On November 9, the rising Korean group NCHIVE officially kicked off their much-anticipated European tour with a sold-out show at Club Volta in Cologne. Known for their dynamic fusion of rap, vocals and intricate choreography, the six-member act brought to the stage the same dual energy that defines their discography — the intensity of Racer and the introspection of Believer.
Their performance in Cologne marked not just the start of the tour, but a moment of artistic arrival: tighter than ever, yet freer, more expressive, more human. Between rehearsals, travel, and the first night’s adrenaline, the members sat down with us for an open conversation about how their music and teamwork have evolved since debut — and how creativity, growth, and balance shape the next chapter of NCHIVE’s journey.
The interview, held right after their Cologne performance, reveals a mature, confident group who have learned to turn experience into connection — and who are ready to bring that energy to fans across Europe.
Looking at your musical and performance evolution from debut until now, which aspect do you feel has grown the most?
HA.L (From the debut album Drive we were very much in “prove-our-worth” mode — tight choreography, intense expressions, every move calculated. Now, with the second album and European tour, I feel our comfort level on stage has increased. We’re not just performing to impress, we’re performing to connect. Our gestures, facial expressions, every subtle shift — we’ve allowed ourselves to breathe and let the moment come through.
N : That hard work shows in things like our endurance on tour nights, but also in how we handle transitions mid-show, how we respond to the crowd in Cologne tonight — things we couldn’t perhaps do last year. The growth isn’t just in volume, it’s in nuance.
e.AN : The “crazy” here means creative risk, willingness to try something new on stage, new choreography styles, new visuals.
Kangsan : Consistency is a kind of growth — I’ve refined rather than reinvented myself. As a producer and rapper, I’ve learned to integrate new sounds without losing core identity. Being able to rely on my regular habits (writing, beat selection) gives stability to the group.
Juyoung : In earlier releases I perhaps focused on hitting the notes, staying in the frame, staying safe. Now I challenge myself: when a song has emotional peaks, I allow my face, my body language to reflect it. On tour today I observed how crowd reaction changed when I let myself show more vulnerability.
Yuchan: Comfort doesn’t mean carelessness. I feel we’ve found a sweet spot: we’re confident, we’re relaxed, but we’re still hungry. In Cologne, that balance helped — we could engage with fans, we could enjoy the moment, but we still delivered. That growth in maturity is probably our biggest step.
Excellent. Now given that Kangsan participated in the writing of “Can’t Catch Me” and Juyoung is credited for “Racer” (your debut track) — how does the review and integration of members’ original creative ideas work into the group’s final output?
HA.L: What this means practically: When someone (say Kangsan or Juyoung) brings a demo or an idea, we listen as a group, decide collectively how it fits our identity. My role is helping fuse the individual idea into the group feel. Over rehearsal periods I’ll suggest tweaks or gesture changes so the concept matches our “NCHIVE” color.
N : For instance, when the maknae (me) tries an idea, it may feel younger or fresher — we’ll test if it fits the group’s direction. If it does, we keep it; if not, we adapt. The integration process is respectful: we value the individual idea but always ask “Does this support the group’s story?”
E.aN : Creative freedom is important, but so is cohesion. Our producer or label may say the track needs a certain key change, a certain structure — but within that framework, we each contribute our part. Then we rehearse until it feels seamless.
Kangsan : My part as a writer/producer is often the first draft — but then I pass it to the group, we listen, we revise. Sometimes a line I thought perfect gets changed because Juyoung’s voice carries it differently, or HA.L’s gesture in the choreo changes the feeling of the hook. That interplay is where the creative magic happens.
Juyoung: So when I write or suggest a vocal phrasing for “Racer,” we’ll try it out live in rehearsal; we’ll watch how the members move, how the crowd reacts in live practice. Then we refine. The final product isn’t just one person’s idea—it’s the group’s version of that idea.
Yuchan: On tour especially, when we have limited time (soundcheck, logistics, travel), having that respectful attitude speeds up decisions. If a member proposes a change, others listen. That dynamic ensures we can integrate individual creativity without stalling the group momentum.
Wonderful. One more question: If you could pursue a project completely outside the realm of music, what would it be and why?
HA.L : I see it as a natural extension: we’re already embodying characters on stage, telling stories — acting gives us a different canvas. Maybe a film or web-series. It would expand how we express ourselves beyond songs.
N : I’d love to show our personalities in unscripted settings. The fans know our stage side, but there’s a lot of backstage, real life we don’t often show. Variety shows would let us connect differently.
E.aN : I love performing, but I also love the idea of giving back. One day, if NCHIVE is in a position to mentor or help juniors, I’d like to explore that: teaching vocal, dance, or performance mindset.
Kangsan : My priority is refining my craft: songwriting, beat-making, performance. When that is truly established, maybe then branching out. But I prefer depth over breadth at this moment.
Juyoung : From drawing to fantasy movies to music, I have many interests. If we step into variety shows, we can reveal those — maybe a travel show, maybe a challenge program.
Yuchan: I’m interested in style, aesthetics, visuals. On tour I enjoy exploring local fashion in each city. So if we had brand partnerships or ambassador roles, we could merge our stage‐identity with lifestyle looks and show that other side of us.
We wish you a successful European tour, and can’t wait to see how NCHIVE grows from here!
Elisa Cutullè