KCrush Interview With WHIB

WHIB, a high-end boy group of 8 members, is presented by CJeS Studio, a company known for housing many prominent actors in Korea. They debuted in the music industry with the release of their single album ‘Cut-Out’ on November 8th.

Could you please provide an introduction to WHIB and brief profiles for each member?

JAYDER:  I’m Jayder, the leader of WHIB. WHIB is a combination of WHITE and BLACK, symbolizing our ambition to show a spectrum of colors, like the many colors between white and black on the color chart, and our goal to find our unique hue among these diverse colors.

HASEUNG:  I’m Haseung, the oldest member and vocalist of WHIB.

JINBEOM:  I’m Jinbeom, the powerhouse and visual of WHIB.

Ugeon:  I’m UGeon, the rapper of WHIB, representing sincerity.

LEEJEONG:  I’m Leejeong, the choreography leader with a charming vocal tone.

JAEHA:  I’m Jaeha, the member with the biggest eyes and beauty like a character from a webtoon.

INHONG:  I’m Inhong, the pure vocalist of WHIB.

WONJUN:  I’m Wonjun, the confident youngest member who excels in everything physical.

You recently wrapped up your first single album activity. Could you please introduce the first single and share your thoughts on the experience?

HASEUNG:  ‘Cut-Out’ is an album name that embodies the idea of creating a work of art by cutting and pasting various colored papers. I think it’s an album that best represents WHIB’s identity. It consists of the double title tracks ‘BANG!’ which is as intense and powerful as BLACK, and ‘DIZZY,’ which captures the pure and refreshing charm of WHITE.

JAEHA:  It was an activity full of wonder and fun as it was our first. There were some regrets since it was our first, but I see those as part of our growth process. I want to show an even better side of us in our next activities.

INHONG:  This was an activity where I really felt the weight of standing on stage as WHIB. The tension didn’t ease even up to the last week of our 4-week activities. However, as time went by, performing in front of our fans and meeting them at fan sign events made me realize that my dream had come true, making it a meaningful experience.

It hasn’t been two months since your debut. How long were you trainees, and what was the process of WHIB members coming together?

JAYDER:  I became a public trainee through the rookie development project ‘made in cjes’. Although there were slight differences in the timing of our joining, except for Wonjun who joined last, all of us have been trainees for several years since we were first revealed in 2021.

JINBEOM:  We weren’t selected as WHIB among various trainees; instead, we were told from the beginning that we would be one team and prepared accordingly. Maybe because of that, I feel a deeper bond and camaraderie with each other.

What is the musical direction that WHIB pursues, and what points would you like to proudly share with KCrush readers worldwide?

LEEJEONG:  I believe WHIB’s strength and goal is its focus on diversity. Like the meaning behind our team name, I hope you look forward to WHIB’s ability to present a wide spectrum of performances and continue to create diverse performances and songs.

Are there any other K-pop stars you are fans of? Could each member introduce a singer (domestic/international) who has inspired them?

LEEJEONG:  It’s Jungkook of BTS. He recently went solo, and I think every performance he shows on stage is really amazing.

Ugeon:  For me, it’s Juyeon of The Boyz. The ease and attitude he displays on stage are so impressive that I want to emulate him.

JINBEOM:  Every time I watch a performance by NCT seniors, I always think that I want WHIB to be a group that can put on such stages.

I enjoyed the fresh and lively feel of the music videos. Are there any behind-the-scenes stories from the video shoot? What was the most enjoyable and challenging part of the process?

JAYDER:  In the opening scene of the ‘DIZZY’ music video, I break a statue. It was surprisingly difficult to get the timing and angle right to knock it over. I was worried about what would happen if we broke all the prepared statues and still didn’t get an OK take, but fortunately, we finished shooting successfully.
INHONG:  In the ‘DIZZY’ music video, Jinbeom and I have a scene where we’re acting in front of a chessboard. It was my first time shooting with such long takes, so the movement and various aspects were a bit confusing.

LEEJEONG:  It rained on the day we shot the ‘BANG!’ music video outdoors. My individual shooting was the first schedule that morning. Filming outdoors in the rain wasn’t easy, but thanks to all the staff who worked hard for me, we created some great scenes. I was really grateful.

Do you have a styling you would like to showcase next time?

Ugeon:  I want to show a stronger concept than what we presented in ‘BANG!’ This time, I tried a bridge hairstyle, but next, I’d like to experiment with a dark red hair style.
HASEUNG:  I want to change my hair color to a cool tone and try a rock chic concept for my outfit.

JINBEOM:  I want to dye my hair a different color, preferably something cooler. I think long hair would also suit me well.

WONJUN:  I’d like to try slightly long, straight hair, preferably black. I’m also interested in trying out hip-hop style outfits.

K-pop artists often take staircase shots on music shows. Did WHIB have a similar experience? How was it, and is there a reservation system for staircase usage?

Ugeon:  First of all, it was really fascinating to see those stairs in real life. We didn’t have to reserve a spot; if a senior artist was already shooting, we waited on the side and then took our turn. As more people gathered, a line naturally formed.

HASEUNG:  Shooting the stair shot for the music broadcast made me really feel like ‘I’ve truly debuted.’

JINBEOM:  For some music broadcast stairs, you can only use them after all the schedules, including the live broadcast, have finished. Usually, it’s first-come, first-served.

How do you manage your diet these days? Do you eat everything delicious and exercise, or do you follow a healthy diet plan?

Ugeon:  These days, I eat what I want for one meal and manage the rest with a controlled diet, which usually consists of instant rice and chicken breast. I’m also working out alongside this diet.

HASEUNG:  Before entering our active period, I managed my diet with meal replacements, chicken breasts, and the like, and did consistent aerobic and strength exercises. During our active period, as there’s less time to exercise, I tend to control my regular meals.

JINBEOM:  I actually eat whatever I want and make sure to exercise. Personally, I want to gain a little weight, so I’m mixing oatmeal with my regular meals.

WONJUN:  Personally, I don’t follow an extreme diet. I just control my dinner a bit. I often eat sweet potatoes for dinner.

Are the members currently living together? I’m curious about the roles each member takes on during group living.

JAYDER:  Currently, we all live together in a dorm. Usually, I’m the first to fall asleep in the evening, so I have the nickname ‘Baby.’ In the morning, I’m the first to wake up and do a bit of tidying before leaving for work.

WONJUN:  I usually go to sleep last, so I take on the role of turning on the boiler before bed. (laughs)

INHONG:  In the dorm, the only roles we’ve specifically divided are for cleaning. We have a day once a week when we all clean together. The tasks are divided into recycling, general waste, bathroom cleaning, and taking care of dishes and food waste.

What message would each member like to convey through future songs?

JAYDER:  I prefer to convey the feelings experienced during the song-making process directly into the music. So, I want to present songs that make listeners feel, ‘Ah, this is what the members were thinking at that time.’

LEEJEONG:  As WHIB will encounter a wide variety of concepts and songs in the future, I want to show our continuous growth with each activity. Recently, reading letters from our fans, I’ve been touched by the beautiful words they write. So, I’ve been writing lyrics lately as if responding to our fans’ letters.

WONJUN:  I also want to capture our growth process in our songs.

INHONG:  I want to convey a range of emotions so that listeners can empathize with the stories in our songs.

To our readers who love K-culture, could each member introduce their favorite Korean food?

LEEJEONG:  I love galbijjim (braised short ribs)! I don’t think there’s any other meat dish that can replace galbijjim!

INHONG:  My favorite is kimchijjim (braised kimchi). It’s also my favorite Korean dish, and I’ve hardly seen anyone who doesn’t like kimchi and pork, so I highly recommend kimchijjim.

WONJUN:  My favorite is also kimchijjim, so I’d like to recommend it too.

Lastly, could each member share a few words with K-Crush readers?

JAYDER:  Please continue to love and support WHIB in the future. We’ll always work hard and show our growth.
LEEJEONG:  KCrush readers, I wish you a lot of happiness in the new year and ask for your continued interest in WHIB.

—- Jiyoung Lee

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