K-pop singer Samuel honors his Latino roots with flair in new EP 'Samuelito'

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Set us as preferred At only 24, Samuel Kim Arredondo, better known as Samuel, has lived through nearly every iteration possible in a K-pop idol’s career.As a child growing up in L.A.’s Koreatown, he attended Wilshire Park Elementary School — but by the fifth grade he had moved to South Korea with his mother, Kyung-ju, with dreams of K-pop stardom.There, he became a trainee under Pledis Entertainment.Now a subsidiary label of Hybe — parent company of K-pop superstars BTS — Pledis was forming what became one of the most successful “third generation” K-pop groups of all time: Seventeen.

Samuel, who was in the running to debut with the group, is even captured in early footage from their “Seventeen TV” variety show.Though he didn’t make the cut, he remained close with the members and helped write lyrics for their 10-year anniversary album.Just last week, he filmed a dance challenge with singer-MC Mingyu for the reggaeton-infused pop number “Zigi Zigi Zigi” — the lead single off of his new EP, “Samuelito,” which dropped June 8.After leaving Pledis, Samuel — who is fluent in both English and Korean — signed to a new agency, Brave Entertainment, then formed one half of a short-lived hip-hop duo, 1Punch.

(He was Punch, the other kid was One.) In 2017 he competed on the second season of Produce 101, a globally popular Korean competition franchise, where he made it to the penultimate episode before the debut of the group Wanna One.That same year, he released his first solo album, “Sixteen,” fully showcasing his outstanding dance ability, youthful swagger and velvety tenor.Yet before he could finally make headway, he suffered a devastating loss.Samuel’s father, José Arredondo, who came to the U.S.

from Michoacán as a child, died tragically in a 2019 case that made national and local headline...