P1Harmony on taking creative control on the new EP ‘Ex’ and showing love for its Latin fan base

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“The K-pop scene is just really crowded,” explains Keeho, the direct and honest leader of P1Harmony, who was born in Toronto. “It seems like many artists tend to imitate successful ideas and avoid anything that hasn’t proven itself. Because of this, I don’t think there are many groups brave enough to try new things, and I don’t believe it’s the groups’ fault either.”

I was at KCON in August, and I found Keeho nestled amongst his bandmates – Intak, Jongseob, Soul, Theo, and Jiung – all crammed onto a rather curvy hotel couch. It was a tight squeeze, let me tell you! They were prepping for their performance, but finding comfortable seating was clearly a challenge. Seeing them all together like that really highlighted the group dynamic, even in a slightly awkward situation. KCON was definitely a memorable experience!

“K-pop isn’t simply about appearances or performing well,” he explains. “I believe it’s the creative skill, the music itself, the ideas behind it, the visual presentation, and the dance routines… So, giving us more control and the ability to make our own choices is what will allow each group to truly be unique.”

“The people who are really the ones that are being artistic should be the ones taking creative direction and control,” he continues, “and I think our group and our company are really trying to make that happen for us, so I’m thankful. Obviously, I still think we have a long way to go. I think that’s the direction we need to take.”

Five years feels like a very long time for a K-pop group, but when P1Harmony first appeared in October 2020, it was right in the middle of the pandemic. Because they couldn’t meet fans in person, they used music performances without a live audience and a creative introductory film to connect with people instead.

Now, they’re eager to make up for lost time, seizing every opportunity to connect with fans – like the night before this interview, when they performed at the Academy Museum’s K-Culture night, even jumping into the aisles right next to the audience. Jiung, a versatile member of the group, describes that energy: “We’re always keen to interact with our fans, so before every performance, we always ask, ‘Can we come down into the crowd?’”

Recently, P1Harmony has been gaining a lot of momentum. Their 2024 mini-album, “Sad Song”, reached a new high on the Billboard 200 chart, climbing to number 16. They continued this success in May with “Duh!”, their eighth EP, which became their first release to debut at #1 on the Billboard World Albums chart. The group also made time to showcase their individual talents. Just last month, rapper and dancer Intak released a smooth cover of Usher’s “Good Kisser.”

Their song “Duh!,” a lively mix of punk and boom-bap, quickly gained popularity with 18 million views on YouTube. Just as it was starting to fade from the spotlight, they announced their new album, “Ex,” which came out last Friday.

“Ex” is being released alongside their largest tour to date, the “Most Wanted” tour, which began last weekend on the East Coast (the first single was performed on GMA last week). The tour will arrive at the Inuit Dome in Los Angeles on October 18th.

It’s definitely a busy schedule, and that’s especially true because the group members are very involved in writing their songs. When asked if they’d appreciate a bit more time to rest between releases, Keeho paused to translate before the playful singer and dancer, Soul, jokingly replied, “Yes!” which made everyone laugh.

As K-pop fans know,” Keeho started explaining, “the industry moves so quickly. Here in America, it feels like artists usually release a new album every two or three years, which is pretty surprising… but in K-pop, they come out with albums about twice a year, and sometimes even more!”

“Ex” represents a new direction for P1Harmony, drawing inspiration from the rock and R&B sounds popular in the mid-2010s. The third song, “Stupid Brain,” is a catchy tune about getting lost in your thoughts, and the energetic “Dancing Queen” has a sound that would be at home on an Ed Sheeran album.

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I have to say, ‘Stupid Brain’ is a real standout track on this album,” shares Jongseob, the group’s youngest member – and a seriously talented rapper and songwriter. “When we were creating this album, I was really focused on finding ways to bring something new and fresh to the table.”

The album “Ex” is special because it’s their first release entirely in English, except for one thing: the title track also has a Spanish version. The group has performed covers of Spanish songs previously, but creating their own Spanish rendition of the upbeat, empowering song “Ex” was a treat for fans around the world.

“Spanish is spoken by so many people, not just in the US, but globally,” Keeho explains, noting they had a pronunciation guide in the recording booth. “It didn’t feel right to release just an English version. Since we planned to promote the song in America, we really wanted to include a Spanish version too.”

Singer Theo explains he enjoyed the challenge of performing in this language. “The way the words are pronounced,” he says, “requires a lot of energy… it creates a very clear and crisp sound. It can be gentle when it needs to be, and powerful when required.”

The group’s connection goes deeper than just language – it reaches into culture. P1Harmony, well-known for being active online, had a viral moment in 2021. They excitedly reacted on a livestream when fans asked them to play “La Chona” by the norteño band Los Tucanes de Tijuana.

These little interactions have helped the group build a stronger connection with fans, including dance teacher and social media personality Alejandra Guzmán. She’s been a fan since their performance at KCON in 2022, and their L.A.-based label, Hello82, asked her to help promote the new album.

“P1Harmony holds a special place in my heart,” she shared during a phone call. “I’ve been lucky enough to see them perform here several times because they visit so often. As a Mexican-American born and raised in L.A., it means a lot to me that my favorite K-pop group expresses how much they love performing here and consider it a second home. And the fact that they also recognize the impact of Latines in the U.S. and the other countries they visit makes me feel truly understood.”

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2025-09-30 21:02