SEOUL: The K-pop trio 1VERSE is making history with the release of their single album on Friday, since two of their five members are North Korean defectors. The band’s very diverse lineup includes Nathan from Arkansas, Kenny from Los Angeles, and Aito from Japan, along with rapper Hyuk and singer Seok, all of whom are from North Korea.
The multiplicity of the group’s members adds a unique layer to the genre’s increasing global diversity, even though BE BOYS’ Hak Seong made their debut earlier this year and is not the first K-pop act to feature North Korean defectors. The group’s single album, “The 1st Verse,” released by Seoul-based label Singing Beetle, makes its premiere on Friday. Hyuk and Kenny co-wrote the lyrics of their title song, “Shattered.
Hyuk fled to the South in 2013 after growing up in North Korea’s North Hamgyong Province till the age of 12. Working in a South Korean factory, he ultimately met the CEO of a music firm by happenstance, which led to weekend rap classes in Seoul and the beginning of his road to K-pop fame. “After attending university, things took a turn for the worst. I was forced to work in a workplace because of a horrible occurrence that occurred during a period when COVID was quite acute,” he added.
At first, Hyuk was dubious and believed the offer to become a pop star might be a fraud. “I truly possess nothing right now, even if you rob me, not even sand would come out,” he remembered thinking.
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