James Alyn & Phum Viphurit Interview: How Thai Indie Pop Found Its Way to Korea

You just wrapped a hugely successful show in Seoul. As both your first solo performance in Korea and your first time sharing the stage together, it must have felt especially meaningful.

James Alyn: The second I got offstage, my heart was pounding from the audience’s insane energy. I turned to Phum right away and shouted, “Dude, that was so much fun!”. Honestly, we went so wild onstage that the entire setlist seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye.

Phum Viphurit: When we sang the final song, “all in,”, the lyrics sounded a lot like “P’Alyn” —Alyn’s name. So I asked the crowd to shout Alyn’s name at the top of their lungs instead of mine (laughs). It was so much fun, and we both got to fully enjoy being onstage.

As labelmates, you’re currently touring major cities across Asia together. What have you discovered about one another on the road, or what moments have stayed with you most?

James Alyn: I was genuinely impressed by the way Phum looks after his fans. He takes time to make eye contact with them and express his gratitude, and I really admire how much care he puts into making sure they have the best possible experience at his shows.

Phum Viphurit: Alyn is something of a role model for me. His performance is still something I’m trying to learn from. He’s always professional, he knows how to have fun onstage, and his live performances have a character all their own. Offstage, he’s also incredibly calm and sweet. And his vocals go without saying. They sound just like the studio recordings… No, honestly, they’re so much better live.

Bangkok, Phuket, London, Seoul—every city has its own distinct energy. What was Seoul like this time around?

James Alyn: It was a remarkable blend of intense energy and warmth. The audience filled the room with such a vibrant live energy, but at the same time, it felt strangely cozy and comfortable. I felt a thrill the entire time I was onstage, yet somehow it also felt like coming home.

Phum Viphurit: Exactly. Every city gives off a distinctly different kind of energy. This was actually my second show in Seoul. The first was on a smaller stage, and since I knew most of the people there, it felt like a comfortable neighborhood gig (laughs). But this time was completely different. I’ve really gained Korean fans, too, and there were far more than I expected, which surprised me. One fan shouted, “I LOVE YOUUUU,” and my heart skipped a beat (laughs).

The title of this Korean show was “Spot the GIG.”. Just as this performance became an unforgettable “spot” for Korean audiences, was there ever a moment when you saw someone perform live and thought, “Ah, I need to make my own music”??

James Alyn: When I saw Green Day live as a kid, it felt like being hit over the head. It was the show with the wildest energy I’d ever seen. Watching them absolutely own the stage, a lightbulb went off in my head. As I left the venue, I knew it: “I need to make music that brings people together live, and gives them that same raw thrill.”

Phum Viphurit: I think it was when I first heard Gracie Abrams’s music. I haven’t seen her live in person, but I watched videos of her live performances on YouTube, and I was completely captivated by her unassuming yet beautiful aura. Her songs touched me deeply. From that moment, I wanted to make music of my own, and perform it live for people.

Unlike a festival stage, this standing-room venue was intimate enough to hear the audience breathe. How did that physical closeness affect the emotions you felt onstage?

James Alyn: I love being this close to the audience. Being able to clearly read everyone’s faces and expressions is incredibly energizing. That unfiltered connection, coming through directly, had my dopamine soaring throughout the show. It didn’t feel like we were simply putting on a show, but like we were all sharing one huge moment in the same space.

Phum Viphurit: I could see the audience’s faces so clearly while I was singing, and just seeing them made my heart swell. Their emotions were written all over their faces. Everyone was smiling at me, and having a great time. Whenever I spoke between songs, it felt less like a stage and more like sitting in my living room, chatting with friends. The fans’ energy brings out the best in me.

After HYBS’s enormous success, you began your first chapter as a solo artist. What most motivated you to keep going amid both the anticipation and pressure?

James Alyn: Honestly, it’s the immense love fans give me, and simply being able to share those uniquely special, joyful moments onstage with them again. That’s what keeps me smiling and moving forward.

What is the toughest question you ask yourself while making music?

James Alyn: I constantly ask myself, “Is this truly music that sounds like me, or am I simply settling into what feels familiar?” Keeping a romantic, groovy texture comes naturally to me, but I’m always careful to make sure I’m not replicating a formula and that I’m expressing “who I am right now” 100% honestly.

Along with your solo tracks, you also performed iconic songs from your HYBS days. Has performing those beloved songs from the past on your own changed how they feel or what they mean to you?

James Alyn: Singing those songs on tour brings back a rush of tender memories. It’s especially true when I return to cities I first visited with HYBS. It moves me when audiences sing along at the top of their lungs, just as they did then. Realizing that these tracks still mean so much to everyone is pure joy.

Your new song “all in” portrays someone who chooses love even if it may seem foolish, while remaining keenly self-aware. In life or in music, are there moments when you throw yourself fully into something without hesitation, even when you don’t know the outcome?

Phum Viphurit: What I’m doing now is itself an “all-in”. As an artist called “Phum Viphurit”, I’m pouring everything I have into pursuing my dream of making music. These days, so many new musicians emerge every day. Making an impression on the public or standing out is never easy. But it’s absolutely worth it. Even if I never become hugely famous, I’m already fulfilled simply because I get to do what I love. Still, I’m grateful that people are beginning to recognize me. Being able to perform outside Thailand is more meaningful than I could have imagined. I’ll never take this opportunity for granted.

“pity dirty” went viral and became hugely loved among Korean listeners. How did it feel to hear an audience sing along in Korea to a deeply personal song you made alone in your room?

Phum Viphurit: I can’t believe a song that was released only a year and a half ago is receiving this much love. It makes me even happier because it’s like my “baby” of a song. I’ve cherished it since the day it entered the world, and seeing other people love it too is the best feeling in the world. When everyone sings along together, I feel that we’re connected, and that language barriers have completely disappeared.

Korean listeners have fallen deeply for Thai indie pop’s signature texture—sophisticated yet wistful. As artists at the center of the scene, where do you think that distinctive quality comes from?

James Alyn: I think it comes from a really cool mix of our local roots. We grew up listening to Thai traditional music and local sounds, and that has naturally merged with an environment where we can absorb diverse music from around the world without limitations, creating a singular musical palette.

Phum Viphurit: First, I’m so happy that Korean fans support the Thai indie scene. We’re not that far apart geographically, and Thai people have long been strongly influenced by Korea’s music scene. It’s a relationship where we influence and exchange with one another. I think we inspire each other in one way or another.

Of the songs in your Seoul concert setlist, which one stands out most—whether because you prepared it especially carefully or because the audience response was far more enthusiastic than expected?

James Alyn: We poured our souls into rehearsing every track, but if I had to choose one, it would be “My Friend.”It’s a relatively new song, so we hadn’t had many chances to perform it live and I really wanted to get it exactly right. Seeing the audience’s energy erupt in the room made all that hard work feel worthwhile.

Phum Viphurit: In terms of the crowd’s response, I’d like to say every song I performed. Everyone had such a great time! (laughs) But when I got back to the hotel and checked my Instagram Story tags, it seemed like “let it out” received an explosive response. It was the only song where I sang while playing piano, and the first time I’d shown that style of performance. I also realized that in Korea, my album <puffette> is less popular than the EP <out of nowhere>. That was a real surprise, but I’m so happy that people love my natural folk sensibility.

The Seoul show has come to an end. Is there anything you’d like to say to your Korean fans? And what kind of music do you plan to return with?

James Alyn: I hope everyone left feeling warmly comforted and recharged. I hope it felt like having a heartfelt conversation with a close friend, then singing and dancing your heart out together. If my music made anyone’s day even a little brighter, then I’ve done what I came to do.

Phum Viphurit: I hope fans feel closer to me now, and that this was a chance for them to get to know me more deeply as a person. I gave everything I had onstage, so I hope my sincerity and the happiness I felt came through to the audience just as they were. I plan to keep writing music I love, tracks that hold my honest emotions. I want listeners to feel that they aren’t alone, and that they’re connected to me. I really want to come back to Korea soon. Next time, we’ll truly be able to go even wilder. This show was already wild, but next time there will be even more energy, more tears and laughter, and more cheers (laughs).