At the beginning of this year, some of the members of CRAVITY hadn’t yet set foot outside of South Korea. But for a few months now, the K-pop group has been consistently collecting passport stamps — and it’s only August.
Though they are no longer the rookies of Starship Entertainment — that title now belongs to IVE — 2022 has brought forth many firsts for CRAVITY. The nine-man act (made up of members Serim, Allen, Jungmo, Woobin, Wonjin, Minhee, Hyeongjun, Taeyoung, and Seongmin) first burst into the scene with "Break All The Rules,” off their mini-album Hideout: Remember Who We Are - Season 1, in April 2020. Their debut came barely a month after COVID-19 shut down borders and regelated all performances and social interactions to online spaces only. (A time when rules were very much not meant to be broken.)
Honoring their name — which stands for "Center of Gravity" and is also a portmanteau of "creativity" and "gravity” meant to illustrate the quasi-gravitational pull with which they want to attract new fans — the nonet made the most of virtual interactions and built a rapport with their fans, known as LUVITY, online only. As soon as social restrictions began to loosen or lift around the world, CRAVITY began their globetrotting year. Following their first concert at Seoul’s Olympic Hall in early April, a long-awaited moment where they met LUVITYs face to face for the first time, the first stop on their unofficial world tour was the United States in May.
After documenting their (very different) packing experiences on YouTube, the nine members made a pitstop in New York, where Teen Vogue first met them to hand them a disposable camera, on their way to the KCON 2022 Premiere in Chicago. Between schedules, performances, and various rounds of press, they also found time to visit landmarks, try out local cuisines, do some shopping (including souvenirs and a quick visit to FOREVER21), wind down at the hotel playing card games, and even help each other when planning out outfits.
Their U.S. trip marked the first time the nonet traveled internationally together, but in a couple of months, they have already become seasoned jet-setters. Shortly after KCON Chicago, CRAVITY made their way back to Seoul to perform at the 2022 DREAM CONCERT at the iconic Jamsil Olympic Stadium in mid-June, where they stripped off their “cute and youthful” concept for a cover of EXO’s “The Eve” clad in leather harnesses over suits. Later that month, they set foot in Osaka, Japan, to hold their first fan-con and, in July, they made the trek to London, where Teen Vogue met them again.
Naturally, through these trips, CRAVITY have all discovered what their packing essentials are. For Jungmo, it’s sunglasses. Minhee, on the other hand, says he favors Korean snacks, in particular instant noodles. (“I've never seen you pack those,” Taeyoung proclaims, in shock, in English from the other side of their formation. “They are in my bag,” Minhee swiftly responds in Korean, ending the friendly bickering.)
Wonjin is already thinking ahead and shares he feels like he should pack speakers from now on. For Hyeongjun, however, it’s swimming trunks that are indispensable. “There might always be a pool at the hotel,” he says with a smile.
In fact, swimming has become one of CRAVITY’s post-concert activities du jour. If there’s a pool at the hotel they are staying at, they all make a conscious effort to make the most of it. Next up in the post-concert priority list are taking a shower and going on V-LIVE. “We look for fans' reactions [on social media] and monitor our own stages,” Allen shares with excitement. “[We want to] see if the fans liked it, and see what they are saying about us online.”
Still, packing is no easy feat even for seasoned travelers and CRAVITY learned this the hard way. During their London trip, the English capital recorded some of its highest temperatures in history, which, of course, confused the members and hindered the experience ever so slightly. “We thought it was going to be cloudy and raining, but it is actually sunny and blue and bright,” Allen says. “Because Korea is really hot right now, and we thought the UK was going to be a little more on the chilly side, so we brought jackets, long-sleeves, but we didn't wear any of that.”
Though not everything they packed made it out of their bags, the members still got plenty of content to post on the ‘gram (and Twitter), where they documented a handful of London OOTDs. The ensembles might have been simpler than they had first intended given the restrictions imposed by the not-so-inclement weather, but sometimes simple is the way to go. (After all, curating a capsule wardrobe is key.)
In fact, if push comes to shove, CRAVITY has a pretty solid idea of what they would pick if they could only wear one ‘fit for the rest of their lives. For Minhee, that’s a black turtleneck — though he does waver when Allen inquires how that would work out in the summer. Wonjin would pick something reversible, to ensure he gets two designs in one. Also favoring practicality and comfort, Taeyoung would choose a jumpsuit, Hyeongjun would go for PJs, and Seongmin follows suit by selecting training sweats.
The hypothetical question, however, quickly becomes one of the most difficult conundrums for leader Serim. “One thing for the rest of my life? This is a really tough question,” he proclaims, pensive, in Korean. “Because I like winter clothes, maybe a coat?” Woobin, on the other hand, has it all figured out: “Black jeans.” “Only black jeans?” a couple of members ask in unison, what follows is a succession of “wohoos” and “sexy!” screams that fill the room alongside laughter. “Black jeans and a black t-shirt,” Woobin corrects himself. Also picking more than one item are Allen and Jungmo who are both partial to a white tee, blue jeans, and sneakers.
Thankfully, though, the world of K-pop styling will never be as restrictive and trying out new concepts will continue to be the order of the day. In the last year alone, the members have changed up their hairstyles on multiple occasions with some going from lavender to blonde, blonde to black, red to brown, and vice versa. And the fashion is just as varied as the hair.
On July 10, when they step out in London, the nonet is wearing matching all-black ensembles with a custom embellished crest with a “C” shining on the left side of their chests. These are 'fits most LUVITYs would recognize since the members already donned the styles for the Cosmos version of Liberty: In Our Cosmos. Only this time they are upgraded with the addition of flashy yet delicate jewelry (Taeyong’s Gucci pendant choker and Serim’s diamond studs are impossible to miss even from a mile away) and an extra dose of confidence.
Walking the HallyuPopFest London 2022 red carpet, Allen describes the group's aesthetic as prince-like. “I feel like this is the perfect setting for us to wear these costumes to perform,” he elaborates just a few minutes later backstage. “I think it is because London is known to have the Queen and the royalty, and then we happen to have these costumes, stage outfits, that kind of makes us look like princes.”
They may look like princes but do they feel like princes? “Always,” Allen doesn’t hesitate to answer, all because of LUVITYs, of course, who he says “always compliment our visuals.” But princes don’t put on quite a show. Overflowing with energy, CRAVITY took to the stage at the OVO Arena in Wembley as part of the festival to perform a set that included “Adrenaline,” “VENI VIDI VICI,” “Bad Habits,” “Mammoth,” “JUMPER,” and “My Turn.”
Unlike the tailored black pieces they rock on stage, in the music video for “Adrenaline,” their latest title track at the time of writing, CRAVITY dons a series of outfits that have already become an all-time favorite for the members. Both Jungmo and Wonjin pick the red varsity jackets as their favorite ensemble they have worn, while Seongmin has a soft spot for the classic school uniforms.
Allen, on the other hand, loves the racing suits of "My Turn" and, as a personal highlight, Serim handpicks his “cool” body suit from "Gas Pedal.” As to what they would like to try next, Wonjin thinks an ethereal concept could be a nice challenge, while Seongmin wants to give “oriental” a shot, focusing on more traditional garments and elements.
Off the stage, CRAVITY’s fashion sense is also evolving. 19-year-old Hyeongjun, one of the youngest members of the group alongside Taeyoung and Seongmin, only just recently discovered Musinsa, a fashion e-retailer with widespread popularity in South Korea, thanks to one of their stylists. “If there is an event that I need to prepare for, I start thinking about what outfit I want to pick three days before,” he shares in Korean, as Allen interprets.
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Fashion is “very, very” difficult, Hyeongjun adds, using the Korean verb “어렵다” to complete his Konglish sentence. “He doesn't quite know what suits him the most yet,” Allen further elaborates for him. “And actually, me either. I think body types are really important when it comes to the clothes that we wear. I have short, stubby legs so I like to wear something skinny that would make my legs look longer. I prefer skinny jeans and maybe dress shoes or Chelsea boots, which would give me that extra height.”
That said, some members already have quite the enviable wardrobe. If they were to swap clothes, Minhee admits he would 100% “steal” from Serim’s wardrobe since he has a lot of clothes. (The members agree he’s the one who invests the most into fashion, while Seongmin takes the lead when it comes to beauty products.) Hyeongjun’s closet also caught the eye of Wonjin, who shares he has a lot of pretty clothes — cardigans, in particular. (“Gucci! Gucci!” a couple of members scream from behind.)
However, someone is not feeling the swap. “I like my clothes,” says Woobin impassibly in English. He is known to favor simple silhouettes and monochrome color palettes. He also stays faithful to his dainty silver hoops, which he never takes off. Not even to shower. “The members' style is not my style,” he adds. “Change with Seongmin,” Allen immediately teases him. “Oh, I'm good,” Woobin replies in Korean.
“Seongmin has a really unique fashion sense,” Allen further explains, with Minhee and Taeyoung chiming in to share examples, which get automatically translated. “He has a carrot T-shirt, purple pants, and croissant pajamas. He can get pretty creative with his wardrobe, with his fashion. He doodles on his jeans, too, and it looks really pretty.”
Serim is also lauded by Hyeongjun for his sartorial creativity, though it’s unarguably not as crafty or flashy as Seongmin’s. “Serim is really creative when it comes to clothing, because pieces that could easily look dull, Serim is able to use accessories to make the whole outfit come to life,” he explains.
Allen is not far behind. Before leaving for the U.S., the rapper DIYed his own necklace featuring the group’s logo by repurposing a charm from their concert merch. The piece has since become a staple in his wardrobe and has appeared in multiple videos, including a VLIVE broadcast from the day before their London performance where the members showed off some of their more recent buys — namely an Arsenal windbreaker for Serim and a Chelsea F.C. one for Wonjin, which just so happens to be in a sky blue hue, his favorite color as of late.
“I also got a sky blue button-up yesterday,” he says. They are not the only ones who took the chance to go shopping while out and about in London. Seongmin got Diptyque’s Geranium perfume and Taeyoung grabbed “aroma oil for stability and balance” in a roll-on format to help him relax. “I bought a cat doll from Hamleys toy store,” Allen then shares. “I saw it, it was looking into my eyes. It was telling me to buy it, and so I got it. I'm going to give it to my mom when we go to L.A. in August. A little gift from London for my mom.” Jungmo, who is reacting quietly from the corner mouthing how cute Allen’s gesture is, can’t help but lament not buying anything. “I got a portable battery in Korea [before we left].”
Seeing how bubbly they get talking about shopping and their ever-changing styles and preferences, it’s easy to forget CRAVITY are not rookies anymore. Like most groups who debuted in 2020, during peak pandemic times, they haven't really had the traditional idol experience. Getting to greet fans offline — both in Korea and abroad — and partake in some of the fun “side quests,” like the ever-so-popular airport fashion experience, is something that feels brand new for them even if they are two years well into their careers.
However, they are quick to remind us they are also not the same artists we first met in 2020. “I think the direction of our concept has changed a bit [since we debuted],” Seongmin explains. “Since we are now able to meet fans offline more often, we think more about performances and how we can best show off our energy on stage.”
CRAVITY has kept more than busy this year but they still have more to give. Next up, the boys will conquer KCON in L.A., where Allen grew up, and will also take it on the road with the KCON 2020 U.S. Tour, visiting San Francisco, Minneapolis, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, and New York.
“Because, in these festivals, we're performing with many other teams, attendees might not all be LUVITYs or they might not all be K-Pop fans, so I want to show them and make them go, ‘Oh, this is what K-Pop is all about. This is CRAVITY,’” Minhee says. That, he adds, motivates the team to prepare even harder. And there will be even more to show this time around because their very first English single “Boogie Woogie” and their fourth mini album New Wave are just around the corner.
