ASTRO Reaches For the Stars

This month, Fantagio Entertainment’s boy group ASTRO embarked on a fanmeet tour across the U.S.! The group has already stopped in San Francisco and will travel on to Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and finally New York as a part of their 2018 Global Fan Meeting in the U.S. If you were unsure of attending or have a ticket but don’t know much about the group yet, The Kraze has you covered.

ASTRO debuted in 2016 and has six members: JinJin, MJ, Eunwoo, Moonbin, Rocky, and Sanha. Prior to debut, the group starred in their own web drama series called To Be Continued, but for some of the members, it wasn’t their first acting credit; Moonbin played the child version of Kim Bum in the iconic drama Boys Over Flowers!

The group’s first release, Spring Up, was released February 2016 with the title track “Hide & Seek.” In just two years, ASTRO has won multiple awards, including the “Hallyu Special Award” at the Seoul Music Awards. Not only that, they have performed at KCON twice and already held their first solo concert in Seoul, making them arguably one of the best K-Pop group evolutions in recent years.  

The Debut - “Hide & Seek” 

ASTRO’s debut single “Hide & Seek” can be defined in one word: adorable. The group exuded a youthful image, from their schoolboy uniforms to their upbeat, aegyo-filled dances, and they were unafraid to take on a cute boy group concept and make it their own. “Hide & Seek” is the epitome of cuteness, with youthful choreography, a cheery chorus, and a bright dance backbeat. The song’s music video is equally lovable and focuses on a girl who falls in love with ASTRO and supports them through their debut by becoming their fan. “Hide & Seek” is so over-the-top cute that it’s only real downside is that it could be perceived as being a little too childish, but the song and the group’s members sell their cute image so well that it’s easy to fall for them.

For their next few comebacks ASTRO dominated the cute boy group concept, especially with their single “Confession.” The song features cute-yet-complicated choreography, heart-warming smiles, and a peppy chorus that easily sticks in your head after the first listen. If ASTRO hadn’t already snuck their way into your heart with their debut single, they surely had a place after “Confession.”

The Shift - “Baby”

ASTRO took a step out of their comfort zone to show a different side to the members and their music with their 2017 comeback “Baby.” The track still holds onto the group’s main principles in that it’s a lighthearted, fun track, but “Baby” isn’t as cute as past comebacks and instead shows a more adult pop sound for the group with a song that could easily dominate the charts. Cuteness will always be an intrinsic part of ASTRO’s identity, but with “Baby” the focus wasn’t on making the members so cute that they seemed extremely youthful. Instead, this comeback focused on showing off their unique charms. The music video has a colorful cafe concept, which is very fitting with the song’s sparkling, tropical beat, impressive rapping, and polished choreography. “Baby” was an exciting step in a new direction for ASTRO that still held onto the group’s core concept.

The Future - “Crazy Sexy Cool” 

Their latest comeback, “Crazy Sexy Cool,” is ASTRO 2.0, a bubbly yet mature blend of ASTRO’s image that entices listeners of all ages. The song is different from all their past comebacks. The vocal line’s addictive falsettos combine beautifully alongside the darker vocals of the rap line in a fun, flirtatious chorus that demands the listener’s attention. The vocals are punctuated by a heavy drumbeat and light electric guitar that make the song even easier to sing and dance along to. The music video, while still silly and cute because of the members’ interactions, is juxtaposed with impressive dance breaks. The members are also decked out in all of the latest fashion; no more matching clothes! With “Crazy Sexy Cool,” ASTRO transformed from the boys next door to cool heartthrobs. The song is crazy, sexy, and cool all at once, and it proves that ASTRO deserves attention and respect for their continuously amazing evolution as a group. We can’t wait to see what concept they take on next.