[Interview] Trendz dream with a lot of practice behind it.

@TrendzRu - Minaku and Idate worked on the translation.

The competition in the world of K-POP, which the whole world is interested in, is beyond imagination. Numerous groups with the dream of becoming singers are born and then disappear. In the tug-of-war between fame and originality, there must be a clear point in order to capture the attention of the public. Not having aesthetic flaws before the debut became the main thing. Skills, personality and charm must be well prepared to stand a chance of becoming an outstanding singer.

Directions are different. They are usually cute or sexy or both. They pursue the image of "attractive men", or try to glorify the name of the group through humor and entertainment. In general, male groups are chasing popularity these days. They show brutal choreography that turns into a strong rhythm. They are trying to make the perfect performance, in which there will not be a single mistake.

Trendz, who took their first steps as a boy group this year, also took the direction of savage beauty. The hard charm, reminiscent of 2PM, catches the eye. They decided to become the strongest in the field of performance, which is the extreme "red ocean*" among male groups. Like "Steel Troops**", they overcome hardships.

Trendz, who dream of becoming the top idols in Korea, visited the Hanryu Times office for an interview. As newcomers with little interview experience, they were very nervous. However, there was a strong confidence in the modesty of the recruits. Because they have gone through a very difficult period of practice, they have reached a point where all performances seem easy.

* "Red Ocean" refers to an industry saturated with many competitors.
**Steel Troops is a South Korean reality show broadcast on Channel A and Sky TV. In a show dubbed "military survival program".

Although there will still a long way to go, they seemed to have an inner confidence that if they continued to work hard, they would have enough chances to win. Is it because of the confidence that hard work creates? Trendz had a lot of foreign fans even before their debut. It was a YouTube video with only choreography that caught the attention of overseas K-pop fans. They are outstanding rookies who fill in the gaps in K-pop with their skills.

• Havit: "Before debut, we used the alias Interboyz to upload a cover video on YouTube. We only uploaded the choreography, but the reaction was surprisingly good. Overseas fans commented on our video in different languages. We were helped a lot by BTS, Stray Kids and NCT These cover videos definitely got a lot of views"

The title of Trendz's album is "BLUE SET Chapter 2. CHOICE". This is the world view expanded from the debut album "BLUE SET Chapter 1. TRACKS". It expresses the sense of loss and anger that comes from chaos and despair. The title song of the second mini album is "WHO [吼]". It contains the double meaning of the English question "Who are you?". This is an image that represents the anxious feelings of a person whose future has not yet been decided. Perhaps this word is applicable to Trendz, who have only recently entered the music industry.

• Yoonwoo: "The worldview was created through the communication between each member. We tried to capture how you face and go through difficult moments. I think the image was created around keywords like "deep despair", "chaos" and "crossroads"."
• Leon: "Life is a series of choices. People make choices and live, from big things to small things, and we wanted to portray the various anxieties that they experience"
• Hankook: "I think we were good trainees. As long as we are was trainees, we judge ourselves, and sometimes others judge us. I get along well with the members, but sometimes I have problems due to different opinions. Naturally, I'm worried. Worry about future. I'm trying to imagine the best, replacing my emotions of worry"

Among trainees, Trendz are known for their amount of practice. They boast their intimidating nicknames like "Steel Troops*" and "fake man**". Many trainees joining Trendz's practice sessions have run away. About 20 trainees are said to have joined Trendz training and then left themselves.

• Leon: “Before debuting, I thought a lot about performing, so I practiced a lot. Attending training, we were engaged in groups honing the elements and physical strength. The choreography of “TNT” and “WHO” is so complicated that if we do it more than 4 times, we faint. I try to reach a level where I can do everything perfectly, but such a load is hard to bear. Because of the complexity of our choreographies, it's much easier to cover other idols songs.”
• Havit: “Our workouts are as hard as Steel Troops*. Speaking about the moments connected with the practice of choreography, we believe that if one of us makes a mistake, it is 100 times worse than the whole group, when one of us makes a mistake, he does burpees 100 times. There was a time when I was wrong 4 times in a row and I had to do this exercise 400 times, the maximum number of times I did burpees was 700 times. While other participants are doing the exercise without saying a word, I directly feel that I am being punished, but at the same time I understand that my endurance is growing from this. I gained more confidence because of this punishment, that’s what it means to want to do perfect!”

* Steel Troops is a South Korean reality show broadcast on Channel A and SkyTV. In a show dubbed "military survival program".
** fake man is a web show created by the Korean YouTube channel Physical Gallery, the show is about overcoming human limitations while undergoing special mission training and survival training.

Troops that have undergone heavy training have a special sense of camaraderie. Knowing that it is also difficult for each other, we recognize and respect each other. Trendz have also been through a lot of training together, so they seem to have a big heart as they treat their co-workers with respect. Most of the participants had problems with their opinions due to strong egos, but in the end everything came to a complete understanding. In particular, since all the members participated in writing the lyrics, they were reborn as a team.

• Eunil: "In the first album, it was difficult to write lyrics. But it seems that my skills are growing every time I do it. We each have our own ways of inspiration, but our opinions very often coincide, so writing lyrics, I think, strengthens teamwork!"
• Hanguk: "It was difficult to get the right direction for the lyrics. I had a lot of problems in the past. So in the second album, we consulted each other a lot. I think I found the story that fit the song through a lot of talking"
• Yechan: "We used to fight a lot, but after a lot of practice and talking with each other, I think our teamwork has become special. I can feel what it's like to be a team thanks to Trendz. We're united as a team!"

During our first debut album, we had a feeling that we were rookies. It felt like during the showcase, performances and fan sings we were very reserved, but after a few months we were able to feel like we had matured. Trendz continues to grow and pursue their dream of becoming the top idols in Korea.

• Eunil: “If I need to be somewhere and sing a song, I want to show my best side to you. I want to make a list that ends with a Trendz concert, which is our dream that we are trying to achieve by working hard together.”

The administrators of the @TrendzRu channel worked on the translation