From "BOYS II PLANET" Competitors to One Team: TUNEXX Powers Into Its First Comeback

"By the end of this year, I hope there's a headline that reads, 'TUNEXX started strong. How far can that momentum go?'"

Six months after its debut, rookie boy group TUNEXX is making its first comeback with a clearer idea of how seven members with different personalities and experiences can come together as one team. The members want audiences to finish watching their performance with one thought: "That's TUNEXX."

TUNEXX recently sat down with K-POPIT to discuss the making of its second EP, "BLUE MODE," and the direction it hopes to take next.

The group released "BLUE MODE" on Sep. 2. Zeon said the first comeback brought both nerves and excitement. "We want to show fans the stage as soon as possible," he said.

Sihwan said the members approached the comeback differently after completing their debut promotions. "At debut, I was mostly nervous. After going through one promotion cycle, I practiced a lot more with that experience behind me," he said. "It feels like waiting to get graded on homework I actually worked hard on."

The EP contains four tracks: the title track "BLUE MODE," "SYNC UP," "ANSWER" and "OVER X." While the debut album declared, "I'm different, and I'll walk my own path," the new release follows seven members on different frequencies as they come together as "we."

The members said their growth is visible in both their appearance and music. Donggyu reviewed footage from the group's debut promotions and worked on several areas, including exercise and dieting.

"Musically, we always try something new. You'll hear a lot of different genres on this album," he said.

Sungjun described the new concept as "dandy and sexy." He paid particular attention to his facial expressions and delivery to convey the mood naturally.

"I studied my expressions and delivery a lot to give fans a better performance," he said. "Pay close attention to the bridge."

Donggyu, Inhu, Taira, Zeon and Sihwan participated in writing lyrics for the album. Inhu, who tried lyric writing for the first time, said getting started was the most difficult part.

"Once I actually sat down to write, I had no idea how to do it. The members who've been writing since their trainee days taught me things like how to build rhymes," he said. "The theme shifted from 'me' to 'us,' so I thought a lot about how to put who we are into the words."

Sihwan chose a line about refusing to hide one's true feelings, even in an awkward moment, as his favorite lyric.

"It's a song that uses a blue night as a metaphor for our honest feelings. I personally love it," he said.

The members who did not receive writing credits this time also expressed interest in contributing to future releases.

"I didn't get to write on this one, but I keep trying. I also practiced the dance break a lot," ARCTIC said.

Sungjun added, "I want to help write so a song feels more like mine."

Donggyu, Inhu, Sihwan and ARCTIC appeared as contestants on Mnet's "Boys II Planet" before debuting together in TUNEXX. Although they were eliminated from the competition, the members said the experience became motivation to improve.

"I was eliminated, but I gained more than I lost. I practiced hard to come back stronger," ARCTIC said.

Sihwan agreed. "Getting to stand on a stage through the show early on helped a lot when we started building TUNEXX's stages later."

Donggyu said the program gave him both support and motivation. "I got so much love on the show, and the other contestants pushed me. Debuting again wasn't scary. I just wanted to get on stage and meet fans as soon as I could," he said.

Inhu said he also accepted tough feedback from the agency and people around him after his elimination. "It pushed me. I wanted to prove I could do more."

The members are not in a hurry to distance themselves from their association with "Boys II Planet."

"It's a good memory I can't erase. If it follows the TUNEXX name, I think it means we left a strong impression," Donggyu said. "There will be a time when we should be known only as TUNEXX, but I don't need that label to disappear right now."

Six of the seven members were born in 2005, which they said allows them to communicate openly.

"Nobody tiptoes around anyone, so feedback comes out right away," Inhu said. "No one gets upset about it, so we can fix things fast."

Leader Donggyu is responsible for organizing the members' ideas. "If Donggyu thinks an idea doesn't work, he says so directly. If it has potential, he develops it with the members," Zeon said.

Leading a group largely made up of members his own age was not something Donggyu initially expected.

"At first, I didn't think I had the personality for it. But the role really does shape the person," he said. "Now I can't imagine not being the leader. When the team gets praised or when another member gets good feedback, I feel satisfaction and pride too."

The members consider the chemistry created by seven distinct personalities one of TUNEXX's main strengths.

"All seven of us have completely different personalities. Even when we order food, everyone picks something different," Inhu said. "Our stage styles are all different too, but when we come together for one song, the synergy is what sets us apart. The energy we can bring to a stage is huge."

The word the members repeatedly used to describe TUNEXX was "gise," a Korean term that can convey a sense of momentum, spirit or forward-driving energy.

"We have the visuals and the height and proportions, but we also have the force to push something through," Sungjun said.

Donggyu added, "We're a team that puts that kind of drive into everything."

The idea also reflects the message of "BLUE MODE": seven people bringing their individual qualities together as a team.

TUNEXX has set two immediate goals for the comeback: a music show win and a rookie award.

"I really want to win a music show and do an encore stage where we sing all the way through while crying," Donggyu said.

The members also suggested several pledges for their first win, including swapping parts and dyeing their hair colors selected by fans.

"I want people to say, 'That's TUNEXX,'" Zeon said. "The goal is to make people feel that we're solid no matter the genre or the stage."

With its first comeback, TUNEXX is seeking to turn the momentum it emphasizes into a distinct identity of its own.