From NEW:ID to DAY ONE: Meet the P-pop Boy Group Who Is Starting All Over
A new beginning for the former quintet, returning as DAY ONE with six members.
After going off the map following their departure from MLD Entertainment, NEW:ID quickly put an end to fears of an indefinite hiatus. The P-pop boy group, originally composed of five members, has returned with a fresh start as DAY ONE. They have expanded to include a new member alongside the returning lineup.
The six-member act officially relaunched on August 5, unveiling its new branding and logo on social media. Most of the members changed their stage names: Macky now goes by Mark, Josh L or L is reintroduced as Eleven, Thad as Thaddeus, and Jom as Jace. Wilson kept his name, while DAY ONE also teased the identity of its newest member, Nyle. It’s still unclear which management they belong to, though some posts point to the possibility that they are handled by D1 Entertainment.
The rebrand arrives nearly a week after the group parted ways with its former management, MLD. According to the South Korean entertainment agency, the members mutually agreed to terminate their exclusive contracts after “careful discussion” with the company.
“This decision was made after thorough consideration and mutual discussion, and both parties have reached an agreement with respect for one another,” MLD said in a statement. “Although our journey as a management company and artists comes to an end here, we will sincerely support and cheer for the members as they move forward on their respective paths.”
NEW:ID, in the same post, released a handwritten letter to their fans, collectively known as NewDAYs, explaining their decision. The members said it was a choice that took a long time for them to make, knowing their journey belonged not only to them, but also to their fans. In 2024, they debuted under MLD following their strong finishes on ABS-CBN’s idol survival reality show, Dream Maker.
“A few days ago, we quietly reached our [second] debut anniversary. We always imagined celebrating another year with you, thanking you in person, and making more memories together,” the then-quintet wrote. “We’re so sorry we couldn’t make that happen.”
“Even so, you stayed,” they went on. “Through the silence, through every ‘maybe soon,’ and through every moment where believing in us wasn’t easy. We’ll never be able to thank you enough for that.”
The group reassured their fans that their decision, as painful as it may be for the time being, will ultimately be the best for everyone. They ended the letter with what turned out to be a teaser for what was to come.
“We’ll miss you, NewDAYs. But we don’t really like saying goodbye, so let’s just call it a ‘see you later,’” the members said. “After all, every new chapter has to begin somewhere… Sometimes, it begins on day one.”
True enough, just days later, that new chapter began. Now, as DAY ONE, they are ready to take their first steps toward reaching greater heights. With pre-debut busking activities underway this month to bring them closer to the audiences once more, the six-member P-pop boy group is starting again from the ground up — this time, with a new name and an added member, but undoubtedly with the same heart for their craft and their supporters since day one.