Tag: TWS

Yesterday, TWS dropped their 4th mini-album, PLAY HARD, with the single OVERDRIVE serving as the title track to the mini-album. It follows the pre-release of Head, Shoulders, Knees, Toes, which dropped two weeks ago. It also follows TWS’ earlier comeback, Countdown and the mini-album Try With Us (yet to be reviewed), which occurred in April.

OVERDRIVE seems to bring together the edgy influences that were heavily present in Head Shoulders Knees Toes and combine them with the ‘boyhood pop’ that the group has consistently put out since their debut. And together, we might have a new direction for TWS that feels refreshing and different. I really enjoy the slight rock influences that come through the instrumentation. The bass guitar riff is super dominant and gives OVERDRIVE a standout characteristic. The humming that accompanies some of these guitar riffs post-chorus was definitely a clever tool to key the riff into our memory banks! The drums are punchy and make the song feel buoyant and energetic, which matches the energy we have seen from TWS through past releases. Even the members’ delivery is full of life and adds excitement to the song, with the chorus being super catchy. My only gripe about OVERDRIVE is the “I’m getting hot in here” spoken lines that felt like a take on a rapping segment. It just doesn’t fit the rest of the song that well, and similarly, the lyrics of the song, which speak to their feelings of being in love and how that is putting them into a state of overdrive.

Conceptually, the music video has two sides. The first is where members of the group are infatuated with their crushes. These scenes occur in everyday life, with the members being distracted, looking to spoil their crushes, and being love-struck by them. Think ‘I won’t tell people I am in love, but there will be signs’. The second part is a video-game-esque concept, where if the love puts the members into overdrive, they will respawn in the video game setting. It is quite an interesting and abstract way of looking at love, and I like how it aligns with the boyhood concept TWS has been known for. I do like the light-hearted moments, like DOHOON protecting his hand at all costs (after coming into contact with his crush) and JIHOON leaning on the sign, causing it to fall onto the other members (and how that leads us back into the dance performance).

Like always, TWS performances have always been a highlight of the comeback, and this one is no exception. Per usual, I really liked the energy they put into the performance. But I also liked how their expressions brought brightness and additional colour to the routine. The final chorus is my favourite bit, with the exciting jumps and flips.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.5/10

TWS is gearing up for another comeback next month, following on from April’s Try With Us mini-album and Countdown single. But ahead of next month’s mini-album release, TWS has pre-released the single Head Shoulders Knees Toes.

When you just glance over the title of the pre-release single, your mind probably clicks over to the nursery rhyme of a similar name. And that did worry me for a bit. But TWS’s version is far from the nursery rhyme. Instead, Head Shoulders Knees Toes is very much ingrained in the hip-hop genre. We do get the repetition of the song’s title as the main hook and chorus, but it isn’t as bad as I had thought it would be. I appreciate the members delivering ‘Head Shoulders Knees and Toes‘ with a little more heft and punch than how we would have sung the nursery rhyme as younger kids, fitting in with the hip-hop profile that the song is going for. As for the instrumental, I actually like the brass elements in the background as well as the backing’s overall explosiveness. It helps show a more edgy side of the group. However, I wish there were a bit more to the trap-based instrumental. At times, it felt lacking and empty, leaving me wanting more. As for the members, intense rapping and really nice vocals were showcased in Head Shoulders Knees Toes. The pre-chorus and bridge were stunning parts of Head Shoulders Knees Toes.

An edgy urban city is how I would summarise the concept for the music video. To be fair, it does sound like it fits the likes of a KPOP hip-hop song. I will admit the start was rather intriguing, with everyone surrounding the TWS member before launching the members and the song at us. The best aspect has to be the elevator scenes, where we see multiple elevators and the members dancing in them. That looked super cool. I also really liked the bullet scenes, which were a close second for best aspect of the music video. However, while the music video was visually strong, I am unsure how it connects with the lyrics of Head Shoulders Knees Toes.

As for the choreography, it reimagines the dance associated with the nursery rhyme as a cool, hip-hop-based chorus routine. I really liked the bounce and energy that came off the performance’s centrepiece. The dance break we get towards the end allows the members to flex their edgy performance skills, which aren’t typically shown in their title track dance routines.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

TWS: is back with a new single titled Countdown, which comes off their 3rd mini-album, Try With Us. Both song and mini-album officially dropped this past Monday. This release is TWS:’ first major release since 2024, which saw TWS: debut with the highly successful plot twist and return with the equally successful If I’m S, Can You Be My N? and Last Festival.

Countdown very much continues the group’s ‘boyhood pop’ sound that they debuted with. The new song reminded me of plot twist from the first listen, both instrumentally, melodies and brightness wise. There are a few elements that differentiate it from their debut song, namely the deep “ba-bum” that follows some of the second and final choruses and the more intense rapping in the second verse. The former was quite intriguing yet fun, while the latter definitely helps ground the song. I also like how they prolonged the ending by splitting the final line into three parts. It makes the ending of Countdown feel like it offers up a little bit more. I would have appreciated other different elements to help give Countdown its own individuality would have been appreciated, simply because Countdown is very much familiar territory for TWS: and, dare I say, plays it safe. For example, the instrumental shares a similar foundation to plot twist. And their vocal style felt like it was lifted from the earlier song, which raises the “I wished there was more opportunity for the members to shine” comment I made in that review. That being said, Countdown hits the right spot in terms of energy and brightness, making it an ideal release to take us to the more energetic and vibrant summer sounds.

The members wonder what being an adult feels like in the music video, as they move on from their high school days in their previous music videos and into their young adult era. Plot twist – pun fully intended – being an adult isn’t all crack up to be with work, decision making and responsibilities. Just in case TWS: was looking for an answer hahaha…. There are a few different scenes in the video which all adults have experienced in some form, such as moving into your own place, the failed meals and the helplessness of a car breaking down (and your parents/guardians not around as a safety net). I liked the casual wear, which is a nice change up from the school uniform that they previously wore throughout 2024.

The choreography alongside this release is another TWS: routine that impresses. They always manage to make their dances appear fun, despite being super intense and energetic. The moves right after the intro definitely left a mark in my mind, as did the twist and turn in the first pre-choruses and the jumps during the choruses (just to name a few examples of the standout moments).

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

After snagging the ‘Best New Male Group’ and ‘Best Dance Performance – Male Group’ awards at MAMA this year, TWS is back with a brand new single, Last Festival (or 마지막 축제). This new song is featured on the group’s first single album, titled Last Bell. It also follows their debut with Sparkling Blue (the mini-album) and plot twist (the lead single) and their first comeback with Summer Beat (the mini-album – yet to be reviewed) and If I’m S, Can You Be My N? (the lead single).

Last Festival continues TWS’ strong ‘lead single’ output this year. It is supposedly a remake of Seo Taiji And Boys’ 1993 hit song of the same name, but reinterpreted to be a chill song. It still has an engaging beat and rhythm, which was the first thing I noticed about Last Festival when I checked it out on Monday. I think a pop element could have helped Last Festival stand out more. Not too much is needed but enough to give Last Festival extra energy. But its current form lends well to the wintery season South Korea is heading into. The hooks and melodies are catchy and work well with the chill background. However, I wish they had been a bit more fleshed out and had a punchier feel (the latter would have lent well to the pop tinge I am yearning for in Last Festival). This would have allowed TWS to work with more riveting and engaging material in the new song. I find the vocals and rapping in Last Festival a little dulled – not to the point where it bores me, but it does feel like the song is beginning to head in that direction. But overall, as it is, Last Festival is a great song from the group.

The music video shows the TWS members each realising their feelings for one particular female student in the entire school before the school year ends. However, as the video progresses, it is shown that the female student has feelings for only one of the members. So, we see the members’ reaction to the female student not choosing them, which obviously involves sadness, dejection and tears. The ending is rather bittersweet, as it is revealed that they are all friends based on the events during the end-of-year festivities. I liked the choreography scenes, especially how the sets were part of the school’s end-of-year production. The one which saw the members perform on the structure of the upcoming skyscraper featured some of the members falling gracefully off the sides of the set, which was a cool way to exit the scene.

I quite enjoyed the choreography and can see why the group was recognised for their plot twist choreography at the MAMA Awards this year (aside from the fact that dance performance went viral throughout 2024). I didn’t think it would be as sharp and fast as it was, and I thought it would have embraced more of Last Festival’s chill side. But it leans more toward the song’s beat and rhythm, which works well for this song.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

As mentioned two days ago, TWS:’ comeback was just around a corner. Titled If I’m S, Can You Be My N?, the new single dropped yesterday and formed part of TWS:’ highly anticipated first comeback with their second mini-album Summer Beat!. A pre-release single, Hey! Hey!, was released a couple of weeks back. I will return at a later date to review that track. For now, here are my thoughts on the title track.

If KPOP has taught me anything about Summer over the years, Summer songs usually stand out if they tick the following – the song is upbeat; full of energy; bright; and fun. If I’m S, Can You Be My N? definitely ticks 4 out of 4 criteria. This in itself already makes If I’m S, Can You Be My N? hold a lot of promise. But there is also a lot more to If I’m S, Can You Be My N?, such as its ear-catching hooks and its dynamic instrumentation that has a lot of musical details that increases its fun energy and brightness. The guitar and keyboard at the start and end of the song are examples of these details that bookmark either ends of the song in a very pop and colourful manner. The groovy backing elsewhere in the song also had this forward driving motion that pushed the song and made it go places. But that isn’t all that stands out in If I’m S, Can You Be My N?. TWS:’ youthful vocals are on full display throughout the track, which just suits the summery season so well. SHINYU’s rapping was also quite exceptional, fast becoming my favourite moments in the song. Overall, TWS: definitely delivered on expectations that was set via their debut mini-album and title track. I don’t think they have exceeded those expectations with If I’m S, Can You Be My N? (as such, I have gave the same song rating as I did with plot twist). But you can tell they put in a lot of effort for a successful comeback.

TWS: continues their schoolboy concept in the music video for If I’m S, Can You Be My N?. The video shows the members at (what looks like to be) hagwons – like an after school tutoring centre that South Korean students attend. We see the members also skip hagwons to hang out with one another, and also do other extra curricular activities like athletics (more specifically, high jump). This brings together two students who are opposite to one another – the studious and the sports player – with the members expressing their “heart-fluttering excitement about getting to know the numerous reasons why opposites attract” (taken from SOOMPI) in the lyrics. It was a vibrant and very colourful video, without a doubt intended to be suitable for the summery season.

The performance for this comeback is very dynamic and this made it very exciting to watch. Again, I applaud the fact they brought some youthfulness (and as an extension of that, some cuteness) to the routine. Their chemistry and the fact they are constantly moving definitely made it another strong routine that I am sure TWS: will continue to stand out with.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

As you may be very well aware, I have a massive backlog of releases to get through. A very large subset of these are songs are side tracks from the album they were on, selected to be a secondary promotion track or just have a music video. Some may even be pre-releases. I will have to make my way through that list. And I am beginning with TWS’ BFF. BFF is a side track off TWS’ debut mini-album Sparkling Blue, which was lead by the title track plot twist and was released on 22 January 2024. An album review is incoming. TWS released a music video for BFF mid-February.

In plot twist‘s review, I mentioned their debut track had youth charms and was a successful attempt at ‘boyhood pop’. BFF continues both, bringing us another track full of youth and vibrant energy. I really like the whistling at the start of the song, which sets the song’s main melody in place. However, BFF‘s pop instrumentation isn’t as dynamic as their title track and actually feels a bit generic. If I am being honest, BFF basically feels like any other youthful pop tracks that boy groups have done time and time again. That being said, BFF holds its ground well, allowing TWS: to deliver the song in a manner that definitely shows off their youthful charms and vibrant energy (more on that in the performance portion of this review). TWS:’ vocals and rapping was quite nice in BFF, which is where I felt the vibrant energy in the song the most. I also like how it wasn’t held back in anyway at any point in the song, which helps pushes said energy onto the audience. The song’s melody feels catchy yet familiar, and I put the latter down to the fact BFF sounds like ‘any other youthful pop track that boy groups have done time and time again’. The boyhood pop side of things comes through via the song’s lyrics, which is all about a long-lasting friendship. Altogether, you have a pretty good track that undoubtedly continues TWS:’ first steps into the KPOP industry in BFF.

The music video shows TWS: as teenagers in a school setting, an obvious concept for the ‘boyhood pop’ style that TWS is exploring. Some of the video was shown in mobile phone format (i.e., camera or Instagram reel), which I thought was rather cool. Not really a new idea that we have never seen before. But like the rest of the video, it feels refreshing. And once again, I like the all-smile energy they bring to the music video, which makes it appealing to watch.

Again, the energy of this track is directly reflected in the stage performance. It makes for what looks like quite an involved routine. But I like how bubbly and dynamic it all looked, which is a testament to the group’s performance. The use of the school desks was pretty cool, and I liked the all-smile energy that also comes through the performance aspect of this comeback, as well.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

For the last few months of last year and so far this year, I have yet to cover any new debuts on my blog. I will slowly get around to reviewing those new debuts that I have missed over the coming weeks. One of those new groups starting out is Pledis Entertainment’s latest male group (and their first since SEVENTEEN’s debut back in 2015), TWS. A 6-member group, TWS stands for Twenty-Four Seven With Us and consist of Shinyu, Dohoon, Youngjae, Hanjin, Jihoon and Kyungmin. They debuted with the single Plot Twist, a pre-release single titled Oh MyMy:7s (which I will return to review another day) and the mini-album Sparkling Blue back in January of this year.

Described as a group who will be tackling “boyhood pop”, Plot Twist is just that. A very noticeable youthful vibe attempts to sweep us off our feet in Plot Twist. And for the most part, it is successful. The vibrancy, refreshing energy and pop influence is definitely all there and instantly apparently in Plot Twist. I really like the pop rock tinge that the song does carry in its backing, and how the song incorporates ‘plot twist’ in its backing to create a dynamic title. The different percussion definitely keeps the track lively and every sequence is slightly different to what we hear earlier in the track. The members sound great, with solid vocals and rapping from them all to pull off Plot Twist. And the vocals and rapping do help bring that youthfulness to life. However, I do feel like the single could have benefited from being longer, just to give more opportunity for us listeners to sink our teeth into it. As it stands, it feels like a brief introduction to the group that highlights the potential of the six members as a unit, but there isn’t anything in Plot Twist to make the member standout themselves. The 2.5 minutes of run time just doesn’t allow that opportunity and I feel like that might be an untapped resource to really help TWS kick off their careers. Overall, I really like Plot Twist and the final product. But I wished there was more to the song to let the members shine.

The music video and lyrics of the song depicts the excitement and nervousness of meeting for the first time. I like how the video and lyrics depicts both the idea of first meetings in the context of friendship and potential relationships. But I also like how the video also serves as a first meeting between us and the group. In the video, we see the members draw up a checklist that includes three lines: 1. Say Hi, 2. Strike up a conversation and 3. Awesome first impression. While our first meeting with the group was successful and all three items on the list should be checked off, I did like the humour in the video, with the members putting a question mark around item three, right after one of the members falls on the train and tries his best to recover from that. I also liked the group’s depiction of the school boy concept. This concept has been done countless times in the past, but it definitely feels refreshing for this video.

One thing they really made sure they showcased in this debut is their choreography skills. This performance was amazing to watch and I am in awe in everything they did. It was sharp, lively, fun, energetic and a whole lot more adjectives that might take us a while to get through. It suits the song and its youthful vibe so well. There wasn’t really a particular moment that stood out to me as the entire routine did that instead. Definitely a group to watch out for on the stage at the very least.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9.5/10