With K-pop’s worldwide acclaim, it’s easy to assume that Korean music is dominated entirely by idol pop groups.However, the six-member rock band Xdinary Heroes holds a different view. During a recent interview with The Korea Times, the members confidently said their goal is to elevate their chosen genre, “K-rock,” and introduce a variety of tastes to the Korean music scene.Having debuted in 2021, Xdinary Heroes is the second rock band under JYP Entertainment’s sublabel, Studio J, following in the footsteps of DAY6. The six-piece act — comprising drummer Gunil, keyboardists Jungsu and O.de, guitarists Gaon and Junhan, and bassist Jooyeon — covers a wide range of genres, including rock, metal, alternative and even pop-punk.Upon its initial ventures, skeptics doubted the group’s potential for success, considering its music was quite unfamiliar in a music market dominated by K-pop.Yet, remaining unfazed by external judgments, Xdinary Heroes’ commitment to cater to the niche taste gradually attracted a significant fan base.”We believe we’re a group that ventures into new territory more than any other K-pop group. While our music may lack the mass appeal like those of our senior group DAY6, we explore elements not commonly seen in the Korean music scene,” explained member Gaon at a cafe in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, April 23.
“Our members grew up immersed in overseas pop and rock music. So it appears that those who appreciate that culture are our primary fan base. Individuals who gravitate toward innovation and bold experimentation seem to resonate with our work,” Gaon added. Among the members, bassist Jooyeon recently earned a reputation for being “one of the top-tier vocalists among 4th-gen K-pop” after his live performance of the 2022 single “Strawberry Cake” went viral online.Expressing his feelings about the unexpected popularity, Jooyeon remarked, “I feel proud and honored to have such a good opportunity to represent the team. I feel a sense of duty to sing harder and strive for a cooler presence on stage.”The group’s yearning for an impressive stage delivery was realized during the recent concert series, “Xdinary Heroes Concert ‘Closed ♭eta: v6.0,'” held over three days from April 19 to 21. The performances sold out every available ticket for all three shows, proving the group’s growing fan base.”We felt our approach was different from the moment we heard the news that our concert in Korea had sold out for the first time. We approached it with a greater sense of responsibility. We wanted to give our audience rich memories,” Jungsu, the keyboardist, said.Jungsu emphasized that, given the nature of a rock band, live performances serve as the group’s primary motivation.”My greatest excitement of being in a rock band comes from live performances. Especially during the recent concert, we performed our upcoming song live as an encore, and it was very touching to see the audience singing along to a song that hasn’t even been released yet.”He added, “It was the moment when I felt most strongly that debuting as a 슬롯사이트 rock band was the right choice.”