Welcome back to Fan Chant , a weekly column for K-pop fans, stans, and newbies alike. Today, BOYNEXTDOOR sit down for a chat around their new album . As always, if you enjoy what you’re reading, feel free to subscribe to my companion newsletter to get Fan Chant delivered right to your inbox each week!
For the members of BOYNEXTDOOR , teetering on the cusp of their 20s is top of mind right now. The individuals that form the KOZ Entertainment group — Jaehyun, Sungho, Riwoo, Taesan, Leehan, and Woonhak — are all around the same age, something of a rarity in K-pop, and the experience of embracing their next chapter of adulthood together became the focus of their new album, 19.99 .
After debuting in 2023, BOYNEXTDOOR released a trilogy focused on young love, packed with elements pulled from movies and television shows they connected with, but they see 19.99 as a turning point. “This album really comes from our hearts,” Riwoo tells Consequence .
The members have gathered mid-day in Seoul to chat about the project over Zoom, and, even as they note that this album features themes about the passage of time, their youthful, contagious energy is the thing they really want to come through. When we jump on the call, they ask me, their audience of one, to cheer and make some noise. Sungho describes their dynamic as “mischievous and free-spirited,” which prompts Jaehyun to quietly remove his glasses and place them back on upside-down.
Watch BOYNEXTDOOR’s video for “Nice Guy” below, and read on for the full interview.
It’s been an exciting 2024 for you guys — tell me about making your US debut at KCON! How did it feel to connect with fans here, and to be hailed as a “standout of the night?”
Leehan : A year ago, we filmed our debut music video in LA. KCON reminded me of those times. It was our first time performing in the States and in LA, and we were very, very excited to see a lot of fans who were there and rooting for us. They showed us so much love and support, so we were very, very happy.
Sungho : I think it’s a big honor for us to hear people say that our performance was a standout of a night, and I hope that we could go to other areas and meet other fans, and I hope they could also say the same.
I want to talk about your comeback track. “Nice Guy” is so bouncy and fun. How do you think this song plays to your strengths as a team right now?
Jaehyun : I think people will find that with this performance we are overflowing with confidence, and they’ll be able to see the different charms that we have, as individuals and as a group. The lyrics say, “I think my charm is my natural talent,” and with those lyrics I do a little bit of twerking and show off some ad libs. The song gives all the members a chance to show their charms with the lyrics.
Speaking of which, talk to me a little about how your team chemistry is developing. Do any of you have some recent memories that felt really special as a group?
Riwoo : When we were shooting the music video, the director told us that our chemistry would be key for this music video. We worked really hard to communicate amongst ourselves, and I think we’ve come to a point where all it takes is locking eyes to know what another person wants. Because we’ve worked hard on developing that great chemistry, the music video turned out great.
Sungho : I think if you watch our YouTube content, you’ll know exactly how we are as individuals. The moments when we are most BOYNEXTDOOR are all captured in the moments when we are by ourselves — we like to goof around and be dorky, and I think our team spirit is mischevious and free-spirited. I think that’s what fans like about us.
You also released a collection of music earlier this year, titled HOW? How do you think this project continues that sound you’ve established, or expands things for you musically?
Riwoo : Prior to this album, we worked on the first love trilogy, and with those mini-albums, we drew inspiration from elsewhere instead of focusing on our own experiences. This album really comes from our hearts, though, and we’re talking about our everyday lives and how it feels to be entering our 20s. I think it expands our music because we are adding this new element of growing up, but we are also continuing on with our friendly, relatable BOYNEXTDOOR style.
You have writing and production credits throughout the album. What are some of your goals in terms of the creative process behind the music?
Woonhak : When it comes to music and creating albums, we always want to focus on the current day and the experiences that we are facing. So, right now, we are on the verge of adulthood, and that’s why we came up with the concept of 19.99 . But for our next album, I think we will also be delving into something that really speaks to us at the moment. We always want to talk about the “now.”
Does anyone on the team enjoy writing lyrics the most?
Woonhak : I think we all enjoy writing lyrics because we are all music lovers! We all enjoy participating in the creative process.
Jaehyun : It can be stressful, as well, so if we didn’t enjoy the process I don’t think we could’ve done it. The stress comes with joy, so that’s why we continue working on lyrics.
Is there anything that’s really been inspiring you any of you lately?
Woonhak : I think I have one! I usually don’t read much, but recently I read two books, and one of them was called The Essay of 19-Year Olds . It’s a compilation of short essays by 19-year olds, and it allowed me to learn what other 19-year olds apart from myself are feeling and going through. It really helped me in my creative process. It was very inspiring.
Jaehyun : I’m inspired by Woonhak. He’s so good at writing songs and writing lyrics, so I think it kind of gave me that competitive vibe, and I wanted to do better because Woonhak is doing so well. He’s my source of inspiration right now.
Song Rec of the Week:
Sometimes you just have to open your windows and throw on one of the most underrated K-pop songs perhaps of all time. That chorus remains perfect!
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