Japanese boy band &Team, launched by BTS label Hype, take their music to South Korea, and the world
- &Team, the first Japanese boy group created by K-pop powerhouse Hybe, aim to raise their profile in Korea and beyond with their second EP, First Howling : We
- The group, with a Korean member, a Taiwanese member and seven from Japan, conquered Japanese pop charts with their first mini-album in 2022
By Dong Sun-hwa
&Team, the first Japanese boy group created by K-pop powerhouse Hybe, have had a meteoric rise in Japan since their debut last year, dominating music charts including the country’s Oricon chart.
The group has one Korean member (EJ), one Taiwanese member (Nicholas) and seven Japanese members (K, Fuma, Yuma, Jo, Harua, Taki and Maki), who were the top contestants on the reality singing competitions &Audition – The Howling in 2022 and I-Land in 2020.
After their success in Japan, the nine boys – who all have a good command of Korean – now aim to raise their profile in Seoul and beyond with their second EP, First Howling : We. The EP hit shelves on June 14.
For the first time ever, &Team plan to perform on two major Korean music shows – Mnet’s M Countdown and KBS’ Music Bank – in June.
“I usually have a lot of worries, but now I am more willing to showcase what I have in many different places,” K said in Korean at the Roppongi Hills Arena in Tokyo.
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&Team’s leader, EJ, said he was nervous about starting his music career in his home country, but added that all the members have been working very hard to make it successful.
&Team’s debut EP, First Howling : Me, revolves around the nine boys embarking on a journey to look for like-minded people who crave challenges and growth. In their second EP, they fulfil their wish. Its lead single, “Firework”, highlights the joy and excitement they feel after the encounter.
“The tune likens the moment of encounter to a burst of fireworks,” Fuma explained. “I cried as soon as I heard the recording because it was so impressive. I am particularly fond of my part, which reminds me of the days when I experienced frustration but did not give up on pursuing my dream of joining &Team.”
The new EP carries five other tunes, including the Korean versions of “Firework” and “Scent of You”. The latter is a modern reinterpretation of the hip-hop R&B track of the early 2000s by Swedish singer-songwriter TC, which was included in &Team’s first EP.
First Howling : We also offers “Blind Love”, the group’s first ballad track. It is a theme song for the Japanese drama Dr. Chocolate.
