Seven polite heads with the visages of princes and elves are at the door, and they’ve got something fun to share. It’s probably something to be used to by now: the infinite and imperishable energy of freshly debuted K-pop groups working several hours a day. It was definitely past ON:N’s bedtime over in Korea when they hopped on a call – the youngest and most impish of them all – but neither he nor any of the other members of ALL(H)OURS were less than ecstatic for a minute. Their spirit alone should tell you half of what you need to know.

Kunho will tell you the rest: “As our title track, SHOCK, suggests, we aim to make a significant impact on the K-pop industry.” SHOCK is one of K-pop’s firsts for a Drift Phonk tune: a daring choice for their promoted track. The leader set the record straight that ALL(H)OURS are a group that focuses on “challenging [themselves] with new genres”, actually delivering the evidence to back up their claims of uniqueness.

“We wanted to portray the goblin within us,” ON:N teased. Without a doubt, it was surely the best direction they could’ve gone in. Their sound is completely irresistible to the electronic lover – and even those unfamiliar with the sound can rave in its fun. ALL(H)OURS are creating K-pop music you could actually mosh to. When asked whether they’d been familiar with the genre before, Xayden, the group’s resident music lover, was quick to defend himself: “I have a hobby of exploring music from lesser-known genres […]. I had listened to Drift Phonk once or twice before, but while preparing for SHOCK, I researched Drift Phonk and discovered that some of the songs I frequently listen to are actually in that genre.” 

While the EP, WITNESS, is a musical treat, the boys made sure their performance power lives up to the record. Perhaps the reason they’re so refined and well-put together on stage is because they leave all their untidiness back at the dorms when they go out to music shows. ON:N likened the two eldest members to parents who clean up after them all. Kunho chimed in: “Their rooms are full of mysteries.” The seven boys couldn’t hold back their loudest outburst of laughter – it seemed like there’s a lot of truth behind those words.

Read More: ALL(H)OURS’ “WITNESS” – EP Review

Interested about what sort of times a group called ALL(H)OURS really gets the most creative, we asked the boys to tell all. Unsurprisingly, the leader whips up his best ideas for writing and composing songs in the dead of night – a serene landscape for undisturbed thoughts. The younger ones, on the other hand, feel most energised after a good meal. It’s a nice idea to tell the world you’re giving it your all 24/7, but even Ferraris need fuel. 

All having their parts to play in making the album, Xayden shared that while songwriting had its struggles, “Everything fell into place smoothly’ eventually, after starting off with loose ideas and gibberish that found structure as their ideas came together. Masami, originally from Japan, admitted writing in Korean was challenging. ‘Initially, I wrote the lyrics in Japanese and then translated them into Korean. If I encountered difficulties, I sought help from other members.”

Powered by good teamwork, a solid direction in mind, and a spirit recharged by pre-show chants and their unbreakable ambition to fly, one can’t help but cheer on these boys from the sidelines. Name-dropping Stray Kids, Seventeen, and ATEEZ, these aspiring K-pop stars certainly don’t hold back from imagining themselves in the shoes of such mammoths in the industry – groups who performed at BST Hyde Park, Glastonbury and Coachella respectively. It may not be that hard to gain a little bit of a following in the K-pop scene, but taking such monumental stages is a feat you’ve got to cross all toes and fingers you’ll get the slither of an opportunity to grasp. As long as that drive of theirs never dies, nothing is impossible.

Written and interviewed by Maddie Armstrong

Featured image © EDEN Entertainment

_{*This interview was conducted as part of a roundtable discussion.}

_{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.}