[MyDaily — Park Seoyeon] The band Xdinary Heroes (Gunil, Jungsu, Gaon, O.de, Junhan, Juyeon) say they’re highly satisfied with their new release.
Xdinary Heroes will release their eighth mini-album, DEAD AND, at 1 p.m. on the 17th. The record conveys that every ending opens the door to new possibilities and focuses on the kind of “heroes” who rise again after being knocked down.
In a recent interview ahead of the release, Gunil said, “It’s been a while since we put out a mini-album, and it includes many songs we truly cherish. We put a lot of love into this record and have high expectations. We’re very excited about the release.”
Jungsu expressed gratitude to fans who have been waiting and to everyone who listens. “At some point, releasing an album stopped feeling like just work and became a space to breathe,” he said with a smile. “I’m happy and looking forward to the fun experiences this album will bring.”
DEAD AND began with the concept of “farewell.” Junhan explained, “We started from the keyword ‘farewell’ and asked ourselves, ‘What is an end?’ The title track, ‘Voyager,’ carries a message about continuing forward without losing hope even when an ending feels uncertain.”
When asked why they centered the album on farewell, Juyeon replied, “When I write, I imagine a lot. The emotion I connect with most is longing. I write about things I treasured and the memories I hold dear. For me, farewell is closely tied to that feeling, so we chose it as our concept.”
Gunil emphasized the album’s consoling intent. “We’re not a group facing a breakup, so this isn’t just our story,” he said. “In life, everyone experiences big and small goodbyes — a beloved pet dying, losing touch with a close friend. There are a lot of sad partings. We wanted these songs to help people, to make the world feel a bit more beautiful, and to offer comfort. Even now, countless farewells are happening around the world, and we wanted to comfort those moments.”
Gaon discussed the album title’s symbolism. “DEAD END usually means a dead-end road, but we changed the E to an A to give it a sense of ‘and,’” he said. “That shift made ‘Voyager’ feel like something that, having completed its mission, sets off on its true journey. In that sense, ‘Voyager’ and DEAD AND fit well together, and I wrote the song with that emotional angle.”
He added, “After completing a personal or noble mission, people often wonder what’s next. Retirement or finishing a major project can leave anyone uncertain. I wanted to send the message that there are still many ways to shine afterward — it’s not the end.”
All members received credits across every track, underlining how deeply they care about this album.
Asked how satisfied he was with the record, Juyeon answered, “Personally, I’d give it about an 85 to 90. I’m proud of it. I think our stylistic range keeps expanding, and each member’s individual color is becoming clearer. That makes me hopeful we’ll release albums scoring above 90 in the future.”
On why he stopped short of a perfect score, he said, “If I gave it 100, I’d lose the drive to improve. I always leave a tiny margin to keep pushing forward,” reflecting a serious artist’s mindset.
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