DRIPPIN makes much-anticipated debut amid pandemic

Rookie K-pop boy band DRIPPIN released its debut album “Boyager” Wednesday. Courtesy of Woollim Entertainment

By Dong Sun-hwa

Debuting amid the pandemic may not be the most desirable thing for a K-pop group, but boy band DRIPPIN opted to proceed.

The seven-piece act ― comprising Cha Jun-ho, Hwang Yun-seong, Lee Hyeop, Joo Chang-uk, Kim Dong-yun, Kim Min-seo and Alex ― on Wednesday released its debut album “Boyager.” The name is a combination of “Boy” and “Voyager.”

“Our group name is a newly coined term meaning 'trendy' and 'fashionable,'” Cha said during the group's album showcase at Blue Square iMarket Hall in central Seoul, Wednesday. “We hope we can follow this name and showcase the music that can meet people's tastes, even after a decade. DRIPPIN has big goals ― first, we want to win Rookie of the Year awards.”

Launched by Woollim Entertainment, which houses popular acts including INFINITE and LOVELYZ, DRIPPIN is one of the most anticipated rookies on the K-pop scene this year. But it faces cutthroat competition, since several bands ― including FNC Entertainment's P1Harmony ― have recently debuted.

“We know there are many other passionate and talented groups,” Cha said. “So we will strive to grow up every day to differentiate ourselves.”

DRIPPIN consists of Cha Jun-ho, Hwang Yun-seong, Lee Hyeop, Joo Chang-uk, Kim Dong-yun, Kim Min-seo and Alex. Courtesy of Woollim Entertainment

Six of DRIPPIN's members ― excluding Alex ― appeared in the fourth season of Mnet's voting-based audition program “Produce 101” last summer, which gave birth to 11-member boy band X1. Cha was part of that act, but it disbanded following Mnet's vote-fixing scandal.

For the six, it took more than a year to meet their fans as DRIPPIN.

“We enthusiastically honed our skills to showcase the better version of us,” lead vocalist Lee said.

Joo noted: “Our members thought we would debut faster if we put more effort into practicing,”

DRIPPIN's “Boyager” has the dance-pop lead single “Nostalgia,” which merges funky guitar sound into a whistling sound. Through the lyrics, the members show their determination to return to a past they have been longing for.

“'Nostalgia' is an addictive song and we interpreted it from our own perspective,” Lee said.

The album also offers the intro “Boyager,” the energetic “Overdrive,” the easy listening “Shine,” the refreshing “Colors” and the electronic guitar-sounding “Lights.”

“With the album, we convey a message that we will overcome our fear of starting a new journey,” Joo said. “I am quite nervous to debut but also very thrilled to see what will come next. We want to be a group that can exhibit diverse colors."