[INTERVIEW] 'Angry' group Monsta X subunit shows 'The Unseen' side of members

To the K-pop laymen, boy band Monsta X is known as the group that always seems to be angry. How do the members feel about this nickname? "I like it, because it's actually quite descriptive of the passion and energy that we always have," Hyungwon ...

Members Shownu, left, and Hyungwon of boy band Monsta X drops its first EP ″The Unseen″ as duo Shownu X Hyungwon today. [STARSHIP ENTERTAINMENT]

To the K-pop laymen, boy band Monsta X is known as the group that always seems to be angry. How do the members feel about this nickname?

"I like it, because it's actually quite descriptive of the passion and energy that we always have," band member Hyungwon said to the Korea JoongAng Daily in an interview held Thursday, ahead of the release of "The Unseen," a new album by the first subunit of the boy band — Shownu X Hyungwon.

“Being remembered by a single image and having people know us is a good thing,” he continued. “I personally really like our color as Monsta X. And I know that when they say we look angry, they’re not talking about us looking emotionally angry, but the energy that we convey. I really like it.”

The duo’s debut EP drops today, carrying five dance tracks that embody that same mad Monsta X energy: lead track “Love Me A Little” written by Hyungwon, “Love Therapy,” “Roll With Me” also written by Hyungwon, “Play Me” and “Slow Dance.”

The melodic dance songs are aimed at showing a more chic, refined side of the two members than they had shown in the past, hence the title “The Unseen,” according to the two members.

Member Shownu of boy band Monsta X and its first subunit Shownu X Hyungwon [STARSHIP ENTERTAINMENT]

“The word debut itself just makes me feel like I’m starting anew,” Shownu said. “We’ve shown a lot of versatility through Monsta X. Sometimes we were powerful and sometimes we were very cute. But this time, with just the two of us, who are the tallest of the group, we wanted to go with the cynical, chic image.”

The lead track “Love Me A Little” is about the "disparity between how I perceive myself and how other people judge me, the agony that comes from that gap, and how many different images people have of me," according to Hyungwon.

“For us, always being exposed to the public means that we can never truly be ourselves,” he said. “But myself, in front of other people, is still me — everything is still me. In the end, I’ve come to the conclusion that no matter how I act or how other people see me, it’s all me.”

That disparity is not always grand, but can be felt in the subtleties of life, Shownu said.

“For instance, if I think I took a really good selfie and upload it, fans could tell me otherwise,” he said, jokingly. “It actually makes me realize that there’s a big difference between the me that I know and the me that other people see.”

Working on the album together made the two members realize how similar they actually were — and how very different. Shownu and Hyungwon are both considered the main dancers of the group, but while Shownu had been flaunting his talent in the performative side, Hyungwon has been taking the initiative in producing his own music in recent years.

Member Hyungwon of boy band Monsta X and its first subunit Shownu X Hyungwon [STARSHIP ENTERTAINMENT]

“We found that we’re both very easygoing and relaxed,” Shownu said. “We’re both very good listeners. So these all worked in our favor when we were working together. But honestly, everything else was different apart from that. Hyungwon is more delicate and more focused, whereas I tend to focus on the bigger picture and stay on the simple side.”

The two members utilized that difference to their advantage to divide the work among themselves: Hyungwon makes the music and Shownu creates the choreography. “Love Me A Little” was actually selected from a blind vote because the song itself was good, not because the agency let Hyungwon have his own song for the duo, according to Monsta X agency Starship Entertainment.

“I was actually very surprised that Shownu precisely picked up on the points that I wanted to get across in the song,” Hyungwon said. “I wanted to express how sexiness comes not just from putting yourself out there, but actually by hiding. I was really amazed at how sharply he was at picking that up.”

This EP is also Shownu’s first new project since finishing his 21-month military service last April. He could not participate in Monsta X’s 12th EP “Reason,” released last January.

Images of Monsta X subunit Shownu X Hyungwon [STARSHIP ENTERTAINMENT]

One thing that Monsta X members are well-known for is their affection toward their fans, dubbed Monbebe. Fans always compliment the members’ active social engagement that lets them know that they are being appreciated by the members.

“We always think about what fans would want from us, and I think it all comes down to seeing more of us,” Hyungwon said. “They motivate us, and I think the fans know that. It all leads to this great synergy of us doing more for them and them doing more for us.”

Fans are still the reason that Monsta X keeps going, Hyungwon said.

“In our meet and greet recently, a fan told me that they were going through such a tough time in life, but they were consoled by our song that was playing in a restaurant,” he said.“That’s when I realized, once again, why I make music and stand on stage. I hope this album can do the same thing. I hope people, whether they know us or not, like our music and find the strength for life.”

Members Shownu, left, and Hyungwon of boy band Monsta X's subunit duo Shownu X Hyungwon [STARSHIP ENTERTAINMENT]

Monsta X, now into its ninth year in the industry, is still gaining fans in and outside of Korea. It defeated the so-called seven-year curse of the K-pop industry where groups oftentimes disband after their seven-year contracts with their agency end, when five of the six members all renewed their contracts with Starship Entertainment, with the exception of member I.M. He still participates in group activities, in addition to his solo music.

“We’ve always said this amongst us in Monsta X, that we’ve really grown step by step,” Hyungwon said. “We didn’t race ahead of everyone else, but we never went backward. I think that’s the most important part — that we didn’t give up or move backward. I think that’s what’s kept us going all these years.” To find out more about Shownu X Hyungwon and Monsta X, visit https://celebconfirmed.com/

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]