Plus Magazine

Knock Knock! The rookie boy group BOYNEXTDOOR, who has just moved into the K-POP scene and started unpacking their bags, finally made their first official knock on May 30th. Through the peephole of the front door, they gave a glimpse of themselves looking excited yet at the same time full of confidence. It's now time to pull the doorknob to come face-to-face with these six refreshing boys! M Countdown Magazine will accompany you in this heart-fluttering first encounter with them.

Knock knock here, Who’s there?
BOYNEXTDOOR, we ask you to give a spirited first greeting to the K-POP fans who have warmly opened the door to welcome you!

SUNGHO: Hello! I am SUNGHO, the diligent energizer of BOYNEXTDOOR-! I will show you various aspects of myself, including my singing, performance, and unexpected charms!

RIWOO: Hello! We are BOYNEXTDOOR! I am RIWOO, who loves to dance and dances hard. Please take good care of us in the future!

MYUNG JAEHYUN: Hello, I am JAEHYUN, the leader of BOYNEXTDOOR, known for solid rapping and vocals, and always sincere in music! However, to the fans, I will approach as ‘Myung-Moong-E,’ simply joyful!

TAESAN: Hello! I am TAESAN, the giant mountain of BOYNEXTDOOR! I am diligently making music, which is both my hobby and specialty.

LEEHAN: Hello! I am LEEHAN, the idea bank of BOYNEXTDOOR, possessing an unpredictable charm.

WOONHAK: Hello! I am WOONHAK, the versatile maknae of BOYNEXTDOOR who doesn't shy away from singing, rapping, or dancing! I think my specialty is composing and the ability to express music.

We heard that your team name was already confirmed as BOYNEXTDOOR from the time of your album preparation. It seems like it might be the best expression to encompass all six of you. What were your thoughts when you first heard your team name?

SUNGHO: When I first heard the name BOYNEXTDOOR, it was a bit unfamiliar and awkward because it wasn’t a word I normally hear. But after learning the meaning behind the name, I thought it was a perfect name that encapsulates our team's identity.

RIWOO: BOYNEXTDOOR was a word I had never heard before, so it felt very unfamiliar. But once I heard the meaning, I found myself nodding in agreement. I think it’s a team name that represents us very well.

MYUNG JAEHYUN: As soon as I heard the team name BOYNEXTDOOR, I thought, ‘Is there a name that can describe our team this well?’

TAESAN: At first, I thought it was the name of the album and thought, ‘Oh, this name is very unique.’ But when I found out it was our team name, it felt even more distinctive!

LEEHAN: All of us thought that BOYNEXTDOOR is a team name that can really represent us well when we heard it.

WOONHAK: I thought the word BOYNEXTDOOR itself really suited us, and I remember liking it more as it seemed to roll off the tongue the more we used it!

Could you introduce the debut work, [WHO!], which is likely to shape your first impressions?

SUNGHO: Our debut single [WHO!] contains two meanings in the word 'WHO' as you can tell. One is the question ‘Who’ that comes from wondering who might be the person that makes BOYNEXTDOOR fall in love. The other is ‘Who’ as in showing who BOYNEXTDOOR is as we finally step out into the world. The album captures these two meanings!

Despite this being your first album, MYUNG JAEHYUN, TAESAN, and WOONHAK participated directly in songwriting and composing. In what specific parts of the album did you contribute?

MYUNG JAEHYUN: For ‘But I Like You,’ I wrote the melody line and lyrics, including the rap. I remember it took me less than 10 minutes to write the lyrics from the ‘No way’ part to the ‘I’m serious’ part!

For ‘Serenade,’ I participated in songwriting and drew upon a story of my parents to write the lyrics ‘I love you baby baby baby, I shout so loudly that my sincerity is known to the entire neighborhood, neighbors ya ya ya can’t sleep at all’.

TAESAN: In the process of creating the song ‘But I Like You’, I contemplated with the producers what the most definite phrase would be to express the feeling of one-sided love. We discussed over 180 phrases, and amongst them, ‘But I Like You’ was chosen as the title as it revealed the most honest emotion!

WOONHAK: When I work on songs, I try to communicate a lot by sharing my opinions, like what I would feel in such a situation, what actions I would take, and so on! I imagined what I would think before making a confession. No matter how confident one acts, I felt like everything from my head to toes, or even my heart, would be nervous. So, I ended up writing the honest lyrics ‘From my head to my toes, no, even my heart feels nervous’.

Your songs ‘But I Like You’, 'One and Only', and 'Serenade' all contain distinct personalities and tastes. Among these songs, which one or which part do you think best represents yourselves?

SUNGHO: I think ‘One and Only’ is the song that can describe us the best. I believe it’s the perfect song to showcase our confidence and individuality!

RIWOO: It’s ‘One and Only’. The part I'm most confident in and love is ‘I don't feel like going home early’. This part transitions from rap by other members to vocals, so I put a lot of effort into it, and I am the happiest when singing this part.

MYUNG JAEHYUN: In ‘But I Like You’, I think the part ‘If you see me as a bad guy, that’s a misunderstanding’ suits me well!

TAESAN: It’s the ‘Which outfit should I choose?’ part in ‘One and Only’. I can express the lyrics well with gestures that match!

LEEHAN: It’s the last ‘No?’ part in ‘But I Like You’. It might be a little hard to understand when you hear it for the first time, but you’ll find out why this part reveals me well!

WOONHAK: I would like to say ‘One and Only’. The reason is that it’s a song through which I can show both the cuteness from my youthfulness and the swagger from my freshness. Also, my favorite lyrics are ‘Imma fresh so clean, so tidy’ in ‘One and Only,’ and the reason is that this single line expresses me very well!

Do you have any memorable episodes from shooting all three of your music videos, which were woven into a story set in everyday spaces in Los Angeles, USA?

RIWOO: The group dance scene in ‘One and Only’ is memorable for me. I still vividly remember the feeling and energy when we shot in the rain with young dancers.

LEEHAN: I really like fish, so the scene that was shot in the aquarium for the ‘But I Like You’ music video is most memorable for me. Seeing fish that are hard to find in Korea made me very happy during the shooting!

On the 30th of last month, you revealed various contents including performances of the triple title tracks through your debut show 〈BOYNEXTDOOR TONIGHT〉. Since you adopted the show format, there must have been many parts where you had to take the lead yourselves. Were there any difficulties?

WOONHAK: I was a bit nervous standing in front of the camera, but once I got on stage, I tried to turn that nervousness into excitement so I could have more fun!

In particular, MYUNG JAEHYUN, who took on the role of MC at the debut show, showcased not only his exceptional rap skills but also his adept verbal skills. What specific aspects did you pay special attention to in preparing for the hosting?

MYUNG JAEHYUN: I considered the MC role to be important in the format of the debut show, so I diligently memorized the script and practiced speaking naturally. I prepared with the intention of always showing a good image. And I was so happy as it was my first time standing on such a stage!

You have actively utilized the word 'DOOR' from your team name not only in your music and videos but also on stage. What is the point choreography that should be paid attention to?

RIWOO: In ‘One and Only,’ when MYUNG JAEHYUN knocks and opens the door, all the members appear from inside the door and groove to the rhythm. It's a section that feels incredibly fresh and shows a sense of style. It's also a part that represents us, BOYNEXTDOOR, the best.

TAESAN: In the song ‘But I Like You,’ I hope you pay careful attention to the chorus part. There is a choreography point in the ‘But I Like You’ section that can make you feel like you're going crazy!

While you value your performances, it seems like you particularly focus on your music with great dedication. If you were to express the music that BOYNEXTDOOR pursues in one word, what would it be?

LEEHAN: It's ‘empathy’. We made efforts to incorporate the emotions that can be felt in everyday life into our music.

‘Mm mm, my playlist right now’, what is the song that BOYNEXTDOOR enjoys listening to the most these days?

SUNGHO: These days, I think I listen to our debut single, which has finally come out into the world, the most. While listening to our songs, I always have many discussions with the members to deliver even more perfect and great performances.

RIWOO: The song I've been listening to these days is ‘Everyday With You’ by Delgukhwa.

MYUNG JAEHYUN: My playlist is currently filled with BOYNEXTDOOR's songs and the music I have created. Someday, I want to share all these songs with everyone!

TAESAN: My all-time favorite song is ‘Top of the World’ by The Carpenters, and I've been listening to it again these days!

LEEHAN: I often listen to our song ‘Serenade’. It's a song that not only has great music but also overflows with hidden charms on stage.

WOONHAK: I listen to the songs featured in BOYNEXTDOOR's album [WHO!] the most! They are really good!

Though it hasn't been long, if you were to choose the happiest moment since your debut, when would it be?

SUNGHO: I think this very moment is the happiest for me. I am so happy that we can finally stand on this stage and meet our fans in person!

RIWOO: Every day since our debut has been like a dream, so I can say I am happy every day, every time.

MYUNG JAEHYUN: If I have to choose the happiest moment after our debut, it would be when we first met our fans at the music show set. It felt like overwhelming emotions of excitement and love ignited once again!

TAESAN: I was truly happy when I found out that fans were coming to the pre-recording set. It was the first time in my life to meet fans, so I was so curious and excited about how they would support us and what they would say.

LEEHAN: Right now! I always cherish every moment.

WOONHAK: Every moment is truly happy, but if I have to pick one, it would be the moment when we directly faced our fans during the pre-recording. It was such a joyful and honorable moment! It was truly touching.

What is a memorable comment of support that stands out in your memory?

SUNGHO: I remember a comment that said, “BOYNEXTDOOR is doing great”. It left a lasting impression because it made me feel rewarded for our long preparation, and it reminded me of the determination to deliver even more amazing performances, knowing that people are anticipating us.

RIWOO: The comment that stands out in my memory is, “I'll cherish you, RIWOO, for a lifetime.”

MYUNG JAEHYUN: If I have to choose a memorable comment of support, it would be “Proud fan of MYUNG JAEHYUN”. It was incredibly touching because I often express my desire to be an artist who uplifts the spirits of fans, and this support made me feel truly moved.

TAESAN: Rather than a specific comment that stands out, whenever we post content or write on Weverse, fans always leave beautiful words of encouragement. Each and every comment is immensely helpful. When I read those comments, it uplifts my mood, and even though I'm not someone who spends much time on my phone, there are times when I end up spending hours just reading comments.

LEEHAN: The comment that stuck in my memory is, “Leehan, I'll buy you lots of jelly, hehe”. It was a witty and cute form of support.

WOONHAK: I saw a comment that said, “The greatest talent in South Korea”. It was a phrase I really wanted to hear, so I was genuinely happy when I read it!

What goals do you want to achieve this year?

SUNGHO: All the members have the same goal, and that is to get the Rookie of the Year award. We want to experience receiving the Rookie of the Year award, which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

RIWOO: Since we are a team that brings joy to both listening and watching, we want to achieve the top spot in popular rising videos on video platforms.

MYUNG JAEHYUN: Our goal is to showcase our prepared performances in diverse ways. We have a strong desire to evoke empathy from many people and provide stages that satisfy our fans.

TAESAN: Our goal this year is for more people to recognize us and to become closer to our fans!

LEEHAN: My goal is to see fans personally setting pictures of me and the members as their phone lock screens.

WOONHAK: My goal for this year is to receive a lot of love from fans and to stand happily on stage with the members!

What kind of ‘youth’ do you want BOYNEXTDOOR to portray in the future?

SUNGHO: I hope that we can remain in your memories as a special time and a happy youth.

RIWOO: Personally, I want us to become a team that people can reminisce about and say, ‘Those were the days of youth,’ while watching our music and videos.

MYUNG JAEHYUN: I have a hope that in the youth we will paint in the future, it will depict us growing together with our fans.

TAESAN: For our youth, I hope that when we look back, it will be a tapestry of colorful and diverse experiences, without any regrets - a treasure trove of satisfying memories we can proudly share with others.

LEEHAN: I believe our youth is about giving our best in every moment and living in the present without any regrets when looking back.

WOONHAK: I think our youth is about freshness! Youth and freshness are something that can always be felt yet easily missed. If any of you have momentarily forgotten about your youth, we want to bring it back to you and make you feel the freshness and confidence of youth through our performances and songs!

There are still many places where BOYNEXTDOOR's knock has not yet reached. Could you tell the fans who you will soon meet about your ambitious aspirations for the future?

SUNGHO: We will showcase various aspects of BOYNEXTDOOR with comfortable yet fresh and cool music and stages in the future! Thank you!

RIWOO: Wherever you are, we will come and knock, so please open the door of your hearts. We have worked really, really hard, so we hope you have high expectations! The name is BOYNEXTDOOR!!!

MYUNG JAEHYUN: As I mentioned before, I will do my best. No matter where you are, please wait a little as we will come to meet you. We will come as BOYNEXTDOOR! Love you!

TAESAN: You can stay right where you are. We will come to pick you up!

LEEHAN: If you see a door nearby, how about giving it a light knock, twice? BOYNEXTDOOR might appear as a surprise! I will continue to grow and never lose the initial enthusiasm.

WOONHAK: Our knock will not stop until it reaches beyond every door in the world! We will continue to grow, staying true to what we originally set out to achieve, and working even harder as BOYNEXTDOOR! Thank you!