For their second single-album HEAT, self-producing six-member K-pop group 82MAJOR – NAM SEONG MO, PARK SEOK JOON, YOON YE CHAN, CHO SEONG IL, HWANG SEONG BIN, and KIM DO GYUN – are picking up exactly where "Sign" left off and pushing the temperature further. The group write, compose, and arrange their own music, and HEAT arrives off the back of a 25-city North American tour and a 5-city European run.

Fronted by the title track "Like Fire,” the melody stays cool and restrained while a synth-heavy beat and repeated hook push the song toward something more explosive. HWANG SEONG BIN says the chorus stayed with him from the first listen, while CHO SEONG IL was drawn to the way the song gradually builds rather than revealing all its energy at once.

KIM DO GYUN, who takes center-stage during the chorus, focused not only on choreography but on facial expressions and gestures that could carry the song’s sensual, effortless energy. PARK SEOK JOON also points to the challenge of maintaining steady vocals while delivering the choreography’s relaxed bounce. In the music video, an action sequence gave the members another way to translate the song’s intensity into something physical and cinematic.

The rest of HEAT resists any temptation to just repeat that formula. "오늘 어때 (wyd?)" is written and produced almost entirely in-house by YOON YE CHAN, PARK SEOK JOON and NAM SEONG MO, and trades "Like Fire"'s intensity for something looser and more youthful, a song about wanting to see someone without saying so outright. YE CHAN calls it their attempt to put a personal spin on the 2000s R&B revival, and CHO SEONG IL's choreography contribution, his first hands-on creative credit since "Illegal", gives the track its chill physicality.

Elsewhere, a Spanish version of their 2025 house hit "TROPHY" is 82MAJOR's first real step into releasing music in another language rather than just covering in one. The Viann remix of "Sign" closes the record: HWANG SEONG BIN says the version was originally built for an awards show performance, with breath work and piano detailing sharpening the song's tension in ways that, per KIM DO GYUN and NAM SEONG MO, changed how the choreography itself had to move.

HWANG SEONG BIN The chorus of our new title track, "Like Fire," is incredibly catchy, so I think it will stay with you after just one listen. When I first heard it, I loved how the melody itself was understated while the synth-driven beat hit hard. I hope our fans feel that same impact I felt. Every member paid close attention to the details when we recorded the song, and I think that really comes through in the song's dynamics.

For the "Like Fire" music video, we shot an action sequence together. We worked really hard on it because we wanted to channel the song's explosive energy through that scene. Seeing how much our fans enjoyed the scene gave me more confidence.

KIM DO GYUN "Like Fire" has a sexy vibe. The chorus was particularly challenging to record because I had to keep a relaxed tone while bringing out all the subtle details. In fact, all my parts needed to feel effortless overall while still emphasizing certain moments, so I put a lot of effort into getting them right.

I take center during the chorus, and there was a lot that I wanted to show our fans, so I practiced hard from the early stages – not only on the choreography, but also on my facial expressions and gestures. I hope the song receives just as much love as we put into it.

YOON YE CHAN Following "Sign," we continued to explore a hip-hop style infused with R&B elements through "Like Fire," showcasing how our sound and musical direction have evolved over time. Although our style of singing and rapping has changed, one thing that hasn't changed is our production and I feel like "Like Fire" shows that. With IOAH as the lead producer, we've released nothing but bangers. I've learnt a lot about producing just by watching IOAH create, and I think the only reason why our sound and my music has developed so much is all thanks to IOAH.

CHO SEONG IL When I first heard "Like Fire," I wondered whether the repeated phrase "Like Fire" might sound monotonous. But once the lyrics were finished and we recorded the song, the six members' distinct voices came together so well that it didn't feel monotonous at all. I especially love how the track begins on a restrained note and gradually builds in energy toward the end.

It was not an easy song to sing because I often had to switch between my chest voice and falsetto. But I felt that it suited my voice very well. I spent a lot of time working through the details in the studio so I could give the best performance possible.

PARK SEOK JOON I did an action scene with YE CHAN midway through the "Like Fire" music video. We finished rehearsing it much faster than we expected because our timing was so good. Once we were actually on set, though, we kept laughing every time we made eye contact. We had to film that short scene over and over again.

In the studio, I recorded my parts several times, paying close attention to where I needed to pull back or add emphasis. It wasn't easy, but I was able to get through the session since I had practiced a lot beforehand.

Fans really seem to like the moment when I move to the center while singing, "Slow down." I practiced that part on my own so many times. While the overall choreography needs to feel relaxed, that particular part also has a lot of bounce, which makes it difficult to keep my vocals steady.

NAM SEONG MO When I first heard the song, I found the repeated use of the word "fire" incredibly catchy, and I also thought the beat was very polished. As we recorded the song, I discovered even more of its appeal. And once the choreography was complete and all the elements came together onstage, it really felt like a complete picture. The concept suits our visuals extremely well. Everyone embodies the concept so naturally, which I think is part of why our fans like the song so much. My favorite part is the final outro because the performance feels especially sexy and powerful there.

HWANG SEONG BIN SEOK JOON, SEONG MO, and YE CHAN created this song. The first time I heard the demo, I could immediately sense what they wanted to express, and I thought, "The six of us could create great synergy on this song." The demo version already felt fresh and youthful, and I could instantly picture it as a summer song. SEOK JOON, SEONG MO, and YE CHAN directed us during the recording sessions, suggesting how we should approach each part. Some of their ideas differed from what I had initially envisioned, but once I followed their direction, the results sounded even better. The entire creative process is a happy memory for me.

YOON YE CHAN As for "wyd?", I thought to myself as a producer and a songwriter, "what feeling do I want to convey through our songs?" And the conclusion I came up with is showing a more youthful side of ourselves. As R&B enjoyers and with the resurgence of 2000s R&B I wanted to show our own twist on the genre and I think we succeeded with "wyd?". SEONG MO, SEOK JOON, and I contributed to the song-making process as well whether it be actually toplining, lyrics, and making the beat itself. In fact the beat for "wyd?" was a loop I made back in like late 2025 or early 2026, so seeing our hard work bear fruit is super exciting.

CHO SEONG IL We split into teams to work on songs, and we all liked the track SEONG MO, SEOK JOON, and YE CHAN created so much that we decided to include it on the album. As soon as I heard it, ideas for the choreography started coming to me, so I took part in creating it. I wanted the movement to feel as chill as possible to complement the song's mood, and a lot of my choreography ultimately made it into the chorus. This was the first time since "Illegal" that I had taken such an active role in creating choreography for one of our songs. It was a great experience and so much fun. I would love to contribute to the choreography or songwriting again on our next album.

KIM DO GYUN The guys wrote such a great song. I was excited from the moment I heard the demo, and I could not wait to perform it onstage. The melody is especially well crafted, and I found myself smiling as I recorded my part. My favorite is the section that goes, "Checking if you got a man I don't mind. I can make you switch sides overnight. You smile and say, see you next time. No way. We got only now." I found the lyrics really intriguing. Since the song captures that flutter of excitement, I think of 82DE ("Etty" for short) whenever I sing it. I love you, Etty!

PARK SEOK JOON Like the title suggests, we wanted the lyrics to show a more mature way of asking someone out. Instead of telling them to come meet you, you ask, "Are you free today?" You want to see them, but you don't pressure them. Once we had a basic framework for the song, we settled on the theme and began writing the lyrics. It was fun developing them through conversations with YE CHAN and SEONG MO. I remember the three of us getting together after wrapping up our schedules and working until morning. I was so eager to share the song with our fans.

NAM SEONG MO I was the one who suggested "wyd?" as the key phrase. I think the performance turned out both cute and cool to match it. The lyrics are direct, but I like how they show someone being a little obsessed while trying not to let it show.

Using a phone in the performance was also my idea. You could ask someone if they're free in person, but it's the kind of question people often ask over the phone. I imagined all six of us taking turns on the phone, each trying to convince a person to come meet us. I'm glad the fans found it cute. We practiced with our actual phones, constantly reminding one another, "Don't actually throw it!" because we were worried someone might let go by accident. (laughs)

YOON YE CHAN For "TROPHY" (Spanish Ver.), I personally think that this was a really needed song. We've done cover songs in a lot of different languages up until this point, but we've never actually "released" anything in another language, and I think through this release, we're kind of stating that we'll branch out into more languages and different cultures to expand our reach to more and more fans globally. I hope it reached all of our Spanish-speaking fans. Love you all!

HWANG SEONG BIN Before recording the song, we received a Spanish vocal guide and used it to practice the pronunciation. Perhaps all that preparation paid off, because our Spanish-language director told us that our pronunciation was excellent, and the session went more smoothly than I expected. The pronunciation seemed difficult when I first heard the Spanish lyrics, but I became more confident the more I practiced.

Recording our original title track again in Spanish also felt like an opportunity for us to grow as artists. My favorite line is "Tumba y retumba mi flow on street." It is one of my parts, and I love the rhythm of the words.

CHO SEONG IL At first, I was mostly worried about whether we could do the Spanish pronunciation justice. Even while practicing, I kept wondering, "Is this right? Am I really saying it correctly?" But once we started recording, the director really hyped us up, which gave me confidence right away.

Recording this song made me want to sing in many more languages in the future. I would also love to perform it for our Spanish-speaking fans someday.

PARK SEOK JOON One of my lines goes, "En la ultima pa-ra-ra-da." The line was so much fun to pronounce, and I had a great time recording it. The preparation was challenging, though, because we had to fit Spanish lyrics into the existing vocal lines, so I listened to the Spanish guide recording over and over. I think our fans would really enjoy seeing us perform this version, and I am excited about the idea. It would make for a fun performance.

KIM DO GYUN The idea of recording a Spanish version of "TROPHY" was exciting in itself. I have always thought Spanish was a really cool language, so I felt both excited and nervous going into it. I am proud of how well the track turned out. There were many places where we had to roll our r's, and I enjoyed practicing those details and bringing them to life. Fans might have even more fun listening if they imagine not only how I pronounce each line, but also the facial expressions I would make while performing it!

NAM SEONG MO I had already been studying a little Spanish so I could communicate with 82DE around the world, which made the recording process even more enjoyable. The only thing I found a little disappointing was that many of my parts in the original were already in English, so fewer of my lines were changed to Spanish. Still, I think 82DE will really enjoy this version. Whenever I imagine performing it onstage, I cannot wait to sing it for our fans in person.

YOON YE CHAN I personally thought that "Sign" was impossible to remix considering the BPM is 106 and it's on the slower spectrum of music. I too personally had the chance to remix "Sign" and I found it incredibly difficult to remix, but what Viann did to the song was incredible. It highlighted our dancing abilities and singing abilities and also gave the song a new feeling and vibe. Although "Sign" was already a very mature and "sexy" song, I feel like the remix elevated it even more, and from the fans' reactions I can say with certainty that it worked.

HWANG SEONG BIN We originally prepared this version for an awards show performance. We made subtle changes to the choreography to highlight the breaths and piano notes throughout the track. I felt that those details brought out the emotions in "Sign" even more, so I wanted to include this version on the album. So many 82DE loved it after the awards show, and their response made us grow even more attached to it as well.

CHO SEONG IL When I first heard the remix, I was surprised by how it preserved the song's rhythmic quality while bringing out an even sexier mood. During rehearsals, we tried several variations of the choreography to find the one that best suited the new vibe. I am grateful that the fans enjoyed it so much. We've been performing this remix at other shows, and it gets a great response every time, so I think we'll keep performing it.

PARK SEOK JOON The beat is stronger than in the original, and I like the added sense of tension that creates. The choreography changed to match the mood, and I think the music and the choreography come together really well. Our fans seem to enjoy it, too. Before we first performed this version, we rehearsed late into the night with a big group of dancers. I was simply grateful for the opportunity. It's all thanks to our fans. Thank you, Etty!

NAM SEONG MO There are breathing sounds in the chorus, and paired with the choreography, they bring out the song's sexy mood very effectively. The same breathing motif appears in the choruses after the first and second verses and again in the outro, but the choreography is slightly different each time. Fans seem to love every one of those moments. The response was amazing from the first time we unveiled the remix at an awards show, and it made me think our fans would enjoy seeing us explore even more remixes in the future.

KIM DO GYUN My favorite part is the opening. When SEONG MO comes in singing "Changing my attitude," we added a little more tension than in the original version. It immediately captures the audience's attention and puts us in a more focused, determined frame of mind, which I really like.

And of course, we have to talk about the breathing sounds in the chorus. I love that they created a new standout moment in the performance. While we were rehearsing, I wondered how fans would react to that part, so I was very happy and relieved to see how much they enjoyed it.