In a single day, over 1,000 fan letters rush to their company's office. They're the sole group where posts related to them gather explosive amounts views on PC communication networks like HiTEL, Chollian, and Nownuri. They've dominated the net to the point where finding posts about other celebrities is near-impossible. Not only is their every move both on-stage and off shared, but rumors and guesses about the group are prevalent too. A fanclub on PC communication fanclub "Oh Bang Jang Gun" meticulously provides news about H.O.T. and also serves the role of leading public opinion.

There were a few instances where Seo Taiji and Boys released new music after eight to nine months of silence and livened up PC communication, but H.O.T. are the first singers since them to integrate themselves into the public view. H.O.T. are also setting audience attendance records for public live broadcasts and events. Not just in Seoul, but also in other districts are H.O.T. gathering audiences ranging from 500 to over 1,000 people, even though they lack an official fanclub. During the MBC Starry Night public broadcasts last December that toured Korea's major cities, H.O.T.'s popularity was unrivaled. Particularly at the Daegu stop, H.O.T. fans flocking in roves waiting for the group's appearance led to two deaths and a number of injuries. Upon hearing the news, H.O.T. had to cancel the performance and hurry back to Seoul.

Damin Planning is the company in charge of H.O.T's portrait rights. The company says that "H.O.T. postcards and posters are so short on supply we can't sell enough of them." Companies that focus on celebrity portrait rights like Wi Productions, Star Focus, and Pudaim are operating in large numbers domestically. These companies produce merchandise targeted towards primary and middle schoolers like postcards and posters, and according to them H.O.T.-related products sell three to four times as much as the few top class solo singers. 

In the commercial industry, advertisers are picking H.O.T. as their "number 1 target." Offers are piling up from over 20-30 companies, and the group have already received down payments of $150 to $250 million won from companies they've signed with. Their appearance fees have been reaching the sky.

"Candy" is dominating the charts of the big 3 TV stations' music programs, and it's the same on music-focused cable channels like KMTV, M.net, and Downtown. It doesn't seem like there's anything in the music industry that can stop H.O.T.'s rise.

[Dance & Music]

Comical motions, "double hammer dance" fever

A sweet, melodic change to their singing style

The boys of H.O.T. have reigned the streets as famous dancers since high school—it's no wonder their choreography is nothing short of extravagant. The members have 5 at least to 9 years of experience at most, and they favor hip hop dance the most.

Right after their debut, H.O.T. offered a stunning performance in the form of "Warrior's Descendants", whose choreography contains 3-4 high level techniques. A hip-hop based group dance with many twisting movements, the main point then was the "fan dance." The five members would dance using isolating motions, then suddenly fall down and spin on their knees. Next was Jang Woohyuk's "eagle dance", a type of electric boogie (in which one follows the beat with slow movements). The movement, like the spread out wings of an eagle, conveys a tremendous strength.

In the follow-up track, "Candy", Moon Heejun presented the "power racer", while Jang Woohyuk presented the "hammer dance"—the key point is the "double hammer dance", which Heejun and Woohyuk perform together. A creative "needle dance" (imitating the motion of being shot by a needle) also shows up here and then. The comical hammer-hit movements that seem to recoil to the person next to them, which match the song's cute mood, have also been key factors in H.O.T.'s rise to popularity. Back in "Warrior's Descendants", H.O.T hit our ears with a unique assortment of raps—Tony's nasally English rap, Kangta's so called "Jeong Joo-young style" twangy rap, and Jang Woohyuk's rock-style shouting built variety and tension. But unlike "Warrior's Descendants", which stood out for its intensity, "Candy" puts softness above everything else. As Kangta and Moon Heejun lead vocally, all of the members contribute to the vocals and rapping, building a solid harmony.

[Fashion]

A flashy, candy-colored pastel style

Mittens and overalls trending big

The promotions of "Warrior's Descendants" had all 5 members wear the same hip hop-inspired, black-colored street fashion. But with "Candy", the group's made a change by using colorful palettes.

This "candy fashion" has recently gotten popular with the young generation, and is the newest fashion item selling like hotcakes.

When a star is born, it's natural for their hairstyle, fashion, and every little move to start a trend. Moon Heejun's sun cap and the mittens and overalls H.O.T. wear have boomed in popularity, thus creating the name "candy fashion" or "H.O.T. fashion."

Like the name implies, "candy fashion" puts candy colors, i.e. bright and cute pastels like pink, orange, and chartreuse on artificial mink to give a soft, comforting feel. The jumpers worn by the group are mostly popular with girls, probably on account of their colorful hues. But individual items like Moon Heejun's sun cap, Jang Woohyuk's bucket hat, Kangta's bag, as well as all five members' oversized mittens, are in with teens regardless of gender.

H.O.T.'s fashion items can be seen from shops in Shinchon, Dongsung-dong, and Myeong-dong, all the way to handcarts, with names like "the Jang Woohyuk hat" or "the Moon Heejun hat". "The doll-shaped claw pins on Jang Woo-hyuk's hat aren't being sold just on hats, but also as stand-alone hair pins," says a shopkeeper in Sinchon, explaining the H.O.T. boom in street fashion, "and hairbands imitating the duck shape on Moon Heejun's sun cap are also popular."

These items differ in price depending on the area and shop, but their cheap costs, ranging from ₩3,000 to ₩15,000 won, make them more tempting for youths to buy. It's also a trend amongst schoolgirls to tie their with colorful rubber bands, imitating Lee Jaewon's babyish and slightly dowdy hairstyle, and the color painting on all 5 members' faces is seeing explosive popularity in ski resorts.  clothing, items, and style are trending en masse, giving a brilliant color to the previously grey winter streets.

Stylist Go Kyeong-min speaks about H.O.T

Every member has a clear-cut image

They can pull off any style of clothing

H.O.T.'s biggest strength is their members' fair, bright skin. Accordingly, they look good no matter what color they wear, from dark blacks to brilliant primary shades. The members aren't all the most handsome faces, but their baby faces and distinct images make them able to pull off even the most unconventional styles. Lee Jaewon's "fountain hair" or Moon Heejun's sun-cap, for instance, may look old-fashioned, but it accentuates their cuteness and gives them each a strong impression. Kangta wasn't given any special accents due to his clean-cut, manhwa character-like image, but that serves to differentiate him from the other members.

Their unique, individual impressions and styles that allow them to try experimental fashions make me say as a stylist that they're the perfect models.

[Their debut process]

Members scouted through newspaper and magazine ads

1 year of "free housing" while practicing choreography

H.O.T. are the idol stars of the future, born from the thorough, perfectionist calculation of their production team. The music industry, too, has now reached the stage where commercial strategies need to be planned through precise market research. One can see H.O.T. as a "character product" created with that marketability in mind. Jeong Haeik, SM Entertainment's head manager, formed a dance group in snatches of time while managing the R&B singer Yoo Youngjin.

"I planned it to be a five member group from the start. There were already many duos and trios in the music scene. I did think of making a quartet, but thinking about the group's on-stage appearance, I figured a five member ensemble would look the most cool and balanced."

Jeong started by printing recruitment ads in newspapers and magazines. The first members he scouted were Moon Heejun and Kangta. It's said that the two most popular of H.O.T. immediately caught Jung's interest. The next member to be chosen was Jang Woohyuk, who won over 700 people to become the 3rd H.O.T. member.

Feeling the need to add a member who can rap in English, Jeong printed an ad in a Korean-American magazine in LA. The two people who passed by sending in their pictures and documents were Tony Ahn and Lee Sunho. Lee Sunho was a middle school senior at the time, and his parents refused to let him join the group, so he quit and only Tony was added. Lastly, Lee Jaewon's scouting completed the framework for H.O.T. Tony, who lived in America, trained by watching videos he was mailed of the other members dancing, and in June he came to Seoul, officialy becoming a member.

The only members without living places in Seoul were the Korean-American Tony and the Gumi resident Jang Woohyuk. Jeong Haeik accommodated the two with meals and lodging in a boarding in Bangbae-dong. Ever since then, Jeong Haeik has done Woohyuk and Tony's laundry and made their food.

Go Kyeongmin, Lee Dongwook, Kim Youngae, and Kim Youngran are the stylists who transformed H.O.T. from regular high-schoolers into stars with their own, cartoonish characters. Their coordination emphasized boosting the five members' individual characteristics as much as possible.

As H.O.T.'s main target audience is teenagers, the stylists emphasized points that match up with cartoon characters, and made the members into varied "character goods" in line with stationery's popularity among youth. The members were mainly styled in pastel-colored hip hop fashion to give off a playful image. Kangta was refined into a character resembling the manga Slam Dunk's main character in order to set him off in the eyes of teenage fans. Moon Heejun originally had a tough image, but thanks to the stylists' work he was reborn as a cute, comical character.

With Lee Jaewon, who's the most popular among young girl fans, the stylists emphasized his pure pretty boy concept. In their coordination, they've highlighted characteristics such as his white skin and reserved nature. On the flip-side, Jang Woohyuk's coordination accentuates a rebellious image. This is also why he is made to cover his face with a bucket hat—to express this rebellious spirit. With Tony, they've taken into consideration that he is Korean-American and have given him an intellectual image. Taking advantage of his carefree and playful personality, his outfits have been kept as freestyle as possible.

Jeon Jin-guk speaks about H.O.T. / KBS Variety Production Department

Offers 'peer awareness' to teens - has every talent a star needs