How KARD won the hearts of Houston’s K-pop fans

“Our Houston fans are incredible,” BM said in an email interview with the group. “I felt incredibly lucky to be able to finish our tour in such an energetic city. The reaction and reciprocation of energy was more than enough for me and my members to get so much love and inspiration to pour into the making of our album next time. Needless to say, Houston, Texas was a city we should definitely return to for the next US tour.”

Last time KARD performed in Houston it was in 2019, a few years after the quartet formed in 2016, which was around the same time that some of the biggest names in K-pop today (Blackpink, NCT) were already planting the seeds for their takeover. But unlike the more formulaic approach of their K-pop contemporaries, KARD hit the scene with a more experimental, albeit risky, concept.

First, KARD is one of the few K-pop groups out there—it’s a rarity even outside of the genre. The four-member group consists of two men, J.seph and BM, and two women, Jiwoo and Somin. “As a cohesive group, I think you’ll definitely be able to listen to hear how our music is different from other artists,” says Jiwoo. “In particular, KARD is very free compared to other groups and we are working passionately on our respective musical achievements.”

However, the group is still “hungry for success”, adds J.Seph with a laugh. “The reason why KARD has been able to get a positive response so far is probably because of the variety of attractions that we have as a cohesive group.”

Each letter of the group name represents a member and a playing card. “K” stands for the king card representing BM, while “A” stands for the ace card representing J.seph. The “R” refers to the black joker representing Somi and the colored joker cartoon represents Jiwoo. The “D” stands for a hidden member, which has various meanings, including the name of their fanbase, a surprise feature, or the release of an alternate version of a song or music video, a concept that has intrigued fans and kept them on their feet.

Additionally, KARD’s sound tests genre boundaries; the group is known for its upbeat mix of dancehall and EDM with a clear Latin influence. While English lyrics are usually interspersed throughout K-pop songs, KARD has stepped outside the box, often featuring Spanish phrases. Songs like their debut single “Hola Hola”, “Dimelo” and “Red Moon” are just a few examples of why the group has been able to build such a strong international fan base, especially in Latin American countries such as Brazil and Mexico. .

Their latest project “Re:” is a continuation of their experimentation with Latin sounds, led by the summer dance track “Ring the Alarm”. Somin says their six-track comeback EP reflects KARD’s versatility and growth. “What we have shown our fans so far is only a small part of what we will show them in the future,” says Somin. “This kind of mentality that I follow helped me develop more maturely. I think this mature image is well reflected in this album.”

After a two-year hiatus due to J.Seph’s military service, the idols were eager to return to music. During the time of his departure, J. Seph says that he only imagined the moment when he would be able to return to the big stage. “It was a meaningful tour,” he says. “It was a tournament that had been a ‘dream’, but I was happy to finally finish the tournament successfully.”

Somin says she was moved to tears after seeing how loyal their fans remained after two years. “After a long break, I was just imagining when I could do a tour,” she says. “I was so happy that it came true. There were days when I was a bit exhausted because of all the travel, but as soon as I get on stage, I forget everything and enjoy every moment with the fans.”

KARD is also known for its fan service. During a gig at their last concert in Houston, the band took selfies with the crowd, shocked cowboy hats fans gave them and handed out free tour merchandise. One fan held up a sign that read “Big Matthew King of the Big Tiddie Committee,” a reference to a popular meme about BM, prompting him to dance in response. The band says they definitely plan to return to Houston for their next tour.

“For this tour, I was just happy to meet my fans in America and share the positive energy together,” says Jiwoo.

“The best thing for me too is meeting the fans”, adds J.seph. “If we meet this time, we don’t know when the next turn will be, so we try to do our best to catch them at every moment.”

With the popularity of K-pop, it certainly won’t be the last we hear of KARD. BM says he’s not surprised by the global phenomenon the genre has become, adding that “it was just a matter of time.”

“The amount of discipline you need to be a K-pop artist is immense,” says BM. “From the sleepless nights of training and rehearsing to the production of the music, performance and visuals it’s so detailed and well organized, and I feel like that’s something the world is gradually having a lot of fun with.”

The K-pop foursome is currently back in their hometown working on their next album. BM says that while doing this, “we are all individually working on our own self-development as artists and pushing our respective lanes to the best of our abilities.”