I.N: The Trendsetter
In the week leading up to the release of Stray Kids' first ever Rolling Stone UK cover, we're sharing our individual interviews with each member from within the magazine. For our final interview, it's the trendsetter: I.N.
The youngest member of Stray Kids, I.N is always smiling. His fox-like grin is always quick to appear when his fellow members are joking around. It can even creep in like a Cheshire cat during the most intense and serious performances from the band — much to the amusement of his fans. But when I.N gets in front of the camera for his Rolling Stone UK cover shoot, his expression immediately switches to a brooding demeanour that highlights his amazing bone structure and impossibly angular cheekbones, all framed by a mass of golden blond hair. Wearing an oversized Bottega Veneta coat, he creates accentuated shapes for the photographer and contorts into shapes like a fashion model.
In a previous interview with Rolling Stone UK, Hyunjin said that if he could share a wardrobe with any other member, it would be I.N. It’s clear from how he works today’s choice of outfit that he has a considered understanding of fashion and an eye for up-and-coming trends.
For the youngest member of a band, he shows a lot of maturity. He takes his time in order to give thoughtful answers. “I’m not only into clothes, but also sneakers and shoes. There is a new type of shoe from Puma with a very thick sole. It’s not a trend yet, but I believe it will be, so I want to wear it first,” he says. Such is the power of Stray Kids, if I.N did start to wear them, he could start this trend all on his own.
In terms of admiring other members’ sense of style, he’s got his eye on the leader. “I would love to share [a wardrobe] with Bang Chan. He doesn’t own that many clothes, but he gets the point with his fashion. I like the way he wears his stuff,” he says.
As we talk about I.N’s piano-playing, the Stray Kids family trait of hungry determination comes to the fore. I.N doesn’t just want to play songs from the group’s current discography, he wants to compose his own. He’s not too dissimilar from eldest member Bang Chan: driven, humble and focused in everything that he does.
The maknae is a very treasured position in K-pop groups, but even more so in Stray Kids. Often, like a little brother, they are teased by their hyungs, but Stray Kids of course have so much adoration for their youngest member that it has manifested in their sound. Bang Chan and Changbin honoured I.N by collaborating with him on his own song (and accompanying music video) called ‘Maknae on Top’. “It was such a fun experience, the whole writing, recording and idea-making process,” he says. “It was not even a matter of working. Time didn’t pass as usual. It was just fun.”
But he didn’t let this special attention go to his head. “I believe that whilst working with Stray Kids, now more than ever, it’s important to stay humble,” says I.N. “I remember where I come from and I wouldn’t want my hard-working attitude to change just because [the band has] reached a [high] point.”
When Stray Kids came to London, the fans were at the heart of it for I.N. During BST Hyde Park, he often sat on the side of the stage, feet swinging merrily, interacting cutely with as many fans as he could, as if he were making up for lost time. “It’s been so long since I have been to London, [the] first thing I want to see is the fans,” he reflects on their visit to the city.
I.N’s mature perspective and foresight are demonstrated in his performance style. Over the years, his voice has matured, and he continues to nail his vocals with a beaming smile, but when he performs covers like Radiohead’s ‘Creep’ on tour, he shows how masterful and versatile his voice can be, all the while building rockier elements into his sound.
Ironically, even though he is the youngest, he is not a fan of skinship — aka platonic physical affection. So, naturally, this encourages his fellow members to shower him with love and hugs. As he gives in to the barrage from his Stray Kids siblings, he admits defeat and reacts with his trademark grin. “We get closer. We have passed the stage of knowing each other very well and we know each other the whole way. Now it’s come to the part of the relationship where we just get closer and closer,” he says of his bandmates.
Taken from the October/November issue of Rolling Stone UK – you can pre-order it here now.
