INTERVIEW MCND candidly reflects on tireless journey since debut

K-pop boy band MCND / Courtesy of TOP Media

"Ultimately, my dream as an idol is to become a billionaire," one MCND member declared.

"Ever since I was young, my dream was to become a singer more famous than Maroon 5," added another.

These bold ambitions were shared by the members of K-pop boy band MCND during an interview at The Korea Times headquarters, Monday, when asked about their future goals.

Typically, when asked similar questions, K-pop idols tend to lean more toward standardized responses, like numerical targets for their upcoming album's success or plans to win specific awards at year-end ceremonies.

However, the five MCND members — Castle J, BIC, Minjae, Huijun and Win — provided refreshingly honest insights into their lives and careers, with their unfiltered responses standing in contrast to the typical crafted pop star statements.

"I prefer being honest," said Castle J, the group's eldest member and leader. "I think it's better to show my true self and be loved for who I am. So, I strive to live without shame, whether as Castle J or in my personal life."

This sentiment of staying true to oneself even as an idol was echoed by other team members.

"To be an idol, you typically have to separate your idol persona from your 'real self.' We did this a lot in our early debut days," said Win, the team's youngest member. "But as time passed, I felt that these crafted images seemed insincere. So now, I try to approach our fans more as my true self."

Member BIC chimed in, stating, "Honestly, the more people get to know us, they might wonder, 'Are these guys really idols?' When we're offstage or just hanging out, we sometimes forget that we're idols ourselves. We're that much of a free-spirited and energetic group."

Clockwise from top left are K-pop boy band MCND members BIC, Huijun, Castle J, Win and Minjae. Courtesy of TOP Media

This unfiltered honesty also shone through when the members shared their current situation of having yet to achieve widespread recognition.

MCND debuted under TOP Media in 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic began. The situation has limited their promotional activities, preventing the members from gaining early career traction in the K-pop scene.

"After our debut, when COVID-19 hit and we faced restrictions, it was really discouraging. But now, reflecting on it, I realize that everyone faced similar challenges at the time," Win said. "Even my father, who ran a business then, went through a really tough time. Recognizing this gives me comfort knowing that the only way from here is up."

Castle J added, "Objectively speaking, there were idols who succeeded even during the pandemic. So instead of solely blaming COVID-19, we believe it's important to steadily build our foundation step by step."

Though mainstream success has eluded them, the past five years have been profoundly meaningful for the bandmates.

"I feel like I've grown the most internally. My desire to achieve my dreams as a singer has become more earnest and my resolve has strengthened. When we first debuted, I was quite anxious because I was so young, but now I've learned to steadily pursue my goals," Huijun noted.

"Teamwork, in my opinion, comes from an instinctive bond. This instinct is reinforced through repetition, and we've spent so much time together that our teamwork has naturally grown stronger. We can now understand each other’s thoughts with just a glance," Win said. "Our task now is to ensure that this strong teamwork is expressed on stage."

K-pop boy band MCND / Courtesy of TOP Media

MCND is now gearing up for a new leap forward in its career with the latest endeavor, its new mini-album, "X10," released Tuesday. This release comes just six months after their previous album, "ODD-VENTURE."

"'X10' refers to hitting the bullseye in archery. This album conveys our message of uniting to overcome obstacles and ultimately hitting our target," Castle J explained.

While MCND has mainly focused on hip-hop-based tracks, this time it has ventured into a country-style music genre for the new album's eponymous title track, following the Western-style trap of the lead single of its last release.

Although the genre is still new to the K-pop landscape, the members believed it would showcase their strengths in choreography and performance.

"At first, we were worried because not many idols try this genre, but preparing for this album was a lot of fun. We felt that our team, strong in performance, could make it shine," Minjae said.

"As a group confident in our performance skills, we thought a lot about how to incorporate elements into the choreography that fans would love. You will see traces of these efforts in our upcoming stages," Hwijun said.

For "X10," MCND intends to connect with fans through multiple platforms. When questioned about their approach to engaging with fans, the group maintained their candid demeanor.

"I often joke about this, but I'd love to treat our adult fans to soju and gukbap (a Korean-style soup dish)," Win said.

"We aim to increase our face-to-face interactions with fans in Korea. We'll make more appearances on music shows and organize additional fan meetings. Our goal is to forge unforgettable memories together during the 'X10' era," concluded Castle J.