BZ Boys are touring North America and you should give them a chance

Courtesy of CHROME Entertainment

Last fall, BZ Boys, a five member boy group from CHROME Entertainment, went viral because of their leader Bon, a 29 year old vocalist from Incheon, South Korea. Along with Bon, the group - which stands for Blue Zone Boys and whose fandom is called Blueness - consists of Taewoong (currently on hiatus because of military service), Hamin, Double D and Seunghyun. That fall BZ Boys released the title track “Close Your Eyes” from their mini-album Contrast. Despite how hard the boys worked, the track was not getting the attention it deserved and Bon was troubled by this. 

Bon’s earnestness is known within some K-Pop communities, specifically those that support small groups who can’t afford to receive the attention groups signed to larger, weather companies receive. In 2020, the leader went viral for the first time because he was commended on social media for reading and responding to every comment on his VLives, livestreams where idols can communicate directly with their fans. One night, in a show of solidarity from the K-Pop community, Bon’s livestream was flooded with over 1 million hearts from users. The singer was shocked; he had never received so much support, and he began to cry. 

This time, Bon had an appeal to make to readers. He knew the power of social media, but he also held something equally important: The knowledge that if you are open about your vulnerabilities, others will be there for you. He didn’t want his group to be overlooked, despite the odds stacked against them as a group that was still relatively unknown. 

Screenshot of Bon’s post, courtesy of K-Pop Post

The letter Bon posted read in part:

“About a year ago, I received so much love and support because of your help in this community. Unfortunately, due to various circumstances, our group’s comeback was delayed again and again, but finally, we made our first comeback in one year.

It was the comeback stage we so longed for, and we are so happy for the opportunity as we take to the stage each time, but because we are such a small and remote group, many people have no idea that we even made a comeback.

It’s true that our team lacks in many areas. However, we worked so hard in the past year for a chance to meet you all. I know that the entertainment industry is not an easy place, not at all. I am certain that numerous sunbae artists and hoobae artists reached the high places that they are now through immense effort.

Still, in honesty, I am very afraid.” 

Let’s not pull any punches: “Close Your Eyes” is a brilliant pop song. The choreography, in my favorite moment, pulls Bon into his members as they wrap their hands around his arms, which are outstretched. Each member places a hand on their eye in a nod to the lyrics. “Close your eyes, the moment we get closer,” he sings in the chorus. The song stands out in an era when boy groups are unusually hard and aggressive in their music. BZ Boys don’t come at you with power; like their choreography, they slowly wrap their arms around you and bring you into their charms.

 At every stage, from Inkigayo to Music Bank, I was struck by how precise their stages were. They gave it their all, even if they didn’t win the awards, even if they didn’t place in the top two. “My dream is getting closer to touch,” Bon sings in the opening lines. It’s directed to his lover, but it could be directed to us: That dream comes closer every day that they keep tryi.  

 BZ Boys’ latest release “'널 찾으러 갈게(Find you)” , released in January of this year, builds on the beauty of “Close Your Eyes”. The video is saturated in hues of pastel  pinks and blues, which feel like a call to their fandom, as they are styled in bomber jackets and blue suits. It is also the group’s most viewed video at over 1 million views. Blueness, it seems, might be growing. 

I spend a lot of time thinking about groups like BZ Boys. Do they know their work inspires people like me? Do they feel this support beyond viral moments? I think many of us can relate to the boys. We all have dreams and aspirations; I absolutely do, and sometimes I wonder if I’m just shouting into an echo chamber. Does our art matter when we aren’t reaching the success others are? I like to think that, yes, it does. Anytime someone messages me that my writing has changed how they interact with K-Pop or that my work has helped them get through a tough spot, I feel reassured that I’m on the right track. I wish I could tell every group like BZ Boys to keep going; that their work is important; that one day they will get their roses. I want to tell Bon, you are brave and you are courageous to share your fears with us, a public that can sometimes be cruel. 

In art school, I learned that many of us have dreams and some of us will be devastated when they don’t manifest how we anticipate them. I spent a lot of time crying in my dorm when a critique for a project I spent all night working on went terribly. As a writer, I experience disappointment often when an idea can’t formulate or I am rejected for a project. But we artists are resilient. We bounce back. We have to readjust; we have to find new ways of meaning. I hope Bon, Taewoong, Hamin, Double D, Seunghyun know that they have fans who support them. I hope they know their work is important. It’s being written about today because I believe in them.

This week BZ Boys are embarking on their first tour of North America. The tour will be a fan meeting, organized by CODE1 Entertainment. I was surprised when I learned this, and I’m writing this to ask if you have the opportunity: GO. I hope you will have a chance to see BZ Boys live, but most importantly, I hope they see that they have support. 

 The pandemic drew most of us inside and away from one another. For idols, this meant that they spent nearly 2 years performing to empty rooms and entertainment staff. For rookies and smaller groups, this could be tough. But even for some of the most popular groups in K-Pop, the impact was felt. Yeonjun of Tomorrow x Together recently admitted that for a brief moment he “almost lost interest in performing.” 

Courtesy of CHROME Entertainment

This fall when Bon wrote his letter to appeal for support, he acknowledged that his members and fans might worry about his openness, but he wouldn’t let his pride prevent him from posting. 

“Our group is full of unique members with a lot of charm. The song that we made a comeback with is also a really good one that we want a lot of people to listen to.

I am so sorry for asking for help again through a post like this. While I do think my members and our fans will worry about me, I want to continue promoting as an idol for a long time and show people effort, improvement, and skill, and to do that, we must become successful,” he wrote. 

It was the last line, though, that stuck with me. “I promise that our team will work very hard during our promotions! Please, just give us one chance.”  I thought of this line when the group announced their tour. I hope you will give BZ Boys a chance. 

Tickets to the fan meet, which includes signed items and photos for the top tier, are available at the CODE1 Shop. Tour dates are below:

April 29 - Dallas 

May 1 - New York

May 4 - Orlando 

May 6 - Denver

May 8 - Los Angeles