Seoul, South KoreaCNN —
In a
quiet corner of Seoul’s Hyuga Cafe, a warm, honey-toned space nestled inside
what once served as the dormitory for K-pop megaband BTS, two young men sip
iced americanos, sketching out their own dreams of superstardom.
A
table away, tourists murmur over lattes, unaware that they’re seated beside
what a new record label hopes will be the next big thing in K-pop.
Seok
and Hyuk, members of the newly debuted group 1VERSE (spoken as “universe”), are
modest in demeanor, almost reluctant to speak of themselves as anything more
than trainees with a shot at something bigger. But their stories are unlike any
other in K-pop’s history.
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They
are both North Korean defectors, turned highly trained K-pop dreamers, hoping
to follow in the footsteps of K-pop megastars such as BTS and BLACKPINK who have
in recent years taken K-pop global, topping US Billboard charts and amassing
billion-dollar fan empires.
The
25-year-olds carved paths which speak to the resilience of individual artistry
under extraordinary circumstances. As teenagers, both crossed North Korea’s
border into China, reuniting with family members who had fled the authoritarian
regime of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Both
defectors settled in South Korea, and were later discovered and recruited in
2022 by new boutique music label Singing Beetle.
This
month, their first album with 1VERSE officially released. The group’s debut
international showcase is set for the United States, a move seen by industry
observers as both bold and delicate – a new K-pop act launching in one of the
world’s most competitive music markets.
Details
of 1VERSE’s American performances have yet to be revealed, representatives for
Singing Beetle noted. The group consists of five members who reflect K-pop’s
global appeal – including Aito from Japan, Kenny from California, and Nathan
from Arkansas.
“I
never thought I’d be doing music in South Korea,” Seok began, his voice calm
but steady. “I liked music when I was in North Korea. I used to write down
lyrics of songs I liked, usually about mothers, about longing. I kept those
notes. I still look at them sometimes.”
For
Hyuk, music arrived later. He came to it not through childhood fascination, but
through discovery. “Back in North Korea, I didn’t even have time to listen to
music, and I wasn’t in an environment that allowed it either,” he said.
His
path changed in a South Korean high school, where a teacher noticed him
scribbling lyrics during class. “Why don’t you try rapping?” he recalled his
teacher asking.
Hyuk
joined a school rap club, wrote his first verses, and performed at a festival.
The experience shifted his thinking. Music went from a private curiosity to a
public pursuit. Then came a conversation with Singing Beetle’s CEO, Michelle
Cho. She promised to help transform his hobby into a dream.
“I
began learning step by step,” Hyuk reflected. “And began to dream of becoming
an idol,” the term bestowed upon K-pop celebrities.
Trainees’
K-pop transformation
From a young age, aspiring pop stars in South Korea
typically go through a long and intense development period. Trainees follow a
rigorous daily schedule that includes lessons in singing, dancing, foreign
languages, and “idol etiquette.” They are regularly evaluated, often facing a
competitive environment with personnel eliminations and reshuffles.
Both Seok and Hyuk reference their two-and-a-half years
of training not with the weariness one might expect after years of intensive
choreography and vocal drills, but with affection.
“There were times when I struggled alone,” Seok began.
“But when I shared those moments, our members and the staff encouraged me. That
support is the most memorable part.”
Like most K-pop acts their days are long. Mornings can
begin before sunrise with vocal warm-ups and end with fan interactions.
Rehearsals stretch late into the evening.
“I used to be in sports,” Seok said, remembering his
earlier dream of becoming a soccer star in North Korea. “Now I’m pursuing
something completely new. Starting from zero, going through each stage – that
reality itself makes me happy.”
The group’s upcoming release includes a track titled
“Shattered,” a moody anthem that builds to a moment of piercing vulnerability.
In one climactic section, Seok sings: “Who’s gonna save us now?” Two months
ago, he wasn’t sure he could hit the note. Now, he sings it with confidence.
“That line reminded me that sometimes we all need
someone’s help,” he said. “I hope the audience can feel that.”
Seen
as artists, beyond defectors
1VERSE’s music carries echoes of its members’ past. But
it also captures the universality of youth: doubt, hope, love, ambition. Hyuk
said the group’s songs are less about individual lines than collective
storytelling. “Every song tells one of our stories,” he said. “Our members, our
company, me and Seok. To me, the songs themselves are beautiful stories.”
Yet as they consider the paths that brought them here,
neither Seok nor Hyuk want to be labeled simply as “North Korean defectors.”
The term, while accurate, they say, does not encompass their creative
ambitions. Nor does it acknowledge the emotional transformation they’ve
undergone since arriving in Seoul, a city only about 50 kilometers (31 miles)
from the border with the North, but lightyears away in terms of openness and
opportunity.
“I feel like I was reborn after coming to South Korea,”
Seok said. “South and North Korea are completely different. That’s why I’m able
to dream a new dream here.”
Hyuk added, “Sometimes fans ask, ‘Are you from North
Korea?’ That means they liked us without knowing. That feels really
meaningful.”
For both artists, the experience of striving for
something greater resonates across borders – whether someone is from North
Korea or any place where ambition is stifled. At the heart of their music lies
a quest not for fame or escape, but for the delicate thrill of becoming
something more than what their old lives once allowed them to be.
“There are 30,000 North Korean defectors in South
Korea,” Hyuk said. “And there are many others (who aren’t defectors) who
haven’t dared to dream yet. If our story gives them courage, then I think that
process itself is meaningful.”
Stepping onto the American stage
As they prepare for their US debut,
both are aware of the stakes. “We’ve practiced so long,” Hyuk said. “But will
fans like it?” That question haunts many idol groups. But for Seok and Hyuk,
the stakes feel even higher.
Lee Gyu-tag, a George Mason
University Korea global affairs professor who studies pop music, said the
challenges for new K-pop acts are profound.
Having members who are North Korean
defectors “could help gain attention when they first debut,” Lee offered. “But
the reality is that the current K-pop market is heavily influenced by major
agencies, and competition is extremely fierce.”
“Storytelling and narrative are
important in K-pop and that could be a strength for this group,” Lee continued.
“There are still opportunities for smaller agencies to attract overseas fans.
But with so many groups out there, simply having excellent performances or
strong concepts may not be enough to succeed.”
1VERSE’s strategy has been to
cultivate a fanbase, affectionately known as the group’s “Starz,” since the
beginning of the five members’ training. The singers interact with followers on
Singing Beetle’s app, b.stage, as well as on social media platforms such as
TikTok and Instagram. The group has so far reached more than 22 million likes
on TikTok, approaching 700,000 followers on the platform.
From Seok and Hyuk’s perspective,
each comment, like, and shared clip brings them closer to creating music
alongside global artists who shaped their own tastes.
Asked to name a dream collaborator,
Hyuk answered first: “Post Malone. I really liked his songs growing up.” He
blushed at the mention. “Just thinking about it makes me so excited.”
Seok, after a moment of reflection,
named Charlie Puth. “He’s a wonderful musician,” he said. “He’s a genius.”
The journey of both 1VERSE
bandmates, from the cloistered world of North Korea to the hypercompetitive
arena of K-pop, represents something rare: a story where survival and stardom
are not opposites, but parts of the same song.
Starting this summer, the world
will hear their debut notes.
press release source:
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