[EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW] 10 Minutes with 8TURN - Creating "STUNNING" Musical Magic (2024)

8TURN shows off their individual and team rizz in an exclusive interview for the third mini album.

At the forefront of the fifth generation of K-pop, 8TURN has redefined industry standards, breaking new ground with its innovative sound and captivating performances.

Their debut marked the commencement of a new era, setting the stage for a generation characterized by creativity, diversity, and global appeal. Recognized for their unique approach to music, they have been instrumental in captivating audiences worldwide, setting a new standard for what K-pop can achieve. From the surge in album sales between their second and third mini-albums to their captivating performances at prestigious events, such as KCON 2023 in Thailand, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and LA, 8TURN’s narrative is one of triumph, evolution, and an unwavering commitment to their artistry.

So, who is 8TURN? This outstanding rookie boy band, under the creative wings of MNH Entertainment, has boldly emerged as a group unapologetically redefining the industry on its own terms. Comprising eight exceptionally talented members – MYUNG HO, JAE YUN, MIN HO, YOON SONG, HAE MIN, KYUNG MIN, YUN GYU, and SEUNG HEON – they burst onto the scene on January 30, 2023, with the electrifying debut mini album 8Turnrise. Since then, their surge in popularity has been truly remarkable, highlighted by subsequent releases like “Excel” from Uncharted Drift on June 26, 2023, and the captivating title track “Ru-Pum Pum” from their third mini-album, Stunning, released on January 9, 2024. 8TURN has firmly established itself as an unstoppable force in reshaping the landscape of K-pop.

In this exclusive interview 8TURN reveals the magic behind the crafting of their latest album, “STUNNING.” Explore the journey of self-expression, confidence, and the unique rizz to 8TURN as the members discuss their experiences during the creative process and more.

HKP: Congratulations on your third mini album, “STUNNING.” In what ways does this album embody the aspirations and ambitions of 8TURN as a group?

SEUNG HEON: Our third mini album, STUNNING, can be described as overloading coolness and ease of 8TURN. The word “STUNNING” itself carries the meaning of being incredibly cool and surprising. As you can tell from the album title, it contains the message of stepping up against every challenge with confidence and conviction! I also believe we were able to show what 8TURN is like since our members participated in writing lyrics.

YOON SUNG: Best representation of our characters, the title track, “RU-PUM PUM” has a lyric that goes “뽐내지 않고 흘러나온 내 멋, 그냥 있어도 느껴지는 내 폼”. We tried to show our rizz and confidence with strong lyrics and sound, addictive songs, and energetic performances!

HKP: “STUNNING” exhibits a variety of musical styles. How did the diversity in genres and sounds contribute to the overarching message or theme of this album?

MIN HO: First of all, we tried our best to show our natural rizz while preparing the album, “STUNNING”. We put our best effort into it so people would be able to feel those charms.

YUN GYU: I think we were able to show that our identity is not tied to a particular genre, since we put all of our confidence into this album.

HKP: 8TURN music videos are always so cool and full of life. Can you tell us about your characters in the story portrayed in the music video for “RU-PUM PUM?”

MYUNG HO: In this music video, I think you’ll be able to see our confidence and the coolness that is unique to 8TURN. Also, the music video is about us following clues to a certain event! During the music video, I filmed a scene where I discovered an important clue.

HAE MIN: My character seems to be the one involved with the beginning of an event. 😊 It starts with me finding a box and noticing something glowing inside of it!! I will leave the rest for the fans’ imagination and interpretation. 😊

HKP: Several members contributed to writing lyrics for “RU-PUM PUM” and “GLOW.” Could you share any experiences during the lyric-writing process for these tracks? Additionally, “GLOW” is dedicated to your fans; TURNING, can you tell us your creative process when crafting lyrics for a song that carries a special message for your fans?

JAE YUN: I participated in writing the lyrics for “GLOW.” Our company told us that it’d be nice to have our thoughts on the song since it is a fan-dedicated song. We also told the company that we’d like to participate the next time while preparing the fan-dedicated song, “ING,” in our second album. Content-wise, we did not have any difficulties as we had so much to tell our TURNING. Rather, it was more difficult to compress those thoughts to fit the song.

KYUNG MIN: I also participated in writing the lyrics for “GLOW.” I tried to write down every word that I wanted to tell TURNING, and revised the lyrics to convey our sincerity!

YUN GYU: I tried to write lyrics that convey relaxed confidence, and I especially tried hard to write lyrics that are fun to pronounce. I also put a lot of thought into the sound of the second fan song, “GLOW,” because I thought it should be fun to listen to. I tried to express the tension, and excitement that I felt when I first debuted and met TURNING for the first time in an interesting way!

SEUNG HEON: First of all, “RU-PUM PUM” is a song that has to show overloading coolness and ease unique to 8TURN. Therefore, I put a lot of thought into the lyrics to express the confidence and rizz that is uniquely 8TURN’s.

“GLOW” is our second song dedicated to our fans. When writing the lyrics, I read letters from TURNING. I wrote the lyrics thinking about the precious words that TURNING shared with us and put a lot of thought into the words to say to TURNING.

HKP: Throughout 2023, we saw you perform all over the world, including Japan, Thailand, Mexico, the U.S., and Saudi Arabia. With such busy schedules, how do you maintain your energy to keep pushing forward?

MIN HO: I think all of our members are on the same page regarding this question. We always prepare for the stage so that we are able to give energy to our fans when we go abroad. But rather, our fans give us more energy, so we gain our energy from them! Please continue to motivate us and we will always be at our best for our performances.

YOON SUNG: Because we know that we love the stage and are ambitious to show more aspects of our charms, we can move on strongly, even during the moments of temporary difficulties, by leaning on each other.

HKP: As your first debut anniversary nears, how do you feel 8TURN has evolved musically and personally over the past year? How might that growth be reflected in “STUNNING?”

HAE MIN: We had numerous improvements throughout the year!! I think we were able to strengthen our color as a group by participating in writing the lyrics and were able to participate in the album, and our music production with more depth!

KYUNG MIN: I believe 8TURN has matured a little bit more. Also, thankfully, we were able to have some chances to perform our songs abroad, which allowed us to meet our fans from abroad, and gain more confidence through diverse performances! Nevertheless, you’d be able to see more relaxed vibes that suit the album concept during this promotion!

HKP: As we wrap up, what can fans anticipate from 8TURN in the near future, and do you have any final words or messages for your supporters?

MYUNG HO: You can see our unique rizz and MYUNG HO with blonde hair! Lastly, we’ve prepared intense and addictive performances, so please look forward to that! TURNING! Let’s have fun with 8TURN in 2024 too!

JAE YUN: As we start 2024 with our 3rd mini album, I hope you look forward to a variety of promotions that 8TURN is planning both domestically and internationally during 2024. We are going to promote a lot more than last year, so please look forward to us. Thank you.

Connect with 8TURN on Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube, and FanCafe.

Listen to their discography on Spotify or Apple Music.

• [Exclusive Interview] 17 Questions With 8TURN: A Rookie Group Breaking All The “Rules”

*Special thanks to 8TURN and MNH Entertainment for this exclusive interview.

Image and Video Credits: MNH Entertainment