With over a decade in the music industry, EL CAPITXN has etched his name as one of the most renowned producers in the K-Pop landscape, known for his work with BTS, IU, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, ENHYPEN, and AHOF, among others.
EL CAPITXN, born Jang Yi Jeong, debuted as a member of the group HISTORY in 2013. Since then, he has made a name for himself wearing multiple hats as a singer, songwriter, composer, and producer. The artist later established his own company, Vendors Production.
Having spent years working with and producing for other artists, EL CAPITXN is now preparing to release an album under his own name. The artist hinted at the upcoming project, stating: “Musically, I’ll be showing a different texture from what I’ve done before.”
With a prolific portfolio including Agust D’s “Daechwita,” IU’s “eight,” BTS’ “Take Two,” “Mikrokosmos,” and “Make It Right,” PSY’s “That That,” tripleS’ “Girls Never Die,” “Generation,” and “Girls’ Capitalism,” ENHYPEN’s “Highway 1009,” TXT’s “New Rules,” “Growing Pain,” and “Blue Orangeade,” PLAVE’s “WAY 4 LUV,” and AHOF’s “Rendezvous,” EL CAPITXN continues to build anticipation for what he will deliver next—both for other artists and his own solo debut.
EL CAPITXN kicked off his world tour, aptly titled ‘WHO KILLED EL?’, in 2025. The tour spans several major cities—including stops in the Philippines, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Vancouver, and Calgary—before concluding in New York on March 14.
allkpop: Could you share with us the reason behind naming the tour ‘WHO KILLED EL’?
EL CAPITXN: The time I have lived through was too long to turn into a story, and too damaged to be fully explained. Most of it didn’t even remain as a memory. It simply passed through me. It never felt like a choice. There was no direction to return to, no place where I could stop. Moving forward was the only possible motion, even though I never knew where it would eventually lead.
That process was never clean. I was torn apart, broken down, bleeding, and still had to keep moving because stopping meant the end. That’s why I felt those moments on my body. Tattoos aren’t decoration for me; they’re records. This body isn’t a finished result, but closer to a site where something actually happened. People often ask why my body on stage is covered with tattoos that look like scars. But that question always arrives too late. My body has already answered it.
That’s why the version of me on stage looks different from the songwriter you see in the studio—even in my eyes. It isn’t an act. It’s a state that remains after an incident. As a songwriter, I can still think in human language. On stage, I exist in a place where language is no longer sufficient. Sometimes people say I don’t look human. I don’t think that’s entirely wrong. Some paths are impossible to pass through while remaining fully human.
“WHO KILLED EL?” isn’t a question meant to find a culprit. It’s a record of an event. It asks who killed him, whether someone truly died at all, and what kind of being survived that death and is now standing on this stage.
The scars on my body aren’t answers to that question. They’re simply undeniable evidence that one person did die—and that something entirely different walked here afterward.
I wandered through a time that felt like hell, pushing myself toward whatever seemed even slightly less dark. When I finally came to my senses, I was standing on a stage. But the stage isn’t a destination. It’s the place where I first accepted that there’s no going back, where I have to prove to myself that I survived, and where I repeatedly face time that has already ended. I don’t expect salvation here. I only keep confirming what died here, and what managed to survive long enough to stand here.
allkpop: What kind of preparations are involved in this tour? And how do you manage the pressure of taking the stage?
EL CAPITXN: I didn’t have an album released under my name EL CAPITXN. So at first, I had no choice but to build the set around remixes to other artists’ songs. But as the tour continued, one thing became clear: I couldn’t keep standing on stage like that.
So I started writing music only after the shows were booked. It didn’t feel like making music for a tour. It felt more like creating the minimum language I needed in order to stand on that stage. Once the entire setlist became my own music, I ended up playing the keyboards and bass myself. It wasn’t planned, but it felt like the right way for who I am now.
I don’t try to manage the pressure of being on stage. For someone who has already collapsed once, the stage is no longer something to fear. What I do feel, constantly, is the responsibility of stepping on stage as someone who survived. For me, the stage isn’t a challenge. It’s a place I have to keep standing in, even after everything has already ended.
allkpop: When you begin to create new music, what typically comes first: the melody or the central idea/lyrics?
EL CAPITXN: When I write for other artists, the music always comes first. But when I work under my own name, what comes first is an emotion that remains after something has already ended. I search for language that matches that emotion, and then build the music on top of it.
Because of that, my current work feels closer to documentation than creation. Rather than making something new, it’s a process of organizing what’s left after the end.
allkpop: Writing music for other artists requires a deep understanding of their unique style and persona.
EL CAPITXN: If it’s just writing one or two songs, the difference isn’t that significant. But when I take on an entire album, the perspective changes. At that point, it’s no longer just about music. I consider the lyrics, the message, the visuals, and even the direction that artists will walk toward next.
I know how important one album can be in a person’s life, so I don’t want to treat that weight lightly. I think of myself less as someone who makes music, and more as someone who temporarily takes responsibility for another person’s time.
allkpop: Take us back to where it all started. What do you believe was the turning point of your career?
EL CAPITXN: The day I first had Pyongyang naengmyeon (Cold noodles) with SUGA. It was awkward, but I felt like I had met someone I could make music with for a very long time. That feeling hasn’t changed. Looking back, it wasn’t the day something began. It was the moment when a long stretch of time was decided.
allkpop: In terms of your growth as an artist, how would you describe your development process?
EL CAPITXN: I used to work while hiding myself. Now, I don’t feel the need to hide anymore. I choose to leave things as they are. Since the time I came back, I’ve realized that I can no longer make music through concealment.
allkpop: We’ve heard you are currently working on your personal project as an artist for this year.
EL CAPITXN: In the end, it’s all music. There are unexpected collaborations in the works, and musically, I’ll be showing a different texture from what I’ve done before. The album coming out this year isn’t an attempt to prove myself again. It’s closer to a record of organizing what remains.
allkpop: If you had to choose just one song you’re most proud of, which would it be?
EL CAPITXN: “Daechwita.” It was a new attempt, and a lot of people embraced it. For me, that song isn’t a measure of success. It’s the most accurate trace of how far I managed to endure.
allkpop: Are there any artists you’d like to collaborate with?
EL CAPITXN: Justin Bieber. My answer to this question hasn’t changed since the day I started singing. The fact that it’s remained the same says a lot about the kind of time I’ve lived through.
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