Young Posse Hopes to Become K-Pop's Next Big Group

After kicking off its first U.S. tour in Miami earlier this month, K-pop girl group Young Posse launched headfirst into a tightly packed schedule of performances across the country.

The Hungry Tour is meant to capitalize on the buzz that the quintet built after the release of its third EP, Ate That, in August, which debuted atop the iTunes K-Pop Album chart. They are the only girl group currently in the K-pop scene that performs full hip-hop music, and all five performers write their own lyrics.

The group, comprised of Sunhye, Yeonjung, Jiana, Doeun, and Jieun, is touring major markets across the country, having already stopped in Philadelphia, New York City, and Chicago, with dates still scheduled for Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle.

"The Hungry Tour is about enjoying the moment, especially being close to our fans on a smaller stage," Yeonjung tells New Times.

The girls say they're excited to see supporters they've mainly only interacted with online.

"We just hope to see many fans in the U.S. who support us," Jiana adds. "We'll work even harder to gain recognition in the birthplace of hip-hop."

After performing in front of their first American audience at the Miami Theater Center, the members have only become more excited at the prospect of building further momentum.

"It was the perfect way to kick off the Hungry Tour with all the fans in Miami; they definitely brought the heat," Sunhye shares. "It was more than what we could've asked for. All the love and thanks to our fans."

As for the rest of the tour, Young Posse is ready to inject all its performances with the group's characteristic vigor and enthusiasm.

"We're going to showcase our charm to the fans in the U.S., whom we couldn't interact with closely before," Jieun explains. "Our goal is to make sure they can't get enough of us."

The members hope the tour will increase international recognition and push their rising stars skyward.

"We're hungry to expand to bigger stages and the world on an XXL scale," Sunhye says. "However, since we still have a lot to learn, we want to perform humbly and sincerely on this tour. We want to create precious moments that are enjoyable and not exhausting for both us and the audience. We also want to enjoy the challenging journey between performances. By the end of the tour, our first goal is to become a more evolved team, both physically and mentally."
They also say that some of their musical stylings have been partially shaped by American culture, and the U.S. tour presents an opportunity to interact more directly with those influences.

"I believe this tour will help us evolve as a team," Jiana explains. "I also think it's an opportunity to introduce us five girls who have grown up influenced by American music to the big U.S. market."

Given that the average age among the Young Posse members is 16, the girls are also focused on enjoying themselves first and foremost.

"Honestly, when we are working, I can't help but think about having fun, and when I'm having fun, I can't stop thinking about work," Doeun says. "So, I mix fun with work and work with fun. Therefore, I don't really feel stressed about it. I want to say that's the unique Young Posse style."

Despite the strenuous demands of a performing career, some members say they don't feel pressure as much as they do fulfillment.

"I may be young, but I decided on my career very early on," Jieun says, "I always feel like I am the happiest when I'm working in this industry as a professional. I'm grateful for this opportunity every single day."

"Being on stage is when I'm the happiest," Sunhye echos. "I'm always left in an afterglow after our performances, especially receiving warm responses from the fans. It's almost overwhelming."

For those U.S. fans who have been keeping track of Young Posse's rise and hoping for the chance to see them live, there could be some surprises in store.

"There are also some new performances that we haven't showcased on T.V. or at festivals yet, so I'm really anxious to showcase them for the first time," Sunhye teases.