“Ultimately, my dream as an idol is to become a billionaire,” one MCND member declared.”Ever since I was young, my dream was to become a singer more famous than Maroon 5,” added another.These bold ambitions were shared by the members of K-pop boy band MCND during an interview at The Korea Times headquarters, Monday, when asked about their future goals.Typically, when asked similar questions, K-pop idols tend to lean more toward standardized responses, like numerical targets for their upcoming album’s success or plans to win specific awards at year-end ceremonies.However, the five MCND members — Castle J, BIC, Minjae, Huijun and Win — provided refreshingly honest insights into their lives and careers, with their unfiltered responses standing in contrast to the typical crafted pop star statements.
“I prefer being honest,” said Castle J, the group’s eldest member and leader. “I think it’s better to show my true self and be loved for who I am. So, I strive to live without shame, whether as Castle J or in my personal life.”This sentiment of staying true to oneself even as an idol was echoed by other team members.”To be an idol, you typically have to separate your idol persona from your ‘real self.’ We did this a lot in our early debut days,” said Win, the team’s youngest member. “But as time passed, I felt that these crafted images seemed insincere. So now, I try to approach our fans more as my true self.”Member BIC chimed in, stating, “Honestly, the more people get to know us, they might wonder, ‘Are these guys really idols?’ When we’re offstage or just hanging out, we sometimes forget that we’re idols ourselves. We’re that much of a free-spirited and 메이저 energetic group.”