InterviewKARD disbands after 10 years, but members insist story is not over

From left are J.Seph, Somin, BM and Jiwoo, members of co-ed K-pop group KARD. Courtesy of RBW, DSP Media

The four members of KARD are reluctant to use the word "disbandment." By any common definition, it applies. The co-ed group's contract with DSP Media expires at the end of this year, and the agency announced earlier this month that one final album and world tour would conclude KARD's journey.

But sitting down with The Korea Times for an interview at a cafe in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, Tuesday, the members wanted the word understood on their own terms.

"The four of us still want to make music together, but that would just happen in a new environment," Jiwoo said. "I think the misunderstanding was understandable, but there are no plans for us to say goodbye and part ways entirely."

J.Seph, the group's rapper, said even his young nephew called to ask.

"I explained, like anyone else, I belong to a company, and I'm tied to that company by a contract. The point where that contract ends has simply arrived."

In other words, KARD as fans have known it for a decade, a DSP Media act, is ending. What the members refuse to let go of are each other. Nothing concrete is decided, they admit, but the door to a reunion in some form is one they intend to keep open.

Co-ed K-pop quartet KARD releases its first and final full-length album, "Where To Now? (Part.2): NOWHERE," Tuesday, capping a decade-long career. Courtesy of RBW, DSP Media

First, though, comes the farewell itself.

"Where To Now? (Part.2): NOWHERE," drops Tuesday as the quartet's first full-length album, led by the track "Back To Life," a breezy summer song that trades the group's signature intensity for reassurance.

"The title track sheds the sexy, strong image we had before," Somin said. "It was made with 'Oh NaNa' and 'Hola Hola' as reference points. It carries the message that we will always remain as a place fans can lean on."

The album's title is a wordplay the members treat almost as a thesis statement.

"'NOWHERE' can also be read as 'NOW HERE,' and that speaks to where we are at this moment," Jiwoo said. "The destination of our 10-year journey was right here, right now."

K-pop group KARD, which debuted in 2017 and built a devoted following overseas, is set to bid farewell with its first full-length album. Courtesy of RBW, DSP Media

Formed by DSP Media, KARD introduced itself in December 2016 with the predebut single "Oh NaNa" before officially debuting in July 2017 with "Hola Hola."

As a four-member co-ed group in an industry built almost entirely on single-gender acts, KARD was an anomaly from day one, and its tropical house-inflected hits such as "Don't Recall," "Bomb Bomb," "Gunshot" and "Dumb Litty" found their most fervent audience far from home, particularly in Latin America, where the group toured relentlessly.

That imbalance, celebrated abroad while overlooked at home, became the defining tension of KARD's career.

"Whenever we came back from overseas tours, there were no schedules waiting for us in Korea," J.Seph said. "I used to wish we could be more active here. But the love we received overseas made up for it, and that was a huge step for us."

Jiwoo called domestic recognition "our big unsolved assignment." Watching the wave of attention that followed the recent announcement, she admitted to having mixed feelings.

"So many people are paying attention now. I couldn't help thinking I wished it had come a little sooner. I even felt a tiny bit resentful, to be honest," she said, before adding with a laugh that she hopes the belated spotlight sends both old and new songs up the charts.

Co-ed K-pop quartet KARD / Courtesy of RBW, DSP Media

Looking back on its decade, the members said being a co-ed group carried its own weight.

"When we debuted, people saw us as a group of men and women rather than as individual artists. Now perceptions have become more open. It makes me wonder whether things would have been different if that perspective had existed back then," Jiwoo said.

"But the advantages were bigger," she added. "We could sing about love more directly, blend different vocal colors and do pair choreography that fans love."

J.Seph offered a lighter memory of life outside the industry's binary.

"Girl groups and boy groups usually get separate waiting rooms during joint live events, but we had to use the girl group waiting room," he said, laughing. "It was awkward, but for me, it was also kind of nice."

Co-ed K-pop group KARD wraps up its 10-year journey with "Where To Now? (Part.2): NOWHERE," ahead of a farewell world tour kicking off Aug. 8 in Seoul. Courtesy of RBW, DSP Media

The members credit their longevity to wresting creative control early on.

"Up through 'Bomb Bomb,' we promoted according to the company's direction," Somin said. "After that, we started voicing our opinions, writing music and shaping concepts. It was not easy, but we never gave up, and that process made us mature. I think we fought a beautiful fight."

KARD will launch its final world tour, "NOW HERE," on Aug. 8 at Gabin Art Hall in southern Seoul, with a European leg spanning 10 cities in September and additional dates running into early next year.

What comes after remains open, though the members say their commitment to one another does not expire with the contract.

"To us, fans are not just a source of strength," Jiwoo said. "They are the people who built our lives. Our future activities are not decided yet. But we will continue."