[Edaily Starin YUN GI BACK Reporter] “We’re really not a good match, but strangely enough, we get along great. We laugh together over the little things, and even though we have different opinions, we ultimately come together as one. I feel really lucky to be part of a team like that.”

When asked about his teamwork with Choi Rip-woo, Kang Woo-jin of the group FLARE U responded this way. Choi Rip-woo also said that although their personalities and ways of thinking differ, the longer they spend together, the more they learn to understand and adapt to each other. This moment reveals how the group’s identity—two different people coming together to create a single light—is reflected in their actual relationship.
FLARE U, which debuted last May, has returned with their second mini-album, “LOVEHOOD,” just five months later. It is a two-member group formed by Choi Rip-woo and Kang Woo-jin, who rose to fame through Mnet’s “Boys 2 Planet.” Their debut album, “YOUTH ERROR,” sold over 180,000 copies in its first week, proving their remarkable sales performance—uncommon for a rookie group.
In an interview with Edaily just before their comeback, the two members spoke first about their sense of responsibility for their upcoming performances rather than their joy over their debut achievements. Choi Rip-woo said, “Since this is our first comeback, I think fans’ expectations will be even higher, so I’m both excited and nervous,” adding, “We put a lot of thought into how to express a different vibe from our debut.” Kang Woo-jin emphasized, “We want to show you better energy and how we’ve grown compared to our previous album.”

◇Adding a Touch of Nostalgia to Freshness… Music with Greater Depth
Released on the 14th, “Lovehood” depicts the journey of two boys who encounter the emotion of love for the first time and grow as they come to understand it. While their debut album told the story of two different individuals coming together as a team, this album expands the emotional landscape of youth through love.
The title track “Your Season Has Come” (Bloom) is a synth-pop song that blends warm synthesizer sounds with a lyrical melody. It is characterized by the addition of wistful emotions to Flare U’s signature refreshing vibe. Choi Rip-woo explained, “From the moment I first heard the demo, I thought it was the kind of style I usually like, so I hoped it would become the title track,” adding, “As the song progresses and the sound builds up, the overwhelming feeling it creates is very appealing.”

Kang Woo-jin reflected, “I didn’t think of it as the title track from the start, but after listening to several candidate songs repeatedly, it was the one I wanted to keep listening to the longest.” He added that rather than analyzing the music, he judged the song’s appeal by listening to it naturally while taking walks or going about his daily life.
In their performance, they maximized the strengths of a duo. Representative examples include the gesture of plucking flower petals one by one to predict love and the synchronized pair choreography. During the bridge section, there’s also a scene where they write letters on each other’s hands and show them to the camera.
Kang Woo-jin hinted, “I wanted to turn the fact that there are only two of us into a strength,” adding, “I think it would be a fun element if we wrote phrases that fans would like on our hands and showed them during every music show performance.”
This album features a total of six tracks, including “Hundred Nights,” “False Alarm,” “Madly in Love,” “Window View,” and “Never Ever.” Choi Rip-woo recommended “False Alarm” as a great song to listen to while driving at night, while Kang Woo-jin recommended “Hundred Nights,” which delicately captures feelings of excitement and nervousness.

◇“Their personalities are polar opposites… but you can see they care for each other”
Another source of Flare U’s appeal stems from the relationship between the two members. Although they differ in personality, upbringing, and mindset, on stage they have become a team that complements each other’s weaknesses.
Choi Rip-woo laughed, saying, “It’s actually surprising how incompatible our personalities are,” adding, “But we’ve still found a way to work well together.” Kang Woo-jin responded, “As time goes on, I can feel how much my hyung cares for me—even in the way he speaks. I’m truly grateful for that.”
Through their debut activities, they’ve also felt a tangible change in their skills. Kang Woo-jin cited vocals as his area of growth, while Choi Rip-woo pointed to dance. Kang Woo-jin said, “I’ve become more ambitious when recording than I used to be. I’m digging into even the smallest details and striving to produce a better sound.” Choi Rip-woo explained, “While I focused on bringing out cute expressions and vibes when we debuted, this time I paid more attention to the lines and movements of my dance.”

Another positive outcome from their first promotional run was discovering new aspects of their fans’ tastes. The response to “HYPER,” a track from their debut album, was more enthusiastic than expected. Kang Woo-jin remarked, “I’m a bit disappointed we couldn’t perform it on music shows because the fans really loved it,” adding, “It gave me the confidence that fans can appreciate not only our fresh, vibrant image but also other genres.”
They also have clear ideas about the music they’d like to explore in the future. Choi Rip-woo mentioned jazz, while Kang Woo-jin cited acoustic music. Kang Woo-jin said, “I like music with lots of instruments, but I’d also like to try songs that convey emotions with just a single guitar,” citing EXO’s “Sing For You” as an example.

◇“We want to take first place on a music show… I think I’ll probably cry”
The achievement Flare U hopes to attain through this promotion goes beyond simply increasing sales. Their goal is to become a group that naturally makes listeners look forward to their next album.
Choi Rip-woo said, “I hope that after listening to this album, people will wonder, ‘What kind of music will they show us next?’” He added, “I hope you’ll gain positive energy and find comfort in watching us.”
Kang Woo-jin cited taking first place on a music show as a specific goal. “I want to hear people say we’re a group that’s growing steadily,” he said. “I really want to take first place on a music show during this promotion. It would be especially moving if we won first place on ‘The Show.’ I’ll probably cry,” he added with a laugh.

They also have dreams for the distant future. Choi Rip-woo dreams of performing at the Taipei Dome, a major venue in his hometown, while Kang Woo-jin dreams of performing in the UK, where many of the musicians he admires have performed.
The two said that while they are delighted that their debut album sold over 180,000 copies in its first week, they also feel a greater sense of responsibility to live up to their fans’ expectations. However, rather than obsessing over bigger numbers, their priority is to be remembered as a group that creates music people can enjoy for a long time and continues to show new sides of themselves.
Kang Woo-jin said, “This album contains not only the love between lovers but also emotions that can be interpreted in various ways,” adding, “I hope listeners will relate to the songs based on their own experiences and find happiness and comfort in them.”