1300

rako: Quite exciting, somewhat nervous, a little worried, and very relieved. It has always been like this whenever we are putting out new projects, but ILLSAMGONGGONG is like the grand version of these emotions. We took the words ‘mixtape’ and ‘album’ very seriously, and after five or six years of doing this, we are finally putting out an ‘album’.
Releasing ILLSAMGONGGONG makes me understand a little bit of when parents first send their kids to school. I love them; I know this album is great, and it’s ready to be out in the world. However, I still have a little bit of nervousness and worry.

goyo: Each of us faced different challenges throughout our hiatus, and I think most of it came from us going through the journey of life. It’s not easy juggling music on top of all the other things we do as individuals. We needed to regroup and really talk about what was going on. I remember vividly the moment that kept us together. There was the realisation of what we all wanted collectively, and that was to block out the noise and return to what we loved doing most.

Nerdie: Our work has always been a bit chaotic and unsettled. We’ve stretched ourselves and explored the unknown, and now we have a better understanding of our own identity as a group. It feels like a homecoming; it’s now that we are sure of something, of knowing that there is a home here for all of us, in each other, in ILLSAMGONGGONG.

rako: That was more like a connecting thread. We have been big fans of GIRIBOY since we all started making music, and we’ve been in touch with him for a few years now. Since it’s our first collaboration since signing with UMK, this track lets us show where we stand within the Korean music scene and how organically we’re connected to it. If ILLSAMGONGGONG is the album of our six-year journey, Headrock felt like the door showing the start of what may seem like an impossible journey.

Nerdie: It’s been helpful having a solid team that understands the music on a cultural level and is excited to do something new. They are a great fit for us and have been very aligned with what we are doing. We haven’t had to compromise on our creative vision at all, and they have brought us some great opportunities so far.

Pokari: Belief and trust. We all trust each other, so if one of us has a strong vision, even if it doesn’t align with the rest, we do our best to believe in them, and hopefully, by the end of the song, we’ll see what they see. Of course, this doesn’t always work out, but there’s enough love in the group to at least try and be open to experimenting. Perhaps that’s why 1300 doesn’t have a particular sound or genre; it’s a feeling.

DALI: While working on this album, we faced a lot of ups and downs. But in the end, because we were all looking toward the same goal and overcame everything together, our bond became much stronger and tighter.

DALI: Ideally, I’d love for them to listen to the entire ILLSAMGONGGONG album from start to finish. But if I had to pick just one, it would probably be Fever. I feel like it perfectly delivers our bright energy, and the sound itself is so dynamic. It really takes you on a journey.

goyo: When we’re at the studio making music, anything goes. We have such a diverse palette, as all five of us enjoy very different music. Some of us listen to more hip-hop, while others listen to electronic music or indie rock, and so on. Every project we make becomes a melting pot of these influences, and if it ends up pushing boundaries and breaking expectations, that just puts the cherry on top of it all.

Nerdie: This album was a process of returning to the core of what makes 1300, 1300. I wanted to be free to capture the spontaneous energy of the group, so we went for a lightweight approach with minimal crew and a singular creative direction for each video. The magic of the group is real; we don’t have to construct it, so we just let it come out naturally.

rako: Honestly, the journey of making this album is when that really hit home for all of us. The five of us come from different lives and different childhoods. We’ve been making music together, touring together and going through good and hard times with each other for six years now. But as you’d imagine, five boys don’t really show their deeper emotions to each other. There was a time in the early-to-mid stages of this album when we sat in a circle and really went through each other’s emotions. That was when we really knew that we really, really cared for each other. From then, the concept of ‘home’ became wherever the rest of us are. Being at home now means being with the boys. I mean, yes, we still return to our own homes at the end of each day and spend time with our families.

DALI: I’m definitely most excited about ILLSAMGONGGONG. Just thinking about the crowd chanting our name and singing along with us already gives me goosebumps.

Pokari: On a personal level, each of us is at a different stage in life, so this is a hard question to answer definitively. Perhaps we all want to be able to quit our day jobs and have 1300 become a creative force that feeds us, spiritually and monetarily.

DALI: Our dream is still to share our music with a global audience and go on a proper world tour. We’d love to headline a major international music festival one day and connect with fans all over the world.