Band Pitch Truck Hijackers, Taking Time Off Work, Take on the 2026 Hello Rookie Audition Stage

The band Pitch Truck Hijackers took to the stage, fueled by a passion for music so intense they even used their annual leave from work. Appearing on the fourth preliminary round of 2026 Hello Rookie, a YouTube content series from Space Gonggam, they delivered a danceable and exhilarating post-punk sound.

"We used our annual leave to be here": The realistic challenge of a corporate band

Pitch Truck Hijackers caught attention during this preliminary round with candid conversations revealing the members' professional backgrounds. According to the on-screen captions and the participants' remarks, the members revealed that they had managed to use their annual leave to attend the venue, despite having recently started their jobs and not having much leave available. They shared their realistic situation, stating, "Since we are finally in a position to use annual leave, we grabbed the opportunity and barely made it here."

The band's formation process was also unique. The members stated they first met on the first day of the semester, March 2, 2023. Initially spending their time playing cover songs like a club, they tested their potential for performing by rehearsing songs they had written back in high school. Since then, they have continued their activities by visiting venues to propose performances themselves, and they mentioned achieving unexpected success, such as winning a Penta Super Rookie award following their album release.

Realizing "Punk anyone can do" through post-punk sound

Pitch Truck Hijackers defined their music as "danceable and exhilarating post-punk." Mentioning that they work in the design field, the members expressed the spirit of punk music, saying, "Anyone can do punk. We are that 'anyone'." Their performance aimed for the unique thrill of delivering upbeat music within a quiet atmosphere.

MC Carther expressed anticipation for the performance, commenting on the artists' musical color with remarks such as, "It feels like an OST from the early to mid-2000s," or "Your profile pictures, which carry the aura of masters, make you look like an opera group." Additionally, conversation flowed between the performers and the MC, with one member mentioning a past connection from their Mason the Seoul days.

A diverse spectrum at the 2026 Hello Rookie preliminaries

This fourth preliminary round of 2026 Hello Rookie was conducted as a 100% live performance. The judging panel included MC Carther and experts such as festival planner Park Jung-yong, pop music critic Kim Hak-sun, Kim Yun-ha, Jung Byung-wook, and Jung Min-jae. With a total of six teams selected so far, this round saw competition among teams spanning a wide musical spectrum.

Pitch Truck Hijackers concluded their preliminary stage by expressing their ambition to humbly accept whatever fate awaits them, noting that "only unpredictable results have followed so far."