CHEN OF EXO FINDS SOLACE SAFE SPACE IN SONGWRITING

Chen, regarded as a standout vocalist of K-pop boy band EXO, has shown how he does not only shine in the singing department, but also in writing the lyrics of songs that reflect his authentic self as an artist.

- By ANNA BARLAM

Through his solo fan concert dubbed "Beyond the DOOR," the South Korean singer-songwriter gave fans a glimpse of how songwriting matters to him just as much as performing on stage.

"I see it as a kind of confession, a way of honestly conveying the thoughts and emotions that I wanted to express to someone," he said in a pre-recorded video shown before thousands of Filipino EXO-Ls on Nov. 23 at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City, the last stop of his Asia tour presented by Wilbros Live.

His fourth mini-album DOOR, released last May 28, was another proof of his passion for transforming his words into melodic hits.

Of the six songs in the extended play (EP), Chen co-wrote five: Dandelion, Remember, Playlist, Fall In Love Again and its title track, Empty.