Xodiac aims to be the band of the decade, for 'Xoul Day' and beyond

K-pop

Published: 14 Mar. 2024, 09:19 Updated: 18 Mar. 2024, 18:13

Xodiac aims to be the band of the decade, for 'Xoul Day' and beyond

Members of boy band Xodiac pose for photos during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on March 12 in western Seoul. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Having someone extend a gesture of kindness for no reason can touch even the deepest parts of the soul. That’s how boy band Xodiac members feel every time they see their fans take the time to come to the airport, a showcase, a performance or anywhere else and tell them how much they love them.

“This may sound trivial, but every time we go somewhere on a weekday afternoon and a fan there tells us, ‘I took a day off work to see you’ or ‘I’ve missed you so much,’ I just can’t fully express how grateful I feel toward them,” Beomsoo said.

Jam-packed with promotional activities and training sessions for their latest single “Xoul Day,” the members of Xodiac were still in high spirits with smiles on their faces when they sat down for an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on Tuesday evening.

Just two days before the Thursday release of the three-track compilation, all members said they felt grateful to be able to keep busy and make new music for the fans who wait for them.

Members of boy band Xodiac pose for photos during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on March 12 in western Seoul. [PARK SANG-MOON]

“It’s been less than a year since we debuted, so we really like the fact that we’re busy,” Gyumin said. “We know that every stage, every performance, every photo shoot and event doesn’t come easy. We cherish every single one of them, and we want to keep on racing. We’re so full of passion.”

Xodiac’s latest music is all about expressing that passion, especially their love for the fans, according to the members. Lead track “Heyday” is what’s referred to as a fan song in K-pop, where the song is specifically dedicated to an artist’s fandom rather than just the general public.

A fan song is nothing uncommon, but choosing a fan song to be the lead track is definitely unique.

“We chose this as the lead track because we wanted to make this single a special one for both Xodiac and X-bliss, especially because it’s almost our first debut anniversary,” Gyumin said. X-bliss is the name of Xodiac’s fan club and is pronounced so-bliss.

Boy band Xodiac [JACSO ENTERTAINMENT]

“'Heyday' carries the message of how we, Xodiac, will shine as stars on the stage along with X-bliss. It’s about how we wish to be with X-bliss forever,” he said.

Another unique feature of the single is that the band went with a special three-part short film as the teaser for “Xoul Day,” instead of just using clips of the music video, as is customary for K-pop artists. The campus-themed drama isn’t precisely linked to the message of “Xoul Day,” but it’s nonetheless meaningful, members said.

“The story isn’t quite linked to the songs, but it shows our individual colors, charms and characteristics,” Gyumin said.

“Four of us had a go at shooting web dramas straight after our debut with 'My Strange Roommate' and again in 'Mokkoji Kitchen 2023,' so we had a little bit of experience in a way,” Lex said. “Still, shooting something like this always feels new, and it felt fun for all of us to try something like this all together.”

Members of boy band Xodiac pose for photos during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on March 12 in western Seoul. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Xodiac debuted in April last year with its digital single “Throw A Dice” with six Korean members — Hyunsik, Lex, Beomsoo, Wain, Gyumin and Davin — two members from Hong Kong — Sing and Leo — and one member from Indonesia, Zayyan.

With Zayyan being the only Indonesian singer in K-pop and two members from Hong Kong, Xodiac has been receiving rave support from overseas fans, especially in the southeast Asian countries. The boy band’s YouTube and social media channels are filled with comments in all different languages.

“The great thing about getting comments in different languages is that — with the help of translators — I can learn about the different cultures through the different ways that people support us,” Beomsoo said.

“For instance, there are subtle differences in the way that fans support us from Indonesia, where Zayyan is from, and from Hong Kong, where Sing and Leo are from — and seeing that difference helped us learn more about the different cultures around the world. On top of that, knowing that there are people who love us from across borders and that I heard their voices despite the different languages just feels so overwhelming.”

Xodiac members in Milan for the Emporio Armani fashion show [JACSO ENTERTAINMENT]

Some fans quite literally cross borders for them, according to Leo.

“When we went to Milan for the Emporio Armani fashion show, there was a fan there waiting for us at the photo shoot,” he said. “It felt so amazing and we were so grateful to have someone there for us even so far away.”

“I went to Hong Kong with Leo for an event, and hearing someone say how much they love us in my own language felt closer to my heart,” Sing added. “It made me think that we really shouldn’t stay lazy, especially for the fans who support everything that we do.”

Not staying lazy is in fact what the members have been succeeding at. Less than a year after its debut, Xodiac has already released six digital singles and one album.

Members of boy band Xodiac pose for photos during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on March 12 in western Seoul. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Rigorous training was the main ingredient in the members’ recipe for a good performance, but perhaps more important than that was the nine members all coming together to bond and unite under the same goal: Taking over the K-pop scene.

“Before our debut, we had a session among the members that we called the ‘Voice of our hearts’ where we would tell each other how we felt so that we could really understand each other and become close,” Lex said. “We knew that the fundamentals were just as important as the other skills.”

The band will celebrate its one-year anniversary on April 25. The members are planning a special meet and greet for the event as another way of saying thank you to the fans for staying with them for the past year, and the years to come.

“Thank you for becoming our motivation, our inspiration,” Sing said. “All we wish is that we get to show you how much we can grow and feel that together.”

Members of boy band Xodiac pose for photos during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on March 12 in western Seoul. [PARK SANG-MOON]

“We’re still like a baby that’s crawling,” Zayyan said. “We’re still learning to walk and to be a good idol. You guys, X-bliss, lead us to a better way, and I can’t tell you enough how special it is for us. We truly hope we can stay together forever.”

For “Xoul Day,” Xodiac’s goal is to make their fans know how much the members appreciate them. But ultimately, they wish to become “the band that people think of when they think back to the 2020s.”

“You know how there’s a band that represents every era? We wish to become just that,” Gyumin said. “Just as our parents grew up listening to songs from their times, we want to be ‘the band of our time’ and have people say, ‘Yes, Xodiac was all the hype when we grew up!’ We want to be the nostalgia of everyone.”

To find out more about Xodiac, visit Celeb Confirmed!

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]