[SHOWCASE] Rookie band All(H)ours hopes to be the next Stray Kids, Seventeen

Seven-member boy band All(H)ours debuted Wednesday, aiming to emulate the success of Stray Kids, Seventeen and BTS's Jungkook. With a catchy EP and synchronized choreography, they hope to make 2024 its year.

Boy band All(H)ours peforms its song during a debut showcase held on Wednesday at the Yes24 Live Hall music venue in eastern Seoul. [KIM MYEONG-JI]

The clear-cut choreography of Seventeen, the chemistry of Stray Kids plus the artistry of BTS’s Jungkook — All(H)ours is the newest boy band in town that's entering the New Year with the biggest of ambitions.

Seven-member boy band All(H)ours, pronounced “all hours,” debuted on Wednesday with the self-proclaimed nickname “Stray Kids’ cousin group,” as pushed by its agency Eden Entertainment and also dubbed the “nephew group” by JYP Entertainment chief producer Park Jin-young.

The band’s agency Eden Entertainment was founded by Cho Hae-sung, a former vice president of JYP Entertainment who managed the agency’s biggest bands including 2PM, Twice and Stray Kids — hence the newbie’s nicknames.

Eden Entertainment currently represents singer Baek A-yeon and the seven members of All(H)ours: Kunho, Youmin, Xayden, Minje, Masami, Hyunbin and On:N.

“We were so happy to hear that nickname at first,” member Hyunbin told reporters in a debut showcase held Wednesday at the Yes24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul.

Boy band All(H)ours poses for photos during a debut showcase held on Wednesday at the Yes24 Live Hall music venue in eastern Seoul. [KIM MYEONG-JI]

“In fact, I started dreaming of become an idol because of Stray Kids’ Hyunjin, so it felt even more special for me. Being given that nickname has made me want to try even harder. I especially wish that all of us can share a chemistry between the members like Stray Kids does.”

Their other choices of role models were no less ambitious: boy band Seventeen and Jungkook of boy band BTS.

“We copied a lot of Seventeen’s songs and studied their choreography, especially because they’re so famed for their kalgunmu,” said Xayden, referring to the Korean term for in-sync dancing that K-pop bands are famed for. “We really want to achieve the clear-cut synchronization that Seventeen is known for, so they’re another major role model for us.”

“My personal role model is BTS’s Jungkook,” Youmin said. “He made his solo debut, and his presence on the stage is unbelievable. He is my role model, and I wish to become an artist like him.”

The band’s name has two meanings: “all ours” and “all hours.”

Boy band All(H)ours poses for photos during a debut showcase held on Wednesday at the Yes24 Live Hall music venue in eastern Seoul. [KIM MYEONG-JI]

“Our name symbolizes our ambition to show everything that we have at every single moment,” leader Kunho said. “The name of the album is also the same as our team’s, and we practiced so hard to show you everything that we have, so we ask for your support.”

The band’s first EP “All Ours” is a five-track album led by dance track “Gotcha” followed by B-side tracks “Dift,” “Wao Wao,” “Racer” and title track “All Ours,” for which all members participated in writing the lyrics.

“Our lead track ‘Gotcha’ carries the message that all seven of us are going to push forward with the same goal in mind,” Xayden said.

The goal is simple but grand: To make 2024 the year of All(H)ours.

“We’ve opened up 2024 with our debut, so we’re determined to make a smooth start to the year and mark our name down this year,” Kunho said. “We’re nervous to be the first one to debut in 2024, but we hope to take that and use it to our advantage. We hope to make 2024 our year and end it with Rookie of the Year awards.”

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