MXM's first visit to Thailand was a major event.
TV singing competitions can be a short cut to fame. Even if you don’t win, you can still get a lot of fans. The Korean duo MXM - rapper and leader Lim Young-min, 22, and vocalist Kim Dong-hyun, 19 - were in the popular Korean TV singing competition, Produce 101 Season 2. The guys didn’t make it to the final round, but with support from fans and their label, Brand New Music, they formed MXM. The duo released an album, Unmix, which included the songs, “Good Day” and “I’m the One.”
After a successful fan meeting in South Korea, where tickets sold out in two minutes, the guys were ready to meet international fans. They held a fan meeting in Bangkok on December 9. At GMM Live House, CentralWorld, Young-min and Dong-hyun greeted Thai fans by singing “Welcome to My Hollywood,” which was the song they auditioned with on Produce 101. During the three-hour event, the guys answered questions, decorated a cake and sang five songs from their album including “Just Come Out,” “Being Objective” and “I Just Do.” They also showed their dance moves to songs “Know You Know” and “Open Up.”
The event ended warmly after the guys watched a video created by fans. In the video, the fans promised to support them no matter what. The sweet message made Young-min speechless and Dong-hyun cry. Dong-hyun said he didn’t expect this nice surprise and that this moment will be in his heart forever.
Before the fan meeting, the duo met up with Thai press at Dusit Thani Hotel. Here are some highlights from the press conference as well as the fan meeting in the evening.
How do you feel about Thailand?
Young-min: We knew that we had some Thai fans but we didn’t expect to see so many of them welcome us at the airport.
What does MXM stand for?
Young-min: MXM means mix and match because Dong-hyun and I have different characters. It also means more and more because we want to continually improve ourselves.
How did you feel when you got the chance to make a record?
Young-min: After Produce 101 ended, I thought I’d lost the chance to make music. When I heard that I would become a part of MXM, it was like a dream. It was unbelievable.
What does MXM mean to you?
Young-min: It builds up my confidence. Before I became part of MXM, I wasn’t confident.
Dong-hyun: The name MXM is like my ID card. This name is with me everywhere and it defines who I am.
Is there any special ability that only you can do?
Young-min: Among the trainees on Produce 101, I was the only one who could fix things.
Dong-hyun: I can match a person with something that looks like them. Young-min’s nickname, Alpaca, came from me. I was the one who figured out that he looked like an alpaca.
Which one of you looks in the mirror most often?
Young-min: Me! When I was in a school, I always liked to check my bangs in the mirror until my dad told me that he would cut off my hair if I did it again. So, I stopped checking the mirror in front of my dad.
Which one of you enjoys sleeping?
Young-min: Dong-hyun can sleep for almost 24 hours, but he can easily wake up for work. He also likes sleeping on the sofa.
Dong-hyun: I can sleep for a long time. If I fall asleep on a sofa, it means I’m very tired.
