5 Minute Focus: VAV discuss the passage of time 'time' after nearly 3 year hiatus before Designer
Welcome to the third Notes on K-Pop audio interview! This is a five-minute segment featuring industry talent and insiders discussing their relationship and feelings about a certain topic for five minutes freely via voice note with no interruptions. You can listen to the short interview, or read an English-language transcript below.
As fast-paced as the K-pop industry can be, sometimes acts are forced to take some time off. Boy band VAV debuted in 2015, and have spent the past few years in stasis, as members served in South Korea’s military to fulfill the country’s mandatory draft, and former member Baron parted ways with the act. Now back in action, VAV released their Subcönscióus EP earlier this month.
Fronted by the single Designer, they lean heavy into the Latin pop stylings they have explored in the past on the album, and show off how they’ve grown up since their past releases.
In this 5 Minute Focus, the members talk about what time means for them after coming off a break of nearly 3 years, with 2 years and 9 months passing since VAV released September 2020's Made For Two album.
Although this column was imagined primarily as an audio monologue or dialogue series a bit different than typical interviews, with a group the size of VAV that’s a bit hard so they recorded their audio Q&A style incorporating some guide questions I sent over.
The group speaks primarily in Korean on the recording, while the English translation can be found in the transcript below.
[What "time" is it right now for VAV?]
(0:28) Ziu: Hmm, this question... My name is Ziu. I think VAV is going through the time of improvement. It's because we're gathered as a group after 2 years and 9 months and promoting Designer, and I believe we're growing and improving more with this experience.
(0:56) Ace: I'm Ace. I believe it's the time for a new leap for VAV. After a while, we're back together to prepare an album and practice hard. This is the time we're putting our best efforts for the second chapter of our group activities, so I consider now as the new leap for us.
[It's been a while since you last came back. How do you feel about that time?]
(1:47) Ayno: I'm Ayno. We're back after 2 years and 9 months, and before, there were things that seemed familiar to us that we took for granted. But after preparing an album after a long time, everything feels new and seems more precious than ever. Most of all, it is the biggest happiness for us to be able to meet and communicate with our fans.
[Time passes for us all. How do you approach life's flow?]
(2:24) Ziu: Hello, my name is Ziu. It really is a tough question. For me, I just feel it, feeling the flow of life. Everything can be a lesson, even pain can be the time of new lesson. That's what I think.
(3:03) Lou: Yes, that's good. I'm Lou. Ayno mentioned earlier that it is now time that we take better care of things that we thought and took for granted. I agree with him. On top of that, I'm very glad that we learned that lesson soon. In your question, you mentioned that “time passes for us all.'“ I think it's our advantage to realize that soon because we can spend time in more valuable ways, knowing how precious the present time is.
(3:34) St.Van: This is St.Van. “Time passes for us all,” yes. I'm glad to spend such life's flow with my members and VAMPZ through this comeback activities.
[What's the best time?]
(4:22) Lou: Best time. For me, the best time is... oh, this is Lou. Sorry about that. (Another member*: Nothing to be sorry about!) For me, it might sound cliché, but I really think the best time is when we see our fans, VAMPZ. We couldn't see our fans for a long time due to our hiatus, and our fans kept supporting us with warm words like "we miss you", "we wait for VAV." So I think the best time for both VAV and VAMPZ is when we meet each other so we can repay such love and support from our fans.
(5:06)Ziu: Yes, this is Ziu. Of course, meeting VAMPZ is the best time like Lou just said, but in my personal opinion, the time to eat delicious food can also be counted as the best time. If we want to take it up a notch, it would be spectacular if VAV and VAMPZ have a delicious meal together. (Another member: Collaboration.*) That's right. I hope that day comes in the future. Jacob, you wanna add anything to that?
(5:39) Jacob: I'm Jacob. The best time. For me, the best time is... every moment. Every moment is a piece of life. So when I'm with VAV, with VAMPZ, with family, or just by myself, every time is the best time of its own.
(5:41) Lou:** Oh, so every moment.
(5:49)All members: Okay, thank you. This has been VAV, thank you!
*I apologize, but I can’t suss out who the asides are by. If anybody can figure it out, please comment and I’ll update the piece, thanks!
**According to their team, this is probably Lou, but because they did an audio recording not video, they weren’t 100% sure whose aside that was. Again, if you know it’s another member, please let me know and I will correct, thanks!
If you would like to listen to prior 5 Minute Focuses, you can find them here.
