Album Review: &Team’s 2nd Korean Mini-Album “Mark on Me”

On September 8, YX Labels’ 9-member boy group, &Team About group &TEAM &TEAM is a nine-member Japanese boy group under YX LABELS. The group consists of EJ, FUMA, K, NICHOLAS, YUMA, JO, HARUA, TAKI, and MAKI. The group was formed through the survival program &AUDITION - The Howling and officially debuted on December 7, 2022, with the mini album First Howling : ME. &TEAM promotes primarily in Japan while maintaining a strong international K-pop presence. The group later expanded its activities in South Korea with its Korean debut. Their official fandom name is LUNÉ. returned with their second Korean six mini-album

This second Korean mini-album comes nearly one year after the release of their 1st Korean mini-album, Back to Life, which was released in October of last year, and officially marked their debut in South Korea.

The six track mini-album continues to follow the group’s ongoing lore and connection to werewolves, a concept that dates all the way back to their debut. Their overall story follows nine werewolves living isolated lives who eventually find a way to each other forming a pack and discovering a sense of belonging.

What sets the concept of Mark on Me apart is its focus on the romantic side of the lore. Rather than focusing solely on the connection between the members, the story follows a werewolf who was once rejected by society, and has come to believe that he has finally found that one who can accept him and heal his wounds.

Since its release on the 8th, Mark on Me has sold over 1,224,524 copies on its first day, making this the group’s highest first-day sales on the Hanteo Physical Album Chart, surpassing their record from their first Korean mini-album Back to Life.

Now let’s get into the album’s six tracks.

TRACKLIST

Track 1: “Mark on Me”

“Mark on Me’, which serves as the album’s title track, is a pop sounding song. The track opens with a beautiful, soft piano medley that initially gives the impression that the song will maintain its gentle atmosphere. However, it gradually becomes more intense as the chorus kicks in, showcasing the group’s beautiful vocals, which adds additional emotional depth to the song.

The lyrics in “Mark on Me” portray a deep desire for a connection with someone who embraces them despite the scars they have, allowing them to surrender to that connection while longing for a lasting imprint that symbolizes the bond they share.

This story is also conveyed through both the music video and choreography, as the graceful yet powerful movements help develop the narrative through the song. This showcases the versatility of the group’s choreography while allowing the emotions of the song to be expressed through the movement. Furthermore, the atmosphere of the music video connects both the lyrics and choreography which allows for a cohesive storyline.

This track was produced by Griff Clawson, who has previously worked with Rosé and NCT About group NCT NCT is a South Korean boy group formed by SM Entertainment with a unique multi-unit concept. There are 6 units within NCT; NCT 127, NCT DREAM, NCT WISH, WayV, NCT U, NCT DOJAEJUNG. and features songwriting contributions from Benson Boone and Mika Premnas.

Track 2: “Good Boy”

The second song on Mark on Me is the hip-hop influenced track “Good Boy.” This high energy hip-hop track is quite different from the vocal heavy title track, but it has been catching the attention of both fans and non-fans since its initial release.

Starting with a heavy bassline that brings in a chant-like shout from the members themselves sets the overall tone on how the song will sound. This song is also more rap heavy, but still has moments where the vocals are beautifully placed creating a cohesive sound.

The lyrics also connect back to the group’s lore and connection to werewolves through the name “Good Boy,” which has caught the attention of fans. With lyrics like the ones below, the song further ties into the group’s lore while also unleashing a more mature side of the group.

You can never tame me

Born this way A to Z

it’s a wild one

The closer I get to the edge, the more I take aim.

Eyes on the prey,

I’m just trying to be an icon

All five members of the fifth generation boy group CORTIS participated in the songwriting of the song and member Martin was credited for producing the track.

Track 3: “Love Jang (러브장)

The third track of this album, and a personal favorite, is “Love Jang (러브장).” This song is heavily influenced by the sound of the 90s, creating a strong sense of nostalgia while listening.

The song’s uplifting, lighthearted melody further enhances its 90s inspired sound and contributes to the overall sound of nostalgia from the beginning to the end of the song. Through the lyrics, we see that the song metaphorically represents how their feelings for this special person are represented in a way of words written in their journal.

The lyrics, “The feelings written on this page, gently making their way to you,” expresses a cute sentiment on how they have been bottling up these feelings in words in their journal and took the time to carefully express these feelings to that special person.

Fans of &Team About group &TEAM &TEAM is a nine-member Japanese boy group under YX LABELS. The group consists of EJ, FUMA, K, NICHOLAS, YUMA, JO, HARUA, TAKI, and MAKI. The group was formed through the survival program &AUDITION - The Howling and officially debuted on December 7, 2022, with the mini album First Howling : ME. &TEAM promotes primarily in Japan while maintaining a strong international K-pop presence. The group later expanded its activities in South Korea with its Korean debut. Their official fandom name is LUNÉ. , LUNÉ, have also compared “Love Jang” to some of their other songs in their discography, including “Mismatch” and “Buzz Love” with both songs also having a nostalgic 90s R&B feel to them.

Track 4: “Accelerate”

The fourth track on the album is a chill, laid back, R&B track “Accelerate.” This easy listening song also gives off a nostalgic feeling, much like “Love Jang.” Through the lyrics of the song you can grasp that sense of nostalgia and further understand the overall storyline and meaning of the song.

The lyrics of “Accelerate” tells the story of someone who was at a point in their life where they thought this was the end. However, they came across the person who helped them get back up and gave them the strength to continue moving forward. This is conveyed through the lenses of a nighttime drive, hence the use of the word “accelerate” alluding to the fact of being in a car with that special someone who brought them back up on a late night drive, which further adds to the song’s overall nostalgic feeling.

This easy listening track provides so much in just under two minutes and fifteen seconds, giving you that daydreaming feeling that allows you to really think about the lyrics and image yourself in them.

Grammy award-winning producer, Chizzy Stephens produced this track and songwriter Will Jay contributed to the songwriting of this track.

Track 5: “Empty”

The second to last track on Mark on Me, is an emotional, alternative rock ballad called “Empty.” Compared to the bright feeling that “Love Jang” provided on this album, “Empty” is a much rather deeper and heavier track that is very vocal heavy, once again showcasing the group’s strong and powerful vocals.

The song builds from a soft instrumental beginning before transforming into the powerful vocals from the members, creating an emotional atmosphere for the listener. What sets this song apart from the rest of the album is the song’s emphasis on vulnerability and feelings of emptiness in a world that sees you differently.

As the song continues, however, they realize that there is one person in this world who can help heal them and without that person in their life, the emptiness begins to return. In the lyrics of the song they say, “Without you, empty, wrap your arms around me, battered, and worn, hold me close, yeah I keep coming back for more…,” This person becomes their saving grace, providing them with the comfort and support they need to heal from these lingering scars.

Track 6: “Night to Howl!”

The final track on Mark on Me, and another favorite of mine is the pop-punk influenced track “Night to Howl!” This song is a great way to close out an album like this one and as you listen to it, you can’t help but feel a strong sense of togetherness.

This song would be the perfect choice to perform as the final songs at one of their shows. I can imagine the members and fans at the show singing it at the top of their lungs together, which would perfectly represent the idea of “howling.” The song is also very reminiscent of the pop-punk bands and music that came out during the 2000s-2010s including songs from Australian pop-punk band 5 Seconds of Summer, that even fans have been comparing to on social media.

This song also ties back into the group’s ongoing lore and their connection to werewolves, which is even evident in the title, “Night to Howl!” It feels like a culmination of that concept while also serving as fitting conclusion to the album.

The lyrics also allude to the idea of no longer holding back and shouting out everything they’ve been holding back with the act of “howling” becoming a metaphor for letting those feelings out.

Through this six track album we were able to see the versatility of the group while also following a storyline that carries through the entirety of the album. It is definitely a favorite of mine and has been on repeat ever since it was released.

The group held their official showcase for Mark on Me on September 8th, the same day the album was officially released, where they performed the tracks from the album. &Team About group &TEAM &TEAM is a nine-member Japanese boy group under YX LABELS. The group consists of EJ, FUMA, K, NICHOLAS, YUMA, JO, HARUA, TAKI, and MAKI. The group was formed through the survival program &AUDITION - The Howling and officially debuted on December 7, 2022, with the mini album First Howling : ME. &TEAM promotes primarily in Japan while maintaining a strong international K-pop presence. The group later expanded its activities in South Korea with its Korean debut. Their official fandom name is LUNÉ. has also begun promoting “Mark on Me” on various Korean music broadcast shows, including their first official comeback stage on Mcountdown yesterday.

A documentary about their second mini-album, Mark on Me, is also set to debut on Netflix Korea on September 11, 2026. &Team About group &TEAM &TEAM is a nine-member Japanese boy group under YX LABELS. The group consists of EJ, FUMA, K, NICHOLAS, YUMA, JO, HARUA, TAKI, and MAKI. The group was formed through the survival program &AUDITION - The Howling and officially debuted on December 7, 2022, with the mini album First Howling : ME. &TEAM promotes primarily in Japan while maintaining a strong international K-pop presence. The group later expanded its activities in South Korea with its Korean debut. Their official fandom name is LUNÉ. is also set to meet their fans throughout the album’s promotion period through various fansign events.

The group also announced their 2026-2026 concert tour, “Mark on You” following the conclusion of their final encore show in Saitama, Japan, as part of their 2026 “Blaze The Way” concert tour.

Mark on Me is available now on all streaming platforms, while the official music video for “Mark on Me” is available on YouTube.