Coming off the heels of their second anniversary, nine-member boy group &TEAM continue to make global strides. Members EJ, FUMA, K, NICHOLAS, YUMA, JO, HARUA, TAKI, and MAKI complete the powerhouse that is &TEAM. &TEAM is the full package: a rich storyline, colorful discography, knife-sharp synchronicity, and an unbreakable bond. Captivating audiences within the realms of both K-pop and J-pop, &TEAM are artists you should have on your radar. To commemorate their upcoming release, Jyuugoya, EnVi has you covered on seven things you need to know about &TEAM.
“We Link!”
&TEAM is the first group formed by HYBE LABELS JAPAN. They officially debuted on December 7, 2022 with their first EP, First Howling: ME. Their debut title track, “Under the Skin,” is an emotional track that fuses rock, pop, and trap elements. The lyrics convey camaraderie amongst the members, who embrace their true selves in a world full of judgment. They sing, “Everybody tells me to be normal / ‘Blend in,’ ‘Don’t stand out,’ I don’t care.” With these heartfelt lyrics and teamwork-driven choreography, their debut cemented that &TEAM is not &TEAM without each other.
A distinct characteristic of &TEAM is their unity. The ampersand in their name “symbolizes connecting people with people, and people with the world closely.” Even in their introduction, “We Link,” &TEAM emphasize their togetherness. You can witness their friendship shine in their variety programs, &TEAM Gakuen and Go ONE!!!
The Final Countdown
&TEAM’s story began with HYBE LABELS JAPAN’s 2022 survival program, &AUDITION – The Howling. The program revolved around finding trainees to join the predetermined debut group of K, NICHOLAS, EJ, and TAKI. The aforementioned four members were participants of the 2020 survival program, I-LAND, which created BELIFT LAB’s ENHYPEN. Eleven trainees competed for one of five debut spots for the final nine member group.
&AUDITION scored using a unique system referred to as the “&RING.” After interim checks and main performances, each contestant is given an individual score physically represented through marbles known as an “&BALL.” If the contestants filled up the “&RING” with the “&BALLs” to a specific threshold, everyone advanced to the final round. Instead of competing against each other, they must create a harmonious performance with their skills and synergy to fill up the “&RING.”
The music video for &AUDITION’s signal song, “The Final Countdown,” released on June 27, 2022. The music video showcased the hopefuls displaying their passion to the world through the metaphor of howling wolves. The first episode premiered the following week on July 9. Across the eight episodes, contestants completed a total of five missions judged by esteemed producers from both Japan and Korea. The five members that joined the debut group and completed &TEAM are JO, HARUA, MAKI, YUMA, and FUMA.
Werewolf In The Night
&TEAM’s rich lore resonates across their discography and music videos. This world-building is all part of the DARK MOON universe, a webtoon series that respectively features ENHYPEN and &TEAM. &TEAM’s intricate werewolf storyline is part of DARK MOON: THE GREY CITY. Their lore was established as early as 2021, with members K and EJ’s appearances in ENHYPEN’s “Drunk-Dazed” music video. The “Drunk-Dazed” music video proved to be a prequel to &TEAM’s debut release, “Under the Skin.” The extended music video for “Under the Skin” shows actor Kentaro Sakaguchi as Giri, the original alpha of the pack who sacrificed himself. A wounded Giri tearfully bestows his wisdom to Khan, who is played by &TEAM member K. Giri’s death is the catalyst for Khan becoming the alpha of the growing pack.
One of their emblematic songs is “W.O.L.F. (Win Or Lose Fight),” the webtoon’s original soundtrack. The track features lyrics such as “I’m a werewolf / Questioning the moon about my existence.” However, the group’s concept isn’t restricted to typical werewolf motifs. You can see them as nightball players in “Dropkick” and unite despite their different origins in “Samidare.”
Howling Out To The World
Though &TEAM is managed by HYBE LABELS JAPAN, they consistently promote in South Korea. The first track &TEAM promoted on Korean broadcast is “FIREWORK.” “FIREWORK” is the title track for &TEAM’s second EP, First Howling: WE, released on June 13, 2023. During this promotional period, they also performed the Korean version of their b-side, “Scent of You.” Despite Korean being a second language for eight out of nine members, &TEAM flaunted their linguistic talent in programs such as Weekly Idol and Idol Human Theater. Across the nine members, &TEAM can speak a total of four languages fluently: Korean, Japanese, English, German, and Mandarin.
&TEAM closed their First Howling series promotion with First Howling: NOW’s title track, “War Cry.” First Howling: NOW marked &TEAM’s first full album and comeback in South Korea. The album compiles tracks from the previous EPs in addition to new releases and renditions. A fan favorite appearance from this era is &TEAM’s Eightest documentary. Viewers were able to learn more about the members and their charms through variety staple segments. The First Howling: NOW era also marked &TEAM’s first performance outside of their home bases of Japan and Korea. In December 2023, &TEAM attended the “2023 Asia Artist Awards IN THE PHILIPPINES” and took home the Best Choice and Emotive awards.
Forever, Be My Pride
It is no exaggeration that each member of &TEAM has a colorful past. Many members boast an impressive resume and skillset. One of &TEAM’s defining traits is their outstanding athleticism. This captured the attention of wider audiences at the 2024 Idol Star Athletics Championships. Though this was &TEAM’s first year participating, they took gold medals home. However, this wasn’t the first time &TEAM showcased their athleticism. FUMA, known for his athletic build and tumbling skills, participated in SASUKE Ninja Warrior 2023 and The Ultimate Sportsmen’s Summit 2024. K, who started training as a marathon runner in elementary school, competed in two marathons since his debut with &TEAM. In the 2023 Autumn Akasaka Mini Marathon he won first place, and in the 2024 Spring Akasaka Mini Marathon he placed fourth. Multiple members have a history in sports — EJ was a fencer, NICHOLAS was a badminton player, and JO was a basketball player.
&TEAM’s affinity for music is also apparent when you take a look into their past. Both HARUA and NICHOLAS play the piano, while EJ, HARUA, and NICHOLAS all play guitar. For many members of &TEAM, &AUDITION was not their first time onstage. NICHOLAS has roots in breakdancing, TAKI began as a locker, and MAKI did both ballet and musical theater. YUMA is known amongst fans for his long history of performing, with many of his childhood performances resurfacing post-debut. You can catch a glimpse of their musical talents in their cover of Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day” — with vocals by MAKI, guitar by EJ, and keyboard by NICHOLAS.
The Moon Is Beautiful, Isn’t It?
&TEAM celebrated their second year together with their official fanbase, known as LUNÉ, on September 25, 2024. September 25 is celebrated in the fandom as “LUNÉ day.” LUNÉ is an acronym for “Light Up New Energy.” However, the name LUNÉ also refers to the moon — a recurring symbol thanks to their werewolf concept. In their membership name reveal video, they unveiled that “like the moon, we hope that you light up the future of &TEAM and that you’ll become the driving force for &TEAM to keep going forward.”
Together In Every Season
After the First Howling series came to a close, a new era for &TEAM unfolded. The single Samidare began an exploration of the four seasons — spring, summer, autumn, and winter. “Samidare” means midsummer rain, and is a metaphor for how difficult moments may shroud the beauty of a relationship. However, &TEAM want to overcome this rainfall and unite as one. As the lyrics convey, “Cherry blossoms scatter, petals in the gutter / As if they’re mirroring us.” Their most recent release, Aoarashi, translates to an early summer breeze. “Aoarashi” embraces the difficulties of youth, but savoring the memories you create in the summer with your loved ones.
At the final stop of their arena tour, “SECOND TO NONE,” &TEAM revealed the final chapters of this series. &TEAM will return on October 23 with the digital single, Jyuugoya, which refers to “night of the full moon.” The series will conclude on December 18 with a second full album titled Yukiakari, meaning “light reflected on snow.” Keen-eyed LUNÉ noticed the Kanji character for moon, 月, appears in all four titles. In the Yukiakari teaser, all four releases are represented by playing card suits: Samidare as clover, Aoarashi as diamond, Jyuugoya as heart, and finally, Yukiakari as spade.
Want to relive the summer with &TEAM? Check out their music video for “Aoarashi,” and listen to the single on Spotify and Apple Music.
Spend the remaining seasons with &TEAM by following them on X, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok!
Looking for more groups to add to your radar? Read our coverage on the virtual boy group, PLAVE, from our 7 Things series here!
