[SECRET NUMBER] My 2nd bias💋 all in, the more I try to escape, the more dangerous it is 🐍 | PLUS+INTERVIEW

2023.07.12

On May 24th, SECRET NUMBER released their new mini album, [DOXA].The title track, ‘DOXA’, tells the story of a relentless love that continues to repeat encounters and partings, portraying the message of foolishly repeating mistakes while being aware of its harmful nature. As the theme revolves around intense love, the members’ performances are equally powerful. In the music video, they showcase a strong image with intense smokey makeup around their eyes, even beating down a cake and engaging in powerful dances. “More toxic than lo,lo-lo-lo-love I fall into it / The more I try to escape, the more dangerous it becomes”. Change and transformation. These are the principal keywords summarizing their recent activities. With alluring lyrics, who is the target that SECRET NUMBER seeks to captivate? SECRET NUMBER, is a multinational group consisting of members from South Korea, Japan and Indonesia. They have already gained significant love overseas and now declare their intention to capture the hearts of domestic music fans through this new release. In an exclusive interview with Mnet Plus Mix Package, we had the opportunity to ask and hear behind-the-scenes stories about [DOXA] directly from SECRET NUMBER. The interview with these rising stars continuing their career trajectory is now unveiled!

1. With the release of EP[LIKE IT LIKE IT] in March of this year, you announced the start of the activities in Japan. How do you feel about your activities in Japan? It must feel like a new experience?

SOODAM : I’ve always been a huge fan of Japanese movies so Japan was a country I really wanted to visit. (I had never been there before our activities.) So, to debut and promote there, I was truly, truly happy and excited. After our first activities, I was deeply moved by the kindness of Japanese fans. Even when we finished our schedule and returned to our accommodations, I enjoyed strolling around the streets, appreciating the sentimental feelings around the atmosphere.

1-1. It must be even more special for the Japanese member ‘LÉA’ to debut in Japan. Could you share your feelings when you first performed on stage in Japan?

LÉA : To be honest, it didn’t really sink in until I stood on the stage. When I finally realized, “Ah, I’m making my long-awaited debut in Japan!” I was incredibly happy and thrilled. It was beyond words, and I felt as if I were in outer space.

2. Whether it’s your debut in Japan or overall, SECRET NUMBER seems to attract more popularity overseas compared to domestically. Do the members also feel that there is a larger proportion of international fans compared to domestic fans?

MINJI : Yes, that’s right. Since we are a global group, it seems that international fans recognize and support us more. So whenever we go on an overseas schedule, many fans come to the airport just to see us and support us. We are extremely grateful and happy because of the support from countless fans.

2-1. Despite consistently promoting domestically, what do you think is the reason for the significant popularity you have gained overseas?

JINNY : I think it’s because we have members from various countries (Korea, USA, Japan, Indonesia), which allows us to communicate with fans from around the world in different languages. As we actively engage with fans in different languages, it seems that we receive more support and love from overseas fans as a result.

3. You have members from different countries such as Korea, Japan, and Indonesia, all working together. Are there any difficulties in communicating with each other? Could you share any episodes you’ve experienced while living along with different cultures?

DITA : When we go abroad, especially in the case of Indonesia, I have to speak a lot of Indonesian. So sometimes I end up speaking Indonesian even to the other members. I remember their expressions when they don’t understand and I found it funny!

4. The strengths of SECRET NUMBER lie primarily in your music. Like current K-POP trends, you often incorporate electronic elements, but you also infuse it with funky or Latin music flavors, bringing a unique touch. Another aspect worth mentioning is the pronunciation of the members. Despite having many foreign members, the Korean language doesn’t sound foreign at all in your songs. I’m curious if you pay special attention to the pronunciation.

LÉA : If you’ve noticed that, thank you so much. There are a few pronunciation points that I struggle with, so it takes a while during recordings. Continuous practice seems to be the key. Also, during live rehearsals, the members help each other, which is really beneficial.

DITA : Indonesian language doesn’t have many distinct sounds like ‘ㅌ(t)’, ‘ㄸ(tt)’, ‘ㅋ(k)’, ‘ㄲ(kk)’, and so on. So when I first learned it in Korea, it was a bit challenging. Now, since it sounds good, especially during recordings, I’m still practicing a lot.

5. What kind of album is [DOXA]? Could you please introduce what it aims to convey?

ZUU : It’s a song about a fatal love that repeats encounters and partings, yet one cannot escape from it. It is SECRET NUMBER’s first album with a dark concept.

6. The concept of the title track ‘DOXA’ is very intense. It can be seen as a transformation in terms of image from confident and assertive portrayal in the debut song ‘Who Dis?’ to what you portray now. In what aspects does this new release differ from previous activities?

DITA : I feel that we have matured a lot since our debut. Also, during our debut, it was the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, so we didn’t have many opportunities to meet our fans or the audience. But now, those opportunities are gradually increasing, and it makes the stage more exciting and enjoyable!

7. For those who haven’t listened to ‘DOXA’ yet, could you point out the appealing aspects of the song? You can also introduce the most addictive lyrics or verses from the song.

JINNY : Then one of my rap lyrics which is “I’m the S pole magnet, you’ll be attracted too. AH”. It’s addictive, right?

MINJI : The addictive verse is on my part. “My heart goes no-no-no-no-no!”. The reason is that I deliver it with a clear and energetic vocalization, so it’s an exciting verse for me to perform live. I hope you all find it addictive when you listen to it!

8. The dance performance, especially the snake-like movement, stood out. Snakes and cobras are motifs that are occasionally used by other K-POP idols as well. If there is a specific reason why SECRET NUMBER incorporated the theme of poisonous snake into your music on this album, could you please explain?

MINJI : I’ve seen other artists incorporate snakes in their choreography and music as well. The reason we used the theme of a cobra is not only because it represents a poisonous snake, but also because it symbolizes the venomous nature of a toxic (“독”한) love (“사”랑) that repeats encounters and partings. The word ‘DOXA’ is also directly mentioned in JINNY’s rap.

9. I heard that member JINNY participated in the rap-making process. If there was a particular aspect you focused on when writing the lyrics, what would it be?

JINNY : I focused on using ‘metaphors’ to express the lyrics in a more detailed and interesting way. For example, I used the metaphor of magnets to depict the mutual attraction between two individuals, as in the lyrics “Red-hot N, I only got you. I’m the S like a magnet, you’ll be attracted to me”.

10. After debuting in 2020, you have been extremely busy with six single albums, one EP, drama OSTs, and even your participation and victory in . Are there any physically challenging aspects for you?

LÉA : Personally, I have really good stamina, so I don’t find it physically challenging at all. I have confidence in my physical endurance, and getting enough sleep when I can is the best way for me to recharge my energy.

JINNY : Not at all! If I have the opportunity, I would meet LOCKEY anywhere and anytime, and I want to show them the different sides of us more frequently.

11. It’s been almost four years since your debut, and it must feel like a new chapter. When was the happiest moment for you?

SOODAM : There have been so many happy moments throughout these four years.. But if I have to pick one, I would say it’s when we met our fans and performed in front of them. Especially since we debuted during the COVID-19 pandemic, being able to perform and meet our fans in person meant a lot to us. Moments like the ‘Saudi Arabia KCON’, the three events we had in Indonesia, our first fan meeting in Japan, and our recent activities with ‘DOXA’ are the ones that come to mind when I think of the happiest times!

12. Recently, you released your first merchandise and included a fan song called ‘Beautiful One’ in your album. It seems like you’ve become closer to your fans. What does LOCKEY mean to SECRET NUMBER? Feel free to share any stories or messages with your fans that you haven’t had a chance to do so before.

DITA : LOCKEY is the presence that helps me endure difficult times. During our recent activities with ‘DOXA’, there were days when it rained, and we had early morning recordings. But LOCKEY was there with us, supporting us wholeheartedly and giving us a feeling of love and support. I love you, LOCKEY!

SOODAM : LOCKEY is my closest and most precious presence. We have active communication and share our daily lives on the community platform. We support each other, and when we face challenges, we communicate through the community and share our thoughts. They know a lot about me and are like my dearest and closest friends! I love you, LOCKEY!

13. I’m curious about your future plans. Will we be able to see you more often in Korea?

ZUU : We hope to have more opportunities to meet LOCKEY, both in Korea and internationally :)
We’ll come back with even better songs :)

14. Lastly, could each member choose one song that best captures the charm of SECRET NUMBER?

LÉA : ＜Who Dis?＞. Even though I have several favorite songs, this is the song that introduced SECRET NUMBER to the world, so it naturally holds a special place in my heart. Listening to it sometimes gives me a unique feeling. It’s hard to describe, but it touches my emotions.

DITA : ＜Got That Boom＞ is a song that showcases not only our vocals but also our dancing and rapping. It’s still our ending song during performances. I think it’s a song that can get everyone, including ourselves, excited.

JINNY : ＜SLAM＞ is a song where each member’s unique vocals and personalities shine through. Please listen to it a lot!

MINJI : ＜SLAM＞is a song I really love. It harmonizes rap and vocals perfectly, and I feel it represents our identity the best. It’s my favorite song!

SOODAM : ＜Got That Boom＞ is the song that captures the most energetic and charismatic side of SECRET NUMBER. It’s my favorite because it showcases our unique color.

ZUU : ＜Got That Boom＞ exudes a lively and vibrant energy while also displaying our charismatic and intense charm. I believe it represents the essence of SECRET NUMBER.

My hearts is addicted only to LOCKEY🐍

Please solve #SECRET_ NUMBER’s problem of wanting to be closer to LOCKEY!

If you know the answer?!