Generally speaking, 18 months might not seem like a long time, but in K-pop, that relatively short period can make a world of difference. Woodz knows it well.
By virtue or by force, patience has been a key factor in Woodz’s entire career. Born Cho Seungyoun, the now 29-year-old first debuted in Yuehua Entertainment’s boy group UNIQ in 2014, after auditioning for various companies more than 50 times. He later debuted as a solo artist in 2016 under the name Luizy, before changing his stage name to his current moniker in 2018. In 2019, the star signed on to compete in Produce X 101, securing a spot in the temporary group X1 until their buzzy disbandment in 2020.
Change has always followed Woodz, and he has always embraced it. However, his patience was tested like never before this past May, when his song “Drowning” not only reentered the Korean charts but also reached number one on Melon and others, over two years after its original release, while Woodz was serving his military conscription. (The star enlisted in January of 2024 and finished his service in late July of 2025.)
As soon as he was discharged, he returned with full force, releasing a song merely a week after and locking in festival appearances left and right. Within the span of a week in August alone, he performed at the CassCool Festival in Seoul and Summer Sonic in both Tokyo and Osaka, where he took Teen Vogue for the ride in an exclusive photo diary included below.
As much as it might seem like Woodz is trying to make up for lost time, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Perhaps for the first time in his career, Woodz is learning to take back his time. Speaking to us from the passenger seat of his car between schedules, he reveals why he decided to scrap his entire album project and why focusing on the present has become his top priority. (And don’t worry, the project might be restarting, but he’s still planning on releasing new music in the fall!)
Teen Vogue: You’ve been at it nonstop, so it’s tough to believe that you just came out of the military. Can you tell me a little bit about your experience there? Was it something that you were dreading? Or was it something that you were looking forward to a little, to take a bit of a break?
Woodz: At first, I was a bit relieved, to be honest, because up until three days before I started the military service, I was doing concerts. My schedule was just packed. However, as soon as the training camp began, it became very challenging. After the training camp and after I was actually placed into my unit, the situation became much more stable.