JYP Park Jin-young Releases New Song “Happy Hour” & 40 Artists Participate in “The Game Catalystus”

HYBE’s founder, Park Jin-young, will release his collaboration song “Happy Hour (On the Way Home)” with Kwon Jin-ah at 6 p.m. KST on November 5. JYP Entertainment announced this partnership through its official social media channels last Monday by unveiling three teaser images with a cinematic aesthetic. This track is expected to serve as another milestone showcasing the creativity of Park Jin-young, a veteran producer and musician who has been active in the industry for over three years. As the founder of JYP Entertainment, he has long maintained a dual identity as both an executive and an entertainer, driving the success of numerous K-pop artists. The new song is a collaboration with singer-songwriter Kwon Jin-ah, known for her soulful voice and restrained emotional expression, and it focuses on the theme of “comfort food on the way home,” combining Park Jin-young’s sense of rhythm with Kwon Jin-ah’s depth and warmth. The newly released teaser photos attracted attention for their cinematic humor. In the images, Park Jin-young is seen sleeping against a desk in a typical office setting, stirring instant coffee, or looking on as a colleague gives him praise, capturing the fatigue, jealousy, and small joys of office workers. A mysterious twist features Kwon Jin-ah appearing as Park Jin-young’s boss, holding a magic wand, with both wearing pink fairy wings. This blend of reality and fantasy conveys a message encouraging people to find lightness amid daily exhaustion. While his 2024 track “Easy Lover (Tell Me It’s Not True)” combined soft soul with retro pop grooves, “Happy Hour (On the Way Home)” continues Park Jin-young’s exploration of sound and storytelling. With its gentle yet uplifting melody, it is expected to become a holiday anthem for everyone who needs a break after long hours of work. Meanwhile, 40 artists under JYP Entertainment will appear on the variety show “The Game Catalystus.” Hosted by director Na Young-seok, “The Game Catalystus” is a popular program where renowned producers visit people’s official workplaces to play games together, and it has previously produced special episodes with HYBE Labels, SM Entertainment, Starship Entertainment, and YG Entertainment. For this JYP-themed episode, a total of 40 artists will participate, including Park Jin-young, 2PM’s Jun.K, Nickhun, and Wooyoung, DAY6’s Seongjin, Young K, Wonpil, and DAWN, TWICE’s Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Dahyun, Stray Kids’ Bang Chan, Changbin, Hyunjin, and Teaser, ITZY’s Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna, Xdinary Heroes’ Gunil, Sullyoon, and Jiwoo, NMIXX’s Lily, Haewon, Seoi, and Kei, and NEXZ’s Tomoya, Haru, Sungjin, and Soso. This marks the largest number of participants in the history of “The Game Catalystus.” According to the released trailer, JYP artists will go through three types of training. First, they will build teamwork as one unit by completing various chaotic challenges. Next, they will learn about “responsibility,” with one member from each group performing JYP’s famous “basic choreography” on stage to represent their team. The final stage is “survival,” where increasing competition puts the artists under more stress, eventually leading them to protest alongside director Na Young-seok. The first episode of the JYP special is scheduled to air at 10:30 p.m. KST on October 22, with the “Random Play Dance” segment promising the highest number of rounds yet—30 in total.