MEOVV.
Exclusive for The FADER via the artist.
The Opener is The FADER’s mini-interview series with exciting new artists we think you should know.
MEOVV were already a group the first time they met. The five members had been selected by Teddy Park to join THEBLACKLABEL’s first girl group, but SOOIN, ANNA, GAWON, ELLA, and NARIN (yes, all caps) were essentially strangers when they started training together. As you might imagine, these teen musicians (three were previously child models) are highly talented and poised, and quickly acclimated to working with each other at length and in close quarters, from rooming together in dorms to keeping each other’s energy up during 14-hour video shoots.
Whether performing or handling joint interviews, the young professionals’ chemistry and coordination felt unforced, and their acronymic 2025 debut EP MY EYES OPEN VVIDE was accordingly polished, glossy, and produced. But the music often felt nonspecific, less rooted in the members’ eclectic tastes than their parent label’s previous hits. That was understandable given the group’s (lack of) history, but tracks like “TOXIC” and “LIT RIGHT NOW” suggested they might branch out beyond cookie-cutter safe K-pop, if given the room to develop.
BITE NOW feels like a big jump for MEOVV, who play around with trance pop, Jersey club, and contemporary R&B on their sophomore EP. Your mileage with the first couple tracks might vary — have you ever wondered what would happen if 41 joined the Hotel Transylvania soundtrack? — but I’m especially partial to the carefree strobe of “In My Hands” and the downtempo “Revenge,” where the quintet’s vocals dreamily ebb and flow in sync. On BITE NOW, MEOVV aren’t just pitch-perfect, but pleasantly distinct, and evidently stepping into their own.
The FADER caught up with MEOVV over email to chat about their hometowns, good and bad advice, and their most misunderstood lyrics.
What’s the coolest thing to do in your hometown?
ELLA: The coolest thing to do in my hometown is to go to fun new workout classes!
ANNA: A solo foodie tour.
GAWON: Six Flags! I always looked forward to going and would have the best time there. It never got old, no matter how many times I went.
What was the first album you ever bought?
NARIN: Jatanpung’s 1st album A bicycle Ride, I loved their warm and comforting music when I was young.
SOOIN: The first album I ever bought was by Apink!! My older sister and I were both “Pink Pandas” (Apink fans), so we used to play Apink songs every day and perform them in front of our mom and dad. Because of that, I would always save up my allowance and buy their albums.
GAWON: The first time I bought an album was actually the first time I went to a record store, and I ended up buying three vinyl records — Back to Black by Amy Winehouse, ? by XXXTENTACION, and Untitled Unmastered by Kendrick Lamar.
Back to Black is simply a classic, so I figured it would be a good place to start my collection. I listened to XXXTENTACION a lot when I was in school, and seeing that album on vinyl felt really nostalgic. I’m a sucker for nostalgia, and it’s an album I still enjoy listening to today. I chose the Kendrick album because I had been listening to the third track a lot ("Untitled 03 | 05.28.2013") at the time, and I couldn’t resist picking it up when I found it in the store.
What was the last movie you watched?
ELLA: I recently watched Paris, Texas. I recommend this movie to people who like chill relaxing movies.
NARIN: The Florida Project, it was beautiful!
SOOIN: I really don't watch movies much...But I went to the premiere of Salmokji: Whispering Water and it was so much fun!!
When you’re not making music, how do you spend your free time?
ELLA: When I’m not making music you’ll either find me at home or in the gym…
ANNA: I sleep as much as possible!!!
SOOIN: I order something delicious to eat, go for a walk because I love walking, and then go to bed!!!
What’s a motto you think everyone should live by?
ELLA: You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take!!
NARIN: YOLO
GAWON: Carpe diem
MEOVV.
via the artist.
Explain a lyric of yours that people misunderstand.
ELLA: ‘In my Hands’ a lot of people think that the chorus like is “난 네 number one fan”, which means “I’m your number one fan” but the lyric is actually “난 내 number one fan”, which means “I’m my own number one fan”.
NARIN: “chic한 건 모태”. Sometimes people get confused because “모태 (born)” sounds similar to “못해” which means “can’t” in Korean, so they think I’m saying, “I can’t be chic”. But it actually means, “I was born chic” — I have been chic since birth.
GAWON: ‘Favorite song’ starts off with ANNA, and she finishes her part singing, “왜 예쁜 날 탓해, it’s on you.” I’ve seen translations of this as “Why blame me for being pretty,” but that’s not exactly the intended meaning. It’s hard to fully capture the nuance of the phrase in English, but
it’s less about being blamed for being pretty and more along the lines of, “Why blame a pretty girl like me? It’s on you.” That feels much closer to the tone and attitude of the original lyric.
What’s the best thing you’ve bought for $100 or less?
ELLA: Lip balm.
ANNA: It's a new fluffy pillow!! I bought it because I wanted to get more sleep.
SOOIN: A Hello Kitty mask. I wear it at the airport or just in everyday life as a cute little accessory. Hehe!
What’s a song you’d want to remix and why?
NARIN: The alarm sound on your phone, I feel like it would be really fun to remix since it’s already got millions of daily listeners.
SOOIN: I think a remix of 1TYM's 'HOT' and MEOVV's 'BURNING UP' would be really fun! Haha!
GAWON: I think an acoustic version of ‘DROP TOP’ would be really cool. It’s such an uplifting, feel-good song, and I think a more minimal arrangement would bring out the emotions in a different way.
Show us the last meme you saved to your phone.
ELLA: The most recent meme in my phone is this…
ANNA: It's a video of PAWM PAWM (MEOVV Fans) dancing to the outro of 'Hit Em.' That choreography is pretty much a meme at this point.
Best advice you’ve gotten.
ELLA: Best advice I’ve ever gotten was from my mom and she said don’t make decisions when you’re mad.
NARIN: Sleep on it
Worst advice you’ve gotten
ANNA: You know how people say, 'Sleeping is a waste of time'? I can never relate to that because sleep is the most important thing to me.
GAWON: “Just be yourself.” I understand the sentiment behind it, but it’s vague. Especially when someone tells you that while you’re still figuring out who you are, it can end up feeling more confusing than helpful and even add to the identity crisis.
Best concert you’ve ever attended?
NARIN: The Oasis concert!! I almost cried when I heard "Don’t Look Back in Anger."
SOOIN: Doja Cat's concert in Korea was an unforgettable experience. I learned a lot, had so much fun, and completely lost track of time!!
GAWON: I went to see Doja Cat perform in Seoul with SOOIN and ANNA, and it was one of the most memorable concerts I’ve ever attended. What impressed me most was how captivating she was as a performer. The production was actually quite minimal—mostly LED screens and a two-level stage—but she didn’t need much else. Every movement, expression, and lyric felt intentional. She had a way of making every moment engaging, and it was a great reminder that stage presence can be just as powerful as elaborate production.
Describe your perfect afternoon.
ELLA: My perfect afternoon is in bed taking a nap after an early and busy morning.
ANNA: It's an afternoon where I wake up late, enjoy some good food, and just relax without a single thought in my head while listening to BITE NOW.
SOOIN: My perfect afternoon is waking up without an alarm, ordering my favorite food, going for a walk while picking up dessert, enjoying it at a café, taking another walk to digest, relaxing with a bath, and then heading to bed. Haha!
What’s something you’re looking forward to?
ANNA: Performing a concert in an arena filled with PAWMPAWMs.
SOOIN: Anna and I just ordered food, and we're waiting for it right now, so I'm really excited!
GAWON: I’m looking forward to KCON LA. Last year’s KCON LA was the first time I’d been back to the U.S. since moving to Korea in 2013, and it felt both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. We had an amazing time, and I’m excited to go back this year— especially because it’s one of the rare opportunities we get to see so many of our U.S. fans in person.
What’s the last thing you wrote in your notes app?
NARIN: “Banana”
ANNA: It's my shopping list of things I need. I always check this when I shop.
ELLA: The last thing I wrote in my notes was this interview lol
MEOVV.
via the artist.
