B.A.P opens up about their mission and what sets them apart

“We have come to conquer Earth!”

It’s a strange phrase to be sure, as it’s mostly heard in sci-fi movies from evil villains or aliens from outer space. But being extraordinary is something that rookie group B.A.P (‘Best Absolute Perfect’) is determined to become, and so the phrase has turned into their personal mission statement.

The six member group — comprised of leader Bang Yong Guk, Zelo, Himchan, Youngjae, Jongup, and Daehyun – sat down with Star News recently to discuss their dreams and goals.

The interview began with the reporter’s observation that the rookie group’s start has been as bold as their ambition. So far, B.A.P managed to draw 3,000 fans to their debut showcase and ranked in the top 10 on Billboard‘s ‘World Album Chart’ — all indicating that their debut has not been like that of a typical idol group.

Leader Bang Yong Guk stated, “Our six members’ unified dream is ‘world domination’. We really want to become a world group. Although it’s a goal that’s far into the future, the dreams we currently hold are to stand on MTV’s World Stage in Malaysia as the representatives of Korea. Since our debut album is now out, we want to show everything that we’ve been preparing.”


Their debut album, ‘Warrior‘, contains the title track of the same name, in addition to ‘Burn It Up’, ‘Unbreakable’, and ‘Secret Love’ (featuring SECRET‘s Song Ji Eun). The representative track of the album, “Warrior”, contains lyrics critical of society, a move that steps away from the ‘love song trend’ found in other male idol groups.

Himchan explained the process of how their album came to life. “When we work, we consult each other. While figuring out our first musical direction, we told ourselves to not do the same music as everyone else. That’s why we wondered how it would be if we incorporated a weighty topic like one that criticizes society; that is how ‘Warrior’ was born. I want to keep singing songs that have morals to them.”

Bang Yong Guk added, “All six of us all hate following what others do. Rather than following someone else, we want to be a team that is followed by others. We practiced day and night before our debut to be noticed as such a group.”


Were the ‘six aliens’ able to meet their target goals? If the number of fans is any indication, they’ve already attracted over 18,000 registered members onto their official fan cafe. Their album has also sold 10,000 copies within two days.

B.A.P’s performances have shown a charisma rarely seen from other idol groups, leading many to question if this group called B.A.P is truly a rookie. From their powerful choreography to their intense gazes, the boys sing and rap their way through a climactic performance.

Their powerful energy has even caused the stage to give way. During their pre-recording for SBS‘ ‘Inkigayo’, the stage was unable to withstand Bang Yong Guk’s “step performance” and gave way beneath his feet.

Jongup stated, “Whenever we stand on stage, something always breaks. In a recent recording, two mic packs were damaged, and we even cut open our hands. We never realize that our bodies have been hurt until the performance ends. When we’re up on stage performing, we’re so focused that we aren’t able to feel that we’ve been hurt.”

The members revealed, “When we stand on stage, rather than being nervous, we shiver with excitement.”

Although the group has already proven themselves as quite capable of accomplishing their mission, they still hold onto a humble mindset.

Himchan acknowledged that they still have ways to go. “Since all six of us are blondes, even fans get confused about our names. So we should probably get our names out there first before we’re able to conquer Earth. (laughs) We want to become a team that leads the trends in areas like fashion, music, and dance. For 2012 in particular, we hope everyone will become blondes and use B.A.P’s choreography to diet.”

Bang Yong Guk described the versatility of their musical style with, “We are currently a white canvas that any picture can be drawn on.” He continued, “All the members love African-American music filled with soul. If I can be born again, I’d like to be born as an African-American and do music.”

Source + Photo: Star News