MCND Shares Stories and Insights on Starting the "MCND Age" [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]
Since they debuted early in 2020, TOP Media's boy group MCND has been making waves both in the local and global K-Pop scene. Now, they are poised to make a comeback with their third EP, "MCND Age," set for a January 8 release.
Heralding the third "Age" for its five members - Castle J, BIC, Minjae, Huijun, and WIN - MCND is set to take center stage once more with their highly-anticipated comeback. For GEMs around the world, learn more about MCND and their insights that went into the making of their latest release, "MCND Age," in an exclusive interview with KPopStarz.
1. First of all, congratulations on the success of your previous EP, "Earth Age," in August and your first ever online concert, "MCND 1ST ON:LIVE," last September. Now, can you tell us something about your upcoming third EP, "MCND Age?" What is the concept behind this new album? And is there an overall theme across the tracks, very much like "Into the Ace Age" and "Earth Age?"
MCND : ìì ë°íí ì¨ë²ë¤ìì ëì¨ ì¸ê³ê´ì ì°ì¥ì ì´ì ì´ë¥¼ ë§ë¬´ë¦¬íë ë§ì¹¨í ê°ì ì¨ë²ì ëë¤. í¸ë¥¸ë³ ì§êµ¬ì ëì°©í MCNDê° MCNDë§ì ìë를 ì´ì´ê°ë¤ë í¬ë¶ê° ë´ê²¨ììµëë¤!
(MCND: The new EP serves as an extension of the perspective brought by the previous album, working as a period-like album that wraps all of them together. MCND, who arrives at the blue planet called Earth, will open up the MCND Age!)
2. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, MCND managed to establish itself as among the most exciting K-pop boy groups for 2020. Since you debuted in February with "Into the Ace Age," and the "Earth Age," what has changed in terms of promoting your upcoming "MCND Age?"
MCND : ì°ì ì무 ìíë ¥ê³¼ í¼í¬ë¨¼ì¤ ì¤ë ¥ì´ ëì± ì±ì¥íê³ ì. ì¡°ê¸ ë ì¬ì ë¡ê² 무ë를 ì¦ê¸¸ ì ìê² ë ê² ê°ìì. ë íì´í곡 'ì°ë¹í (Crush)'ì ë§ê² íí©ì ì¸ ëëê³¼ ê³ ê¸ì¤ë¬ì´ ë¶ì기ë ëí´ì§ ê² ê°ìµëë¤.
(MCND: First of all, our dance and performance skills have really improved. We think that we were able to enjoy our performances more freely. Also, the title song, "Crush," has hip-hop and classy vibes to it.)
RELATED ARTICLE: Find Out the 12 Coolest K-Pop Dance Choreographies In The First Quarter Of 2020 [Including MCND's "Ice Age"]
3. Also, in "Earth Age," Castle J has songwriting credits across all tracks, with Huijun and WIN also working on "Beautiful" and "Galaxy," respectively. Can you share details about the members' involvement in writing and composing songs for "MCND Age?"
ìºì¬ì ì´ : íì´í곡 'ì°ë¹í (Crush)'ì ìë¡ê³¡ 'PLAYER', 'Outro ; ã ã ã´ã·' ìì¬ì ì°¸ì¬íì´ì. 'Outro ; ã ã ã´ã·'ì ì곡과 í¸ê³¡ìë ì°¸ì¬íìµëë¤. íì´í곡 ê°ì¬ë¤ì´ ì¬ì¹ìê² ëìì ì¢ê³ , 'Outro ; ã ã ã´ã·'ì ì§ì§ MCNDì ìê¹ì´ ì ë´ê²¼ë¤ê³ ìê°í©ëë¤.
ì : ìì½ê²ë ì´ë²ìë ìì¬ì ì°¸ì¬íì§ ëª» íëë° ìì¼ë¡ë ë ì ê·¹ì ì¼ë¡ ì°¸ì¬í ê³íì´ìì!
(Castle J: I participated in writing the lyrics for the title track "Crush," as well as in the songs "Player" and "Outro ; MCND." In "Outro: MCND," I also participated in composing and arranging. I'm glad the lyrics of the title song came out well, I think MCND's color is expressed in the Outro.
WIN: Unfortunately, I couldn't participate in writing the lyrics this time, but I plan to participate more actively in the future.)
4. Did you encounter any difficulties while composing and recording tracks for "MCND Age?" Perhaps there are challenges or even funny behind-the-scenes experiences you'd like to share with the fans.
ìºì¬ì ì´ : íì´í곡 í ë¶ë¶ì ì´ë¤ 멤ë²ì 목ìë¦¬ê° ë©ì¸ì¼ë¡ ë¤ì´ê°ì§ ê³ ë¯¼ì ë§ì´ íì´ì. ì ì ìì 목ìë¦¬ê° ê°ì¥ ì í©í ê² ê°ì ëë¡ ì í´ì¡ê³ , ì ëë¦¬ë¸ ë¶ë¶ì íì¤ì ê³ ìì´ ë¤ì´ê°ì ë©ì§ê² íìíìµëë¤.
ë¯¼ì¬ : ê°ì¬ê° ìê°ë³´ë¤ ë§ì´ ë°ëì´ì ë°ì ëë êµ¬ë¥´ê³ ìë ìºì¬ì ì´ íì´ ìì°ë½ê³ ê·ì¬ì ì´ì.
íì¤ : ì´ë² ì¨ë²ì ë¤ì´ê° 곡ë¤ì´ ììëê° ëìì ë ¹ìí ë íë¤ê¸°ë íëë° ê·¸ë§í¼ ì ëì¨ ê² ê°ìì ë¤íì´ìì.
ì : ë ¹ì ë°ì±ì´ë ë¼ì´ë¸ ë°ì±ì´ ë¬ë¼ì ë¼ì´ë¸ ì°ìµì´ ì¡°ê¸ ì´ë ¤ì ì§ë§ ì´ì¬í íìµëë¤!
(Castle J: I thought a lot about which member's voice would be the main part of the title song. I think the voices of WIN and I are the most suitable, so it was decided in two, and Huijun's high note was included in the ad-lib part, so it was created beautifully.
Minjae: The lyrics changed a lot, so Castle J, who was stamping his feet, was sad and cute.
Huijun: The songs in this album have a high range, so it was hard to record, but I'm glad that it turned out that well.
WIN: It was hard to practice live because of the difference between recording and singing live, but I worked hard!
5. Your K-Pop Dance Covers have become hits on various social media platforms - from Blackpink's "Kill This Love," ITZY's "Not Shy" to BTS' "Dynamite" - showing your versatility (not to mention the amazing visuals). What other songs, K-Pop or otherwise, that you're looking forward to creating a dance cover of?
MCND : ê°ë¥íë¤ë©´ 모ë Kí ì ë°°ëë¤ì ë ¸ë를 커ë²í´ë³´ê³ ì¶ì´ì. ë ì¬ë¬ ì¥ë¥´ìë ëì í´ë³´ê³ ì¶ìµëë¤!
(MCND: If possible, we'd like to cover all K-Pop songs. Also, we want to challenge ourselves with different genres!)
6. What kinds of hobbies or activities do the members enjoy during their free time?
ìºì¬ì ì´ : 멤ë²ë¤ê³¼ ê²ìë íê³ , 곡ë ë§ë¤ê³ , ì¨ë¼ì¸ ì¼íë ì¦ê²¨ í©ëë¤!
ë¹ : ê²ìë ì주 íê³ , 침ëì ëìì ì¬ë ìê°ì ê°ì§ëë¤.
ë¯¼ì¬ : ì í¬ ëª¨ë ê²ìì íê±°ë ì íë¸ ìì ë³´ë 걸 ì¢ìí´ì!
íì¤ : ìíë ëë¼ë§ë ì주 ë³´ê³ , ê²ìë í©ëë¤.
ì : ìì¬ë¥¼ ìì² ë§ì´ í´ì!! ì¢ì ìì 물 ë§ì´ ë¤ë ¤ë릴ê²ìï¸
(Castle J: I play games, make songs, and enjoy online shopping with my members!
Big: I often play games, lie down on my bed, and take a rest.
Minjae: We all love playing games or watching YouTube videos!
Huijun: I often watch movies or dramas and play games.
WIN: He writes a lot of lyrics!! I'll play you a lot of good work.ï¸)
7. What would you like to tell your fanbase, GEM, ahead of the "MCND Age" release?
ìºì¬ì ì´ : ì°ë¦¬ ì ¬ ë무 ë§ëê³ ì¶ìµëë¤! ì´ë² ì¨ë²ë ë§ì´ ì¬ëí´ì£¼ìê³ í루 빨리 ë§ëì ì°ë¦¬ ì ëê² ëììï¸ ë ì¬ëí´ì!
ë¹ : íì ììí´ì£¼ì ì ê°ì¬í©ëë¤! ì í¬ë¤ë ì ¬ë¶ë¤ì ë ììí´ì. ì¼ë¥¸ ì½ë¡ë 19ê° ëëì ë§ëê³ ì¶ì´ì!
ë¯¼ì¬ : ì°ë¦¬ ì ¬ë¤ íì ë§ì´ ë³´ê³ ì¶ê³ , ì¢ì 무ë ë³´ì¬ë리기 ìí´ì ì´ì¬í ì°ìµí ê²ì! ê°ì¬í©ëë¤! ì´ë² ë ¸ëë ë§ì´ ë¤ì´ì£¼ì¸ì~
íì¤ : ì ¬ë¤ ì ë§ ë¹¨ë¦¬ ë§ëê³ ì¶ì´ì. íì ììí´ì£¼ì ì ê°ì¬í©ëë¤!
ì : ì¼ë¥¸ ì ¬ë¶ë¤ìê² ë¬´ë를 ì§ì ë³´ì¬ëë¦¬ê³ ì¶ì´ì!! 2021ë ìë ê¼ ê°ë¥í길 ë°ëëë¤!
(Castle J: We want to meet GEM so much! Please love this album and let's meet as soon as possible and have fun.ï¸ I love you all the time!
Big: Thank you for always supporting us! We're always rooting for you, too. I can't wait to meet you because Corona 19 is over!
Minjae: I always miss GEM and I will practice hard to show you good performances! Thank you! Please listen to this song a lot, too.~
Huijun: I can't wait to meet GEMs. Thank you for always supporting us!
WIN: I can't wait to show them the stage! I hope it will be possible in 2021)
See MCND member Minjae play around with a prop tire for their Daily MCND, uploaded las January 2: