From North Korea to K-Pop Stardom: The Inspiring Journey of 1Verse

1Verse, a multinational K-pop group featuring North Korean defectors, made their official debut on Friday with their first album “The 1st Verse.”

The five-member ensemble includes Hyuk and Seok, both North Korean defectors, alongside Japanese member Aito, Chinese American Kenny, and Laotian-Thai American Nathan.

The group’s name, 1Verse, symbolizes each member’s unique “verse” coming together to create a unified “universe” of stories and identities. During a press conference in Seoul’s Gangnam district on Friday, Kenny explained, “Individually, we’re like verses, but together we form a song. We each bring our own life stories and experiences to create our shared universe.”

Their debut single’s title track, “Shattered,” blends hip-hop energy with pop sensibility, featuring hard-hitting rap verses, catchy hooks, and emotive melodies. The song aims to capture the tumultuous feelings of when one’s world seems to crumble.

“We wanted to convey that through raw lyrics and explosive sounds,” said Kenny, who contributed to the songwriting.

Hyuk added with a grin, “Our CEO had me record the rap verse over and over – about 11 or 12 times. It was a fun but challenging experience.”

“Everyone goes through moments when their world feels like it’s falling apart. We’ve been there too, and we tried to reflect those experiences in our lyrics,” he elaborated.

The group’s pre-release track “Multiverse,” which dropped on July 4, offers a retro-inspired, upbeat pop sound. Hyuk contributed to both the songwriting and lyrics, while Aito choreographed the piece.
Aito explained the song’s message: “It’s about loving someone in every version of the world, in every version of themselves. It’s a sentiment we want to express to ourselves, but especially to our fans. You all deserve to be loved.”

Although not included in the album, the group also performed “Ordinary Person,” a track Hyuk composed that was initially released as a YouTube mixtape before their debut. The song reflects his profound desire to “live like an ordinary person” after defecting from North Korea.

Hyuk escaped North Korea in 2013 at age 13, while Seok made his journey to freedom in 2018 at 18.