TWS, HYBE and PLEDIS Entertainment's new K-pop group, encapsulates heart-fluttering moments in high school-themed 'Plot Twist' music video, watch

TWS, HYBE and PLEDIS Entertainment’s new K-pop group, encapsulates heart-fluttering moments in high school-themed ‘Plot Twist’ music video, watch

All ‘firsts' stir up feelings of excitement and nervousness, as does the idea of a debut to TWS.

By Monica Yadav -

January 22, 2024 - 2:30 PM IST

TWS, the first group to be born under collaboration between the K-pop powerhouses HYBE and PLEDIS Entertainment, has officially made their debut with their first mini album Sparkling Blue on January 22nd (KST).
Comprised of six talented members—SHINYU, DOHOON, YOUNGJAE, HANJIN, JIHOON, and KYUNGMIN—TWS is an abbreviation of 'TWENTY-FOUR SEVEN WITH US,' bringing forward the expression ‘24/7’ to symbolize their unwavering commitment to being with ‘you’ around the clock.

TWS, HYBE and PLEDIS Entertainment’s new K-pop group, encapsulates heart-fluttering moments in high school-themed ‘Plot Twist’ music video, watch

Transcending the nonchalant perception of time and space through music, the band aspires to connect to the listeners as their best friend, the one that guides us to see the lustre of our everyday lives. TWS will be the breath of fresh air in K-pop, with a musical identity that is distinct and most true to who the group is today. Boyhood Pop, in its dreamy nature, infuses a sense of sentimentality into all the passing moments we experience daily, capturing the essence of boyhood with every melodic and lyrical endeavour.

With the debut Mini album Sparkling Blue, TWS channels their gentle yet ebullient energy into refreshing melodies that define the idea of Boyhood Pop. Capturing the flutters of the heart at the sight of your crush, and the cosy intimacy of a conversation with a classmate, the music fully embodies the act’s approach to music that is honest and plainspoken.

The lead song 'plot twist' is an encapsulation of the flutters of the heart of the first encounter. All ‘firsts' stir up feelings of excitement and nervousness, as does the idea of a debut to TWS. The six-piece act sings of the luminosity of the ‘first time’ they are feeling through the lead single of their debut album. It tells the story of traveling into the unknown amid a heart-pounding rhythm, likening the act of overcoming the restlessness of facing something new with hope for the future to a ‘sparkling’ sensation. The hybrid pop track juxtaposes the sweet set of lyrics that lowers the listener’s guard to layers of synths, electrifying guitar and hard-hitting drums, rendering the delivery of the song’s message that much more memorable.

The new release was produced by PLEDIS Entertainment’s Sung Soo Han, known for producing the K-pop icon SEVENTEEN, as well as renowned K-pop artists such as After School, Orange Caramel, and NU'EST. A legendary Korean cartoonist, Kyeyoung Chon, joined forces with the act to add another layer of uniqueness to the album.

The second track 'unplugged boy' shares its name with one of Chon's iconic works from the 90s. To celebrate the special collaboration, Chon’s drawing from her work 'Unplugged Boy' will be featured as a part of the album cover for the Weverse version of Sparkling Blue. This marks the first collaboration between the cartoonist and a K-pop group in 25 years since H.O.T., an act considered one of the ‘first-generation’ boy groups that paved the way for K-pop.

“We shine brighter together”: A documentation of TWS’ friendship to last for eternity
Set in a school, the music video for 'plot twist' amplifies the band and their first album’s youthful look and sound. A classroom basking in the sunshine with a window that looks out to the dusty courtyard, rectangular desks lined up facing the whiteboard, the bursts of laughter that fill the hallway instantly once the bell rings, and a group of best friends that share that space—the shimmer of what seemed ordinary then, makes up ‘youth.’

In hopes that the magic of these precious moments will last, TWS guides the listeners through the kindness of our surroundings, the swoon-worthy daydreams, and the light of hope in our memories, as friends that will be there for you 24/7. It's all for you, for me, for our growth together through these precious times.