Interest in the rookie boy group ‘ALPHA DRIVE ONE (ALD1)’ is growing day by day.
Formed through Mnet’s ‘Boys Planet 2’ on the 25th of last month, ALPHA DRIVE ONE consists of eight members: Kim Gun-woo, Kim Jun-seo, Lee Ri-o, Lee Sang-won, Zhang Jiahao, Jung Sang-hyun, Jo Wan-shin, and Heo Sin-long (in alphabetical order). They are being praised as a ‘complete combination’ with both talent and visuals, and the content being released sequentially is receiving a hot response, raising expectations for their ‘one team’ chemistry.
The highlight performances of ALPHA DRIVE ONE members and their unique charms have been consistently discussed on social media and online communities, creating a situation where many are already becoming fans before their debut. Let’s explore the eight unique charms of ALPHA DRIVE ONE.
▲Kim Gun-woo, Radiant Youth Energy
Kim Gun-woo was selected as the center of Planet K in the signal song ‘HOLA SOLAR’, drawing attention as an all-rounder with model-like visuals, stable vocals, and excellent dance skills. With refreshing youthful visuals and stage presence, he made a strong impression with his leadership and performance on the ‘Rock’ stage. Kim Gun-woo has shown growth with each performance, garnering support from fans.
▲Kim Jun-seo, Gentle Charisma
As the eldest member of ALPHA DRIVE ONE, Kim Jun-seo has received much love for his passion for the stage and stable skills. He showcased a contrasting charm with his pure visuals resembling a deer and sexy performances, while offstage, he captivates fans with his natural hosting sense and warm communication. There is great interest in what new sides he will show in the future.
▲Lee Ri-o, The ‘Essential Member’ Recognized by Fans
Lee Ri-o is a versatile talent who handles vocals, rap, songwriting, composing, and producing. He approached the program with the determination to find companions to achieve his dream of debuting, never falling out of the TOP 8. Notably, he successfully delivered the killing part in the ‘Queenka’ stage, leaving an impact with a stunning performance using a guitar. With stable vocals and a unique tone, he has been recognized as ‘an essential member of the group’, and expectations are high for Lee Ri-o’s musical growth and activities.
▲Lee Sang-won, A Legendary ‘All-rounder Center’ from Start to Finish
Lee Sang-won has maintained ‘undisputed first place’ with his unwavering performance skills and visuals, receiving explosive support from fans since his first appearance. His performances of the legendary stages ‘Whiplash’ and ‘Chains’ have recorded overwhelming view counts, and his fancams and stage videos are also gaining massive attention. The contrast between his charismatic performances and shy personality adds another layer of charm, along with his stylish fashion sense and reading preferences that captivate fans.
▲Zhang Jiahao, Overwhelming Presence of the ‘Dance Powerhouse’
Zhang Jiahao caught attention with his overwhelming dance skills from his first appearance on ‘Boys Planet 2’. He has shown growth with each performance, exuding charisma while taking on the killing parts of major stages. Particularly, during the ‘Chains’ stage, he drew cheers from the audience with his flexible yet powerful dance lines, and in the final competition song ‘Brat Attitude’, he perfectly dominated the stage, leaving a strong presence.
▲Jung Sang-hyun, The ‘Hip-Hop Cat’ with Explosive Maknae Charm
The youngest member of ALPHA DRIVE ONE, Jung Sang-hyun, has gained attention by introducing himself as the ‘Hip-Hop Cat’ with his youthful visuals and solid rap skills. He captured attention with his confident energy during the ‘Queenka’ and ‘Sugar HIGH’ stages, showing rapid growth, and as the beloved maknae, expectations for his future activities are high.
▲Jo Wan-shin, The Quintessential Trendy Tone
Jo Wan-shin made an early impression as the center of Planet C in the signal song ‘HOLA SOLAR’. He received praise for his delicate emotional expression and excellent lyric interpretation during the ‘Sigh’ stage. With his cute visuals and solid skills, he has been called ‘the epitome of an idol’, and with his trendy tone and stable live performances, he has captured the hearts of many global fans, drawing attention to the stages he will present in the future.
▲Heo Sin-long, The Stage Artisan Leaving Iconic Quotes
Heo Sin-long left a strong impression with his deep bass voice and dance skills. He captivated attention with his fluid dance lines and explosive power, leading to reactions like “I fell deeper after seeing him live,” and particularly, the fancam video of ‘The first meeting didn’t go as planned’ has gone viral. Additionally, his warm personality was highlighted by his quote, “I’ve been caught in the rain, so I need to cover you with an umbrella,” which has been referred to as his ‘iconic umbrella quote’.
ALPHA DRIVE ONE’s global official fan club, Early Bird, received a hot response right after its launch, and there has been active participation from fans worldwide in the official fan club name contest, focusing attention on the new stories that the eight members and global fans will create together.
Moreover, ALPHA DRIVE ONE proved their global influence by surpassing 1 million Instagram followers and 50 million views on short clips just a week after their birth, leading to anticipation for love calls from the industry.
Meanwhile, ALPHA DRIVE ONE stands for ▲ALPHA (goal towards the best) ▲DRIVE (passion and drive) ▲ONE (one team), embodying a strong ambition to provide ‘K-POP catharsis’ on stage.
[Son Jin-a, MK Sports Reporter]
