Watch K-pop Star Hongjoong’s Gritty Cover of Linkin Park’s ‘Numb’

This week K-pop group ATEEZ‘s leader Hongjoong surprised fans with a heady interpretation of Linkin Park’s iconic track “Numb” from their 2003 LP Meteora. The rapper, singer and producer transformed the track’s arrangement from alt rock to a blend of EDM and trap, adding his own Korean lyrics that reflect the main themes in “Numb.” The music video is simple but striking and sees the rapper performing the track alone in a hazy, neon-lit room. 

The cover began trending on social media and YouTube within hours of its release, but the true prize came a day later when it caught the attention of Linkin Park themselves. The rock band’s official Twitter account ‘liked’ the post on ATEEZ’s page, with co-founder and vocalist Mike Shinoda confirming on a livestream that he’d seen and enjoyed the cover. As of this writing, Hongjoong’s version of “Numb” has over half a million views on YouTube and has garnered tremendous praise from Linkin Park’s fans. 

In addition to this latest offering, Hongjoong has released reimagined versions of tracks by David Bowie, Prince, WHAM! and Michael Jackson, adding new arrangements and verses to present a brand new take on each song. The producer and songwriter is part of the rising Korean pop group ATEEZ and also has a hand in producing and writing original tracks for the band.