Cube Entertainment Corp. rookie boy group NOWZ has shown its presence this year as a "global rookie."
NOWZ (Hyunbin, Yoon, Yeonwoo, Jinhyuk, Siyun) announced a rebranding in June and opened their second act. The members, who changed their group name to NOWZ, expressed their aspiration to showcase diverse musicality and charm, like NOWZ's meaning of "drawing infinite possibilities in this moment."
NOWZ made expectations a reality with their first mini album "IGNITION" in July. The title track "EVERGLOW," an alternative rock song with metal sounds — a daring choice for a rookie group — drew a hot response. In particular, they achieved a career high by entering various music charts and surpassing about 150,000 copies in first-week album sales.
Also, the Chinese version of the pre-release single "Fly freely (Feat. YUQI)," produced by label senior (G)I-DLE member Yuqi, reached No. 1 on QQ Music's new song chart in China. The included track "Problem Child" caught attention with a mega crew performance video featuring numerous dancers, showcasing a more mature and intense musical world.
In this regard, Billboard selected NOWZ as the K-pop rookie of October and published a review of "IGNITION" along with interviews with the members. "EVERGLOW" ranked 15th in Billboard's "Best of K-pop 2025: staff picks" published on its official website, hinting at NOWZ's future growth potential.
NOWZ offered a different charm with their third single "Play Ball," released in November. Through a baseball concept they conveyed relentless passion and determination for the stage, completing a youthful passion narrative following "IGNITION." The title track "HomeRUN" was evaluated as further solidifying NOWZ's identity.
Having met the public with two albums this year, NOWZ is gradually expanding its presence by challenging themselves beyond a single genre. With all members continuously growing, they are expected to carry out successful activities next year following this year in which their potential was recognized.
[Photo] Cube Entertainment Corp.
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