[TMA Interview] xikers, Unstoppable Growth... "We Will Turn the World Upside Down"

Won 'Hottest' Award at 'THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' After Two YearsReturned with 'ROUTE ZERO: THE CALLING' on the 2ndxikers became the recipient of the 'Hottest' award at the '2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' held at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium on September 19th. The photo shows them posing for an interview with . / Reporter Park Sang-min[THE FACT|Reporter Park Ji-yoon] Group xikers returned to 'THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' after two years. They showcased their enhanced stage capabilities through a variety of performances, including cover stages reinterpreting their respected seniors' songs in their own style, and unit and full group performances. Furthermore, they were honored with the 'Hottest' award, once again proving the team's potential, which has shown a steady growth curve since their debut.xikers(Min Jae Jun Min Su Min Jin Sik Hyun Woo Jung Hoon Se Eun Yu Jun Hunter Ye Chan) received the 'Hottest' award, presented to artists with promising futures, at the '2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS(2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS, TMA)' held at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium on September 19th.Having previously won 'Hottest' in 2023 and 'Global Hottrend' in 2024, establishing a connection with 'THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS', xikers returned after two years, exuding the charisma of a global trendsetting group and heating up the Busan night.First, they powerfully opened the awards ceremony by reinterpreting group BTS's 'Hooligan' in their own style. Appearing in all-black leather styling, the members heightened the atmosphere with their perfect synchronized choreography and explosive energy.Later, on the main stage, xikers captivated the audience by unveiling 'DELULU', featuring the distinctive rapping of Min Jae Su Min Ye Chan, for the first time. They also presented an arranged version of 'OKay', the title track from their 7th mini-album 'ROUTE ZERO: The ORA' released in May, and showcased a dance break that maximized the members' synergy, exuding an irreplaceable presence.xikers stated, "It is an honor to attend 'THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' this year. We were able to receive such a wonderful award thanks to our 'ROADYs' who always support us. Thank you so much." The photo shows them performing at the '2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' held at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium on September 19th. / Reporters Nam Yoon-ho, LEE SAEROMHaving enriched the '2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' with diverse performances ranging from covers to unit and full group stages, xikers met with after receiving the award and shared their remaining thoughts. "It is an honor to attend 'THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' this year. We were able to receive such a wonderful award thanks to our 'ROADYs' (fandom name) who always support us. Thank you so much," they began.Se-eun shared her feelings about successfully completing the cover performance of BTS's 'Hooligan'. She emphasized, "We prepared the stage with passion and a sense of pressure. As it was already a great song, we tried to capture its essence while adding our own color. I think many people enjoyed it, which made our performance even more exciting."The members added, "It was a special feeling to be able to reveal 'DELULU' for the first time at 'THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS'. We also prepared a performance of 'OKay' with an arrangement. We worked hard to show you a lot."This year, xikers captured the hearts of fans worldwide with their intensified music, bold concepts, and spectacular performances, starting a new series with 'ROUTE ZERO: The ORA'.Buoyed by this, their new album broke their own record, selling over 360,000 copies in initial sales (first week of release), and dominated the top ranks of major domestic and international music charts, proving their rapid growth.xikers released their 8th mini-album 'ROUTE ZERO: THE CALLING' on the 2nd and is actively promoting it. The photo shows them walking the blue carpet at the '2026 THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' held at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium on September 19th. / Reporter Kim Sung-ryeolIn addition to these significant achievements, xikers also held fan meetings 'roadymap to univerxity' in Korea and Japan, creating special memories with their fans.Reflecting on 2026, a year they have run through more busily than ever, Hyun-woo honestly shared, "I remember the 'Unlikely Song Challenge' corner during the fan meeting in Korea. Seeing the members in different lights during that time was memorable. It was so fascinating," he said with a bright smile.Despite running tirelessly, xikers, who still has much to show, released their 8th mini-album 'ROUTE ZERO: THE CALLING' on the 2nd and continues their active promotions.Prior to this, they showcased their solid skills both individually and as a group through vocal content from Jin-sik, Hyun-woo, and Jung-hoon, rap from Min-jae, Su-min, and Ye-chan, and performance from Jun-min, Yu-jun, and Hunter. The new album further expanded their musical world and completed their full group synergy, raising expectations for xikers's irreplaceable future endeavors.Regarding this, Min-jae stated with strong determination, "We poured a lot of effort into the new album. We're going to turn the whole world upside down by the end of the year."He added, "We are paying attention to the various stages and schedules at the end of the year. We will finish the year well, and next year, we will work hard to think about what fun times we can create with our ROADYs and gradually make plans, so please look forward to it. Fighting, xikers."Finally, xikers concluded by saying, "It was an honor to be with 'THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' after two years. We love you, THE FACT. We love you, ROADYs."jiyoon-1031@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]