When meets on a January afternoon, the South Korean sweetheart is feeling a little anxious. The doe-eyed 18-year-old joins the Zoom call from a music studio, the walls behind her covered in an assortment of flower-shaped balloons in preparation for a celebratory livestream that evening. During it, she will mark the first anniversary of her debut and excitedly inform viewers that her first mini-album, ‘Flowering’, is just a month away.
“It’s like a cluster of emotions, like excitement, nerves and everything. Sometimes a little bit of worry,” she says ahead of the big announcement, a soft, nervous laugh sneaking out every few sentences. While Gyubin clearly has some apprehension about her big moment, she has already achieved so much in just a year. From a viral hit with her debut single ‘Really Like You’ to working with a who’s who of the Korean music industry (including rappers Gaeko and Wonstein, plus NELL frontman Kim Jong-wan), she’s already won over swathes of listeners with her earnest, diligent approach to music.
Gyubin on The Cover of NME. Credit: Kim Chae Moo for NME
“This album feels like my little treasure, something I’ve poured my heart into,” Gyubin says of ‘Flowering’, whose five songs she co-wrote. “I hope it touches people the way I’ve imagined it would.” A musical coming-of-age, the mini-album “naturally came together to tell a cohesive story” about young love, Gyubin says. Chalk it up to her young age, but with each anecdote Gyubin shares, she radiates an earnestness that feels increasingly rare in a world where so many trudge through their days wearing jaded apathy like armour.
This infectious joy is especially evident in tracks like ‘Really Like You’ and ‘Like U 100’, the upcoming lead single of ‘Flowering’, both of which put into words the exhilaration of experiencing your first love. She’s also not afraid to be playful with her creativity, with ‘Like U 100’ playing on the similarities in pronunciation of the number 100 in Korean and “back” in English. “It can be interpreted as liking someone a hundred times more, or liking them as much as a hundred,” she adds with a coy smile.
Credit: Kim Chae Moo for NME
Love songs might be a dime a dozen, but few truly capture that wholesome, stubbornly sincere infatuation of puppy love the way Gyubin does. This “fresh and innocent” quality was probably what propelled her debut single into virality, she says. “It’s that unfiltered honesty that comes through, and I believe my vocals fit the song well, which, maybe, added to its charm,” she explains, quietly trailing off as if shying away for fear of coming off boastful.
She recalls the moment ‘Really Like You’ caught on fire, topping Spotify viral charts across Asia and being used in over 200,000 videos across TikTok and Instagram. “I was like, ‘Is my phone broken? Is it real?’ All my staff, including my boss, couldn’t believe that our debut single had gone viral around the world,” Gyubin says. “I’m a big Instagram user, so it made me really happy when I saw so many people using my song in their videos.”
“I believe if I chase sincerity and creativity, the rest will follow”
To an unknowing onlooker, Gyubin’s success may seem effortless. But for the singer, this was a dream years in the making. After first discovering her love for performing at church, she decided, at the age of 11, to start a YouTube channel. “I was doing everything by myself – from recording, editing and uploading,” she says. Yet, the singer held an unwavering faith that it would someday lead to more. “It wasn’t easy to stay consistent, but for some reason, I just had this confidence that at least a few people would enjoy my covers.”
Those early videos revealed a few things about Gyubin. First, even as a young child, she possessed a level of determination and commitment many adults can only dream of. Secondly, she had an innate musicality. While clearly still a novice, the growth she would display between each upload was exponential. She quickly found her voice and soon began experimenting with music production and stacking harmonies, picking up new instruments in pursuit of perfecting her art.
Credit: Kim Chae Moo for NME
While she caught the eye of several K-pop agencies early on, Gyubin turned down offers to become an idol trainee, believing that a group setting wasn’t right for her goals. “I’ve always felt a strong desire to express my own thoughts and emotions through music in a personal way,” she says, adding that a solo career would grant her more freedom to explore different genres. “I think a personal connection with my audience is what I’ve always wanted to achieve, and that’s why I never dreamed of becoming a member of a group.”
Shortly after appearing on the reality TV competition Top 10 Student in 2020, she began formally working towards her debut and launched a new official channel where she continued to share covers (albeit with higher production value) and keep in touch with fans. “I hoped [my YouTube channel] might someday lead to a bigger opportunity, like becoming a real singer and yeah – it became a reality!” she adds with a giggle, gesturing to the anniversary balloons around her.
As the conversation shifts to her inspirations, it becomes clear where Gyubin’s desire to form emotional connections through her music comes from. “I think IU and Taylor Swift are my top favourite artists,” she says. “They both have a way of telling stories through their songs and that really resonates with me.” It’s easy to draw early parallels between Gyubin and her two idols: IU and Swift got their starts in the music industry as teenagers and were quickly propelled to superstar status, and in their early days, both were known for their family-friendly image and sweetheart personalities. And like them, Gyubin plans to stick around for a long, long time.
“This album feels like my little treasure, something I’ve poured my heart into”
Determined not to become one of many fast-burning flames in the music industry, Gyubin voices her desire to “keep singing for more than 50 years” numerous times throughout our chat. The virality of her debut was a welcome surprise, of course, but she announces with steely conviction that it has not – and will not – affect her focus: “I believe if I chase sincerity and creativity, the rest will follow. I just want to make music that I’m proud of and that resonates with people instead of focusing on trends and the public’s expectations.”
There are moments where Gyubin’s youth is apparent: joking around with her manager and mentally pinching herself over her own explosive success. After all, she is just a teenager at the beginning of an exciting, seemingly glamorous career that she’s dreamt of her entire life. Other times, though, she seems to possess a razor-sharp focus and acumen beyond her years. “Honestly, it’s hard to believe how fast time has flown, and now I’m an adult,” Gyubin says. “I feel more responsible not just as a human but also as a singer and musician, and it’s like I’m constantly motivated to show my best self and improve. It feels like a healthy kind of pressure.”
Credit: Kim Chae Moo for NME
These days, she adds, she has been pondering her relationships with her team, parents and friends, wondering how to take better care of those around her “after becoming a real adult”. Gyubin’s sensitive, empathetic spirit continues to show as conversation turns to her hopes for the coming year. “I just want life to feel a little lighter for everyone this year. More laughter, less stress and plenty of good times with the people we care about,” she says.
On a more personal level, Gyubin is raring to get her first mini-album out into the world and throw herself into her work, which, she hopes, will include her first headline concert before the year’s end. Regardless of what 2025 brings, though, she’s determined to keep moving forward. “In the next year, five or even 10 years, I just hope I keep growing, doing what I love and embracing whatever surprises come my way.”
Gleefully, she continues: “I’m looking forward to more [surprises], maybe after releasing my album. I just want my album to do so well that me and my team are always happily busy, and maybe a little sleep-deprived.” Between Gyubin’s raw talent, earnest sincerity and single-minded dedication to her craft, she just might get exactly what she’s wishing for.
Gyubin’s first mini-album ‘Flowering’ is out February 26 via Liveworks Company.
Listen to Gyubin’s exclusive playlist to accompany The Cover below on Spotify or on Apple Music here.
Words: Gladys Yeo
Photography: Kim Chae Moo
Styling: Lee Yoonho, Kim Jieun
Hair: Kim Gunhyeong, Shin Suhyeon
Make-up: Hwang Geumbit
Label: Liveworks Company
