IN CONVERSATION WITH P1HARMONY

interview by JANA LETONJA

Global K-Pop powerhouse P1Harmony unleashes their 8th mini album ‘DUH!’, a high-octane collection of explosive jams that marks a bold reinvention of their unmistakable sound, on 8th May. This project follows a whirlwind year of knockout performances, career milestones, and continued linear growth for P1Harmony. In 2025 alone, they wrapped their nine-month global P1ustage H: UTOP1A tour with a triumphant arena show in Poland and captivated audiences at the inaugural D Awards, where they took home the Delights Blue Label honor. In addition, they recently launched their new web series ‘P1Harmony’s Eat, Sleep, Play!’ on YouTube which gives insight into their lives as musicians. 

‘DUH!’ is bold, punchy, and feels like a sonic reinvention. What was the concept and emotion you wanted to capture with this album?

KEEHO: Confidence was the biggest theme we wanted to capture in this album. Not just with the lead single ‘DUH!’, but throughout the entire tracklist, we really focused on encouraging ourselves to love every part of who we are, even the parts others may judge or misunderstand. Sometimes people form preconceived opinions about us or see us in ways that don’t align with who we truly are. But we believe it's important to know yourself and be confident in that, and that was the message we wanted to explore most deeply in this album.

JIUNG: I wanted to capture the confidence of knowing I am the best, even during the time when we call on a strike. At the same time, I also wanted to portray a sense of absurdity, that bold and self-assured energy or emotion.

Multiple members contributed to the songwriting and composing. How do you balance creative input while maintaining a cohesive group sound?

INTAK: We’re always exploring new sounds and trying to write lyrics that reflect who we are. While we like to change things up, we also try to keep the overall composition coherent and bring out a vibe that feels uniquely us. Something fresh every time, but still recognizable as P1Harmony.

JONGSEOB: Personally, I think each member’s individual taste in genre really comes through in our music. At the same time, the reason we're able to maintain a cohesive sound is because of each member’s unique strengths and capabilities. While a song can be composed by one person, how that song is interpreted and delivered really depends on each vocalist. And I think our members do an incredible job of bringing those songs to life in their own way.

There’s a lot of genre play throughout the album—R&B, EDM, boom bap, even early 2010s dance-pop. How do you make these genre shifts feel natural?

KEEHO: Creating a cohesive K-pop album in terms of sound can be challenging, especially with a group where each member has moments to shine. But one way we try to make those shifts feel natural is through the context and substance of the songs. The stories we’re telling and the emotions we’re expressing in each track are what really tie everything together. 

JONGSEOB: Each member’s individual talent plays a big role, but for me, rap has a strong impact. The tone of our voices, the style of each rap verse, it all contributes to creating a sound that feels distinctly like a P1Harmony's track. That’s how everything naturally comes together.

This album has a lot of confidence and bravado. Is that a reflection of how you’re feeling at this stage of your career?

JIUNG: I think it's reflected to a certain extent. Everyone needs confidence and boldness in their work, so I believe that naturally came through in the album.

INTAK: We’re always in a confident mindset when we’re performing or making music, so I feel like this song really captures the confidence of P1Harmony right now.

You just wrapped your P1ustage H: UTOP1A world tour with an arena show in Poland. What was your biggest takeaway from this tour?

THEO: Touring is definitely tough, but once it’s over, I always end up thinking that going on tour is one of the most fun parts of what we do.

SOUL: When the stage is big, there are more things that I can do and think of the performance that I want to do next time. Also, it was really fun dancing in front of audiences.

How do your live performances shape the way you think about making music?

JIUNG: Performing live helps us to think about the kinds of stages we want to create next. It also gives us insight into what our fans enjoy, what kind of performances, songs, and choreography they connect with. That really influences how we prepare our next album.

JONGSEOB: Live performances are always inspiring, not just as performers, but even from an audience’s perspective. I think one of the best parts of this job is that everything you experience in life can become inspiration. And when you bring all those moments together, you end up with a new song.

Your fans, P1ece, have supported you for almost five years now. How do you stay connected to them through your work?

KEEHO: For us, it’s through performances. We started touring and performing early in our careers, and we’ve always felt that the stage is where we connect with our fans in the most genuine and heartfelt way.

JONGSEOB: Our albums are our biggest form of communication with fans, but I think we also express ourselves a lot through covers and songs we’ve written ourselves. Those are ways we share the sounds we personally want them to hear.

Your YouTube series ‘P1Harmony’s Eat-sleep-chill trip’ gives fans a closer look at your lives. What’s been the most fun or surprising part of filming that?

THEO: I think it was a good memory because it was our first time going on a trip together like that.

SOUL: I was surprised at myself for drinking beer, and I had fun cooking.

What does success look like for P1Harmony in the next 2-3 years?

KEEHO: I definitely hope to release another full-length album soon. And more than anything, I want to bring that music to the stage for a big audience to experience together with us.

THEO: I think as long as we’re all happy together, that in itself means success to me.

If each member had to describe ‘DUH!’ in one word, what would it be?

KEEHO: Cocky, but not in a negative way.

THEO: I keep thinking about the "rock-paper-scissors" part because of Jongseob’s part in the song. It really stuck with me.

JIUNG: I’d describe ‘DUH!’ exactly like the title. It’s the perfect expression. It captures P1Harmony’s world, our attitude toward the track, and the message we wanted to convey all in one word.

INTAK: The word tired comes to mind, but not physically. It’s more like that vibe of, "Why are you even asking?" That kind of nonchalant attitude.

SOUL: Confident. I think it needs confidence to fit the vibe of ‘DUH!’ 

JONGSEOB: For me, the word is arrogance. Personally, I believe that at least on stage, it’s okay to be more arrogant than anyone else. That’s why I think ‘DUH!’ is the perfect word to express the message and concept of this album.

What is coming up next for you, after the release of ‘DUH!’?

KEEHO: Like I mentioned earlier, I really hope we get to perform our songs on stage in front of our fans, no matter where in the world they are.

JIUNG: Nothing is officially planned yet, but if possible, I’d love to visit as many cities as we can to meet our fans and perform songs from the new album live on stage.