VERIVERY, a boy group consisting of seven members, is signed under JELLYFISH ENTERTAINMENT. They made their debut on January 9th, 2019. The group comprises DongHeon, HoYoung, MinChan, GyeHyeon, YeonHo, YongSeung, and KangMin. Currently, six members are active as MinChan is on a temporary hiatus.

The name VERIVERY is derived from the Latin word "VERI," meaning "truth," and the English word "VERY," conveying the concepts of "very" and "really." This name reflects VERIVERY's earnestness and their aspiration to demonstrate sincerity. It also represents the group's initials: Various, Energetic, Real, Innovation, symbolizing their commitment to showcasing genuine innovation, diversity, and boundless energy.

VERIVERY has recently unveiled their latest EP titled "Liminality - EP.DREAM." Building on the momentum of their previous release, "Liminality - EP.LOVE," which not only achieved widespread acclaim but also secured them a first-place victory on MBC's "Show Champion" and numerous other accolades, the group's success has been steadily on the rise.

JELLYFISH ENTERTAINMENT

In their previous release, "Liminality - EP.LOVE," VERIVERY explored one of the "Elements of Happiness" - love. However, in their latest EP, "Liminality - EP.DREAM," each member embarks on a personal journey towards realizing their individual dreams. VERIVERY presents two distinct paths they will take to reach their DREAM.

The first path, 'PLAY,' emphasizes the joy and fulfillment found in the present moment. It showcases the members' exuberance and energy within a lively and dynamic setting. On the other hand, the second path, 'PLAN,' focuses on future aspirations, highlighting the group's sophisticated and seductive side. The music video captures these dual aspects, allowing fans to witness each member's unique characteristics, combining their carefree nature with unwavering dedication. While each member dreams within their own realm, they ultimately unite in pursuit of a shared objective - chasing their dreams. Together, they strive to achieve their common goal, demonstrating both individuality and camaraderie along the way.

Kpopmap had the pleasure of attending a roundtable interview with the group where we were able to see more different sides to each of the members. The dynamics were fun-filled and we can see the excitement behind their latest mini album.

Your title track is 'Crazy Like That.' Is there any dream that you want to keep running towards to?

I think the K-Pop industry that we are currently part of is exactly what we want to keep running towards to. We are currently putting our utmost effort in to share our music and communicate with K-Pop fans and music enthusiasts around the globe in order to achieve our dream in this K-Pop industry.
DongHeon

JELLYFISH ENTERTAINMENT

Can you tell us more about the song, 'Thank you, next?'

This was something that we have never tried before, so we are certain that our fans will like the song. We have always put on very big, grand performances, so I think performing this track would be something different.
GyeHyeon

What is the meaning of the parentheses in the title of the song, 'Smile with you ( )' and can you tell me who came up with the idea? What was the production process like?

This song was written for our fans who will be waiting for us in between our comebacks. The parentheses in the title represent blank, or the hiatus between our comebacks. We wanted to emphasize that.
DongHeon

Since the theme of this comeback is "dream," what is your most memorable dream? Are you a deep-sleeper or a light-sleeper?

I'm a very deep sleeper so I usually don't notice things that happen around me once I'm asleep. A dream that I remember is actually one I dreamt yesterday, where I participated in a jump challenge where I jumped from 50m, 100m high. I was successful in kept moving on to the next level.
GyeHyeon
I'm a very light sleeper so I tend to dream a lot. A dream I had recently was of a taxi ride. When I was trying to pay the fare, the driver kept returning the money. The dream was a good one, so I liked it.
DongHeon
I'm a deep sleeper, but I dream a lot. I dream about spending time with my friends from middle school.
KangMin

JELLYFISH ENTERTAINMENT

What did it feel like when you got your first win, and what are your goals for the future?

I first want to deliver a message to VERRER that the first win was possible all because of them. We are very grateful for that. Our goal is to make music that empowers many people around the world, and to have more people recognize and love VERIVERY.
YeonHo

You have released soundtracks in addition to your albums. How is the preparation different from preparing your albums?

The soundtracks require us to fit into the mood of the drama, rather than showing our unique colors. We really try hard to immerse ourselves emotionally into the world presented in the drama as we participate in the production process.
DongHeon
For our own albums, we think about how we can add our own interpretation of the music. But for soundtracks, we really need to understand the drama in general, and work with the director and staffs of the drama.
KangMin

Your new title, 'Crazy Like That' has a more vibrant sound. It is brighter than your debut in 2018. What inspired you to change your sound and vibe in your new title?

Though the new title song may sound like our debut song, I think they are quite different. We really focused on interpreting the song which is not too bright nor too dark into our performances. It is something we have never tried before, and we are confident that it is something unprecedented in the K-Pop industry. We are really affectionate towards this title track and we really hope that others catch that as well.
YongSeung
When we debuted, we put on cute performances asking the audience to remember and support us. The title track we released this time talks about dreams and encouraging people to work towards them, and I find this to be the difference between the two. We hope the listeners understand this as they listen to this song.
KangMin

JELLYFISH ENTERTAINMENT

Last year you had the opportunity to meet your fans in Chile and Mexico. What was your most memorable experience in Latin America?

We saw that the fans in Latin America are very passionate and put every ounce of their energy at the concert. It really encouraged us to do our best in our performances, and we really would like to visit Latin America once again.
HoYoung
There were some problems with the stage during the tour in Latin America, which was a bit of a bummer for us because we wanted to show our best performances. If we get another chance to go back, we hope that we can put on a better show for the fans in Latin America.
GyeHyeon
One episode to share is when we were eating out, we saw people performing on the streets and we really enjoyed the performance. We could really feel the energy and their love for music, so we really had a fun time there.
KangMin

JELLYFISH ENTERTAINMENT

How did you come up with your band's name, "VERIVERY?"

A contest was held at the company to choose a name for our group. There were several candidates, but the final decision was made by our CEO. We were actually quite surprised by the name at first, but the meaning behind it was good so now we really like it.
YeonHo
So it was our CEO that gave us our name. Done!
DongHeon

Who are your K-Pop idols, influencers and why?

I really respect TaeYang from BIGBANG. He is a great dancer and he has a very good stage presence which I learned a lot from.
YongSeung
Recently SEVENTEEN has made a comeback and their energy on stage is just immense. Though not as powerful, I hope VERIVERY can also send out such vibe and message to the audience one day.
DongHeon

Was there a memorable moment when preparing the comeback or the music video?

When we were filming the music video, there was a scene where all of us had to go high up onto a truck. We were all too scared so we had to hold hands. A staff handed us some tissue to wipe the dirt off our hands, but we were too scared to even grab it from such high place. The entire filming process was really enjoyable though.
HoYoung
There was a small accident as I was filming a scene from the music video, so I went to get a quick checkup at the hospital. The director and the staff were really worried, but I tried to act cool as if nothing has happened. Later I was complimented on how I coped with the situation. Just sharing a compliment I got.
KangMin
There is a scene where YongSeung takes off his shirt. To film that scene, he went on a really harsh diet and exercised twice a day. I was really impressed by his effort. I hope you notice that in the music video.
DongHeon
It was really hard!
YongSeung

JELLYFISH ENTERTAINMENT

There are two versions of this album. Can you talk about the differences, and whether you identify with being a planner or a player?

The PLAY version talks about enjoying the moment, and PLAN version talks about planning and preparing for the future. I personally think that I'm a player, as I'm spontaneous and I don't plan things ahead. I tend to improvise when the time comes.
YeonHo
I think I'm a planner.
KangMin
Liar.
DongHeon
I like to plan things ahead, so I guess I identify as a planner.
HoYoung
I think I'm a player. The album visually portrays the different paths that people take when they achieve their dreams. PLAN and PLAY versions are two main paths, so I think it would be fun for the fans to think about what versions they relate to more as they listen to the songs.
DongHeon
Planning is a play for me, so it's difficult to choose.
YongSeung
I tend to get random spurts of ideas, so I guess I'm a player.
GyeHyeon

What was the creative process like for each song, and what is the message that you would like to convey?

When I first heard that the name of the album was going to be "dream", I thought of the members and the fans. They are the closest beings there are to my dream, so I really wanted to share a message for my fans and the members in this album. In this process of working to achieve our dreams in the K-Pop industry, I can never leave out the members and the fans. So the songs are like my journal entries, like writing letters to my fans and the members. The songs are definitely pleasing to the ears, but please keep in mind that the songs are about our stories.
DongHeon

What was the preparation process like as you prepared for the album?

We put a lot of thoughts into music as we prepared for this comeback. There were some different opinions among us as well as the company when we were choosing the tracks of the album, but we managed to come to a consensus after discussing among us. We agreed that our title track is an easy-listening song, but it was more difficult to actually sing than we expected. So we had to consult each other on this to figure things out and the recording process actually took longer compared to other albums. All of us put in our best efforts.
YeonHo
We didn't get a lot of time to practice the choreography before we filmed the music video, so it really was challenging. But the final result showed that we actually were prepared for it, and we were really in sync.
KangMin

JELLYFISH ENTERTAINMENT

If you can give one piece of advice to past self, what would it be?

When we made our debut, I had to cut my hair short. Other people praised me of my look and encouraged me, but if I can give an advice to my past self, I would tell myself to be more assertive, and express my opinion that I don't want to cut my hair short.
GyeHyeon
I had a big appetite until I was nine years old, but since then, I would wake up late and not eat well. I think that's why I didn't get any taller. I would tell my younger self to go to sleep early and eat well.
KangMin
Mine's similar to GyeHyeon. I would tell myself to focus on the things that I really want. Until now, I was focused more on what the tutors, the company, and the members wanted to see from me. I don't think I have spent enough time on myself. I think it would have been better if I took that more into consideration.
YongSeung

Thank-you again to VERIVERY for giving us the opportunity to attend your roundtable. We wish you all the luck with your new EP and continue to stay happy and healthy!

You can check out VERIVERY's 7th mini-album "Liminality - EP.DREAM" below!

Make sure to pick up a copy of VERIVERY's new mini album, "Liminality - EP.DREAM"!