Get to know the members of NOWADAYS in this exclusive interview.
NOWADAYS, the latest sensation in the K-pop industry, is poised to capture hearts and make a lasting impact. Debuting under the prestigious CUBE Entertainment on April 2, 2024, with their first single album, "Nowadays," this five-member boy group brings a fresh perspective to the industry. Their name reflects a profound aspiration to intrigue the public about the present ('NOW') while promising to create cherished memories for the future ('DAYS'). The debut album offers a kaleidoscope of musical concepts, breaking free from conventional molds. With tracks like 'OoWee,' 'NOW,' and 'TICKET,' NOWADAYS showcases their unique musical color and distinctive identity, captivating listeners with their blend of charisma and talent.
Comprising five talented members – HYEONBIN, YOON, YEONWOO, JINHYUK, and SIYUN – NOWADAYS embodies a youthful energy and boundless potential. With HYEONBIN leading as the group's charismatic leader and vocalist, JINHYUK adds depth as a rapper, complemented by YOON's vocals and mood-making skills, YEONWOO's captivating warm vocals and main dancer, and last but not least, SIYUN in charge of the visuals, the group presents a dynamic blend of talents that promises to captivate audiences worldwide. As NOWADAYS embarks on their journey, the anticipation for their future endeavors is palpable, with fans eagerly awaiting the next chapter in their journey.
In an exclusive interview, we dive into the world of NOWADAYS, exploring their feelings leading up to debut, aspirations for the future, the magic that each of them brings to the group, and more.
First and foremost, congratulations on your upcoming debut! How are you feeling as the release date approaches?
YOON: I’m very excited because I’ve been waiting for this moment. I’ll try to show our best performance with all the hard work I’ve put into preparation!
YEONWOO: As D-Day gets closer, it feels like a dream. Also, I’m so excited to show our performance to our fans and can’t wait to meet them.
SIYUN: I’m so thrilled since I've been waiting for this day my entire life. I can’t wait to show NOWADAYS’ charms to our fans!
Can you introduce each member of NOWADAYS and highlight some of their unique charms or talents?
HYEONBIN: Hello, this is HYEONBIN. I’m in charge of the attractive vocals and being the strong-minded leader of this team! My unique charm is big eyes!
YOON: Hello, I’m YOON, and I’m in charge of the vocal, mood maker, and cuttest of this team. I think my charm is my cute personality and my voice that people want to keep hearing!
YEONWOO: Hello This is YEONWOO. I'm the only member of ‘I’ on our team, and I'm in charge of the main dancer and warm vocalist.
JINHYUK: I'm JINHYUK and I’m in charge of listening to our members' concerns and a rapper. My eyes look like Xatu, and the difference between JINHYUK on stage and outside of the stage.
SIYUN: Hello. I’m SIYUN, the team's youngest member and McGuyber of this group. My sweet personality is hidden behind my charisma.
"Nowadays" is your debut single album. Can you walk us through the creative process?
HYEONBIN: Since this is our debut album, we put a lot of effort into the voices and dance details to show our own colors!
JINHYUK: When we recorded our tracks, we tried to emphasize each member's uniqueness.
SIYUN: Since it's our first album to show our fans, we worked hard to show you powerful performances, sweet vocals, and our own musical colors.
What message or emotions do you hope to convey to your fans through this release?
HYEONBIN: ‘NOWADAYS’ contains the aspiration to be curious about the audiences and fans’ ‘present(NOW)’ and to create cherished moments and memories together in future ‘DAYS.’ So we will be artists who give comfort and emotion to our fans who love us!
YOON: We hope to convey friendliness since we want to give comfort and emotion to our fans.
What can fans expect from the music video for the title track "OoWee"? Can you give us any spoilers about the concept and visuals?
YEONWOO: We played in the most adorable and pleasant way as the mischievous Anti-Love Squad in the music video. In a world where love is considered evil, and Cupid is viewed as an enemy, NOWADAYS carefully avoids the excitement of first love and makes an effort to capture Cupid. This part is very fun and cute. As a tiny teaser, please look forward to the members' charming faces.
JINHYUK: It would be great to check what we do as anti-love squads!!
Can you share any memorable moments or TMIS you faced while preparing for your debut?
HYEONBIN: I remember how difficult our diet was. But we make every effort to show our best sides to our fans.
YOON: The members' excited expressions when we first practiced wearing an in-ear and microphone on were so cute.
YEONWOO: I remember filming in the UK the most. We were excited to go overseas since it was our first schedule as NOWADAYS, so we stayed up all night.
JINHYUK: Since it was my first time going abroad, I was thrilled. We filmed a lot of breathtaking scenery, so the UK mood film is my memorable location.
SIYUN: It was my first time filming with wires on my back in the debut trailer. Even though I was a little bit scared, I remember I enjoyed filming at the end.
If you had to summarize NOWADAYS in three words or less, what would they be?
HYEONBIN: Positive, Happiness, Friendly.
YOON: Friendly group
YEONWOO: Friendly, Free, Classmate’s friend
JINHYUK: We nailed it.
SIYUN: Artist who will go all over the world.
NOWADAYS consists of five talented members. What are some of the charms and unique qualities that each member brings to the group?
HYEONBIN: YOON is cute, YEONWOO looks like tofu with chubby cheeks, JINHYUK has a calm personality, SIYUN is handsome, and lastly, I have a positive personality.
YOON: We have five different charms, but I think our strength is that we can harmonize well when we perform as a group. HYEONBIN is an all-rounder because he sings well and dances well. YEONWOO is an amazing dancer who can dance smoothly but powerfully at the same time, and he's very cute when he smiles. JINHYUK is an excellent hip-hop dancer and an amazing performer when it comes to facial expressions on stage. SIYUN is so handsome that he's in charge of our team's visuals!!
YEONWOO: HYEONBIN is very kind and friendly, YOON is an energizer full of cuteness, JINHYUK gets buffered when he is nervous, and SIYUN has a shy charm that doesn't know where it will end up.
JINHYUK: HYEONBIN is pretty laid-back on stage and looks perfect. On the other hand, he is a little sloppy, which is very attractive. YOON's active personality and soft voice can melt everyone's heart when he sings. As the team's main dancer, YEONWOO has a very soft dance move with a slightly husky voice that is very attractive. Unlike his sharp appearance, SIYUN's biggest charm is his cuteness.
SIYUN: HYEONBIN has great leadership skills and the confidence to lead the group to positive outcomes. YOON has a witty and high-pitched voice. YEONWOO has soft but powerful dance skills and a sweet voice. JINHYUK has strong dance moves and solid rap with perfect diction. Lastly, I have a toned body shape and a persistent personality.
What are some of NOWADAYS's goals and aspirations for the future, both as a group and as individual artists?
HYEONBIN: This year, our goal is to win the “Rookie of the Year” award, which we can only get once after debuting! Furthermore, I want to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart and tour around the world!
YOON: Firstly, we want to be a long-lasting team that keeps getting better and winning the “Rookie of the Year” award!
YEONWOO: Our goal is for people to be able to recognize us when they hear our names, no matter where they are in the world.
JINHYUK: I want to win the “Rookie of the Year” this year, and I want to become a group that everyone knows, even if I hold onto someone passing by.
SIYUN: This year, my goal is to receive the “Rookie of the Year” award! Our ultimate goal is to develop into an artist who can comfort and amaze people worldwide with our NOWADAYS' own DAYS-POP!
Lastly, is there anything you'd like to say to your fans who have been eagerly anticipating your debut?
HYEONBIN: I’m really excited and can’t wait to see all of our fans who have been waiting for us!! See you soon!
YOON: Thank you for waiting and we will do our best to show great performances. Love you!!
YEONWOO: As much as our fans have been waiting for and looking forward to NOWADAYS, We'll be NOWADAYS who are more grateful and appreciate our fans' love! See you soon!
JINHYUK: I appreciate your support and hope we will make beautiful memories in the future. I love you.
SIYUN: I'd like to thank all the fans who've been supporting and waiting for our debut! We'll show you plenty of charms shortly, so I hope our fans love and enjoy it!!
Listen to their discography on Apple Music.
* Special thanks to the members of NOWADAYS and CUBE Entertainment for this exclusive interview.
Video and Image Credits: CUBE Entertainment