EPEX on growing pains and the realities of young heartbreak
Following the release of their 5th EP album Prelude of Love Chapter 2. ‘Growing Pains’, EPEX chats to Cherry Chu Magazine about new title track ‘Sunshower’ and their excitement to make new memories with their fans, ZENITH.
EPEX. Image: EPEX Official. C9 Entertainment.
The eight member boy group are jumping off the back of their successful US tour that took place in February by diving straight into a new music release. The inspiration for the group’s name, EPEX, comes from the idea of the eight boys gathering together to reach eight different apexes, which they have continued to prove with ‘Sunshower’. Their joint dream of dominating the music industry allows the boys to unite to create an unstoppable force in the music industry. The group debuted in 2021 with the track ‘Lock Down’ and haven’t looked back since.
Whilst the first chapter of EPEX’s Prelude of Love series tackles the joys of puppy love, chapter two delves into much more complex emotions. Alongside this release, EPEX will be holding their first ever fancon, named after their new title track, in Seoul to get to know ZENITH more intimately. For international ZENITH, the future seems bright for EPEX, hopefully filled with more opportunities for fans to unite with the group.
Discover if you and your EPEX bias share the same favourite track from the new EP below!
Your title track ‘Sunshower’ describes a rainy day with sunshine, so it represents two contrasting images and has a very deep meaning. How would you portray all those feelings in the song?
WISH: Our new title track 'Sunshower' tells a story of a boy's broken heart from the breakup through a very fresh, bubbly melody. So it matches the song's title which carries a contrasting meaning of 'raining while the sun is shining'. We tried to express such contrast by acting like we're numb, just like the heartbroken boy would act like he's not hurt from love at all.
If you were to describe yourself in one word, what would it be?
JEFF: For me, these days, I keep think[ing] of the word ‘butterfly’. The reason is I think I wish to be free like a butterfly.
KEUM: Personally, I think I can describe our group as growing pains, just like our new album. We're all growing as we face various challenges and experiences, so I think we fit into the word 'growing pains'.
BAEKSEUNG: If I were to describe us in one word, it has to be EPEX in my opinion. I believe EPEX is now our pronoun because it represents eight boys coming together to create eight peaks.
EPEX. Image: EPEX Official. C9 Entertainment.
What do you think the difference between the Prelude of Love and Prelude of Anxiety series is and how does ‘Growing Pains’ fit into the Prelude of Love series?
WISH: The Prelude of Anxiety series represents anxiety you would go through in your adolescence, while the Prelude of Love series talks about more complex emotions evolved from young love, such as anxiety and [the] raw feeling of love. Our fifth mini album is also about growing from love, so I think it fits well into the Prelude of Love series.
What artists or tracks have you been listening to recently?
JEFF: I've been listening to The Kid LAROI a lot lately. The song I'm into these days is 'WITHOUT YOU' by The Kid LAROI.
AYDEN: 'Snow' by Red Hot Chili Peppers.
KEUN: Dean's 'instagram'.
A-MIN: 'Cozy' by Dept.
WISH: 'Maps' by Maroon 5.
YEWANG: I've been listening to '458' by CIX.
BAEKSEUNG: I love 'Event Horizon' by our senior, Younha.
MU: These days, I feel like... 'Sunshower'!
In comparison to your last comeback, what side of yourselves are you able to show through ‘Sunshower’?
BAEKSEUNG: Our previous album was more like a festival that celebrates the beginning of love, and this new album, on the contrary, represents a boy's first breakup. Therefore, our new title track is more sad yet expresses a boy's growth into a young man.
WISH: In addition, our previous album focused more on the road to love, while this album represents the road to breakup.
Watch EPEX’s latest music video above!
Did you face any challenges whilst preparing for this comeback?
AYDEN: On top of learning our own song's choreography, we did cover contents of other artists. That actually required a high level of memorization.
WISH: Also, since our title song's melody and lyrics are quite contrasting vibes, it was a little challenging to truly blend the lyrics and express that message through the melody.
What’s your favourite song from the EP?
JEFF: My personal favourite is 'SKYLINE'.
AYDEN: For me, it's the title track 'Sunshower'.
KEUM: My favourite song is 'Goodbye, My First Love'.
A-MIN: Same.
WISH: ‘Sunshower'.
YEWANG: My favourite is 'My Darling'.
BAEKSEUNG: ‘Sunshower'!
MU: My favourite song is [the] title song.
Why did you pick this song?
A-MIN: I picked 'Goodbye, My First Love' as my favourite because its composition and vibe are more calm when compared to those of the title track. Also, this is the first time [we] have [had to do] a choreography for such a coupling song. I think it would be fun to watch our performances for both 'Sunshower' and 'Goodbye, My First Love' [to] really understand what our new album consists of.
What does EPEX think makes them stand out among other groups out there right now?
KEUM: In my opinion, we're talking for people in their 10s and 20s. We're blending the stories we experience and hear as young people into our music, and we want to create music that can be encouraging and comforting. That's how we wish to show EPEX's unique colour.
What are EPEX most excited for in terms of growth with this latest release?
A-MIN: When we were preparing and practising for this album, all of us had a lot of fun. So we're looking forward to really enjoying this album's activities with ZENITH and creating good memories with them.
Edited by Chelsea Cheetham.
