Seoul: Rookie K-pop idol band hrtz.wav made its debut Wednesday with the release of its first EP, "The First Wave." The five-member band-Youn Young-jun on keyboard, Riaan on vocals, Dane on bass, Keiten on guitar, and Hagiwa on drums-was formed with contestants who each ranked first in their respective positions on Mnet's band survival show "Steal Heart Club." Keiten and Hagiwa are Japanese members, while the other three members are South Korean.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the group's name merges "hrtz," referring to the frequency of the heart and sound, with "wav," symbolizing sound waves and high-quality audio. It reflects the members' ambition to "create a new wave in the world" through their music, as stated by Kakao Entertainment. At the debut showcase in Seoul, Dane mentioned the band had worked hard for four months following the conclusion of the "Steal Heart Club" show to prepare for their debut, expressing anticipation to show fans "its best sides."

Youn described the debut as "both exciting and emotional," viewing it as "a chance to repay everyone who waited for us." "The First Wave" explores youthful emotions through upbeat band sounds, catchy melodies, and energetic performances. The agency explained that the EP narrates the story of five members with different "frequencies" coming together to create "the first wave in a silent world."

The EP contains six tracks, including the lead single, "Nineteen," which draws parallels between the brightest yet most uncertain phase of youth and the age of 19. Other tracks include "Dream," "Highlight," and "I Am So Fine."

Riaan noted that the members initially had to adapt to each other's personalities and habits, as they had never been part of a team with this specific combination, even during the TV show. "But just as a rainbow brings many colors together to form harmony, we did the same by respecting each other's differences, playing music together and coordinating our opinions," he said. A distinct feature of hrtz.wav is drummer Hagiwa's masked identity-he does not reveal his face, age, or natural voice, maintaining the concept of being "born in Hagiwa World in Japan" three years ago.

Hagiwa expressed his desire to "share a lot of fun and good music," stating, "I thought I should take on this challenge and make people happy through music. Because many people on 'Steal Heart Club' embraced that, I am still happily doing music (with this concept) today."

Describing themselves as a team "that creates synergy when each member's unique personality is combined as one," the group aims to be "a band impossible to forget after seeing us once." "We hope to be a great band that leaves a lasting mark on the K-pop scene," Dane added.