Rookie boy band LNGSHOT on their starstruck moments, perform in Singapore for 1st time

What once seemed like a long shot might become reality for rookie K-pop boy group LNGSHOT.

Fresh off their debut earlier this year, the quartet — comprising Ohyul, 20, Ryul, 20, Woojin, 18, and Louis, 16 — was the headline performer at the National Basketball Association (NBA) Rising Stars Invitational, held at OCBC Arena, on Sunday (June 28).

In addition to being the group’s first time performing in Singapore, Louis described the experience as “a dream come true” in a media interview that same day.

He added to AsiaOne he has been watching the basketball leagues since he was five years old and that his father also loved watching the games.

Woojin added: “It feels like I just woke up and suddenly we’re headlining NBA, it’s fascinating.”

LNGSHOT made their official debut on Jan 13 with their EP Shot Callers and the group name is derived from the term “long shot”, reflecting the members’ underdog spirit and determination to succeed.

Woojin pointed to the award Rookie of the Year as a dream that once felt like a “long shot” but is now one they hope to achieve — a sentiment the rest of the members agreed with.

Louis revealed that the group has also been working hard on their second album, telling Shotties (fandom name) to “be prepared”.

Recalling one of his biggest starstruck moments, Ohyul picked the group’s meeting with basketball athletes, including NBA legend Kevin Garnett, at the NBA Flagship Store in Seoul earlier this month.

He also described seeing themselves on the big screen at OBCB Arena as “a surreal moment”.

According to their profiles, all four members are introverts.

When asked who’s the most extroverted member among them, Ohyul picked either Ryul or Woojin, explaining he considers himself more introverted as he spends most of his energy performing on stage and needs time to recharge afterwards.

The NBA Rising Stars Invitational is the league’s high-school basketball tournament featuring 12 boys teams and 12 girls teams from across Asia-Pacific held from June 23 to 28 at OCBC Arena.

In the boys’ division, Singapore was represented by Hwa Chong Institution and the Institute of Technical Education, while the girls’ division saw Hwa Chong Institution and Nanyang Polytechnic take part.

Aside from being headline performers, LNGSHOT also made appearances on the final day of the event, including engaging with participants on the court and taking part in outreach activities.

Former basketball athletes and NBA champions Jeremy Lin, Mitch Richmond and Lauren Jackson were also present at the event, taking part in a basketball clinic on Sunday morning before spectating the finals in the afternoon.

The winners of the tournament were Seika Girls’ High School of Japan and South Korean’s Kyungbock High School.

LNGSHOT fill arena with energy and cheers

Shortly after the awards ceremony, the quartet took the stage (or rather, the court) around 8pm, performing a mix of their pre-debut and debut releases.

Opening with Are You Ready, LNGSHOT brought the energy from the get-go, encouraging fans to stand up and gather closer to the stage, akin to a mosh pit.

They smoothly segued into a charming performance of FaceTime before delivering one of their most viral songs Never Let Go.

Ending the set on a spicy and thrilling note, the members launched into Saucin’, sending the crowd jumping and cheering as they sang along with the quartet.

Throughout their set, the members kept fans on their feet by taking turns interacting with those in the bleachers, with Ohyul and Ryul even heading into the stands to perform right in front of them.

Following their performance, videos circulating on X showed the members greeting fans waiting outside the arena, with Ohyul even stopping to sign a few autographs to fans’ delight.

Watch for our video with LNGSHOT!

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esther.lam@asiaone.com 

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