Tablo to Release Solo Album

Singer Tablo of the boy band Epic High has signed up with YG Entertainment to release a solo album in November.

The agency is run by former Seo Taiji & Boys member Yang Hyun-suk.

Tablo stopped performing in 2009 after the Stanford University graduate was faced with accusations that he forged his academic credentials.

YG Entertainment in a press release said Tablo has signed an exclusive four-year contract and plans to release a solo album on Nov. 1. Tablo's wife, actress Kang Hye-jeong of "Old Boy" fame, is also under the management of YG Entertainment and is said to have brought the two together.

The agency said Tablo has been preparing his solo album by himself and YG has started to support it. It quoted the singer as saying, "It is true that I am still afraid to face the public. It's been a difficult time, but rather than blaming others, I believe that I was the cause of everything. There were a lot of people who supported me and I would like to thank them with my music rather than 1,000 words".

Tablo rose to fame with Epic High in 2003 and worked as the host of a popular radio program and even published a novel in 2008. But in 2009, he faced accusations of fabricating his academic credentials and became the target of an intense witch-hunt on the Internet as people dug up what they claimed was evidence showing a cover-up. Tablo presented his university records on several occasions, but to no avail.

Finally, he turned to the police to investigate the false accusations made against him and authorities concluded in October last year that his academic credentials are genuine. Around a dozen people were punished for libel and other offenses in the case.

Epic High stopped performing after another member, Mithra Jin, was drafted into military service. Tablo apparently plans to perform both solo and with the band.