[INTERVIEW] GET TO KNOW ABOUT KOREAN BAND – ‘2Z’

Hallyure welcomes rising Korean boy band 2Z for a special interview. 2Z is a five-member boy band under GOGO2020 who made their debut on January 14, 2020, with “WE TU: ZI” mini-album.  2Z has exceptionally explored their music from various genres, such as rock, blues, metal, etc. The band had recently released their full-length ‘ACT 1‘ 4 March 2021. The band also released a music video of the song ‘[email protected]‘ from their latest album.

Let us now delve into knowing 2Z better; their favourite artist, songs and more.

1. For people who might not know you, kindly please introduce yourself

All – Hello, we are 2Z.

Bum Jun – Hi everyone, I am BumJun who is 21 year old, the leader and the Drummist of the group.

Jiseob – I am Jiseob who is a vocalist and I also play the Guitar. I am the bridge between the older and the younger ones in the group.

Hojin – Hello, am Hojin, the main vocalist of the group. I have been friends with Jiseob since Middle school, that is why I enjoy being in the band with him.

Zunon: Hello, I am Zunon, the eldest one in the group, who does a lot of things; the multiplayer of the group.

Junghyun: Hello, am Junghyun who is 18 years old, I am the bassist of the group.

2. How was the band formed? And how did you come up with your stage name 2Z, what does it mean?

Bum Jun: The 5 of us were promoting and performing our songs, while performing, we got a good chance to audition, and through the audition, we formed the 2Z band.

Hojin: Are you guys aware what the fandom name is? It is ‘From A’; so together, we are ‘From A 2Z’ which basically means we are ‘From A to Z’ or that we will be together from the ‘Beginning till the End’.

Oh! One more thing, we want to be the band that communicates with anybody who is any corner of the world using any language, that’s also one reason why the band name is 2Z.

Jiseob: Our songs are strongly focused on having ‘Hope’. From the beginning, we try to deliver the message of having hope.

3. Would you like to take us through your EPs – ‘위 투지 (We Tuzi:)’, and ‘Nostrum’? Is there a specific meaning for each of the title of the EP?

Hojin: The reason we named the album ‘We Tu Zi’ is because it is our first album which basically is our introduction to the world and hence the name ‘WE 2Z’ and another message we wanted to deliver is that if our beloved and respected folks and the 5 band members stick together, we have nothing to fear.

Hojin ‘Nostrum’ means messed up prescription. Since we believe that our music comforts you all, the message we wanted to convey through our music in Nostrum was to welcome you to world of imagination, and even if you are not able to live in such a world; that your present/current world is still liveable.

4. You have also released 3 digital singles simultaneously; the band has indeed released a lot of songs, could you take us through how you decided to do so.

Junghyun: Our promotion was rescheduled/cancelled around 5 times, but unfortunately, right after we debuted, the Corona pandemic started. We five of us stuck together as promised even in this difficult situation and we were able to release our 11 precious songs.

Most important thing is that, even in this difficult situation, I feel good that we kept our promise to each other.

5. Which would be your favourite song from amongst all of your releases, if any?

Bum Jun: The song that I like the most is ‘Doctor’. Out of all the songs that we have, the ones facing a hard time during the pandemic are the Doctors. Because of coronavirus, a lot of people are upset/sad, without courage, facing challenges, so we wanted to cheer them through this song.

Jiseob: To answer the question of which song I like the most is very difficult, but if I have to pick, it would be ‘Not without you’. The message that we have is for our Fandom ‘From A’ that we cannot exist without you. I like the meaning of the song.

Hojin: The song that I like the most is ‘All I need’. This is the song that was done at the last which is the title song of the Single Album. It has a very different vibe/feel to the songs we have discussed till now. Even though it is strongly based on piano, it has a very sad and lonely feeling to it. Every time I sing the song, I can feel the hurt in my heart, so I like that song.

Zunon: The song that I like the most is ‘Stand’. We got a lot of support from our producers and the five of us worked on this album from beginning till end. We all gathered together and separately for the music video shooting and we did it together, which was a great feeling for us and is a very fond memory.

Junghyun: The song that I like the most is ‘All I need’. Since I am the bassist, we hear all instruments in harmony. Since I think the first instrument I need to hear is the drum, to play the bass, the combination of drum and bass is really fun to play on this song.

6. Your digital single, “All I need” has been received so well, could you talk us through the song?

Hojin: Have you guys seen the Music video yet? If you see the MV, you can notice the 5 of us go on our own ways, what do you guys think about going our own ways? If we go our own ways, we can see/experience the things we haven’t come across. We can run closer towards the things we wanted to do. If you look at it from 2Z’s perspective, the place where 2Z truly wants to be is in a loveable world (to love and be loved in this world) which is the meaning of the MV.

7. You have released several music videos; do you have any memorable episode from any of them that you would like to share it to your fans?

Jiseob: I would like to say something about the ‘Doctor’ music video. In the intro and outro of the MV, there are ending scenes with BumJun hyung. Those scenes were shot on a boat/ship. After the shoot, when we had to move to a different shooting place, we were sleeping in the car, the staff woke us up saying that we to shoot there. It was that place. After shooting and coming out, we felt that it was a cool place.

Hojin: I think, among all the places we shot, that was the most coolest place we did the shooting.

Jiseob: Yes, it was the coolest one.

Zunon: In the MV, there is a scene where I open the door and sing. Inside that door was something that was written and we were wondering what it was. Later we found out it was 2Z mark, I was pleasantly surprised by it.

Hojin: No one knew about it during the shooting.

8. Who are your inspirations?

Hojin: The band 1975 is very inspiring to us. It was the first MV we watched when we decided to be forming a band (which is 1975’s).

Hojin: The song was called ‘The Sound’. The impact still remains with us and continues to stay with us, so we can say; we got a lot of inspiration from them.

Bumjun: Through YouTube, I keep watching IU concert and while am watching the concert, I get lost and think how it would feel when 2Z will be performing at a concert.

9. What is your usual process while producing a song?

Junghyun: We begin by creating a chord voicing an acoustic guitar. Next, we listen to the chord arrangement and members create their own instrumental parts. Members then gather to form an ensemble to produce a complete song. We slowly play it together and make it sound like a band.

9. Any specific future aspirations or goal after this?  

Bum Jun: We want to become the best band. To become the best band, I need to become the drummer for the best band and not a best drummer.

10. Let us now delve into some personal questions for your readers. What do you usually do in your free time, especially with the pandemic, how has life changed?

Hojun: I love listening to the music and sleeping in the theater.

Junghyun: It was the most no fun answer. To be honest, before the coronavirus pandemic started, while practicing, we used to go out to eat, play basketball, go bowling and we had some activities we could do now, we cannot do these things, so it frustrating and something I wish we can do sooner.

Bum Jun: As one of the good basketball player among the five of us, I love playing Basketball and shopping.

Hojin to Zunon: In our case, the difficult part is that you are not able to go drinking outside. For him to go out and not drink is very commendable.

Jiseob: Yes, I was really influenced.

Hojin: It is highly commendable that we are not drinking out.

Junghyun: I think that’s a relief.

Jiseob: I don’t particularly have a hobby, I just love spending time with loved ones while having some wine (drinking) but I don’t have such a person I can do that with except for the members.

Zunon: Ohh, I almost mistook you!! I love going to the café and getting myself some coffee and also go for a walk sometimes.

Bumjun: Alone?

Zunon: Yes, but since am not able to do that, I just watch some movies or sleep at home.

Jiseob: In points: 1.Spend time on YouTube, 2.Search up 2Z, 3.Recommend all videos of 2Z.

11. Any message for your fans? Especially for people who are going through rough times this year?

Hojun: I think that all the people who are fighting their own battles, our ‘From A’ and other folks are cool. We would like to hear that through our e-mails.

Even though we do not know when this coronavirus pandemic would end, we would still continue to maintain our promise with you without forgetting it.

Junghyun: As mentioned earlier, the pandemic started right after we debuted, we are in a position where are not able to meet many fans. Since the situation is like this, I think it would be more colourful when we meet our fans, so, when we meet in person, I think it would be an overwhelming feeling for both ‘From A’ and to us as well.

Anyways, I want to meet you all ASAP.

Zunon: One member of the fan club ‘From A’ does volunteer work to help those suffer from the pandemic, we are grateful and proud of them.

Due to corona, there are a lot of people who are working hard. From our perspective, they are really awesome and that we are thankful for their service.

Bum Jun: We are always by your side and we will always be there in the future as well.

Hojun: We are all precious people who are entitled/deserve to be happy, so shall we go together?

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IMAGE/VIDEO COURTESY -GOGO2020