[EXCLUSIVE] [INTERVIEW] P1Harmony talks first full album 'Killin' It,' perfect harmony, and their most precious possession (2024)

In the 4th year of their career, P1Harmony’s musical journey takes a leap with the release of their first-ever full-length album. And they’re still “killing it.”

Reflecting on the success of their previous album ‘HARMONY : ALL IN’ — where they spoke up about not wanting to put themselves in a limit — KEEHO, INTAK, JIUNG, SOUL, JONGSEOB, and THEO are driven to even achieve greater success for their future endeavors.

The sextet’s first studio album, ‘Killin’ It,’ boasts 10 songs: the title song of the same name and the B-sides “Late Night Calls,” “Everybody Clap,” “Love Story,” “Countdown To Love,” “Emergency,” “2Nite,” “Let Me Love You,” “Street Star,” and “I See U.” With the group carefully curating the tracks that will best showcase their unique identity, they believe they have already found the "perfect harmony." "When brought together, we are able to complement each other's differences and create a synergy that no one can replicate or ignore," said KEEHO.

Following the release of ‘Killin’ It,’ P1Harmony sat down with allkpop to dive deep into the creative process, growth over the years, electrifying performances, and more. Continue reading to learn more about the six-piece band!

Shout-out from P1Harmony to allkpop readers:

allkpop: Hi, P1Harmony! First of all, congratulations on the release of your first-ever studio album! This album came after you wrapped up the ‘Harmony’ series. In your album ‘Harmony: All In,’ you mentioned aiming for "perfect harmony." Do you feel you achieved that vision? Could you elaborate on your perspective on "perfect harmony" and what elements contribute to it in your perspective?

KEEHO: Hello Sofia! Thank you so much! I definitely feel like as a group, we have found theperfectharmony we were talking about in our last mini-album. We have spent a decent amount of time figuring outour strengths. Especially in this album, I feel like we were able to put that into play. I believe thatbeing harmonious does not mean being the same, but rather different as individuals. However, whenbrought together, we are able to complement each other's differences and create a synergy that no onecan replicate or ignore. It's like how in literal choirs everyone has their own respective and differentparts (soprano, alto, tenor, bass, etc.) but they don't clash and rather work with each other to create abeautiful masterpiece. I think with this album, we were able to do that. We hope to continuouslyshow this perfect harmony within our albums.

THEO

: I think this album is a perfect combination. All 10 songs are good. The members recorded the songs verywell. And P1Harmony's color seems to become more distinct with each new album, so I think thisalbum is a perfect combination.

JIUNG

: First, thank you for the interview! In terms of the team aspect, I think there was pretty perfectharmony. The members have been able to harmonize well with each other through manyconversations, so it seems like there was good harmony among the members in our first full-lengthalbum, 'Killin' It.'

allkpop: You said you want to put on a show that leaves fans wanting more. What's your vision for a concert experience that keeps audiences hooked and coming back for more? Describe the atmosphere, energy, and overall vibe of a P1Harmony concert for someone who has never been to your show. Or do you think it’s hard to paint a picture with words?

THEO: My goal is to perform on a stage that people can remember for a long time. My goal is to makepeople think, "Ah, P1Harmony’s performance was really fun, I want to see it again," regardless of howmuch time passes. I believe that P1Harmony's concerts have an atmosphere full of energy where everyone who comes to see the performance can scream and enjoy as much as possible.

SOUL: It is a performance that makes you want to see it again and again... Energy!

allkpop: You have had 2 tours so far. Now that you have a full album released, I think that would be another reason for everyone to be excited about your upcoming shows, right? New songs, new performances! Speaking of that, which song from the new album are you most excited to perform on stage, and why?

THEO: I am looking forward to the performance of track 5, "Countdown To Love," the most. It's avery exciting song, so I think it could get everyone enjoying and jumping around the stage.

INTAK: I always think that P1Harmony is a team whose strength is energy, so I have highexpectations that it will be really cool to perform! I think we can show you a powerfuland grand feeling, so please look forward to it!

allkpop: You released your first-ever full album in the group’s 4th year. Do you think it took you so long to release one, or did it naturally align with your creative process and growth, especially after concluding the ‘Disharmony’ and ‘Harmony’ series?

KEEHO: I think our timing came naturally with our growth. Especially aligning it through our'Disharmony' and 'Harmony' series. It was the perfect timing to show our different sides from theprevious series and start with a new clean slate. We can't wait to show you what’s next and whatother great ideas we have in store!

JIUNG: Personally, I think it is a natural time. Because we are pursuing perfection and have alwaysthought that if we were to release a full-length album, we wanted to show an album that's of high perfection.We have grown further through the mini-series so far, and I think we were able to release our first full-length album at the right time.

allkpop: I also read in a previous interview that you would like to be involved not only in writing or composing the tracks but also in album covers, music videos, and such that are related to the overall album production. How is it going now with ‘Killin’ It’? Do those “baby steps” grow bigger and bigger as time goes by?

INTAK: It seems like things are getting better. Because there are many things we want to do, wethought that greater effort and research would be needed to show them all in good quality. So, wealways researched and thought about what we needed to make an album. I think we grow throughthose processes.

JONGSEOB

: It seems that the overall participation of the members in this album has increased. Iwas hoping we'd continue to expand with each album, and I'm glad it seems like that's the way it'sgoing.

allkpop: In what ways do you think your past experiences and albums help you prepare for P1Harmony’s first studio album, in terms of your artistic aspect and vision as well as shaping your approach to the creative process, especially since you guys have been participating in penning and composing the tracks already?

KEEHO: I think being able to experiment with previous albums sonically and visually reallyhelped me figure out what I was especially good at and also what I was lacking in. When it came toproducing and top-lining melodies, I now know what genres I'm better at handling and what still givesme difficulty. I could write R&B-influenced tracks and melodic heavy tunes in a couple of hours, whereassomething more rhythmical and brighter could take me a week. I can figure out my boundaries andhow much time I need to work on something, which is really helpful!

JIUNG: Personally, I think experience and practice are the most important things. So, I triedharder to participate in the album. So far, I gained a lot of experience by writing a lot of songs on my own aspractice. By understanding the flow of the song, I learned a lot of things, such as which points arememorable to people when they listen to the song. I put a lot of what I learned into this album.

allkpop: I read in an interview that you sometimes feel satisfied with your work but sometimes you also think it’s not enough. How did it come about for this album release? You also said you feel pressure to write better lyrics every comeback. How did the dynamic between satisfaction and self-doubt play out during the creative process for this album?

JIUNG: Even if I am satisfied at first, I tend to be dissatisfied as I hear and see things that aredisappointing as time goes by. So, I think I am only satisfied to a certain extent. I was satisfied and had fun while preparing for the album, but I still think there are many things I am lacking, so I am goinginto my performance period with the intention of working even harder.

INTAK: I think there's always a feeling of disappointment. The same goes for this album, too.But when I think about all the hard work I've done in the past. I believe, "I didn't neglect anything." Idon't have any doubts, just a desire to grow.

allkpop: You've mentioned feeling a strong connection with each other after years together. How has your understanding of each other evolved, both personally and artistically? I know you, of course, have different musical tastes and there may be misunderstandings, but how do you find a common ground that strengthens your relationship and bond with each other?

KEEHO: This has a lot to do with the perfect harmony we were talking about earlier! Being differentis so important and not something to shun or discourage but rather to endorse and uplift. Because weare so hands-on with our music, I think we are now used to respecting each other’s tastes and styles and using that to show a more unique side of P1Harmony within the music. It has become so easy toassign certain parts to certain members because we know they'll do a good job according to their tastes and personal strengths.

JONGSEOB: There was no particular conflict or misunderstanding regarding musical tastes. Weknew from the beginning that we had very different musical tastes and tendencies, and I think that'swhy we were able to digest a wider range of music and include it in our P1Harmony album. Ratherthan finding common ground, we strengthened our bond by sharing each other's musical views.

allkpop: In our interview last year, you said that you want to not put ourselves in a limit or in a cave where you have to be on the same theme and genre every comeback. Even if that’s the case, do you think that you've established a signature or recognizable “P1Harmony sound or feel,” or are you leaning towards trying really different genres but also kind of injecting those P1Harmony vibes in the songs in a way?

THEO: I think that no matter what genre we choose, we can interpret it well with the P1Harmonyvibe. I think we will continue to go that way in the future.

SOUL: Our rappers, INTAK and JONGSEOB write the rap lyrics, so the song feels very much likeours, and the vocals all have different feels. It seems like it gives us our own vibes.

allkpop: I heard that sometimes you get ideas for the song lyrics from your fans’ letters? Could you tell us more about where you usually get your inspiration from when working on new music? Are they mostly from real-life experiences, or do you also get it from observing other people’s perspectives in life or maybe movies or books? Do you feel that your sources of inspiration shift over time, or do you have a “concrete” source?

INTAK: Specific sources of inspiration keep changing. Some days, I get inspiration from a goodsentence while watching a movie. On other days, I get inspiration from words written on a store signwhile walking down the street. But I think the one thing that doesn't change is my own color. Just thefeeling I give off — my own style. I think this is always the biggest inspiration for the lyrics and songsthat I write. Unchanging inspiration seems to be the only style I have.

JONGSEOB: Things that come from real-life experiences can be letters from fans, performances, orit can be just thoughts that come to mind while walking down the street or thoughts that come to mind before going to bed. It may be influenced by a character's values or lines in a movie or book. If we talk
about sources of inspiration, I think we can take a break to find more inspiration. For example, time is needed when doing things like watching a movie or reading a book. That's why I don't think inspiration can stop. In our lives, we have experienced every year, every month, and every day that we may neverhave in our lifetime. So, the lyrics we write may change due to changes in topics or emotions from timeto time.

allkpop: I also read in an interview where Soul revealed the question that he wanted to be asked during an interview, which is “What is your most precious possession?” So now, I’m asking all the members that question. What is one thing, tangible or intangible, that holds immense value to you?

KEEHO: It might sound corny but it's my passion and my drive. It may be overbearing sometimes andpushes me to be a perfectionist but without it, I don't think we could be where we are today. Withoutgoals and new ideas, there is no development. And I truly believe you aren't living if not for it.

THEO: It would be my voice that allows me to sing.

JIUNG: Anything that allows me to listen to music is most precious to me. I think anything that allowsme to access my favorite music, whether it's a speaker, headphones, or earphones, is moreprecious than anything else.

INTAK: I think it's a fedora. It's the thing that makes me who I am the most. It's something thatreminds me of how desperately I love music and why I chose this profession. When I see afedora, I immediately picture singers that I respect. And I get excited when I think about them.Because I think, "Ah, someday I will become a person who can give someone else a dream, like thosepeople who gave me a dream." So, it's not just a simple fashion item, it's something verymeaningful, to me.

SOUL: A necklace that I got from my dad.

JONGSEOB:Home. The house where my family lives, where my family can gather in one place, talk,and spend time. It's the most precious thing to me.

allkpop: You started your career at a very young age and are still young even now. Do you have any regrets about wanting to experience the joy of being a “normal teenager”? It’s more of a good thing “working” even at a young age because, most importantly and above all, you’re doing what you love, right?

SOUL: I kind of miss hanging out with friends and going to school because it’s something that I canonly do in my teenage days. But I’m okay because I’m happier now doing what I want to do!

JONGSEOB: I have absolutely no regrets about the experience. As a teenage student, I think I hadthe experience as a singer instead of what I should have had at school. And those experiences wereso fantastic that I think they filled the gap in my experience as a teenage student. I think it is a greatblessing to be able to quickly find and do what I want to do at a young age.

allkpop: Lastly, thank you for taking the time to answer my questions! Please feel free to drop the song you’ve been repeating lately, a TMI, and your final messages to allkpop readers and P1eces!

KEEHO: Super random but I've been really nostalgic, so I've been listening to old songs recently! Oldsongs are really great, but our new song "때깔 (Killin' it)" is also an awesome song. Please check it out along with our whole album! Thank you so much for reading and please look forward to all thestuff we have prepared for promotions!

THEO: The song I listen to repeatedly these days is "Until I Found You." And P1ece, our first full-length album came out great, so please give us a lot of interest and love!

JIUNG: These days, I listen to Beyoncé's "16 CARRIAGES" a lot. And a TMI is I'm searching hard tochange my studio microphone. To allkpop readers and P1ece, thank you always for your sinceresupport. Thanks to you all, we were able to release our first full-length album! This is an album thatwe worked hard to prepare, so please give it a lot of love and watch over us as we will continue to doour best in the future!

INTAK: I often listen to "Popular" byThe Weeknd. TMI is that I bought a new wallet! allkpop readersand P1ece, thank you for reading our interview until the end! I think you can see how much effort weput into this album through the answers from each member! Our goal is to always make and listen togood songs for you, so please give us a lot of love and we would appreciate it if you could listen to usa lot!

SOUL: The song I'm listening to these days is Yamê's "Bécane," and TMI is I'm starting to designaccessories these days. I hope you continue to like us a lot in the future and have a happy 2024.

JONGSEOB: I often listen to Radiohead's "Creep." For my TMI,I ate scorched rice! I hope you listen to andenjoy our full-length album. In the future, P1Harmony will show itself through music and stage.