[CONTENT WARNING – the following article mentions suicidal feelings and depression. ]
Kang Minsoo, better known as rapper AQUINAS has returned with a deeply personal song featuring singer-songwriter Dahlia Kim called “In his sad heart,” released on April 27th at 6 p.m. KST.
The track opens with a bossa nova jazz-style piano accompanied by a haunting string arrangement, with AQUINAS showcasing his versatility as both a rapper and vocalist, which has been prevalent in all his works since his 2020 debut “OH!”
The song’s Korean title “안개꽃” translates to “Mist Flower” and is the name of a flower commonly known as Baby’s Breath. “In his sad heart” was created during a very dark time in the artist’s life which he revealed on Instagram coinciding with the song’s release.
“Hello, this is Kang Minsoo AQUINAS.
I released a song called ‘In his sad heart.’
I have been suffering from depression since I became an adult. I hurried towards the end of the life I was given, shook off the hands of my friends who were walking with me, and spent my colorless youth doing things I regretted on days that should have been sunny. At the end of last year, when the white snow was still falling, I climbed onto a bridge and sat for a few tens of minutes to let go of the world, even though I shouldn’t have. But it wasn’t all gloom and doom, my smile in my dreams was full of what-ifs, and the early morning river air that momentarily brushed the tip of my nose lifted me up, holding in its hands memories that became gifts in the name of memories, and before long I was back in my studio, thinking about the pain those who loved me would suffer when I was gone, and that’s when I wrote this song, “In his sad heart.” I think in this day and age, depression can be caught so easily, like a cold. If you find yourself in that situation, let’s just live for today, just for today, just for another day.
Let’s let the tears flow and have a moment of peace instead of holding them back, and let’s promise to love our family and friends.
If you have someone in your life who is going through this, I want you to hug them without saying a word. I’ll be in your arms in return. Thank you for reading this long post. I know you’re all so busy these days that it’s hard to look up at the sky for three seconds, but if you could take three minutes to listen to this song, I’d really appreciate it. Have a great day, everyone.”
AQUINAS first gained prominence in 2019 as the runner-up of the hip-hop survival program “High School Rapper 3.” He is often praised for his unique styling, distinctive rapping, and creative ability to combine different genres.
Evident by his most successful release, 2021’s “It Doesn’t Matter” which was based on the Korean folktale “the King’s ears are donkey’s ears,” and incorporated traditional Korean music sounds such as pansori, lyre, and daegeum.
A trailblazer not only in music, the same year AQUINAS came out as bisexual which was met with support and commended as brave from fans in Korea and abroad. More recently in April, the independent artist clarified that he is “actually gay, not bisexual” which again was met with congratulations for representing the ongoing journey of self-discovery many LGBTQ+ people experience.
Coming out as LGBTQ+ is still a rarity in the Korean entertainment industry, especially in the K-pop and K-hip-hop spheres, which makes AQUINAS twice as courageous for speaking out about his sexuality and his struggles with mental health.
“In his sad heart (feat. Dahlia Kim)” is available now on all streaming platforms, listen to it below!
We at What The Kpop support Minsoo and wish him all the best in the future in his personal and professional life! Let us know your thoughts by tweeting to us @whatthekpop1 or leaving us a comment on Facebook and Instagram!
Justin is an Aussie K-pop fanboy passionate about underrated and under-loved artists. He loves all types of music and is a dedicated TV show and soap opera viewer.
MEDIA: AQUINAS