“The two of them mean a lot to us, so we shared all these kinds of feelings with them,” says Hongseok. “They were so excited.”

Although he was unable to promote the release with the rest of the band, the presence of group leader Hui is felt throughout the album, on which he sings and his songwriting talent guides much of the sound. Hui also appears in the music video for Do or Not, a bright pop-rock song which evokes the early 2000s.

The theme of nostalgia is prominent throughout “Love or Take”; the album is packaged to look like an old-school comic book – manhwa in Korean – with the members of the band animated to look like male leads in a romantic storyline.

“This album’s main theme is love, so we were trying to show how to love in other ways through the lyrics, the songs and the melodies,” says Kino, who co-wrote the sweet B-side Baby I Love You, and who is standing inas Pentagon’s leader while Hui is doing his national service.

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“The main theme was love, but we didn’t directly express the word ‘love’ through the lyrics,” says Hongseok. Wooseok, who co-wrote all the songs on the albums except for Hui’s solo Boy in Time, adds: “Instead of going with the common understanding, or sense, of love, we wanted to give the audiences some alternate options too. We wanted to present a song that felt new and fresh, a song that a lot of people will like, but not too cliched or simple.

“When Hui and I were creating it, we tried to focus on how to create that sort of sound, and ended up incorporating some rock and a cappella elements.”

The members opted to go with the querying Do or Not as a single because they felt it could be the most engaging for live performances, says Shinwon. “We thought it’s an easy to listen to song that many people would like. It’s a love song, but it’s not super cheesy.”

Band members also considered the album’s rambunctious opener 10s and as a single, but Hongseok says that their company, Cube Entertainment, ultimately decided which song they led the album with. His band mates laugh good-naturedly about his bluntness

“We were looking for a song that only Pentagon can do,” says Kino about ultimately opting for Do or Not. The band’s fans, known as Universe, certainly agree, dubbing the group “Brightagon” for songs such as Do or Not, Shine, and last year’s Daisy, that evoke an inspiring, hopeful feeling.

According to band member Yeo One, Do or Not fits that nickname. “I think it’s what we can do best. Hopefully, when people think of K-pop groups that perform this kind of music, hopefully our name is what comes to mind.”

Pentagon’s aim is to become a “listen-worthy” group, a common term in South Korea referring to artists who consistently put out music that draws in listeners; even if you haven’t heard the music yet, you are assured of its value.

“We’ve put together so many songs throughout our career, and we feel we’ve grown a lot musically and as a group,” reflects Wooseok. “All the members pull [things off] more naturally at this point in our career. I really feel like each of us have progressed a lot as individuals and as Pentagon.”

Yan An, who grew up in Shanghai and is the band’s sole Chinese member, says the long route to success, with over a dozen albums in Korean and Japanese since their first EP, “Pentagon”, in October 2016, drove the group forward.

“Real gold will glitter sooner or later,” he says, referring to a Chinese proverb. “Although we’re not super, super young any more, Do or Not shows our bright, youthful side, and how it sometimes takes time to shine.”

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Yeo One shares a touching moment that he feels defines what Pentagon hopes to achieve through their music, and this album in particular. “One fan wrote to me, ‘Youth only stays for a short period of time in every person’s life. But Pentagon’s performances feel like youth itself.’

“I hope that that’s what people always think when they hear Pentagon’s songs and see us perform. Everyone has their own youthful memories, and I hope they can remember that.”

The old-school feel, the members say, helps to evoke that feeling of timeless youth, offering a series of songs that are invigorating and evocative, with a touch of whimsy and wistfulness. Hongseok – who was born in 1994 – says that Avril Lavigne’s 2002 hit Sk8er Boi makes him feel the way he hopes Pentagon’s songs make listeners feel.

In the world of K-pop, Pentagon being more than five years old and having members all in their mid to late-20s makes them essentially already a middle-age band.

“Age is only an excuse,” says rapper Yuto, the act’s only Japanese member. “People only get more mature and appealing as they age, and the same thing goes for us as a team. We’ve grown a lot more charming and addictive as we grow older.”

“Age is important to idols,” says Yan An. “But for us, it doesn’t really hold us back or matter to us as Pentagon. We believe that we will eventually be able to let the world know who we are, and glitter brightly like gold for everyone to see.”