Whether they are in a realm of nightmares, a dystopian land, or (most recently) a post-apocalyptic world, you can always count on Dreamcatcher to regale you with compelling stories. 

Arguably one of their most important ones to date, the tale told in their seventh mini-album, [Apocalypse: Follow us], follows the South Korean girl group as they call on humanity to come together to restore an Earth that has been ravaged by climate change. 

While the second chapter of Dreamcatcher's ongoing "Apocalypse" series, which began with their second studio album [Apocalypse: Save us], presents a possible future that is rather bleak, its seven heroines are anything but.  

JiU, Dreamcatcher's leader, explained that the septet's message to their listeners is a hopeful one: "In this mini-album, we talk about heading towards the same direction as one to fight against climate change. We want to show that we can achieve anything if we put our hearts and minds into it!"

Coming just six months after JiU, SuA, Siyeon, Handong, Yoohyeon, Dami, and Gahyeon clinched their first two music show wins, which had eluded them for the longest time, [Apocalypse: Follow us] is also the group's way of announcing to their fans — and the world — that they are only getting started.

Featuring yet another powerful title track, 'VISION', and B-side tracks that showcase the group's ability to constantly keep their music fresh, [Apocalypse: Follow us] further embellishes an already impressive discography that stands among the most unique ones the K-pop world has seen.

In an interview with Bandwagon following [Apocalypse: Follow us]'s release, Dreamcatcher recounted what it was like recording their latest mini-album, talked about how they've grown since making their debut, and explained how their music transcends language barriers. 

Congratulations on the release of your new mini-album! What messages do you hope to communicate to your listeners through it?

JIU: This mini-album is a continuation of our last mini-album — of how we want to save the Earth from pollution and climate change. And we know that it’s difficult to suddenly change our habits and actions completely in this instant to save the environment. And so, in this mini-album, we talk about heading towards the same direction as one to fight against climate change. We want to show that we can achieve anything if we put our hearts and minds into it!

Credit: Dreamcatcher Company / Sony Music Korea

When you first read the lyrics to the mini-album's title track, 'VISION', which lines spoke to you the most?

YOOHYEON: There are many lines in the song that contain the messages that we wanted to deliver through our mini-album. Personally, I’d have to pick the lyrics “the thunder strikes the world". I thought this line perfectly depicted the pollution and effects of climate change hitting the Earth. 

DAMI: Since Yoohyeon chose something that expressed our overall theme and message, I think I’ll share the lyrics that came to me by surprise. The “Jackie Chan” line caught me off guard at first. I’ve never even thought about yelling someone’s name on stage, so it got me thinking if I was even allowed to do that.

Let's talk about the choreography for 'VISION'. What makes it different from what you've done in the past? 

GAHYEON: Personally, I think that the choreography for “VISION” was a lot more fun compared to the previous releases. For this particular track, I loved how we created a “V” formation and also an asymmetrical formation at times. Our “V” formation really symbolised “V” in VISION, victory, and a peace sign. 

Which B-side tracks from [Apocalypse: Follow us] did you enjoy recording the most?

JIU: For me, it’s when we recorded 'Some Love'. I remember how I was truly smiling and singing with a full heart!
    
SUA: While recording 'Rainy Day', I think I was able to get a grasp of how long I’d be able to hold my breath. I was so out of breath that I got dizzy, but I’m proud of how well the song turned out after giving my all during the recording.

SIYEON: For me, 'Fairytale' was the most memorable. I think it was the first time I had fully used head voice to sing. I believe this is the first song [in which] I have done that... so I did feel a bit lightheaded afterwards. 

HANDONG: I’d say that 'Rainy Day' was a bit more memorable than the rest of the B-tracks. Before recording 'Rainy Day' as we sang the song one by one, I felt really proud because the composer told me it almost seemed like it was a solo song of mine and that we should write and release a Chinese version!

YOOHYEON: I also choose 'Rainy Day'. I love the melody of the piano and the feeling of rain really struck a chord with my vibe. And the recording process was really refreshing to me because I had to really lessen the tension while singing and this was a vocal style that I hadn't attempted before.  

DAMI: I choose 'Some Love'. There’s a part that goes “let's open the door and get out”. While I was recording this song, I was told to control my breathing and to sing with more power. Afterwards, when we were monitoring the results, I was surprised because the recording sounded like how I used to sing when I was in high school. 

GAHYEON: For me, it was 'Rainy Day'. It was the most memorable as it was the calmest and the most relaxing song out of the B-side tracks on this album. I think that’s why the song stood out to me the most. And most of all, the members sounded so pretty while we were recording it and it turned out beautifully as well. 

LEEZ and OLLOUNDER have helped to produce many memorable songs for you over the years. What was it like working with them again on [Apocalypse: Follow us]?

JIU: I love the fact that they’re extremely detailed when directing. And their attention to detail really helped bring out the best results from all of us. And for this mini-album, my vocals weren’t in their best condition. But they helped me overcome this by being patient and providing directions that would set my singing in the right direction. 

SUA: LEEZ and OLLOUNDER know us too well. And because they know us that well every recording went smoothly. They always provide the best directions, and they know what directions to give that would bring out the best results! We’re always thankful that they have created these amazing songs that elevate Dreamcatcher’s sonic identity each time.

 

 

 

 

 

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You achieved your first two music show wins earlier this year. How did that affect the way you approached this comeback?

SUA: We always prepare our comebacks wanting to bring good music. After achieving our first music show wins, our mindsets became stronger than ever, and I think we still have the same desire for our fans to love our music and performances just like they did from the very beginning.

SIYEON: Thanks to your support, we were able to work even harder on this album. We’re always grateful to our fans, and to those who work hard beside us.

HANDONG: Not much has changed! In fact, our motivation to do even better has just grown, and thanks to our InSomnias who helped us achieve our music show wins, we’re able to grow and work harder without any regrets.

[#드림캐쳐] Omg I can’t believe that we won our first medal! Thanks for everything. It’s not the end so please stay with us forever luv u always #Dreamcatcher #MAISON#DREAMCATCHER1stWin pic.twitter.com/h7LaFlQFAp

— 드림캐쳐 Dreamcatcher (@hf_dreamcatcher) April 20, 2022

How have you grown as a group since you made your debut back in 2017? What are some lessons that you have learnt during your journey together?

SIYEON: There’s always something new that I learn from each of my members. And I have to say that the person I am today is all due to our members. I really love who I am today, and I also love my members very much! As for the team, I think we’ve become more relaxed and confident on stage.

HANDONG: We’re very supportive of one another. And that support has helped not only me but everyone in the group grow together. Personally, because of Dreamcatcher I was able to discover rock vocals within me. My usual voice is very soft and completely different from what we usually hear in rock music, so in a way, I think that’s something that I developed personally. And I learnt from my members that we are able to endure and overcome anything no matter how rough it gets.

YOOHYEON: I can be uptight at times, and I learnt a lot about how to work with people, and how to solve issues in a flexible manner by being a group and being with our members. When your thoughts are stuck in a box, it may be hard to achieve big results. I guess there is no right answer when it comes to art.

Credit: Dreamcatcher Company, Twitter

Your international following has grown significantly in the last few years. What do you think gives your music the ability to transcend language barriers?

DAMI: I think it’s our energy. If you focus on our gestures, facial expressions, and performances, you’ll end up making the same facial expressions along with us unconsciously and start feeling the energy building up in your body. I think that’s the effect that our energy has on people.

GAHYEON: Aside from the fact that we have unique rock elements, I think it's our consistency. Perhaps our international fans continue to like us since we continue to put out good music and show great performances. 

Credit: Dreamcatcher Company / Sony Music Korea

Lastly, how does it feel to be able to tour again? Do you have any words for your InSomnias?

JIU: We missed touring a lot since we love to perform on stage and we enjoy spending time with our InSomnias. But now, things are getting better and we’re happy to meet them more often! I hope we can fill up our precious time together with joy!

SUA: I missed touring so much. Every day I spent with InSomnias was fun, and I think it was even more difficult not to see them for so long. As soon as I saw our InSomnias I couldn’t even contain my excitement and all I could think was how much I want to meet them more often.

Credit: Dreamcatcher Company / Sony Music Korea

Stream [Apocalype: Follow us] here: