InterviewDRIPPIN's 1st unit ChaDongHyeop is ready to make hearts flutter

From left are members of DRIPPIN's debut unit ChaDongHyeop: Lee Hyeop, Cha Jun-ho and Kim Dong-yun. Courtesy of Woollim Entertainment

On a quiet Monday morning in Seoul's Gangnam District, three men took their seats at a cafe table with the carefulness of people who have rehearsed being natural.

Cha Jun-ho, Kim Dong-yun and Lee Hyeop, members of K-pop boy band DRIPPIN, were measured in their words and composed in their smiles, projecting the kind of energy that belongs not to rookies, but to veterans stepping into unfamiliar territory.

As the group's debut subunit, the three have named themselves ChaDongHyeop, a combination of their names, and are about to release their first single album, "Doogeundae," on Tuesday. It's a milestone six years in the making, the first unit project in DRIPPIN's history since the group debuted in 2020.

The wait, the three told The Korea Times, was worth it.

"I'd been looking forward to this for so long," Cha said. "Now that we're finally able to show something to our fans, I feel really excited. This is a different kind of start for us, and I want people to see a side of us they haven't seen before."

ChaDongHyeop, K-pop boy band DRIPPIN's debut subunit trio / Courtesy of Woollim Entertainment

The roughly two years since DRIPPIN's last group activity with "Weekend" in August 2024 were anything but idle for the three members. Kim and Lee appeared on Mnet's audition program "Boys II Planet," while Cha pursued acting. Each came back changed.

"Being around so many talented people made me realize I couldn't afford to be complacent," Kim reflected. "I came back with sharper focus and a lot of new sensibility."

Lee, the eldest of the three, described the experience in terms of hunger.

"Appearing on 'Boys II Planet' had its bittersweet moments, but it gave a lot of new people a chance to discover us," he said. "It gave me the energy for a new leap forward. I had always approached everything with urgency, but this time that drive became even stronger. It became the fuel for everything I've done as part of ChaDongHyeop."

Cha Jun-ho, a member of DRIPPIN's subunit ChaDongHyeop / Courtesy of Woollim Entertainment

The trio's debut work, "Doogeundae" — a Korean phrase which roughly translates to "heart flutters" — is a deliberate seasonal statement. The album's two main tracks, the title track of the same name and the B-side "Spring Walk," are designed to slot into listeners' lives in the upcoming warmer months.

"DRIPPIN has tried a lot of different things across albums," Cha said, "but what sets this one apart is that it's built around a season. We've done event songs and fan-dedicated songs before, but putting together a collection of songs that fit naturally into everyday spring and summer life felt like something entirely new."

Lee framed the title track's concept in terms of a specific emotional moment.

"We're living in the age of dopamine. It's important to give yourself little gifts, to treat yourself. And just before you do something like that, there's a fluttery feeling of anticipation. That's what 'Doogeundae' is about. I thought it would fit seamlessly into everyday life."

Kim Dong-yun, a member of DRIPPIN's debut subunit ChaDongHyeop / Courtesy of Woollim Entertainment

Part of what makes ChaDongHyeop work, the members suggest, is that each brings a distinctly different quality to the group.

"Jun-ho has this nerdy, intellectual charm. Dong-yun is going for something hip and cool. I'm the lovely one," Lee described with a shy laugh.

The visual choices made for this debut reflect those individual identities. For Cha, glasses and blush to lean into the nerdy warmth; for Kim, steel and silver accessories for edge; for Hyeop, pink sticker accents to match spring colors. Cha was unbothered by the aesthetic he's been assigned.

"If people end up loving the glasses look, I'll keep it forever. It's honestly not far off from my natural vibe," he said.

Lee Hyeop, the eldest member of DRIPPIN's debut unit ChaDongHyeop / Courtesy of Woollim Entertainment

The members were deliberately open-ended about whether the ChaDongHyeop subunit will continue beyond this single.

"We don't have a set plan to keep releasing albums as a unit indefinitely," Cha said. "What we've talked about among ourselves is that we're all people who genuinely love performing good music on great stages. If people love us, we believe the possibility is always open."

He then adds, almost as an aside, what might be the most telling detail of all.

"This is a seasonal record, and I'd love to do it again — an autumn song in the fall, a winter song when the cold comes around. I want to keep matching our music to the seasons."

At the end of the interview, the members were eager to address the people who have been waiting for them.

"I don't think there's anyone out there who lives off of love quite like we do," Cha said. "I have never once taken that love for granted. A lot of you tell us that we give you energy and reasons to smile. I want you to know that you do exactly the same for us."

From left are members of DRIPPIN's debut unit ChaDongHyeop: Lee Hyeop, Cha Jun-ho and Kim Dong-yun. Courtesy of Woollim Entertainment