Song You Need To Know: XEED, ‘Dream Land’
The quartet debuted in December 2022 and are the only rookie idol group where all the members are over 25
Each of the four members of XEED are experienced artists with a significant amount of experience in the K-pop industry. Photo: Courtesy of Nature Space
It’s pretty rare to see a K-pop group debut with older members who are all over the age of 25, so it was a lovely surprise when XEED burst into the scene in December. The quartet — comprising Doha (30), Roni (28), Bao (26) and Jaemin (26) — debuted on December 1st with the EP Dream Land and its lead single of the same name.
“Dream Land” is a synth-pop number infused with doses of future bass and trap. In a fascinating turn of events, some of the verses also cruise through tinges of funk that add a sense of playfulness. The lyrics revolve around being transported or changed by love, like almost being pushed into a paradise of sorts: “Perfect day and night/ Don’t wake me up, you’re a paradise/ The moment you called my name, yeah, dream land/ Oh, want you bad, want you bad/ It blooms the moment we face each other, ah/ Oh, dream land, oh, dream land.”
The music video is a blend of grit and elegance — the members of XEED are dressed in sleek suits, crop tops and more punk-influenced looks, unafraid to embrace their sex appeal. Filmed in a massive parking garage, warehouses and other industrial-inspired locations, the video for “Dream Land” is mainly choreography-focused and gives the members a chance to show off their skills as dancers.
Including its title track, XEED’s debut EP Dream Land comprises a total of five songs: “Dream Land,” “Mirage,” “Stargazing,” “A Boy From Future” and “Just Like Now.” Each of the four members of the group are experienced artists with a significant amount of experience in the K-pop industry; leader Doha trained under SM Entertainment for several years, vocalist Roni was a soloist and a member of the short-lived boy group Off The Cuff, Bao was previously a member of the boy group Lucente until the band’s disbandment in 2021, while Jaemin was a popular contestant on the K-pop reality show Boys24 and backup dancer to various major Korean acts including BTS, Stray Kids and TXT.
XEED’s debut in a space where most new groups are below 20 years old caused a massive stir among K-pop fans, with many welcoming older idols into the mix and stating that there should be no age limits on debuting artists. The group join the likes of MAMADOL — a popular project group comprising female former idols who left the industry to have children and raise families — who highlight that talent has no deadlines and the industry needs to reevaluate debut ages.
