Boy band NexZ returned Monday with a playful but confident declaration of identity, unveiling its second EP, “Mmchk,” built around the group’s own rhythm and attitude.
At a press showcase in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul, the seven-member act — Tomoya, Yu, Haru, Sogeon, Seita, Hyui and Yuki — introduced the album as its first release in six months, since “Beat-Boxer” in October 2025.
“‘Mmchk’ reflects how we define ourselves — choosing our own standards and enjoying things in our own way rather than following a fixed frame,” said leader Tomoya. “We wanted to show our cheerful energy through this album.”
The title track is a bass house-based dance track combining playful rapping and an addictive beat for which Tomoya, Hyui and Yuki participated in writing the lyrics — shaping the song around the idea of acting freely without being bound by set manners or outside expectations.
“‘Mmchk’ is a new word that we coined that expresses an attitude that is hard to define within existing standards,” said Hyui, when asked of the meaning behind the album title. “For us, it’s about choosing what we like and what we’re drawn to and enjoying it without any regrets and without worrying about how others would view you.”
Sogeon added that the phrase works almost like a signal asking people to notice the group.
“It carries the meaning of ‘Please notice us,’” he said. “We tried to portray that in the music video, where people around us are all focused on their own things, but we keep saying ‘Mmchk’ as a way of showing our charm and performance to catch their eye.”
The album also includes side track “Hypeman,” written solely by Yuki and Tomoya. When asked about the inspiration behind the lyrics, Yuki said that he drew from the group’s fans, known collectively as Nex2y.
“There are lyrics in ‘Hypeman’ that say, ‘Because you shine, I can shine too,’” he explained. “I thought of those lyrics during one of our live performances where I saw our fans shining brightly while looking at us.”
With NexZ being a boy band that consists of eight Japanese members and one Korean, Hyui noted that writing lyrics in Korean remains a challenge for the group. However, he added that the difficulty adds to making the overall production process more meaningful.
“Because most of us are Japanese, writing lyrics in Korean is difficult. But no matter how hard it is, we really try to put our own thoughts and messages into the songs,” Hyui explained, adding that they still put in effort to learn Korean and to check the words they use thoroughly by checking the dictionary.
However, performance remains central to the NexZ’s identity, with the group being well known for its elaborate performance skills. Haru described the choreography for “Mmchk” as difficult to place within one genre, saying their individual dance skills helped shape the result.
“Each member has experience in different styles of dance, which I think really helps our choreography this time stand out,” said Haru, who learned popping for three years prior to joining JYP Entertainment. “I think all kinds of dance genres come through naturally in the performance for ‘Mmchk,’ making the performance fun for viewers to watch.”
As NexZ approaches two years since the group's debut in May 2024, the band reflected on how they have grown. Yu added that he felt “two years passed by quickly” and that more people get to know NexZ through “Mmchk,” while Tomoya said the group’s sense of identity has become clearer over time.
“Compared to our debut, when we were so nervous to stand on stage to a point where it was hard to sleep, I think NexZ’s color and stage presence is becoming more defined,” he said. “Our determination to really enjoy the stage has become part of our own vibe.”
The return effort comes as NexZ prepares for a busy schedule spanning across the world. The septet will hold global showcase events in Taiwan capital Taipei, Hong Kong and Bangkok from May to July, followed by its first Japan arena tour in Tokyo and Osaka in May. In September, NexZ is also set to perform as an opening act at Brazil’s Rock in Rio festival, marking its first performance at a major music festival.
“We hope our charm can become known more globally through these stages,” Tomoya said. “Even if just one more person discovers NexZ through this song, that would mean a lot.”
NexZ’s second single album, “Mmchk,” released at 6 p.m. on Monday.
lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com
