WOODZ says first album 'Archive. 1' was a chance to 'redefine myself'

USA TODAY chats with Korean music veteran WOODZ about his first full-length solo album and how it came to be.

South Korean artist WOODZ does not "want to be confined into one box."

"I want to keep trying and taking on new challenges musically. I continuously put myself into that situation where I need to break through," the 29-year-old tells USA TODAY.

Born Cho Seung-youn, WOODZ is a multi-hyphenate – singer-songwriter, producer and performer – with a career spanning over a decade in the South Korean entertainment industry. He was a member of two idol groups, appeared on several music competition shows and is a solo artist known for his versatility and boundary-pushing sound.

WOODZ's music has garnered over 1.1 billion global streams, and with five EPs under his belt, he's ready to embark on a new career chapter – releasing his first studio album "Archive. 1", out now.

"('Archive. 1') being a full length album carries a big meaning, and one of the biggest goals that I had as an artist after I finished my military service was to present myself as more approachable," he says. "I did not want to settle for just mediocre sounds or mediocre results. This is an opportunity for me to redefine myself."