Welcome back to a new edition of OffStage, where we explore the hidden and well-known talent in the Korean entertainment and music scene. This time, we want to highlight a producer who has been making waves in the industry for quite some time and deserves more recognition: Way Ched.
Ahn Byeong-gyu (aka. Way Ched) is a producer, at the beginning of his career he was under the now defunct agency HIGHGRND, with the alias ‘8’.
Who is Way Ched?
Ahn Byeong-gyu, known as Way Ched, began his career under the alias ‘8’ with the now-defunct agency HIGHGRND. Since then, he has evolved into a prominent figure in the Hip-Hop and R&B scenes.
Producing Credits
One of Way Ched’s earliest producing credits is for WINNER’s Kang Seung-yoon’s OST single ‘You’ in 2016.
After adopting his current stage name in 2018, Way Ched produced tracks for well-known artists like Sik-K, Leellamarz, and Dok2. He produced many of these tracks independently before signing with Ambition Musik in 2019.
In 2021, Way Ched became a mentor on the survival program High School Rapper 4, collaborating with CHANGMO.
Releases
Way Ched’s debut release was the EP ‘Share Feelings’, independently released in 2018, featuring Sik-K, Coogie, YunB, Punchnello, and others.
His first album, ‘COMFY’, released under Ambition Musik, included collaborations with artists such as Simon Dominic and others.
In 2020, he released the EP ‘2MONTHS’, featuring The Quiett, Nafla, ZENE THE ZILLA, and many more.
This was followed by singles such as ‘Everything’ with Coogie, CHANGMO, ASH ISLAND, and BIBI, and ‘Riders’ in 2021 with Chin, Uneducated Kid, Jay Park, and Tiger JK.
His second album, ‘IT’S YOUR WAY’, released in 2022, featured Loopy, DON MALIK, TRADE L, Paul Blanco, Skinny Brown, JAMIE, and more.
Collaborative Albums
Despite his many collaborations, Way Ched has only released two collaborative EPs. The first, in 2022 with unofficialboyy, ‘i’, featured DON MALIK, The Quiett, gamma, and FANA.
In 2023, he collaborated with TRADE L on ‘CHED&L’, featuring Sik-K, Jay Park, and many other hip-hop artists.
Latest Releases
Way Ched’s latest release is the album ‘BLEND’, released in the summer of 2024. This album features an impressive lineup including K.vsh, BE’O, THAMA, Moon Sujin, and more.
Explore His Work
You can listen to Way Ched’s discography and stay updated on his upcoming projects by following his Instagram.
