Five participants from the popular survival show program, 'Boys Planet,' have banded together with the goal of making a significant influence on the K-pop industry. Now as ONE PACT — the group's name being the combination of the words "one" and "impact" — members JONGWOO, SEONGMIN, TAG, YEDAM, and JAY CHANG have only recently begun to solidify their names in the scene with their debut album.

While they are all eager to embark on this journey as ONE PACT, the members also expressed their trepidation over it. "I was very nervous because everything was a new experience for me," YEDAM remarked.

The six tracks — the title song "Must Be Nice" and the B-sides "Hot Stuff," "G.O.A.T," "RUSH IN 2 U," "Loading," and "illusion" — on the quintet's debut mini-album, 'Moment,' which was released on November 30, span a variety of genres and highlight each member's distinct color. Notably, TAG made a significant contribution by being in charge of the overall album's production. During the interview, he claimed that he was able to discover new aspects of his fellow members. “I put a lot of effort into showing their individual strengths to the fullest,” TAG added.

To commemorate ONE PACT's anticipated debut, the members spoke with allkpop to talk about their debut album and preparations, role models, 'Boys Planet,' and more. Keep reading to learn more about the new five-member boy group under Armada Entertainment!

Shout-out from ONE PACT to allkpop readers:

allkpop: Hi, ONE PACT! First and foremost, congratulations on your debut! To start, could you please introduce yourselves and tell us one or two fun facts about each one of you, maybe a TMI? 

JONGWOO: Hello! I am JONGWOO, leader of ONE PACT! My TMI is that I’m nocturnal!

SEONGMIN: Hello, I’m SEONGMIN of ONE PACT. Thank you for the congratulations! Today’s TMI is I don’t usually eat snacks, but I had one before this interview.  

TAG: Hello I’m TAG from ONE PACT. I’m also a producer of ONE PACT and a guy who loves Mogu Mogu.

YEDAM: Hello! I’m YEDAM, maknae of ONE PACT. Actually, I played an instrument called trombone in the orchestra for a long time, so if I wasn’t ONE PACT Lee Yedam, I would have been playing trombone!

JAY: Thank you, Sofia! I’m JAY, and two random facts about me are that I’m from New Jersey and that I really like soup. Today’s TMI is that I played ‘Outlast.’

allkpop: For your fans to kind of know you more, what are the things or activities you are into these days? Aside from dancing, singing, or anything related to work, what do you like to do during your spare time? 

JONGWOO: We like to play games together! Recently, we have had a lot to prepare for, so we don’t really have spare time to play.

SEONGMIN: Recently, I’m into recommending good restaurants to the members. I already have a hobby of visiting good restaurants and marking them on my map app. I often recommend the restaurants I visit and go there with the members often. I feel really proud when the members like the restaurants I recommend!

TAG: I have many different hobbies, so I do what I feel like doing at the time. Sometimes I lie down at home, work on music, or enjoy sports. 

YEDAM: During my spare time, I like to play games or watch movies with the members at our dorm. I’m not very good at games, but I do my best when I’m with the members. And I like to sleep, just lie down. Recently, I actually slept for 24 hours...

JAY: These days, I like trying to find new places to eat. I love food, so finding exciting new varieties of restaurants is great.

allkpop: Tell us a little bit about your debut album ‘Moment’ and how you prepared for it. How was your experience recording the songs, learning the dance choreography, and filming the music video?

JONGWOO: We busily prepared for our debut, but it was so much fun to create and work together for the first time. 

SEONGMIN: Actually, since we gathered and prepared in a hurry, I remember being confused about what we had been doing and if this was the right way to progress. I also remember doing some recording right away when the members first gathered. It’s a fun episode and it remains in my memory.

TAG: I think it went smoothly despite the short time. I was able to see new sides of the members. We truly worked hard to prepare, as it was our debut album. 

YEDAM: I don’t know how the other members felt, but for me, everything from 1 to 10 was amazing and unfamiliar to me. Until now, it was all about practicing other idol’s choreography and songs, and it didn’t feel real that I was recording with my own voice and practicing with my own song. So I relied on other members more and worked harder because I wanted to be loved by the members as a maknae. I did make some mistakes. (laughs)

JAY: Recording the songs was definitely the most fun. TAG was fun to work with in the studio and it made things go really quickly and comfortably. Filming was difficult since the weather was so cold and the choreographies were definitely hard to catch but there was nothing I could do but practice!

allkpop: Speaking of preparations, all of you appeared on the survival show ‘Boys Planet.’ What were your biggest takeaways from participating in it and how do you think it was of help the moment you debuted, maybe in terms of stage performance? 

JONGWOO: It was a series of really difficult moments during the program, so every moment was both a hardship and a chance to learn. What I learned is that opportunities always come. Always be ready to grab that opportunity, and I have to always prepare to make that opportunity my own. 

SEONGMIN: First of all, because all of our members spent time on the same show, we have a similar sense of passion and pride when it comes to stages. So, when I met them as ONE PACT, we quickly became closer and had fun together. I wouldn’t feel the same way if I had debuted with the other trainees I don’t know. 

TAG: I realized once again that there are so many friends who are dreaming of becoming idols, and it also felt like regaining my initial commitment. I was also motivated to see fellow participants who worked much harder than me. 

YEDAM: Participating in it was the most brilliant and shining moment of my life and also the most difficult moment where I needed much courage. That’s how I felt and because it’s a survival show. I tried hard to survive, and I always worked for the other fans to like me as well. I did my best in everything and took the time to look into myself. Sometimes, reality can be more cruel than a survival show, but now, I can rely on my members who will always be on our side. 

JAY: ‘Boys Planet’ was definitely my most important experience. Being on the show allowed me to expand my ability to copy and retain dance as well as to present myself better on stage for the fans!

allkpop: For TAG, it’s impressive how you were in charge of the overall production. Do you have experience in creating songs, have you been writing songs since then? What was the process like brainstorming and incorporating everything into the group’s color? Tell us about how you feel contributing a huge part to your group’s debut. 

TAG: I started composing and writing songs when I was young. It is something I’m most confident in, and I really thought about what song color could best match the ONE PACT members. Since they are all very unique, I put a lot of effort into showing their individual strengths to the fullest. 

allkpop: For each of the members: which song do you think is your style? Of all the tracks, what do you believe is the closest to you in terms of your taste or character?

JONGWOO: They are all amazing tracks that I can express well, but I’m most confident with the track “Hot Stuff.” It’s a vibe that I can perform best on stage. 

SEONGMIN: I think “G.O.A.T” is one of the tracks that can really show who I am. Many people see me as cute, character-wise, but I also have a cool side that can suit a really strong song!

TAG: I like the tracks ”Illusion” and “Loading.”

YEDAM: I like “Hot Stuff” because it’s such a cool song and we are all very cool!

JAY: “Loading” is definitely the song that fits my artistry style the most. In terms of which song represents my character the most is probably ”Illusion.”

allkpop: Tell us about your first impressions of each other. You were already together in ‘Boys Planet,’ so I wanted to ask: the moment you heard the news that you’ll be debuting with the other members, what were you thinking? What was your reaction? Because I’m sure you’ve already seen and interacted with each other during the survival program. How did the members come together? 

JONGWOO: We were already close friends, so that was great and I wasn’t worried because I already knew they were very skilled people.

SEONGMIN: First impression: JONGWOO, his image of being the “leader” was strong and I had a bit of a scary impression. But now he’s the cutest hyung. TAG has this hip, rapper vibe, “my-way” style. JAY is a very good-looking Western trainee, even good at singing. YEDAM is a great dancer and his personality might be scary! Hearing our first impressions, some may be similar and some may have changed, but I think we have the best combination since we got together like this!

TAG: As for JONGWOO, I had a feeling that we had a similar personality. For SEONGMIN, soft and nice. JAY, a vocal genius. YEDAM, a very very good dancer. 

YEDAM: At the time, we had met as rivals, but now we are family, so I feel more secure. Friends become closer after fighting. So I felt more intimate. 

JAY: My first impression of JONGWOO was that he was an amazing performer, especially after ”Back Door.” For SEONGMIN, I was quite intimidated since I knew he was my senior in the industry and didn’t know whether to be formal or not. For TAG, it was cool to see how cool he is — I definitely respect free spirits a lot. As for YEDAM, I was impressed by how great he was at dancing — as if it was just built into him from the get-go. Seeing how the ONE PACT members looked for the first time, I was definitely interested. Our group is a good combination of the members. I've been imagining working with them very well, I definitely see why it just works.

allkpop: Who, in the K-Pop industry, are you looking up to the most? I’m sure there’s at least one artist who perhaps inspired you. How does it feel that the chances are high for you to be on the same stage as them, on music shows or at festivals? [Honorifics have been omitted, i.e., hyung, sunbaenim]

JONGWOO: There's an artist I have loved for over 10 years: BTS' Jungkook. I’ve always listened to their songs to dance and walk on the streets, so if I ever get to stand on the same stage, it would be such an honor and I’d never be able to forget that moment.  

SEONGMIN: EXO was the first idol group that I liked when I was young. I came to really admire how each member stands out and doesn’t miss out on any elements: visuals, skills, and even variety shows. It's exciting every time I think that I’m able to go on the road that my seniors have paved. I hope to grow to be a great artist that can be admired by other trainees and fans.

TAG: I like AKMU's Lee Chan Hyuk.  

YEDAM: BIGBANG's Taeyang. I aspire to become like him. Everything about him is cool and I think he is perfect. I am also very inspired by his gestures or feelings when he's dancing. I also really like the way and vibe he sings. 

JAY: One idol that’s inspired me the most is definitely Taeyang. I would love to be able to stand on the same stage as him one day. His voice, stage presence, and charisma are at a caliber that I’d love to be able to match someday.

allkpop: What are your hopes and ultimate goals for your group in the future? 

JONGWOO: To show a memorable song and performance. I wish to bring out the nostalgia that certain songs bring, with our ONE PACT music. 

SEONGMIN: All members will say differently, but my goal is to have everyone know who ONE PACT is when they hear the name. 

TAG: Billboard No. 1.

YEDAM: Good music. Good influence. I cannot remember exactly, but there was an anecdote that the war/fighting stopped between two parties when Michael Jackson’s song came on. I hope to help many people with music and its influence. 

JAY: In terms of short-term goals, I would definitely love to go on a tour in maybe Europe or the United States! As for my long-term goal, it’s every artist’s dream to find themselves on the Billboard charts and I’d love to be able to say the same.

allkpop: Lastly, could you share with us one song that you’ve been listening to these days? Feel free to leave your messages to allkpop readers and your fans (and soon-to-be fans)!

JONGWOO: Recently I’ve been listening to The Chainsmokers' "Pairs." allkpop readers, please show a lot of love and remember ONE PACT’s music! Thank you!

SEONGMIN: Recently, I’ve been listening to Red Velvet's “Chill Kill”! allkpop readers, thanks for reading this interview. Like our name ONE PACT, we will always do our best to leave a big impact. Please look forward to us!

TAG: Recently, I’ve been listening to Beenzino's “If I Die Tommorow.”

YEDAM: For me, it's Wonstein's “Your Existence.” Dear all, ONE PACT may feel cute and small now, but later on, we will become endlessly huge. Will you join our journey? This has been ONE PACT’s most lovely, small, and cute maknae Yedam. Please give the maknae a lot of love!

JAY: The jazzy, big-band sounds of “Standing Next to You” by Jungkook are what I’ve been addicted to these days. I’d love to make a song of that genre myself someday. To the allkpop readers and fans, please make sure to check out our album ‘Moment’ and stay tuned because there’s so much more to anticipate from us in the future! See you all soon!

Socials:

Instagram: 0nepact
Twitter: onepact_
TikTok: @0nepact
YouTube: ONE_PACT
Facebook: ONE PACT