Winner of vocal survival show ‘B.D.U.’

연합뉴스 / 2024-04-25 10:05:11

▲This photo provided by ORCA Music show photo of B.D.U. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)

SEOUL April 25 (Yonhap) — During an interview held at the Yonhap News headquarters in Seoul, the group B.D.U (Build Up) expressed their joy in singing and shared their aspirations for diverse musical experiences through group activities.

B.D.U emerged as the winning team of the Mnet vocal survival program ‘Build Up’ last month. Comprising CIX’s Seunghoon, One Pact’s Jay Chang, M.O.N.T’s VI’ENX, and former trainee Kim Minseo, the quartet made a mark with their performances under the name ‘Hunminjevit’ during the competition, captivating audiences with impressive stages in the semifinals with “Flower” and the finals with “Hug Me,” ultimately raising the championship trophy.

Reflecting on the moment of victory, the youngest member, Kim Minseo, expressed his elation, saying, “I was ecstatic as soon as we won. It felt like a dream, and I couldn’t believe it until the next day.”

VI’ENX commented on the final stage, saying, “Although we split one song among the four of us, I wanted it to sound like we were all telling the same story,” while Seunghoon added, “I immersed myself in the emotions, thinking of it as a song that encapsulates our journey.”

Interestingly, each member had previous experience participating in various survival programs. Seunghoon was part of YG’s ‘Treasure Box,’ Jay Chang appeared on Mnet’s ‘Boys Planet,’ VI’ENX participated in JTBC’s ‘Mix Nine’ and ‘Peak Time,’ and Kim Minseo challenged MBN’s ‘The Origin - A, B, Or What?’

Jay Chang reflected on his past experience on ‘Boys Planet,’ where he narrowly missed debuting as a member of Zero Base One, saying, “Ranking 10th on ‘Boys Planet’ was still a significant achievement, so I didn’t feel regretful about not debuting. Instead, it made me rethink whether I showcased my vocal skills adequately to the world. ‘Build Up’ provided the opportunity to properly showcase my vocal abilities.”

VI’ENX explained his motivation for joining ‘Build Up,’ saying, “I wanted to assess my vocal capabilities and had a strong desire to compete as a vocalist. So, I didn’t hesitate to participate.” He added, “I felt pressure performing in front of senior judges I admired, but despite that, I wanted to continue performing on stage.”

The judging panel, consisting of esteemed senior singers such as Kim Jaehwan, Lee Seokhoon, Solar, Baekho, Wendy, and Eunkwang, provided valuable advice and encouragement, urging the members to find their unique colors and praising their stage presence.

Seunghoon reflected on the growth that came from performing alongside talented participants, saying, “Simply assembling a stage with highly skilled singers became a catalyst for growth.” He added, “By performing with various vocalists, I learned how to handle different aspects of performances.”

B.D.U is currently preparing for their debut and expressed their desire to showcase their presence through stable live performances. VI’ENX confidently stated, “Although we debut as a vocal survival group, we also have experience as idols. We aim to deliver high-quality stages that satisfy both auditory and visual enjoyment.”

Kim Minseo shared his ambition, saying, “We want to establish B.D.U as a unique idol vocal group in the eyes of the public. Our goal is to be recognized by the end of the year.”

Seunghoon concluded with aspirations for the group’s popularity, saying, “We want to become a mainstream group. We hope to be as busy as possible by the end of the year, attending various awards ceremonies and events.”