The group ARrC (ģķ¬) is named after the initials of āAlways Remember the Real Connectionā and were unveiled on July 26, 2024 with the pre-single āDummyā under the agency MYSTIC STORY.
It is a multicultural group from Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Brazil whose members are: HYUNMIN (Leader, Rapper and Vocalist), KIEN (Vocalist and Dancer), CHOI HAN (Rapper, Vocalist and Dancer), RIOTO (Vocalist and Dancer), DOHA (Vocalist, Rapper and Dancer) and maknae JIBEEN (Rapper and Vocalist).
Debuted on August 19, 2024 with the mini-album āAR^Cā
ANDY (Lead Vocal, Lead Rapper), who captivated audiences with his dynamic stage performances and boundless energy in "Project 7" has recently joined the team and is now preparing for the upcoming comeback.
Let's know more about them.
KZ- Who led you to enter the musical world? What are your influences?
RIOTO : My older sister has always been a fan of BTS, so I naturally became exposed to K-POP as well. Since I have enjoyed dancing since I was little, practicing ballet as a hobby, I became
intrigued by these artists, performances and spontaneously dreamed of becoming a singer. I also listened to a lot of music by Banson Boone.
CHOIHAN : I've worked as a child actor for a long time, leading me to engage in the entertainment industry naturally. Therefore, rather than picking a specific person, I remember watching music shows as a kid and seeing the seniors on stage, thinking they looked so radiant.
This made me think, I want to stand on that stage too, and that's when I developed the dream of becoming a singer.
HYUNMIN : My father largely influenced why I started getting into music. Growing up, I usually listened to old pop. Through that process, I could have a broad musical spectrum that embraces various genres, regardless of era. The song that had the most musically significant impact on me was "We Will Rock You" by Queen. What left the strongest impression on me was how thousands of people could come together through a simple rhythm, feel the music, and create music with their whole bodies. It was truly remarkable.
KIEN : I have enjoyed singing since my childhood, but it was during my high school years that I made the decision to pursue a career in music. At that time, my friends, who were passionate about K-pop, kindly taught me how to dance and invited me to practice with them. It was through their encouragement that I began to dream of becoming a singer and took the first step in my musical journey.
JIBEEN : When I was a kid, I watched BTS on TV at home and started imitating their performance. My older brother, who saw me doing this, suggested I try becoming an Idol.
Following his encouragement, I began attending a dance academy. Through that experience, I became interested in dancing, ultimately leading to my musical career.
DOHA : In 4th grade, I watched the music video for BTSās āIDOLā and was amazed by how cool and fascinating it was. I started imitating their performance, and as I found it so much fun on this, I decided to attend a dance academy. Thatās when I dreamed of becoming a singer and began my musical journey.
KZ- What are your talents besides singing and dancing?
RIOTO : I believe my language skills are quite good. I haven't been in Korea long, but I think I've made much progress. (laughs) These days, I would love to challenge myself by learning English and other languages to communicate more closely with my fans.
CHOIHAN : I'm confident in my physical skills. Because of that, I've never fallen behind in physical activities, and I've always been confident in myself when I do physical activities!
HYUNMIN : I have a good memory. Since I was a child, Iāve been able to remember memorable scenes from movies or striking phrases from books, even after a long time has passed.
KIEN : After coming to Korea, I tried playing ājegichagiā for the first time, and to my surprise, I was pretty good at it. (laughs) It was fun, and I accidentally discovered another hidden talent of mine!
JIBEEN : I think I have a quicker reaction time compared to others. Whether it's a ball coming toward me or something else, I can often react quickly; sometimes, my body moves before I even realize it.
DOHA : I have good concentration. Since I was little, I have enjoyed activities like solving puzzles or building Legos for long periods of time. Even now, when I start something, I stay focused and persist in one place.
KZ- Quels sont vos talents en dehors du chant et de la danse ?
KZ- What would you say is the worst part of being a trainee? What has been the most difficult part of training?
RIOTO : As a trainee, I learned to dance and sing and recorded myself to monitor my progress. Watching the videos, I could see the parts where I needed to improve, and it made me want to do better. This desire sometimes led me to feel challenged.
CHOIHAN : In fact, I donāt think there were many difficulties. Since this is a path I chose for myself, I approached it with the mindset of āas long as I do my best.ā Instead of feeling frustrated, I often felt more incredible pride whenever I noticed myself growing step by step.
HYUNMIN : The uncertain future and the evaluations I receive can sometimes feel overwhelming. However, I was confident when I grew every time I overcame those challenges.
KIEN : When I first started my trainee life, there was a period when the language barrier made things difficult. I had to practice, but since I had just arrived in Korea, communication wasnāt always smooth, and I felt pressure to adapt to a new environment as well. However, thanks to the support of my members and the company staff, I could adjust quickly.
JIBEEN : There were times when I struggled due to my physical endurance. Balancing trainee life and school life meant that there were moments when I felt like one aspect of my life was lacking. So, I worked hard to find a way to balance everything and make time for both my training and daily life!
DOHA : Mine also relates to JIBEEN in some ways. Especially when the debut approached, I had a strong desire to practice even harder, which sometimes led me to push myself too much. As a result, I struggled with managing my physical health. However, Iāve learned to balance everything better, and now I can work hard in both areas.ā
KZ- Let's talk about your debut mini-album āAR^Cā, which is your favorite song and why?
RIOTO : My favorite song is āduality.ā Personally, I find it very easy to listen to, and I love the "chill" vibe it gives off, which makes me feel a strong connection to the song.
CHOIHAN : For me, it's 'light up.' The hook flow is simple, but the song has a catchy sound that makes me want to add it to my playlist and listen to it repeatedly.
HYUNMIN : My favorite song is 'light up.' I started music because 'I received comfort from listening to the music of my seniors. I wanted to offer others that comfort through my music.' The message of my original intention is well reflected in this song, which is why it's my favorite.
KIEN : My favorite song is 'duality.' I chose it as my favorite because I really like the groove of this track.
JIBEEN : My favorite is "dummy"! I enjoy hip-hop, and I love how the dance is so cool, and the song is impressive. If you ever listen to it, please enjoy it along with the performance!
DOHA : I love 'light up.' Although my vocal parts are a bit fewer than those of other songs, I love those parts so much that I chose it as my favorite.
KZ- This work uses as reference the famous fairy tales easily recognizable as āNorth Wind and Sunā (light up), or āAnts and Caterpillarā (shadow) What is your favorite fairy tale?
RIOTO : My favorite is "The Tortoise and the Hare." Since I believe that moving quickly is important, it's even more important to keep going steadily. I really like the lesson this story teaches.
CHOIHAN : I've enjoyed "The Ant and the Grasshopper" since I was little. The story teaches an important lesson about not living lazily, and this lesson has stayed with me over the years.
HYUNMIN : I've enjoyed reading "Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales" since childhood. They were fun to read then, and even now, I still believe they are truly remarkable works.
KIEN : My favorite story is "The Fox and the Grapes." It feels even more special to me because it inspired the title track of my debut album.
JIBEEN : My favorite story is "The Three Little Pigs." It's a fairy tale I enjoyed when I was little, and even now, since the story is fun and cute, I still love it.
DOHA : The most familiar story, "The Ant and the Grasshopper," is the most interesting. Even though I read it as a kid, it still gives me a lot to think about.
KZ- Let's talk about the theme song, āS&S (Sour and Sweet)ā. It sounds like a journey of the members towards freedom. Was that what you wanted to convey? What is freedom for you?
RIOTO : "S&S (Sour and Sweet)" is a song that captures our seriousness and aspirations. To me, freedom means expressing one's opinions in one's own way, even within set boundaries. I think this message is well reflected in the track. Also, we will continue to work hard so that, through our music, we can become artists who can positively influence our unique way!
CHOIHAN : To me, freedom means pursuing what you want and trying to seize that opportunity with your own will. In that sense, "S&S (Sour and Sweet)" encourages you to not give up on what you desire and continue to move forward. It represents a journey toward finding freedom.
HYUNMIN : "S&S (Sour and Sweet)" is a song that encourages not giving up just because you haven't achieved what you want but instead keeping striving and fighting until you attain it. I believe that what we are trying to achieve in this song is freedom. Therefore, I would say that the message of this song marks the beginning of ARrC's journey, moving forward through adversity and challenges toward freedom.
KIEN : That's right. To me, freedom means 'doing what I want and pursuing my dreams without limitations.' So, describing it as a journey toward freedom is perfectly fitting.
JIBEEN: For me, freedom is "walking my own way doing what I want." In that sense, it can be a song about the journey to freedom, or you can interpret it according to your situation. Isn't that also freedom?
DOHA : To me, freedom means ādoing what I want and walking my own path.ā In that sense, this song could be seen as a journey toward freedom, but listeners can interpret it based on their situations. After all, isn't that freedom, too? (laughs)
KZ- When interpreting a song, what is the most difficult part (singing, rapping, dancing)?
RIOTO : The most challenging part of anything is trying something for the first time. Since I haven't tried it before, it takes time to find the best way to express myself. However, through this process, my skills and abilities expand.
CHOIHAN : It is most challenging for me to interpret the emotions behind a song and understand how the singer felt while performing it.
The original artist's environment and thoughts might be different from mine, and there are times when I need to express emotions that I haven't personally experienced. This often leads me to question, "How should I sing this song with the right feelings and emotions?" and I find myself deep in thought over it.
HYUNMIN : 'Expressing the emotion of song' is my most challenging task. I believe that the most impactful aspect of a song is the emotion it conveys when you listen to it.
KIEN : For me, the "language" aspect is still sometimes challenging. There are expressions only used in Korean, and there are many different expressions compared to Vietnamese, so there are moments when I struggle to understand. For example, even when describing colors, there are so many ways to express a single color depending on its saturation. I often find myself surprised, thinking, "Oh, that's what it meant!" in those situations.
JIBEEN : I think delivering a message through a song is the most challenging part. Since the message in a song is one of the most important elements, I have to pay extra attention to it, and it brings a lot of contemplation as well.
DOHA : I think emotional expression is key in a song, and immersing myself in that emotion is the most difficult part. Without complete immersion, it's hard to convey the sincerity of the song.
KZ- If you could collaborate with an artist (or group) who would you like it to be and why?
RIOTO : I hope to perform on stage with ENHYPEN's NI-KI. Like me, he is also from Japan, and I've always thought his dancing was impressive. Since I'm a fan of his, I hope to have the opportunity to share the stage with him one day!
CHOIHAN : I would love to collaborate with the band āLUCY,ā who are seniors at our company. Iāve never had the chance to sing a song with a band sound, so it would be a new challenge for me. Iām curious to see what kind of synergy we could create by blending my style with LUCYās refreshing and bright vibe.
HYUNMIN : I would love to collaborate with Paul McCartney. Just like the meaning of our team name, 'ARrC,' all of The Beatles' songs contain genuine connections and positive influence. Also, I've deeply respected and admired him since I was little, so I hope to have the opportunity to collaborate with him someday.
KIEN : I would love to perform on stage with TEMPEST's HANBIN. Since we are of the same nationality, we could understand each other's vision for the stage very well. Also, I think that we could create something great together.
JIBEEN : I would love to work with NCT's MARK! I've always thought he is really cool and an amazing rapper. I hope to learn a lot from him while working together. Collaborating with him would be fun and could produce great results!
DOHA : I would love to collaborate with Justin Bieber if I have the opportunity. Heās been an artist Iāve admired since childhood, and his musicality is exceptional. I believe that working with him would have a significant impact on me, and I hope to have the chance to collaborate with him in the future.
KZ- Si vous pouviez collaborer avec un artiste (ou un groupe), qui aimeriez-vous et pourquoi ?
KZ- What are your immediate plans, and during 2025?
RIOTO : I want to show even more growth this year than last year! I plan to connect with more ARrCers through music and by appearing more on broadcasts to meet even more of our fans!
CHOIHAN : First, I hope to meet our ARrCers even more frequently through our activities this year, and 2025 will be a year when we can become even closer to our fans!
HYUNMIN : In 2025, I want to create more opportunities to meet our ARrCers worldwide more frequently. Additionally, I will make sure to show you more of ARrC's fun and diverse sides through our social media!
KIEN : Right now, Iām working hard to meet our ARrCers, and I truly hope we can meet as soon as possible. Also, not only in Korea, but if thereās an opportunity, it would make me incredibly happy to meet fans in Vietnam, Japan, Brazil, and all around the world.
JIBEEN : I have a goal and a dream, which is to win 1st place on a music show! Iāll prepare diligently with great music and come to you soon. Please wait for us(ARrC), just a little bit!
DOHA : I hope that in 2025, both ARrCer and all of our members stay healthy. I also really hope we can win first place in a music show!
KZ- What would you tell the fans to follow you, what is different about ARrC?
RIOTO : We are full of energy on stage, and each member has their own charm! Once you see our performance on stage, Iām sure youāll be captivated by us.
CHOIHAN : One of our team's key charms is that each member has a distinct personality. However, these individual traits come together in perfect harmony, creating a unique charm that is exclusive to ARrC. Like Baskin Robbins ice cream, fans will definitely enjoy discovering their favorite member!
HYUNMIN : I think ARrC's biggest charm is the great comedic synergy between the members and our daily lives, which are always filled with laughter. Our playful banter is so much fun, and when we're together, we always have a great time!
KIEN : One of our team's charms is that we have members from various countries, allowing us to communicate with our fans in multiple languages. Additionally, thanks to the fun personalities of the members, our fans often feel a sense of familiarity with us quickly. The ability to connect through this process is what makes us truly special!
JIBEEN : ARrC is a team full of great energy. As you can see from our performances, we are confident that our overflowing energy will truly capture the hearts of our fans!
DOHA : Our team, ARrC, is always full of bright energy, and the chemistry between the members is truly remarkable. This positive atmosphere will be fully conveyed to our fans who support us.
HYUNMIN : Je pense que le plus grand charme d'ARrC est la grande synergie comique entre les membres et nos vies quotidiennes, qui sont toujours remplies de rires. Nos plaisanteries sont tellement amusantes, et quand nous sommes ensemble, nous passons toujours un bon moment !
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