The group Youngpa has once again embarked on a new challenge with a movie-like album.
Youngpa held a showcase on the afternoon of the 4th at the YES24 Wonder Rock Hall in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, to celebrate the release of their special album 'COLD' and shared stories about the new album.
After about eight months since the release of their third EP 'ATE THAT' in August last year, Youngpa announced their comeback, saying, "We prepared a lot to show a different side of Youngpa. I'm curious about your impressions and star ratings," and added, "Since it's a special album, we worked hard on it, and we shot the music video joyfully like a movie. I hope you enjoy it beautifully. We're going to show a new side this time, so please look forward to it."
Through their new release 'COLD,' which came out on the 2nd, Youngpa conveyed a different charm that had not been shown before. The album includes a total of seven songs, including the title track 'COLD (feat. 10CM),' and all members participated in the lyrics of the included songs.
The members described the album, saying, "It consists of seven tracks centering around the main theme 'COLD.' All the songs and lyrics express the feelings and thoughts of the characters appearing in the music video. We recommend that you definitely watch the 'COLD' music video with Youngpa's cinematic style."
The title track 'COLD (feat. 10CM)' speaks about the temperature differences that disturb our hearts. The poignant guitar riff, like the cold night air, unfolds over a classical boom-bap beat, showcasing Youngpa's musical prowess, which freely blends vocals and rap. The deep voice of 10CM adds depth to the narrative.
Regarding the title track, Youngpa remarked, "It's a song that reminds us of the poignant and chilly night air. When we first heard it, the poignant melody struck us, and we were excited about how it would feel when we sang it. I think it's a great song for weather like today."
They expressed gratitude about working with 10CM, saying, "It was an honor to work with Senior 10CM. I couldn't imagine what kind of song would be born, and I thought it would be difficult since it was our first attempt at a hip-hop ballad, but thanks to the senior, we were able to complete it more perfectly. I feel like the special feeling shone even more. When we first suggested featuring, senior said he was already familiar with us and our songs. That was empowering. He readily accepted our demo, and I just want to say thank you for that."
Notably, the music video for 'COLD (feat. 10CM)' was filmed entirely on location in Taiwan, directed by the famous Taiwanese director Remy Huang, and features the rising youth star Cheng Jinghua as the male lead, acting alongside Youngpa.
Jung Sun-hye said, "I think viewers were surprised by the story and concept they didn't expect. I'm proud that we managed to show Youngpa's new side. I think this music video story could emerge because there are diverse people and stories in the world, so it remains memorable."
The members explained about the music video, saying, "We captured a story with various themes. It's about siblings who were abandoned by their father planning and executing revenge. It contains a storyline like a movie."
The leading roles were played by Wi Yeon-jeong and Do Eun, who delivered remarkable performances. Regarding their acting collaboration with Cheng Jinghua, Do Eun stated, "It was my first time acting seriously, so I was nervous, but Cheng Jinghua helped ease my tension by translating the lines into Korean when we acted together."
Continuing, Wi Yeon-jeong expressed, "When I heard I would be working with Cheng Jinghua, I watched all the projects he had appeared in before, and it felt like he stepped out of those works, which was fascinating. It was really cold, but he even lent me a hot pack, so we filmed without feeling cold, but rather hot."
Jung Sun-hye noted, "Usually, we only shoot music videos focused on CG or performances, but this was my first formal acting experience, which felt a bit awkward yet new, making us joke around. I felt like I got to see a different worldview of Youngpa, and I watched it from the audience's perspective."
Youngpa has continuously released songs based on authentic hip-hop sound, following their first EP 'MACARONI CHEESE,' 'XXL,' and 'ATE THAT,' embodying the title "Korean Hip-hop Daughter."
In this album, they took their first challenge at a hip-hop ballad, stating, "After we finished our food trilogy, we had a desire to break the mold once again. Although there was some fear regarding the new challenge, we generally enjoy taking on challenges, so I think we proved that we can take on more challenges based on this opportunity, which is fulfilling and exciting. We've gained courage to take on a variety of challenges, not just hip-hop, and we plan to continue exploring various genres."
Finally, when asked about future goals, Youngpa expressed, "If the opportunity arises, I want to win first place on a music show and funnily show an encore stage," adding, "We have been to many festivals, but I want to perform on a bigger stage like Coachella or Lollapalooza."
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