TPA opens up on main influences, latest ‘Flip It Back’ EP and more: Interview

Paving his own way within the dance scene, South Korean DJ and record producer TPA opens up on a vast array of subjects in this exclusive interview.

Hello and thank you for joining us! Could you provide us with an insight on the main inspirations/influences that led to your chosen career pathway in music?

“For me, music felt like a game from the beginning. I studied practical music in high school, and when I took a class where we made music on the computer, I was completely hooked. I didn’t even know what electronic music was. I was just playing around with cool sounds. I didn’t know what I was doing, but I stayed in the computer lab messing with Cubase until the security guard kicked me out. Then I became an adult and went to a club for the first time. When I heard EDM on a huge speaker system, it was just insane. I couldn’t dance, I wasn’t even much of a party person but I was just so hyped. My friends and I jumped around all day to EDM, no alcohol, just pure energy. I kept turning that feeling into music, and before I knew it, I was making EDM and became a DJ.”

With versatility a key aspect in the dance scene, we would like to know the origin of your style of play, and how your signature sound has evolved over time?

“At first, I was just obsessed with bass-heavy dubstep and trap. I listened to guys like Skrillex and DJ Snake and thought, “This is music!” So I went all in on edm trap. But when I started DJing seriously and performing overseas and in Korea, I realized that each country has a different vibe. The music styles, the energy, the expectations, all different. So I tried everything from hip-hop to bounce, just to see what I liked. And then I realized I loved music with heavy bass, dark moods, and a kind of villainous energy. The genre that best fit that was bass house. Now, over 90% of my set is made up of tracks I remixed myself. Familiar but unfamiliar. Unexpected but addictive. If I can’t nod my head to my own track, I toss it out immediately.”

Making waves with each of your endeavours, could you talk us through the impact that electronic music has had on you as an individual, and how you overcome any challenges that you may face?

“Electronic music? It’s literally my life. While others were gaming or drinking, I was opening Cubase and playing with sound. I had no idea what I was doing, but it was just fun. That was the beginning. Now, I’ve spent half my life with electronic music. Even when I was broke or lonely, I turned on my computer and just messed with sound. To me, electronic music is play, work, and life all in one. It’s the most addictive toy in the world.”

Blessing fans alike with the release of your ‘Flip It Back’ EP, we would like to know the main thought process behind this body of work, as well as the overall message you have set out to convey through each featured track?

“The second EP, ‘Flip It Back,’ continues to show my true self. I’ve made a lot of K-pop and pop remixes, but at some point, I realized “this isn’t fully my story.” All the DJs I thought were cool had their own original tracks. So I made mine too. This EP is all about breaking, chopping, and reassembling trendy sounds in the way that only TPA can. The EP has four tracks: ‘Flip It Back:’ A cinematic intro that pulls you in immediately. The rage sound drops hard from the start. ‘Pump This:’ Starts with a child’s voice, hits with Miami bass, and throws in Melbourne-style vocal chops. A ridiculous combo. but it works. ‘Steppin’ (feat. Dread MC): DNB has been hot lately, so I thought, “What if I bring that rhythm into house?” I chopped DNB samples into my BPM and added Dread MC’s voice on top. ‘Beat Bang:’ A simpler, repetitive club track for people who just want to dance. It destroys the dancefloor.”

With the Asian electronic music scene constantly on the rise, could you talk us through its current status, any challenges faced, and overall the perception of our community in your home continent?

“Korean EDM? Full of potential, but hasn’t exploded yet. We have a lot of producers, and things are growing, but there’s still a lack of genre diversity. Most of the scene is bounce or commercial EDM. That’s not bad, but it’s time to open up more. I make music for fun. And to keep having fun, we have to embrace change. Everyone who knows EDM knows We Rave You. Through your community, I’d love to show people that someone like me exists and maybe they’ll check out my music.”

Creating music for a vast array of audiences, we would like to know the current feeling among Korean electronic music fans, and how they receive change in music styles as time progresses?

“I used to only make what people wanted. Songs that hit in clubs, that made people dance, that’s all I focused on. Now? I don’t hate that, but I want to show people what I want to do too. Trying new things is always fun. After 13 years of making EDM, I know exactly what I want to do. I started off copying internet hits, making trap, remixing popular songs in Korean bounce style. But now, I know what I really like. And from now on, I’ll be making music that truly expresses “me.””

With 2025 now in full flow, could you provide us with a further insight on what the future holds for TPA, always in terms of new music, upcoming collaborations and live performances?

“That’s why I created my own label ‘OOC Records’. I was done following other people’s music. I wanted to tell my story. Just this year, I’ve performed in Bangkok, Myanmar, Taiwan, China, Singapore, and Japan. All with my own music, my own style. Every time I perform, I go up like it could be my last show. If you see me live, you’ll hear a set that you’ve never heard anywhere else. And I’m preparing something even better next. Just wait.”

Remarkable in every sense of the word, we will be keeping a close eye on TPA and all his future endeavours within the dance scene, but for the time being, you can stay fully up to date by following him on Facebook, Instagram and Spotify!