K-Pop group P1Harmony looks back on their journey in the industry after celebrating an incredible year, and shares with Hallyu Con the lessons they've learned along the way and what is to come in 2025.
This is P1Harmony’s year. The six-member group has a point to prove as they power forth into 2025, gearing up to meet fans in their fifth year together as a group.
Kicking off the start of the year with the European leg of the 'P1ustage H : UTOP1A' world tour, P1Harmony brought performances across seven different countries and eight cities, greeting fans after an explosive year.
Since their last European tour at the beginning of 2024, P1Harmony has gained a lot of new fans through the release of their first full-length album Killin’ It, of which they gained their first Korean music show win, followed by the release of their SAD SONG EP which continued to entice new listeners.
After making their debut in October 2020, KEEHO, THEO, JIUNG, INTAK, SOUL and JONGSEOB were some of the many idols who were greeted by cameras as opposed to fans when first being introduced to the world. They saw this as an opportunity to take the lead and show themselves in a way that felt familiar to those discovering them through social media, building their own social presence that encouraged people to check out their music.
P1Harmony’s work over the five years has seen the group grow authentically into themselves, with music which explores a variety of themes and performances that continue to draw new fans in. Beneath the surface is a group of late-teens and early 20-somethings who are discovering who they are and how best they can work together as musicians.
Hallyu Con had the exciting opportunity to sit down with P1Harmony for an exclusive interview ahead of their London show on January 13, where they reflected on their growth over five years and shared how they stay true to themselves.
Hallyu Con: Firstly, congratulations on 2024! You guys did so well with ‘Killing It’ and then ‘Sad Song’ EP as well. Is there a highlight from last year that you haven’t stopped thinking about?
Keeho: I have to say Governor's Ball, it was so fun. Jiung got hurt and for pretty much three quarters of the whole American tour he had to miss out on it. [We were] P1Harmony but we had this feeling that we weren’t able to really show ourselves fully because we were missing a member – it was pretty much like missing a hand. But then Jiung was able to come back at Governor’s Ball and it was the first time in a month that we were able to perform as six. I think it was just so much more like, “This is it. This is really P1Harmony.”
Also just the experience in general, we got to see great artists: Don Tolliver, SZA, Labyrinth, Sexyy Red and a bunch of other people. It's so easy to get imposter syndrome because you're like, “What am I doing here with all these famous people?” [But it’s remembering] no, we were invited here.
Hallyu Con: It's easy to get that sometimes because you're getting shocked by seeing them, but you have to remember that people are getting shocked seeing you guys on stage too.
Intak: For me it was at Jingle Ball, seeing Jason Derulo’s stage was so amazing. As someone who values performances, it was such an honour and so inspiring to see. It made me want to show that sort of energy and professionalism within our performances, too. [Seeing Jason Derulo] was an opportunity for me to gain more confidence and sincerity in what I do.
Hallyu Con: It's nice that you guys get to still enjoy that aspect of being a fan of other people.
Keeho: Sometimes people try to act like they're too cool [to be a fan of others], but as a person who does music I think it's so important to love music. Being able to see them out here and get that kind of energy back as an audience member and not as a performer is really important.
Hallyu Con: This is your fifth year together as a group. What is the most recent thing that you've learned about one another?
Keeho: I learned from touring that Jiung loves to eat good. I thought I was the only one who wanted to eat out because every time I'd ask the members they’d just want to do take-out. I’m like, “Take-out? Are you crazy?” We’re in Germany, let's get some schnitzel. Jongseob is a good second [though]. It's either the three of us or one or the other. It doesn't matter if it's snowing or raining, we're going out.
Jiung: It's not even [just the] eating, it’s being able to see the city too. You get a good sense of the culture.
Hallyu Con: When looking back on your debut, were there things you wished you got to experience or things you wish someone had told you?
Theo: I wish someone had told me to study more languages. When we travel abroad, most of our fans can’t speak Korean, but there are times I want to convey and say how I feel but I’m not able to communicate that. It can be a little uncomfortable [not being able to say what I want to say], so I’d say I wish someone told me to look out for that beforehand.
Keeho: Once you debut this is now your job, you’re working and being perceived while doing it. I wish someone had told me that image making and being perceived a certain way is controlled by you and not by other people. As a group too, having a concept that people can attach you to right away is also super important. We kind of just figured that out on the way but if we knew that straight from the get-go, it would have been so much more [helpful].
Hallyu Con: Do you think that would change the way you guys grew as a group if you knew that from the start? Would you be able to still be the P1Harmony that you are today?
Keeho: Probably not. I think because we grew into it, [our image] seems a little more authentic and people were able to see us progress into ourselves. Since it was Covid we never really were able to experience what it was like, [we] were just out to the world. You kind of just expect things to go well, but I wish we had something planned out just a little bit, but you can't really fault it too much.
Imge credit: FNC Entertainment
Hallyu Con: There's a strong team effort to ensure that you're producing the best music that you can for each comeback and one decision can change the trajectory of a project. What have been the key challenges you faced and the most positive parts about having to 'fight' for what you want to make the final cut?
Keeho: I think what's really special about P1Harmony is that we're fighters. Since debut, whenever we felt like something didn't 'fly by us', we'd fight for it. We've done that so much now that I feel like it's now kind of our playing field. I definitely think one decision can really change the whole project and we always try to communicate effectively and, hopefully, in a healthy way, with our company.
Hallyu Con: You brought it up before when talking about other people's perceptions of you... Do those perceptions influence the way you exist as a person or create?
"I think what's really special about P1Harmony is that we're fighters"
Jiung: I think it’s important to have a balance. I need things that I like but also see what other people want from me too, but, personally, I can’t stand if I'm not able to do what I want. I want to be authentic to myself [and in order to do that], I try to slowly change people's perceptions of me by putting the image I want into their heads.
Keeho: It comes in little increments. It could be the smallest things like recommending music. If I recommend a type of music people are going to think, “He's kind of underground, he’s indie.” Even with clothes too, these small micro cultures that you get invested into and that you express that you like to others... people will perceive you in that type of light. It's something that we're all learning and I think that, the more experience we have in the industry, the easier it becomes.
Hallyu Con: What do you think makes P1Harmony stand out?
Jongseob: I think each of the members [knowing] what we’re good at is what makes us stand out. We have our own styles, we know what we’re going to do on stage and we know how to make each album better than the previous one. Even when we’re on stage, making a song, or just filming a music video, [we show] each of our abilities and it makes harmony.
Jiung: Each of us knows what we want, what we're good at and we trust each other [to show that].
Hallyu Con: Has there been a show or a performance from another artist that you've seen that has left an impact on you? How do you strive to leave that same impact on your fans?
Jiung: I watched a Boyz II Men live performance video yesterday at the airport and they were so into the song, they were almost crying. I was so inspired by that and I hope I can [perform] like that on stage too.
Soul: Seeing Jason Derulo and Beyoncé’s dancers and the artists themselves, their skill level on stage and their ability to really shock the audience is something that I respect. I want to be able to bring that shock factor to our own shows too and show my skills to our fans.
Hallyu Con: You definitely do with your dance breaks! When fans watch you they do always look like they're impressed and saying “Woah!”
Hallyu Con: What keeps you all curious and engaged when working on a new project?
Keeho: The deadline. It depends on what state of emotion you're in at that moment. Always staying open-minded, experiencing a lot in our daily lives and being open to new experiences is what keeps us curious and engaged.
Hallyu Con: How can people expect to see that side from you in 2025?
Keeho: We're always trying to stay inspired and bring something new, so everyone can expect to definitely see that side of us in 2025 and, hopefully, it'll make them excited for the new music we have coming up.
Hallyu Con: What is a piece of advice that changed your life?
Jiung: I've been reading books lately and I subscribe to a lot of social media accounts that share good phrases. I saw a Japanese phrase that translates to ‘If it starts, it's already started.’
Keeho: Almost like, getting started with something is a one hill battle but then once you get it started, it'll just roll down.
Jiung: I was shocked, like, “Man…that’s so [true].”
Keeho: I saw this post online saying, ‘The results of a perfectionist,’ with just a blank page. I was thinking back to 2024 when I felt so stuck by the need to be perfect that I wasn't able to start anything. If I'm always rooting for perfection, which is pretty much impossible and not something that can be achieved, then I won't be able to start anything at all.
Theo: Mine is, ‘Don’t be frustrated and don’t be afraid to fail.’
Keeho: It needs to be dark to see the stars, guys. Did I, or did I not eat that??
Hallyu Con: Moving on! [Laughs]
Hallyu Con: Many of your fans are in a similar age range to you. Do you have any advice for P1ece who are at the point of finding out who they want to be in the world and what they want to do?
Jiung: I want them to have as many experiences as they can. No matter what you experience in the world, whether it's negative or positive, it's always going to be something you can learn from. I want them to be open to experiences and to put themselves out there.
Keeho: To add onto that, I think being stagnant is the scariest thing in the world. People in our age [range] are so pressured to be perfect already and to have our lives figured out, but this is the age where you're allowed to make mistakes. We're allowed to make mistakes, to have fun, to learn and to experience life because we're still young and we need to take the most advantage of it. In 10 years’ time you're going to look back and you'll beg your young self to explore and have more fun. So just experience life the way it is because you'll figure out what you want to do through that.
"We're allowed to make mistakes, to have fun, to learn and to experience life because we're still young"
Hallyu Con: This will be your fifth year together as a group. What would you like to say to yourself five years from now in the future once you have been together for 10 years?
Intak: You did well. I just want to say that. I would have worked hard and done the best I could [over the years], so I just want to tell you, you worked hard. I got emotional, sorry, I have a cold right now.
Theo: Don’t be frustrated and don’t be afraid to fail. Everyone burst out laughing as it was the same answer as before, we trust your words Theo!
Jongseob: For me, personally, 'I did pretty great in [the last] five years'.
Keeho: He knows it.
Jongseob: It’s true. And, you must be great.
Soul: Did you find a dance partner?
Theo: He’s right here [pats Intak]!
Soul: I really want to have a dance partner in five years, [someone] who I can dance and battle back and forth with.
Keeho: Guess he doesn’t think any of us are up to par! I really hope that I am happy and that I have a lot of music under my belt and a lot of experience – something that I'm proud to show off. It's hard to be proud of yourself sometimes, but in five years' time, hopefully, I'll be able to look back at the 10 years that we've been together and just be like, “Hey, this is P1Harmony and we're super dope.”
Image credit: FNC Entertainment
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