New boy band AMPERS&ONE kicks off K-pop journey with ambition

Members of K-pop boy band AMPERS&ONE pose during a press event at Blue Square Mastercard Hall in Yongsan District, Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of FNC Entertainment

Rookie boy band AMPERS&ONE has arrived on the K-pop scene, bringing two unique traits to the fore: More than half of the members are foreign nationals and four of them were contestants on popular talent search shows.

The septet consists of Kamden (American), Kyrell (American), Brian (Canadian), Mackiah (Australian) and three Koreans: Jiho, Siyun and Seungmo. Among them, Kamden and Jiho made their names known to the public on Mnet's survival audition program, "Boys Planet" (2023), while Siyun gained recognition on "YG TREASURE BOX" (2018).

During a press event marking the group's debut, all seven members radiated a mixture of nervousness and excitement, with their eyes gleaming due to the anticipation of embarking on a new musical journey. In particular, front man Jiho seemed particularly thrilled to achieve the dream of becoming a K-pop star.

"My family and I set an ultimatum that I would reconsider my K-pop path if I didn't fulfill this dream by the age of 20," the 19-year-old recalled during the event that took place at Blue Square Mastercard Hall in Yongsan District, Seoul.

"Participating in 'Boys Planet,' I believed, was my final opportunity. I did not succeed in securing a spot in the final rankings, and that led me to contemplate my future career. But I am incredibly grateful that I have grasped another chance to debut."

K-pop boy band AMPERS&ONE / Courtesy of FNC Entertainment

AMPERS&ONE is the first K-pop act debuting for FNC Entertainment following its launch of boy group P1HARMONY in 2020. FNC previously produced a plethora of prominent groups including F.T. Island, CNBLUE, AOA and SF9.

The group's name is a fusion of the symbol "&" (ampersand) and the word "ONE," which signifies the unity among members hailing from diverse cultural backgrounds. It unleashed its debut album, "AMPERSAND ONE," Wednesday, which features three tracks: "Sweet & Sour," "Sheesh" and the lead track, "On And On." The album revolves around the theme of campus life, likening the members' debut experience to entering college as a freshman.

Seungmo, who is still a high school student, said his bandmates helped him understand the college experience.

"I was worried in the beginning because I could imagine the campus life only vaguely," he said. "However, while we were gearing up for our album, other members told me what it is like, helping me draw parallels to my high school life. I also visited a real university."

Member Kamden contributed to writing the lyrics of the lead single, "On And On."

"I delved into ad-lib, singing rap parts and aimed to amplify the overall excitement of the song," he explained, underscoring that he attempted to come up with a lively composition.

He also expressed gratitude to his fans, who have been supporting him since his appearance on "Boys Planet."

"I want to appreciate my fans and supporters," he said. "Thanks to the program, my desire to debut and my determination to succeed as a singer grew stronger."

Kamden still maintains good relationships with other participants of the show, including the members of ZEROBASEONE, a project boy group made up of the nine winners of "Boys Planet." Upon the announcement of Kamden's debut, many of them reached out to him to express their congratulations, he added.

Although AMPERS&ONE is taking its initial steps into the cutthroat K-pop industry, its ambitions are far-reaching.

Mackiah expressed his high hopes, saying, "If we visit a broadcasting station, I would like to ask other K-pop acts if I could film dance challenge videos with them. I'm also anticipating the chance to meet and connect with our fans."

Jiho added, "I hope our team can win a once-in-a-lifetime rookie award and become a symbolic figure in the K-pop world in the days ahead."