If you’re in search of some “hope,” whether it is words of comfort or artistic inspiration, K-pop septet ARrC have the solution for you! ARrC is MYSTIC STORY’s first boy group, featuring members ANDY, CHOI HAN, DOHA, HYUNMIN, JIBEEN, KIEN, and RIOTO. The team is multinational, featuring members from the United States, Vietnam, Brazil, Japan, and South Korea. This unique connection formed through music further demonstrates the meaning of their team name, “Always Remember the Real Connection.”
On July 16, the team returned with their striking third mini album, HOPE. ARrC connected with EnVi through a roundtable interview to share more about their latest project, aspirations through their artistry, and candid tid-bits that shape their team dynamic. It was nearing midnight in Korea, but ARrC sported full performance ensembles, and greeted with enthusiasm that reflected their passion as one of K-pop’s hottest rookies.
Just Desire And Inspire
HOPE was described in a press release as “representing ARrC’s core messaging of making real connections and striving for a better tomorrow through concentrated efforts and sincerity.” Woven within the infectious melodies of the five song exploration are ARrC’s personal stories.
“We chose this album concept because we felt that we could best express the emotions and situations we’re experiencing at our current age through music,” RIOTO said about the album. “Most of our members are still minors, so we really tried to capture what we can express uniquely at this point in our lives.”
HOPE’s bold title track, “awesome,” correlates with the album’s additional message of discovering optimism. “Awesome” is all about maintaining a positive mindset in spite of what obstacles life may throw at you. The lyrics are full of relatable situations: “Like missing the bus when I’m two seconds away / Forgetting my umbrella on a rainy day / What is wrong with me today?”
JIBEEN sings in the second chorus: “I don’t know where my AirPod is but / Awesome / Although I fall and break my phone / Awesome / I just laugh it off and get it over with.” We’ve all encountered unlucky moments like these — but ARrC encourages us to not wallow in regret. Instead, laugh it off, shout out “awesome,” and move on with your day!
“The positive movement we want to share with our fans is really the energy that comes out when we’re together with them,” HYUNMIN warmly shared, which prompted nods of agreement around the room. “Just like the message in our song “awesome,” even when bad luck or tough moments hit, we want to push through it all awesomely. We feel like that kind of mindset is the best message we can deliver and share with our fans.”
Chaos Into Creativity
“Awesome” is bursting with a 2000s west coast hip hop flavor that perfectly pairs with ARrC’s confident rap verses and buttery smooth vocals. To complete the package, the “awesome” music video is a fully-realized cinematic tale. The video pays homage to 1980s Japanese school films with aesthetics driven by thrilling editing and nostalgic mise-en-scène. Some key roles in the video, besides the ARrC members themselves, are the dokkaebi. Dokkaebi (도깨비) are mythical beasts from Korean folklore that carry a special meaning aligning with the themes of HOPE.
“They are known as beings that appear during times of misfortune or crisis to give warnings or push people toward change,” DOHA explained. “That symbolism is exactly why we chose it as a theme for this album. We wanted to visually express the struggles and confusion faced in the unstable and repetitive reality of youth, creating a unique narrative and message of our own. Combining a traditional Korean story with modern music to build this concept was a truly meaningful and creative process for us.”
Just like how ARrC are a multinational team, the dokkaebi in the video wear masks that represent different cultures. In the video, the dokkaebi’s designs are inspired by traditional masks from Indonesia’s barong, Portugal’s careto, and Korea’s hahoetal. Contrary to their intimidating monster-like appearance at first glance, the dokkaebi are intended to symbolize “the youth’s ability to turn disasters into humor, mistakes into chances, and chaos into creativity,” as revealed in a press release.
Connected Wherever, Whenever
The subsequent track, “dawns,” conveys the complex emotions nestled within the slowly illuminating dawn after spending the night scrolling on your phone. It’s a modern love song at its core — when you toss and turn at night thinking of that special someone, you can feel connected to them through your screens. They sing lines like “I’m scrolling your timeline / It’s addicting, never ending” and “You keep me up, I can’t sleep / What is this feeling maybe.”
“Dawns” is a milestone for the team, as HYUNMIN and CHOI HAN were credited as lyricists for the first time. “I think we wrote the lyrics in an honest and calm way, expressing emotions that people our age can really relate to,” CHOI HAN said. “Since it was my first time taking part in writing lyrics, I felt excited, along with a sense of responsibility that pushed me in a good way. While writing, I imagined someone our age who struggles to express their feelings fully, and I tried to write the lyrics as if I were speaking out the emotions they’re holding inside.”
“Kick back” highlights connection in another facet, this time, through friendship and camaraderie. The song features a trendy drum and bass sound with influences of bossa nova and Jersey club music. The lyrics emphasize the importance of unity in times of difficulty, even shouting out ARrC’s very own bond with the lines: “We’re gonna prove we ain’t got no limit / Just kick back / Light up the perfect seven.”
Light Breaks Through Darkness
The energetic “vitamin I” contains some words of affirmation that everyone needs to hear. The song kicks off with a robotic announcement that sets the tone for the song not only sonically, but thematically: “Just one daily dose of vitamin I / Will have you believing in yourself / Increasing hope and prosperity.” The “I” in “vitamin I” represents “oneself, imagination, identity, and infinity” — affirming that the most vital daily dosage you need is self-belief.
First revealed as an exclusive preview, “Night life” dips back into those late night hours, but in an opposite perspective. Instead of time spent on devices, it describes how the team works late into the night refining their craft. Lines like “We gonna keep writing all night / Trying so hard / Making our own rhapsody” and “Everybody is sleeping / Already 4 a.m. silent city streets / Like always I work in my stu” convey ARrC’s dedication and diligence. The night-like ambience is crafted with a neo-soul, G-funk slow jam sound.
HOPE is a sonic storytelling masterclass. Each track has its own unique identity in both genre and story, but all of these songs relate back to the overarching theme of “hope.”
“I hope that through our music and hope in our album, we can give ARrCers more energy to get through the day, or even some comforting, since all the songs in the album have different vibes,” ANDY responded in English, prompting proud reactions from CHOI HAN and DOHA. “Depending on how you’re feeling, or what kind of feelings you want to feel, we hope that you can find our album, listen to it, and [it can] make you feel better.”
Always Remember the real Connection
An apparent strength of ARrC is their cultural blend. Though it sounds ambitious to have a septet raised across five different countries, the same dream and passion ultimately connects them. The result? A tight-knit bond that transcends all barriers and resonates with listeners all around the globe.
“Being able to express my heart through singing and dancing in the same language on stage feels both incredible and [I feel] deeply grateful,” JIBEEN said. “I want to show that we’re a team that can truly connect beyond nationality and language, heart to heart.”
KIEN, quiet for the first few questions, perked up when asked, “What’s the funniest misunderstanding that has happened because of language barriers?” The question led to immediate laughs from the multinational team and a knowing smile from KIEN.
KIEN revealed, “There are a lot of funny moments when words sound different than expected or take on an unexpected meaning. Those kinds of misunderstandings actually make things fun and help keep the mood light within the team.”
HOPE For The Future
ARrC celebrate their first anniversary since their debut on August 19. However, the team’s bond reads like a seasoned unit with years under their belt. Throughout the interview, ARrC did not hesitate to hype up their fellow members, share some hearty laughs, and even show small gestures of comfort.
Leader HYUNMIN closed off the discussion with a positive outlook on ARrC’s discography. “Actually, this album includes not only hope, but all of our songs are also about self-esteem, and that you’re a very important person,” HYUNMIN said. “So the key point is that if you work hard together, you can do anything […] if you’re feeling self-conscious, listen to our songs, and we can figure out a way out!”
Still fresh onto the scene, ARrC have infinite possibilities ahead of them. ARrC already teased what is next to come, with an exclusive preview of the rock-infused hip-hop track “SKIID.” Though it is still a bit early to discern exactly what ARrC’s new project will entail, one thing is certain — the listening experience is one designed to spark a newfound appreciation for yourself and the connections around you.
HOPE is available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music. Stay tuned for ARrC’s upcoming endeavors by following them on Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube!
Interested in more albums from your favorite K-pop boy groups? Check out EnVi’s coverage of TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s latest album, The Star Chapter: TOGETHER, here!
