Woodz Showcases Versatility in New Album “Archive.1”
Multi-hyphenate Korean rockstar WOODZ returns with his first full-length album, Archive. 1. Preceded by two pre-release tracks and a handful of artistic highlight medleys, the album is a genre-defying collection of tracks that muses on perseverance, love, and the human condition. Cho Seungyoun, better known by his stage name WOODZ, is widely known for his 2023 chart-topping smash hit “Drowning.” After releasing a handful of singles and performing at festivals throughout 2025, WOODZ has started 2026 fresh with a 17-track album of Korean and English tracks written, composed, and produced entirely by WOODZ and his longtime collaborators NATHAN and HOHO.
What Does It Mean To Be Human?
Focus track “Human Extinction” asks exactly that question. A gritty, contemplative song, “Human Extinction” grapples with the concept of lightness and darkness. It asks if one can survive their darkest selves being exposed to the light, or if it will be the end of them. “Once again / your light finds me,” WOODZ cries out in the chorus. “I’ll break again / shame on me.” WOODZ makes the transition from soft vocals in each verse to belting from the heart in the chorus. The lyrics, driven forward by the eerie arpeggio guitar and explosive percussion, mourn the fate of succumbing to our dark sides when exposed to the light.
The cinematic music video reflects the duality of dark versus light, following three individuals and their internal struggles. A girl attempts to fit in at school, an office worker struggles with hoarding, and a doctor with his own painful past strives to make it through his day. WOODZ himself looms over them, dressed in all white and passively observing their lives. The emotional depth adds to the film-quality visuals and creates a perfect accompaniment to the track.
In a press release, WOODZ shared that he is particularly looking forward to performing “Human Extinction” at festivals. “It’s a track everyone can come together and enjoy energetically,” he said.
WOODZ, The Rockstar
Following his mandatory 18-month military enlistment, WOODZ’s long-awaited return to writing, producing, composing, and, most importantly, performing, has been nothing short of impressive. Known for his versatility, the artist exceeded expectations by returning to his classic-rock sound in the first half of the album.
The third track of Archive 1., “Dayfly” (“하루살이” in Korean), smoothly transitions from its predecessor into a lighthearted melody. WOODZ’s unique tone is accompanied by a plucky guitar that reflects the cheery message of “I feel like I can do anything.” With a bright sound fit for a slice-of-life anime’s opening sequence, “Dayfly” exudes optimism from the first line: “Finally, my reins have come undone / I’ll go anywhere, everywhere / The walls that blocked me have crumbled / Now, how could anyone stop me?” In the chorus, WOODZ emphatically asserts that “If today is the last of that moonlight / I’m a dreaming dayfly / Even if I die tomorrow, I want to die right there.” This song encourages people to live life to the fullest, without any regrets.
WOODZ’s many talents are immediately evident in “Stray” (“비행” in Korean), a powerful track following “Human Extinction” that starts off with a resounding scream. Described in a press release as having a “gritty rap metal intensity,” this track is proud of its loudness, maintaining a consistent drumbeat, shredding guitar, deep bass notes, and of course, WOODZ’s dominant voice itself. The lyrics are unapologetic, proclaiming that “I’m the right answer, and everything you do is twisted / Everything you do is wrong, that’s why you’re so mean.” “Stray” strikingly resembles fan-favorite tracks like 2023’s “Busted” in both sound and messaging, ending with a ten-second scream that sets up a banging finish.
The rock-driven tone continues in the two succeeding tracks, “Bloodline” and “Downtown.” Released just one month before Archive. 1, “Bloodline” is the full-English track of a rock fan’s dreams, referencing iconic artists and songs in rock history from the get-go. With just two verses and a heavy focus on the chorus and bridge, the song speaks of living and breathing rock and roll. WOODZ affirms, “I been baptized in that good life / It’s in my bloodline / It’s that rebel made of metal / It’s in my bloodline.” The smooth electric guitar riffs are the perfect accessory to WOODZ’s well-rounded vocals in this eclectic track.
Coming down from the high of “Bloodline,” “Downtown” is another full-English track that perfectly tones down the heavy rock influence to give way to a groovier track. Here, WOODZ speaks of unabashedly running after his dreams, a common theme across Archive. 1: “Ain’t no rusted wheels gonna shake me, hold me down / Wind blows strong, won’t ever slow me down.”
Shaking It Up
Although WOODZ excels in rock, he is capable of much more. Archive. 1 opens with the hip-hop-infused track “00:30.” It captures the sense of frustration that comes from life’s pressures and the freedom of letting them out on the road. The track was “inspired by the feeling of driving home at midnight after a long day,” WOODZ shared in a press release. The feeling shines through in his strong vocals.
“The same old thoughts keep chasing / round and round they go,” he yells, uninhibited, in the pre-chorus, “But right here, right now, I’m breaking every chain.” His voice echoes on the track while the funky bassline keeps a steady rhythm through it all.
“00:30” transitions right into the next track. Exchanging the hip-hop drums for a more drum ‘n bass style of percussion, “Super Lazy” details the desire to do nothing but laze around when your life is consumed with hard work. The standout bassline and guitar twangs accompany the all-too-relatable lyrics. WOODZ longs to enjoy a lazy day of visiting the Han River, ordering delivery, and listening to music. His work prevents him from doing so, leading him to ask, “Since when did it start consuming me?”
Funky basslines are a recurring theme in WOODZ’s experimental tracks. “Struggle” opens with a deep bass guitar and the unique vocals of a female chorus. WOODZ mutters quietly through the verses and chorus, letting the instrumental carry through the breaks between lyrics. He expresses the weakness and resentment of struggling to get through life each day. The intimate nature of the vocals places the listener in the room with him as he asks himself, “Is that what’s right?”
Each track, even with varying genres and intensities, conveys WOODZ’s strong personal emotions in a way that listeners can relate to. He transforms his frustration with stagnancy, burnout from work, and the horrors of everyday life into hard-hitting tracks that make for easy listening and even easier repeating.
Which Way Do You Want To Go?
Archive. 1’s second focus track, “NA NA NA,” dials up the charisma. The full-English track opens with a chic bassline and WOODZ’s playful tone as he describes a love-at-first-sight scenario. “She walks in real slow / Neon lights keep tracing her,” he opens the song with an intercom-like effect on his vocals, “Eyes like the moon glow / pull me close, I lose my breath.” It captures the thrill of feeling an instant chemistry with another person on the dance floor. It’s the perfect tune for listeners to let loose and party a little.
But love-at-first-sight doesn’t always end well. Some forlorn tracks on the album recount love gone wrong, from clinging to past relationships to dealing with unrequited love. “BEEP” conveys the former, chronicling the lingering thoughts of an ex over a jazzy, bossa-nova inspired beat. Late-night track “SAMO” delivers a stinging lesson on begging for someone’s love with its bass-heavy chorus and soft, sultry vocals. “The Spark,” which has enough groove to get anyone’s body moving, recounts the moment that held-back feelings overflow “like lava bursting from a volcano.”
WOODZ takes a sharp self-reflective turn on “Plastic,” a deceptively funky, laidback track with lyrics full of self-doubt and anxiety. He sings of the weight of his career and how it has affected him, leading with, “I got the life I used to chase / But something’s off, I feel out of place.” WOODZ walks the listeners through the physical drawbacks of fame with the auditory equivalent of shaking hands and a tight chest. Even though his career stretches him thin and overwhelms him, he still asks, “Do I look okay?” and “Will I fade away?”
Pop-punk makes an appearance on the album nine tracks in with “STOP THAT.” It’s a self-assured anthem on staying true to yourself and being confident enough to stop comparing yourself to others. Catchy guitar riffs and a head-bopping beat pair with the hopeful lyrics. “Before I know it, I feel like I’m not that kind of person anymore,” WOODZ confesses. “I can do that, but I won’t.” It’s a feel-good, windows-down and scream along kind of track, perfect for the warm summer days ahead.
In Your Feels
Much of Archive. 1 highlights WOODZ’s excellent ear for groovy and experimental tracks. However, longtime fans no doubt recognize the album’s underlying introspection, a signature of the singer-songwriter’s musical repertoire. The latter half of the album really dives into the lamentation of a love foregone.
Sitting 14 tracks into the project, “GLASS” evokes the familiarity of being lost in one’s head and searching for a reason to go on. The song starts off with WOODZ’s voice accompanied only by a simple piano tune. As the first chorus rolls around, listeners are greeted with heavy lyrics: “If you see me you would think I’m made of stone / Think it’s easy but it’s harder than you know / Once you start to crack, you know that there’s no fixing that / When you’re made of glass.” This pain, conveyed by the powerfully evocative lyrics, is only bolstered by WOODZ’s mellow tone. “GLASS” alternates between quiet moments that feel reflective and an upbeat verse and bridge that create a sharp inflection point, taking listeners on a rollercoaster of emotions that is sure to feel cathartic.
Following “GLASS” is another track that may be familiar to fans. “CINEMA” looks back on the happiness of being in love through a cinematic lens, as reflected in the pre-chorus: “I must’ve smiled without even knowing / I guess I really missed what I left behind.” The song mirrors the quiet beginning of “GLASS” in both verses and pre-choruses. However, it is quickly contrasted by a mounting chorus that incorporates a heavy drum beat and guitar solo, echoing the lyrics “You’re out of sight / But I can’t get it out of my mind.” The building momentum culminates in WOODZ’s impassioned acceptance of this loss through the bridge as he sings, “I don’t think it’ll ever come back / Our long-past romance.”
The album ends on a hopeful tone with “To My January,” a welcome respite from the three brooding tracks that precede it. As one of the longest songs on the album, this full-English track maintains that amidst the agony of losing oneself, “Someday, the light will find its way.” WOODZ reminds listeners to take each day as it comes, asserting “I won’t rush, I’ll live today,” awaiting the day that “my dreams will find its way.” The song concludes with a 30-second guitar solo, cementing the uplifting song as the album’s final message.
WOODZ’s Duality
Archive. 1 is a brilliant reflection of WOODZ’s versatility, from upbeat and optimistic tracks like “Dayfly” and “To My January;” to tearjerkers like “Plastic” and “GLASS;” to all-encompassing tracks like “Human Extinction.” This polarity is featured throughout his discography, most commonly showing up as dual-release tracks.
Following his military enlistment, WOODZ released two Korean tracks, “I’ll Never Love Again” and “Smashing Concrete,” in September 2025. The former is a pensive yet powerful song that builds up to exclaim “I’ll never love / It burns me down / The love that touched / My cold heart / Has swallowed me whole again” as the singer refuses to experience the heartbreak of losing love ever again. On the other hand, “Smashing Concrete” features a heavy hi-hat and bass influence, artfully describing the agony of a monotonous life.
This 2025 dual-release is a perfect reflection of the dual-pre-releases from Archive. 1. The domestically-focused “CINEMA” recalls a once-happy relationship in an sonically-ascending track, while the internationally-focused “Bloodline” matches the dynamic and passionate nature of “Smashing Concrete.”
The double releases perfectly capture the many facets of WOODZ as an artist, as well as Archive. 1 as an album. Both begin with powerful, rock-driven, and experimental tracks before transitioning to a slower rhythm. Above all, the message of seeking hope in the face of hopelessness is consistent, masterfully delivered through a variety of genres that is sure to draw fans from all walks of life.
Where To Next?
This album is just one of the singer’s ongoing projects. Korean fans should be sure to check out WOODZ’s acting debut in his newly-premiered short film Slide Strum Mute, featuring Korean-American actor Justin Min.
International fans can anticipate hearing WOODZ live once again as he embarks on the 2026 WOODZ WORLD TOUR “Archive. 1”, where he will visit 17 cities across Asia, Europe, and Australia. More dates and locations will be announced soon.
Keep up with WOODZ on Instagram, X, and TikTok, and stream Archive. 1 on your preferred music platform.
Want to read more about WOODZ’s music? Check out EnVi’s coverage of “I’ll Never Love Again” here.
