Hori7on
True to the title of Hori7on’s first full-length album, “Friend-SHIP,” working on the record and training together in South Korea has only made the camaraderie among the group’s seven members stronger and deeper.
“Because of training, of course, we’re always together, and that further developed our bond with each other. And we got to know each other better, deeper. That has made our friendship grow,” vocalist Winston told the Inquirer in a recent Zoom interview.
Also composed of leader Vinci, main rapper Reyster, dancer Jeromy and vocalists Kim, Kyler and Marcus, Hori7on is a Filipino pop boy band formed through “Dream Maker,” the survival reality talent searched mounted by ABS-CBN and the South Korean label and agency MLD Entertainment.
Last July 24, Hori7on made history by becoming the first Filipino group to debut in the Korean music industry with the release of “Friend-SHIP” and its lead single “Six7een.” In line with the milestone, they held media and fan showcases at the Olympic Hall of the Seoul Olympic Park. A few days later, the boys took the stage on MNnet’s popular music program “M Countdown.”
Prior to their Korean debut, the band underwent months of rigorous training—dance, voice, Korean language and comportment—which was documented in the Mnet reality documentary series, “100 Days of Miracle.”
“Our chemistry as a band was formed because of our togetherness. We even eat together,” Vinci said.
Though they have been together for less than a year, Vinci said he and his bandmates have been growing more comfortable with one another, so much so that he described the group as a “family.” “Pamilya talaga kami.”
“We’re getting used to each other’s pet peeves. The things that we used to find nakakapikon are now just normal day things!” he related, drawing laughter. “Before, we were like, ‘Ba’t ka ba ganyan?’ But that’s what makes our friendship here in Hori7on special, because we’re not afraid to call each other out.
“We adjust to each other, so we can build teamwork,” he added. “We’re very honest with each other.”
What was it like setting foot in Korea for the first time?
Jeromy: Our dance training stood out to me, because it’s different from what I had in the Philippines. Back home, I did the lessons solo, but here it’s as a group. It’s a bit challenging.
Kim: We visited a lot of places. And everywhere we went, we felt like we were in a K-drama! There are a lot of new things that we don’t see in the Philippines. The food is different, but really good. But we still miss Filipino food. That’s what we’re excited about when we return home.
Kyler: Na-experience kong kumain nang marami dito! My favorite here is their toast. It’s really good and flavorful. I don’t eat anything else (laughs).
Vinci: Shout out to Filipino food! Shout out to sinigang!
Marcus: Shout out to adobo!
Kyler: Shout out to crispy pata!
What were the days like leading to the debut?
Vinci: The Anchors really motivated us to push through until our debut happened. They were the ones who told us to keep moving forward. Because we’re not [upbeat] all the time… sometimes, we feel down. But when we see how hard they support us, that really makes us want to reciprocate their love back.
Aside from dance and voice, you also had Korean lessons.
Vinci: The Korean lessons are something new for all of us. It’s something we have been wanting to do for a long time. And it’s fun because we feel like we’re able to slowly adapt to the culture and language.
Marcus: We can read Hangul (Korean alphabet) now and it’s a good feeling.
Vinci: Sometimes, we play and see who gets to read [random outdoor signs/texts] the fastest.
How does it feel to have finally debuted in Korea?
Kim: We sacrificed a lot and we’re now seeing the results of those sacrifices. We’re so happy because the Anchors are growing in number in Korea and they appreciate our performances.
Marcus: We’re so happy with everything, after all the hard work. We’re happy about the Anchors because we see how happy they are and they love our new album, “Friend-SHIP.” It makes us feel proud because we worked hard on this album.
What do you want to convey with “Friend-SHIP”?
Vinci: We want to show different sides that we can bring to the table for everyone. We have sad songs and dark songs and happy songs. There are songs for everyone to listen to and enjoy. I hope people see that there are still a lot in terms of concept that we can show in the future.
What’s the song “Six7een” about?
Winston: It’s about youthful energy. We want to express the things we want to do. And it’s about enjoying ourselves.
Vinci: It’s a summery track that you can listen to while on a road trip or having a party. It’s fun and we just want the fans to go crazy with it as they listen to it over and over again.
Marcus: We want to make listeners feel like they’re 16 again… But I don’t know what that feels like!
Can you tell us more about the Filipino songs in your album, “Mama” and “Salamat”?
Kim: “Mama” is for people who are far away from their parents—just like us who are currently far away from our loved ones. But we have to be strong for our dreams. It’s also about the things we want to do for our parents. Winston: It’s our way of thanking the people who helped us—our family, the Anchors and everyone behind our success.
Vinci: We collaborated on writing the lyrics, so they’re very special.
You have come a long way. Can you recall what it was like when you were just thinking about being idols?
Marcus: I was little when I fell in love with performing onstage and I already wanted to become an idol and perform. Now, I’m here. I’m so happy I get to achieve my dreams—and I’m sure we all got to achieve our dreams together.
Reyster: I chanced upon a dance practice video of Blackpink and Twice. Those had me checking other dance video practices. I liked it, so much so that I ended up in the K-pop world. When I started doing covers of K-pop songs, that was when I started to imagine myself becoming an idol.
Vinci: I always had this dream of becoming an idol, but I didn’t really give it much thought, because I thought it was impossible. But looking at it now, you just have to pursue your dreams, take a leap of faith… because you will never know where you will end up.
How do you want to be known? Your recent achievements have been a source of pride for Filipinos.
Vinci: We want to be artists other people can look up to. We hope to become role models. We want to show that every one of us has his or her own strength and personality. We hope we can be a source of inspiration for future idols. We’re doing something that has not been done before. We want to be pioneers.
Are you surprised at how fast things are working out for you?
Marcus: Every day, we get shocked by the support the Anchors give us. We’re grateful because what they do for us, not everyone has. We love our Anchors so much for giving us the love we need. Everything we do is for them. We always do our best to give back. And we always give back—by giving our best in every performance and dedicating it to them. INQ