Blitzers has made a bold comeback with a new album, returning from appearing on a globally esteemed audition program.
Blitzers’ new album “Lunch-box,” released at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, includes six tracks: The title song “Superpower,” “Race Up,” “Ring Ring,” “Fxxking Spring,” and English versions of “Superpower” and “Macarena,” a single dropped last year.
"Lunch-box is our fourth travel-themed album. Like in-flight meals or special dinners during a trip, this album is filled with happiness and excitement," said Lutan.
"Each song is of a different genre, like a lunch box with a variety of dishes," added Sya.
Wooju described the title track "Superpower" as an empowering song about finding one’s strength.
Sya and Chris contributed to the choreography. “We tried to make the second verse hook dance fun and energetic. We got exhausted during practice, but we’re confident it will be a great performance," said Sya.
The members also contributed to the lyrics of the B-side tracks. Chris wrote the lyrics for the English version of “Superpower,” drawing from his childhood in the United States, and participated in lyrics writing for “Race Up,” incorporating his signature sound for the first time. Juhan wrote “Ring Ring,” a song about youthful love.
Before the album's release, Blitzers had an unforgettable experience. They became the first K-pop idols to appear on "Britain’s Got Talent (BGT)" and advanced to the semifinals. Because they were preparing for the album and appearing on "BGT" simultaneously, the music video was filmed in the United Kingdom.
"Due to limited shooting time, we used diverse techniques to make the music video fun, including using a GoPro and using rewind effects. I’m excited to see the final result,” said Wooju.
Leader Jinhwa reflected on overcoming his shyness while shooting in busy streets. "I usually get really shy, but for the music video, I had to dance in a crowded street to portray a nerdy character who doesn’t care about the surroundings. Doing that gave me more confidence.”
The members recalled the surreal experience of shuttling between the UK and Korea for the "BGT" stage.
Since 2007, "BGT" has searched for talented individuals, and Blitzers were invited to appear on the show by the producers.
"We were contacted while on our Japan tour. Initially, we declined due to our tour and comeback schedule, but decided to take the chance for a once-in-a-lifetime experience," said Jinhwa.
The sextet delivered a charming and lively performance of Shawn Mendes’ “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” for the preliminaries, advancing to the semifinals with "All Yes." In the semifinals, they appeared in all-black outfits, showcasing charisma in their rendition of War*Hall’s “Bring That Fire.”
"For the preliminaries, 'BGT' suggested a song that would resonate with the audience and viewers, but we chose the song for the semifinals," said Sya, adding that members planned and conceptualized the grand stage set with two-story structures and large flags, and conveyed their ideas to the "BGT" production team.
“We rehearsed seven times for the semifinals to coordinate the complex stage setups and synchronize with the dancers,” recalled Wooju.
Jinhwa explained that they chose “Bring That Fire” to convey the members' determination. "We wanted to perform a song that matched our situation and chose a confident, bold song. 'BGT' suggested a more familiar song to the local audience, but we trusted our choice and were proud of the praise we received.”
“All the comments were touching. What stuck with me the most was when Simon Cowell said, ‘I liked this performance much better than the last one. Your individuality shone through on stage, and it’s clear that you’ve found your team’s unique color,’” said Chris.
Juhan thanked the artists who helped with the choreography. “For the auditions, we received choreography from the globally recognized domestic dance team DokTeuk Crew, and for the semifinals, we received choreography from Team Same, led by choreographer Choi Young-joon.”
Having debuted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the group is now in its fourth year and feels a sense of responsibility as idols.
“Debuting during the pandemic, we didn’t have opportunities to meet audiences in the early days. Performing and interacting with the crowd gave us a sense of responsibility and made us realize what it means to be a K-pop idol,” said Jinhwa.
“We usually release two to three albums a year, but this time the gap was a bit longer. Our short-term goal is to release another album within this year,” added Juhan with a smile.
