We want to be a category called ONEWE"... 'Complete' ONEWE joins the K-band craze
The talented boy band ONEWE has returned after 1 year and 3 months with their 3rd mini-album.
With main vocalist Yonghoon and guitarist Kanghyun discharged from the military, it marks their first full-group activity.
In a recent interview at a cafe in Jayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, ahead of the release of their 3rd mini-album 'Planet Nine: ISOTROPY', ONEWE shared their thoughts on their complete comeback.
Kanghyun said, "While in the military, I had a strong desire to perform with the members. Now that I'm out and all five of us are together, I'm happy to feel like we're back where we belong."
The ONEWE members described the harmony they're experiencing together after a long time as a 'pleasant awkwardness'.
Harin shared,
"We've known each other for 10 years, but strangely, when we tried to play together, it felt awkward and embarrassing.
But I didn't dislike it; it felt good. It's great to be together again, and I think we'll be able to show our best through this album and future performances."
'Planet Nine: ISOTROPY' is an extension of ONEWE's unique music universe, the 'Planet Nine' series.
Just like 'isotropy', which refers to properties remaining unchanged despite changes in state, the album showcases ONEWE's evolved musical world while maintaining their identity.
All six tracks, including the title song 'Beautiful Ashes', are self-composed by the members, living up to their reputation as a 'trusted' band and heightening fans' expectations.
The 'Planet Nine' universe, which sensibly incorporates stars, planets, and space, is loved by fans as 'ONEWE's unique science sensibility'.
Kanghyun said, "Reading comments gave me strength. Although it wasn't intentional from the beginning, since fans love that sensibility as our color, I try to put more thought into the lyrics to give them added meaning."
Kanghyun further revealed, "The original guide title for 'Shoot It Out' (a self-composed song) was 'Quantum Mechanics'. To avoid making the lyrics too difficult, I changed the title and wrote about the theme of sharing love with you in a
parallel universe."
ONEWE cited 'maturity' as the difference from their previous work.
Member Dongmyeong said, "Just like the album's theme of 'isotropy', our unique musical color hasn't changed, but we've matured compared to two years ago.
Even when dealing with the same subject, our thoughts have deepened, making the difference in personal and musical growth."
The title track 'Beautiful Ashes' is a masterpiece born after much contemplation, given their military hiatus.
Yonghoon shared, "I started working on it right after being discharged, and it underwent revisions until right before the music video shoot. The melody came quickly, but I revised the lyrics over 10 times. I used simple expressions like 'Goodbye, now it's goodbye' to make it as catchy as possible." The unique title 'Beautiful Ashes' was a phrase that came up while member Giwook was recording the hook part, and it was chosen for its freshness.
Having experienced a pandemic and military hiatus shortly after their debut, ONEWE, who had a strong thirst for the stage, cited performances as their first wish for their complete comeback. Ahead of their official comeback, ONEWE has been meeting fans through busking, and a solo concert is also planned for May after two years.
ONEWE will take the stage at the '2024 ONEWE 3rd Live Concert' [Oh! New Evolution Ⅲ] at YES24 Live Hall in Gwangjin-gu on the 4th and 5th of next month. They have already made a strong impression not only on ONEWE fans but also on band listeners at the '2024 Sound Berry Theater' held at KBS Hall on the 16th of last month.
Yonghoon said,
"There were many stages that we released but couldn't show due to enlistment. This time, we'll be able to show them all. We've also prepared concert arrangements for the songs from this album and our previous songs," raising expectations.
ONEWE is also part of the K-band craze currently sweeping the music industry. They are a 'hidden master' who has solidly made a name for themselves in K-band stage compilation content.
Regarding the rise of band music,
Dongmyeong said, "Back in 2019, bands were often considered non-mainstream music, but the fact that we're being asked this question itself shows that it's now a trend. I feel proud that we've contributed to this craze by continuously engaging in band activities without rest. We want to work even harder this year and grow significantly."
Amidst the love for refreshing band music, ONEWE takes pride in their unique charm of not being confined to genres as their 'ONEWE sensibility'. Harin expressed, "We want to become a category called ONEWE. Rather than being limited to genres like rock or ballad, we want to be a band that has rock, ballad, and exciting songs all within the 'ONEWE category'."
ONEWE's 3rd mini-album 'Planet Nine: ISOTROPY' was released
