New kids on the block LUN8 are back, and confident that they have it in them to achieve anything. The octet made their debut in K-pop with the EP CONTINUE? in June 2023, and are back with their sophomore mini album BUFF. It comprises of six tracks including the upbeat title track SUPER POWER. Under Fantagio, which is also home to famous K-pop boy band ASTRO, they have been making waves on the music scene. The group won the Focus Award-Musis at the Asia Artist Awards in 2023, and were also nominated for Rookie of the year at the Golden Disc awards. (Also read: Exclusive: Lee Mu Saeng, Lee Min Jae on K-drama Hide and being open to an offer from Bollywood)
In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, the members talk about their album BUFF, the advice from their ASTRO seniors, love for Indian curd and a message for their fandom LUV8
Congratulations on releasing BUFF, it’s the story of dreams and youth. This is your first comeback after CONTINUE. What was the idea behind this?
Do Hyun: Our new album BUFF talks about the dreams of youth. Since we are talking about youth, our styling reflected that concept. We tried to dress casually and brightly with simple hairstyles with the goal of delivering positive energy to the listeners.
So did you all dream of being idols, and what was the moment when you felt you succeeded in achieving that?
Chael: Being an idol was my long-time dream. I felt very happy when I first met our fans as I realized that I had accomplished my dream.
Eun Seop: I dreamt of becoming an idol, but I needed to be more open to actively achieve it. However, I saw the audition on TV and gained courage from the show. The moment I realized that I succeeded was the moment we performed on stage at the amusement park in front of our fans.
There are six tracks of various genres on your new mini album. What was the story you wanted to narrate to your listeners?
Jin Su: We wanted to deliver a message that says, “We can achieve everything that we dream about when we picture it together” through our new album BUFF.
Ji Eun Ho: I wish to tell our fans that we can become stronger and achieve anything when we picture our futures together as if we have gained a SUPER POWER!
SUPER POWER is in Korean as well as English. What is it like to switch between two languages?
Jun Woo: Although they are identical songs, I feel different charms from the Korean and English versions. It was also interesting to record the same song in another language since it felt like I was recording the same song that was yet slightly different.
Takuma: I think it’s nice to be able to deliver the message of the song to our global fans through the English version.
What’s the superpower LUN8 wants to have?
Ji Eun Ho: I want the power to be able to teleport. If I could teleport I’d be able to meet more fans around the world.
Eun Seop: I want to have a superpower to be able to heal and give strength to everyone who listens to our songs and watches us perform.
You are close to your first anniversary. What has it been like? What was the most challenging aspect during your first year?
Jin Su: It was difficult in the sense that we couldn’t meet our fans for a while after the release of our debut album since our second mini-album took us some time to release. I felt very happy when I finally heard the chanting of LUV8 after releasing our second mini album.
As a new boy group in this very competitive space, what do you feel is your biggest challenge, and what makes LUN8 different from the many groups making their debut?
Chael: Our members have unique personalities. When different people come together bringing their individual charms, it creates a synergy and allows us to work with many different genres. I believe that is the strength of LUN8.
Ian: Although we haven’t released many albums yet, I believe the strength of LUN8 is not hesitating when it comes to trying various genres.
Have your seniors at the company given you any advice?
Jin Su: Singer Lee Chang Sub told us that singing would be easier if we tried to make sounds softer. It was really helpful and I really appreciated it.
Takuma: Recently, we met JinJin from ASTRO and he told us to be happy and stay healthy while we are promoting. I still remember his words since they resonated with me.
Eun Seop: San-Ha from ASTRO told us that we have improved our facial expressions after watching our SUPER POWER music video. I also remember him telling us about certain aspects that we could work on a bit more.
What have been your musical influences and is there any particular band/ group you dream of collaborating with?
Jun Woo: It’s Kai from EXO. I have admired him since my trainee days, so I would love to share the stage with him some day.
Do Hyun: There are so many artists that I admire. However, if I had to pick, I’d love to perform with Lee Chang Sub, ASTRO, and WEKIMEKI!
India loves K-pop. Are you familiar with Indian films, food and can we expect you to perform in India?
Do Hyun: I love dairy. So, I’d love to try Indian plain yogurt, Dahi!
Eun Seop: I’ve heard that India is known for its curry. So, if I visit India, I want to try curry for sure, and also want to show our stage to LUV8 in India!
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