With “Stagefright”, 8TURN Makes a Sharp Turn

8TURN has staged an artistic evolution since the release of “ELECTRIC HEART” last summer. Now, for the first time, the members reflect on why this change feels so natural and so important to their growth.

When they debuted in 2023, 8TURN were hailed as the leaders of K-pop’s rising fifth generation. Their debut single “TIC TAC” was a high-energy banger that brought them a huge number of fans, known as TURNINGS, and guaranteed them a spot on the competition reality show ROAD TO KINGDOM: ACE OF ACE.

Since then, 8TURN increased the voltage of their title tracks with some huge highs, like “EXCEL”, but the members also began to wonder how they could define themselves and set themselves apart from a crowded field of groups.

The answer came last year with “ELECTRIC HEART”,  a career-best single that began a sharp turn for the group that continues to this week with the release of their new single album [8.X]. “ELECTRIC HEART” retained the bright, youthful energy of 8TURN’s earlier music, but it was more mature; sentimental, even. From my perspective, it was the first time the group really nailed their potential.

JAE YUN, the group’s leader, acknowledged this shift recently as the group prepared to release their new title track “Stagefright”,  a song he co-wrote with MYUNG HO and YUN GYU. 

“Since our debut, we have built our own identity around hip-hop, and the key ideas of ‘Young Power’ and ‘energy.’ As we continued our journey, we began thinking about how we should grow as artists to become a group that can be loved for a long time,” he explained. The members realized that their time in the industry had matured them, and they had a clear understanding of how to represent themselves. “We are not only bright and energetic, but now we also carry more realistic emotions, such as anxiety and uncertainty. We felt that those sides of us are also an important part of who 8TURN is today.”

“Stagefright” is another standout track for the group: Like “ELECTRIC HEART” and “BRUISE”, it’s mid-tempo. But it’s also sexier and sleeker than anything in their discography. HAE MIN observed, “I think 8TURN's overall color has definitely become darker! I think you'll be able to see a more grown-up and mature side of 8TURN.”

“That’s right,” MIN HO agreed. “It’s a different energy from our previous songs!” For YUN GYU, the new single  “will be a milestone that marks a new leap forward for 8TURN.”

HAE MIN pointed to the group’s “clean and linear” choreography as an example of how they have matured as a group. But MYUNG HO also expressed that the group’s concept has naturally evolved too. “We felt that music with a darker and more subdued mood, and music that highlighted each member’s unique vocal color and shared stories about how we are growing as individuals, would be the best way to show who 8TURN is today,” he explained. “I see the discography from ‘ELECTRIC HEART’ and “BRUISE” to ‘Stagefright’ not as a change in our original identity, but as a natural musical evolution that reflects our growth and who we are today.​

MYUNG HO was inspired to write the lyrics after listening to the demo’s outlined story. “I was really impressed by the demo lyric, 'We're never locked in,’” he said. “It made me think that I shouldn't put myself in a box either, and that I should honestly express the feelings I had while listening to the song and the emotions I feel when I'm on stage.”

JAE YUN looked at his own experience as an idol as he wrote his portion of the song. “Performing on stage is something I've dreamed of my whole life, and I love every moment of it,” he explained. “Yet, ever since my debut, I find myself thinking about what my last day on stage will look like, not because I wish to stop, but because the future is unpredictable and it could happen at any time. That constant underlying anxiety was the key theme I focused on while writing 'Stagefright.'”

JAE YUN and YUN GYU also wrote the EP’s b-side “8PM”. That song, JAE YUN said, “was a much smoother process for me.” He continued, “The style resonated so deeply with my personal taste that as soon as I heard the track, I dove right in. Maybe it was because I loved the song so much, but the lyrics just flowed naturally. “

YUN GYU spoke of “8PM” in cinematic terms. “I wanted it to feel like you're sinking into the lyrics, almost as if you're looking at the waves just by listening to the song,” he said. “I wanted to include a laid-back vibe, the sun leaving you sun-kissed, and a little bit of a love story.”

Perhaps because of the risks they’re willing to take as a group, 8TURN is continuing to climb to bigger stages. “I think we’ve been able to show our performances more effectively on bigger stages,” HAE MIN observed.

Case in point: KCON Japan invited 8TURN to perform at the festival in May, and this fall, they’ll return to Europe and North America for tours. “Every time we go to a big event in another country, I feel like I come back with nothing but great memories. I'm happy that we get to meet new fans and show them our performances,” YOON SUNG told me. “And later on, when I see people saying they became fans after watching those performances, it really gives me strength.”

Tours have been an opportunity for the group to reflect on why this job as a performer means so much to them. “I became an idol because I wanted to be happy. But during our last tour, seeing TURNING smile, cheer, and enjoy our performances more than anyone else made me realize that the happiness I give to TURNING is even greater than my own,” SEONG HYEON said. “It made me want to keep performing for TURNING rather than for myself. Seeing TURNING happy while watching our performances is the reason and the meaning behind why I do what I do as an idol.”

MYUNG HO echoed this, adding, “When I first dreamed of becoming a singer, I wanted to become someone who could give energy and hope to the people watching my performances. During this tour as well, I think I felt the most fulfilled whenever our TURNING enjoyed our performances, gained strength from them, and left with a sense of hope.”

Being on stage and connecting with TURNING, the members told me, is what motivates them to try harder; to push themselves to go farther than they’ve thought was possible. When I asked if they’ve had moments that made them realize how far they’ve come, JAE YUN admitted, “without a doubt, performing on stage,” before adding, “When I’m on stage I feel the most alive and wouldn't ask for anything else in the world.”

For many members, performing has lately been an opportunity to show a more genuine side of themselves. “What I really wanted to express on stage,” MIN HO reflected, “is 8TURN’s MIN HO – me. The key point is the natural confidence that comes from truly loving myself.”

MYUNG HO shared a similar feeling: “I prepare with the mindset of expressing my honest, unfiltered emotions,” he explained. “That's the approach I've been taking as I build each performance.”

The members also rehearse constantly to improve choreography or vocal performance, something that SEONG HYEON thinks has benefited the team as a whole. “I think I've started taking better care of myself,”  he said. “I believe that when each member improves their own abilities, the team naturally grows as well.”

“Stagefright”, then, offers a new opportunity for TURNINGS to get to know 8TURN on a more personal level. Performing the music on stage, JAE YUN told me, is easy because of how much of himself he put into the new music. “I feel like my own distinct color naturally shines through in the lyrics I wrote,” he told me. “The words I sing on stage are completely genuine and deeply authentic to me.”

This is, in my view, why they are a team worth investing in and supporting. Each member has their own story that they are bringing to these comeback stages, and they all want, so badly, to succeed.

YOON SUNG reiterated this back to me when he told me why he wanted to become an idol. “When I was younger, I grew up looking up to idol seniors who shined on stage, and they gave me a lot of strength. Sometimes, when I hear the crowd cheering for us during a performance, it feels overwhelming to realize that the dream I once had has come true,” he explained. “At the same time, I'm grateful that I'm able to stand on stage with great music, great choreography, and show this side of myself. I believe none of it would have been possible without our staff, everyone at the company, and my members.”

The goal, YOON SUNG intoned, is that 8TURN wants to be a group that can inspire the next generation of idols. The members know what they’re doing is a risk. “Stagefright” is not a track that follows trends. But it is showing and deepening a story that the members are trying to put out there about themselves: that they have ambitions. That they get scared and anxious too. That this job may be hard, but when they step on stage, they feel like maybe they’ve won something.

After experimenting with different genres and concepts, the group understood their biggest strength was being themselves. They decided it was time for a big swing, and that is when JAE YUN, YUN GYU, and MYUNG HO wrote “Stagefright”. 

“We naturally began thinking about what kind of music could show us as honestly as possible,” MYUNG HO reflected. “And we came to the conclusion that the best answer was to capture who we are right now, just as we are.”