[Official Interview] ”EASTSHINE” - Thoughts behind the album ”LUMINO (WINNER) US” and a message to fans

The five-member boy band "EASTSHINE" will be making a comeback with their long-awaited second mini album "LUMINO (WINNER) US" and holding their first release event in Japan.
The group will be held at FCLIVE TOKYO HALL from April 17th to April 29th. The group name comes from the desire to "become an entity that illuminates the world like the light rising from the eastern sky."
As the name suggests, EASTSHINE has been capturing the hearts of fans since their debut and has continued to grow rapidly. Last year, they also attracted attention with their appearance on the survival program "Re:Born".
In this album, the leader IEL was involved in writing, composing, and arranging all the songs, making it an album that brings out the group's unique colors even more.
This time, we conducted a special interview with them before their visit to Japan. They talked extensively about their new album, their thoughts on their activities in Japan, and their future goals.
In addition, the title song "Lucky Tonight" was composed by global producer Robbie Nevil, and the dance performance was created by the popular Korean dance group.
The accompanying team "WE DEM BOYZ" is in charge. The cool dance reminiscent of Michael Jackson shows a new side of "EASTSHINE".
At this release event, there will be a first performance of songs from the album and interaction with fans, so you can see a new side of EASTSHINE and their further growth.
This will be a great opportunity. We spoke to them about the behind-the-scenes of the album's production, their thoughts on their Japanese fans, "MUSCAT," and their future plans.
Q. Robbie Neville participated in the production of the title song "Lucky Tonight." How did you come up with the idea?
What elements did you as a group want to add to this song, and what was the most difficult part of the process?
IEL: As I was working on the project and discussing with the CEO, I wanted to expand the color of the more mature "EASTSHINE".
So I tried out a new style, but because it was something I'd never done before, it was difficult to put my own style into the song.
Hyun: I really like the jazzy yet sophisticated feel of the demo song "Lucky Tonight."
I was conscious of trying to bring out those elements more! I also wanted to express an R&B-like atmosphere, so I paid attention to that aspect.
It was a bit difficult to practice because it felt like I was playing around with the rhythm, with a half beat coming in a half beat earlier than the usual half beat!
Q. The title song of this album is "Lucky
Besides "Tonight," you have many other songs that stand out. What emotions and messages do you put into each song?
Can you tell us specifically why you chose this song? Also, is there a song you like the most? Dongjae: "Next Words" is a song that contains the excitement of love and the heart pounding at that moment.
It expresses well the "confession" that everyone experiences and the excitement of waiting for a response.
"Bling" is a song that tells the story of a golden youth.
It's a song with a strong beat never seen before in NE. Lumin: The last song, "So I," depicts the love for a woman and the growth story that leads to the confession.
The key point here is the awareness of the emotion of "love" and the excitement of the heart, expressed through the image of purple.
If you listen to "Next Words" after listening to this song, you can feel the excitement after confessing your feelings.
Yes, you can. By the way, my personal favorite song is "Bling Bling," which has an attractive, powerful sound.
Q. I heard that the leader, IEL, was involved in writing, composing, and arranging all the songs.
But as the representative of the group and leading the musical direction, what do you think is the most important thing? Also, in the production of this album,
What was the most challenging part for you personally? IEL:
In terms of the musical direction of "EASTSHINE," I think the most important word is "youth."
Our goal is to put the emotions we felt back then into music, convey them to those who listen, and grow as a team step by step while creating empathy.
I think that this was the most challenging part of "Ning Bling". It's a song with a slightly different atmosphere from the songs I've made up until now, and I wanted it to blend in well with the color of EASTSHINE.
"I was a bit worried about whether it would be able to be released. But after the song was released, I was relieved to see how happy the fans were. Q. The title song of this time, "Lucky
The choreography for "Tonight" was done by WE DEM BOYZ, who are gaining attention in the dance world. How did you decide to collaborate with them?
What new elements do you feel have been added to the group through this choreography? Hyun: We Dem Boyz, you previously worked on "Double
He also choreographed "Down" and "Heart Drop," and both of those dances were really amazing, so it was natural that we asked him to do the same this time.
The choreography this time is a little different from the previous dances, and features a jazzy atmosphere! Lumin: Also, this song has a lot of jazzy elements.
Perhaps because of this, the choreography has a strong Michael Jackson feel to it. Up until now, the choreography has been characterized by a lot of big movements, but now
The song for this time also has a lot of dynamic movements, but also incorporates a lot of light and pop elements. Therefore, this time, the team has been able to move more freely and energetically.
I think it's an impressive choreography. Q. What will be the theme song for the "EASTSHINE 2ND MINI ALBUM LUMINO (WINNER) US" concert, which will be held in Tokyo from April 17th?
What kind of performance do you plan to show at "RELEASEVENT IN JAPAN"? Is there anything in particular that you would like fans to pay attention to?
Phoenix: We are preparing to perform the songs from the album we just released in the live performance.
We will be showing "Tonight" for the first time, and we hope that everyone who comes to the event in Tokyo will enjoy it to the fullest.
Dongjae: And the thing I want you to pay the most attention to in this album is the message that we put into the theme of "youth." I hope that you will listen to the various stories that we want to convey through our songs.
I hope that everyone who watches this song will be able to feel and empathize with it. It's a wonderful performance that expresses the many worries and feelings that everyone had at that time, along with the music.
Q. For fans who can't wait for the release event in Japan, please give a message to heighten the excitement before the event.
IEL: I'm really happy to be able to show the album we've been working so hard on in Japan. We put all our effort into this album, so I hope many people will listen to it.
This album is filled with images of us walking the path of "youth". We hope you will give us your warm support!
We've been working hard preparing for the live show, so we hope you'll come to the venue and have fun with us!
Dongjae: I'm really looking forward to having a release event in Japan for this album.
I'm happy. We've worked hard on this album. We've especially prepared this album for MUSCAT, who have been waiting the longest, so please look forward to it.
I hope you will love us and show us lots of love! Hyun: MUSCAT, you've been waiting for us, right? We're coming!! Lumin:
A new stage is waiting for you, MUSCAT fans. We will give you the best performance possible to repay you for your patience. Release event venue
Phoenix: This is already my third event in Japan. Of course, this one will be even more exciting than the last one.
We were very excited about this album and preparing for the release. We also prepared a new show for our fans, so please wait just a little longer.
Please come and see us! 【Event Overview】 ■Event Title EASTSHINE 2ND MINI ALBUM LUMINO (WINNER) US RELEASE EVENT IN
JAPAN ■Date and time: Thursday, April 17, 2025 - Tuesday, April 29, 2025 For details, please check the ticket site. ■Venue: FC LIVE TOKYO HALL
(2-18-14 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo) ■Ticket price 【Advance ticket sales】 Mini live ticket (Benefits) ・EASTSHINE 2ND
1 MINI ALBUM "LUMINO (WINNER) US" ・1 mini live admission ticket (enter in order of serial number) ・High Five event participation ticket for all members ■Ticket site
https://www.ti-ma.jp/shop/event.php?ev_id=1743318026 ■Ticket sales period
Tickets on sale now until 23:59 4 days before each performance ■EASTSHINE OFFICIAL X
https://x.com/eastshine_tment ■ Organizer FC LIVE ENTERTAINMENT (
https://x.com/FCLIVE_official ) ■Related sites EASTSHINE Official
X (https://x.com/eastshine_tment) EASTSHINE Official Instagram (
https://www.instagram.com/eastshine_official?igsh=MXEwcjd1cW05aW14Yw== )
For further details, please see the ticket website.