A staple voice like Rice in the world of K-drama soundtracks? Hell yeah! You are talking about Car, the Garden!

Car, the Garden, born Cha Jung-won on October 23, 1990, in Incheon, South Korea, is a singer-songwriter who has found his way into our playlist multiple times. His unique stage name is a direct translation of his birth name. The name looks hilarious in the first mention, but it was actually born from a meaningful combination. ‘Cha’ means ‘Car’ in Korean, while ‘Jung Won’ means ‘Garden.’ Whoever came up with that deserves a standing ovation.

He began his musical journey under the name “Mayson the Soul” and debuted in September 2013 with the single “Bus Stop” and released an EP “Jackasoul” in the same month. He moved to a new agency, “Finest Records,” in 2015, and adopted the name Car, the Garden. Currently, he’s signed under “DRDR AC.”

His voice is rich with emotion and he has sang numerous K-drama OSTs over the years. His soulful voice always leaves a lasting impression on viewers that they can’t resist searching for his OSTs even after the drama’s credit roll.

His OSTs over years are:

“Dream or Reality for the drama, “Live Up to Your Name” (2017)

“Simple Words” for “Yellow” (2017)

“Lie” for “Two Cops” (2017)

“Nothing” for “Secret Mother” (2018)

“A word of Apology” for “The Secret Life of My Secretary” (2019)

“Tree” for “Chocolate” (2019)

“All Night Long” for “She is My Type” (2020)

“Happy Ending” for “True Beauty” (2021)

“Empty” for “Beyond Evil” (2021)

“Romantic Sunday” for “Hometown Cha Cha Cha” (2021)

“Stay” for “Now, We Are Breaking Up” (2021)

“Peony” for “Thirty-Nine” (2022)

“Scars Leave Beautiful Trace” for “Alchemy of Souls” (2022)

“Haven” for “Taxi Driver 2” (2023)

“Fall In Love” for “Our D-Day” (2023)

“Pieces of Clouds” for “Like Flowers in Sand” (2023)

“My All Dreams Come True” for “Marry My Husband” (2024)

The list above proves his strong foothold in the soundtrack world; he’s raking all the tracks in like a daily bread. Beyond his musical talents, Car, the Garden has shared personal stories about how he overcame a traumatic childhood that showed his strength, and his fans deeply appreciate his story.

Aside from his OST signatures, he also have personal releases and super albums like "Wish, Harmony,” “C,” “Apartment,” “Photographer,” and “Just as We Were.”

For those eager to experience his music firsthand, Car, the Garden's songs are available on various platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, or Youtube Music. His rendition of "Scars Leave Beautiful Trace" from the "Alchemy of Souls" OST is particularly captivating. Highly recommended.