AAA Rookie Award Winners: 2024 Goals and New Year Plans [Interview]

-Continued from Interview Part 2.

-Among the many 5th generation boy groups, what do you think sets Nine.i apart?

▶Cha Woongki: I’m really proud of the album’s quality and the songs that contain Nine.i’s unique color. Our songs have a clear message and our own unique color.

▶Park Juwon: I think our expressiveness is really outstanding. Our strength is that we express the emotions and images that we want to convey to our fans and audience very well.

-Since there are so many members, it seems like it would be difficult to coordinate different opinions. How do you build teamwork?

▶Cha Woongki: When deciding on important matters, we proceed with anonymous voting to ensure that no one is dissatisfied.

▶Park Juwon: It was already good when we were preparing for the second album, but it got even better while preparing for the awards ceremony. It feels like we are gradually becoming more compatible as we spend time together, so I think we will get along even better when preparing for the next album.

-What kind of year do you think 2026 will be?

▶Daisuke: It’s already February, and we’ll be holding fan cons in Japan as well as Korea, so I think we’ll have a good start. I want to meet a lot of iINEs, have frequent comebacks, and show you good music.

▶Park Juwon: I want to spend it busier than last year. I hope it will be a year where I can repay more of what I have received from iINEs.

▶JL: Of course, I want to work hard, but I also want to spend it more happily and healthily.

-The Lunar New Year holiday is approaching. What are your plans?

▶JL: Before the holiday, I have a schedule in the Philippines, so I’m going to my hometown, the Philippines. So while I’m there, I’m going to eat with my friends and parents. I think I’ll spend as much time with my parents as possible.

▶Seo Jungwoo: My hometown is Gwangju, Jeolla-do, so I’m going to go down to my parents’ house, see my grandmother, eat delicious food, and relax at home before coming back up.

▶Zhang Shuai Bo: I’m going to my hometown in China too. I got a call from my mom for the New Year. She told me to come for sure, so I’m going to go.

-Please recommend songs and playlists that are good to listen to during the Lunar New Year holiday.

▶JL: I personally liked it since it came out. I recommend Nine.i’s ‘Sleeping Diary (Outro)’. I think it would be good to listen to while driving.

▶Park Han: I also want to recommend ‘Sleeping Diary’. It’s a song that goes well with everything, no matter where you listen to it.

▶Park Juwon: If you’re driving for a long time, it’s tiring, so we have a song called ‘Run at 1.5x Speed (1.5배의 속도로 달려줘)’, which I think will make driving fun. It’s also good for exercising.

▶Steven: It’s a song that came out recently, and I recommend Bruno Mars’ ‘I Just Might’. It makes you feel excited and like you’re the main character in a movie, so I think it would be good to listen to while driving.

▶Seo Jungwoo: I’ve been into N.Flying’s ‘Rooftop (옥탑방)’ lately, so I want to recommend it.

-Finally, a word to the fans.

▶Daisuke: I want to meet more iINEs in 2026. I hope those who are not iINEs now will become iINEs. I want to be with many iINEs this year as well.

▶Park Juwon: iINEs are the existence that gives me the strength to live these days. I only feel grateful when I think of iINEs. I want to do better for them, so I will work hard in 2026 to show you a good image and become a proud artist.

▶Steven: I always get a lot of strength from iINEs and fans. I will work hard to give back as much as I have received. I will try to show you a variety of sides of myself.

▶JL: I am really grateful that iINEs give us a lot of strength and love. Thank you for always being by our side, and I will repay you by showing you a more perfect image in the future. I hope we can always be together.

▶Seo Jungwoo: The strength that iINEs give me is really great. When I think of the support when I’m having a hard time, I get strength. I hope it will be a year where I can repay you with songs that can give you strength as much as I have received.

▶Zhang Shuai Bo: Thanks to iINEs, Nine.i was able to receive a lot of love in 2025. I want to get along well with iINEs and meet often in 2026 as well.

▶Park Han: Thank you for always sending us a lot of support. We will work hard to repay that love. Take care not to catch a cold, and I hope you eat a lot of delicious food during the Lunar New Year holiday.

▶Cha Woongki: Thank you for always sending us love. I hope iINEs also recharge during the holiday and love Nine.i passionately. We will be back soon too.

▶Zion: As I always say, health is the most important thing. I hope you stay healthy and well for a long time.

-End.