K-Pop boy band A.C.E released its fourth EP “HJZM : The Butterfly Phantasy” with a new edge.
Having released its EP “UNDER COVER: THE MAD SQUAD” last year with lead track “SAVAGE,” A.C.E expressed its undying will to take on new challenges and find its own color to fans around the world.
In 2020, A.C.E turns their gaze to their inner selves with “HJZM : The Butterfly Phantasy” – to find their true selves that they must look for within themselves.
“HJZM : The Butterfly Phantasy” was inspired by the famed story of the “Butterfly Dream” written by Chinese philosopher Zhuang Zhou, to bring about a new Korean fantasy that uses the best of the vibe from both Asia and Korea.
All eyes of fans in and outside of Korea are on A.C.E, who will be trying out this new concept for the first time since its debut.
1. Golden Goose
“Golden Goose” takes its motif from the episode of Aesop’s Fables about the story of how a greedy man cuts open the belly of a golden goose due to his greed and ends up losing it all. The song compared the contemporary human beings to the foolish man, in hopes that someone will come to this earth like long-awaited rain in drought and save the world – almost like a prayer for rain. The 808 bass sound and trap beat give the song a powerful edge, while the sounds of brass and siren express the chaotic world in the chorus.
2. Goblin (Favorite Boys) **lead track
A desperate longing turns into a wish and creates something of the imagination – just like a goblin in the myths.
In a world where we cannot express our emotions freely, A.C.E is reborn into a goblin to speak on the behalf of everything that we have ever wanted. “Goblin” is a new genre of K-Pop dance music that fuses strong synth sounds and house beat to bring about a new sound.
With Kim Byeongkwan being more charismatic than ever, WOW’s skilled rapping and the vocals of the group to top it all off, A.C.E invites you to see their new and colorful charms.
3. Baby Tonight
When you fall in love, then every moment becomes beautiful and magical. The song is a detailed description of the beautiful things someone sees and feels at the moment they fall in the first love.
4. Stand by you
The pre-release track “Stand by you” is a song of hope and consolation, like a letter that A.C.E is sending to you, members of CHOICE, who feel the same things with each other.
Singer Kim Feel wrote the song and lyrics for “Stand by you,” which A.C.E will sing through their soft voices. Real drum & bass, as well as guitar sounds were recorded to add a touch of liveness to the song to perfect it to the smallest details.
5. Clover
Jun, the leader of A.C.E, composed and wrote the lyrics of “Clover,” to express A.C.E’s gratitude and love for who were the only ones to stick by them and believe in them through hard times and challenges. The song is a precious gift and a love letter from A.C.E to the fans, who are like the lucky clovers to A.C.E.
About A.C.E
A.C.E made its debut in 2017 as a five-member band including Donghun, WOW, Jun, Kim Byeongkwan and Chan. They accumulated a steady fan base even before their debut, when some of their performance videos – a zombie dance performance (25/10/2016) and a dance cover for BTS’s ‘Not Today’ (11/3/2017) – went viral. While the former video was made in the form of a music video, the cover dance was actually taken on Hongdae street in western Seoul, where A.C.E members performed in front of the crowd.
A.C.E released its debut single “Cactus” on 23 May, 2017 and have since dropped two singles; “Callin’” in October 2017 and “5TAR” in March 2018. Then the first EP “A.C.E Adventures in Wonderland” came on 7 June, 2018.
A.C.E members also participated in K-Pop auditioning TV programs after their debut, including KBS’s “THE UNIT” (2018) and JTBC’s “MIXNINE” (2018). For both, A.C.E members excelled that some of them gained a chance to take part in each project’s debut team.
A.C.E continues to grow its influence outside of Korea, actively meeting overseas fans through concerts and many other events. A.C.E met fans in North and South America, Europe and Asia during its world tour “TO BE AN ACE,” which started in October 2018.
Its 2nd EP “UNDER COVER” peaked at #9 on Billboard’s World Albums Chart last year, after its release on 17 May, 2019. The 3rd EP “UNDER COVER : THE MAD SQUAD” debuted #1 on Billboard’s Next Big sound Chart and A.C.E peaked at #15 on Billboard’s Social 50 Chart.
Meanwhile, A.C.E made headlines this year when it put on a stage performance during the congratulatory party held for auteur Bong Joon-ho who was awarded the honors at the Academy Awards.
Starting with another single “Stand by me,” which was released on 24 June, A.C.E seeks further more achievements with its upcoming EP, “HJZM : The Butterfly Phantasy.”
