pursuit of truth in sound. His debut studio album Untitled Youth, released earlier this year, captured that transition: a document of growing pains and reflection, built around questions of identity and artistic purpose. Now, with his new single Love Theory, he opens a softer, more introspective chapter. It’s a song that refines what already works, letting subtle shifts in tone and texture reveal a deeper maturity.

There’s a measured confidence to how he approaches experimentation here. Love Theory sits between eras – a blend of 80s pop shimmer, folk warmth, and country restraint – as the kind of fusion that feels instinctive rather than strategic. For our interview, RYE talks about being drawn to natural, acoustic moods and the clean honesty of sound that comes with them. It’s less about genre-hopping than it is about preservation: keeping the emotional core intact while allowing new textures to breathe. Collaborating with Sagong, a respected figure in Korea’s indie scene, further underlines his intent to ground his evolution in musicianship rather than trend. The collaboration’s acoustic backbone – its arpeggios and understated playing – anchors the song in something human and unforced.

That search for balance also defines RYE’s identity as a multi-instrumentalist. He writes, produces, and performs nearly everything himself; it’s a form of control that brings both reward and exhaustion. For him, the process is less about perfection than about alignment: making sure what he hears in his mind matches what eventually leaves the speakers. It’s an approach that comes from years of doing everything from scratch, often without the infrastructure or buffer of a major label system. His background in piano, later expanded through guitar, becomes symbolic of that duality – the trained discipline of one instrument versus the improvisational freedom of another. Both coexist in his sound, reflecting a tension between craft and instinct that defines much of his solo work.

Beyond the music, RYE is deeply conscious of visuals as part of storytelling. The Untitled Youth cover – depicting him mid-fall – extends that album’s emotional language into an image of surrender and momentum. He’s clear that visual presentation isn’t about looking polished but about resonance: creating art that reflects rather than decorates. It’s an approach that feels increasingly rare in a space where aesthetics can often overpower intent. His perspective reveals an artist not trying to separate sound from image, but to let one illuminate the other – a philosophy that ties back to his broader respect for craft across all corners of Korea’s music landscape.

RYE’s rise within and beyond Korea reflects a significant shift in how artists from the scene define global connection. His growing Latin American following speaks to the permeability of cultural borders; how authenticity, rather than language, carries music further. He views this globalisation not as a marketing strategy, but merely as a natural consequence of sincerity meeting reach. After ten years in music, he’s learned to navigate both the creative and structural sides of the industry: the freedom of independence, the loneliness of decision-making, and the enduring drive to build something meaningful from it all.

We caught up with RYE to talk about “Love Theory,” the lessons behind Untitled Youth, and how he’s carving a path that feels confidently his own.

KPOPWORLD: Let’s start by talking about “Love Theory.” This is your first release since your first studio album Untitled Youth came out earlier this year, which I truly enjoyed after discovering it. Why did “Love Theory” feel like the best song to release after your debut album?

RYE: First of all, thank you so much for enjoying my full-length album. The reason I chose “Love Theory” as my new song is that I wanted a track that wouldn’t stray too far from the mood of my previous album, yet would allow me to try something a little new. I wanted the message of the song to feel a bit more mature, but musically, I hoped it would stay on a soft boundary rather than make a drastic change.

The song is country-infused and marks a new direction for you. Where did the inspiration to experiment with your sound like this come from?

I really love 80s pop and the sounds of that era. Recently, I’ve also been drawn to more natural, acoustic, and relaxed moods, and as I explored that kind of music, I found myself influenced a lot by folk and country. So naturally, I think the result became a blend where a pop foundation is nicely combined with elements of country and folk.

On this song, you are writing, composing, producing, and playing all instruments—including guitar, drums, and piano. Out of this, which specific process would you say feels the most rewarding, and which one feels the most challenging?

The most rewarding part of the process was when the performance and production turned out exactly as I had envisioned in my mind. Before it takes shape as a finished piece, when it only exists in your head, you can’t be completely sure of it. But as the instrument performances and recordings come together, and the music that I could only hear in my mind finally comes to life, it feels incredibly fulfilling. The most challenging part, I think, is the time spent figuring out how to make that result even better in terms of quality.

The guitar on “Love Theory” was co-recorded by Sagong, a prolific singer-songwriter active in Korea’s indie scene. What can you share about the process of collaborating with Sagong and how it felt to have him contribute to your song?

Sagong is a guitarist and singer-songwriter who can play virtually any style of guitar with ease. When I first heard his music, I was struck by how natural yet solid his playing felt. I thought he would have a deep understanding of folk, country, and pop, so I reached out to collaborate with him. The acoustic guitar arpeggios he added during recording really helped the song capture the mood I was aiming for.

I wanted to also talk about the visual side to your music. The album cover for Untitled Youth is stunning to look at, but also thought-provoking. What type of artist do you want to be perceived as when it comes to the visual side of your music?

Thank you. The cover of Untitled Youth shows a scene of me falling somewhere. It represents the journey of youth, and it also connects with the track “Falling Dreams.” I believe that music isn’t just something you listen to — the visual aspect is also an important part of how it’s conveyed. It’s not about looking cool, handsome, or beautiful, but about having visuals that truly match the music. I try to be very mindful of that aspect as well.

You began your solo career outside of the band cott last year. What feels the most different for your overall creative process when working as a solo artist?

When creating as cott, the two of us usually do most of the ideation together. That was our approach when we first started cott, and it’s the direction we wanted to pursue. So, most of the time, we handle the creative process and recording performances as a duo.

With my solo work, however, I try to explore the areas I couldn’t fully express while working as part of cott. For example, the style of lyrics and the musical perspective feel quite different. 

Naturally, the musicians I collaborate with also differ from those I worked with during the cott days. Sometimes it’s challenging to make every decision and take full responsibility on my own, but in its own way, it’s also really fun.

As well as being a singer-songwriter, you are also known as a keyboardist, and guitarist. Can you remember what first attracted you to start learning these instruments?

I think the first time I played the piano was when I was in elementary school. Looking back, I don’t think I was deeply fascinated by it back then. But around the age of 17, as I started studying music more seriously to prepare for college, I found myself gradually becoming captivated by the piano. Later on, I began playing the guitar little by little, thinking it might be interesting to write songs from a different angle. The freshness that came from playing songs I used to express only on the piano through the guitar — that difference really drew me in.

You gained recognition as a solo artist through TV appearances, and you have appeared on TV shows such as KBS The Seasons: Lee Young-ji’s Rainbow and Mnet Artistock Game. What do these types of moments make you realize about the type of artist you are?

The Seasons was quite a meaningful experience for me. For many musicians in Korea, appearing on that program is a big dream. I was really fortunate to be invited, but what touched me most was what the producer said to me at the time:

“Hyungpyo (my Korean name), I’ve been watching you consistently make music. I hope seeing you perform here gives other artists the courage to keep going without giving up.”

Hearing that made me realize that everything I’d been doing up to that point hadn’t been in vain. It gave me the strength to keep moving forward, and it felt like a truly special gift for my solo journey as well.

Although K-pop is a genre that has taken over the world, there is a diverse music scene outside of K-pop music. What would you like K-pop fans to learn about the wider Korean music scene? 

K-pop is truly incredible. The process itself — and all the staff and creators involved in it — are amazing. I have so much respect for them.

And that respect extends not only to mainstream K-pop, but also to the many diverse music scenes in Korea. There’s an abundance of creative and beautiful music here — from bands and singer-songwriters to ballad, R&B, hip-hop, and even traditional Korean music (gugak). If you’re interested in Korean culture, I highly recommend exploring all these different genres!

You’ve seen a sharp rise in Latin American fans after receiving viral attention from that region. Do you feel Korean artists today need to approach “globalisation” differently than before?

Yes, when I started my solo project, I worked with both the domestic and global markets in mind. Korea’s population isn’t very large, and I wanted my music to reach more cities and diverse cultural regions. I also think that now is the right time for K-pop and Korean culture to be consumed globally. It’s not just me — more and more Korean artists are considering global audiences in their work.

Combining your time with cott and your solo music, next year will mark your tenth year as an artist. If there is one overall lesson you have learnt about your career during that time, what would it be?

It’s hard to believe it’s already been 10 years — even I’m surprised. Over the past decade, I’ve gained a lot of understanding not just about music, but also about the music industry itself. Since I’ve worked as an independent artist, I’ve often had to pay attention to everything from A to Z. I learned a great deal from those 10 years of working with cott, and that experience has been a huge help in my solo activities.

"Love Theory" by RYE is out now.