INTERVIEW 'Kick-START': TIOT embarks on new adventure with Ye-chan
K-pop boy group TIOT / Courtesy of Redstart ENM
By Dong Sun-hwa
After appearing on the 2023 audition program, "Boys Planet," the four contestants from the K-pop label Redstart ENM — Kim Min-seoung, Kum Jun-hyeon, Hong Keon-hee and Choi Woo-jin — came together to form a new boy group named TIOT.
TIOT, short for "This Time is Our Turn," commenced its musical activities with the album "Frame the Blueprint : Prelude to Possibilities" in August. The members, however, called it a "pre-debut album," hinting that they were not yet making an official debut.
The "Frame the Blueprint" album was a success. Upon its release, it ranked first on the real-time album sales chart of Hanteo, a major music sales tracker in Korea. Its lead single, "Unbeatable," also became the candidate for first place on the music program "The Show," leading the group to pull off remarkable feats from the beginning of its career. It even staged concerts in Seoul and Tokyo in December and January.
TIOT then made its official debut on April 22 with the album "Kick-START," which is fronted by the lead single "Rock Thang." But the group is not a quartet anymore — it recently saw a change in its membership, with the 17-year-old Shin Ye-chan joining the group as the youngest member.
Although it was not a walk in the park to integrate into an already-established team, Shin said he could seamlessly mingle with his fellow group members thanks to their support and encouragement.
"I was overwhelmed by pressure at first because I felt like I was lacking a lot of things compared to other members," Shin said during a recent interview with The Korea Times at a studio in Gangnam District, southern Seoul.
"I was an idol trainee for only a short period of time, but unlike me, the other members were already skillful singers and dancers with some experience. So, I was worried that I might cause them trouble after joining the team. But when I was undergoing tough times, other TIOT members treated me to meals and told me that I was doing well. They often praised me while also giving advice on how I could improve myself further."
Kum said he tried his best to lend Shin a helping hand.
"I think I also achieved growth as I helped him," he said.
Hong, an ardent fan of boy group SEVENTEEN, added, "Shin is very versatile. His interest in music is so deep that he even taught himself how to play the drums when he was young. In the 'Rock Thang' music video, there is a scene featuring his drum performance."
Shin Ye-chan, a new member of K-pop boy group TIOT / Courtesy of Redstart ENM
"Kick-START" revolves around the theme of youth, capturing a large spectrum of emotions that people experience as they spend youth. In particular, "Rock Thang" imparts a message of support and comfort for young people, inspiring them to take a step forward amid confusion and disorientation.
Kim and Kum took part in penning the lyrics of this uplifting song.
"I thought a lot about the message we were seeking to deliver, attempting to come up with the lyrics that best convey it," Kim explained. Kum said he tried to create a narrative for the tune, which can be unfolded with the members' voices.
Also included in the album are: "Goosebumps," "Moonrise," "Paradise" and "Baby Shark." According to TIOT, "Goosebumps" is an upbeat track that can boost people's confidence, while "Moonrise" is a song of healing. "Paradise" is a tune dedicated to the group's fans and "Baby Shark" shows its love and passion for singing through its lyrics.
"Baby Shark" also samples the sound from the Baby Shark Dance video created by the Korean educational entertainment company Pinkfong in 2016 — the most-viewed video on YouTube with more than 13 billion hits as of Thursday.
The members of K-pop boy group TIOT smile during a recent interview with The Korea Times at a studio in Gangnam District, southern Seoul. Korea Times photo by Do Hien Thao
"As its title implies, 'Kick-START' heralds our new beginning," Kim stressed. "It is composed of the songs that speak for us. We had to pick either 'Rock Thang' or 'Goosebumps' as our lead single, but we ended up choosing the former as we thought it would help us showcase more authentic sides of us."
The competition among K-pop boy bands is fiercer than ever these days, but the members of TIOT believe they can still stand out with their own unique edges.
"All TIOT members are full of energy," Kim said. "We all have different charms, and we know how to display them on stage both as individuals and as a team."
For Kum, his biggest goal for now is to earn the moniker "monster."
"When new sensational groups emerge, people often dub them 'monster rookies,'" Kum said. "But we just want to be called 'monster' because we cannot remain as rookies forever. We hope we can be known as a monster that keeps attaining 'monstrous' achievements as we move on."