The year 2024 has been filled with many exciting debuts and it seems K-Pop is continuing to grow and evolve. With fresh new faces come fresh new sounds in the trending genre and boy group ASC2NT are the boys of the summer who are ready to step onto the K-Pop stage with bright smiles and brighter performances.
Debuting with their single album ‘Expecting Tomorrow,’ under NEWWAYS Company, five-member boy group ASC2NT (pronounced Ascent) reflect their ambitions to ascend to new heights through their music and reflect a second beginning in their K-Pop career. The group consists of members Karam, Injun, Jay, Reon and Kyle – three of which are debuting again as experienced singers in the K-Pop scene.
Now, as a mature and confident group, ASC2NT combines the charms of new-generation singers with the foresight of their experiences in order to win over the hearts of new and old fans alike with their fandom EPPY. ASC2NT joins ZAPZEE in the studio to not only greet their fans in an exclusive video below but also share their stories and expectations of the future in our special interview.
Q1. Tell us about your debut single album ‘Expecting Tomorrow’ and the title song- what is the meaning behind the title and what can fans enjoy about the concept?
ASCN2T: “The indie first album ‘Expecting Tomorrow’ consists of a total of 4 tracks. This album is about passion and connections tied together for reaching our dreams. It is an album that contains messages of courage and overcoming difficulties to achieve hope even in the midst of burnout and fatigue. The album is giving passion and hope to achieve one’s dreams.”
The album consists of the title track “LOVE ME DO,” and B-side songs “The Reason,” “Beautiful Girl,” and an English version of the lovely pop-ballad “LOVE ME DO,” just for international fans.
Listen to the wonderful and uplifting title song below.
Q2. Is there a song fans should definitely listen to from the album ‘Expecting Tomorrow’ no matter what?
KARAM: “First of all, I recommend the title song ‘LOVE ME DO’. Unlike recent K-pop music, it’s easy to listen to and gives off a bright and positive energy, so I actually listen to it often personally.”
REON: I really hope fans will listen to ‘Beautiful Girl’.
Q3. The group debuted only a month ago. Do you feel that your various experiences as idols in the past helped you feel confident debuting again?
INJUN: “Since I have experience in activities, I was able to enjoy this activity more and help my younger siblings not to be nervous while performing.”
JAY: “The group members helped me a lot. First, regarding our activities, I think the way we communicate with fans and the performance movements were not awkward at all and we were in harmony with the concept of ASC2NT.”
Q4. Who were some of your favorite 2nd generation K-Pop groups? Which Idols did you look up to in the past?
REON: “I am a big fan of senior idol G-Dragon. I want to emulate his cool stage performances and charisma.”
KYLE: “I was attracted to the singer Taemin of SHINee because I saw how well he performed on stage and I saw him on a broadcast. He is an idol who worked very hard, so I thought that I should become an idol who works hard like Taemin.”
Q5. You’ve been actively interacting with fans both domestically and internationally through the ‘LOVE ME DO’ challenge. Is there one you found particularly interesting? What are some ways you plan to communicate with fans through social media?
INJUN: “I’ve always been a fan of Tanaka, and since our ‘LOVE ME DO’ promotions overlapped, we were able to film the dance challenge together. It was such an honor, and I remember filming it with so much fun.”
JAY: “I’ve danced Taemin’s ‘Guilty Challenge’ with Reon, but it was the first time I showed my belly to my fans, so I’m a little embarrassed – I wish I had worked out a little more to show off my abs.”
Q6. Congratulations on wrapping up the 2024 ASC2NT FAN-CON IN JAPAN ‘Expecting Tomorrow’ in the Yokohama showcase. Now you’re off to Nagoya and Osaka next for more fan concerts. Can you share or recall any fun stories from your time interacting with fans in Japan?
KARAM: “At the time, I had a cast on my arm because I had injured it, and it was difficult for me to dance, so everyone recommended that I just sit and sing. However, since I had prepared a lot and worked hard, I wanted to show my performance abilities live on stage, so I safely performed with the cast on. I felt regretful because I had the cast on, but I was happy that I was able to perform a satisfactory show for our Japanese fans.”
REON: “I was so grateful that people liked me even though I couldn’t speak a word of Japanese, and I was grateful that they tried to talk to me in Korean or English even though I couldn’t speak well.”
KYLE: “I remember a Japanese fan I met during the special event saying that she was studying Korean for me, despite the fact I am the one who is still not good at Japanese. I felt sorry that I wasn’t good at Japanese yet, but at the same time, I was so grateful for her efforts to learn Korean.”
Q7. Are there any unique or funny stories from your time crafting the album ‘Expecting Tomorrow’ and the title track?
INJUN: “The original ‘Love Me Do’ BPM tempo wasn’t this fast, but it was made faster after a discussion with the composer.”
This is the formula that makes the song bright, uplifting and more enjoyable to listen to – don’t you agree?
REON: “There was a scene that I don’t remember at some point and felt like a blur during the all-night music video shoot because we filmed for so long, but it was filmed.”
Q8. How is it spending time with the members? Are there any quirky habits the members noticed about each other or funny moments you shared together?
KARAM: “I recently found out about Reon and Injun’s sleeping habits. I’m currently sharing a room with them, and Reon, who sleeps right next to me, keeps stretching out his arms like a cat and pushing me against the wall. Injun suddenly wakes up in the middle of the night and sometimes eats snacks, and they’re so delicious that I want to wake up and eat them with him too.”
JAY: “I think the first person that comes to mind when thinking of weird habits is Kyle. Kyle, who sticks to me like glue while I’m working, does things that raise our energy in the waiting room, like raising his voice and joking around a lot. He’s so cute. In the case of our member Leon, he’s very interested in the current trends and fads, so I’ve seen him spending his free time watching reels, enjoying challenges, and doom-scrolling through fashion posts or the latest music. Injun just sleeps whenever he gets a chance (laughs). Karam is also interested in trends and fads, just like Reon, so I often see him searching for that sort of content too. They are so trendy.”
KYLE: “Jay and I always work out together before going to bed every night. When we wake up in the morning, we replace our meals with protein shakes. We have healthy habits.”
@asc2nt_official
The time with ASC2NT was remarkably fun and getting to learn more and more about the members is a great way to feel closer to the group after their debut. Just like EPPY, new fans and readers of ZAPZEE can feel excited and look forward to the future of ASC2NT. Before saying goodbye, the boys left a final message for EPPY and the newfound fans below.
KARAM: “Dear EPPY, our days are so happy thanks to EPPY. Thank you. Let’s make many more memories of our own in the future. I love you.”
INJUN: “I’m always happy because EPPY is here and I can enjoy myself on stage with them and I want to make good memories with EPPY all over the world in the future.”
JAY: “Basically, I want to say that we wouldn’t exist without our fans. I’m always grateful and I hope that our music has a good influence on them. I’m always grateful for your support and I’ll work harder to become an artist who can give you good music through ASC2NT. Thank you.”
REON: “I’m always grateful to our fans and I miss you, EPPY!! Please love ASC2NT a lot and we’ll repay you with pretty, cool, and fun appearances.”
KYLE: “I hope that every moment with ASC2NT will be enjoyable, happy, and precious moments for you, EPPY.”
What do you think of the song “LOVE ME DO” and the debut album ‘Expecting Tomorrow’ overall? While many K-pop groups debut left and right not many get a second chance to take the stage by storm. ASC2NT plans to grow more and more and show their skills on this generation’s new K-Pop stage. Don’t forget to follow the group on Twitter (X), TikTok and Instagram, and also follow ZAPZEE for more exclusive K-Pop interviews and content. Check out more exclusive photos of the members down below.
Credit: NEWWAYS COMPANY x ZAPZEE
