GFriend has returned with “Crossroads,” the group’s first single under its new agency Big Hit Entertainment.

The lead track off the six-piece act’s eighth EP “Labyrinth,” “Crossroads” was highly anticipated, as it marked GFriend’s first release since its agency Source Music was acquired by Big Hit last year.

At a media showcase in Seoul on Monday, the group talked about working with new staff and producers, including Bang Si-hyuk, from Big Hit. 

“While we haven’t met Bang in person yet, our staff told us that Bang had high expectations for us and that he thinks of our group as ‘irreplaceable.’ Bang promised to give us his full support to keep creating content that can maximize our charm,” said band leader Sowon.

“Bang also took part in songwriting and producing our album. We could feel that he was giving his best support and that we could rely on him. Not only him, but other Big Hit staff also helped us a lot. We are really looking forward to what’s more to come,” she added.

The string-oriented new single stays true to expressive synth-pop the act is best known for. The bandmates sing about a girl “who stands at a crossroads,” contemplating whether to stay or move forward in the course of growing up. 

The six-track EP also comprises “Labyrinth,” “Here We Are,” “Eclipse,” “Dreamcatcher” and “From Me.” Bang is credited as a lyricist in “Labyrinth” and “From Me,” while Big Hit producers such as Adora and Frants participated in the overall creative process of the EP.

Umji went on to share that what differentiates the new EP from the act’s past works was that the songs all tie into one topic about making choices.

The music video for “Crossroads” is also devoid of choreography for the first time, focusing on storytelling. To highlight the EP’s concept, the group made an unprecedented decision not to feature its photo on the cover of physical copies.

“We received a lot of help from Big Hit in creating content. Thanks to them, the message we tried to deliver got clearer and more solid,” said Umji.

Asked about possible collaboration between the group and Big Hit labelmates, GFriend said it hopes to focus on its own activities.

Celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, the K-pop act debuted under Source Music with EP “Season of Glass” in 2015. It has released hit songs such as “Me Gustas Tu,” “Rough,” “Fingertip,” “Love Whisper” and “Fever.”

In July last year, Source Music merged with Big Hit. The two had previously launched girl group Glam together.

By Hong Dam-young (lotus@heraldcorp.com)