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kmsml · 5 months ago

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① N.Flying: “Back as a Complete Group for Our 10th Anniversary, and We’re Confident We’ll Soar Again”

N.Flying has led the way in 2024’s band wave, heating up the scene across all areas—from dramas and OSTs to music variety shows, festivals, and university events. With the return of members from military service, N.Flying will reunite as a complete group in February, saying, "We believe we’ll soar once again," as they hint at a promising future.

For its 20th anniversary, JoyNews24 sat down with N.Flying’s Lee Seunghyub, Cha Hun, and Yoo Hweseung at the FNC building for an interview. Despite their busy schedule, all three members answered every question sincerely and wholeheartedly with bright expressions and energy. Lee Seunghyub, in particular, seemed far more relaxed compared to the end-of-series interview for tvN’s Lovely Runner, likely because he was with his bandmates. The interview was filled with laughter thanks to the trio’s endless banter and playfulness, showcasing their ‘likable band’ charm with their kindness and thoughtful answers.

The five-member band N.Flying continued its activities with Lee Seunghyub and Yoo Hweseung filling in for the absence of the instrumentalist members, who were in the military, until September when guitarist Cha Hun completed his service. Their youngest member, bassist Seo Dongsung, was discharged on November 7, and drummer Kim Jaehyun is set to complete his service in February.

During the "military hiatus," Seunghyub and Hweseung had pledged to gather as many fans as possible for N.Fia, aiming to perform in even larger venues once the group was complete again. To honor this promise, Seunghyub and Hweseung have been continuously active, from dramas to festivals, without a break. Seunghyub received acclaim for his acting in the tvN dramas Lovely Runner and Love Next Door, while Hweseung has promoted the band through musicals, OSTs, and other musical ventures. Recently, they have earned the title of "stage masters" due to the constant flood of performance requests for popular festivals, local events, and university festivals.

Hweseung, reflecting on their current popularity, shared, "I’m truly feeling it. We put in a lot of thought and effort during the military hiatus, and the drama activities brought us some major attention. Now, with the calls for festival and music performances growing two- to threefold, I’m really experiencing it firsthand," he said. "That’s why I’m excited for the members’ return. Honestly, I’m even more ambitious and want to work harder so we can perform at even bigger venues. But even in this current situation, I feel a lot has changed, so I’m eager to experience it all with the members as soon as they’re back."

Cha Hun also shared how deeply he felt the band’s growth. He said, “Even while I was in the military, I could see that our vocalists were keeping their promises and that we were growing. Whenever I went out on leave or had time off, I never once went anywhere without hearing our music playing. Everywhere I went, our songs were playing,” he explained. “I could really feel how hard they were working, and as soon as I was discharged, we immediately started performing together at festivals and concerts. I try to remember every fan individually, and I noticed there were quite a few new faces. I realized that N.Fia has grown significantly, and now we have many more fans to meet and share our music with.”

◇ The Icon of "Re-Charting Success": Belief that “Good Music Eventually Connects”

During Lovely Runner, “Blue Moon” gained popularity, and more recently, the rock ballad “Firefly,” perfectly suited for fall, rose on the charts, earning N.Flying yet again the title of "re-charting icon."

Yoo Hweseung attributed their re-charting success to "the continuous efforts of Seunghyub hyung, who consistently produces and collaborates with us to create good music." He praised Seunghyub's exceptional songwriting and composing talents, which are the foundation of their success.

He continued, “Luck comes big to those who are prepared. Because we approach music sincerely and are well-prepared, more people have come to appreciate our music.”

Hweseung also expressed gratitude, saying, “Another thing to be thankful for is that other bands have been making great music, helping to revitalize band music for a larger audience. We’ve been influenced a lot by the music of other artists, and I think that our own music activity combined with others’ has led to a broader base of band music listeners. Because of that, more people discovered our songs, allowing us to re-chart, and this makes performing music so enjoyable."

Seunghyub then mentioned, “Hweseung has always said, ‘Good music is something people will eventually find.’ So, we often talked about leaving these kinds of songs as album tracks.” He also praised Hweseung’s voice, saying, “His vocals are just amazing—how could anyone not listen?” Hwiseung laughed, and Seunghyub added, “He’s unmatched.” Sitting between them, Cha Hun joked, “It’s a little awkward being stuck between these two,” making everyone laugh.

As Yoo Hweseung mentioned, Lee Seunghyub showcases his producer skills by writing and composing N.Flying’s songs. Their music, full of the members' shared desire to "provide comfort to the audience," often conveys hope and energy. Rather than urging listeners to "just be strong," their songs acknowledge personal struggles, fears, and insecurities, inviting listeners to move forward together despite these challenges. Messages like "You’re not alone; let’s face it together" provide profound comfort and encouragement.

Drawing on personal experiences to create highly relatable lyrics, Seunghyub said, “It feels like a time when, as N.Flying and as musicians, we need to adapt to reach a broader audience.” He explained that he now adds a touch of imagination to his experiences in his writing. “Nowadays, I’m starting to think that always viewing everything ideally when creating music might be a bit naive. Maybe I’ve matured, or I’m in the process of maturing—it feels like I’m at that point now.”

Seunghyub then shared that his MBTI changed from ENFP to ESTP around two years ago. Cha Hun responded by saying, “I think once all five of us are back together, Seunghyub hyung might return to being an ENFP. I believe he could be an ENFP before because he had faith that, no matter what, the members would manage things well. That’s why I feel that with each member going to the military, he shifted to ESTP. When Jaehyun returns and we’re stable as five again, he might return to ENFP.”

Lee Seunghyub agreed with Cha Hun’s comments, admitting, "That's somewhat accurate," and adding, “When it’s just Hweseung and me, our conversations are very calm, like, ‘The sound is like this today. How’s my vocal tone?’ But after Hun was discharged, it felt like I became a kid again. I realized that whether or not members are around has a significant effect on me.”

Indeed, since Cha Hun’s return, Seunghyub and Hweseung have shown even more energy and playfulness on stage. Seunghyub remarked, "Not just on stage, but in general, there’s a lot more playfulness now." Cha Hun chimed in, "While I was performing ‘4242’ on the guitar, they came over to both sides and pushed me down. I thought, ‘What’s going on here?’ Before joining the army, I was already a bit mischievous, but being less ‘socialized’ after military service makes it even more noticeable now." Seunghyub playfully teased, "You’re still not fully socialized," to which Hun, switching his tone, responded, "Is that so?"—making everyone burst into laughter.

Cha Hun had previously mentioned in a military video that he got used to eating three meals a day in the army. When asked if he still maintains that habit, he replied, “I thought it would stick, but I quickly reverted to my old ways. I used to eat just one or two meals, and even in the army, I divided my usual amount into three portions instead of truly eating full meals. So the absolute amount hasn’t really changed.” At this, Seunghyub jokingly sighed, “This is serious.”

Known for his love of food, Hoe-seung remarked, “Still, I think Hun’s eating habits have improved and become healthier.” Hun explained, “I used to look like I was barely eating, but now I can at least make it look like I’m enjoying a full meal—something I learned in the army.”

Hweseung added, “To eat well, you need to enjoy your food, but Hun only likes things like vegetables and konjac. He barely eats even a small portion of salad, which can be concerning. But lately, he’s been eating more balanced meals.” Hweseung also mentioned he hasn’t yet enacted his plan to “get back at” Hun for his military bugle wake-up calls. “Since I’m the morning wake-up master, just wait—I’ll do it when the time is right,” he said with a mischievous smile.

◇ Music Rooted in History: The Foundation of N.Flying

Released in 2019, Rooftop became a signature song for N.Flying, known for its comforting message to weary youth and its popularity at festivals where audiences sing along. This self-composed track by Lee Seunghyub experienced a resurgence in popularity, topping digital music charts and music shows. However, defining N.Flying’s music solely through Rooftop would be incomplete. From their long trainee years to indie activities in Japan, and ongoing musical growth post-debut, N.Flying has consistently taken on diverse challenges and evolved in their sound.

Naturally, curiosity arises regarding the track that the members consider the “root” of N.Flying. Without hesitation, Lee Seunghyub named their debut song, Awesome, explaining, “When I think of our roots, our debut track immediately comes to mind, regardless of whether Hoe-seung was part of the group then or not.” N.Flying debuted in 2015, with Yoo Hweseung joining as a new member in 2017.

Seunghyub elaborated, "My long trainee period still influences me, and I sometimes feel like my approach to rap doesn’t feel quite right anymore. I’ve grown to prefer focusing less on rapping, as I'm no longer sure if it's truly fitting for me. That’s how songs like Bloom and Flashback came about, with Hweseung’s voice now being central to our sound.” Yet, he added, “Still, if we’re talking about our roots, it would probably be one of our energetic tracks that our fans, N.fia, love jumping around to.”

Cha Hun said that if he considers the relationship between N.Flying and their fans, Stand By Me seems to embody their connection. Yoo Hweseung emphasized, “In a band, history matters a lot. Many other bands may feel similarly, but I think we have truly had a spectacular journey.” Reflecting on the difficult times, he explained, “Music from our most trying periods carries memories of resilience and comfort, and performing these songs often stirs up strong emotions.”

Hweseung continued, “Each song and album encapsulates moments—times of joy and struggles that nobody else knew about. Each of these experiences forms part of our roots.” Adding to this, Hweseung recalled, “When I saw Awesome during my military service, I was deeply moved,” which caught Seunghyub’s attention. However, Hweseung then playfully clarified, “I was just thinking, ‘Oh, my hyungs had already debuted,’” making Seunghyub laugh in realization.

◇ Celebrating a Decade and Anticipating the Next: N.Flying’s 10th Anniversary as a Complete Group

2025 marks not only the return of drummer Kim Jaehyun, bringing N.Flying back to a full lineup, but also the band’s 10th debut anniversary—a momentous year for both the members and their fans, N.fia.

Reflecting on the band’s journey, Cha Hun said, “Our group has been through all sorts of ups and downs, both good and bad. I know every group goes through this, but we’ve faced many challenges. As these ten years have passed, we’ve only grown closer and stronger as members, with no distance growing between us. This makes our 10th anniversary even more exciting, with the next ten years feeling even more promising.”

Looking back, Lee Seunghyub noted, “When Hweseung joined, it was like N.Flying started a second life—a true rebirth. It’s like we hatched from our shell and then hatched again.” Cha Hun added, “We started walking after we first hatched, and Hweseung gave us wings to fly.”

Lee Seunghyub continued, “Hweseung was really the one who solidified our unity back then. He’s the mastermind behind bringing us together,” which led to Hweseung’s laughter, and Cha Hun chimed in, “We should have noticed that back then!”

Seunghyub elaborated, “Though he was the youngest member at the time, Hweseung had a sense of direction for the group. His actions helped change us all, instilling responsibility in us, and it felt like we were reborn. Over the years, we’ve truly become one. The moments when we felt like one, with our strongest unity, were when our performances felt the most meaningful. We’ve managed to keep that sense of unity strong from then on.”

Hweseung then shared, “This moment feels like another turning point. Maybe it’s just confidence, but I truly believe that when we’re all together again, we’ll gain a new set of wings. We’re working hard, not only for that moment but also to make great music. Next year, I think we’ll step into a new phase we haven’t reached before, and I look forward to that.”

[창간20년 인터뷰]① 엔플라잉 "10주년에 다시 완전체, 날개 달릴거라 확신"

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