This month BOYNEXTDOOR is back. Much like a scene from a classic coming-of-age movie, Sungho, Riwoo, Jaehyun, Taesan, Leehan and Woonhak, held metaphorical boomboxes outside our windows, a move to make sure the world would hear about their musical tales of first love.
The six rookies are members of BOYNEXTDOOR, the first boy group under K-pop icon Zico’s KOZ Entertainment. The band released their debut album, “Why..,” on Sept. 4, bringing back their uniquely Gen Z energy to the K-pop scene.
“Why..” contains six tracks, with the first three tracks released earlier in May through the single EP “Who!.” The members take us on another journey of self-discovery, bringing us back to our teenage years when puppy love was the biggest of our worries, and adulting wasn’t a thing. With tracks full of heartwarming nostalgia, the six try to tackle the biggest mystery of all time—love.
Lovestruck
In “Why..” they capture the lovelorn fallout of first love, when the honeyed heart-eyed filters of reality start to fade. “But Sometimes,” the album title track, is a confessional of those repressed memories, dazzlingly chaotic and at times even, adorably petty.
In “But Sometimes,” the boys cathartically release their repressed humiliations, questioning every decision leading to their first heartbreak. It’s a spectacle to behold, one where they try to make sense of the back-and-forths of teenage relationships. What do you do when it feels like “everything sucks,” but you still can’t let go?
Completely smitten
“Why..” gives us a clever interpretation of the prepubescent breakup, one where no one’s actually mature enough to understand what they’re going through (Truth be told, we’ve been there, done that). It’s their first foray into the chaotic world of relationships, and they went from being completely smitten, to deliriously desperate.
“I listened to a lot of music that talks about love, and I think that helped me really build a character and become a part of the story,” member Riwoo told Super in an exclusive interview.
Inspiration
In creating their tracks, the members also found inspiration in other works of art. “I wanted a better understanding of the idea of love in general so I exposed myself to a lot of content,” Leehan said. When asked about his favorite movie, the member answered: “I love watching all sorts of movies, but if I have to choose one for this question I’d have to say ‘About Time.’ It is my favorite movie of all time!”
For songwriter Taesan, who usually comes up with the names of their title tracks, listening to different genres of music fueled his creative juices. “I have an LP player in my room and I’d always be playing music to chill, be inspired and become motivated again to write more music,” he shared.
Hands-on
For the six, their emotions and creation go hand in hand. The rookie group made their mark as songwriters and composers fresh off their debut, choosing to be completely hands-on with the art they show the world.
“I choreographed my part in ‘Crying’ where I express the obsessive feelings I have toward the breakup, and it was so much fun!” Riwoo said.
In the shamelessly sentimental “Crying,” members Jaehyun, Taesan and Woonhak try to make sense of the end of their first love, searching for closure in mid-tempo guitars and beats.
Musical skills
The three’s ideas and creative work are all over the band’s discography, with their desire to showcase their own musical skills making them stand out in the industry.
“I had my goal set when I first started writing music. I wanted to create music that makes a lot of people happy and consoled. So I try to put a lot of effort and time into the direction of how I create my music, in general, to find out what kind of music people can resonate with the most,” Woonhak shares.
It makes sense that BOYNEXTDOOR are already recognized for this unique take on nostalgia and youth, bagging the Best Male Rookie title in this year’s K-Music Chart awards. The boys were also declared Global Super Rookies, especially with their slew of live performances, even being invited to perform in Korea’s university festivals.
In the first three tracks of “Why..,” the boys bring us along on their own journey of young love. Refreshingly honest and unafraid to speak their own minds. There are no cliched platitudes in this album, it’s a little more honest than what we’re used to hearing, with the members’ own feelings revealed in every track.
“But I Like You” felt like stepping into a cinematic world of boyhood, one filled with rose-colored recollections of the temperaments of puberty. Lovestruck, the boys giddily tell us about their first love, vulnerable and excited about the new chapter of their lives they’ve unlocked. Their stories of first love are so tooth-achingly relatable, taking you back to your teen days when knocking on your crush’s door entailed utmost courage.
In “One and Only,” a plucky, diaristic recount of their emotions, they bring us into their heart enthusiastically.
Bubblegum pop
The album seamlessly flows into “Serenade,” which is the best bubblegum pop has to offer. Leader Jaehyun, who has writing credits, tells Super that he was inspired by his parents’ love story.
“I was told my father used to go in front of my mother’s house and confessed his love basically every day. The part from ‘Serenade’ is ‘I’ve been screaming the whole neighborhood knows (I Like You) My neighbors go hey hey hey,’” Jaehyun told Super.
In an earlier interview for their debut tracks, Taesan also shared his thoughts on creating music. “I have a habit of saving my memories somehow. So when I work on music, I like to put my untouched feelings from then into words as is. But for this album, I tried to become the storyteller and imagined what feelings this boy is going through and what I thought would be fit and cool as the boy in his world. I always love making music, so every process is a learning and fun experience for me,” he said.
The sextet then ends their search for “Why..” with their inner thoughts, speaking their minds the way only they can. The culminating track of this album is “ABCDLove,” with music and lyrics from the tenderhearted trio of Jaehyun, Taesan and Woonhak. It’s hopeful and groovy, with doe-eyed self-awareness pushing them to go through the motions of love again.
Finding Love
What makes the six so good at telling stories is their absolute commitment to the theater of being a teenager. Who doesn’t miss the multitude of emotions we felt when we were 16, finally experiencing all our firsts? For BOYNEXTDOOR finding love is a feat in itself. They draw you in with their whirling confessions of hope, pining and yearning for the change that comes with young love.
It’s no wonder they’ve managed to capture the hearts of thousands of fans in the world, and finally this Dec. 14, the boys are set to visit the Philippines for the first time as part of the lineup for the Asia Artist Awards. The event is set to take place in the Philippine Arena.
“We are eternally grateful for all the love and support we have received ever since our debut. It means the world to us! We are super excited to come meet you all in person, and cannot wait to show you what we have to offer. I’m confident that you’ll love us more when you see us on stage so please look forward to it!” Jaehyun said to Philippine fans.
