K-Pop
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When RIIZE goes out to dinner, it’s a 20-person affair.
On this particular Sunday evening, the pioneering South Korean mega-label SM Entertainment has reserved a private room at a hot spot in Los Angeles’ Koreatown popular with music artists for its new boy band. The six members file in around a long table — along with an SM-associated translator (who is occasionally assisted by two other team members), a publicist from RCA Records (an SM partner for RIIZE), a veteran manager from Seoul and eight additional crew members who sit in a nearby booth.
The Korean group is in town for its RIIZING DAY Fan-Con Tour tomorrow — a “fan-concert” where the group intersperses choreographed performances of its own K-pop hits with casual games, informal onstage chats among themselves and special covers of both K-pop classics and global boy band hits, like One Direction’s “One Thing.” It’s RIIZE’s first time headlining a show in the United States, but its third group visit to L.A. Before the May 20 concert, the group flew here in August to attend the city’s annual KCON K-pop mega-fest and also filmed two music videos in town: the jovial “Memories” (a pre-debut single that generated buzz for the group that month) and its official debut single, “Get a Guitar,” a slick, bubblegum earworm released in both Korean and English that’s now RIIZE’s most streamed song globally, with 219.6 million official on-demand streams since its September release, according to Luminate.
“Not even a year has passed since our debut, but so much has happened,” says RIIZE’s youngest member, 20-year-old Anton, as his bandmates nibble on naan bread and citrus-splashed hamachi crudo. “Back then, our group was, like, innocent, you know? Now, we’ve sort of adjusted to traveling and visiting other countries.”
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Shotaro
Munachi Osegbu
Sungchan
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In fact, RIIZE’s members weren’t totally green when the group made its official debut on Sept. 4, 2023, through K-pop giant SM in a partnership with RCA. Shotaro and Sungchan had previously debuted in NCT, the ambitious boy band project that SM launched in 2016, becoming its two newest members in 2020 and contributing to Resonance, Pt. 1, NCT’s highest-charting Billboard 200 release. Two years later, SM’s board of directors moved to terminate the company’s production contract with founder Lee Soo-Man (from whom SM gets its name) in 2022 in an effort to shift SM away from Lee’s creative authority. In May 2023, Korean multimedia conglomerate Kakao became the company’s largest shareholder after a heated bidding war with K-pop titan HYBE (which initially bought Lee’s stake in the company but then sold it to Kakao during a tender offer) for access to SM’s nearly 30 years of K-pop glory, including an extensive catalog, dedicated divisions for nonmusic opportunities like acting, technology and the metaverse, as well as dozens of active artists — soon to include its newest addition, RIIZE.
Just days before Kakao became majority shareholder, SM CEO Jang Cheol-Hyuk revealed that as part of a company restructuring, NCT — originally pitched as a group with infinite members splintered into localized subunits worldwide — would no longer infinitely expand and that Shotaro and Sungchan would leave to debut in a new group, joining previously announced SM Rookies (the company’s team of trainees) Eunseok and Seunghan, along with other Korean and American members. In July 2023, excitement mounted when K-pop media outlets reported that the son of acclaimed Korean singer-songwriter-producer Yoon Sang — later revealed to be Anton — would also join the project.
Finally, on July 27, 2023, SM introduced RIIZE. The group (whose name is a portmanteau of “rise” and “realize”) launched its Instagram with 27 photos — casual selfies and mirror pics without the flashy fashion, perfect makeup or glossy finishes that often characterize K-pop photo shoots even on social media — revealing the seven-member lineup of Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Seunghan, Sohee and Anton. (Six are at dinner tonight; in November, SM placed Seunghan on “indefinite suspension,” though he is still listed as a RIIZE member on the label’s website.)
RIIZE has sought to present itself as more down-to-earth — a noticeable change from previous, high-concept SM artist launches like the supernatural-inspired boy band EXO; the girl group aespa, which sings about straddling the real and virtual worlds; and other larger-than-life K-pop idols the label has served up since the late 1990s. RIIZE describes its music as “emotional pop,” a phrase it uses, Anton says, “because we hope that people can relate to it emotionally. The members all do, and I think that’s what our fans want from us as well.”
Clockwise from top left: Wonbin, Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Anton, and Sohee.
Munachi Osegbu
But RIIZE differs from other K-pop outfits in ways that go beyond the aesthetic or concept. For one, its social media approach is far more hands-on than that of its contemporaries, who tend to have marketing-approved captions; @riize_official sprinkles comments across fans’ TikTok accounts. The members also filmed the #GetAGuitarChallenge with influencers including Merrick Hanna (who has 32.5 million followers on TikTok), reacted to tasting Indonesian snacks with Jerome Polin (8.2 million followers on Instagram) and shot charming content with South Korea’s most prominent openly gay celebrity, the tastemaker Hong Seok-Cheon, who predicted Wonbin as a “face” to watch in 2024.
“We have a concept called ‘real-time odyssey,’” Eunseok explains. “We post a lot of pictures of our daily life and intimate [moments] on social media.” Anton clarifies: “We don’t really think of it as a concept — we’re just trying to show our authentic selves.”
Unlike many of its peers, RIIZE also does not have a designated “leader,” even if the Tokyo-raised Shotaro — at 23, the group’s eldest and only Japanese member — naturally steps up. At dinner, he ensures everyone around him (including this reporter) has water and their drink of choice. He’s the first to speak at the meal and divulges the most about his musical tastes; Sam Smith is a favorite. To his left is his fellow ex-NCT member, Seoul-born Sungchan, 22, whose beaming smile helped him become a host of the weekly K-pop performance TV program Inkigayo while he was in NCT. One day, he hopes Pharrell Williams will collaborate on a track for RIIZE. Shotaro likens Sungchan to the color sky blue because he has “a very clear heart… and is very innocent.”
Sohee
Munachi Osegbu
Wonbin
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RIIZE’s four other members sit across from the duo. Born and raised in Seoul, Eunseok, 23, prefers calm ballads and the music of Ed Sheeran. While his outside demeanor matches his musical taste, his bandmates reveal he has a more lighthearted side: As Sohee describes, Eunseok is known for giving “very random and fantastical” nonsensical nicknames to everyone he meets. Anton calls them “basically video-game character names,” which makes everyone laugh.
The 22-year-old Wonbin — or “Dark Bean,” as Eunseok has dubbed him, to the rest of RIIZE’s amusement — was born in Seoul but raised in South Korea’s southern port city of Ulsan; he digs Justin Timberlake’s 20/20 Experience-era singles like “Mirrors” and “Suit & Tie.” Baby-faced powerhouse vocalist Sohee, 20, grew up in Siheung, located in the country’s most populous province, Gyeonggi; he is not only “really bright,” Anton explains, “[but] his mindset is always really positive as well.”
Last is Anton, 20, son of singer Yoon Sang and the actress Shim Hye-Jin. While Anton has appeared on South Korean TV since childhood (Yoon Sang is based in South Korea), he was born in Boston and raised in New Jersey; growing up in the United States fostered his appetite for music discovery and exploration, which ultimately became the foundation for his K-pop career. “I don’t really think I have a favorite artist per se,” he says, soft-spoken but self-assured. “I just like to explore as many genres [as I can] and try to listen to a lot of different music even if I don’t understand the language. People who enjoy K-pop might not understand Korean.”
From left: Anton, Sohee, Wonbin, Eunseok, Shotaro, and Sungchan of RIIZE photographed May 21, 2024 in Los Angeles.
Munachi Osegbu
Anton’s musical philosophy encapsulates the growing mindset of the young audience with whom RIIZE, as well as SM and RCA, hope to connect. As U.S. listeners become increasingly interested in foreign-language music, RIIZE has earned 37.8 million official U.S. on-demand streams — contributing to 641.2 million globally — according to Luminate. And it hopes to continue expanding its fan base (known as BRIIZE, pronounced “breeze”) with the June 17 release of RIIZING – The 1st Mini Album. Its new single, “Boom Boom Bass,” incorporates the same hooky energy of “Get a Guitar” while adding shimmery disco vibes and an irresistible bassline. Sungchan and Wonbin both say it’s their favorite RIIZE song yet.
After five different K-pop releases topped the Billboard 200 last year, driven by K-pop fans’ love of physical product and labels delivering collectible album packages in multiple versions, RCA Records COO John Fleckenstein says the label is “absolutely focused on delivering physical versions for RIIZE” in the United States — but as just one way to elevate the group’s presence.
“The vision behind our global partnership was to marry what both our companies do best across all areas to bring additional opportunities, reach, resources and growth to support RIIZE,” Fleckenstein adds. “Our passion lies in exploring the intersection of music, art, culture and then connecting that to an audience. SM have been incredible partners who truly understand the market.”
Eunseok
Munachi Osegbu
Anton
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As the members of RIIZE dip into Basque cheesecakes for dessert, they share their personal goals for the future, both near and distant. They hope that “Boom Boom Bass” can crack multiple Billboard charts and are looking forward to their first original Japanese-language single, “Lucky,” due in July, calling it “a perfect song for the summer.” Shotaro dreams of someday performing at the Super Bowl and the Billboard Music Awards.
RIIZE wants fans to understand that the Fan-Con Tour is only the beginning, and that the members plan to visit many countries. When Shotaro and Anton burst into tears during the band’s two sold-out dates at Tokyo’s Yoyogi National Gymnasium arena in May, it brought new meaning to the group’s “emotional pop” — and conveyed how much RIIZE wants an offline fan connection that is as strong as its online one.
“I really did not plan on crying whatsoever,” Anton reflects. “That was our biggest concert to date, and seeing the fans far away holding up our signs and stuff was just sort of overwhelming.” At the concert the day after dinner, the members manage not to break into tears — but their performance is no less heartfelt. Amid heart-stopping choreography, Anton pauses to address the audience. “We’ll work hard,” he says, “to become a RIIZE that BRIIZE can be proud of.”
When RIIZE goes out to dinner, it’s a 20-person affair. On this particular Sunday evening, the pioneering South Korean mega-label SM Entertainment has reserved a private room at a hot spot in Los Angeles’ Koreatown popular with music artists for its new boy band. The six members file in around a long table — along […]
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In both America and South Korea, June marks Pride Month, with the 2024 celebration seeing one of K-pop‘s rare representatives deliver a universal anthem honoring global pop icons.
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The first-ever LGBTQ+ boy band to come from the K-pop scene, LIONESSES has been bravely pushing for representation in Korea and reaching the world with its consistent string of all-inclusive anthems like “It’s OK to Be Me” and “Show Me Your Pride” since debuting in 2021. Minus the group’s leader and music producer Damjun, LIONESSES’ countertenor Kanghan, vocalist Lee Malrang, as well as its former member and rapper Foxman who exited in late 2022, all perform in masks to conceal their identities in the socially conservative South Korea where LGBTQ+ people face prejudice, discrimination, and social stigmas with few protections compared to other developed democracies. But the music video to LIONESSES’ latest single “Like Christina Taught Me” not only shines a spotlight on a range of pop icons — including the titular Christina Aguilera — but sees Malrang stepping into the international spotlight by taking his mask off for the first time on camera.
“Like Christina Taught Me” has a bouncy, R&B-pop beat to back the trio’s range of vocals delivering encouraging words and finding comfort in the music of larger-than-life superstars that so many queer kids do. Referencing two of Xtina’s singles from her defining Stripped album from 2002, they sing on the chorus: “Know that you’re ‘Beautiful,’ like Christina taught me in that song / Trust ‘The Voice Within’” followed by an Aguilera-esque growl.
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With the mix of English and Korean lyrics, LIONESSES also pay tribute to Mariah Carey (“Yes, MC, I believe within my soul, hold on tight I won’t let go’ / I can ‘Make It Happen’”), Whitney Houston (”Learning to love yourself,’ like Whitney taught me in that song / ‘The Greatest Love of All’”), and Michael Jackson (“Yes, MJ, I’mma start to love that man/ That ‘Man in the Mirror”).
Inspired by the band members’ actual experiences, the accompanying music video depicts the LIONESSES members in a classic Korean school setting, navigating bullies and ridicule from their classmates but finding secret solace in a smiling partner and coming closer to their true selves — like Kanghan showcasing her drag persona and Malrang removing his mask in the final seconds of the video in a beautiful moment of public courageousness.
Despite wins like successfully repealing bans from Korean-television broadcasters for their music, LIONESSES and their associates also deal with an onslaught of abuse from religious zealots in South Korea. Whether or not LIONESSES tops the charts, the representation and stories that Damjun, Kanghan and Malrang bring in a public setting are important steps in creating a greater music industry and world where all are accepted regardless of sexuality, gender identity or the other aspects that make each human precious.
Watch the “Like Christina Taught Me” music video below and read on for an extensive interview with LIONESSES members.
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Congratulations on your new single, LIONESSES! What does the song mean to you all personally?
Kanghan: “Like Christina Taught Me” is about inner beauty and embracing it. As the title indicates, it’s a collection of artistic energy that brings together musicians talking about “beauty.” I needed time to accept myself, especially during my career in LIONESSES and taking off my mask and showing my drag queen ego to the public. But that’s when I got courage and hope from watching the drag queens who were already active in Korea. It’s the same for music, for drag, for dancing: being able to fill that courage indirectly to someone who needs it, which inspired me to bring that into my life. In particular, I know that this song was inspired by the lyrics “You are beautiful, no matter what they say” from Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful.” I remember Damjun introducing us to this song about all our beauty.
Lee Malrang: It seems to be the hardest song to sing live out of all the songs released so far, but since it’s named after the diva we admire the most, I’m always practicing hard to sing more perfectly. [Laughs]
Damjun: I made this song to give back to my fans the courage that all the great musicians cited in this music, including Christina. So I went back to Young Damjun from my childhood era in this music video, and even appeared in the video wearing my school uniform! [Laughs]
Even after I debuted in LIONESSES, I still work as a vocal coach at some art high schools because I can’t just send my students off to another coach so easily. I thought just having one actor playing the role of my friends was not enough, so I brought my students to the set and asked for their help. It was a special experience for me to act in the same uniform next to my students — but my students will still laugh when we talk about it.
“Beautiful” and “The Voice Within,” Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror,” Mariah Carey’s “Make It Happen,” Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All,” Korea’s legendary diva Yoon Bok-hee’s “You,” and BTS‘ “Answer: Love Myself” — the message that all these songs have given me is, “It’s OK.” No matter how much you are loved by others, I think accepting yourself is the beginning of all courage. I want to remind anyone who will listen to this song that all this music has told me and that if you feel OK about yourself, everything’s going to be OK.”
Damjun, you wrote, co-produced and vocal directed “Like Christina Taught Me.” Can you tell me about creating the song?
Damjun: “Like Christina Taught Me” is a song that I made to return the comfort given by Christina Aguilera, our great diva, and to our fans DEN. Almost three years have passed since my debut, time flies so fast but Christina is an artist who is almost everything to me. I’m sure my fans have often seen me say in live streams and Instagram posts, “80% of what raised me was Christina Aguilera.” That’s how much she’s incorporated into my singing skill — I’m still way short of her but I’m trying to do my best. Sometimes just humming her songs that I sing to fans on live streams such as “I Turn to You”, “Beautiful,” “The Voice Within,” “Ain’t No Other Man,” “Hurt,” and her version of [James Brown‘s] “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” in her whistle register. [Laughs]
I’ve been dreaming of becoming a K-pop idol ever since I was a little boy and I’ve had a lot of opportunities come my way — come to think of it, I auditioned singing “The Voice Within” when I was in high school — but when I thought about if I was ever caught being bisexual, I thought Korean society, back then, would destroy my music career and all my loved ones. So, I gave up opportunities every time. For a long time, I worked as a singer in advertisements, a wedding singer and vocal coach but with my debut with LIONESSES, I accepted a lot of things. I accepted by myself. I thought, “I can make my story into music and tell it to people” and a lot of stories that I had suppressed have been made into music.
Just like how [Christina] helped me not to let go of my dreams, singing “You are beautiful, no matter what they say,” I want to give courage to my younger fans: “Know that you’re beautiful, like she taught me.”
Why did LIONESSES want to honor Christina Aguilera not just in the lyrics, but also in the title?
Kanghan: Because we all love Christina! [Laughs] She is an icon of our generation. Especially for me as a drag queen, she is an important figure who taught me how to be a diva.
Damjun: For me, Christina has been the vocal teacher I’ve never met for the past 20 years. When I have to sing a new song that I made, rather than cover someone else’s song, there are times when I just don’t know how am I supposed to sing it. Every time I face that kind of pinch, I find an answer thinking, “What would Christina do?”
When I first auditioned to become a singer in 2007, I was a little gay boy in ninth grade. Before that, I had opera singing training, but I wanted to be a pop star just like her. That’s when Christina came to do a concert in Korea — it was a world tour when the Back to Basics album was released and tens of thousands of people flocked to Seoul’s Olympic Stadium to see her. She appeared in a white suit — oh, all of a sudden, I feel like a ninth-grade boy talking about this! [Laughs] — but I wanted to go to that show so my mother paid me an advance for almost a year’s worth of allowance, I borrowed money from my friends, and managed to buy a ticket. And yes, she took the stage with her baby bump and touched tens of thousands of people.
I fell in love with her Back to Basics character of “Baby Jane” with songs called “Candyman” and “Ain’t No Other Man.” She introduced to me retro-vibe music when she released that album and that’s when I first started searching for and listening to music from earlier generations of musicians such as Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald and James Brown. Recently, I participated in CUMA 2024, a joint concert of Korean and Japanese LGBTQ+ jazz musicians…it was also Christina who first introduced the jazz music I sang in this performance!
I will love her music forever. You know, if you have someone you love, you want to share it with them when you watch a good movie or eat something delicious, right? I wanted to share the music that I love with my beloved DENs, just like that. And if there is anyone who is a little boy like younger me who is torn between dreams, talents, and fears, I want to tell him this: “It’s OK to chase a dream,” as Christina told me through her music.
You’ve shared a couple songs already, but what is everyone’s favorite Xtina songs and videos?
Malrang: Oh god…I really feel like I’m a teen-girl fan of Christina. I like “What a Girl Wants”, “Come on Over (All I Want Is You)” and “Genie in a Bottle.” Of course we discuss, “Who’s going to be Christina’s part when we sing ‘Lady Marmalade?’” every time we meet. [Laughs]
Kanghan: Actually, I didn’t know much about pop music before I was an opera singer, but I mainly liked Christina Aguilera’s most popular ballads then. Now, I love her boldness and I’m turning into a big fan, but “Like Christina Taught Me” in particular gave me a chance to reflect on “Beautiful” and think again about the huge comfort it gave us. My favorite song right now is “Dirrty.”
The music video of “Beautiful” has many outsiders wandering, not feeling positive about themselves, being bullied by many people, but eventually finding their true selves. That’s what I’ve been through in my life too so I think this song has the most special meaning to all LGBTQ+ people of my generation.
Damjun: I especially like all the songs in the Back to Basics album, I guess I can’t forget the first time I actually saw her at a concert. My biggest goal in high school was to sing “Candyman” perfectly once…it’s still hard to sing! I also remember practicing notes one by one, while performing the intro line of “Ain’t No Other Man,” playing it a halfspeed. I also like her version of “Climb Every Mountain” [from The Sound of Music] and “Do What U Want” with Lady Gaga. Actually, I like her music from start to finish, so this answer is just a list of her songs that come to mind right now.
I also liked the recently remade version of the “Beautiful” music video. Is it OK to call the entire animation Mulan as the music video for “Reflection”? [Laughs] Her music was also used as a theme song in the movie…I liked the red background of “Loyal Brave True” and the background production using Chinese characters because it felt like modern art. My favorite, though, is definitely “Candyman.” Everything about it makes me feel like I’m an American Navy [SEAL] from another era.
Malang: I like “Candyman,” too! I once dreamed of being an American pin-up girl. I wanted to be a pin-up girl to make guys stand up — just kidding!
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You also honor Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson in the song. Can you share how these artists are inspirations too?
Kanghan: Michael Jackson is the “King of Pop” that all earthlings know, right? I remember when I was young I would play along with his dances. As a performer, I respect him so much for being a sensation that will go down in history. One of my role models, Korean gospel singer Sohyang, specifically mentioned that the singer she respect the most is Whitney Houston so I listened to all of her music. Sohyang and Whitney are the singers who inspired me a lot in my life.
Malrang: I especially really like MJ’s “You Are Not Alone.” I used to cry a lot when I first heard it when I was little and I actually listen to it every time I had to endure something by myself. This song always gives me a lot of strength.
Damjun: Before our comeback in the second half of last year, I talked to my fans about sponsoring a UNICEF campaign together. I said, “All pop musicians, including K-pop artists, are like Michael Jackson’s children. Everyone inherited his great legacy and is making their own music. So, I wanted to do ‘Heal the World’ with DENs just like Michael did to the world.” The same goes for Whitney Houston’s voice. Perhaps Christina, whom I keep referring to as an icon, is also considered to be the greatest diva to have inherited her legacy. My entire life has been a practice process to sing like them.
The quote from “Make It Happen” by Mariah Carey was a little more significant to me. My other two members are Christians, but I have no religion. However, after releasing “It’s OK to Be Me” in 2022, I became strongly opposed to religion in my mind when the song was banned from broadcasting on the grounds of “homosexuality” by MBC. When fans around the world protested, the broadcaster reversed it and I was attacked a lot by Christians in Korea for the reversal. Pastors incited the congregation by praying that “We should call [broadcasters] as a group to get those gay singers out of the entertainment industry.” Thousands of them went to the broadcasting companies and protested to get us out of the K-pop industry. Since Han and Malrang are Christians, so I don’t know how they would feel, but I was at the height of my aversion toward Christianity at the time — I had death threats messages from Christians in Korea and malicious complaints where they systematically attacked me. From that, I hated a lot of music, including “Make It Happen,” which had a Christian message.
However, I couldn’t deny the consolation and courage Mariah gave me. It’s the homophobics that attacked me that are bad, but not all religion and religious music is bad. Eventually I even listened to the great gospel songs that Mariah released — her music comforted me so much that I felt so stupid in the moments when I turned a blind eye to it because it had a religious message. So, I quoted “Make It Happen” in our [new] song, as opposed to any of her countless other songs, intending to forgive everything I suffered and give a hand of reconciliation to Christianity. The Korean diva Yoon Bok-hee’s “You” quoted in this song also had a religious message but I thought that ultimately, her willingness to be a comfort and joy as a voice for everyone was more important.
And as I’ve mentioned since my debut, as an ARMY — an old ARMY [Laughs] — I wanted to include the message that BTS gave me. They’re the idols of all idols now, but when I was working as a vocal coach and rejecting debut offers before I debuted as LIONESSES, I was unhappy and pessimistic about everything in the world. When BTS first came out with the message “Love Yourself,” I thought to myself, “It’s easy for you guys because you’re straight.” Then, I came to know about the hardships they’ve been through, saw their efforts, and fell in love with their music. I felt so ashamed of myself for not accepting the messages that BTS had conveyed simply because they hadn’t had experiences as LGBTQ+ and that’s how special all the songs in the album Love Yourself: Answer are to me. When I listened to their music and sincerity in the past, I felt so grateful for the messages that told me to overcome. Everyone has their own struggles, and we’ve concluded that the way to overcome them is to “love yourselves,” as all the great musicians mentioned in this song have said.
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Thank you for sharing all your stories. Have you dealt had any comments or bans with “Like Christina Taught Me”?
Damjun: [LIONESSES’ 2021 single] “Christmas Miracle” was banned by the Korean broadcaster CBS [The Christian Broadcasting System] on the “charge” of being LGBTQ — or, to be more precise, “a singer who harms the Christian spirit.” Exactly a year after that, “It’s OK to Be Me” went through the same thing at MBC, Korea’s largest broadcasting station, but MBC resolved the misunderstanding when the director called our company directly and apologized after complaints from fans and the media. The deliberations corrected it as a broadcast-approved song, but as a result the aforementioned attacks persisted for months. There were Christians who filed complaints with the school and education office where I worked as a coach and begged me to fire them. But now that I think about it, not everyone has the experience of being worshipped by pastors, right? [Laughs] So, I think I’ll have fun accepting it even if it happens in the future? “Like Christina Taught Me” has not faced any problems yet, but even in the face of discrimination, I want to sing this song firmly and convey more of the message to the world.
Malrang: Actually, “Like Christina Taught Me” has scenes revealing bits and pieces of my school years. My actual high school years were hell. They’d call me “lady” and “transgender” as insults, and I was sexually harassed a lot by them. I cursed and swore a lot so I wouldn’t get beat up by the bad guys, and even now, I still end up saying things that aren’t very refined, so my boss and Damjun used to be concerned about me. [All laugh] But even when a celebrity with LGBTQ+ image appeared on TV, bullies rushed to hit me. One day when news of a queer celebrity’s suicide was reported, they said, “This is your future; you won’t die comfortably.” But now it’s all in the past — I like how much happier I am after overcoming all of this in the music video.
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The video is also significant because Malrang removes his mask for the first time and Kanghan shares her drag persona. Congratulations on this big step! What inspired these decisions?
Malang: Last year, when my grandmother passed away, I had a lot of think about my life. During that time, it occurred to me that I had lived my life lying to my family for 30 years, as if I had put a thin layer on my life. I was wearing a mask and coming out to the fans and the world, and bravely starting my career, but I couldn’t muster the courage to come out to my family. So, there were many conflicts with the label about unmasking. As such, my grandmother’s passing was a turning point for me since I felt I was constantly lying to the public and to my family. I then addressed my concerns to Damjun who, in producing of this wonderful song, gave me the opportunity to come out again to my family and the public. I felt that I no longer wanted to play a deceiving role, but more than anything, I feel relieved to be able to proudly stand in front of my family now.
Damjun: There was a Christian who attacked us before said, “They hide behind the mask because they know they are ashamed of themselves.” But you know, our mask was rather in solidarity with fans anywhere who could not come out immediately. Of course, I’ve shown my face since our debut but they tried to spread the argument that “they’re hiding behind the mask because they’re ashamed of themselves”, and they only captured and watched footage of the other members wearing masks except my face on the Internet.
Kanghan: My alter ego, the drag queen “Rooya,” was also first revealed to the world through LIONESSES’ music videos. In fact, I’ve dressed up in full drag-queen makeup and outfits for Rooya, but pre-LIONESSES I was only dressed up alone in my room and was never seen by people. I’ve been admiring the queens in the musicals Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Kinky Boots and I believe that revealing the drag queen as a LIONESSES member is a way to bring back the inspiration I’ve received from them. I hope that I can continue to show you the new Rooya through LIONESSES.
Malrang, I’ve heard you’re related to another famous singer, Jeon Soyeon of (G)I-DLE! Have you two connected over music?
Malrang: We are cousins, so we met often on holidays. When she and I were very young, I taught her how to play the piano just once and she has already become the best composer in the K-pop industry so I am always proud of her and her talent. If that short memory is a musical connection to her, it can be said that it is a connection, but as you know, family members don’t usually talk about work.
I originally made my debut in 2009 in the past, and Soyeon supported and listened to me a lot. After that, I was growing my world as an indie musician and as Soyeon prepared to become a K-pop idol, I talked with her about her mindset as an artist and attitude on stage. But when my little sister became a successful musician and started (G)I-DLE‘s world tour, I cried a lot when I came back from the concert hall. I was so proud of her and for being able to so perfectly connect with such a large audience.
So, when I released this single, I decided to reveal my bare face to the public and, at the same time, I came out to her. She has given me a warm support and has given me a lot of support for my future as a K-pop artist. If I could say a word to my little sister Soyeon as an older brother, through this interview, I would like to say, “As your older brother, I will always try to be a good, fellow singer that you are not ashamed of.”
Anything else you would like to share with Billboard readers or maybe Xtina herself?
Malrang: Christina unnie! Next time you visit Korea, make sure to have a glass of soju with mala xiang guo [the spicy Chinese spicy dish that’s popular nowadays). And let’s sing a “spicy” song together!
Kanghan: I still vividly remember how you came out on RuPaul’s Drag Race and supported the drag artists. Because you are the goddess of all the drag queens, I am honored to continue to love your music as great as you have given the LGBTQ+ community.
Damjun: Christina, you’ll have no idea how much you are loved by singers who come after you. Especially for LGBTQ+ boys and girls, like me, who got the hope to live by hearing “You are beautiful” from your music…as a singer who wanted to be like Christina, I think the best I can do is to share the courage and comfort I received from you to my fans again. So, I’m still working hard to resemble you. Christina, I believe that beauty comes from love. Everything that is loved becomes beautiful. That’s why I, as a crooked adolescent boy, was able to become as beautiful as I am now based on the love you gave me through music. I was reluctant to love myself, but your music did so I want to make this song that conveys the message to someone, “Oh, this song loves me.” Because if someone’s having a hard time loving yourself, you can be loved by these kinds of songs first. I love you — to “the voice of our generation” from “the boy of your generation.”
And I’m especially grateful to the people who are fans of countless stars, including my dear DEN, and I want you to know that your presence gives us the strength to live and to create. We, all the musicians can be exist because we have fans. Also, my solo songs will be released in the second half of this year or the first half of 2025…I feel I will be able to sing about more personal things in my solo.
Kanghan: My dear DEN, you know we are always together, right? I hope this year’s Pride Month will have happier and more queer days.
Malrang: Our new single needs a lot of attention, right? [Laughs] We always try to read all the comments. We’ll wait for you, we love you!
SEVENTEEN can add another honor to their long list of accomplishments after UNESCO announced on Tuesday (June 11) that the 13-man South Korean band will be appointed as the international group’s Goodwill Ambassador for Youth by UNESCO general director Audrey Azoulay at a June 26 ceremony at the organization’s Paris headquarters.
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“SEVENTEEN and UNESCO share the same commitment to empowering young people to drive change and address the challenges of our century. They continue to inspire and support young people around the world with their music and positive energy,” Azoulay said in a statement. “Following several successful joint actions, I wanted our partnership to take on even greater strategic importance. On June 26, I will be delighted to welcome the 13 members of the group into the family of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors.”
The appointment comes after SEVENTEEN participated in the 13th UNESCO Youth Forum in Paris in November, where they talked about the importance of young people pursuing their dreams at the first-ever session at the forum dedicated to a musical artist. More than 1,300 people from 194 member states attended that event, including 170 youth delegates. UNESCO — short for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization — is a specialized United Nations agency that works to promote, “world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture.”
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In addition to their speech about positivity and hope, the group also performed a medley of their hits, including “_WORLD,” “Darl+ing,” “Headliner,” “God of Music” and “Together.”
In 2022, SEVENTEEN also launched the #GoingTogether initiative with the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, establishing new educational centers in Timor-Leste and educational aid to Malawi. According to the statement, by working as Goodwill Ambassador For Youth, the group will commit to “putting their talent and voice at the service of the Organization’s values and mandate.”
At the June 26 ceremony, the group will unveil their SEVENTEEN x UNESCO partnership, which will be dedicated to supporting youth projects around the globe. The ceremony will be livestreamed on UNESCO’s YouTube channel.
Check out a teaser for the June 26 UNESCO event below.
Almost exactly one year after Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin of K-pop boy band EXO first pursued legal action against their longtime label and management agency, SM Entertainment, over contractual issues, a company established by the trio has now declared “full-on war” on the K-pop giant, according to Korean media reports.
Representatives for INB100, the newly established company Baekhyun founded in 2023 — which signed Chen and Xiumin for their respective solo careers, though all three remain contracted under SM for EXO’s group activities — held what has been described as an “emergency press conference” in central Seoul on Monday (June 10). Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin were not in attendance.
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During the press conference, as reported by Korea JoongAng Daily, three reps for the trio — who also perform together in a splinter unit called EXO-CBX — said that Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin have been in a monthlong dispute over fees and contracts with SM. Cha Ga-won, president and majority shareholder of INB100’s holding company, One Hundred, and one of the representatives to speak at the press conference, claimed a former SM CEO verbally promised in a recorded agreement to charge INB100 only a 5.5% fee for distributing its music releases through Kakao (the current majority shareholder of SM Entertainment), as opposed to the 15% to 20% percent typically charged to companies outside Kakao’s umbrella. But Cha says SM is now demanding a 10% royalty fee for the members’ use of the agency’s intellectual property (such as the members’ stage names, as well as EXO and EXO-CBX) in exchange for the discounted distribution fee.
“We declare a full-on war against SM Entertainment, which has made a promise that it could not keep and committed what could be perceived as fraud,” said Cha during the press conference, during which INB100 representatives also demanded that SM disclose the breakdown of EXO’s earnings — reigniting the same contract issues that were reportedly resolved last June. The representatives additionally claimed that INB100 sent a formal letter of complaint to SM Entertainment over two months ago concerning the fees and the earnings disclosure but had not received a response.
On Monday evening, SM Entertainment refuted the allegations in a press release. According to SM, an outside company imposed the 10% intellectual property fee following court mediation over past issues with previous EXO members who had exited the label while still under contract. (Between 2014-2105, three other EXO members left the group and broke their contracts with SM to focus on the China market.) SM also claims EXO-CBX’s contract is still valid, and that the trio benefits from the EXO brand but are not fulfilling their contractual obligations with SM despite the agency acting in good faith with a lower distribution rate.
SM’s statement also alleges that Chen, Baekhyun and Xiumin were “poached” by Cha and MC Mong — a one-time rapper-producer in Korea who fell out of public favor following allegations that he had dodged the country’s mandatory military draft, and who went on to launch agencies of his own, including BPM Entertainment, which now houses ex-SM artist Taemin of SHINee.
SM added that it did not previously respond to INB100’s letter of complaint to avoid distracting from new EPs released by EXO members Chen, D.O., and Suho over the past month. The company concluded its statement by saying that it will respond with legal action as opposed to trying to sway public opinion through press conferences.
Jung Kook‘s “Never Let Go” tops this week’s new music poll.
Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (June 7) on Billboard, choosing the BTS star’s solo track as their favorite new music release of the past week, a week full of hot new pop tunes.
Jung Kook’s brand-new song brought in a whopping 79% of the vote, with the BTS ARMY coming in strong to show their support. Voters this week chose “Never Let Go” over new music releases from Sabrina Carpenter, Zach Bryan feat. Noeline Hofmann, Charli XCX, Gracie Abrams, Tems and RAYE.
BTS star Jung Kook gets sentimental on his single “Never Let Go,” the first new solo tune fans have heard since the release of his 2023 debut album, Golden, which launched at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart last year. The new song is dedicated to BTS’ beloved supporters, affectionately called ARMY, and conveys “a sincere message to never let go of each other,” according to HYBE.
“Oh, every day, I wonder if this all is just a dream,” Jung Kook sings on the sweet track. “Everything falls into place ’cause you’re right here with me/ Without your love, I’m nothing/ You mean more than you know/ And words escape me whenever you’re close/ I tried to put it into words but it don’t measure up/ My pen and paper could never do quite enough/ It’s the truth, it’s the truth/ We got something rеal nothing could break.”
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Jung Kook and fellow BTS members Jin, RM, SUGA, J-Hope, Jimin and V are currently serving in the South Korean military, which mandates an 18-month military enlistment for all able-bodied men by the time they turn 28. While on a break from activities together as BTS amid the group’s service, various solo projects have been released.
Trailing behind “Never Let Go” on this week’s poll is Sabrina Carpenter’s new single “Please Please Please,” with 8% of the vote, Zach Bryan with Noeline Hofmann on “Purple Gas,” with 3% of the vote, and Charli XCX’s Brat album, with 2% of the vote.
See the final results of this week’s new music poll below.
SM Entertainment has issued a statement strongly denying rumors that NCT members Johnny and Haechan, as well as Heechul of Super Junior, are involved in a sex scandal that has gained increased scrutiny and attention both inside and outside Korea.
Earlier this week, allegations arose from different social media users detailing the alleged sexual affairs of Johnny, 29, and Haechan, 23, both members of SM Entertainment boy band NCT, with three women during a recent visit to Tokyo in March.
As NME notes, the claims stemmed from a Japanese nightlife gossip account on Twitter regarding three women said to be working in Tokyo’s nightlife industry as bar hostesses. Purported evidence of their time with the K-pop idols came via photos of three women holding hotel cards where the stars stayed, room interiors that point to five people drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes together and one blurry photo that allegedly shows Johnny and Haechan entering the hotel with three women despite the fact that none of their faces can be readily identified. Captions and comments from the women describing their alleged experiences, as well as alleged text message conversations about meeting the K-pop stars, were also put forth as so-called evidence by the gossip account.
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Johnny and Haechan have not shared anything about the alleged encounters, but NCT 127 (the nine-member boy band that both singers are also a part of under the NCT brand) did fly into Japan on March 8, 2024 to perform a March 9 concert at the Tokyo Dome.
The claims soon went viral among K-pop fans and by Tuesday (June 4), SM Entertainment’s stock price had fallen from that day’s peak of 90,300 Korean won ($65.94) to 82,300 Korean won ($60.10) — though by press time, the stock had since rebounded to 85,500 Korean won ($62.44). The story even made it onto the evening news for KBS, the Korean national broadcaster, during a report about SM’s stock price drop.
Heechul of Super Junior, a more senior boy band under SM that’s been active for nearly 20 years, was also brought into the rumor mill after private photos of the singer with one of the women involved in the controversy made their way online. According to several blogs monitoring the situation, Heechul, 40, spoke about the news on the fan-messaging app Dear U denying that he drank or had meals with any of the junior SM Entertainment performers outside of work and that he is speaking with the label to clear any misunderstanding.
On Wednesday (June 5), South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency shared a statement from SM Entertainment denying any unsavory behavior from their artists. In the statement, SM labeled the rumors as “entirely false” and said they “constitute criminal acts that severely damage the artists’ reputations,” per Yonhap. The company added, “We have already gathered sufficient evidence regarding numerous posts related to these matters…we will not overlook such criminal acts and will take legal action against those involved without leniency or settlement, regardless of their nationality.”
SM Entertainment and representatives for NCT and Super Junior did not immediately respond to Billboard‘s requests for comment.
KCON is returning to Los Angeles on July 26 to 28, and the first set of performers has officially been revealed. Day one at Crypto.com Arena in Downtown Los Angeles will feature performances by Bibi, P1Harmony, Taemin and Zerobaseone. Day two will include ENHYPEN, NMIXX, TWS and Hyolyn. Day three will wrap with performances by […]
Jung Kook is gearing up for the release of new music. On Sunday (June 2), the BTS star announced that he will be dropping a new single titled “Never Let Go.” The track is set for release at 1 p.m. KST on June 7 through Weverse and BTS’ official social media channels. ‘Never Let Go’ […]