The group RIIZE rises to prominence as the 'one top' beyond 'top tier.'

RIIZE (Shotaro, Eunseok, Seongchan, Woobin, Sohee, Anton) held a showcase on the 19th at the Blue Square SOL Travel Hall in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, for the release of their first full-length album 'ODYSSEY.' The event was led by Super Junior's Leeteuk, and RIIZE showcased their new song 'Fly Up.'

RIIZE gained immense popularity in the unique genre of 'emotional pop' with songs like 'Get A Guitar,' 'Love 119,' and 'Boom Boom BASS.' Amidst such achievements, they charted three songs on the Melon annual chart in 2024, recorded two consecutive million-seller titles, and swept 16 trophies at year-end awards, capturing all music and album buzz.

Having garnered attention with their unique comeback strategies, RIIZE prepared their first full-length album release with their largest and highest promotion. Reflecting on their journey through a 'premier' event, RIIZE stated, "While watching the premiere, I thought our team is quite good. We hope you look forward to our efforts to achieve our goals as we work diligently. We are confident about that."

RIIZE also shared their feelings through a three-line poem. Seongchan challenged with a four-line poem using 'Fly Up': "'Fly' up, 'RI'IZE, 'this' time, 'up' up up!" Eunseok created a three-line poem with 'RIIZE': "'RI'IZE? This album is very good, I think," bringing smiles.

RIIZE's first full-length album 'ODYSSEY' firmly defines their identity, leading listeners to engage in their growth story through 10 tracks of the unique genre 'emotional pop' that reflect various emotions the members have experienced. The title track 'Fly Up' is a dance song reminiscent of 1950s rock and roll, featuring energetic rhythms and harmonious choir scales. The lyrics depict members becoming close with various people in a wider world through music and dance without prejudice or boundaries, enjoying together.

Eunseok remarked, "Since this is our first full-length album, the number of tracks has increased and the genre spectrum has broadened, which made it challenging as there are things we encountered for the first time. However, we received a lot of help from those around us, allowing us to do well," while Woobin added, "Though it was challenging to explore various genres, we were able to pull through thanks to good guidance." Woobin continued, "Preparing each detail was tough, but it brought many gains. We got an opportunity to grow and became a better RIIZE."

As this is their first full-length album, RIIZE's growth story is impressive. Sohee stated, "If there's a wish, I believe we have grown honest about our feelings as they are. I think we have grown in terms of stage presence, comments, and skills," while Seongchan noted, "We're continuing emotional pop, with lyrics that contain our stories and experiences. In that regard, I think it's a style that only RIIZE can pull off, and we learn a lot from observing other artists." Eunseok mentioned, "For the first time, a music video that was turned into a film is included, which I believe differentiates RIIZE from other artists."

Regarding the music video, RIIZE shared, "We captured the feeling of being the protagonists in a high school movie. It was filmed entirely on location in Los Angeles. We aimed to tell a story of becoming one with RIIZE's music regardless of age, nationality, or gender." They especially noted, "The dancers we shot with remain memorable. A total of 38 dancers wonderfully embodied energy, ambiance, and vibe." They added, "We filmed all day in the middle of the street. It was a major road I had been on as a child, making it a fascinating experience."

RIIZE's first full-length album reflects the emotions the members have felt. From the first track 'Odyssey,' which signals the beginning of a new chapter, to the hip-hop track 'Bag Bad Back,' which conveys RIIZE's vision as a team, the impressive dance song 'Ember to Solar' reflects the team's colors soaring towards their goals through adversity, and the youth anthem 'Show Me Love,' which features a sing-along section, can all be found here.

In addition, the instrumental track 'Passage,' featuring music producer Yoon Sang, acts as an emotional transition in the album, while two fan songs, the lyrical ballad 'The End of the Day' and the retro-pop ballad 'Inside My Love,' along with the 10th track 'Another Life,' which encapsulates RIIZE's aspirations and commitments, are also included.

About 'Bag Bad Back,' RIIZE explained, "You can see charisma. It contains the desire to grow as good artists. I embedded the content I had mentioned during my award acceptance speech in the lyrics. This song allows you to feel RIIZE's identity, and Shotaro participated in the choreography. That makes it even more meaningful."

Regarding 'The End of the Day,' they said, "This is our first ballad, and I hope you pay attention to the diverse vocal colors. As a fan song, it expresses gratitude that fans are present at the start and end of our days. All tracks are great, but this one has a catchiness that keeps you coming back to it," and they added, "All members love this song, so we often sang it while driving. It seems to fit karaoke well, so we hope it receives a lot of love in karaoke, too."

Particularly, Anton commented on 'Passage,' which features their father and music producer Yoon Sang, saying, "Since our album has various musical genres, we needed a sound that naturally connects them. I think the company reached out to my father. He did a good job of capturing the atmosphere between the songs while watching the film, and the result turned out well. The members seemed not to have known this before. We were surprised when we heard that our father would be involved, but we communicated often, so we got to hear it in advance." Woobin added with a laugh, "We found out later too. We were shocked while listening to it," and continued, "There is a part where that song plays, and it's well connected and focused, so even though it's short, it had an impact."

Sohee expressed, "I’m thrilled that we had three songs charted last year in the annual charts. I am confident that the songs from this full-length album can also chart. Since it's a good song, I expect that many will listen to it," while Anton shared his goal, saying, "As this is our first full-length album, I hope our album comes to mind when people reflect on 2025." Woobin added, "I hope we become a team that symbolizes 2025. When you watch YouTube, there are moments you can see again, and I want us to be the most memorable team of the year."

Meanwhile, RIIZE's first full-length album 'ODYSSEY' will be released on various music platforms including Melon, FLO, Genie, iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, QQ Music, Kugou Music, and Kuwo Music at 6 p.m. on the 19th.

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