The seven twenty-somethings – Yangyang’s the youngest, born in October 2000 – also all live in a dorm together with two cats – Louis and Leon – and a dog – Bella – and really love sharing that aspect of their lives with fans through social media, since it helps WayV enjoy time at home.

“It’s very busy to have seven guys in the same dorm, and then it might get messy with the pets but it’s a very cosy house,” says Ten, who grew up with many pets.

“The more mess, the more cosiness, I think. For me, having the two cute kitties and a puppy was life-changing because it feels like home now. When you’re so tired after work, you just go home and meet them, it feels way better. It feels I’m really resting right now. I’m home.”

“Raising them is kind of healing,” adds Hendery.

WinWin from NCT and WayV: why trust matters to Chinese star

One might think a popular boy band wouldn’t have time for pets, but that’s just WayV’s brand of energetic chaos. Even the band’s new single, Kick Back, is a bit chaotic with its “kick-kick-kick” hook, so kicking back and relaxing in an environment full of rambunctious pets is suitable to unwind in.

As rambunctious as the single is, WayV says that Kick Back is meant to promote a sense of improving in the present to impact the future.

Speaking with the Post soon after the release of “Kick Back” – the band’s third EP since starting out in early 2019 – Ten and Yangyang take the lead in English and translate for Kun in either Mandarin or Korean, while Xiaojun and Hendery mostly chill while drinking their coffees but chime in at random to crack a joke or comment on things the rest say.

The EP is fronted by the addictive title track, but the group members admit to have been confused why it’s their single; they heard the brassy B-side Action Figure and thought it’d be a better fit, though Kick Back has a catchy hook of a chorus and easy-to-learn choreography that are almost tailor-made for TikTok.

“Because this album was so dynamic, it can show how WayV can do so many different genres in one album and still sound good,” says Yangyang. “Compared to previous albums, I think this one is more experimental, trying to show what WayV is capable of.” He admits that even though they feel that way now, they were all anxious about the single’s reception; Ten says they spent time after its release looking over social media to see whether fans of the band – known as Wayzenni – would enjoy it.

Why the trepidation? “It has a rap part. Then suddenly a vocal part. Then ‘kick-kick-kick back’,” says Ten, singing the last bit. “It sounds very simple compared to other songs that we’ve released. There’s less melody in the chorus. So we were like, ‘will fans like it?’ because we had changed the melody[-based chorus] from our last [single] to a catchy sound.”

“At the start, there’s birds chirping. Then the bass comes in. Then the rap comes in. It’s building up, then we start singing together. When you close your eyes and listen to the song, it’s very magical and sentimental.”

The album isn’t necessarily what would be considered easy listening music but, according to Kun, that’s the thing that separates “Kick Back” from other WayV releases. “Earlier albums were conceptual and cinematic so the performances were really important, but this one you can just enjoy the sonic elements.”

The group says they were able to see their growth as artists the most through the process of creating the album, with members taking a more hands-on role than in their previous releases.

“I think we’ve found our own colour in performing,” shares Ten. “Like Xiaojun, he has his own signature moves and stage expressions. Nowadays, I can see how every member has things to say in recordings. ‘Oh, if I do this kind of stuff, I think it’ll sound better,’ when before we just did the work. Just more communicating happening behind the scenes.

“Also, the choreography of Kick Back changed a lot during the process. The outcome was very different because we kept communicating. ‘Can we change this part? This angle is a little bit awkward while we sing. This move is too hard to sing along with while dancing.’”

“Besides the album itself, I think the members improved a lot regarding dancing, singing, and facial expressions on stage,” agrees Kun. “Last year, we had a lot of different activities among NCT 2020 and through WayV’s releases. Beyond the music itself, I think we as a group have improved a lot.” He hopes listeners pay specific attention to the layered harmonies featured throughout to take in all that the vocalists in the band have to offer.

The vocalists in the group – Ten, Kun and Xiaojun – have a lengthy note in Kick Back that they say initially stressed them out, but they spent time strengthening their diaphragms and now are quite comfortable with it. Ten’s also being challenged in a bit of a different way as a vocalist, taking over for missing-in-action member Lucas.

“I realised now that our parts are divided very equally [per our unique skills] ‘cause Lucas’s part that I do now, it’s very low. It’s so hard for me to sing that note. So during the performance, I was like, ‘Oh, I should give this part back to Lucas when he’s back.’ I don’t want to sing that note any more, it’s going to hurt my throat.”

“For the group, it’s hard for us to work as five because we’re so used to the seven-person choreography that now we feel there’s a lot of empty space,” says Kun.

“At the start of Kick Back, it was me, Lucas, Winwin and Hendery,” says Yangyang, referring to the song’s opening. “But now it’s just me and Hendery, so Hendery has to cover all of Winwin’s part, but I think it’s still fun for him though.” Hendery agrees with a nod.

The pandemic’s impact isn’t necessarily a theme of the album, but the members feel it; performing isn’t the same without the energy of the fans, they say. “We don’t have a sense of reality,” reveals Ten. “With fans in front of you, you always try to do something to surprise them. It feels more live. But everything is recorded, so if you make a mistake, it can be cut.

“But with fans in front of you, the feelings are different. And when we’re tired, with fans we have more energy. With fans, it’s way [more] fun than doing a stage with [just] cameras.”

Though Winwin and Lucas weren’t able to attend the interview, they share with the Post over email that they’re taking care even when apart from the rest of the band, and are hoping for a chance to reunite not only with the rest of the group but also their fans soon.

“I want to open a concert as soon as the pandemic is over,” says Winwin. “And I want to put on a performance that Wayzenni have been looking forward to and waiting for all this time.”

For now, though, the duo are working hard and resting as they’re apart from the team. “We’re doing very well here,” assures Winwin. “We’re staying productive; singing and dancing and also taking care of our health, making sure to eat three meals a day and exercising. We’ve also been playing video games during our free time.”

How are they kicking back in quarantine? “For me, lighting a candle and listening to music while lying in bed helps me to relax,” says Lucas, while Winwin shares that drinking coffee after waking up in the morning helps him start the day on a positive note. “I find it healing to make my own cup of ice coffee.”

Though they are a chaotic group of men, Lucas says he hopes people also associate WayV with friendliness. “When we’re all together, it feels like a family, and at times, it feels like a group of close friends. I’d like it if fans also think of us as their best friends.”

For Winwin, he hopes people continually associate WayV with dreams.

“We started this journey together, sharing the same dream and goals. Working towards one’s dream isn’t always easy but no matter how hard things get, we’ll always stick together and do our best to accomplish our goals as one.”