Photo = YX LABELS

 

[Hanteo News = Reporter KANG SUYOUNG] &TEAM’s FUMA revealed that he referred to videos of SHINee’s TAEMIN while preparing for the performance of the group’s new title track.

 

&TEAM held a showcase for the release of its 2nd Korean mini album ‘Mark on Me’ at SBS Prism Tower in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 8th. On this day, FUMA shared the preparation process for the new performance, saying, “I watched and learned a lot from videos of SHINee’s TAEMIN sunbaenim, whom I personally respect.”

 

Introducing the title track ‘Mark on Me,’ YUMA said, “It is a song that begins with a calm piano accompaniment, then becomes richer in sound and stronger in emotion as it moves toward the chorus,” adding, “When I first heard it, I was honestly surprised and thought, ‘This is the title track?’ But I thought that who we are now would be able to express this song well and also show how much we have grown.”

 

Asked about the performance points, K answered, “Until now, we have shown strong energy and sharp choreography, but this time, we paid a lot of attention to expressing the song’s atmosphere through our gazes and facial expressions.” He continued, “If I had to choose a point, it would be the dance break in the outro,” adding, “It felt fresh because it was our first time doing a dance break while letting go of strength.”

 

The process of adjusting to the new performance style was not easy. FUMA said, “At first, it was difficult while practicing emotional expression,” adding, “I watched and learned a lot from videos of SHINee’s TAEMIN sunbaenim, whom I personally respect.” He then pledged, “If we expressed emotions in a musical-like way in ‘Mark on Me,’ we will show sharp choreography in the second track, ‘Good Boy.’”

 

NICHOLAS introduced this album as “an album that can leave a long-lasting mark on each other’s hearts,” explaining, “It contains not only the image of a strong wolf, but also the process of opening one’s heart to the person who is the only one to acknowledge them.”

 

HARUA continued, “Until now, we told the story of wolves who had been alone meeting one another and growing together, but this time, it tells the story of a wolf boy meeting one person, slowly opening his heart, and growing,” adding, “We also focused on that change while preparing.”

 

&TEAM, which debuted in Japan in 2022, is HYBE’s first global group and has expanded its activities beyond Korea and Asia to the United States, based on overwhelming performances and solid teamwork. Its Korean debut album ‘Back to Life,’ released last year, recorded 1,222,022 copies in initial chodong sales and won three music show trophies. With its 3rd Japanese mini album ‘We on Fire,’ released in April this year, the group recorded 1,238,907 copies in initial chodong sales and achieved its third consecutive million-seller.

 

The album ‘Mark on Me’ unfolds a new story by adding the emotion of love to &TEAM’s identity of “wolf DNA.” It portrays the process of a wolf, who had shut himself away after being rejected by the world, slowly changing after meeting “you,” who accepts every part of him just as he is.

 

&TEAM’s 2nd Korean mini album ‘Mark on Me’ will be released at 6 PM on this day. After successfully completing its first solo dome concert at Belluna Dome in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, on the 5th and 6th and carrying that heat into its Korean comeback, attention is focused on whether &TEAM will be able to continue its million-seller streak in initial chodong sales with this album.

 

 

grace@hanteo.com