Band reflects on autobiographical album, tracks for fans, desire to stand on own BoyNextDoor (Koz Entertainment) Three years after their debut, BoyNextDoor returns with the group's first LP — and with what the band says may be its most personal work yet.The six-member boy band releases its first LP, “Home,” on Monday, marking the first new effort since fifth EP “The Action.” The album traces the journey from the bandmates' trainee days to their present, bringing together stories of youth, family, fans, ambition and the memories that shaped them.“For a singer, releasing a full-length album feels symbolic,” said Woonhak during a group interview Thursday in Seongdong-gu, eastern Seoul. “This album is especially meaningful because it contains many autobiographical stories. We also made it while thinking about our fans, so I’m excited to see how they respond.”Woonhak said “Home” refers not to a physical house, but to a place of comfort. Each track represents a different “room,” allowing them to share the stories they experienced before and after the group's debut. BoyNextDoor (Koz Entertainment) That honesty is especially clear in tracks such as “06070,” “Remember Me” and fan-dedicated songs “I Wonder” and “I Wonder, Always.”Jaehyun said “06070” begins from the period when he worked part-time jobs at age 20 with a dream to pursue music, while “Remember Me” contains lyrics that are like letters written to their parents.“With ‘I Wonder’ and ‘I Wonder, Always,’ we didn’t simply write about love just because they are fan songs,” explained leader Jaehyun. “We expressed the honest emotions we feel toward our fans — how something so precious can also make us feel afraid or anxious because we don’t want to lose it. I believe these are stories we probably couldn’t have said out loud if we didn’t feel we had a real bond with our fans and general listeners.”Sungho explained that “I Wonder, Always,” which will only be available via the physical CD, is different to “I Wonder” due to its level of intimacy.“Each member was assigned 16 bars to share stories only we and OneDoor (the group's fandom) would understand,” he said. “That’s why the song became six minutes long, but also why the song was made to be only available through a physical album, as we wanted only OneDoor to listen to it.” BoyNextDoor (Koz Entertainment) Jaehyun added that placing the fan songs at the end of the album was intentional.“We wanted to say that the long journey of searching for our home eventually comes together through our fans,” he said. “We explored many things that feel like places of comfort to us throughout the album, but at the center of it all, our fans are always there.”The lead track “Viral” carries a different kind of desire. Built around the hope that BoyNextDoor’s music will spread to more people, the song uses the metaphor of wanting a former lover to hear a song after a breakup.“The song is about hoping this song reaches the ears of someone who left,” Jaehyun said. “Beyond a breakup song, it reflects our ambition for BoyNextDoor’s music to reach more people around the world.”In addition to Jaehyun's explanation of the lead track, Sungho said that the song reflects the group's desire for a success so big that BoyNextDoor appears on everyone's feed. BoyNextDoor (Koz Entertainment) For the group, that ambition also meant taking on a more serious and weighty tone than in previous releases.“Since this is a full-length album and it contains stories that were inside us, we talked about wanting the main track to be more serious, sincere and weighty than what we had shown before,” Riwoo said. “We realized that we had never done a song like this in the three years since our debut, and thought it could become another weapon for us.”While BoyNextDoor members frequently took part in producing their own tracks, “Home” marks the first time all six were credited for all the tracks.“This album was the first album where all six of us took part in the production process from start to finish,” said Taesan. “The entire process took around a year, but it’s definitely a milestone that reflects BoyNextDoor’s growth.”The bandmates also said they feel increasingly confident standing on their own as BoyNextDoor, moving beyond the “Zico’s idols” label that followed them in their early years as the first boy group produced by the rapper and Koz Entertainment founder.That growth, however, has come with urgency. Jaehyun said the group spent nearly the first half of the year almost entirely focused on preparing the album, saying the project was one they desperately wanted to succeed. BoyNextDoor (Koz Entertainment) Woonhak added that their desperation comes from the time and sincerity poured into “Home.”“Since ‘Home’ is an album we spent almost a year making with all our sincerity, effort and spirit, I think we just really want it to reach people,” said Woonhak. “Because we wrote so many of our personal stories, we hope people will be able to connect with the human side of BoyNextDoor.”As the group marks the third anniversary of its official debut and enters its fourth year, the bandmates said they hope “Home” can open a new chapter for the team.“Over the past three years, many layers have built up inside us,” Sungho said. “We wanted to include those emotions in this album, and I think this is also about showing a new side of BoyNextDoor. We want this more honest and toned-down side of us to be recognized too.”