Just months before temporarily dropping off the K-pop map to complete mandatory military service, Doyoung of boy band NCT has given a lot of thought to the legacy he'll leave behind. On Monday at 6 p.m., he returns to the solo spotlight with his deeply personal second full-length album, “Soar,” which aims to transform fleeting moments into lasting memories.

This is something only music can accomplish, the singer said. “Let’s say you are sipping a cup of coffee at a cafe, just like any other day — a random moment like that can leave a lasting impression if it’s accompanied by good music,” he told reporters in a roundtable on Thursday in central Seoul ahead of the album’s release. “That, I believe, is the power of music, and I wish to become a musician who can create music like that.”

Doyoung debuted in 2016 as a member of NCT U and has also been part of subunits NCT 127 and NCT DoJaeJung. Known for his versatile vocals, the singer has broadened his artistic range by performing in stage musicals such as “The Man who Laughs” and “Marie Antoinette.” He released his first full-length album, “Youth” (2024), last year, including lead track “Little Light.”

The new album has 10 songs: the lead track, “Memory” — a rock number that tells a story of wishing that every shared moment will become cherished memory — along with B-sides “Wake From The Dark,” “Be My Light,” “First Step,” “Just Friends,” “Luminous,” “Still,” “Sonnet,” “Sand Box” and “Eternity.” Prominent figures of Korea’s rock scene, such as Yoon Do-hyun of rock band YB, Kim Yuna of Jaurim and Kim Jong-wan of NELL, lend their voices to the work, with Yoon having written “Still” while undergoing treatment for cancer.

Doyoung described the collaborator lineup as “dreams come true.”

“Once I heard the story behind the song, I felt a greater sense of responsibility,” Doyoung continued, referring to his work with Yoon. “I really wanted to do the song justice.”

With “Soar,” Doyoung aimed to take a step beyond the previous musical themes — and audience — that “Youth” targeted. “With the first album, I tried to explore various emotions that arise during youth,” he said. “So for the second album, I’ve been looking for more universal themes that surpass any age group. That’s how I came up with this concept of dream.”

Nevertheless, he admitted that the primary goal for this album is to simply “enjoy the process,” and solidify his musical identity.

As the singer, born in 1996, gears up to begin his mandatory military service later this year, he remains unfazed, confident that his existing catalog will keep fans plenty entertained. He'll be busy right up until then — he's set to begin his second solo Asia tour at Seoul's Jamsil Indoor Stadium on June 13, 14, and 15, followed by stops in Yokohama, Japan; Singapore; Macau; Kobe; Bangkok, Thailand; and Taipei, Taiwan.

“My music will be able to fill in my absence,” he said. “This isn’t something to be sad about. I’ll come back and pick up right where I left off.”

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]