A.C.E. Drops Steve Aoki's Remix, 'Fav Boyz,' Ft. Thutmose

A.C.E finally released their highly-anticipated collaboration with Steve Aoki, titled 'Fav Boyz' [Steve Aoki's Gold Star Remix], also featuring rapper Thutmose, on January 8 KST.

The release of the new track was accompanied by a one and a half hour live streamed event on A.C.E's official YouTube channel. Seated across the room with the Top Media logo behind them, the launch first appeared formal, much like a press conference. But as the members - Chan, Donghun, Jun, Byeongkwan, and Wow - started chatting with the fans and shared stories, it became a warm and welcoming interaction between the group and their fans, officially known as Choice.

Aside from Byeongkwan asking and answering questions in English and translating for his fellow members, A.C.E also revealed thteir YouTube silver and gold play buttons. These are awarded by the video streaming platform for achieving 100,000 and 1,000,000 subscribers, respectively.

At the end of the live streamed session, the collaboration MV was finally released. Whereas the original "Favorite Boys" delivered a concept of the members being gods, as in the titular Dokkaebi or Goblin, the "Fav Boyz" opted for a more urban-futuristic concept - fitting for a house banger. Instead of stylized hanboks and symbolic backgrounds, the boys are in casual outfits augmented with CGI in the music video to give its unique appeal.

Its hip-hop and pop elements added techno to the mix, swapping some of the more explosive parts in the original track in exchange for a consistently upbeat rhythm. With Steve Aoki leading with steadily rising beats, Thutmose works on solid ground, delivers his own punch, and further heightens the international appeal of the A.C.E track.

The music video also adds a "Production Health & Safety" statement at the end. Teams behind the "Fav Boyz" remix MV assure audiences that "every safety precautions were taken to protect the artists, staff, and crew." It also confirms compliance of health and safety measures "at the highest level without compromise."

Not a stranger to mixing up K-Pop tracks, "Fav Boyz [Steve Aoki's Gold Star Remix]" is the latest project for the celebrity DJ and online celebrity. In fact, A.C.E is the third Korean boy group to have worked with Steve Aoki: following BTS ("Mic Drop," "The Truth Untold," and "Waste It On Me") and MONSTA X ("Play it Cool"). In a statement to Metro UK back in July 2020, Aoki - himself of Japanese descent - credits K-pop for "making people more aware of the diverse range of talent Asian artists have to offer."

In the interview, Aoki notes that there has been increasing numbers of Asian DJs and artists. He also expressed passion towards working with other Asian artists - having worked with Korean, Chinese, and Japanese musicians in the past.

"Now there's K-pop, there's BTS, there's groups that are beloved by the world. It doesn't matter what ethnicity you are, and they're just dominating," Steve Aoki told Metro.

Watch A.C.E's "Fav Boyz [Steve Aoki's Gold Star Remix]," their collaborative project with Steve Aoki and Thutmose, below: