Within the world of K-pop, it can be difficult to parse through the heavy production and polished vocals to the raw human emotions underneath. Beneath many seemingly perfect songs, like those from Japanese boy group &TEAM, lies an honesty that’s always welcome in an industry that often prides itself on sanitization.

When &TEAM debuted in 2022, they brought a distinct sound and concept, both of which quickly endeared them to fans around the world. The boy group–composed of members EJ, Fuma, K, Yuma, Jo, Harua, Taki, and Maki–have resided in the undetermined space between K-pop, J-pop, and English-language pop music for nearly three years.

On October 28, they released Back to Life, their Korean-language debut EP, cementing themselves as a group to watch out for.

Up until this point, &TEAM were known as the group with the werewolf concept and several members familiar to fans from I-Land, the K-pop survival show that created ENHYPEN. Their sonic identity was heavily inspired by rock music and bolstered by themes of perseverance, unity, and kinship.

Each title track sees the group luring more and more fans into their world, and rightly so. They’ve proved themselves to be a force in any genre, showing off their masterful vocals, intricate formations, and expressive choreography any chance they get. With their long-awaited official Korean debut, &TEAM presented their artistry on a silver platter for anyone who doubted their place in K-pop.

The video announcing this debut, released on September 3, ends with the sound of a deep breath. It’s a subtle detail that undoubtedly encapsulates the months of preparation and the nerves felt by artists waiting to break into the intimidating K-pop market.

This EP included three different concepts–BREATH, GAZE, and ROAR–with their own visual characteristics represented in teaser videos and the physical album versions. Despite these differences, every concept depicted the group looking defeated or preparing to confront the forces trying to provoke them – a fitting aesthetic, given the stakes of the context.

The teaser for the BREATH version opens with a narration stating, “Defeat left scars on the boys. In the training room, they faced those wounds head-on–and deep inside, something powerful began to awaken.” It’s cinematic in nature, bringing viewers into the narrative in the same way a movie trailer would. From those opening lines, fans watch as each member rises covered in cuts, scars, and bruises.

The training room represented onscreen is a boxing ring, but one more familiar to any idol is the dance studio where they spend hours on end perfecting choreography and getting every detail of their physical presentation just right. &TEAM’s werewolf concept is similar to ENHYPEN’s vampire concept, with both holding clear similarities to their own lives as idols after a closer look. When the BREATH teaser ends with, “Defeat did not bring them down. The resolve etched into their wounds only grew stronger–and now, the boys once again knock on the gates of battle,” you can’t help but wonder how deep the metaphor truly goes.

As a whole, their first Korean EP is a celebratory return to their angst-ridden origins, weaving aspects of tracks from their previous releases with new sounds to create the perfect introduction of &TEAM to new listeners while also satisfying long-time fans. The emotional vulnerability that 2023’s “FIREWORK” blends with the playful flirtation of “Scent of you” off their debut EP to create a short piece of work that easily represents the group’s image to listeners no matter how long they’ve been aware of them.

“Back to Life,” the EP’s title track, immediately drops listeners into their sonic landscape riddled with frustration, confusion, and raw truths. From the sound of it, it doesn’t seem like an easy landscape to reside in, but you can’t help but feel as if you’re trudging through the mud right alongside them as soon as the first chorus kicks in.

From the lyrics alone, it’s clear that this song furthers the images seen in the teasers, something that can be a bit murky with many K-pop releases. Youngest member MAKI sings “Rough glory carved on my skin / Bloody scars from sleepless nights” in the song’s opening pre-chorus. Later, in his rap verse, he reflects on this glory and those long, sleepless nights: “Tough skin I’ve earned and it’s glorious / In the distance lies utopia / Every cell pushes me on.” MAKI and the rest of the group, within their musical lore and otherwise, have very clear goals that they’ll stop at nothing to achieve.

The music video begs the question “Am I a monster?” before the instrumental even kicks in. Once it does, the visuals flash between the group dancing together as one, and them fighting one another in the rain–a dichotomy that makes anyone watching wonder what might make them turn on each other. By the end, however, it’s clear that what truly brings each of them back to life in times of need is the bond they’ve forged together.

Luckily for LUNÉ (&TEAM’s dedicated fanbase), this EP came with not one but two music videos. The video for “Lunatic” is much more straightforward with a greater focus on performance than lore-building. Visually, “Lunatic” is chaotic and fun, cranking up the excitement in a way that feels like the rising action of a novel. The members bounce from scene to scene with smiles on their faces and a contagious passion for performing.

As a track, “Lunatic” quickly brings the EP’s energy to new heights following “Back to Life.” The guitar that blares into listeners’ ears travels until it transforms into a bouncy hip-hop beat. Lyrics boast about how the group proves anyone who doubts their talent or their bond wrong, using the classic werewolf metaphors and language to describe the liveliness that only fills their cups during certain phases of the moon. It’s a catchy track that veers away from repetitiveness by grabbing your attention with its groove for just under three minutes. Where “Lunatic” excelled at riding its addictive beat, “MISMATCH” is a masterclass in a modern group authentically leaning into the 90s R&B sound. The conflicts stated in this track’s lyrics are less life-altering than “Back to Life.” Instead, the guys of &TEAM tackle a tale as old as time in the world of boy bands: does she love me or does she love me not? The sweet vocal tones of this group compliment a song as lighthearted as this flawlessly. They can’t help but sound sincere when singing “I bring up the weather for no reason / Instead of saying ‘I like you’” or asking “If I get closer, will you pull away?” You can’t help but root for them like your favorite coming-of-age protagonist.

“MISMATCH” praises patience in handling a situation as sensitive as a youthful crush. Track four, on the other hand, encourages listeners to go full speed ahead in everything they do, from love to seeking out amusement. The sound and pace of “Rush” go hand-in-hand, accelerating through every beat while unraveling and losing control in a manner that feels intentional. It’d be easy for a track like “Rush” to feel out of place on such a grounded EP. Instead, it feels like another pulled back layer of &TEAM’s impressive discography that offers a differing perspective and energy to the track prior in a tasteful way.

Where the EP started off with a bang, it ends with what feels like the gentle closing of a door. “Heartbreak Time Machine” and “Who am I” slow things down sonically and thematically, centering the listener in their narrative. Both tracks are pleas to someone they love, with one wishing they wouldn’t have to experience their current heartbreak alone and the other asking their current lover to define their relationship.

In “Heartbreak Time Machine,” YUMA sings, “I’ll hug you, all of you, completely / Even the painful memories and scars.” In “Who am I,” HARUA states, “Every day I wanted to be special to someone / Yet I was afraid of tomorrow where I could lose myself, yeah, I was of two minds.” These aren’t just pointless musings. They’re realistic worries that we all face at some point in our lives.

From “Back to Life” to “Who am I,” the EP’s themes come full circle. The title track’s music video and lyrics asked viewers whether they were a monster, but the closing track asks an even deeper question of general identity. For much of &TEAM’s discography, they grapple with the vague lines between good and evil. This internal conflict comes with an added layer of confusion over one’s role in the grand scheme of things that leaves this EP off on a particularly philosophical note. If you can’t determine your place in the seemingly conflicting worlds of heroes and monsters, what is your role in this life? Do you exist simply to be defined as a villain, or is there a greater purpose found in displaying your inner turmoil to the world (or to your fans)?

Nowadays, it can be difficult to find substance in a genre so filled with overproduced sounds and sanitized lyrics. Songs like “Back to Life,” “Who am I,” and “MISMATCH” center the group’s Korean-language debut on something real and tie it all back to the identity they’ve built from the beginning. Ultimately, what &TEAM proves on Back to Life is that there’s always room for honesty.