The four new pillars of avant-garde in K-Pop strutted out in pearls and elegance. Above them, the jumbotron in the figurative stadium of current K-Pop social media buzz illuminated their names in shimmering lights: Wumuti, Rui, Hyun, and Haru. One or two of those might sound familiar to you, and if Boys Planet sounds even more familiar, you should already know where this is going. 

Subtlety ends with XLOV. The community has been aching to see something more than flimsy promises of genderless flaunting with half-baked, played-safe results in an attempt to please everyone, but thrilling none. Constraints put on by gendered styles and norms have spun well into obscurity. Historically acceptable fashions in the last century have whittled away into concrete-dull uniform styles for masculine persons with a completely diluted spectrum of individuality, while femininity is something that must be painful to be attained. Genderless fashion throws that all in the blender. This liberation is what Wumuti calls “the core identity and unchanging direction of XLOV.” 

And it’s refreshing to see a group be so bold about it. Some in the past have teased the idea with a heeled boot here; a glossy pixie cut there, but would never go all out in fear of the industry’s condemnation. But advocates are safe in XLOV’s hands. The four are performance enthusiasts, who have no shortage of confidence like some of their debutant peers. The choreography of their debut song I’mma Be alone displays genderlessness, attributed by intimacy, symmetry, graceful flicks of the wrist and a death drop-resembling move by the ever-flexible Rui. The dancer shared, “I’m truly grateful for the opportunity during this promotion to demonstrate some technical dance moves that fit perfectly with our music.” 

Rui has the talent of a contortionist, but also expressed his desire to bring more Chinese traditional dance to the scene – just another of his masterfully honed skills. He had become known for such expertise during his time on Boys Planet, where he was known as Chen Kuan Jui. Haru, who was also a contestant, excitedly spilled to us about their recent reunion with winners of the show Zhang Hao and Han Bin: “About two years ago, I worked hard alongside a colleague who shared the same dream. Now, being able to film a challenge together as fellow idols feels incredibly emotional and meaningful.”

Clearly, the sentimentality still sits in the hearts of the three who made memories on the same survival show. Hyun, being the only one who didn’t, is the freshest face in the industry. The 22-year-old expressed his rock-solid resolve to prove himself: “I am committed to giving my all […] Showing who I am as Hyun.” But acknowledging that a starry-eyed pursuit towards one’s dreams can’t always be a smooth journey was the first step Hyun made toward succeeding. He admitted, “It hasn’t always been easy. There have been […] unexpected challenges that made me want to give up, and times when negative thoughts crept in.

“However, my relationship with music, filled with both love and hardship, has become a lifelong commitment. When I was young and often unwell, listening to songs or watching music performances would miraculously ease my pain, almost like magic. It was during those moments that I realised, ‘This is it. This is the path for me, and nothing else will do.’”

The new idol echoes all dedicated creatives from the past and future about their art, and he’s not the only one with his attitude right. The other three parts of XLOV certainly haven’t simply relied on the vestiges of their survival show fame in the meantime but rather continued to self-promote and strive forward in the career path their hearts are set on. Wumuti, a fan favourite on Boys Planet, is a massive cog in this machine. The leader and part-producer of the group proudly gushed about every aspect of their group’s creation, from their solid identity to the fine-tuning of their debut. 

“To discover I’mma Be,”  He explained, “I went through countless songs, running simulations in my mind and thinking deeply before finally deciding that this was the perfect track for my debut. While I contributed to the arrangement and lyrics, the original demo was already remarkable. However, I invested a lot of thought and passion into amplifying the aspects that captivated me the most when I first heard it.”

A lot of the flair comes from the words Wumuti penned. He quoted his favourite, ‘See my body moving like this/I’m riding on the wall of prejudice’ as the quintessential line conveying the message of the song. Another gem of I’mma Be urges: “free the beauty that will unfold on the stage”, as if you needed any clearer definition of their “genderlessness”.

Everyone loves a star who’s got heart-eyes for the workings of their own hand. It’s no wonder the boys are fans of their own single’s remixes, too. In fact, all but Hyun named the 88 Techno Remix as their favourite version of the song. The upbeat track boasts more drama, exuding that XLOV confidence they’ve introduced themselves to the world with. Hyun reasoned: “XLOV aims to stay ahead of the trends, not sticking to just one genre.” When a musician lives their music, this is the result. The boys named their pinnacle bonding moment being when they’d first danced through the entire routine of I’mma Be together, swimming in the adrenaline of mixed emotions: passion, nervousness, and epiphany. XLOV don’t shy from expressing their emotions – perhaps that’s why they had to name themselves after the biggest one.

“It was such an emotional moment, realising that this was the choreography and song we would debut with. It truly felt like the moment when our bond as a team became the strongest, as we prepared to take the stage together,” Rui confessed.

And now that they’ve come this far, Wumuti, Rui, Hyun, and Haru can all see their younger selves from the other side. The four played with the idea of being judges on a survival show themselves, and amongst wisps of practicality, offered mostly dewy-eyed notes of wisdom for their imaginary trainees, which can be summed up by Haru’s contribution: “Don’t be nervous, trust in what makes you unique, believe in your strengths, and take on the challenge!”

XLOV have no plans for slowing down. Now that they’re out there, a tour is already in the works, and new songs are on the horizon. We can only hope they’ll be as big and bold as advertised in their first go. Should one of those pursuits unexpectedly come before the other, however, XLOV might be the first-ever musical act to hold a one-song tour. Don’t quote us on that. But we’re sure seats would still be filled.

Written and interviewed by Maddie Armstrong

Co-ordinated by Maggie Gogler

Featured image courtesy of 257 Entertainment

_{A big thank you to Kirsty Bright for discovering XLOV, a new gem in K-pop, and to 257 Entertainment for their kindness and assistance with the interview.}

_{View of the Arts is an online publication dedicated to films, music, and arts, with a strong focus on the Asian entertainment industry. With rich content already available to our readers, we aim to expand our reach and grow alongside our audience by delving deeper into emerging platforms such as K-pop and Asian music more broadly. At the same time, we remain committed to exploring the vibrant and ever-evolving global landscape of film, music, and the arts, celebrating the immense talent and creativity that define these industries worldwide.}