Hyo, Bohyun, Haruto, Junseong, Jaeil, Kai, Yeontae, and Sechan, the final members selected from last year’s audition program ‘Be My Boys’, have officially debuted as the rookie boy group YUHZ, spreading a wave of refreshing energy!
Having debuted on the 7th, YUHZ is short for “Your Hertz.” The name carries the meaning of gathering scattered emotions and vibrations from around the world into a single piece of music to connect “you and me.”
Their first single album, ‘Orange Record’, marks the beginning of YUHZ and serves as an archive of the brilliant moments of youth where excitement and curiosity intersect. Through the title track ‘Rush Rush’, they express their determination to charge forward without hesitation, delivered with bold vocals and high-energy performances.
After completing a nerve-wracking first week, YUHZ met with News1 during their second week of promotions to share their heartfelt thoughts.
– How does it feel to debut after a survival program?
▶(Yeontae) I’ve finally achieved my dream of becoming an idol, which I’ve wanted since I was young. I feel that debuting isn’t the end but a new beginning, so we’ll all work together with one heart to create great results.
▶(Jaeil) Until we debuted, we only practiced among ourselves, so I didn’t really feel like an idol. But now that we’re doing music shows, meeting fans, and seeing our senior idols, it’s finally sinking in (laughs).
– It took nine months from being selected on ‘Be My Boys’ to your debut. How did you spend that time?
▶(Bohyun) Thankfully, we had a fan concert and prepared for award show stages. After that, we spent our time focusing entirely on our debut. Since we weren’t a pre-formed team but were brought together through a survival show, we focused even more on building our teamwork.
– Your debut album has a refreshing concept. How did you prepare for it?
▶(Bohyun) As soon as I first heard the song, I thought it was something we could express well. The refreshing melody and storytelling really showcase who we are. To build more energy, we made sure to maintain eye contact during practice. The energy coming from the members’ eyes is exciting, and because we’re enjoying it, I think ‘Rush Rush’ is being expressed even better.
– Who do you think fits this concept the best?
▶(Hyo) I think it’s Sechan. He even dyed his hair to match the album’s visual. I felt his expressions from the intro really captured that feeling of excitement. People have been mentioning it on SNS, too (laughs).
▶(Sechan) I remember seeing reactions calling me “that orange-haired guy” (laughs). I’m so grateful to those who like this look. I want to continue showing pretty and cool sides of myself to help people get to know our team better.
– Hyo, you became the first Japanese member to take 1st place in a survival program and successfully debut. How was that experience?
▶(Hyo) I actually felt that what I showed on ‘Be My Boys’ was still lacking, but seeing the reactions, I felt I had grown. Even my friends back home who don’t know K-pop saw the news that I took first place and watched the whole show from the beginning. It felt great to be recognized for my hard work. I’m also proud that I was able to properly show the side of me that I couldn’t show when I appeared on another survival show (‘Boys Planet’).
– Any funny episodes from living together?
▶(Hyo) The eight of us only recently started living together. We were originally split into two houses, but finally, we’re all together (laughs). There’s less stress than I expected, and since we spend all day together in the practice room, we’re getting along well by being considerate of each other. We’ve become even closer by chatting in the living room. I’m so happy and comfortable (laughs).
– Please tell us who your role models are.
▶(Hyo) iKON’s Bobby senior is my role model. It’s cool how he’s recognized as both an idol and a rapper. Specifically, seeing Bobby senior rap in Japanese—since I’m a foreigner—I really loved that and want to emulate him.
▶(Kai) While doing music shows recently, I saw Cortis senior’s performance, and the way they enjoyed the stage was so natural. We also want to show that we’re enjoying the stage 100% or even 150%.
▶(Junseong) SEVENTEEN seniors. They’re famous for showing great teamwork despite having many members. They also spread positive energy on stage, and we want to learn a lot from that. I want our teamwork to become like SEVENTEEN seniors.
▶(Yeontae) BTS seniors are my role models. I’ve listened to their songs since I was young and received a lot of comfort, hope, and inspiration. They also write and compose their own music. Seeing that, I want to grow into an artist like them in the future.
– It is known that your activity period is five years. What is your mindset regarding this?
▶(Bohyun) Although the activity period is set, we aren’t setting limits for ourselves. I love YUHZ so much right now, so if we keep making memories and having fun day by day, I believe better results will follow. I want the eight of us to keep promoting together just like this. I was deeply moved when fans told me they were grateful we debuted. I believe I should return that support twofold, and starting with this first promotion, I want to frequently show a positive influence.
– Please tell us your goals or dreams as a singer.
▶(Haruto) I want to win a rookie award, which you can only get when you first debut. I also really want to stand on a big stage. I think that would be a great experience. Personally, I want to perform at the Tokyo Dome.
