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Interview: NAZE On Their Journey to Debuting & Being a Multinational K-Pop Group
- Jianne Soriano
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
INTERVIEW
Meet the newest kid on the block: NAZE. But they are more than your regular K-pop rookies. The group has already filmed a television drama in Japan, recorded Japanese songs as part of the drama’s soundtrack, taken part in music shows and variety programmes, and even met fans on a showcase tour, all before making their Korean debut in May 2026. It took their label, C9 Entertainment, five years to launch a new group. The five-year journey brought together talents from different countries and cities, whose backgrounds range from survival show contestants to a former TikToker and a competitive dancer.
The septet, formerly known as C9 Rookies, consists of members KAISEI, YOUNKI, ATO, TURN, YUYA, KIMKUN, and DOHYEOK. Their name has been the talk in forums pre-debut, though it simply refers to “a landscape where the ocean and land meet, symbolising endless possibilities and the freedom to move in any direction,” according to YOUNKI. Their self-titled mini-album contains four tracks with a lo-fi groove. The songs present a clear and honest reflection of the group’s present, starting with the title track, “People Talk.”
NAZE is already making a strong impression in the K-pop scene, taking home the ENA Rising Star award at the KPOP UP CHARTSHOW, less than a month after their Korean debut. The music video for their title track has racked up over four million views. It highlights the “limitless possibilities” that the members teased back during their promotions in Japan. Now, they’re ready to show much more. CSP Times caught up with NAZE to talk about their debut, what sets them apart from other groups, and making their mini-album.
All images are courtesy of C9 Entertainment
NAZE on Making Their Debut and the Limitless Possibilities They Bring to K-Pop
How does it feel to be your agency’s first multinational K-pop boy band?
TURN: There were some difficulties because of the language barrier and cultural differences at first. We began to understand each other more through our hearts rather than our words as we continued to live together and grow as one team. Now, I feel like they’ve become the best older brothers, younger brothers, and friends I could ask for. I’m truly happy that we’re able to debut together like this.
ATO: Honestly, it still feels surreal that the seven of us have come together and debuted like this. More than anything, I want first to thank the members who trusted and relied on each other all the way to this moment. For the fans who waited for us, we want to repay their love and support by giving as many great performances as possible with deep gratitude in our minds.
How do each member’s distinct background and personal vision blend into the group harmony?
YOUNKI: We came together from Japan, Thailand, and Korea, and even within Korea, we all came from different regions. Because of that, I think our individual personalities actually create even greater synergy and harmony when combined as one. We formed a strong bond by filling in each other’s weaknesses and maximising each other’s strengths rather than each one’s uniqueness clashing.
YUYA: When I first came to Korea, there were so many cultural differences, and I worried a lot about how I would be able to adapt to everything. But after meeting the members, I really felt that everyone was trying to fill in for one another in their own way, even though we couldn’t always communicate perfectly through different languages. I think that’s how we were naturally able to find harmony together.
How has the journey from training to pre-debut been?
KIMKUN: During my trainee days, I think I spent a lot of time feeling anxious about whether I’d actually be able to debut, while also constantly telling myself that I needed to work harder. After practices and monthly evaluations, we would all gather together, talk a lot, and make many memories along the way. Our pre-debut activities were truly such a valuable opportunity for us. I was really nervous at first because it was my first time trying acting. But I was able to experience and learn so much during the Dream Stage drama promotions thanks to the directors and many senior actors in Japan. Those experiences definitely helped, and will continue to help us in our future activities.
KAISEI: I’ve always lived with the mindset of giving my best every single day, every moment, ever since my trainee days until the moment of debuting. There were times when I felt anxious because I couldn’t immediately see tangible results, but I kept pushing myself by focusing on growing just a little more than the day before. During our pre-debut activities, I was thinking a lot about acting and every small detail because it was our first time showing ourselves to the public. There were definitely challenging moments, but I was able to overcome them because I had my members by my side. Through our official debut, I want to become an artist who can exceed the expectations of people who have been waiting for us.
What are some of the things you learned from your pre-debut days that have stuck with you?
DOHYEOK: I don’t think any of us really knew what it would feel like to perform in front of a camera since it was everyone’s first time acting. For example, we’ve never really fought with each other or gotten seriously angry at someone in real life. So we spent a lot of time thinking about how to approach scenes like that, which is why these specific moments are memorable to me. In particular, I still remember the fight scene between Tomoya-san and KIMKUN in episode 8. It was such a new experience having to think about the camera angles while breaking up the fight, and even matching timing with the other actors while acting to fall on the ground.
There’s been talk of your name in many forums. Can you tell us more about it and what it represents?
YOUNKI: It refers to a landscape where the ocean and land meet, symbolising endless possibilities and the freedom to move in any direction. Just like the meaning behind the name, we want to show the freedom and potential of growing youth through NAZE’s own unique colour. We hope you’ll continue to keep your eyes on the limitless possibilities from the seven of us moving forward.
Your debut mini-album contains four tracks. In what ways do each track highlight what kind of group NAZE is?
ATO: All four tracks on the album are really great songs. You’ll be able to feel the unfiltered charm that only NAZE has as you listen to the album from beginning to end. Our debut album captures the real moments and experiences NAZE is going through right now, rather than telling grand dreams or fantasy-like stories.
“Pretty Pink Socks” expresses those moments when small curiosities become something special. It captures the endless excitement and curiosity in a bright and upbeat style. “Awesome” is a song about the moments when we need self-confidence and courage. In reality, there are many situations where those feelings are important, so we hope the confidence and courage we show through this song can also inspire those who listen to the song. Lastly, “Seoul” is about the moment when an unfamiliar place starts to feel like home. Even though we were all born and raised in different places, we’re now together under one name and one team, which is why I think this song represents NAZE so well.
Tell us more about the title track, “People Talk,” and how it serves as the right introduction to NAZE?
TURN: Our title track, “People Talk,” carries the message that no matter what anyone says, we’re happy. It’s also a song that makes us genuinely happy and excited whenever we perform it, so we felt it was the perfect song to show our energy and natural selves.
DOHYEOK: Since “People Talk” is a song about those moments of pure and unconditional happiness, we hope people will recognise us as a group that truly enjoys performing on stage more than anyone else.
The members hail from South Korea, Japan, and Thailand — now together in Seoul like the track itself. What does Seoul give you creatively?
YUYA: Seoul is “my new hood” for NAZE, just like the lyrics in the song. Even though we all come from different countries and regions, we gathered together in one place, called Seoul, which gave us the creative inspiration to tell NAZE’s own natural and authentic story.
KIMKUN: I’m Korean, but I wasn’t born in Seoul, so the city initially felt unfamiliar to me as well. Seoul felt like a lonely and difficult place when I first left my hometown and came to the city as a trainee. But now, after living together with the members, it has become a place where we can rely on each other. Just like how all of us, despite speaking different languages, came together to share one voice in Seoul, I think the city is a place that constantly inspires new creative ideas.
“Awesome” is a song that someone should listen to when they need courage or a confidence boost. When do you feel most confident or courageous?
KAISEI: I definitely feel the most confident and courageous when we’re performing in front of the fans who support us.
DOHYEOK: For me, it’s when all of us put our hands together and shout NAZE’s team chant right before we go on stage.
You’re debuting in an era where K-pop has gone global. What’s something new that you bring?
TURN: With each member’s distinct personalities, we want to make a comeback with a completely different sound and concept from our debut album. Even though we all have different colours, we believe they create the biggest impact when they come together as one. We hope to become a group that makes people overflow with excitement and curiosity about the kind of music we’ll bring, rather than being confined to a single genre or image.
What kind of group do you want listeners to remember NAZE by?
YOUNKI: Of course, we’re incredibly grateful whenever people remember each of us individually, but I’d especially love for people to remember the chemistry within all seven of us and the unfiltered charm that naturally comes out when we’re together as a group. More than anything, I hope we’ll be remembered as “the group that looks happiest on stage.” We want the positive energy and passion we give off while performing to be fully shared with listeners and the audience as well, so that simply watching us can brighten someone’s mood. I hope NAZE can become that kind of energetic icon for people.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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