Since stepping out as a soloist in 2023 and launching his one-man agency, NAKED, Kino has traded the polished confines of idol life for something far more personal: freedom. Not the glamorous kind often associated with fame, but the hard-earned freedom that comes from confronting fear, uncertainty, and self-discovery head-on.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI became more confident and expressed my feelings,\u201d Kino told amNewYork. \u201cNow I don\u2019t care about opinions. I just care about myself, promoting my songs, and meeting my fans. I\u2019m still young and learning life, so I\u2019m still discovering myself. But I know myself better than before.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n That freedom has become the heartbeat of his music.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n Whether he was shouting about his single \u201cSkyfall\u201d from the dizzying heights of the Empire State Building\u2019s spire catwalk or gazing toward the Statue of Liberty while walking the Brooklyn Heights Promenade discussing his \u201cFree Kino\u201d tour, Kino carries himself with the kind of cinematic intensity that makes his artistry feel less like a discography and more like an unfolding television saga. Each release arrives like another season in a deeply personal coming-of-age story.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s like a series,\u201d he explained. \u201cThis is season three of \u2018Lost and Found.\u2019 After I released my last EP, I overcame a hard time because I put all the negative feelings and emotions into that music. That became my therapy. If you feel negative emotions, you have to shout them out. That\u2019s how I express my feelings through music.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Like chapters documenting survival and rebirth, Kino\u2019s solo catalog traces an emotional evolution. \u201cIf This Is Love, I Want a Refund\u201d served as a raw confession. \u201cEVERYBODY\u2019S GUILTY, BUT NO ONE\u2019S TO BLAME\u201d wrestled with pressure and blame. \u201cLost and Found\u201d focused on acceptance and a realization that healing does not mean erasing pain but learning how to move with it.<\/span><\/p>\n For Kino, shedding the image of a flawless idol was never about rebellion for rebellion\u2019s sake. It was about reclaiming his humanity.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m pushing boundaries. My musical style has totally changed since I started my company,\u201d Kino said candidly. \u201cWhat I realized is that honest feelings create the strongest connection with fans. I wanted to show a person, not just an idol that a company makes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n But freedom, he admits, comes with weight. Running NAKED means carrying every responsibility himself, whether that be creative, emotional, or financial. The independence he longed for also forced him to confront the loneliness that often accompanies leadership.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe artists I respected always put all their emotions into their music, whether it was good or bad,\u201d Kino reflected. \u201cPeople relate to those stories, and that becomes their favorite music. Before, I always tried to make something people would like. Now I just talk about myself, even if it\u2019s ugly or uncomfortable.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n He paused before acknowledging the reality of independence.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n \u201cThe only thing I got [after founding NAKED] is huge responsibility. It\u2019s heavy. Under a K-pop company, things were easier because somebody else decided everything. Now I have to take care of people and make every decision carefully. It\u2019s always stressful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
![\"KINO\"](\"https:\/\/www.amny.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/KINO.jpg?quality=51&w=1200\" "\\"Dancing")
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