DY Opens Up About Songwriting, Finding His Voice, and Crafting Meaningful Music

Get to know DY on a more personal level as he shares stories behind his music in this exclusive interview.

DY is an artist who lets his work speak volumes. From his debut in the project group 1THE9 to his current role in the dynamic boy group JUSTB, he’s steadily built a name for himself—not just as a performer, but as a creator. With a natural instinct for storytelling and a growing catalog of songwriting credits, DY brings a thoughtful and personal touch to every track he’s involved in, blending emotion with intention in a way that resonates deeply with listeners.

His talents extend far beyond the mic. DY has written for a number of artists, including SEVENUS and Jay of iKON, while continuing to contribute to JUST B’s evolving sound. Most recently, he delivered a standout moment during JUSTB’s JUST ODD world tour, performing two self-composed solo songs live on stage—accompanied only by his electric guitar. It was a bold and intimate showcase of his artistry, earning enthusiastic cheers from fans in the crowd and drawing praise online through widely shared video clips.

In this exclusive interview, DY opens up about his journey as a songwriter—reflecting on the creative challenges, inspirations, and milestones that have shaped him so far. From crafting songs for his own group to writing for fellow idols, he offers a behind-the-scenes look at the passion and process behind his music.

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Hi DY, it’s so nice to chat with you. You’ve always come across as someone who’s thoughtful and sincere, both on and off stage. Before we dive in, what’s something that’s been inspiring you lately?안녕하세요 DY, 이렇게 이야기 나누게 되어 정말 반갑습니다. 무대 위든 무대 밖이든 언제나 생각이 깊고 진솔한 분이라는 인상을 받았어요. 본격적으로 시작하기 전에, 요즘 가장 영감을 주고 있는 것은 무엇인가요?

DY: To be honest, I haven’t been feeling very inspired lately. I find myself repeating the same words when writing songs, so I’ve been thinking a lot about that lately. 솔직하게는 요즘 영감을 얻고 있는 것이 부족합니다. 그래서 곡을 쓸 때 자꾸 같은 말만 반복하고 있는 요즘인 것 같아서 그 부분에 대해서 많은 고민을 하고 있습니다.

You’ve quietly been building an impressive songwriting portfolio—from writing for your own group to now even contributing to other artists like JAY of iKON. When did you first realize that songwriting was something you really wanted to pursue seriously? 본인의 그룹뿐만 아니라 iKON의 JAY 같은 다른 아티스트에게도 곡을 쓰면서 조용히 멋진 작곡가로 자리 잡아가고 계신데요. 작곡을 정말 진지하게 하고 싶다는 걸 언제 처음 깨달았나요?

DY: I think I wrote my first song about five years ago. It was meaningful because writing lyrics and expressing my emotions through melodies helped me process the struggles and confusion I was going through at the time. Since then, it’s been surreal to gift songs not only to JUSTB but also to other artists. I’ve come to really enjoy hearing my lyrics and melodies performed in voices other than JUSTB’s—honestly, the more, the better. 처음 곡을 쓴 것은 5년 전인 것 같네요. 가사를 쓰고 위에 저의 감정을 멜로디로 표현함으로써 당시에 방황하고 힘들었던 저의 마음을 표현하는 것이 의미 있었어요. 이후로 저스트비뿐만 아니라 다른 분들에게 곡을 선물해 드릴때 신기하기도 했고, 저의 가사와 곡을 저스트비의 목소리가 아닌 목소리로 더 많이 듣고 싶었어요. 많이 많이요.

When you sit down to write a song, what tends to come first for you—melody, lyrics, emotion, or concept? 곡을 쓸 때 가장 먼저 떠오르는 건 멜로디, 가사, 감정, 아니면 콘셉트 중 무엇인가요?

DY: It feels different each time. When I work on my own songs, my thoughts and emotions at that particular moment come first. But when I write for other artists, sometimes a good melody comes to mind first, or I work based on a theme or concept that the artist or their team requests. 그때 그때 다른 것 같아요. 저의 곡을 작업할 때는 곡을 쓰고 있는 그 당시의 제 생각과 감정이 우선이고, 다른 가수의 곡을 쓸때면 좋은 멜로디가 먼저 생각 날 때가 있거나, 아니면 가수측에서 원하는 주제에 맞게 작업할 때도 있어요.

As I take on more projects, I find myself using a variety of approaches in the creative process. 작업량이 많아질수록 여러가지 방법으로 작업하게 되는 것 같아요.

How do you know when a song is truly finished? Or do you always feel like you could keep editing 노래가 정말 완성되었는지 어떻게 알 수 있나요? 아니면 계속 편집할 수 있을 것 같은 느낌이 드는가요?

DY: If I listen to it and think, “This is good,” then it’s complete. Of course, if there are parts that still feel lacking when I listen, then it’s unfinished. 제가 듣기에 ‘좋다’ 라고 생각이 든다면 완성이에요. 당연히 들었을 때 아쉬운 부분이 있다면 미완성 입니다.

What kind of environment helps you write best—do you prefer quiet, nature, late nights, studios, or somewhere unexpected? 어떤 환경이 글을 가장 잘 쓰는 데 도움이 되나요? 조용한 곳, 자연, 늦은 밤, 스튜디오, 혹은 예상치 못한 장소 중 어떤 걸 선호하나요?

DY: That also changes all the time. Sometimes melodies come to me in the shower, or I think of lyrics while I’m on the bus or in the car. As for recording and finishing up, I tend to prefer working late at night in the studio. 이것도 그때 그때 많이 다른 것 같네요. 샤워하다가 멜로디가 생각날 때도 있고 버스에서, 이동하는 차에서 가사나 멜로디가 생각나곤 해요. 그리고 이후에 녹음과 마무리 작업은 밤 시간대의 스튜디오를 선호하는 것 같네요.

What made you choose the electric guitar for your solo performance on tour? Do you feel like instruments help bring more of your inner world into the songwriting process? 투어에서 솔로 공연할 때 전자 기타를 선택한 이유는 무엇인가요? 악기가 작곡 과정에서 내면을 더 잘 표현하는 데 도움이 된다고 느끼나요?

DY: Honestly, I just wanted to look cool (laughs). I’m still lacking in skill, but I wanted to see myself standing on stage with a guitar in hand. The performance itself was far from perfect—but still, it meant something to me. 멋있어보이고 싶었어요. 실력은 많이 부족하지만 기타를 들고 무대 위에 서있는 제 모습이 저 스스로 보고 싶었어요. 무대는 엉터리였지만요.

What inspires you most when you're writing for someone else versus writing something personal for yourself? 다른 사람을 위해 글을 쓸 때와 자신을 위해 개인적인 글을 쓸 때 가장 큰 영감을 얻는 것은 무엇입니까?

DY: When I write personal pieces, I focus on expressing what’s in my heart—what I truly want to say. But when I write for someone else, I concentrate on telling a story I hope others will connect with. Although it might sound similar, the themes that come to mind feel different to me. 개인적인 글을 쓸 때는 저의 마음속 이야기, 내가 하고 싶은 이야기가 중요하구요, 다른 사람을 위해 글을 쓸 땐 사람들에게 들려주고 싶은 이야기, 누군가가 들었으면 하는 이야기를 쓰는 것 같네요. 같은 말일 수도 있겠지만, 음.. 저에게는 다른 주제가 떠올라요.

Do you feel like your songwriting voice changes depending on who you’re writing for—or is there always a little bit of “DY” in every song? 당신은 누구를 위해 작곡을 하느냐에 따라 작곡의 분위기가 달라진다고 생각하시나요? 아니면 언제나 ‘DY’만의 색깔이 담기나요?

DY: That’s a tough one. As a songwriter, it’s something I struggle with. I always want to keep my own color, but at the same time, I know it’s also my job to create songs that bring out the best in the artist.어렵습니다. 작곡가로 활동을 하면서 고민인 부분이에요. 언제나 저의 색을 지키고 싶다는 생각도 하지만, 또 가수가 가장 멋지게 표현할 수 있는 곡을 만드는 것도 저의 몫일테니까요.

Do you write from your own experiences, or do you sometimes imagine perspectives or stories outside yourself? 자신의 경험에서 영감을 받나요, 아니면 때때로 다른 사람의 이야기나 상상 속 이야기를 쓰기도 하나요?

DY: Imagination definitely plays a major role. Whether it’s stories I hear from others, movies, or songs, I draw a lot of inspiration from everyday life. Often, I don’t even realize something has inspired me until it shows up as the theme of a song later on. 상상의 부분이 훨씬 큰 것 같아요. 누군가에게 듣는 이야기, 영화, 노래 등등 일상에서 생각을 얻고 곡을 쓸 때 영감으로 이것들이 찾아오죠.평소에는 영감이라고 생각 못한 것들이 나중에 곡의 주제가 되어있곤 해요.

When people hear a song you've written, what do you hope they take away from it? 사람들이 DY가 쓴 노래를 들었을 때 어떤 감정을 느끼거나 어떤 메시지를 받았으면 좋겠나요?

DY: I just hope people feel their emotions fully when they listen. If a song brings out real feelings, that probably means it’s a good one. 본인의 감정을 마음껏 느꼈으면 좋겠어요. 그렇다는 건 좋은 곡이라는 이야기일테니까요.

Now that you’ve written for other artists, is there anyone you dream of writing for or collaborating with? 본인 그룹 밖 아티스트에게 곡을 쓰면서 앞으로 꼭 함께 작업해보고 싶은 사람이 있나요?

DY: First and foremost, I’d love to gift a song to DAY6’s Wonpil. In fact, one of the songs I recently worked on was created with his voice in mind. 첫번째로 데이식스의 원필 선배님에게 곡을 선물해드리고 싶어요. 제가 최근 작업한 곡이 원필님의 목소리를 생각하며 쓴 곡이거든요.

As for collaborations, I’d be thrilled to work with artists like eaJ, iKON, BIGBANG, B.I, and 5 Seconds of Summer—just to name a few. I truly believe that one day, those collaborations will become a reality. 같이 작업하고 싶은 분은 eaJ 선배님, 아이콘 선배님, 빅뱅 선배님, B.I 선배님, 5sos 가수님 등등 많네요. 분명 같이 작업하게 될 수 있을것이라 믿고 있어요.

If you could create an entire solo album of self-written songs, what kind of story or sound do you imagine it would have? 만약 DY가 직접 쓴 노래들로만 솔로 앨범을 낸다면, 어떤 이야기나 사운드가 담기길 바라나요?

DY: I think about this from time to time. The genres I’m drawn to keep changing, so I imagine my solo album will reflect whatever I’m most into at that moment. I’m not sure yet what genre it will be, but I do know that I want to create music that people genuinely enjoy. Freshness is important, but for me, making good music matters even more (laughs). 가끔 생각하곤 하는데요. 그때마다 관심이 가는 장르가 바뀌어서요. 아마 솔로 앨범을 낼 때 가장 관심 있는 장르가 되지 않을까요. 장르는 뭐가 될지 모르겠지만 좋은 음악을 내고 싶네요. 사람들이 듣고 좋다고 생각할 음악이요. 신선한 것도 좋지만 저는 좋은 음악이 더 좋아요(웃음)

What’s something you’re excited to explore or try next, whether in songwriting, performing, or just your creative journey? 작곡, 공연, 또는 창작 여정에서 앞으로 탐구하거나 시도하고 싶은 것은 무엇인가요?

DY: It’s still just a passing thought, but lately I’ve been curious about becoming an interviewer—not in the traditional way, but more as someone who explores others’ inner thoughts. I’ve realized that I often wish people were more curious about me. I want to share more of myself, but I don’t always get the chance. I feel there must be many people like me out there, and that’s where this recent curiosity comes from. 아직 깊은 생각은 아닌데요. 최근에 인터뷰어를 하고 싶다는 생각도 문득 들었어요. 인터뷰어 라기보다는 많은 사람들의 속마음을 알고 싶고, 물어보고 싶은 생각이요. 왜냐하면 저는 늘 누군가가 저에대해 궁금해 해주길 바라는 사람이더라구요. 나에 대해 알려주고 싶은데 그런 기회가 많이 없어요.

Lastly, what part of your creative journey are you really proud of? 마지막으로, 지금까지의 창작 여정 중 가장 자랑스럽게 생각하는 부분은 무엇인가요?

DY: Of everything I’ve done so far, I’m most proud of “주제” by JAY of iKON. I’ve always admired him, and iKON has had a huge influence on my songwriting. As the number of songs credited to me grows, I find myself dreaming bigger and aiming higher. I want to become someone truly remarkable. Please continue to watch over me. Thank you. 지금까지의 작업물 중에서는 김진환 JAY 선배님의 ‘주제’ 가 가장 뿌듯하네요. 평소 좋아하는 가수이고 제가 곡을 쓰는 것에 ‘아이콘’ 선배님에게 큰 영향을 받았거든요. 이외에도 제 이름으로 만들어지는 곡들이 점점 많아질수록 더 큰 목표가 생기고 더 큰 꿈을 꾸게해요. 멋진 사람이 되고 싶습니다. 지켜봐주세요. 감사합니다.

Connect with DY on Instagram.

Listen to his discography as a member of JUSTB, the song he wrote for SEVENUS, and tracks created for Jay’s iKON and 1THE9.

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*Special thanks to DY and BLUEDOT Entertainment for this exclusive interview.

Image and Video Credits: BLUEDOT Entertainment