1VERSE turns claw-machine frustration into new track 'LOOP'
K-pop boy group 1Verse / Korea Times file
K-pop boy group 1VERSE is back with "LOOP," turning that universally relatable sting of a missed claw-machine prize into an infectious, high-octane electronic pop anthem.
Marking its first release since January, the group takes an everyday moment of playful annoyance and spins it into a sleek, fast-paced rhythm that hits home for listeners anywhere in the world.
1VERSE released “LOOP” at noon on Friday in Korea, with members Kenny, Nathan and Aito contributing to the song’s lyrics and composition.
Inspired by the cycle of reaching for a prize, missing it and deciding to try “just one more time,” “LOOP” uses arcade-style electronic sounds and a tense, game-like progression to capture the pull of repeated failure.
Michelle Cho, CEO of Singing Beetle, said the song explores how a small expectation can become difficult to abandon as repeated attempts turn into a cycle that is increasingly hard to escape.
Nathan said “LOOP” brings to mind playing a claw machine in an arcade, where failure only makes another attempt feel more necessary.
Kenny said his own difficulty with claw machines became the starting point for the song after he discussed it with the group during a studio session.
He said he later practiced with an expert and managed to win two stuffed toys for less than 20,000 won ($14).
Adrian McKinnon, who has worked with EXO, SHINee and NCT 127, returns as a collaborator after working on 1VERSE songs “SHATTERED” and “WABIF (Wide Awake Before I Fall).”
Producer Skylar Mones, who worked on Dua Lipa’s “Future Nostalgia,” also joined the project, while Normal Logic handled visual direction and Team SAME’s Jongho and Tamjin handled choreography.
1VERSE debuted in July 2025 and has since built an international fan base known as 5TARZ while completing its first world tour across North America and Europe.
On Aug. 29, 1VERSE performed at Gamescom in Cologne, becoming the first K-pop group to appear at the German gaming convention, before performing at Asian Revolution in Mainz on Aug. 30.
“LOOP” is available through major music platforms, with additional information to be released through 1VERSE’s official social media channels.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.