The K-Pop group BTS took over the world in 2017 with the release of their album Love Yourself: Her.
Besides producing albums, and going on tour, the group was also featured on the cover of Time Magazine, and received the Order of Cultural Merit from the President of South Korea.
Now the entertainment company Big Hit Entertainment, who formed BTS, is testing the waters with a new group. The company revealed Tomorrow X Together (TXT) on Jan. 10, almost six years since the formation of BTS. Make no mistake though—TXT isn’t just BTS’s little sibling.
TXT’s lineup was revealed through ‘introduction films’, with each video showcasing the different members: Yeonjun, Soobin, Beomgyu, Huening Kai, and Taehyun. The oldest member of the group, Yeonjun, is only 19, while the youngest member, Huening Kai, is of high school age at just 16 years old. Weeks of anticipation followed their introduction and TXT finally released their first album, The Dream Chapter: Star, on Mar. 4.
The Dream Chapter: Staris a diverse extended play featuring five songs. Produced by most of the same staff responsible for BTS’ music, the group has its own distinct youthful sound that separates them from other K-Pop groups.
The five songsall deal with the concept of young love in different ways. “Cat and Dog” is a rap-driven trackand “Nap of a Star” is a lullaby, and relies on the members’ vocals to produce a softer tune. “Blue Orangeade” is energetic from the start, giving off ‘80s vibes, while “Our Summer” slowly develops towards its joyful chorus. Despite all four songs being vastly different, all are well-produced and bring out the best out of all the members.
Then there is “Crown”, which deals with a different type of love: acceptance. A short, animated film was released during TXT’s debut, explaining the concept of “Crown”. The film explains the story of a young boy who grows horns from his head. Afraid of how society will react to his horns, the boy runs away and meets a boy with wings. Upon meeting the winged boy, the boy with horns realizes he isn’t alone in the world.
“Crown” capitalizes off this story with a bright and energetic song about accepting differences and loving what makes each human unique—after all, the horns upon one’s head can be turned into a crown. The live performance of “Crown” is very similar to the song: youthful, and full of life. The choreography is in perfect sync and the group seems to enjoy themselves on stage.
Most impressive, however, is their lack of lip-syncing. Unlike most debut groups, Big Hit allowed TXT to sing live, and the group repaid their trust. Their voices never wavered, even during later parts of their performance. With catchy tunes and a cool stage presence, TXT acts as if they have been around for years.
While K-Pop may not be for everyone, TXT has proven that they’re immensely talented and ready for big things. And they’ll do it… Tomorrow and together.
