MONSTA X On ‘The Phase’, Releasing English Albums And 2027 Reunion Plans (EXCLUSIVE)

MONSTA X has been in the K-Pop business for a hot minute. Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney and I.M. have witnessed the evolution of K-Pop over the last decade. After debuting in May 2015, the six-piece has stood tall, releasing 10 studio albums, one reissue, one compilation album and 13 extended plays. This time, the team returns with their fourteenth mini-album and a music video for the lead single, “Magic,” on September 4.

With three full-length albums — “All About Luv” (2020), “The Dreaming” (2021) and “Unfold” (2026) — MONSTA X has also built a significant English-language catalog. The group joined Variety India for an exclusive conversation, sans youngest member I.M., who is currently completing his mandatory military service, to discuss the changing face of K-Pop, their approach to music and whether an India tour could be on the cards.

Related Stories

Kim Hye Jun, Kang Hoon and Cha Woo Min On K-Pop Fandoms And ‘My Bias, My Boss’’s BL Arc (EXCLUSIVE)

VERIVERY on the Pressures of the K-Pop Industry, Embracing a Lighter Sound With ‘Confetti’ and Staying True to Their Identity (EXCLUSIVE)

The music video for “Magic” crossed five million views in under a week. How important are milestones and numbers to you at this stage of your career?
Shownu: We know our fans have been waiting for us, so we filled the album with songs that we hoped would meet everyone’s expectations. We always want to achieve more, but the most important thing for us is that our fans enjoy our music.
Minhyuk: It’s been meaningful to see MONBEBE enjoying everything we’ve prepared, and we’re grateful for the positive response.

Joohoney, in I.M.’s absence, how does it feel to contribute largely to the songs’ rap portions?
Joohoney: I prepared a lot of the rap for this album. I think it would have been nice if I.M. had been a part of these songs as well because his rap would have added even more variety and depth to the album. I especially think “Type X” would have suited his style really well.

What message are you trying to share with this album?
Kihyun: Our group and music can’t be defined by just one image or emotion. “The Phase” captures the different sides of who we are. As we continue to change and grow, our music changes with us and we want to keep challenging ourselves to do something new while still maintaining MONSTA X’s identity.

With music marketing focusing a lot on short-form content, do you feel pressure to make more viral clips instead of focusing on the message and music?
Hyungwon: Short-form content has become a big part of music releases, but as a group, I don’t think we focus too much on trying to make something go viral. We focus on making good music and content that feels true to who we are. We want people to connect with the music itself, while using short-form content as another way to share our music and have fun with our fans.

MONSTA X is the only K-Pop group with three full-length English-language albums. Why was it important for you to build an English-language music catalog?
Joohoney: We’ve continued to release full-length English albums because we wanted to show a different side of MONSTA X compared to our Korean releases. Our English albums tend to focus more on easy-listening pop, while our Korean music is often more powerful and performance-focused. We enjoy showing these different styles because it reflects the musical diversity we have as a group.

In your 11th year as a group. Despite your solo careers, what motivates you to work together? What changes have you observed in the industry that surprise you most?
Shownu: MONSTA X means the most to us and that is what keeps us going. Our fans have continued to believe and support us so we work hard to repay them with good music and content. Over the years, we’ve seen so many younger groups bringing new sounds and creative ideas to the industry. It reminds us to keep learning and finding new ways to show what MONSTA X can do as well.

With a year left until the group reunites when I.M. returns, what are your plans for the team when that happens?
Kihyun: We’re looking forward to the day I.M. returns from his military service and all of us are together again. Once we’re back together, we want to come back with music and performances that capture MONSTA X’s energy and chemistry.

India hasn’t been on your tour list so far. What would it take to finally bring the group to the country?
Minhyuk: We would love to visit India and meet our fans in person one day. We hope we’ll get the opportunity. And when we do, we want to make it a memorable experience for everyone who has supported us.