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 sooner or later begin coaching tirelessly earlier than they even turn out to be youngsters, typically getting up on the first light to turn out to be 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 need to cope with 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 — they usually’re hoping to indicate their fellow 20-somethings that their ambitions don’t have any time restrict.
“As a result of we’re attaining our desires in our 20s, folks can see us and notice it’s not too late to go on the market, irrespective of how previous you’re,” stated Nathan, who earlier quipped that the one con with beginning your pursuit at this age was being extra liable to pulling your muscle mass.
Kenny factors out that they’re coming into the sport outfitted with years of life expertise, too, including extra nuance to the narratives they’ll ultimately paint by means of their music.
From the get-go, 1VERSE has made one factor clear: they’ve labored onerous to be given this platform, they usually’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 ♬ unique 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 out to be Ok-pop idols of their lifetime.
A lot of the members’ preparation to debut entailed making large changes, sacrificing the environment they’d gotten used to all the time being in, and studying to see issues from a unique 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 could be the company’s solely trainee for a 12 months — primarily having to study from scratch all there was to learn about music and performing.
“I believe it took loads of braveness to choose up the pen once more in my 20s. The principle issue 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, they usually stuffed the empty house actually and each figuratively in my coronary heart.”
Degree to that was lastly being free to dwell out his ambitions. This new fast-paced setting was understandably so much to absorb when Hyuk first got here to South Korea, however he’s finished nothing however study and persevere by means of all of it.
“I’d say the one large 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 attain my very own desires once 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. Once 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 important assist having Hyuk by his aspect.
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 means of wherever he chooses to share it, whether or not he’s onstage with 1VERSE or casually belting out excessive notes in certainly one of 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 principle issue for me was the language half. I used to be dwelling in Japan, and whereas I knew I must study Korean, I didn’t know that I might additionally need to study 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 concept of becoming a member of 1VERSE. He had all the time cherished performing, although, and was already surrounded by all issues Ok-pop rising up — naming the Surprise Women’ hit track “No one However You” when requested about his earliest recollections with the style.
As an undergraduate, he had been finding out tips on how to assist folks with uncommon neurological illnesses. He knew precisely what sort of heartbreak happening that path would entail: seeing these folks lose hope in dwelling, and feeling like a fraud if he did fail to avoid wasting 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 may do this.
“What I may also help them with is discovering music. Discovering some kind of factor that may alleviate the ache and provides them a smile for that day. I’m not placing issues on maintain, however fairly, I’m discovering new methods to attain 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 large transfer to South Korea. He was 1VERSE’s remaining 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 out to be 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 shifting 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 means of all of it, too.
“I do know that Ok-pop is a cutthroat business and every part like that, however so long as I can carry out and do music, then all of that form of appears small within the grand scheme of issues,” Nathan added.
1VERSE already had a fairly robust social media presence previous to debuting, their pages populated with hilarious TikToks that simply reel new followers in by means 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 ♬ unique sound – LeendaDong
@1verse_official Nathan from Arkansas 🤠 #1VERSE #KENNY #NATHAN #kpop ♬ unique sound – 1VERSE
Free inventive rein
These guys have put all of it on the road in pursuit of music, they usually aren’t stopping any time quickly. What’s extra, the entire members are utterly concerned of their inventive 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 — sometimes even making ready presentation slides to speak the imaginative and prescient he sees for his or her music movies.
“There was a time once 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 will we make this monitor 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 colour to their choreographies.
It’s a refreshing sight to absorb, all 5 members being given the house to flesh out their inventive visions in music that they’ll actually name theirs.
It’s 1VERSE’s world, and we’re simply dwelling in it
If you look past their collective, admirable drive to make artwork, nevertheless, 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 probably the most chronically on-line will perceive.
Even in a laidback interview setting with the group, that acquainted feeling doesn’t go away, particularly whenever you hear them share tales about one another.
Simply ask Hyuk, who was sharing a room with Nathan when Rappler first spoke with 1VERSE.
“We’ve got to get up early so much 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 select 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 once I open the door. However once 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 loads of energy to open.
It’s clear that Hyuk, Seok, Nathan, Kenny, and Aito take pleasure in their time collectively, whether or not they’re onstage performing, on the drafting board conceptualizing new concepts, or bantering with their fanbase known as 5TARZ.
By way of all of it, 1VERSE is right here to remain. – Rappler.com
