July 23, 2025 • 47 mins
In this special episode, we sit down with Kevin Woo the artist, actor, and trailblazing K-pop idol for a wide-ranging conversation on his incredible journev. From being one of the few American K-pop idols to debut in Korea back in 2008, to starring in K-pop: Demon Hunters and making moves on Broadway and beyond, Kevin reflects on the milestones that shapedhis career.
He also opens up about his friendship with BLACKPINK's Lisa, what it's like balancing life as a
solo artist versus being in a group, and yes wedefinitely dive into all things K-pop: Demon Hunters!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello everybody, and welcome back to The K Factor Everything
Kpop hosted by Bomhan, and today we have a very
(00:20):
very special guest. His name is Kevin Wu. For kapop fans,
this guy needs no introduction. However, for you guys radio listeners,
here's a little blurb that we wrote for him just
in case.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Thanks.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Today's guest is truly a global star. He made his
debut in in the K pop scene at just fifteen
years old. From being part of the beloved group You
Kiss to becoming successful solo artists, actor and Broadway performer,
Kevin Wu is a force who's bridged cultures through music,
fashion and film. Born and raised in California, Kevin helped
pave the way for future international K pop idols. Now
(00:53):
he's starring in Netflix K Pop Demon Hunters and many
many other shows. Please welcome the ever Carve Charas, Matt
ever charming Kevin WHOA.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I feel very honest, that's a great like little intro.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
And I feel as though it's not even enough to
capture the talent and the personality that you want. Thank
you so much for coming here and being a part
of this show today.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Pleasure to meet you. Finally, And you know.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
For K Factor history, you are our biggest guest yet. What.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
I'm sure you had big guests too, And we were.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Talking about this a little bit before the show started,
but it was really a long time coming, Like you
had so many mutual friends and like the projects that
you've been a part of, and like, for example, like
James James co James.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
If you're watching What's.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Up, shout out to James.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
A lot of my fans know, and like, James actually
danced in my first music video ever in Korea.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Awesome. He's a really, really talented dancer, probably one of
the best in the bids I think. And I had
a pleasure of working with James on the Cape show
I was in. And yeah, I see him all the
time on social media. He like dances for so many
capop acts when they come over bb BB Street Kids,
(02:18):
VMA crazy.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
But yeah, you met him in New York, New York
when you were doing the k Pop Broadway show.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
How is that?
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Yeah, I mean, I love New York. I'm glad I
just had an experience to like get to live there.
I'm originally from the Bay Area in California, so being
in the East Coast was definitely like a big switch
up for me in terms of energy and vibes.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Okay, but you're from New York, right, I'm from New
York and actually right now I'm in your home California,
and everyone, like I noticed, is like everyone smiles around here.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Hey, there's nothing to complain around here. If you've got
the sun, there's no I mean, traffic is kind of bad,
but you know, you're not bumping into people constantly on
the streets. We're never really walking on the streets.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Food is good to food is good.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Korean food hands down. I had to say, it's better
than New York.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
I've been looking for good Korean food, Okay. And the
best place, like specially you have like a reference. The
best place I've been to in La so far was
this place called pong.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Oh beg jump oh yeah, my friend, really amazing. Again,
they are like one of the OG's and they just
opened a new one. I don't know if you you
probably went to the new one that just opened. So
good if you like ning neon, cuddle ingon, sorry, it's
called you Okay, it's like one of the best staple okay. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
And then of course bc D BCD. Is that a
California thing?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
I mean it originated I think in katon Lay. I
think I don't know cret me from Ronk, but there
is one in katwn in New York.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Yes, but I do you.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Have to say there's a little I mean it's good,
it's good, but I feel like the taste is a
little bit different.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Okay, okay, cool.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
I don't want to bash on, dude, but it's a
pleasure to meet you because we were just talking about
like all these projects and you live in Korea. We
also have so many mutuals in the K pop world.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Yeah, Alexa, Alexa, Oh my gosh, talk about this.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Shout out Alexa. I love Alexa so much, doesn't And
I call Alexa mom because she's so much.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Baby. And for you, I've seen the Demon Hunters when
they do that. We're about to reenact that thing.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Speaking of Hunters, my favorite movie ever, me.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Too, and I'm the whole world feels the same way too.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
And you were one of the Saja boys.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
I was. I was a vocalist for Mysteries Haja wow.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Yeah wow. How is that whole process?
Speaker 2 (04:54):
I mean I'm still processing it, you know. Day by day.
There's like a new record, new milestone that this film
is breaking.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
That you're a part of.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
I mean, it's a huge honor and I'm grateful for
the opportunity to participate in such a groundbreaking film. It's
the first of its kind to have a K pop
storyline and an animated film from and also like a
major studio like Sony Animations. It's it's epic with.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
All these pieces. Did you ever see k pop Demon
Hunters being as big as it was when you're working
on it.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
I don't think anyone ever expected this to go as
viral as it's going. I mean, like the ultimate goal.
But I mean, I don't think anyone knows or is
prepared for anything like this. But I knew from the
get go the songs were bangers. I actually didn't hear
the Hunters songs because I only did the Soja Boy song.
(05:50):
So last year we actually recorded this in New York.
I recorded sort of Popping Your Idol last year and
they're very like confidential with like you know, music and everything,
and I was like, I'm very curious about the Hunterrick songs,
but you know, I had to wait like a year
or so. But when I heard it, I was like,
this whole album, there's no skip songs, Like every song
(06:13):
is a hit after hit ah, So I knew the
soundtrack was gonna be bomb.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
What was the process of like recording the soundtracks for
like a group that like isn't real, you know, like
having the experience of like being kiss Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Mean, you know, being part of a boy band myself
from you kiss, Like, I'm always in the studio recording
and it's nothing different. You know, I'm recording a pop
track and it's like a k pop you know that
in that world. So it wasn't too difficult for me
or anything new. But it was cool to kind of
play with different tones and vocal textures and styles to
(06:50):
match and and and breathe life into this character. And
for me, it was mystery s haja. And the most
thrilling experience was to see like the because early on
last year when I was recording this, we only had
the sketches, so we didn't have the full animation to
like see or or record off of, and which is
really cool because I remember got to see like the
(07:12):
process of the making of an animation film and it's
super cool because like it's like sketches of like you know,
it's not completely like done yet, so for me to
see that and like but I got to see like
the outline of the character and I knew like he
didn't have any he had bangs and like he was
like literally mystery. So you know, getting the vocal directing
(07:34):
by the music producers e J who's also the voice
of Roomy incredible talent, just like insanely talented, and Ian
Eisendrath who is the music producer as well. Yeah, we
we were like all having fun, you know, playing around
with different styles, trying to find the perfect fit.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Yeah, I was gonna ask like when you were in
the studio, they just go like, yo, Kevin Woo, just
be Kevin wo or was yeah, embody a character?
Speaker 2 (08:02):
So you know, like before I flew to New York
to record this, they actually wanted to hear, like test
my vocals on this track so to pop and I
just recorded in my room, just gave them that like
a capella line, just me singing it and then they
loved it. So I don't think like I had to
do anything too different.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
And they're still testing you man, that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
But I mean they already I heard my boys, you know,
with my Yukus tracks and my solo songs on Spotify
and everything. But yeah, I feel like they wanted something
more because they loved what I had like originally, but
I feel like like something that I don't normally do
in my music, like a super breathy version, like for example,
(08:46):
it's like in your ums just so t like it's
like I was singing it like that, but in this
recording version, I have to be like you run zaw
are so tight, Like it has to be more theatrical, right,
and more like animated obviously because the animated film. But
that was really fun to test different tones.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Wow wow, and it's your first time doing like an
animated project yep, and it blew up.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah, I think it feels like I won the jackpot, honestly,
Like you know, it's just for me. It's an honor
to be a part of this film that represents my
culture and K pop, you know, which I'm from. But
to be in a movie that's this impactful in pop
culture and in film is like that's another level. Like
(09:34):
I did not expect this, and I'm seriously right now,
I'm like, still, I have to pitch myself every day
because when I see my Spotify monthly listeners, before Capo
Demon Hunter's there was like, you know, anywhere from ten
thousand to fifteen thousand, which is like, you know, I
didn't really release a lot of music, so it was
like in my hiatus era. So I was like, okay,
(09:56):
I'm just like still working on my music and everything.
But after the music, the movie and the soundtrack released,
the next day was like one million.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Wow, because your your profiles attached.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
It up exactly pop in your idol rises together. And
then right now it's been like two and a half weeks,
maybe three weeks, and right now it's at seventeen point
seven million, and it continues to rise every day.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
So every day is just like another milestone after another milestone.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
So for Kevin Wu fans, does this inspire you or
like light a spark for you to like do more music?
Speaker 2 (10:35):
I mean, so I've been working on music, you know.
I just released a single called Deja Vu and Phoenix
in April like two months ago, three months ago, and
I'm glad I did because there's something for fans or
like newer audiences to you know, look up when they
see Kevin Wu. But definitely. I mean I already had
(10:55):
another single or have another single in the works, but
it just inspired me to make more music.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
But what is this what is this new single that
you're talking about?
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Yees, So I'm releasing it soon later this summer, and
it's like more of like this summer.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Bob summer bop, you know vibe.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Okay, But yeah, I mean I don't think Demon Hunters
changed the trajectory of like my solo music or what
I've already been doing. But now with this like new audience,
I do feel a bit more motivated. Yeah, sure, more
and and it has opened more doors because now producers
are knocking out my door labels.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
She did so good.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
Literally the part in Soda Pop, Like I didn't know
it was you, but then I was like, dude, this
is my favorite part in Soda Pop.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
I was like, this is the best in your hand.
I'm not even because you're.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Like literally that means a lot.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
I'm so geeked out that you're doing this podcast.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
We have to do the Soda Pop challenge.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
We have to after this interview. We got to do
soda pop and maybe even.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Your I that's a little hard.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
A little hard, but you could do it. Okay, you're
you're idol trained artists. I'm there, No, But what was
your favorite song of the soundtrack? I know that's like
been a trend on TikTok, like listing your top ten,
like yeah, what's been on yours?
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Yo?
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Okay, soda pop was like was and you don't have.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
To you don't have to like sugarcart it because I'm here.
Like for me, my number one is still like Golden, Golden.
I have to start with golden, Golden to start my day.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Mine is golden and free free yep f free, Relax.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
The equipment is going to start floating that.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Song like it takes me somewhere else. I feel like elevated.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
You know what it gives me?
Speaker 1 (12:45):
It gives me rewrite the stars, yes, yeah, yes, the
same context like everything.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
If yeah, yeah, yeah, it's that same with.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
That like hip hop, it's like a little bit of
a hip hop twist to it. We're modern, it's more
it's more K pop, but.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
It also has like those kind of like you know
tail uh you know tones to it that make you
feel like nostalgic as well. And it's just so pretty
and it takes you to another like ethereal world.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Yeah, and that's where your part in sort of Pop
took me really literally, I didn't like pop besides your
part and the part that was.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Actually you didn't do that.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
I didn't one in your arms just su tied, suit tied.
Can I let go? No, No, that's nice. I'm gonna cry,
like like I gotta like stop smiling because like literally
getting wrinkles these.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
It's about time, dude, Like I I think people are
gonna watch this, they're gonna think we're the same age
or like I hope so.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
But when I heard your age before we started recording this,
I was like, damn, you could be like my, my,
my nephew.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
Oh that's that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Literally damn because you have you were in the two thousands,
like my like my year starts with the nineties, in
the nineties. But but I wanted to talk about that.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
I remember like we were we were.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Watching a bunch of like the whole production scen We're
watching a bunch of old interviews. I think like sometime
like like even like ten years ago, you were like,
yok pop is going to come to America, like yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
And and you.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
You've been here, you've been working, like doing films, doing
Hollywood stuff and and like.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
The first ever k pop Broadway show. Yeah, that was
my first like leg in the door really really you
know us and like Hollywood, and that was kind of
like the beginning of my US career.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
I'd say, we need you, dude, Like ever since I
was a kid, we like look on TV and we're like,
we don't have like we don't have like a handsome,
attractive man Hollywood man, Like can you imagine like a
twelve thirteen year old Asian kid like watching you and
all these Hollywood productions.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
I wish, I wish I grew up with someone like me.
When I was growing up, I had zero, like literally
zero that guy. Now, dude, I like and I and
you know, I'm just so happy that these days, like
kids who are growing up and like watching film and
consuming like mainstream media, now they don't have to fight
(15:24):
for representation, right they could just point out Demon Hunters
and like that's my culture. Number one on Nothing, number one,
number one soundtrack too. It's crazy to see how present
K pop and Korean culture is and how deeply rooted
and embedded it is in pop culture because you can't
(15:45):
be on social media and not see like black ping
or bts, like literally just like that's everything on everyone's feet,
Like what is Jenny up to? What is Lisa to? Like?
I just went to Black Peans tour in La the
Dead Light, yeah, on Sunday and Saturday.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
I went both.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Oh yeah, because little Flex here like Lisa's you know
my girl really yeah, we're like, you know, really good
friends and every time like she comes to the States
in LA, like you know, we always hang out. And
I've just seen her career just like, oh wow, just
seen the whole thing and couldn't be like a prouder
like I don't know, oh bah, you know, I'm just
(16:23):
so proud of Lisa and like all of her you know,
acclamations too, because she really made a name for herself
in the Hollywood industry as well with White Lotus.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
Oh yeah, oh my gosh, that was amazing.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
So like yeah, like K pop idols here and there,
including myself, I guess now like we're all kind of
like making an impact on one production at a time.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
I feel like it's like such the beautiful thing about
K pop, you know, and like being able to spread
it and like even like having an iHeart Radio placement,
like none of this.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
You are also making ways too, having your own K
pop you know, themed podcast on iHeart Radio.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
That it wouldn't be possible without all the work that
you have done. So thank you, thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
And oh man, but you were at the Black Pink concert.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
I couldn't go schedule that day and I didn't I
didn't have I didn't have any one of the inside.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
I'm sure they're playing New York soon, so you you
gotta find your plug. I gotta get in best concert
I've been this year.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Amazing performers like it don't get enough yeah jump, oh,
they don't get enough credit.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
The set list is like a goad jillion songs.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
No and exactly, and after each member you know, had
their solo run. It felt like four soloists in one concert.
So you know, fans really got their bang for their book.
They got to see four different shows because each member
like had their moment, you know, and like that's the
jenny you know, also like rock Star GC with Earthquake
(17:56):
and then like oh my god, when when Rose they
brought up Bruno Mars on Sunday, I lost my mind. Wow,
Like the whole stadium was just like lost.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
I don't know if it's like yeah, sorry, that's a
huge record.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Crazy.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Yeah, and just.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
See Bruno, I was like I thought I would never
see them perform. People.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
Do you think Apasa is bigger than Gungham Style?
Speaker 2 (18:21):
I mean it's just a different era. I think it's
just as big.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
I think the impact it made in this generation was
probably the same impact that gungam Style made in twenty ten.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Because I lived in America for a bit and like,
like I was in Vegas and there are people like
just like playing basketball, like like we were like sixty
year old people who like never should be around K pop.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
Ever They're like too ye too.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Yeah, it was insane. You gotta take it out.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Yeah. If they're making a New York stop and I'm there.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Me too, No me, I'm just I'll see what I
can do.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Okay. I have a question.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
You have been part of this industry for so long,
and you're looking at all these young italent like coming
up and then now and now you're doing Hollywood and
all these things.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
What is your goal.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
And aspiration at this moment, Like, what is something that
you're still striving and chasing.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Man, I feel like there's never an end to it,
you know, because there are many moments in my life
where I felt like, oh, I made it, Okay. My
first I made it moment was when I debuted in
a K pop group like I, when I debated U Kiss,
I was like, mom, dad, I made it. And I
was seventeen, like sixteen seventeen, So that was like first,
like I made it a moment. And then I just
(19:41):
had an incredible journey with my members, like you know,
doing world tours, traveling and like really spreading K pop
because at that moment, it wasn't as global as it
is today, Like we were still going to countries where
they never heard of K pop but still had a
niche dan club and like fandom because of YouTube and
all that. But yeah, just seeing the impact we made
(20:02):
as a group in like second generation of k PAP
was like a dream come true. Heating to perform in
countries like Mexico, like like Europe, Southeast Asia was also
huge second generation also Japan y was we really made
a big like establishment as a group in Japan in
(20:24):
the earlier days. So yeah, that was like a big
dream that came true, and then I guess, you know,
I've always wanted to be an actor. So during the pandemic,
that's when I actually moved to La. Okay, So I
left Yukus in twenty seventeen. You know, it was doing
I was doing musicals in Japan and Korea. I love theater, obviously,
I was on a Broadway show. So I was fulfilling
(20:45):
like that void of like performing on stage as a
musical art performer. And then twenty twenty one, I was like, okay,
I don't want to be stuck in my room. I
was doing a lot of live streams, you know, TikTok
was just to have its moment, and then I was like, okay,
I need to get out of my room. I feel
very suffocated. And so I started to find ways to
(21:07):
like like have acting classes or meet like you know,
representation out here, like managers and agents. So I took
the leap of faith to move out to LA and
then that kind of started my acting career.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
So you're still in Asia during the pandemic.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
I was, yeah, in twenty twenty, I was still in Korea.
And then after a whole year of just being stuck
in my room and at home. I was like, I
feel very like, just like Antsy to go back home
to America.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
You took a huge jump to lead career, like they
were defeated by the pandemic, you know.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
True, true, But for me, something was fueling and I've
always there was there were so many dreams and aspirations
that I didn't fulfill yet that I felt like I
needed to pursue. So, yeah, I moved to la And
it was a hard decision because I lived in Korea
for about fifteen years and it was definitely home for me.
(22:02):
But I feel like I needed to start this new chapter.
And and now, you know, K pop is still making
its presence in Hollywood, but I feel like, you know,
as each year goes by, there's something that kind of
sets a new wave and new I guess, like momentum
in k pop. So I feel like I'm just here
at the right moment, at the right time. I feel
(22:24):
very lucky. Honestly, I don't. I just kind of still
can't believe how big this is getting in in America. Congratulations, no,
thank you, And your question, Yeah, do I want to
do more of Hell? Yeah, I want to keep on
doing more like films as an actor, but I also
like have an ongoing passion for music.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Obviously music is at my cores now.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
So music is definitely on my list. I want to
do tours, hopefully more world tours as a solo war artist.
And I have another movie coming out in January twenty.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
Six Are you allowed to talk about?
Speaker 2 (23:07):
So this film was directed by Anderson Peck, the Grammy
Award winning you know, ultimate musician that like I really
really respect. He is someone that just really is such
a musical genius and he came from like he started
from the bottom up, Like he is so respected in
(23:28):
our industry. And for him to like direct and star
in a movie about K pop because it's called K.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
Pops Okay Okay, it's called K Pops.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
It's called K Pops Okay, and it's a feature film
and it also stars his real life son Soul Rashid,
and I star alongside Anderson Pack was just crazy to say.
It's like, wow, I can't believe it, but but yeah,
I play like a K pop star in that film.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
It's accurate. It fits.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
I heard nothing but good good things about this guy.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
By the way, he is hilarious. He's super talented. I've
been seeing multiple shows of his one of his concerts
on tour. And also he does a lot of DJ
sets as d J pee Wee. He does like Coachella,
he does like so many cool parties here in LA
and all around the road, like Vegas too. But every
time I'm with him, it's just he's the life of
(24:21):
the party. Such a such a down to earth, humble
guy too.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
Yeah, that's why hear I'm like, I'm like acting like
surprise right now.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
I actually had a friend who was working on the
movie alongside Oh.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Yeah, shout out Emmy, Emmy.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
Oh my god, my little my little tonge saying shout
out to Emmy if you're watching.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
The two people that she talked about the most while
she was in production for this movie was Anderson Anderson
Park and you and me.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
Yeah, and we work together every day nursing and shooting.
Like this whole process was so interesting because it felt
like I returned into, like back in my idol form,
because the training for this movie was just as like
rigorous as an idol training. Because this movie is based
(25:06):
off like this K pop competition show in this fictional movie,
and I'm like one of the contestants, and so is
Emmy and and like that's how like this like in
this movie, we that's how we interact. But I can't
spoil too much, but there's a lot of dance obviously.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
Yes, I saw the huge numbers being yeah, choreographed by
a huge amazing people.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Like Jung look and yes, incredible, incredible, And so every
day for like I would say, almost a month, we
practiced like the big number and we each had like
our own moments too, but like we were in the
studio from like ten am to like five pm. You
know how that feels like right, and you're like, wow,
(25:54):
I don't I didn't know its signing up to be
like the debut as an.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
Idol, like you're back like ten years later exactly.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
But I had a lot of fun with it, and
just working with such big names in the industry.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
You kind of catch like a little like runners high.
When you're in the studio for that long, it's just
like okay, we're here.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
Yeah. And what really lit a fire up our butts too,
is that Anderson would come in the studio and check
up on us, and when he's in the back of
the studio, we would like go from one hundred to
like one hundred and fifty, like two hundred because if
we want to like please them, like this is his movie,
his baby, and you don't want to like, you know,
you checking a lot he did.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Yeah, that makes it hard.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
Yeah, so there was no slacking for sure, right yeah, right, Okay,
So you've heard the music for K Pumps and you've
heard the music for Demon Hunters.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
Would you say they're like on the same level.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Man, it's so good.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
It's good.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
It's so good. I think it's there's another wave of
a track like aiming for number one spot like on
Billboard Anderson Anderson, Yeah, that number one. And also the
music's for itself because like the music has just so
much heart in it, and I think what like it's
so charming and so like moving with soundtrack albums is
(27:10):
because you are invested in this story. You're in this
like like ride in this movie, and you feel very
connected with the characters and like the arc of the film.
And so when you hear the music being a part
of that, when you listen to the soundtrack, like you
you relive those moments. Yeah, which was which is what's
happening with Demon Hunters?
Speaker 3 (27:30):
Yeah, That's why I love Free so much.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
I know when when they wore fly, they like hold
hands off.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
There's this trend of like not really a trend, but
like of albums having these like long extended music videos
where like like a whole album comes together to be
like a movie.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
That's like what K pop Demon Hunters, and like these
movies are.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Exactly and I feel like K Pops. I mean again,
I can't spoil it too much, but that's I think
what is it's gonna be. I have a good feeling
about it. And also the cameos, Okay, I mean, so
this film already premiered at big like film festivals like
(28:14):
TIFFs around the International Film Festival and also Tribeca like
a few months ago, and so like the secrets already out,
like who's in it? So we have cameos from seventeen
So Vernon is also a cameo in this film. J
Park Wow, Jesse Wow. And like on the you know
Western artist side, we've got like Dip Blow, earth Wind
(28:38):
and Fire up.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
What is going on?
Speaker 2 (28:41):
Like earth Wind and Fire just says it all. And
then we have Jaden Smith. Like there's so many cool
cameos that you wouldn't expect in a movie K pops.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
Yeah, it's a K pop movie.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
Yeah, and the soundtrack I could already you guys can
already imagine what it'll be like with all these.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
Different ways the fans kind of piece that together. Yeah,
I'm so happy for you, dude, like even hearing your
story like a little bit deeper about it and like
the pandemic, like stepping away, taking a decision to step
away from K.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Pop, Yeah, because I was so heavily rooted into it
my whole life since I.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Was us is a huge game. Yeah, U kisses.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Also, yeah, we also did make our mark, But I
feel like I needed to remove myself because like I
needed to see the world from a different perspective. I
felt like I was a little bit trapped in a bubble,
you know, with what the media, fans, the label kind
(29:42):
of wanted from me as an individual and as an artist.
So I'm sure you could resonate with this as well
as someone who is from K pop, Like I just
needed some time to kind of like discover myself as
a human being first and foremost, really finding debut when
you were seventeen, yeah, well, actually earlier when I was
fifteen and another group before u Kis. Yeah, no, like
(30:07):
because I love music so much, but when I was
in UKIS, I didn't actually have enough like time and
also capacity to really find my own voice, because you know,
in K pop is very like heavily produced by major songwriters.
You're put in the room with like you know, different collaborators,
(30:28):
and like, I don't know how K pop is these days.
I'm sure there's more say from the idols themselves, and
like I know bts and other artists like also contribute
to the songwriting. But in our days, you know, we
didn't really have that opportunity. So I really felt like
this hunger to find my own voice and then to
(30:49):
kind of like reinvent and like find my own paths. Yeah,
it really is. I had a little bit of a
rebellious side to me. I was like, I'm not going
to follow the norm. I'm going to do my own thing.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
I got in so much trouble, like being in Korea
and like being from New York, like not having that
noon Chi.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
They knew what they were signing up for. They were
starting an American you know training, But no, I feel
like that's also our strength, you know, I'm sorry you
had to go through that, and you know, we all
have our own individual experiences in Korea. But I feel
the same way too as a Korean American who grew
up here. But also, you know, I'm used to Korean
(31:34):
culture because I grew up in a Korean household, but
it's my first time ever living in Korea when I
moved there when I was fifteen, so there were different
cultural nuances that I didn't pick up easily, like you know,
the humbei hube also like the age hierarchy where you
have to like you have to use a different form.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
You would never be able to talk like this.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
No, you'd be constantly.
Speaker 3 (31:59):
I've been here, but for like no, I'm.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Not means like I'm not like a Korean like like yeah,
equivalent in English like.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
Like a strict like yeah, man, I.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Don't even want to say it, but gangs like yeah, yeah, yeah,
Neil give me someone.
Speaker 3 (32:21):
Well, I don't know, but yeah, I've had my encounters
me too.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
But you know, I think you know I now.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
Now I feeling nervous.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
American podcast, okay, okay, in Korea, it might have been different.
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
I heart radio. No, you can't even do that.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
Yeah, that's that's crazy.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
My hands would never leave my knees.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
I hope it's different nowadays. I hope things have changed
after some time.
Speaker 3 (32:49):
How was it for you when you were there.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
So uh in in Korea? When we debuted, like at
music programs like Music Bang and all those music shows.
So we have to visit the rooms of our sombiz,
our elder or our groups who have debuted before us.
That's what that's what we call samba. We have to
visit their rooms before the show starts, and we have
(33:14):
to sign our album with each individual name and member,
and we have to go in and bow with like
you know, the ninety degree angle boo, and then we
had to be like you kissed me that, like it
was very like a military style like greeting, if you
know what I mean, you know, you know right yeah
yeah so and then also after the show, we had
(33:36):
to wait till the show ends and we have to
bow down to the producer of the show and show
our appreciation. Yeah, they're the kings who like you know,
like you know, shows us to be on the show
because it's like so many idols and it's like a
privilege to even be on a show like music cor
or like Music Bank and kind you know the girl.
(33:59):
So I don't know. I haven't performed on a music
show in Korea and years, so I don't know if
that's still the case.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
Is still the case.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
And when I was going in and we were preparing
to do all these like promotions and stuff, like I
had like specific classes, like because they knew that I
was American coming in, so like you got like training,
like manner training literally.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
And like I had to.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Like learn like wish side to put the spoon when
we're eating and if we're like like ahishy, like we
have to eat at the pace of the eldest two
hands while the drinks for.
Speaker 3 (34:31):
The drinks and like look away.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
You can never look at them.
Speaker 1 (34:36):
The youngest you have to flip the meat and cut
the everything.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
Everything Now that you think about is that's crazy.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Because and like I still made so many mistakes.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
But my company they were super lenient with me because
they knew I was like from.
Speaker 2 (34:50):
New York especially, But you had a little easier because
you have more western features.
Speaker 1 (34:54):
Okay, okay, you look, you know you have Korean. I'm
actually full Chinese.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
You're full Chinese. Okay, Okay, wow, yeah, you could pass
have Korean too, but.
Speaker 3 (35:05):
Like they expect a foreigner when they.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
Look at Yeah, so they kind of like consider that cute,
like it could slide by, whereas like I look completely Korean,
like I am full Korean. So before I like right now,
like when I see Korean, like I could speak so fluently,
they won't even recognize my like if I'm American or
a couple like okay, Korean American or not. But like
before I like would speak, they thought I was just Korean.
(35:30):
So if I missed more strict yeah, if I missed
any of those cultural like mannerisms, they would think I
was so like they say, like it's not a job song,
Like who do you say that in English?
Speaker 1 (35:41):
Like like like there's no respect yeah yeah, so so
disrespectful yeah yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
And I was like, oh, I'm just sorry, and.
Speaker 3 (35:49):
It's terrible because you're such a nice guy, I know, and.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
It's just like these little things like you didn't it
was eighty nine degrees instead of ninety degrees.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
Yeah, then I but heart Yeah.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
Yo, that's crazy, that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
Yeah. But no, I feel like I fully embraced who
I am at the core, and now I don't have
to like ponder on like which one I am I am?
Like in my Korean I'm Crean American, right, you know,
I could you know, flip, you know, I could wear
both hats wherever I am in, like which environment I'm in.
(36:28):
But you know, I really just embraced me being fully
Korean American and now I don't have any like insecurities
about my like my and I.
Speaker 3 (36:37):
Feel like a lot of people battle with that.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
A lot of people do and and and that's why
I'm saying, like you're helping so many people doing what
you're doing, being in front of this huge screen, like
it's so much deeper than you can realize in that moment.
And then, like I was thinking about your story, like
I was saying before, like you you left during COVID
and then you started pursuing Hollywood and this huge project
cave Off Demon Hunters, being a part of the Saja Voice,
(37:01):
Like how does that feel being like, Oh, my biggest
project now is going back to K pop?
Speaker 2 (37:06):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (37:07):
I mean I've.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
Never really left k pop. Yeah, So I never felt
like I needed to leave it either. I was always
proud of my roots and like everywhere I went, I
still had that ca pop title to me. Everywhere I go,
even in a room where there were no K pop fans,
I would introduce myself as a K pop artist. I
was very proud, you know, so like, you know, it's
(37:29):
just also very fortunate to have a film that is
around K pop and that's just like an icing on
the cake. But yeah, I mean, I don't know when
when I first auditioned for this, I never felt like,
you know, this is gonna be my breakthrough moment. This
is just another project that I felt very passionate.
Speaker 3 (37:49):
Boy on a Tuesday. That's crazy.
Speaker 2 (37:51):
But hey, funny story though, and I haven't shared this
anywhere else. iHeartRadio Exclusive. But I actually auditioned for the
voice of gu Yeah, so even before Ian the music
producer reached out to me to you know, record as
a vocalist for such Boys, I this was like, I
don't even know how long ago, this is like three
(38:12):
four years ago. This is when I first moved to
LA In like twenty two. I had an audition opportunity
for Cabo Demon Hunters, but as a voiceover. So this
before like they were recording the soundtrack. Wow, So I
was like, and I remember auditioning for Genu. The scene
that I auditioned for was when Roomy and Genu are
(38:34):
on top of the hun you know, and then they
were like when you before free, So their first encounter,
she was like why are you here? Yeah, and like yeah,
he chops his she chops his head off, the first
encounter the pants, the pants. Yeah, that whole scene. I
like remember that whole scene like line by line because
I like memorized it and I had to like do
(38:55):
my audition. But yeah, I feel like that was another
like first step into this because maybe that led to
another opportunity because maybe that audition they remember my name
and maybe they came back to me with another opportunity.
So you just never know.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
I heard the voice overs were like different from the
singing voices.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
Yeah, so there was the voice over for the for
the acting, and then there were the vocalists for the
singing voices. But you know, regardless of which, you know,
opportunity was. I'm glad I was a part of it.
Speaker 1 (39:29):
Yeah, the internet would have went crazy if you were Genia.
Have you seen like the trends where they're trying to
like find the characters in real life and they're like, oh,
like oh, like Roomy looks like Jenny, like like oh like.
Speaker 2 (39:42):
Genos like chaww.
Speaker 1 (39:44):
Yeah, yeah you could, you could, you could you could
pass as Geno.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
I think I had the same hair. I think I
kind of like that was going to be. Well, we
both I am not. We have made lead energy.
Speaker 3 (39:59):
Okay, okay, thank you, thank you for that.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Yeah. I mean, I'm just so incredibly like happy about
this film reaching newer audiences because this Capo Demon Hunters
is now like the craze amongst kids, like children anywhere
from like three to like ten, Like these kids are
(40:23):
the ones who are like watching it ten twenty times
a day, And I have friends who are parents of
those kids. Like you don't know, you watch the six
times six times? I watched it five, Oh, I watch
the six two six six is the charm. But it's
just so fascinating because kids who don't know anything about
(40:43):
K pop or like K pop groups are discovering K
pop and other groups like Huntricks and so Boys in
the real life through this movie.
Speaker 1 (40:51):
And Korean culture and clothing the stuff with the cat yeah,
and like just so many, so many like symbolism that's
just deeply Korean.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
Man, imagine if we had this in our days, and
I don't know you were born in a different generation.
So for me even even less so, like I always
had to hide like the smell of my kimchi pokma
kimchi fried rice, like like bento box in my in
my backpack because like I was so scared people would
like make fun of me, and like I would never
(41:22):
wear like I don't know anything traditionally Korean, even like
those days were like where your heritage, like your your
cultural traditional where I would never think I'm stupid?
Speaker 3 (41:33):
Do you think I'm gonna permit myself a target?
Speaker 2 (41:36):
But now after this film, it would be like the
coolest thing. Imagine like Halloween, everyone's gonna be like us boys.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
Well I even think about that.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
I feel like the the your idle wear, I feel
like that would be a popular.
Speaker 1 (41:51):
Do you think that's like that's like culture Like, No,
I don't think you think that's culturally insensitive? And no
started wearing like gods and stuff, I don't think so
okay cool.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
I don't see any reason why I would be.
Speaker 3 (42:01):
Okay, you've heard it here first.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
No, like this is a part of the film, it
could also be a part of costplay, right, but also
any anyone who is in Korea could also wear this traditional.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
Wear and with like the markings and stuff.
Speaker 2 (42:15):
So cool. I mean people wear humbooks all the time
when they come to Korea in front of kale. That's
not cultural appropriation.
Speaker 3 (42:24):
Okay, Okay.
Speaker 1 (42:24):
I saw like people on the internet kind of being
like like like, it's just because it's such a new realm,
you know, like we've never had mainstream attention like this,
so cultural.
Speaker 2 (42:34):
If anything, it's appreciation culture, Yeah, it is appreciation.
Speaker 1 (42:38):
Yeah, It's just like it was interesting to see that
kind of discourse because like it's so fresh that we
didn't know how to navigate it exactly, which I think
is a privilege.
Speaker 3 (42:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (42:48):
And I've just been having so much fun these days,
and like I've been losing sleep to this because i
been due scrolling on TikTok and Instagram reels with all
the costplay and like all the dance challenges, Soda Pop,
your Idol, Golden, Like, it's incredible to see how far
they can take like the cosplay and make up, like
(43:10):
even the costume and the patterns. And I've seen like
people who do like the the like what is that
like the glow where it glows in the dark like
the blue light.
Speaker 3 (43:20):
Yeah, yeah, the blue light with the markings, with.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
The markings, Yeah, like so cool and and like I'm
just like in awe when I see those videos and
I can only imagine like again like Halloween or like
I heard an anime expo there were so many people
who dressed them as roomy and hunter rigs and Haja boys.
Kekon is coming up, so I think there might be
(43:43):
fans of Demon Hunters that will like dress the part you.
Speaker 3 (43:47):
Think you'll have like a booth there hopefully.
Speaker 2 (43:49):
Yeah, who knows, who.
Speaker 1 (43:49):
Knows anything that like you, you want people to know
more about you because there's Kevin Wu and then there's
still it's hard to move on and graduate from an
image that you already had. All these projects that you're
doing like nowadays was something that you wish like people
could see you as or like no, I just you.
Speaker 2 (44:08):
Know, like I said earlier, I fully embody my K
pop experiences as a former idol and you kiss very
very proud, and I'm just going to take that on
to my next journey, which is you know now I'm
you know, doing a lot of things in the arts
with like singing and acting even now animated films and voiceovers.
(44:29):
So like, yeah, I feel like the journey never ends.
And I hope that, you know, I could really bridge
the two cultures, and I hope I could make an
impact and inspire others who want to pursue this even further,
and hope that they could pass on the honors.
Speaker 3 (44:49):
Yeah, like you, thank you, thank you. Definite, They're definitely
going to say we look the same.
Speaker 2 (44:55):
Age, thank you. It's all the Korean skincare.
Speaker 3 (44:59):
Okay, okay, do you have a skin care routine?
Speaker 2 (45:03):
Okay, okay, Like I've always used Korean skincare even before
moving to Korea, I would use my mom's skincare and
like you know, like you know Asian moms with their
like ten step skincare routine. I learned from an early
age to like wear sunscreen and all that. So maybe yeah,
things for California, thinks mom for like teaching me the
(45:28):
importance of taking care of your skin, and it's not
talked about enough in like like you know, masculinity and
like even in like in again Korea, I feel like
it's more normalized with skincare and even for men. But
I feel like in the US it's still not as normalized. Yeah,
like men should you know, take care of their skin
(45:51):
and it's not like feminine or anything to you know,
wear makeup or uh, you know, take good care of
your skin. That's just like good care of your basic hygiene.
So uh yeah, I have some of like my favorite
products are like from Koreas. If you like follow me
on Instagram. I always do like get Ready with Me
videos like nighttime like routine.
Speaker 3 (46:12):
How many times a day, Like I would just.
Speaker 2 (46:14):
Do like my morning routine and my nighttime routine, and
in the day, I would constantly reapply sunscreen. That's about it.
Speaker 1 (46:21):
Okay, yeah, all right, so follow your Instagram, yes, and
and you will have beautiful, amazing screen like heaven. And
if you're going to work in the arts and industry
and you want to have a long lasting career, sunscreen, suns.
Speaker 2 (46:35):
Wow, sunscreen and K pop And that's honestly what makes
me so youthful because I'm such a fan of K
pop too. I I stand so many groups. Uh it's
you would be surprised, how like uh plugged, well plugged,
I am.
Speaker 1 (46:51):
Thank you, thank you for coming on to the podcast.
This was k Actor everything, k pop and I'll see
you guys next week.
Speaker 2 (46:57):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (46:58):
Okay, that's a wrap.
Speaker 2 (47:00):
Thank you.
Hello everybody, and welcome back to The K Factor Everything
Kpop hosted by Bomhan, and today we have a very
(00:20):
very special guest. His name is Kevin Wu. For kapop fans,
this guy needs no introduction. However, for you guys radio listeners,
here's a little blurb that we wrote for him just
in case.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Thanks.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Today's guest is truly a global star. He made his
debut in in the K pop scene at just fifteen
years old. From being part of the beloved group You
Kiss to becoming successful solo artists, actor and Broadway performer,
Kevin Wu is a force who's bridged cultures through music,
fashion and film. Born and raised in California, Kevin helped
pave the way for future international K pop idols. Now
(00:53):
he's starring in Netflix K Pop Demon Hunters and many
many other shows. Please welcome the ever Carve Charas, Matt
ever charming Kevin WHOA.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I feel very honest, that's a great like little intro.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
And I feel as though it's not even enough to
capture the talent and the personality that you want. Thank
you so much for coming here and being a part
of this show today.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Pleasure to meet you. Finally, And you know.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
For K Factor history, you are our biggest guest yet. What.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
I'm sure you had big guests too, And we were.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Talking about this a little bit before the show started,
but it was really a long time coming, Like you
had so many mutual friends and like the projects that
you've been a part of, and like, for example, like
James James co James.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
If you're watching What's.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Up, shout out to James.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
A lot of my fans know, and like, James actually
danced in my first music video ever in Korea.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Awesome. He's a really, really talented dancer, probably one of
the best in the bids I think. And I had
a pleasure of working with James on the Cape show
I was in. And yeah, I see him all the
time on social media. He like dances for so many
capop acts when they come over bb BB Street Kids,
(02:18):
VMA crazy.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
But yeah, you met him in New York, New York
when you were doing the k Pop Broadway show.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
How is that?
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Yeah, I mean, I love New York. I'm glad I
just had an experience to like get to live there.
I'm originally from the Bay Area in California, so being
in the East Coast was definitely like a big switch
up for me in terms of energy and vibes.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Okay, but you're from New York, right, I'm from New
York and actually right now I'm in your home California,
and everyone, like I noticed, is like everyone smiles around here.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Hey, there's nothing to complain around here. If you've got
the sun, there's no I mean, traffic is kind of bad,
but you know, you're not bumping into people constantly on
the streets. We're never really walking on the streets.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Food is good to food is good.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Korean food hands down. I had to say, it's better
than New York.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
I've been looking for good Korean food, Okay. And the
best place, like specially you have like a reference. The
best place I've been to in La so far was
this place called pong.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Oh beg jump oh yeah, my friend, really amazing. Again,
they are like one of the OG's and they just
opened a new one. I don't know if you you
probably went to the new one that just opened. So
good if you like ning neon, cuddle ingon, sorry, it's
called you Okay, it's like one of the best staple okay. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
And then of course bc D BCD. Is that a
California thing?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
I mean it originated I think in katon Lay. I
think I don't know cret me from Ronk, but there
is one in katwn in New York.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Yes, but I do you.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Have to say there's a little I mean it's good,
it's good, but I feel like the taste is a
little bit different.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Okay, okay, cool.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
I don't want to bash on, dude, but it's a
pleasure to meet you because we were just talking about
like all these projects and you live in Korea. We
also have so many mutuals in the K pop world.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Yeah, Alexa, Alexa, Oh my gosh, talk about this.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Shout out Alexa. I love Alexa so much, doesn't And
I call Alexa mom because she's so much.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Baby. And for you, I've seen the Demon Hunters when
they do that. We're about to reenact that thing.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Speaking of Hunters, my favorite movie ever, me.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Too, and I'm the whole world feels the same way too.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
And you were one of the Saja boys.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
I was. I was a vocalist for Mysteries Haja wow.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Yeah wow. How is that whole process?
Speaker 2 (04:54):
I mean I'm still processing it, you know. Day by day.
There's like a new record, new milestone that this film
is breaking.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
That you're a part of.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
I mean, it's a huge honor and I'm grateful for
the opportunity to participate in such a groundbreaking film. It's
the first of its kind to have a K pop
storyline and an animated film from and also like a
major studio like Sony Animations. It's it's epic with.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
All these pieces. Did you ever see k pop Demon
Hunters being as big as it was when you're working
on it.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
I don't think anyone ever expected this to go as
viral as it's going. I mean, like the ultimate goal.
But I mean, I don't think anyone knows or is
prepared for anything like this. But I knew from the
get go the songs were bangers. I actually didn't hear
the Hunters songs because I only did the Soja Boy song.
(05:50):
So last year we actually recorded this in New York.
I recorded sort of Popping Your Idol last year and
they're very like confidential with like you know, music and everything,
and I was like, I'm very curious about the Hunterrick songs,
but you know, I had to wait like a year
or so. But when I heard it, I was like,
this whole album, there's no skip songs, Like every song
(06:13):
is a hit after hit ah, So I knew the
soundtrack was gonna be bomb.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
What was the process of like recording the soundtracks for
like a group that like isn't real, you know, like
having the experience of like being kiss Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Mean, you know, being part of a boy band myself
from you kiss, Like, I'm always in the studio recording
and it's nothing different. You know, I'm recording a pop
track and it's like a k pop you know that
in that world. So it wasn't too difficult for me
or anything new. But it was cool to kind of
play with different tones and vocal textures and styles to
(06:50):
match and and and breathe life into this character. And
for me, it was mystery s haja. And the most
thrilling experience was to see like the because early on
last year when I was recording this, we only had
the sketches, so we didn't have the full animation to
like see or or record off of, and which is
really cool because I remember got to see like the
(07:12):
process of the making of an animation film and it's
super cool because like it's like sketches of like you know,
it's not completely like done yet, so for me to
see that and like but I got to see like
the outline of the character and I knew like he
didn't have any he had bangs and like he was
like literally mystery. So you know, getting the vocal directing
(07:34):
by the music producers e J who's also the voice
of Roomy incredible talent, just like insanely talented, and Ian
Eisendrath who is the music producer as well. Yeah, we
we were like all having fun, you know, playing around
with different styles, trying to find the perfect fit.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Yeah, I was gonna ask like when you were in
the studio, they just go like, yo, Kevin Woo, just
be Kevin wo or was yeah, embody a character?
Speaker 2 (08:02):
So you know, like before I flew to New York
to record this, they actually wanted to hear, like test
my vocals on this track so to pop and I
just recorded in my room, just gave them that like
a capella line, just me singing it and then they
loved it. So I don't think like I had to
do anything too different.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
And they're still testing you man, that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
But I mean they already I heard my boys, you know,
with my Yukus tracks and my solo songs on Spotify
and everything. But yeah, I feel like they wanted something
more because they loved what I had like originally, but
I feel like like something that I don't normally do
in my music, like a super breathy version, like for example,
(08:46):
it's like in your ums just so t like it's
like I was singing it like that, but in this
recording version, I have to be like you run zaw
are so tight, Like it has to be more theatrical, right,
and more like animated obviously because the animated film. But
that was really fun to test different tones.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Wow wow, and it's your first time doing like an
animated project yep, and it blew up.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah, I think it feels like I won the jackpot, honestly,
Like you know, it's just for me. It's an honor
to be a part of this film that represents my
culture and K pop, you know, which I'm from. But
to be in a movie that's this impactful in pop
culture and in film is like that's another level. Like
(09:34):
I did not expect this, and I'm seriously right now,
I'm like, still, I have to pitch myself every day
because when I see my Spotify monthly listeners, before Capo
Demon Hunter's there was like, you know, anywhere from ten
thousand to fifteen thousand, which is like, you know, I
didn't really release a lot of music, so it was
like in my hiatus era. So I was like, okay,
(09:56):
I'm just like still working on my music and everything.
But after the music, the movie and the soundtrack released,
the next day was like one million.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Wow, because your your profiles attached.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
It up exactly pop in your idol rises together. And
then right now it's been like two and a half weeks,
maybe three weeks, and right now it's at seventeen point
seven million, and it continues to rise every day.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
So every day is just like another milestone after another milestone.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
So for Kevin Wu fans, does this inspire you or
like light a spark for you to like do more music?
Speaker 2 (10:35):
I mean, so I've been working on music, you know.
I just released a single called Deja Vu and Phoenix
in April like two months ago, three months ago, and
I'm glad I did because there's something for fans or
like newer audiences to you know, look up when they
see Kevin Wu. But definitely. I mean I already had
(10:55):
another single or have another single in the works, but
it just inspired me to make more music.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
But what is this what is this new single that
you're talking about?
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Yees, So I'm releasing it soon later this summer, and
it's like more of like this summer.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Bob summer bop, you know vibe.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Okay, But yeah, I mean I don't think Demon Hunters
changed the trajectory of like my solo music or what
I've already been doing. But now with this like new audience,
I do feel a bit more motivated. Yeah, sure, more
and and it has opened more doors because now producers
are knocking out my door labels.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
She did so good.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
Literally the part in Soda Pop, Like I didn't know
it was you, but then I was like, dude, this
is my favorite part in Soda Pop.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
I was like, this is the best in your hand.
I'm not even because you're.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Like literally that means a lot.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
I'm so geeked out that you're doing this podcast.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
We have to do the Soda Pop challenge.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
We have to after this interview. We got to do
soda pop and maybe even.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Your I that's a little hard.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
A little hard, but you could do it. Okay, you're
you're idol trained artists. I'm there, No, But what was
your favorite song of the soundtrack? I know that's like
been a trend on TikTok, like listing your top ten,
like yeah, what's been on yours?
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Yo?
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Okay, soda pop was like was and you don't have.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
To you don't have to like sugarcart it because I'm here.
Like for me, my number one is still like Golden, Golden.
I have to start with golden, Golden to start my day.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Mine is golden and free free yep f free, Relax.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
The equipment is going to start floating that.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Song like it takes me somewhere else. I feel like elevated.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
You know what it gives me?
Speaker 1 (12:45):
It gives me rewrite the stars, yes, yeah, yes, the
same context like everything.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
If yeah, yeah, yeah, it's that same with.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
That like hip hop, it's like a little bit of
a hip hop twist to it. We're modern, it's more
it's more K pop, but.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
It also has like those kind of like you know
tail uh you know tones to it that make you
feel like nostalgic as well. And it's just so pretty
and it takes you to another like ethereal world.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Yeah, and that's where your part in sort of Pop
took me really literally, I didn't like pop besides your
part and the part that was.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Actually you didn't do that.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
I didn't one in your arms just su tied, suit tied.
Can I let go? No, No, that's nice. I'm gonna cry,
like like I gotta like stop smiling because like literally
getting wrinkles these.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
It's about time, dude, Like I I think people are
gonna watch this, they're gonna think we're the same age
or like I hope so.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
But when I heard your age before we started recording this,
I was like, damn, you could be like my, my,
my nephew.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
Oh that's that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Literally damn because you have you were in the two thousands,
like my like my year starts with the nineties, in
the nineties. But but I wanted to talk about that.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
I remember like we were we were.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Watching a bunch of like the whole production scen We're
watching a bunch of old interviews. I think like sometime
like like even like ten years ago, you were like,
yok pop is going to come to America, like yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
And and you.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
You've been here, you've been working, like doing films, doing
Hollywood stuff and and like.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
The first ever k pop Broadway show. Yeah, that was
my first like leg in the door really really you
know us and like Hollywood, and that was kind of
like the beginning of my US career.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
I'd say, we need you, dude, Like ever since I
was a kid, we like look on TV and we're like,
we don't have like we don't have like a handsome,
attractive man Hollywood man, Like can you imagine like a
twelve thirteen year old Asian kid like watching you and
all these Hollywood productions.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
I wish, I wish I grew up with someone like me.
When I was growing up, I had zero, like literally
zero that guy. Now, dude, I like and I and
you know, I'm just so happy that these days, like
kids who are growing up and like watching film and
consuming like mainstream media, now they don't have to fight
(15:24):
for representation, right they could just point out Demon Hunters
and like that's my culture. Number one on Nothing, number one,
number one soundtrack too. It's crazy to see how present
K pop and Korean culture is and how deeply rooted
and embedded it is in pop culture because you can't
(15:45):
be on social media and not see like black ping
or bts, like literally just like that's everything on everyone's feet,
Like what is Jenny up to? What is Lisa to? Like?
I just went to Black Peans tour in La the
Dead Light, yeah, on Sunday and Saturday.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
I went both.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Oh yeah, because little Flex here like Lisa's you know
my girl really yeah, we're like, you know, really good
friends and every time like she comes to the States
in LA, like you know, we always hang out. And
I've just seen her career just like, oh wow, just
seen the whole thing and couldn't be like a prouder
like I don't know, oh bah, you know, I'm just
(16:23):
so proud of Lisa and like all of her you know,
acclamations too, because she really made a name for herself
in the Hollywood industry as well with White Lotus.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
Oh yeah, oh my gosh, that was amazing.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
So like yeah, like K pop idols here and there,
including myself, I guess now like we're all kind of
like making an impact on one production at a time.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
I feel like it's like such the beautiful thing about
K pop, you know, and like being able to spread
it and like even like having an iHeart Radio placement,
like none of this.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
You are also making ways too, having your own K
pop you know, themed podcast on iHeart Radio.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
That it wouldn't be possible without all the work that
you have done. So thank you, thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
And oh man, but you were at the Black Pink concert.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
I couldn't go schedule that day and I didn't I
didn't have I didn't have any one of the inside.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
I'm sure they're playing New York soon, so you you
gotta find your plug. I gotta get in best concert
I've been this year.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Amazing performers like it don't get enough yeah jump, oh,
they don't get enough credit.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
The set list is like a goad jillion songs.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
No and exactly, and after each member you know, had
their solo run. It felt like four soloists in one concert.
So you know, fans really got their bang for their book.
They got to see four different shows because each member
like had their moment, you know, and like that's the
jenny you know, also like rock Star GC with Earthquake
(17:56):
and then like oh my god, when when Rose they
brought up Bruno Mars on Sunday, I lost my mind. Wow,
Like the whole stadium was just like lost.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
I don't know if it's like yeah, sorry, that's a
huge record.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Crazy.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Yeah, and just.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
See Bruno, I was like I thought I would never
see them perform. People.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
Do you think Apasa is bigger than Gungham Style?
Speaker 2 (18:21):
I mean it's just a different era. I think it's
just as big.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
I think the impact it made in this generation was
probably the same impact that gungam Style made in twenty ten.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Because I lived in America for a bit and like,
like I was in Vegas and there are people like
just like playing basketball, like like we were like sixty
year old people who like never should be around K pop.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
Ever They're like too ye too.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Yeah, it was insane. You gotta take it out.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Yeah. If they're making a New York stop and I'm there.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Me too, No me, I'm just I'll see what I
can do.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Okay. I have a question.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
You have been part of this industry for so long,
and you're looking at all these young italent like coming
up and then now and now you're doing Hollywood and
all these things.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
What is your goal.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
And aspiration at this moment, Like, what is something that
you're still striving and chasing.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Man, I feel like there's never an end to it,
you know, because there are many moments in my life
where I felt like, oh, I made it, Okay. My
first I made it moment was when I debuted in
a K pop group like I, when I debated U Kiss,
I was like, mom, dad, I made it. And I
was seventeen, like sixteen seventeen, So that was like first,
like I made it a moment. And then I just
(19:41):
had an incredible journey with my members, like you know,
doing world tours, traveling and like really spreading K pop
because at that moment, it wasn't as global as it
is today, Like we were still going to countries where
they never heard of K pop but still had a
niche dan club and like fandom because of YouTube and
all that. But yeah, just seeing the impact we made
(20:02):
as a group in like second generation of k PAP
was like a dream come true. Heating to perform in
countries like Mexico, like like Europe, Southeast Asia was also
huge second generation also Japan y was we really made
a big like establishment as a group in Japan in
(20:24):
the earlier days. So yeah, that was like a big
dream that came true, and then I guess, you know,
I've always wanted to be an actor. So during the pandemic,
that's when I actually moved to La. Okay, So I
left Yukus in twenty seventeen. You know, it was doing
I was doing musicals in Japan and Korea. I love theater, obviously,
I was on a Broadway show. So I was fulfilling
(20:45):
like that void of like performing on stage as a
musical art performer. And then twenty twenty one, I was like, okay,
I don't want to be stuck in my room. I
was doing a lot of live streams, you know, TikTok
was just to have its moment, and then I was like, okay,
I need to get out of my room. I feel
very suffocated. And so I started to find ways to
(21:07):
like like have acting classes or meet like you know,
representation out here, like managers and agents. So I took
the leap of faith to move out to LA and
then that kind of started my acting career.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
So you're still in Asia during the pandemic.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
I was, yeah, in twenty twenty, I was still in Korea.
And then after a whole year of just being stuck
in my room and at home. I was like, I
feel very like, just like Antsy to go back home
to America.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
You took a huge jump to lead career, like they
were defeated by the pandemic, you know.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
True, true, But for me, something was fueling and I've
always there was there were so many dreams and aspirations
that I didn't fulfill yet that I felt like I
needed to pursue. So, yeah, I moved to la And
it was a hard decision because I lived in Korea
for about fifteen years and it was definitely home for me.
(22:02):
But I feel like I needed to start this new chapter.
And and now, you know, K pop is still making
its presence in Hollywood, but I feel like, you know,
as each year goes by, there's something that kind of
sets a new wave and new I guess, like momentum
in k pop. So I feel like I'm just here
at the right moment, at the right time. I feel
(22:24):
very lucky. Honestly, I don't. I just kind of still
can't believe how big this is getting in in America. Congratulations, no,
thank you, And your question, Yeah, do I want to
do more of Hell? Yeah, I want to keep on
doing more like films as an actor, but I also
like have an ongoing passion for music.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Obviously music is at my cores now.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
So music is definitely on my list. I want to
do tours, hopefully more world tours as a solo war artist.
And I have another movie coming out in January twenty.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
Six Are you allowed to talk about?
Speaker 2 (23:07):
So this film was directed by Anderson Peck, the Grammy
Award winning you know, ultimate musician that like I really
really respect. He is someone that just really is such
a musical genius and he came from like he started
from the bottom up, Like he is so respected in
(23:28):
our industry. And for him to like direct and star
in a movie about K pop because it's called K.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
Pops Okay Okay, it's called K Pops.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
It's called K Pops Okay, and it's a feature film
and it also stars his real life son Soul Rashid,
and I star alongside Anderson Pack was just crazy to say.
It's like, wow, I can't believe it, but but yeah,
I play like a K pop star in that film.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
It's accurate. It fits.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
I heard nothing but good good things about this guy.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
By the way, he is hilarious. He's super talented. I've
been seeing multiple shows of his one of his concerts
on tour. And also he does a lot of DJ
sets as d J pee Wee. He does like Coachella,
he does like so many cool parties here in LA
and all around the road, like Vegas too. But every
time I'm with him, it's just he's the life of
(24:21):
the party. Such a such a down to earth, humble
guy too.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
Yeah, that's why hear I'm like, I'm like acting like
surprise right now.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
I actually had a friend who was working on the
movie alongside Oh.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Yeah, shout out Emmy, Emmy.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
Oh my god, my little my little tonge saying shout
out to Emmy if you're watching.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
The two people that she talked about the most while
she was in production for this movie was Anderson Anderson
Park and you and me.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
Yeah, and we work together every day nursing and shooting.
Like this whole process was so interesting because it felt
like I returned into, like back in my idol form,
because the training for this movie was just as like
rigorous as an idol training. Because this movie is based
(25:06):
off like this K pop competition show in this fictional movie,
and I'm like one of the contestants, and so is
Emmy and and like that's how like this like in
this movie, we that's how we interact. But I can't
spoil too much, but there's a lot of dance obviously.
Speaker 1 (25:25):
Yes, I saw the huge numbers being yeah, choreographed by
a huge amazing people.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Like Jung look and yes, incredible, incredible, And so every
day for like I would say, almost a month, we
practiced like the big number and we each had like
our own moments too, but like we were in the
studio from like ten am to like five pm. You
know how that feels like right, and you're like, wow,
(25:54):
I don't I didn't know its signing up to be
like the debut as an.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
Idol, like you're back like ten years later exactly.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
But I had a lot of fun with it, and
just working with such big names in the industry.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
You kind of catch like a little like runners high.
When you're in the studio for that long, it's just
like okay, we're here.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
Yeah. And what really lit a fire up our butts too,
is that Anderson would come in the studio and check
up on us, and when he's in the back of
the studio, we would like go from one hundred to
like one hundred and fifty, like two hundred because if
we want to like please them, like this is his movie,
his baby, and you don't want to like, you know,
you checking a lot he did.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Yeah, that makes it hard.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
Yeah, so there was no slacking for sure, right yeah, right, Okay,
So you've heard the music for K Pumps and you've
heard the music for Demon Hunters.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
Would you say they're like on the same level.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Man, it's so good.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
It's good.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
It's so good. I think it's there's another wave of
a track like aiming for number one spot like on
Billboard Anderson Anderson, Yeah, that number one. And also the
music's for itself because like the music has just so
much heart in it, and I think what like it's
so charming and so like moving with soundtrack albums is
(27:10):
because you are invested in this story. You're in this
like like ride in this movie, and you feel very
connected with the characters and like the arc of the film.
And so when you hear the music being a part
of that, when you listen to the soundtrack, like you
you relive those moments. Yeah, which was which is what's
happening with Demon Hunters?
Speaker 3 (27:30):
Yeah, That's why I love Free so much.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
I know when when they wore fly, they like hold
hands off.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
There's this trend of like not really a trend, but
like of albums having these like long extended music videos
where like like a whole album comes together to be
like a movie.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
That's like what K pop Demon Hunters, and like these
movies are.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Exactly and I feel like K Pops. I mean again,
I can't spoil it too much, but that's I think
what is it's gonna be. I have a good feeling
about it. And also the cameos, Okay, I mean, so
this film already premiered at big like film festivals like
(28:14):
TIFFs around the International Film Festival and also Tribeca like
a few months ago, and so like the secrets already out,
like who's in it? So we have cameos from seventeen
So Vernon is also a cameo in this film. J
Park Wow, Jesse Wow. And like on the you know
Western artist side, we've got like Dip Blow, earth Wind
(28:38):
and Fire up.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
What is going on?
Speaker 2 (28:41):
Like earth Wind and Fire just says it all. And
then we have Jaden Smith. Like there's so many cool
cameos that you wouldn't expect in a movie K pops.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
Yeah, it's a K pop movie.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
Yeah, and the soundtrack I could already you guys can
already imagine what it'll be like with all these.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
Different ways the fans kind of piece that together. Yeah,
I'm so happy for you, dude, like even hearing your
story like a little bit deeper about it and like
the pandemic, like stepping away, taking a decision to step
away from K.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Pop, Yeah, because I was so heavily rooted into it
my whole life since I.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Was us is a huge game. Yeah, U kisses.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Also, yeah, we also did make our mark, But I
feel like I needed to remove myself because like I
needed to see the world from a different perspective. I
felt like I was a little bit trapped in a bubble,
you know, with what the media, fans, the label kind
(29:42):
of wanted from me as an individual and as an artist.
So I'm sure you could resonate with this as well
as someone who is from K pop, Like I just
needed some time to kind of like discover myself as
a human being first and foremost, really finding debut when
you were seventeen, yeah, well, actually earlier when I was
fifteen and another group before u Kis. Yeah, no, like
(30:07):
because I love music so much, but when I was
in UKIS, I didn't actually have enough like time and
also capacity to really find my own voice, because you know,
in K pop is very like heavily produced by major songwriters.
You're put in the room with like you know, different collaborators,
(30:28):
and like, I don't know how K pop is these days.
I'm sure there's more say from the idols themselves, and
like I know bts and other artists like also contribute
to the songwriting. But in our days, you know, we
didn't really have that opportunity. So I really felt like
this hunger to find my own voice and then to
(30:49):
kind of like reinvent and like find my own paths. Yeah,
it really is. I had a little bit of a
rebellious side to me. I was like, I'm not going
to follow the norm. I'm going to do my own thing.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
I got in so much trouble, like being in Korea
and like being from New York, like not having that
noon Chi.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
They knew what they were signing up for. They were
starting an American you know training, But no, I feel
like that's also our strength, you know, I'm sorry you
had to go through that, and you know, we all
have our own individual experiences in Korea. But I feel
the same way too as a Korean American who grew
up here. But also, you know, I'm used to Korean
(31:34):
culture because I grew up in a Korean household, but
it's my first time ever living in Korea when I
moved there when I was fifteen, so there were different
cultural nuances that I didn't pick up easily, like you know,
the humbei hube also like the age hierarchy where you
have to like you have to use a different form.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
You would never be able to talk like this.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
No, you'd be constantly.
Speaker 3 (31:59):
I've been here, but for like no, I'm.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Not means like I'm not like a Korean like like yeah,
equivalent in English like.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
Like a strict like yeah, man, I.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
Don't even want to say it, but gangs like yeah, yeah, yeah,
Neil give me someone.
Speaker 3 (32:21):
Well, I don't know, but yeah, I've had my encounters
me too.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
But you know, I think you know I now.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
Now I feeling nervous.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
American podcast, okay, okay, in Korea, it might have been different.
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
I heart radio. No, you can't even do that.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
Yeah, that's that's crazy.
Speaker 3 (32:40):
My hands would never leave my knees.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
I hope it's different nowadays. I hope things have changed
after some time.
Speaker 3 (32:49):
How was it for you when you were there.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
So uh in in Korea? When we debuted, like at
music programs like Music Bang and all those music shows.
So we have to visit the rooms of our sombiz,
our elder or our groups who have debuted before us.
That's what that's what we call samba. We have to
visit their rooms before the show starts, and we have
(33:14):
to sign our album with each individual name and member,
and we have to go in and bow with like
you know, the ninety degree angle boo, and then we
had to be like you kissed me that, like it
was very like a military style like greeting, if you
know what I mean, you know, you know right yeah
yeah so and then also after the show, we had
(33:36):
to wait till the show ends and we have to
bow down to the producer of the show and show
our appreciation. Yeah, they're the kings who like you know,
like you know, shows us to be on the show
because it's like so many idols and it's like a
privilege to even be on a show like music cor
or like Music Bank and kind you know the girl.
(33:59):
So I don't know. I haven't performed on a music
show in Korea and years, so I don't know if
that's still the case.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
Is still the case.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
And when I was going in and we were preparing
to do all these like promotions and stuff, like I
had like specific classes, like because they knew that I
was American coming in, so like you got like training,
like manner training literally.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
And like I had to.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Like learn like wish side to put the spoon when
we're eating and if we're like like ahishy, like we
have to eat at the pace of the eldest two
hands while the drinks for.
Speaker 3 (34:31):
The drinks and like look away.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
You can never look at them.
Speaker 1 (34:36):
The youngest you have to flip the meat and cut
the everything.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
Everything Now that you think about is that's crazy.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Because and like I still made so many mistakes.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
But my company they were super lenient with me because
they knew I was like from.
Speaker 2 (34:50):
New York especially, But you had a little easier because
you have more western features.
Speaker 1 (34:54):
Okay, okay, you look, you know you have Korean. I'm
actually full Chinese.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
You're full Chinese. Okay, Okay, wow, yeah, you could pass
have Korean too, but.
Speaker 3 (35:05):
Like they expect a foreigner when they.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
Look at Yeah, so they kind of like consider that cute,
like it could slide by, whereas like I look completely Korean,
like I am full Korean. So before I like right now,
like when I see Korean, like I could speak so fluently,
they won't even recognize my like if I'm American or
a couple like okay, Korean American or not. But like
before I like would speak, they thought I was just Korean.
(35:30):
So if I missed more strict yeah, if I missed
any of those cultural like mannerisms, they would think I
was so like they say, like it's not a job song,
Like who do you say that in English?
Speaker 1 (35:41):
Like like like there's no respect yeah yeah, so so
disrespectful yeah yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
And I was like, oh, I'm just sorry, and.
Speaker 3 (35:49):
It's terrible because you're such a nice guy, I know, and.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
It's just like these little things like you didn't it
was eighty nine degrees instead of ninety degrees.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
Yeah, then I but heart Yeah.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
Yo, that's crazy, that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
Yeah. But no, I feel like I fully embraced who
I am at the core, and now I don't have
to like ponder on like which one I am I am?
Like in my Korean I'm Crean American, right, you know,
I could you know, flip, you know, I could wear
both hats wherever I am in, like which environment I'm in.
(36:28):
But you know, I really just embraced me being fully
Korean American and now I don't have any like insecurities
about my like my and I.
Speaker 3 (36:37):
Feel like a lot of people battle with that.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
A lot of people do and and and that's why
I'm saying, like you're helping so many people doing what
you're doing, being in front of this huge screen, like
it's so much deeper than you can realize in that moment.
And then, like I was thinking about your story, like
I was saying before, like you you left during COVID
and then you started pursuing Hollywood and this huge project
cave Off Demon Hunters, being a part of the Saja Voice,
(37:01):
Like how does that feel being like, Oh, my biggest
project now is going back to K pop?
Speaker 2 (37:06):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (37:07):
I mean I've.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
Never really left k pop. Yeah, So I never felt
like I needed to leave it either. I was always
proud of my roots and like everywhere I went, I
still had that ca pop title to me. Everywhere I go,
even in a room where there were no K pop fans,
I would introduce myself as a K pop artist. I
was very proud, you know, so like, you know, it's
(37:29):
just also very fortunate to have a film that is
around K pop and that's just like an icing on
the cake. But yeah, I mean, I don't know when
when I first auditioned for this, I never felt like,
you know, this is gonna be my breakthrough moment. This
is just another project that I felt very passionate.
Speaker 3 (37:49):
Boy on a Tuesday. That's crazy.
Speaker 2 (37:51):
But hey, funny story though, and I haven't shared this
anywhere else. iHeartRadio Exclusive. But I actually auditioned for the
voice of gu Yeah, so even before Ian the music
producer reached out to me to you know, record as
a vocalist for such Boys, I this was like, I
don't even know how long ago, this is like three
(38:12):
four years ago. This is when I first moved to
LA In like twenty two. I had an audition opportunity
for Cabo Demon Hunters, but as a voiceover. So this
before like they were recording the soundtrack. Wow, So I
was like, and I remember auditioning for Genu. The scene
that I auditioned for was when Roomy and Genu are
(38:34):
on top of the hun you know, and then they
were like when you before free, So their first encounter,
she was like why are you here? Yeah, and like yeah,
he chops his she chops his head off, the first
encounter the pants, the pants. Yeah, that whole scene. I
like remember that whole scene like line by line because
I like memorized it and I had to like do
(38:55):
my audition. But yeah, I feel like that was another
like first step into this because maybe that led to
another opportunity because maybe that audition they remember my name
and maybe they came back to me with another opportunity.
So you just never know.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
I heard the voice overs were like different from the
singing voices.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
Yeah, so there was the voice over for the for
the acting, and then there were the vocalists for the
singing voices. But you know, regardless of which, you know,
opportunity was. I'm glad I was a part of it.
Speaker 1 (39:29):
Yeah, the internet would have went crazy if you were Genia.
Have you seen like the trends where they're trying to
like find the characters in real life and they're like, oh,
like oh, like Roomy looks like Jenny, like like oh like.
Speaker 2 (39:42):
Genos like chaww.
Speaker 1 (39:44):
Yeah, yeah you could, you could, you could you could
pass as Geno.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
I think I had the same hair. I think I
kind of like that was going to be. Well, we
both I am not. We have made lead energy.
Speaker 3 (39:59):
Okay, okay, thank you, thank you for that.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Yeah. I mean, I'm just so incredibly like happy about
this film reaching newer audiences because this Capo Demon Hunters
is now like the craze amongst kids, like children anywhere
from like three to like ten, Like these kids are
(40:23):
the ones who are like watching it ten twenty times
a day, And I have friends who are parents of
those kids. Like you don't know, you watch the six
times six times? I watched it five, Oh, I watch
the six two six six is the charm. But it's
just so fascinating because kids who don't know anything about
(40:43):
K pop or like K pop groups are discovering K
pop and other groups like Huntricks and so Boys in
the real life through this movie.
Speaker 1 (40:51):
And Korean culture and clothing the stuff with the cat yeah,
and like just so many, so many like symbolism that's
just deeply Korean.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
Man, imagine if we had this in our days, and
I don't know you were born in a different generation.
So for me even even less so, like I always
had to hide like the smell of my kimchi pokma
kimchi fried rice, like like bento box in my in
my backpack because like I was so scared people would
like make fun of me, and like I would never
(41:22):
wear like I don't know anything traditionally Korean, even like
those days were like where your heritage, like your your
cultural traditional where I would never think I'm stupid?
Speaker 3 (41:33):
Do you think I'm gonna permit myself a target?
Speaker 2 (41:36):
But now after this film, it would be like the
coolest thing. Imagine like Halloween, everyone's gonna be like us boys.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
Well I even think about that.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
I feel like the the your idle wear, I feel
like that would be a popular.
Speaker 1 (41:51):
Do you think that's like that's like culture Like, No,
I don't think you think that's culturally insensitive? And no
started wearing like gods and stuff, I don't think so
okay cool.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
I don't see any reason why I would be.
Speaker 3 (42:01):
Okay, you've heard it here first.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
No, like this is a part of the film, it
could also be a part of costplay, right, but also
any anyone who is in Korea could also wear this traditional.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
Wear and with like the markings and stuff.
Speaker 2 (42:15):
So cool. I mean people wear humbooks all the time
when they come to Korea in front of kale. That's
not cultural appropriation.
Speaker 3 (42:24):
Okay, Okay.
Speaker 1 (42:24):
I saw like people on the internet kind of being
like like like, it's just because it's such a new realm,
you know, like we've never had mainstream attention like this,
so cultural.
Speaker 2 (42:34):
If anything, it's appreciation culture, Yeah, it is appreciation.
Speaker 1 (42:38):
Yeah, It's just like it was interesting to see that
kind of discourse because like it's so fresh that we
didn't know how to navigate it exactly, which I think
is a privilege.
Speaker 3 (42:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (42:48):
And I've just been having so much fun these days,
and like I've been losing sleep to this because i
been due scrolling on TikTok and Instagram reels with all
the costplay and like all the dance challenges, Soda Pop,
your Idol, Golden, Like, it's incredible to see how far
they can take like the cosplay and make up, like
(43:10):
even the costume and the patterns. And I've seen like
people who do like the the like what is that
like the glow where it glows in the dark like
the blue light.
Speaker 3 (43:20):
Yeah, yeah, the blue light with the markings, with.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
The markings, Yeah, like so cool and and like I'm
just like in awe when I see those videos and
I can only imagine like again like Halloween or like
I heard an anime expo there were so many people
who dressed them as roomy and hunter rigs and Haja boys.
Kekon is coming up, so I think there might be
(43:43):
fans of Demon Hunters that will like dress the part you.
Speaker 3 (43:47):
Think you'll have like a booth there hopefully.
Speaker 2 (43:49):
Yeah, who knows, who.
Speaker 1 (43:49):
Knows anything that like you, you want people to know
more about you because there's Kevin Wu and then there's
still it's hard to move on and graduate from an
image that you already had. All these projects that you're
doing like nowadays was something that you wish like people
could see you as or like no, I just you.
Speaker 2 (44:08):
Know, like I said earlier, I fully embody my K
pop experiences as a former idol and you kiss very
very proud, and I'm just going to take that on
to my next journey, which is you know now I'm
you know, doing a lot of things in the arts
with like singing and acting even now animated films and voiceovers.
(44:29):
So like, yeah, I feel like the journey never ends.
And I hope that, you know, I could really bridge
the two cultures, and I hope I could make an
impact and inspire others who want to pursue this even further,
and hope that they could pass on the honors.
Speaker 3 (44:49):
Yeah, like you, thank you, thank you. Definite, They're definitely
going to say we look the same.
Speaker 2 (44:55):
Age, thank you. It's all the Korean skincare.
Speaker 3 (44:59):
Okay, okay, do you have a skin care routine?
Speaker 2 (45:03):
Okay, okay, Like I've always used Korean skincare even before
moving to Korea, I would use my mom's skincare and
like you know, like you know Asian moms with their
like ten step skincare routine. I learned from an early
age to like wear sunscreen and all that. So maybe yeah,
things for California, thinks mom for like teaching me the
(45:28):
importance of taking care of your skin, and it's not
talked about enough in like like you know, masculinity and
like even in like in again Korea, I feel like
it's more normalized with skincare and even for men. But
I feel like in the US it's still not as normalized. Yeah,
like men should you know, take care of their skin
(45:51):
and it's not like feminine or anything to you know,
wear makeup or uh, you know, take good care of
your skin. That's just like good care of your basic hygiene.
So uh yeah, I have some of like my favorite
products are like from Koreas. If you like follow me
on Instagram. I always do like get Ready with Me
videos like nighttime like routine.
Speaker 3 (46:12):
How many times a day, Like I would just.
Speaker 2 (46:14):
Do like my morning routine and my nighttime routine, and
in the day, I would constantly reapply sunscreen. That's about it.
Speaker 1 (46:21):
Okay, yeah, all right, so follow your Instagram, yes, and
and you will have beautiful, amazing screen like heaven. And
if you're going to work in the arts and industry
and you want to have a long lasting career, sunscreen, suns.
Speaker 2 (46:35):
Wow, sunscreen and K pop And that's honestly what makes
me so youthful because I'm such a fan of K
pop too. I I stand so many groups. Uh it's
you would be surprised, how like uh plugged, well plugged,
I am.
Speaker 1 (46:51):
Thank you, thank you for coming on to the podcast.
This was k Actor everything, k pop and I'll see
you guys next week.
Speaker 2 (46:57):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (46:58):
Okay, that's a wrap.
Speaker 2 (47:00):
Thank you.
Host
Beomhan
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com