When it comes to standing out and making waves in an industry as widespread as K-pop, it’s easy for newer groups to feel like just another small fish in a massive ocean of talent. This is especially true in K-pop’s current fifth-generation that seems to produce new, unique groups every other week.
MYSTIC STORY is a company known for Billlie, a girl group that plays with futuristic lore and hypnotic sounds within their music. In August 2024, Mystic Story debuted their first boy group, ARrC. Since then, they’ve carefully built up their discography with hip-hop-driven title tracks and experimental b-sides that shine through with originality.
Their latest release is a single EP housing two tracks, “SKIID” and “”WoW (Way of Winning) (with MOON SUA X SIYOON).” The latter is a collaboration between the group and MOON SUA and SIYOON of Billlie, bringing a special coed crossover to fans of both groups, while the former is yet another high energy title track. We sat down with ARrC over Zoom to discuss this release, the collaboration process, and their reflections on their career following the one year anniversary of their debut.
Based on the time of this interview, tomorrow will mark a month since your single EP, CTRL+ALT+SKIID, came out. How would you describe this comeback and what it’s meant for you as a group?
HYUNMIN: We came back with our single, CTRL+ALT+SKIID, after just about four months since the release of our third mini-album, HOPE. We wanted this album to be a turning point, beyond just music, so with the feeling of rebooting, we wanted to showcase that we tried various attempts in terms of music to all the listeners. And I think the songs on this album express the youth’s worries and message even more deeply, which ARrC always seeks to convey. It’s meaningful because, while working on this single, our attitude toward music and our vision expanded, with our individual styles strengthened.
Alongside “SKIID,” you all collaborated with MOON SUA and SIYOON of Billlie on “WoW (Way of Winning),” which is something I wish I saw more in K-pop! What was it like to collaborate with two of your label mates?
CHOI HAN: We got to collaborate with MOON SUA and SIYOON of Billlie on this track, and they also participated as lyricists, creating more dimensions and joy in the overall process. It was a great honor to collaborate with them as colleagues, not just as senior and junior groups. They helped us feel less nervous on stage and have fun, so it was a meaningful collaboration for us.
Were you nervous for this collaboration in any way? How did they ease your nerves when you were creating the track?
DOHA: I felt some level of nervousness to share the stage with senior artists whom I always looked up to, but they taught us how to lose nervousness, to breathe, and to enjoy the stage based on their experience with many activities and stages.
Now that you’ve accomplished your first collaboration so early in your career, who are some artists that you’d love to collaborate with in the future?
RIOTO: We had a great experience collaborating with Billlie, as they shared much advice and we learned a lot by sharing a stage with them. I think it’ll be very fun to collaborate with other senior artists too because the experience will allow us to grow further. And I believe collaborating with international artists will be a very exciting opportunity as well.
It’s safe to say that a major part of your appeal is the diverse range of cultures you represent as a group, with members from South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Brazil, and the United States. With this in mind, what are some of the unique characteristics that you think set ARrC apart from other K-pop groups right now?
HYUNMIN: I think our most special and strongest point is free expression that transcends any boundaries. Just like our group name, we always remember the “real connection.” A song’s message is important, but its expression is also crucial. That’s why we think about it a lot sonically. When you listen to K-pop, you will notice who sang a song based on a group or artist’s unique sound. Just like that, we hope to imprint our sound on the audience so they can recognize ARrC’s music as soon as they hear it.
What do you like to do for fun or relaxation when you have free time?
KIEN: These days, when we have free time, pwe watch movies or have a samgyeopsal (pork belly Korean BBQ) party. Or we play board games. I think those activities bring us closer with more conversations, leading us to live and promote happily.
You debuted just over a year ago now. Looking back at your trainee selves, what advice would you give them knowing what you know now?
ANDY: For me, I’m usually the type of person to overthink and worry a lot, and that’s what I used to struggle with when I was a trainee because when you’re training, your everyday is pretty repetitive. You do the same thing over and over. Because of that repetitive lifestyle, it was hard for me to keep that passion and drive going. That was something I had a hard time with. I would always wonder, “Will I ever be able to debut?” I struggled with that a lot, but now that I’ve actually debuted, I want to tell my trainee self not to worry so much and just do your best, because I’m sure that there’s going to be a good result for your hard work. I would tell myself not to worry and just keep going.
Is there anything specific you want to say to your fans?
HYUNMIN: It feels like time flew by so quickly, now that it’s been a month since we released the single album, CTRL+ALT+SKIID. We learned, gained, and felt a lot during this promotion, and it’s all thanks to our ARrCers who always support us. With that gratitude in mind, we’ll continue sharing good music and performance. Thank you so much!
WHATCH THE INTERVIEW HERE