GOT7’s BamBam On India, Making People Have Fun And Love For Spicy Food

He greets me with an affectionate, “Namaste!”. BamBam is dressed in a black and green leather waistcoat and baggy pants, along with gloves and a Louis Vuitton belt to boot. If he’s nervous, he doesn’t show. I can’t help but be charmed – his easy-going energy is infectious.

For the 28-year-old South Korea-based Thai rapper and singer, it’s been a whirlwind of activities off late. He struck the high notes with his first solo album, Sour and Sweet, in 2023, embarked on his ambitious world tour, and released his third mini album, Bamesis, in 2024. Add to it all the shows and live performances and you know he’s not had much time to rest, let alone keep up with all the madness around (and about) him.

But he did take out some time to chat with us about his journey as a solo artist, the much-anticipated GOT7 comeback and his love for all things India.

ESQUIRE: What is your head space at the moment?

BAMBAM: I am doing what I love, and trying to spend as much time as I can with my fans. I want to share my daily life, moments with them, giving an insight into the human BamBam besides the one on stage. I guess this is how I am evolving in my life, as of now.

ESQ: What’s the one thing you have discovered as an artist in the last two years?

BB: A lot of people say different things but for myself, I quite enjoy seeing people have fun with my music. I also like to see how I can make more people laugh, make good memories with them and make them have a good time.

ESQ: This is your first to India, what took you so long?

BB: Honestly, I don’t know what took me so long. I have been on my word tour since 2023 and have always wanted to put India on my list, but it wasn’t easy. Now that I am here, I am going to study a lot of stuff, meet a lot of people, and the next time, I can put two to three cities in India, on my list, hopefully.

ESQ: When you are in a new city, how do you go about planning a day?

BB: I just go with the flow. I am also very open and interactive with my fans through social media. When I visit a new city, I always ask them about local food as I don’t want to eat very famous food recommended for travellers, but savour what the locals eat instead. I want to learn about their culture, soak in the city and experience it as the locals do. In India, I am looking forward to relishing the local cuisine. I love spicy food!