Eric Nam released the music video for “How the Fire Started” on 3 March 2026 through his own YouTube channel. The clip was directed by Blythe Thomas and produced by Doug Klinger, and the description tags it alongside the television series The Traitors.

The Korean-American artist who arrived through an audition show

Eric Nam was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and came to Korea as a contestant on MBC’s Star Audition: Birth of a Great Star in 2011. That route — overseas Korean, televised audition, then a recording contract — was for years one of the few ways into the industry for someone who had not trained in Seoul since their teens. Nam also worked extensively as a presenter, interviewing visiting foreign musicians in English, which made him unusually visible to non-Korean audiences before his own records travelled. He now operates independently rather than under a major agency.

About this release

“How the Fire Started” is associated with the release Confessions of a Lonely Heart. The official music video was published on Eric Nam’s own channel, with Blythe Thomas credited as director and Doug Klinger as producer. The description carries the hashtags #ericnam and #thetraitors, pointing viewers towards his appearance on the reality competition of that name.

Watching from outside Korea

Nam records in both English and Korean and tours internationally, so his catalogue is generally available on streaming services outside Korea without regional blocks. His interview archive, mostly in English, is a straightforward entry point if you are new to the artist.

More from Oseyo Korea — K-POP · Korean Food · Travel in Korea