Hometown

BamBam’s name comes from the character Bamm-Bamm Rubble in the animated series The Flintstones, a baby with superhuman strength. “I’m the third of four siblings,” he explains. “I’m not sure, but maybe my mom named me that hoping her third son would be strong. In Thailand, it’s actually a pretty common name. It’s used more often for girls than boys, though,” he laughs.

When BamBam left Bangkok for Seoul in 2010, he was just 14 years old. He began his trainee life at JYP Entertainment, the company that produced 2PM, home to Nichkhun — the first Thai-born K-pop idol. After years of rigorous training, BamBam debuted in 2014 as part of GOT7.

The seven-member GOT7 is a truly multinational group, featuring BamBam, Jackson Wang from Hong Kong and Mark Tuan, who is Taiwanese-American. Perhaps because of this diversity, GOT7 quickly built a global fandom, holding world tours that reached beyond Asia to North and South America, Australia and Europe — faster than most K-pop groups that debuted around the same time. Their 2018 Eyes on You Tour even earned a spot at No. 9 on Billboard’s monthly top 10 Hot Tours list. Since January 2021, all the members of GOT7 have left JYP Entertainment. Yet, even while focusing on their individual careers, they’ve never forgotten to come together for the fans who continue to support them.

BamBam, in particular, has been extremely active. He launched his solo journey with the EP riBBon in summer 2021, followed by two more EPs and a full-length album. He has completed a solo world tour spanning 14 countries, though unfortunately, a North American tour planned for six cities was canceled due to an ankle injury. But BamBam’s impact goes far beyond music.

He became the first K-pop artist to be appointed as a global ambassador for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors and also earned recognition as a House Ambassador for Louis Vuitton. In recent years, he’s made his mark on Korean variety shows. His own online variety show, Bam’s House, ran for two seasons through 2024 and consistently drew impressive viewership — episodes surpassing 2 million views are not hard to find.

Now, BamBam is about to release his first album entirely in his native language. Titled HOMETOWN, the album features five tracks, all of which he participated in writing and composing. The pre-released highlight medley video evokes Thailand’s stunning landscapes through the lens of an old-school analog TV screen. From the skyline and rooftop bar that define Bangkok’s nightscape, to tuk-tuks navigating narrow backstreets, roaming cats, the sparkling sea, vibrant flowers and foliage under the warm sun, bustling night markets, crowded streets, and the Chao Phraya River flowing past Wat Arun temple — every frame feels like a love letter to his homeland. As one fan commented, it’s “so beautiful it could easily serve as a promotional video for the Tourism Authority of Thailand.”

But when we met BamBam, it wasn’t the skyline of Bangkok that stretched outside the window, but Seoul’s night view, visible from an office in the heart of Gangnam. This is the space of ‘HALO’, the new label just founded in April of this year. “There were both good and not-so-good times during my years in Korea — as there are anywhere,” he reflects. “I could have started my solo career in Thailand or even the U.S., but I’m a K-pop artist. I have a sense of ‘Jeong’ — the warm feeling of attachment between people — and respect for this place.”

As you can see, BamBam never forgets his beginnings. Just as the starting point of his music is rooted in Seoul, the starting point of his story — Bangkok — remains in his heart. He was once a small, lean boy with a bright, innocent face, who loved to dance and boarded a plane to a foreign country without knowing what the future would hold. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that one day he would become one of the most famous names representing Thailand. 

HOMETOWN is BamBam’s most honest and intimate story, shared with all of us.

Your new album, HOMETOWN is released on October 10. You’ve previously worked on the OST for the Thai film ‘The Con-Heartist’,  but this is your first time releasing a full Thai-language record in 11 years since your debut in 2014. When did you decide to do it?

That’s right. The only Thai song I’ve released before was that OST years ago — I never officially released anything else in Thai. Last year, on my way to Rajamangala Stadium for the encore show of my solo tour ‘AREA 52’, I happened to pass by the area where I was born. It’s actually the only route to the venue, but I hadn’t taken that road in years, so I never realized it. That moment felt so meaningful — it was like everything suddenly clicked. I knew what I wanted to do next. And from that moment on, I already knew the album would be called HOMETOWN.

Many global fans will probably feel closer to Thai culture through this album

I think a lot of people are already familiar with Thailand’s cities, atmosphere, and culture — it’s such a well-known travel destination. But rather than showing Thailand from an outsider’s perspective, I wanted to express the life of real Thai people, and how we see our own country. That’s something only Thais can truly convey.

The title track “WONDERING” stands out with its warm tone and dreamy synths. Compared to “LAST PARADE,” the title track from your 2024 EP BAEMSIS, it feels much more relaxed and at ease. Do you think that’s thanks to returning to your ‘hometown’?

It actually reminds me a bit of my first solo song, “riBBon”, which was released in 2021, in that it’s a track that just makes people feel good when they listen to it. Come to think of it, my solo work kept getting darker over time — even my makeup got heavier. By the time I did “LAST PARADE,” I’d practically turned into a devil. [Laughs]

Watching the “LAST PARADE” music video reminded me of Hieronymus Bosch’s paintings of hell,  actually.

HOMETOWN comes after my first solo world tour anyway, so it really feels like the beginning of a new chapter. I realized there was no need to go for something overly conceptual this time. I just wanted people to see ‘the real BamBam’. That’s why in the “WONDERING” music video, we went for scenes that feel like they could’ve been shot at an actual Thai night market.

The album includes five tracks in total. Aside from “Angel in Disguise (Prod. Pharrell Williams)” and the title track “WONDERING,” the other three songs all feature Thai artists. Tell us about the process

I personally chose every artist I worked with on this album. I wanted to collaborate with people who share a similar mindset with me. TIMETHAI, who’s featured on the pre-release single “Dancing by myself(feat. TIMETHAI), is just really good. He can sing, he can dance — he’s got it all. Jeff Satur, who joined me on “More Than Friend(Feat.Jeff Satur)”, is often called the ‘gifted’ in Thailand. He can handle so many different genres, and from what I know, he even does his own mixing and mastering — plus, he acts too. And he’s just really handsome. [Laughs] INK WARUNTORN, who’s featured on “Greenlight,” is one of the most beloved female singers in Thailand. She has that pure Thai-pop charm that I really wanted to capture on this album. Since I’ve never written lyrics in Thai before, I got a lot of help from others as well. TYTAN and SMEW worked on every track, and Jeaniich helped out with “Greenlight (Feat. INK WARUNTORN).”

For someone who left hometown at 14 to debut as a K-pop idol — now releasing a full album in your native language more than 11 years later feels like a full-circle moment. What does this milestone mean to you, both personally and for the industry?

There was a time when I really wanted to be accepted by people in Korea, so I appeared on a lot of variety shows. I think I’ve achieved that goal to some extent now, and I even completed a world tour as a solo artist. So releasing a Thai-language album just felt like the natural next step. Thai people have always supported me simply because I’m one of them. For example, if I perform in Brazil, even people who aren’t necessarily my fans will say things like, “I’m proud that you’re Thai,” or “I hope you keep doing well.” That kind of support really means a lot to me.

It really feels like cheering for a national athlete. Kind of like how Koreans support Korean baseball players in the MLB or soccer players in overseas leagues.

Exactly. It’s not just me — Lisa, Minnie, Nichkhun, all of us are like national representatives in the music world. And naturally, that makes me want to showcase Thai culture in a way that’s worthy of that title. I wanted to create something that the people supporting me can feel proud of, and I also want to continue being someone worth supporting.

What does the passionate support from Thai fans mean to you? Have you ever felt pressured by it?

I know that any mistake I make could potentially affect Thailand’s reputation. But there’s one thing I’m absolutely certain about — I’m not a bad person. So the support I get from people back home never feels like a burden. What makes me happiest is simply living each day as I am, with my cats by my side.

Honestly, the most exciting thing I do these days is go bowling. [Laughs]

You’ve performed on countless stages throughout your career. Which one stands out to you the most?

The 2022 NBA Halftime Show was definitely one of the best moments. It was during the Golden State Warriors vs. LA Lakers game, and the energy was unreal. Another unforgettable moment was performing solo for the encore of my “AREA 52” tour at Rajamangala Stadium. It was something I had always dreamed about, but honestly, I wasn’t sure if it could really happen. And then it did.

More recently, the ‘Grace for the World’ concert at the Vatican was another truly special experience. It’s such a sacred place where performances rarely happen, so I felt deeply honored. Sharing the stage with artists like John Legend, Andrea Bocelli, and Karol G — everyone was just there to enjoy the moment, no matter how famous they were. Pharrell was there too, and it was so different from his usual cool, stylish vibe at Louis Vuitton shows — that day, he took off his sunglasses and was just having fun. I even went up during rehearsal and said, “You look kinda cute today.” [Laughs] And of course, meeting and shaking hands with Pope Leo XIV — I mean, when would I ever get to experience something like that again?

How do you personally define K-pop? Many people still question why it’s called K-pop when the artist isn’t Korean or the lyrics aren’t in Korean.

I can’t speak for every K-pop artist, but in my view, nationality doesn’t really matter when it comes to calling something K-pop. Still, the “K” stands for “Korea,” and that’s something we should always take pride in. I believe anyone who’s part of this industry should respect the Korean entertainment scene and truly understand the culture and the people behind it.

You debuted with GOT7 at 17 in 2014. While you started your solo career in 2021, releasing your first full-length album Sour & Sweet in 2023 and completing your first solo world tour ‘AREA 52’ really cemented you as a solo artist. Looking back on this journey, when did you feel your musical direction became the clearest?

I’d say it was during the ‘AREA 52’ tour. I’ve experimented with many different styles over the years, but no matter the genre, my own style was always there. Even earlier this year, before it was revealed that I wrote GOT7’s comeback title track “PYTHON,” many people who heard it said, “This sounds like a BamBam song.” It felt rewarding to realize that my style was being recognized. I think it was in that confidence that I started to find the direction I wanted to go musically.

How do you describe ‘hometown’  at this point in your life?

There was a time when I was confused — I was born in Thailand, yet sometimes Korea feels like home. I guess that’s because I’ve now spent more years in Korea than I did in Thailand since I came here at fourteen. Still, every time I go back to Thailand, there’s a certain energy and a sense of comfort that can’t be compared to anything else. Even if I return after a long time, that feeling never changes. If Thailand is my hometown, then Korea is the place that raised me.

It’s impressive and heartwarming to see how much you still value Korea as the starting point of your career. Was it a natural decision to continue building your career based in Seoul?

I think it was the obvious choice. Some Korean fans might worry that I’m slowly “returning home” now that I’m releasing a Thai-language album, but my home, my company are all in Korea. And my cats, of course! [Laughs] The word that just came to mind is that, to me, K-pop represents the ‘beginner’s mindset’ — staying true to your beginnings. The moment you lose that, you can’t really call it K-pop anymore. And my beginner’s mindset? That’s Korea and GOT7.  Staying true to your beginnings and holding your position over time is what really matters.

‘Thai K-pop idols’ are known to have a strong sense of connection and camaraderie — like BLACKPINK’s Lisa, i-dle’s Minnie, CLC’s Sorn, NCT’s Ten, and Kiss of Life’s Natty. When you meet, what do you usually talk about?

We don’t really talk about work. Honestly, we’re all working all the time anyway, so when we meet as friends, no one really wants to talk about it. If anything, it’s more like, “Hey, I just shot a music video — want to take a look?” or asking for opinions. When we hang out, it doesn’t matter who’s in BLACKPINK or i-dle — none of that really comes into play.

You can see Thailand’s growing influence in the entertainment industry just by looking at Netflix or fashion weeks. Do you feel this change yourself?

I’ve only recently started looking more closely at the industry, but yes, I can definitely feel it. Back in 2014, when I debuted, there weren’t many cases of Thai artists or the industry trying to expand internationally. Someone once told me that the spread and popularity of K-pop has given Thai artists and fans more confidence. From styling to performance approach, we’ve picked up a lot from K-pop culture. Overall, I think the industry itself has become bolder and more confident in taking on new challenges.

You’re only 28. After achieving so much at a young age, what’s next for you? 

I have many goals, but now I want to approach them differently. Rather than sacrificing myself to reach them, I want to live my life and gradually move toward those goals at my own pace. Coming to Korea as a trainee meant leaving my life in Thailand behind. Now, I’m learning to move forward gently, sharing each moment with my fans. I’ve shared so many moments already — voice break, silly mistakes — because I started my trainee life so early. But I want to give more. As I get older, I hope my relationship with fans becomes something deeper than just artist and audience, like we’re contributing parts of life together. Maybe one day I’ll even say, “Let’s go out for dinner together!” [Laughs]

Listening to HOMETOWN, what do you hope people take away?

I hope they can feel my beginning — BamBam before I achieved my current success and circumstances, when I had nothing at all. I want them to experience that pure version of me.