TWS (pronounced “Two-Us”), the new K-pop boy band of HYBE and Pledis Entertainment, released their debut mini-album “Sparkling Blue” on Jan. 22.
Composed of Shinyu, Dohon, Youngjae, Hanjin, Jihoon and Kyungmin, TWS’ “Sparkling Blue” contains five songs, channeling their gentle and bright energy into refreshing melodies that present the idea of “Boyhood Pop.”
New K-pop boy band TWS performing "Plot Twist" at their media showcase on Jan. 22 (Pledis Entertainment)
Capturing the flutters of the heart at the sight of your crush, the cozy intimacy of a conversation with a classmate, the sentimentality of the passing moments of our daily life in a dreamy manner, the tracks fully embody the act’s candid and youthful approach to music.
TWS (투어스) became Pledis Entertainment’s new boy group to debut in nine years after record-breaking group Seventeen, which burst into the music scene in 2015.
During their media showcase for their debut album on Jan. 22, TWS members talked about their debut and first album, and held their first stage performance for the album’s lead single, “Plot Twist.”
Introductions
TWS members (from left) Youngjae, Jihoon, Hanjin, Dohoon, Kyungmin and Shinyu (Pledis Entertainment)
During the introductions, Youngjae said, “I’ve longed dreamt of being a singer and I started learning dancing at a dance academy when I was just nine. Now that we’ve shown you our first ever performance on stage, I really felt that my dream came true.”
TWS member Youngjae (Pledis Entertainment)
“Under the name of TWS, we six have bonded and every moment of that journey I will hold dear to my heart. We will bring the very best music to the table and make lots of people fall in love with us,” said Jihoon.
TWS member Jihoon (Pledis Entertainment)
Hanjin said, “We promise we will be doing our very best.”
TWS member Hanjin (Pledis Entertainment)
“We promise TWS will never cease to evolve,” said Dohoon.
TWS member Dohoon (Pledis Entertainment)
Kyungmin said, “Today is the day that my long-held dream of becoming an artist came true. But we have so much in store for you so I hope you stay tuned and check us out.”
TWS member Kyungmin (Pledis Entertainment)
“We worked so hard for today and we were restlessly waiting for today to come. As the host mentioned, we might be known as the ‘super rookie’ but we will try our best to earn the name as the best rookie of the year,” said Shinyu.
TWS member Shinyu (Pledis Entertainment)
Role model, unique qualities
According to Dohoon, their role model is Seventeen.
“All six members dreamt of becoming just like them. Seventeen is a group that sends out a positive influence through their music and this really pulled at our heartstrings,” said Dohoon.
He added, “As artists, TWS also want to have that positive impact on others and we will try our very best to achieve this goal.”
About TWS debuting after Seventeen, Jihoon said, “First of all, we feel the gratitude and the sense of responsibility and it also becomes a motivation for us to work harder.”
“You know, I’m overwhelmed and excited to start sailing as TWS in a safe and sturdy boat named Pledis. We want to really try our best and become a strong team for Pledis as well,” he added.
On whether they have plans to go abroad and have a goal of doing well in overseas markets, Kyungmin said, “We know that there are fans across the globe but I hope all of them feel happy with our songs. I want to give that positive vibe to all global fans across the world.”
About the unique qualities of TWS, Shinyu said, “I would have to say, the multifaceted, bubbly energy, freshness expressed with the synergy of all six members. We studied other performances and try to learn from them such as ‘Adore U’ by Seventeen, SHINee.”
“We studied it really hard and thought about how we could bring out our unique charms. And I have to say that we added our own touch to this style of music, making it intense yet disarming,” said Shinyu.
Dohoon said Seventeen “gave us a lot of advice and they treat us to really good food all the time so that we can nourish our souls and bodies.”
“Plot Twist,” the main track in the album, tells the story of traveling into the unknown amid a heart-pounding rhythm, likening the act of facing something new with hope for the future to a “sparkling” sensation. The hybrid pop track juxtaposes the sweet set of lyrics to layers of synths, electrifying guitar and hard-hitting drums, rendering the delivery of the song’s message that much more memorable.
TWS have been dubbed as “the rookie of 2024” in the K-pop scene even before their debut.
The name “TWS” stands for “Twenty Four Seven With Us,” referring to the members' unwavering commitment to being with their listeners around the clock.
“Sparkling Blue” is available now on all global streaming platforms, along with the official music video for “Plot Twist” on HYBE Labels’ official YouTube channel.