FEB 28 2025
By Aleisha Flores
If you were one of the millions of people who tuned into Mnet’s K-pop survival show Boys Planet in 2023, you’re probably familiar with many former contestants. You might even be a little emotionally attached to them. Many of the show’s participants have gone on to debut with their own flavors and styles – but few are doing it like One Pact who, since debuting last November, has been carving out their own place – a rarity in an industry notorious for strict regimens, outsourced songs, and carefully crafted personas.
Members Jongwoo, Jay Chang, Sungmin, TAG, and Yedam all participate in every aspect of the group’s identity. From writing lyrics, composing, producing, directing music videos, and choreographing, you name it, they do it. And it’s paid off: their fans, called &Heart, have fallen in love with each member’s talent and authenticity.
On PINK CRUSH, the group’s latest mini-album released on Valentine’s Day, One Pact is reflecting that love back to their fans. YOUR NAME MAGAZINE got the chance to chat with the group about their dynamic, inspiration, and what’s next for them.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
YN: Congrats on the release of PINK CRUSH! I saw that it’s your highest first-day sales to date, which is a huge achievement. How do you feel?
JONGWOO: From the preparation to the promotions, everything about this album has been fun and exciting. I can really feel how much I’ve grown over the past year. We still have a long way to go, but this is proof that we’re moving in the right direction.
JAY: It feels really gratifying for sure! Since it’s the first album since my return [from hiatus] as well, it feels extra special. I hope we reach new &Hearts’ hearts in future releases as well.
SUNGMIN: I just feel incredibly happy knowing that &Heart is loving our music so much.
TAG: This mini-album had the most songs I’ve worked on so far. Meeting the deadlines while making sure every track was the best it could be was definitely a challenge. More than anything, I’m just really grateful. It’s not easy to keep growing and achieving better results with each release, but I’m glad that ONE PACT is making it happen.
YEDAM: Thank you so much for the love! We’ll keep working hard and take things to the next level—double, triple, no, a hundred times more!
YN: What are your most memorable moments from creating PINK CRUSH?
JAY: The music video shoot – filming choreography outside at night in single-digit windy weather was so hard, but I’m happy with the result!
SUNGMIN: I remember pushing myself during recording, especially since we tried out a lot of different genres this time. It was a great learning experience.
TAG: When we were working on [the song] “&Heart,” I asked the members to write their own lyrics. Seeing their words come to life with the melody and completing the song together was really fun.
YEDAM: Practicing our performances with the members! We had so much fun just messing around and thinking about how we could make the stage even more exciting. Those moments were the best.
YN: You have all previously participated in survival shows, have previously debuted in other groups and are also active with solo work. What has the journey as a member of One Pact been like so far? Has your chemistry as a team changed at all?
JONGWOO: The journey hasn’t been easy, and there have been plenty of challenges. But in the end, we have to perform and stand on stage, no matter what—so we’ve always found a way.
JAY: Being able to debut with my friends and put out great music and performances is definitely one of the things I’ve been proud of as an idol.
SUNGMIN: I’ve been on three survival shows and debuted before, so now in ONE PACT, I get to help out my members whenever they need guidance. That’s something I really value. Back in Boys Planet, we already trusted each other. That bond has only gotten stronger, and now we take care of each other like family.
TAG: It’s been a crazy ride—totally unpredictable. But every experience, good and bad, has made us stronger and brought us to where we are today. With every comeback, we’ve learned how to highlight each other’s strengths and support each other’s weaknesses.
YEDAM: We’ve walked this path with unwavering determination. I’ve prayed every night and dreamed of this moment. No matter what hardships come, I’ll keep pushing forward.
YN: All five of you have contributed to One Pact’s music, whether it’s through writing lyrics, composing, producing, choreographing, and even directing self-made music videos. This is really unique for a K-pop group but also why I think many fans are drawn to the group. Why is it so important for you to be involved in your releases?
JONGWOO: I think it allows us to express the things we truly want to say and showcase our emotions more deeply. It also helps us immerse ourselves more on stage.
JAY: Being heavily involved and participating in our music and releases adds an aspect of genuineness to our product, and we think it’s very important to give people a look into not only our art but the artists behind it.
SUNGMIN: It lets us put more meaning and love into our albums. It’s also the best way to show our sincerity and define ONE PACT’s identity.
TAG: I believe that a true artist should write their own music. It makes everything feel more real, and we can immerse ourselves even more. It also helps highlight our identity and what we aim for as artists.
YEDAM: When we work on our own songs, we understand them on a deeper level and we even approach the stage differently. Since we pour our hearts into it, we naturally think more about every detail of the performance. And because the possibilities are endless, this kind of involvement is even more important.
YN: One question we always like to ask is, how would you describe your music in three words?
JONGWOO: Freedom, together, enjoy.
JAY: Real One Pact.
SUNGMIN: Mood, various pleasures, enjoyment.
TAG: Built diff, best, satisfying.
YEDAM: Unique, four seasons, Saewookkang. (Note: This is a play on words – Saewookkang is a popular Korean brand of shrimp chips and sounds similar to the word for ”new” in Korean.)
YN: Who are your biggest inspirations as artists?
JONGWOO: There are so many amazing artists around the world, but the biggest idol in my life is BTS’s Jungkook. I grew up watching him.
JAY: I have a lot of different inspirations for the music I write personally, but among those are my dad, Bruno Mars, John Legend, One Direction, Frank Ocean, and many other great musicians.
SUNGMIN: EXO—because their universe and the path they paved were always my dream. Even now, they remain legendary to me.
TAG: AKMU’s Lee Chanhyuk. He always makes the music he truly wants to and has a completely unique style, which I really admire.
YEDAM: I’ve admired Taeyang since I was young. Even at the top, he continues to give his all as an artist, and I want to be like that too.
YN: Your first fan meeting and your “Outshine the Horizon” concerts are coming up in March. What are you most excited for?
JONGWOO: I’m excited to meet so many &Hearts and to finally perform some stages we haven’t been able to show before.
JAY: Personally, I’m really excited to show &Hearts the five-member versions of the songs that were released in my absence!
SUNGMIN: The fact that we get to perform new songs and that this will be our first concert in a year with Jay makes me even more excited! Our live performances will be more powerful than ever.
TAG: I can’t wait for ONE PACT’s performances as a full group again. And we’ll also be performing some B-sides for the first time, which I’m really looking forward to.
YEDAM: The way ONE PACT commands the stage is something to watch out for. And personally, I’m most excited to perform with Jay-hyung again after so long. I think there will be a lot of unexpected stages.
YN: What message do you want to share with your fans?
SUNGMIN: Thank you for reading this, &Heart. Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to
achieve my dreams. You’re the ones making my dream come true—I love you so much! ❤
YEDAM: No matter where you are, what you’re doing, or how you feel, none of that matters. The moment you listen to our music and watch us perform, I promise to give you a gift more precious than anything else in this world!
Be sure to tune into One Pact’s newest mini-album PINK CRUSH, now available on all major streaming platforms!
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