SOYEON is turning the fantasy of walking away from work into a broader conversation about how to live in the present on her first full-length solo album, What a Wonderful Life.
Released September 7, the eight-track project is led by “I’m gonna TOESA,” featuring narration by cartoonist and television personality Kian84. The title uses a romanization of the Korean word for leaving a job, but SOYEON’s explanation reaches beyond the act of handing in a resignation.
“I don’t think quitting your job necessarily makes your life more beautiful,” she told allkpop in an interview about the album.
Instead, the i-dle leader described wanting to capture the appeal of acting on present desires rather than organizing every decision around the future. Quitting became one expression of that idea.
The lead track draws on Korean band music, a sound SOYEON said she wanted to explore as a vehicle for expressing herself. She chose Kian84 because she felt his approach to life suited the story and gave the narration the perspective it needed.
Across the album, SOYEON moves through rock, hyperpop, disco and band arrangements. She told allkpop that the variety reflects her unpredictable personality, with the project drawing inspiration from her own speech, reactions and everyday experiences.
The tracklist begins with “I’m gonna TOESA,” followed by “Bankroll,” “icebluerabbit,” “STAR,” “Hate veggie song,” “Amigo,” featuring Minsu, “Would you love me” and “Goodbye, Romance.” KPOP OFFICIAL’s album guide lists the songs and describes a project shaped by individual moods and memories.
Those subjects give the album room for both emotional uncertainty and deliberately ordinary complaints. A song about disliking vegetables sits alongside material about relationships, insecurity and lingering affection, making everyday contradictions part of the record’s identity.
The promotional imagery introduced a similar sense of humor. Concept photos released in August used exaggerated expressions and meme-inspired scenarios, extending the album’s interest in recognizable daily experiences.
What a Wonderful Life is now available to stream, with the Spotify album listing bringing together all eight tracks.