Rookie K-pop band aims to create new wave with music

By Shim Sun-ah

SEOUL, April 8 (Yonhap) — Rookie K-pop idol band hrtz.wav made its debut Wednesday with the release of its first EP, “The First Wave.”

The five-member band — Youn Young-jun on keyboard, Riaan on vocals, Dane on bass, Keiten on guitar and Hagiwa on drums — was formed with contestants who each ranked first in their respective positions on Mnet’s band survival show “Steal Heart Club.” Keiten and Hagiwa are Japanese members, while the other three members are South Korean.

According to the agency Kakao Entertainment, the group’s name merges “hrtz,” referring to the frequency of the heart and sound, with “wav,” symbolizing sound waves and high-quality audio. It reflects the members’ ambition to “create a new wave in the world” through their music, Kakao said.

At the group’s debut showcase in Seoul, Dane said the band had worked hard for four months after the closure of the “Steal Heart Club” show to prepare for this moment, adding it looked forward to showing fans “its best sides.”

Youn said the debut was “both exciting and emotional,” calling it “a chance to repay everyone who waited for us.”

“The First Wave” portrays youthful emotions through upbeat band sounds, catchy melodies and energetic performances. The agency said the EP tells the story of five members with different “frequencies” joining together to create “the first wave in a silent world.”

The EP features six tracks, including the lead single, “Nineteen,” which compares the brightest yet most uncertain phase of youth to the age of 19. Other tracks include “Dream,” “Highlight” and “I Am So Fine.”

Riaan said the members initially had to adjust to each other’s personalities and habits because they had never formed a team with this specific combination, even on the TV show.

“But just as a rainbow brings many colors together to form harmony, we did the same by respecting each other’s differences, playing music together and coordinating our opinions,” he said.

A notable feature of hrtz.wav is drummer Hagiwa’s masked identity — he does not reveal his face, age or natural voice, maintaining the concept that he was “born in Hagiwa World in Japan” three years ago.

“I just want to share a lot of fun and good music,” Hagiwa said. “I thought I should take on this challenge and make people happy through music. Because many people on ‘Steal Heart Club’ embraced that, I am still happily doing music (with this concept) today.”

Calling it a team “that creates synergy when each member’s unique personality is combined as one,” the group said it aims to be “a band impossible to forget after seeing us once.”

“We hope to be a great band that leaves a lasting mark on the K-pop scene,” Dane added.

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