TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Like most pop groups, the newly debuted K-pop group UNIVERSE has the glamorous packaging of stardom.
With their rainbow range of hair colors and their stylishly over-sized sweaters, the boy band proved during a pre-interview photo shoot that they could pull off the cool and cute looks so popular with fans.
However, one of the most striking things about the group’s members is how down-to-earth they are.
During The China Post’s exclusive sit-down with UNIVERSE, one personality trait that continuously shined through was the group’s authenticity.
Introducing UNIVERSE
UNIVERSE is a five-member K-pop group made up of group leader and main vocalist SIHOON (詩勳), rapper IL (浩晨), singers CHANGGONG (蒼空) and YONGYONG (勇勇) and dancer MINHO (旻鎬).
Although the group was officially introduced to fans last month, UNIVERSE has been years in the making.
As a unit, the band spent a year training together before making their debut in Taiwan on Dec. 21.
The time spent on both informal dabbling in the arts and formal rookie training by each member varied from two to five years.
“It has taken me five years to be sitting where I am today,” CHANGGONG told The China Post.
The singer spent two years in a band in high school and three years in training before debuting with UNIVERSE.
The years of practice it takes to make it as a K-pop group highlights the competitiveness of the Korean entertainment industry.
It is reported that about 100 groups make their debut in K-pop each year.
Of these 100 groups, less than 30 make it onto entertainment shows to showcase their talent, and only five make it big.
With such fierce competition, UNIVERSE has adopted the strategy of debuting abroad to build a Chinese-speaking fan base before returning home in three months’ time to try and crack the South Korean market.
A Day in the Life of UNIVERSE
When not making appearances on entertainment shows or at fan events, UNIVERSE spend most of their time practicing and honing their craft.
These practice sessions go far beyond the traditional singing and dancing that one might expect.
According to SIHOON, “the group does a lot of exercises and fitness workouts to be able to continue to present a better side of themselves to fans.”
“Even without scheduled press, much of our time is spent rehearsing Chinese songs, prepping for interviews in Chinese, and learning Chinese, so our days are very productive,” SIHOON added.
YONGYONG said even when there were no scheduled activities for the day, the group was now used to waking up at 8 a.m.
As a primarily Korean group – three of the five members are Korean nationals, while the remaining two are Chinese – debuting in a Chinese-speaking market, the group is diligently learning Chinese to bring the band closer to their fans, SIHOON said.
UNIVERSE’s wish to connect with their Taiwanese fans is visible in the efforts they have made to pick up their fans’ language and culture.
During a candid moment prior to the interview, all five members were learning Taiwanese from members of their management team, with the group having already learnt how to say “Have you eaten yet?” and “It’s delicious!”
Why UNIVERSE?
Given the humble backgrounds of its members, UNIVERSE possess an approachability that allows them to capture their name’s meaning.
The name UNIVERSE was chosen in the hope that the band would exude a universal appeal and become pop group beloved by the people.
Rapper IL put it best when he said that UNIVERSE wanted to be the “brothers of fans everywhere,” with YONGYONG following-up with a comment later in the interview, saying, “No matter happy or sad, the group wants to be a part of our fans’ lives.”
The boy group’s commitment to their craft and fans is tangible in everything they say and everything they do.
Being a member of UNIVERSE has meant leaving the comfort of home for the five group members and travelling to the unfamiliar island of Taiwan.
This long stay, of course, poses its own set of challenges, which the group was not afraid to open up about.
Minho, whose hometown is outside of Seoul, had already experienced dealing with being away from his family when he was back in South Korea training with the other UNIVERSE boys in Seoul.
“I like to take walks outside and look at the sky to distract myself,” MINHO revealed when asked how he coped with homesickness, a habit he has kept up in Taiwan.
Other members have resorted to looking at photos or thinking about their parents when it was too late to call home.
Despite the challenges of being away from home, homesickness has also been a source of motivation for the five members of UNIVERSE.
SIHOON, the eldest child from a large family, looks forward to contributing to his family with his success.
Similarly, IL, who said that he sometimes woke up crying after dreaming about his parents, said he thinks back on these moments to motivate himself to perform better.
CHANGGONG, who has already trained for five years for his current role, used his parents’ pride in his career as a way to encourage himself.
“In the past, whenever people asked my parents what I did, all they could say was that I was preparing to become a performer. Now, that I have become one, my parents can proudly say that I am legitimate K-pop artist.”
Therefore, although it has been a difficult road, all five members agreed that their families and fans were worth it.
A Private UNIVERSE
A look at the UNIVERSE boys reveals a real camaraderie that binds together the K-pop group.
To the rest of the world, UNIVERSE is a performance group; to each other, they are family.
As in any family, there are roles that each member plays.
For the UNIVERSE family, SIHOON is the chef whose signature kimchi hotpot and fried rice were among the other members’ favourite dishes.
YONGYONG, the oldest of the boys, is the “mom because he likes to nag,” CHANGGONG joked.
However, he quickly added that it was because of YONGYONG’s nagging that their house had become relatively cleaner.
As for the other members, IL is in charge of cleaning, while MINHO does the laundry.
CHANGGONG did not disclose what he did around the house, but we are sure that he lends a helping hand here and there as well.
On the topic of household chores, all of the UNIVERSE boys said they were looking forward to Minho’s tteokguk (a traditional Korean New Year dish composed of a broth and thinly sliced rice cakes) over the Lunar New Year.
MINHO, whose cooking has been questioned by the other members, is determined to make this traditional dish for the older members of the group during the Lunar New Year holiday.
The Future of UNIVERSE
The hourlong chat with UNIVERSE flew by as many topics were discussed and laughter exchanged.
At the conclusion of the interview, The China Post asked UNIVERSE what was in store for them in the future.
Down-to-earth as always, the group said that they would like to focus on their current endeavours and had not thought about expanding into other Asian countries.
Members say that this three-month stay is crucial to the group’s future development, so they will focus on improving their Chinese language skills and elevate their looks to an even better level during this period of time.
Leader SIHOON said that if the band makes it to superstardom and a world tour, Taipei Arena would be the first stop.
All that UNIVERSE members want now is to be a long-lasting K-pop group like the popular Korean boy band SECHSKIES (水晶男孩), whose 19-year reign at the top of the K-pop charts make them a legendary act to follow.
“As a new group, many established artists are our role models, so we do not really have a set direction to go in. As a universal group, we want to learn more of the good and work out the bad,” IL noted.
On behalf of UNIVERSE, SIHOON said the group “will continue to work hard and hopes that fans will continue to support them.”
