EXCLUSIVE | TEMPEST gets candid about their debut, struggles & new experiences as idols
TEMPEST, the rookie boy group from Yuehua Entertainment, made their debut on March 2 this year after their original debut was delayed as members tested positive for Covid-19. Showing the Coronavirus who the real bosses were, all sick members recovered and finally made their debut with their first mini-album ‘It’s Me, It’s Me,’ which was released with the lead single, ‘Bad News’. The title track as well as all other songs of the album were instant hits as the group recorded a total of 2,000,000 streams on Spotify alone as of March 30.
The boy group also showed how thoughtful they were as they announced their fandom name - iE (pronounced as ‘Eye’). The name contains a smart pun, implying their fans are the “eye” of the storm that TEMPEST members are setting up in K-pop. The name represents how members of the group think their power comes from fans. Given the love that the members of TEMPEST show to fans, fans have also given it back to the members with the success of their debut album. In an exclusive interview, TEMPEST answers a few questions that will give iEs more insight into their K-pop journey.
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MEAWW: Congratulations on your successful debut that happened after so many ups and downs due to Covid-19. It must have been an extremely difficult journey, kudos to you. We hope you are all better and are able to promote ‘It’s Me, It’s We’ well.
Before we move further into talking about your debut album, we would like to ask what is the meaning of your group name ‘Tempest’ and what it means to you?
LEW: TEMPEST means a strong storm and our name conveys our aspiration to sweep everything in our path with our powerful energy and performance. To us, TEMPEST is “one” and it’s “my everything.”
MEAWW: For Lew and Hyeongseop, you had already made your debut as a duo in 2017. How is the experience of being in a duo different than being part of a boy group?
LEW: Even back then, we relied on each other and had fun during our promotion. And now, the joy and sense of reassurance are doubled as much as the increased number of TEMPEST members.
HYEONGSEOP: The energy and synergy have increased with having five more members with us. Our teamwork has also become stronger from relying on each other.
MEAWW: For all other members that have made their debut for the first time, how is your new experience of being K-pop idols different from being trainees? What has changed?
HANBIN: The only places we went to when we were trainees were home and the practice room, so there was more time spent practicing. But after our debut, there are things other than practicing that we need to do. In short, the period as a trainee is practicing and improving yourself while the period after debut is time to show the product, that required arduous effort from your trainee days, and professionalism.
HYUK: The fact that I now have our precious iE who like me makes me feel a stronger sense of responsibility as an artist.
HWARANG: I think I have come to feel more responsible for each verse I rap and each movement I make when I dance. I think it’s because I don’t want to disappoint our fans.
EUNCHAN: It was difficult for me to make natural facial expressions and gestures when I was a trainee, but after our debut, I think it has become easier and it is easier than I thought.
TAERAE: My sense of commitment and responsibility became stronger.
MEAWW: For Lew: What is one thing you enjoy being the leader of Tempest? What is one thing that you do not enjoy at all?
LEW: The good thing is that I can learn and feel new things while being a leader, and something I don’t enjoy is that it requires more time and energy in order to be more active and do more things compared to the other members.
MEAWW: For Hanbin: How does it feel like being the first Vietnamese idol to debut in the K-pop industry?
HANBIN: Someone once told me that being the first one in a certain area always involves big obstacles and difficulties and it can sometimes come with a burden of instilling stereotypes in everyone because you are the first case. But, I have faith in myself, I am confident to show my talents leaving no regrets, and I am honored to be able to let more people know Vietnam, my home country. I will always be diligent and do my best to make iE, my family, and my country proud. I will do my best. Thank you!
MEAWW: For Hyeongseop: We loved watching you in ‘Mischievous Detectives’. Do you have any new acting projects or K-drama OSTs in the future?
HYEONGSEOP: First of all, we have just debuted, so I’m focusing on my music as TEMPEST. But I will try my best in any and every opportunity I come across. Both acting and participating in K-drama OSTs are goals I wish to achieve.
MEAWW: For Hyuk: How does it feel like promoting your new fandom, iE?
HYUK: We wouldn't have been able to be as happy and joyful during our promotion as we were if it weren’t for our iE. Thank you so much and we promise to try even harder and show only the best versions of ourselves! I hope to be with you for a long time!
MEAWW: For Eunchan: You were a student in the Fashion Modeling Department. Do you have plans to feature on magazine covers in the future? Or what brand would you like to model for?
EUNCHAN: I plan on doing it if given the opportunity. So, I will definitely do it if the opportunity comes. There isn’t any specific brand. I will try my best no matter what.
MEAWW: For Hwarang: Among the songs that you have written for Tempest’s ‘It’s Me. It’s We’, which song talks about your feelings the most?
HWARANG: It’s 'Bad At Love.' The song expresses the heartbreak of a boy who has a crush and I wrote it thinking about iE. I think my feelings were expressed most realistically in this song.
MEAWW: For Taerae: You are Tempest’s maknae. What benefits do you get from being the youngest in the group?
TAERAE: My “hyungs” (Korean for older brother/male) are understanding when I make the occasional mistakes and they give me a lot of advice.
MEAWW: For all: You have made your debut with a mini-album, how does it feel like having an album where members Lew and Hwarang co-wrote all the songs on the album?
HANBIN: I am extremely thrilled that TEMPEST has highly skilled members. I too wish to participate in creating the album. I am thankful to have such great members in the team.
HYEONGSEOP: I thank and respect LEW and HWARANG who took the initiative in working on the album. From them, I was motivated to participate in an album someday. I dreamt about making an album with all of our members and having them participate in the creation process.
HYUK: I think it’s more meaningful to be promoting an album that our members wrote the lyrics to.
LEW: I think it’s an honor and I feel grateful for it. I’m glad to have been able to participate to such an extent in our first debut album and it’s meaningful to be able to sing about our own stories.
HWARANG: First, I want to thank our company for giving us this opportunity in our debut album. We wouldn’t have received this question if it wasn’t for that opportunity. I will always do my best while wanting to improve. It was such an honor to share our story with iE and ask you to look forward to more of our stories that are to come.
EUNCHAN: The fact that LEW and HWARANG took part in writing the lyrics for our album makes me so happy. I was often with HWARANG when he was in the midst of writing the lyrics, and I was really proud when I heard the final result.
TAERAE: Although I couldn’t participate in making this album, my love for it is huge because my “hyungs” (Korean for older brother/male) took part in its completion.
MEAWW: You definitely are not ‘Bad News’ to your fans that love you but you still open your title track with the lyrics, ‘Here comes bad news’. What was your intention behind using ‘Bad News’ as the title of your title track?
HWARANG: 'Bad News' is like a self-introduction song that announces our entrance to the K-pop scene. The title literally means bad news in the sense that it can be bad news to iE because TEMPEST has entered the scene and our charms may make iE's hearts beat restlessly and endlessly.
MEAWW: What concepts would you like to try in your future albums?
EUNCHAN: I want to try a hip hop concept as well. I think it would show our group’s “hip” and powerful side.
MEAWW: Have you heard that a Vietnamese iE (fandom) donated 450 million Vietnamese dong ($18,000) to build schools celebrating your debut? How does it feel like receiving so much love in your rookie days from iE?
HANBIN: It’s a huge honor and joy for us. We are always ready to spread kind and positive messages to all the people in various regions and we work hard to do so. I would also like to say thank you to our fans who have been supporting us since day one. Thank you so much. We will try harder.
MEAWW: What message would you like to leave with iE who are currently enjoying your debut album?
HANBIN: Our debut is full of things that are new to us and we are so happy that we are always together with our iE.
HYEONGSEOP: Thank you for enjoying and loving our final creation. The entire album was made for you, iE. We will make your daily lives happier with even more developed albums. Please look forward to us.
LEW: Please continue to look forward to and be with us! We thank and love you!
HWARANG: We came all this way to meet iE. I love you so much that the past eight years of anxiety and difficulty seem to have become nonexistent now. We will be by your side as we are now. I thank and love you, always.
EUNCHAN: I love you so much, iE, and I wish only the best for you! We will always be with you in your happiness this year.
TAERAE: We will work hard! Please continue to enjoy it with us! I love you, iE.