Since its debut on July 23, 2019, CIX has become an emerging superstar in the global K-Pop industry. While their popularity can be attributed to many factors, including their stage presence, dance skills, visuals, and close bond with each other, their international appeal is rooted in their diverse discography and lore.
In the world of K-Pop, where storylines have mostly become a thing of past generations, CIX thrives. The five-member boy group under C9 Entertainment consisting of BX, SEUNGHUN, BAE JINYOUNG (who was a member of the group WANNAONE), YONGHEE, and HYUNSUK, has a storyline as unique as their name. The group first impressed listeners with their debut title track, “Movie Star.” The track is both smooth and sleek, highlighting the members' soft vocals and dynamic rapping to create a sense of excitement for their music to come.
Unlike most idol groups who eventually outgrow their storylines or lore after their rookie years, CIX has continued to wow fans with their lore, creating cinematic story films that tackle social issues among youth, such as mental health, bullying, and family pressures to name a few. In particular, CIX remains a rising talent in their industry, bringing unique concepts and sounds. From their debut to their most recent release, the group has consistently demonstrated a “wow” factor that keeps fans coming back for more. CIX is worth listening to because of their unrivaled discography, delivering new and fresh songs each comeback, with the members being just as cool as they bring out their alluring visuals and charisma every time.
With their latest release, ‘OK’ Episode 2: I’m OK, CIX continues the story they’ve been telling since the beginning. The entire narrative of the album shares a message of a brilliant love that seemed like a ray of light in the dark but actually comes from a more sorrowful place in their heart that is finally facing a time of pain that feels no different from hell.
To celebrate the final chapter of their “OK” series, CIX caught up with Hellokpop to discuss more about their recent title track, “Save Me, Kill Me,” their storylines and lore, what’s next, and more!
Disclaimer: This interview was conducted in English with the assistance of a translator.
Nice to meet you, CIX! Thanks for speaking to Hellokpop. Please introduce yourselves to our readers.
BX: Hello, I’m CIX’s leader, BX, who likes to listen to music and play soccer. I’m excited to be interviewed for such a good opportunity.
SEUNGHUN: Hello! I’m SEUNGHUN, the main vocalist who loves soccer more and more these days. I’m happy to be able to meet Hellokpop readers and FIX through this interview.
BAE JINYOUNG: Hello. I'm CIX’s center, BAE JINYOUNG, who is an all-around talent. I'm delighted to be able to tell our story through this interview.
YONGHEE: Hello. I’m CIX’s cutie and hamburger lover, YONGHEE. I’ll enjoy the interview today.
HYUNSUK: Hello. I’m CIX’s maknae, HYUNSUK, who is obsessed with movies these days. It’s an honor to be interviewed.
Congratulations on your latest comeback with ‘OK’ Episode 2 : I’m OK! What has been your favorite part about making this new music, and what has been the most challenging?
YONGHEE: It was nice to shoot a story film after a long time. I was always looking forward to and wondering when we would film a story film again, so it was nice to be able to continue our story film story for this promotion. The challenging part was that the song had a high register, so it was a bit difficult. But after several rehearsal recordings and practice to perfect it, I was able to record the song with much satisfaction.
HYUNSUK: My favorite part was being able to show our fans new songs and dances, and we were looking forward to their reactions. It was a little challenging to bring out the vibe of the song, but after continuous thought and practice, we were able to blend our unique colors into the atmosphere of the song.
What were your feelings when you first heard the title track, “Save Me, Kill Me?”
BX: I thought that this song suited the style of CIX music, yet at the same time, it gave off a different feeling from our previous works. We were looking forward to showing a new side of us that we haven’t been able to do in a while, and we wanted to show it quickly to everyone.
SEUNGHUN: I felt that the song’s register was higher and more challenging than I expected, so I thought that I should practice a lot and give a solid performance.
Many of your previous title tracks have been upbeat and high-energy tracks like “458,” “Wave,” “Jungle,” “Movie Star,” etc. What makes this song different from your previous releases? How does it highlight your growth as artists?
YONGHEE: Compared to our previous releases, “Save Me, Kill Me” seems to be a song more full of emotions. To match the atmosphere of the song, we kept imagining a situation where we would be in pain, and that imagination lasted from a recording studio to the actual stage. I believe we have gained another piece of experience because we have tried a new genre, and we can really see that we have grown even more through this comeback.
BAE JINYOUNG: We have shown stages that are more focused on the performance, with a lot of rhythms and strong beats. However, we presented a stage that emphasized the melody-oriented emotional line through the latest release. We feel that we are gradually growing in the sense that we can stand in front of you with more diverse concepts through new attempts.
Which of the songs on the album is your favorite and why?
YONGHEE: I like “Curtain Call.” The lyrics are so good, and the melody also fits my taste. It’s the type of music I like, so I listen to it often.
SEUNGHUN: I also like “Curtain Call.” This is the first song that made me cry after listening to our own song. I think its lyrics give strength to young people who go through tough times and to anyone who has many worries. Not only the song itself is good, but also its lyrics are very meaningful, so I like the song very much.
Your music video for “Save Me, Kill Me” evokes a lot of emotions. How was the experience shooting the music video? Are there any memorable stories? Also, can you share your favorite scene in the music video for "Save Me, Kill Me" with us?
BX: When shooting the music video, acting was required for every scene, so it was very difficult filming for me as a newcomer to acting. But I think I enjoyed it and did well overall. My favorite scene is the ending scene of the music video, where everyone sits on the sofa and watches the “Stellar” video, and this scene is personally memorable.
HYUNSUK: The scene where I run out of the convenience store is the most memorable, and the scene where YONGHEE writes a letter to his friends at the end of the music video is also memorable. Both scenes are the most memorable as they contain a transition or message to each member’s story.
Speaking of the music video and the subsequent story films. How did it feel to complete the storyline you started during the ‘HELLO’ album series? Can you spoil a little bit of what’s next?
BAE JINYOUNG: With this “OK” Episode 2: I’m OK album, we unraveled the story of the members who went through purgatory and reached heaven. We are happy that everyone liked it so much and look forward to the next album. Our story that will unfold in the future will be a story related to heaven. It’s hard to give more spoilers at the moment, but please look forward to it.
Is there something in the CIX storylines you find the most interesting? What is it?
SEUNGHUN: Interestingly, YONGHEE’s one action causes a butterfly effect in the story film. I agree that you must be careful with every action you take, and you should always think about how your actions or words affect other people.
BAE JINYOUNG: It’s interesting to see different ways to express each one’s pain in the story film. The pain of all five members is different, and the way each expresses the pain is different, and I personally find it interesting.
Read the full interview at Hellokpop.