Ever since they burst onto the music scene in 2021 with the single “Happy Death Day,” Korean rock band Xdinary Heroes has been on a roll. The six-piece self-produced group, consisting of members Gun-il, Jungsu, Gaon, O.de, Jun Han, and Jooyeon, has built up a dedicated fanbase, known as Villains, around their edgy, energetic, and youthful sound that pays homage to rock subgenres of years past such as emo, punk, and even 80s hair metal. Case in point: their cover of the pop-punk classic “Welcome to the Black Parade” by My Chemical Romance, which made waves among rock lovers globally. With nearly two years of experience and four EPs under their belt, Xdinary Heroes is ready to take on the world – starting with the Korea on Stage in London festival, set to take place on November 8 at OVO Arena Wembley.
Xdinary Heroes will be representing their own unique aspect of Korean culture at the festival, which celebrates 140 years of diplomatic relations between the UK and South Korea. The band will be joined by a lineup of Korean artists such as ATEEZ, P1Harmony, STAYC, JANNABI, Lee Young-ji, xikers, BOYNEXTDOOR, Yageum Yageum, and in a special appearance, British singer-songwriter Henry Moodie. Fans can purchase tickets on AXS.
Kpopconcerts.com had the opportunity to chat with Xdinary Heroes about their upcoming appearance at the festival. Read on to learn more about what Villains can expect from their performance, new music, and a glimpse of what’s to come on Xdinary Heroes’ first-ever world tour.
This interview has been edited for flow and clarity.
KPC: How are you feeling about being part of the lineup for KOREA ON STAGE IN LONDON?
Gun-il: I feel very honored to be a part of this special stage. I can’t wait for the day of the show!!
Jungsu: I am honored to perform in London, and I am excited to perform with amazing artists! We’ll show our best for the special day. Please look forward to it!
Gaon: It’s an honor to be a part of ‘KOREA ON STAGE IN LONDON.’ I will be ready to rock the stage.
O.de: I am thankful to be a part of this event. We will make sure to show everyone a great performance!
Jun Han: I want to thank everyone for this meaningful opportunity, and we are preparing a lot for a fantastic show!
Jooyeon: It’s dreamlike to be a part of an amazing show with wonderful artists, and I feel honored and very proud!
KPC: How are you preparing for the festival? Any fun or memorable moments, or even challenges you’ve faced during preparation?
Gun-il: The preparation is going so far so good! Every time we gather up for an ensemble practice, the room always gets full of smiles and laughter. We are very excited for the stage!
Jungsu: I’m excited about the live performance because we haven’t been able to show the audience our live shows yet. I’m so excited about it, and I’m not experiencing any challenges in particular!
Gaon: There is a part where I run forward on stage while performing. We rehearsed this during practice, and it was a bit awkward to run like that alone. I couldn’t help but laugh at myself.
O.de: I feel like the musical aspects are the most challenging. I believe that this is a continuous challenge for all musicians, so I try my best to make the best out of it.
Jun Han: I take a lot of time thinking about how to arrange the setlist and what music we would be able to show the audience.
Jooyeon: We always find the time to practice for the show, and we are excited to perform our new song live!
KPC: You released the mini-album Livelock last month. What are you most excited for Villains to hear?
Gun-il: I am excited for Villains to be able to finally hear the songs that we are so proud of. We hope that the songs will give them energy and healing.
Jungsu: This album contains Xdinary Heroes’ deeper story compared to the last album, so I recommend that our listeners focus on the story. The order of the tracklist also relates to the storyline, so it’s a good idea to think about what story we are trying to tell. That’s what makes checking our newest album fun.
Gaon: I hope our Villains will listen to our songs and relate to the emotions that are in the album.
O.de: Since we are a band, I think Villains are most excited about our live performance.
Jun Han: There are a lot of ecstatic guitar moments, so we hope you enjoy them. :)
Jooyeon: There are a lot of moments that we shout together in this album, and I am hoping the audience shout along with us during the live performance.
KPC: You’ll be embarking on the Europe leg of your first world tour after Korea on Stage in London. What can fans look forward to during the concerts?
Gun-il: Please be ready to have fun and scream along to our songs all together with other Villains and XH!!
Jungsu: I believe fans will enjoy the concert more if they focus on our live performance. We are proud of our live performances and I am sure we will be sending you a lot of powerful energy through our music.
Gaon: I am excited to start our world tour and meet our Villains all around the world.
O.de: The best part is that we can see our Villains all over the world through this tour.
Jun Han: I hope to share the growth and development of our band for the past two years with our fans.
Jooyeon: I’m excited to hear the shouts and cheers of our international fans!
KPC: You guys have gone viral a few times for your participation in K-Pop dance challenges. What has been your favorite so far?
Gun-il: My personal favorite is ITZY’s “Sneakers” challenge.
Jungsu: I remember the “CASE 143” challenge from Stray Kids, and also the dance
challenge from 2PM! We’ve gotten a lot of compliments on our dance moves even though we are a band, so it was such a good memory.
Gaon: I feel like I nailed our producer, J.Y. Park’s “Groove Back” dance, so I get really proud whenever I see it.
O.de: I think nothing beats the “Not Shy” challenge by Jun Han!!!
Jun Han: I liked ITZY’s “Not Shy” challenge, which was shown a lot during our debut. I put a lot of effort into that challenge.
Jooyeon: I personally think I nailed Stray Kids’ “Maniac” challenge.
Thank you to Xdinary Heroes and MyMusicTaste for the opportunity!
I’m so happy and excited for them 🥺🥳🥳