Dialing 82MAJOR to connect with the new K-pop sensation

When you dial +82 before a phone number, you get connected to South Korea. That’s where 82MAJOR’s story begins: the six-member South Korean boy group under GREAT M Entertainment that includes Nam Seong Mo, Park Seok Joon, Yoon Ye Chan, Cho Seong Il, Hwang Seong Bin, and Kim Do Gyun had their name built up around the connection of South Korea’s country code, 82, and the group’s aspirations to introduce a new direction to K-pop and establish themselves as a major presence globally.

This electrifying K-pop sensation marked their grand entrance into the music scene on October 11th, 2023. Debuting with a burst of energy, their inaugural title track, "SURE THING," is a musical embodiment of joy and anticipation, capturing the group's excitement about the journey ahead and their connection with fans. Adding a personal touch to their debut, members Nam Seong Mo and Hwang Seong Bin showcased their songwriting prowess by contributing to the lyrics of "SURE THING." Behind the scenes, a powerhouse team came together to craft the composition, including South Korean producer and songwriter Ryan Jhun, platinum-selling songwriter Wyatt Sanders, and multi-platinum & Billboard #1 K-Pop Charting producer and songwriter Charles Frank Rhodes Jr.

The sonic magic doesn't stop there. 82MAJOR's second title track, "FIRST CLASS," takes center stage, putting forth a message of determination and confidence. The collaborative efforts of Nam Seong Mo, Hwang Seong Bin, and Yoon Ye Chan, who lent their lyrical talents, along with K-pop singer-songwriter Roydo, enriched the song's narrative. Platinum-awarded producer and topliner Frederik Jyll further elevated the composition with his expertise.

The visual storytelling of 82MAJOR's musical journey reached new heights with the creative vision of video directors Woogie Kim and Hyunji Lee. Woogie Kim, recognized for his work with global sensations like BTS and IU, and Hyunji Lee, known for crafting captivating commercials for Samsung Galaxy, Hyundai, and Kia, brought their distinctive flair to the group's visual representation.

Panorama.it spoke with them.

Nice to meet you, boys. Can you please introduce yourself to our readers?

Cho Seong Il: Hello, I’m the leader and main dancer of 82MAJOR, and your friendly neighbor, Cho Seong Il.

Nam Seong Mo: Hi, I’m the rapper of 82MAJOR, a rained-on puppy, Nam Seong Mo.

Kim Do Gyun: Hello, I’m Kim Do Gyun, the youngest member of 82MAJOR.

Hwang Seong Bin: Hi, I’m Hwang Seong Bin of 82MAJOR.

Yoon Ye Chan: Hello, I’m Yoon Ye Chan of 82MAJOR.

Park Seok Joon: Hi, I’m Park Seok Joon of 82MAJOR.

How does it feel to debut finally?

Cho Seong Il: Before my debut, I often wondered when I would debut. When it finally happened, it was surreal to believe that I had become an idol. Meeting my fans brought immense happiness so I think it was the right choice to choose this path.

Nam Seong Mo: I feel incredibly happy and grateful to be sharing the same stage with the senior artists whom I deeply respect.

Kim Do Gyun: I am genuinely thrilled because this debut is something I've always wanted. I believe I can excel in anything together with the members.

Hwang Seong Bin: The excitement is overwhelming, and it still feels unreal. I want to spread the word about 82MAJOR and our music to a wide audience.

Yoon Ye Chan: It feels great to see your dream unfolding in front of your eyes. It feels amazing, and finally being able to meet our fans and people who support us is something I’ve always wanted to do.

Park Seok Joon: I put in a lot of effort during my trainee period to achieve my dream of debuting, and I am incredibly happy that it has finally come true!

Let’s start by your name: 82 is Korea country code and you add the word major. What do you think about it?

Cho Seong Il: I love the meaning behind our name. It’s very cool!

Nam Seong Mo: When we decided to incorporate South Korea's country code into the group name, there was a bit of pressure, but I was so confident in ourselves that I thought it was a great name.

Kim Do Gyun: It can be somewhat overwhelming, but I feel it reflects our confidence.

Hwang Seong Bin: The inclusion of our country's country code, 82, made me feel like I could become a major player in the home of K-Pop and extend our influence globally. It inspired me to strive to become a great artist worthy of the name.

Yoon Ye Chan: I thought it was a great name!

Park Seok Joon: By incorporating the country code into our name, we aim to present ourselves as proud and cool major players in the industry.

Can you tell us more about your sound?

Cho Seong Il: Even though we haven't revealed much yet, we are actively producing songs. In doing so, we are creating a musical identity that will eventually be recognized as 82MAJOR's unique sound.

Nam Seong Mo: The music we'll unveil in the future will be distinctive and undoubtedly something that only the six of us can deliver at our best.

Hwang Seong Bin: Music that harmoniously brings together the diverse charms of all six members.

Yoon Ye Chan: I strongly believe our sound is very diverse among members. For example, I am more of an R&B, rap type of guy, and other members gear toward a mix of R&B, pop, rap, and rock.

Park Seok Joon: Based on the hip-hop genre, the fact that all members contribute to writing lyrics allows us to infuse our voices, raps, and songs with a distinct 82MAJOR flavor.

First Class is an impressive song. The video has everything: voice, lyrics, dance moves, and visual. Which was the most challenging part of creating it?

Cho Seong Il: The most challenging part was the music video for “First Class” which was shot in the rain. Although the rain felt refreshing, dancing became a bit challenging due to wet and heavy clothes.

Nam Seong Mo: I find the most challenging part to be the intricate choreography, especially the dynamic moves in the “First Class” dance routine. It demanded a lot physically, but I practiced it with the determination to deliver an outstanding performance!

Kim Do Gyun: Given the powerful and intense nature of the choreography, my focus during practice was on accurately expressing it.

Hwang Seong Bin: Filming required changing more outfits than I initially anticipated, making it a new and somewhat challenging experience for me, especially since it was my first time.

Yoon Ye Chan: There were some lyrics that I actually couldn’t pronounce properly, so we had to change the lyrics which in itself was challenging. In addition, singing provided another challenge for me as I've always been a rapper.

Park Seok Joon: The most challenging aspect was filming the dance scenes that required repeated, powerful movements due to the intensity of the choreography.

Is debuting in some way different from what you expected?

Cho Seong Il: I’m over the moon that more fans love our group than I previously expected!

Nam Seong Mo: It was surprising to witness the number of staff members who work to make 82MAJOR a reality. Also, I'm continually grateful for the support of our many fans! Thank you!!!

Kim Do Gyun: Everything I experienced was new, and nothing was anticipated. Still, the experience feels fresh, and I’m learning a lot along the way.

Hwang Seong Bin: Singing and dancing on a live music show was a novel experience for me.

Yoon Ye Chan: In many ways it is different but also in some other ways it isn’t. I feel like everything outside of the training, dancing, and singing is different, but at the same time, it’s not too new. I think I’ve always kind of expected and known what was to come because of my brother and many other idol seniors and colleagues that I know.

Park Seok Joon: I liked being able to meet our fans through an autograph event that happened soon after our debut.

In your opinion, which is your distinctive charm?

Cho Seong Il: I believe my charm lies in my friendly and fun personality. People often describe me as a friendly neighbor, perhaps because, even when meeting for the first time, I can create a comfortable atmosphere, making it feel like we've been friends for a long time.

Nam Seong Mo: The appeal lies in the fact that we, along with our team members, actively contribute to creating our music. This allows us to infuse our own stories and experiences into the music, making it more personal and authentic.

Kim Do Gyun: The greatest charm of our team lies in the strong teamwork and chemistry between the members. Additionally, the fact that the members are actively involved in the songwriting process adds to the appeal.

Hwang Seong Bin: I believe the difference between the on-stage and off-stage appearances contributes to our charm. While we aim for a powerful and dynamic presence on stage, there's a lot of laughter and light-heartedness in our real-life interactions.

Yoon Ye Chan: Probably my voice and the way that I talk. I still have a very strong Canadian accent with how I pronounce words, and I think it directly transfers to my Korean as well.

Park Seok Joon: I think my charm lies in my low-pitched voice and somewhat icy expression on my face, but my smile is very bright and innocent!

Do you guys have any role models in the industry? If so, who are they?

Cho Seong Il: Jungkook of BTS is my role model. His versatility in various fields and the remarkable presence he maintains, especially as a solo artist, is truly inspiring.

Nam Seong Mo: I hold deep respect for all senior K-pop artists, making it challenging to single out just one person. I feel both respect and gratitude because I believe I wouldn't be where I am today without them.

Kim Do Gyun: I respect all senior K-pop artists, but I would want to become an artist like Baekhyun and Dean.

Hwang Seong Bin: At the age of 16, while watching a performance video of Post Malone, I was inspired by the idea of creating music that resonates with many people, just like his great music does.

Yoon Ye Chan: The easy answer is probably my brother*! However, the long and more refined answer would be Mark from NCT and Taeyang from Big Bang! (* Ye Chan is the brother of Keeho of P1HARMONY)

Park Seok Joon: I want to create various music like MINO.

I have this signature question: if you had to describe yourself in one word, without overthinking it, which would it be?

Cho Seong Il: Best friend

Nam Seong Mo: A rained-on puppy. It stuck with me after my friends started calling me that.

Kim Do Gyun: I would say the baby maknae of the team.

Hwang Seong Bin: A tiger. It symbolizes strength, portraying the bravery of our group, 82MAJOR, and my own courage. Moreover, I feel a connection to its cute appearance in some ways!

Yoon Ye Chan: Detailed. It is because when it comes down to music production, I do everything in my ability to make every single thing perfect. Obviously, I'm not a perfect producer, singer, or rapper, but I always try to be as detailed as I can be.

Park Seok Joon: A rock, probably because of my name* (laughs). (* ‘Seok’ from his name sounds the same as the Chinese character for rock)

Who are 82MAJOR now?

Cho Seong Il: I believe that 82MAJOR is a group that creates a diverse range of music, eliciting a wide array of emotions through our musical expressions.

Nam Seong Mo: A group that you can look forward to!

Kim Do Gyun: A group that you keep wanting to see more of!

Hwang Seong Bin: 82MAJOR is a group prepared to soar high in the sky, just like the lyrics of "First Class"!

Yoon Ye Chan: Right now we are still a growing group that is developing and exploring our signature sound. One day we’ll be ‘First Class’ just like our song entails.

Park Seok Joon: A group to soon become a major in the world!