Interview: JUSTB on Finding Their Unique Sound and Carving Their Space in the K-Pop Industry

JUSTB is having a well-deserved moment right now. The group just wrapped up their Snow Angel tour across the U.S. and Canada, a marathon 14-stop endeavor with little rest between cities. The tour was in support of their fifth mini album, Snow Angel, and came on the heels of a listening party tour at the end of last year, followed by tours in Japan and Europe. 

It's been nearly five years since the group's debut, and since then, they have fearlessly found their own voice within the K-pop industry, taking on a unique musical style that blends hyperpop and pop-punk sounds. In an even more fearless endeavor, member Bain came out as gay one year ago, becoming one of the only K-pop idols to do so. It's safe to say JUSTB are breaking the mold of what box a typical K-pop group fits in.

As an ONLYB (JUSTB fan) myself, I had the opportunity to chat with members Geonu, Bain, Siwoo, DY, and Sangwoo (Lim Jimin is currently on a temporary hiatus for medical reasons) all about their musical journey, relationship to the fans, and what sets them apart.

Check out what they had to say below!

What do you guys think makes JUSTB special or different from other groups?

Geonu: You can feel it when you watch our performance. It's like a sauna. There are many kinds of baths, and I think it's like going back and forth between cold and hot baths. It's fun to be a team with people with such distinct personalities, from the attitude of each member on stage to the musical diversity shown on the solo stage.

Each member has such a unique flavor, how do you combine everyone’s style when you’re preparing for a new album or tour?

Siwoo: I believe our greatest strength lies in how we embrace each member's distinct individuality and seamlessly blend it into the identity of JUST B. It feels like our diverse charms come together to finally complete the picture of who we are as a team.

Is there a song that you guys are the most proud of that you’ve released?

DY: Too Late and Still I Luv You. They're my favorite songs among the ones I’ve written. They are tracks you can listen to over and over without getting tired of them, so I hope you enjoy it.

Bain, it’s been a year since you came out onstage, has anything changed for you in terms of how you perform or how you feel now that you are fully being yourself?

Bain: It’s been a year, and honestly… it’s changed everything. For so long, I felt like I had to explain myself to make people comfortable, to make myself make sense. But now, I’ve let go of that. I’m not here to be understood perfectly. I’m here to be real.

And that doesn’t mean it’s easy. There are still moments where it’s scary, where the spotlight feels heavier than ever. But I’ve learned that fear and freedom can exist at the same time.

What’s different now is that when I step on stage, I’m not performing a version of myself anymore, I am myself. And that’s the most powerful place I’ve ever stood in.

You guys have really found your unique style in the past couple of years, how did you decide the direction you wanted to go with JUSTB?

Sangwoo: For our Snow Angel album, producer Okwon introduced Geonu and me to a wide range of artists in the electronic sound space and helped build the right infrastructure for us. Through that process, we gained a lot of inspiration and confidence. With the members’ understanding and Geonu’s strong drive, we were able to further define our direction and even persuade the company.

I think a lot of your fans tend to think of JUSTB as something separate from K-Pop, do you see yourselves that way too?

Geonu: I think our fans know us well. It's just like that if the fans look at it that way.

DY: We believe we’ve already been walking a different path from many other K-pop idols for quite some time. We’ll keep doing things our own way, for as long as we can, and as far as we can go.

Siwoo: Honestly, I don't think there's a right or wrong answer to how we’re perceived. If you see us as something a bit different from the traditional K-pop mold, then that’s exactly who we are. To me, the way our fans feel and believe in us defines 'JUSTB.' As long as you continue to discover and feel new charms within us, we want to keep paving our own unique path to live up to that belief.

Bain: I think K-pop is part of our DNA, it’s where we were born as artists. But we’ve never seen it as something that defines our limits. I don’t wake up thinking, ‘let’s fit into this category.’ I wake up thinking, ‘how can we be more honest, more fearless, more ourselves?’
So if people feel like we exist outside of K-pop, maybe that just means we’re creating something that can’t be boxed in. And to us, that’s not separation, it’s freedom.

Sangwoo: Right now, each of us is doing our best within our own circumstances, and we’re aware that we receive a variety of perspectives. We’re truly grateful for all the attention and viewpoints that come our way.

Lastly, do you have any message you want to give to ONLYBs?

Siwoo: To our ONLYB, we are already approaching our 5th anniversary. Thank you so much for always giving us your unchanging love. It is truly thanks to all of you who have stayed by JUST B’s side for such a long time that we are here today. I promise to always cherish and treat you with all my heart. Thank you, and I love you all.

Bain: To ONLYBs, thank you for seeing us, for really seeing us. You didn’t just support what we do, you embraced who we are. And that kind of love… it changes you. It gives you the courage to stand in your truth, even when it’s hard. We’re still growing, still becoming, but we’ll never stop being honest with you. So wherever this journey takes us, just know you’re not just watching it. You’re a part of it. And we carry you with us, every single time we step on stage.

Sangwoo: We sincerely thank everyone who continues to support and keep an eye on us. We’ll come back with an even more grown and improved version of ourselves, so please continue to watch our journey.