| Polaris | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Kangta |
| Cover: | Kang_Ta_Polaris_Cover.jpg |
| Released: | August 16, 2001[1] |
| Length: | 55:36 |
| Language: | Korean |
| Label: | S.M. Entertainment |
| Next Title: | Pine Tree |
| Next Year: | 2002 |
Polaris is the debut studio album by South Korean singer-songwriter Kangta, released on August 16, 2001, by S.M. Entertainment. In the "Polaris" music video, Kangta dressed as a woman.
On May 13, 2001, Jang Woo-hyuk, Tony Ahn, and Lee Jae-won of the South Korean boy band H.O.T. held a press conference, announcing that they would end their contracts with SM Entertainment and move to another company. This marked H.O.T.'s de facto disbandment.[2] While Jang, An, and Lee chose to leave SM Entertainment, Kangta and Moon Hee-jun had renewed their contracts the previous year.[3] When SM was asked if the remaining members would pursue solo careers, the company stated, "Regardless of the group disbanding, we had originally planned to do a mix of solo and group activities."[4] In a press conference held on June 27, Kangta and Moon Hee-jun announced that they would release solo albums in August and October respectively.[5]
Polaris is predominantly a ballad album, featuring a range of genres such as jazz, R&B, and dance.[6] Four of the songs were composed by Kangta, while composers such as Sim Sang-won and Kim Hyeong-seok contributed to the rest of the album.[7] [8] The album opens with "Falling in Love", a swing number about the emotions experienced while in love.[9] "Polaris", the lead single, is a pop ballad, which Kangta wrote, composed, and arranged over the span of six months. It features orchestral instrumentation and details a man "who wants to be like the North Star, a star that always stays in one place and acts as a guide."[10] "Thanks God" was composed by pianist Chung Won-young and was described as a jazz ballad. His singing style in the song has been compared to Nat King Cole.[11] "My Life" is the album's only dance-pop song, with a triplet rhythm and orchestral backing; the lyrics "express the confidence that young people [Kangta's] age have in the world ahead." "With Your White Face" is a jazz standard-style remake of a 1987 song by Lee Soo-man, while "Rainy Day" is a cover of a Shin Seung-hun song.[12]
Polaris was released on August 16, 2001.[13] A month before the album's release, the title track was used in a commercial for KTF's wireless internet service Magic N, which Kangta starred in.[14] The commercial was directed by Lee Chan, who also produced the music video for "Polaris".[15] His first solo activity was a guest appearance in an NRG concert on the 17th;[16] [17] the next day, he made his TV debut through an hour-long special in the SBS variety program Saturday Is Fun.