[Herald Interview] HyunA-led Triple H goes us-against-the-world with ‘365 Fresh’

“Us-against-the-world” spirited trio Triple H, a new group to the Korean music scene, stood firm in the face of a controversy surrounding its recently released debut single “365 Fresh.”

The collaborative group, consisting of HyunA of disbanded girl group 4Minute and her Cube Entertainment labelmates Hui and E’Dawn of boy band Pentagon, opened up about the new track from debut album “199X” that is being assailed for its controversial music video, at an interview in Seoul on Wednesday. 

“Frankly speaking, we expected this kind of reaction. But all we wanted to portray in the music video were the convoluted emotions of unstable youths who constantly fail to settle down,” said HyunA, who leads the trio.

“I hope viewers can focus on how we tried to deliver those specific emotions and how our story unfolds in the video.”

The group dropped its debut EP “199X” on May 1 with the lead track “365 Fresh,” a bouncy burst of funky energy reminiscent of the ‘90s.

Along with the group’s fame came controversy, however, as the music video for the debut single was criticized immediately upon its release for its sexual contents and depiction of controversial scenes such as suicide, theft and murder. 

Featuring the trio as free-spirited strangers to each other, the video shows how the three come together while running from their own problems. HyunA kills a man who tried to sexually harass her, car thief Hui is on the run and E’Dawn attempts to take his own life. They spend a night together, but end up jumping off a building after being chased by police.

“It’s up to the viewers how they interpret the video. How they think about it is out of our control,” HyunA said. 

The two men in the band also said they had taken a more theatrical approach to filming the video. They watched several ‘90s movies that similarly featured troubled youths.  

Hui, whose acting in the music video was well received, said, “I actually enjoyed acting in the video a lot. The last scene of the video, where the three of us run from the cops, was the most thrilling part. It still gives me goosebumps.”

Expressing interest in acting, Hui added that he might plan to debut as an actor. E’Dawn also shared how he had to lose weight to look skinny and pale in the video.

HyunA, whose past music videos often stirred controversy for their sexual content, didn’t seem to back down this time either with her new pals by her side.

Looking more stripped down and relaxed compared to her earlier solo project, HyunA once again confirmed she doesn’t intend to drop her sexy image.

“My image is what I have built for the last 10 years as a singer. I can’t just lose it, because that’s who I am,” she said.

“We will weather through whatever comes at us, just like the young and free-spirited characters we played in the music video. Not getting daunted and keeping what we believe in, that’s youth.”

HyunA debuted in 2007 in the Wonder Girls. She left the group and joined 4Minute in 2009. After making a solo debut in 2010 with the single “Change,” HyunA, ever a performance-oriented singer, rose to fame with hits such as “Bubble Pop!” in 2011 and “Ice Cream” in 2012. She has also collaborated with Jang Hyun-seung in 2011 as the Bonnie and Clyde-esque duo Trouble Maker.

Triple H’s ‘90s-inspired album features four other songs, including funk hip-hop hybrid “Sunflower,” jazz hip-hop “What’s Going On” and pop ballad “Girl Girl Girl.” 

By Hong Dam-young (lotus@heraldcorp.com)