KANGDANIEL is one of K-pop’s brightest stars, but at just 26 years old, he’s already learned there’s more to life than bright lights and fancy restaurants.
“I like to pursue happiness because in the end, time is not eternal … we have to maximize our happiness and it’s almost imprinted in my brain,” explained the “Paranoia” and “Nirvana” singer. “There are times when I had to do something that I didn’t want to and I didn’t have no money, and there was no outcome that I expected. I was shocked because money didn’t give me happiness.”
KANGDANIEL, chosen by Forbes Korea as one of its top 40 celebrities for 2022, is wrapping up his first North American tour, with the final stop in Los Angeles on Saturday.
KANGDANIEL’S path to superstardom began in 2017 after winning the second season of the reality TV talent series “Produce 101,” which led to the formation of the K-pop boy band Wanna One. He went solo two years later. He released his debut album, “The Story,” last year.
KANGDANIEL, who publicly struggled with depression and panic disorder in 2019, says the pursuit of happiness is not a fanciful wish but a way of life.
“A lot of people say, ‘Oh, without money you are not happy.’ For me, those two things are separate,” said KANGDANIEL, who grew up listening to an eclectic mix of Green Day, Nirvana, Michael Jackson and Usher. “That’s why I pursue happiness above everything.”
