Xdinary Heroes on Leveling Up With New Music and a Career Milestone
interview
✦
interview ✦
Few bands in South Korea's rock scene have carved a path quite like Xdinary Heroes. Under JYP Entertainment, the six-member group has steadily built a distinct artistic voice—anchored by sharp musicianship, concept-driven releases, and a raw, unfiltered sound that refuses to blend in.
They made their unforgettable debut with “Happy Death Day” in 2021, a chaotic, genre-bending track that immediately set them apart. From there, they doubled down on unpredictability—early EPs leaned into alt-rock and emo influences with grit and polish, while later releases like Troubleshooting and Livelock expanded into darker, more conceptual territory. Each new project felt like a deliberate evolution: louder, tighter, and more them.
Now, the band is gearing up for their most ambitious chapter yet. On July 7, they’ll release “FiRE (My Sweet Misery),” their first original English-language single. The track balances searing guitar work with emotional tension, channeling the band’s signature intensity through a broader, global lens. It’s as melodic as it is volatile—an arrival, not just a departure.
Their international push continues with a debut at Lollapalooza, placing them among the rare few Korean rock acts to hit the festival’s legendary stage. A full-scale world tour follows, with stops in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, D.C., and more—offering fans worldwide a chance to experience their high-voltage live show.
For those who’ve followed them since the beginning, this moment feels inevitable. For everyone else, it’s the ideal time to catch up. With “FiRE (My Sweet Misery)” and a global stage ahead, Xdinary Heroes are stepping into the spotlight with momentum on their side—and they’re not looking back.
You’ve spent the past few years shaping the Korean rock scene—how do you feel your sound has evolved since your debut?
Gaon: Since our debut, the most significant evolution in our sound, from my perspective, has been the expansion of our song's scale. As we've performed on various stages, we've naturally begun creating music that is better suited for larger stages and gives a more engaging experience. This accumulated experience has also helped each of our six members find our distinct role in music, making our music richer and stable sound. From now on, we aim to continue experimenting with our sound and create music that expressing our colors.
Jun Han: For me, when recording, I tend to use rich bass tones or, for guitar backing, sounds clearly expressing attack. In live performances, since Gaon handles heavier backing, I focus on a sound that emphasizes the mid-range. I've been naturally discovering my own style through this consideration, such as using reverb than delay.
“FiRE (My Sweet Misery)” is your first original English-language single. What inspired the decision to release this track in English?
Gun-il: We are currently on our world tour and felt that people loves our previous English-lyric songs like "Good Enough" and "Diamond". And for more, when I first heard the demo melody for "FiRE (My Sweet Misery)," it just felt that this entire track must be written in English.
The title suggests emotional duality—can you share what the “sweet misery” concept represents to you personally?
Gun-il: Simply naming the song just as "FiRE” felt like a cliché, so we chose "My Sweet Misery" as a subtitle to summarizing the overall flow of the song. We wanted to express the duality of love in a fresh way, like how we expressed it in our previous track, "LOVE and FEAR."
How does FiRE (My Sweet Misery) differ from or connect to the themes explored in Troubleshooting and Beautiful Mind?
Jungsu: Our new single, "FiRE (My Sweet Misery)," is dealing with the theme of 'love,' and this subject our team hasn't frequently explored before. While countless songs about love exist, we put a lot of thought into how we could convey our unique interpretation of love to our listeners.
A lot of your tracks explore complex emotions. Do you typically write from personal experience or more from a character/idea perspective?
Jungsu: I usually use personal experiences when writing lyrics, but sometimes feel limited when only relying on experience. So these days, I try to use more stories and ideas from movies and books into my songwriting.
You’re performing at Lollapalooza this year—what does that milestone mean to you as a band?
O.de: I think Lollapalooza is a dream stage not only for lots of bands but also for many other artists. We are incredibly moved and grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of it.
Jooyeon: I see this a good opportunity to take a step closer to our goal of becoming the world's best band. On this stage, we are going to perform everything that we've worked hard to achieve and build.
Your live shows have also earned a strong reputation. What can international fans expect from this upcoming tour?
Gaon: First of all, I sincerely thank everyone who has given positive feedback on our performances. I truly believe our stage is perfect for everyone to jump and enjoy themselves. We will give all the energy that our six members have, so we hope you'll join us and have a great time!
Jun Han: We consistently want to create fun and exhilarating performances. Through our stages, we hope the audience will receive a tremendous burst of energy!
Finally, throughout your time together, what’s been the biggest creative challenge you’ve faced as a band so far?
O.de: For me, starting a band was a biggest creative challenge in my life. However, now our team is necessary to me, and I have a strong belief that we can overcome any creative or difficult challenge that comes our way if I am with this team.
Jooyeon: I remember the feeling when we had our first song camp, along with the news that we should be directly involved in creating our own songs. It felt like breathing life into the music we would perform, so the sense of responsibility was immense too. However, now I don't feel that burden; instead, I view it as a simply enjoyable and fun experience.
