In ‘To Us,’ K-pop group TWS offers ‘candid snapshot of youth’

K-pop boy band TWS has returned with a new single album, offering fresh tracks that explore themes of youth from a more personal perspective.

Released on Monday, the three-track single album, “To Us,” was shaped by candid conversations with the group’s members Shinyu, Dohoon, Youngjae, Hanjin and Kyungmin.

“‘To Us’ reveals their raw emotions and personal thoughts, capturing not only the highs of ambition and excitement but also the hesitations and uncertainties along the way to make a candid snapshot of youth today,” label Pledis Entertainment said in a press statement.

The album’s lead track, “Call My Name,” is an uplifting youth anthem that blends drum and bass with piano melodies performed by renowned jazz pianist Yun Seok-cheol.

Youngjae, Shinyu and Dohoon also contributed to the song’s lyrics, lending the track a more personal touch.

The single comes with a music video that “illustrates the complex emotions and uncertainties that often linger behind youth’s brightest moments.”

These emotions are portrayed through striking scenes, including Hanjin suspended from a skyscraper, Jihoon balancing atop a towering pillar and Youngjae sitting on a chair studded with nails.

At the video’s climax, the sextet races through the city streets before breaking into a dance routine at crosswalks in downtown Seoul.

“To Us” also includes the hip-hop track “We Up” and the warm synth-pop song “heavy,” which seeks to offer comfort to those feeling burdened by the weight of the world.

The new single album follows the group’s April extended play (EP) “No Tragedy,” which became its first release to surpass a million copies in sales.

TWS debuted in 2024 with the viral hit “plot twist” and has since carved out its own musical identity with “boyhood pop,” a style that explores themes of youth through the members’ personal stories.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News, the members spoke about the evolution of “boyhood pop” as they mature as a group.

“We try to capture the stories and messages that come from each moment as they are. That leads us to think about what kind of ‘youth’ we can express right now, and that’s why our ‘boyhood pop’ continues to evolve,” Youngjae said.

“To us, ‘boyhood pop’ is a genre that’s uniquely ours to define and carry forward. It’s not something that’s limited to a fixed style — it’s something that keeps evolving as we create and grow,” Kyungmin added.