What question do you want to ask your favorite K-pop idol? In “FanTalk,” the Korea JoongAng Daily relays fans’ questions directly to the stars. What would you ask? Send your questions to @CelebConfirmed on Twitter or @celeb.confirmed on Instagram.

Girl group TRI.BE made a Valentine's Day comeback with its second EP “W.A.Y” and lead track “We Are Young.”

Two years into their debut, the group is determined to show a completely different side of themselves, pivoting from its signature charismatic image to a much brighter ode to youth. In “We Are Young,” members flaunt pastel-toned Y2K fashion and sing about braving the world with young naivety.

TRI.BE is also back after a fruitful year, having dropped a single, representing Asia in Coca Cola’s promotional campaign, then winning a Rising Star Award at the 2022 Asia Model Awards and a Blooming Star award at the Hanteo Music Awards.

Six members — SongSun, Kelly, HyunBin, Jia, SoEun and MiRe, with member Jinha sitting out due to health reasons — recently sat down with the Korea JoongAng Daily to reflect on their journey since debuting and answer questions from the group’s fans, dubbed TRUE, from around the world.

Kelly: I learned how to find which camera is filming me during music show shoots.

HyunBin: Because we debuted [in February 2021] in the middle of the pandemic, we didn’t really know exactly how to treat fans when we met them in real life. Everything was online or filmed without an audience. Our previous single “Leviosa” [in August 2022] was the first time we did promotional activities and performances in-person. That’s when we started learning how to greet fans and whatnot. We’ve just started getting good at it.

Last year, TRI.BE participated in Coca Cola’s Asia advertisement campaign and also collaborated with Indian pop star Armaan Malik for the Indian portion of the campaign. How was the experience? (Korea JoongAng Daily)

SoEun: It was such an honor that we could be part of such a big campaign and collaborate with great artists in another country. It was such a big opportunity for us. Armaan Malik helped us a lot on stage, and we thank him and the campaign for giving us unforgettable memories.

Jia: Mr. Malik found our kalgunmu [perfectly in-sync dancing] fascinating. We arrived in India the day before filming and started learning the choreography for the ad. When we all mastered the group dance routine in one day, he was so surprised. We told him that we’re K-pop idols and this is what we do all the time (laughs).

Were there any singers who made you start dreaming of becoming a K-pop artist? (Korea JoongAng Daily)

HyunBin: Since I was young, my parents loved listening to music. We always had music playing at home, and watching music shows on television was part of my family’s everyday life. I remember dancing along to girl group Wonder Girls’ “Tell Me” (2007) when I was four years old and feeling so happy. So for me, it almost felt like it was a given that I would go down the path of becoming an idol. I danced as a hobby, went to dance lessons, and then started attending auditions. I knew I had to be a singer.

MiRe: I started dreaming of becoming an idol when I saw girl group Blackpink. I was in the sixth grade when I first saw a video of Blackpink’s: “Boombayah.” I simply watched as a fan at first, but from some point on I started thinking that I want to be on a stage like that too. That’s how I ended up coming to Korea [from my home country Japan].

SongSun: We always think it’s so amazing how the foreign members moved to a different country for their dreams at a young age. It must be such a challenging process — to practice in another country, away from their parents.

MiRe: It's all thanks to the other members (laughs).

TRI.BE is known for its powerful stage performance. What motivates you the most on stage? (submitted by @GuoJiaBrasil)

MiRe: Our fans, TRUE, always comment or tell us that we’re so cool on stage. Their compliments give us so much energy to continue practicing with all our best, determined to do even better during our next performance.

SongSun: When we were active with [our previous lead track] “Kiss” (2022), it was our first time hearing fans cheer for us in the audience seats during music show shoots [after pandemic restrictions were lifted.] Their cheers, louder than the music, gave us strength.


If you weren’t a K-pop idol, what job would suit you? (submitted by @eunholuv)

Kelly: I’m good at a lot of things (laughs). Compared to the other members, I didn’t start training until a relatively later age. So I was looking into a lot of other career paths before becoming an idol. I love drawing, and I actually considered getting into fashion design. If I wasn’t an idol, I’d probably be studying fashion design right now.

HyunBin: I feel like SoEun would’ve become YouTuber, whether it’s in gaming or beauty. As for me, I’d probably be a cook dreaming of opening my own place. I learned a lot of cooking skills from my mother.

SoEun: I think Jia would be an interpreter right now. She’s been a K-pop fan since childhood, so she would’ve continued studying Korean even if she didn’t become an idol.

MiRe: I think I’d be a nurse.

SoEun: She’s right, because MiRe kind of has a lot of medical knowledge. She always tells us what we should do when we have indigestion or something. I owe her for a lot of situations like that.

SongSun: I once wanted to become a flight attendant. But since I’m short, I didn't meet the height qualifications. So I gave up on that dream, but that led me to becoming a part of TRI.BE, so it all worked out in the end.

How do you feel after watching fans’ video messages sent from all around the world? (Korea JoongAng Daily)

HyunBin: We haven’t performed abroad yet, so we haven’t been able to tangibly feel the presence of our international fans. Watching fan videos like this and seeing that they’re really out there fills us up with motivation. I can’t wait to meet overseas TRUE as soon as possible.

Jia: We haven’t met international fans in person yet, but they’ve still sent us heartwarming video messages and are rooting for us from the other side of the world. This means a lot to us.

BY HALEY YANG [yang.hyunjoo@joongang.co.kr]