한국인의 고향은 그들의 철학을 반영한다. 이 철학은 한국인의 정신 깊숙이 뿌리내려 있으며, 조국을 향한 그들의 사랑은 매우 깊다. 애정은 82메이저(82MAJOR)라는 그룹명에서도 드러난다. 이름의 시작이 국가 번호 +82로 되어 있으니까. 이들은 K-POP 씬에 등장한 지 1년 남짓밖에 되지 않았지만, 전 세계적인 주목을 받고 있다. 그들의 재능은 언어, 거리의 문화적 장벽을 뛰어넘어 세계적으로 인정받고 있다. 동서양의 영향을 자연스럽게 융합하며, 앵글로 및 라틴 시장을 겨냥한 전략으로 업계에서 성장 중이다.
바쁜 촬영과 작업이 이어지던 어느 오후, 82MAJOR는 스튜디오에서 우리를 반갑게 맞이해 그들의 여정을 솔직하게 들려주었다. 데뷔 이후의 변화와 앞으로의 꿈에 대해 진지하게 이야기해 주었으며, 곧 공개될 흥미로운 프로젝트들이 그들을 한층 더 높은 단계로 이끌 것으로 보인다. 지금 서울뿐만 아니라 전 세계적으로도 “Stuck” 챌린지가 화제를 모으고 있다.
82MAJOR가 특히 눈에 띄는 점은 시장에 대한 선구적인 접근 방식이다. 이들은 비트 제작 등 멤버 중심의 창작을 통해 더욱 개인적인 작업물을 선보이며, 기존의 아이돌 모델과 차별화된다. 요즘 아이돌들은 자신의 음악에 더 많은 주도권을 가지고 있으며, 이는 업계 전반에 걸쳐 예술적 자율성을 향한 움직임으로 이어지고 있다.
인터뷰 중 82MAJOR 멤버들이 보여준 진정성과 프로페셔널함은 그들의 헌신과 자신감, 그리고 따뜻함을 잘 보여준다. 그들은 스스로의 성취에 자부심을 가지고 있으며, 혁신적이고 진정성 있으며 정교하게 제작된 음악을 만들어냈다. 우리는 이들을 RSK 가족으로 맞이하게 되어 매우 영광이었으며, 앞으로도 한국 문화를 세계에 전하는 이들의 여정을 전폭적으로 응원할 것이다.
드디어 기다림은 끝났다. 82MAJOR는 팬미팅 일정을 발표하며 많은 이들의 기대감을 높였다. (인터뷰일 기준) 2월에는 쿠알라룸푸르와 방콕을 방문할 예정이며, 이 재능 있는 그룹을 열정적으로 맞이할 팬들의 반응이 벌써 기대된다. 설렘과 사랑, 그리고 음악에 대한 열정이 폭발하는 시간이 될 것이다! 머지않아 미국과 라틴 아메리카도 방문해 팬들의 마음을 사로잡기를 기대한다. 세계는 그들을 맞이할 준비가 되어 있으니까!
1. [RSK] 이렇게 인터뷰에 응해주셔서 정말 기뻐요! 대한민국을 대표하는 분들과 만날 수 있어 정말 영광입니다. 오늘 잊지 못할 대화가 될 거예요!
윤예찬: 우리도 정말 영광이에요. 감사합니다. 이렇게 인터뷰에 응하게 되어 정말 기쁘고, 최선을 다할게요.
조성일: 롤링스톤 코리아와 함께하게 되어 정말 영광입니다.
2. [RSK] 최근 여러분의 음악을 들으며 감탄했어요. 짧은 시간이었지만 전 세계 팬들에게 큰 반향을 일으켰고, 심지어 라틴 아메리카와 미국에서도 좋은 평가를 받고 있더라고요! 올 한 해 동안 여러분이 이룬 가장 중요한 성과가 있다면, 직업적으로나 개인적으로 어떤 점이 있었나요?
박석준: 워터밤 페스티벌에서 라이브 공연을 할 수 있었던 기회가 정말 특별했어요. 굉장히 멋진 경험이었고, 다시 참여할 수 있다면 좋겠어요. 그 무대를 통해 우리만의 리듬과 흐름을 찾게 된 것 같아요. 항상 최선을 다하며 대중의 반응을 기대하면서 음악을 만들고 있어요. 앞으로도 모든 기회를 소중히 여기며 최선을 다하겠습니다.
6. [RSK] 여러분은 정말 놀라워요! 뭔가 유니크하고 신선한 느낌이 있거든요. '섹시한' 무드도 있고, 동시에 누구나 공감할 수 있는 대중성도 있고요. 이런 점이 바로 여러분을 특별하게 만들고, 국제적인 매력을 더해주는 요소라고 생각해요. 전 세계적으로도 마케팅하기 쉬운, 정말 강력한 조합이죠! 이제 이야기를 좀 바꿔볼게요. 최근 앨범을 만드는 과정은 어땠나요?
조성일: 전체 앨범 제작 과정은 솔직히 쉽지 않았어요. 고된 싸움(uphill battle) 같은 느낌이었어요. 당연히 많은 어려움과 복잡한 순간들이 있었죠. 그와 동시에 굉장히 즐겁고 행복한 순간도 있었어요. 특히 <Gossip>과 <Face Time>은 원래 앨범 수록곡이 아니라 공연을 위해 만들었던 곡이에요. 나중에 타이틀곡과 연결해 보니 너무 잘 어울려서 앨범에 포함하게 되었어요. 그런데 이 곡들이 메인 싱글과 잘 어울린다는 걸 알게 되었죠.
그래서 콘서트와 퍼포먼스를 준비하면서 저희는 곡을 쓰고, 가사를 수정하고, 다시 쓰고, 새로운 비트를 찾고, 완벽하게 만들기 위해 가능한 모든 걸 했어요.
많은 노력과 시간이 들어갔지만, 과정을 즐기고 서로를 지지하며 함께 했어요. 앞으로도 그렇게 할 것 같아요.
7. [RSK] 자, 여러분. 전 세계에서 팬들의 응원이 얼마나 중요한지 아시죠? 여러분은 정말 단단한 기반을 쌓고 있어요. 오래도록 지속될 무언가를 만들고 있는 거예요. 이 순간까지 오기 위해 수년간의 노력과 훈련, 희생이 있었고, 대부분의 사람은 그 부분을 잘 모르죠. 그렇다면, 전 세계 팬들의 사랑이 여러분에게 어떤 의미인가요?
김도균: 팬들의 사랑은 절대 당연한 게 아니에요. 오히려 그 사랑 덕분에 계속 나아갈 수 있는 동기부여가 돼요. 팬들이 정말 저희를 많이 응원해 주시기 때문에 그저 감사할 따름이고, 응원이야말로 큰 원동력이 되는 것 같아요. 이번 앨범에서는 음악 방송 녹화를 하면서 많은 팬분들을 직접 만날 수 있었어요. 그게 가장 큰 동기부여가 되었어요.
8. [RSK] 여러분은 정말 밝고 긍정적인 에너지를 전해요. 앞으로의 목표나 계획이 궁금해요.
박석준: 세계 투어를 하고, 새로운 문화를 경험하고, 전 세계 팬들과 직접 만나고 싶어요. 다른 아티스트들과도 만나고, 협업도 해보고 싶고요. 우리는 진짜 ‘메이저’가 되기 위해 계속 성장할 거예요.
9. [RSK] 라틴 음악이 세계적으로 떠오르고 있는 지금, 여러분은 그 장르나 문화에 대해 어떻게 생각하세요? 협업에도 관심 있나요?
황성빈: 요즘 고음 위주의 사운드를 자주 사용하게 되면서, 예찬이랑 라틴 리듬에 대해 많이 얘기했어요. 리듬이 정말 매력적이더라고요.
윤예찬: 저도 라틴 음악을 많이 듣고 있어요. 컬래버에 대한 열망도 크고, 저희 음악과 잘 어울릴 수 있는 리듬이라고 생각해요.
만약 라틴 아메리카 아티스트와 컬래버를 하게 된다면 정말 영광일 것 같아요. 당연히 J Balvin이나 Rosalía 같은 아티스트들—정말 많은 멋진 아티스트들이 라틴 아메리카에서 나오고 있잖아요. 저도 개인적으로 정말 좋아해요. 항상 찾아보고, 그 씬을 공부하고 있어요.
물리적으로는 멀리 있는 것 같지만, 동시에 굉장히 가깝게 느껴져요. 컬래버를 성사해서 라틴 아메리카나 한국, 아니면 어느 나라든 가고 싶어요. 미래를 상상하면 정말 설레요.
10. [RSK] 마지막으로, 팬들이 가장 궁금해할 미래 계획에 대해 알려주세요!
윤예찬: 아직 공개되지는 않았지만, 여러 가지 계획을 준비하고 있어요. 사실 우리 리더가 얼마 전에 곧 콘서트가 있을 거라고 얘기해줬어요. 정확히 언제가 될지는 모르겠지만, 저희는 항상 준비 중이에요.
물론, 남미와 북미에도 꼭 가고 싶어요. 브라질은 특히 정말 빨리 가보고 싶고요. 아마도 그 지역에서 투어가 있을 수도 있는데, 저희는 언제나 열린 마음이에요. 만약 초대를 받는다면, 비행기 티켓만 보내주세요. 바로 갈게요. 어떤 페스티벌과 연계해서도 할 수 있을 거고, 그렇게 큰 무대에서 함께 나누는 게 최고의 방법이니까요.
[RSK] 오늘 인터뷰 정말 감사드리고, 이 대화를 통해 많은 팬이 여러분을 더 깊이 알아가는 계기가 되기를 바랍니다. 감사합니다!
Photographs by GREAT M Entertainment
82MAJOR: Revolutionizing K-Pop with a Bold New Creative Wave
The birthplace of South Korean people is a reflection of a philosophy deeply ingrained in the spirit of the Korean people. Their immense love for their country is so profound that even 82MAJOR, the band name, starts with the country code +82. Though they've been part of the K-pop scene for just over a year, their rapid rise has caught global attention. Their talent is celebrated worldwide, transcending cultural barriers of language and distance. They seamlessly blend Eastern and Western influences, becoming a growing force in the industry, with a clear focus on reaching both Anglo and Latin markets.
During a busy afternoon of photoshoots and work, the group graciously welcomed us into the studio to share their journey with Rolling Stone Korea. They spoke candidly about their evolution since debuting, and their dreams for the future, with exciting projects on the horizon that promise to take them to the next level in the industry, for now eb¿verybody in Seoul And worldwide are enjoying their song “Stuck” song viral challenge.
One of the standout qualities of 82MAJOR is their pioneering approach to the market. They offer more personal, member-driven creations, such as producing their own beats. This sets them apart from the usual idol model, where the creative process is typically handled by external teams. In this new era, idols are taking a more active role in shaping their sound, contributing to a shift in the industry toward greater artistic autonomy.
The authenticity and professionalism displayed by each member of 82MAJOR during our interview reflects their dedication, kindness, and confidence in their work. They are proud of what they have accomplished—producing music that is innovative, authentic, and professionally crafted. We were honored to welcome the band into the RSK family, and we are excited to support their projects as they continue to serve as ambassadors of South Korean culture to the world.
The wait is finally over! The boys have announced their international fans meetings and they’re going to be epic! (As of the interview) In February, they’ll be in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, and we’re sure their international fans will welcome them with all the love and energy this talented group deserves. It’s going to be an explosion of excitement, affection, and of course, pure passion for their music! We’re hoping they’ll visit the U.S. and Latin America soon to rock the hearts of their fans and leave us breathless. The world is ready for them!
1. [RSK] I’m so excited to have you here with us! It’s truly an honor to have your presence for this exclusive interview in our magazine. Thanks to this wonderful cultural exchange we promote at RSK, I have the opportunity to connect with amazing people like you, who represent the beautiful Republic of South Korea with so much pride. Welcome, and get ready for an unforgettable conversation!
82MAJOR: (YOON YE CHAN) We're truly honored as well. Thank you so much. I'm really happy to be interviewed, and we'll do our best.
(CHO SEONG IL) I'm honored to be part of this interview with Rolling Stone Korea
2. [RSK] I’ve had the pleasure of hearing your music recently, and during my research into your incredible journey, I discovered that this has truly been an extraordinary year for you. You’ve been crafting such a special journey that’s been captivating fans all around the world. And you know what? Even in Latin America and the United States, we’ve been hearing great things about you! Could you share with us the most important achievement you’ve been building in both your professional and personal life throughout this incredible year?
82MAJOR: (PARK SEOK JOON) We had the incredible opportunity to perform live at the Waterbomb Festival. It was an amazing experience, and hopefully, we’ll get the chance to do it again. It was a crazy time, and after that, I feel like we really found our rhythm and momentum. We've put so much love and effort into everything, always hoping for the best response from the audience. Every opportunity we've had, and will have, we’ll make sure to rise to the occasion, working as hard as we always do.
3. [RSK] All around the world, when we think of K-pop, we know we're expecting an unmatched level of quality. It's a whole different world compared to Latin or Western music! Everything about you projects perfection—from your incredible dance moves to your elegance and manners. So, I’d love to know… what do you think is that special plus you have to keep raising the bar in K-pop and ensure it continues to conquer hearts worldwide?
HWANG SEONG BIN: There are many artists who perform live and have so much to showcase through their music, and I believe this is one of the reasons why K-pop became so famous. It pushes the quality of K-pop products to a very high level—not only in terms of external appearance but also through the powerful messages conveyed in K-pop music. This combination of factors makes the overall quality of K-pop exceptionally high.
YOON YE CHAN: K-pop itself isn’t just one genre; it’s a fusion of various genres from different countries and cultures, all blended into one. For example, even our title track is clearly alternative hip-hop, which, of course, didn’t originate in Korea. But even though we call it K-pop, there are always hidden meanings and hidden genres within our songs. And I feel that’s what helps us connect with people all around the world, truly.
4. [RSK] Guys, I’d love to hear about what inspires you—what artists, what rhythms, what cultures? And how has this all turned into a message that you carry with you every day and share with the world through your art?
HWANG SEONG BIN: I started with music after listening to Post Malone. His message really spoke to me, and it truly inspired me. I want to be an artist who can share a similar message with the world. We write songs based on our experiences, always putting our hearts into them. We don’t always stick to a predetermined concept, but we focus on developing ourselves and exploring new ideas. That’s where our inspiration comes from. Of course, Post Malone’s influence makes me love music even more and keeps me moving forward. He’s the kind of artist I dream of becoming. He’s the reason I decided to step out and share my feelings with the world, just like he does.
5. [RSK] It’s been a year since your debut in the global music industry! How do you evaluate your evolution so far? What have been the biggest challenges and achievements that have helped you grow both personally and professionally?
NAM SEONG MO: Music is constantly evolving, and trends are changing every day. To stay on top of things, we’re listening to a lot of new music and exploring what’s resonating with people right now. We want to understand what’s capturing everyone’s attention and how we can incorporate those elements into our own music. We’re already excited thinking about what our next album will bring, and we’ll definitely be keeping up with the freshest trends to surprise you all!
Our last album had strong hip-hop influences, with some key elements of the genre. For our next album, we’ll continue exploring those trends, but we’ll also make sure to add our own unique touch. We want each of our works to be personal, but without losing sight of what’s shaping the music scene!
6. [RSK] Let me tell you guys, you are just incredible! I'd heard about you before the interview, and honestly, I was really impressed by how much I liked it. You have something unique, fresh, with that 'sexy' vibe, yet still super accessible to all kinds of audiences. That’s what really makes you stand out—it gives you that international edge and makes it easy to market you worldwide. It’s a winning formula! Now, let’s switch gears a bit... Tell me, what was the process like for creating your latest album? I’m sure there’s a lot behind that.
CHO SEONG IL: Basically, the entire album, the whole process of creating it, was an uphill battle. So, of course, there were a lot of struggles and complications that came with it.
But there were also some really happy and fun moments we had while making the album. Especially with two songs we worked on personally—Gossip and Face Time. We actually created Face Time and Gossip for performances that weren’t even related to our album. For Gossip, for example, we made it before the Waterbomb festival, and for Face Time, it was created for our concert. But when we got the main song, we started piecing everything together and realized that these tracks really fit well with our main single.
So when we were getting ready for our concert and performances, it was all about writing the songs, making revisions, rewriting lyrics, finding new beats, and doing whatever we could to make it perfect.
It’s a lot of work and takes a lot of effort, but while we were doing it, we had a blast, and we were always there for each other. We were always together. I think that’s what we’ll keep doing.
7. [RSK] Alright, guys. You know, something that’s really important is the support you’re getting from fans all over the world. You’re building something solid, something that will last. You’ve got preparation, discipline, and years of hard work—sacrificing a lot along the way. That’s the part most people don’t see. So, how do you perceive the support you’re getting from fans worldwide? How important is this to you?
KIM DO GYUN: First of all, We don’t take fans’ love for granted. I think it’s actually our motivation to keep going because of the support they give us.
And they really do support us, so we’re super, super grateful, and it becomes this huge driving force to keep moving forward.
For this album, while recording for music shows and stuff like that, we got to meet so many fans in person and truly feel their love and energy. That ended up being a major motivational factor for everything we do.
8. [RSK] You guys radiate such genuine energy that makes you stand out wherever you go. So, I’d love to know—how do you see your future in this career? What are your plans for your journey ahead?
PARK SEOK JOON: We’d love to go on tour around the world, experience new cultures, and interact with the fans who’ve been supporting us from their countries. We also hope to meet other artists, and who knows? Maybe even collaborate with them one day. Our goal is to stay active, keep giving our best in our work, and grow professionally every day.
Since our group’s name is 82MAJOR, we’re going to work hard until we become a major force in the music scene.
9. [RSK] So, I’d love to know—how do you perceive the global music industry, especially with the rise of Latin music around the world? This question is really important to me because I’m from Colombia. So, I’m curious if you’ve heard anything about my culture, like reggaeton, tropical rhythms, and if you’d be open to collaborating with an artist from our side of the world
HWANG SEONG BIN: When we write lyrics, we use a lot of high-pitched sounds. Recently, when we were looking for those sharp sounds, I talked a lot with Yoon Yae Chan. The rhythm of reggaeton and Latin music is so amazing, so I asked him a lot about how to capture that vibe.
YOON YE CHAN: I want to try that too. I’ve heard a lot about it, so I listen to a lot of K-POP songs that have already had Latin artists involved. I thought it would be fun to write K-POP songs with that kind of music, so I really want to do it with this rhythm. I want to improve even more and write lyrics that blend with our music.
So, I produce my own music, I create beats and things like that. Of course, I study a lot of different music genres.
I’d be really honored if I could collaborate with a Latin American artist. Obviously, there’s J Balvin, Rosalía—so many incredible artists coming from Latin America that I personally love. I’m always looking them up, checking them out, and I’ve spent so much time studying that scene. It feels like it's so far away but at the same time, so close. So, I really hope we can have that collaboration soon and take it to Latin America or Korea, or honestly, anywhere.
I’m super excited to see that happen.
10. [RSK] Guys, it’s really rewarding to see how you’re elevating the name of your country and the K-pop industry. Now, our audience from Rolling Stone Korea wants to know—what can we share with them about your plans for the near future?
YOON YE CHAN: It hasn’t been released yet, but we’re planning a lot of different things. Actually, our leader just told us that we have a concert coming up soon.
We can include that. I’m not sure when it’ll happen, but obviously, we’re always preparing for it. We don’t have exact dates yet, but it’s something we’re thinking about, you know?
Of course, we want to go to the Americas, both South and North, but we’ll see how that goes. We’re hoping to go to Brazil soon, hopefully really soon. Maybe just a tour in that area, but we’re always open to ideas. If we get an invitation, you know, just send a plane ticket and I’ll be there—I’ll be there soon. It’ll be really interesting, you know? We can even tie it in with some festivals, and that’s the best way to share it—doing it in front of a big crowd is incredible.
[RSK] It’s been a real pleasure, and on behalf of RSK, we want to thank you for your time and for welcoming us in person. We hope all your fans enjoy this interview as much as we did!
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