Hello and welcome back to HallyuTones – always focused on sound, stage, and substance.
Throughout the last few years, the Korean band scene has grown exponentially, with rock bands headlining big music festivals in Korea, and establishing a significant international following. Groups like DAY6, CNBLUE, XDINARY HEROES, and more recently, ChRocktikal (CRTK) are making waves on Korean charts.
Furthermore, Korean girl bands have continued to gain popularity, with acts like QWER and Rolling Quartz delivering consistently high-quality music, with both chart success and exposure through international festivals and events. Their success has also inspired other girl bands, for example SUNNYKEY, to practice hard to pursue their dreams.
LATENCY are a new girl band with a unique journey looking to bring a fresh and exciting sound to the Korean band scene. Setting them aside from many of their contemporaries, each of the 5 members have extensive previous experience in other sectors of the Korean music industry.
Jeewon, Haeun, and Semi are all former members of Cignature, Hyunjin is a member of both LOONA and Loossemble, and Heeyeon is a Youtuber under the name Fingerstylish.
With this knowledge, the band’s name holds special significance. For the members of LATENCY, their name was chosen to mean ‘Our dream was delayed, but eventually it will be heard’.
As each of the members start a new path together as a band, HallyuTones had the opportunity to ask them all a few questions about their experiences, their individual journeys, and their collective goals as a group.
Interview:
Q1. Could you please introduce yourselves to the HallyuTones readers?
Answer: Hello, we are LATENCY. LATENCY is a band formed by members who each walked different paths before coming together through music. We create band-oriented sounds centered around emotion and storytelling, hoping our music can quietly resonate with people’s past experiences and present feelings.
Q2. LATENCY recently made their debut with the track ‘It Was Love’. Could you tell us some more about the lyrics and style of this release?
Answer: “It Was Love” is a rock-based band track that expresses emotion with restraint rather than intensity. The song reflects on love after it has ended, capturing feelings of regret, warmth, and quiet reflection. We see it as the most honest representation of LATENCY’s beginning.
Q3. To Haeun: You recently said that you miss performing on stage. Is there a song that you really want to perform on stage with the members?
HAEUN: I really want to perform“It Was Love” on stage with the full band sound. Every time we rehearse it, I feel that the emotions grow stronger in a live setting, and I’m looking forward to sharing that energy directly with the audience.
Q4. To Hyunjin: You’ve been very busy for the last few months, founding your own company and now debuting as a member of a new band. After all of your hard work, how does it feel to debut in a new band?
HYUNJIN: The past few months passed by very quickly, but they were also incredibly intense. Those efforts shaped who we are now as LATENCY. Rather than pressure, I feel a strong sense of responsibility, and I hope we can become a band that grows steadily and lasts for a long time.
Q5. To Semi: You said that you wanted to join a band to create your own sound. Now that you’ve shared the sounds of your debut track, what do you want to try in the future?
SEMI: I see our debut sound as just the starting point. Moving forward, I’d like to try songs where the bass plays a more prominent role, or tracks with stronger grooves and rhythms. I want to help expand LATENCY’s sound.
Q6. To Jeewon: Many fans have supported you for a long time, ever since your first appearances on survival programs. What do you think has changed for you the most since the start of your musical journey?
JEEWON: The biggest change for me is my attitude toward music. I used to focus heavily on results, but now I value the process and the connection within the band much more. That shift is what made LATENCY possible.
Q7. To Heeyeon: What is something you learned or saw in your career as a guitarist that you would like to share with the members?
HEEYEON: As a guitarist, I’ve learned that emotion matters more than technique. Understanding what a song wants to express is more important than simply playing well, and that’s a mindset I want to continue sharing with the members.
Q8. Can you share some of your most memorable moments from the rehearsals and debut preparations?
Answer: The most memorable moment was the first time we played all our songs together in a full live setup. That was when it truly felt like we had become a real band.
Q9. LATENCY recently held a pre-debut showcase for fans. How did it feel to receive feedback from fans about the performance?
Answer We believe this question refers to our “Motchyeodo Rock” monthly evaluation stage. We felt incredibly grateful, and at the same time, a strong sense of responsibility. Knowing that people are supporting our beginning gave us a lot of strength, and it motivated us to work harder and deliver even better performances moving forward.
Q10. ‘Oddinary Records’ is also home to other artists such as ‘Noa Coast’. The ‘Noa Coast’ members provided feedback on LATENCY’s practice on their YouTube show. What is the advice that the members of LATENCY reflected on the most before their debut?
Answer: The advice that stayed with us the most was, “It’s okay if you’re not perfect, but you shouldn’t play without sincerity.” It reminded us that attitude and honesty matter more than technique, and we carried that mindset throughout our debut preparations.
Q11. What are the most challenging aspects of band rehearsals and live performances?
Answer: The most challenging part is aligning everyone’s emotions and timing at the same moment. Live performances change every time, so trusting each other and reacting instantly is difficult—but that’s also what makes live music so rewarding.
Q12. Re-debuting in LATENCY is a fresh and exciting challenge for the members. What advice do the members have for anyone who wants to try something new?
Answer: You don’t have to be perfect to start. Even if progress feels slow, continuing forward without stopping is far more important than rushing toward results.
Q13. What does music mean to the members of LATENCY?
Answer: Music is both a record and a conversation for us. It’s how we express emotions and moments that words alone can’t capture, and how we share those feelings with others.
Q14. YouTube behind-the-scenes clips provide unique insights into the band’s formation and rehearsals. In the eyes of the members, what makes LATENCY stand out from other bands?
Answer: LATENCY values the process more than the outcome. We take time to listen to each other’s stories and allow those emotions to naturally shape our music, which we believe sets us apart.
Q15. Korean rock bands are gaining popularity both within Korean and internationally. What bands would you recommend to someone who is discovering Korean rock for the first time?
Answer: Korean rock has a wide range of styles and emotions. We recommend exploring freely—from softer, emotional sounds to heavier band music—and enjoying the process of discovering what resonates personally.
Q16. What are the future goals of the LATENCY members?
Answer: Our short-term goal is to consistently deliver strong live performances. In the long term, we hope LATENCY becomes a band that people trust simply by hearing our name.
Q17. Finally, do the LATENCY members have a message for fans or any new listeners?
Answer: Thank you sincerely for taking interest in LATENCY’s beginning. We will continue to approach you slowly and honestly through our music, and your support alone gives us great strength.
Thank you to the LATENCY members and Oddinary Records for this opportunity. LATENCY truly offer something unique with both their journey and their sound, and we wish all of the members success with their future releases!
To support LATENCY, follow them at the links below:
LATENCY X: https://x.com/LATENCYOFFICIAL
LATENCY Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/latency_official/
Jeewon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/z._.warning/
Hyunjin Instragram: https://www.instagram.com/hyunjinab/
Semi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iam_932/
Haeun Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haeun.page/
Heeyeon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fingerstylish_/
Stream their debut single, ‘It Was Love‘ at the links below:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/nhDcqoetCy8?si=ctGQTFBeShc7TiCN
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/0unXYualX4sq5hwTXd6mFD
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/song/it-was-love/1865327571
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