Non-Stop K-pop: TXT’s comeback and cultural reset
It’s been 254 days since my favorite K-pop group last released an album. Although their 2022 EP “minisode 2: Thursday’s Child” fulfilled my yearning for fresh bangers, five songs can only be replayed so many times before they lose their charm. I’ve been in need of some new music from them for a while.
On Dec. 15, TXT made its official announcement for their upcoming release “The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION,” and the MOA, the name for the group’s fanbase and part of my self identity, emerged from hibernation. Their release is scheduled for Jan. 27 at 9 p.m. PST, and as you might imagine, my calendar is marked and my alarms are set.
One of the reasons why I’m such a raging fanatic of TXT, formally known as TOMORROW X TOGETHER, is because of the diversity of their concepts. As most K-pop stans know, every group tends to have a “concept” that pertains to their specific music, visuals, album design and choreography.
For example, BLACKPINK tends to stick to more techno and dance music with simple beats and music videos. Stray Kids tends to align with more bass-driven rhythms alongside grungy yet polished music videos. NCT 127 tends to capitalize on “noise music” and hip-hop-esque music videos.
But TXT? They could literally throw anything at you. And it’ll be great every time.
Take for instance their famous “Blue Hour” era. MOA were gifted a happy, bubbly music video with, among other unforgettable facets, cowboy hats, chaps and — wait for it — Choi Yeonjun with a pink mullet and pink cropped Balenciaga sweater. It was revolutionary.
But if carousels, blue skies and sing-songy melodies don’t fit your style, then try venturing into their “Good Boy Gone Bad,” affectionately abbreviated by fans as “GBGB,” era. You’ll be graced by heavy rock, a deep black aesthetic and impeccable choreography. I promise it’s the same five guys from before.
They’re honestly the only group that I’m familiar with that is able to oscillate between concepts so often and so successfully. If a group finds a concept that is unique and popular with fans, that’s obviously what they usually stick to. But for some reason, TXT really likes to push their limits.
Luckily, the group released concept photos for the approaching comeback, and to call the photos breathtaking would be a massive understatement.
There are four versions of this album — K-Pop albums always come in different “versions” aka visual concepts; it’s a money-grab technique that fans, including myself, are extremely susceptible to) “Daydream,” “Nightmare,” “Farewell” and “Lullaby.” Each version is extremely unique in its own right, but even just flipping through the different pictures says a lot about not only TXT as a group, but their ability to welcome androgyny with exquisite artistry in something as standard as an album release. Yet another reason I love them.
TXT has never shied from bending gender-centered rules — please reference the aforementioned Yeonjun in cropped Balenciaga sweater. In the “WORLD” version of their “The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE” album, each member was depicted with heavy eyeshadow and very delicate, white royal costumes with crowns. Quite far from contemporary perceptions of stereotypical western “manliness” — which then again, is an extremely subjective term.
In terms of their upcoming release, the “Daydream,” “Nightmare” and “Lullaby” versions especially caught my eye -— the “Farewell” version seems great, too, but it didn’t come off as strongly as the others in terms of conceptualization. Each set of photos was extremely delicate.
In “Daydream” we see the members in a forest, and there is a curious sense of mythicality and magic that is innately tangible. Glitter dances across their cheeks and noses and ethereal sunlight glimmers from their faces. A bare-backed Yeonjun faces away from the camera in one picture, his small frame sitting perfectly among the shrubbery. A bare-chested Soobin stares directly at the camera in another, his bleach-blond hair and teal eyes — colored contacts and hair dye — adding more nuance to his already elegant baby pink shawl and over-the-top floral gemmed necklace. It’s rare for idols to show this much skin — it’s much more taboo in Eastern cultures — but TXT has never been one to shy away from “taboo” in the name of artistry.
The “Nightmare” version is adequately named. The photos for this version are set in an extremely over-the-top bedroom with strings of wigs -— yes, wigs — and stuffed animals chaotically draping from one end of the dimly-lit chamber to the other. The members are each clothed in soft, white, pajama-like wool garments that are adorned with pastel pink lace and frills. Everyone is also adorned with their own pair of fuzzy white socks. Soft pink eyeshadows bring the aesthetic together. It’s stunning to witness to say the least.
The final version that I’ll discuss, “Lullaby,” can be well summarized by one phrase: androgynous Peter Pan. There is, within the photo set, one picture of each member where they are all in the same position, staring longingly out a large window at the night sky as they sit on the sill. Huening Kai is wearing a sheer glittery yellow long sleeve shirt topped with an almost comically large single shooting-star earring and a large silver chrome lotus ring. His skin glows, and the muted makeup doesn’t take away from his immense accessories. Both Beomgyu and Taehyun wear skin-tight pale yellow turtlenecks, each decorated with dainty pearls and crystals. Beomgyu flaunts a large yellow chrome lotus ring and single large pink chrome lotus earring. With this accented jewelry, there is no question that the boys welcome fluidity in expression. Well, either them or their stylists.
In the end, all of this description and analysis culminates into one general realization that I push everyone to further examine. One, that TXT is the best K-pop group at the moment. And two, that their ability to not only produce incredible music but to also pair that with mind-bendingly beautiful and tasteful conceptualizations is a feat worth great recognition.
Daphne Yaman is a sophomore writing about K-pop. Her column, “Non-Stop K-Pop” runs every other Wednesday. She is also an opinion editor at the Daily Trojan.