xikers release their 7th mini-album ROUTE ZERO: The ORA and hold a showcase, signaling a new chapter
May 19, 2026
After a seven-month hiatus, the group xikers released their 7th mini-album ROUTE ZERO: The ORA, signaling the start of a new chapter. On the afternoon of the 19th, xikers held a media showcase at NOL Theater in Hapjeong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, and at the Dongyang Life Hall, kicking off their comeback activities. This album wraps up the HOUSE OF TRICKY series, which had run for 2 years and 7 months since their debut, and marks the first release in a new series. As ROUTE ZERO suggests, all coordinates are erased and they start anew, delivering a rough, unbridled energy that sharpens xikers' unique color. The title track OKay is a hip-hop-based song that boldly disregards the rules set by the world, blending electronic sounds with flashy choruses. In particular, members Minjae, Sumin, and Yechan participated in writing all the tracks, and Sumin said they added the national anthem as a backing chorus in the intro of the title track to add a playful element. The OKay stage first revealed at the showcase featured a large-scale performance with 10 members and eight dancers, delivering overwhelming energy. Leader Minjae expressed high satisfaction, saying it was a thrilling stage, as if the members were all riding a sword together. Yechan added that they practiced in the practice room with AR at 0% as if in a real performance to hone their live skills, showing pride in their live abilities. Minjae admitted that he deeply thought about the musical direction while preparing this album. He said, "We decided to move beyond the frame that it has to be new and fun, and instead do the music we do best," giving the album a perfect score of 10 out of 10. Hyunwoo added that with the start of a new series, they paid a lot of attention to visuals and music videos to establish their original Goblin identity. Meanwhile, xikers aim to win first place on music shows and to enter the upper ranks on music charts, and they hope to perform on large festival stages. They will hold their second fan meeting Roadymap to Univerxity in Seoul on June 27 and in Tokyo on July 31, continuing their engagement with global fans.