This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Maya Stokley. Find her on Instagram at @maya.aesthetic. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.

Okay, friends! I love K-pop (I’ve been a proud member of so many fandoms since 2016), and I have seen the 3rd generation of K-pop stars rise to the top to now the 6th generation rising from the ashes! Whew, new groups are debuting every day, and I don’t know if I can keep up much longer. Until, in 2023, there was commotion! Chaos in the K-pop community when a boy group debuted on screen, and I mean, literally on screen. PLAVE, the first-ever virtual K-pop boy group, flashed on our monitors with their debut single, “Asterum.” Can I say I was gagged? I WAS GAGGED! PLAVE has a new comeback this month with their latest single, “DASH,” and they have more content to share on their official YouTube channel. Now, two questions remain: Who is PLAVE, and what do they have cooking up for us?!

I Mean, Let’s Get To Know PLAVE!

When there is a new K-pop group, I immediately dash over to KProfiles and learn about their lore immediately! So, that is precisely what I did for PLAVE! There are five members in the group: Yejun, Noah, Bamby, Eunho, and Hamin! Each member has a unique personality and position (main dancer, main vocalist, and more). AND JUST TO BE CLEAR! The boy band is not AI-generated! Think of K/DA and MAVE; some people use motion capture technology to highlight specific movements of each member! Okay, now that is out of the way, let’s get into the whole nine with these members!

Yejun: Leader/Main Vocalist

Yejun is the leader and main vocalist of PLAVE! As a hint to remember him, his signature is blue, and his signature emojis are dolphins! (Which are so so so cute by the way!) He was the first member to be revealed in 2022 in a live stream from their YouTube channel. During the livestream, Yejun answered questions and revealed information about himself and the group to the fans! For example, in one of the live streams that the group has, Yejun was placed 5th for dancing! (That is hilarious because I know he tried his best)

Also, he is part of the “Producer” Line for the group along with two other members! With their comeback single, “DASH,” Yejun did that! There is different information about your star leader, Yejun, through the group’s live streams, so please see it yourself!

Noah: Main Vocalist

Noah, our star vocal machine! He is the main vocalist of PLAVE and was the second member to be revealed in the group! In his stream, he mentioned how he loved to sing, work, watch movies, and eat protein! But Noah is a sassy one! Think of him as the princess of the boy band. He doesn’t like noisy places and bugs (honestly, same twin!). To remember him, his specialty color is purple, and he is part of the Producer line with Yejun! Noah is a treat and a joy to watch because of his infectious smile and cute personality! Also, brownie points because he is a year older than me! He was “born” in 2001, and his favorite animal is an alpaca (his quirks are too adorable). LISTEN TO HIS VOICE! He is an angel, and perhaps my bias so far is like AH!

Bamby: Main Dancer/Vocalist

I thought Bamby was the baby of the group because of his cute face! But I was wrong; he is not the maknae. But he is our main dancer of PLAVE and the third member to be revealed in a later livestream for his debut! Of course, Bamby loves to dance. However, he likes to act and watch Netflix (let’s be besties, Bamby). The funniest thing I have ever read about Bamby was that he dislikes people who are taller and cuter than he is. And I have one thing to say: I relate to him badly! His sense of humor definitely makes the group more lighthearted and fun. Also, his signature color is pink, and his favorite animal is deer! How much cuter can Bamby get?! If anything, watch this dance cover video of Bamby and Yejun! Tell me he don’t got moves for days!

Eunho: Main Rapper/Vocalist

You are probably thinking: he looks different than the others. And no, we are not doing the bad boy trope; I can fix his vibes here. He’s a sweetheart through and through. Eunho is our main rapper and lead vocalist. He was the fourth member to be revealed in a livestream in November 2022. He talked about basic information on his stream, mostly his likes and dislikes. Of course, he likes the obvious rapping and singing hobbies, but he loves to swim! (That was very surprising!) Also, one dislike that stood out was that he doesn’t like mint chocolate (bizarre, but I like that!) And, not too much on my boy Eunho because he can speak Korean, English, and a little Japanese. He is literally Mr. Worldwide! Check out more of his rapping abilities with this video here!

Hamin: Main Dancer/Lead Rapper/Maknae

Now, we are getting into the youngest member! Hamin is the last member to be revealed on stream on January 2023! He is a dancing machine like Bamby and part of the rap line with Eunho! He is the ace in the group! Now, most of his likes are creative, and not like “arts” creative, but the lineup is creative. On the stream, he said, along the lines of liking gaming, food, and compliments. Now, compliments is a good one to name. His dislikes are very common and simple: lying and mosquitoes. BUT, he knows Japanese like Eunho, so in my world, Hamin and Eunho are besties! Look at this cute video of Hamin and giggle and kick your feet with me!

OKAY, Can We Talk About PLAVE’S “DASH” Single!?

Mind you, this is the first time I have ever listened to their music. And, oh my gosh, I am a fan! All five members showcase their acting talent but also their storytelling abilities for the plot of this music video! I mean, from the costume design to the scenic design, everything is booming with their signature colors and more! But, onto the song itself!

I truly think this is an amazing comeback because they went for the dystopian route like Stray Kids, BTS, Monsta X, and sometimes Ateez (all K-pop groups, by the way) and made it into their own digital world. The song highlights the theme as well, with interesting dynamics, from the softness of Noah’s voice to Eunho’s aggressive rapping! Also, the beginning of the chorus EATS! The whole”I gotta dash, break up the way” part is so good because it gives a whispered chorus, which I am always obsessed with! Also, the rock element helps drive their theme as well with the riff guitars and the pounding drums in the background! This song will be added to my Spotify so fast!

Do you know anything else about PLAVE? Who is your favorite member? Which one is your favorite song? Share in the comments!