K-Pop Group NOWZ Aims for a 'HomeRUN' with New Single 'Play Ball'

The Korean baseball season may have ended, but K-pop group NOWZ is keeping the spirit alive with their latest single, aiming for a 'HomeRUN'.

NOWZ recently held an interview at a café within Cube Entertainment's headquarters in Seoul's Seongdong District to celebrate the release of their third single, 'Play Ball'.

The title track 'HomeRUN' from NOWZ's new single 'Play Ball' is an EDM-based dance track featuring heavy drops and bold rapping. It captures the challenges and achievements of youth, turning uncertain futures into opportunities. The single also includes tracks like 'GET BUCK', showcasing NOWZ's ambitious spirit, and the emotionally resonant 'In a Nameless World'.

Both the album and title track names are baseball terms, with the music video set in a baseball stadium. Member Yeonwoo explained the baseball concept, saying, "Athletes put in a lot of effort and constantly push forward to compete. We are the same. We thought it would be a direct way to show our current selves."

Although the Korean Series has ended, leaving fans in the off-season, the concept could have gained more attention if released during the season. Yoon expressed, "While the song might have shone more during the season, we focused on challenging ourselves with the genre we wanted. Baseball is always a sport of public interest. We hope our song will become a topic again when the season returns and contribute to the excitement of baseball."

Siyoon shared, "I went to a few Doosan Bears games as a child. Recently, I watched 'The Strongest Baseball' and felt the same emotions I had when I practiced Taekwondo. I'd love to throw the first pitch at a Doosan Bears game or 'The Strongest Baseball'."

NOWZ is active on stages both domestically and internationally. On the 8th, they performed at 'WATERBOMB MACAO 2025', an outdoor performance venue in Macau, where they previewed their new single's title track.

Siyoon expressed his excitement, "I love festival-like stages, and I was particularly eager to perform at 'WATERBOMB'. I worked out hard and went shirtless, which the fans enjoyed. It was a great experience, and I hope to perform there again." He added about his fitness routine, "I actually ate a lot, including chicken. I usually maintain a weight of around 60kg, but I gained muscle and weight for the performance."

The event also featured Yuqi from their labelmate group (G)I-DLE, who previously collaborated with NOWZ on 'Fly Freely' (Feat. Yuqi). Yeonwoo commented, "I learned a lot about stage manners and interacting with fans from watching Yuqi's performance."

Yuqi also offered words of encouragement to NOWZ members. Jinhyuk shared, "Yuqi told us to make the music we can. She has been a great help in a positive direction since our 'Ignition' album."

Ahead of their comeback, NOWZ was named Billboard's 'K-pop Rookie of the Month'. Jinhyuk expressed, "It was an honor to be selected as a Billboard Rookie. Just having our name mentioned by Billboard was a new feeling." Hyunbin added, "I used to upload song covers on YouTube under the channel name 'Man of Billboard'. Now being a Billboard Rookie feels like a dream, and I look forward to making it onto the Billboard charts."

NOWZ highlighted their teamwork and visuals as their strengths. Siyoon stated, "We spend a lot of time communicating and getting to know each other. It helps us align our opinions and performances, creating great chemistry on stage. I think the public appreciates our unified movement towards a common goal." He added, "Jinhyuk and I have a strong image, while the older members have a softer image. Our ability to handle various genres is a strength."

NOWZ has embarked on a rebranding journey, changing their team name and paving their own path. Siyoon shared, "We've performed on big stages overseas and won rookie awards. It feels like we're renewing our team name every day. We aim to reach the top someday."

Yeonwoo added, "I live with the mindset of being better today than I was yesterday. I don't want to stay in the same place. Everyone has 24 hours, but I'm always thinking about how to develop more efficiently within that time. I'm excited for tomorrow."

"If we keep moving forward like this every day, the day will come when we hit a home run." Hyunbin concluded by comparing life to dieting. As NOWZ prepares for their comeback, they are focused on weight management. Hyunbin stated, "When dieting, I always check my weight. It can be stressful to see no change, but results come after a week. Even if it seems like there's no change day by day, looking back to our debut, we've grown a lot."

NOWZ's 'Play Ball' will be available on various music streaming sites at 6 PM on the 26th.

Reporter: Kim Ji-won, TenAsia one@tenasia.co.kr