Block B's leader Zico is ready to take on his next musical challenge with his first solo ballad.

On January 14, news of Zico's ballad was revealed by industry insiders according to Herald Corp. Although Block B has a number of ballads under their discography, thus far Zico himself has only released hip hop and rap music. Through the ballad, Zico wants to challenge himself and show his fans his growth as a singer-songwriter.

Zico has gained a lot of recognition as a producer over the last year. Not only has he penned hits for his group Block B, such as "HER" and "Very Good," but he has further established himself as a soloist in the industry.

Zico released his first solo "Tough Cookie" at the end of 2014. Since then, he has dropped a number of tracks and features with his latest being his EP Gallery this last December. The album's title track, "Eureka," and follow up singles "Pride and Prejudice" and "Veni Vidi Vici" topped several major real-time Korean music charts the day of their release. 

He also featured on Mnet's popular rap competition program Show Me The Money 4 as a producer-judge.

Zico's upcoming ballad is scheduled for release this January. Unfortunately, much to the disappointment of fans, he is not scheduled to do any broadcast or promotional activities in tandem with the new track.

What do you think Zico's ballad will sound like?