Japanese Boy Group ONE OR EIGHT Announces Official Debut in Korea, Aiming to Emulate K-pop as a Role Model

Japanese boy group ONE OR EIGHT held a media showcase at Ilji Art Hall in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 26th to celebrate the release of their new song “DSTM” and announced their official debut in Korea. The eight-member group under Avex is composed of Rayya, Mizuki, Yuga, Souma, Tsubasa, Ryohta, Takaru, and Neo, and it is reported they have been preparing for activities in Korea even before their debut. The new song “DSTM” officially samples pop star Rihanna’s hit track “Don’t Stop The Music.” It features catchy rap, melodies, and trendy sounds, with StarGate, the producer of the original song, participating in its creation. The group used this song to challenge themselves in Korea, the homeland of K-pop, and stated that they plan to appear on music shows following the showcase. ONE OR EIGHT made their debut in Japan last August with the single “Don’t Tell Nobody” and came back in March this year with their second digital single “DSTM.” The group name “ONE OR EIGHT” comes from the Japanese idiom “ichika hachika,” which means “either one or eight,” reflecting their identity of always risking everything in their attempts. The reason behind their entry into the K-pop market lies in the members’ special affection for Korea. Member Rayya spent three years as a trainee in Korea and demonstrated fluent Korean skills. She said, “I wanted to appear on Korean music shows even before my debut,” adding, “I will work hard to appear on more shows through these activities.” Most of the group’s members regard K-pop artists as their role models. Takaru said, “Taemin of SHINee is my role model; I am fascinated by his powerful performances and beautiful movements.” Ryohta expressed his respect by saying, “I like ENHYPEN; I came to admire them after watching their videos as they grew from dancers to full-fledged artists.” Yuga showed his enthusiasm by saying, “I want to perform on stage with Jung Kook of BTS,” while Souma mentioned, “I dream of collaborating with TVXQ!” The members emphasized that their experiences in Korea had a significant impact on forming the group. Rayya said, “Through my time as a trainee, I worked hard toward my dreams under monthly evaluations and learned how to improve by supporting each other as trainees. That experience was very helpful when we formed the group in Japan.” Neo said, “Although our music contains Japanese elements everywhere, we are a group heavily influenced by K-pop,” adding, “Please watch as we present our new version of ourselves.” Souma said, “I want to show the world our consistent effort to keep trying,” and expressed his desire that people around the world would also pursue their goals with pride. He vowed to keep striving toward his dream of becoming an artist who can hold world tours someday.