Boy band Monsta X held a press conference at the Conrad Hotel in western Seoul on Wednesday ahead of its upcoming 10th anniversary concert, “2025 Monsta X Connect X.”

During the media event, the six members — Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney and I.M — posed for photos, reflected on their decade-long career and answered questions from reporters.
“Since we’re preparing for our concert, we’ve spent a lot of time together,” Hyungwon told reporters. “I was surprised by how nothing has really changed in terms of our teamwork since returning from the military. Our passion for practice and sense of humor have stayed the same.”

“I’d say our visuals have become more mature and even sexier,” he added with a smile.

The concert, scheduled to take place from July 18 to 20 at KSPO Dome in southern Seoul, marks Monsta X’s first full-group appearance in front of fans in four years, due to the members’ mandatory military enlistments.

“About three years ago, we were supposed to perform at the same venue, but the pandemic made it impossible,” Shownu explained. “That’s why this full-group concert feels even more special.”

“For this concert, we put together the essence of the past 10 years,” Hyungwon added. “Fans will be able to witness how far we’ve come — from our rookie days to now.”

As part of the 10th anniversary celebrations, the group also released the digital album “Now Project vol. 1” on May 14. The compilation features 10 songs originally released between 2021 and 2023, rerecorded to include member Shownu’s vocals, which were previously absent due to his enlistment.

The members also revealed that they are preparing for a comeback in early September.

The following images capture key moments from the event, where Monsta X posed for the cameras and introduced their future plans as a group.

BY DANIELA GONZALEZ PEREZ [gp.daniela@joongang.co.kr]