10 years on, BTOB wants always to ‘be together’ with fans

 K-pop boy group BTOB said Monday it wants always to stay close to its fans, making a comeback as a full group for the first time in nearly four years.

The band dropped its third full-length album titled “Be Together” at 6 p.m., the first release as a full group of six since the 2018 EP album “This is Us.”

The group had been in hiatus for nearly four years due to the members’ mandatory military service, with Im Hyun-sik and Yook Sung-jae being the last members to have been discharged in November last year.

All able-bodied South Korean men must carry out compulsory service for about two years, as they are in a country that faces constant security threats from North Korea.

While the two were temporarily away for duty, the remaining four members — Seo Eun-kwang, Lee Chang-sub, Lee Min-hyuk and Peniel — have released music both as the group and the subunit BTOB 4U.

“I’m really, really happy,” team leader Seo said when asked how he feels about the comeback during an online press conference in Seoul. “Working as a full group, I thought, ‘This is BTOB!’ and felt complete, as well as a strong energy. I was really happy and pleasant while working on this album.”

K-pop boy group BTOB poses for the camera during an online press conference for its new album on Feb. 21, 2022, in this photo provided by Cube Entertainment. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Questioned about the secret to its longevity, Lee Chang-sub cited the teammates’ serious attitude toward music, while Seo attributed it to the unchanging love and support from fans.

“We still have a long way to go, but I think we now can call ourselves ‘professionals’ after 10 years on the job,” Im humbly said.

Im and Lee Min-hyuk participated in the creation of all 13 songs, including the lead single “The Song.”

“I worked the hardest of my 31-year-long life, because I wanted to show more growth as a professional while trying to maintain the unique colors of BTOB songs,” Im said. “I’m a little bit satisfied with the album’s quality.”

It marked the first time for him to take part in the creation of all tracks of a studio album, he added.

The band said the main message behind the album is its love and appreciation toward its fans, as the title “Be Together” suggests.

“BTOB wants to be with you fans as a singing group for a long time, so please accept our hearts,” Seo said.