[Dispatch=Reporter Kim Ji-ho] "The one with orange hair, that's me!"

As the sun sets, a boy with boyish visuals takes heavy breaths. He walks away from dancing to wipe his sweat. He makes eye contact with fans' cameras and breaks into a broad smile. It was a video that brought to mind the word youth.

This brief video quickly caught netizens' attention. People started wondering, "Who's the one with orange hair?" The protagonist is Park Se-chan (16), the maknae of rookie idol group YUHZ.

"During busking, my management director was wiping my sweat. That scene spread on X and Instagram and such, and I got the nickname 'the orange-haired one.' I was happy because there were lots of good comments. By the way, this comeback is 'the brown-haired one.' (laughs)"

Dispatch recently met with Se-chan from YUHZ for an exclusive interview. We heard the story of a bright rookie who will lead the next generation of K-pop.

◆ Dreaming of Being an Idol

Se-chan's first impression is 'idol.' He stands out with fancy yet Western-style visuals like a doll. In fact, he is a former child model. During elementary school, he also filmed an inline skating advertisement. Due to his visuals, agency casting came naturally.

The thrill of the stage also led him to the idol world. "I originally liked listening to music. My father took me to a Crayon Pop concert, and that was the first time I saw an idol's stage performance. I thought it looked really fun," he recalled.

"In first year of middle school, I was cast by JYP Entertainment. I was uncertain and hesitated, so I delayed auditioning for two years. I was scared of challenging something I'd never done before. But I eventually became a trainee there."

Many trainees come and go at major agencies. Se-chan was one of them. After JYP, he transferred to Cube Entertainment as a trainee, and at the suggestion of the new artist development team, he appeared on the audition program 'Be My Boys' on SBS-TV.

"I had only been a private trainee before, so appearing on an audition program gave me expectations but also great fear. I think I'm someone who's easily scared. I was worried about what would happen if I didn't do well."

◆ 'Be My Boys,' YUHZ

Se-chan's trainee period at JYP and Cube Entertainment totaled less than a year. His formal training period was not long. Nevertheless, he was selected in the audition program and debuted as YUHZ.

"In fact, because I started at a major agency, I hardly thought I could debut. There were countless trainees dreaming of debuting. I was just happy about the fact of debuting itself. The night before debut, I thought 'this feels so unreal.'"

The experience on the audition show was dopamine itself. "NCT, TVXQ!, Wanna One, and MONSTA X sunbaes directly evaluated my cover songs," he said, adding, "I remember them saying my voice was unique and good."

The team was formed on August 30, 2025. Besides Se-chan, Jun-seong, Haruto, Hyo (leader), Jae-il, Kai, Yeon-tae, and Bo-hyun became members. Pre-debut occurred in December 2025, taking approximately four months. The official debut was last May.

He said, "Thanks to the gap period between team formation and debut, we were able to get close with the members," and added, "All my hyungs have good personalities. The preparation period was anxious and difficult, but we supported each other and strengthened our teamwork while working hard."

◆ "I'll Show You Our Team"

What kind of team is YUHZ? What charm does it have? Se-chan's eyes lit up as he praised his hyungs. "My oldest hyung is Bo-hyun, but he doesn't really seem like the oldest. He looks chic, but he's funny and droll," he praised, adding, "His voice is so charming when he sings."

"Our leader is Hyo hyung. He always becomes the center of the team and leads everything for us. When practice gets unfocused, he immediately corrects it—he's a cool hyung. He's also really good at acting. He went to an academy and has acting experience."

Se-chan said, "Jae-il hyung is my attachment figure," explaining, "He's someone I'm with every day. I heard he used to do dance, and his performance ability is really good. He has great stage presence too. He even directly directs our team's performances."

"Jun-seong hyung is like a prince—pale and with a fawn-like feel. He has big eyes and a warm personality. He's YUHZ's mom. Kai hyung has an exotic look, he's our team's tallest, and he can speak both English and Japanese."

The maknae line is Yeon-tae, who is the same age as Se-chan. Se-chan said, "When I see Yeon-tae rap with his unique tone, it's really cool. He has a gentle feel, but when you look again, he has charisma," and added, "We've gotten really close recently."

◆ "Remember Park Se-chan"

Se-chan is the center of YUHZ. In both 'Rush Rush' and 'Supa Love' released after debut, he handled the opening. Both songs are refreshing dance tracks that suit Se-chan's boyish charm well.

In particular, Se-chan's presence stood out on the first music broadcast stage. He held the camera with both hands and sang the opening part. Without showing any nervousness, he performed with ease, showcasing his refreshing vocals.

Se-chan said, "The director suggested I try holding the end of the camera," and laughed, saying, "Of course I was very nervous and tense. Still, I had confidence I could do well. When I encountered fans' support during the pre-recording, the nervousness seemed to disappear."

Still 16 years old, he is a rookie with great potential. "Both I and the members are interested in songwriting and composition. Many of us practice on our own, and we have a strong desire to learn. We can do anything we're asked to do," he said with determination.

"For now, I often receive the evaluation that my vocal is my charm. I think I look younger than my age (16). I also think my eyes are pretty. I can pull off both cute and cool. And I'm confident about passion more than anything!"

◆ "We'll Drink Refreshing Down"

In October, as autumn arrives, YUHZ is making a comeback. On the 21st at 6 PM, they will release their first mini album 'B.' This time, they will present songs with a "drink refreshing down" feeling.

"It's an album to show you the real YUHZ. We'll 'drink down' the orange from 'Rush Rush,' so let me give you a spoiler. It's kitschy and hip! When I first heard the new song, I was like, 'We're doing this?'" he said with surprise.

This album depicts various aspects of youth in diverse ways. Se-chan's snappy opening is also prepared. Se-chan hinted, "You'll be able to see the cool, chic, and dark sides we have."

"We practiced dancing much more than last time, and you'll see addictive hand movements. I'm also taking the bridge part, which has a dreamy and darkening point, so please look forward to my expressions in that part too. I really practiced a lot."

Finally, Se-chan shared his activity goals. "Our biggest goal is to become a team loved by many people," and added, "What we all hope for is number one on the music charts and number one on music shows."

<Photo=Photographer Jung Young-woo (Dispatch)>