Five months after their agency began teasing a mysterious new lineup, WAYF BOYS are officially on the runway. The Seoul-based independent label WAYF has confirmed the group will release its debut single, “WAYF BOYS DO,” worldwide on August 7 at 1 p.m. KST, following a scene-stealing first live performance at Waterbomb Seoul 2026 on July 26.
Unlike most rookie groups that build hype slowly, WAYF BOYS crossed a million Instagram followers before releasing a single note of music — an unusually fast climb for an independent label with no major-company backing.
Why the Name “WAYF”?
The agency’s name carries a deliberate double meaning: “Where Art Yields Freedom” and “We Are Your Friend.”
According to founder and general producer Czaer (Son Seong-ho), the idea is to build a company where artists shape their own identity through creative freedom rather than being pressed into a house style — while also closing the distance between artist and fan.
That philosophy extends to the group itself, which brands its sound and aesthetic as “Nu-Kpop”: a self-produced, crew-style approach where the members handle not just music and performance, but styling and content creation too.
The Members
Andrew (Andrew Han) — A Korean-American vocalist born in Dallas, Texas, and a former Boys II Planet contestant.
Before WAYF, he was part of the duo DREW & JAE and briefly in BOYNEXTDOOR’s pre-debut lineup. He writes his own material and lists Michael Jackson as his biggest influence.
Ryan (Ryan Hwang) — A Korean-American singer from New York with prior training at SM and FNC Entertainment.
Also a Boys II Planet alum, Ryan already has solo credits under WAYF, including the 2025 digital single “AROJIN” and an OST contribution to the dance survival show Stage Fighter.
Jun-myeong (Lee Jun-myeong) — Formerly trained at YG, Starship, and More Vision, and previously a B:MY BOYZ contestant.
Anderson — A former contestant on NCT Universe: LASTART.
Samuel — A former More Vision trainee under Jay Park, and a contestant on Show Me the Money 11.
Between them, the five members carry training pedigrees from some of Korea’s biggest houses — YG, SM, Starship, FNC, KOZ, and More Vision — but are debuting under a label barely a year old.
What’s Next
“WAYF BOYS DO” arrives as the group’s formal introduction, with the agency describing the track as a distillation of the members’ individuality, confidence, and free-spirited stage presence.
Unreleased material previewed at Waterbomb suggests a fuller project isn’t far behind.
For a group that built an audience before it had a discography, August 7 is less an arrival than a confirmation of momentum already underway.
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Words: Kpoppie Magazine Editorial
Photography: © WAYF. Hero image AI-adjusted for aspect ratio and web formatting only. All original photography © Kpoppie Magazine / WAYF.
Published by: Kpoppie Magazine, a publication of Velocity Entertainment Inc. Limited (Japan/New Zealand)
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