Exclusive Interview with EPEX: Exploring New Music Genres, World Tour Plans, Collaborations With Idols, Acting Opportunities, and More!

At this event, the team also hinted at ZENITH’s upcoming world tour, collaborations with other artists, and potential future solo and acting projects.

[EXCLUSIVE] EPEX Tackles Exploring Other Music Genres, World Tour, Collab With Idols, Acting Gigs, More! — (Photo : EPEX group concept photo (C9 Entertainment))

After its debut, EPEX will be releasing a full-length album for the first time. Titled “Youth Chapter 1: Youth Days,”this album is anticipated to have a different sound compared to their previous releases. Will this mark the beginning of a new era for EPEX?

A-MIN: This album marks a new start for us. As all the members have turned adults and we’re telling even more mature stories, it feels distinctly different from our previous work as a group.

KEUM: Since everyone has become adults, we aimed to show a more serious, earnest side!

YEWANG: It certainly has more tracks as it is a full-length album, and the themes of the songs, including the lyrics, have matured significantly. Since all the members are now adults and it’s our first album telling the stories of youth, we can say it represents a new beginning.

The song “Youth2Youth,”which serves as the title track of the album, features meaningful lyrics that address the important subject of emotional and mental well-being. Could you provide more insight into the significance or intended message of this song?

WISH: “Youth2Youth” is filled with messages from us as youth to people in their youth. We made an effort to convey everything about youth, portraying not only its perceived brilliance by others but also the hardships and pain experienced by the youth themselves.

MU: We aim to provide comfort and strength to everyone in their youth. Our sincere feelings are deeply embedded in the lyrics, so it would be great if the listeners could focus on the lyrics.

The album consists of eight tracks, including the pre-release single “Graduation Day”and “Youth2Youth.”While recording, one song in particular caught the members’ attention, and we hope fans will also eagerly anticipate its release.

BAEKSEUNG: The rap unit song “Dominate”comes to my mind first. It’s the first song we’ve recorded that’s our original song instead of a cover as a unit. In addition, since it involved only rap members without vocalists, it felt somewhat new compared to our other songs.

AYDEN: The most memorable song for me is “KILLSHOT.”Because it has a different vibe compared to the rest of the album, I made sure to deliver captivating rap lines from the first verse to keep the listeners engaged as soon as they listen to the track. While recording “Painkiller,”I was particularly fond of the lyrics “With you my world is always heaven,”and I couldn’t wait to share this song with our fans.

JEFF: Personally, “Dominate”left the deepest impression on me. Since I was in charge of the vocal parts among the rappers, I recorded a lot of vocal parts, which made me realize how difficult the main vocalist’s role is.

4. With numerous K-pop groups making comebacks in April, how would you want EPEX to be remembered by music fans and listeners with this album amidst the intense competition?

MU: It would be great if they could remember the name ‘EPEX’ at least once. I’d like to hear people say, “They’re good, they’re cool, and I’m looking forward to what’s next from them!”

YEWANG: I hope EPEX is remembered as a group with great songs and a group that people can trust and eagerly await a comeback. Personally, I’m drawn to a group if the music is good, so I hope EPEX is remembered as such a group by the public.

Over the years, EPEX has experimented with different concepts and genres, starting from their 1st EP “Bipolar Pt. 1 Prelude of Anxiety”to their latest release, the 6th EP “Prelude of Anxiety Chapter 2. Can We Surrender?”.

Is there a specific concept or genre that you would like to explore in the future?

WISH: I can’t even imagine it yet, but I’d like to try a sexy concept in the future.

JEFF: Now that we’re all over 20, I’d like to try a more sentimental concept.

A-MIN: There’s a genre that all the members have been wanting to try consistently, and it’s the old-school genre. Even though all the members were born in the 2000s, I’d like to try old-school music reinterpreted in EPEX’s unique style.

If the opportunity arose, which K-pop idol would you choose to collaborate with?

KEUM: I’d love to share the stage with TAEMIN!

AYDEN: I want to perform a song filled with encouraging messages like “Fighting”with BSS (SEVENTEEN)! I feel confident about performing energetically on stage.

EPEX has experienced significant growth since their debut. As a three-year-old group, where do you envision EPEX and yourself in five years?

BAEKSEUNG: I hope there are a lot of changes for EPEX in the next five years! I hope we will become a much cooler group, not just by a little. It would be great if we could be the kind of group everyone wants to emulate and learn from.

JEFF: In five years, I imagine EPEX to grow bigger so that everyone knows about us when asked about EPEX randomly on the streets.

WISH: While various images come to mind, the future we keep envisioning is EPEX winning at the Billboard Music Awards. EPEX, fighting!

EPEX and ZENITHs are eagerly looking forward to your upcoming world tour. If you had the opportunity to choose, which city or country would you most like to visit and what activity would you be interested in trying while there?

A-MIN: I’ve been consistently thinking about how I’d like EPEX to tour countries outside of Asia.

Personally, I’d love to go to a country famous for its soccer leagues like Europe, perform there, and watch a live soccer game.

YEWANG: I’d love to go on a tour in America. Seeing senior artists who have toured there, I noticed that the atmosphere in the concert venues there is quite different, and I’d love to experience that feeling myself.

Fans may have been interested in the individual career paths of the members. Can you provide any insight into your future plans and activities as solo artists? Is anyone considering pursuing acting? Are there any plans for a solo album release?

AYDEN: I think Donghyun (KEUM), who has been acting the longest and the most, is the member who is highly interested in acting. Although it’s still early for a solo album, I want to improve more and release a great rap album filled with my own stories in the future.

MU: Personally, I want to challenge myself in various ways. I graduated from an art school’s theater department and even acted in a drama called ‘Cats Dream’. Since I have a lot of interest in acting, if there’s an opportunity, I’d like to challenge myself with acting again.

The ZENITHs have continuously demonstrated their unwavering support since your debut in 2021. Is there anything you would like to express to the fans who have shown you immense love and dedication?

BAEKSEUNG: To all the ZENITH out there, thank you so much for always supporting and loving us!! I’ll keep working hard to make you feel more proud of us. Love you all~