Get to Know EPEX: The Rising Fourth-Gen Group Talks ‘ROMANTIC YOUTH’ and Their Dreams of Meeting Indian ZENITH

EPEX (이펙스), the seven-member group under C9 Entertainment—WISH, MU, A-MIN, BAEKSEUNG, AYDEN, YEWANG, and JEFF—has recently released their third album ‘Youth Chapter 3: ROMANTIC YOUTH.’

Since debuting in June 2021 with ‘BIPOLAR Pt.1: Prelude of Anxiety’, EPEX has steadily risen as one of the most promising fourth-generation K-pop acts. From topping debut-year album sales to earning nominations at the 2025 Newsis K-Expo and K-World Dream Awards, their impact continues to grow globally.

Released on July 28, ‘ROMANTIC YOUTH’ marks a shift in tone from the previous chapter, ‘YOUTH DEFICIENCY,’ which explored emotional voids and the search for identity. This final chapter embraces imperfection and celebrates the quiet resilience that can be found in everyday life. Through eight diverse tracks, EPEX invites listeners to reflect, heal, and rediscover their own spark.

Following the release of their album, EPEX has released an English version of their title track ‘눈물나게 고마워 (Grateful to Tears),’ reintroduced under the new title ‘FOOL.’

In an exclusive chat with Namaste Hallyu, EPEX shared insights into the creative journey behind ‘Youth Chapter 3: ROMANTIC YOUTH’, reflected on memorable behind-the-scenes moments, and opened up about their personal growth and connection with fans.

When asked to describe ‘Youth Chapter 3: ROMANTIC YOUTH’ in a single word, each EPEX member offered a deeply personal reflection that captured their journey.

BAEKSEUNG called it an “awakening,” while A-MIN described youth as a limitless “universe.” JEFF selected “acceptance,” highlighting the album’s message of embracing oneself. MU stated, “I think we’re really delivering our own story, so I would choose the word ‘me.’” For AYDEN, the word was “knot,” symbolizing how this final chapter ties everything together. YEWANG likened their growth to a “butterfly,” beautifully emerging from the cocoon.

For me, I think we’re at the stage where we’ve accepted ourselves completely and have truly become youth, so I’d say ‘romantic.’

— WISH

When asked about the creative inspiration behind their pre-release single, ‘Picasso,’ having a vertical-only music video, A-MIN explained, “The vertical video really draws you in and enhances the overall vibe of the song ‘Picasso.’” WISH further added, “The song ‘Picasso’ is about things that are trapped inside, so by making our music video vertical, it’s like we’re breaking out of that box. I think that idea is expressed really well.”

Rather than being inspired by something, we noticed that there are a lot of horizontal music videos out there, so we thought it would be unique and fun to make a vertical one. I think it turned out really well, and I’m happy and satisfied with it.

— AYDEN

With the new album marking the final part of their Youth trilogy, members answered how ‘ROMANTIC YOUTH’ wraps up the story they’ve been telling.

WISH went on to describe, “The first and second albums dealt with the anxiety and deficiencies of youth. Now, in our third album, the message is about accepting ourselves as we are and confronting our worries as we navigate youth.”

Talking about the memorable behind-the-scenes moments from filming this album, BAEKSEUNG shared, “Even for our music video, we were drenched in rain while dancing. The weather was a bit chilly, so we were shivering.”

MU provided further insights, “For our ‘Picasso’ music video, we filmed at an actual abandoned hospital, which I think really set the mood.”

When asked to name a track from the Youth trilogy that holds a special place in their heart, AYDEN revealed that ‘1997’ is his personal favorite, saying, “Our fans love it too, and I like how we get to call ZENITH our ‘romantic girls.’” MU shared that ‘Grateful To Tears’ is particularly special to him because “The emotions in the lyrics truly resonate with me and are relatable. It feels like the song genuinely conveys our story.”

I like ‘Whale Fall.’ I think the message in the song is really meaningful, and it beautifully reflects our future selves.

— A-MIN

In response to the question of who in the group is the most romantic, YEWANG pointed to WISH, explaining, “I chose WISH because he writes the most romantic lines to ZENITH. He’s especially good at writing late-night romantic lines, which is something I truly respect and hope to learn from.”

A-MIN added, “The short-form videos filmed by EPEX to capture romantic youth were also all WISH’s ideas.”

When it comes to avoiding anything too sappy, all the members agreed that BAEKSEUNG is definitely the one. They laughed and shared how he can’t stand anything cringey and always gets frustrated.

When asked about the most touching thing their fans have done, MU shared, “I’m always touched when fans tell us that they gain energy from watching us when they’re going through a hard time.”

I think I’d have to say that the whole time we were performing our concert for ZENITH was really touching for me. Coming to watch our performances, chant, and film us so nicely is so touching, isn’t it?

— JEFF

As the interview came to a close, EPEX shared heartfelt messages for their fans in India. JEFF expressed his gratitude, saying, “It was such an honor to say hello to our Indian ZENITH. I hope we get the opportunity to meet you soon.” MU also thanked their fans, sharing, “I want to thank everyone for the love and support all the way from India. Love you!” AYDEN went on to say, “We know you are waiting for us in India. We’ll visit you someday, so please stay tuned for that!” YEWANG expressed his eagerness to connect with fans, saying, “We want to share more about us with Indian ZENITH. See you soon!”

It seems Indian fans can look forward to seeing EPEX soon, as member WISH promised “We really want to meet you, so I promise that we’ll try our best to make that happen someday. See you!”

Namaste! If K-pop starts trending in India, I hope we, EPEX, are the ones to kick it off. I would love to perform in India and meet our ZENITH.

— BAEKSEUNG

As EPEX, we have never been to India, but we really like Indian culture and food. We really hope to go and experience it ourselves. We’re so excited to perform for our fans there, too!

— A-MIN

With Youth Chapter 3: ROMANTIC YOUTH, EPEX wraps up their trilogy and begins a new journey filled with honesty, warmth, and creativity. Through their music and personalities, they demonstrate how even the smallest moments can hold great significance, inspiring fans to keep growing and remain hopeful.

Watch the full Get to Know EPEX here: