For those craving a fresh hip-hop vibe amid the current wave of casual, laid-back pop music currently dominating K-pop, 82Major will release its new EP, "X-82," to quench their thirst.

"While the trend leans toward easy listening, we wondered what would happen if we took a different approach,” said band member Yoon Yae-chan during a showcase on Tuesday at the Ilchi Art Hall in southern Seoul.

“We thought that would help us stand out from other K-pop acts and garner more attention.”



"After a world tour and receiving so much love over the past year, we wanted to repay our fans by presenting our best selves," said band leader Cho Sung-il. "This album, 'X-82,' hints at revealing the unknown aspects of us, much like an X-file."


The new EP, "X-82," which will be released at 6 p.m. Tuesday features four tracks, led by "Stuck," followed by "Thorns," "Face Time" and "Gossip." The lead track, "Stuck," is a high energy hip-hop song that blends drum sounds and other percussion instruments. The members actively participated in the creation process of each track.


"The lyrics in our lead track, 'Stuck,' showcase our confidence, and the song allows us to demonstrate our versatility as jacks-of-all-trades, excelling in both rap and performance," said member Nam Sung-mo.

"All of us contributed to the styling and lyrics, which helped us solidify our style and identity," added member Park Seok-jun.

"After gaining significant popularity with our previous track, 'Choke,' we're eager to meet and perform for our international fans,” Nam said when asked about the group’s goals for this EP.


"We previously reached the top of the music charts, and with this new release, we aim to claim the top spot on major music shows,” Cho said.

“If we achieve first place, we'll create a special song exclusively for our fans as a token of our gratitude."


82Major debuted on Oct. 11, 2023, as Great M Entertainment's first boy band. It consists of six members: Hwang Sung-bin, Nam Sung-mo, Cho Sung-il, Park Seok-jun, Yoon Yae-chan and Kim Do-gyun.

The group's name, 82Major, combines "82," Korea's international calling code, with the word "major," reflecting 82Major's ambition to become a leading K-pop boy band representing Korea, according to the agency.



BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [yoon.seungjin@joongang.co.kr]