Jem & James's Seoul Music Trip: Recording SHAUN's "Way Back Home" at KING STUDIO
Step inside the Gangnam studio where SHAUN recorded Way Back Home and cut your own track. The Seoul Trip experience Singapore K-pop fans actually book twice.
A Singaporean Duo, One Iconic K-Song, One Unforgettable Seoul Trip
At KING STUDIO's DIAMOND service — the same idol-grade recording experience that brought Jem & James all the way from Singapore to sing SHAUN's "Way Back Home."
"Way Back Home" isn't just a chart-topping K-song — it's a feeling. Released in 2018, SHAUN's electronic-pop ballad became a global phenomenon for one reason: that ache of longing, the soft melancholy of trying to find your way back to someone, somewhere, sometime.
So when Jem & James booked their Seoul Trip, they didn't just want sightseeing. They wanted to live inside the song. And the DIAMOND-tier recording at KING STUDIO was the centerpiece.
Here's how it went down — plus the 5 Seoul spots we recommend to any music-lover chasing the "Way Back Home" vibe.
- The DIAMOND Recording Experience
- DIAMOND vs Other Tiers — Which One Fits Your Seoul Trip?
- Top 5 Seoul Spots That Capture the "Way Back Home" Vibe
- Why DIAMOND, and Why KING STUDIO
- FAQ — Recording in Seoul as a Traveler
The DIAMOND Recording Experience: 6 Steps Inside KING STUDIO
STEP 1 Meet the Team
Jem & James were welcomed by their full DIAMOND-tier crew:
- Vocal Director Ji Seon — the ear that shapes your sound
- Manager Jen — the host who makes the day flow
- Producer Aiden — the engineer behind your final mix
Unlike basic packages where you record solo with minimal direction, DIAMOND gives you a real K-pop production team.
STEP 2 Studio Tour & Pro Equipment
A walkthrough of KING STUDIO's main recording booth — the same condenser microphones, cue boxes, and acoustic treatment used by working Korean artists. This is not a karaoke room. This is where songs are made.
STEP 3 Vocal Warm-up & Key Check
Before recording, Ji Seon ran Jem & James through warm-ups and tested their comfortable key range against the original "Way Back Home" arrangement.
STEP 4 Rehearsal & Key Adjustment — The Real Challenge
Here's where "Way Back Home" gets serious. The song demands full-range usage — soft, breathy verses sliding into that soaring, emotional chorus. SHAUN's melodic range is deceptively wide.
Ji Seon adjusted the key to match Jem & James's voices, then drilled the dynamic contrast: how to whisper the verse, how to release the chorus, how to make the bridge break your heart. This is the level of detail you only get with a vocal director who has actually shaped Korean idol vocals.
STEP 5 Idol-Style Recording & Live Directing
Take by take, line by line. Aiden producing in real time. Ji Seon directing inflection, breath, emotion. James handled the lower harmonies; Jem took the soaring lead. The kind of session that turns a duet into a memory.
STEP 6 Final Monitoring & DIAMOND Welcome Kit
Final playback in the control room. Mixed track delivered. Plus the DIAMOND-exclusive physical album — handed to Jem & James on-site, the same day. Two to three weeks later, the fully mastered "Way Back Home" arrived via WhatsApp, with revisions still open if they wanted any tweaks.
DIAMOND vs Other Tiers — Which One Fits Your Seoul Trip?
KING STUDIO offers four levels. Here's the honest, side-by-side breakdown so you can pick the right one before you book.
|
Feature |
K-Pop Making Class |
Gold |
DIAMOND ⭐ |
Premium |
|
Format |
Intro class |
Personal recording |
Full studio production |
Recording + Cinematic MV |
|
2-Hour Recording Session |
— |
✓ |
✓ |
3 hour |
|
Vocal Director Coaching |
— |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Multilingual Manager (EN/CN/JP) |
— |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Personal Vocal Analysis Report |
— |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Pitch Correction (Auto-Tune & Melodyne) |
— |
— |
2~3 hours |
2~3 hours |
|
Professional Mixing |
— |
— |
2~3 hours |
2~3 hours |
|
Final Mastering |
— |
— |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Final Mastered Track Delivery |
— |
MP3 (raw) |
Mastered (2–3 weeks) |
Mastered + MV |
|
Revisions Included |
— |
— |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Physical Album (On-Site) |
— |
— |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Cinematic Music Video |
— |
— |
— |
✓ |
|
Welcome Kit |
— |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Chosen by |
Curious first-timers |
Recording-only fans |
90% of clients |
|
👉 Most international travelers choose DIAMOND because it delivers a finished, radio-ready song — not just a raw recording. If you're flying in from overseas for a once-in-a-lifetime music trip, the post-production + revisions + physical album combo is what makes it worth the flight.
Pricing varies by booking platform and season — confirm current rates on the official KING STUDIO page or partners like Klook before booking.
What Jem & James Said — and Why It Matters
"It was a lot of fun. I was surprised again by the professionalism of the vocal director and producer."
— Jem & James, Singapore · DIAMOND service · SHAUN's "Way Back Home"
Why You Can Trust This Experience
Jem & James aren't the first international travelers to land here — and they won't be the last. KING STUDIO's credibility is verifiable, not just our word:
- 📰 Featured in The New York Times ("Dreams of Being a K-Pop Star?", November 2024)
- 🏛️ Certified by the Korea Tourism Organization & Seoul City — the first public K-Pop recording studio with this dual certification
- 💎 DIAMOND is chosen by 90% of clients — the data speaks for itself
- 🌐 English, Chinese, and Japanese interpretation included as standard
5 Seoul Spots That Capture the "Way Back Home" Vibe
We're going to be honest with you: SHAUN isn't an idol group with a pilgrimage map. He's a solo electronic-pop artist, and "Way Back Home" is a mood, not a location.
So instead of fake "SHAUN hangouts," here are 5 verifiable Seoul spots whose vibes genuinely match the song — late-night, nostalgic, electronic, the feeling of "going home" through a glowing city.
Counting down from Top 5 to Top 1.
Top 5 — Ikseon-dong Hanok Alley (익선동) | Jongno-gu
Why it matches "Way Back Home": The song is about returning to something familiar. Ikseon-dong literally is return — a century-old hanok village transformed into modern cafés and bars without losing the old bones. Walking these narrow alleys at dusk feels like the song's bridge: nostalgic, intimate, soft-lit.
- Best time: 5:00–7:00 PM (golden hour into early evening, lanterns turn on)
- Insider tip: Skip the main alley and find the smaller side passages — that's where the real atmosphere lives
- Budget: USD 8–20 (café or small dinner)
- Photo spot: The arched lantern alley near Exit 6 of Jongno 3-ga Station
- From KING STUDIO (Seolleung Station, Gangnam-gu): ~25 min by subway (Line 2 → Line 3 or Line 5)
📍Address (Google) : Ikseon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
📍Address (Naver) : 서울특별시 종로구 익선동
Top 4 — Euljiro "Hipjiro" District (을지로) | Jung-gu
Why it matches "Way Back Home": This is the song's electronic underbelly. By day, Euljiro is industrial workshops; by night, hidden rooftop bars and synth-soaked listening rooms emerge above print shops. Retro-futuristic, neon-lit, the perfect aesthetic for the song's electronic edit.
- Best time: 9:00 PM onwards
- Insider tip: The best bars have no signage — look for unmarked elevators in old buildings
- Budget: USD 15–35 (drinks + small plates)
- Photo spot: Any rooftop with the old Seoul skyline behind you
- From KING STUDIO (Seolleung Station): ~30 min by subway (Line 2)
📍Address (Google) : 26, Chungmuro 5-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
📍Address (Naver) : 서울 중구 충무로5길 26
Top 3 — Seongsu-dong Café District (성수동) | Seongdong-gu
Why it matches "Way Back Home": Seoul's "Brooklyn." Converted shoe factories now house design studios, vinyl bars, and electronic-music-friendly cafés. The industrial-meets-soft aesthetic is exactly the song's production palette: hard beats under tender vocals.
- Best time: Late afternoon into night
- Insider tip: Check out cafés with in-house DJ booths — many play exactly the kind of soft electronic that lives in "Way Back Home"
- Budget: USD 10–25 (specialty café experience)
- Photo spot: Brick warehouse façades along Yeonmujang-gil
- From KING STUDIO (Seolleung Station): ~25 min by subway (Line 2 — direct)
📍Address (Google) : 78 Seongsu-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
📍Address (Naver) : 서울 성동구 성수이로 78
Top 2 — Haneul Park / Noeul Park (하늘공원·노을공원) | Mapo-gu
Why it matches "Way Back Home": "Noeul" literally means sunset. This park exists for golden-hour melancholy. The pampas grass fields glow pink-gold as the sun drops behind the Han River — the exact emotional color of the song's chorus.
- Best time: 1 hour before sunset (check seasonal times — earlier in winter)
- Insider tip: Autumn (Oct–Nov) is the legendary pampas grass season, but spring cherry blossoms are equally cinematic
- Budget: Free (bring a drink from a nearby convenience store)
- Photo spot: Pampas grass field at peak golden hour
- From KING STUDIO (Seolleung Station): ~40 min by subway + light walk uphill (Line 2 → Line 6)
📍Address (Google) : 95, Haneul Park-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
📍Address (Naver) : 서울 마포구 하늘공원로 95
Top 1 — Banpo Hangang Park & Moonlight Rainbow Fountain (반포한강공원) | Seocho-gu
Why it matches "Way Back Home": This is THE spot. "Way Back Home" is, at its heart, about going home along a river under city lights. Banpo Hangang Park gives you exactly that: the Han River flowing through Seoul, the Banpo Bridge's Moonlight Rainbow Fountain (the world's longest bridge fountain) lit up at night, locals on picnic mats, the city humming softly behind you. Press play on the Sam Feldt edit and you'll understand the song in a new way.
- Best time: Fountain shows run evenings (typically 8:00–9:30 PM, seasonal — verify on the day)
- Insider tip: Grab convenience-store ramyeon and beer, sit on the grass facing the bridge. That's the move.
- Budget: USD 5–15 (picnic snacks)
- Photo spot: Fountain mid-show with the city skyline behind
- From KING STUDIO (Seolleung Station): ~20 min by taxi, ~30 min by subway (Line 9 → bus or walk)
📍Address (Google) : 115-5 Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul
📍Address (Naver) : 서울 서초구 반포동 115-5
Why DIAMOND, and Why KING STUDIO
If you scroll back up to the comparison table, the three concrete reasons become clear:
- You leave with a finished, mastered track — not a raw MP3 you have to mix yourself
- You can request revisions — DIAMOND is the lowest tier that includes them
- You get a physical album on-site — same day, in your hands
For a Seoul Trip you flew thousands of kilometers for, these three things are what justify the choice.
👉 Book your DIAMOND session at KING STUDIO →
FAQ — Recording in Seoul as a Traveler
Q1. Can foreigners book KING STUDIO without speaking Korean?
A1. Yes. KING STUDIO provides English, Chinese, and Japanese interpretation as standard across all paid tiers.
Q2. Do I need to be a trained singer to do the DIAMOND service?
A2. No. The vocal director adjusts the key to your voice and coaches you through it. The Auto-Tune and Melodyne post-production adds the final polish — that's the DIAMOND difference.
Q3. How long does a DIAMOND session take on the day?
A3. The studio session is 2 hours. Post-production (3–4 hrs pitch correction + 1–3 hrs mixing + mastering) happens after, and your finished track is delivered via messenger within 2–3 weeks.
Q4. Can I record a duet like Jem & James did?
A4. Yes. The Personal Vocal format supports up to 5 people per session — duos, small groups, and friend trips are all welcome.
Q5. How far in advance should I book before my Seoul Trip?
A5. Book at least 2–4 weeks ahead, especially for weekend slots in peak travel seasons (spring cherry blossom season and autumn).
Q6. Where exactly is KING STUDIO?
A6. B1, 52 Samseong-ro 75-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul — closest station is Seolleung Station (선릉역, Line 2 / Bundang Line)
Your Turn
Jem & James turned a Singapore-to-Seoul flight into a memory they'll keep forever — a real recording of "Way Back Home" with professional Korean vocal direction, a mastered track waiting in their inbox, and a physical album on their shelf.
Which Seoul spot would you visit to feel the song? The Han River at night? Noeul Park at golden hour? Tell us in the comments — and if you're planning your own music-led Seoul Trip, start with the DIAMOND experience here.
🎤 KING STUDIO — Where international music-lovers meet Korean studio craft.
🎙️ Book your own K-Pop session → Book your DIAMOND experience now
🌐 Visit us: https://kingstudio.co.kr/en
💎 Read more about DIAMOND : kingstudio.co.kr/blog/diamond
📍Address (Google) : B1 52, Samseong-ro 75-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
📍Address (Naver) : 서울시 강남구 삼성로 75길 52 B1
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