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| ▲ This image of South Korean singer WOODZ (Cho Seung-youn) is provided by EDAM Entertainment. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, July 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korean singer WOODZ (Cho Seung-youn) was officially discharged from the military on Monday, expressing gratitude for the unexpected resurgence of his song "Drowning" during his time in service.
“Honestly, it didn’t really sink in that ‘Drowning’ had made such a comeback until just before my discharge,” WOODZ said through his agency EDAM Entertainment. “When fellow soldiers and officers in the unit started talking to me about it and asking for autographs, I could sense that something had gone well.”
WOODZ enlisted in January last year and served in the Army Band at the Korea Military Academy. In October, his self-written song "Drowning," originally released in April 2023, began climbing music charts at a rapid pace, gaining newfound popularity.
The track gained traction after WOODZ appeared in military uniform on the KBS music variety program “Immortal Songs,” delivering a heartfelt performance that quickly went viral.
In May of this year — over two years after its release — "Drowning" reached No. 1 on Melon’s “Top 100” chart and topped both the digital and streaming categories in the Circle Chart’s mid-year summary.
“I’ve never been the type to focus on chart rankings while working on music, but when this moment actually came, I felt incredibly happy,” WOODZ said. “I remember people saying the song climbed the charts on autopilot since I was in the military.”
Freshly discharged, WOODZ is set to resume full-scale activities. He will appear at the SBS Music Festival on July 27 and perform at Japan’s Summer Sonic Festival next month. He is also preparing a new album and concert tour.
“I received so much love while serving, and it made me happier than I can express,” he said. “I’ll continue learning and striving to become a better person.”
He added, “Just as what might have seemed like small moments of attention created a miracle for me, I will do my best to become someone who contributes to your happiness.”
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