After a few months of silence and our last conversation in January, BLITZERS have finally returned with intensive performances in Japan. Although they released their last single, Macarena, back in April, the group is still actively promoting their music, not only in their native country of South Korea but also in Japan.

With a series of exciting activities related to their Macarena release, including busking in Mokpo, performances in Japan, and a fan concert in Korea titled A to z, BLITZERS, before they travelled to Japan, shared their thoughts on their October show and what 2024 holds for them.

Juhan, one of the group’s members, briefly commented on their post-January whirlwind, “Since January, we’ve been busy with activities related to the Macarena album, busking in Mokpo, performing in Japan, the Pepsi concert, the fan concert in Korea, and various other performances.” Despite the demanding schedule, the group remains consistent when it comes to their work and finds joy in every moment spent with their fans, known as BLEEs.

As the interview continued, I was very curious about the concept behind BLITZERS’ first fan concert in Korea, A to z, held on October 28th. Lutan shared his excitement, “It was our first fan concert in Korea, and we prepared various songs and a special performance because we wanted to show everything about BLITZERS to BLEEs!”. Wooju then added that, “The title of the concert was ‘A to z’ with more emphasis on ‘A,’ meaning that this is another ‘beginning’ that BLEEs and BLITZERS embark on together. It also means we’ll also be setting off on a new journey, so just wait and see what we have in store for you.”

Reflecting on the experience, Sya expressed his gratitude to their fans, “It was such a fun experience! I’m so grateful to our BLEEs in Korea for creating wonderful memories with us.” This feeling was also shared by Chris, who described the event as “amazing” and emphasised the joy of seeing happy faces in the audience during their performances.

While live-streaming the fan concert enabled global fans to share the experience, Sya acknowledged the bittersweet aspect, “I was sad that we couldn’t meet them in person, but it was great to at least convey our energy through live-streaming.” Wooju added, “I was so happy because people who were unable to attend for other reasons and those who couldn’t attend because of the distance could be with us.” However, Chris shares his longing to meet global BLEEs in person, highlighting “that” special connection that live performances create.

Our conversation then moved to the creative process behind their hit single Macarena. Lutan fondly recalled the initial encounter with the song, “I remember when we first heard the song (with guided melody), we all liked it and worked really hard recording it!” Juhan shed light on the choreography, revealing that Jinhwa took charge, “Jinhwa did the choreography himself, and we had fun working on the album so that it’s become one that we all feel a special affection for.”

“I think I was just enjoying myself when I was coming up with the choreography. I made it while listening to the music on the terrace of our shared home and then we all got together to come up with the formations and really had a lot of fun in the process!”, Jinhwa exclaimed.

The visual style and composition of promotional photos for Macarena made some of us from the older generation quite sentimental, as the images reminisced about musicians from the ’90s. Sya explained the inspiration behind this choice, “There’s a song called Macarena from the ‘90s. We thought of the concept of our Macarena bringing back the same craze that the ‘90s Macarena caused around the world.” Lutan added, “So the visuals and the concept were composed in a ‘90s style. I think we were able to stir up nostalgia, which a lot of people identified with, and at the same time present something new to the new generation.”

The music video for Macarena added an exciting element to the song, and Wooju expressed gratitude for its positive reception, “First of all, thank you for enjoying our music video! Jinhwa was in charge of the choreography for Macarena while we worked together with the staff at our agency to come up with the concept of the music video!” Juhan highlighted the collaboration with the director, “In the case of the story for the music video, we met with the director who suggested having a story that featured zombies along with our individual characters, so I think we tried to stay true to our characters as we acted.”

BLITZERS, recognized as “special rookies,” also reflected on the lessons learned and experiences gained from previous tours, crowning in their recent fan concert at Sogang University. Jinhwa also emphasised their strong connection with BLEEs, “I think I realised through this fan concert [how important our] BLEEs are, and that we can move forward [together].” Juhan shared the joy of experiencing a fan concert in Korea as well, “While doing the fan concert in Korea, I learned the charm and fun of having a concert with BLEE! It was so much fun.”

As the interview neared its conclusion, I also asked about the group’s future. Jinhwa kindly provided insights into their plans, “We’re now working hard on our performances in Japan. We will stay here until the end of December.” Sya then added, “We’ll try to be back looking our best to meet with BLEEs in other countries, especially in Korea as soon as possible, so keep an eye out for us!”. Chris playfully kept some plans under wraps, “It’s top secret except for the Japanese concert, so I can’t tell you BLEEs. It’s just a joke. We’re working hard so that we can meet BLEEs more often, so please be patient!”

Our chat ended with Lutan sharing the group’s promise to show new sides of themselves soon, ‘You can see us at the performances in Japan, which are scheduled for the rest of this year! We’ll also be working hard to show you a new side of us soon.’ Wooju wrapped up the conversation with a heartfelt request: ‘Please look forward to all of our activities in the future!'”

Written and interviewed by Maggie Gogler

Interpreter / Translator: Roc Lee

_{View of the Arts is an online publication that chiefly deals with films, music, and art, with an emphasis on the Asian entertainment industry. We are hoping our audience will grow with us as we begin to explore new platforms such as K-pop / K-music, and Asian music in general, and continue to dive into the talented and ever-growing scene of film, music, and arts, worldwide.}