Veteran K-pop group return from military service.

Competition is tough on the K-pop scene. New groups are launched every year, putting more pressure on the older groups to stay popular. Veteran K-pop boy band Super Junior have been around since 2005. But they’ve managed to survive with the help of their dedicated fan club, ELF.

Now, after a two-year hiatus because some of the band had to do military service, they’re back with the new album, Play, and single, “Black Suit.” On January 28, seven members of the group - Leeteuk, 34, Heechul, 34, Yesung, 33, Shindong, 32, Eunhyuk, 31, Siwon, 31, and Donghae, 31 - were in town for Super Junior World Tour: Super Show 7 at Impact Arena.

A few hours before hitting the stage, the guys met with Thai press. Here are some highlights from the interview.

How did you feel when you heard that the tickets had sold out in just five minutes?

Leeteuk: We only found out about this when we arrived. We were very surprised and grateful. We’re sorry that we can only do one show at this time. We hope that we have opportunities to do many more concerts here in the future.

Eunhyuk and Shindong, you helped design the show. What can you tell us about it?

Eunhyuk: We had to think about how to make the performance seamless. We wanted the concert to be full-scale.

Shindong: We hope that the audience members feel like they’re the main characters.

Would any of the rest of you like to say something about the show?

Heechul: I feel lucky to be here. I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to come because I hurt my leg. To be honest, I don’t know if I’ll be able to continue the tour in other countries.

Yesung: I haven’t done a show since Super Show 4 which was long time ago. I was worried about whether people still supported us. But after seeing the fans at the airport, my worries went away. They’re wonderful.

What is the single, “Black Suit,” about?

Leeteuk: When men wear suits, they look smart and masculine. The song is a celebration of that.

What is the secret to your continued success?

Leeteuk: The secret is our fan club, ELF, who have always supported us. We’ve grown older together and have amazing memories. Another secret is we’ve managed to keep our good looks!

Do you have any projects planned for later this year?

Leeteuk: We’ll have a special worldwide project. Look out for updates. And Ryeowook will rejoin the group later in the year.