This year kicks off the inaugural KPOP Breakout Tour and The Kraze couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this occasion. As the groups finished out their first leg of shows, we got the opportunity to sit down with the lineup and learn more about them, the music and what makes each group ones to watch.

If you didn’t know them, now you do: meet TRENDZ. TRENDZ is a seven member group consisting of Havit, Leon, Yoonwoo, Hankook, ra.L, Eunil, and Yechan. They made their debut on January 5, 2022 with the mini-album, BLUE SET Chapter 1. [TRACKS].  Recently they made their Japanese debut with the mini-album REBIRTH this past July. Continue reading to find out more about the guys!

Q: For those new to TRENDZ, what three songs would you recommend to start with and why?

Havit: I strongly recommend “NEW DAYZ.” You’ll notice it as soon as you play the song, but it’s my favorite song because it gives me overwhelming emotions and a youthful feeling.

Yechan: My favorite TRENDZ song is “Villain!” The reason is that for the first time, we received the song from ASTRO’s JinJin, whom we really respect, and I believe that the dark and stylish aura goes well with the team. We also have a lot of point choreography using bandage props, so you can enjoy our performance.

Hankook: “VAGABOND” is my favorite TRENDZ song. TRENDZ’s performance shines the most in “VAGABOND,” and in the intro, there is a part where I get thrown. I think this part is very cool, so I recommend that you watch the stage while listening to the song.

Q: What’s next for TRENDZ?

Leon: We plan to busily continue activities with our unique stages and meet our fans. 

Yechan: We actively promoted our song “GLOW” and made a successful debut in Japan this July. We are so happy to be able to meet many fans through this U.S. tour. In the future, I hope to meet more FRIENDZ overseas and continue releasing albums to show you how we grow as a team.

Eunil:I hope to meet more fans from all over the world.  We are meeting many more international  FRIENDZ compared to our early debut years, and we will always do our best to get these great opportunities.

Q: What do you think is TRENDZ's distinct charm?

L: TRENDZ has a lot of charms, but our biggest one is that our energy on stage is unbeatable.

YC: We have great teamwork!! Since we’ve all seen each other for a long time, we’re like friends regardless of age. Our senses of humor match and we joke around a lot, so I think that the energetic, fun, and tightly-knit bond in TRENDZ is our biggest strength and charm!

EI: TRENDZ’s distinct charm is our cool performance staged on the basis of strong teamwork. I think a bigger charm that will grow is every member being constantly driven to execute a better version of their performance and musicality on stage.

Q: How would you describe the music that you typically create?

ra.L: I do my best to make music that many people can listen to with interest! I think that I still lack the skills to express my unique style of music. However, I am always studying composing and songwriting to become established as someone who makes cool music. I am also experimenting with as many genres as I can to widen the pool of music I am capable of doing.

EI: Music that deserves to be loved by many.

Q: Is there any other position in your group that you’ve wanted to try?

Yoonwoo: I want to try being a rapper! Our rapper members are so good that it might be a bit of a comparison, but I think there's another charm that my voice tone doesn't overlap with the team’s rappers.

L:I want to try being the youngest member. I’ve never been the youngest on the team or at home, so I want to experience it. 

YC: As the youngest member, I want to try being the oldest member! I’m so curious about what TRENDZ looks like in the eyes of our oldest member Havit. Since the only way to figure it out is to try it, I want to experience his position!

Q: Do you have a life philosophy? If yes, what is it? If not, what do you think is a good one for you or your group?

RL: My life philosophy is “Nothing is impossible with effort.” As a member of TRENDZ, I always commit to promotions and activities with this philosophy in mind. Not only do I put in a lot of hard work until the very moment we are on stage, but every member of TRENDZ always does their best, even on stage. Because of this, I believe we can always show our best to FRIENDZ and receive a lot of support. To reciprocate all the love we are receiving, I hope to continue working hard and achieve our goals and dreams in the future.

Q:What concept has been your favorite and why?

EI:I like bright and hopeful music. I believe the most important part of music is the public’s understanding and empathy, so I hope to share positive energy through music.

YC: I like hipster concepts! I’m confident in dancing, singing, and rapping as well as showing off my charms in such an easy-going, relaxed vibe.

Q: Who are your biggest musical influences?

Hankook: BTS’s RM influenced me a lot with the depth of his music. When reading the lyrics while listening to his songs, I am always determined to make such deep music.

RL: My biggest musical influences are SEVENTEEN and Stray Kids. I have always admired how they experiment with various concepts and distinctly showcase their group’s colors. We will work hard to grow musically so that TRENDZ can become a genre of its own!

 Q: What would be your ideal team building trip as a group?

EI: We’ve never been on a trip since the seven of us got together, so any trip would be great. All of the members love activities, so active trips like skiing or swimming would be a lot of fun!

L: It’s cool that Eunil and I have almost the exact same thoughts! I also want to go to a ski resort with the team to enjoy skiing and snowboarding, eat a delicious meal, and wrap up with a hot spring the next day.

Q: If you weren't an idol member what would you be doing?

HV: I think I would have been an elementary school teacher because I adore children and enjoy teaching. Or a novelist since I like reading books and am skilled at writing? Or a righteous police officer! 

YW: I think I would have dreamed of becoming a model. I wanted to be a singer the most, so I'm working hard as TRENDZ. If I couldn't debut, I think I would have expanded my dream to model auditions.

YC: I think I would be dancing! I’m very interested in dance battles, so I search for them a lot and participate if I can! If I wasn’t a singer, I would’ve been a dancer. But because I like rap and also singing more recently, I think I would’ve ended up dreaming the same dream.

Thank you so much to Leo Presents, TRENDZ, and Global H Media for making this interview possible. To our readers, be sure to check out the rest of our interviews with the KPOP Breakout Tour lineup and don’t miss the show!