JUNG GYU MIN Opens up About His Latest EP, “EGO TEXTURE” and His Growth as an Artist – Exclusive Interview

Jung Gyu Min, a.k.a. SO MANY EGO, is an artist driven not only by versatility but by a strong desire to be taken seriously in every creative space he enters. Whether on a drama set, in the studio, or in front of a canvas, he approaches each field with the same professionalism, often choosing to let his work speak for itself before revealing the full range of his talent. I truly respect the fact that he takes pride in earning recognition independently in each discipline – a very rare mindset, if you ask me.

READ MORE: Jung Gyu Min on His Beginnings

His vision takes form in EGO TEXTURES, a new EP that incorporates the idea of multiple selves rather than a fixed identity. Through shifting genres, moods, and collaborations, Jung Gyu Min dislikes the thought of being boxed into a single image; he takes on the complexity of “many egos” formed by many factors, including time and place. His willingness to challenge expectations speaks to an artist who is not only creatively curious but unafraid to grow in public, even without the safety net of immediate commercial success.

Musically, his talent lies in his storytelling and his respect for hip-hop’s roots, especially its power to uplift and motivate. From opening the album with the optimistic energy of “NEW ENER’Z’Y” to collaborating confidently with legends like Tiger JK, Jung Gyu Min proves he can hold his own across generations and styles.

Shortly after releasing the album, we sat down with Jung Gyu Min and discussed it in great detail.

View of the Arts: We first spoke in 2023 about your visual art and paintings, and then met again in Seoul in 2024 as your music career was evolving. Looking at you now with EGO TEXTURES, how do you personally feel you’ve changed as an artist across these different mediums – and what has stayed the same at your core?

JUNG GYU MIN: As I went through different industries and creative environments, I realised that I’m actually much better at adapting to change than I thought. For example, when I’m on a drama set, the staff and other actors usually have no idea that I also do music or visual art. They only see me as an actor. Unless someone asks, I don’t really bring up that I work in other fields, because that could even become a kind of disadvantage. I truly want to be recognised as a professional in each field on its own.

After filming ends, when people find out that I work in multiple areas and see what I do in each one, they’re often shocked – in a good way, like, “Wait, you do all of this?” [laughs]. In that sense, I feel like I fooled them in the best possible way. What gives me confidence is that they’re not impressed because I do many things, but because they see that I’m being recognised fairly in each individual field. When they realise that, they’re even more surprised, and that motivates me.

Through all these real-life experiences, I became more certain that all forms of art are connected. Compared to 2023, the world is now less surprised by people working across different fields. And I feel proud that I was already walking this path even before this kind of multi-career trend became popular. To sum it up, I didn’t become a celebrity first and then easily try other fields from a comfortable position. I truly started from the beginning in multiple areas, and that’s why I have great pride in my beliefs and my work. So far, my activities haven’t really led to big money or commercial success yet, but I’m not very worried about that anymore. I believe those things will naturally follow.

VOA: The title EGO TEXTURES suggests layers, surfaces, and emotions that can be felt rather than just seen. What does “texture” mean to you in the context of your ego, your identity, and your music on this album?

JGM: As we live, we paint different versions of ourselves depending on time and environment. When we’re with friends, in a study room, at a club, when we’re ambitious, when we’re calm, walking in a park, with a lover – we’re always colouring different egos depending on the situation.

But society and large systems want to define us as just one fixed identity. People feel safer when they can place others into categories. They label others for their own psychological comfort, and that’s actually quite cruel. So for this album, I intentionally challenged myself with many different genres. I wanted people to think, “Oh, Jung Gyu-min does this kind of music too? And it actually suits him.” I wanted to break free from being defined and boxed in.

I think these tracks really match my slogan, SO MANY EGO. I also wanted to ask my fans: What kind of ego texture are you living with right now? And if you want, you can always change who you are – just like my album. That’s also why the canvas on the album cover is left blank. I didn’t want to be the one defining it. I wanted listeners to define it themselves- not only the artist that I am, but also themselves.

VOA: “NEW ENER’Z’Y” opens the album with a groovy, mid-tempo flow that feels very confident and forward-moving. Why did you choose this track to set the tone for the album, and what kind of ‘new energy’ were you hoping listeners would feel right from the start? Also, can you share a bit about your creative process when writing this song – did the mood come first, or the lyrics?

JGM: First, about the title: I wrote ENERGY as ENER’Z’Y because my previous album was titled “Z.” I wanted to continue the growth from that album. Whenever I played this track for people, the reactions were always positive. And since the world feels so full of pessimistic and dark energy these days, I felt we really needed something healthy and uplifting, so I chose it as the opening track.

I love hip-hop because of its positive energy. When I first got into hip-hop, I loved how it was about breaking limits, growing, taking care of your brothers, and overcoming hardships. But since the late 2010s, hip-hop has been filled with themes of drugs, suicidal thoughts, and meaningless bragging. I think listeners are getting tired of that, too.

This trend is very noticeable in Korean hip-hop as well, and I wanted to gather people who, like me in the past, loved the positive energy of hip-hop onto this track. Hip-hop is originally something powerful and uplifting – it can help people grow. During the creative process, it felt like an unknown energy wrapped around my body. As soon as the beat played, I made it all the way to the hook immediately. If this song didn’t exist, this album wouldn’t exist either. The mood and lyrics came out at the same time, but the very first line had actually been sitting in my notes for a long time.

VOA: On “CASTLE” featuring Tiger JK, there’s a strong, classic hip-hop presence, yet the balance between your styles feels very intentional. What did collaborating with a pioneer like Tiger JK teach you about positioning your own voice alongside a legend without losing your identity? And how this collaboration came about?

JGM: Working with him was always a dream of mine. I think I was in fourth grade when my older brother played me Tiger JK’s song “왼발을 한 보 앞으로 (One Step Forward with the Left Foot)”, and that’s when hip-hop entered my life.

Even now, it still feels unreal that I worked with him. It feels like a miracle that crossed layers of fate and cause and effect. At the same time, it also feels like something that was meant to happen eventually. Working with him made me realise that classics are eternal. His flow works regardless of era or changing trends. Isn’t it amazing that he even completely owns rage-style beats? And his lyrics, of course, are incredible.

He’s over 50, yet he delivers lines that are more trendy and witty than many younger rappers- and on top of that, they’re heavy and powerful. That’s the power of a true classic. I learned a lot musically, but even more from his mindset. He never once looked down on me or treated me as less, even with all his achievements. He respected me as a fellow musician, and that was the most shocking part to me. I’ve met so many people in this scene, but I’ve never met someone so humble yet so powerful.

Although I’m the one who should be learning, he kept saying he didn’t know today’s trends and asked me to tell him (though honestly, I had nothing to teach him – he already mastered everything). He was open throughout the entire creative and mixing process. As for how the collaboration happened, he liked my music video, and that’s how our connection started. He said he wanted to feature me on his song someday, and I remembered that. But he was very busy, so time passed.

Then, when I made the guide for “CASTLE,” I suddenly heard his voice in my head on this rage-style beat. I immediately thought, “This is it,” and I contacted him. It took a long time and many things happened before the song was completed, but now that it’s finally out, I feel incredibly proud.

I’m the first independent artist to ever collaborate with this legend.

VOA: “SAY SUM” feels rawer and more confrontational, and your delivery sounds more powerful and certain than in your earlier work. Do you feel your confidence as a rapper has shifted in recent years, and if so, what experiences contributed most to that growth?

JGM: I gained confidence through performing live several times and through moments when real people truly recognised me. It came pretty naturally. This song was made based on that confidence, and I finished it up to the hook in just one day. That day, I felt especially confident – like I couldn’t lose to anyone [laughs]. Of course, I don’t feel like that every day. Also, I don’t really think of myself strictly as a “rapper.” I’m a musician who participates in every part of making my songs.

VOA: “하루종일 SWAG (All Day Swag)” with SHINJIHANG has a much softer, more melodic atmosphere, and his vocals add a very emotional warmth to the track. When you were making this song, did you already imagine his voice on it, or did the collaboration reshape the song’s final direction?

JGM: I thought of his voice after finishing the song. I even had a version where I did all of verse two myself, but I deleted it and asked him to join. I’m a huge fan of his. He’s truly one of the most talented artists in Korea right now. He brought unexpected lines and chorus ad-libs that shocked and inspired me. I learned so much just listening to his acapella files. The best part of collaboration is when another musician does something you never would have thought of on the same beat. That learning gives me new rhythm, pitch sense, and melodies. I want to keep working with him.

VOA: Many of the collaborations on this album involve artists with very distinct vocal colours and rap palettes. When choosing features like VINXEN, SnowyOWL, and SHINJIHANG, what do you prioritise more – emotional tone, technical contrast, or personal chemistry?

JGM: I trust my intuition. If I feel that someone and I will definitely connect, I contact them. I’ve known VINXEN for a few years – we meet sometimes, drink coffee, and exchange good energy. I truly think he’s very talented. Before thinking about tone or technique, intuition comes first. I feel sure that if we work together, something new will come out, and that they’ll say yes to my offer.

VOA: “SEDUCE” with VINXEN plays with rhythm changes and emotional tension, and both of you approach rap very differently. How did you design the structure of this song so that those differences became a strength instead of a clash?

JGM: Rather than designing the structure, I followed the emotion, and the arrangement naturally formed that way. I’d like to explain in detail, but when I’m deeply focused on creating, I honestly don’t think in steps like “now I’ll do this, now I’ll do that.”

VOA: “MAGAZINE GIRL” has a slower pace and a very stylish, almost cinematic mood. SnowyOWL adds a unique texture to the track – what kind of story or visual were you imagining when building this song?

JGM: I discovered him on Reels and fell for him in three seconds. His melodies and vocal tone are completely unique. It’s sad that in Korea, unless someone is on TV or goes viral, talents like this can stay hidden. When I look at artists, I never care about how famous they are or who they know. I look at their potential and talent. SnowyOWL completely captivated me. I made the draft of “MAGAZINE GIRL” and sent him the guide right away, and we finished the song together. It’s about telling your lover, “You’re so beautiful, you should be on the cover of a magazine.”

I wanted to capture a stylish Seoul night – urban and romantic.

VOA: On “I CAN DO ANYTHING U LIKE,” your rap becomes almost singable, smoother, and more intimate. Do you see melody as another emotional language for you now, and is that something you want to explore more in future projects?

JGM: Actually, I have many tracks like this – some are entirely vocal-based. I’ve always known melody is an emotional language, but I think I just haven’t shown that side enough yet. I already have many songs like this and plan to keep releasing them. As you know, I am SO MANY EGO. And I really love love songs and R&B. I think this track might be especially popular with people who like easy listening and with female listeners.

VOA: “독백 (Monologue)” with Kim Seung-gi gives a strong 90s hip-hop and R&B feeling. What draws you to that era’s emotional honesty, and how do you reinterpret that feeling in a modern Korean hip-hop context?

JGM: I wanted to recreate a Kanye-style sound and atmosphere. This might be the most honest song I’ve ever made. I didn’t really think about any specific era; I followed mood and intuition here, too. And I really love that Kim Seung-gi sang the hook. His voice has something very special. You asked how I reinterpret this in modern Korean hip-hop, but honestly, I didn’t consciously think about that at all while making it.