After playing on the streets of Hongdae for spare change as a struggling troubadour looking to help his single mother and himself make ends meet, former Superstar K4 contestant Hong Dae-kwang is rapidly putting his tough past behind him and looking toward a bright future as a singer.

Hong released the second half of his “Silver Lining” album, “The Silver Lining ― Part 2,” on Friday. The new EP features the lead track “Thank You My Love,” and despite being relatively slow-paced, it has the most up-tempo beat of any of the 29-year-old ballad singer’s songs. And to match up with the quicker tempo of the single, Hong attempted another first in his musical career ― dancing. 

“It’s a very bright song so if I just stood still and didn’t move around, then performing it would feel very awkward,” said Hong during his first showcase at the M Pub in the IFC Mall on Wednesday. “I’m not a real big fan of moving around (on the stage), and even though I felt quite burdened by the idea of dancing, I thought that the song needed choreography, so I practiced everyday for two hours.”

The relaxed choreography of the light-hearted pop ballad was actually said to have been inspired by the popular childhood jingle “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes,” learned by most children at elementary school.

“When I watch some of the dancing clips, I’m actually surprised with myself,” he said with a bashful smile. “This time around I think I really have changed and grown a lot so that I can show people a new side of myself.”

The new four-track album also features the single “All It Takes Is a Moment,” which Hong composed on his own.

“The song ‘All It Takes Is a Moment’ is about the feelings you have at the start of a romantic relationship,” the singer explained. “Moments when even the sounds of her breathing drive you wild; and I know that normally one writes songs using personal experiences, but in my case I just got inspiration thinking about female characters that I’d read about in books and seen in films.”

The CD version of “The Silver Lining” also includes the tracks from the artist’s previously released EPs “The Silver Lining ― Part 1” and “No Answer.”

By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)