82MAJOR Break the Rules on ‘SILENCE SYNDROME’
In a new interview, the group reflects on what sets them apart from others and how they’re preparing for a massive North American tour.
Great M Entertainment
82MAJOR is a rare group where, as the youngest member KIM DO GYUN told me recently, “all members are like leaders in our team”.
He’s right. Leaders in K-Pop are often the most skilled (and oldest) member of a group, but 82MAJOR members are so talented that each brings something fresh to the table. The six member boy group is unique, not just because the members are some of the most skilled rappers in K-Pop but also because they feel refreshingly authentic. “We have our imperfections, but I think that actually helps us show off a raw kind of charm,” DO GYUN explained.
“We create new rules,” the group declares on the chorus of their new single "TAKEOVER" and, as the group’s leader CHO SONG IL explained, are building a new world that they hope their fans 82DE can experience. “We want to create unique music that only 82MAJOR can do, and invite 82DE to that world,” he explained. “When they listen to our music, I hope they will think ‘Oh, only 82MAJOR could do this kind of music’.”
You can see this raw charm best in their music videos. This is where 82MAJOR’s artistry come best into focus: In their new video “TAKEOVER” for their second EP SILENCE SYNDROME, the boys escape a prison-like environment wearing pink pajamas then cause chaos as they dance in subway stations and stay on the run.
“TAKEOVER” is the fourth collaboration between 82MAJOR and the director WOOGIE KIM of MOTHER, and it is by far the most striking. “He just knows what kind of feel and scenes fit us so well,” SEONG IL said.
The music videos, SEONG IL explained, are often discussed between the group’s agency and KIM after lyrics are finalized. Sometimes the members will join for the discussions, but once the creative direction is presented to the group “the reactions are pretty varied.”
SEONG IL recalled many thoughts going through the members minds for this comeback: “‘This is going to be so much fun~’ ‘This is so fresh~’ ‘This is kinda shocking~’ ‘Will this concept fit us?’ A lot of thoughts cross our minds,” he told me. “And we also talk about the concept and think hard about how we could express this concept in a fresh way while also making it work with 82MAJOR’s unique style. With the unexpected concepts and looks with each comeback, we always feel curious about and look forward to the reaction of fans and the general audience.”
The TAKEOVER video, perhaps more than any other video by 82MAJOR, requires the group to perform not just as idols but as actors too. They embody rebellious youth and PARK SEOK JOON gets the heaviest task with a beguiling opening that features him dancing in a nightclub wearing a mascot bear head.
“I think I focus on giving my all to the role that I am assigned. I think about the character I am playing, and try to come up with ways I can express that character well,” he told me, emphasizing that he doesn’t see much difference between the role he plays in the video and how he carries himself onscreen as an idol.
“I thought that this music video, like the previous ones, is definitely not going to be ordinary,” he added. “So I was even more excited for it, and I had so much fun filming!”
For YOON YE CHAN, though, the performance wasn’t about embodying a character and perhaps this is what really sets 82MAJOR apart from other idol groups. “I thought I should show the real ‘me’,” he said. “More than any other approach, showing myself seems to feel the most real.”
Great M Entertainment
This summer, 82MAJOR will embark on their first North American tour. It’s a massive undertaking that will bring them to 23 cities through June and July.
“I think they will be surprised by our hip charms and power,” SEOK JOON told me when I asked what 82DE should look forward to. “I hope they gain a lot of energy from watching our passionate performances.”
The group is currently training to prepare for the tour. “In terms of mental preparation, I always try to keep a positive mindset,” SEONG IL said, “and physically, I frequently run 10km and do a lot of cardio exercises.”
“I prepare by taking my vitamins and sleeping well,” YE CHAN told me simply. YE CHAN, who will visit Toronto for the first time with 82MAJOR since debuting, is also confident about what skills he brings to the group. “To be honest, I don’t doubt my own abilities that much. I fully recognize what I’m good at and what I’m not good at,” he added. “And I identify what I practice more, and put that into action.”
The members, DO GYUN explained to me, all “hype each other up and it feels like we’re leading the team together.” But SEONG IL has still been an essential part of keeping the members motivated and confident. HWANG SEONG BIN was particularly grateful to how much time the leader spent with him preparing for this comeback and tour. “SEONG IL helped me practice late into the night and guided me through parts that I didn’t know well,” SEONG BIN said. “I felt really grateful.”
SEONG IL, though, feels more humble about his role as a leader. “Since the members are all similar in age, we are definitely on the same wavelength, and the members always feel comfortable telling me anything,” he told me. “Since we are like friends to each other, I can trust my members and be a better leader.”
For many members, this will be the longest they’ve been in the States away from Korea for an extended period of time. When I asked what they will miss most from home, SEOK JOON laughed and said, “I think it will be rice and banchan (a Korean side dish).” SEONG IL, too, admitted that he would miss kimchi “because I really like kimchi, but I think I won’t be able to have it in the States as much as I do now!”
The group is also excited to meet their fans. “I do want to talk about our love for our fans,” NAM SEONG MO told me at one point. “When it comes to expressing love for our fans, I think we show our warm and perfect selves.”
Perhaps because 82MAJOR crafts such a raw image, there are many 82DE who see themselves in the group. “Thanks to 82DE, I also feel very comfortable connecting with them,” SEONG BIN said. “Spending time with the fans and making memories, to me, feel like they give meaning to my existence. 82DE and my relationship with them is very precious to me.”
While the group maintains that 82DE is what helps them show their best side, DO GYUN was touched when heard that fans feel like they can see themselves in the group. This is, I would wager, what makes 82MAJOR so unique: They are incredible dancers and rappers, but they also embody the chaos and turmoil of youth.
“I’m so happy to hear that you feel less alone and find comfort in us,” DO GYUN said when I told him this. “Thank you! You are the only one in the world who can take your place. And even if not everyone in the world is on your side, 82MAJOR is always on your side.”
