Former member of the Korean boy group BDC and participant in survival shows such as Produce X 101, Yun Junghwan is now building his own artistic identity under the name LUVEN. Through MADE BY, described by the artist himself as a “graduation album,” the singer-songwriter opens a new chapter where he leaves behind his idol image to fully embrace himself as an artist.
After debuting in 2019 with BDC, Yun Junghwan chose to start over on his own. In 2024, he officially began his solo career as LUVEN, moving away from the polished image of an idol to explore a more introspective and personal sound. While his first EP CANCELLATION already revealed fragments of his doubts and emotions, MADE BY goes even further. The album reflects both his inner struggles and his transition into a new artistic identity.
When the Artist Becomes the Story
With MADE BY, LUVEN pushes introspection even further. Throughout the album, themes of isolation, mental fatigue and escape appear repeatedly, creating the feeling of being immersed directly into the artist’s thoughts. Yet behind this emotional vulnerability also lies a deeper transformation: the desire to break away from his former idol image and redefine himself through music alone.
Léane: Your previous project CANCELLATION already felt very personal. But with MADE BY, it feels like we’re even deeper inside your thoughts. Was that something you consciously wanted to explore further with this album?
LUVEN: At first, I thought it was most important to experiment with a variety of genres. But as I continued making music, I felt that it would be nice to connect the story of an entire album through different genres, so I think I ended up making myself the main theme of all the songs. Because of that, I believe this album contains much more personal stories than the album CANCELLATION.
Léane: Throughout the album, there are recurring themes of wanting to run away, empty your mind or disappear somewhere no one can find you. Where do you think those emotions came from?
LUVEN: While working on the songs, I think a lot of those feelings naturally came out in lyrics I wrote without thinking too much about them… ^^ I guess it’s because of the stress I feel from constantly thinking that I need to make even better music. In the past, there were also many situations where I couldn’t do the things I wanted to do, and I think those memories naturally found their way into the lyrics.
Léane: One line that particularly stands out is “When did the words ‘It’s okay’ become so meaningless?” What does that sentence mean to you ?
LUVEN: To be honest, I heard the phrase “It’s okay” so many times that, at some point, it stopped being comforting to me. I started wondering whether people were saying it with genuine meaning to comfort me, or if it was just something they said casually. I think that feeling eventually made me believe that “if I can’t overcome things on my own, then I won’t be able to make it.”
Léane: At some point in MADE BY, a “you” appears in your lyrics, someone who can save you or change you. Who does that “you” represent?
LUVEN: The “you” mentioned in the lyrics actually refers to myself. When problems arise, I believe that rather than just worrying and hoping someone else will fix things for you, in the end, things only change when you take action yourself.
Léane: In this album, you move between the desire of hiding away and wanting to connect with someone or something. Where do you feel ou stand today ?
LUVEN: Honestly, I sometimes want to disappear for a little while. Since I’ve been constantly working on albums and performances without any real break, I feel like similar themes keep appearing in my lyrics when I write songs. I think I want to take some time to rest, gain more life experiences, and then come back to making music again.
“Home is my favorite place.”
Despite the emotional intensity of his music, Yun Junghwan describes himself in a surprisingly simple way. Away from the stage and recording studio, he enjoys quiet moments, watching baseball and staying home whenever he has free time. Through his answers, a calmer and more grounded side of the artist naturally emerge.
Léane: Outside of music, what kind of person is Yun Junghwan?
LUVEN: One of my hobbies is watching baseball, so maybe in ten years I’ll just be an old guy who watches baseball all the time.
Léane: What do you usually enjoy doing when you’re not working?
LUVEN: I don’t really have much free time away from work, but when I’m not working, I basically don’t leave my bed. Home is my favorite place.
Léane: What’s something simple that can instantly make your day better?
LUVEN: When someone contacts me asking for help with work, it makes me happy. It feels like I’ve become someone that person truly needs.
Léane: I heard you like visiting unknown places without any plan. What do you like about that kind of experience?
LUVEN: I think everything that happens unexpectedly becomes a new experience, and because you never know what will happen, where, or when, life feels even more dynamic because of that. Although these days, I don’t really go out that much anymore.
Redefining his own identity
For Yun Junghwan, becoming LUVEN was not simply about choosing a new stage name. It marked the beginning of a transition leaving behind the stable and glamorous image of an idol to pursue the path he had dreamed of since the beginning: becoming a singer-songwriter. A change that brought both freedom and uncertainty, but also allowed him to reconnect with music.
Léane: Can you tell us the story behind your name “LUVEN”, what it represents to you today?
LUVEN: The name “LUVEN” comes from Ruben Studdard*. It’s a slightly modified version of “Ruben,” inspired by his song Superstar, which was the first song I ever practiced with real passion after I was born. Since it’s difficult to change people’s image of you from being an idol to becoming a singer-songwriter, I felt like I had to change everything. I chose this name because that song was what made me dream of becoming a singer-songwriter in the first place. Another reason is that my real name was difficult for many international fans to pronounce. There isn’t a particularly deep identity attached to the name itself, but I think I chose it as a reminder to never forget the feelings I had when I first started making music.
Léane: After your experiences in Produce X 101 and with BDC, what pushed you to finally begin your solo career in 2024?
LUVEN: Ever since I first started music, I wanted to be a singer-songwriter more than an idol. I happened to debut as an idol, but even during my idol activities, I always held onto my dream of becoming a singer-songwriter and solo artist. I think that’s why, as soon as the group disbanded, I was able to quickly start preparing for my solo album.
Léane: As a solo artist, you have more freedom, but also more responsibility. What has been the biggest challenge for you?
LUVEN: For me, the biggest challenge was letting go of the stable and glamorous image of being an idol and transforming into an artist. I personally believe that idols and artists are very different, so stepping into the artist scene where I had to prove myself through music alone, unlike when I was an idol was probably the hardest part for me.
Léane: In your earlier song Again, you say “I’m still immature, even now.”Do you still relate to those words today?
LUVEN: Right now, I’m managing my schedule almost like a one-person CEO.
Sometimes, while working, I know something might end up being a loss for me, but if it seems fun, I still keep adding more things to do… so I guess it’s true that I’m still a bit immature.
Léane: If you could go back and talk to your younger self, what would it be?
LUVEN: If I could go back to my past self, I think I would say, “If you don’t speak up, no one will understand you. Say everything you want to say. Don’t hold it in.”
I’m okay now, but in the past, I often got hurt because I kept enduring things myself, thinking that other people shouldn’t be the ones getting hurt because of me.
At the end of the interview, LUVEN leaves one final message for his listeners:
LUVEN: If I get another great opportunity in the future, I’ll work even harder so that instead of meeting you through an interview like this, I can greet you in person and share my music directly with you all.
Please continue to show lots of interest and support, and don’t forget to stream my music and give it lots of likes. Thank you!
Thank you to LUVEN for accepting this interview.
*Special thanks to Heya Moon for helping me translate the questions into Korean for the artist.