Global pop group POW burst into New York City this holiday season with passion and talent for their debut performance at Z100’s All Access Lounge earlier this month.
amNewYork Metro met with the rookie all-stars at Genesis House—a contemporary Korean restaurant hidden in the heart of the Meatpacking District—for an intimate holiday celebration ahead of their performance, where they shared the story behind their long journey.
Like superheroes from a comic strip, POW’s origin story is that of legends. It started with a moment that changed their lives. Just one year ago, five talented young men—YORCH, HYUNBIN, JUNGBIN, DONGYEON, and HONG—joined together with a common love for music and a hope of becoming idols. Their dream began as teens standing in a crowd, captivated by the magic of the stage. The lights, the roar of screams from the crowd, the uninhibited joy from fans, and watching their heroes dance on stage. It was at that moment they realized this was what they craved: to be idols.
DONGYEON smiled brightly as he remembered watching BTS perform ‘Idol’ on stage in South Korea in 2018. Watching their precision and musicality fueled his passion for music.
“That stage inspired me, that made me want to be an idol. I wanted to perform on the stage. That song was ‘Idol’ by BTS,” DONGYEON said. “They inspired me to become an idol, and I wanted to be an artist who can give a goal and inspire others. I want to be that artist.”
HONG had a similar experience. It was as if the stage beckoned him as he watched BTS with his older sister. Seeing K-Pop blossom into this field of possibilities entranced him even further.
“My older sister is a huge K-pop and BTS fan, which sparked my own interest in K-pop. That eventually grew into a dream of becoming an idol who can bring joy to others through music,” HONG said.
K-pop is not just a genre of music. It is a culture and a way of spreading positivity throughout the world. Industry titans like BTS, ATEEZ, SEVENTEEN, and SHINee, as well as soloists such as IU, have showcased how music can inspire kindness, love, and hope no matter the language.
“I’ve always loved listening to music, but when I was in high school, IU sunbaenim truly inspired me. Her songs have the ability to comfort others, and that’s something I aspire to do as an artist—to write songs that bring comfort and healing,” JUNGBIN shared.
The members of POW are inspired by not only the allure of the stage but also the healing power of music and how it transcends language barriers.
“For me, realizing that music is a universal language was life-changing. Watching artists connect with audiences—even when the lyrics weren’t understood—felt magical. That deep bond between artist and listener is something I hope to build with our fans, too,” HYUNBIN said.
“For me, it’s the same thing as HYUNBIN. I also saw a K-pop idol video and it made me feel like I want to do that,” YORCH added, smiling.
The road to becoming an idol was not easy. It was fraught with obstacles and endless practice sessions. Still, with hard work and dedication, POW busted its way into the music industry like a superhero with a “quest to deliver a refreshing and entertaining experience to global listeners.” Hence, their band name, POW, which symbolizes an explosion, and they have most certainly started off with a bang.
POW’s ability to overcome the exhaustion of constant training and traveling comes from their fans, who they describe as their strength. Seeing their supporters standing in a crowd holding up their lightsticks was the moment they realized they truly made it to become idols.
“Our fandom is called POWER, and we recently released our official lightstick. We also had our first fan concert in Seoul, which was such an unforgettable experience. Seeing POWERs waving their lightsticks during the concert was incredibly moving and a memory we’ll always treasure,” HYUNBIN said.
“I thought, wow, today is the day that I dreamed of,” DONGYEON said.
“Our fans, POWER, inspire us. They are our motivation. We want to give them joy. They are our spark that light up,” YORCH added.
For just over a year, POW has been achieving their dreams. Following their 2023 September pre-debut and first EP [Favorite], POW continues to explode into the K-pop charts with their first single, “Valentine.”
“First, we are so grateful for your unwavering love and support for POW. As a team, we feel that we’re still on the journey of achieving our dreams. As a K-pop group, it’s truly an honor to share Korean culture and spread our music globally. We’re excited to continue reaching new audiences worldwide and hope to inspire more people through our music,” JUNGBIN said.
“I’ve always wanted to share my story with music. I hope we can make it together with our listeners and fans. That’s my dream to make songs with fans,” DONGYEON said.
POW performed their debut New York City performance on Dec. 13 during Z100’s All Access Lounge, where audience members lauded the group for its distinctive vocal style and energy. The members told amNewYork Metro that the opportunity to perform in New York City was another dream come true.
