In 2024, up-and-coming K-pop group 82MAJOR’s music videos for “Choke” and “Stuck” were a breath of fresh air in the K-pop scene. True to their name, which combines the country code for Korean phone numbers, 82, with the word “MAJOR,” the group’s emphasis on their culture is at the forefront of their visual concept. With six influential members who all help write and produce their songs, they weave their personal stories into musical narratives, prompting listeners to think more about how all things “K-pop” are dominating global discussion today. Within their first year, 82MAJOR made a remarkable impact, landing themselves on a number of charts, including the “Billboard” Top Album Sales chart in the US. On the eve of the release of their third mini album, “SILENCE SYNDROME,” let’s dive into six different ways 82MAJOR is captivating their audiences.

MAJOR dreams in the +82
After establishing GREAT M Entertainment, CEO Kim Young-sun—previously a founding member of FNC Entertainment—launched their first boy group, 82MAJOR. Comprising six members of Korean nationality and background— NAM SEONG MO, PARK SEOK JOON, CHO SEONG IL, HWANG SEONG BIN, KIM DO GYUN, and YOON YE CHAN with a Canadian nationality —82MAJOR first unveiled themselves to the world on October 5, 2023 with the music video for “Sure Thing.” They officially debuted a few days later, on October 11, with “FIRST CLASS,” the lead single off their debut single album, “ON.” The group members all use Korea’s typical surname-first name format for their stage names. Even YOON YE CHAN, a Korean Canadian whose full name is Timothy Yechan Yoon, chose to follow the same convention. Their reason for the choice can be inferred through the group’s visual presentation. In the music video for “Stuck,” the members wear pink martial arts uniforms, and their names are written in typeface reminiscent of ancient Joseon-era calligraphy. They also donned the name tags typical of Korean school uniforms during a street dance performance in Gangnam Square. Plus, as a group for whom cultural identity is so important that they include the country code right in their name, 82MAJOR even extends the concept to how they address their fandom—nominally called 82DE, but they use other country codes like +66 to reach out to fans in specific regions. Staying true to their own “+82” roots by rapping about them over hip hop beats, it’s clear to see this is one group that aspires to be MAJOR.

From RAREHOUSE to 82MAJOR
All the boys in 82MAJOR write the music and lyrics for so many of the songs found on their albums. The approach harkens back even before the group’s current iteration, way back to their RAREHOUSE days from April 2022 onward, featuring five of the six of them: NAM SEONG MO, PARK SEOK JOON, CHO SEONG IL, HWANG SEONG BIN and KIM DO GYUN. According to CEO Kim Young-sun, “the role of the agency has changed from simply creating boy groups and expanded to include creating an environment where artists can enjoy expressing themselves,” a view that directly led to RAREHOUSE. The project was intended to give the boys a home base from which they could explore and demonstrate their uncommonly unique abilities without restriction. People got to know the group through the steady stream of songs and dance covers the group members personally worked on and uploaded to social media channels like YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter. In 2023, when the four members of the quintet born in 2004 became legal adults, they released their song “FIRE,” now a virtual time capsule of the period they were known as RAREHOUSE. The boys all wrote their own raps for the track, cherishing schoolday memories with friends while boldly embarking on a new, more mature chapter of their lives. Kim remarked that the project would become an opportunity for them “to discover what they’re best at,” and the five trainees defined who they are as individuals and as a group in the process. The five boys then reached out to YOON YE CHAN, himself a trainee under the agency, and the six of them officially became 82MAJOR. The RAREHOUSE song “Illegal,” with music by NAM SEONG MO and HWANG SEONG BIN and lyrics by the whole group, was later rerecorded by the newly formed 82MAJOR for their album “BEAT by 82.” It’s easy to see why PARK SEOK JOON said “it was really touching, and I have a lot of affection [for it], given that YE CHAN and SEONG IL [even] choreographed” it, and why HWANG SEONG BIN asked himself, “Why am I so proud of watching the word ‘82MAJOR’ in some scenes?”

All-singing, all-dancing, all-writing: the tongues, toes, and fingertips of 82MAJOR
82MAJOR's unique musical talents have been evident right from their trainee days. CHO SEONG IL wrote the lyrics of the anthem for his alma mater and even started the school’s band club. KIM DO GYUN has experience busking on the streets of the vibrant Hongdae neighborhood. From their earliest days and even after they made their debut, the boys’ undying passion for music was clear. Their SoundCloud and YouTube are full of both covers and original songs. One standout example is “Wake Up,” a demo written by YOON YE CHAN and HWANG SEONG BIN that ended up on their second mini album, “X-82,” under the name “Face Time.” The final album version, written by the entire group, is one of their favorites and notably features KIM DO GYUN, the group’s main vocalist, rapping. As would be expected from a group with hip hop roots, 82MAJOR officially has three rappers on board, but all six of them can and do rap. During their trainee days, NAM SEONG MO and HWANG SEONG BIN competed in season 11 of “Show Me The Money.” According to a recent episode of “Fridge Interview,” both were eliminated in the first round, but because not a single person in HWANG SEONG BIN’s group made it through, a judge decided to give him another shot. He says the camera captured the moment he found out he made the cut on his second try and broke into tears. In the end, HWANG SEONG BIN was eliminated for good during the next round, but he turned that disappointment into a creative TikTok video in which he recreates the firepit the show used when it was time for someone to go home. Playful content like his was commonplace during their RAREHOUSE days. The rapper QM was also on “Show Me The Money” that season. QM’s well known for his conscious rap and exceptional lyricism, and happens to be 82MAJOR’s current rap coach. There’s footage from HWANG SEONG BIN’s trainee days two years ago that shows QM coaching him, and the two even collaborated on a song named “Twenty,” proving just how serious the 82MAJOR member is when it comes to hip hop. Another video that makes their boundless passion and love for hip hop clear—with 130,000 views as of April 7—shows QM’s pupils NAM SEONG MO, YOON YE CHAN and HWANG SEONG BIN written freestyle rapping.

82MAJOR is extremely captivating live, too. From their street dancing in Gangnam Square hosted by DGDG Studio to their surprise school concerts, to performing at WATERBOMB SEOUL 2024, there’s no shortage of readily accessible videos to witness 82MAJOR’s talent for performing live. Even when there was an issue with the sound at WATERBOMB, NAM SEONG MO managed to actually get the crowd to roar even louder thanks to his rock solid singing in a live setting. The group makes sure to specify in all of their dance practice videos that they’re practicing for “LIVE” performances, proving how dedicated they are to sharpening their moves enough that they’re ready for the stage. Their dedication and skill are likely key reasons why tickets for their third concert, “82MAJOR BOOM,” which they held this January, sold out—including those for the additional day they added. The group performed three days straight to a packed house each time. The whole group worked on the music for two out of the four tracks off 82MAJOR’s third mini album, “SILENCE SYNDROME,” coming out April 14 at 6:00 pm, and wrote lyrics for three of them. Tracks two and three, “Heroic Hero” and “Passport,” are particularly special as the group previously shared them on SoundCloud and also included them on the set list for “82MAJOR BOOM.” 82MAJOR has their hands in all the music they perform with the kind of tongue dexterity a major pro has—something your eyes can’t help but get glued to.

The visual side of 82MAJOR
The music video for 82MAJOR’s “Stuck” surpassed 10 million views within just four days of its release and was listed among the best K-pop music videos of 2024 by “Harper’s BAZAAR Vietnam.” As the video opens, each member of the group appears onscreen alongside their name, writ large in traditional Korean calligraphy. Their names are also featured in Korean on their pink Taekwondo uniforms, all harking back to a Korea of decades past. The video is so unique in its presentation, though, that it’s impossible to nail it down to any one specific era, with other details like the English title, “Stuck,” written stylized like a Sino-Korean character. Adding to the fun are the idea of the boys as secret agents, the way they dress up as Korean culture staple yogurt peddlers, and how they use their pink combs as weapons. The whole visual style feels like a throwback to vintage Korean cinema, but the decades-old culture is put to use in a way that sets it apart from other videos that play with the retro aesthetic. 82MAJOR hypnotizes the workers in the security control room in the video in order to infiltrate their target—and viewers can’t help but be hypnotized by the group’s uniquely bold visual style.

The music video for “Choke,” meanwhile, takes on a modern, sophisticated aesthetic, incorporating everything from baggy coats to bomber jackets and school uniforms. The music video constantly plays on its basketball motif to reflect the lyrics but also includes a simple, stylized, black-and-white sequence with the members dressed in baggy black coats. The video alternates between the rooftop of a modern apartment, a shoddy construction site, and a bare steel interior, all set against a palette dominated by blues and reds. As the boys shoot hoops into a net that’s colored red, white, and blue, the visuals become even more dynamic, the boys literally dancing on water against a red backdrop and YOON YE CHAN dancing in smoke against blue. The colors used again and again throughout the video—black, white, red, and blue—are the same as on the South Korean flag, tying back to the group’s name and their emphasis on Korean identity. Their dance moves in “Choke,” imitative of the sweeping moves seen in Taekwondo, look all the more visually impressive thanks to the group’s average height—181 cm. 82MAJOR’s unique ability to harmonize past and present, and to balance national pride with popular trends, makes their visual approach yet another reason to keep coming back to the group.

82MAJOR’s achievements
82MAJOR’s first big break came internationally, not domestically. It was in the US that their potential first started to turn heads. For instance, the lead single “Choke” from their first mini album, “BEAT by 82,” released last April, along with its sped up version, both hit No. 1 on the US iTunes K-pop chart. “Choke” was No. 47 on the Global Top 150 Independent Airplay chart and No. 187 on the Global Top 200 Airplay chart put out by US outlet Digital Radio Tracker. The international media was quick to catch onto the group’s meteoric rise. US-based hip hop magazines “The Hype Magazine” and “The Source” named 82MAJOR as a rising star—a radio rising star in the case of the former, where they also became the first K-pop idols to feature on the magazine’s digital cover, and a “rinsing” star in the case of the latter, for their performance at WATERBOMB.

Last November, meanwhile, was a milestone month for 82MAJOR that made the year unforgettable. Their second mini album, “X-82,” released in October, heralded their arrival onto the “Billboard” charts just a year after their debut. The album reached No. 45 on the magazine’s Album Sales chart, No. 37 on the Top Current Album Sales chart, No. 15 on the World Albums chart, and the group hit No. 24 on the Emerging Artists chart. These are remarkable achievements, especially considering the boys are signed to a smaller agency, not a major one. In December, 82MAJOR climbed to No. 6 on the US DRT Global Top 150 Independent Airplay chart. This January, “Rolling Stone MENA” ran a special article titled “82MAJOR Takes the World Stage: ‘Billboard’ Success and the Rise of K-Hip-Hop’s Newest Powerhouse.” In it, the writer describes the group as “a disruptor in the K-pop scene, shaking up the industry with their bold, genre-bending sounds and innovative approach to music and identity. … Their fresh take on K-hip-hop and distinctive music style, supported by not only the performance but also the music production skills of all six members, elevate the group far beyond their rookie status.”

82MAJOR’s leader, CHO SEONG IL, had consistently said in everything from their debut showcase to an interview commemorating the release of “X-82” that their goal was “to make it onto the ‘Billboard’ charts.” And just a year after their debut, and only one short month after their second mini album "X-82"’s release, they turned that dream into reality. The ambition written in bold in their very name—to not only be popular in Korea but to become a major global player—is an ongoing, successful experiment.

82MAJOR’s one-of-a-kind chemistry
The key to 82MAJOR’s unparalleled chemistry and growth into a captivating group lies in the strong relationships between its members. With five of them born in 2004 (NAM SEONG MO, PARK SEOK JOON, YOON YE CHAN, CHO SEONG IL, HWANG SEONG BIN) and one in 2006 (KIM DO GYUN)—a boisterous bunch born entirely in the Years of the Monkey and the Dog—the group’s dynamics are yet another reason they’re worth watching. While on Weverse LIVE last November 16, PARK SEOK JOON said, “Maybe it’s because everyone in the group is almost exactly the same age, but it feels like we’re still students, so it doesn’t feel so much like work. It’s more easygoing. … We’re all so close that we laugh, joke around, and just yell every day,” revealing the natural, lighthearted atmosphere of the group, along with their goofy side reflecting how they’re “still immature, like kids.” The group’s brotherly bond is evident in videos like their long-running “5BROS” series, which became “6BROS” post-RAREHOUSE and after YOON YE CHAN came in. One memorable episode revolves around leader CHO SEONG IL temporarily taking over their CEO Kim Young-sun’s house to prepare and pack a lunch at five in the morning for youngest member KIM DO GYUN on the day he sits the university entrance exam, going all the way to meet outside the exam room with the surprise meal. In another heartwarming moment on Weverse LIVE just this past February 18, the five older members celebrated KIM DO GYUN’s graduation by throwing him a surprise party as he had missed the real ceremony due to scheduling conflicts.

The boys of 82MAJOR are so close that they’re more than just musicians who work together—they’re best friends and even a family. But their chemistry doesn’t stop there. Their online series “8 minus 2” is as extraordinary as everything else they do. In one episode, they force themselves to put on heavy stage outfits despite the peak summer heat and break into dance anytime their song “Choke” starts to play—all to try and win a PlayStation. Silly antics like this help make viewers feel like the idols are just like them. They visit Yongmun Market, where the boys explain to an older woman that their name is “82 and MAJOR,” then put on a high-intensity performance of “Choke” right in the middle of the traditional marketplace. Not only do we get to see how affable the group is, but it’s also interspersed with shots of the market atmosphere all around them, giving us another feel of the culture that underpins the group’s image. In another scene, a conversation between CHO SEONG IL and KIM DO GYUN reveals how comfortable they are being in the countryside: “DO GYUN, we’re familiar with neighborhoods like this!” “Well, I’m familiar.” “We are village people.” The genuine camaraderie highlights their roots, with CHO SEONG IL hailing from Singok-ri, Gochon-eup, Gimpo-si in Gyeonggi Province, and KIM DO GYUN from Jecheon in North Chungcheong Province—the latter of whom once described a typical day growing up for him as waking up to shake dirt off potatoes, serve food to his grandmother, and feed the occasional cow. Breaking it down, CHO SEONG IL is from Gyeonggi Province, KIM DO GYUN from North Chungcheong Province, YOON YE CHAN from Canada, and NAM SEONG MO, HWANG SEONG BIN, and PARK SEOK JOON from Gyeongsang Province. KIM DO GYUN even incorporated the Gyeongsang dialect into 82MAJOR’s song “Gossip” by writing the line “seugeun-hage jilleo,” where “seugeun” is an informal local word meaning “softly.” He later revealed that he was directly inspired by PARK SEOK JOON, a native of the region. Even YOON YE CHAN, despite being from Canada, occasionally uses different Korean dialects, further underscoring the close-knit bond among the members.

As far as MBTI personality types go, the group is evenly split with four type Fs (feelers) and two type Ts (thinkers). Other than HWANG SEONG BIN, all of them are type Es, or extroverts. The group gave their sole introverted member a birthday surprise at a fan signing event by singing the group’s song “Birthday” for their INFP friend, who hugged them with tears in his eyes. Interestingly, the group also includes two ESTPs, said to be an entrepreneurial personality that thrives on adventure. This balance of different personality types is another reason the chemistry among the group is so unique. 82MAJOR may be a unified group with a shared Korean identity, but they’re incredibly diverse where hometown, experience, and personality are concerned—and that translates to endless fun for their fans, 82DE.