Catching up with TRENDZ, a K-pop group, always feels a bit like meeting up with old friends. This is our fourth time catching up with them, and honestly, it never gets old. Every time we chat, we’re reminded of just how much they’ve grown. Watching their journey take shape has been such a joy, and we can’t help but feel a little proud every time we see them shine.

This time, we reunited to talk about their fifth single album, Chameleon. Whenever we sit down with TRENDZ, we’re hit with a new wave of love for how much they’ve leveled up – and let’s be real, they’re still just as cool and full of heart as ever.

Their new release, Chameleon, reflects the group’s journey: adapting, transforming, but never losing their essence. Throughout our conversation, TRENDZ opened up about everything from the creative process behind their latest single album to the meaning of music in their lives. 

And speaking of fans, TRENDZ is heading back to Europe! As part of their upcoming tour, the seven members will be lighting up stages across the continent, including Greece, Belgium, Bulgaria, Poland, France, and many more.

Before they take off, we had the chance to sit down for a thoughtful and inspiring chat. We asked one of those simple-but-deep questions: What does music mean to you? Their answers – honest, poetic, and full of heart – might just move you as much as they moved us.

For me, every album and promotion cycle is a fresh start. It’s about staying grounded and always showing our sincere, consistent selves. That’s what a true “new beginning” means. – YOONWOO

View of the Arts: Each time you release new music, I feel immense joy and excitement. Chameleon is your fifth single album, and I understand all members actively participated in writing lyrics and choreographing. Before we talk about the choreography, I’m curious – how much time did you spend on lyric writing for this album?

ra.L: Since I’ve been heavily involved in lyric writing since my debut, I’m now much quicker at it. For the title track and RPZ, it took me about half a day each! But for ddoO ddoO, I approached it like a gift for our fans, FRIENDZ, so I wanted every word to be beautiful. That made me more cautious and thoughtful, so it took about two days!

HANKOOK: Writing the lyrics for all three tracks took about a week. I revised them many times, constantly rewriting and editing. I do feel that, with more time, we could’ve refined them even further. But since we had a set schedule, I gave it my all and hope listeners will enjoy the final result!

YECHAN: I wrote the lyrics for track 1, RPZ, and track 3, ddoO ddoO. Compared to our past albums, this one came together more easily! Normally, it would take me days and lots of revisions, but ddoO ddoO was completed in a day. RPZ was trickier because it’s the first time we’ve had such a long rap section on an album, so it felt unfamiliar, but I managed to complete it in about three days.

VOA: As mentioned earlier, the choreography for this album also involved your input. There were some very striking moves – who took the lead in choreographing, and do you have any fun stories from that process?

LEON: From the moment I first heard the song, I knew I wanted to choreograph it. I told the company, and they believed in my passion and skills; thanks to that support, I think a great choreography was born. I even included movements mimicking a chameleon’s eye motion. After creating the first draft, I showed it to ra.L, and his feedback really helped make the process more fun and creative.

READ MORE: TRENDZ ON “DREAMLIKE”

VOA: Compared to TRENDZ’s previous releases, this album has a very different musical colour. How would you explain this change and new direction?

EUNIL: We had many discussions and reflections as a group to explore new vibes and musical colours we hadn’t shown before. We asked ourselves how we could present something more diverse and refreshing. Since we hadn’t done a bright, bouncy hip-hop track, we thought it would be a bold new attempt. Everyone responded positively, and that’s how we decided to come back with Chameleon.

VOA: I was particularly impressed by the rap unit in RPZ. How did HANKOOK, ra.L, and YECHAN decide on who would rap which parts? YECHAN, did you ever think, “I want HANKOOK’s line,” or “I want to try ra.L’s part”? Or was it all smoothly divided from the start?

YECHAN: RPZ was made from the beginning with the rappers in mind, especially by ra.L. I was truly grateful to be given the chance to help write lyrics. He told me, “I want you to open the song with your confidence,” so I never even thought about wanting someone else’s part. It was more about doing justice to the part he entrusted to me.

VOA: ra.L, you composed and arranged RPZ on your own, while the lyrics were written together with HANKOOK and YECHAN. Could you walk us through your creative process for this track-how did the melody and style come together?

ra.L: HANKOOK, YECHAN, and I previously performed DIEVER together on our European and US tours. Through those live shows, I realised I wanted to create a track that could get the audience really hyped and interactive. That led me to go with a heavier hip-hop sound. I focused on creating a hook that would be easy for everyone to chant along to. With each rapper taking a section, I think it became a track that showcases our three different styles really well!

VOA: HANKOOK, while writing lyrics with YECHAN and ra.L, were there any disagreements? If so, how did you work through them?

HANKOOK: Of course! It’s natural to have different ideas. But our priority was always creating the best possible outcome, so we talked things through, discussed why we wrote a line a certain way, what feeling we wanted to convey, and chose whichever direction made the most sense.

VOA: The title track Chameleon combines elements from various genres. You and ra.L wrote the lyrics with ESUM, who also composed and arranged the track. How was it working with ESUM? Was the direction clear from the start, or did it evolve through experimentation?

ra.L: When we first heard ESUM’s demo for Chameleon, we loved it so much that we all agreed it should be the title track. The song already had a strong hook and clear direction from the demo stage. So we focused on how we could best incorporate our own style into it. I even made six different verse versions over 2–3 days to find the best fit! Thankfully, ESUM appreciated my effort, which made the process really enjoyable.

VOA: ddoO ddoO is a warm fan song. Could you share the story or message behind it?

ra.L: Actually, the name of our fandom, FRIENDZ, was my idea, so I’d always wanted to make a song that includes that name. We finally got the chance to create a fan song. The lyrics use the metaphor of calling your best friend, like the ringtone when you dial someone, to express our connection with FRIENDZ. It’s a fan song, but I made sure it’s enjoyable for everyone, with a mainstream-friendly sound I’m proud of.

YOONWOO: All of us poured our hearts into this track for FRIENDZ, so it’s particularly dear to us. ra.L wrote the song, we all contributed to the lyrics, and you can really hear the love and effort in every step of the recording. It’s a song filled with affection and meaning.

READ MORE: TRENDZ DISCUSS THEIR DEBUT

VOA: ra.L, since you also composed and arranged ddoO ddoO, do you feel a greater sense of responsibility – or pressure – when working on your group’s songs?

ra.L: All our members have very sophisticated musical tastes, so it takes a lot of time to gather everyone’s opinions and find the best compromises. This was also my first time being solely credited for composing a song on our album, which brought both pressure and self-doubt. But the trust and support from my members and the company made it possible for me to proudly put my name on the credits. I’ll keep working hard so that the members can sing even better songs, and grow more confident from it.

VOA: This comeback is described as a “new beginning” for TRENDZ. What does that phrase specifically mean to each of you?

YOONWOO: For me, every album and promotion cycle is a fresh start. It’s about staying grounded and always showing our sincere, consistent selves. That’s what a true “new beginning” means.

HAVIT: It’s both a fresh start and a challenge. This album lets us show a more mature and evolved side of ourselves, which is why this comeback holds such significance.

VOA: If you had to describe this album in one word or sentence – without using the word “Chameleon” -what would it be?

EUNIL: “Transformation.” We went through so many changes and improvements with this album – please support us a lot!

LEON: “LEON” [laughs]. Since “Chameleon” sounds like “LEON,” the members joked it was a song just for me. I loved the track so much I wanted to choreograph it from the beginning, even before it was confirmed as the title song. Maybe that’s why it came together so quickly and why I’m extra attached to it.

This album lets us show a more mature and evolved side of ourselves, which is why this comeback holds such significance. – HAVIT

VOA: We can’t leave out the Europe tour! It’s not your first, but I heard you’re visiting some countries for the first time. You must be both excited and nervous. What can fans look forward to during this tour?

HAVIT: First of all, I’ll be returning in good health, so we’ll be able to perform as a complete group again – it’s been a while! And thanks to the experience from our previous tours, I think fans can expect more polished and elevated performances this time.

VOA: This is already our fourth interview! Every time we talk about your music, I discover something new about each of you. You’re growing not just as musicians but as people. How has your life changed since becoming idols? If you could turn back time, would you still choose this path? If not, what might you be doing instead?

HAVIT: My life is completely different now. The biggest change is meeting FRIENDZ, who are always by my side. They’ve become my motivation. If I could turn back time, I think I’d start training even earlier and become an idol sooner. If I weren’t an idol… maybe I’d be an elementary school teacher, educating and guiding kids!

LEON: People say doing what you love is a blessing, and I really feel that more and more. I’m grateful to be doing this job. I’d definitely choose to be an idol again. I love performing. If I had to choose something else, maybe a dancer or choreographer.

YOONWOO: The biggest change is all the incredible experiences I’ve had that not everyone gets to have. I’ve met fans who support and love me, and that’s something truly rare in life. I’d absolutely choose this path again. If I weren’t an idol, maybe I’d be an actor or model, still hoping to connect with fans.

HANKOOK: I’ve had such a wide range of experiences and met amazing people in incredible places. I’ve also gained fans who truly love me. These valuable experiences have helped me grow. I’d 100% choose this path again. If I had to pick something else, maybe I’d be a travel YouTuber?

ra.L: I think I’m on a journey of building true confidence, not arrogance. The more I experience, the more I appreciate the uniqueness of this life. It’s such a blessing to feel happiness through work. I’d definitely choose to be an idol again. If I weren’t one, I’d probably still be happily making music as a composer.

EUNIL: Even if I could go back, I’d still dream of being an idol and work hard to make it happen. I love being on stage and communicating through music and performance. If not an idol, maybe I’d be an actor, still wanting to meet fans.

YECHAN: After debuting and stepping into the world, I realised how small my world had been. There are so many incredibly talented people out there – it motivates me to work harder. In the next life, I’d want to be an idol again and be even better at it. Being a singer has always been my dream, so I want to live happily doing what I love!

VOA: “Music is love.” “Music is freedom.” “Music is power.” What does music mean to each of you, personally?

HAVIT: To me, music is an expression of love. Music beautifully conveys emotions born from human love: joy, excitement, pain, sadness, as well as love for oneself, for nature, for humanity, and the desire to support those we care about. I believe music expresses all forms of love most intimately and beautifully.

LEON: Music is life. I think music is present in every part of life. Whether I’m happy or sad, music is always there. For me, I relieve stress by dancing to the music I love, so music is truly woven into my life.

YOONWOO: Music is a positive influence. From the very beginning, my dream was to create a positive impact through music for as many people as possible. Seeing fans gain strength, comfort, and happiness from our work makes me realize again and again how rewarding it is to spread good influence through music.

HANKOOK: Music is emotion. Through music, we can feel a wide range of deep emotions. I think our mood can shift depending on what kind of music we listen to.

ra.L: Music is power. Music can give someone confidence, comfort another person, or serve as encouragement for someone else. I want to keep creating music that can do all that. And as a member of TRENDZ, I want to sing music that carries a positive influence.

EUNIL: Music is healing. There have been many times when I personally felt emotional healing through music, and because of that, I truly believe in its power.

YECHAN: To me, music is daily life. I don’t think it’s possible to go through life without listening to music. Since we can experience music anywhere, anytime, I believe music is a part of our everyday lives.

Written and interviewed by Maggie Gogler

Featured image courtesy of Global H Media

_{A big thank you to Global H Media for their support with this interview, and of course, to TRENDZ for taking the time to chat with us.}

_{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.}