Celebrating their 11th anniversary, K-Pop group BTOB has made a comeback with their signature K-Pop dance ballad style, showcasing their strong teamwork and ambitions for international success.

On May 2(KST), BTOB (members: Seo Eun-kwang, Lee Min-hyuk, Lee Chang-sub, Im Hyun-sik, Peniel Shin and Yook Sung-jae) held a press conference at the Stanford Hotel in Mapo-gu, Seoul, to commemorate the release of their 12th mini-album, 'Wind and Wish.'

This comeback marks BTOB's first in over a year and three months, following their 3rd full-length album, 'Be Together,' released in February last year. Leader Seo Eun-kwang expressed his excitement at the return, saying, "I had a sleepless night because I was so thrilled. I had high expectations, and our fans loved the teasers, so I was even more excited."

Yook Sung-jae, who recently completed his military service, shared his thoughts on the comeback. "There have been a lot of new content and trends since I was discharged from the military. I had to catch up with the MZ generation's trends, so I participated in many trendy activities and content. I learned a lot from the activities of my seniors and juniors."

The 12th mini-album, 'Wind and Wish,' captures the message of wishing for the happiness and well-being of loved ones and spreading positive energy as a 'lucky charm.' Members Lee Minhyuk (HUTA), Lim Hyunsik, and Peniel actively participated in the album's production.

Seo Eun-kwang explained, "Minhyuk and Hyunsik produced the album. We created the album with the hope of sharing love and good fortune through refreshing music that suits the season."

The title track 'Wind and Wish (My Wind)' is a popular song that combines the signature BTOB ballad and dance styles. It conveys the double meaning of wind, wishing for the happiness and good fortune of a loved one as the wind blows.

Im Hyun-sik, who composed, wrote, and arranged 'My Wind,' said, "I've heard many people say they gain strength and comfort from our music, and I hope this album will also have a positive influence. My wish is for 'My Wind' to be realized like the wind."

BTOB is presenting a dance genre song this time around. Yook Sung-jae said, "For the first time, BTOB has tried a group dance challenge. We have simple choreography that anyone can follow, and I think it's a dance song with more detailed movements and rhythm than any other dance song we've done before."

This year marks BTOB's 11th anniversary. Seo Eunkwang attributed the group's longevity to their dedicated fans, called 'Melodies,' and many listeners. "We are grateful to be able to continue together for so long because of them. As the leader, I think I'm a 'lucky guy.' Each member is sincere, kind, and respectful, and I believe our coming together is the secret to our success."

Lee Chang-sub added, "If it weren't for Eunkwang, we wouldn't have been together for this long. It's all thanks to our leader and director, Eunkwang."

BTOB, known for their beloved ballads, also revealed their ambition to make a name for themselves in the international market with their unique genre. Lee Changsub introduced the track 'Your Love,' saying, "It's the first time BTOB has included English lyrics in a song, and it represents our ambition to go global."

Yook Sung-jae mentioned, "As time goes by, each BTOB member's individuality is becoming more distinct. Our pursuit of musicality and specific goals are also becoming clearer." When asked about BTOB's goals, Sung-jae stated, "We always talk about this among ourselves, and our goal is to be the leading K-Pop ballad group, securing a position in the global market. We will have to work hard for it, but we hope the K-Pop dance ballad genre will be recognized and appreciated internationally. That's our ultimate wish."

'Wind and Wish' was officially released on May 2nd at 6 PM.

Copyright © 2023 Kpop Reporter. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.