Kpopmap had the honor of covering ASTRO JinJin and Rocky’s media showcase. Here is everything you need to know about this magical duo’s debut. JinJin and Rocky came out onstage with high-energy, rocking trendy black and white outfits with matching leather jackets. Their synergy as a duo was obvious from the moment they greeted the audience as, “JinJin, in charge of being JinJin, of JINJIN&ROCKY,” and, “Rocky, in charge of being Rocky, of JINJIN&ROCKY.” The MC commented on how perfect it is that the duo is making their sub-unit debut on the day of the first snow for 2022 in Seoul. JinJin and Rocky shared that their second debut “Restore” meant a lot to them as they participated in the production process of every single song on the album. It is especially dear to them because they wondered a lot about how to show their charms through this project and worked hard to get it across. They described it as their first-born baby that they are so proud of. JinJin said that “Restore” is all about conveying a refreshing sound that is slightly different from their usual music as ASTRO. The album is supposed to restore your energy by taking you on a vacation from your current daily life. “Restore” has five tracks on it. The first track is the title track ‘숨 좀 쉬자 (Just Breathe)’ which is a funky pop song that will awaken you from the inside as it takes you away to a world of fun. JinJin and Rocky came up with the title of the song during their promotions for ASTRO’s ‘After Midnight’. They were having a discussion when Rocky sighed and they both took note of the people wearing masks around them. Inspired to take a breath, they came up with the title ‘숨 좀 쉬자 (Just Breathe)’. On Jan. 14, Fantagio Entertainment released the music video teaser for the title track ‘숨 좀 쉬자 (Just Breath)’. The teaser featured JinJin and Rocky getting a notice telling them that they have to quarantine. This leads them to imagine what it would be like to breathe as a metaphor for having fun and escaping the current reality.
You can watch the full music video here.
The second track on “Restore” is ‘Lazy (Feat. Weki Meki’s Choi YooJung)’ which JinJin also produced and picked as his favorite song on the album. He said that he was able to create the song very quickly as it felt like he was telling his own story. The song shows both sides of JinJin (including Park JinWoo) and the relatable lazy side that he has. The third song is ‘Lock down’ and the fourth song on the album is ‘Complete Me’. The fifth and final track is ‘CPR’ which Rocky also produced and picked as his favorite song on the album. It is a pop ballad that emotes the confusing emotions that come with love in a K-Drama-esque story. The boys talked more about their title track explaining the killing parts of their performance and point choreography. Rocky described the first killing part as the ‘Just Breathe’ part of the song. His personal favorite and the second killing part of the song is after the bridge when they talk about taking their masks off, filling their glasses, and making a toast. JinJin added that the point choreography is during the part where they sing ‘Just Breathe’ and bring their hands up 3 times as if taking in the air then take a deep exhale and bring their hands down. He described the second piece of point choreography as a dance move inspired by the duo’s nickname. When you combine Rocky’s nickname ‘Rock’ and ‘Jin’ from JinJin, you get JinRock. They created a JinRock gymnastics dance move, too. The dynamic duo then spoke about the process of coming up with their sub-unit. As the two are both members of the rap line, it raised the question, “Who is the main vocal of this sub-unit?” Rocky proudly answered that he took on the role and melted our hearts with his honey vocals. JinJin then shared that the duo matches each other so well that producing this album felt like a breeze. He shared that he always knew that Rocky was passionate but the dedication that he showed as they worked on this album reiterated his passion tenfold. Rocky also shared that even though he knew JinJin was a bright person, the way that he received all of Rocky’s ideas like a welcoming sponge made him realize that JinJin is one of the most optimistic people he knows. When asked how their sub-unit is different from the other ASTRO sub-unit (with members MoonBin and Yoon SanHa), the pair shared that their charm is what makes them different. They wanted to create an album where they could try everything that they wanted and think that the album’s strong point is that it is completely made by them (down to the finest details). The showcase finished off with a funky performance by this ultimate duo. Not only was their happiness and the fun vibe of the song apparent, but JinJin showed off his explosive rap skills and Rocky serenaded us with his melodic vocals and a killer high note. They proved, once again, that they are all-rounder performers. JinJin and Rocky finished off by saying that this sub-unit is a new start for them and they hope it can bring hope to AROHA (their fandom) in the New Year. “RESTORE” Coming Soon: Here’s Why JinJin & Rocky Make The Perfect Musical Duo KPOP STORIES|Jan 13, 2022
