Since their 2020 debut with an accompanying action film, K-pop group P1Harmony have become superheroes in their own right. As seen through the band’s overarching storyline, they have embarked on a mission to find peace and harmony within a disharmonious world. Through songs of self-confidence, freedom of expression, and self-discovery, the six members achieved that goal with their first six EPs and finally revealed themselves as the “hidden heroes” in their first studio album, Killin’ It. Now they’re back and pushing through the lonely aftermath of it all with their latest EP, SAD SONG.

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Musically, the six-piece group has already proven they can handle any mix of genres thrown their way, and this one is no different. Incorporating new sounds into their stacked catalog, SAD SONG boasts a mix of Latin-inspired beats, ‘90s R&B, and 2010 throwbacks that feel right at home with the Gen Z princes of K-pop. Following an eventful summer that included their “P1USTAGE H: UTOP1A” world tour, a red carpet appearance at the Academy of Country Music Awards, and a performance at this year’s KCON LA, the members of P1Harmony joined EnVi via Zoom to chat all things SAD SONG, Latin music, and the lonely life of superheroes.

Even Baddies Get Saddies

Heroes in fiction have always been a symbol of hope for the masses, especially for marginalized communities. Marvel’s X-Men and Black Panther comics stood for civil rights and social justice. At the same time, DC’s Superman and Wonder Woman represented immigrants fighting for equality and acceptance in a world that viewed them as “other.” While the selfless acts of these heroes are commendable and noble, it can also be a thankless job — no matter how many times they’ve saved the world, they’re always going to be considered outsiders. Who do you confide in when you’re constantly reminded that you’re different? Where do you find a sense of belonging? Coming to terms with their own vulnerability, P1Harmony tackle these questions head-on in their new album.

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“The reason we wanted to implement this movie concept into our album is because our main point is superheroes,” group leader Keeho explained. Sitting around him are his five other members: Jiung, Intak, Jongseob, Theo, and Soul, all of whom are dressed to impress in prep school attire with bright colors and freshly dyed hair. “The whole album, especially “SAD SONG,” is about a superhero saving the world and finding peace, but also finding emptiness, loneliness, and sadness after saving the world.” 

Hearing this struck a chord with me; we often think about the power and notoriety that come with superheroes being who they are, and sometimes forget the very human struggles they face regardless of wielding unfathomable powers. It isn’t lost on me how the same can be said for K-pop idols or anyone in the music industry — being put on a pedestal while tip-toeing the line between desirability and relatability.

But the ironic parallels between heroes and musicians aren’t the only reasons SAD SONG is laced with classic movie tropes — it’s also just been P1Harmony’s gig since their debut. After the group released the first set of concept photos and trailer for this new album, fans were already picking up on certain callbacks to their 2020 film, P1H: The Beginning of a New World, making everyone wonder whether a sequel was on the horizon.

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“I really want to clear that up because even I was confused,” Keeho half-jokingly said while Jiung, Intak, and Jongseob doubled over laughing. He’s mostly referring to the band’s social media posts that advertised “getting tickets” in place of “pre-save now” for the album, although it serves the same purpose. “Not saying we want to debunk the fact that there’s going to be a second movie, because we’re always down if the timing is right and we have enough space in our schedule to do that big of a project,” Keeho added. “But keeping that superhero point in mind with the concept photos, we thought it would be a cool idea to kind of promote [this album] as a movie.”

Feels Like Another Sad Song

Digging into P1Harmony’s discography feels like a feast for the ears, rich with flavor and made with love, which is probably why it’s no surprise the members have been so hands-on when it comes to further developing their sound. Kicking off the EP’s title track, “SAD SONG” is as infectious as it is hypnotic, borrowing from popular hip-hop and Latin-inspired trends that are instantly recognizable. “Because it’s such a big genre, we’ve always kept tabs on Latin music, but touring definitely had a big impact,” Keeho revealed. “Because with the “P1ONEER” tour, we were able to go to Latin America for the first time, and being in that environment, getting to know our fans, and being surrounded by the music that you just hear in the streets and when you go into stores, I think it subconsciously sparked an interest.”

While many artists jump from trend to trend in hopes of gaining traction on social media, P1Harmony have this unspoken promise — and maybe even a rule — to never do anything that doesn’t feel right for the group. That means no shortcuts, no quick cash grabs, and nothing that could diminish their authenticity as artists and performers. Collectively, everyone needs to be on the same page regarding musical direction. “We love to show different sides of us but also understand and digest it as P1Harmony,” Keeho continued. “So we add our own little sprinkle of P1Harmony but we also love to sprinkle that on top of something new, which is why the Latin route just came very naturally to us — we don’t like to stick to the same thing.”

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The desire to continuously switch up their style shows up in a few ways throughout this mini album, including the group’s first unit track, “WASP.” The track features main rappers Jongseob and Intak flexing their distinct cadences over a dark and gritty hip-hop beat that mirrors much of American rap music from 2016-2017. Sonically, this is uncharted territory for P1Harmony’s discography, but conceptually, the idea of a unit track was especially intriguing for the group in this new era. 

“In terms of timing, I felt like after releasing our first full-length album, it would be a cool idea to bring something new to the table with our mini albums because we’ve already done six all in a similar format,” Jongseob, the youngest member, told EnVi. “Keeho and Jiung already had their own songs they worked on with ‘It’s Alright’ and ‘Last Call,’ and that opportunity had gone to me as well, but it was ultimately my choice if I wanted to create a song for all six of us to sing or if we wanted to create a song as a unit, so I took that opportunity just to do something new. And in terms of genre, Intak and I both are super huge fans of rap music in general, so it really came down to what song would best suit us.” With a smile, Keeho added, “Sonically, even I can agree that it’s a song people probably won’t see coming from P1Harmony.”

Whether fans can expect more unit tracks in the future is unknown, but it is something that has been on the group’s mind for quite some time. “Honestly, it’s been a conversation we’ve been having since the creation of Killin’ It,” Keeho explained. “We don’t know if it’ll become a tradition or if it’ll happen on the next album, but depending on timing and the sound of the album in general, maybe…maybe not.” Piggybacking off his fellow team member, Jiung added, “We’re always thinking about different units we can make, whether it’s with vocal members or a vocal and rap unit, so if we have any good songs or ideas, we’re always down to do it.”

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Another song fans probably didn’t see coming was “Last Call,” an anthemic pop-rock song that recalls a bit of One Direction in their heyday. While the 1D comparison was unintentional, Jiung and Theo specifically mentioned the concert potential they wanted this track to have. “In the creation process, I was very involved in the writing, top lining, and the whole process — I talked to Theo and he mentioned having the type of song we’d need to perform live next time we go out on tour,” Jiung said. “For my personal preference, I love refreshing, fun, and energetic pop-rock songs, so when it came to writing ‘Last Call,’ I just had that in mind and it naturally flowed in that direction. There wasn’t much inspiration from a certain artist, but more of just a feeling of having fun and jumping around in concert.” It also helps when the members can assign certain colors to a song, something that makes it feel more tangible and grounded in the creation process, which Keeho further explained: “If we were to express ‘Last Call’ as a color, I think we’d do a light blue — just something very light and refreshing.”

While the new sounds are welcoming on all fronts (Latin, hip-hop, and pop-rock), longtime fans can also expect the return of some familiar styles under P1Harmony’s belt. “Welcome To,” the fourth track on the album, is one of those examples, with the sextet showing their more powerful side in an epic rock-trap mix reminiscent of their 2022 B-side, “Look At Me Now.” However, how it came together and fell into P1Harmony’s lap was pure chance, and it started with Theo’s attentive ear for live music. 

“It’s a funny story, but in the same sense where we were looking for songs to perform live,” Theo recalled. “We were in the middle of recording something else, and there was another studio playing the instrumental for ‘Welcome To.’ At that point, there was no melody — it was just the beat, and I was listening to it, thinking, ‘This would be like a really cool song to perform live with a band.’ So I went to the producers to learn more and ask who the track was for, and because of that conversation, they ended up giving the song to us.”

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Plus Everything

All K-pop groups have their own slogan they use before group introductions, phrases that are unique to each team and hold some kind of significance to the team name and concept. For P1Harmony, that slogan is “Plus Everything,” a play on the group’s name which is a combination of the “Plus,” the number one, and “Harmony.” It means the sum of what makes P1Harmony whole (the members, the music, the charisma) is added together to create this perfectly curated team of extraordinary individuals. As they continue to grow into seasoned performers, adding new elements to their repertoire, their albums reflect these changes and become sonic benchmarks in their careers. With SAD SONG, there’s no mistaking this as anything other than a P1Harmony record, it’s got everything you would expect from the now four-year-old group — fun and addictive grooves, rhythmically ambitious raps and melodies, and an unapologetic attitude of determination and success.

“I feel like with Killin’ It, we were able to show our fans and the general public that P1Harmony has a certain sound, image, and concept that really suits us,” Jiung stated. “But with SAD SONG, we want people to have a certain image in their head when they think of P1Harmony, and I think this album further deepens that understanding. So being able to use the Latin sound and experiment with different things, but also keep it so true to the members is something we hope a lot of people can experience and feel the same way.” 

With that said, is it safe to say that we’ve entered Sad Song Fall now that Brat Summer has come to an end? “Yes, exactly! Time for that!” Keeho clapped in response while Soul gave the idea two thumbs up. So there you have it — even baddies get saddies, but there’s no remedy more potent or effective than when P1Harmony are locked in and ready to soar.

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Graphic courtesy of Niamh Murphy.

Be sure to check out P1Harmony’s mini album, SAD SONG, here and follow them on Instagram and X for all the latest updates!

Want more exclusives? Check out EnVi’s interview with EVNNE on their latest mini album here!

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