Seven-member boy band BTOB has returned once more with a collection of mellow ballads in the group’s eighth mini-album, released Monday, treading a path slightly different from that of your average, dance-focused K-pop boy band.
The title track “Remember That” seeks to bring calmness and solace to listeners in light of the upcoming spring season, the BTOB members told reporters in a group interview Monday.
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A promotional photo for boy band BTOB’s “Remember That” (Cube Entertainment) |
“(The title track) is a warm ballad that reminisces about an old lover,” said member Jung Il-hoon, who wrote the song’s melodic rap with members Lee Min-hyuk and Peniel, at a cafe in Apgujeong-dong, Seoul. “We hope people will be able to think about past memories and become swept up in nostalgia.”
“Remember That,” featuring acoustic guitar sounds combined with string instruments, marks the group’s third consecutive ballad release, coming after last year’s releases “It’s Okay” and “Way Back Home.”
When asked why the group continues to focus on slow beats, BTOB replied that it was a matter of presenting the best music it possibly could, irrespective of genre.
“We didn’t pick this song (as the title track) because it was a ballad, but because it was a good song,” said Jung. “Who knows, we might come back next time with a dance track.”
BTOB, whose group name stands for “Born to Beat,” is eager to showcase its talents. The band’s members say they’re in it for the long run.
“These ballads are just the tip of the iceberg. We want to be singing for a long time,” said member Lim Hyun-sik, who participated in the songwriting process of the new album, cowriting the first track “Killing Me” with Simon Hassle and Benjamin Beard and recording the piano session for the song.
“I think the song has a good mix of Korean pop and Western pop elements,” said Lim on the result of his work with the two foreign songwriters.
BTOB is also looking forward to giving more live performances with its new album, according to member Jung Il-hoon, who cowrote the track “Empty Space” with songwriter IL.
“We’re going to be holding a small theater concert sometime in the upcoming months,” he said. “We love doing small concerts like that.”
Details on the concert will be released soon, according to a public relations representative of Cube Entertainment, the group’s agency.
“We’re always looking for chances to perform live,” said member Seo Eun-kwang. “It’s great fun for us.”
The recent mini album comprises seven songs -- “Killing Me,” “Drawing,” “Remember That,” “Anymore,” “So Pretty,” “I Thought You” and “Empty Space.”
BTOB, which debuted in 2012, held a sold-out concert last December at the 5,500-seat Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul. The group consists of seven members -- Seo Eun-kwang, Lee Min-hyuk, Lee Chang-sub, Lim Hyun-sik, Peniel, Jung Il-hoon and Yook Sung-jae.
By Rumy Doo (
doo@heraldcorp.com)
