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INTERVIEW VANNER envisions brighter future with 'BURN'
K-pop boy band VANNER releases its third mini-album, "BURN," Monday. Courtesy of KLAP Entertainment
By Pyo Kyung-min
Amid limited recognition in the vast K-pop world, boy band VANNER has poured exceptional effort to their career. As they prepare to release its new mini-album "BURN," they exemplify the power of perseverance and passion in a fiercely competitive industry.
In an interview with The Korea Times at a café in Gangnam District, Seoul, Thursday, the four members — Taehwan, Gon, Hyesung and Yeonggwang — spoke thoughtfully about their idol careers, even jotting down notes to ensure careful responses. Sungkook, the group's fifth member, was unable to attend the interview due to his military service.
Despite the members' dedication, VANNER faced immediate challenges following its debut, as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted their momentum. The members even had to juggle part-time jobs with their idol careers.
"I wondered if we'd end without getting to do what we wanted after finally debuting," said the band's leader, Taehwan. "But it was our passion for the stage that led us to push ahead."
And that perseverance sure did pay off.
VANNER saw a dramatic turnaround in 2023 after winning JTBC's boy band survival reality show "Peak Time." Since then, the group has taken its performances to cities around the world, including Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo, and Hong Kong, fulfilling the members' long-held dreams of gracing these stages.
"No matter where we go, the immense amount of love we receive from fans remains the same," said Hyesung. "The cheers are always overwhelming and we're just grateful. We try to repay that by giving our best on stage. Once, we even did a 90-minute encore, and in countries like Taiwan and Japan, we sang songs translated into the local languages."
K-pop boy band VANNER is currently operating as a four member unit, as member Sungkook enlisted in March for his mandatory service. Courtesy of KLAP Entertainment
Following this success, VANNER is now preparing to release its third mini-album, "BURN," the group's first new music in eight months since dropping "CAPTURE THE FLAG" in January.
For this comeback, the group is set to perform as a four-member unit due to Sungkook's military enlistment. During the interview, VANNER's members acknowledged that filling the role of their lead rapper was no easy task.
Gon, the group's main rapper, explained how he kept Sungkook involved, despite his absence.
"I sent him recordings for feedback and advice, trying to incorporate his input into the album," Gon said. "Sungkook was born with a naturally deep, charming voice ... He told me it's not something I could easily imitate, so instead, I focused on creating a richer sound. I learned a lot from him."
Yeonggwang reflected on their teamwork, saying, "Sungkook's absence highlighted just how irreplaceable his voice is to VANNER. I was concerned about this album, but his supportive messages gave me the confidence to push through."
K-pop boy band VANNER clinched the top spot of JTBC's boy band reality show "Peak Time" in 2023. Courtesy of KLAP Entertainment
Crafted by the four active members, the new "BURN" album captures the group's natural charm and charisma. In particular, its title track "Automatic" blends electro-funk and disco influences, delivering a message of "hope and dreams that know no boundaries."
In addition to "Automatic," the group expressed a special fondness for another track on the album, "Blossom." This medium-tempo pop song likens the feeling of love to a blooming flower.
This song holds particular significance for Yeonggwang, as it was written and composed by Lee Gi-kwang of the K-pop group HIGHLIGHT — Yeonggwang's longtime role model.
Beaming throughout the interview, Yeonggwang explained how excited he was to have met Lee through his participation in "Peak Time," and how honored he felt to have him contribute to the album.
"It was such an incredible moment," he recalled. "On the day of the recording, Lee even came in person despite his busy schedule to give us words of encouragement. I was beyond grateful. I can't stop smiling even now that I think about it."
During an interview with The Korea Times, K-pop boy band VANNER revealed that Lee Ki-gwang from K-pop act HIGHLIGHT contributed to the upcoming album's new song, "Blossom." Courtesy of KLAP Entertainment
Wrapping up the interview, the four VANNER members shared their hopes that the new "BURN" album will open doors to a variety of opportunities in the future.
Taehwan mentioned his desire to perform at different events, from Coachella to university festivals in Korea, while Yeonggwang and Gon both expressed a longing to tour in Europe. Hyesung, meanwhile, voiced his dream of appearing on SBS' hit variety show, "Running Man."
"The album itself represents the passion of youth," said Hyesung. "So it would be a dream come true for the four of us to appear on 'Running Man,' one of the most energetic shows in Korea. We'd also love to be on any program where we can introduce ourselves through music and get our faces out there."