We are officially living at the peak of the Hallyu wave. Every day, K-pop fans bear witness to multiple groups making fresher and groovier music than before. Their playlists are getting an updates constantly, making room for newer groups and artists. But have you ever thought of tuning into a group where two members aren’t real? We are talking about SUPERKIND, a seven-member boy band, who have blurred the line between humans and AI. The group has five humans: DAEMON, EUGENE, GEON, SiO, and JDV, with the addition of two AI members, SAEJIN and SEUNG (called NUKE together), to their roster. Since their debut last year, the K-pop group has been setting high standards in the K-pop business.
The septet’s musical moves are making heads turn and are poised to usher in a completely different era in K-pop where virtual and real performers coexist behind and on the stage. The human members sat down with ELLE to share their thoughts on embarking on a new adventure album with their first mini album, choreography, and their feelings on collaborating with their AI counterparts SAEJIN and SEUNG and creating the A-Idol concept.
ELLE: Can you elaborate on the concept behind ‘Profiles of the Future (Λ): 70%?’
SiO: We made our comeback with the first part of the Profiles of the Future trilogy, titled Beam Me Up. In the upcoming three parts, we will continue with a space-themed science fiction concept. The title track of this album, “Beam Me Up (2Dx3D),” is a mashup (fusion) of two B-side tracks, “Speed (2D)” and “Beam Me Up (3D).” Going forward, we plan to present mashup songs that combine 2D and 3D as part of our concept for “Dimensions Assemble.”
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ELLE: How do you feel about being the first K-pop group with AI members?
DAEMON: SUPERKIND is the first generation of A-Idols. We believe that, as the first generation, our primary focus should be on laying the foundation. It’s SUPERKIND’s responsibility to explore the strengths and possibilities of AI. In the future, we hope you will take an interest in our activities, such as virtual live performances and experiences that bridge dimensions (2D–3D, crossing between each world).
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EUGENE: It’s true that it initially felt unfamiliar, but on the other hand, it felt forward-thinking, so I had high expectations for it. In the future, when technology has advanced further, I’d love to see NUKE performing as a hologram in a concert.
SiO: I think I’m enjoying it a lot. Being the world’s first group to work with AI, there are certainly many new and innovative attempts. Starting with this project, we are doing live performances with NUKE members and engaging in fun activities. I’ve heard that various projects are being prepared within the company as well, so I’m looking forward to our future.
JDV: It’s amazing to see all the new attempts and diverse activities we’ve been engaging in. Starting with this project, where we worked as a group of seven with NUKE members, I’m excited to do offline fan signing events as a complete group of seven in the future and also cross over to the 2D world to have concerts with NUKE members in the virtual space.
ELLE: How was the whole creative process while making the new album? Are there any new concepts you guys would love to explore in the future?
DAEMON: I love the movie Blade Runner. There are scenes in the movie where the artificial people (in the movie, they are called ‘replicants’) contemplate humanity. SUPERKIND, as the first generation of A-Idols, has also contemplated what we should represent and what we can showcase to the world. If possible, it would be interesting to explore a dystopian concept in future albums. I think that would be something only SUPERKIND can uniquely execute.
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EUGENE: After completing the space-themed trilogy, I would like to try a refreshing or cute concept someday. In that regard, I like the animation Zootopia, and I think it would be fun to sing an OST for such an animation.
ELLE: Which song has the most difficult choreography to master out of all the ones you’ve already released or the upcoming ones?
JDV: I think that the choreography for the next album will be the most challenging. We are anticipating this since the song is really good. A small spoiler: there will be a dance break part! Please look forward to it.
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EUGENE: It was ‘MOODY.’ The song is quite melodious, but when it comes to the choreography, it’s extremely wild and requires a lot of energy, so it was difficult to deliver the contrasting feeling.
ELLE: You are so closely connected to your fans. Are there any memorable fan interactions?
DAEMON: When I meet PLAYERS (fanbase name), they always compliment my performance and rap skills. Those words give me confidence. When I hear those warm words, it seems that the parts I’ve prepared are being conveyed well to the players. It motivates me to do better and work even harder.
EUGENE: I recently received a letter from a PLAYER who mentioned that they are composing and writing lyrics and shared some of the lyrics they wrote. Although I can’t share the details, they expressed a desire to collaborate on a song together if they start composing and writing in the future. I sincerely want to express my support and encouragement for that player.
SiO: Players always send me a lot of letters, and when I receive one, I place it by my bedside and make sure to read it after my schedule is done. Some even deliver the letters in person, and many come from far away, including from overseas. They say things like, “I came from afar to see you. I will come and support you anytime.” When I receive these messages, it makes me realise that people have come from faraway places just to see me. I’m truly grateful for that, and it motivates me to work even harder.
JDV: I have a lot of nicknames, and they were all given to me by the players. When I first appeared, they came up with nicknames like ‘Dancing Machine’ and ‘Juju.’ I am truly grateful for these nicknames from our fans.
ELLE: The music video pays homage to pop-culture references such as Men in Black and Cowboy Bebop. How was the shooting experience?
DAEMON: Men in Black is a movie with a playful atmosphere where characters wear suits as space police (in our music video, NUKE comes out in a suit). The music video includes exaggerated acting and the utilisation of unique spaces, like a trash can, and various props, such as a skateboard and binoculars. In Cowboy Bebop, each character wore distinctively colourful costumes, so we also had a fun shooting scene where we used our signature colours to wear diverse outfits.
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EUGENE: In the music video, I played a scout, so I had to ride a skateboard. I had never ridden a skateboard before, so DAEMON became my skateboarding teacher. I received lessons to ride well on the set, and although I successfully managed to film the scene, it unfortunately didn’t make it into the music video. If it becomes possible in the future, I plan to share it with everyone through YouTube and X (Twitter)!
Also, read: K-Pop Group Kingdom Shares Their New India-Inspired Album Concept In A Candid Chat
