Powerhouse rookie K-pop group ALL(H)OURS is ready to shock the world with the release of their second mini-album WITNESS. The seven-member group consisting of KUNHO, YOUMIN, XAYDEN, MINJE, MASAMI, HYUNBIN, and ON:N have spent the past few months gearing up for their first comeback, and they did not come to play. They have spent the past few months gearing up for their first comeback; diligently working out to build strength and practicing long hours to hone their vocal, rap, and dance skills. ALL(H)OURS debuted in January with the mini-album ALL OURS and saw success as their debut music video has garnered 23 million views since its release. Now, the group is ready to show audiences their unwavering ambition and continued evolution as artists with their second mini-album WITNESS, consisting of tracks “WITNESS,” “SHOCK,” “PSYCHO MANTRA,” “‘Bout That Issue,” and “Blah Blah.”
“The album WITNESS is named to signify that you’ll be able to witness our growth and potential. Our debut album conveyed our beginnings as rookies and our ambition for the future,” member ON:N said at a recent media roundtable session to promote the release of the mini-album. “In contrast, this album showcases our vigor in a more raw and powerful way.”
Their debut track, “GOTCHA,” portrays lyrics of chasing their dreams and persevering on their journey despite its challenges. However, their second single, “SHOCK,” speaks more about keeping their audience captivated as they continue to fire up the industry with their crazy talents.
“We convey our inner selves through the character of a goblin,” said XAYDEN, describing the message the group wanted to send to fans through the song. “By doing this, we aimed to express our potential for growth. Choosing the goblin character was an intentional decision to intensely showcase this concept.”
The goblin character can be seen in the choreography of the chorus as the members lift their hands to their heads and simulate the look of horns with their fingers. As they dance in the music video, the members stare down the camera with crazed looks on their faces and deliver each move with intensity and power.
The WITNESS EP also allowed the group to explore new genres within their music. Most notably, the title track “SHOCK” incorporates the emerging genre Drift Phonk, which has recently gained traction on the video-sharing app TikTok. The genre has been described as a sub-genre of Phonk that incorporates street racing elements such as high-adrenaline basslines and beats.
“We challenged ourselves with a new genre rooted in the EDM scene. Exploring and researching this genre was exciting,” ON:N explained. “Creating a performance for the song involved a lot of discussion about how to pull it off, making the entire process very interesting. When we perform on stage, the EDM elements allow us to truly enjoy it.”
The elements of Drift Phonk in “SHOCK” can be heard immediately as the song starts. The dynamic intro to the track features the distinct 808 cowbell that the genre is known for, and utilizes a high tempo and electronic bass throughout. The members rap aggressively over the intense instrumental and sing with layered harmonies and distorted background vocals.
“I enjoy listening to songs from diverse genres and have a hobby of exploring music from lesser-known genres,” XAYDEN added. “I had listened to Drift Phonk once or twice before, but while preparing for ‘SHOCK,’ I researched Drift Phonk and discovered that some of the songs I frequently listen to are actually in that genre.”
Drift Phonk isn’t the only distinct genre ALL(H)OURS has dipped its toes into. The intro track of the EP WITNESS sees the group delving into other EDM genres, such as House. The purely instrumental track is unique in its techno beat that could easily fit in at a late-night rave or EDM festival, making it the perfect lead-up to the powerful lead single.
The group emphasized that their genre exploration isn’t going to stop anytime soon. “I want to challenge myself with a band sound. If we get the chance, I’d love to try it. The members have also mentioned wanting to try a hip-hop genre song. Given our energy and potential, expressing ourselves in a more freeform way would suit the hip-hop genre, and I think it could create a powerful synergy,” KUNHO explained.
Speaking of power, the choreography for “SHOCK” features dynamic movement and constant energy that the members trained heavily for. “The most challenging part is the dance break. After the bridge leading up to the highlight, there are several fast-paced and energetic dance moves. It was difficult to express and execute them effectively. We practiced extensively, closely monitored our progress, and worked on enhancing our strength and energy to perform the choreography,” ON:N said.
The dance break of the track features nonstop swinging arm movements and a mighty jump that leads into the last chorus of the song. Combined with constant footwork and intense facial expressions, ALL(H)OURS’ rigorous training to perfect the section of choreography is evident in their execution of the break.
“The performance was the most challenging aspect for us. Compared to ‘GOTCHA’ or ‘Wao Wao,’ we felt the intensity had increased at least threefold,” YOUMIN further emphasized. “To nail this song, we practiced the choreography at least 15 times a day, from beginning to end. We really pushed ourselves physically for this.”
The third track on the EP, “PSYCHO MANTRA,” was a favorite among the members. The track stands out for its unique intro, memorable drawl, and acapella bridge. “I’m excited to perform ‘PSYCHO MANTRA.’ It has a different power compared to our title track. While ‘SHOCK’ is very exciting and makes you feel like jumping up and down, ‘PSYCHO MANTRA’ is darker and deeper, showcasing a different side of us, like sexiness,” YOUMIN said.
When asked what song from the EP the members would be, multiple members selected the track. MINJE commented, “I choose ‘PSYCHO MANTRA’ because I want to be mysterious and I like the dreamy vibe of the song.” MASAMI agreed, “I also choose ‘PSYCHO MANTRA’ because it is a dark, chic song, and I think it’s a vibe that I can effortlessly exude.”
In terms of the group’s own mantras that they follow to motivate themselves, KUNHO emphasized the importance of incorporating feedback to improve and learn from their mistakes.
“I remind myself that I can do this and reflect on the feedback I’ve received. I also take deep breaths, which not only helps me sing better but also keeps me focused and calm,” he shared. ”With many eyes on us and high expectations, we feel the pressure to consistently showcase a better version of ourselves. This mindset drives us to continually strive for improvement.”
Showcasing the best version of themselves also includes being involved in the production process for their music. Although rookies and youngsters in the industry, ALL (H)OURS isn’t shy when it comes to participating in the creation of their music. All the members previously had composing credits on their first mini-album with the track “ALL OURS,” and now boast writing credits on “Blah Blah,” the final track of WITNESS. The encouraging and upbeat song is a message to their fans, called Min(u)te, to always be the main character in their stories and never care what other people think of them.
XAYDEN recalled that the experience of writing “Blah Blah” was fun but challenging. “HYUNBIN and I faced quite a few challenges while writing the rap part for the second verse. It was our first time working on the rap part, and we wanted to showcase our skills within a very short time frame—just 10 seconds. Despite the difficulty, the process of making a rap part that I truly enjoy and cherish was very fun.”
HYUNBIN agreed that writing the second verse of “Blah Blah” was his favorite part and added, “The vocal parts were executed very well by the members, and the lyrics carry significant meanings. All of that combined made it a great experience overall.”
MASAMI, the sole Japanese member of the group, expressed his challenges in writing in a non-native language. “As I had to write the lyrics in Korean, I faced some challenges. Initially, I wrote the lyrics in Japanese and then translated them. If I encountered difficulties, I sought help from other members,” he explained.
The members all spoke highly of each other, and their close relationship was clear as they continuously joked around and whispered along with each other throughout the roundtable. As a group of young men all chasing the same dream, the members constantly showed their gratitude to Min(u)te for supporting them on their journey so far. They expressed their ambitions to perform for their fans from all over the world in the future and reach their goal of accomplishing worldwide recognition.
“I’d love to visit Canada, the U.S., France, countries in Europe… anywhere our fans are. We are ready to go see them anywhere in the world,” KUNHO said.
ON:N continued, “Personally, I hope our music reaches a global audience. It would be amazing if we could have every seat filled on our world tour one day. I also dream of visiting Argentina someday. And seeing our song on the Billboard charts would be a dream come true.”
With one last message to Min(u)te, the members took the time to send a heartfelt message of gratitude to their fans who have continuously supported them since their debut.
“I always express to our fans how grateful we are for their love and support, and we strive to reciprocate that love through our performances on stage. As we move forward, we will draw energy from your support in all our future activities. We promise to keep evolving and showing you even better versions of ourselves. We love you all!” Youmin declared, speaking for the group.
Be sure to check out ALL(H)OURS new mini-album WITNESS, available on all major streaming platforms.