'Romance Singer' Choi Baek-ho Returns With 50th Anniversary Album 'Applause'—Revealed at 6 p.m. This Afternoon

Choi Baek-ho celebrates 50 years with the release of 'Applause'… A maestro’s retrospective captured in eight tracks

Collaborating with rookie composers on CJ ENM's 'Open Music' platform, released at 6 p.m. on the 24th

A giant of Korea’s popular music scene, 'Romance Singer' Choi Baek-ho returns to audiences with a new album that brings together a half-century of musical journey. 'CJ ENM' said it will officially release Choi Baek-ho’s 50th anniversary commemorative album 'Applause' at 6 p.m. on the 24th. The new release is more than a simple milestone project—it is a tribute to the fans who, since his debut in 1976, have patiently followed his steps and provided unwavering support over many years.

A distinctive vocal that comforts youth—Reinterpreting romance across generations

The album includes the double title songs, the new tracks 'Applause' and 'Yeo-gwang', along with remade versions of acclaimed songs that left a deep mark on listeners’ hearts, reborn with a new sensibility. A total of eight tracks—'On Romance', 'It Was My First Love', 'Cheers Until I'm Sober', and 'Only, I Sing'—connect the maestro’s past and present with precision.

In particular, this project was completed at a higher level of quality through a collaboration with 'Open Music', 'CJ ENM'’s creator support program for emerging talent. Working as a lead mentor on the platform and driving support for younger creators, Choi Baek-ho proved the synergy that spans generations by sharing deep musical exchanges with up-and-coming composers through the new album project.

With his trademark rich sense of pathos and his 'husky voice', he created countless hit songs such as 'The Eve Before Enlistment' and 'The Face I Want to See', and he remains an active artist who is still irreplaceable. His songs, which have run through nearly half a century, are expected to deliver again a weighty comfort and romance to the public living through a harsh era.