FLARE U on Finding Their Identity and Why Two Is Better Than One

Five months into their career, K-POP duo FLARE U is already facing a new challenge. Chuei Li Yu and Kang Woojin have achieved their goal of debuting together, but now they are figuring out what kind of music they want to make and how they want to be remembered.

The duo is set to release its second mini-album, "LOVEHOOD," on Oct. 14, following its May debut with "YOUTH ERROR." While the first album told the story of two young people trying to find their way, the new release explores first love and the emotions that come with it.

In a recent interview with K-POPIT in Seoul, the members talked about their first comeback, what they have learned from working together and the direction they hope to take as a group.

"Our debut album was bright, refreshing and cute, but this one is a little more mature," Chuei said. "It has a wistful feeling that fits the season, and I'm excited to show people a different side of us."

The title track, "Bloom," is a warm, retro-inspired synth-pop song with an emotional vocal melody. Kang admitted it was not his first pick, but the more he listened to the album's six tracks, the more he found himself returning to it.

The recording process also gave the members a chance to work on things they felt were missing from their debut. Looking back at his earlier vocals, Kang felt he had been too focused on singing the notes rather than delivering the emotions behind them.

"It sounded like I was singing almost mechanically," he said. "This time, I paid more attention to the lyrics and tried to sing as if I were telling someone a story."

Chuei also approached the new songs differently, paying more attention to subtle emotions instead of the brighter, playful delivery of their debut. While "YOUTH ERROR" covered different aspects of growing up, "LOVEHOOD" stays closer to the feelings surrounding first love.

The past five months have also changed how the two work together. With two-member boy groups still relatively uncommon in K-POP, Kang admitted he had worried about whether they could fill a stage on their own.

"People told me that having only two members could make the stage look empty, and I worried about that too," he said. "But once we started performing, those concerns disappeared. Being a duo actually makes it easier for us to depend on each other."

Chuei said their dancers have helped make the performances feel complete, adding that they have grown so close that they feel like one team. The members have also learned to rely on each other away from the stage. Kang said Chuei helped him settle in when he first joined FNC Entertainment, while Chuei often turns to Kang when he has trouble putting his thoughts into Korean.

Their personalities have become more apparent since they started living together. Kang was surprised by Chuei's habit of lighting scented candles in their dorm, while Chuei recalled Kang's dedication to keeping the air humid enough for his voice. "When we shared a room during the survival show, he would turn the humidifier up so high that the floor was wet when we woke up," Chuei said, laughing.

Despite being the younger member, Kang said he often takes charge of cleaning and carrying things around the dorm. He joked that living away from home has made him sound increasingly like his mother. "I've started talking to him the way my mom talks to me," Kang said. "Sometimes I catch myself and think, 'Wow, I really am becoming like my mom.'"

Chuei had his own take on the situation. "Woojin nags me so much," he said. "Sometimes he even sounds like an old man."

Although they debuted together as FLARE U, the two came into the group with different experiences. Chuei recently marked 300 days since his solo debut, having gone through solo promotions, fan meetings and another debut alongside Kang.

"Just being able to debut was a miracle for me," he said. "So much has happened in those 300 days. It's been really fulfilling."

Working in a group has also changed how Chuei approaches decisions. As a solo artist, he could discuss his ideas directly with the company, but now he makes a point of talking things through with Kang and considering what works best for both of them.

For Kang, FLARE U was his first official debut. He has spent the past five months working on his singing and dancing, taking lessons whenever he can. He said he was especially pleased with his vocal recordings for the new album.

Kang also writes and composes music in his spare time and hopes to contribute his own songs to the group's releases someday. "We're the ones who are actually FLARE U," he said. "If we can put our own stories into the music, I think fans might listen and say, 'This really feels like FLARE U.'"

He has already started writing a song for fans, although there are no plans to release it just yet.

For Chuei, another priority is making sure FLARE U develops a recognizable image. He said he has been thinking about what people should associate with the group and how to build on what they have already shown.

"I want people to have a clear image in mind when they hear FLARE U," he said.

He hopes their music can offer comfort to listeners, whether they are going through a difficult time or simply need something to lift their spirits. Kang, meanwhile, has a more personal goal: to keep singing for the rest of his life.

"My dream is to sing until the day I die," he said, although he admitted that there are times when he feels exhausted or loses sight of why he started. "Sometimes I experience something like burnout," Kang said. "Then I watch old videos of myself singing or talk to artists and teachers I respect. It reminds me why I wanted to sing in the first place."

The duo also has some more immediate goals. Both want their first music show win, a place on the music charts and a rookie award. Kang said he would love to see one of their songs reach the top 10.

At the same time, Chuei is careful about moving too far from the sound and image FLARE U has established so far. With both albums built around youth, he believes the group is already becoming associated with that theme.

"I feel like people already associate FLARE U with youth," he said. "If we suddenly changed our concept completely, it could disrupt the image we've built."

Rather than making a drastic change, he wants to explore different sounds while keeping the group's refreshing, youthful feel. Both members mentioned jazz and city pop as genres they would like to try in the future.

Their fans have also given them plenty of reasons to keep going. Chuei said his fans often remind him not to worry too much and to simply be himself, while Kang recalled seeing fans waiting outside a music show venue in the summer heat. "That made me realize I should never take the love we receive for granted," Kang said.

With "LOVEHOOD" approaching, the members know they still have plenty to figure out. Chuei hopes the second album will give listeners a better sense of what FLARE U sounds like, even if the group is not ready to define itself just yet.

"I don't think we're at the point where we can confidently say, 'This is exactly who FLARE U is,'" he said. "But I hope people can start to recognize our own sound through this album."

For Kang, the biggest reward would be knowing that people continue listening after promotions are over.

"Even if we don't win first place or receive an award, I hope people will say, 'I want to listen to that song again,'" he said. "That's what would make me happy."