Boy band SF9 credits versatility for 10th anniversary, dream of 60th

In the fast-paced, brutally competitive K-pop scene, surviving 10 years as a group is a feat in and of itself.

Now that it’s reached that milestone, boy band SF9 compared itself to the shape-shifting Pokémon Ditto, taking pride in its versatility over the past decade, but promised that it still has plenty left to show the world.

“Thanks to the many people who care about us, took care of us […] and supported us over the past 10 years, we are now celebrating our 10th anniversary,” member Inseong said during a press showcase for the group’s second full-length album, “Tenacity,” at Cube Convention Center in western Seoul on Wednesday. “We hope to celebrate our 60th anniversary someday.”

SF9 debuted under FNC Entertainment with the single “Feeling Sensation” in October 2016. It originally consisted of nine members — Youngbin, Inseong, Jaeyoon, Dawon, Hwiyoung, Chani, Yoo Tae-yang, Zuho and Rowoon — but Rowoon left the group in 2023 to focus on his acting career.

Since Yoo and Zuho are currently completing their mandatory military service, SF9 is celebrating the latest milestone with six members.

“First and foremost, I’m honored that we were able to remain active as idols for 10 years, which is a dream to some people,” said Hwiyoung. “I’m truly grateful to my bandmates […] and also our fans, Fantasy, who are the No. 1 reason that we were able to keep going.”

“Tenacity,” which dropped on Wednesday, follows “About Love,” a ballad-heavy special album released in March. “About Love” kicked off the 10th anniversary celebration and came about six years after the group’s previous full-length album, “First Collection” (2020).

The album’s title, “Tenacity,” represents the band’s steadfast resilience while also commemorating its decade-long journey through the word “ten,” according to FNC Entertainment.

“Tenacity” features 10 songs: the lead track “Without Wings” and B-sides, “Curtain Call,” “Pressure,” “One More Kiss,” “Cross My Mind,” “Too Easily,” “Mr. Bang Bang,” “Best Mistake,” “Real From Fake” and “Do You Want Me.”

The lead single is an Afrobeat-driven pop song about the group’s determination to persevere and soar upward, even without wings.

“We deliberated a lot when choosing the lead track this time, and we chose ‘Without Wings’ because it combined Afrobeat, a globally popular genre, with a stylish melody, similarly to our previous song ‘Good Guy,’” Inseong said, referring to the 2020 track that earned the band its first win on a weekly music program.

“Through this album, we wanted to show that we’ve become great artists — not only as a team but also as individuals.”

SF9 identified its versatility, demonstrated across its discography and performances, as a core part of its identity.

“We’re a team that continues to move and flow instead of staying in one place,” Hwiyoung said. “We always try to present something new, and that’s our style as a group and our company’s direction as well.”

Inseong compared the group to Ditto, which can take on others’ strengths and make them its own, adding, “We’re like a palette of infinite colors that can turn into everything.”

Looking back over the past decade, the members said that they have learned to look after one another in the way that they need, becoming each other’s source of support along the way.

“We always had our own concerns that we couldn’t share publicly, such as our changing attitudes toward music or dance,” Youngbin said when asked how they had weathered hardships throughout their career. “In those moments, my members have always been beside me.”

Even with a decade under their belt, Dawon said that the band still aspires to achieve more.

“I don’t think that we’ve reached the level of achievement that we’re aiming for,” he said. “Because we still have that kind of hunger, I think that we were able to come this far and will continue to work hard.”

SF9 will hold its 10th anniversary concert, titled “Live Fantasy #6 十年逐夢,” at KBS Arena in western Seoul on Oct. 10 and 11.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [[email protected]]