EXCLUSIVE: K-pop band WEi, formed during the pandemic, hasn't met fans in person

WEi, which made its debut last October, shares with StarLifestyle the band's beginnings. Photo: Handout

K-POP fans, rejoice! There’s a new South Korean boy band hitting the music scene.

WEi (pronounced “We-I”) made its debut last October and in just a few short months, the six-man band has released two mini albums – Identity: First Sight and Identity: Challenge.

StarLifestyle spoke to its members – Jang Dae Hyeon, Kim Dong Han, Yoo Yong Ha, Kim Yo Han, Kang Seok Hwa and Kim Jun Seo – about the band’s beginnings and what it takes to be a K-pop band via an exclusive email interview.

At 19, Jun Seo is the youngest of the group. He talks about getting his start in the K-pop scene. “I was 17 when I learned to dance and sing for the first time. I debuted after spending a year as a trainee.”

In the K-pop trainee system, talent management agencies take young hopefuls under their wings and polish their singing and dancing abilities.

The training period is indefinite. Once the agency decides a trainee is ready, he or she will debut in a K-pop group.

Kang, 20, said he was a trainee for four years before making his debut.

The group’s oldest, 24-year-old Jang – who was a member of another K-pop group prior to joining WEi – points out that their prior experiences as trainees helped make their work a lot quicker and easier.

In just a few short months, the six-man band has released two mini albums – 'Identity: First Sight' and 'Identity: Challenge'.

“We haven’t been together for very long but I think we’ve been able to develop a strong chemistry with each other, which you can see on stage.

“It’s like we’re a family because we get along so well, ” Jang says.

Yo Han and Jun Seo adds it also helped that the members knew each other as trainees even before joining WEi.

All Or Nothing, the lead single off its latest mini album Identity: Challenge, is an energetic number about overcoming life’s challenges.

“I hope our listeners will not be afraid to take on challenges that come their way after listening to this song, ” Yoo says.

The pandemic is definitely one such challenge. As WEi made its debut in the midst of the pandemic, Yo Han says they haven’t been able to meet their fans at all.

“I feel sorry that we do not have the opportunity to meet (members of our fan club) RUi face-to-face.”

Asked what is one thing about being in a K-pop band that most people don’t know, Jang responds: “Just to make a three-minute performance a success, there’s a lot of elements we need to work hard on such as the dance choreography, the singing and many more.”

On the global success of K-pop groups in recent years, Dong Han says he has a lot of respect for BTS, the first ever K-pop group to receive a Grammy nomination.

Jun Seo notes: “I think we can be here today because our seniors paved the way for us earlier.”