EPEX's comeback, making the 11th-month hiatus seem meaningless... "Beyond growth, discovering talent" [Star Scene] [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

They broke a hiatus of no less than 11 months.

Boy group EPEX has finally made a comeback after a journey of growth and discovery.

EPEX (Wish, Mu, Amin, Baekseung, Aiden, Ye-wang, Jeff) held a showcase to commemorate the release of their seventh mini-album 'Sohwa () : Epilogue' at the SBS Open Hall in Deokchon-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, on the 9th.

On this day, Wish said, "Since this album depicts EPEX's youth, I was worried and excited about how it would end, but there were so many wonderful songs that made my worries seem meaningless, so I wanted to introduce them quickly." Amin added, "We had the longest hiatus yet, but during that time, we studied hard about this album and each member worked on their own, so I wanted to show it to you as soon as possible."

'Sohwa () : Epilogue' is a new song that caps off the three-part full album series titled 'Sohwa', meaning a bright spring day and youth, which was announced as a series name starting in 2024. Having shared their story so far, EPEX, who have offered a musical answer to youth, are expected to resonate with young people living in the same era with their unique voices full of conviction and will.

The title track 'ECHO' is a track that highlights 2000s sensibilities, with lyrics written directly by Jeff, Baekseung, and Aiden. Wish and Amin co-created the choreography for the track 'Tomorrow Every Day', while Mu participated in the album styling, and Ye-wang participated in the recording direction.

Regarding this, Baekseung shared his thoughts on the album production, saying, "I was nervous and trembling, but when all the work was completed, I was satisfied, so I think it was a good experience for all the members."

Aiden also said, "It's proud and a new feeling that our credits are finally on the album. Since we still lack experience, I was worried, 'Will what we wrote actually be used?' but the company gave us courage and approved it all at once, so the lyrics turned out even better." Jeff smiled, saying, "I participated in lyric writing and composition for the first time. Since it was my first time, I am so proud that the song is being released to the world."

The reason 'ECHO' was chosen as the title track was the members' decision. Ye-wang explained, "I first heard it the year before last, and from then on, all the members told the company that we really wanted to do this song. During production, they played 'ECHO' and 'Tomorrow Every Day' for us, and we were more strongly drawn to 'ECHO', so we decided to make it the title track."

Just one day prior, on the 8th, EPEX celebrated their fifth anniversary since debut. EPEX, who have been blessed with a double celebration of a new album comeback on their fifth anniversary, will likely seek even greater achievements this time. Baekseung expressed his wish, saying, "It's certainly good to aim for big achievements, and we want to, but we think that moving forward at our own pace is the best achievement. We think it is enough to show that we continue to develop at our own pace without getting tired or stopping."

Amin said, "If we aim for big achievements, there are award ceremonies this year too. If we show many good aspects through this album, I think we might be able to stand on the award ceremony stage." Ye-wang added, "I want to gain inspiration for the next album from what I gained through this activity. I think we need experiences to compensate for our shortcomings and produce even more perfect songs when working on the next album."

Looking back over the past five years, there were difficult moments and happy memories. Ye-wang revealed, "Personally, for parts that felt too difficult to overcome alone, I overcame them by imagining the future with the members. We still have a lot of time, and we thought, 'Let's unfold our story more,' overcoming difficulties by thinking of a better future than the current situation."

Wish said, "When we were having a hard time, we kept gathering together and talking negatively. Then the results always turned out negative, so we thought, 'Thinking this way is not right. We are already short on positive thinking, so let's change our negative thoughts and perspectives.' That's why I've been adopting a positive mindset recently."

The happy moments were performances. Aiden said, "I think performing is the happiest. It's so fun to connect with many fans and sing along, so I can't wait for the next performance." Amin recalled, "I recently did a busking performance. It was a performance after a long time in front of fans, and I had memories of busking in the past, so even though it was a long time since my last performance, it was a fun moment."

They also revealed the part they felt they grew the most during the 11th-month hiatus. Jeff said, "Since we prepared for a long time, I thought, 'I should do well' rather than 'I should show a good side.' There are parts that are lacking, and isn't 11 months not a long time? I wanted to compensate more during that time, and since it's a hip-hop album, I wanted to emphasize the hip-hop feel and show it beautifully." Wish said, "I think we grew, but also discovered. We discovered the talents of the members. Didn't the members participate a lot in this album? I strongly felt, 'The members could do this much,' and 'I look forward to what comes next.'"

Aiden said, "I also discovered talent in lyric writing and composition. Jeff writes lyrics very well. I didn't know that before, but I learned it this time, so I look forward to Jeff's future lyric writing skills. I am also currently preparing for the next album, so I hope you look forward to that part as well," hinting at the next album.

'Sohwa () : Epilogue' will be released at 6 p.m. on the 9th through various online music sites.

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*This content was translated by AI.