Woosung, frontman of South Korean pop-rock band The Rose, has opened up about his complicated relationship with music.

The Korean-American singer recently sat down for an interview with Teen Vogue, where he discussed his relationship with music, ranging from his origins as a contestant on the first season of SBS’s K-pop Star in 2011 to life as a solo artist.

Back in 2011, when Woosung appeared on the reality TV series, he faced a setback in his career when he was eliminated much earlier than expected. “I think life always gives you all these problems, but it doesn’t give you problems that you can’t solve,” he said.

“I started [this path] because I love music. It was a surprise and it came too fast,” he added, before describing his relationship with music as a “love-hate” one. “Because I chose music, I did go through my hardest times in life, but then again, I could get through them because of music.”

“Because I love it so much. It’s something that I can’t take out of my life,” Woosung concluded, although also noting that music “isn’t the only thing” that he has going for him. “If there is a time I can’t do it, it won’t be the end of the world. I’ll be okay.”

Woosung also opened up about the hardships he faced during his time as a trainee post-K-pop Star, before he made his debut with The Rose. “One day I woke up and I didn’t know what I was doing. Why was I even practicing? Why was I in this company, wasting my time away?” he said.

Despite his past struggles, the singer now sees his experience in a more positive light, saying that he “got to discover new things because there was nobody to look after me [and] I am who I am because of those moments”.

Woosung is set to make his return later this month with a brand-new solo single titled ‘Dimples’. The track, set to be released on September 23, will be the follow-up to his previous single ‘Lazy’, which dropped in July.