Exclusive Interview: BLITZERS on Music, Passion, and Dreams
Hello Blitzers! It’s a great honor to interview you! You are one of the most colorful, energetic, and unique groups to emerge in recent years. Before we dive deeper, could you briefly introduce Blitzers? How did the group come together?
CHRIS: BLITZERS is a group with a team name that contains the ambition to advance into the world through music and dance, and recently performed a song called ‘Macarena’. We all had separate dreams and became one team through a company called WUZO Entertainment. First of all, I came to Korea and auditioned with the dream of becoming an idol, and I think I was able to join the group because each member had a different color and style.
JINHWA: Originally, I was preparing for the physical education college entrance exam, but I gave up and started looking for a different career path. Influenced by my friends, I began to dream of becoming an idol. After hearing about an audition for idol trainees, I joined the current company.
JUHAN: I auditioned through a friend’s recommendation, and at the time of the audition, there was a trainee group within the company called Woojo Circle, from which the current members were selected and debuted as BLITZERS!
SYA: I started dancing as a hobby, and I grew to love it. I posted dance videos on Instagram, and I received a casting contact through DM. I auditioned and joined the company.
LUTAN: While preparing for auditions with the dream of becoming an idol, I received a message from the company through social media, and I auditioned and joined.
WOOJU: I initially joined the company out of curiosity, and I started my journey as an idol trainee by chance. As I continued to practice, my dream of becoming an idol grew. I worked even harder and eventually became a member of Blisters.
Looking at your backstory, it seems that many of you decided to become an idol while watching your idols on stage. Could you tell us a bit about the role of music and stage performances in your lives? What drew you to this dream and what captivated you?
LUTAN: Music and the stage are our sources of happiness in life. Performing on stage with our members and fans brings us the greatest joy. The pleasure of being on stage drew me into this dream, and the cheers and support from the fans in the audience captured my heart.
SYA: Music and stage performance have become a part of our daily lives, rather than just a job. I’ve always enjoyed dancing since I was young, and I found it fun to perform in talent shows and school festivals during my school years. That’s why I wanted to become an idol and continue to stand on stage in the future.
JINHWA: I enjoy being on stage, but what really attracted me was the process of preparing for it. There are exceptions, but in general, I think it’s good that we don’t do things based on probability or statistics, but rather on the solidarity and empathy with the people around us, such as the members who share the stage with us and the fans who support us.
In the past, you were fans watching your favorite artists on stage, and now you’re meeting your own fans on stage as an idol. Can you compare your time before debuting to your current self? What do you think changes after debuting, and what remains the same?
CHRIS: There are a lot of things that have changed, but the biggest difference is that I always try to do my best on stage because I have a fan called BLEE. But what remains the same is that I still try to look cool in everyday life.
JUHAN: I think my mindset has changed a lot since debuting. I think the experiences I had before and after debuting were different, so after debuting, I developed a mindset as an idol and a way of looking at life that wasn’t the same as other people my age. What hasn’t changed is that I still want to sing well, so I keep studying and studying!
SYA: What hasn’t changed is my love for the stage! Aside from that, I believe many things have changed significantly. I’ve become more thoughtful and seem to have grown into a calmer and more rational person.
Being part of a group must be challenging, as it requires a great deal of harmony, understanding, and effective communication among members with different personalities. At the same time, it must be very rewarding and supportive, as you’re surrounded by people who share the same dream. What are your thoughts on being a group? What has it taught you?
WOOJU: First of all, it’s reassuring to always have the members by your side when living together as a group. Additionally, living together allows us to see and learn from each other’s strengths, which I find great.
JINHWA: There are a lot of different personalities in the group, so sometimes things don’t work out, but we’re constantly trying to figure out how to solve those problems! I think that makes me think in more ways, and that’s what makes me grow.
LUTAN: That’s right! Living together in a group teaches us how to consider and respect each other, and it helps us grow as individuals. So, I think the biggest advantage of being in a group is that we can fill in each other’s gaps and help each other. I’ve received a lot of help from my fellow members during our activities!
Every artist leaves a memorable legacy, something they’re remembered for. How would you like to be remembered as BLITZERS?
JINHWA: A group with a distinct identity’ is what I would like to be remembered as.
JUHAN: As BLITZERS, I want to be remembered as ‘people who are undoubtedly cool.’
SYA: I hope our songs leave a lasting impression, something like ‘Ah, this is a BLITZERS song’ or ‘This song has that BLITZERS vibe’ as soon as people hear them.
CHRIS: It’d be great to be remembered as a team who has a unique style… or maybe as a good team work.
LUTAN: I would like all the time and performances we shared with BLITZERS to be remembered as ‘happy memories.’
WOOJU: I want to be remembered as ‘the celebrity I liked back in the day’ and continue to be a group that people think of, even as time goes by.
I’m very curious about the process of creating your songs. I’m sure your fans are also interested in how these amazing songs come to life. How does the creation of a song typically happen?
JINHWA: So far, our producers have been creating the songs for us. However, when our debut album was released, I expressed my interest in writing lyrics and participated in that process. I tried to understand the intentions of the producers and wrote the lyrics accordingly.
JUHAN: Our composers have been providing us with great songs, so we practice and record to make sure listeners will feel like they are good songs.
SYA: Acting is one of the most important aspects of recording, so we pay a lot of attention to that while recording. That’s how our Blitzers songs are born!
Your latest song, “Macarena,” is one of the most fun and captivating songs I’ve heard recently! The production process for this fantastic song must have been quite enjoyable. Do you have any memorable moments from the music video shoot?
WOOJU: The most memorable thing for me is my hair, costume, and makeup! All the members underwent transformations that suited their characters, but I found my character the most enjoyable. I think I remembered it better because I was able to pull it off in my own style.
CHRIS: I still remember me doing a dance battle with the zombies who helped us out for our music video shoot.
LUTAN: In this music video, I took on the role of a rocker character and even tried long hair. Throughout the shoot, I had many new experiences that I hadn’t encountered before. The most memorable part was that my head was really itchy due to the wig, and we shot some daring scenes. I think you should check out those scenes in our music video!
Most of your songs are very energetic and colorful. Do you generally enjoy listening to this genre of music?
JINHWA: Many people might think this way, but I don’t limit myself to a specific genre. I listen to a variety of music, choosing songs that match my mood, whether it’s a sad song when I’m feeling down or an upbeat one when I’m in a good mood.
JUHAN: I really love R&B/Soul, so I mainly listen to songs in that genre.
SYA: I have a preference for hip-hop, so I often listen to hip-hop music in my daily life. But in general, I enjoy listening to music from various genres and don’t restrict myself to one.
CHRIS: Well… Actually, I mostly listen to hip-hop, and I would like to say that BLITZERS’ music is also one of the very interesting and touching songs.
LUTAN: I think I listen to the K-pop genre the most. K-pop, like our music, is energetic and incorporates a variety of concepts and genres, making it enjoyable to listen to.
WOOJU: I mainly listen to hip-hop and R&B, but lately, I’ve developed an interest in jazz music, so I’ve been listening to a wide range of genres.
As someone who has been listening to K-pop for over a decade, I must say I adore your song “Bobbin”! It combines the powerful rebellious vibe we often saw in old K-pop songs and it’s also very unique. I believe this is something your listeners find in your music as well—a blend of nostalgia, fantastic songs, and incredible energy! What do you think is the reason for this?
SYA: I believe that songs with a message should come from the heart of the person singing them. So, when we record or perform on stage, we make an effort to put our sincerity into every word, so that listeners can feel the emotions.
JINHWA: I thought it would be effective to express the song’s content through dance, so I put a lot of effort into dancing! I think our energy could be felt from that.
JUHAN: To convey power, I found and studied videos of senior artists with powerful vocals and practiced a lot. I think that was helpful.
WOOJU: Additionally, I adapted my style to match the image of the song, like a chameleon! As a result, I feel like it naturally blended well with the concept.
It must be important for each of your songs to represent all of you as a group. How do you pay attention to this when writing lyrics? Do specific members write the lyrics, or is it a collaborative effort?
JINHWA: It varies from song to song, but sometimes we collaborate, share ideas, and write lyrics together. At other times, the producer and specific members may write the lyrics.
SYA: I place the greatest emphasis on conveying the meaning I want to express. I usually start by thinking about what message the lyrics are meant to convey and what they represent. Since we each have things we want to convey, we typically work individually and then align our work together.
What kind of emotions do you hope your songs evoke in people? Is there a message you want to convey?
LUTAN: I hope our songs resonate with people. We’ve included messages in the title track of the album that everyone can relate to, so you should be able to experience various emotions through those messages.
JUHAN: I hope that when you listen to our songs, your stress can be relieved even just a bit!
WOOJU: It’s great to experience strong emotions, but I also hope that our songs naturally become a part of your everyday life. We have many great songs, so please show us a lot of love!
If you had to recommend one of your songs to someone who’s listening to you for the first time, which one would it be?
JUHAN: BLITZERS – Gradation. It’s my favorite song among our tracks, and I recommend it in the hopes that many people will give it a listen!
LUTAN: ‘Macarena.’ It’s our most recent release and has a message about enjoying and having fun together. I think everyone can listen to it with enjoyment and ease.
CHRIS: I agree! I would like to recommend ‘Macarena,’ a song that represents us well and is one of the most fun songs!
In addition to hosting valuable artists like yourselves, Minihanok is a mostly K-drama-themed website. I know you all enjoy watching dramas. Have you watched any K-dramas recently?
JINHWA: I’ve been watching “Misaeng” on a regular basis! I think it’s a great show to watch when you’re tired, struggling, or just need to clear your mind.
WOOJU: My favorite drama is called “Nevertheless” and although it’s a predictable romance, it’s very engrossing because it has a good dose of reality, so I would recommend it. If you have a chance to watch it, please do!
CHRIS: I recently watched a drama called D.P.2 that was released on Netflix. I think I enjoyed this show because it contains comedy, drama, and action, which are some of my favorite genres.
If you had to recommend just one movie or TV series to your fans, what would it be? What is the best movie or TV series you’ve ever watched in your life?
JINHWA: I like the movie “The Attorney.” It’s a film I turn to when I want to be a bit less selfish. It’s a well-known movie, but if you haven’t seen it, I strongly recommend it!
JUHAN: My all-time favorite movie is “Titanic,” and my favorite drama is “Neverthless” These are the genres I usually enjoy, and they’re exceptionally well-made, so I highly recommend them!
SYA: I recently watched a movie called “Rebound,” and the portrayal of young people growing and evolving left a deep impression on me. I’d like to recommend it.
CHRIS: If I have to pick one of the best movie or TV series I’d pick Real Steel for the movie and for the TV series I pick real life One Piece from Netflix. The reason why I chose this two is because it contains very good action scenes and the story line is very interesting to watch.
LUTAN: The movie is “The Greatest Showman.” I’ve been enjoying the soundtrack of this movie recently. The messages conveyed in this film are very positive, and it makes me feel like I need to improve myself a bit more when I watch it. Plus, it’s a musical-like movie, so you can find it more intriguing and fun. That’s why I want to recommend it.
WOOJU: I’d like to recommend the movie “When a Man Loves.” It was the most challenging script I practiced for acting, and every scene seems to touch the heart like ice. I want to recommend it.
Thank you for accepting my interview request. It was truly delightful to interview you and get to know you better. I hope that through this interview, more K-pop fans and BLEE will have the opportunity to get to know you closely. As a group, you radiate an incredible and powerful aura! I hope you continue to sing with joy, health, and happiness in the future. I’ll be here to support you!
Finally, is there anything you’d like to say to your fans?
JINHWA: I was so happy to be able to share our news through this Minihanok. I’ll work even harder in the future to make BLEE even happier!
JUHAN: Blee! You are surprised by this greeting, right? I miss you a lot! I hope we can meet soon ❤️
SYA: The interesting questions were fun! We’ll continue to work hard to meet more Blee, so please keep supporting us!
CHRIS: Hi Blee!! This is Chris and I miss you all so much I hope I can have an opportunity to do more tour so that I can see you all. Love you.
LUTAN: First of all, thank you, Blee, for always supporting and loving us! I’m always so grateful, and I hope the day comes soon when we can perform together again!! Until then, we’ll continue to grow and have more cool and fun activities in the future, so please show us a lot of interest and love! 💗
WOOJU: Thank you so much for loving us, Blee! We’re grateful, and we’ll continue to meet you with our charming selves in the future, so please keep your expectations high! Thank you, Blee.
Follow BLITZERS’ Youtube channel here.
And join Minihanok subscriber’s to read K-pop interviews, K-drama reviews and more!
You can read my previous interview here;
WOO Talk About His Music, Struggles, Inspiration and More! [Exclusive Interview]