On April 1, 2024, rising Korean pop stars TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT) released their sixth extended play (EP) titled “minisode 3: TOMORROW.” The boy group debuted a little over 5 years ago under Big Hit Music, and has set a precedent of award-winning talent in terms of vocals, lyricism and dance. With fans across the globe, 42 music awards and 132 nominations, the group has further proved their place as one of the top K-pop groups of their generation with the release of their new EP.
TXT consists of 5 members: Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun and Huening Kai. Often sticking to genres such as pop, indie rock and R&B, with prominent themes of love, heartbreak and youth in their music, the group has built up a diverse discography since their debut in March 2019.
Only six months after the release of their previous studio album, “The Name Chapter: FREEFALL,” which was released on Oct. 13, 2023, TXT has already returned with a new EP and a new concept. “minisode 3: TOMORROW” features concepts of love, longing and confusion during a time of growth and maturing.
The EP contains 5 tracks: “I’ll See You There Tomorrow”, “Deja Vu”, “Miracle”, “The Killa (I Belong to You)” and “Quarter Life.” Ranging from pop and electronic rock styles to Afrobeats, this EP is a diverse addition to TXT’s wide and fluctuating discography.
The EP starts off strong with a house-style pop track titled “I’ll See You There Tomorrow,” which outlines a promise of reunification. With references to “The Little Prince,” a novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry that explores themes of loneliness, friendship and love, and the anaphora of the phrase “there’ll be no more sorrow, I’ll see you there tomorrow,” the track expresses the promise of meeting again tomorrow as a magical certainty that shouldn’t be taken for granted. Co-written by members Yeonjun, Huening Kai and Taehyun, this bright and upbeat track introduces listeners to the EP with a nostalgic yet exciting melody.
The EP’s title track, “Deja Vu,” is a blend of pop and rock styles and is a love song focused on longing and reunion. The lyrics describe the fear one may feel in a relationship causing them to run away, but eventually finding peace and connection in the relationship. The song compares their love to the phenomenon of “deja vu,” with a connection so deep and familiar it feels as though they have been there before. The song has a sorrowful yet captivating melody, making it a perfect song to use for the album’s promotion.
The following song on the EP is “Miracle,” another love song with electronic rock elements. This track, co-written by Soobin, Yeonjun, Taehyun and Huening Kai, depicts a similar concept to “I’ll See You There Tomorrow,” comparing their love to something miraculous. It describes the idea of being together now and forever, even through trials and tribulations, as a miracle, and that everything will be okay during hardships as long as the two people in it are together.
The EP ends with two unit songs, “The Killa (I Belong to You)” and “Quarter Life.” “The Killa (I Belong to You),” a relaxed Afrobeats track, solely features members Soobin and Yeonjun and expresses one’s complete devotion and surrender to their lover while being willing to give themselves up for their significant other. “Quarter Life,” a more upbeat track with rock components, features the remaining members, Beomgyu, Taehyun and Huening Kai. This song shines light on the feeling of an existential crisis within a quarter of one’s life and also not giving up despite feeling hopeless. The TXT members, ranging from 21 to 24-years-old, are all around this age, so this upbeat and youthful anthem reflects their individual hardships.
Overall, this new addition to TXT’s discography perfectly encapsulates the feelings of fear and confusion as well as devotion and solace that come along with young love. The cohesion of each track makes for a balanced collection of songs that further play on concepts touched on in previous TXT albums. Overall, it is a beautiful and catchy EP which has garnered much love and attention for the band.
The group has been awarded with a variety of awards for this EP, the first being a trophy on Korean music show Show Champion, competing with a variety of other K-pop groups including BABYMONSTER, DAY6, KISS OF LIFE and ILLIT. Furthermore, TXT secured first place on popular Korean award shows M Countdown and Music Bank. The EP has also been topping charts in a variety of countries, including South Korea, Germany, Sweden and France, reaching first, sixth, eighth and fourth places, respectively.
Following the release of this EP, TXT is set to embark on their third world tour entitled ACT: PROMISE, performing in South Korea, the United States and Japan. The tour is set to begin on May 3, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea and end on Sept. 15, 2024 in Fukuoka, Japan. The group has been reaching more and more success as they release more music, and there is only more to come.
