Global phenomenon MONSTA X recently appeared in the JBTC documentary show Factual "Secret of the Empire," sharing the secrets to building their own empire in the K-Pop industry.
Tackling the unprecedented success of the K-Pop industry all over the world, MONSTA X was among the groups that remains relevant for both the local and international audiences. In a testament to the Starship Entertainment boy group's skyrocketing career, Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney, and I.M., have already embarked on a successful world tour just two years after they formally debuted.
Also, MONSTA X is known for releasing a full-length studio album in the US, which ranked high - at the fifth spot - of the Billboard albums charts.
In their JBTC Factual "Secret of the Empire" appearance, MONSTA X earned recognition for their participation in the Jingle Ball Tour - the holiday series hosted by US-based media company iHeartMedia - for two straight years.
The iHeartMedia tour is among the largest year-end music events across the United States, with MONSTA X joining the world's largest acts in a series of performances in the country.
"I felt like I was being evaluated when I performed for the first time," MONSTA X member Jooheon said in the documentary.
"I felt like I was auditioning after a long time. When I went to another country and sang in Korean, I was scared of their eyes saying 'why are they here?' and it felt so cold," the main rapper admitted in the interview.
Despite this initial worry and uncertainty, MONSTA X stepped up and soon became a favorite for audiences even in the US. This continued, with their album releases and live performances, until the lockdowns and restrictions from the global coronavirus pandemic - when the group has moved their performances to live streamed shows and virtual concerts.
"It's online but I feel excited and nervous," Shownu recalls while performing for a 2020 online concert. The MONSTA X leader added the feeling that "there was a vibe the night before the concert" before they released the Japanese version of "Love Killa."
Their "constant experimental spirit" and "interesting charms" have caught the attention of Billboard columnist Jeff Benjamin, who applauded the concept and the stylish outfits worn by the members in the music video for "Love Killa."
As for the ever-growing K-Pop all over the world, Minhyuk shares: "I think K-pop's unique feature is that many people dance together and show energetic performances." He adds that this applies not only to MONSTA X, but to "seniors [who] were perfectly prepared for the performance." Furthermore, Minhyuk says that "K-pop seems to have grown bigger due to overlapping music that anyone can listen to."
