JYP's band Xdinary Heroes has embarked on a new voyage. Expanding their narrative in front of a new beginning rather than an end, they move toward a steadfast goal.
Xdinary Heroes released their new mini album "Dead and (DEAD AND)" and made a comeback on the 17th. This album began with the question, "What is an end?" Xdinary Heroes said, "Everything has an end, and that end is the new possibility we will create," announcing another beginning.
Through "Dead and," they expand the narrative that even if they are struck, shaken and fall, they are a group that gets back up on their own. This leads to the keyword "voyage" and the title track "Voyager."
This song likens their firm will to continue the journey despite reaching a point of no return to the "Voyager 1" that leaves Earth and continues its voyage. A powerful synth riff opens the voyage, and powerful drums and whirlwind guitar playing increase immersion. It sings a youth's declaration that even if it blazes intensely and disappears, it will shine again.
Also, all members are credited on every track, demonstrating their expanded capabilities.
We met Xdinary Heroes, who are ready to sail a new universe, and asked about "Dead and."
Q. How do you feel about coming back with "Dead and"?
Jungsoo: I want to thank the fans who always wait for our albums and many others. I hope you listen closely to many messages and look forward to it a lot.
Jooyeon: There are songs we had written before and newly made songs, and because we hope the emotions or messages we thought of act as a good effect on the world, I hope this album is loved by many people.
Q. What does the album title "Dead and" mean?
Gaon: The keyword that came to mind during album work was farewell. I think there are really many kinds of farewells. Leaving a loved person can be a farewell, and leaving a job where you stayed can also be a farewell. We gathered the farewells we felt we could handle well and included them in seven tracks. We played with the phrase "dead and" as a wordplay. By giving the question "a dead end, an end, and?" we made people once again think about whether that end is truly the end.
Geon Il: The previous album tried to contain a lot about the beginning of love. Since we covered beginnings there, we wondered what story we should tell in the next album, and because we had dealt with beginnings, we decided to deal with endings and chose farewell as a keyword.
Gaon: Loving to the point of death feels like truly being dead. I think this album came from thinking about what comes after death.
Q. With the previous work "LXVE to DEATH" as well, is there a reason you continue to use imagery of death?
Jooyeon: I think death has multiple meanings. Seen as a farewell, the parting with a loved one can be a farewell, and parting due to death can also be a farewell. It expresses longing as death and the anticipation of a new beginning, so we approach it a lot from the death side.
Geon Il: Personally, when I work on lyrics and imagine extreme scenarios, more intense emotional expressions or interesting settings tend to arise. Death has played that role a lot.
Gaon: Among areas anyone can empathize with as a human, there is love and friendship, but I think death is a subject that people of all ages can empathize with. The reason we think about death a lot is that all living things die and people empathize with that, so we consider it.
Q. Did you get personal stories or motifs from works when working on the album?
Jungsoo: When writing the lyrics for "Voyager," I based the work on trying to give a sense of space. Personally, I don't know much about space, so I received a lot of help from the other members. When working on "Troubleshooting," my closest friend actually parted ways with me. Thinking about that time, I tried to pour into the lyrics the emptiness I felt then, the absurdity of parting in a day, and various emotions.
Q. You said you ended "Dead and" with curiosity and a question mark; what kind of conclusion did you want to draw?
Geon Il: If I had to pick my favorite lyrics in "Voyager," it's "Like a star does, when it dies it will give off a brilliant light." Like a star that gives off a brilliant light when it dies and the debris from that light creates and forms a new universe, an end can be painful and hard, but facing that end might be a better thing for me to start anew, and I wanted to leave that positive conclusion.
Q. Have you ever experienced a change for the better caused by a farewell like in "Dead and"?
Gaon: I joined JYP in my third year of high school, and before that I really prepared for college entrance exams in high school. Starting the band and leaving all past things behind to start music was a gamble in my life. After saying goodbye to the past, I think I became a more radiant me.
Odd: Personally, I often ended things I once dreamed of during my life. I did sports from middle school through high school but quit and entered the entertainment industry. At first, I was aimed to be an idol, but that ended and closed. Thinking back, ending that allowed me to start the next stage and become a turning point to start again as a band. I was able to live with a focus on being able to start something again rather than being sad.
Geon Il: I think ends usually feel like major life events, such as graduating from school or leaving a job, something you face consciously, but I think there are ends you face unconsciously. Moments like lying with your head on your mother's lap and having her brush your hair for the last time, the last day you rode a bicycle with a childhood friend you were very close to… Only after time passes do you realize it was the last time. Moments that are farewells without knowing they are farewells, moments you thought would last forever that you didn't recognize. So I think they are memories. "That was really good then," "If those moments had been eternal, would I be who I am now?" No. When unintentional, unanticipated partings make me more mature and developed now, I think an end is a truly important moment in a person's life.
Q. Like the title track "Voyager" with the keyword of sailing, have you experienced being hit, collapsing and overcoming it again?
Geon Il: When I think about when I fell the most, it was very hard during the early debut days. I experienced many first-time experiences, was very conscious of how I appeared on camera, and thought, "Did I make a mistake, why couldn't I do well?" I tried to look at my strengths, but by focusing on the bad parts I collapsed internally. As the team's leader and oldest member I should stand well, but I felt sorry toward the members for not doing so. The turning point was that I read a lot of books at that time. Dale Carnegie's self-management was very helpful. I learned many ways not to be swayed by ups and downs. Through books I learned what responsibilities I should take in the team, how I could change the team, and what I could do first, which helped me find direction. Even when showing those imperfect sides, I am always grateful that there were members who stayed by my side, so I could grow well.
Odd: I felt collapse a lot before debut. I had a knee injury while doing sports and had to quit; having experienced that situation after doing it for four to five years caused a lot of frustration. Then I was preparing to be an idol but was recommended by the company to switch to a band. That was an event I hadn't even imagined, so I felt frustrated. Facing those many frustrations, I realized that if I do nothing, nothing changes. After debut, when facing frustration or being in a slump, I think concentrating on something else, taking walks, or doing anything helps.
Q. The theme of "farewell" can also feel romantic.
Jooyeon: As we live, we will love, be hurt and be sad, and I think farewell is what allows us to feel all those emotions. Longing arises, and through longing we grow. In that longing you can feel love, and through remaining love, regret and pain you can grow, so I think farewell is a good keyword.
Geon Il: I think farewell feels more dramatic than parting, which is a big reason. I felt that parting is included within the larger category of farewell. I chose farewell because I wanted a broader meaning.
Q. Xdinary Heroes are called a "K-pop super band." What do you think is the team's unique charm?
Jooyeon: When writing songs, I often think about performing live stages. I consider parts that audiences will sing along to and where to insert instrumental sections to give rest, designing the music in that way. We are often noticed at festivals. Seeing people wave flags, sing along, or jump, I think the strengths of band music become apparent.
Geon Il: If I talk about Xdinary's unique strengths, I think it's Jungsoo and Jooyeon's vocals. They have contrasting vocal styles. I think that strength was maximized in "X roon," where there are parts that alternate, with the chorus being sung once by Jooyeon and then by Jungsoo. There are songs with exchanged parts, and when you listen to "X roon" starting with Jooyeon and then Jungsoo comes in, you feel an immense thrill as the color changes. I think that charm is a major attraction.
Q. You opened the stage for Lollapalooza Chicago and Muse's Korea concert; how was it?
Geon Il: I am so grateful to have been able to stand on that stage that it felt like a family honor; everyone felt thankful and treasured it. We prepared very hard, and it was a stage where we could really grow and experience many things, so we are grateful. After it ended we had the chance to meet Muse, greet them and take photos. I recall it feeling like a dream where I thought, "Why is this person in front of me?"
Jooyeon: Actually, we were very nervous because Muse fans love band music and have seen countless performances. Compared to them, we felt like rockers who just learned to walk. Rather than trying to satisfy them, we wanted not to leave a stage that made them feel sorry and to do our best. When we went on stage, we sensed an unusual atmosphere. We thought some people might not know us. When we started the stage, they enjoyed it too. Because they love band music, when we performed passionately they enjoyed it with us, which eased our tension and allowed us to perform coolly.
Junhan: After performing, because you are focused, it doesn't remain strongly in memory. Still, looking at the audience's expressions I felt, "They had fun and enjoyed it, we didn't do a bad job," and that's how it remained. I don't know when the dream stage will be, but I want to become a big star and perform at an Olympic opening ceremony one day.
Gaon: It was one of the few shows where I thought, "What did I do?" because time went by so quickly. Before going on stage, great artists performed, and it would be a lie to say I wasn't pressured. After the first song, I turned and saw Geon Il hyung's expression and felt we could go on with trust, so we performed enjoyably. The audience also had fun with us in a way you could count on one hand. People who came from far away sang in Korean, which I don't think is easy to get a response for, so I am thankful. I want to perform on the moon as the world's first one day.
Q. From the keyword "voyage" there is a will to rise higher; do you have any newly set goals?
Odd: I'm not sure if it's new, but one goal we often mention among ourselves is to become a gray-haired band. Our steadfast goal is to do this together as long as we have breath.
Geon Il: It's not new, but I dream of performing "a night of fireworks" at a really large outdoor venue with the roof open when fireworks burst. I really want to try it once at Jamsil main stadium.
Odd: Venues are good, but I think doing it in a wide open space or a bridge like Seventeen seniors did would be fun. I want to try new attempts.
[Photo] Provided by JYP Entertainment.
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