“Say hi first. Strike up a conversation. Leave a great first impression.” TWS already had everything down pat, considering the spotless preparation for their long-awaited D-day. 

Months and months of anticipation have led to this point: Shinyu, Dohoon, Youngjae, Hanjin, Jihoon, and Kyungmin have finally and officially begun their journey as artists, and our “twenty-four-seven” with TWS has started. But it has been an arduous, winding road strewn with peculiar plot twists and surprises.

The mettle-testing trainee period for K-Pop idols is no industry secret, and when you find out you’re debuting at long last through a prank, what you imagine to be a moment of absolute relief turns into a whole sitcom episode, eliciting laughter and tears at the same time. “Fun fact!” their energetic maknae (막내) Kyungmin tells us.

At some point, there was even a spur-of-the-moment surprise cameo at their SEVENTEEN sunbaenim's (세븐틴 선배님) 2023 fan meeting. Thanks to their seniors’ proclivity for spontaneity and uninhibited fun, that would have been a massive spoiler ahead of the pencilled dates, if not for the layers of clothing and face masks hiding the members' faces while they danced to ‘파이팅 해야지’ (Fighting).

Nothing ever really prepares you for the moment seems to be the learning here for TWS. There’s relief when a day or schedule goes by without a hitch – happening exactly as you’ve pictured it in your head – but this is hardly ever the case. And this is not bad at all. Sometimes, living with a little unpredictability is good.

Their debut single ‘plot twist’, or ‘첫 만남은 계획대로 되지 않아’ in Korean – literally: “first encounters don’t go as planned – might as well be an on the nose comment about it all. “My feet take me along the familiar path / A perfect plan (발걸음은 매일 걷던 그 길로 / 계획은 완벽),” they sing, only to have the rug swept from under their feet and their expectations thwarted even before they utter their names or their first “안녕하세요~ 반갑습니다 (Hello, nice to meet you).” They bemoan the awkward situation: “First encounters are always so hard / ‘Cause nothing goes to plan (첫 만남은 너무 어려워 / 계획대로 되는 게 없어서),” yet call it a “dazzling moment” nonetheless.

TWS’s debut album, Sparkling Blue, hopes to capture that candidness and radical openness to chances. Throughout 5 effervescent bops – the aforementioned title track, ‘unplugged boy’, ‘first hooky’, ‘BFF’, and their pre-debut single, ‘Oh Mymy : 7s’ – the boys’ youthful energy never wavers. “Since this is our debut album, we aimed to introduce ourselves in a manner that is just true to ourselves, a way that reflects who we are today as authentically as possible,” explained Youngjae.

Bandwagon chats with PLEDIS Entertainment’s newest boy group, checking in on them shortly after their debut day (22/1) to talk about Sparkling Blue, starting out as K-Pop artists, and being the beloved dongsaengs (동생) of SEVENTEEN, fromis_9, Bumzu, Baekho, and Hwang Min Hyun – among other topics.

First things first: congratulations on your debut! How do you feel now that this moment has finally come?

DOHOON: There are many thoughts rushing through my mind, but to name a few, it’s been an incredible experience receiving so much support from everyone around us while preparing for our debut. All the heartwarming wishes and words of encouragement that led up to the day of our debut made me see how everything we’ve worked for was worth all our effort and so much more. I also learned I’m very much driven by compliments!

HANJIN: Thank you for the kind words! I really enjoyed rehearsing for our debut show together with our members, and I wanted to tell our members I’m thankful for all the encouragement from them that helped me get through difficult times.

KYUNGMIN: Knowing that our debut is imminent, it made me look back to the time I spent as a trainee and think about how much I’ve grown. Here’s a fun fact: we found out we were making our debut through a prank, so all six members of TWS showed tears of joy and laughter all at the same time!

One member at a time, tell us the first thing you want the world to know about you.

SHINYU: I tend to be a bit shy, but I'll always try my best to get closer to our fans!

DOHOON: I’m the youngest child at home, so although I’m technically one of the older members in TWS, sometimes I might act and seem like one of the younger members!

YOUNGJAE: At first glance, I might just seem like the quiet one. But I want you to know, I’ll always be giving it my all to be that constant source of energy for everyone listening to us, although quietly!

HANJIN: One thing I want to tell everyone is that in working hard to make my dreams come true, I'll never forget what I’m feeling and thinking now as a newly starting artist.

JIHOON: I want to make sure I present a diverse range of versions of myself. I don’t believe I’m a natural at anything I’m capable of right now, but because I feel that way, I know that I can become anything I want to be when I put myself to it. Please look forward to seeing everything I can be!

KYUNGMIN: I want to let everyone know that I have a charming voice! And unlike Dohoon, I'm actually the dependable, trustworthy oldest sibling at home but the youngest in TWS.

Tell us a little more about yourselves. Give a short background about how you started out. What motivated you to become idols?

SHINYU: I have always admired senior artists that act as a positive influence on others, and I wanted to become an artist that does the same.

YOUNGJAE: There was a period of time where I found dancing and singing to be so much fun, I felt like even if it was the only thing I could do for the rest of my life, I’d be happy with that. I think that's when I made up my mind to become an artist.

KYUNGMIN: It was BTS's performance of ‘Not Today’ that made me want to become a K-Pop artist! They had this great aura on stage, and I wanted to become more like them.

Now, let’s talk about your experience with your debut mini-album, Sparkling Blue. What was it like when you got to record it?

YOUNGJAE: Since this is our debut album, we aimed to introduce ourselves in a manner that is just true to ourselves, a way that reflects who we are today as authentically as possible. So, we focused on relaying our feelings in introducing ourselves for the first time through the refreshing melodies on Sparkling Blue, in the hopes that our vibrant energy and excitement will also be carried over to those listening.

JIHOON: During the recording process, I got to witness the meticulous effort that goes into every detail of a track. It is an honour to have it as our debut album. It captures the precious youthful moments we aim to convey through our music and performance.

If ‘Oh Mymy : 7s’ was your “hello” to the world, what do you think is special about your debut title track, ‘plot twist’ (첫 만남은 계획대로 되지 않아)?

DOHOON: I think ‘plot twist’ feels very special! Whether I’m relaxing at home or I’m on my way somewhere, I find myself going back to the song constantly because of the catchy chorus.

HANJIN: I love our lead single because I think it captures the flutters of the heart and the nervousness of the “first encounter” that we all experience at one point or another.

SHINYU

Do you have any favourite B-sides here?

SHINYU: ‘unplugged boy’ is my favourite B-side track. It has sort of a soft and fluffy sound that also makes me feel soft and comfortable.

JIHOON: It's difficult to choose, but I would have to say ‘first hooky’ is my favourite B-side. It has an upbeat vibe to it that I think perfectly captures the level of energy that builds when the TWS members are together.

KYUNGMIN: It's difficult to choose, but I also like ‘unplugged boy’ the most besides our lead single. It's an easy-to-listen track that showcases TWS's refreshing voices, making it a song you can enjoy anytime, anywhere!

DOHOON

YOUNGJAE

You’re following in the footsteps of SEVENTEEN. They’re such a huge act, so surely, there’s pressure. But what do you think is good about having them as your seniors? What’s the most profound piece of advice that your seniors told you about starting your journey as idols?

YOUNGJAE: Whenever we had the opportunity to meet with artists under PLEDIS Entertainment that have walked this path before us, including SEVENTEEN, we were greeted with such kind words of encouragement and advice.

HANJIN: One thing that stuck with me in particular is that they emphasised the importance of mutual trust and a sense of togetherness among the members. They also made sure to boost our confidence in ourselves.

HANJIN

JIHOON

Amid your packed promotion schedule, what excites you the most about the days ahead?

SHINYU: There are so many things I want to do, but most of all, I can't wait to get on stage. I’m curious about how it’d feel to hear an audience cheering for us on stage and can’t wait to experience the thrill of being on stage.

DOHOON: I look forward to holding our own concert one day! Seeing all our seniors’ concerts, I promised myself that I’ll become an artist who can proudly share my music and performances on stage.

HANJIN: I don't know where to begin, but I am looking forward to the moment when we can interact with our fans in person! I can't wait to share unforgettable memories together.

KYUNGMIN

Imagine yourselves 7 years from now. What’s something you want to tell your future selves?

YOUNGJAE: I hope we can grow into a group that's recognized for how good our music and performances are. It’s what we do. To achieve this goal, I’ll always tell myself that we always have to continue growing, regardless of how long it’s been since our debut.

JIHOON: Most of all, I hope everyone in TWS is healthy and enjoys what we do! I hope we become artists who are grounded and who share positive influences. I hope to become an artist that never takes anything for granted. I can't wait to meet the future self who has improved all around.

We’re curious about one particular thing that Dohoon said in your ‘Prologue’ video. What do you think is that “something that is unique only to TWS” that you’re going to show the world?

DOHOON: I think something unique to TWS is our ability to soak up everything we see like a sponge! I think that ever-changing quality of ours, as we continue to take in everything we experience and wholeheartedly continue on our drive to become better musicians and performers, will manifest our identity as an artist that is unique to TWS. 

JIHOON: I believe we are a team of a wide musical spectrum, and we have the ability to transform any colours given to us into our own shade.