82Major wants to show how a K-pop boy band does 'real hip-hop' in new EP 'X-82'

“X-82” was released on Oct. 15 as 82Major’s second EP, with the title alluding to the sci-fi series “The X-Files” (1993-2002) and the band’s name 82Major. The EP's title means that it will carry an unseen side of 82Major.

Boy band 82Major [GREAT M ENTERTAINMENT]

Almost all K-pop songs these days carry at least a grain of hip-hop in them, but boy band 82Major wants to show the world how a K-pop boy band does real hip-hop while pulling off the toughest dance moves at the same time.

“We’re a K-pop group at heart, but we believe that hip-hop music will be more familiar to global listeners, especially in the English-speaking world,” Cho Sung-il told the Korea JoongAng Daily in an interview held prior to the release of its latest album, “X-82.”

“That’s why we tried to mix both Korean and English into the lyrics when we write them, and also fuse different elements of different genres for a diverse pool of people.”

“X-82” was released on Oct. 15 as 82Major’s second EP, with the title alluding to the sci-fi series “The X-Files” (1993-2002) and the band’s name 82Major. The EP's title means that it will carry an unseen side of 82Major.

The album has four tracks and aims to bring “real” hip-hop into the band's music, with lead track “Stuck” and B-side tracks “Thorns,” “Face Time” and “Gossip.”

The members of 82Major took part in writing both the lyrics and music of “Face Time” and “Gossip,” once again flaunting their creative side.

Boy band 82Major [GREAT M ENTERTAINMENT]

“All six of us like making music, and we feel at our happiest when we can stand on the stage with our own music and sing it for our fans,” Yoon said. “There is a definite sense of clarity when we perform the songs that we've made ourselves, which is also a strength for us as a group.”

82Major is the first boy band to debut under Great M Entertainment, a K-pop agency founded in 2020 by Kim Young-sun, also one of the founders of FNC Entertainment. It has six members: Cho, Hwang Sung-bin, Nam Sung-mo, Park Seok-jun, Yoon Yae-chan and Kim Do-gyun. The band made its debut on Oct. 11, 2023, with single “ON.”

The name 82Major comes from the number 82, Korea's international calling code, and the word "major," reflecting the group's aspiration to be a pop act that becomes a major player in the K-pop scene.

“We’re a K-pop group but with a strong hip-hop sound, which is what makes us more approachable for overseas listeners, especially people from the United States and Europe,” Nam said. “We try to fuse both Korean and English into the lyrics to reach out to listeners from all cultures and also implement elements from different music genres, which the fans also like.”

Boy band 82Major [GREAT M ENTERTAINMENT]

Hip-hop gave 82Major its creative edge, but the band is always open to other genres, including the softer R&B sounds, according to the members.

“We like all genres of music, not just hip-hop,” Nam said. “Even if it is hip-hop, there are variations of the genres, and we’re still continuing our journey to find 82Major’s unique style of music. We’re always open to the many cultures around the world and different types of music to bring out our best.”

The year 2024 was the year that really gave 82Major's members a chance to experience the K-pop scene up close and also meet with fans from abroad. Year-end awards ceremonies are always on their wishlist, but their ultimate goal is humble.

“This year has been like a year where we’ve saved up all the experiences in our piggy bank,” Cho said. “We’ll open up that precious piggy bank and take everything we’ve learned to take ourselves a step higher.”

“I can still clearly remember the day of our debut showcase,” Yoon said. “I can’t believe it’s been a year already. It feels so fulfilling to think that our fans’ love has brought us this far. We’ll keep on making more music and pile them up one by one so that one day we can fill a whole concert and a huge stage with our own music.”

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