TWS is sure to capture people’s hearts through your eyes and ears with their dazzling performances and easy-listening songs, coupled with that sparkling vibes.
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Twenty-four-seven bringing comfort, gentle yet buoyant energy through music, the new boy band under the collaboration between HYBE and PLEDIS Entertainment, TWS brings a breath of fresh air, sweeping onto the K-pop scene with their unique ‘Boyhood Pop’ genre. Embracing their name, TWS – short for “Twenty-Four Seven With Us” – embodies the six members’ — SHINYU, DOHOON, YOUNGJAE, HANJIN, JIHOON, and KYUNGMIN — unwavering promise to be there for you, not just in fleeting moments, but every minute of the day and every beat of your heart.
Having debuted under HYBE and PLEDIS Entertainment, TWS is sure to feel overwhelmed and pressured as the public showers curiosity with their debut, but the group is determined to turn those into motivation to move forward, ready to dedicate and pour everything into every single moment. They have their own goal: to become a better person today than yesterday and a better person tomorrow than today.
24/7 WITH TWS
Kicking off 2024 with the pre-release single Oh Mymy : 7s from their debut EP Sparkling Blue, the boys have already showcased their captivating performance and easy-listening, charming sound. But that’s just the start because there’s much more sparkle to come from the artists. They say ”first meetings never go according to plan,” but encountering TWS might be the K-pop “plot twist” you need — “firsts” carry a mix of gut-wrenching and giddy excitement, and so does the entrance of TWS to the world. It goes without saying that the six boys are prepared to make people’s hearts flutter at first encounter.
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Ranging from alternative pop to trap R&B tracks — the EP, consisting of plot twist, unplugged boy, first hooky, BFF, Oh Mymy : 7s, is full of uplifting messages from hope to confidence that’s sure to boost your mood. “It’s all for you, for me, for our growth together through these precious times.” With Sparkling Blue, TWS is ready to build their friendship with you. Buckle up your seat and get ready for this friendship that will last for eternity.
“The pressure makes us want to do really well. It serves as motivation for us to do better,” says the band’s leader, SHINYU. Read on the full exclusive interview below as the members dive into their anticipated debut with NYLON Manila.
First and foremost, congratulations on your debut! Introduce yourselves, give us one or two fun facts about yourselves, and tell us your vision as TWS in the K-pop industry.
SHINYU: Hello, this is SHINYU. I’m the youngest at home, but the oldest member and the leader in TWS.
DOHOON: Hi, my name is DOHOON, and I work really hard! I always make sure to reflect on how I did after each rehearsal and performance, striving to always improve myself!
YOUNGJAE: Nice to meet you! I’m YOUNGJAE, and I’m constantly thinking about what the “right” thing to do is, trying to make the right decisions.
HANJIN: Hello, I’m HANJIN from TWS! I like to describe myself as a warm and loveable person who enjoys taking photos!
JIHOON: Nice to meet you! This is JIHOON from TWS. Here’s an interesting fact about myself! I have a beauty spot right under my eye!
KYUNGMIN: Hello, I’m the youngest member of TWS, KYUNGMIN! I like to say that my strengths are my vocal tone and my smile!
A group’s debut album is crucial because it serves as the foundation or introduction of the group. What’s something Sparkling Blue has that you think is the perfect album to introduce TWS to the world?
YOUNGJAE: Sparkling Blue is an album that clearly identifies who our six members are today and our voices as they are now. It captures our energy and feelings as a newly starting artist, making it the perfect introduction.
HANJIN: Sparkling Blue is our first statement to the world as to who we are, so we put a lot of effort into delivering the vibrant, high-spirited energy that comes to life when the six of us are together as TWS.
Your journey as part of TWS will capture the beauty of youth found in daily life. Since the members were born between 2003~2007, how hard is your journey—to be an idol and a normal teenager at the same time? Are you able to find moments of fun and fulfillment during this time of your lives nevertheless?
DOHOON: I feel like I’m the same DOHOON, whether I’m on or off stage. Our members and I are quite good at finding happiness even in the small things, so we always find something to have a laugh about when we are together!
KYUNGMIN: I agree with DOHOON. I’m really grateful that I’ve been given an opportunity to pursue my dream at a relatively early stage of my life and I think the sort of energy I have because I’m at this stage of my life is what also makes me shine through as an artist. There are always moments of fun and fulfillment. I especially like to recharge by having good food with the members.
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Were you able to discover any new facets of yourselves through the process of preparing for your debut?
SHINYU: There is still a lot for me to learn, but as we prepared for our debut, I began to see what it means to be a leader and learned more about how to take care of the closest people around me, the members. Just the sight of the members answering my suggestions or my questions in unison makes me feel things and brings a smile to my face.
JIHOON: What I learned about myself is that I truly love learning new things and building relationships with people I meet as we continue to move forward. I found so much happiness in the process. And sharing those joyful moments with the members I love made these experiences all the more precious. I realized that when I’m with the people I love, I gain the confidence and determination to overcome any challenges that come my way and create moments that shine even brighter.
You’re debuting under HYBE and PLEDIS as SEVENTEEN’s younger brother group, so it’s normal to feel pressure. Is this type of pressure a good one, and how do you plan to use it to even be better artists and performers in the future?
SHINYU: The “pressure” makes us want to do really well. It serves as motivation for us to do better. Embracing what one might label as pressure and taking it as a driving force, we aim to live up to the nickname “SEVENTEEN’s younger brothers” or “PLEDIS and HYBE’s super rookies.”
Could you please tell us more about the process of making and preparing for this album, from the recording process to the filming of the music video? Feel free to also share with us some memorable behind-the-scenes!
YOUNGJAE: We filmed the music video for plot twist in a school setting, and for one of the scenes we danced beneath a running fire sprinkler. It was such a thrilling experience, I’ve never danced while getting rained on!
KYUNGMIN: The final scene, filmed at a footbridge, stands out in my memory. Everyone was very hyped up because we had the mission of ensuring we captured the moment the train passed by in the background.
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For your fans to get to know you more, could you share with us activities or hobbies you usually are doing or are interested in doing?
YOUNGJAE: I always love listening to music! Even outside the bounds of work, music, and singing are such big parts of my life as a whole.
HANJIN: I enjoy watching TV shows. Even after a late-night rehearsal, I watch an episode or two of a TV show when I’m back home. I also like taking photos, capturing random moments from everyday life in video, and turning it into a vlog! I really love recording my daily life.
What were your first impressions of each other?
SHINYU: When I first saw KYUNGMIN, I was surprised by how hard he works, be it singing or dancing. He works really hard to make everything his own. He may be the youngest, but he is such a professional.
DOHOON: YOUNGJAE is great to be around, he has the ability to lift spirits all around. So I thought of him as the ‘cute friend from Gimhae (where YOUNGJAE grew up)’ at first.
YOUNGJAE: Every one of the members has strong, distinct characters. They really caught my eye.
HANJIN: I remember DOHOON greeting me with a big smile on his face. I didn’t feel confident speaking Korean then, so I introduced myself somewhat awkwardly. He seemed very stylish and cool, so I thought about how I should get to know him better.
JIHOON: I thought SHINYU had already made his debut the first time I saw him because he was very tall, good-looking, and was such a big presence! I looked up to him for his kindness and politeness, certain that I would be able to learn a lot from him. The same goes for HANJIN. We are the same age, but he was very cute and extremely passionate at the same time. I know I would learn a lot from them.
KYUNGMIN: JIHOON put me in awe with his dance skills when I first saw him. And then I was pleasantly surprised once again when I saw how sweet and nice he is.
Tell something about your future self. This could be your goals, not just for your career as an idol but also for yourself, or maybe an encouraging message. And then when the time comes, let’s say in five years, you’ll come back to what you said.
SHINYU: In five years, I hope that I’m an artist who has the capacity to maintain health and a balanced lifestyle. Hopefully, I’ll have a hobby that I enjoy, one that allows me to unwind and find a sense of relief. I think it’ll be important for me to continue growing as both an artist and an individual.
DOHOON: I want to tell myself, “I hope you remember how you felt at the beginning of your journey as a member of TWS, especially for the members and fans who always support you!” Five years from now, my goal is to evolve into someone who consistently gives their 100% and someone my team members can lean on as we collectively strive to become better artists.
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Is there anything that you’ve heard from your seniors, particularly SEVENTEEN, perhaps an encouraging message or an interaction with them that you think will help you with your journey along the way and you think you will never forget?
DOHOON: SEVENTEEN (sunbaenims) often visited us during our practices with words of encouragement and advice! They treated us to delicious food and even gifted each of us a pair of sneakers! Rather than specific advice or interaction, I think the relationship we have with them and just their presence, their story on its own will continue to help us along the way.
JIHOON: I want to thank SEVENTEEN (sunbaenims) for their advice on knowing the value of the members we’re always with as well as the time we have on stage. Also, many artists who walked this path before we did spoke to us about maintaining a healthy mindset as an artist. I’m grateful that we have seniors to talk to about these topics.
KYUNGMIN: It was really heartwarming when SEVENTEEN (sunbaenims) visited us to make sure we know they’re there for us and we’re well-fed! Our interactions with them drove us to work harder.
What was your inspiration and motivation to choose this path of being an idol?
HANJIN: I can’t think of a specific source of inspiration right now, but I think it was a process rather than a specific moment. My interest in music increasingly became stronger as I continued listening to music and watching the performances of artists. This eventually led me to pursue music professionally and here I am!
JIHOON: In choosing this path, a moment I remember distinctly is actually seeing myself in the mirror while dancing in the practice studio. I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror, and I saw that I was fully immersed in the moment, so happy to be just singing and dancing.
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