DAVIDE K-POP

8TURN is back with their new digital single ‘BRUISE’, and we sat down for an exclusive interview to discuss the inspiration behind this powerful new release. It is a pleasure to welcome the group back to Davide K-pop for our second official interview. Since we first connected during the high-energy promotions for ‘Leggo’, and following my experience reviewing their incredible London show last summer, it has been a joy to watch their journey. These eight guys consistently prove they are exceptionally talented performers, and their latest work marks a significant milestone.

Stepping into 2026, ‘BRUISE’ introduces a more refined, mature side of 8TURN. Moving away from their earlier sound, this track leans into a gritty hybrid-rock aesthetic, fuelled by intense guitar riffs and a vocal performance that captures both desperation and strength. The song serves as a prologue to a new narrative, exploring the “bruises” left by a consuming love and the courage required to “leap back into the fire” of youth.

In our conversation below, the members open up about the creative process, the emotional weight of their new music, and how they have grown since we last spoke.

We also played a round of “GUESS WHO?”!

Davide: Hi guys, it’s great to see you again! Last time we spoke, we talked about your single Leggo, and thanks again for having me on your show in London last summer; it was so much fun! Today I want to talk about this new, more intense side of 8TURN with your new single ‘BRUISE’… But before that.. How are you all doing today? And for those who don’t know you yet, can you please re-introduce yourself?
MYUNG HO: Hello, this is 8TURN’s cutie, Myung Ho!
Thank you so much for coming to our London show—I really hope you had lots of fun! I’ve been very busy but doing great. How have you been?
JAE YUN: Hello, I am Jae Yun, the leader of 8TURN. It is also so nice seeing you again, Davide! I can’t believe it’s been over half a year since we last saw each other in London. Thank you so much for having us again.
MIN HO: Davide, I missed you so much!! I’ve been really busy lately preparing for our comeback, so everything’s been a bit hectic. Moving on to the main topic! We’re 8TURN, a group that debuted on January 30, 2023, and I’m Min Ho.
YOON SUNG: Hello!! I’m Yoon Sung, and I’m back after taking a short break over the past few months due to back pain. I am now fully recovered and healthy! 🙂
HAE MIN: Hello, I’m Hae Min from 8TURN. With the love and energy we received in London, we worked hard once again and came back with a song called “BRUISE.”
KYUNG MIN: Hello, I’m Kyung Min, the tallest and most charming member of 8TURN!
These days, I’ve been practising hard and taking good care of my condition as we prepare for our comeback with “BRUISE.” I’m also happy to be active on various platforms and communicate with TURNING all around the world!
YUN GYU: Hello, I’m Yun Gyu, in charge of rap and vocals in 8TURN! These days, I’ve been working out a lot and watching animation often!
SEUNG HEON: Hello! I’m Seung Heon, the youngest member of 8TURN. This year, I turned 20 in Korean age. It’s not because I turned 20, but these days I’ve been working out a lot and reading books more, trying to live a healthy life both physically and mentally. I’m also practising hard for “BRUISE” and preparing to show TURNING and everyone a new side of myself.

Davide: I’m glad you guys are doing great. It’s so nice to reconnect!
Let’s jump right into the new work. This single is described as showing a ‘more refined sense of maturity.’ Looking back at your journey through 2025, what experiences do you think helped you grow into the ‘more mature’ 8TURN we see in ‘BRUISE’?
YOON SUNG: I think time really helped us. As time passed, our visuals naturally matured, and through experiencing many stages and emotions, I feel like we’ve been able to express ourselves in more diverse ways.
HAE MIN: I think that the experiences we’ve gradually built up through both the process and the results of promoting as 8TURN, as well as through many episodes with the members, have been a great help to our growth.
YUN GYU: Personally, I gained a lot of growth through our second album, and I think experiencing defeat on the ‘Road to Kingdom’ and overcoming it helped me achieve my biggest growth.

Davide: The transition from the energy of Electric Heart to the more raw, desperate longing of ‘BRUISE’ is quite a shift. How did you change your mindset or vocal approach to match this more intense concept?
HAE MIN: Honestly, I think I approached this song simply thinking, “I’m in pain, I’m sad.” I also thought about the feelings you have when you fail to achieve something you really wanted. But at the same time, it’s not just sadness — it’s more like a powerful kind of sadness, along with a resolve that you’ll definitely overcome it.
SEUNG HEON: With Electric Heart, since it was a bright and energetic song, we matched that with our stage gestures, expressions, vocals, and rap. But for BRUISE, I think we spent a lot of time thinking about how someone who is more sorrowful and full of wounds would express themselves, and approached it with that in mind.

Davide: The hybrid rock sound in ‘BRUISE’ is incredibly powerful. For the members who felt most ‘ at home’ with this rock-inspired style, what was it like recording those ‘rough yet delicate’ vocal parts?
MYUNG HO: Since it was our first time trying a song in the style of BRUISE, while recording, I was able to feel a different kind of charm in the members’ voices. Personally, I was surprised at how well Seung Heon, who has just become an adult, suited this concept!!
KYUNG MIN: When I think of a rock style, Yun Gyu is the first person that comes to mind. I think his vocal tone and vocal skills suit rock really well, and he has great expressiveness, so I felt he fit it the best. And for me, in the pre-chorus, there’s a part where all the sound drops out, and my high note comes in. When recording that part, I tried hard to create a feeling that was rough but also delicate.

Davide: Rock music often requires a lot of high energy and raw emotion. How are you preparing to bring that ‘intensity’ to your live performances of this track?
MIN HO: I think the most important part of this comeback song is acting. It could be facial expressions, or it could be expressed through choreography. Since this song really requires that kind of expression in many ways, I’ve been paying a lot of attention to those parts, and I would really appreciate it if you could focus on watching that.
YOON SUNG: We’ve been preparing the choreography really hard so that the word “powerful” truly fits. I think the rough yet sorrowful emotions are well reflected in the choreography, so I think you can look forward to it a lot!

Davide: The music video is very unique, especially compared to your previous work. Can you tell us the story behind the music video?
MYUNG HO: In this music video, you can see the story of how we, who were wandering and struggling because of our wounds, come together as one, become each other’s strength, and overcome the pain together.
JAE YUN: Yes, we started having a very different approach with our music videos since Electric Heart. Focusing more on the storytelling rather than just showing off over-the-top graphics and whatnot, haha. Since electric heart and bruise are both songs with genuine storytelling, we thought the song would shine more through and acting oriented music video. Also, the twist in mood compared to Electric Heart is also a key point in this comeback. I think you’ll love how we switched it up this time.
YUN GYU: It shows the eight members who fell after sacrificing themselves for love finding each other again, and even though it really hurts, throwing themselves into that pain and moving forward!

Davide: The lyrics talk about being ‘bruised and ashen’ yet having the courage to dive back into the fire. In your own lives as artists, what gives you the courage to keep pushing forward even when things get difficult?
MYUNG HO: I think it’s the members who are always by my side and support me, TURNING, and everyone I love.
KYUNG MIN: I think it’s music, and the fans who love our music. I’ve always grown up with music, whether in hard times or happy times, and I will continue to do so in the future. And just as much as I love music, I think our fans who love our music are incredibly precious to me. I will always try to go on stage with all my heart.

Davide: We previously talked about your individual hobbies and ways you unwind. With your busy schedule, have your personal relaxation methods or passions evolved? For instance, Jae Yun, are you still hooked on rock climbing? And Seungheon, has your increased interest in food led to any new culinary adventures beyond dieting?
JAE YUN: Yes, I am! Unfortunately, I still haven’t had the chance to try it out, but seriously, this year… I’m going to give it a shot.
SEUNG HEON: Honestly, since I’ve been trying to control my weight, even though I really love food, I’ve been trying to control myself a little when it comes to eating, haha. I’ve started working out more seriously. I’ve always exercised consistently, but now I’m training with a professional trainer, learning more about my body, and working hard to become healthier and look even better.

Davide: What are your hopes and goals for this comeback period? What do you want to achieve with this release?
MIN HO: Also, this year is the Year of the Red Horse, and I was born in the Year of the Horse as well, according to the zodiac. So starting with BRUISE and throughout this year, I plan to run forward without any regrets and give it my all, and I really hope that all of that effort will lead to good results.
KYUNG MIN: Honestly, I hope that this promotion will achieve good results and help our team grow even more, so that we can reach more people. And since we’re all working hard together on that goal right now, I really hope the day comes when we can perform in front of even more K- pop fans around the world.
SEUNG HEON: I feel like this is a goal we talk about every promotion, but I really want to win first place on a music show. I want to take the emotions I’d feel from that moment and turn them into strength to move forward even more. And since this is a concept that we’re newly challenging ourselves with, I want to show a side of us that makes people say, “They’re really good at this”, and “This suits them so well”.

Davide: One thing I really love about all of you guys is how your personalities shine through, also on your social media content, especially in the fun meme videos and tour vlogs. Jaeyun, your Berlin vlog, in particular, was hilarious, and the editing was fantastic! Do you guys get involved in the editing process for these videos, or is there a specific member who enjoys that role? Can we expect more of these types of vlogs or even a dedicated YouTube series in the future? I think it would be absolutely hilarious! I would love to film some content like this together, guys! Sign me in if you are up for it!
JAE YUN: I’m glad to hear that you’ve enjoyed my vlog! haha thank you so much. In regard to the editing process, we try to get more involved with our projects as the years go by. Whether it’s music, music video, physical album, or extra content that gets released on YouTube, we shoot ideas whenever we get them.
YOON SUNG: Me! I’ve been a bit interested in video editing since I was young, so recently I even edited and uploaded a travel vlog from Japan. As I got more and more into it, I filmed and edited the teaser video for BRUISE myself this time as well. By trying things little by little like this, I hope that if I get the chance someday, I can start my own YouTube channel too, haha. Let’s definitely film together someday!! I’m always up for it 😊
HAE MIN: When I film my vlogs, I try to edit them as much as I can by myself. That’s because I want TURNING to better understand the situations I see from my point of view, the emotions I feel at those moments, and the reasons why I decided to film those videos in the first place. But if my editing skills aren’t enough, I sometimes get some help too, haha. Let’s definitely film the London vlog together, Davide!

Davide: I’d love to film a London vlog together!
That’s all for today! Thank you so much, 8TURN! It was a pleasure to chat with you again and get to know you even more! You are doing such a great job, and you should be proud of yourself!!
MYUNG HO: Thank you so much! Thanks to your support, I was able to keep moving forward well. I hope you always stay healthy and full of happiness too, Davide! All the Best! 🔥
JAE YUN: Thank you so much for having us again, Davide! I can’t wait to see you again in person, and hopefully, we can invite you to see us on our next tour as well! Also, happy new year! I wish you all the best and happiness this year. Take care.
MIN HO: I was really happy to be able to talk with you again this time, Davide. Of course, it’s a bit sad that we couldn’t talk face to face, but since we still have next time, I hope we can meet and talk in person then. I know you work so hard doing interviews all the time too! Next time, I’ll interview you instead, haha. I hope this year will be even happier for everyone than last year. Thank you so much.
YOON SUNG: Thank you so much for your warm words! We’ll work really hard during this promotion, and I really hope we can invite you to our next concert as well. Wishing you good health and lots of happiness. Thank you so much!
HAE MIN: Thank you so much for showing such great interest in this song as well!! Compared to the 8TURN you’ve seen before, you’ll be able to see a more grown, cooler, and more mature side of us. Please give lots of love and support for BRUISE as well~~
KYUNG MIN: I really hope we can meet again next time! Thank you always for your wonderful questions, and if 8TURN goes on tour in the future, please come see us again~
YUN GYU: Thank you so much!! Let’s meet again next time, Davide! And to TURNING, thank you always. Let’s create lots of wonderful memories together with this song too!
SEUNG HEON: We were truly honoured to have another interview with you. Thank you so much for all the awesome questions and kind words. We’ll continue to work hard and show you new sides of 8TURN. Once again, thank you so much for the interview.

A massive THANK YOU to 8TURN and their team for this incredible interview. Thanks also to all the TURNING who loved and shared this interview. Make sure to stream BRUISE and watch the MV! Let’s help 8TURN to win first place on a music show!

Cover image courtesy of MNH Entertainment.