[Herald Interview] Zoonizini hopes for lasting bonds, passion for music in 'Some Things Never Change'

Korea Herald

20 hours ago

MJ and Jinjin of Astro come together as subunit to explore a variety of musical styles and projects to attract new listeners
Whether we like it or not, change is the only constant in life. Good moments do not last forever, but neither do bad ones, and even those moments of serenity eventually transform into something new.
In hopes that their passion for music and the bond they share with their bandmates will remain forever, MJ and Jinjin of boy group Astro have come together for the first time as Zoonizini, debuting as a unit with the main track "Some Things Never Change," which will be released Wednesday at 6 p.m.
"It is a song that evokes nostalgia, meant to bring to mind memories of fun days spent with long-time friends, along with the idea of lasting bonds. It is also something that we both hope will never change," said Jinjin, who produced the song, as he walked The Korea Herald through the new release during an interview Friday held at Fantagio, the group's agency, in Seoul's Gangnam-gu.
"We are in our 10th year now, and I remember saying in an interview when we debuted that I hoped we could have a long-lasting career as singers. That was how we started, and fast forward 10 years, we have achieved so much — from performing on the dome stage and cherishing memories with fans," Jinjin said, with a smile beaming on his face.
"There is very little in life that isn't hard, and there are moments of doubt about whether pursuing this career was the right choice, but performing on stage brings so much joy that it outweighs those struggles," MJ chimed in, saying that fans helped them grow.
Speaking of the song he made, MJ said the track combines a smooth, rhythmic piano loop with an old-school boom bap beat, creating an emotional but easy-to-listen vibe.
"To be frank, I wanted to make an album that could reach a wider audience and something nice and easy to listen to, especially during the summer season. That is why I wanted to return to the basics by embracing old-school hip-hop," Jinjin said.
Apart from the lead track, the album "Dice" includes the tracks "New world," "Utopia," "Favorite Memory," "Starlight Voyage" and "Restart." All penned by Jinjin, the album expresses the duo's determination to live freely and enjoy every moment on their own terms, with six tracks that tell the story of a spontaneous journey through new experiences.
Jinjin said that his inspiration comes from a combination of imagination, visual concepts and personal interests such as movies and games, which he then weaves into his music. "The song 'New world' was inspired by the movie 'Jumanji'," he added.
Looking back on their 10-year musical journey, the duo also expressed hopes of building a stronger presence as artists.
"As a unit, I want to explore a variety of musical styles and projects to attract new listeners. I also hope to appear on more variety shows, as well as embark on more international tours. By continuing to work this way, I believe we can steadily elevate our status and reputation in the music industry," MJ said.