The Quiet Revolution Of Nam Taehyun

South Korea’s biggest rock rebel on his trials since walking away from K-pop, handling the business of music as CEO of his own label and the big chase for chart success

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Nam Taehyun is the quintessential millennial rockstar. In music videos he’s reckless and/or melancholic, usually moping around on furniture, smashing things or indulging in other forms of orchestrated delinquency. On Instagram he’s the epitome of grunge elegance with artsy vintage shots and firm gazes directed to the camera. He speaks frankly of his trials and tribulations but there’s an underlying angst about him that keeps him an enigma. He’s clear about his goals for the future but has no idea if he’ll ever end up achieving them. “I want to be a revolutionist that creates something that hasn’t existed before… But I don’t know what that would be,” he says with a laugh. He’s a walking paradox and in that, a symbol of rock ‘n’ roll rebellion done right.

The 24-year old singer-songwriter has been a subject to controversy ever since he left popular South Korean boy group WINNER in 2016 and shed the glitz and glamour of K-pop to pursue a path of blues rock rebellion. He maintains there’s no animosity between him and his former bandmates, but the Internet still spent two years dissecting every tattoo, cigarette, performance and Instagram post to unravel the ‘truth’ behind his departure, while unsavory assumptions about his mental health and relationship status made the rounds on tabloids. It’s probably why Nam (despite his badass reputation) is cautious, level-headed and tends to think twice before he lets the world see too much of himself anymore. “When I’m working by myself, I try to limit how much of my image I’m exposing,” he says. He adds that the biggest glimpse anyone will see of his true emotions is when he’s making music with his alt rock band South Club.