[Interview] 82MAJOR: Turning Up the “HEAT” With Their New Era

[Interview] 82MAJOR: Turning Up the “HEAT” With Their New Era

Great M Entertainment’s sextet 82MAJOR, returned with their second single album “HEAT” in September, marking another step in the group’s evolving musical journey. Known for their energetic performances and hip-hop-driven sound, the group continues to build their identity by exploring different musical styles and moods across their releases.

With “HEAT,” 82MAJOR showcases two different sides of their musicality. The powerful hip-hop track “Like Fire” highlights the group’s confident energy and performance-driven style, while “wyd” offers a different atmosphere, allowing the members to explore a softer and more relaxed side of their sound. Together, the two tracks demonstrate the group’s willingness to experiment while staying true to the energetic identity they have established since their debut.

Ahead of the release, Pop Base spoke with 82MAJOR about their new era, the preparation behind “HEAT,” the musical direction they wanted to pursue with the single album, and the members’ individual contributions to its creation. The group also opened up about filming the striking music video for “Like Fire” and what they hope fans will take away from this new chapter.

POP BASE: Hello, 82MAJOR! Congratulations on the success of “HEAT”. 82MAJOR certainly doesn’t need an introduction, but if each of you instead had to introduce your discography in a single word or phrase, what word or phrase do you think best captures your music?

CHO SEONG IL: I would describe 82MAJOR’s music as “unfiltered energy.” Since we want to express who we are through our music, I think you can really feel the energy of each member in our songs.

NAM SEONG MO: I would choose “youth.” I think the time we spend together, the things we talk about, and the goals we’re working toward are all part of our youth, and they represent our team as well.

HWANG SEONG BIN: I would choose “chemistry.” A big part of 82MAJOR’s music comes from the six of us creating and performing together. As we’ve built more memories and experiences as a team, I think that chemistry naturally becomes part of our music as well.

POP BASE: Could you tell us a little about the “Like Fire” era? What was the most challenging aspect of preparing for this comeback?

YOON YE CHAN: The most challenging part was finding the right balance between the intensity and the relaxed feel of the song. “Like Fire” has a lot of energy, but it’s not meant to feel rushed, so we had to control our movements and expressions carefully to make both sides come through. I think finding that balance took a lot of practice.

PARK SEOK JOON: Fans seem to really love the part where I come out to the center on "Slow down," and honestly, that's a part I practiced a lot on my own. The choreography needs to feel laid-back and effortless, but since there's a lot of bounce in that section, keeping my live vocals stable was really challenging.

KIM DO GYUN: I went on a diet for the album concept photos because I wanted to show my abs. Thanks to that, I think the concept photos turned out really great. I was satisfied with how they came out because they matched the concept well.

POP BASE: What made you choose “Like Fire” as the title track rather than “wyd?”? Did you feel that “Like Fire” was more energetic or more representative of the overall concept and musical direction of “HEAT”?

CHO SEONG IL: Both songs show different sides of “HEAT”, but I think “Like Fire” captures the album’s hot energy and intensity more directly. As the song progresses, the emotions and energy continue to build, and the performance becomes more explosive as well. That’s why I felt it was the better fit for the title track.

YOON YE CHAN: If “wyd?” shows our more relaxed and comfortable side, I think “Like Fire” brings out 82MAJOR’s energy and performance more strongly. It represents the overall atmosphere of “HEAT” while also capturing the more mature and intense side we wanted to show after “Sign.”

POP BASE: As always, the members also took part in the songwriting process for "HEAT". There’s something I’ve always been curious about when it comes to 82MAJOR’s songwriting process, when you sit down to write lyrics, where do you usually begin? Do you first develop a concept or story and then build emotions around it, or do you start with a particular emotion and develop a story from there?

YOON YE CHAN: I think it can depend on the song, but with “wyd?”, I started with the feeling and atmosphere I wanted to express. I wanted to create something we hadn’t really shown through our music before; a comfortable R&B/hip-hop track with a touch of the 2000s. From there, we developed the lyrics and the rest of the song around that feeling. I also wanted the song to reveal the more natural and fun side of 82MAJOR behind our intense image on stage.

NAM SEONG MO: It depends on the song, but for me, I often start with the feeling I want the listener to get from the song. When I worked on “wyd?”, for example, I wanted to capture something comfortable and easygoing, while also expressing the fluttering and sweetness behind simply asking someone, “How are you today?”

POP BASE: When you made your comeback with “Sign,” you left 82DE surprised with the song’s noticeably calmer atmosphere compared to your previous releases. The music video also had a more subdued mood than your previous visuals. The song ended up going viral in Korea, introducing a completely different side of 82MAJOR to many listeners. Now, you’ve returned with “Like Fire,” a much more energetic and dynamic track. You’ve continued to explore different concepts with each comeback, and each one has been met with great success. What are the key elements you consider when shaping a new era for 82MAJOR, how do you decide which concept to pursue for each comeback?

KIM DO GYUN: I think the most important thing is making sure that, whatever concept we choose, it still feels like 82MAJOR. That’s why we’re always open to trying different genres and moods. At the same time, we think about what we can express best as a team and what new side of 82MAJOR we want to show our fans.

PARK SEOK JOON: I think the most important thing is showing 82MAJOR’s own color. Even when we try different concepts and moods each time, I want us to show our own music and performance within them. I think “Sign” and “Like Fire” have very different moods, but we were able to show 82MAJOR’s color by expressing them in our own way. Rather than staying within one particular style, we want to continue showing music that is uniquely 82MAJOR.

POP BASE: “Like Fire” and “wyd?” have very different atmospheres, with one track being heavy on the hip-hop front, and the other being groovy. Which member do you think best suits the concept and vibe of “Like Fire,” and which member do you think suits “wyd?” better and why?

YOON YE CHAN: I definitely think Dogyun suits “Like Fire” the best. I think the strong and mature energy Dogyun showed in this song really matched the overall vibe of the track. Seeing how much detail he put into preparing everything from his vocals to his facial expressions and gestures, I felt that he really brought “Like Fire” to life.

KIM DO GYUN: I think Yechan suits “wyd?” the best. He made the beat himself, and the song really captures the relaxed and chill atmosphere that Yechan had in mind. I think his natural and laid-back vibe also fits really well with the song’s groovy feel.

POP BASE: "HEAT" also gives listeners the opportunity to experience “THOPHY” and “Sign” in new ways through the remixes. When reinterpreting your previous title-tracks, were there any elements you particularly wanted to preserve? Or were there any aspects you wanted to approach differently this time? If so, what were they?

HWANG SEONG BIN: In “Sign (Viann Remix),” we wanted to emphasize the mature atmosphere of the original “Sign” by highlighting details like the breathing sounds and piano throughout the track. We also slightly modified the choreography to bring out those elements, and the fans really loved it. That made us grow even more attached to the song as well.

PARK SEOK JOON: For “TROPHY (Spanish Ver.),” we focused on bringing out the rhythm created by adding Spanish lyrics to the original lines. There’s a lyric in my part that goes, “En la ultima pa-ra-ra-da,” and I remember having a lot of fun recording it because the pronunciation itself felt so energetic. At the same time, singing in a new language was challenging during the preparation process, so I practiced a lot.

POP BASE: The “Like Fire” music video features high-intensity combat scenes between Seongbin and Dogyun, as well as Yechan and Seokjoon. What was the preparation process like for all four of you? Given Dogyun’s background in kickboxing, MMA, and judo, did that experience influence how the fight sequences were approached? Also, when performing a combative sequence like this, did you approach it primarily as choreography, or did you find it more physically demanding than your usual dance performances?

KIM DO GYUN: We all visited an action school to practice before filming the music video. Our instructor gave us a test and told us that the movements had to become so natural that we could perform the action while answering everyday questions at the same time. We both passed the test before going into filming. I think my experience with kickboxing and judo definitely helped me understand and execute the movements.

PARK SEOK JOON: Yechan and I also practiced at the action school, focusing on getting our movements and timing in sync. We actually worked really well together during practice, but on the day of filming, we kept bursting out laughing whenever we looked at each other, so it took us quite a while to finish filming.

POP BASE: When creating an album, each song has its own identity while also contributing to the overall story and direction of the project. What was the most important factor for you when trying to maintain that balance throughout "HEAT"?

YOON YE CHAN: I think the most important thing was making sure that, whatever genre or mood we explored, it still felt like 82MAJOR. “Like Fire” and “wyd?” have very different atmospheres, but we wanted to complete both songs through our own interpretation and expression. I think that was what allowed each track to have its own character while still fitting naturally into the overall direction of “HEAT.”

POP BASE: After collaborating with director Lee Suho of Balming Tiger on “Sign,” you reunited with him for the “Like Fire” music video. What was it like working with him again, and how did your experience on this comeback differ from your previous collaboration?

HWANG SEONG BIN: It was really great to work with Director Lee Suho again. Since we had already worked together on “Sign,” I think both the process and the final result were even better this time. He even came to the action school himself to explain the concept and direct the action scenes. We really appreciated how much care and attention he put into the project.

CHO SEONG IL: Yes, we were really happy to have the opportunity to work with him again. I think he did a great job of capturing the energy of “Like Fire” through the music video. He also paid close attention to even the smallest details on set, which allowed us to create a lot of memorable and compelling shots.

POP BASE: Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us, it was truly a pleasure to have the opportunity to meet with you. Finally, is there anything you would like to say to the POP BASE readers?

CHO SEONG IL: Thank you so much to everyone at POP BASE for taking the time
to talk with us, and to all the readers for spending this time with 82MAJOR. We
want to become a team that can make any genre feel like 82MAJOR, and
ultimately, we hope more people will come to love our music itself. Please look
forward to our journey ahead!

NAM SEONG MO: I hope you enjoyed getting to know the members and hearing
the stories behind “HEAT.” We’ll continue to share our music and energy with you,
so please look forward to what we have coming next. Thank you for always
supporting us!

— Javeria Yousuf

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