PETALING JAYA, July 18 -- South Korean singer Dean is no stranger to confronting touchy subjects in his work.

While mainstream music from his home country is dominated by the sugary sounds of K-pop, the 26-year-old is making alternative R&B tracks with lyrics that explore issues of modern melancholy, from one-night stands to isolation on social media.

His single dayfly is an ode to fleeting hook-ups and the emotional fragility that many Korean youths experience yet seldom discuss out in the open.

In an interview with Malay Mail, Dean spoke about his aim to put those emotions into words and hopefully break the ice when it comes to taboo topics.

"Building up to the main theme of my next album, I tried to put my feelings and thoughts abo...