Having been in the industry for two years, NOWZ continues to solidify and expand their global presence, adding a recently released Japan EP 'NOWZ' to their growing journey.
The five-member group kicked off 2026 with “Hooked,” a special Valentine’s Day collaboration single with Nigel Tay, followed by their 1st Japan EP 'NOWZ.' After debuting in 2024 with 1st Single 'NOWADAYS' (which served as their former group name), 2026 marks the official launch of the band’s rebranded identity with the release of their new self-titled project.
The time since their debut has showcased significant growth in their performance and artistry. They are expanding the musical spectrum, instilling stories that range from the innocence of youth to everyday life and a bold leap toward the future.
'NOWZ,' which arrived four months after their 3rd Single 'Play Ball,' features the title track “AMMO (feat. YRD Leo)” alongside Japanese versions of “HomeRUN,” “GET BUCK,” “Run with me,” and “Fly to the Youth.” With this release, particularly through “AMMO (feat. YRD Leo),” NOWZ continues to establish their identity as high-end performers defined by commanding stage presence.
Their charisma and cool vibes were recently showcased at their 2026 NOWZ FAN-CON, 'Run with me, NOW.' The setlist spanned their entire discography, featuring “EVERGLOW,” “Problem Child,” “AMMO (feat. YRD Leo),” and “HomeRUN”; their debut tracks “NOW,” “OoWee,” and “TICKET”; and their heartfelt fan song “DAY_AND” dedicated to their supporters.
Beyond their fiery stage persona, the members charmed fans with their versatility, doing popular K-pop dance challenges.
NOWZ also surprised the audience with a perfectly synchronized cover of TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s “CROWN.” The night also featured unique unit stages, including HYEONBIN, YOON, and YEONWOO’s rendition of “Bansanka” by tuki and JINHYUK and SIYUN’s performance of NCT MARK’s “Fraktsiya (Feat. LEE YOUNG JI).”
One of the highlights included HYEONBIN making the night even more special by unveiling his self-composed single, “Us.”
Following the release of their Japan EP 'NOWZ,' allkpop sat down with the group to discuss the new project, their recent fan concert milestone, pre-stage routines, and future goals.
Check out our exclusive interview with the five-member group below!
allkpop: Before we start, please introduce yourselves and share a “TMI” or one or two fun facts about each of you.
YOON: Hi, I’m the vocalist of the group. I've fallen in love with the guitar lately, so I've been playing it a lot.
HYEONBIN: Hi, I’m the leader and vocalist of NOWZ. Since our second anniversary is approaching, I think this has been a year where the members have grown much closer.
YEONWOO: Hi, I’m the dancer and vocalist of NOWZ. We recently had a company dinner for our second anniversary, and it was really fun.
JINHYUK: Nice to meet you. I’m the rapper of NOWZ. My TMI is that I recently bought a lot of new books.
SIYUN: Nice to meet you. I’m the rapper of NOWZ. I changed my hair color from white to black.
allkpop: Could you talk about what your Japan EP 'NOWZ' means to you? What message does it convey?
YEONWOO: We released a song called “AMMO (feat. YRD Leo).” It was our first time working on a Japanese album. It carries the meaning that we will move forward with everyone’s support, empowered by your voices and your gaze.
allkpop: How does your Japan EP 'NOWZ' differ from your official debut in 2024 in terms of growth, and what kind of growth or improvement have you seen from yourselves over the past years?
JINHYUK: I think what has improved is that our members have become more mature. While preparing this album, we captured a more mature side that’s different from before. I think this album clearly shows how much we’ve grown since our debut.
HYEONBIN: Since this is our Japanese debut, we realized that our Japanese skills have improved a lot. Also, not just in Japan, but in other countries and here in Korea as well, we’ve gained the confidence that we can truly do well and even better.
allkpop: You’ll be holding your first fan concert in Korea this month, 2026 NOWZ FAN-CON 'Run with me, NOW.' How does it feel to be able to host NOWZ’s solo concert? Do you feel any kind of pressure, especially since you’re named as “high-end performers,” or does the excitement overpower the pressure?
YOON: Since it's our very first fan concert, I feel very excited. We’ve prepared many stages, many of which were performance-focused. And since there were stages we were able to reveal for the first time at the concert, I think our fans were really able to enjoy it.
YEONWOO: Since it’s the first concert we’ve ever prepared, there was both pressure and excitement. The members and I put in as much practice time as possible. We worked to prepare high-quality stages. We also prepared many performances that fans would love.
allkpop: What kind of preparations did you do for this milestone concert, the 2026 NOWZ FAN-CON 'Run with me, NOW'? What can fans look forward to?
SIYUN: First, we prepared songs from our debut album. We also planned to do performance covers and reveal our self-composed songs. Please look forward to them.
JINHYUK: I was really looking forward to the unit stages. We’ve only shown them through videos before; we’ve never shown them on a real stage like this. People said they really wanted to see the unit stages, and now that we were able to show them, I was most curious about the reactions of those who saw them.
allkpop: Could you share with us what your usual pre-stage rituals or routines are to help calm your nerves before taking the stage?
SIYUN: I always make sure to have a Monster Energy drink before I go on stage. (laughs) That’s my routine.
YEONWOO: I stretch my neck and spend a lot of time warming up my voice and my body, so I can relax and ease the tension to prepare for the stage.
YOON: I kiss my in-ear monitors (IEMs). Just for psychological comfort.
JINHYUK: When I go on stage, I visualize it in my head beforehand. I always think of the order of the stages. My routine is to picture the sequence and organize it in my mind.
HYEONBIN: I don’t really have one. Nothing.
allkpop: With so many groups in the K-pop industry, what do you believe sets NOWZ apart from the rest?
YEONWOO: I think all the members truly want and crave to be on the stage; all members feel this way. I believe there will come a moment when this mindset of ours conveys our sincerity and reaches and resonates with many people. I think performing with sincerity is our strength.
allkpop: If there is one song that you could play to anyone who doesn’t know NOWZ yet, which song would you play for them to introduce the group and why?
YEONWOO: For me, it’s a song called “EVERGLOW.” I think the rock genre suits me well, so I would like to let people hear that kind of music.
HYEONBIN: I want to recommend the song “HomeRUN.” I hope everyone hits their own “home run” in their lives.
SIYUN: I want to recommend “Problem Child.” I think it’s a song that highlights the energy only we can pull off, along with powerful vocals and rapping.
JINHYUK: I also recommend “Problem Child” for a similar reason as SIYUN. When people who don’t know us see it, it’s a song that will be etched into their minds. I think it’s a very memorable track.
YOON: I want to recommend our debut song, “OoWee.” I recommend listening to “OoWee” first and then listening to the rest of our songs all the way through.
allkpop: This year marks NOWZ’s second anniversary. Looking back, what has been the most defining moment of your journey so far? Is there a particular milestone or story that has stayed with you?
HYEONBIN: Doing a fan concert for the first time was a memorable experience because it was also our first time holding it in Korea.
YEONWOO: I feel that the DEBUT SHOWCASE 'NOWADAYS' is one of the moments and milestones that stay with me most. As it began, I could remember how the fans just showed up in front of us.
SIYUN: For me, KCON LA 2025 is a very clear memory. It was our first time on a 360-degree stage, and the cheers from the fans were so loud. It’s almost hard to describe. It stays with me.
JINHYUK: I remember the 1st Mini Album 'IGNITION' COMEBACK SHOWCASE. That was the Mini Album we released after changing our team name. It was our first comeback as NOWZ. It was an album where we relied on each other a lot. Since it was the first time showing ourselves after the name change, there were difficult moments, but it also gave us more determination. After we performed in front of DAY_AND (fandom name) on the showcase day, I remember being so grateful to the fans who waited for us.
YOON: For me, it’s our very first music show recording after our debut. While monitoring, seeing myself on a broadcast—something I had only imagined—I finally felt like a real celebrity.
allkpop: Lastly, what are your short-term and long-term goals for the group, and do you have a final message for the readers?
HYEONBIN: My short-term goal is to win first place on a music show. Long-term, I hope our team name, NOWZ, becomes known to everyone in the world. I want us to become world stars.
SIYUN: For me, it's including our self-composed songs in our album within this year. And the long-term goal is to grow into artists with influence so that anyone will know NOWZ.
YOON: After the fan concert, we're going to be at ‘Asia Star Entertainer Awards (ASEA) 2026,’ so it's going to be a new environment, and we hope to meet a lot of new fans. Through our performances, we want to show our sincere attitude to our craft.
HYEONBIN: The last time we appeared at the ‘ASEA 2025’ before, we were known as NOWADAYS. But now we changed our name to NOWZ, so we want to show how we’ve changed since being NOWADAYS and how much better, cooler, and different we've become.
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