[TF Interview] Touched, confronting their true selves by embracing darkness

Released first full album 'The Great Darkness' on the 15th"The most focused aspect was the story of the inner self."Touched released their first full album, 'The Great Darkness,' on the 15th. The 12 songs each have their own stories but are connected as one. It's about how everyone has a night that feels like it will never end. /MPMG Music[THE FACT | Reporter Jung Byung-geun] The band TOUCHED, which used to dominate the stage with intense sound and explosive energy, has temporarily turned down the stage lights to look within themselves. There, they found loneliness, anxiety, loss, and solitude hidden behind the dazzling stage and fervent cheers. Instead of ignoring or hiding these emotions, Touched brought them out through music.Touched (Yoon Min, Kim Seung-bin, John B. Kim, Chae Do-hyun) released their first full album, 'The Great Darkness,' on the 15th. The album title, inspired by the phenomenon of night persisting without the sun rising above the horizon, likens emotions that do not easily fade over time to an endless night. The 12 songs each have their own stories but are connected as one. It's about how everyone has a night that feels like it will never end.The members cited "the lyrics of the 12 songs" as the element that best reveals the album's color. They explained, "While one might think the sound of each song is different, what we focused on was the inner story as the main point. Some songs are exciting and energetic, but I believe the essence of the lyrics is consistent."Touched, who debuted in 2021, expanded their recognition by winning Mnet's 'Great Seoul Invasion' in 2022 and vocalist Yoon Min's nine consecutive wins on 'King of Mask Singer.' Their intense sound and charismatic performances became their firm identity. However, Yoon Min, at the center of that energy, began to feel a disconnect between his emotions and his stage persona."Touched is recognized for its intense music and energetic performances. But as I experienced loneliness and hardship, I felt a sense of disillusionment performing with that image. I started questioning why I was making music. Talking with the members, I realized that everyone experiences loneliness, and we decided to talk about it."Yoon Min went through a period of not being able to withstand the emotional turmoil. Despite having schedules and things to accomplish, he faced darkness after coming off stage. The situation repeated where he would cry the night before and then go on stage the next day saying, "You're all happy, right? We're going to rock this stage today!" Nevertheless, the thought of having to sing the same story became an increasingly heavy burden."It wasn't like that from the beginning. Life has its ups and downs. The music we released before was definitely the story we wanted to tell then. But my life's graph was going down, and I felt like I was telling a different story while talking about the times when I was at the top. I felt dishonest, like I was lying. I wondered why I started making music."Touched built upon their existing intense band sound while deeply incorporating a generally dark and melancholic sentiment. The energy that was previously directed outward was turned inward. The photo shows the album art. /MPMG MusicIt was more than just a period of exhaustion or sadness. Expressing one's inner self through music and connecting with others for comfort and solace was one of the reasons they started making music. When they felt that essence was becoming blurred, they even questioned whether they could continue making music. They wanted to tell the stories they had held inside and needed to resolve these emotions.The members also embraced these concerns. They agreed not to negate the value of Touched's previous music and performances, but rather to incorporate their current feelings into their music. While there were concerns about the public's expectations of Touched and the reaction to their new story, the consensus to express their honest emotions was stronger.Chae Do-hyun recalled, "It's not that the music we've made so far lacked sincerity. However, we realized that the member standing at the forefront of the stage was suffering from this disconnect, and although we were loved for our energetic performances, we thought there would be problems if we didn't resolve these concerns. So, we discussed it together and contemplated the album's direction."Yoon Min realized that the loneliness and anxiety he thought were his own were actually emotions that everyone carries. The story, which started as a personal concern, expanded to the story of the four of them, and then to our story. While the public's expectations are important, they were confident that it was good to move in the direction of what they wanted to say now.The first full album was a suitable vessel for such stories. Touched had been preparing for a full album for a while but had postponed its release due to their busy schedules and desire for perfection. This time was different. They had a clear idea of what they wanted to say most and found a unifying concept. The members prioritized the production of the full album, even postponing other activities.There is also a clear musical change. While building on their existing intense band sound, they deeply incorporated a generally dark and melancholic sentiment. The energy that was previously directed outward was turned inward. They also minimized the help of external session musicians, focusing on the synergy created by the four members.Kim Seung-bin explained, "The music and sound we wanted to create changed slightly from time to time. This time, we wanted to tell stories that captured our inner selves. We focused on the sound created by the four of us rather than outward-projected energy. As we delved into inner stories, there were many dark emotions, and naturally, the lyrics and sound took on a gloomy and melancholic tone."The album's opening tracks, 'Tunnel' and 'Night of the Soul,' embody moments Yoon Min personally experienced. Emotions felt while passing through an endless tunnel and the sight of people gathered to find loud music for vitality, yet appearing dead, became the subjects of the music. They interpreted everyday scenes by reflecting them onto their inner selves to create new stories.'The Great Darkness' is densely packed with emotions that anyone might have experienced, rather than grand or special events. Touched aimed to deliver these stories not as a mere collection of songs, but as a single flow. /MPMG MusicThe double title tracks, 'Fallen Angel' and 'The Star,' showcase both Touched's existing identity and their new musical direction. While 'Fallen Angel' embodies Touched's familiar intensity, 'The Star' conveys a more delicate and lyrical emotion.'The Great Darkness' is densely packed with emotions that anyone might have experienced, rather than grand or special events. Touched aimed to deliver these stories not as a mere collection of songs, but as a single flow. The physical CD includes narration between songs, not available on digital versions, to connect the album's overall narrative.Most importantly, there has been a change in their attitude towards darkness. In the past, Yoon Min believed he had to escape feelings of sadness or loneliness. However, the more he tried to find an exit, the greater his fear became. Through that period, he realized that darkness doesn't necessarily have to be seen as something to be overcome."In the past, when such emotions arose, I thought I had to overcome them. But in life, everyone can experience burnout, and dark periods come. After the great darkness, there is the white night, but eventually, the great darkness returns. That's what life is like. I came to believe that accepting it is important."In that sense, the core of this album is not an escape from darkness. It's about living through that time without losing oneself, even in a night where the end is not in sight, and acknowledging that darkness is also a part of oneself. This is why Touched says, "This album, 'The Great Darkness,' is not about escaping from darkness, but about accepting it."The process of revealing stories from the depths of their hearts was another period of growth for Touched. This change does not mean that Touched's music will henceforth be exclusively dark. Rather, by adding inner emotions to their existing intense energy, their range of musical expression has broadened.Yoon Min said, "Both the previous stories and the current stories are ones we want to tell. However, we didn't want to lean too heavily on one side." Chae Do-hyun also emphasized, "It's important to say what Touched wants to say at that moment. As we live, our thoughts will change. We can share the feelings and thoughts we experience at each moment and create music together."No one shines brightly and consistently from beginning to end. Touched, who shone brighter than anyone on their intense stage, was no exception. Now, having acknowledged that fact and embraced their inner darkness, the music they present has deepened. And Yoon Min's perspective on darkness has also changed."In the past, I just hated darkness. But while preparing for this album, I realized that light and darkness have meaning because they coexist. We feel happiness more intensely because we know moments of unhappiness. Now, since darkness exists for the sake of light, I don't think there's a need to hate it. I've come to accept darkness itself."kafka@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]