%20(2).jpg "Chanyeol Facts – Unknown Habits, Creative Process, and Emotional Details (EXO)")
Secret Instrument Collection
%20(2).jpg "Chanyeol Facts – Unknown Habits, Creative Process, and Emotional Details (EXO)")
Chanyeol's home contains over 20 instruments that appear to be mere decorations from the outside, but are actually all actively played. Some are classic acoustic guitars, while others are stringed instruments unique to Korean music. While fans know that he plays the guitar, guests at his home sometimes come across small but functional instruments such as ukuleles, cajons, and harmonicas hidden in his rooms. He says he keeps them not only for recording but also to play when inspiration strikes.
Obsessive Search for the Right Sound in Songwriting
Chanyeol can take weeks to finish a song because he spends days listening to the same few seconds over and over, fine-tuning a specific sound effect or background detail. He has even remixed a track because the reverb duration of a vocal effect was 0.1 seconds too long. It is known that he occasionally has disagreements with external producers on his own productions due to this.
Animation Film Obsession
According to Chanyeol, he watches at least 15 minutes of animation every night before going to sleep. He is a fan of Pixar and DreamWorks, but he prefers independent Korean short animations. He even mentioned that he wrote some of his song lyrics inspired by silent scenes from the animations he watched. He once said that he wrote an 8-line chorus inspired by the blink of a character's eye in an animation.
Notebook Archive
Chanyeol, one of the members of EXO who keeps the most handwritten notes, is estimated to have accumulated more than 30 notebooks to date. These notebooks contain not only song lyrics, but also random words, quotes from books he has read, and even short dialogues he wrote after being inspired by conversations he heard on the subway. Some of the notebooks have been scanned and used as cover inspiration for EXO's album designers.
Beats Written for Backstage
Chanyeol creates special beats for the backstage atmosphere of some EXO concerts. These are never played on stage but are used to boost the energy of the crew and members in the backstage area. Most of these beats are arranged to be listened to only through headphones. Some of them feature excerpts from EXO members' conversations integrated into the rhythm.
Permanent Hearing Issue
During an intense rehearsal period, he experienced permanent hearing loss in his left ear due to improper use of in-ear monitors. This directly affected his vocal control on stage, so he now uses custom-made low-frequency monitors for live performances. This adaptation process is one of the most time-consuming aspects of his stage preparation.
Unique Handwriting Style
Chanyeol's handwriting stands out even in album signatures because it does not conform to the standard Korean writing style. When responding to fan letters, his writing is usually in two different sizes: emotional sentences are large and bold, while technical explanations are small and narrow. This habit stems from his school days, and even now, if he decides that a word is “important,” he unconsciously enlarges the font size.
Anonymous Contributions to Solo Projects
He is known to have contributed to some K-indie projects under a pseudonym. In particular, it is claimed that he has released several tracks on Spotify and SoundCloud under a different username, mainly in the synthwave and lo-fi genres. Although these tracks do not feature vocals, they are easily recognizable by Chanyeol fans due to their sound structure and mixing style. However, he has yet to openly acknowledge most of these projects.
Low Emotional Threshold
It has been frequently observed that Chanyeol easily tears up on set or during recordings. A former director shared that he cried before filming began when reading a scene where a dog was abandoned, and filming was paused for the day. He describes this not as embarrassment, but as “empathy breakdown.”
Photographic Memory and Joke Planning
Group members say that he sometimes plans jokes weeks in advance but executes them flawlessly thanks to his photographic memory. For example, he planned a birthday prank for D.O. two months in advance and remembered every detail, including the lighting plan on stage. This aspect of him makes him both beloved and feared as a “prank master” within EXO.
Sleep Schedule and Nighttime Habits
Chanyeol's sleep schedule is almost completely reversed. He is rarely seen going to bed before 5 a.m. Despite this, his energetic participation in morning activities is attributed to his body having adapted to a “night production” mode. Instead of a traditional bedside lamp, he uses programmable lights that change color, and the tone of these lights adjusts according to the rhythm of the music he is working on that night.
Studio Walls Covered with Notes
Instead of traditional foam panels, the walls of his studio are covered with handwritten notes, sticky notes, and small drawings. These are not just musical ideas, but words that describe his moods, tone experiments, and even some poetry. He often draws small graphic symbols next to abstract concepts such as “happiness,” “tiredness,” and “fragility.”
Modifying His Own Equipment
Chanyeol doesn't just make music; he also examines his equipment at a technical level. He has added custom buttons to his MIDI keyboard and made several parts more ergonomic. From changing earphone pads to re-soldering cable connections, he directly personalizes some of his hardware. For this reason, some technical service staff refer to him as a “half-engineer.”
Perfumes He Uses While Writing
Chanyeol places great importance on his surroundings while writing. The perfumes he uses are not just personal choices but are selected with the writing process in mind. He prefers amber and woody scents when writing emotional or dark lyrics, and citrus and sea breeze scents when writing cheerful and fast-paced lyrics. He says he consciously changes his choices and believes that scent contributes to his “spiritual transition.”
Obsession with Handmade Gifts
He is the EXO member who gives the most handmade gifts. On birthdays or special group occasions, he prepares handmade bracelets, special notes, or personalized remixes. For one of Suho's birthdays, he even took a recording of Suho's childhood voice and combined it with a piano melody he wrote himself to create a small music box.
Microphone Selection Obsession
Whether on stage or in the studio, he doesn't just consider technical specifications when choosing a microphone; he also pays attention to how the sound reflects psychologically. Especially when he wants to feel confident, the metal color and weight of the microphone are decisive factors for him. It is known that he requests different versions of the same microphone from the crew before performances and frequently tests them backstage.
The Silent Director Behind the Camera
Behind the scenes of music videos or EXO content, he transforms into a silent observer who offers suggestions to the filming crew. His recommendations on changing the angle of the light, comments on lens focal length, or suggestions for camera transitions have led several video directors to praise his off-stage intelligence. This has heightened expectations that he may pursue a career in directing in the future.
Secret Remixes He Made for His Fans
Some of the music used in fan content is believed to be short loops uploaded anonymously to low-resolution platforms, allegedly by Chanyeol. This speculation gained traction when it was noticed that some of the music heard in vlog-style content featuring EXO members seemed to originate from his studio recordings. However, he has always chosen to remain silent regarding such claims.
Mini Stories He Writes When Bored
During long journeys or while waiting, he writes short stories on his phone. Some of these stories are science fiction, while others are melancholic love stories. In a 2022 interview, he mentioned that some of these stories could potentially become webtoon scripts in the future. The characters he writes are often based on his own contrasting personality.
Musical Mind Map
He describes how, in his mind, notes are not just sounds but also colors and spaces. For example, the note “re” feels like the corner of a small room to him, while “la” evokes a large, glass-enclosed space. This synesthetic approach highlights how intuitive he is in creating atmosphere in his productions.
He Records Guitar Tones Based on Memory
It is known that Chanyeol relies directly on his ears and mental memory rather than watching sound waves on a screen when recording guitar. The reason he re-records some tracks multiple times is that he works until they match the version he hears in his head exactly. His reliance on auditory intuition rather than visual analysis takes his musical intuition beyond technical criteria.
He Uses His Hands Like a Code When Writing
When Chanyeol finds a melody or lyrics, he moves his hands in the air as if drawing something. These movements, which look like he is writing a script with his fingers, are a physical reflection of his mental process. Sometimes he cannot even remember what he wrote during these movements, but he cannot start writing without making these gestures.
The Quiet Parts of His Home
He has “silence zones” in his home where he prefers not to speak at certain times. During these hours, he doesn't talk on the phone or listen to music. He has mentioned that he sits in complete darkness between 3 and 4 a.m., internally tracking sound waves, and sometimes during this process, he writes rhythms instead of melodies. During these quiet times, he doesn't touch any digital devices.
Diaries Tracking Group Dynamics
He keeps a special diary where he writes his observations about the group dynamics within EXO. He keeps track of details such as the members' morale, energy levels, and pre-performance rituals. These observations are important not only for building rapport but also for positioning them on stage. He notices which members are quieter on certain days and makes humorous gestures accordingly.
Obsession with Stage Shoes
The shoes Chanyeol wears on stage are not just aesthetic; they carry emotional memories. He often tries to wear specific shoes for special concerts because he says the “feeling in his feet” takes him back to that stage. There are even recordings where he says, “I feel better when I play with these shoes.”
Encoding Fan Names into Music
Chanyeol secretly adds fan usernames as sound waves to the background of some digital demo files. These sounds are inaudible but visible in frequency analysis. This is his way of saying “thank you” to those who support him silently. It is unknown how many files contain this encoding, but some fans claim to have found their names in spectrum analysis.
Talking to Plants
He has a habit of talking to the plants he looks after in his studio. This isn't just a joke; he has stated that on some recording days, he first tests his voice on them and consciously constructs this dialogue to understand his vocal form for that day. He has said that he observes how the silence of the plants harmonizes with the echoes in the studio.
The Sound Diaries He Made as a Child
At the age of 11, he began recording his daily journals aloud using a mini cassette recorder. These recordings not only documented his day but also included improvised melodies he created while describing his mood. It is known that he still keeps some of these cassettes and occasionally listens to them, drawing inspiration from the sound of his voice at the time to write vocal openings.
Observant Silence
Backstage or at social events outside the group, he barely speaks for the first 20 minutes. This is a conscious observation habit of his. He perceives the energy level of the environment, the rhythm of people's speech, and their body language, and then, when he joins in, he almost always makes an entrance with a memorable statement. Group members describe this trait as “the silent analyst.”
The Mini Guitar Piece He Carries in His Pocket
Chanyeol carries a wooden piece shaped like a mini guitar neck in his pocket. This object is not a full guitar but was specially made for practicing finger positions. It allows him to do finger exercises unnoticed in waiting rooms, during travels, or at meetings. This piece serves as both a physical practice tool and a mental balance aid for him.
The Only Meal He Eats on Recording Nights
On days when he’s recording, he often eats the same thing: plain ramen. However, this isn’t because of the taste; for Chanyeol, this meal is “the thing that causes the least mental strain.” The spices, water ratio, and preparation time never change. He almost never skips this ritual before moving on to the final mix of a song.
He Collects Nature Sounds
Every city he visits, he records short nature sounds on his phone. Examples include the rhythm of raindrops on glass, the whistling of wind around building corners, or the vibrations caused by a passing subway. Some EXO tracks feature digitized versions of these natural sounds in the background. Although listeners may not notice, these sounds add a kind of “memory layer” to the song for him.
Micro Note Systems
He has an “inner voice” note for every song he works on. These notes are usually kept in the notes section of his phone as single-word cues: They follow the emotional backbone of the song through abstract concepts such as “fragility,” “shadow,” and “light transition.” He says he also associates these words with feelings of color and warmth when he writes them down.
Dubbing Training
Chanyeol secretly took dubbing lessons for a month in 2018. His goal was to voice an animated character, but he wanted to learn how to transition between tones more professionally before taking on the project. His instructors said that it was difficult but impressive how he adapted the control he has when singing to the tempo of speech. This skill may come in handy for surprise dubbing projects in the future.
Reversed Mirrors in His Studio
In one corner of his studio, there are two mirrors that not only tilt but also reflect images upside down. He placed them there to observe himself from a different angle during recordings and to understand “the effect of the image on mental perception.” One of the mirrors intentionally blurs the image, which he describes as a “filter that focuses confidence inward rather than outward.”
Songwriting with Physical Gestures
While developing some melodies, he unconsciously stretched his arm, shoulder, or fingers in certain directions. The synchrony of these movements with the music was a kind of discovery of inner rhythm for him. Sometimes he records these movements and tries to recapture the emotional transition by repeating them in the next session. He believes that the body is as musical as an instrument.
Emotion Diary Instead of a Calendar
Instead of using a traditional calendar, Chanyeol keeps a notebook based on his “feelings of the day.” Instead of the date, he writes the mood that dominates that day as the title: “Vapor,” “Drifting,” “Rising.” Under these titles, he jots down a 2-3 line explanation and a one-word song idea. He says that even months later, these titles allow him to return to the melody.
How He Folds His Headphone Cables
Chanyeol’s method of wrapping his headphone cables is different from the standard “twist and wrap” technique. Instead of flattening the cable, he leaves it loose in a slightly wavy shape. The reason for this is to prevent micro-curls in the cable from creating micro-vibrations that interfere with sound transmission. Although it may seem like a technical obsession, this habit is based on years of sound sensitivity.
Dancing with Light During Stage Rehearsals
It is said that he is the only EXO member who tries to dance with the movement of lights during stage rehearsals. For Chanyeol, music is not just auditory; it is a “movement choreography” that combines with light. During rehearsals, he is known for extending his hand toward the light beams and adjusting his body position according to their direction. This habit has become one of the creative sources for the dramatic light transitions during concerts.
Obsession with Not Wearing a Watch
Chanyeol does not wear a wristwatch and keeps his phone's clock to a minimum. His way of keeping track of time is intuitive, based on changes in the room's lighting, his fatigue level, and the volume of sound. For him, forgetting the time during rehearsals or recordings is part of the creative process. This is why there are days when he doesn't eat for hours or doesn't answer his phone at all.
His Own Coded Music Archive
When naming his demo tracks, he uses a special symbol language instead of the classic system. For example, a file name may consist of just three dots and a star. This system prevents automatic categorization based on the feel of the song, but for him, each symbol has a special meaning. His archive contains hundreds of such names that are completely meaningless to an outsider but crystal clear to him.
Emotion-Defined Headphone List
He categorizes his headphones based on emotions, using names like “cold vocals,” “heavy bass,” and “steamy tones.” He notes which headphones are more compatible with which moods and makes his selection based on how many hours he's spent in the studio. He also has recording sessions where he listens to the same music with different headphones to test which emotion comes through more strongly.
Fixed Pen Set
He doesn't use just one pen when writing or taking song notes. He carries three pens with him: one for headings, one for the main text, and one for corrections. This system has become a tool that reflects his mental organization. Even the weight of the pens and the ink density are factors that motivate him to write.
Visual Memory and Memorizing Lyrics
Instead of memorizing the lyrics of EXO songs before going on stage, he remembers where to stand and which color lights to stand under, allowing him to capture the flow of the lyrics. Combining visual memory with rhythm and word order allows him to improvise transitions more comfortably during live performances. He says he has automated emotional transitions based on light colors.
Continuing Song Lyrics in Dreams
He has notebooks that he continues to write in while half-asleep. He has jotted down the lyrics of some songs in the middle of the night, waking up to write just a few words, and the next day, the entire verse begins with those words. To remember the melodies he hears in his dreams, he keeps a voice recorder by his bedside and says that if he doesn't start recording within a few seconds of waking up, everything is erased.
Counting Rhythm with Fingertips
When writing songs or working on a beat, he counts the rhythm not with his feet but directly with his fingertips. This rhythm counting often involves touching an empty space in the air rather than a surface. He does this movement even without receiving any neural feedback because he describes music as “something flowing through the skin.”
Hourly Limits on Certain Instruments
He only plays certain instruments at specific times. For example, he never uses an electric guitar before sunset because the “natural warmth” of the sound's resonance with the air is missing. Similarly, he prefers to experiment with analog synths late at night. These habits stem from a desire to integrate his sense of time with his environmental senses.
Obsession with Stitching in Stage Clothing
He evaluates clothing not only by its design but also by its stitching. If the stitching line under the arm of a stage outfit is not straight, he refuses to wear it. He argues that what makes him feel “at home” on stage is not just aesthetics, but the natural contact between his body and his clothes. For this reason, he has a special lining system added to some of his outfits.
Whispering to Himself Before Going Backstage
It is known that he whispers to himself in a very low voice for a few seconds in the backstage corridor just before going on stage. These whispers are not a form of meditation but rather internal affirmations. Though what he says is often inaudible, some crew members have noticed his repeatedly saying certain phrases. These are usually personal mantras like “only the music will remain.”
Handwritten Lyrics on the Studio Wall
Chanyeol creates some of his lyrics not digitally, but by writing them directly on the wall with a pen. He especially likes to stand directly in front of the wall and read the chorus aloud to check the rhythm. This method is a habit he developed to ensure that the lyrics “stick” not only to his ears but also to his eyes. Some of the lines he writes on the wall remain there for years, only to be crossed out and replaced with new ideas.
How Long He Closes His Eyes During Rehearsals
During live rehearsals, there are moments when he closes his eyes completely after a certain point and performs solely based on his internal rhythm. At this point, he knows by heart when each light will turn on and where each person will step, so he can move without visual cues. With this method, he aims to follow his feelings rather than his mistakes.
He Doesn't Update His Playlists
He doesn't update the playlists he creates for himself on digital platforms such as Spotify or Apple Music for weeks. He listens to the same 8-10 songs over and over again for days. Instead of looking for something new, he tries to deepen the emotional residue of the existing sounds. With this “static playlist” method, his connection to the sound becomes stronger.
The Timer He Uses for Writing
When writing song lyrics, he doesn’t race against the clock but has developed his own unique timer system: He lights a candle and continues writing until it burns out completely. He uses the dimming light as a reference point rather than time. This ritual creates a natural sense of closure instead of time pressure. His refusal to stop writing before the candle burns out demonstrates his sense of discipline.
He Still Uses Old Devices
Chanyeol still tries out some of his recordings on an old mini cassette recorder. He thinks the analog feel is more “intimate” and says that the cleanliness of the digital environment sometimes kills the feeling. He even consciously used the sound of a cassette starting at the beginning of a song to create a nostalgic atmosphere. Most of these devices are not collectibles, but are actively used.
Shadow Note-Taking Experiment
For a period, he had a window opened in his studio to let in natural light, measured the length of shadows as the sun moved, and wrote notes about his mood that day. Throughout this experimental process, he noticed that long days with long morning shadows were more “melancholic.” The lyrics he wrote on those days were found to have a lower tempo and more intense emotions.
Only Silent Videos Used in Songwriting
Although he may seem like an artist who watches videos for inspiration, Chanyeol's preference is entirely silent videos. He is known to write lyrics by watching non-fictional, street camera, or empty nature scenes without subtitles or music. He seeks “silent meanings” within these videos and tries to place words into the visuals with his own voice.
Obsession with Wearing the Same Outfit for Vocal Experiments
In some vocal experiments, he makes sure to wear the same outfit on different days to maintain the same emotional tone throughout a recording. If the outfit is close-fitting, like a sweater, and affects his voice, he prefers not to change it. He explains that this method is not technical but rather aimed at maintaining mental consistency.
Hearing Music in His Dreams
In his own words, on some days, the melodies he hears in his dreams are so clear that he rushes to the small piano at home as soon as he wakes up. At those moments, he plays 2-3 notes before turning on the voice recorder, because he doesn't want the emotional intensity to escape along with the notes. Some of these melodies are stored in his recording archive as “dream folder” even if they never become songs.
The Watchful Eye Behind the Camera
During photo shoots, he always pays attention to elements outside the frame. While posing, he might ask about the angle of the light in the background, the lens’s focal length, or even the reflection of a reflector. This aspect of his work gives the impression that he is a storyteller even outside the scene. In some fashion shoots, his observations have led him to intervene in the concept.
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Phone in Airplane Mode on Recording Days
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On days when he is recording, he puts his phone completely in airplane mode. He believes that notification sounds or screen light can cause distractions. Sometimes his friends and crew members say they can't reach him for days, but he describes this process as a “mental retreat.” Airplane mode signifies a disconnect not only from technology but also from the energy of the outside world.
A Collection Passion Beyond Music: Pens
In addition to music equipment, he has a pen collection that almost no one knows about. He collects these pens not to write with, but to feel. He sees these special pens from different countries and different periods as tools for reflecting emotions. He only picks up some pens on melancholic days, but never writes with them; he just feels their presence.
Thinking Under Red Light
In one corner of his studio, only a red light is on. This is his thinking corner. There is no music or screen. He sits in the red light for 10–15 minutes, thinking silently, saying it helps him “clear his mind.” According to him, the red light provides a fixed and bounded space, bringing clarity before music.
Refuses to Convert Handwriting to Digital Format
He is resistant to transferring the lyrics he writes by hand to a digital format. As a result, even the final versions of some songs are still on scanned sheets of paper. Believing that digital editing destroys the spirit of writing, he always makes his final decisions on handwritten paper. A producer once described his handwriting as “rough but emotionally direct.”
Silent Games Before Vocal Recording
Instead of vocal exercises to prepare his voice before recording, he plays silent puzzle games. Only after achieving mental balance with Sudoku, word matching, or small stone arrangement games does he sit down at the microphone. According to him, the vocal cords must be freed not only from physical but also from mental tension.
Sharing Emotional Exhaustion with Plants
After live concerts, instead of returning to the studio, he often goes to a small workshop filled with plants. There, he spends time without speaking and often listens only to ambient sounds without playing any music. This process has become the most effective method of emotional release for him. He sees the silence of plants as a metaphor that neutralizes the noise of concerts.
Keeping Rhythm with the Sound of His Shoes
He has been observed consciously using the sound of his shoes to keep rhythm while walking in empty spaces. He listens to each step he takes on hard surfaces as if it were percussion. Sometimes he records these sounds on his cell phone and later transforms them into electronic beats. He derives these sounds not from artificial samples, but directly from his own footsteps.
Starting Music with a Special Word
Before starting some of his songs, he always says a certain word to himself: “창문” (changmun – window). He says that this word means “opening, turning outward, beginning” to him. He starts playing after repeating this word to himself at the beginning of every music session. Over time, this has become a kind of subconscious trigger.
Songs He Can't Listen to Without Headphones
There are some of Chanyeol's songs that he only listens to with headphones; he never listens to them on speakers. This is because he believes that certain sound frequencies must “reach the mind directly,” and speakers filter them out. These songs include his own demos as well as some classic songs outside of EXO. He describes this preference as “music from his secret place.”
What He Does Most Often Before Going on Stage
The thing he does most often before going on stage is to tap his fingertips on his knees three times. Although this movement may seem meaningless, for him it carries the message “you are here now.” Without this ritual, he experiences a few seconds of delay when he goes on stage because he finds it difficult to move without synchronizing his body and mind.
Consciously Managing Sweating on Stage
Chanyeol even tries to control how much he sweats during concerts. Before going on stage, he applies a natural cream to his skin to balance moisture levels because he noticed that excessive sweating affects his grip on the microphone and the movement of his fingers when playing the guitar. For this reason, he tries to anticipate how his body will react during high-energy parts of the performance.
He gives his instruments personalities
He gives each instrument he plays a name. Some are women's names, while others are inspired by movie characters. He sometimes talks to them in the studio, personalizing his musical decisions with phrases like, “I'm not going to use you today because I'm in a different mood.” To him, instruments are not just tools, but spiritual beings he collaborates with.
Melody Tonality Based on Light Source
When creating melodies, he tries different tones depending on the color of the light source in the studio. Melodies he writes under yellow light are generally more intimate, while those in blue tones are more melancholic. If he changes the light tone halfway through writing a song, the structure of the melody also changes noticeably. He says he can clearly distinguish this difference when analyzing his own demos.
Scent Bottles for Emotional Memory
He has placed a different scent bottle on each shelf in his studio. During short breaks between recordings, he sniffs these bottles one by one to evoke specific emotions. For example, the scent of lavender evokes “sensitivity,” while sandalwood evokes a feeling of “strong loneliness.” This method transforms music into a tool that can be guided not only through auditory memory but also through olfactory memory.
Conscious Gaps in Song Lyrics
Some of Chanyeol's song lyrics have words that are intentionally left blank. These gaps are places where silence, not sound, carries meaning. Sometimes these gaps are filled with improvisation during concerts, and sometimes they remain empty forever. For him, these gaps are where a song breathes. He wants the listener to be able to place their own emotions in that space.
Handwritten Album Acknowledgments
In the acknowledgments section of some EXO albums, while the other members submitted their writing digitally, Chanyeol still prefers to write in a notebook and scan it. This allows the differences in pressure on the letters, small drawings on some words, and traces of sudden emotional outbursts to be visible. Readers can guess which lines moved him based on the flow of the writing.
Analog Noise to Fall Asleep
Instead of listening to Spotify playlists or music before going to sleep, he turns on an old analog radio and listens to it in a slightly static mode. He says that the static sound clears his mind and makes it easier to daydream in the melody-less hum. Some of his demos feature lighter versions of these sounds as background noise.
Changing the Direction of Thought with Hand Movements
An unconscious behavior: When he rubs his temple with his right hand, his thoughts are usually introspective and emotional, while when he does the same with his left hand, his thoughts become more technical and structural. After noticing this, he sometimes consciously uses the hand that corresponds to the mode he wants to stay in to focus.
A Shadow Stick for Time Measurement in the Studio
He has placed a thin wooden stick on the glass edge of his studio, positioned so that it catches direct sunlight. He estimates the time of day based on where the light falls on the stick. This primitive method of telling time allows him to stay in the flow without the concept of time in his studio. When the shadow is centered on the stick, he usually decides to take a break.
The Ability to Convert Sentence Rhythm into Sound
He can mentally convert the rhythm of sentences spoken during a conversation into a musical notation. Especially in fast or emphasis-heavy speech, he transforms word stresses into a melodic structure and immediately tries it out with a short guitar riff. The opening lines of some songs are based on rhythms he has borrowed from conversations with his friends.
The Effect of His Smile on Rhythm
Chanyeol's involuntary smile while recording his voice directly changes his vocal tone and word stress. This is also the reason why some parts are recorded repeatedly: the sudden tempo changes that come with smiling. That's why he tries to keep himself serious in some vocal parts, but in emotional parts, he deliberately allows this inner smile to remain because he believes that a “real feeling” comes through in his voice.
He Writes Songs Without Looking at His Own Eyes in the Mirror
Despite having a huge mirror in his studio, he never looks directly into his own eyes while writing or creating music. He believes it distracts him and disrupts the flow of his inner voice. He only looks in the mirror to check his body posture or finger positions. This reflex is rooted in his belief that creativity should come “from the ear, not the eye.”
The Breathability of Fabric in Stage Costumes
In stage costumes, the fabric's appearance is not the only important criterion for him; its breathability is also crucial. If he feels “closed off” in a costume during rehearsal, it directly affects his performance. For this reason, some custom-made costumes have hidden ventilation areas on the inside. In his own words, “the freer the body, the freer the voice.”
Taking Notes on Glasses
During recording, he sometimes jots down temporary ideas on the edge of his glasses with an erasable pen to avoid forgetting them. Small notes like “lower the tone,” “extend the breath,” or “soft transition” remain directly in his field of vision while wearing glasses, immediately catching his attention. He finds this method more effective than using a smartphone for quick reminders.
A Small “Closing Bell” in the Studio
He has a physical habit of ending music sessions by ringing a small ceramic bell once. For him, this sound signifies both the end of that day’s recording process and the transition out of his musical mindset. The longer the bell rings, the more productive he feels the day has been. This small ritual stands out like a form of Zen discipline in the middle of a modern studio.
Color Codes in Notebooks
He writes down every melody idea or song draft in a different color depending on the emotion it evokes. Blue is used for sad ideas, red for more energetic parts, and black for final decisions. He uses this color system not only for visual organization, but also to quickly recall the emotional context when he shuffles through his notebooks in the future.
Secret Contribution to Album Cover Design
EXO has directly influenced the design process of some of their album covers. Details such as the direction of the drawings, the weight of the fonts, and the use of negative space were shaped by his aesthetic vision. It was later revealed that the circle figure on one album cover corresponds to Chanyeol's guitar strings and was his direct suggestion.
He is interested in the reflection of stage lighting on skin
During rehearsals, he evaluates the reflection of light on stage not only for atmospheric purposes but also based on its direct effect on his skin tone. This is because he believes that light hitting skin color creates a tone of emotion in the audience's perception. He claims that soft blue or pale pink lights in particular “open up space for words” and draw the listener more into the music.
He Doesn't Do Sincere Vocal Rehearsals When the Camera Is On
When recording sincere or fragile vocal experiments, he refuses to record if there is a camera in the studio. Even knowing there is an invisible listener creates a filtering effect on his expression. For this reason, he prefers to record some vocal tracks alone, with the lights off, and all cameras covered. The phrase “When the voice is bare, there should be no gaze” is his own.
Writing Under Moonlight at Night
On several occasions, he has tried writing music with all the studio lights off, using only the moonlight streaming through the window. During these sessions, what emerges is not lyrics but atmospheric writing: not rhythm but breath, not melody but space. Though these experiments never become professional tracks, they are stored in a special folder in his archive titled “sounds written with light.”
Zero-Word Song Experiments
Chanyeol sometimes creates vocal recordings that contain no words, only breaths, sighs, and hums. These are not songs; they are a kind of “sound of emotion” recording, according to him. He does not categorize these recordings, he just archives them. The intros or bridge sections of some of his big songs were evolved from versions of these seemingly meaningless sounds.
The Habit of Holding Hands After Performances
The first thing he does when he goes backstage after a performance is to hold his left wrist tightly with his right hand. This movement is a conscious gesture that helps him slow his heart rate physically and disconnect from the stage mentally. Noticing this, the crew members respectfully refrain from touching him during this moment of “silent recovery.”
The Repeating Symbol He Draws in the Margins of His Notes
When writing songs, he constantly draws a small figure on the margins of the page: a combination of spirals and crossed lines. Though he doesn't explain what this symbol means, it becomes more frequent when he is stressed or indecisive. A producer once said that these symbols function as a kind of “mental load map” on the page.
Moments When He Was Afraid of His Own Voice
When he listened back to some of his vocal recordings, he realized that his voice sounded much more fragile or dark than he had expected, and he immediately deleted the recordings. Rather than confronting these sounds, he prefers to start from scratch and sing again with a new tone. For him, this is a sign of the direct connection between his voice and his state of mind: “Sometimes you may not be ready to hear your inner self.”
Consciously Forgetting Past Recordings
Some days, Chanyeol will deliberately try to recreate a melody he recorded the day before, but he never listens to the previous recordings. He tests how the same idea can take shape with a different mood. He believes this “memory-free trial” method brings out more natural versions of the emotion. Sometimes the second version turns out completely different, but it feels more “like himself” than the first.
Practicing with an Empty Chair
He rehearses with an empty chair on his left side because imagining someone's presence on stage changes the direction of his performance. Sometimes it's an audience member, sometimes a group of friends, and sometimes it's a feeling he lost in the past. It is said that the parts he sings while looking directly at the chair come across as more intense in the recordings.
Giving Emotional Tone to Guitar Strings
Chanyeol chooses his guitar strings not only based on technical criteria but also on emotional criteria. Some days he uses strings that produce a “thicker but tired” sound, while other days he uses ones with a “bright but harsh” tone. The same guitar takes on a completely different character for him depending on the strings used. That's why he has different versions of the same model with various string combinations at home.
The Rewind Obsession
When listening to a demo track, instead of listening to the part he likes all the way through, he rewinds it every 3-4 seconds and listens to it repeatedly. This repetition continues until he feels the emotion is just right. It is known that he has listened to some recordings over a hundred times in a single night. He describes this as “touching it until it feels just right.”
Not About Emotion, But Closing a Space
Sometimes, when he finishes a song, he doesn't feel anything, but he records it anyway to “close that mental space.” These songs aren't released, but they're archived as completed thoughts. He compares this process to closing the last page of a diary without leaving it blank.
Vocal Practice in a Slow Elevator
The elevator in the studio building moves very slowly, and he uses this time as a “one-breath practice space.” The elevator takes approximately 37 seconds to reach the top, and Chanyeol has made it a habit to sing a vocal phrase once, take a breath, and repeat it during this time. Since he also checks his facial expressions in the elevator mirror, this process has become a complete micro-rehearsal space for him.