Having recently stepped into mainstream fame, SF9 made another splash on Wednesday with the myth-themed album “Narcissus.”

Following “Sensuous” in July, the act’s sixth EP is led by “Enough” -- a trap-EDM number inspired by the Greek myth of Narcissus, who fell in love with his own reflection and died because of it.

Its lyrics reflect the tragic theme as the band members narcissistically sing to the groovy tune, “Don’t get too pretty, because you are pretty enough right now.”

“We had a six-month hiatus, quite a long time, and it was really meaningful for us. We felt a greater responsibility due to the members who promoted the group by making a big splash on the small screen,” said Dawon during a media showcase in Seoul.

Zuwon didn’t attend the event -- he has to sit out on group promotions for a while due to a back injury.




Expectations are especially high for the group because some of its members have seen huge success as part of popular TV dramas. Last year, Rowoon cemented his acting career with the SBS drama “Fox Bride Star,” while Chani recently came into the limelight with an integral role in the JTBC hit drama “Sky Castle.”

Since “Sky Castle” ended, Chani is one of the most sought-after idol-turned-actors on the scene. At the showcase, he expressed gratitude to his bandmates for supporting him through his busiest time.

“I’m very grateful for all the love the drama received, and although I couldn’t spend enough time for the practice, I kind of rushed for SF9’s new album as soon as the drama ended, as I wanted to meet my fans again,” he said.

“Also, my bandmates always waited for me in the wee hours to practice together after I came back from the drama set. Thank you, guys,” he added.




Rowoon, whose individual promotions preceded Chani’s, said, “I always felt sorry for my bandmates for the opportunities and spotlight I received, as there are many other members who are more talented than I am. And when Chani received so much love as an actor, I felt so happy and relieved.”

The six-track album also features “Hotly” and “Of All Things,” written by Youngbin, Zuho and Hwiyoung, as well as “Life Is So Beautiful,” “Fall in Love” and “Zero Gravity,” which also feature several members as lyricists.

“I feel like every member showed great musical growth through this album. As for me, I had a penchant for ballads, but challenged myself to get sexy,” said Inseong.




The first dance-oriented boy group under FNC Entertainment -- which is also home to CNBLUE, FTIsland and AOA -- SF9 debuted in October 2016 with the album “Feeling Sensation.” While it’s not yet a household name in the industry, the group’s single “Now or Never” helped its previous album reach No. 10 on Billboard’s World Albums Chart in July -- a testament to the growing attention it is getting from US K-pop audiences.

And the multitalented idol act expressed its hope of keeping the momentum high.

“Our dreams always came true when we kept dreaming. Our next goal is to rank No. 1 on music programs,” said Rowoon.

“My goal is to keep promoting with my bandmates for a very long time,” Chani added.

By Hong Dam-young (lotus@heraldcorp.com)