Alpha Drive One and Longshot Debut One Day Apart as “Super Newcomers” Enter K-Pop Market

The debuts of the industry’s highly anticipated “super newcomers” are now becoming a reality. Alpha Drive One, formed through the popular survival show “Boys 2 Planet,” and Longshot, produced by Park Jae-beom, are entering the K-Pop market by debuting just one day apart.

Alpha Drive One releases its first mini-album, “EUPHORIA,” on the 12th to officially make its debut. The eight-member group, consisting of Rio, Junseo, Arno, Geonu, Sangwon, Sinlong, Anshin, and Sanghyun, was formed through Mnet’s “Boys 2 Planet,” which concluded last September. The title track is “FREAK ALARM,” known for its powerful beat and catchy melody, with a total of six tracks included in the album.

The name Alpha Drive One reflects the group’s goal of “becoming the best (ALPHA)” and their “strong passion and drive (DRIVE),” while also symbolizing the idea of becoming “one team (ONE).” They performed on official stages at the “MAMA Awards” and “Melon Music Awards” late last year, and their pre-debut single “FORMULA” helped them rank on major domestic and international music charts, raising expectations for their official debut.

CJ Foodville’s Toots’ is collaborating with Alpha Drive One. This marks the first time Toots’ has partnered with a K-Pop group as part of its brand initiatives. Products featuring the group’s charm and the album’s story will be available at Toots’ stores nationwide in January, with more collaborative products planned to be released subsequently.

Just one day later, on the 13th, Longshot, the first boy group launched by label More Vision founded by Park Jae-beom, releases its debut album, “SHOT CALLERS.” The four-member group is made up of Oyul, Lyle, Woojin, and Louis. “Longshot” refers to a decisive move with a slim chance of turning the situation around. Longshot also made its debut appearance on the “Melon Music Awards” before officially starting its activities.

There is significant interest in whether these groups can build on the success of boy groups formed through Mnet’s auditions such as Wanna One and ZEROBASEONE. Alpha Drive One is scheduled to have a longer activity period of five years compared to previous project groups, and they will continue to release special albums and participate in performances even after returning to their agencies.