There’s no business fairly as cutthroat as that of Ok-pop, and followers, idols themselves, and curious onlookers alike all know that.
Aspiring idols hoping to get a shot at debuting in the future begin coaching tirelessly earlier than they even turn into youngsters, typically getting up on the first light to turn into prolific all-arounders.
As soon as they get previous that and handle to make it into a gaggle whereas barely even being out of highschool, they must take care of the multitude of different newly debuted and fast-rising ensembles bearing the identical starvation for fulfillment. After which some.
In comes the quintet 1VERSE (pronounced “universe”), whose members are defying all odds to make issues work.
All the members are of their 20s — with Hyuk and Seok being born in 2000, Nathan in 2001, Kenny in 2002, and Aito in 2005 — and so they’re hoping to indicate their fellow 20-somethings that their ambitions haven’t any time restrict.
“As a result of we’re attaining our goals in our 20s, individuals can see us and understand it’s not too late to go on the market, irrespective of how previous you might be,” mentioned Nathan, who earlier quipped that the one con with beginning your pursuit at this age was being extra liable to pulling your muscle groups.
Kenny factors out that they’re coming into the sport geared up with years of life expertise, too, including extra nuance to the narratives they’ll ultimately paint by way of their music.
From the get-go, 1VERSE has made one factor clear: they’ve labored exhausting to be given this platform, and so they’re greater than able to tackle all of the duties and burdens that include it.
Lengthy journey — however it’s only the start
However the journey main as much as 1VERSE’s official debut in July was an extended stretch.
@1verse_official dont fear #1VERSE #NATHAN #HYUK #kpop ♬ authentic sound – gusgusinthecity
Every of the members got here from starkly totally different backgrounds earlier than ultimately discovering themselves coming face-to-face with South Korea’s music business, most of them by no means guessing that they’d turn into Ok-pop idols of their lifetime.
A lot of the members’ preparation to debut entailed making huge changes, sacrificing the environment they’d gotten used to at all times being in, and studying to see issues from a distinct perspective.
Hyuk was the first-ever trainee at Singing Beetle, getting scouted in 2022, practically a decade after defecting from North Korea in 2013. He can be the company’s solely trainee for a yr — primarily having to be taught from scratch all there was to learn about music and performing.
“I believe it took a whole lot of braveness to choose up the pen once more in my 20s. The primary problem was looking for the motivation to do it,” Hyuk admitted. “However after that part, one after the other, my members began becoming a member of the group, and so they crammed the empty area actually and each figuratively in my coronary heart.”
Stage to that was lastly being free to dwell out his ambitions. This new fast-paced setting was understandably rather a lot to soak up when Hyuk first got here to South Korea, however he’s finished nothing however be taught and persevere by way of all of it.
“I’d say the one huge distinction [from North Korea] is that there’s freedom to dream right here in South Korea. And I used to be capable of do my finest to realize my very own goals after I got here right here,” Hyuk shared.
It’s the identical for Seok, who fled North Korea on the age of 20.
“I additionally discovered music from scratch. After I first joined [Singing Beetle], I didn’t even actually perceive what being a trainee entailed,” Seok, now 25, informed Rappler, including that it was an amazing assist having Hyuk by his facet.
Now, although, Seok’s command of his personal voice is stronger than ever. He had managed to go from being a whole newbie to a stellar performer whose vocals shine by way of wherever he chooses to share it, whether or not he’s onstage with 1VERSE or casually belting out excessive notes in a single Seoul’s noraebangs (karaoke rooms).
In the meantime, Aito, the youngest within the group, is 1VERSE’s lone Japanese member. He understood from the beginning that the language barrier would give him an additional problem on high of coaching to hone his abilities as an incoming idol.
“The primary problem for me was the language half. I used to be residing in Japan, and whereas I knew I must be taught Korean, I didn’t know that I’d additionally must be taught English,” he confessed, rapidly including that he had managed to beat it fairly rapidly.
Kenny is 1VERSE’s Chinese language-American member. He was born and raised in Orange County, California, and was in school earlier than he even turned conscious of the thought of becoming a member of 1VERSE. He had at all times liked performing, although, and was already surrounded by all issues Ok-pop rising up — naming the Marvel Women’ hit track “No person However You” when requested about his earliest recollections with the style.
As an undergraduate, he had been finding out the right way to assist individuals with uncommon neurological ailments. He knew precisely what sort of heartbreak happening that path would entail: seeing these individuals lose hope in residing, and feeling like a fraud if he did fail to save lots of them. He realized, then, that possibly this particular path simply wasn’t for him.
However Kenny was nonetheless set on serving to others, and he ultimately realized simply how he might try this.
“What I might help them with is discovering music. Discovering some form of factor that may alleviate the ache and provides them a smile for that day. I’m not placing issues on maintain, however quite, I’m discovering new methods to realize my objective,” he defined.
Final to hitch 1VERSE was Nathan, who hails from Arkansas, and is of Lao-Thai descent. He was already in his final semester as a Laptop Science main when he determined to make the massive transfer to South Korea. He was 1VERSE’s closing puzzle piece, solely coming to their company in September 2024.
At that time, “Multiverse,” the group’s pre-release, was already a accomplished track. The remainder of the members had even had the time to apply “Shattered,” which might turn into 1VERSE’s high-powered debut single.
“Shifting to a international nation was new to me, and dealing within the music business was new to me. So transferring to a international nation and dealing within the music business was all very new to me,” Nathan emphasised.
The 24-year-old typically grappled with homesickness following his transfer, however turned to his fellow bandmates — whom he known as his “new established household” — for consolation. It was his uncooked ardour for music that helped him get by way of all of it, too.
“I do know that Ok-pop is a cutthroat business and all the pieces like that, however so long as I can carry out and do music, then all of that sort of appears small within the grand scheme of issues,” Nathan added.
1VERSE already had a reasonably robust social media presence previous to debuting, their pages populated with hilarious TikToks that simply reel new followers in by way of their humorousness. By the point they did debut, they already amassed near 1 million followers on every platform.
@1verse_official Sure we’re married #1VERSE #KENNY #SEOK #kpop ♬ authentic sound – LeendaDong
@1verse_official Nathan from Arkansas 🤠 #1VERSE #KENNY #NATHAN #kpop ♬ authentic sound – 1VERSE
Free artistic rein
These guys have put all of it on the road in pursuit of music, and so they aren’t stopping any time quickly. What’s extra, all the members are utterly concerned of their artistic course of.
Hyuk would write lyrics that their listeners can resonate with whereas nonetheless carrying the depths of his personal experiences, whereas Kenny would take the reins in creating their songs’ toplines — often even getting ready presentation slides to speak the imaginative and prescient he sees for his or her music movies.
“There was a time after we needed to brainstorm and create songs with some well-known consultants within the business. We had some tracks given to us first, then we’d ask ourselves, ‘How can we make this observe ours?’” shared Kenny, explaining additional that they’d add their very own aptitude to the songs right here and there.
Aito, the group’s dancer, would then typically carry their songs to life by including a definite contact of 1VERSE’s coloration to their choreographies.
It’s a refreshing sight to soak up, all 5 members being given the area to flesh out their artistic visions in music that they’ll actually name theirs.
It’s 1VERSE’s world, and we’re simply residing in it
Whenever you look past their collective, admirable drive to make artwork, nonetheless, you’ll additionally see that the endearing basic sibling dynamic is fairly current in 1VERSE. You’ll see it within the TikToks they make with one another, typically teasing and playful in nature, and of their informal livestreams, the place they make references that solely they and essentially the most chronically on-line will perceive.
Even in a laidback interview setting with the group, that acquainted feeling doesn’t go away, particularly if you hear them share tales about one another.
Simply ask Hyuk, who was sharing a room with Nathan when Rappler first spoke with 1VERSE.
“Now we have to get up early rather a lot so we are able to coordinate our [outfits]. The factor is, Nathan hates the sunshine, however I wish to use it to have the ability to select what garments I wish to put on. But when I do, Nathan is like, ‘Ugh, my eyes harm,’” Hyuk recalled as Nathan fought again a responsible smile.
“So I’ve to pick what I wish to put on within the darkness. However regardless of all these variations, we nonetheless discover methods to get together with one another,” he added.
It’s the identical for Seok, who — regardless of being the largest introvert within the group — enthusiastically shared his expertise rooming with Kenny as quickly as Hyuk completed talking.
“Generally, Kenny is the one to go to sleep first. And when that occurs, I’ll be very quiet and cautious after I open the door. However after I go to sleep first, Kenny will simply burst open the door,” Seok shared, mimicking the loud thump their bed room door would make.
However Kenny got here to his personal protection, reasoning out that the door simply requires a whole lot of power to open.
It’s clear that Hyuk, Seok, Nathan, Kenny, and Aito get pleasure from their time collectively, whether or not they’re onstage performing, on the drafting board conceptualizing new concepts, or bantering with their fanbase referred to as 5TARZ.
By means of all of it, 1VERSE is right here to remain. – Rappler.com
