EMP Opens Up About LA Song Camp and JUNNY Collab

"I'm really proud of everything Gunwook and I have built together so far," Seok Matthew said.

Seok Matthew and Park Gunwook, both members of K-pop boy group ZEROBASEONE, formed the unit EMP. The duo released its first digital single, "OFF script," on the 10th. Both members took part in writing the lyrics and producing the music. The single reflects their goal of making music without being tied to a set formula.

"'OFF script' shows the musical direction EMP wants to take going forward," Seok Matthew said. "At the same time, it captures what each of us can do as lyricists and producers."

Park Gunwook said he focused on putting the pair's own thoughts and stories into the music.

The single has three tracks. The title track, "RUN (with Dynamic Duo)," was made with veteran hip-hop duo Dynamic Duo. Singer JUNNY appears on "AFTERTASTE (with JUNNY)." The third track, "MADE YOU LOOK," was also worked on directly by the two members.

EMP had already released a mixtape. While preparing this single, the pair worked with a range of producers and writers. Seok Matthew said running into different ideas and approaches changed how he sees music.

"My view of music got a lot wider," he said. "I learned a lot in the process of building each song."

Park Gunwook said he tried to open up to working methods and musical styles he wasn't used to. The part that stuck with him most, he said, was trying new things and pushing past his own musical habits.

Both members pointed to the same track as a highlight: "MADE YOU LOOK." The song came together at a song camp in Los Angeles, where artists and producers gather to write as a group. Seok Matthew said he shaped the track by trading opinions with the team there. He remembered the moment he suggested adding a whistle to the backing track. That whistle ended up as one of the song's main elements.

Park Gunwook said the camp exposed him to fresh ideas. Finishing a song in an unfamiliar place, while trading opinions with many collaborators, taught him a lot musically, he said.

Working with Dynamic Duo and JUNNY was new for both of them. Seok Matthew paid close attention to how Dynamic Duo read a beat and leaned on certain words.

"It's a very small difference," he said. "But I think I realized that difference can completely change how a song comes across."

He said JUNNY stood out for singing in a pop style while still keeping his own musical identity.

For Park Gunwook, sharing a song with a singer outside ZEROBASEONE felt strange at first. Recording with senior artists pushed him, though. He said it made him want to keep growing as a musician.

The single also marks a change in lyrics and vocals. Park Gunwook said he used vocal tones he had never tried before, several times across the tracks. He and his partner tried to put as much of their own thinking into the lyrics as they could. He said he hopes listeners pay close attention to the words and feel the emotions behind them.

Seok Matthew had different advice.

"Rather than focusing on any one part, I hope people turn up the volume on their speakers or earphones," he said. "Just enjoy it freely and go wherever the music takes you."

Making music together also showed them new sides of each other. Seok Matthew said the two like a similar overall mood in music but often disagree on details. In his view, those differences gave them more directions to choose from and made the process feel freer.

Park Gunwook praised his partner's attention to detail.

"I discovered how persistent Matthew is," he said. "While we were making music together, it really stood out to me how he thinks through everything, from a single bit of pronunciation to the smallest details of a song."

Both members said they want to keep releasing new music as EMP. Seok Matthew said he hopes the single is remembered as a release filled with good music from start to finish. He thanked ZEROSE, the ZEROBASEONE fandom, for supporting them along the way.

Park Gunwook also thanked fans for backing the duo's musical experiments. He said he wants to keep showing different sides of himself and to stay connected with fans through the music.