TREASURE on 'Blind Love' and What Keeps Them 'Growing Together' in New Single and on Tour (Exclusive)
The "KING KONG" performers open up about their explosive new single and ongoing "REBOOT" Asia tour
When Yoshi says his heart is like King Kong, what does he mean?
Inside the world of TREASURE’s latest single, “KING KONG,” you’ll quickly realize that the lyric the 23-year-old rapper and co-writer resonates with most is anything but dainty and delicate.
In fact, the cinematic music video sets the 10-piece K-pop boy group right in the middle of an apocalyptic universe, thunderous clouds and barren wastelands abound.
True to their identity as performance artists, the young men — Choi Hyunsuk, 25, Jihoon, 24, Yoshi, 23, Junkyu, 23, Yoon Jaehyuk, 22, Asahi, 22, Doyoung, 20, Haruto, 20, Park Jeongwoo, 19, and So Junghwan, 19 — enter with a bang against a backdrop of sharp beats and an explosive bassline.
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TREASUREFrom the moment a lyric escapes their mouth, it’s clear that there’s one goal solely on their minds.
When we were writing the lyrics, we kept on trying to think of the blind love story of King Kong and what kind of love the character wanted,” Choi Hyunsuk tells PEOPLE during an early morning conversation as one of the group’s leaders. “We wanted to express this kind of passionate love through our performance and facial expressions in the music video.”
Within the brightly lit conference room where the boys are gathered, dressed in warm hoodies while sipping on drinks, it might be easy to underestimate the power they hold in performance.
However, like the iconic giant monster, their ominous energy in the music video quickly translates into a force to be reckoned with. It’s a kind of love, but not one that stands by cautiously, waiting to make a move. Instead, it’s a sentiment of unwavering devotion that’s true, yet unattainable.
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So while their love may be blind, their eyes are clear on the path forward — and they’ll destroy anything that gets in the way.
Cue the helicopters, the SWAT trucks and the police cars. The boys easily overpower the opposing forces with a love that knows no bounds, from the top of skyscrapers all the way down to the crushed ground beneath their feet.
“Gotta shake the ground / Gonna break it down go” they sing of the refrain, before leaping into a hype chorus and a series of catchy raps.
The group’s longtime fans, named the Treasure Makers, will recognize the familiar roaring energy that accompanies each of the boys’ title tracks. Yet, old and new fans alike will welcome the more mature and sexy image they’re growing into — the continuation of a new era that launched with their second full album, REBOOT.
It’s been nearly four years since the group first broke their ground into the K-pop industry in 2020 with The First Step: Chapter One.
The “JIKJIN” performers have taken giant leaps since then, with the release of numerous tracks and an ongoing “REBOOT” tour — their second Asia tour since 2023.
While love has been a consistent theme through their music, it’s natural that their definition of the emotion has matured since youth.
“When I was young, I just thought that love was simply just liking someone,” Jihoon says. “But now that I’m older and more mature, I realized that love isn’t just about liking someone. It’s thinking about them, respecting them and being non-calculative.”
It’s a feeling he strongly feels for the Treasure Makers, the co-leader adds.
The way the “BONA BONA” singers channel their love to the fans is through the intensity of their performance on and off the stage. Main dancer Doyoung wants fans to especially pay attention to their choreography, which features a powerful dance break that syncs against lighting strikes in the background of their music video.
Harnessing such an electric power each and every time requires a high level of focus, according to 22-year-old Jaehyuk.
“We really just try to push ourselves so that we don’t get distracted,” the vocalist explains to PEOPLE. “Even if it gets tiring along the way, our leaders, Hyunsuk and Jihoon, play a really crucial part in making sure the whole team doesn’t get distracted — and there’s motivation.”
Given the roles that each member embodies, like being a leader, a lead vocalist or a main rapper, the “DARARI” performers naturally form a “tight-knit” bond. It’s an essential asset during their Asia tour, especially when choosing to rest or explore between shows.
“There are days when we just want to recharge and stay inside and practice, or there are some days when we like to go on walks and chill outside,” Junghwan says while sporting a backward black cap. “It really depends on the situation."
But no matter how varying their energy levels may be, the “MOVE” performers always get a charge from their Treasure Makers. That’s what makes shows most impactful for Asahi, and it’s the love and support in particular that Jeongwoo looks forward to every time.
As the TREASURE boys continue to chart new territories together through their early twenties, they’re overflowing with gratitude about this moment in time — and 20-year-old Haruto flashes an overhead thumbs-up to emphasize that point.
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Junkyu also expresses the same sentiment, nodding enthusiastically through most of the conversation. His response elicits a few claps from the members, as if all of them realize that the memories are what they’ll treasure most down the road.
“I’m just really happy to be doing something that I really love along with the rest of the members, and we’ll try different concepts and musical genres in the future,” the lead vocalist says. “It’s really nice to be able to spend quality time with the group and be able to grow together as TREASURE.”
“KING KONG” is now available to stream.
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Read the original article on People.
