Girls rock! >>>
Friday, May 29
Boys Republic “Get Down” with new album [BR:evolution]
We previously covered the K-pop boy group Boys Republic during their European tour where they stopped in London to see their UK fans, and even got a little personal when we had the chance to interview them before their tour. Off the record, we asked when their next release would be, and they told us to wait patiently as they were working hard for a new concept and comeback – with this new release, it looks like it was worth the wait!
Boys Republic are known for their mellow romantic releases such as “Hello“, the fun and cutesy K-pop classic releases such as “Dress Up” and “L.I.U“, as well as breaking into the dance scene with “Video Game” and “Party Rock“. But as times change, so does their style. “You Are Special” brought out the rebel within the members, whereas sexy gentleman chic was announced with their release of “The Real One“. But nowadays it seems that K-pop fans want more powerful and dominating music videos, with catchy tunes and lots of artistic eye candy. With Boys Republic and Universal Music being on the ball with pleasing their fans, they have heard your calls and gone for something completely different than what many would have suspected.
[BR:evolution] is the new album, which in its own title is about the evolution of Boys Republic. Released on 30 March, the album consists of four songs and one instrumental of the main title, boasting a mix of dance, pop and a ballad. Initially from the teaser photos it was unclear what to expect, with the black leatherette look, the images were theatrical yet slightly on the apocalyptic side. One of the key things to note was how different each of the members looked; their boyish charms making way for strong, handsome looking men.
Each member released a teaser video along with a teaser image. They started with Minsu who now donned bright white blonde hair whilst wearing a mixture of jumpsuits and leather coats. The sound clip sounded like part of the chorus (something entertainment companies do to tease their fans) and the theme certainly looked post-apocalyptic (and can we just point out how on point Minsu’s make up is). Second to make an appearance was SungJun and the apparent post-apocalyptic theme is more than that, you see SungJun spray silver paint onto his teeth and face which is representative of the movie Mad Max: Fury Road. The leader of the group OneJunn brings the bad boy vibes and gives fans the idea of scale to the set of the video. Being the youngest, SuWoong brings a new element of manliness and growth to the group and through the small clips presented you get a feeling that this is his transitional stage. Lastly we have SunWoo,who looks like a total boss and is full of charisma.
The teasers alone were enough to stir up excitement for their album, which starts with their single release “Get Down”, which is powerful and upbeat. This is nothing compared to their previous works and feels like listening to a completely new group. The combination of soft and strong vocals with the balance of heavy drums and base work really gives the song a catchy and pleasing sound. It’s also a very fast growing favourite with or without the music video! “Eyes On Me” sticks with the powerful backing music, but it’s bought down with more powerful lyrics, yet not so powerful with the vocals. There is a lot of playing with pitches of the vocals and the music through this song, nonetheless it makes a point and represents the members well.
“VIP” has a slightly retro sound that I usually associate with Boys Republic’s songs. It sounds like old school K-pop, but has a natural mix with the modern day sounds that the group releases. It has the usual vocal, chorus, rap ratio that creates a catchy and upbeat song. Although this isn’t as powerful and growth-worthy as the previous songs, the feeling is that this is a track to show where they have come from, which fits well with the concept of the album. Finally we have a song that has completely blown me away in terms of not only showing growth, but the strength of the album. “A Song For You” is a solo song performed by OneJunn, and although we all know that K-pop idols are incredibly talented, this is the first time we have truly heard the leader of the group showcase his vocals to (what I feel is) his full capacity. As ballads go, this has all the elements of a great song – soft piano, soft vocals and beautiful heart touching lyrics. But in terms of a Boys Republic ballad, this is something completely new (exactly like “Get Down”). There is a sense of evolution and growth just within this song that is totally enthralling and is one that ends the album on a beautiful note.
In conclusion, there is a feeling that this is one of those albums that needs to be purchased as a physical copy, not just digital. And if the “Physical Album Teaser” is anything to go by, you will be getting a photo book worth keeping and a photo-card for your collection as well!
Please do check out Boys Republic’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Fancafe and Instagram to show your support.
B.A.P Announce Their "Live On Earth 2016: Awake" Tour including Europe
It doesn’t seem that long ago we were reporting that K-pop boy group B.A.P would be gracing the UK as part of their “Live On Earth” world tour. And with all the commotion surrounding their long break from the industry (yes, one year in the K-pop world is a long time for inactivity), there didn’t seem too much hope of the boys returning to the UK any time soon, nor that they would embark on another world tour.
But we have some good news!
B.A.P’s managing company, TS Entertainment, has just announced on its official Facebook page that the boys are ready to dominate even more countries, to perform for even more fans and to hold even more shows. The members will be embarking on a 15-country, 30-show, 200,000-fan world tour titled “B.A.P Live On Earth: Awake”.
A teaser trailer was released to excite every Baby (B.A.P’s fanclub name) which revealed that Germany, the UK, Poland and Russia will be some of the key stops for the tour. They will also be visiting USA, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Taipei, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, China and of course Korea. But teasing fans even more was the information that the tour will begin in February and that more countries will be added at a later date.
If their previous concert that I caught is anything to go by, I am more than 100% sure that these new concerts are going to be unmissable. When the group came to London in 2014 there was a huge buzz amongst the crowd; the screams and singing were deafening, and the crowd participation was on point. The concert itself was highly anticipated by European K-pop fans, and B.A.P certainly delivered one very memorable event.
Be sure to keep checking back to MCM Buzz for updates about the B.A.P concert, and for any K-pop concerts coming to Europe. And be sure to show your love and support for B.A.P’s most recent release from their Matrix album: “Young, Wild & Free” below.
B.A.P Announce Their “Live On Earth 2016: Awake” Tour including Europe
It doesn’t seem that long ago we were reporting that K-pop boy group B.A.P would be gracing the UK as part of their “Live On Earth” world tour. And with all the commotion surrounding their long break from the industry (yes, one year in the K-pop world is a long time for inactivity), there didn’t seem too much hope of the boys returning to the UK any time soon, nor that they would embark on another world tour.
But we have some good news!
B.A.P’s managing company, TS Entertainment, has just announced on its official Facebook page that the boys are ready to dominate even more countries, to perform for even more fans and to hold even more shows. The members will be embarking on a 15-country, 30-show, 200,000-fan world tour titled “B.A.P Live On Earth: Awake”.
A teaser trailer was released to excite every Baby (B.A.P’s fanclub name) which revealed that Germany, the UK, Poland and Russia will be some of the key stops for the tour. They will also be visiting USA, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Taipei, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, China and of course Korea. But teasing fans even more was the information that the tour will begin in February and that more countries will be added at a later date.
If their previous concert that I caught is anything to go by, I am more than 100% sure that these new concerts are going to be unmissable. When the group came to London in 2014 there was a huge buzz amongst the crowd; the screams and singing were deafening, and the crowd participation was on point. The concert itself was highly anticipated by European K-pop fans, and B.A.P certainly delivered one very memorable event.
Be sure to keep checking back to MCM Buzz for updates about the B.A.P concert, and for any K-pop concerts coming to Europe. And be sure to show your love and support for B.A.P’s most recent release from their Matrix album: “Young, Wild & Free” below.
Galaxy Express Prove They Are Not "Walking On Empty"
Fans of the Korean rock scene will know of Galaxy Express for their high octane, runaway bullet train escapades. A scintillating tour de force trio, Park Jonghyun, Lee Juhyun and Kim Heekwon wildly whiplash audiences with a centrifugal forging of raw, sweaty, psychedelic rock’n’roll. Their new album “Walking on Empty” was released on 6 August and pays homage to their past as well as paving a new future of strength with their growth into new adventures.
The band had toured the UK back in 2013 – just as the hype for the Korean indie scene began to make a stir, and with a mix of explosive performances accompanied by their garage rock, punk, and psychedelic sounds, the trio have wowed audiences all over the world by holding gigs in Canada, the US, Taiwan, France, China, Japan and Russia. MTV Iggy wrote about the band, describing how, “With their amped energy and stage exhibitionism, they’re the best live act to come out of Korea since… well, maybe ever.” The group’s unique sound, which is pretty far from mainstream, means they stand out from the crowd, and for all the right reasons.
On 1 April 2010, the members announced that they planned to write, record and release an album within just 30 days: this was rightly titled “Wild Days”. True to their word, a month later the album was released and went on to win the band “Musician of the Year” at the 2011 Korean Music Awards. The trio went on to perform at a multitude of stages at some big events, such as South by Southwest (SXSW), Japan’s Summer Sonic Festival and they were even the opening act for Linkin Park when they toured South Korea.
Skipping forward to 2014, their new album “Walking On Empty” was recorded over a year, with the music being recorded in May 2014 and the vocals recorded in April 2015. Recorded and mixed by Adrian Hall, known for his work with Black Eyed Peas, Depeche Mode and Ray Davies, it was mastered at the famed Abbey Road Studios by Miles Showell, who has worked with legends such as Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend and Underworld.
Of the new album, guitarist and vocalist Park Jonghyun says, “We took a lot more time making this album than we have with our past albums. I think having no set deadline to meet gave us more time to think about what exactly we wanted to do and allowed us to create an album that is a lot calmer and more detail-oriented than our previous offerings. With ‘Walking on Empty’ all ten of the tracks have their own unique feel and character. We’re really happy with how the album turned out and we think it’s really good… but then we think all of our albums are really good.”
When asked about why he chose to work with Adrian Hall and Miles Showell, Jonghyun happily replies, “We wanted to try something different that we’d never done before. We’ve made some rough recordings in the past but this time we thought it would be cool to try and make a more polished, professional-sounding album. And we have wanted the chance to work with renowned engineers for several years now, so it seemed like a good time to finally do it with this album. When we started Galaxy Express, we never imagined that we’d one day have an album that was associated with Abbey Road in any way!”
If you are in Korea between 2-4 October, the Zandari Festa will be taking place and is a chance to see Galaxy Express as well as a whole plethora of acts from around the world performing along the streets and inside the famous indie clubs of Hongdae.
Galaxy Express are also interested in returning to Europe. Says Jonghyun, “We are hoping to play abroad again soon. It’s always a blast getting to travel and share our music with different people around the world. Hopefully we can visit some more new places and get back to some of the great countries we’ve played already again in the future.” So keep your eyes peeled.
Be sure to keep checking back to MCM Buzz for more coverage of the band, as well as other great music from all areas of the Korean music industry. If you have the chance, be sure to check out Galaxy Express on iTunes and show your support for the band’s latest album “Walking on Empty”. In the meantime prepare to tap your feet and nod along to their latest music video release “Time Keeps Rollin’ By”.
Galaxy Express Prove They Are Not “Walking On Empty”
Fans of the Korean rock scene will know of Galaxy Express for their high octane, runaway bullet train escapades. A scintillating tour de force trio, Park Jonghyun, Lee Juhyun and Kim Heekwon wildly whiplash audiences with a centrifugal forging of raw, sweaty, psychedelic rock’n’roll. Their new album “Walking on Empty” was released on 6 August and pays homage to their past as well as paving a new future of strength with their growth into new adventures.
The band had toured the UK back in 2013 – just as the hype for the Korean indie scene began to make a stir, and with a mix of explosive performances accompanied by their garage rock, punk, and psychedelic sounds, the trio have wowed audiences all over the world by holding gigs in Canada, the US, Taiwan, France, China, Japan and Russia. MTV Iggy wrote about the band, describing how, “With their amped energy and stage exhibitionism, they’re the best live act to come out of Korea since… well, maybe ever.” The group’s unique sound, which is pretty far from mainstream, means they stand out from the crowd, and for all the right reasons.
On 1 April 2010, the members announced that they planned to write, record and release an album within just 30 days: this was rightly titled “Wild Days”. True to their word, a month later the album was released and went on to win the band “Musician of the Year” at the 2011 Korean Music Awards. The trio went on to perform at a multitude of stages at some big events, such as South by Southwest (SXSW), Japan’s Summer Sonic Festival and they were even the opening act for Linkin Park when they toured South Korea.
Skipping forward to 2014, their new album “Walking On Empty” was recorded over a year, with the music being recorded in May 2014 and the vocals recorded in April 2015. Recorded and mixed by Adrian Hall, known for his work with Black Eyed Peas, Depeche Mode and Ray Davies, it was mastered at the famed Abbey Road Studios by Miles Showell, who has worked with legends such as Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend and Underworld.
Of the new album, guitarist and vocalist Park Jonghyun says, “We took a lot more time making this album than we have with our past albums. I think having no set deadline to meet gave us more time to think about what exactly we wanted to do and allowed us to create an album that is a lot calmer and more detail-oriented than our previous offerings. With ‘Walking on Empty’ all ten of the tracks have their own unique feel and character. We’re really happy with how the album turned out and we think it’s really good… but then we think all of our albums are really good.”
When asked about why he chose to work with Adrian Hall and Miles Showell, Jonghyun happily replies, “We wanted to try something different that we’d never done before. We’ve made some rough recordings in the past but this time we thought it would be cool to try and make a more polished, professional-sounding album. And we have wanted the chance to work with renowned engineers for several years now, so it seemed like a good time to finally do it with this album. When we started Galaxy Express, we never imagined that we’d one day have an album that was associated with Abbey Road in any way!”
If you are in Korea between 2-4 October, the Zandari Festa will be taking place and is a chance to see Galaxy Express as well as a whole plethora of acts from around the world performing along the streets and inside the famous indie clubs of Hongdae.
Galaxy Express are also interested in returning to Europe. Says Jonghyun, “We are hoping to play abroad again soon. It’s always a blast getting to travel and share our music with different people around the world. Hopefully we can visit some more new places and get back to some of the great countries we’ve played already again in the future.” So keep your eyes peeled.
Be sure to keep checking back to MCM Buzz for more coverage of the band, as well as other great music from all areas of the Korean music industry. If you have the chance, be sure to check out Galaxy Express on iTunes and show your support for the band’s latest album “Walking on Empty”. In the meantime prepare to tap your feet and nod along to their latest music video release “Time Keeps Rollin’ By”.
the GazettE’s New Album Dogma To Be Released Digitally First In Europe
Dogma, the eighth album from Japanese heavy rock sensation the GazettE, is set for release digitally in Europe on 26 August, a week before Japan (2 September) and the rest of the world (4 September) get it! Dogma will then be physically released on 2 October.
Dogma is engineered by Ted Jenson (Bring Me The Horizon, Deftones, Pantera) and 2013’s Beautiful Deformity album which peaked at number five in Japan and climbed into the top 10 global iTunes charts on the back of the band’s world tour.
Fans were given a taste of Dogma in early August this year when the band released a lyric video for the album track “Ominous”. Metal Injection hailed the song as “Japan’s answer to bands like Katatonia… and Porcupine Tree”. A week later the GazettE followed it up with a sampler of the entire album on their YouTube channel.
Formed in 2002, the GazettE have risen to become one of Japan’s most successful rock bands, refining and redefining the boundaries of rock music and achieving continual chart success with their often heavy, ominous sound. They emerged from the “visual kei” scene, a Japanese cultural music and fashion phenomenon associated with elaborate make-up, hairstyles and costumes.
the GazettE have played sold-out “one man lives” (a Japanese term for shows with a single band on the line-up) at the mighty Nippon Budokan, Saitama Super Arena and Japan’s 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome and have undertaken numerous packed world tours. The band even managed to bring Shinjuku Station – the world’s busiest transport hub – to a halt when a guerrilla gig got out of hand and tens of thousands of fans arrived within minutes of the news breaking on social media.
The mid-2000s saw the group turn heads when their independent, self-produced EPs began reaching the top three in Japan’s indie charts, and they even broke into the top 30 of the official album chart. By 2005 the band had reached the top 10 of the official singles chart with the indie single “Reila”, and followed it up with their first major album Nil (Nameless Liberty Underground), entering at number four. Major labels came calling and the rest is history.
Even today the GazettE maintain their independent ethos by remaining completely self-produced. Their energy, artistic vision and power has made the GazettE a serious force in spearheading Japanese rock to the world, and reignited interest in “visual kei” on a global scale.
JPU Records has also re-released the GazettE’s first three major-label albums Nil, Stacked Rubbish and Dim, out now on CD with exclusive new translation booklets. They’re also available digitally on iTunes and Spotify, amongst others.
Dogma tracklist:
1 Nihil; 2 Dogma; 3 Rage; 4 Dawn; 5 Deracine; 6 Bizarre; 7 Wasteland; 8 Incubus; 9 Lucy; 10 Grudge; 11 Paralysis; 12 Deux; 13 Blemish; 14 Ominous (video)
the GazettE are Aoi – guitar (Twitter); Reita – bass (Twitter); Ruki – vocals (Twitter/Instagram); Kai – drums (Instagram); Uruha – guitar
EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Bangtan Boys at the "RWEL8?" showcase in Berlin
Bangtan Boys are a group of young men with some amazing talents ranging from rapping, dancing and singing. Consisting of members Jin, Rapmonster, Suga, J-hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook, they created a whole new generation of Korean hip-hop music and their own combination of old-school hip-hop with modern day K-pop idols. After debuting under BigHit Entertainment in 2013 they set their style with “No More Dream” followed by “N.O” which secured them an award for Best Newcomer at the Golden Disk Awards.
Recently BTS have released two Japanese singles for “No More Dream” and “Boy In Luv” along with a compilation album “2 Cool 4 Skool/ O!RUL8,2?”. They have starred in their own SBS MTV variety show Rookie King: Channel Bangtan and are currently airing their very own show American Hustle Life where they learn the ways of American hip-hop stars through the tutoring of “Gangsta Paradise” legend Coolio. It’s safe to say that within a very short one year time span, the Bangtan Boys have achieved some amazing feats, and it seems things can only get better from this point onwards.
After attending the press conference in the Korean Culture Centre for their “RWEL8?” showcase concert in Berlin, we were invited outside into the beautiful sunshine to host our own exclusive interview with all of the members. The atmosphere was very bright, and it seemed as though these young men and their staff were old friends of ours. We gathered around a table full of smiles and laughter, greeted each other, and with a deep breath took the opportunity to hold a relaxed and fun filled interview.
Before going to interview the Bangtan Boys I didn’t really have a clue as to how it would all go. There is always a worry about meeting someone like a brick wall, but the boys took the lead and really held their own very well.
Jin you are known amongst your fans as the mother or chef of the group after you shared some of your recipes online. Would you ever consider creating your own cookbook? What is your favourite food to cook?
JIN: I think that to publish a book is a bit hard and I would like to continue using our blog to share all of our recipes to our fans. I like healthy foods, like salads, and chicken, but the food I don’t like is something I have to cook for all of our group members. Especially when it’s for all of the members, as it’s very hard.
As for Rapmonster, being the leader of the group you must have more difficulties than the other members. What is the most difficult thing as a leader?
RAPMONSTER: For me to handle all seven people is a bit hard as I myself am a hard to handle person, and it is really hard when we are all together and for me to lead.
During one of your Bangtan Bomb videos (Lets Test BTS’s Nerve) J-hope was the only member who jumped out of his skin. Do you have any big fears?
J-HOPE: After our new show “American Hustle Life” I think I come off as more of a coward. I’m afraid of lots of things, but when someone shocks me suddenly it’s a bit scary, and I really don’t like things that jump out suddenly.
Suga has shared photos and shown off his photography skills to his fans. Whilst other idols have created their own photobooks do you have any plans to release your own?
SUGA: I like taking pictures and posting them on the blog and online, but for a photobook I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to make it yet. After I study and learn more I could possibly think about it and give it a go, but for now I have no plans to publish anything. I’ll just use the blog.
Jimin is known as being the dancer of the group and throughout your videos you share with your fans you are always seen dancing. What is your favourite dance style and dance move?
JIMIN: I like lots of different dances, like popping, hip-hop and urban dance. But my most favourite dance movement is the gun dance we use during “We Are Bulletproof”.
During the practice video for “Just One Day (Appeal Version)” V is seen laughing throughout the whole recording. What happened to make you laugh so hard? It looked like you was having all the fun by yourself.
V: During the video I was laughing a lot because of Jimin, Rapmonster and J-hope as they were making faces and messing around. I wanted to stop laughing myself, but it was too funny.
This question is for Jungkook. You have already reached a point in the Korean music industry where your name is known worldwide. This has been achieved in very little time (one year). Where do you see yourself in the future and what would you like to achieve by then?
JUNGKOOK: Thank you for knowing that we have worked hard for a short time and that you like us a lot. I am curious about many things in my life and in the future I will continue to be curious and explore other areas and do other things.
You each have your own background as rappers, vocalists and dancers. If you could swap your position with another member of the group who would you choose and why?
SUGA: I would choose J-hope because he just does what he has to do and is bright and funny, and he dances really well.
J-HOPE: I would change with Rapmonster because he is a nice cool guy, his rapping is great and he can also speak great English.
RAPMONSTER: I would change with Jungkook because I’d love to try to be the vocal within the group.
Through your Bangtan Bomb videos online you have given fans a glimpse of your lives, but if you could feature as a group or as individuals on any Korean variety shows, which ones would you pick?
J-HOPE: I want to be in some realistic shows or a programme that gives us our own show. Like American Hustle Life.
What about the variety show Running Man? It’s very popular within Europe. Would you go on that?
J-HOPE: No, I get tired, very tired (decides to act out his tiredness with some very exaggerated hand movements and panting, which was followed by all of Bangtan laughing).
Everyone has someone who inspires them to be where they are today. If you could choose someone who you look up to and who has inspired you to follow your dreams, who would you pick and why?
RAPMONSTER: Kanye West, Nas, all because they do amazing rapping.
JIN: Kanye West, yes.
SUGA: I have lots of people who inspire me, but through Kanye West I learned the culture of hip-hop.
V: Yes, I’m the same, same!
Your music and fashion style started off a new generation of music in the Korean music scene, but what kinds of songs are you all listening to at the moment? Who are your current music obsessions?
RAPMONSTER: Do you know Kendrick Lemaar and Ab-Soul? Trey Songz as his new album just came out.
V: And Tenashar.
JIN: And Chris Brown.
After a little bit of chatter whilst we packed away our gear the boys lined up against the wall ready to take some group photos. They posed professionally and well rehearsed, until we asked for a silly pose, then all hell broke loose ending with laughter all around. We bowed and said our goodbyes. I was upset that 30 minutes alone with them didn’t feel like enough. They each had their own stories they wanted to talk about, and it seemed that they were relaxed and just as happy to be meeting us as we were to meet them.
I would like to take this opportunity to say a very big thank you to BigHit Entertainment for allowing us some time with the boys, and for treating us like one of the crew members. To the staff of Kpopnonstop and Kpopmagazin for inviting us and for the absolute amazing organisation of the interview and showcase on a whole. The Korean Culture Centre of Berlin for allowing us the use of their beautiful garden to hold the interview, and for showing us around the centre filled with the majestic history of South Korea. And of course to the Bangtan Boys themselves for working extremely hard in the very hot weather, for laughing and joking with us, and for giving a moment of their busy and tiring schedule to hold this interview with us. It was also a nice touch that they all tried to speak English, and for that they have our respect.
Be sure to check out our Press Conference coverage and look out for our “RWEL8?” Berlin Showcase coverage which will be coming soon. For now be sure to pop onto the MCM Buzz Facebook Gallery and check out the rest of the pictures taken during our interview!
EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Bangtan Boys at the “RWEL8?” showcase in Berlin
Bangtan Boys are a group of young men with some amazing talents ranging from rapping, dancing and singing. Consisting of members Jin, Rapmonster, Suga, J-hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook, they created a whole new generation of Korean hip-hop music and their own combination of old-school hip-hop with modern day K-pop idols. After debuting under BigHit Entertainment in 2013 they set their style with “No More Dream” followed by “N.O” which secured them an award for Best Newcomer at the Golden Disk Awards.
Recently BTS have released two Japanese singles for “No More Dream” and “Boy In Luv” along with a compilation album “2 Cool 4 Skool/ O!RUL8,2?”. They have starred in their own SBS MTV variety show Rookie King: Channel Bangtan and are currently airing their very own show American Hustle Life where they learn the ways of American hip-hop stars through the tutoring of “Gangsta Paradise” legend Coolio. It’s safe to say that within a very short one year time span, the Bangtan Boys have achieved some amazing feats, and it seems things can only get better from this point onwards.
After attending the press conference in the Korean Culture Centre for their “RWEL8?” showcase concert in Berlin, we were invited outside into the beautiful sunshine to host our own exclusive interview with all of the members. The atmosphere was very bright, and it seemed as though these young men and their staff were old friends of ours. We gathered around a table full of smiles and laughter, greeted each other, and with a deep breath took the opportunity to hold a relaxed and fun filled interview.
Before going to interview the Bangtan Boys I didn’t really have a clue as to how it would all go. There is always a worry about meeting someone like a brick wall, but the boys took the lead and really held their own very well.
Jin you are known amongst your fans as the mother or chef of the group after you shared some of your recipes online. Would you ever consider creating your own cookbook? What is your favourite food to cook?
JIN: I think that to publish a book is a bit hard and I would like to continue using our blog to share all of our recipes to our fans. I like healthy foods, like salads, and chicken, but the food I don’t like is something I have to cook for all of our group members. Especially when it’s for all of the members, as it’s very hard.
As for Rapmonster, being the leader of the group you must have more difficulties than the other members. What is the most difficult thing as a leader?
RAPMONSTER: For me to handle all seven people is a bit hard as I myself am a hard to handle person, and it is really hard when we are all together and for me to lead.
During one of your Bangtan Bomb videos (Lets Test BTS’s Nerve) J-hope was the only member who jumped out of his skin. Do you have any big fears?
J-HOPE: After our new show “American Hustle Life” I think I come off as more of a coward. I’m afraid of lots of things, but when someone shocks me suddenly it’s a bit scary, and I really don’t like things that jump out suddenly.
Suga has shared photos and shown off his photography skills to his fans. Whilst other idols have created their own photobooks do you have any plans to release your own?
SUGA: I like taking pictures and posting them on the blog and online, but for a photobook I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to make it yet. After I study and learn more I could possibly think about it and give it a go, but for now I have no plans to publish anything. I’ll just use the blog.
Jimin is known as being the dancer of the group and throughout your videos you share with your fans you are always seen dancing. What is your favourite dance style and dance move?
JIMIN: I like lots of different dances, like popping, hip-hop and urban dance. But my most favourite dance movement is the gun dance we use during “We Are Bulletproof”.
During the practice video for “Just One Day (Appeal Version)” V is seen laughing throughout the whole recording. What happened to make you laugh so hard? It looked like you was having all the fun by yourself.
V: During the video I was laughing a lot because of Jimin, Rapmonster and J-hope as they were making faces and messing around. I wanted to stop laughing myself, but it was too funny.
This question is for Jungkook. You have already reached a point in the Korean music industry where your name is known worldwide. This has been achieved in very little time (one year). Where do you see yourself in the future and what would you like to achieve by then?
JUNGKOOK: Thank you for knowing that we have worked hard for a short time and that you like us a lot. I am curious about many things in my life and in the future I will continue to be curious and explore other areas and do other things.
You each have your own background as rappers, vocalists and dancers. If you could swap your position with another member of the group who would you choose and why?
SUGA: I would choose J-hope because he just does what he has to do and is bright and funny, and he dances really well.
J-HOPE: I would change with Rapmonster because he is a nice cool guy, his rapping is great and he can also speak great English.
RAPMONSTER: I would change with Jungkook because I’d love to try to be the vocal within the group.
Through your Bangtan Bomb videos online you have given fans a glimpse of your lives, but if you could feature as a group or as individuals on any Korean variety shows, which ones would you pick?
J-HOPE: I want to be in some realistic shows or a programme that gives us our own show. Like American Hustle Life.
What about the variety show Running Man? It’s very popular within Europe. Would you go on that?
J-HOPE: No, I get tired, very tired (decides to act out his tiredness with some very exaggerated hand movements and panting, which was followed by all of Bangtan laughing).
Everyone has someone who inspires them to be where they are today. If you could choose someone who you look up to and who has inspired you to follow your dreams, who would you pick and why?
RAPMONSTER: Kanye West, Nas, all because they do amazing rapping.
JIN: Kanye West, yes.
SUGA: I have lots of people who inspire me, but through Kanye West I learned the culture of hip-hop.
V: Yes, I’m the same, same!
Your music and fashion style started off a new generation of music in the Korean music scene, but what kinds of songs are you all listening to at the moment? Who are your current music obsessions?
RAPMONSTER: Do you know Kendrick Lemaar and Ab-Soul? Trey Songz as his new album just came out.
V: And Tenashar.
JIN: And Chris Brown.
After a little bit of chatter whilst we packed away our gear the boys lined up against the wall ready to take some group photos. They posed professionally and well rehearsed, until we asked for a silly pose, then all hell broke loose ending with laughter all around. We bowed and said our goodbyes. I was upset that 30 minutes alone with them didn’t feel like enough. They each had their own stories they wanted to talk about, and it seemed that they were relaxed and just as happy to be meeting us as we were to meet them.
I would like to take this opportunity to say a very big thank you to BigHit Entertainment for allowing us some time with the boys, and for treating us like one of the crew members. To the staff of Kpopnonstop and Kpopmagazin for inviting us and for the absolute amazing organisation of the interview and showcase on a whole. The Korean Culture Centre of Berlin for allowing us the use of their beautiful garden to hold the interview, and for showing us around the centre filled with the majestic history of South Korea. And of course to the Bangtan Boys themselves for working extremely hard in the very hot weather, for laughing and joking with us, and for giving a moment of their busy and tiring schedule to hold this interview with us. It was also a nice touch that they all tried to speak English, and for that they have our respect.
Be sure to check out our Press Conference coverage and look out for our “RWEL8?” Berlin Showcase coverage which will be coming soon. For now be sure to pop onto the MCM Buzz Facebook Gallery and check out the rest of the pictures taken during our interview!