{"id":243842,"date":"2026-01-14T08:23:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T08:23:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/243842\/"},"modified":"2026-01-14T08:23:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T08:23:15","slug":"idntt-is-billboard-k-pop-rookie-of-the-month-for-january-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/243842\/","title":{"rendered":"idntt Is Billboard K-Pop Rookie of the Month for January: Photos"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\tseongjun, yejoon, heeju, juho &amp;\u00a0towa<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"240\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-billboard-2021\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"idntt\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/idntt-billboard-korea-rookie-of-the-month-cr-shin-sun-hye-5-1200.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Shin Sun Hye\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\tkim seongjun<\/p>\n<p>How would you describe yourself?<br \/>People often say I\u2019m warm-hearted, funny, and that when it\u2019s time to work, I really commit. I try not to lose my sense of humor in everyday life, but when it comes to work, I\u2019m more serious than anyone.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>What have you been really into lately?<br \/>Right now, my main focus is our activities as 15 members, as well as the eight-member unit promotions we\u2019ll be showing next. Outside of that, I enjoy working on my own music and watching movies or shows on streaming platforms.<\/p>\n<p>When you hear the word \u201cBillboard,\u201d which artist comes to mind first?<br \/>BTS. I deeply respect them for opening the door to the globalization of K-pop, and I also dream of standing on the same stage someday.<\/p>\n<p>Out of the three words that make up \u201cPretty Boy Swag,\u201d which one resonates with you the most?<br \/>\u201cBoy.\u201d I see idntt as a team of boys, each with different charms. I also want to keep chasing my dreams with the same spirit and drive of a boy.<\/p>\n<p>A phrase you carry close to your heart<br \/>\u201cWalk the opposite way.\u201d It\u2019s my personal motto. Rather than choosing a path that looks easy and smooth, I want to take the more difficult road\u2014one where growth and adventure are waiting. I\u2019m also happiest when I receive compliments about my music.<\/p>\n<p>What did you think about most as you prepared for your debut?<br \/>I really wanted to step out into the world as soon as possible. I was curious about how my family and friends would react, too. I\u2019ve been spending each day with a sense of tension and focus, trying to discover both what our team can show\u2014and what only\u00a0seongjun\u00a0can bring\u2014right up until the moment we step on stage.<\/p>\n<p>Which songs best showcase your personal charm?<br \/>I\u2019d choose the B-sides \u201cMoon Burn\u201d and \u201cRage Problem.\u201d They align closely with the musical direction I\u2019m pursuing. In particular, I love the lyrics in \u201cMoon Burn\u201d:<br \/>\u201cOur night, see the fading light \/ Chasing the wind, flow, break away the line \/ Sharpened sight, all the limits outgrow.\u201d I think they capture the youthful identity of our team really well.<\/p>\n<p>You shot unit photos today with unevermet members heeju and juho, who are the same age as you. How would you describe their charms?<br \/>juho is just hilarious. [Laughs] We really click when we talk, and since he also makes music, I\u2019d love to have more musical conversations with him. heeju has a warm, comforting presence\u2014maybe because he\u2019s tall. We\u2019ve known each other since our trainee days, so it feels natural to open up to him.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>han yejoon<\/p>\n<p>How would you describe yourself?<br \/>Someone with a good sense of style. Also\u2014this might be funny\u2014but I\u2019ve never really eaten vegetables since I was young, and I don\u2019t think that\u2019s going to change anytime soon. I still have no plans to start eating them. [Laughs]<\/p>\n<p>What have you been really into lately?<br \/>Musically, I\u2019ve been really into writing lyrics over trap beats. On a more personal level, I\u2019m into shopping for clothes.<\/p>\n<p>Out of the three words that make up \u201cPretty Boy Swag,\u201d which one resonates with you the most?<br \/>\u201cSwag.\u201d I\u2019ve always liked the word, and since I\u2019m really into hip-hop, it feels especially familiar to me.<\/p>\n<p>When you hear the word \u201cBillboard,\u201d which artist comes to mind first?<br \/>The Weeknd. Every time I listen to his music, I think about how his recent album\u00a0Hurry Up Tomorrow\u00a0hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200, with multiple tracks charting as well.<\/p>\n<p>What do you want to show on stage?<br \/>Through our 15-member performances, I want to show that I have my own style. I\u2019m also really excited to see how idntt\u2019s sense of \u201ccool\u201d comes through in a way that fits the mood of \u201cPretty Boy Swag.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A phrase you keep close to your heart<br \/>\u201cYou only live once\u2014don\u2019t live with regrets.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>You had a long trainee period. What did you think about most as you prepared for debut?<br \/>Honestly, until I actually step on stage, it still doesn\u2019t fully feel real that I\u2019m debuting. I believe confidence is the most important thing, so I\u2019ve been focusing on building that up as much as possible before going on stage.<\/p>\n<p>Which part best shows your personal charm?<br \/>In the first verse of \u201cPretty Boy Swag\u201d , only the eight members of yesweare appear, and I\u2019m in charge of the chorus. Since it\u2019s such an important hook early in the song, I feel like my charm comes through clearly there.<\/p>\n<p>Is there something you remember saying to the unevermet members, who debuted earlier on August 11?<br \/>November 18 marked unevermet\u2019s 100th day since debut, so I congratulated them on that milestone. juho is an amazing dancer\u2014he looks really cool when he performs, and he\u2019s funny when he talks, too. heeju always smiles a lot, and his smile is really charming.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>kim heeju<\/p>\n<p>How would you describe yourself?<br \/>People around me often say I have a bright, positive energy. One thing about me that I don\u2019t think will ever change is that once I set a goal, I take full responsibility for seeing it through to the end.<\/p>\n<p>What have you been into lately?<br \/>I\u2019ve been really into discovering new music. I try not to rely on the playlists I already have and instead keep searching for fresh songs. I\u2019m also into skincare. Taking care of my skin after practice or schedules helps me end the day on a good note.<\/p>\n<p>Out of the three words that make up the title \u201cPretty Boy Swag,\u201d which one resonates with you the most?<br \/>\u201cBoy.\u201d Our first super title track, \u201cBOYtude,\u201d portrayed an innocent, adventurous boy. With \u201cPretty Boy Swag,\u201d the boy we\u2019re showing feels more grown\u2014there\u2019s a sense of maturity and evolution.<\/p>\n<p>When you hear the word \u201cBillboard,\u201d which artist comes to mind first?<br \/>BTS. Of course, their No. 1 achievements on the Billboard charts are incredible, but what stands out to me most is how they delivered honest, heartfelt messages in Korean lyrics to audiences around the world.<\/p>\n<p>What do you hope to show on stage as all 15 members of unevermet and yesweare come together?<br \/>The individuality and wide range of charms that each of the 15 members brings. I especially hope people can really feel the power of our performance and stage presence\u2014something that\u2019s only possible when all 15 of us come together.<\/p>\n<p>What moment stands out as your happiest memory as idntt so far?<br \/>Traveling to Hungary to film our music video while preparing our first album. It was my first time in Europe, and just being able to shoot overseas with the members, surrounded by such unfamiliar scenery, made it an unforgettable experience.<\/p>\n<p>Which song do you think shows your personal charm best?<br \/>In \u201cPretty Boy Swag,\u201d I\u2019d love for people to pay attention to the \u201cWe goin\u2019 up like\u201d part. It comes right before the chorus and serves as a buildup that lifts the energy of the song. It\u2019s a moment where facial expressions play a big role in shifting the mood, so I think it shows another side of my charm. Also, unevermet\u2019s performances tend to be more performance-focused, and \u201cStorm\u201d really stands out\u2014from its striking intro to the way the vocal members\u2019 tones shine through.<\/p>\n<p>You shot unit photos today with fellow 2006-liners seongjun, yejoon, and towa from yesweare. How would you describe their charms?<br \/>On stage, they\u2019re powerful and full of energy, but off stage, they have such pure and innocent sides\u2014that contrast is really charming. towa, our only Japanese member, is especially adorable with his still-developing Korean, and he\u2019s incredibly passionate, always asking about choreography details.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s something you hope to hear during this promotion?<br \/>\u201cThat they\u2019re really good at what they do.\u201d Whether it\u2019s on stage or off, I hope people see us as cool and inspiring.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>kim juho<\/p>\n<p>How would you describe yourself?<br \/>People often tell me, \u201cThere\u2019s really no one else like you.\u201d I try to live up to that\u2014to become someone truly one of a kind. [Laughs] Whenever my hard work is recognized or praised, it just makes me want to push myself even further.<\/p>\n<p>What have you been really into lately?<br \/>I usually try to clear my mind as much as possible, but lately I\u2019ve been completely immersed in making music. Creating something of my own is when I feel happiest.<\/p>\n<p>What does it mean for something to be truly \u201cyours\u201d?<br \/>I\u2019ve always wanted to make music that feels uniquely mine. I especially love hip-hop and hyperpop, and I try to write everything myself\u2014from the beat to the melody lines. I also create choreography. Being able to do what I want, with a clear sense of direction that I\u2019ve chosen for myself, is what really makes me happy.<\/p>\n<p>Out of the three words that make up \u201cPretty Boy Swag,\u201d which one resonates with you the most?<br \/>\u201cPretty.\u201d It doesn\u2019t just mean \u201cbeautiful\u201d\u2014it can also emphasize something, like when you say, \u201cIt\u2019s pretty good.\u201d I think idntt is \u2018pretty good\u2019, too. [Laughs]<\/p>\n<p>When you hear the word \u201cBillboard,\u201d which artist comes to mind first?<br \/>Michael Jackson.<\/p>\n<p>What do you hope to show on stage when all 15 members of unevermet and yesweare come together?<br \/>Even in a large group, I want each member\u2019s strengths and individual charm to stand out clearly. At the same time, I hope people feel the overwhelming impact that only a large team can deliver on stage.<\/p>\n<p>Which part of the new title track do you think shows your personal charm best?<br \/>The \u2018livin\u2019 like a rockstar popstar\u2019 part. I think it captures another side of who I am really well.<\/p>\n<p>You shot together today with fellow 2006-liners from yesweare. How would you describe their charms?<br \/>Both seongjun and yejoon are genuinely great people. I feel like each of them has something distinctly their own. I hope we can keep moving forward together, just like we are now.<\/p>\n<p>A belief you carry with you<br \/>There\u2019s only one version of me in this world. Because of that, I take pride in the one life I get to create for myself. Even if my choices turn out to be wrong at times, I\u2019m confident I can turn them into the right answers.<\/p>\n<p>When did you feel most glad that you debuted?<br \/>The debut showcase\u2014without question. The moment I first stood face-to-face with our fans is something I\u2019ll never forget.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>towa<\/p>\n<p>How would you describe yourself?<br \/>I\u2019m towa, the only international member of idntt. I\u2019m from Ibaraki Prefecture, about an hour outside of Tokyo. According to my MBTI results, I\u2019m an \u2018INFP\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>When did you come to Korea?<br \/>I came to Korea in March 2025. I\u2019ve always loved singing and dancing in front of people. My Korean isn\u2019t perfect yet, but kyuhyuk, our youngest member, and seongjun, who\u2019s the same age as me, help me a lot. taein is also incredibly kind\u2014whenever there\u2019s something I don\u2019t understand while filming content or during conversations, he always explains it to me. And when we\u2019re practicing, he looks especially cool\u2014he\u2019s tall and really impressive.<\/p>\n<p>What have you been really into lately?<br \/>I like lying down and listening to our songs\u2014it\u2019s become one of my favorite ways to relax. I also enjoy watching movies.<\/p>\n<p>Out of the three words that make up \u201cPretty Boy Swag,\u201d which one resonates with you the most?<br \/>\u201cSwag.\u201d It feels like the word that best expresses the kind of coolness I have.<\/p>\n<p>Which part best shows your personal charm?<br \/>In \u201cYes We Are,\u201d my part is the line \u2018change up the pace.\u2019 I spent a lot of time thinking about the gestures that suit me, so I hope people pay close attention to that moment.<\/p>\n<p>Is there a stage you\u2019d like to cover someday?<br \/>\u201cSiren\u201d by RIIZE. When I first saw the performance, both the choreography and vocals were so powerful that it really left an impression on me.<\/p>\n<p>What are you most looking forward to since debuting?<br \/>What I want to show on stage is another side of my charm and strong performances. I\u2019m also really excited about meeting the fans who support us in person. I\u2019m curious to see how the public will view me, and more than anything, I want to deliver great stages.<\/p>\n<p>You shot unit photos today with unevermet members heeju and juho. How would you describe their charms?<br \/>I\u2019ve been close with heeju since our trainee days. juho has a bit of an intimidating aura at first, but he\u2019s actually the member who teaches me the most choreography during practice.<\/p>\n<p>A phrase you keep close to your heart<br \/>\u201cWhatever you do, do it with all your effort.\u201d It\u2019s my personal motto.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"seongjun, yejoon, heeju, juho &amp;\u00a0towa Image Credit: Shin Sun Hye kim seongjun How would you describe yourself?People often&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":243843,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[93,4608,61,60,106504,278,633,2507],"class_list":["post-243842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-entertainment","tag-genre-kpop","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-k-pop-rookie-of-the-month","tag-music","tag-music-news","tag-photos"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/243842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=243842"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/243842\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/243843"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=243842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=243842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=243842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}