KB News Desk
Boy group Nowz returned Wednesday with digital single “Achilles,” embracing an ’80s-inspired disco sound as the quintet takes on a more mature image after its previous release in November 2025.
The release marks the group’s first Korean comeback in 10 months since the single “Play Ball” and follows its Japanese debut EP, “Nowz,” released in March. It also continues the group’s musical evolution after experimenting with rock, EDM and hip-hop across recent releases.
At a showcase ahead of the single’s release, the members described “Achilles” as the start of a new chapter for the group, introducing a “zero sexy” concept — a subtle, understated take on sexiness inspired by the clean, refreshing image of zero-sugar drinks.
“‘Zero sexy’ is the keyword that best represents this comeback,” leader Hyeonbin said. “We wanted to show a fresh kind of sexiness that we hadn’t been able to show before, so we worked hard to improve everything from our visuals to our performances.”
“When people think of ‘sexy,’ they often imagine something very obvious,” Yoon said. “But we wanted to show a charm that’s more subtle — something you can feel naturally without it being overly emphasized.”
Siyun said the new concept also reflects the group’s artistic growth.
“Until now, most of our songs have been focused on the concept of youth and the challenges and achievements we face in our youthful days,” he said. “But this time, we wanted to show a more mature side of Nowz to show how much we’ve grown musically over the years.”
“Achilles” reimagines 1980s funk and disco with a modern K-pop sound, depicting the excitement of falling in love at first sight and the confusion that follows. The song broadens the group’s musical spectrum once again after exploring rock in “Everglow,” EDM in “HomeRun” and hip-hop in its Japanese single “Ammo.”
The track draws inspiration from the mythological figure Achilles, using his famous vulnerability as a metaphor for love.
“Achilles represents a weak point,” explained Siyun. “Even the strongest person has a weakness, and we interpreted that weakness as love. We wanted to portray the process of someone gradually falling apart because of one person.”
Although none of the members were born when the original disco era flourished, they said the genre’s retro sound was something they had long wanted to explore.
“We were all born in the 2000s, but we’ve always been interested in older music,” Hyeonbin said. “We thought it would be interesting to see what kind of performance five people from our generation could create with a song inspired by the 1980s.”
Looking ahead, the group hopes the new release will introduce more listeners to Nowz while continuing to expand its global presence. Following the comeback, the quintet is set to perform at the TMElive International Music Awards at Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong later this month.
“We’re still hungry to show many different sides of ourselves musically,” Yeonwoo said. “We’d love to perform at more festivals, awards shows and events, and continue meeting fans through a variety of stages.”
