ASTRO’s MJ and Jinjin are starting a brand-new chapter together — and it’s one that’s been 13 years in the making.
On August 13 at 6 PM KST, the duo will debut as the unit Junijin with their first mini-album DICE, released through major online music platforms.
During an interview at Fantagio’s building in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul, the two shared their excitement for their new beginning.
DICE is all about enjoying the moment in your own way, free from the standards and expectations of others. Its title track Some Things Never Change is an easy-listening song with a simple yet addictive rap and melody, carrying a nostalgic mood that reflects memories from their carefree days and the unchanging friendships that remain today.
The name Junijin comes from combining MJ’s real name Kim Myung Jun and Jinjin’s real name Park Jin Woo. MJ, ASTRO’s main vocalist, has released solo music like Happy Virus and sung for various OSTs. Jinjin, the group’s leader and main rapper, has worked on self-composed tracks through JIN LAB and produced many of ASTRO’s songs.
Both have also proven their talents as musical actors — MJ in productions like Jamie and Jack the Ripper, and Jinjin in works such as Dream High and Crash Landing on Love.
In ASTRO’s 9th anniversary year, MJ and Jinjin released the special single Twilight (written and composed by Jinjin) and held The 4th ASTROAD [Stargraphy] concerts in Korea and Japan — their first in three years.
“Even though we’re in our 10th year, this is our first debut as a unit,” Junijin said. “We thought we could create a fun synergy, so we worked with excitement and approached it like rookies. We made music with public appeal in mind, and we’re confident in the result.”
Jinjin explained that the title track’s easy-listening vibe came naturally: “We started with a hip-hop base and adjusted it to fit MJ hyung’s style — reducing the rap, making it simpler. The lyrics reflect how our current selves are still similar to our trainee days. Among ourselves, nothing has changed.”
MJ added, “The unit name came from what we usually call each other, so it’s easy to remember. When the members first heard the song, they couldn’t imagine the concept, but after seeing the music video, they said, ‘This is your color.’ Eunwoo even gave us feedback on our dance lines, and it made the performance better.”
Jinjin concluded, “We’re the oldest-line and also the ‘short-line’ in the team. MJ is the only one older than me, so I relied on him a lot. Preparing for this unit made me realize just how much chemistry we’ve built over 13 years. At first, finding our color was tough, but now it feels like we’re wearing the perfect outfit.”
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