British duo Honne reflects on decadelong bond with Korea ahead of 10th anniversary Seoul concerts
British electronic pop duo Honne recently reflected on their significant, long-standing connection with BTS’ RM, crediting him as one of their earliest and most influential supporters. The duo also expressed keen interest in future collaborations, specifically naming K-pop sensation NewJeans.
James Hatcher of Honne shared insights during a media listening party in Mapo-gu, western Seoul. “Right at the very beginning of Honne, one of our earliest supporters was BTS. We’d often release a new track and discover BTS had posted about it on X [formerly Twitter],” Hatcher recalled, expressing their initial awe. “We thought, ‘Wow, this is incredible.’”
Hatcher further elaborated that their acquaintance with BTS began well before the K-pop group’s meteoric rise to global stardom.
“At the time, they weren’t the huge global phenomenon they are today,” he explained. “However, we were drawn to their music, got to know them, and genuinely thought they were fantastic.”
This initial connection blossomed into a deeper relationship through subsequent backstage encounters in both Seoul and London. Honne first met BTS leader RM backstage during their debut Seoul concert in November 2016. They reconnected when BTS performed at Wembley Stadium in June 2019, ultimately paving the way for two significant musical collaborations.
“RM, in particular, was an immense supporter,” Hatcher stated. “After he visited us backstage at our very first Seoul show, we maintained contact, appreciating each other’s music. This shared admiration naturally led to discussions about creating music together, a promise we eventually fulfilled.”
Honne’s involvement included co-writing and co-producing RM’s poignant track “Seoul” from his critically acclaimed 2018 mixtape “Mono.” The duo and RM reunited later that same year to craft a new version of Honne’s song “Crying Over You,” which prominently featured lyrics and powerful vocals from the BTS leader.
When queried about their next dream K-pop collaboration, Hatcher readily named NewJeans.
He explained, “NewJeans’ early songs, particularly their production and harmonies, possess a distinct Honne-esque quality, which I believe would make for a truly enjoyable and creative collaboration.”
Looking ahead to Honne’s highly anticipated Seoul concerts, scheduled from Thursday through Saturday, the duo emphasized Korea’s profoundly special place in their career trajectory. They described South Korea as the very first country outside the UK where they encountered overwhelming, passionate fan support.
Andy Clutterbuck reflected, “When we first started over 10 years ago, our focus was solely on London. We didn’t envision a world beyond that. Then, remarkably, South Korea became the first country to truly respond to our music online.”
Hatcher further noted that Korea holds the distinction of being the first country where Honne achieved multiple consecutive sold-out concerts. This enduring popularity is evident as the duo has once again completely sold out their upcoming three-night Seoul concert series. These celebratory shows mark the duo’s impressive 10th anniversary and coincide with the release of their special compilation album, “Honne-10.” This album offers fresh perspectives on tracks from their initial two records, presenting them with newly recorded acoustic and lo-fi arrangements, providing fans with a unique listening experience.
Following their highly successful Seoul engagements, Honne is set to continue their extensive Asia tour, with confirmed stops in Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The tour will then conclude with dates across Europe. Post-tour, Hatcher confirmed the duo’s exciting plans to “return to the studio” and dedicate themselves to crafting brand new music for their eagerly awaiting global fanbase.
