&TEAM celebrates their 3rd anniversary with their first mini-album 'Back to Life', marking their official debut in Korea.

&TEAM is starting a new challenge in Korea as they celebrate their 3rd anniversary since debut. Today (28th) afternoon, a showcase commemorating the release of &TEAM's first mini-album in Korea, 'Back to Life', was held at Blue Square in Yongsan, Seoul. &TEAM is a global group formed through the audition program ' &AUDITION - The Howling -' of the 'HYBE LABELS JAPAN Global Debut Project' in 2022, and they officially debuted in Korea after three years since their debut. They had previously made special appearances on music programs with Korean versions of Japanese original songs, but this is their first time officially engaging in album activities in Korea. EJ expressed, 'Actually, when I first heard that we would debut in Korea, I was very surprised, but as we gradually prepared, seeing the many fans waiting for us and the staff working day and night made me want to do my best. We prepared hard, so I would be happy if you could watch over us warmly.' HARUA followed up, saying, 'Actually, when I first heard it, I felt more excitement and anticipation than anxiety. I was happy to have the opportunity to perform on a new stage, as it felt like I was getting closer to my dream of being a global artist.' TAKI added, 'This has been a dream of mine since I was young, so I am very happy. Debuting in Korea means standing in front of many people, so I was anxious about various gazes. I was also worried about whether I could convey everything I wanted to say in the language. But now I am very happy. My parents are also happy, and my grandparents are supporting me, which has deepened our family relationships.' The album 'Back to Life' is a work that condenses the bond and growth of the nine members, which has become stronger over three years, and it marks the starting point for their new leap towards a global stage. MAKI described the album, saying, 'This album contains the teamwork and growth we have built over the past three years. As the title suggests, it means we are taking on new challenges with a stronger appearance.' He added, 'In short, I want to say that this Korean debut is an important starting point towards becoming a bigger artist.' The title track 'Back to Life' is a song in the rough and intense rock-hip-hop genre, embodying &TEAM's strong will to rise again with 'revived instincts.' It depicts the challenge of the nine members who rush at the moment their hearts beat, turning past wounds into energy to move forward. EJ explained about the title track, 'As the title suggests, this song expresses our will to continue challenging ourselves without falling, no matter what trials or difficulties we face, through a rock-hip-hop sound.' FUMA said, 'The performance expresses the energy of the nine coming together and moving forward powerfully. We expressed our emotions through dance, so I think you can watch it like a drama. We worked hard to synchronize our breathing during the group dance parts.' Regarding the significance of their Korean debut, HARUA stated, 'I think K-POP culture is a place that fans all over the world pay attention to, not just in Korea. I believe this will be a challenge to achieve our goal of becoming global artists.' He added, 'What we are most looking forward to is being able to meet our fans frequently. This time, we are also preparing to appear on music programs for a long time and various events, so we are very excited. What worries me is our Korean language. I think we studied hard, but I am anxious about whether we can convey our feelings accurately.' YUMA said, 'For us, the Korean debut is a new beginning and challenge. Our main goal is to show our own color and identity in Korea, the home of K-POP. I believe that this Korean debut will be an important first step towards a wider stage.' Since they started activities in Japan first, there are many differences from Korea. HARUA noted, 'The biggest difference I felt was that we had to do all the recording processes in Korean, which was the most different. Korean has batchim and various pronunciations, so I researched hard on how to utilize them. There are focus cam videos and ending fairies that can only be seen on Korean music programs, so we practiced a lot on managing our expressions and every single action.' Additionally, FUMA expressed confidence in &TEAM's strengths, saying, 'The teamwork when the nine of us come together is our strength. Each of us has different strengths, but I want to show everyone the teamwork of the nine when we stand on stage.' TAKI added, 'We worked hard to show not only our charm of singing and dancing but also performances filled with emotions. Since there are members who can speak various languages, I think we are a team with weapons to advance into the world.' Finally, regarding their goals, JO stated, 'I think this is a good opportunity to showcase &TEAM's charm. I want to show how we have grown over the past three years. I definitely want to take first place on Korean music programs. Since it is a stage that fans all over the world are watching, I want it to be a source of pride for both us and our fans.' K said, 'We talked a lot about our Korean debut during this tour, so I know well that our fans have waited a long time. We prepared really hard to show our unique teamwork. Our goal is to go on a world tour, and I would be happy if we could greet everyone again then.'