On the cover, Keeho wears a jacket and tank top from Kenzo and necklace from LXK Fine Jewelry; Intak wears a shirt and jacket from Kenzo.

Humour hinges on high intelligence. Whether emotional, intellectual or interpersonal, an implicit understanding of a subject matter is needed before that knowledge is spun on ever so slightly in meaning for, well, fun. Being unintentionally funny is charming because those moments are hard to replicate, but when you know you can leave people in fits of laughter and flex that to your advantage — that is genius.

In K-pop, you can’t mention humour without P1Harmony; its sparkling hilarity and giant social media presence are the icing on a cake of genre-curious — and culturally respectful — bops. Keeho, Theo, Jiung, Intak, Soul, and Jongseob have the perfect make to appease today’s online-heavy content consumption habits, playing or getting down to business at all the right times. But behind that is some intense inner work that its six members are willing to do out of their initiative. It is the grit to persist and learn how to assess — with lithe grace — when and where to act out, step up or speak up.

Tank top, Kenzo; Necklace, LXK Fine Jewelry

P1Harmony projects self-assuredness, which resonates with everyone’s yearning for the same conviction of self. They lead the new generation of more globalised and independent idols who are loved not just for the package they come in but also for the heart that continues to sing beyond debut. How they managed to get here despite growing pains and the inevitable transience of humour is a story that needs to be told.

Men’s Folio speaks to the group’s Canadian-born leader Keeho, 23, and prolific rapper-and-dancer Intak, 21, to better grasp just how this fourth-generation idol group barely five years in the running is on an express train up the charts and ranks of K-pop’s cut-throat environment. Roommates, Tiktok challenge-enthusiasts, and dreamers who never bow down from a fight for those dreams, Keeho and Intak tell all about their friendship in front of and behind the public eye, the fun and not-so-fun of idol life so far and the next exciting evolution P1Harmony is set to embark on as the new standard of what is fun, cool and comedic genius.

Jacket, T-shirt, pants, all Amiri; Necklace, LXK Fine Jewelry

Hi Keeho and Intak! How was 2024 for you?
Keeho: We released our first full album and SAD SONG, which led to our first win on a music show. It gave us many opportunities to perform. Above all, it has been a happy and fun year. We will always look back fondly on 2024. I don’t think we’ve shown the full potential of P1Harmony yet, though. Since we’ve been receiving so much love, I feel even more motivated to give my all and show even greater things in 2025.

Intak: Agreed. At the same time, 2024 has given us relief. We’ve always felt this pressure to do cooler things, so being seen that way by P1eces and the public through SAD SONG and Killin’ It has been really encouraging.

How would you sum 2024 up in one word?
K: “Proof”. There was actually a lot of self-doubt when we were discussing the concept of Killin’ It, because I kept thinking, “What if the ideas I think are cool are only cool to me?” But the team supported me, and when the company did too, I felt I could finally prove who I am this year, and that I have good ideas worth listening to for P1eces, our company, and the members.

I: My word would be “attention.” The company gave us room this time to experiment with different styles, music and visuals, so we could tap into what we were really good at and get attention for it.

T-shirt, jeans, belt, all Amiri; Necklace, LXK Fine Jewelry

What particular creative challenges did you guys take on this year?
K: Music-wise, we tried a totally new genre for the first time. Seeing how we pulled a Latin-style song off gives me confidence that we can take on even more genres in the future.

Both Intak and I love fashion. I’m always trying new things, so my personal style keeps evolving. But as P1Harmony, we’re always looking for ways to stand out and look fresh. Since I’m involved in album concept planning and visuals, I always think about how we can synergise the visual and fashion aspects when we get a song.

I: I tend to take on challenges in the choreography department. The members are adept at expressing different styles, so I’m always on the lookout to try new styles with every performance. Since SAD SONG is Latin-influenced, I thought to try and focus more on the rhythm instead of intricate movements this time, which worked really well. I’m really grateful that the P1eces embrace all of these different sides, I hope to experiment with even more dance styles with our next release.

Beyond official positions and age differences, who is Keeho to Intak, and vice versa?
K: I think Intak is a very cute person. He gets swayed by a room’s atmosphere easily, but he’s always optimistic to the end. He also always gives people a second chance and doesn’t seem to doubt people much. He’s just the kind of person to always find the good in others first. Maybe that’s why I feel he is such a positive influence on the people around him, me included.

I: We’re kind of opposites, like extreme ENFP and INTP types. While I tend to focus on the positives first and look for the negatives later, Keeho tends to pick out the risks, problems, or things to avoid before acknowledging the positives. I’ll say, “Oh, everything seems great,” and then he’ll say, “No, in this case, you should be more cautious and pay attention to this.” I think this has helped us learn from each other and grow to become better people.

Shirt, pants, gloves, all Emporio Armani

Keeho, you are the leader of a group, you come from a company that has well-revered seniors, and you are also the older sibling at home. Does this position put pressure on you to set a good example? How do you manage that?
K: I’ve lived life believing that a position makes the person. Honestly, whenI first got the position of leader, I wanted to refuse. I thought it wouldn’t suit me, and I wasn’t sure if I could do it. But when you love what you do and love your team, being in that position of stress moulds you into the person you need to become. So, while there is pressure and challenges to be faced, not fearing failure and taking everything that comes your way head-on is how you will grow. So that’s what I did. If there were things I didn’t feel right about, I quickly let them go and try alternatives. I’m not a strict person by nature, so when being strict with the members didn’t work out, I quickly gave that up to search for a better alternative. I think it’s important not to be afraid of failing and experimenting. That’s how you’ll find a solution.

Hoodie, jeans, shorts, all Balenciaga; Boots, Emporio Armani

Intak, you have been involved with production elements like writing lyrics from the very start. What did you find difficult doing then but have got better at now?
I: Though exciting, the idea of creating, writing and singing my own music was overwhelming at the start. I was not confident about writing lyrics. I tried to believe in myself and trust the process, which included getting scolded. After making a conscious effort to trust myself more, I eventually found the confidence to write lyrics I could be proud of. It was only after the third album that I wrote my lyrics confidently as the rapper of P1Harmony. In the future, I hope to explore writing for different genres since I love a challenge. I want to make music that is exciting and makes listeners feel good.

We can’t not mention P1Harmony’s TikTok. How did it start?
K: I don’t know about Intak, but I’m always on it. TikTok has so many funny video, it’s a great way to relieve stress. When I see a challenge I think would be fun for our fans, I save it. Then, when we’re on tour or have free time,I’ll ask Intak, “Hey, should we film this?” Since we share a room, and Intak doesn’t refuse much, we end up filming a lot, and P1eces and general public love it. Intak and Theo were out shopping once, and some staff member shouted, “I love your TikTok!”.

I: It was even a guy who said it.

K: Yeah. I’m really grateful that we’re known by a lot of people. Please listen to our music, too, though!

Jacket, pants, boots, all Emporio Armani; Bag, Montblanc

On that note, has being so well-loved for your prowess in variety ever been a concern for you?
K: I’ve thought about this a lot. For the first two and a half years, I was afraid that if people know us only through this kind of image, it might be hard for our music to shine. Nowadays though, social media and music have become so intertwined that exposure in any way is good for us. Actually, a lot of our fans said they became P1ece after watching things like the Watashi Wa Star dance challenge. So now, I just enjoy making these videos without thinking too much. Perhaps they will discover our music, but even if it doesn’t, at least people will see our faces on many screens.

I: Accepting it is one thing, but I also believe that P1Harmony is ultimately a team that is much stronger in our main work. So, I don’t really have doubts about this any more. Ultimately, we shine the most when we do what we’re good at. So now, if we want to do something fun, we just do it, and when it’s time to perform, we show our coolest side.

K: It’s a one-plus-one sort of thing. Besides, these “random” TikToks aren’t that random. Everything is strategic. Of course, the “Gimmimymoney” video going viral was unexpected, but… Sorry, Jiung…[laughs]

Jacket, Saint Laurent

Since we have you right before 2025, what resolutions do you want to make for P1Harmony and yourselves?
K:  As someone who listens to music a lot, I feel a strong desire to keep releasing better music, so I want to show you more developed musical aspects in 2025. I want to perform bigger and better performances. Actually, we are preparing a lot for awards ceremonies and year-end stages now, and even though next year will be busy, I want to prepare even more. I also want to show a cooler version of my professional self, not just be the funny TikTok guy. I want to reinforce that we are actually cool, and I hope this year will help people remember that side of us.

I: I also just want to release as much music as possible, show a lot of what we’re good at and love, and perform on a lot of stages. That’s the only desire I have. All of P1Harmony feels the same — we just want to show more of what we’re good at and love. If I set a personal big goal, I’d say Billboard Top 5.

K: Let’s win the main award!

I: 2025 will be the year we to truly establish ourselves.

K: And by the way, my favourite number is 5, so I’m sure it’s going to happen.

I: We’ve proven it, so it will happen.

K: It absolutely will.

Jacket, shirt, pants, all Kenzo; Tie, Stylist’s own

Photography Kwak Kigon
Creative Direction & Styling Izwan Abdullah
Interview Charmaine Tan
Grooming Han Ahreum
Hair Choi Bora
On-set Stylist Mauro Locatelli
Fashion Coordination Manfred Lu
Production Oh Seoyul | SY Production

Once you are done with this story, click here to catch up with our December/January 2025 issue.