CBS No Cut News met NAZE, who officially debuted yesterday (the 4th), at the C9 Entertainment building in Jungnang-gu, Seoul. The 7-member boy group consists entirely of members born after 2004. The eldest, Kaisei, was born in 2004, followed by Yunki, Ato, and Turn in 2005, Yuya in 2006, Kim Gun in 2007, and Dohyuk in 2008. They are a multinational group featuring members from Korea, Japan, and Thailand.
The team name NAZE refers to the terrain where the sea and land meet. The group aims to tell a story of finding one’s true self within infinite possibilities. Their agency explained that instead of a “grand narrative” or “exaggerated goals,” NAZE will share their own stories as they navigate the present.
The production direction focused on “expressing the clarity of the present over a lo-fi groove.” Their debut album, ‘NAZE’, tells the story of members from various cities who gathered in Seoul with a dream of becoming idols to talk about the “now.”
The title track “People Talk” is a dance-pop song that starts with a bouncy piano sound and maximizes listening pleasure with a rhythmic beat and addictive vocal chops. It sings about “blindly happy moments” that remain unshaken by the words and gazes of others.
“The moment I heard the demo, it really caught my ear,” Turn shared, admitting that the song lingered in his head morning and night to the point where he didn’t initially realize it was their own track. After wondering “What song is this?” and “Whose song is this?”, he realized, “Oh, it’s our song!” He added, “It made me want to debut as soon as possible to show everyone our charm.”
Ato expressed his expectations, saying, “I think it’s a song optimized for creating a natural cool vibe, just like our team name. The chorus is easy listening, so it’s easy to sing along to. Since we all sing the chorus together, both the public and we, as performers, can enjoy it. In terms of performance, it can be expressed simply yet very coolly, so I think the public will find it familiar.”
The debut album features a total of four songs, including “Pretty Pink Socks” with a bright and catchy melody, “Awesome,” which delivers intensity through R&B sensibilities and a danceable rhythm, and “Seoul,” which captures NAZE’s experience of becoming accustomed to the once-unfamiliar city of Seoul.
When asked which song best represents their current state, Ato picked “Seoul.” He explained, “It’s a song that captures the youth that can only be spent in this moment in our 20s, gathering within the fence of Seoul, eating, crying, and laughing together.” He added, “It’s a favorite among the members and feels like a very meaningful song.”
NAZE wants to approach fans with an unadorned, natural charm, which they believe is their distinguishing factor. Turn stated, “Rather than thinking ‘I want to do this!’ first, I want to naturally show the charm of each of us. I want to show ourselves exactly as we are.”
Ato added, “I think the seven of us each have very distinct personalities. Instead of saying ‘We’re going to create and show it this way,’ I think natural gestures and expressions of enjoyment will come out during our debut stage.”
It is not easy for a rookie with limited experience to “naturally” express “what they feel in the moment,” which usually requires a solid foundation. Ato looked back, saying, “We did pre-debut activities for over six months before debuting in Korea. We were invited to many stages and had many opportunities to meet fans, which became a really great experience.”
He continued, “At first, we didn’t have fans and were very nervous, but seeing the fandom grow brought many joyful and happy moments, and now I don’t get nervous on stage. Since I’ve practiced finding the red light of the camera in advance, I think I’ve gained confidence. With that confidence, I’ll show an even cooler side when we debut on May 4th.”
When asked if order is maintained while pursuing freedom, Ato replied, “It actually does.” The other members nodded in agreement. Ato explained, “We talk a lot and always eat together. Because there is a great deal of trust and consideration for one another, we seem to align naturally just by looking at each other. I believe there is teamwork built from the long pre-debut process, and that is our strength.”
The lack of fixed positions is another characteristic of NAZE. Kim Gun explained, “I can do vocals, dance, and everything, but since I was given the rap position, others see me as ‘the friend who raps.’ I think it means showing everything we can do rather than placing restrictions by assigning positions.”
NAZE carried out pre-debut activities primarily in Japan. All members appeared in “DREAM STAGE,” which aired early this year on Japan’s TBS, Korea’s tvN and Channel J, and the OTT platform Tving. Even before their official debut, they were invited to perform at the Tokyo Girls Collection (TGC) three times, appeared on the Japanese music show “CDTV Live! Live!” and TBS variety programs, and held a showcase tour in Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka.
When asked about the difference between pre-debut and official debut, Yunki stated, “When we did pre-debut activities in Japan, acting and the Japanese language were new to all of us. Since we approached everything with a single heart and a mindset of ‘just trying it first,’ everything seemed to work out. We’ll have many first-time experiences in the future, but if we keep that mindset we had in Japan, I don’t think we’ll be afraid. I feel like we can do anything. Just a mindset of going for it.”
Ato said, “Since we were first revealed through the drama ‘DREAM STAGE,’ I think we’ve only shown the characters from the drama. I have a strong desire to show the real NAZE and want to showcase more of NAZE’s unique musicality.” When asked if they plan to pursue acting in the future, Ato replied, “I’m confident I can do it well, so I think I could do a great job if given the opportunity.”
