TNX is going from boys to young men.
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Formed through a survival reality TV show, THE NEW SIX (TNX) consists of, you guessed it, six members: TAE HUN, KYUNG JUN, HYUN SOO, JUN HYEOK, HWI and SUNG JUN (as of this writing, JUN HYEOK is on a hiatus which the group has been promoting as a 5 members). The first group under P NATION founded by PSY, the Korean superstar behind hits such as such as Gangnam Style (강남스타일) and That That (prod. & feat SUGA of BTS). Following a successful debut in 2022, which included bagging Rookie of the Year from The 32nd Seoul Music Awards and The 2022 Hanteo Music Awards, the boys are back with their 3rd EP, BOYHOOD.
BOYHOOD serves as their homage to the 90s boy bands, especially the title track Kick It 4 Now. The lyrics, We are so young and free compliments the summertime visuals in the music video along with the new jack swing genre. With the current generation of K-Pop music going viral on social media platforms and geared towards global success beyond domestic audiences, THE NEW SIX shows that their throwback-inspired music for this EP can bring back memories from different parts of our life. Even with the old-school hip-hop choreography THE NEW SIX showcases in this release, the throwback shows their appreciation of the simplicity of the dance moves of decades past.
DREAMING BIG
We often dream about what we envision for our future selves as kids. In KYUNG JUN’s case, his dreams got bigger when he chose the path to become an artist. “For me, I didn’t really dream big. I was always thankful for the little things that I could and the achievements. I think my dreams gradually got bigger [over time].” HYUN SOO raised his hand and had an earnest response, “I think I would have been becoming an adult responsible for my work and actions.”
Members from different backgrounds, working together for the same dream is the overarching theme for the BOYHOOD EP, a fitting concept given how each members’ various talents and strengths are utilized. When they’re all together, teamwork is important to TAE HUN. “It’s all about teamwork when we are all together. The synergy is really strong,” states THE NEW SIX’s leader.
The overarching theme in their comeback single is friendship and memories, something the members can relate to with the time they’ve spent together as a group. HWI’s friendship with his members has affected his life and he sees they’re similar to his childhood friends. “So that friendship [with my childhood friends] and as well as the friendship from our group between the members. We help each other, we depend on each other. Those [are the kind] of memories and friendship that build me stronger.”
A MESSAGE TO OUR INNER CHILD
Adulting is hard enough in itself, and it can reach a point where some of us forget to embrace that inner child in us. In our childhood, we put ourselves out there and not having a care in the world. Yet, adulthood comes with pressures and responsibilities that can take away the joy in life. SUNG JUN, the group’s maknae, is here to remind the youth of experiencing how vibrant life is. “If I could go back, I’d say do what you want to do [is what] I’d tell to my childhood self.”
HYUN SOO adds, “To enjoy the youth and to treat my parents well [to be more caring].” For HWI, who serves as the group’s composer and songwriter, he admits, “To not be afraid of telling my parents I want to pursue music.” Taking inspiration from BTS’s Suga and Block B’s ZICO as artists he looks up to because they’ve taken the role of key songwriters or composers within their respective groups, HWI is doing just that in his group.
While getting older can be scary, SUNG JUN doesn’t see it that way. The youngest of the group knows that his hyungs will be there for him as he enters young adulthood. “I’m 17 years old. I’m actually not lonely at all [getting older] ‘cause the hyungs are also getting old with me.”
CHALLENGES AND REWARDS
No matter the kind of career an artist will have, life will always be there to throw challenges and rewards in their musical journeys. TAE HUN nods and looks at his members when he speaks. “The most challenging and rewarding thing about being a working musician is to keep on trying new things and making changes continuously about our musicality,” he muses. “I think you can see a peek of that through our first, second, and third albums.”
“We hear from our relatives that our music is being played in convenience stores or at supermarkets. When we hear that, we [feel proud] of ourselves and feel gratitude,” KYUNG JUN gushes. It’s a compliment that hits harder for him because he lived abroad, specifically Australia, for most of his life despite being born in Korea.
In the year the group has been officially active, it’s clear that they haven’t taken for granted the launching pad of a successful reality show and being under a major company. They’re gunning to make a name for themselves in the 4th generation of K-pop as they consciously strive to improve their craft and be great at what they do.
For HWI, his songwriting and composing skills deeply keep this fire in him going. “I collaborated with composers. During the collaboration, I realized looking at their proficient skills, I reflected on my production skills and thought I wasn’t enough.” The grind never stops for him. “[In those moments], I was grinding to become better at what I do.”
The group is making THX (their fandom name) all over the world, and that includes the Philippines. And although the group doesn’t have an official schedule in the country, THE NEW SIX would like to visit the Philippines soon as TAE HUN shared a wholesome message to Filipino THX. “I feel a huge support and I want to make it out there. So we’ll be trying our best to find a good opportunity in the future. Thank you so much and mahal kita!”
Photos courtesy of P-NATION
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