Pop-rock extraordinaire CNBLUE is voyaging back to the Big Apple on April 18 after over a decade-long wait for fans.
The last time CNBLUE visited New York City was in Jan. 2014 for their first US solo concert. Since then, fans have waited on bated breath for their favorite alternative pop-rock group to grace the stage once again. Ahead of their performance at the Knockdown Center in Maspeth, Queens, amNewYork spoke with CNBLUE members Jung Yong hwa (vocals, guitar), Kang Min hyuk (drums), and Lee Jung shin (bass), who share they will be making four stops in North America for their “Voyage into X” tour, including Toronto, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
“K-pop has been much more popular than when we visited the U.S. for our first world tour. So, I was eager to return quickly. And now, I am so glad that I have this opportunity to visit again. We will show you our concert know-how and our band performance on stage,” Min Hyuk said.
“It has been about 10 years since we performed in New York. After so much time has passed, I feel happy to be able to return. CNBLUE is a band, but there are so many different genres within it. I believe this will be a concert unlike anything else. New York is always a hot and amazing city, so I believe the concert will be just as passionate,” Yong Hwa told amNewYork.
After enrapturing audiences for over 15 years since their debut in 2009, CNBLUE tells amNewYork it has been an arduous journey filled with both spectacular memories and difficult obstacles. Still, the feelings of love, joy, and gratitude gained from fans remain the fuel that ignites their passion.
“I have many memories from the past 15 years. There has been both pain and joy, but every moment was happy. I feel like I have grown a lot both musically and as a person, experiencing the moments of becoming an adult,” Yong Hwa said. “Having done countless performances with our fans, I have experienced a level of learning and growth that I could never feel anywhere else. Whether it is writing a song or performing, I have learned the desire to do it better than anyone else, and I also have developed a sense of pride.”
“[Fifteen] feels like an unbelievable number. I have been active in music for a long time, and the time spent meeting so many diverse fans has made me realize just how precious it is. The more years pass, the more it becomes significant,” Min Hyuk added.
Having clocked 15 years in the music industry is no easy feat. CNBLUE credits their staunch supporters, affectionately known as Boice, as their motivation and inspiration throughout their careers.
“I think we have been able to make it through these 15 years because of our fans. I always work with gratitude,” Jung Shin said.
“Growing together with the fans must be the best moment for any artist. Because of our fans, we want to grow more and work harder,” Min Hyuk said.
Min Hyuk and Jung Shin fondly recalled the moment CNBLUE was first unveiled to the world. Everything felt so sparkly and new, and this fresh feeling has never stopped.
“I will never forget the moment when CNBLUE was first revealed to the public. Since then, the memories of meeting fans at every concert are continually refreshed. That is one of the reasons I am so excited for this tour, especially for the cities we are visiting after a long time,” Min Hyuk said.
“The moment of our debut is unforgettable. And the memorable moments are kept refreshed every time we go on tour. That is why I am looking forward to this tour in North America,” Jung Shin added.
CNBLUE gushed over the many moments they’ve interacted with fans, and while they look back fondly with a smile, they also want to concentrate on creating new moments and music. For Yong Hwa, while nostalgic, looking back to the past can also be a double-edged sword.
“I think it would be the glory of the past. In a way, it could be a poison, but because I always strived to go beyond that past glory, it has become more motivating than anything else,” Yong Hwa said.
For their latest album X, which also ended a three-year music hiatus, Yong Hwa says that it’s focused on taking the memories of the past and using them to move forward.
“I have written many songs that reflect on the past. There are many ways to express pain, but this song depicts a painful recollection. It is about shaking off that pain and moving forward again,” Yong Hwa said.
“The song I wrote, ‘Personal Color’, was inspired by the recent trend of personal color in Korea. I wanted to write a love song based on the theme of personal color. Through this album, I wanted to show that ‘CNBLUE is still challenging themselves and moving forward,’” Jung Shin added. “In recent years, K-pop has been receiving a lot of attention, and I want to let people who do not know CNBLUE realize that there is this kind of band in K-pop. This tour is special since we released our 10TH MINI ALBUM [X], and I want to show an amazing live performance.”
When CNBLUE performed their new song “A Sleepless Night” at the Busan Rock Festival, Yong Hwa says that he will never forget how the audience welcomed them with open arms, waving their phones in the air to the music.
“The audience waved their hands with their phone lights on. I felt an indescribably beautiful emotion at that moment,” Yong Hwa said.
As CNBLUE gears up for their performance on April 18 in NYC, the group shared that it’s a place they hope to perform at more often.
“Honestly, I did not know if we would be able to perform in New York again. I have wanted to visit for over 10 years. I am really excited now and cannot wait to perform. Personally, I went on a trip to New York last year, and I had such a great time exploring every inch of the city. I love visiting exhibitions, and watching a musical was on my bucket list, so I watched ‘The Lion King,’” Yong Hwa said.
“I am so happy to visit New York again, and I want to visit more often. I just want to perform more, as much as possible. I want to go to Times Square, walk around, and have a Shake Shack burger. I remember doing that when I visited New York a long time ago,” Min Hyuk added.
New York will always hold a special place in CNBLUE’s heart, says Jung Shin, who shared that the Brooklyn Bridge was the location of their album, “Can’t Stop.”
“The most memorable thing is taking the photos for our 5TH MINI ALBUM [Can’t Stop] in New York. We took them to Times Square, and I want to visit again. And the Brooklyn Bridge as well,” Jung Shin said.
