[Herald Interview] CIX ready for new journey with first studio album

We know that a K-pop idol group is on the right track when they set the bar higher with every comeback.

For quintet boy band CIX, the recent release of their first studio album “‘OK’ Prologue: Be OK” was more than enough to prove to the world and to themselves that they were heading the right way.

One of K-pop’s up-and-coming boy bands, CIX made a splash with the 10-track album on Aug. 17, instantly placing five tracks on the top of Bugs’ real-time chart and marking a new sales record with over 110,000 copies sold in the first week of release.

Comprising five members -- BX, Seunghun, Yonghee, Jinyoung and Hyunsuk -- CIX has set off on a new journey with the full-length album and feels they’ve made a good start so far.

“We had our worries, attempting new things with new people, and taking up more work, but seeing the positive reactions from fans, we feel the hard work has paid off,” Hyunsuk said during a recent interview with The Korea Herald.

BX was especially grateful to fans for the new record. “We know that it was possible all thanks to our fans. We sincerely felt so thankful, and talked about how we could give back, and there’s really nothing more but to work even harder.”

While they promised to go at their own pace, Seunghun said their achievements have made them want to strive for a bigger goal now.

“Although we’ve been telling ourselves that we didn’t want to hurry and just go at our own speed, we made a huge jump this time and it’s made us want to be more successful next time,” Seunghun said.

With the album marking the start to a new series -- the “OK” series -- the members took on a youthful, vibrant and fresh concept to cool off in the summer heat.

While the previous “Hello” series was about boys who get trapped in hell, the “OK” series will revolve around those boys discovering the reasons behind the situation and exploring ways for salvation.

“The number of songs has doubled (from previous albums), so it took longer to record and we also put in more efforts into the details. The song genres also became more diversified and that wasn’t easy to digest,” BX, the leader of the group, said.

Not only did the group have to grapple with delivering a new concept, but they also had to work with a change in staffers, including new producers and choreographers, which made the whole process much more difficult yet the results even more satisfactory.

“The title song was in the highest (vocal) range among all our title songs until now. Now being able to sing it live on stage, I think I’ve gained much more confidence,” Seunghun said.

Making their debut in July 2019 with their first EP, “‘Hello’ Chapter 1. Hello, Stranger,” the group looked back on their two-year career and the future they look forward to.

Leader BX said if he could go back a few years, he’d work even harder.

“Back when I was around 20, I so badly wanted to make my voice heard but there was a long wait for me. Working on my music but not being able to show it, I think it kind of put me through a slump,” the 23-year-old said.

For Hyunsuk, he saw the whole process as a fun journey of trying new things.

“My dreams changed frequently. There was a time when I seriously studied to become a cop after I watched this movie about cool cops. I registered at a dance academy because I wanted to become a dancer also after watching a movie, and there, I was cast as a trainee for a K-pop agency. I spoke with my parents who told me to try it, and I started thinking, ‘why not?’”

Hyunsuk, who’d been able to travel abroad for the first time with the debut, said he wants nothing more than to reembark on their world tour, which had been canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We had the whole event planned out, and I’d even bought a huge suitcase for the 16-day trip. But unfortunately, it was canceled,” Hyunsuk said, adding he hopes to meet fans soon when the pandemic comes to an end.

Some members are also trying their hand at their own individual careers as well. Three of the members, Seunghun, Yonghee and Hyunsuk, will soon debut as actors through web-drama series.

“The three of us are also discussing about acting a lot recently, reading scripts together and sharing advice and comments for each other,” Jinyoung said.

Along the members’ journey of self-discovery, their love for their fans, FIX, are as sincere as, or perhaps even more than, it was when they debuted.

BX said, “Coming face to face with fans after our debut and seeing them with our own eyes, I’ve come to realize with heart how special they are. I’ve got this feeling that they are ‘my’ people.”

And for that reason, the last track of the new album “Here For You” was written in English, to remind fans that, even if they are not together amid this phase of a global lockdown, CIX will always be with them to cope through difficult times.

By Choi Ji-won (jwc@heraldcorp.com)