Exclusive: EXO’s Kai Gets Candid About His Love For The Stage And Reflects On Preparing For “Wait On Me” Comeback And “KAION” Tour

EXO’s Kai is finally here with his highly-anticipated solo album “Wait On Me”!

On April 21, Kai held a press conference to celebrate his comeback with his fourth mini album “Wait On Me.” Fellow EXO member Suho participated in the press conference as an MC to chat with Kai about his latest album.

At the press conference, Kai expressed his excitement and nervousness to make a comeback for the first time in a long while. To begin, Kai introduced the various songs on the album including his pre-release track “Adult Swim,” which Kai explained showcases a completely different charm from the title track “Wait On Me.”

Regarding his B-side “Walls Don’t Talk,” Kai commented on the music video released for the song, saying, “I hope that fans can feel like they are on a date with me while watching the video,” while Suho remarked that “Flight to Paris” will be a perfect addition to EXO-L’s travel playlist.

Kai further raised anticipation for his title track “Wait On Me,” especially the performance, which showcases a subdued charm and has an eye-catching dance break. Regarding the music video, Kai shared, “There is a part I enjoyed filming where the dancers and I dance while walking down a long hallway,” emphasizing how it felt cool to showcase a new type of performance.

As Kai prepared for his performance showcase of “Wait On Me,” Suho bantered with the reporters, raising anticipation for Kai’s stage and also teasing that he is preparing for a new album himself. He continued to praise “world-class Kai,” saying, “Please show lots of love for his fourth mini album ‘Wait On Me,'” jokingly adding, “And please show lots of love for me as well.”

After Kai’s performance of “Wait On Me,” Suho also praised, “It was a great performance—Kai didn’t disappoint.” When Suho asked about Kai exposing a lot of skin in the music video, Kai explained, “With the desert backdrop, [we thought that] if I’m also wearing a lot of clothes, it would feel too hot for the audience, so there was the opinion that I show some skin.”

Bringing up the subject of Kai being known as a “cropped shirt icon,” Kai reflected, “I really enjoy that and that people think of me that way.” He recalled, “Doh Kyung Soo once said to me, ‘Why are you lacking so much fabric?'” Kai continued to joke, “It made me think that I should show a side that’s ‘not lacking in fabric’ next time, such as wearing a padded jacket.”

When asked about the possibility of future activities as EXO, Kai shared, “We are talking with the company on what would be good for EXO. If the opportunity arises, EXO will show up here on stage [like this showcase], so we will talk more with the company.”

Kai also reflected on his time working with elderly with Alzheimer’s while serving in the military, saying, “I did my best as it was what I should do.” He reflected, “I made lots of memories with the elderly, and I learned a lot about Alzheimer’s,” talking about his memories assisting them in going back home and studying.

Kai further shared, “I want to show diverse sides of myself as Kai and as Kim Jong In (Kai’s real name). In the past, I simply showed different dances and worked hard to dance on stage, but while preparing for this album, I looked over past performances, and there really isn’t any concept I haven’t tried. I think those experiences and working hard are my strengths.”

Kai reflected, “When I missed the stage the most was the two months before the comeback,” saying that the two months waiting for the comeback was when the time passed the slowest for him. He continued, “Today’s stage was exciting, and I also felt nervous. I thought that I should have done even better. I feel grateful that I can have this thought. I realized that I really love being on stage.”

When asked about any junior artists that caught his eye as many have mentioned Kai as their role model, Kai expressed gratitude to those junior artists and shared his desire to work together with them. In particular, he mentioned NCT WISH, sharing that he recently filmed a dance challenge together, adding, “I really enjoy listening to their music.”

Kai also raised anticipation for his upcoming solo tour “KAION.” He commented, “I’m using the concert as an excuse to see fans around the world. Rather than fans waiting for me, I think I waited to see the fans more. Through the tour, it will be great to compare whose love is greater.” As a spoiler for the tour, Kai hinted that he may showcase a medley of EXO’s songs as his members previously have during their concert tours but with his own spin to it.

“Wait On Me” was released on April 21 at 6 p.m. KST. Check out the music video here! Also check out more information on Kai’s upcoming tour “KAION” here!