Congratulations on the release of your third mini album!
You’ve experienced the mania of comeback season a couple of times already, so now that you’re here again in 2025, we want to ask: does it feel any different from last time?
Are you more confident now, or is the process still just as thrilling as the day you debuted?
Hwan Seong Bin: We’re happy to be coming back, first of all! Not sure if it feels different, but I think we’ve become a bit more relaxed compared to before. And we’re still very excited to meet our fans!
Park Seok Joon: Every time we release a new album we’re always full of anticipation and excitement. I hope everyone will love this album too.
We’ve seen some concept photos of you all in pyjamas for the comeback promotions.
Please tell our curious readers what links this cosy concept with 82MAJOR’s signature powerful sound?
Yoon Ye Chan: I think it will be easy to understand if you look at the music video storyline. We tried combining different styles like punk and grunge to express an unconventional style.
Seok Joon: There’s a lot of fun details to look out for in the music video, like a t-shirt with a cute character paired with an intense-looking prop. We wanted to express our freedom through the outfits and the music. It symbolizes staying quiet (SILENCE) in a structured system. Also, it shows how we are going to break that system and stun people into SILENCE with our music.
82MAJOR has delved into Hip-Hop for most of your discography, and it looks like 82DE (82MAJOR’s fans) can look forward to more from where that came from in SILENCE SYNDROME.
Is Hip-Hop the primary sound you want to brand yourselves with? Do you have any sonic surprises in store for fans this comeback?
Nam Seong Mo: I’d say it is hip-hop (that we want to brand ourselves with). There are lots of genres within hip-hop, and we are trying those various genres in 82MAJOR’s own style. A great example is the song ‘영웅호걸’ (HEROES) from this album. The song features Korean traditional instrument sounds, so there are Korean elements with our own style of hip-hop added to them.
Ye Chan: It’s not a huge difference, but ‘Promise You’ is in a different style. We’ve shown a lot of bold and intense music so far, but this song is softer and easier to listen to.
What are your favourite songs from the EP? Are there any that you predict fans will be playing on repeat the most?
Seong Mo: My favourite is ‘Promise You’, because we can share a song filled with our sincere feelings with our fans. And I think the song that fans will be playing on repeat will be ‘영웅호걸’ (HEROES), because the chorus is addictive!
Seok Joon: ‘Passport’. I especially like the intense sound!
Ye Chan: ‘영웅호걸’ (HEROES), because you can feel the aura of 82MAJOR.
Seong Bin: ‘TAKEOVER’. I think it’s a song that has a lot of hip-hop sounds. I think this song coveys the kind of music that 82MAJOR aims for.
Cho Seong Il: The title track of this album, ‘TAKEOVER’. First of all, the song is so good. And the reason I think fans will be listening on repeat is because, like when you see the word ‘choke’ you immediately think of our song ‘Choke’, whenever you see the word ‘takeover’ you’re going to immediately think of our song.
As a group, you’re often cloaked in black, tough-boy garb to represent your image, and this is reflected in all the music you put out. However, we’ve seen snippets of 82MAJOR’s more chill vibe in the latter end of your last EP, X-82.
What do the softer sides of 82MAJOR look like?
Seong Mo: You’ll know immediately when you see us with our fans. When we express our love to our fans, we become very soft. On stage we look very intense, but off stage we become ‘82DE babies’. We try to listen to everything that the fans want, and we’re always smiling!
Seong Il: ‘Promise You’ is exactly what that looks like! It’s a song that expresses all of our love for our fans, and you’ll be able to feel our sincere and affectionate feelings.
Yoon Ye Chan: I think it will be easy to understand if you look at the music video storyline. We tried combining different styles like punk and grunge to express an unconventional style.
Seok Joon: There’s a lot of fun details to look out for in the music video, like a t-shirt with a cute character paired with an intense-looking prop. We wanted to express our freedom through the outfits and the music. It symbolizes staying quiet (SILENCE) in a structured system. Also, it shows how we are going to break that system and stun people into SILENCE with our music.
Kim Do Gyun: ‘영웅호걸’(HEROES)! I like it because it’s just so cool to listen to.
We’ve spoken about your output, but what about 82MAJOR’s input? Can you share some of the inspiration that goes into the comeback process?
Seok Joon: I think everything we felt during our ‘Stuck’ promotions became both an inspiration and motivation. We monitored ourselves closely and improved parts that fell short, and we wanted to show our growth to fans to reciprocate their love.
Remarkably, you’ve all had a decent share in the creation process, including writing and composing, which not all idol groups take part in.
What are some of your personal favourite lyrics you’ve penned, and what do they mean to you personally?
Seong Mo: To be honest, I can’t choose just one because we pour our hearts into all of our lyrics. All of our songs are so good, so I hope people will listen to all of our songs!
Seong Il: “하루의 시작은 너야” (translated to ‘You are the beginning of my day’) from ‘Promise You’. It’s what I think of when I think of our fans.
Seok Joon: “따스한 햇살과 바람” (translated to ‘Warm sunshine and wind’) from ‘Promise you’. These lyrics represent the love I’m sending to our fans. It’s because to me, our fans bring warmth and happiness like sunshine and wind.
Ye Chan: “I’m an alien like the first one on the moon yeah” from ‘Promise You’. I like it because I think the expression ‘alien’ is funny.
Seong Bin: “머머머머 머리어깨무릎발” (translated to ‘He, he, he, he Head Shoulders Knees Toes’) from ‘영웅호걸’ (HEROES). I think a lot of people can sing along to it easily, and it’s addictive!
Do Gyun: All of my parts from 82. It’s because it’s the first lyrics I ever wrote to be released as a song.
Your new comeback teases an EP imbued with charisma and an unapologetic feel. Out of all the members, who is the most rebellious?
Do you have any fun anecdotes to share with our readers?
Seong Bin: Kim Do Gyun. For this album Do Gyun cut his hair short and dyed it red, and not only does it look really good on him but also it fits the ‘rebellious’ concept so well.
Seong Il: I don’t know if we have any rebellious anecdotes haha. All members are very mischievous though! Seong Mo once pranked the CEO of our management company and surprised her haha.
Was there a moment of your careers – predebut or now out in the field – where you truly felt your camaraderie solidify as a team?
What does being a member of 82MAJOR mean to you?
Seong Il: We once said that whenever anyone’s having a hard time, we should all get together and boost each other up. And there are times when we share all the difficulties we’re having, and I think those moments have helped solidify our camaraderie as a team!
Seong Mo: I think it [being a member of 82MAJOR] makes me feel more responsible. There is a role that each person has to play as a member of a team, so naturally it gives me a sense of responsibility.
Seok Joon: ‘Us’: To me, 82MAJOR is six but also one, and it means all of us.
Ye Chan: Family! 82MAJOR is family!
Seong Il: Pride. I feel pride because we are using the country code of Korea ‘82’ as our team name!
Seong Bin: By being part of 82MAJOR I realized how precious it is to have teammates by my side.
Do Gyun: Luck. Being part of 82MAJOR is luck itself.
Is there a particular member you’d like to give an extra little shout out to?
Seong Mo: Kim Do Gyun. The age difference isn’t huge, but still he is the youngest member and I’m so grateful that he has a good time with us, his hyungs (older brothers). If I were in his shoes, I think I’d feel lonely. I want to give a shout out to Do Gyun for getting along so well with the older members!
Seong Il: I want to give a shout out to the member who I feel especially thankful for whenever we have schedules overseas. It’s Seong Bin! Seong Bin is fluent in Japanese, so he helps out a lot during our Japan schedules. I feel very grateful for that, and I want to give him a shout out.
You describe yourselves as performance-driven. In your own words, what is the key to a good performance?
What are some performances in history that have inspired you to push your limits and achieve greatness on stage?
Ye Chan: I think facial expressions are key during music shows. There are a lot of close-up shots of our faces, so we try to focus not just on the choreography but also on our facial expressions! And at concerts, energy and passion are key elements! So that the audience can also have a great time and connect with us on
the spot.
Seong Mo: This year’s Super Bowl. I was surprised by the big scale performance and it was so cool. I’d love to perform there someday!
Do Gyun: There’s one from our own performances! It’s from our first concert 82 PEOPLE. It was so much fun to do our first concert, and it made me want to share this energetic performance with even more people at an even bigger venue.
You’ve achieved a lot already in the early days of your careers. However, what is your absolute biggest dream you want to attain as a group?
Seong Mo: To enter all of our songs from one album on a music chart!
Ye Chan: To go to the Grammy Awards and win an award!
Reflecting on your younger, predebut selves, is there anything you’d say to yourself, or offer as encouragement, in hindsight?
Seong Mo: Study English hard.
Seok Joon: Don’t hold back and do everything you want to right now!
Ye Chan: Be a bit more serious.
Seong Il: Read a lot of books.
Seong Bin: You’re going to be getting all the love, I’m jealous.
Do Gyun: You’re doing well, keep it up.
You can listen to SILENCE SYNDROME here. You can find 82MAJOR on Instagram.
