"It's less the feeling that I have a place in the industry and more that I need to create one."

"MISFITS was born out of frustration.I was in my early twenties when I started my career as a rapper [in South Korea]. Already, there was little hope for someone like me; I had just finished conscription, so I was older than my peers, and my Korean wasn’t very good. [My company] prioritized my looks over my skills, so I didn’t get the support I wanted– and when I did find that support through television, the company scolded me for acting out of line. I wasn’t punished as much for my decision as I was for my image; how I acted threatened the integrity of the [idol] group they wanted me to join, so I was punished. It pissed me off, so I retaliated with ‘System’.At the time, I didn’t realize how much my decision would impact the way people viewed– and accepted– me as an artist. It was the first time I had experienced so much negativity that I wondered if the choice to stand up for myself destroyed any chance I had of being successful.I got tired of conforming; I didn't want a censored or manufactured version of myself to be successful. Even though the stakes are higher as an independent artist, freedom of expression was more important to me than becoming famous. Now, I’m fortunate to have both.There's a privilege that comes with being a mainstream artist, and I want to use it to rewrite the definition of 'success' in this industry.When people think of MISFITS, I want them to think of artists who go against the grain. We’re people who’ve had their share of controversies, failures, and rejections but persevered. I don’t know what the future holds for us, but I hope that people see us as the exception.I want MISFITS to change the perception of ‘failure’ in the industry."- Gong Moon-shik (DDAL), MISFITS MUSIC Founder & CEO