Lee Han-gyeol debuts solo 9 years in with mini album 'NOISE' and Latin pop title track 'BUNZI'

Nine years to a solo stage

X1's Lee Han-gyeol staged his first solo showcase on October 14 at Red Button Culture Stage in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Nine years after his debut. The event marked the release of his first mini album NOISE, and gave audiences their first live look at title track BUNZI.

The track dropped the same evening. BUNZI is a Latin pop song built on a strong bass line, and the title translates roughly as "to dive in." The song follows the moment of breaking through hesitation and fear to reach a new beginning. Lee described it directly: "I captured myself hesitating because of fear, then shaking it off and breaking through. It's about overcoming fear and taking a chance."

On choosing Latin pop, he admitted the uncertainty was part of the draw. "I wondered if I could make Latin pop my own, but that's why I wanted to challenge it more. I felt this song would be okay."

Stage control is the pitch

Lee was clear about what he's selling. "I think my strengths are charisma and stage control," he said. The full picture only lands when you watch the performance. The track features dancers, and he argued the stage version is where the song's appeal becomes readable.

He's launching into a crowded lane. ZEROBASEONE's Sung Han-bin and Wanna One's Park Woo-jin are both making solo moves at the same time, and Lee acknowledged the weight of that comparison. He said he initially worried about whether he had enough to stand alongside them. After a long preparation period, "I have confidence."

(He also floated a music show win promise that's hard to ignore: 52 bungee jumps, because the word bunzi appears exactly 52 times in the song.)

What to track

For fans watching this era, the performance angle is the stated priority. Lee specifically pointed to the dancer-backed stage as the intended showcase for BUNZI's appeal. Nine years in, this is his argument that the wait was the point.