"Super rookie" is no small title to have attached to you if you are a rising name in the K-pop industry, especially if you made your official debut only two months ago. Just ask Gyubin.

Having previously released two collaborative pre-debut singles with South Korean rappers Wonstein and Gaeko, the singer-songwriter, who turned 17 only a few months ago, formally introduced herself with her debut track, 'Really Like You', in January. 

Since its release, the catchy and cheerful teen pop number has gone viral across Asia, racking up over 3 million streams on Spotify and breaking into the audio streaming platform's Viral charts in Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Thailand. 

But the virality of 'Really Like Me' is by no means the only indicator that a bright future may lie ahead for Gyubin. Oozing charm and confidence, she has paired her sweet vocals with delightful guitar and dance performances while promoting the song on music shows. And it is through these early displays that Gyubin has shown why she is deserving of that big adjective in front of "rookie".

Despite the bright start she has had to her career, Gyubin remains focused on her growth as an artist and is aware of the weight of the title that has been bestowed upon her.

"Honestly, I’m so thankful when I hear that [I am called a "super rookie"], but I think it would be a lie if I said I don't feel pressured. Sometimes it makes me think it’s an overwhelming title, and I think I need to do better and show better performances every time. But it’s also one of the biggest motivations that makes me work harder," she shared.

Following her official debut, Gyubin spoke to Bandwagon about what put her on the path to becoming a music artist, what the reception towards her debut track means to her, and what she has in store for her fans.

Hi, GYUBIN, congratulations on making your debut as an artist! How does it feel to have finally crossed this milestone?

I can't explain how I felt in words the moment my debut song was finally released and I went on a debut stage for the first time. It’s just the beginning, but there are still so many things I want to show people, and I'm spending every day happily, like a dream, watching people listen to my songs.

Take us back to the start. What made you decide to pursue a career in music? 

Well, since I was young, whenever singers sang on stage and performed in front of a lot of people, they looked so amazing to the point of being admirable, and I even felt a bit jealous. I wasn’t nervous singing in front of people, and even at a young age, [I] experienced tremendous emotion and excitement from within as I sang. And I naturally made it my dream to pursue music for a lifetime. I’ve never even thought about my life without music.

 I wasn’t nervous singing in front of people, and even at a young age, [I] experienced tremendous emotion and excitement from within as I sang. 

Who do you consider to be your biggest musical inspirations? 

I was inspired by so many musicians in various genres and times. But, I think IU, Olivia Newton-John, and Jang Pil-soon are the artists who inspired me the most. I am always shocked whenever I listen to their songs. They possess a clear and pure vocal tone, yet what struck me the most was the husky, air-filled charm in their voices. It’s incredibly appealing.

And I got a great musical influence from IU who has been my role model since my childhood because she has never stopped trying through her continuous attempts with new approaches in every album she releases. 

You released your debut single, ‘Really Like You’, a the beginning of the year. Tell us how the track came to be and what you hoped to share with your listeners through it.

'Really Like You' is an attractive teen-pop song with a cool guitar sound that shares the sweet and fluttering love story of a teenage girl. It's a song that's full of excitement that those of you who are in one-sided love, especially teenagers my age, can relate to. So as a teenager myself, I put in a lot of effort to portray this song in the best possible way, recalling the memory of thinking of the boy I liked when I was in middle school. The title of this song is what I want to say to my listeners for the first time. 

['Really Like You' is] a song that's full of excitement that those of you who are in one-sided love, especially teenagers my age, can relate to. 

Since its launch, the track has broken into the Spotify Viral Charts of Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Thailand. Being a rising young artist, how does it feel to see such a positive reception to your music?

To be honest, as a singer, I can't believe that there are fans and listeners who support me so greatly, but I'm happy indeed that my song can make people happy, just as I've been comforted by music. And it makes me work harder and think more about being a singer who does music that can comfort people and have a good influence on their lives.

To be honest, as a singer, I can't believe that there are fans and listeners who support me so greatly, but I'm happy indeed that my song can make people happy, just as I've been comforted by music.

Speaking of ‘Really Like You’, you have promoted the song by singing and dancing as well as by singing while playing a guitar on music shows. What’s different about these two types of performances?

I used to enjoy playing guitar as well as singing since I was young, like my hero Taylor Swift, so the guitar performance was more comfortable and enjoyable to concentrate on the song.

And it was the first time in my life [practicing] dancing, [so I] didn't expect that my debut performance would [include] dancing. At first, I wasn't so confident in dancing that everyone called me "two left feet", so I practiced harder than ever to express this song well. And I tried to express the bright mood of this song with my whole body by focusing more on showing the dance performance.

You have also worked with Wonstein and Gaeko on your pre-debut tracks ‘Scribble’ and ‘Start to Shine’. What was the experience of working with these prominent names from South Korea’s music scene like for you? Was there anything that you learnt in the process?

I’m so thankful to both of the artists, Gaeko and Wonstein, for giving me so much courage and also recognition as an artist. I learned so many things, about how to express my entire feelings in music and a variety of singing skills. I felt great joy while singing and recording.

When I filmed the music video with Wonstein, we met there for the first time and we didn’t have enough time to get close to each other, so you can notice a little awkwardness when we make eye contact and smile. We tried so hard to pretend like everything was fine [while filming the] M/V.

What can we expect from you in the future?

I’m planning to release my third collaboration single with Kim Jong Wan from the band Nell around April and come back with a bright song this summer. And what I want to achieve the most as a singer is to do my own concert. No matter how big or small the scale is, I always think about how happy I would be when I get to sing in front of my listeners and fans. It’s my dream and my biggest goal to be in the music scene for more than 50 years, and I'll become a singer who can provide comfort as well as give good energy to your lives with music! Please look forward to my journey for a long time!

It’s my dream and my biggest goal to be in the music scene for more than 50 years, and I'll become a singer who can provide comfort as well as give good energy to your lives with music! 

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Listen to GYUBIN here: