BtoB subunit BtoB 4U hope online concert this weekend will give K-pop fans positivity and comfort

 

 K-pop boy band BtoB have gone through many changes since arriving in 2012, dabbling with everything from hyperactive, playful dance pop to intense hip-hop before making their name as emotive balladeers.

The end of 2020 witnessed another change. With the group finding it difficult to perform as a whole as members rotate in and out of South Korea’s mandatory draft, four members formed a new unit within the larger group called BtoB 4U, with the aim of cheering up fans after a dark year.

With the release of their Inside EP last November, the quartet of Lee Chang-sub, Lee Min-hyuk, Peniel Shin and Seo Eunk-wang incorporated a wide range of sounds to create an upbeat, uplifting album. The four, who each typically go by their given names, have all completed their military service apart from Peniel, who as an American citizen does not need to serve.

Peniel said last year “was a hard year for everyone, so we wanted to spread some positivity”.

Minhyuk said: “I’m a couch potato, so I don’t mind staying home for weeks, but I heard a lot of people are suffering from [the] corona blues. I hope we get our healthy lives back soon.”

The lead song Show Your Love plays around with uptempo moombahton and features the lyrics: “Don’t be afraid / Even this unbelievable night / Everything will fade away like a dream.” Other tracks on the album incorporate everything from contemporary R&B, funk, groove and even punk rock, all while playing around with the new grouping from among the larger BtoB family.

According to Changsub, the experience of trying to create a BtoB project with fewer members is always a challenge. He previously released singles alongside Eunkwang and fellow BtoB members Hyunsik and Sungjae under a subunit known as BtoB Blue. “But I still like BtoB as a whole better,” he said, while Minhyuk added that he hoped one day he and fellow rapper Peniel could team up with one of the group’s vocalists for another BtoB unit.

 

BtoB 4U are holding an online concert this Saturday (Jan 23) – their first in some time. “I feel excited and nervous since it’s been a while since we had a concert,” Changsub said. “It would have been better if all of our members were here. I hope that day will come soon.”

Peniel expressed a similar sentiment, saying he was “excited, but bummed at the same time. I’m always excited to perform but bummed because we can’t see our fans live.”

The concert arrives after a tense period for the act: the final day of 2020 witnessed former BtoB rapper-songwriter Jung Ilhoon departing the group amid an investigation into allegations of marijuana use, which is illegal in South Korea.

But as always, BtoB aim to comfort their fans. Although none of the members addressed Jung’s departure while talking with the Post , Eunkwang emphasised that BtoB 4U’s aim was to keep making music while waiting for the other BtoB members Hyunsik and Sungjae to return from the military. The pair are set to finish their service in the latter half of the year.

Like the album itself, the Inside concert will give BtoB 4U a chance to showcase new sides to a quartet that has grown into a very reliable act, with consistently new yet familiar sounds.

“In online concerts, we can always try something new and different,” Eunkwang said. “It’s disappointing that we are not able to meet [our fandom] Melody in person, but still I am grateful that we can meet Melody all over the world through a virtual concert.”

Though the year is just starting, the group are already looking towards the future when BtoB is able to return as a whole. Their ultimate goal for 2021? “At least one more album and hopefully live performances,” Peniel said.