Hybe’s new boy group Boynextdoor aims to be ‘one and only’ presence in K-pop

Boynextdoor, a new boy group from Hybe, the K-pop powerhouse behind BTS, made its debut Tuesday amid wide media attention.

It is the first boy group from Hybe in about two and a half years since Enhypen in 2020.

“I’m very thrilled to finally come to make a debut,” member Jaehyun said during a media showcase in Seoul for the group’s debut album ‘Who!” “We’ll always be with the public and the fans.”

Taesan said, “I think it’s meaningful to show you what I’ve been preparing for a long time as a trainee. We will show you our unique charm.”

As indicated by the name, the group aims to be a group singing about the daily lives of their peers, according to the band.

“We’re a group that honestly tells stories from our daily lives with our unique music and is more suitable for comfort than splendors,” Sungho said.

Boynextdoor is more specifically the first boy group launched by KOZ Entertainment — Hybe’s sub-label which was established by rapper-producer Zico in 2019. It consists of six members — Sungho, Riwoo, Jaehyun, Taesan, Leehan and Woonhak.

Taesan explained that the debut album’s focus on easy listening was a reflection of the producers’ deep respect for the individual music preferences of each group member.

The band’s music combines a comfortable sound with an abundance of enjoyable choreographic elements, he added.

The album “Who!” has three tracks — “But I Like You,” “One and Only” and “Serenade,” all of which were presented as lead tracks.

As a reason for the band’s unprecedented choice, Taesan explained the tracks are intricately woven together, forming a cohesive story in which the boys experience love, dress up, and confess their feelings. “So, I hoped listeners would engage with the album by immersing themselves in the narrative,” he said.

During the media showcase, there were a series of questions about Zico as a producer as the band has drawn wide media attention from early on as the first group from his label.

Taesan said the producer has always emphasized the importance of keeping “individuality” in the band.

“He taught us how to harmonize our individualities within the team. He assists us wholeheartedly.”

Closing the media event, he said he wants the group to be a unique group just like the title of the second track, “One and Only.”

“We also want our music to be remembered by fans and the public when they look back on this era. We want to be a team referred to as ‘youth’ by them.”