[SHOWCASE] Rookie band POW warms up with prerelease single 'Favorite'

Boy band POW is set to make its debut on Oct. 11, but it's getting warmed up with a prerelease single titled “Favorite,” a month before its first EP drops next month.

Boy band POW poses for photos during its first showcase on Tuesday at the Sky Art Hall music venue in western Seoul. [GRID ENTERTAINMENT]

Any K-pop fans out there looking for a new boy band to stan should look no further than rookie boy band POW.

The five-member boy band is set to make its debut on Oct. 11, but it's getting warmed up with a prerelease single titled “Favorite,” a month before its first EP drops next month.

“Favorite” is a funky pop dance track reminiscent of British boy band One Direction with its playful yet flirtatious songs, while still carrying the powerful choreography iconic of the K-pop genre.

“I feel so nervous but excited at the same time, because this is the moment that I've been dreaming of for such a long time,” member Jungbin told reporters in a shy voice trembling with enthusiasm, at a pre-debut showcase held on Tuesday in western Seoul, his first-ever meeting with the local press.

“I couldn't believe that we're actually debuting, even to this day,” Dongyeon said. “But being on this stage and performing together makes me feel like we can now get started to achieve our dreams. It feels so overwhelming.”

Boy band POW [GRID ENTERTAINMENT]

POW includes Thai actor-turned-singer Yorch, who already has over 2 million followers on social media. Dongyeon, who is of Korean and Filipino descent and made his television appearance using his full name Yun Dong-yeon on SBS’s audition show “Loud” (2021), is also part of the group. The other three rookie members are Jungbin, Hyunbin and Hong.

The name POW is an onomatopoeia for an explosion, embodying the members' aspiration to bring an explosive vitality to the K-pop scene. The band is going for a “European youth culture theme,” according to the agency GRID.

“We were given this theme because the producers at the company said that we gave them a certain dreamy and beautiful vibe,” member Hyunbin said with a shy yet bright voice. “You might feel like you are watching a German or French teen film when you watch our music video.”

Boy band POW poses for photos during its first showcase on Tuesday at the Sky Art Hall music venue in western Seoul. [GRID ENTERTAINMENT]

Yorch had trained with two of the biggest K-pop agencies — SM Entertainment and BigHit Music — but had to go back to Thailand after his debut was called off twice. It made him give up on his K-pop dream for a while, but he decided to join POW after GRID's CEO persuaded him numerous times to come and see the members for himself.

“I honestly didn't think about joining the team when I first got the call,” Yorch said. “But I came to Korea and had such a nice time with the company's staff and members. I felt like I could count on them, so I joined. And I am indeed having fun through all the training and practice.”

The name of POW's debut album or the songs that will be included have not been decided yet, but there is one thing to look forward to, according to Yorch.

“One of the places where we shot a video was the set for the [sci-fi blockbuster] 'Dune,'” he said. “We were told that we were the first Korean team to shoot there, so we're really looking forward to it. It will be part of a debut film that also comes out next month.”

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]