MONSTA X expressed their gratitude to fans as they celebrated their 10th anniversary.
On the afternoon of the 16th, MONSTA X held a press conference at Conrad Seoul to commemorate their 10th anniversary. The members shared various stories about their upcoming full-member concert 'CONNECT X'.
Reflecting on the milestone, Minhyuk said, "Honestly, it doesn't feel real yet," but added, "Today feels the most real. It's an official celebration, so it finally hits me that it's our 10th anniversary. It's both refreshing and overwhelming."
When asked about the secret to their decade-long success, Hyungwon commented, "It's challenging for members who led different lives to come together," and emphasized, "Respecting each other's differences is crucial." I.M added, "The trust we've built is the biggest factor. After spending 10 years together, we think of each other as family. We know each other's traits and habits. That's the secret."
Minhyuk further explained, "There are many reasons, but interestingly, all our members have only brothers. So, we feel like real siblings. My younger brother is overseas, but I've spent more time with the members. He might feel left out, but it truly feels like we're brothers."
Jooheon humorously added, "I know the members so well that I can even guess what they'll wear the next day."
Kihyun revealed, "We're currently preparing for our comeback. The recording was completed a while ago. I can't reveal the exact date, but internally, we have it set." He continued, "It's not this month, but a lot has been done. I hope Monbebe (our fandom) is excited."
Jooheon then stepped forward and humorously announced, "Our new album will be released 'as soon as possible in September'."
When asked about changes before and after their military hiatus, Hyungwon said, "Recently, we've spent a lot of time together preparing for the concert. Our passion for practice remains unchanged, even our playful moments. I'm grateful for the consistency." He added, "I aim to maintain my unchanged self. If there's a change, it's probably in appearance. I've matured and become more attractive."
Shownu added, "We've developed deeper consideration for each other post-military. On a personal note, our managers have gotten younger, and those who were with us have moved up, making us the older brothers now."
Jooheon joked, "We used to greet each other casually, but now we sometimes salute each other with 'Victory!' or 'Unity!'"
When asked about their plans for the next 10 years, Minhyuk said, "We are generally laid-back. We are grateful for the love we've received and aim to work harder. The next decade will likely be the same. We just want to continue."
Kihyun added, "We recently discussed the next 10 years while preparing for the concert. By then, we'll all be in our 40s, even the youngest. We joked about how we'd dance then." He continued, "It might be fun in its own way. While we may not be able to perform powerful dances, we might have a mature charm."
Jooheon, responding to Kihyun, said, "People call us 'beast idols', and I wonder if we can maintain that image for our 20th anniversary. But we work out diligently, so I hope we remain unchanged."
Starting with leader Shownu in 2021, MONSTA X entered a military hiatus, and as of May, all members except I.M have completed their service and resumed activities. Their 10th anniversary concert 'CONNECT X' will be held from the 18th to the 20th at Seoul's KSPO DOME. This marks their first concert in three years since their tour in September 2022.
After their Seoul performance, MONSTA X will head to Japan for 'CONNECT X' on August 27th and 28th.
Reported by Min-Kyung Lee, TenAsia