One of the most distinct K-pop acts on the scene, Dreamcatcher has been solidifying its status more than ever despite the pandemic era.

Having returned with its new moombahton-rock “Boca,” the seven-piece act appeared in a recent live broadcast with The Korea Herald held via Naver’s V Live. The hourlong session was also jointly hosted by Christian Burgos, a popular Mexican entertainer based in Seoul. Chinese member Handong, who’s been staying in China, couldn’t take part due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Contrary to the group’s propulsive rock-metal sounds -- a rarity for a girl group here -- and its dark, nightmare-themed narratives, the bandmates showcased a totally different image off the stage, churning out positive energy and laughter nonstop in the session. Living up to their huge international following, the broadcast racked up over 60,000 views and 9 million hearts from all over the world. 

The conversation kicked off by reminiscing about the group’s previous world tours, which the band has been pining for again these days. “We especially remember how our Latin fans were so passionate and energetic for us,” said the girl group in unison.

Burgos chimed in and talked about how popular the group was in his home country of Mexico. “I first came across your music from a Korean music video game ‘Pump It Up,’ and the dance game included your hit ‘Fly High,’” he recalled. With “Boca” from fifth EP “Dystopia: Lose Myself” also meaning “mouth” in Spanish, many fans from V Live recommended the group to sing the song in Spanish in the future.

Continuing the “Boca” theme, each of the bandmates went on to share the most impressive words they’ve heard in their entire life. The song sends a critical message to naysayers who attack others with words of hate or discouragement.

“For me, it was ‘Thank you for being my musician,’ which I heard from a fan,” said Jiu. “Fans always tell me this either in a letter or by word, and I get so touched every time I hear it.”

Yoohyeon said “I like you so much,” while Dami answered “genius idol.” Sua came up with the encouraging bemusement of “What can’t you do?” Gahyeon, Yoohyeon and Siyeon respectively answered: “I will always support you no matter what you do. Thank you for always improving yourself,” “I like you so much” and “Siyeon, father will always support you no matter what you do.” 

The fun-filled broadcast also saw the band playing a game called “Boca or Cuerpo,” where they were given questions related to Dreamcatcher’s keywords and expressed the answers either in words or body gestures. Throughout the game, the bandmates boasted in-sync teamwork and an upbeat energy, entertaining viewers with their most natural selves. The musicians showcased their various charms by singing to their favorite songs, like “Kiss Me” by Ed Sheeran, “Dance Monkey” by Tonese And I, “Juicy” by Rocket Punch, “Nonstop” by Oh My Girl, “Rain Drop” by IU and “Be By My Side” by Crush.

After originally debuting under the group name MINX in 2014, the group rebranded itself as Dreamcatcher and released the “Nightmare” EP with lead track “Chase Me.” Dreamcatcher’s original musical approach is still testing the water of the K-pop industry, taking some time to make a major splash. But the future bodes well for this notable group.

By Hong Dam-young (lotus@heraldcorp.com)