Joon Lee
John Lee (born March 23, 1972),[1][2] better known by his Korean name, Joon Lee (Korean: 이준), is a Korean American rapper, singer, songwriter, DJ, and most notably one-third of the South Korean R&B/hip-hop trio, Solid.[3] He introduced turntablism to Korea in the mid '90s.[4][5][6][7] He rose to fame and gained popularity in 1995 with the breakout hit "Holding Onto the End of the Night" (Korean: 이밤의 끝을 잡고), from Solid's second album The Magic of 8 Ball (1995).[8]
Joon Lee | |
---|---|
Born | Joon Lee March 23, 1972 (age 51) Seoul, South Korea |
Other names |
|
Education | University of Southern California |
Occupation(s) | Rapper, singer, entrepreneur |
Years active | 1993–1997, 2018–present |
Musical career | |
Genres | |
Instrument(s) |
|
Website | solid |
Korean name | |
Hangul | 이준 |
Revised Romanization | I Jun |
McCune–Reischauer | Ri Chun |
Signature | |
Lee is regarded as part of the first generation of Korean rappers like the members of Uptown and Hyundo Lee.[9] He became not only one of the most sought after rappers in the South Korean music industry of the '90s collaborating with renown artists including 015B (ko), Jinyoung Park, Roo'ra, and Uptown but also an inspiration to the next generation of rappers – Gary of Leessang, Jinpyo Kim and Flowsik to name a few.[10][11] Lee, with two other members of Solid, was at the forefront of bringing the American hip-hop sound to South Korean audience and played a pivotal role establishing the genre during a time when ballad and dance music were prevalent.[12][13][14]
Joon Lee was one of the first Korean Americans to become successful in the South Korean music industry, and opened the door for more Koreans from overseas to enter into the Korean entertainment industry; the industry began seeking talents from abroad proactively thereafter.[15][16]
He has been synonymous with eight-ball cane from which he was inseparable during his performances of Solid; subsequently, the eight-ball quickly became the symbol of the group.[17][18][19][20]
In addition to being a musician, he runs a real estate development company in California with about 30 employees.[21][22]
Early life
John Lee was born Joon Lee (Korean: 이준) on March 23, 1972, in Seoul, South Korea.[1] He and his family immigrated to the United States in 1980.[23] Lee is the oldest of two siblings and has one sister, named Jackie. Lee and Jaeyoon Chong grew up in the same neighborhood in Orange County, California.[18] Not only their families vacationed together frequently, they attended the same Korean American church in Fountain Valley, Ca, where they participated in musical activities during their formative years.[24][25] Lee met Johan Kim at a public library in Fountain Valley, CA, during their high school years; soon after they became friends, Lee invited Kim to his church. Three became close instantaneously over music and breakdancing while at the epicenter of the golden age of hip-hop, which later heavily influences their music.[18][24]
He purchased a cheap set of turntables and a mixer after watching Beat Street (1984) and began teaching himself how to manipulate them when he was in fifth grade.[24][26] He got into rapping when he heard Run-DMC as a teenage boy. By the time he was in his late teens, he won numerous DJ competitions in California including the Long Beach DJ competition in 1991.[25]
Lee attended Edison High School, Huntington Beach, Ca, and got his bachelor's degree from University of Southern California in 1999.[27]
Music career
1992–1997: Solid
Early 1990s, Lee along with Jaeyoon Chong and Johan Kim took part in the early production of L.A. Boyz albums as they were all friends.[28][29] After noticing their complementary set of skills, then L.A. Boyz manager pursued them to be a boy band to debut in Taiwan adding a fourth member who was fluent in Chinese.[28][24] Lee took the opportunity hoping that it would allow him to advance and demonstrate his skills to wider audience – maturing his musicianship was a byproduct.[30] Solid was officially formed in 1992.[31] Realizing that they had a potential to debut as a musical group, they also sent a demo tape to South Korea.[32][24] Despite the Taiwanese management company's impressive deal, Solid decided to accept the offer from the Korean management company, IM Communications, wanting to debut in their motherland.[30][32] Under the condition that he would eventually come back to finish his undergraduate degree, Lee's parents granted him a permission to pursue music career in Korea.[33]
When Lee came into Korean music scene in the 1990s, the industry lacked rappers – or musicians in general – resembling the American hip-hop flair and style of Lee's who was considered to have a unique voice that was a true stand-out.[19][34][13][35] Before Solid's career took off in 1995, he was a featured rapper on "Bob Hair" (Korean: 단발머리), Big 5, by 015B (1994).[29] As Solid's debut album, Give Me a Chance (1993), was a flop due to various reasons – among them were conflicts with their management company and marketing/promotional issues – Hoil Jang, a director of the album, wanting the talents of Solid to go unwasted, invited Lee and Kim to be part of his forthcoming album and their concerts, Strikes Back (1994).[19] People who listened to "Bob Hair" easily thought the rapper spewing splendid English rhymes was an African American rapper from the U.S. without a doubt.[36]
One of many feats that made the Solid's breakout hit "Holding the End of the Night" (Korean: 이밤의 끝을 잡고), The Magic of 8 Ball (1995), striking and great was Lee's irreplaceable bass toned narration interludes; Lee also demonstrated his vocal ability to harmonize and that there were more facets to his voice than being a rapper.[18][29]
Apart from contributing his voice to the sound of Solid, Lee was responsible for the distinct hip-hop sound of turntable scratches on all tracks of Solid's albums.[37] Lee is considered to be the first hip-hop DJ in Korea introducing what American hip-hop sounds like to Korean audience.[38][39][14]
As the albums of Solid progressed, Lee expanded his musicianship. It wasn't unusual for him to write all the lyrics to his raps but he added himself as a lyricist for a full song on his credentials writing "Dream" (Korean: 꿈) on the second album of Solid, The Magic of 8 Ball (1995).[8] Lee later revealed that the song was based on the lost dream with his estranged friend whom he reconnected after the song release.[40] On the third album, Light Camera Action! (1996), Lee became a minted songwriter composing a hip-hop track, "If It's For You" (Korean: 널 위해서라면).[41]
Solid sold over four million albums during their short-lived four-year run in South Korea, making them one of the biggest musical acts of the '90s in the Korean music industry, nonetheless, their contribution to the development of current sound of K-Pop lasted thus far.[42][17] Chart topping singles by Solid have become beloved K-Pop classics, which are "Holding the End of the Night" (Korean: 이밤의 끝을 잡고), "My Only Friend" (Korean: 나만의 친구), "You Are My First and Last" (Korean: 넌 나의 처음이자 마지막이야), "Happy Ending" (Korean: 해피엔딩), and "Meant To Be" (Korean: 천생연분).[27][31][39]
Lee shared the same apartment with Chong and Kim during the most days of Solid in Seoul, Korea, in the '90s where fans constantly flocked to.[24]
In an interview during the promotion of "Holding the End of the Night" (Korean: 이밤의 끝을 잡고), Lee stated that he never imagined himself being part of a musical act performing on stage.[4]
Putting behind the whirlwind days of Solid, Lee went back to being a student at University of Southern California, in July 1997, in the midst of speculations to why the group came to a halt at the height of their career.[27][43][44]
1998–2009: Music career during hiatus from Solid
During the prolonged hiatus from Solid, music shifted to somewhat on the sideline of his life as he ventured into business opportunities in the U.S., yet he always yearned for producing music in any way or form.[45] Lee was an occasional featuring artist and a songwriter for notable artists and hip-hop compilation albums from the late '90s to 2000s – among them are Jinpyo Kim, Roo'ra, G.o.d., Uptown, a fellow member of Solid, Johan Kim, Hyundo Lee and more.[46][47][48][49][50] As he continued to reside in the U.S. since Solid's extensive break had begun, his TV appearances in Korea was non-existent.[51]
In March 2005, Lee joined Johan Kim at Kim's 'White Day Live Concert' in Seoul, Korea and both shed light on the possibility of the group's reunion.[52][53][54]
In December 2006, Lee recorded a single with a fellow member of Solid, Jaeyoon Chong for a newly formed R&B/Hip-hop group, Soul-Town.[55] Lee and Chong teamed up with two members of Uptown, Yeonjoon Jung and Steve Kim.[56] They released a single, "You Are My Lady," in April 2007 in the midst of a high anticipation from their long-awaited fans and critics alike.[57] "You Are My Lady" became No. 1 hit on the radio chart in Korea in the third week of April 2007 without any promotion.[58][59]
Last album that Lee can be found as a featured artist before the Solid reunion in 2018 is a Christmas complication album, Winter Line No. 1, in 2009 on a track "White Winter" (Korean: 하얀겨울).[60]
His music career became dormant since the birth of his first child around the end of the 2000s as his priorities veered towards family and real estate business.[45]
2018–present: Solid reunion and Into the Light, fifth studio album
To prepare for the Solid's reunion and the album release, a weekly meeting – lasting two to four hours – took place via Skype every Tuesday since the end of 2016, and the members discussed every little details that have gone into the new album in twenty one years.[7] Beginning September 2017, Lee has been splitting his time between California, U.S. and Seoul, Korea traveling to the latter once a month – two weeks at a time – to move forward with Into the Light (2018).[61][62]
As with their previous albums, Lee wrote his own rap parts, which took much longer to write and record than his previous works.[63] He later stated that he felt the most pressured as he had been away from the entertainment industry the longest compared to the other members.[64] Only hesitation that held him back from the comeback was the fear of not meeting the expectations of the fans who remembered Solid from the '90s, however, he decided to proceed for the love of making music was greater.[65]
Early March, Solid announced their long-awaited comeback on official social media and released series of teasers for the forthcoming album on the official YouTube channel.[66] The very first teaser plays an excerpt from the 1996 Solid tour, Deliverance, in which Lee addresses to fans at the end of the Seoul concert that "This is not the end of Solid" insinuating that the new chapter of the trio is to begin while heightening the anticipation of the album release.[67]
During early promotion of Into the Light, Lee repeatedly expressed the awkwardness of getting back the celebrity status for his life has long been away from the spotlight.[68][69][70] Yet, he also expressed how much he enjoys and loves taking everything on their own terms this time around without any contract with a label or a management company.[71]
Solid released their fifth studio album, Into the Light, on March 22, 2018, peaking at number 1 on iTunes R&B/Soul album chart in Korea and number 5 on iTunes K-pop album charts in Korea and the U.S.[72][73] The album received rave reviews having everyone, fans and critics alike, agreed that the forward sound of Solid's musicianship hasn't been lost at all after not working together for over two decades.[74][75][76] Solid surpassed everyone's expectation by presenting the much evolved and progressive current sound of Solid not dwelling on their glory-days sound of the '90s.[77][14]
May 18 through 20th, 2018, the trio started the second tour of their career, Into the Light, with packed audiences at Blue Square iMarket Hall in Seoul, Korea,[78] in which Lee performed with an elite Canadian beatboxer KRNFX playing his turntable set.[39][79]
Personal life
Lee married in June 2004,[80][81] and the wedding took place in California, U.S.[82] Lee and his wife have three children: a daughter and fraternal twins (a boy and girl).[83][38] In an interview, Lee stated that his children were never aware of his music career in Korea.[84] Even after the reunion of Solid, his children still don't seem to care much about the fame and unbeknownst rapper status belonging to once a heartthrob of the '90s.[85][17] Lee has been in real estate business in California for the past twenty years.[86] He built his own house in California, modeled after one of the Case Study Houses representing the quintessential mid-20th century architecture of California.[45]
Discography
Solid
- Give Me a Chance (1993; Re-released in 1995)
- The Magic of 8 Ball (1995)
- Light Camera Action! (1996)
- Solidate (1997)
- Into the Light (2018)
Soul-Town
- My Lady, EP (2007)
As a featured artist
- "Bob Hair" (Korean: 단발머리), Big 5, by 015B (1994)
- "Say 1, 2, 3," It's Time, by J.Y. Park (1996)
- "Right This Moment" (Korean: 지금 이 순간을), Jangwoo, by Jangwoo Lee (1996)
- "Late Night" (Korean: 밤이여), Six N`Six, by Roo'ra (1999)
- '2 Many MC's,' Verbal Medication, by Uptown (1999)
- "Holding the End of the Night" (Korean: 이밤의 끝을 잡고), Johan 2, by Johan Kim (1999)
- "Tell Me," Korea 2000 대한민국, by various artists (2000)
- "Fairy of Shampoo" (Korean: 샴푸의 요정), JP3, by Jinpyo Kim (2001)
- "Fire," HipHop Kharisma, by various artists (2002)
- "Hip-Hop Rescuers" (Korean: 힙합구조대), The New Classik ...And You Don't Stop, by Hyundo Lee and various artists (2004)
- "Joy,"The New Classik ...And You Don't Stop, by Hyundo Lee and various artists (2004)
- "White Winter" (Korean: 하얀겨울), Winter Line No. 1, by various artists (2009)
- "Easy Listening," Monthly Yoon Jong Shin: May Issue (Korean: 월간 윤종신), by Yoon Jong Shin (2020)
- "One Weekend," Voyage.01, by SAVIYN (2020)
As a songwriter
- "If It's For You" (Korean: 널 위해서라면), Light Camera Action!, by Solid (1996)
- "Why Do I Again" (Korean: 왜 또 다시 난), Chapter 1, by G.o.d (1999)
- "Late Night" (Korean: 밤이여), Six N`Six, by Roo'ra (1999)
- 'UPT ParadoXXX,' '2 Many MC's,’ 'All I wanna do'; 'Rock this mutha f***er,' Verbal Medication, by Uptown (1999)
- "Love of My Life," Johan 2, by Johan Kim (1999)
- "Tell Me," Korea 2000 대한민국 (2000)
- "Fire," HipHop Kharisma (2002)
- "Don't Do It," My Lady, by Soul-Town (2007)
Concerts and tours
Solid
- Deliverance (1996)
- Into the Light (2018)
Awards
- Golden Disc category, Korea Visual and Records Grand Prize Award (1995)[1]
References
- "솔리드 이준". daum.net (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-01.
- "이준 (솔리드)". people.search.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-04.
- E&M, CJ. "[Mnet] 이준". Mnet (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-18.
- "이준 "아직 무대가 어설퍼요"". 동아일보 (in Korean). 1995-06-29.
- Oh, KwangSoo (1996-04-17). "3집 앨범 낸 솔리드 다시 확인된'단단하고 꽉찬 노래'". 경향신문 (in Korean).
- "발라드서 댄스곡까지 남성 트리오 '솔리드' 3집 출반". 중앙일보 (in Korean). 1996-04-16.
- Jung, SooMi (2018-04-24). "솔리드 "음악이 세련됐다고? 아직 90년대 음악하고 있으면 발전이 없는 것"". atstar1.com (in Korean).
- Kim, YoonMi. "2집 The Magic of 8 Ball 이 밤의 끝을 잡고". Naver 지식백과 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-05.
- Lee, Jisuk (2018-04-25). "[SS뮤직]솔리드 "21년 공백? 시간의 흐름, 인터스텔라 같아"(인터뷰)". Sports Seoul (in Korean).
- Ha, HeeDo (2015-08-03). "'힐링캠프' 개리 "랩 잘하고 싶어서 솔리드 이준 따라했다"". SportsQ (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-05.
- "플로우식 "솔리드 극찬 깜짝 놀랐다, 너무나 영광"" (in Korean). 2018-03-30. Retrieved 2018-05-05.
- NEWSIS. "21년만의 컴백 '솔리드' 정재윤·이준·김조한, 그런데 추억이 아닌 새로움". newsis (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-05.
- Yoo, Jinmo (2018-04-06). "'조명 속으로' 돌아온 솔리드 새 앨범 리뷰 [유진모 칼럼] – 미디어파인". 미디어파인 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-19.
- Yoo, Jinmo (2018-05-21). "솔리드 컴백 콘서트 리뷰 '젊음, 혁신, 전통' [유진모 칼럼] – 미디어파인". MediaFine (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-21.
- "교포 1.5세 가수들 '역이민' 급증". 중앙일보 (in Korean). 1996-10-21. Retrieved 2018-05-19.
- Lee, ShinHyung (1996-05-15). "스타 꿈꾸는 1.5세대의'명암'". 경향신문 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-19.
- Huh, BoYoung (2013-09-13). "[레전드100人] 솔리드, 대한민국 알앤비 전도사 – 엠넷". Mnet (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-11.
- Huh, Yup (1995-06-29). ""댄스파괴"나선「검은 和音(화음)」 솔리드". 동아일보 (in Korean).
- Kim, Yoonmi. "GIVE ME A CHANCE". Naver 지식백과 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-04.
- Jung, SoHee (2018-03-21). "[포토]솔리드 이준, '추억의 8번 지팡이 들고 윙크!'" (in Korean).
- Kim, Yeonji (2018-04-23). "[인터뷰②] 솔리드 이준 "부동산 투자→부동산 개발 사업, 직원 30명"". 일간스포츠 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-13.
- Yoon, JinKeun (2018-03-22). "Mnet, 솔리드 컴백 다큐멘터리 'Into the Light' 28일 공개". 스포츠경향 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-17.
- Hong, Ho-Pyo (1995-05-23). "美(미) 한국계대학생 3인조 솔리드「조용한 반란」". 동아일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-04-26.
- Jung, Myunghwa (2015-03-11). "솔리드 정재윤 "우리 셋, 다시 훅 나올 수도"". 스토리펀딩 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-04.
- Woo, Chul-hoon (1995-06-24). ""흑인음악 평정" 서부에서 달려온 사내 셋 그들 무기는 리듬 앤 블루스 솔리드". 경향신문 (in Korean).
- Jung, Byungkeun (14 March 2015). "솔리드, 1997년 돌연 은퇴 그땐 그랬지(인터뷰)". inews24 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-05.
- Suh, Byungki (2018-03-25). "왜 21년만에 돌아온 솔리드에 주목할까". 헤럴드경제 미주판 Heraldk.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-19.
- Park, Junghwan (2018-05-01). "[인터뷰①] 솔리드, "데뷔 당시 하마터면 한국 아닌 대만서 데뷔할 뻔"". MediaUs (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-11.
- Han, Dongyoon. "The Magic Of 8 Ball". www.izm.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-14.
- Lee, SangYeon (1995-06-24). ""흑인음악 평정" 서부에서 달려온 사내 셋 그들 무기는 리듬 앤 블루스 솔리드". 경향신문 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-11.
- E&M, CJ. "[Mnet] '과거와 현재의 공존' 솔리드(Solid), 21년만의 새 앨범 'Into the Light'". m.mnet.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-11.
- Kim, YoonMi. "GIVE ME A CHANCE". Naver 지식백과 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-11.
- Lee, Hana (2018-03-21). "[현장] 솔리드 이준, '활동 중단? 학업 마치겠다는 부모님과의 약속 때문'". 서울경제 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-13.
- Oh, Kwangsoo (1996-04-17). "3집 앨범 낸 솔리드 다시 확인된'단단하고 꽉찬 노래'". 경향신문 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-19.
- Kim, KyuWon (1995-07-07). "우리들 노래엔 인종도 국경도 없다". 한겨레 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-25.
- Han, Dongyoon (2018-03-14). "다중음격 192회: 반가워요, 솔리드! 어서 와요!". www.melon.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-14.
- Jang, Jinli (2018-05-12). "[Oh!쎈 리뷰] '방구석 1열' 솔리드, 21년 만의 예능도 문제없는 '천생연분'". Osen (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-19.
- Kim, Youngrok (2018-05-11). "[종합]'방구석1열' 솔리드, 먹방 라이브 #다둥이아빠 #R&B후배". sports.chosun.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-19.
- Park, Changyoung (2018-05-20). "90년대 R&B 전설 '솔리드' 혁신적 노래로 컴백". 매일경제 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-21.
- Kim, YoungRok (2018-04-24). "'러브게임' 솔리드, 21년 지나도 여전해 #우정 #아카펠라 #애창곡[종합]". 스포츠조선 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-16.
- Kim, Yoonmi. "Light Camera Action! 솔리드". Naver 지식백과 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-15.
- Im, Eun-byel (2018-03-11). "R&B icon, Solid to return with new album". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
- "<가요> 그룹 '솔리드' 전격 해체선언". 연합뉴스 (in Korean). 1997-07-04. Retrieved 2018-05-13.
- Kang, Changwook (2011-10-05). "어릴 적 꿈 '셰프'… 가수 김조한의 가족 그리고 음악". 국민일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-26.
- Jung, Soomi (2018-04-24). "솔리드 "음악이 세련됐다고? 아직 90년대 음악하고 있으면 발전이 없는 것" [화보&인터뷰]". @Star1 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-13.
- E&M, CJ. "[Mnet] 이준 작곡한 곡". Mnet (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-18.
- E&M, CJ. "[Mnet] 이준 참여 곡". Mnet (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-18.
- Hong, Jaesung (2004-04-22). "<연합인터뷰>베스트앨범 낸 가수 김진표". 연합뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-13.
- Kim, Sunwoo (2004-12-08). "[대중음악]이현도 "힙합 트렌드 보여주렵니다"". 동아일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-13.
- "이현도, 조pd, 에릭, DJ DOC등 40팀 '지상최대 힙합쇼'". 스타뉴스 (in Korean). 2005-01-05. Retrieved 2018-05-13.
- Ko, Hongjoo (2007-03-13). "솔리드 이준 해체 그후…미국서 사업가 활약". NewsEn Media.
- Lee, Kyungho (2005-03-15). "김조한 이준, "솔리드 재결합할 수 있다"" (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-13.
- Lee, Kyungho (2005-03-15). "7년만에 부활한 솔리드 ; 김조한 콘서트". MyDaily (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-13.
- Park, Jaeduk (2005-03-15). "이준 김조한, "솔리드 재결합이요?"". JoyNews24 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-13.
- Lee, Eunjung (2007-03-08). "솔리드ㆍ업타운 뭉쳐 프로젝트 그룹 결성". 연합뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-13.
- Kang, Soojin (2007-03-09). "솔리드+업타운'솔타운 결성'". 스포츠경향 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-13.
- Park, Jaeduk (2007-04-04). "솔타운, 솔리드-업타운 팬들 '합동 응원'". inews24 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-13.
- Park, Jaeduk (2007-04-24). "솔리드-업타운 '솔타운', 'My Lady' 라디오 1위 등극". inews24 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-13.
- Jung, Kichul (2007-04-24). "솔타운, 목소리만으로 아이비 제쳐". donga.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-13.
- Lee, Hyunwoo (2009-11-25). "솔리드 이준 '하얀겨울' 리메이크 참여 '눈길'". 매일경재 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-13.
- Kim, Nayoung (2018-04-23). "[MK★인터뷰②] 솔리드 "새로움과 추억 모두 보여주겠다"". 매일경제 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-16.
- Kim, Eunkoo (2018-04-23). "'21년 만의 컴백' 솔리드 "녹음 때부터 소름 돋았다"". 이데일리 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-19.
- Park, SaeYeon (2018-03-21). "솔리드 이준 오랜만의 랩 어려워…실망시키고 싶지 않았다". mk.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-19.
- Kim, Nayoung (2018-03-21). "솔리드 이준 "오랜만에 새 앨범 녹음..기대감 때문에 어려웠다"". mk.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-19.
- Park, Sooyoun (2018-04-23). "솔리드 "실망하게 할까 봐 두려웠다…컴백해 뿌듯"". 연합뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-19.
- Sun, Mikyung (2018-03-09). "[공식입장] 솔리드, 21년 만에 완전체 컴백..22일 새 앨범+5월 콘서트". Osen (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-19.
- Suh, Byung-Im (2018-03-13). "'R&B 전설' 솔리드, 21년만에 완전체 컴백". 헤럴드경제 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-19.
- Lee, Hana (2018-04-23). "[인터뷰] 솔리드 이준, 오빠'라는 호칭 아직도 어색하고 신기해'". 서울경제 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-16.
- Hwang, Mihyun (2018-04-23). "[인터뷰]솔리드 이준 "팬들 여전히 큰사랑…'오빠'라는 외침 어색"". www.msn.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-16.
- "솔리드 이준 "팬들 여전히 큰사랑…'오빠'라는 외침 어색"". news.donga.com (in Korean). 2018-04-23. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
- Jung, Joonhwa (2018-04-23). "[인터뷰] "세월 초월 천생연분"…솔리드, 21년의 끝을 잡고 (종합)". sports.chosun.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-21.
- Suh, Byungki (2018-03-24). "솔리드, 아이튠즈 국내 R&B 소울 차트 1위 등극 '쾌거'". 헤럴드경제 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-21.
- "Solid". solid.kr. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
- Park, Junghwan (2018-05-01). "[인터뷰②] 솔리드, "배철수 선배와 임진모 평론가에게 긍정적 평가 받은 게 가장 뿌듯" -". 미디어스 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-21.
- Yoon, HaeYoung (2018-04-26). "솔리드, 21년이 흘러도 변치 않는 멋 '음악' [인터뷰] -". stoo.asiae.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-21.
- Kang, Naeri (2018-04-24). "솔리드 "21년 지나도 음악 세련됐다는 말, 뿌듯해"". www.ytn.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-21.
- Kim, Bonghyun (2018-04-19). "[마감인간의 music] 솔리드 <Into the Light>, 다시, 솔리드 시즌". 씨네21 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-21.
- Jang, Yoonjung (2018-04-25). "[인터뷰] 솔리드, 21년만의 컴백 우리는 아직도 라이브~!" (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-21.
- Woo, Youngtak (2018-05-19). "20년 전 열정으로 시간여행, 솔리드가 돌아왔다". 서울경제 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-21.
- Bae, MyungEun. "솔리드, 컴백해 주세요!". Joy News 24 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-05.
- Lee, Eunjung (2018-03-06). "솔리드, 해체 21년만에 재결합…3월 앨범 내고 공연". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-05.
- "솔리드 이준 극비 '웨딩마치'". 중앙일보 (in Korean). 2004-09-07. Retrieved 2018-05-05.
- Nam, Jaeryun (2018-03-30). "'유스케' 솔리드 이준 "세 아이들, 내가 가수였던 것 몰라"". sports.chosun.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-13.
- Park, Se-Yeon (2018-03-21). "솔리드 이준 아이들은 아빠가 가수인 줄 몰랐다". mk.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-05.
- "[MD인터뷰] 솔리드 이준 아이들, 아빠의 가수활동 관심無". www.mydaily.co.kr. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 2018-05-05.
- Kim, Miri (2018-04-24). "[MD리뷰] 잊혀졌을까봐 걱정…'러브게임' 솔리드, 21년 만에 뭉친 완전체". MyDaily (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-05-13.