U-KNOW reveals 14-year home and trainee-era coin bank

TVXQ's U-KNOW will reveal the home he has resided in for 14 years and the disciplined self-management philosophy he has maintained throughout his 24th year since debut. As the traces of his long-accumulated daily life, memories from his trainee days, and the meticulous process of preparing for his first solo concert are shown, the true nature of the 'effort-driven artist' is expected to be highlighted.

In episode 407 of the MBC entertainment program 'The Manager,' which airs on the 18th at 11:10 PM, U-KNOW's daily life and concert preparation process will be broadcast.

In this episode, the home where he has been living for 14 years will be revealed for the first time. Throughout the house, the residence contains not only the traces of many years but also his attitude toward life, striving to never lose his original intent.

The most eye-catching item is the coin bank he has been using since his trainee days.

Having nurtured his dreams by collecting small coins one by one during times when he was not economically well-off, he continues to cherish and use the same coin bank even now that he has reached the top of the industry. Additionally, his habit of preserving every single handwritten letter sent by fans over a long period will be revealed, showing how much he values his connection with them.

Along with this, a patent certificate personally obtained by U-KNOW will also be introduced during the broadcast.

Having consistently connected ideas arising from performances and daily life to actual inventions, he will reveal the process and results of his continuous creative thinking, demonstrating a challenging spirit that constantly explores new possibilities even off-stage. This is garnering interest as an example of how a pop culture artist's activities can extend beyond performances and album production into the realms of intellectual property and creation.

U-KNOW's day begins with thorough self-management.

After waking up and activating his body with fasted aerobic exercise, he writes what is called a 'Passion Diary,' recording album planning, music video directing ideas, concert compositions, and thoughts that occur in daily life. Moving beyond simple memos, these records serve as a personal archive accumulating creative ideas and self-reflection, and they have continued every single day for over a year.

His manager also testifies to his steady self-management philosophy, stating, "He is a person who considers keeping promises to himself as the most important thing," and adding, "Once a principle is established, it does not easily crumble.""

The broadcast will also reveal the preparation process for his first solo concert since his debut.

This performance recorded a complete sell-out as soon as tickets opened, proving U-KNOW's unchanging performance competitiveness and the high cohesion of his fandom. In particular, as this concert requires embodying a musical identity different from his group activities on stage, it is said that detailed discussions took place from the planning stage.

All production staff from various fields, including stage directing, styling, hair/makeup, and choreography, attend the performance production meetings. U-KNOW not only demonstrates the choreography himself to check the movement and details one by one but also takes the lead in the overall performance by actively suggesting opinions on the directing direction.

In particular, it will be revealed that he has separately studied fire safety knowledge to ensure a high-quality performance. His ability to meticulously consider even the safety elements of the venue alongside the artistry of stage directing is evaluated as a demonstration of his professional performance production philosophy.

Furthermore, a special teamwork method used by U-KNOW and the staff while preparing for the performance will be revealed in this broadcast.

Meanwhile, 'The Manager' continues to maintain steady buzz, recording 1st place in the TV non-drama popularity rankings for the second week of July. The group RESCENE, who also appeared on the same program, proved the program's high influence by ranking 2nd in the TV/OTT non-drama performer popularity rankings.

This broadcast, which will reveal the traces of a life that has kept its original intent in one space for 14 years and the process of continuous self-innovation that does not stop even in the 24th year of debut, is expected to be a time that once again confirms why U-KNOW is called the 'Icon of Passion.'