NOWZ Goes Retro With 'Achilles', a 1980s Disco-Funk Return

K-POP group NOWZ is back with a retro sound that nods to Michael Jackson-era disco and funk.

The group released the digital single "Achilles" on August 5 at 6 p.m. KST, marking its first new music since debuting in Japan in March.

Earlier that afternoon, NOWZ held a media showcase for the release at YES24 Live Hall in Gwangjin district, Seoul. The members used the event to reintroduce the group after a five-month break and to explain the sharp turn toward 1980s sound.

"I really want to prove that we grow with every activity," said Jinhyuk. "I'll work hard so this comeback shows that growth too." Hyunbin followed with a laugh: "I'm nervous about coming back. We prepared everything for this, from visuals to the stage to skills. I hope people like what they see."

The choice of disco and funk was deliberate. Hyunbin said the members, all born in the 2000s, wanted to try music from a decade they never lived through. "We're curious about the music of an era we didn't experience," he said. "We thought if we tried something we hadn't done before, we could show a new side that grows out of familiar genres." Yeonwoo added that he had long been drawn to retro sounds and wanted to see how well the group could pull one off.

Hyunbin described the group's new charm point as "zero sexy." "It means sexy that's subtle rather than heavy," he said. "We worked hard on our diet and practice to show a clean, refreshing kind of sexy." Siyoon said the song also marks a shift in subject matter. "We've always sung about the challenges and achievements of youth. This time we're singing about young love, so we tried to show a more mature side."

August is a crowded month for K-pop comebacks, and the members admitted they had been thinking about that. "Honestly, we were worried too," Hyunbin said. "But instead of comparing ourselves to others, we decided to focus on becoming better than we were before. I think our color is going to shine through." Siyoon pointed to the song and choreography as the main draw. "The performance and the music both feel fresh. I think people will react the moment they see it."

Asked about stages they still want to play, Yeonwoo mentioned Waterbomb, the popular summer water festival. "We did Waterbomb in Macau last year. We keep getting in better shape, and I really want to do a water-themed event like that again." He added that the group also wants to appear at year-end award shows and other music events to show more sides of its work.

"Achilles" pairs the 1980s funk and disco palette with lyrics about the rush and confusion of falling for someone at first sight. To celebrate the release, NOWZ will perform the new single and past hits at COEX Square in Gangnam district, Seoul, on August 9 at 3 p.m. KST.

For a group only months past its Japanese debut, the pivot to 1980s pop is a bet on standing out in a stacked release month by looking backward instead of chasing the current sound.