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| Members of K-pop boy group TREAUSRE pose during an online press event, Tuesday. Courtesy of YG Entertainment |
By Dong Sun-hwa
The K-pop business has taken a big hit following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the hardest hit were rookie singers, who could hardly meet their fans face-to-face and perform live concerts.
But groups like TREASURE didn't just sit on their hands. The 12-piece act, which burst onto the K-pop scene in 2020, has continued to put out new releases and honed its skills to seek musical maturity while waiting for the pandemic to end. And the group's growth is highly visible in its new EP, "THE SECOND STEP : CHAPTER ONE," that will come out on Tuesday afternoon.
"'THE SECOND STEP : CHAPTER ONE' will be a stepping stone for us to take a further leap," member Jihoon said during an online press conference on Tuesday morning. "As we worked on different albums, we came to discover the styles we prefer and became even more serious with our music and performance. This time, we will strive to show our unique color, especially through the lead track 'JIKJIN,' which we believe is the perfect fit for us."
Bang Ye-dam elaborated, "When we practiced choreography in the past, we were mostly busy following instructions. But now, we can dance with more ease and display different gestures and facial expressions at the same time. We also became more familiar with cameras and enhanced our acting skills after filming our web drama, 'Mysterious Class'. I think we are gradually deepening our degree of experience."
Leading "THE SECOND STEP : CHAPTER ONE," is "JIKJIN," a powerful and dynamic hip-hop track revealing the group's determination to proceed and tackle different challenges. "JIKJIN" is a Korean word meaning, "go straight."
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| TREASURE's first EP, "THE SECOND STEP : CHAPTER ONE," will be released on Tuesday afternoon. Courtesy of YG Entertainment |
According to YG Entertainment, the company invested 500 million won ($420,000) to shoot a music video for "JIKJIN." What stands out in the clip is the array of supercars that bring a sense of speed and luxury.
"I was quite tired on the filming day, but my fatigue went away as soon as I saw these supercars," Junkyu said. "It was so thrilling to dance next to these expensive automobiles and I had to pay extra care not to leave any scratches."
The EP also offers the members' self-written songs, with Choi and Bang participating in the creative process of "BFF" (Best Friend Forever) and "DARARI," respectively.
"It took two days for me to complete the song," Choi said. "I hope I can produce a lead single for TREASURE one day."
Japanese member Haruto took on a new challenge, too.
"I am the rapper in my group, but for the first time since my debut, I sang a sentimental ballad titled, 'Gonna Be Fine,'" he said. "So I have a lot of affection for this track."
Closing the session, the YG Entertainment stars talked about what they wish to achieve in the days ahead.
"I hope TREASURE can grab the No. 1 spot on music shows," Yoshi said, while Bang added, "I also imagined that. Honestly, I already prepared my acceptance speech."
Asahi disclosed that he wants to embark on a world tour. "I want to see how fans from different countries cheer for us on stage," he said.
The rookie group is set to hold its first-ever concerts on April 9 and 10 at the Olympic Hall in the Olympic Park located in southern Seoul.
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