There are K-Pop fans across the globe who share the same passion. But on online platforms, it is hard to know about each other’ stories and K-Pop life. Even if we are in the same fandom, it is hard to get to know each other.So at Kpopmap, we started the Kpopmap Fan Interview Project to get to know more about K-Pop fans from different countries: more about their K-Pop life and tastes and to give them the opportunity to share with our readers about their favorite group(s) and bias. Admin K from Worldwide Monsta X is the next fan to answer our questions. She is a fan of MONSTA X and more particularly of KiHyun! Check out how she entered the fandom, the songs and content she advises to new fans, and much more! Can you introduce yourself? Where are you from?Hello, I’m the PR/SNS admin from Worldwide Monsta X, Admin K! How and when did you enter the fandom?A friend talked me into taking a look at three of MONSTA X music videos. I was more into classic rock /nu-metal most of my life and was hesitant to give any kind of a “pop” genre a try. A lot of unfair prejudice on my end, I admit to that today. She said “If you don’t like them, I won’t recommend you any more of their music.” So I agreed. And I immediately got hooked on the music and vocals - about 30 seconds in. Over three years later, here I am. What are the reasons why you love your favorite group?Aside from amazing music and heaps of content MONBEBE get almost on a daily basis, MONSTA X is a group of incredible people – they are so kind and humble, hardworking, and always remembering to say their thanks to the people around them. They thank their peers, their staff, and their fans with the same honest energy. They love MONBEBE so much that the relationship between the group and fans feels like a well grown friendship. They show us their gratitude but also never, ever hold back when fans go over a line and call us out on bad behavior, reminding us to be good people and to be good TO people. In one of the interviews they said “we troll MONBEBE and MONBEBE troll us” and I think that’s a very good level of a “relationship” to have with an idol group. Who caught your attention at first and why?KiHyun, the group’s main vocalist. I was entranced the second I heard him singing his very first verse and immediately wanted to know more about the man who could evoke so many emotions within me with just a few lines in a language foreign to my ears. Who is your bias, and why?When MONBEBE say that it’s hard to have a bias in MONSTA X- we’re not joking or exaggerating! These 6 men are so incredible that you can’t help but love them all. Still, ever since I first saw and heard him, KiHyun’s remained undefeated as my bias. He is one of the most inspiring people I have ever “met”. He is insanely talented and hardworking, but similar to what I said about the group as a whole – he is simply a very good person. Not once the way he acts with MONBEBE has made the local news – checking in on a MONBEBE who asked to be woken up at 7 AM, making sure a fan was home safe when they were out partying or lately with replying to a scared MONBEBE who was going back home on a bus alone. He always tries to include international fans in his SNS interactions too, writing replies on the official fancafe or tweets in both Korean and English. He greets us daily and wishes us goodnights, he replies to our letters with advice or simply tells us to be brave, to keep on going, and even if it’s over screen - that he’s there for us. He has a huge, beautiful heart and shows it not just towards his fans but by taking care of the underprivileged too – like making donations to help support girls from low-income families in Korea. KiHyun is the epitome of who an idol should be in my eyes – incredibly human, but with a good heart, doing his best to make use of who he, using his position is in the best way: by helping, inspiring and comforting others whenever and however he can Can you recommend a title track and a B-side track for new fans?It’s almost impossible to choose just one of each with how large and diverse MONSTA X discography is, especially taking into consideration that they have produced multiple albums in Korean, Japanese and English alike and all are brilliant! For title track I’ll go with ‘Rush Hour’ from their second-to-last Korean comeback “No Limit”. Sadly done and executed by only 5 of the members (since our leader ShowNu is currently doing his mandatory military service), the song holds an “old MONSTA X vibe” with which they debuted with but that has been reinvented and revamped into something much more grown, more fine and much more them. Like their previous title track, ‘GAMBLER’, ‘Rush Hour’ has been written and composed by MONSTA X member JooHeon (JooHoney) (our all-rounder, our Ace Of K-Pop!) making it his second title track (and also the track that broke a lot of the group’s own records, from charts to sales to show wins). ‘Rush Hour’ a powerful statement as to who MONSTA X are in the K-Pop music industry and how unwilling to compromise they are when it comes to their own color and their identity as well-grown artists. They’re assured in who they are, in the sound they want to create - they’re poving that they are leaders, not looking at others but striving forward, challenging themselves and doing better by themselves. For a B-side I think I’d recommend ‘BEBE’, also from one of their latest Korean albums “One Of A Kind”. BEBE has lyrics written by HyungWon (and he also took part in composing it) and it’s a wonderful, sweet song that will warm your heart. According to HyungWon himself, the song is a story of the last few years and how he felt during this time towards the fans (MONBEBE) and what he wanted to tell them. It’s a song about staying by someone’s side through good and bad and loving them each day, supporting them each day and simply being there for each other. As I said before, MONSTA X are known for their love and adoration of their fandom and ‘BEBE’ is by no means the first song dedicated to us. Can you recommend a fancam, V Live, cover video, cover dance, or individual content video of your bias to our readers?I ADORE KiHyun’s Monchannels and he has done so many covers and OSTs that it is so so hard to choose! But one of my favorite Vlogs of his is when he was designing his fancon tumbler for MONBEBE. I think it perfectly shows how thoughtful KiHyun is - how he goes about the process, from the size (because hydration is important!) to the text written on the tumbler itself (which was something a MONBEBE wrote to him in a letter!). Can you also do the same type of recommendation for the group?MONSTA X’s Newtroland for their collaboration with TWOTUCKGOM!!! It’s MONSTA X in a nutshell - stunning visuals and absolute, ABSOLUTE chaotic energy in one. A must-see for everyone - and it has English subtitles too! Can you share with us one of your favorite lyrics?“차디찬 이 공기 속에 어느새 나의 대화는 침묵이 됐네 울분에 맺혀 터질 때 너란 파도가 날 흘려보냈기에 그 속에 빠져 헤엄치기도 또 내가 살아 숨 쉬는 걸 느껴 You made me feel alive You’re the one who make me shine” - I.M.’s rap verse from MONSTA X ‘사랑한다’. Are there any words from the members you would like to share?“I made a lot of mistakes too It seems like something we shouldn’t be doing But even if we did, I don’t think it would be a disadvantage You can build up from the experience and not do it again!” - Yoo KiHyun What is your favorite group/bias’ influence on your daily life?Most and foremost they reminded me that I still can fangirl over music, that I still can find so much joy in joining a fandom, in sharing the experiences and memories and thrills with others around the whole world. They have found me when my life was slowly becoming mundane and bleak with repetition and they came in crashing in a burst of colors. More importantly however they make me want to continuously do better. They make me want to things that I was too afraid before, picking up a new language, making connections with strangers. But in all of that, they remind me to remain kind and humble, to try and be a better version of myself every single day. What is your favorite side of fangirling/fanboying?I’m not going to lie. The absolute panicked screeching that happens whenever new concept photos come out or the boys share selcas that quite literally break our sanity (and I think MONBEBE will agree that the US air awakens something in the members!). If you go to only one, would you go to a concert, fan meeting, or fan sign?I would LOVE to go to a in person fansign with all six members, so I could for one in my life hold their hands, look in their eyes and tell them how grateful I am for them and how proud I am of how far they have come. I know I can write them letters but nothing would convey my love and admiration better than a eye-to-eye talk and a squeeze of hands. If you can spend a day with your bias, where will you go and what will you do?Since I live in a city that is over 1000 years old and offers so many beautiful alleys and streets to get lost in and admire the sights you won’t find anywhere else - I would love to give a short sightseeing tour to KiHyun and end it up with a good meal. To give him a chance to unwind, take some photos, just spend a nice, normal, touristy day (oh, ok, and preferably get some gossip out of him). Do you have a dream subunit/unit?One day, I know I will see a revival of 2Chain - which is KiHyun and JooHeon unit. As the group’s two mains, they are simply unmatched in the delivery of their respective lyrics. With JooHeon’s raw and powerful raps and KiHyun’s emotive vocals they are - dare I say - a creme de la creme of K-Pop. Absolutely outstanding. Describe them in 5 words.Passion, inspiration, endurance, love, home. Can you recall a moment where you cried/laughed with your bias?Off the top of my head - hearing KiHyun’s ending ment at the New York concert just a few days ago. “I don’t know how long you’ll be by our side but I hope till the very end you stand by us” the tears just came out because how can they not when you’ve promised yourself to stay with them as long as they will want MONBEBE to? If you could write a book about your bias, what would the first and last lines be?First line: Miracles happen when you least expect them to - this one happened on a cold Autumn day. Last line: And with that, you reminded me how to love. Do you feel there are any misunderstandings, things that are not well known, or any prejudices about your favorite group from other fans (non-fans)?MONSTA X have established their image as “K-Pop’s Beastly Idols” with their mature looks, concepts and music therefore a lot of people think they’re scary, and intimidating. And while their stage persona is incredibly fierce, once you take that leap of faith and start discovering them for real, you will see that these young men are chaotic, loud, kind and incredibly funny. They can also be the absolute softest marshmallows, enjoying hugs, cheek kisses and hanging off of from each other’s shoulders. But even on stage they have some of the most beautiful, heartwarming, cute performances - like for ‘Stand Up’ which was written by JooHeon (JooHoney) to serve as a comfort song for MONBEBE who were struggling at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Admin K from Worldwide Monsta X’s message to MONSTA X:To my beloved MONSTA X, Thank you for existing. Thank you for finding each and every single MONBEBE when they need you, when they’re ready to open up their heart and love you. Thank you for making our lives a little bit happier, a little bit brighter. Thank you for all of your hard work, thank you for always, always pushing on forward, becoming bigger and better and never forgetting those who are around you. Thank you for the incredible humanity that you show us among the blinding stage lights. Words cannot express my gratitude and joy and pride whenever I think of you. I can’t explain how incredibly humbled I am by being able to call myself a MONBEBE, knowing I have decided to follow men who have became not just a “hobby”, not a fleeting fascination but a good influence and inspiration in my daily life. MONBEBE will always be with you, walking along with you no matter how flowery or how rocky the path will be. We will always support you, we will always love you.Thank you for answering our questions, Admin K from Worldwide Monsta X. If you are interested in joining Kpopmap Fan Interview Project, please get in touch with us at [email protected] Everyone is welcome to participate. 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