From marieclairekorea

TREASURE

SHINING BRIGHT IN ALL COLORS

CHOI HYUN SUK

Our 5th Anniversary
The fact that it’s already our 5th anniversary feels quite heavy. Honestly, I don’t want to grow up too fast, but as the oldest member of the team, I also feel a responsibility to show a more mature side this year. For the first time, we’ll be going to the U.S. to meet our fans. Every time I realize that our reach is expanding thanks to our fans, I feel deeply grateful. There’s a saying in soccer too: without spectators, it’s just kicking a ball. I believe that the only reason TREASURE can dream on bigger stages is because of our fans.

First Encounter with Music
From the start, my dream was music—but not hip-hop at first. My mom, who sang classical music and played the cello, introduced me to classical music. But discovering hip-hop completely changed my perception of music. I suddenly became the "odd one out" in the family. (laughs) The idea of using one’s honest life story as musical material was such a fresh shock to me. Naturally, I wanted to tell my own story through music too. Even now, I feel music is the best way to fully express who I am. That’s why my hunger for music never runs dry.

Source of Inspiration
Recently, I’ve started reading poetry. I like how each poet expresses love in such different ways. While working on our latest album, I also found a lot of inspiration from poems. One line that struck me was: “For the sword outwears its sheath, And the soul wears out the breast,.” (Byron, So We'll Go No More a Roving). I jot down phrases that touch my heart and look at them again when writing lyrics.

Cindy Sherman
I really admire photographer Cindy Sherman. She photographs herself, but every time her image completely transforms—sometimes she looks like an 8-year-old child, other times an 80-year-old grandmother, or a young man in his 20s. She keeps questioning the concept of identity. I want to make music like that—constantly changing colors like a chameleon.

What I Want to Protect
Skill and consistency. Thankfully, we often receive feedback that TREASURE is strong on stage. I don’t want to let down the fans who believe in our abilities, even as time passes. That means we have to keep honing the things only we can do.

TREASURE in One Word
These days, we’re in the mindset of “we can do anything.” So we’re like King Kong. A fully fired-up King Kong—unstoppable. (laughs) Or maybe we’re like Shin-chan (Crayon Shin-chan). You can’t stop him either. So right now, TREASURE is a mix of King Kong and Shin-chan. (laughs)

JIHOON

Ahead of the Tour
Starting at the end of March in Seoul, we’ll be continuing our global fan concert tour. People might think that all shows are the same, but the way fans express themselves and the overall energy in the crowd varies completely from country to country. That’s why even with the same setlist over a six-month tour, every performance feels new. This year, TREASURE will be touring the U.S. for the first time, and we’re really excited to see how we’ll be received and loved there.

Favorite Moment on Stage
Definitely the opening. When the crowd’s cheers swell, the stage opens, and the cue comes through the in-ear monitors—then the song starts and the stage effects explode—it hits me: “It’s starting…” (laughs). From that moment on, all distracting thoughts disappear. Of course, touring across many countries can get exhausting. Sometimes I think, “Today’s tough, can I do well?” But the moment the show starts, energy rushes in. There are so many people right in front of me—I can’t hesitate.

A Fearless Attitude
I tend to fight with boldness. I don’t feel a lot of fear when facing new challenges. People don’t use the word “challenge” in negative situations—it’s a word full of hope and vision. That’s why I think there’s no need to be afraid when trying something new.

MaBuJakChim (磨斧作針)
I didn’t have this mindset from the beginning. When I first joined YG as a trainee, I had many shortcomings. I spent a lot of time lacking confidence, but when I got the chance to appear on the survival program YG Treasure Box, I made a firm decision to change. I told myself, “The old me is gone,” and gritted my teeth. I even stuck the phrase “MaBuJakChim” (“Grind an axe to make a needle”) on my cabinet (laughs). I read books and practiced mind control, vowing to approach everything with confidence. But to be confident, I realized I had to be good at what I do. I needed a weapon of my own. After going through YG Treasure Box, debuting as TREASURE, and staying true to my original intentions, I think I naturally became who I am now.

TREASURE’s Dream
I have one clear dream—one I couldn’t retire without achieving. I want every person who watches us perform to walk away thinking, “TREASURE really shines on stage.” Not just fans—everyone, regardless of age or gender. There are many ways to become famous, but I’ve always wanted to stay faithful to the essence of music: singing well, dancing well, and putting on an impressive performance. My belief is to focus on these fundamentals. If I don’t reach that dream… I feel like I’d burn with frustration for the rest of my life (laughs). So I’m running harder toward it.

YOSHI

Title Track ‘YELLOW’
Balancing what's popular and my own unique color in music is something I think I’ll be grappling with for the rest of my life. I participated in writing the lyrics for our title track this time, and I worked on it with deep thought from the listener’s perspective. I wanted to create a song that anyone could easily sing along to, so I studied words and rhythms that would stick in your head after just one listen. My previous lyrics tended to focus on technical aspects, which gave them a bit of an edgy feel, but this time I tried to smooth those edges and make it rounder.

Music Without a Right Answer
What draws me to music is that there’s no right answer. The same song can be a life-changing anthem for one person and just another track to someone else. But concerts bring together all these different people, united by a shared love for music. The first time I felt the power of that moment was at a BIGBANG concert I attended in elementary school. People of all ages, genders, and tastes came out on a weekday evening to enjoy the show together—and it moved me deeply. Because I’ve experienced that emotion from the audience side, I think I’m able to see myself from their perspective when I’m on stage too. I’m always thinking, “Since the audience gives me so much energy, what can I give back to them in return?”

TREASURE in One Word
I feel a little shy to say “family.” (laughs) And calling us “older and younger brothers” doesn’t quite capture it either. We’re more like souls and hearts connected. What do you call that kind of relationship? Ah—“soulmates.” That’s the most accurate word. I crossed the sea from Japan to come to Korea, and all the members came from different places chasing the same dream. The fact that we all met at all—it feels like a miracle.

TREASURE’s Youth
When I think of youth, I picture springtime with fresh green sprouts growing—that image reminds me of us. It feels like the 10 of us are carefully nurturing a small seed together so it can bloom into a flower. In that sense, every moment with the members is part of our youth. Even the silly moments in between our schedules, like writing acrostic poems together today.

What I Always Want to Protect
No matter how much time passes, the one thing I never want to change is our love for our fans. It just popped into my head, but honestly, all the TREASURE members care way more about “Teumes” (TREASURE fanclub name) than fans probably realize. We say “thank you” a lot, but that alone can’t fully express how we feel. I know our fans won’t forget, but I just wanted to say it again.

JUNKYU

Showing a new side
This time, we’re planning to show a different side of ourselves. We want to approach you more comfortably and naturally. While the glamorous image of TREASURE is great, we want to highlight our unique charm and natural selves.

The color of TREASURE
It’s our chemistry—10 members together. It’s not just one fixed color, but when the 10 of us are together, that’s when the true color of TREASURE shows. That’s why every moment together is so precious. Sometimes just seeing each other’s faces makes us laugh. We joke around, but we also comfort each other in hard times. I hope this strong bond lasts for a long time.

Becoming better people
We want to be artists who have a positive impact. That means not just shining on stage, but becoming better people offstage too. As we continue trying, we gain more positive energy, and I believe that energy will spread.

Reaching happiness
There are many moments where I feel happy just to be alive. Just being able to move forward in the direction I want makes me thankful—and that gratitude becomes my strength. Of course, there are times when that feeling fades. When that happens, I try to recognize that I’m feeling overwhelmed and step back to look at things from a distance. If I can’t get time alone… even just sleeping is the best solution. (laughs)

TREASURE’s youth
Even yesterday during practice, I suddenly thought: dancing together, sweating, laughing, and sometimes getting frustrated when things don’t go as planned—all of this is part of it. Even when we’re doing well, there are always challenges. Meeting, spending time, clashing at times—every moment we spend together is our youth, isn’t it?

YOON JAEHYUK

In 2025
I’m excited that we’ll be releasing an album in March and meeting fans from different countries through performances. This activity has been in the works for a long time, so my mindset is different this time. This year, I want to present music that’s even more sincere. I want to show not only TREASURE’s Jaehyuk, but also the person Jaehyuk.

Current Obsession
The yellow heart emoji. Our special mini album’s title track is called “YELLOW.” Even before the news was officially out, I was secretly using that emoji a lot. (laughs)

A Kid Full of Dreams
I had many dreams growing up—changing them almost every month. (laughs) I wanted to be someone brave who could help others, like a police officer or firefighter. I also wanted to do something where I could express my own thoughts—like a businessperson? (laughs)

TREASURE’s Youth
I feel we’re living through our youth when all 10 members share the same emotions at once. Whether we’re happy or going through something tough, we experience it all together. When I think, “This hurts a bit,” I know the member next to me probably feels the same way.

Gratitude as Motivation
I always want to show a perfect version of myself. But there are times when things don’t go as planned, and I can’t live up to expectations for various reasons. That leaves me with a sense of regret. Our fans give us so much love… At times like that, I feel a mix of emotions. I’m thankful they wait for us, and sometimes I feel a tender ache. At the same time, these feelings become the driving force that keeps me going.

What Won’t Change
I don’t think love is something that can be clearly defined or explained. You can’t strictly say what is or isn’t love. Even as time passes and many things change, if there’s one thing that will stay the same… I think it’s my genuine love for our fans. (laughs)

ASAHI

Title track ‘YELLOW’
I composed the title track of the mini album, ‘YELLOW.’ It’s a song I worked on while thinking about “letting go” in a positive sense. I wondered what it would be like if TREASURE had a song like this. Until now, we’ve shown intense performances filled with youthful energy, but this time, I thought we could show a more mature and relaxed side.

When composing
First of all, I feel happiest when the song is finally completed. (laughs) I think, “I finally did it.” There’s a moment when, after many different attempts to solve a part I was struggling with, everything falls into place just the way I wanted—and I feel a great sense of achievement then. I also enjoy imagining the moment when we’ll sing that song together on stage.

‘Let’s have fun’
On stage, I’m pretty active and energetic. So I think “playing joyfully” is part of TREASURE’s identity. Also, if we’re having fun on stage, I think the audience will enjoy it too. Even though you can’t see emotions with your eyes, I believe they’re always communicated in some way.

TREASURE’s youth
There are times when I feel this. We’re all gathered together, and I’m clearly among them, but I see TREASURE from above, like a camera looking down. For example, there was a moment during a music video shoot when we were all running around together, and I felt it then too. “The ten of us are moving toward one goal.” In moments like that, I think, “This is youth, it’s romantic.” (laughs)

Asahi’s view on romance
Even just drinking warm coffee under the sunlight is romantic, isn’t it? Hmm… I think if you believe it is, then it becomes romantic in itself. Just having certain thoughts or mindsets can give you strength. “Me, doing this magazine interview right now… kinda romantic, right?” (laughs) You could see it that way. Instead of thinking of it as work, you could imagine it as a scene from a movie. In the end, it’s all about how you choose to see each moment.

Looking back on TREASURE in the distant future
I think I’ll feel, “There was never a time as brilliant as that.” (laughs) Wouldn’t I think that? After time has passed, I’ll be older, my thoughts will have changed, and I’ll have become more mature than I am now. Hmm… Our first album, our first concert… memories with TREASURE will flash by one after another. And I’ll probably think that every moment with TREASURE was the brightest time of my life.

DOYOUNG

The Scene I Look Forward To
With our world tour ahead, what I’m most excited about is the fans’ reaction to our new song “YELLOW.” It’s rhythmic and has a sentimental charm, so I think Teumes will especially love it. I’ve been practicing like crazy—so much that I’m getting leg cramps—because I want to deliver a performance that meets their expectations. (laughs)

“Delicious” Dancing
I try to dance as deliciously as possible. (laughs) It’s an expression I often use—it means dancing with flair, not just going through the motions. It may look simple and easy, but if you look closely, I want every little detail to come alive. I’ve been paying extra attention to that while preparing for this comeback.

What I Can’t Give Up
When it comes to music, I get obsessive. Whether it’s dance or vocals, if I feel anything is lacking, I keep practicing until I’m satisfied. I can let go of a lot of things surprisingly easily—but not when it comes to music. There, I stubbornly chase perfection. I just don’t want to have regrets.

Our Unique Strength
I think our biggest strength is that we’re constantly trying new things. We cover a wide variety of genres—like showing intensity and dynamic energy with krumping in “KING KONG,” then switching to a bright and refreshing vibe in “LAST NIGHT.” We’re always thinking about how we can show a new side of ourselves through different genres and performances.

What Hasn’t Changed
Our original mindset. A lot has changed since debut, and more will probably change in the future, but I believe it’s important to hold on to the same heart we had at the beginning. Like when we first debuted. Of course, it’s not easy. But we’ve still got a long way to go. (laughs) If we want to reach our goals, we all have to row the boat with everything we’ve got. That’s why we often remind each other to work even harder than before.

TREASURE’s Youth
I think every little moment with the members is a piece of youth. Every time we cut down on sleep for a packed schedule, or when we push ourselves through intense practice, I think, “If not now, when?” I believe staying present in each moment is what will let us look back and remember this time beautifully. When I look back someday, probably half of my life will have been spent with TREASURE, right? Ah, what a thrill. (laughs)

TREASURE Right Now
“ING” — still in progress. All ten of us are continuing forward, carrying our dreams and ambitions.

HARUTO

Sincerity in Music
As a rapper in the group, I also write lyrics. When we work as a team, I often get inspiration from the other members who write lyrics and compose. I write new lines based on stories we've shared or lyrics others have drafted beforehand. When I work solo, I try to pour my entire self into the music. If I’m happy, I write bright love songs. If I’m feeling down, I make something a little sad. I believe music should always hold genuine emotion.

A Presence Bigger Than the Stage
My whole family loved BIGBANG, so I often went to their concerts as a kid—especially whenever they performed in my hometown, Fukuoka. Seeing them on those massive stages, they felt even larger than the stage itself. It was an incredible experience—I felt like they were glowing from within. I wondered, “Could I ever become someone like that?” Then I happened to see an audition poster at one of those concerts, and somehow, thankfully, I’ve made it here.

TREASURE’s Youth
Rather than a single defining moment, I feel like every moment with TREASURE is youth itself. Even today, just watching us all gathered together at the shoot, I thought, “We’re shining.” But if I had to pick the most youth-like moment, it would be during encore stages at concerts. We each play freely on stage, and then gather at the end to bow. It feels like all our individual personalities and stories come together in that moment. At the 2024 MAMA stage, we were laughing, running around, and ended by lying down on stage. In moments like that, I feel like we’re showing our emotions completely, without hiding anything.

Family and Friends
I started trainee life right after graduating elementary school, so TREASURE really feels like family to me. It’s hard to even put into words how much this bond means. No matter how much time passes or how the outside world changes, I hope the ten of us can stay close and keep moving forward together—that our friendship never fades.

PARK JEONGWOO

First Encounter with Music
When I was little, I was even more playful and energetic than I am now. (laughs) I loved singing so much that I was really active in the school choir during elementary school. How great would it be if I could still run around freely on stage like I did back then? (laughs) Even now, I still get nervous before going on stage. But once I push through and step onto it, there’s a thrilling feeling that overpowers the nerves. And I always feel reassured knowing the members are by my side. Sharing the stage with people who have the same dream feels like a huge blessing.

TREASURE Now
When I think of TREASURE, the image of someone who just turned 20 comes to mind. Not quite a kid anymore, but not fully an adult either—somewhere in between. I think showing that gradual growth is one of our unique charms.

A Proud Existence
Long after time has passed, I hope that the days fans spent liking TREASURE will remain a proud and meaningful memory. That’s my definition of success. 'Teumes' are the people who give us the chance to sing and dance—they’re precious to us.

What Youth Means to Me
Honestly, I don’t think I live each moment truly feeling like it’s my youth. Instead, I have this vague hope that my brightest days are still ahead of me. So to me, youth feels like something that hasn’t fully arrived yet. But sometimes, when I’m with the members, I suddenly wonder, “Is this what youth is?” Like when we’re goofing around one moment, and then the next, we’re all huddled together talking seriously about where we want to go and what goals we want to achieve. It’s in those moments that I really feel like we’re living inside our youth.

SO JUNGHWAN

Sincerely enjoying it
This album, I think, best captures the image of youth among all the songs we’ve released so far. It’s bright, energetic, and honest—just like us. I’m really looking forward to this comeback because I believe our fans will love it too. It’s not so much a certainty about the outcome, but a certainty about the process. We’re genuinely enjoying ourselves as we prepare. Even just practicing together in the studio—without being on stage—is so much fun. That’s how addictive these songs are.

New challenges
The more I do music, the more I want to improve. I want to deepen my understanding of different genres and continue challenging myself with composing. I’m even planning to start learning piano or guitar soon. Lately, I’ve been regretting not taking instrument lessons more seriously when my parents encouraged me as a kid (laughs). Back then, I was dreaming of being a taekwondo athlete and too busy training. I’ve always been the type to focus on one thing with persistence. Now that I’ve decided on music, I’m doing what’s needed to enjoy it even more. These days, I’ve been trying to make beats by watching tutorial videos—but I keep failing. It ends up sounding like something weird, not a beat (laughs).

In the face of failure
Everyone has a different standard for failure. I tend to set my goals high and be strict with myself, so I often experience failure. But each time, I feel my inner strength growing, so I don’t plan to lower my expectations. I don’t want to be easily satisfied.

Our essence
We don’t have any grand ambitions or obsession with success. But we are firm about staying true to our essence. Of course, there’s a lot we want to achieve. But when you become fixated on achieving something, it tends to go wrong. I believe that if the 10 of us in TREASURE keep making music that we all enjoy, at our own pace, the results will naturally follow. The time we’ve spent practicing and challenging ourselves gets stored within us. In the end, I think people can truly feel that energy if we genuinely enjoy and feel satisfied with the process. In that sense, sincerity might just be our essence and our strength—not something we force, but something we show as we are.