Being one of the first boy groups to debut this year, EDEN Entertainment’s successful group ALL(H)OURS has leveled up and found themselves to be a group that is captivating the public with their fierce fashion and unexpectedly unique musical sound. From their debut mini-album All Ours to their latest comeback “SHOCK,” the seven-member boy group has a zestful sound that is undoubtedly addictive.
Now, members Kunho, Youmin, Xayden, Minje, Masami, Hyunbin, and On:N met with ZAPZEE to discuss their new album WITNESS, the development of the groups’ concepts, and even share their honest triumphs and struggles as a 4th generation K-Pop boy group. Dive into our exclusive interview and check out their latest comeback alongside our exclusive photos as well!
Q1. ALL(H)OURS debuted in January this year (the third group of 2024) and already released two albums. Tell us the difference between ALL OURS and your new album WITNESS – how has your style and music evolved since your debut?
KUNHO: Starting with our first mini-album, ALL OURS, we tried to showcase our start, and the future of ALL(H)OURS. As for our second mini-album, WITNESS, we tried to capture our youthful energy but in a more wild and bolder way. In WITNESS, we put more thought into showing the experiences that we learned from our “GOTCHA” promotions, such as showing more detailed facial expressions that fit into the concept for our comeback track “SHOCK.” We are almost finished wrapping up with the “SHOCK” promotions, including live music broadcasting shows. We still continue to learn and grow with each promotion, and we hope that from our experience this time, ALL(H)OURS can show even better performances in the future.
Q2. The lead single “Shock” is impressively refreshing and feels new. How did the members feel when they first heard the song? Is the final studio recording similar or different from the original demo?
XAYDEN: The final recording wasn’t much different from the demo. When we first heard the song, the beat to “SHOCK” made my heart drop. I got excited; I think we all did. As soon as I heard the demo, it was definitely something new for all of us, which some of us felt like a challenge, but also, excited because it was something that no one else ever tried, and we would be the first ones to try it. I am glad that we are trying and exploring new things, as well as introducing new types of music by mixing the two genres, Drift Phonk and K-Pop, to our listeners and fans.
Q3. Can you tell us about the rowdy and intense choreography for “Shock” – how long did it take to master such an energetic dance? Do any members struggle with learning choreography?
HYUNBIN: I think it took about three to four months from learning the choreography to showing the whole performance on stage to our audiences. I personally took some time to learn the choreography. Using my body to fit the concept of the song took a lot of practice. All of us had to work out and make sure our body was fit in order to assimilate the dance moves to “SHOCK.”
Q4. The fashion for “SHOCK” is quite appealing and dignified. What do the members think about the flashy outfits or accessories?
MASAMI: I like all the outfits that we wore for “SHOCK”, especially the outfits that we wore for our concept photos and music video. In “GOTCHA,” I think we wore lots of biker-styled outfits, but for “SHOCK,” I think we wore more techwear-style clothing. Personally, I like the denim outfit that I wore in the music video. I like it because I got a lot of compliments from our fans when I wore that outfit after the photos and the music video were released.
ON:N: I like to try different styles of clothes, especially outfits that I usually do not wear on a daily basis. I like the outfits that we wore for the “PRISM version’ because it showed the album’s concept really well. Like MASAMI though, I also like the outfit for the ‘LIGHT version’ because I also got a lot of compliments. I think the beret suits me really well. I also liked the decorations that I had on the beret as well.
Q5. “Blah Blah” is a song with lyrics written by the members – how did it feel to contribute to a song altogether? What is something the members were thinking of when writing and working on this song?
YOUMIN: This is our second B-side track where all of us put time in together to write the lyrics of our own song. Honestly, we had to put a lot of time into it, because we had to come up with the idea from scratch, and we didn’t have a clue what to write about. Then we also had to choose which lyrics to use. We carefully chose and brought everyone’s idea into one whole song because we wanted to make a good song, a perfect one, if we could. When we wrote the lyrics, we wanted to make sure that the storyline represents our own story, making sure that it showcases the colors of ALL(H)OURS. We also made sure the lyrics suited the song itself by being both catchy and rhythmical.
Q6. Is there a B-SIDE track or song the group thinks new fans should listen to?
MINJE: Everyone should listen to “SHOCK,” our title track, of course, but aside from “SHOCK,” I would recommend “PSYCHO MANTRA.” “PSYCHO MANTRA” is a dark and distinctive song, even darker than the B-side tracks of our first mini album, ALL OURS. It’s unique and I would say it’s quite addictive as well. You can also listen to our harmonies building up as the song builds up to its climax. It was quite a challenging song for me, but that is also the reason why I adore it so much.
Q7. What have been the most memorable moments for the group in 2024?
HYUNBIN: The most memorable moment for ALL(H)OURS in 2024 would be our debut showcase. Being able to be on the stage in front of so many people, it felt like a scene from a movie. It was definitely one of those things we all have been waiting and wishing for, it was the moment of our dreams coming true. As soon as we got on the stage all the hardships that we faced as trainees felt like nothing and we knew that we were waiting for that specific moment to come. I cannot wait to make more great memories with our members and our fans, Min(ut)es.
Q8. Are there any K-Dramas the members are binge-watching lately? What is your favorite drama and why?
YOUMIN: I recently binge-watched Lovely Runner, and it’s such a cute romance drama. The protagonist of the drama is also an idol, and he’s really good at singing. I also like the soundtracks of the drama, including my recent favorite song ‘Sudden Shower) by Eclipse. I am pretty sure MINJE is also a fan of Lovely Runner as well.
MASAMI: I binge-watched Queen of Tears and it was so good. The emotional tension between the two protagonists was very interesting to watch.
Q9. Each of the members must have a unique personality. Tell us – which member sleeps the most? Which member takes the longest to get ready? Who is the mother of the group? Who has a weird habit and what is the weird habit?
ON:N: The member who sleeps the most is definitely MINJE. Once he falls asleep, no one can wake him up. Sometimes we wonder if he is breathing properly because he doesn’t move or wake up at all. I believe our members have mentioned this to our fans before, but, MINJE actually has slept through a whole day before, for a full 24 hours.
XAYDEN: The member who takes the longest to get ready is On:N, we always have to wait for him at the door, or in the car before we leave. The mother of the group is KUNHO, and the father of the group would be YOUMIN.
KUNHO: The member who has a weird habit is On:N, it’s hard to explain and I don’t know if we can call it a habit but, he has his own go-to phrase whenever we do a live streaming or whenever he talks just in general. When we have to move on to the next topic he says “then let’s get to”, very frequently, so it became our inside joke.
Q10. “Shock” is an amazing song that fuses K-Pop and drift phonk but what genre are the boys personally interested in trying next? EX: disco, soul, bubblegum pop, etc?
XAYDEN: I listen to a lot of different genres of music because I love to try and experience new things. Currently, I enjoy listening to country music and old school pop. I think it would be really nice if we could mix country music with K-Pop. It’s not something that is commonly explored in K-Pop but that is exactly the reason why I want to try it. I think we can pull it off really well.
Without a doubt, the boys of ALL(H)OURS are so genuine and open with their answers – sharing their honest opinions with a smile. As time goes on, it is easy to see how anyone can be attracted to the group’s dynamic songs and relatable members. Before taking off, ALL(H)OURS wanted to cherish the time and share a final message for their adoring fandom Min(ut)es.
MINJE: First of all, I want to say thank you to those who read our interview with ZAPZEE, I hope you enjoyed it. Also, we would like to send our thanks to everyone for enjoying our second mini album, WITNESS, and the title track SHOCK. As much as we put everything into preparing for this album, so many people sent so much love and support to us. We cannot wait to show more of our energy and performances in the future. Please wait for us, we will try our best to reach out to our Min(ut)es in Korea and all our international Min(ut)es as well. Thank you.
With such a successful start to their K-Pop career, fans both new and old can look forward to a future filled with adventure alongside Kunho, Youmin, Xayden, Minje, Masami, Hyunbin, and On:N. The group plans to dominate 2024 and hit the stage in 2025 even stronger.
If you want to learn more about ALL(H)OURS music and see more of their daily life don’t forget to follow them on Instagram and Twitter! Stay tuned for more of our exclusive interviews and follow ZAPZEE on social media as well!
