[Interview] Denise Kim Lifts The Curtain on The Music Scene

Hello and welcome back to HallyuTones – always focused on sound, stage and substance.

Today I am proud to present you with an interview that has been a long time coming! Denise Kim has joined us to discuss her music, her current studies and her advice for people looking to enter into the entertainment industry.

Introduction:

Denise Kim is an independent artist and songwriter with a lengthy and storied background in the K-Pop industry. From her early days on survival shows, experiences as a K-Pop trainee, and her debut with SECRET NUMBER, she has a wealth of music knowledge. This extends not just to the art of performance, but also to an understanding of production, song writing and an insight into the intricacies of the music industry.

As a soloist, Denise has released a range of songs over the past few years, showcasing her skills and reflecting on her personal life experiences.

With her solo debut song, ‘Me Before You’, she burst onto the scene with raw vocals, heartfelt lyrics and a determination to always push herself forward. Denise has always played a very active role in her music, penning her own lyrics, and working on the composition for most of her songs. This gives each of her releases a personal touch that can be clearly felt by the listener.

‘Darling’ is another self-written song – this acoustic and romantic track feels personal and intimate, making the listener reflect upon their own relationships.

‘You Make Me’ propels itself forward with powerful instrumentation, an uplifting release that draws listeners in with positive energy and fine-tuned lyricism.

Her most recent release was ‘dance with me!’ on the 24th of July 2025. ‘dance with me!’ is a special song in that it released on Denise’s ‘Truly’ fandom anniversary. This song is a perfect clubbing or party song. Sparkly synths and catchy lyrics make this a really well rounded track. The layering in the final chorus is a particular highlight of the song, really letting Denise’s vocals shine through.

Interview:

Q1. Please introduce yourself and your music!

Hello! My name is Denise Kim (DENISE) and I am an independent artist and songwriter. My music is a blend of eclectic genres paired with introspective lyrics. I have a background in K-Pop, with over a decade of experience working as a performer. As both an artist and a writer, I’m passionate about creating my own music as well as writing for others.

Q2. Your music is heartfelt, raw and emotional. What do you hope that listeners take away from your songs?

As cliche as it may be, my music acts as an outlet for me to express emotions I struggle to put into words. I would hope that my songs can do the same for listeners. As someone who ties music to specific periods in life, I want my listeners to be able to connect their own experiences and memories to my songs. 

Q3. You take a central creative role in all of your music projects. What is your song production and writing process like?

I typically work one of two ways where I’ll either write on an instrumental track that has been created prior, or work with a producer to start a song from scratch. When writing on a track made in advance, I’ll first familiarize myself with the song form and then record a few takes with whatever melodies and lyrics come out. Then I take my favorite parts from each recording, arrange them, and build the topline and lyrical context from there. When writing a song from scratch, I use a similar approach where I’ll take a chord progression and essentially freestyle over it. I also occasionally have song ideas that come to mind throughout my daily life, which I record voice memos of to bring to a producer and build around. My best writing often derives from thinking less and letting the topline happen organically. I feel this method helps me create the most authentic music possible.

Q4. You have a sizable following across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, what do you enjoy the most about social media content creation?

My favorite part of content creation is the freedom in it. I post a variety of content, from singing and dancing, to videos giving insight about my experiences in the music industry. There’s no specific niche that I’m tied down to, which allows me to share both my artistry and personality with my audience anywhere in the world. 

Q5. As a singer, songwriter, radio host, and independent artist, much of your life has revolved around music and performance – what does music mean to you?

Music has always played a major role in my life. I would accredit a lot of my personal development and character to my connection with music. There’s so many different sides to it where I love not only creating music, but listening to, and talking about it. Music has the ability to create an atmosphere and evoke emotion by simply hearing it. A song can bring one to tears or make them want to dance. I find the innate reaction we as humans have to music fascinating and beautiful. There’s so many different kinds of music, in the same way there are so many different kinds of people. Music acts as a direct reflection of the moments in life I want to capture.

Q6. Your most recent releases was your single ‘Dopamine’ last year, could you tell us more about the song? (Author’s Note: This question was written before the new single announcement).

“Dopamine” was a song I wrote in 2022 while still living in Seoul. I had actually written the song for another artist, but ended up liking it so much I released it myself. It’s definitely one of the happier songs I’ve written, with lyrics describing the feeling you get being around someone you like. It’s a simple song with an almost dream-like melody and texture. It was different from anything else I’d ever written before, but I was very pleased with the result. I feel it showcased a soft, more tender side of my artistry that listeners hadn’t heard before.

Q7. You are currently majoring in music business and management. What led you to choose this path, and are there any particular lessons that have stood out to you from your studies?

The biggest influence would definitely be my upbringing in the industry. I officially started my career when I was fourteen on a Korean survival show. I was then casted by an entertainment company shortly after, where I trained for two years before eventually departing. A few years later, I was casted by another company under which I debuted at nineteen. Looking back now at the age of twenty-four, I’ve come to terms with the challenges I faced over the past ten years. Others have shared with me their own experiences during their time in the industry, which were often similar to mine or worse. Hearing their stories made me want to understand the music industry beyond the actual music, reflecting in my choice of major. Throughout the course of my studies, music law stood out to me in particular. I found contract negotiation fascinating because most artists in Korea will sign the agreement they’re given, leaving little room to defend themselves in the case of a dispute. Understanding these terms allowed me to review my past contracts and fully comprehend what was being agreed upon, and why. 

Q8. What artists first inspired you to get into the K-Pop industry?

Ironically enough, I actually didn’t like K-Pop when I was young. I had no intention of being in the K-Pop industry whatsoever and had no idea what an idol was, only to become an idol myself. The K-Pop I heard growing up was primarily second generation groups. I remember the first K-Pop dances I learned were “Tell Me” by Wonder Girls and “Diva” by Afterschool because my sister forced me to learn them with her. We laugh about it every now and then, saying it was my first trainee experience. After actually becoming a trainee, I remember the first K-Pop song that caught my attention was “Monster” by EXO. It was that song that made me realize how far K-Pop had come in regards to genre and development, as well as performance.

Q9. Who inspires you today as an independent artist?

A few notable inspirations are Tori Kelly, DPR IAN, and SZA. I’ve mentioned Tori Kelly as a role model since my debut, not only because of her immense talent, but her faith. Seeing someone so successful in the industry be so open about their faith is inspiring to me as both an artist and a Christian. DPR IAN inspires me where although he also originates from a K-Pop background similar to mine, he’s rebranded himself to be known as an artist and performer rather than an ex-idol. He plays a central role in all his projects and is incredibly innovative, which I deeply admire. SZA is just one of my favorite singers in general, where her music and writing is so profound that it inspires me to become a better artist. 

Q10. What are your hopes for the future of the K-Pop/global music scene?

I’m amazed at how much K-Pop has grown over the past decade alone. It’s become such a global phenomenon that I can’t even begin to imagine where it could go from here. I would say my hopes for the future have more to do with the behind the scenes rather than the actual music scene. The normalization of mistreatment, unfair compensation, and exploitation within the industry is abhorrent to me, and I hope that in the future artists would be able to be seen as equals instead of assets. 

Q11. Do you have any advice for anyone trying to establish themselves as a musician or looking to get into the music business?

Get a lawyer! Seriously. The two most valuable pieces of knowledge I’ve gained from my studies is 1. know your rights and 2. have a good lawyer. Knowing your rights as a musician is crucial to protect both yourself and your work. The knowledge itself, however, isn’t always enough when it comes to negotiations, so it’s better to hire a lawyer in the beginning to go over a contract rather than pay for a lawsuit in the future. It may sound excessive, but it’s more of a preventative measure than anything. Speaking from experience, no one ever really anticipates a dispute, so if it does happen, it becomes very messy, very quickly. It’s not all scary though, I promise! Music is still fun and creative, but making sure the business side is clear allows you to worry less and focus more on the actual art.

Q12. Finally, are there any new projects that you are working on, or a message you’d like to share with your fans?

I’m always working on music, I’m just really bad at releasing it! Things have been hectic since I started attending college, but I finally feel as though I have a general sense of where my life will be for at least the next year. With that being said, I’m planning on actually releasing the music I’ve been working on, so more singles to come! As for my fans, I always feel apologetic towards my Trulys because I’m not on social media that often, so I don’t get to connect with them as much as I’d like. I adore them and am so incredibly grateful for their love and support, even though I may not be the best at showing it. I hope to tour in the future, so I can perform and say all of this to them in person. It’s been a long journey till now, and no words can begin to express my gratitude to them for staying with me through it all. Thank you for everything. You make me. 🦋

Thank you so much to Denise for her in-depth and informative answers on everything from music production to music business, and words of wisdom for aspiring musicians!

If you’d like to follow Denise Kim and stream her music, you can find her on the following socials:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@denisekimsays?lang=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@deniseksays/featured

X: https://x.com/denisekimsays

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/id/artist/denise/1660886163

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2BHZnRngGsTlhk9IeYpdKo