All the way from South Korea, Kmagazine presents an interview with the newest girl group of JYP Entertainment, NMIXX, who recently debuted with their single ‘O.O’ and also surprised us with their perfect Spanish skills! 

By Lucero Santiago  Photos: JYP Entertainment 

South Korea. The  JYP Entertainment building witnessed the birth of some of the biggest girl groups, such as Wonder Girls, Miss A, TWICE and ITZY. Now, it is also home for the new girl group NMIXX, who after long years of training, made their stage debut as the next new idols of the 4th generation we can’t wait to see shine bright.

NMIXX consists of seven members: NMIXX: KYUJIN, JIWOO, BAE, JINNI, SULLYOON, HAEWON– all of them Korean- and LILY, Korean-Australian, who made their official debut on February 22 of this year with their first single album AD MARE, with their title track “O.O” followed by “TANK”.

Both music videos show us a feminine, fresh and young side of the girls, but also a tough, urban and empowered concept. It’s worth noting that this new girl group is under the division of Lee Ji Young, the first woman director of the company.

“AD MARE means ‘to the ocean’ in Latin!” explains Sullyoon. “This album is the start of a journey through the world, and it’s like the ocean we all dream about. It shows NMIXX’s aspiration to go even further, fighting through the fears in our minds,” affirms in the interview.

They explained that the name of the group is a combination of words and personalities: “N means a lot of things in English such as Now, New, Next, and MIXX means a mix of each of one of the members’ charms. So, NMIXX means we can show a different mix of talents” assures Lily.

With the emblem: “Your new favorite girl group”, NIMIXX is one of the biggest promises of the company as a fully complete girl group, thanks to their incredible musical abilities: they can sing and dance and had showed us with this debut that they are ready to conquer this industry and many other markets, like the Latino market.

In the interview, they revealed more details about their musical concept, their motivations and how it was when they started learning Spanish. Yes! You read it right!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CdmnJp4lChA/

Kmagazine: How do you feel about your debut? 

LILY: During my training years I had always dreamed about debuting, but when it finally happened it felt surreal. I was so happy to see my face on screen and to perform our songs.

HAEWON: It feels fantastic when dreams come true. My debut was my dream. So it’s amazing!

SULLYOON: I was so thrilled to make the debut I always dreamed about! It’s a great pleasure and honor to make my debut after our senior artists! I will always do my best and improve myself as SULLYOON from NMIXX!

JINNI: I’m so glad that I could make my debut after a long training period. It just feels like a dream.

BAE: I’m so happy and honored that I can make my debut – which I always dreamed about – with the wonderful name of NMIXX, along with my unique members! Everything feels overwhelming and amazing. I’m so glad that I can improve more!

JIWOO: I’m very pleased to make the debut I always dreamed about. I couldn’t believe that I was on the stage that I had imagined. And I’m so happy that there are so many fans supporting us. I will do my best to show a great performance on stage!

KYUJIN: First, I’m just so glad. I understood that this was the real beginning. I experienced so many things for the first time that I didn’t know of. It’s so amazing and interesting. 

Kmagazine: What were your first impressions when you heard about the group’s name? 

LILY: I thought our name was something that sticks in your mind and was unforgettable, and once I heard what it means I thought it suited us very well.

HAEWON: I was ready to accept any kind of name happily. The pronunciation of “NMIXX” sounded natural to me, and I thought the logo was cool. Honestly, I can’t remember the details very well because I was just so grateful.

SULLYOON: First, I was glad that we had the team’s name. It was so great because it meant I was really making my debut! Also, I loved the meaning of NMIXX. So, I thought I should try to become the best combination for the new era for real!

JINNI: Why was it NMIXX? I was curious what it meant. At the same time, I wondered what the N meant for our team’s name to become NMIXX!

BAE: After I learned about the meaning of our group’s name, I thought it went well with us! Because we are seven members with distinctive attractiveness who have great synergy.

JIWOO: When I first heard the group’s name, ‘NMIXX,’ I really loved it! NMIXX sounds so strong and enthusiastic to me. I’m proud of it!

KYUJIN: I was curious what NMIXX meant. Also, I loved it because it looked like a barcode, making it unique and pretty!

Kmagazine: What do you hope to bring to the K-pop and music industry with NMIXX? 

LILY: I think NMIXX can set the bar high for expectations when it comes to performance and skills, and we can push the boundaries of K-pop.

HAEWON: I want to be a representative artist of K-pop. I will work hard so that NMIXX’s songs can lead the global trend of music!

SULLYOON: I want to have a positive influence on many people. Also, I hope that NMIXX makes more people know about K-pop and get interested in K-pop!

JINNI: I hope the situation gets better to perform on stage with the audiences in and out of Korea. I want to lively show our explosive energy on the stage to the audience.

BAE: I want to make K-pop more widespread. I hope that NMIXX can become a wonderful group that the public will remember for a long time!

JIWOO: I hope that NMIXX’s song can give consolation and energy to people.

KYUJIN: NMIXX will be the new beginning of K-pop. I think we can show the development and diversity of K-pop!

Kmagazine: Do you have any memorable anecdotes while making your first MV? 

LILY: I remember I was wearing a big poofy dress and heels and I didn’t know if I could dance in it, but once I started it was so much fun to dance to and surprisingly not that hard.

HAEWON: I can clearly remember that the managers ran to us with warm blankets as soon as the director said ‘cut’ because we had a hard time filming in cold weather. They were like superheroes! 

SULLYOON: There is a donut shop in ‘O.O’’s MV! There were so many donuts, cookies, and bread in that donut shop! I thought they were fake, but when I looked closer, they were real food! I could smell the bread, too. It was most memorable because it was amazing! 

JINNI: I tried flying with a wire for the first time in my life. Before I tried it, I was worried because I was so nervous and scared. But, when I did it, it was so fun and thrilling! 

BAE: I had to imagine the sea life in the donut shop filming site. But I was too nervous because it was my first music video! Then, the director asked if I had a kind of seafood that I liked. I said that I like raw octopus. So, the director told me to imagine that a raw octopus was floating in the air! Thanks to the director, I could calm down and have fun filming! 

JIWOO: As the song has different moods, there were different filming sets. I could see colorful filming sites and try exotic clothes. It was an amazing and wonderful experience for me! 

KYUJIN: In the music video, there is a scene where I knock off the dominos while running. But in fact, there was nothing in front of me when I filmed. So I enjoyed running about 100 meters and filming. That is the most memorable thing. 

Kmagazine: You Song “O.O” caught the attention of the public for its unique sound and concept in K-pop, what did you think when you listened to it for the first time?  

LILY: The song is of a new genre called MIXX POP, so when I first heard it, it was very surprising to me, but I thought it was very catchy and I loved the melody lines.

HAEWON: I thought, ‘it’s overwhelming. It’s like I am riding a ride in an amusement park.’ 

SULLYOON: After listening to the strong intro, addictive melodies, and the positive and energetic second verse, I was sure that we could perform this song well! At the same time, I thought I should try hard to express the contradictory and ambivalent mood of the song. 

JINNI: When I first listened to the song, the song’s mood changed with the lyrics ‘NMIXX~’. It made me flustered and surprised at the same time. 

BAE: It’s a MIXX POP song, so  it never gets boring. And it’s a unique, wonderful, and cheerful song. I thought it would go well with NMIXX. I thought that I would enjoy even practicing for this song! 

JIWOO: I loved the unique feeling when the mood changed in the middle of the song. I thought that NMIXX was the only artist that could perform this song well! 

KYUJIN: It was the first time for me to listen to both genres. When those genres were mixed, they gave me a refreshing impression. I became confident that we could wonderfully perform this song with two genres in our own style. 

Kmagazine: “O.O” mixed various musical styles in one song, what other rhythms or genres would you like to combine? 

LILY: I would like to try hip hop and funk because they are two of my favorite genres, and I think they would blend beautifully because their base is similar.

HAEWON: Rock and jazz! 

SULLYOON: I’m into city pop nowadays, so I listen to city pop songs a lot. I think it would be interesting to mix city pop in ‘O.O’! Or I’d like to combine city pop and R&B for a new song! 

BAE: If I have a chance, I’d like to mix the pop style I often listen to. Also, I’d like to combine R&B and hip-hop! 

JIWOO: I don’t have any particular genre in mind now. NMIXX can perform any rhythm or genre well! Please stay tuned! 

KYUJIN: R&B and classical music!

Kmagazine: How would you describe your b-side “TANK”? 

KYUJIN: The song ‘TANK’ is really addictive. This song shows NMIXX’s ambition by using the metaphor of a tank to show NMIXX’s confident attitude. Also, the song’s title is the Chinese letter ‘占,’ which means to conquer, and resembles the shape of a tank. So, this song says that NMIXX will conquer the global K-pop fan’s heart.

Kmagazine: How would you like NMIXX to make an impression on your fans? 

LILY: I hope that our fans can get happiness from NMIXX and especially enjoy listening to our music and our performances. I hope that we can be good role models. 

HAEWON: I want to make an impression that NMIXX is a group you can be proud to show off to the entire world! 

SULLYOON: All the seven members of NMIXX practiced and tried hard to give an impression that we are ‘balanced all-rounders’ with various roles for vocals, dance, and appearance! So, for the stage of the title song ‘O.O’ and the song ‘TANK,’ we prepared hard so that people could think that every member performed very well!

JINNI: All our members are the aces of the group. I want to make an impression that NMIXX is a group that you’ll want to keep watching and the representative girl group of the fourth generation. 

BAE: Each member has distinctive strong attractiveness. When we are together, we create one single color and have great synergy! 

JIWOO: For those who like NIMXX, we want to encourage them and give consolation to them. We will keep trying to become great artists for NSWER! 

KYUJIN: I want to show that NMIXX is a very active, bright group that never disappoints and doesn’t have any weak points.

Kmagazine: Did you get any advice from your sunbaenims? 

LILY: I trained with the ITZY sunbaenims before their debut, and they helped me a lot with my dance and performance. They also cheered on my debut and wished me luck. 

HAEWON: I often heard that health is really important. 

SULLYOON: I met Jeongyeon from TWICE in the training room! She said that she was enjoying our videos, and she encouraged us to cheer up. Her advice was so touching and empowering! 

JINNI: I was close to YEJI from ITZY when I was a trainee and shared the same house with her. Before my debut, when I met her in the basement where the artist training room is, instead of the 3rd floor where the trainees live, she said that this is the serious beginning from now on. I still keep in touch with her. When I sometimes meet her in the training room, she warmly hugs me as if she knows what’s on my mind, saying, “it’s tough, isn’t it?” It’s so touching, and it makes me feel energized. 

BAE: The producer JYP said that I need to have a long-term perspective, rather than rushing to focus on what’s in front of me right now! According to him, if I have a long-term perspective, I can reach my goals and sustain them for a long time!

JIWOO: When the sunbaenims worried about me, saying “it must be tough, right?” and encouraged me, I felt empowered!

KYUJIN: The sunbaenims said that I need to take care of my health and myself!

Kmagazine: The whole world knows that being an idol and debuting is not an easy process, what is the lesson you would like to share with the next young generations who want to be idols like you? 

LILY: It takes a lot of patience and dedication. I believe that it’s much easier if you are really passionate about what you do. If you are genuinely in love with music and your fans, you should have more motivation to work hard.

HAEWON: Always think of a plan B. And learn foreign languages hard!

SULLYOON: It might be difficult and tough. But if you enjoy it and do your best, your effort will be rewarded someday! I hope you can achieve your goal until the end, make your debut and meet us on the stage later! Cheer up!

JINNI: When you try to become an idol, there could be a problem or difficulty that you couldn’t expect. When those things happen, please don’t give up and overcome them.

BAE: If you focus on the present and try hard, you will surely be rewarded! Don’t give up and practice while imagining that you will be on the stage despite the difficulties. Then, you will definitely achieve your goal!

JIWOO: It’s difficult to be a trainee because you must keep practicing without knowing how it will turn out in the future. When there is a chance to show off or express your capability, confidence is essential!

KYUJIN: Always take care of your health, keep your original resolution, and keep working hard despite the difficulties. Then, you will get opportunities and feel hope!

Kmagazine: How has been your process to learn Spanish? 

LILY: I have fallen in love with the language since I started learning it. Although I am still very much in the early stages, I’m excited to learn more! Spanish is such a satisfying language to learn and once I started learning it, I realized just how widely used it is. It also sounds very beautiful to the ear.

HAEWON: Thankfully, K-pop is loved in various South American countries. I wanted to learn Spanish to be closer to foreign fans. At first, it was difficult, but it’s very interesting now! I want to study harder and have conversations naturally.

SULLYOON: I’ve always wanted to communicate with fans from various regions and cultures! It was difficult when I first learned Spanish because I was not familiar with it. However, I could enjoy learning it because I would be able to communicate with my fans in Spanish!

BAE: I haven’t learned Spanish yet, but I want to communicate with my fans in various ways! So, if I have a chance, I really want to try and learn Spanish.

JIWOO: I didn’t learn Spanish. But while watching HAEWON, SULLYOON, and LILY learn Spanish, I became more familiar with the language!

Kmagazine: Which hidden talents would you like to present to the public and your fans? 

LILY: I practiced copying my favorite rappers when I was younger, so maybe I hope to show our fans that rapper side of me someday.

HAEWON: Maybe I am good at imitating somebody’s voice. However, when there are a lot of people around me, I can’t perform well.

SULLYOON: I am good at dodgeball!

JINNI: I am good at taking care of babies! I like babies, and I usually took care of my younger siblings when I was young!

BAE: I can draw active human gestures!

JIWOO: I can chew food longer than others! When I have snacks or meals with my members, I am the person who chews for the longest time!

KYUJIN: I can speak without moving my mouth while smiling big!

Kmagazine: Do you have a favorite nickname for your fans? 

LILY: I think NSWER is a wonderful name for them because they really are the answer to all my sadness and worry. They make everything brighter and give me so much strength.

SULLYOON: I love our fandom name NSWER the most! NSWER literally means the answer. It signifies that even if we lose our direction in our future journey, we will find a way with our fans. I like it the most because it has a wonderful name and meaning!

Kmagazine: What is your goal for your next comeback? 

LILY: Hopefully we can show the public even more of what we have to offer in terms of vocals, dance, and performance. Also, more songs in MIXX POP.

HAEWON: I want to listen to NSWER’s shout. I want to be a proud artist for NSWER.

SULLYOON: I want to show each member’s attractiveness to many people, and we hope to show our dance and singing skills! My goal is to make many people think that all the seven NMIXX members are attractive and talented!

JINNI: I hope everyone around the world will know about NMIXX. I want to win first place on the Billboard charts!

BAE: I want to prepare for the comeback and present a wonderful and fresh performance for the public! Also, I want to have more varied experiences, and I hope that nobody gets injured until the end!

JIWOO: For the next comeback, I want to enjoy the stage with NSWER! NSWER encourages me even more. I will meet NSWER!

KYUJIN: I want to win first place in a music program and on the music charts, and I hope that none of us becomes ill!

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On their debut first week, NMIXX achieved a new record in debut album sales, adding to the more than 60 million views their first music video has right now!

Another way to prove that KYUJIN, JIWOO, BAE, JINNI, SULLYOON, HAEWON and LILY are ready to become the new sensation of K-pop!