TRENDZ ON DOING IT THEIR WAY AND THEIR UPCOMING TOUR

If you haven’t heard of TRENDZ, it’s time to get out from under your rock and to listen to them. The seven-member group under Global H Media with HAVIT, LEON, YOONWOO, HANKOOK, ra.L, EUNIL, and YECHAN debuted on January 5, 2022, and recently had a comeback with their third single album STILL ON MY WAY. The new album tells the story of the members running towards their dreams, and with members scripting lyrics, the ties between the members, their vision, and the music is stronger than ever. TRENDZ sat down with members of the press recently to answer our questions and to give more insight into their music, their motivations, and what they’re looking forward to. With an upcoming world tour with stops stateside soon, this is the perfect time to fall into their sound and become FRIENDZ (their fandom name) with TRENDZ.

Q: IN YOUR LATEST COMEBACK, "MY WAY," THE SONG IS VERY POSITIVE AND PASSIONATE. CAN YOU GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF HOW YOU ARE DOING IT YOUR WAY?

EUNIL: Our journey as K-Pop idols is, in itself, a testament to us following our unique path. We, who were once strangers, came together driven by a shared dream and created an album that's loved by many, a true miracle in its own right. Our collective pursuit of a common goal is a wonderful journey, and it represents the very essence of "my way" that we're pursuing.

Q: HOW WAS THE CREATION PROCESS FOR THIS COMEBACK?

ra.L: I would say that the creation process of this album wasn't easy, but we are proud of the result that we achieved. During our hiatus, we had to work on the album while we were abroad in Indonesia, Kazakhstan, and Japan. We trusted each other and communicated extensively to complete the lyrics for the album. We practiced the choreography thoroughly together to achieve a great end result.

YECHAN: The music video for the title track was centered around a concept of a movie club. It was something that we have never tried before, so the entire filming process was quite enjoyable as well.

Q: SINCE YOU FINISHED THE BLUE SET SERIES AND GO IN A NEW DIRECTION WITH STILL ON MY WAY, WAS THE APPROACH FOR SONGWRITING HERE ANY DIFFERENT?

YECHAN: While crafting the lyrics for this album, our primary emphasis was on fostering strong communication among the members. I engaged in extensive discussions with HANKOOK and ra.L, assessing which parts would complement the song best and determining the overall direction. We also provided feedback to one another after listening to the completed rap verses. We would also talk to the vocalists of the team, ensuring a collaborative effort to achieve the highest quality outcome.

ra.L: Additionally, STILL ON MY WAY served as the conclusion to the BLUE SET series, prompting us to showcase a more optimistic perspective on our vocal and rap capabilities. We aimed to convey positive energy through both the music and its lyrics. Consequently, we devoted significant time and effort to practice and excel in the lyrics-writing process.

Q: IN THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR "MY WAY" YOU ARE SEEN RUNNING THROUGH A FOREST AND DANCING ON THE BEACH. WHAT WERE YOUR FAVORITE MOMENTS ON SET?

HAVIT: While shooting the music video on the beach, the weather was absolutely perfect with clear skies and no clouds in sight. It did get a bit hot, but the director was truly dedicated to capturing the best footage. There was a scene where the members filmed each other with our own cameras, and it was a very enjoyable and memorable moment.

Q: ARE THERE ANY LITTLE, SUBTLE DETAILS IN THE MUSIC VIDEO, OR THE SONGS, THAT YOU HOPE YOUR FANS WOULD NOTICE, OR WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT?

ra.L: In the music video, the beach scene was a later addition. We filmed it ourselves using our cameras, and we're thankful that the director incorporated it during the editing process. The music video also includes nods to several movies. For example, HANKOOK recreated a scene with Gang Dongwon from Romance of Their Own, while EUNIL and I reenacted the iconic traffic cone scene from Her. Additionally, HAVIT and EUNIL brought to life a scene from a 007 movie. These cinematic references are scattered throughout the music video.

Q: BASED ON THE THEME OF "MY WAY," WHEN YOU ARE FACING AN OBSTACLE OR SOMETHING THAT IS KEEPING YOU DOWN, CAN YOU SHARE HOW YOU OVERCOME CHALLENGES AND MOTIVATE YOURSELF?

HANKOOK: When I encounter challenges or feel down, I often turn to those who are close to me, especially my fellow members with whom I spend a lot of time. Though I'm the leader of the team, I often seek advice and guidance from my teammates. We support and motivate each other through both the tough and uplifting moments, and this is what has kept me going.

Q: SINCE YOUR GROUP IS TRENDZ, WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR RECENT MUST-HAVE TRENDY ITEMS?

ra.L: I wear silver shoes frequently because I think they're currently in fashion, along with silver bags.

LEON: Rather than an item we carry around, our outfits for this album have an old-money look, which is currently in trend. I believe we are setting a trend with our fashion choices for this album.

Q: WHAT SHOWS OR HOBBIES ARE YOU ENJOYING IN YOUR DOWNTIME? WHAT WOULD YOU WATCH TOGETHER WITH FRIENDZ IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO?

LEON: All of us have our own hobbies to do during our downtime. Personally, I like to practice freestyle dancing or head outdoors to go shopping.

EUNIL: We all love watching dramas, especially K-Dramas. My personal favorite is Guardian: The Lonely and Great God. The drama includes scenes that are quite emotional and sad and also had some funny elements to it so I really enjoyed watching it. I would like to recommend it to our fans as well.

Q: YOU WILL SOON BE EMBARKING ON YOUR FIRST WORLD TOUR. WHAT ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT?

ra.L: We really look forward to meeting our FRIENDZs that have been always supporting us in person and putting on energetic performances for them. TRENDZ's live stage presence is something to behold, and witnessing it will definitely be a pleasant surprise. So, keep an eye out for all that's coming our way!

EUNIL: I'm a massive Spider-Man fan, and since there's an iconic scene set in Times Square, I've always dreamed of visiting New York.

LAST WORDS

HANKOOK: We'd like to thank you for asking such great questions, and we hope to talk to you all again with another opportunity in the future. Please look forward to our activities ahead.

All Members: This has been TRENDZ! Thank you!

Throughout the conversation, each of the members’ heartfelt energy was apparent. With occasional finger hearts, waves, and thumbs up throughout, the sweetness of the gestures and smiles would sometimes contrast against the depth of their words. Clearly, TRENDZ has much more to offer aside from their killer tracks. Their tour is projected to hit worldwide soon, starting in Asia and including North America. In the meantime, you can check out “My Way” here.

Thank you to TRENDZ, Global H Media, Helix Publicity, and to our fellow media colleagues who participated in the roundtable and asked many of the questions above.