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The ever-evolving landscape of K-pop continues to flourish as the fifth generation of artists makes their mark on the industry. Numerous groups and soloists have been diligently working to secure their positions at the forefront of this dynamic era. Notably, some highly anticipated releases from big labels such as BOYNEXTDOOR, Lun8, NCT Tokyo, and Babymonster have generated significant excitement among fans.
Amidst this wave of talent, a rookie fifth-generation K-pop group named ChoCo has already started making their way. ChoCo Entertainment is the home for this emerging group, operating under the same name. Junghun Cho, the founder of the company, is well-known for his collaborations with artists such as PSY. He has skillfully developed a platform for the emerging stars of ChoCo.
"We have a lot to learn": ChoCo's Jake and Anpan take us on their journey of making it big in the K-pop industry
Adding further allure to this promising venture, ChoCo Entertainment has partnered with acclaimed Hollywood TV producer Jojo Ryder. The group's journey is documented in a captivating reality show titled ChoCo in Hollywood, which has been released through the esteemed K-pop stage, Mnet/M2 YouTube channel.
The show provides viewers with a glimpse into the incubation system as these trainees receive intensive training in Hollywood, evolving into well-rounded and accomplished artists.
Already making their presence felt, ChoCo debuted with their captivating track Fruity Loops, which has earned them the privilege of performing on one of the biggest stages in the industry, the M-net stage. The accompanying music video for this release has garnered an impressive 1 million views on YouTube, a testament to the group's rising popularity and the appeal of their music.
Another noteworthy aspect of ChoCo is its unique composition, featuring two distinct groups: ChoCo1 and ChoCo2.
The former represents a talented boy group led by the charismatic Jake, while the latter showcases a vibrant girl group, with Anpan assuming the role of the leader.
This multifaceted approach adds depth and diversity to ChoCo’s career, allowing fans to explore different musical styles and appreciate the individuality of each group.
To learn more about their journey, SK POP’s Rujula Bhanarkar spoke to the group leader, Anpan and Jake in a candid interview about their struggles, aspirations, and more.
Q) Hello Jake and Anpan from ChoCo! Thank you for giving us a chance to interview you. Firstly, tell us a bit about yourselves and your group.
ChoCo1 and ChoCo2 leaders Jake and Anpan (image via ChoCo Entertainment)ChoCo members TJ, Jake, Sean and Anpan (image via ChoCo Entertainment)ChoCo2 leader Anyapan Phuwasetthawat aka Anpan (image via ChoCo Entertainment)
Jake: Hello! I'm Jake, the leader of ChoCo1. We have two groups, ChoCo1, which is composed of male members, and ChoCo2, which is composed of female members. We will not be performing as a fixed group but as various units depending on the song and concept at the time.
Anpan: Hello. I'm Anpan, the leader of ChoCo2. I'm from Surin, Thailand. Our group, Choco 1&2, may be young, but we are full of passion.
Q) How did you become interested in K-Pop and what inspired you to pursue a career as an idol at such a young age?
J: It was around 2017. I was watching my idol seniors, especially BTS and BIGBANG, who were giving powerful hip-hop-based performances, and I started thinking, "I want to be on a stage like that, communicating with people while performing," and it's interesting to see it becoming a reality now.
At first, I started my trainee life because I enjoyed ChoCo's training. But as I listened to different genres and took classes, I became more and more ambitious about music. When I started making my own songs, I realized that I wanted to achieve a bigger dream as an artist. And it led me to decide on my aspirations faster than my other friends.
A: When I was 7 years old, I heard K-pop music for the first time by chance and I loved it. I wanted to enjoy K-pop music more, so I started going to a dance academy in Thailand. While I was practicing, ChoCo called me for an audition.
Even though I was young, I didn't want to miss out on a great opportunity to grow as an artist. So I came to Korea with my parents, joined ChoCo, and decided that I wanted to fulfill my dream of becoming an idol.
I'm glad I did. It’s good to be part of ChoCo.
Q) Which are your favorite K-pop bands from which you get inspired to make similar music?
J: I was naturally inspired by the amazing performances and diverse music of many idols, so it's hard to pick just one group. But if I had to pick one, it would be BIGBANG-sunbaenim (senior) and BTS-sunbaenim. They got me interested in dancing and singing.
When I saw their powerful and passionate performances, I thought, "I want to make a cool performance on stage like them”.
A: I was very inspired by my seniors, BLACKPINK. I have posters of Lisa on the walls of my rooms in Thailand and Korea, to the point that I see them every day.
I was very inspired by how they didn't give up and worked hard until they received recognition from people all over the world. I also realized that I should work harder than I am working now.
Q) Can you tell us about your training process?
J: We take a lot of different classes at ChoCo to develop our skills, not only for dancing and singing. We also take music instrument classes (drum classes, songwriting classes on MIDI, and guitar-playing classes) that really help us develop as artists.
I think it's fun to learn new instruments for the first time. As I naturally listen to music from various genres, I have probably composed at least around 400 original songs in different genres.
In addition to music-related classes, I constantly reflect on myself and practice having the right mind and attitude through monitoring classes and character development classes, so I can grow as a person who can have a good influence on people.
A: Besides dancing and singing, I also take various instrumental classes such as drums and DJing, as well as language classes, acting classes, and styling classes to improve my expressiveness.
By learning instruments, we can perform with a band set. My favorite classes are dance and drums. The most interesting class for me is fashion, because it teaches me how to express myself in different ways, aside from dancing and singing.
I can take so many fun classes at ChoCo, so it’s really good.
Q) Which specific K-pop artist’s fashion sense do you adore?
A: My favorite fashion style is NewJeans-sunbaenim’s. I think it's a great mix of Y2K style and current K-pop sensibility, showcasing various charms that stand out.
J: I have a similar opinion to Anpan. I'm really interested in Y2K fashion these days, and to be able to express my very own style, I've been trying different things on myself.
I think it's just as important to reinterpret various fashion in your own way as it is to make music. I also spend a lot of time shopping, so I'm sure my fans will enjoy seeing my fashion.
Q) What do you think is the most important quality or skill that an aspiring K-pop idol should possess?
J: I think it's important to be able to communicate what you want to say to others well. This is why the habit of writing a song a day, which I've been doing since entering ChoCo, has really helped me.
When I'm choosing a topic for a song or writing lyrics, I almost always write my story. In addition to singing and dancing, I think that a K-pop idol should also strive for continuous personal growth in terms of character and actively practice that mindset.
A: I think the most important quality for an aspiring K-pop idol is persistence. I think the most important thing is to keep trying and challenging yourself because you love music.
Q) Tell us about your wonderful experience about performing on one of the biggest K-pop stages in the world, M-net.
J: Anpan and I performed ChoCo's very first stage on Mnet with 'Fruity Loops (515 Version'. I was very nervous, but it was exciting and meaningful as a first experience.
Through this experience, I gained more respect for K-pop artists. I realized that it takes a lot of time and passion to prepare, and seeing that not only us but also ChoCo's trainers and many other people worked hard to prepare for us made me realize that I need to work harder and not be complacent in the future.
A: It was difficult because there were a lot more cameras and things to consider, more than what I had expected, but I was so happy to be able to stand on the Mnet stage.
It was exciting and nice to actually see (G)I-DLE-sunbaenim, who I liked since I was younger, and through the monitoring screen, it was also nice to see a lot of my seniors in person.
Q) Anpan, you’re Thai, so how is the craze for K-pop in Thailand? Was there a lot of competition you faced, before you reached this stage?
A: I think Thailand is one of the countries with the biggest K-pop craze. It's not just the music, but also the language, the food, and the diverse Korean culture that are popular in Thailand. So I'm very proud of myself for being a part of K-pop.
I think I've come this far because I enjoy both dancing and singing and as a result, my desire to improve myself was greater than competing with others.
Q) Jake, since you’re the leader of ChoCo1, what are your expectations from your team?
J: As a leader of Choco1, I think it's important to lead our team well to improve the quality of our team. I want our group to seize the valuable opportunities given to us and make them even bigger so that we can continue to grow and show a new image.
I will work hard to grow and move forward with our members so that we can move toward a better direction together.
Q) Your music video for the song Fruity Loops has already reached 1 million views on YouTube, how do you feel about that?
J: We still have a lot to learn, and a lot of gaps to fill, but it's amazing that so many people have watched our music video and we're so grateful for that. We have a lot more to show, like more music, more music videos, and more content. We can't wait to show everyone more things.
I hope our next music video gets 500 million, or maybe even a billion views.
A: It's unbelievable, I was just a little kid from Thailand with no recognition in Korea, so when we first released the music video, I had no idea that we would reach 1 million views. Thank you to everyone who watched and supported our music video.
Q) What are your long-term goals? Are you focusing more on the future or the present?
J: After my debut, I hope to make my parents, teachers, and friends proud to say that I'm a ChoCo artist. I also want to make a hit song with world-class artists like Swae Lee and Lil Wayne for the masses to enjoy and play with fans all over the world.
So right now, I'm working hard at ChoCo, taking singing, dancing, character development classes, and English classes. I am currently focusing more on the present, in preparation for the day when I will sing my songs in a big stadium and communicate with a large audience.
A: My goal is to be on stage at Coachella. I hope that by diligently attending all the classes and practicing in the practice room every day, the efforts will accumulate steadily, leading to the day when I can fulfill my dream.
The future is important, but I'm more focused on the present right now for my dream.
Q) Finally, a message for your growing fanbase.
J: Thank you so much for all the love and support. As much as the support you’ve given me, I will also strive to be a great artist so I can come and say hello to you all. I will show you more than I've shown you so far. Thank you so much for supporting me from afar.
A: Thank you for always supporting and loving me, even though I still have a lot to improve on. I'm looking forward to the day when I can actually meet my fans in India. Thank you so much!
