BAE173 and FANTASY BOYS Members Debut as Double 0ne with First EP Xpert
PocketDol Studio Official X
After their participation on the survival shows PROJECT 7 and Starlight Boys last year, 11 members from BAE173 and FANTASY BOYS are collaborating as a project group, Double 0ne. BAE173’s Yoojun, Muzin, Junseo, Youngseo, Doha, and Bit have joined forces with FANTASY BOYS’s Kang Minseo, Lee Hanbin, Hikari, Ling Qi, and Hong Sungmin. Released on June 12, their debut EP, Xpert, contains the title track “On the Rocks with Kiss” and a few songs from each group.
Though all of BAE173 joined either PROJECT 7 or Starlight Boys, those who debuted in the shows’ respective groups do not appear in this lineup. J-Min currently promotes with CLOSE YOUR EYES under his legal name, Jeon Minwook, and Hangyul currently promotes with the Chinese-Korean group POLARIX. Double 0ne also excludes the FANTASY BOYS members without PROJECT 7 or Starlight Boys appearances: Hikaru, Kim Wooseok, Oh Hyeontae, Kim Gyurae, and Kaedan.
TRACKLIST:
“On the Rocks with Kiss”
“Reserved” (BAE173)
“Toxic Lips” (FANTASY BOYS)
“To You”
“To You (BAE173 Ver.)”
“To You (FANTASY BOYS ver.)”
BAE173 and FANTASY BOYS’ Careers
BAE173 and FANTASY BOYS both promote as groups under PocketDol Studio. BAE173 debuted first on November 19, 2020, with their first EP, INTERSECTION: SPARK. They started out with a cute concept seen in “Crush on U.” In 2023, BAE173 placed fifth on Peak Time, a survival show for “lesser-known” boy groups hoping to gain more exposure. Their latest EP, NEW CHAPTER : LUCEAT, was released on March 13, 2024. The title track “Fifty-Fifty” showed BAE173 in a sexy and strong concept that contrasts with their previous rebellious image seen in songs like “JAWS” and “DaSH.” In July 2024, Hangyul and J-Min collaborated with FANTASY BOYS’ Hong Sungmin and Kim Gyurae for “To. My Dear,” but that song only served to advertise the Lullua cosmetics brand.
FANTASY BOYS shares the name of the MBC survival show that formed them. They made their debut on September 21, 2023, with NEW TOMORROW and the title track of the same name. Their future title tracks would end up fluctuating between the fresh, youthful vibes of songs like “Pitter-Patter-Love” and the dance-oriented and mysterious concepts of songs like “Potential.” Their latest title track, “Undeniable,” released on March 20, 2025, falls within the latter category.
Xpert
BAE173 and FANTASY BOYS showcase their combined talents in “On the Rocks with Kiss,” a Latin-influenced song. Composed by SEAN OH and T.O.D, “On the Rocks with Kiss” contains a concept both groups can pull off: a cool, dance-focused song involving large choreography formations. However, it leans more into FANTASY BOYS’ previous work than BAE 173’s.
Double 0ne member Doha participates in the composition and lyric writing of the rest of Xpert, something he also did with BAE173’s and FANTASY BOYS’ latest EPs. “Reserved,” sung by the BAE173 members, draws from the funk genre, featuring a lively sound that contrasts with its title. “Toxic Lips,” sung by the FANTASY BOYS members, is a pop song whose concept comes off too similar to “On the Rocks with Kiss” and “Undeniable.” The song does not tread new ground.
The last three tracks on Xpert focus on “To You,” a song dedicated to BAE173 and FANTASY BOYS’ respective fandoms, ELSE and Bandi. Doha wrote the song a few years ago, and he described the song as one that “fits” Double 0ne’s circumstances. Three spots on the EP rehashing the same ballad comes as a disappointing move. I would have liked to see at least one more original song by all 11 members. Double0ne’s debut proves itself as an understandable move to capitalize on its members’ survival show appearances, but fails to provide a complete crossover experience.
Edited by Joi Berry