MCND is looking to return to the charts with “Odd-Venture,” coming back as a boy band crazy about its performances.

“We were once given the moniker that we are an ‘all-main dancer group,’ and I think that best describes the band’s strength in terms of its performances on stage,” member Minjae said during a press showcase held Wednesday at the Shinhan pLay Square in Mapo District, western Seoul, ahead of the album’s release later that day.

“[Building on that moniker,] we want to earn the title of being the ‘boy band that is crazy about its performance,’” Minjae added.

MCND’s fifth EP “Odd-Venture” comes over one year after the release of its fourth EP “The Earth: Secret Mission Chapter. 2” in July 2022.

The gap allowed MCND to stay busy by going on concert tours worldwide but also let the band members re-think the path of MCND.

“It’s been a time where we had a lot to think about,” the leader of the band, Castle J, said.

MCND, with its five members Castle J, Bic, Minjae, Huijun and Win, debuted in 2020 with its first EP "into the Ice Age."

“We’ve thought about what messages we’ve conveyed [in the past], what message we would like to convey in the future and how we can really enjoy being up on stage — that’s how 'Odd-Venture' came to be. I’m slightly worried as to how the general public will react to the album, but we were also excited to finally show them [the album].”

“Odd-Venture” features seven tracks including the title track of the same name, alongside four tracks for which different members of the band took part in the writing the lyrics. The album also includes an English version of the boy band’s 2022 track “W.A.T.1."

Title track “Odd-Venture” is a unique track that combines K-pop with trap, according to the boy band's agency TOP Media.

“Combining the two words odd and adventure, we are going on an adventure to the mystery world,” Minjae explained. “To sum it up, it’s an adventure just for MCND.”

“Instead of continuing with the mischievous style we’ve been known for, we’ve tried hard to show a more mature side of us; the seven songs in the album all feature different vibes and messages,” Castle J said.

“In our past releases, I was the main one who participated in lyric writing,” he added. “But this time, all five members have participated, incorporating messages that each member wanted to convey.”

Out of the seven tracks in the album, “Pop Star" might be the song that most incorporates the band’s future goal, as it is written by all five members of the band.

“'Pop Star’ could refer to our desire to be a pop star ourselves, but it actually refers more to our [aspiration] of shining bright like a star that pops in the sky, instead of being like fake lights that shine the city,” Castle J explained.

Shortly before its comeback, MCND announced plans for its 2024 world tour “Odd-Venture 2024,” where the band will perform in cities around Europe and the United States.

“We’ve been to many different countries, and while it can be exciting [to visit new countries], we also fear how many people would actually cheer for us overseas,” Minjae said. “Thankfully our fans overseas have been supporting us wholeheartedly and we were able to receive good energy and perform well on stage.”

“I think you can expect to see better harmony and better live performances in our upcoming tour,” Castle J said. “I think it will be cooler.”

Band members have not forgotten about their Korean fans, though.

“All our members are Korean, and we produce and practice our albums in Korea,” Castle J said. “We will do our very best in weekly music show activities, fan sign events and other activities.”

“Feb. 27 is the date we debuted, so perhaps we could host a small event with our fans in Korea to celebrate our debut anniversary next year; I think it will be a good opportunity,” Castle J added.

To find out more about MCND, visit Celeb Confirmed!

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]