BOYNEXTDOOR Bursts Into the Scene With New, Refreshing Debut ‘Serenade’
It has been nearly three years since HYBE debuted a boy group into the K-Pop expanse; this time around, KOZ Entertainment has brought us the refreshing and energetic BOYNEXTDOOR.
BOYNEXTDOOR is made up of members Jaehyun, Sungho, Riwoo, Taesan, Leehan, and Woonhak. This six-idol group has already been compared to other performers like ZEROBASEONE (ZB1). Unlike many male artists circulating about in the musical genre right now, this new group takes a surprising twist. BOYNEXTDOOR attempts to bring more low-key, indie concepts back to life. Similar to ADOR’s NewJeans, KOZ hopes to bring new trends into the constantly changing boy group world.
We have seen significant growth in the amplified masculinity of groups, such as NCT and Stray Kids, but have yet to see something quite as simplistic as what BOYNEXTDOOR attempts to achieve. The boys debuted officially on May 30th with the track “Serenade,” but previously released both “But I Like You” and “One and Only” earlier that week. All of the group’s releases act as their title track—implying that they have three (which is uncommon in the K-Pop world). This newfound technique, which NewJeans also employed, hopes to garner popularity on all of their newest releases at once.
What makes the emergence of BOYNEXTDOOR so critical is the potential shift they may have on the trajectory of mainstream K-Pop boy groups. While HYBE artists typically stray away from the pack, they often also cause a rupture in the forward momentum of the industry. When NewJeans popularized the modern-Y2K style through their music videos and outfits, many girl groups changed their look to imitate this trendy appearance.
It makes us question: what implications can the emergence of an innocent and sweet boy group have on other group comebacks, as well as debuts? Adjusting to the likes of BOYNEXTDOOR’s music can be difficult for some, as it is more reminiscent of K-Indie music, with a slightly brighter attitude—especially with the intense popularity of fast-paced, hard-hitting beats, such as Stray Kids’ recent “S-Class” or Kai’s “Rover.”
Thus, “Serenade” may introduce us to a new sub-genre of K-Pop music for boy groups to come. Diving into this track, it is hard not to feel a smile immediately spread across your face as the rhythm oozes with anticipation of the approaching summer. Some areas showcase a gentle, soft-spoken vocal, while others bring out harsher intonations (such as Taesan’s addicting pre-chorus).
synchronisation dont mean anything if you got no stage presence, and boynextdoor got both pic.twitter.com/OYhxxxLiJm
— ᖭི༏ᖫྀ stayc in madrid (@gyumisoo) June 1, 2023
While the song itself is addictive, imitating the comforting feeling of a boy next door (as their group name suggests), their performances also live up to the quality of the music. Each stage, from the high-energy movement in “But I Like You” to the dynamic formations throughout “One and Only,” perfectly matches the feeling of the songs, leading to enhanced enjoyment of their music. As stated earlier, their purpose is to replicate the influence that a boy next door has on one’s life—and KOZ could not have chosen a more fulfilling lineup.
The consequences of their presence in the industry may not be evident now, but perhaps a few months or a year later, such concepts can become more prevalent. If the sound of K-Pop music does tilt in this direction, it would create a nearly 180° shift from where boy groups stand today.
Columnist | K-pop Stan | Tweet me @senaho5
