Fate’s Collision Course: One Pact Interviewed

An impact is considered one object forcefully striking another. Born of the collision of five unique individuals, One Pact – One + Impact – is the prime example of what can happen when the right people collide. 

Debuting at the end of 2023 from Armada Entertainment, the group is comprised of Jongwoo, Jay Chang, Seongmin, TAG, and Yedam – a set of individuals who have faced a long, uphill battle to reach their destination. Their collective history carries no shortage of hardship. Every member but Yedam made a debut prior to One Pact, and all five of them have a history with Korean survival shows. 

This kind of group history lends to experience and humility that Jay cites as two of their biggest strengths. Regarding having to start from the bottom again, he says,  “We know what we’re capable of, but we’ve also had to go back to the drawing board and prove ourselves as a group.”

In the wake of 2023’s massive reality show Boys Planet, these five individuals stood as close friends who could have “Never imagined we would be in the same group,” Tag says. “More than doing business together, we are doing something with our friends.”

As CLASH chats with the members over Zoom, it quickly becomes apparent that there are two major through-lines in the group’s existence: Their dedication to being artists, and their friendship, two things that they touch on continuously. “We were friends before everything, and when we came together…it was because as aspiring artists and musicians, we wanted the same things and to succeed in the same way,” Jay states.

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The day of our conversation, the group is deep in their promotion cycle for ‘Pink Crush’, their third mini album, and its single, ‘100!’. It’s a significant one for them: for the first time since their debut album, Jay – a member of group BDU, as well as a solo artist – is together with the members to create and promote a release together. ‘Pink Crush’ is also, as Tag puts it, “Our first time with a bright concept.”

While their last mini album, ‘Fallin’ plunges listeners into a muted blue sea, ‘Pink Crush’ surrounds them in a warm, orange glow. It is love in its purest form, a rose-tinted daydream. 

Their focus with ‘100!’, Jay says, was having fun with the performance, instead of their usual intricate choreography. “We just decided to go with a theme that matched the song’s feel.” To view any given performance for the song is to observe the group’s palpable joy, and the onstage camaraderie of five dear friends. Speaking to this, Jay adds, “Fans have told us that just seeing us fooling around and looking legitimately happy makes them happy.”

From debut until now, with each release, One Pact’s musical color has looked a little different, while still maintaining the feeling of being One Pact. To Yedam, this is a great thing. “We’re still trying to find the musical style that is only One Pact’s, (but) we do multiple styles very well. Even once we find the style that is only ours, we’ll continue to show that variety.”

Regardless of exactly how One Pact’s art may look or sound, one thing remains consistent – the members’ involvement. From the start, they have had a heavy hand in the creation of as much of their work as possible, and for Seongmin, this is One Pact’s impact. “As artists, the impact for us is that it’s so personal… More than something that’s really in your face, I like to see that we have a part in every aspect of the artistry.”

This is spearheaded most of all by resident songwriter Tag, who has penned almost every single song in the group’s discography to date. Being able to write songs was one of his greatest motivators to become a musician in the first place, he says. “Because we’re the ones who perform our music, I thought it would be much easier to truly immerse ourselves in and understand the songs.” 

He gathers inspiration to write as he lives his daily life, he explains. “While playing shows around the world, meeting fans and new people… What they talk to us about, I get inspired by that. Songs like ‘Must Be Nice’ and ‘Deserved’ are a part of my imagination. I also get inspired by animations and movies.”

With ‘Pink Crush’, all five of the members had the chance to participate in the writing of one very special track: ‘&Heart’, a song dedicated to their fans. Every single line of the song, Jongwoo says, is something the members wanted to tell fans, something they couldn’t tell them, or the emotions that come with sitting down and thinking of them. 

“A big part of why we could all get a good part in writing lyrics was because no imagination was needed,” Jay adds. “With a song as precious as ‘&Heart’, it becomes a lot more genuine.”

Their participation in their art doesn’t end once the songs are written. Each comeback, the group releases a self-made music video directed by Jongwoo. When forming a plan, he says, he notes the emotions that the songs and lyrics make him feel and uses this as a starting point for the video. 

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As the group only just celebrated their first anniversary in November, we took some time to reflect on the time that has passed, and the growth the members have experienced.

Tag sees his biggest growth, unsurprisingly, in his songwriting. “Now, because I know everything about the members – their ability, their range – it’s much more comfortable to write songs. I feel our songs are getting better and better. I hope our members feel comfortable when they sing my songs.”

A first-time leader, Jongwoo states that his growth has been in figuring out what it means to be one. “I’ve been trying to see the members not just as little brothers, but as their own members. I’ve found it very enlightening, learning different things from them. It’s allowed me to become a better artist and leader for myself.”

Speaking transparently, Yedam says that he doesn’t think he’s grown much yet, but he’s grown in knowing what he needs to do. “I need to get better at talking, talking to fans, and knowing what to do onstage. All of those things are new, but they’re less new now.”

Not only have they grown as individuals, but as a team. Though they’ve always had the same goals, Jay explains, “That direction wasn’t completely aligned….Now we understand our roles and trust each other a lot. It’s very comfortable.”

Seongmin says that they’ve done well at figuring out how to be a better team, even if there are some things that simply come with time. “Over time, I’m excited to keep going with the members and figure out how to be more natural as a team.”

“At the beginning, there was a lot of worry. ‘What if we can’t do well? What if someone does something wrong when we’re performing?’,” Jongwoo muses. “But we’ve gotten to a point where it’s, ‘As long as I do well, as long as I don’t make a mistake, it’s fine’.” He says this symbolizes their growth in their trust of each other: The transition to knowing that the group will do well, and focusing on only worrying about their own actions. 

In a little over a year’s time, they’ve transitioned from a team that Yedam says was, “Weird and awkward,” to one that looks out for, and cannot live without each other. They’ve truly, in Tag’s words, become one pact.

As far as conflict within the team is concerned, they tend to handle things maturely, focusing on communication, says Seongmin. “Since we’re all very considerate people with each other, the times we do have conflict are rare.”

“When there is conflict, we like to get to the root of the problem and understand, to avoid future problems,” adds Jongwoo. 

But if communication can’t solve it, Tag jokes, “We just start the MMA rules.” 

Their leader jumps forward to protest vehemently, as the others laugh on either side of him. 

“We get in the octagon,” Jay corroborates. 

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As the conversation transitions to discussion of what being a member of One Pact means to the members, the mood grows serious. “As I’ve lived my life thus far, I’ve had a lot of trials and tribulations,” Jongwoo says. One of those trials was preparing for his debut with One Pact. The difference, he says, is having members he can call family. “After all of the times I’ve had to go through challenges alone, having the privilege of this family to go through these times with means a lot.”

Jay calls it gratifying and uplifting to be involved in a group so passionate about creating the best of everything they can, whether that be music, stages, or experiences for the fans. “Especially in an industry where you don’t know what will happen next… I’m grateful to be around people with the same mind, heart, and eagerness to be a fantastic artist.”

In such an uncertain industry, for many of the members, One Pact stands as the product of their last efforts to pursue their dreams. Yedam calls One Pact his last chance from God. Tag, who was planning to debut as a solo artist, never imagined himself in a group again. 

“Being a member of One Pact means freedom,” Jay adds. “There was a point in my life, and I’m sure a lot of the members feel the same way, that I didn’t want to do music anymore because it was so difficult.”

Seongmin says he’s experiencing a whole new world. “I feel so thankful that I can sing and perform again, and experience new kinds of music I’ve never done before.”

Together as a team now, there’s nothing they don’t dare to hope for: Their first win at a music show, a concert audience of more than 10,000 people, to inspire the future generation of musicians, or simply to be a good influence on other people. 

An impact is not simply one strong blow: it is a slow, outlasting flame: and with their synergy and combined passion, One Pact are poised to burn brightly together for a long time.

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Words: Ciara Glagola // @ciaraglagola 
Photo Credit: Armada Entertainment

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