Among the growing wave of talent vying for the top spot in the increasingly competitive and international world of K-pop, SF9 are set on proving that 2019 will be their year for mainstream fame and global recognition.
After a 2018 that saw them score two more Top 10 entries on Billboard‘s World Albums chart, individual promotions in TV, radio and fashion, plus the group tackling genres like progressive dark-pop on “Now or Never” and ’60s rock via “Mamma Mia,” SF9 says they’re more than ready to take on the new year in a big way.
Ahead of their new album and tour, which will launch early this year, the members Young Bin, In Seong, Jae Yoon, Da Won, Ro Woon, Zu Ho, Tae Yang, Hwi Young, and Cha Ni sat down exclusively with Billboard to discuss their excitement over their fast-growing stardom, success, 2019 plans, and more. Keep watch on the ninesome as they trailblaze ahead of their K-pop careers.
Watch the video for “Now or Never,” and check out our Q&A after the jump.
First and foremost, congratulations on everything you guys have accomplished in 2018! SF9 is doing so well all over the world. How does it feel to finally have that kind of response to your music?
We are just honored to be recognized by people that love music, and do what we do. We will continue to try our utmost best to meet, and more importantly, exceed everyone’s expectations this year by giving great performances, and consistently work together as a whole to improve.
What can we look forward to in 2019?
If there is one thing we, SF9, would like to accomplish as a group is to have our first No. 1 song on multiple music charts, and [be on] music TV programs. Also, we are working on our new album and tour! We can’t reveal the dates yet, but it will be very soon and we are extremely excited to share our new material with our fans worldwide.
What was the most memorable moment for SF9 in 2018?
The year was both challenging and memorable for us, but we were beyond excited and grateful to have had our first solo concert in Seoul. We were so overwhelmed by the amount of support and love we got from our fans. It was super special. We were also thrilled that we were able to meet our fans — Fantasy — in many different countries. It definitely made us want to engage more with our fans; we realized that there’s nothing more important to us than quality time spent with Fantasy.
Is there anything you want to say to your fans?
We want to truly thank our fans for their consistent support and love. We don’t have words to describe our gratitude towards Fantasy! We promise to deliver and show more of us in 2019. We will prepare and bring new performances and music to make you guys proud. We wish you nothing but health and happiness, and WE LOVE YOU!
