INTERVIEW Why is AB6IX a standout in K-pop?
The teaser for K-pop boy band AB6IX's eighth EP, "The Future is Ours : Found" / Courtesy of Brandnew Music
By Dong Sun-hwa
AB6IX unleashes 8th EP 'The Future is Ours : Found'
If there is one adjective that best describes K-pop boy group AB6IX, it must be "candid."
Unlike most other K-pop singers, who often display reserved demeanors to avoid making a slip of the tongue, the four AB6IX members did not shy away from sharing their authentic thoughts and feelings during a recent interview with The Korea Times at a studio in Gangnam District, southern Seoul.
Their outspokenness was most evident when they talked about their music style. Member Daehwi, who was part of the now-defunct project boy group Wanna One before debuting as AB6IX in 2019, first asked this reporter which song best defines his current group. It looked like he was going to accept any answer, but when he heard the response — "Hollywood" (2019) composed by Daehwi — he shook his head with a playful smile and said, "I disagree."
He added, "If you listen to 'Grab Me,' the title track of our new EP, I think you will change your mind."
"Grab Me" is the lead single off AB6IX's eighth EP, "The Future is Ours : Found," which hit shelves on Monday. Laced with energetic guitar sounds, "Grab Me" incorporates the elements of pop, rock and dance. Through its lyrics, the AB6IX members show their determination to cling to hope even in the face of despair, promising they would overcome hardships with the support of their fans.
"The track is about releasing the things that have been lurking in our hearts, such as anxiety and darkness," Woojin, who was also a Wanna One member, explained.
Daehwi participated in penning its lyrics, demonstrating his songwriting prowess. To date, the 22-year-old has credits on most AB6IX hits such as "Blind For Love" (2019), and he also wrote songs for other artists, including "Airplane" (2019) sung by IZ*ONE, a now-disbanded project girl group.
According to the AB6IX members, the music video of "Grab Me," which has exceeded 4 million views on YouTube as of Friday, leaves room for different interpretations. In the clip, all of them go through a tough time in their lives due to solitude, longing and harsh words. These challenges eventually lead them to act in unexpected — and somewhat atypical — ways, with Woojin crashing a car out of frustration.
"There is another scene where I walk out of the elevator after being trapped in it," he added. "It visualizes the release and liberation."
From left, Donghyun, Woong, Daehwi and Woojin of K-pop boy band AB6IX pose during a recent interview with The Korea Times at a studio in Gangnam District, southern Seoul. Korea Times photo by Yun Da-been
The quartet proved to be an icon of candor once again when they recounted stories about their recent U.S. tour. It kicked off its tour in Chicago in November, performing in four other cities including Atalanta and Dallas before wrapping it up in Los Angeles.
Asked about the things he did during the tour, Woong said he spent most of his time eating Korean food, but added that he opted for delivery instead of dining out because he could not speak English very well.
"Thanks to the U.S. tour, I learned that my English is worse than I thought," he said. "So next time, I will hang out with a friend who can speak the language fluently. I will not study English very hard because I am 100 percent sure that I am bad at it ... But I want to stress that I have a good command of Japanese."
The teaser for K-pop boy band AB6IX's eighth EP, "The Future is Ours : Found" / Courtesy of Brandnew Music
In addition to "Grab Me," the group's new EP also carries four other tunes: "Whistle," "Traveler," "All Night" and "ILY (I Love You.)" Daehwi took part in the creative process of all songs except for "ILY." In the case of "ILY," two other members — Donghyun and Woojin — mustered their creative power to give birth to a song dedicated to their fans.
"My goal was to give a gift to our followers," Donghyun said. "After learning that ILY is short for 'I Love You,' I wanted to use it as the title of our track."
The fresh EP — a sequel to AB6IX's 2023 release, "The Future is Ours : Lost" — offers a glimpse into its eclectic music style as well.
"As always, we offer quality songs of various genres," Donghyun said with confidence. "I would say it is a delight for the eyes and ears."
With their fresh release, AB6IX hopes to prove that it is still thriving in the cutthroat K-pop industry.
"There are numerous talented K-pop acts, but we want to show people that we are still here and that we are also very talented, especially in the realm of music production," Donghyun noted. "In the days ahead, we want to perform at larger venues while showcasing our quality music."