By: Lisa Steinberg
Q) Who are some musicians that have influenced you as an artist?
Sani: As a band, we’ve been greatly influenced by RHCP (Red Hot Chili Peppers).
Kihoon: I’ve been influenced by guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, as well as The 1975 and Muse.
Namhyun: There are so many artists who have inspired me, but Maroon 5 and Coldplay have had the biggest impact. After joining this company, I studied their music a lot to understand what kind of aura and sound we should create as a band.
Jungmo: I’ve gotten a lot of inspiration from Snarky Puppy’s drummer, Larnell Lewis, and The 1975’s George Daniel.
Junyong: I’ve been most influenced by The 1975.
Q) The five of you are music majors in Korea. What have you learned in school that has kept you focused and grounded as a group?
Sani: Learning music theory has been really helpful when making music. Also, having performance experience at school beforehand made a big difference.
Kihoon: My professors, all active in different fields, shared their real-world know-how and professional attitude with students. Those lessons helped me stay grounded and not lose my original mindset.
Namhyun: Watching so many professors and students devote themselves to music with such genuine passion made me realize how many people truly love what they do. Communicating with them has continued to inspire me in really meaningful ways.
Junyong: I think the biggest impact came from the sense of community. Music isn’t something you create alone, so working together and making music as a team in school has helped me a lot.
Q) What inspired your new song “In Your Arms?”
Sani: “In Your Arms” isn’t just a breakup song; rather, it’s a track that speaks about loneliness and pain. It’s built on the difficult memories anyone might carry and it tells a story of overcoming those moments and offering comfort.
Namhyun: When I recorded “In Your Arms,” I approached it with my own experiences in mind. Everyone has their own story, and so do I. I thought about the times when I felt truly lonely and fragile, and drew inspiration from those moments to bring the emotion into the song.
Jungmo: This song began from our desire to express one of the darker sides of our emotions.
Q) What is the process you have for writing songs and how do you break down songs to fit each member?
Sani: Since we’re a band, each of us has a strong sense of responsibility and skill for our own instruments. Sometimes we start by making a demo ahead of time and other times a song grows naturally from jamming together.
Kihoon: Sometimes one member brings in a rough sketch and we develop it further while playing together. Other times, we’re jamming and something spontaneous clicks and those ideas often become the foundation of a new song.
Junyong: We either build songs during rehearsal or a member brings in a track they’ve already worked on. Each of us records our own instrument with extra care and, for vocals, we all try singing different parts to figure out whose voice fits best.
Q) “In Your Arms” comes after your hit song “Ideal Type.” What makes “In Your Arms” such a bop?
Sani: I think the strength of that song is how relatable its emotions are. The lyrics and overall atmosphere really speak to what young people feel.
Kihoon: The warmth that continues from start to finish is what completes this song. In addition, the track’s steady emotional buildup would be another of its biggest charms.
Namhyun: Each of us recorded our parts with our own emotions in mind and I think the way those feelings blended naturally into one track makes the song feel even more complete.
Jungmo: We expressed the darker parts of our emotions honestly, while shaping a band sound that supports that mood. Ultimately, it became an emotional rock ballad track that everyone can connect with.
Junyong: Since we put so much of our real feelings into this song, I think our sincerity comes through clearly.
Q) Your full-length album is in the works! What can you tease about the songs/music you have in store for the fans?
Sani: I think you can expect songs we performed before debut, brand-new tracks we’ve never shown and even solo songs by our sub-vocal members!
Kihoon: There will be songs you’ve seen from us before, but also tracks that show completely new sides of Catch The Young. I think you’ll be able to experience various elements of our band.
Namhyun: For this full-length album, we tried more new styles and ideas than ever. There are songs we wrote before our debut and songs we made recently just for this album. It might be fun to guess which ones were written pre-debut!
Jungmo: Our first full album will include some familiar songs that have already been shared, brand-new ones, solo tracks and even a double title track.
Junyong: This album includes solo songs we’ve never shown before, along with a wide range of genres, so it’ll be an album that’s truly fun to listen to from start to finish.
Q) How much of a hand does the group have on the production side of music-making?
Sani: We handle almost everything ourselves. We write the songs and even the arrangement process is led by the members.
Namhyun: We produce the music on our own and we also have tracks made in collaboration with other producers. Thanks to that blend of work, I think our albums carry a really wide range of charms.
Jungmo: I’d say we contribute about 90 percent of the work. From making the demos to recording, we’re involved in every step.
Q) You’ve performed at festivals and venues since your debut. What is a live Catch the Young performance like?
Sani: I would describe it with the word “energy.” Anyone who’s seen us live knows we’re not a band that stands still on stage. Beyond performance, one of our signatures is rearranging songs for the live version so everyone can enjoy a different kind of energy.
Kihoon: Once you come to Catch The Young’s live performance, you’ll naturally want to come back. Please come feel our unique energy at our live concerts!
Namhyun: I think the charm of Catch The Young’s live shows is that the more you watch us, the more you’ll see how much we keep growing. No matter where we perform, we always try to give 100% on stage and then show an even better version of ourselves the next time. It feels like we grow together with the fans.
Jungmo: Our live show is something that excites both your eyes and ears. I think we differentiate ourselves from other bands by all members participating as vocalists as well as incorporating choreography for our performances.
Junyong: It’s a concert where both your eyes and ears will be happy. We want to build even more spectacular shows with great music.
Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform?
Sani: Personally, I really like smaller live venues. I enjoy being close to the audience, seeing their faces up close and feeling that direct connection.
Kihoon: I think outdoor festival stages are my favorite! The energy you feel at an outdoor venue is amazing.
Namhyun: As long as the venue welcomes us, we’ll go anywhere and have as much fun as possible. We always perform like it’s our last show and give everything we have.
Q) Which songs do you most love performing live for the fans?
Sani: Personally, I really enjoy performing “The Way To You” and “Ideal Type” because both songs are super fun and full of energy.
Kihoon: I’d have to say “YOUTH!!!,” which is our debut track! Whenever we perform it, the level of excitement just naturally goes up.
Namhyun: We have a song called “The Legend.” In the live version, we added a moment in the intro where everyone can scream together and there are sections where my vocals stand out between the instrumental solos. It’s just a song where the audience can go all out screaming.
Jungmo: Definitely “The Legend.” The fast tempo lets the members and the audience breathe together, jump together and really feel that rock spirit.
Junyong: For me, “The Legend” is the most exciting to perform. If you come to our concert and hear it live, you’ll definitely have a great time!
Q) Who are some artists that you have on replay at the moment?
Sani: Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of music by SUKIMA SWITCH. I recently went to their concert in Korea – I already liked them before the concert, but seeing them live was even more emotional and inspiring.
Kihoon: I’ve been listening to WOODZ’s “Journey” a lot these days. You should definitely check it out!
Namhyun: These days I mostly listen to Korean artists, usually songs by MRCH, MOVNING, HANRORO and Lee Seungyoon.
Jungmo: I often listen to “My sea” by IU. The lyrics are amazing and I really recommend giving it a listen!
Junyong: Recently, I’ve been really into a soul artist named Samm Henshaw, so I listen to his music a lot.
Q) What artists would you love to collaborate with on music in the future?
Sani: Personally, I think it would be really exciting to collaborate with a band like Red Hot Chili Peppers, whom I’ve loved for a long time.
Kihoon: I’d love to work with YB (Yoon Do-Hyun Band), the band I admired growing up. For overseas artists, it would be amazing to collaborate with Oasis!
Namhyun: There are honestly so many artists I’d love to collaborate with, but Coldplay is definitely one of them. I’d also love to work with some of the Korean artists I listen to a lot.
Jungmo: I’d love to share a stage with The 1975 one day. I practiced drums to their music for years, still listen to them often and really respect the band’s drummer.
Junyong: Personally, I really like WOODZ’s vocal style, so I’d love to collaborate with him someday.
Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of you and the incredible music that you make as Catch the Young?
Sani: Catch The Young will keep moving forward. If we get to spend even more time together than we already have, I think we’ll become truly special to one another, a real part of each other’s lives. I hope we can be with you for a very, very long time!
Kihoon: We’ll keep coming back with songs that are cooler and even more surprising, so please look forward to us and continue giving us your love and support.
Namhyun: Catch The Young is always thinking about how to put on better performances and make you happy. I hope we can talk with you often for a long time and I want to share a lot of good music with you. I really hope we can meet more frequently from now on. Thank you.
Jungmo: Thank you always for your support and interest. We’re working hard so that we can meet our global fans in person as soon as possible, perform for you and have fun together. Until then, please keep listening to our music, loving us, supporting us and cheering for us!
Junyong: Thank you so much for always supporting us and sending us love! We’ll come back with even cooler albums and performances, so please continue to look forward to our future activities. Thank you.