Hallyu Spotlight: Meet TWS, Pledis’ newest K-pop boy band

If you’ve been following the K-pop groove in the new year, chances are that you might have heard of a new boy band in town. That’s TWS, Pledis Entertainment’s newest group.

Short for Twenty Four Seven with Us, TWS made their official debut a week ago on 22 Jan with their mini album Sparkling Blue (2023). The boys also dropped a pre-release single, titled Oh Mymy : 7s (2023), on 2 Jan.

TWS is a six-membered boy band. And they are composed of members Shinyu, Dohoon, Youngjae, Hanjin, Jihoon, and Kyungmin.

Opting for a youthful and vibrant image from the start, the boys are undoubtedly the new rising stars. The music video of their title track plot twist (2023) has now amassed almost 12 million views.

In their title number, the boys flaunt their cheerful exuberance which makes for an immersive watch. The video is high-school-themed, a fitting concept for the group considering that most of them are still youths.

Musically, plot twist (2023) has many strong beats and a catchy rhythm to it. Brimming with positivity, it’s almost impossible not to hum the song after a few listens.

Its introduction did remind me of TXT’s Crown (2019), but towards the chorus, the song gravitates towards a slightly more retro style. Like how the first generation boy bands executed their tracks. Think H.O.T and Sechs Kies.

In the song, the boys sing about an awkward first encounter. And how these encounters are hard for them because of their sheepish and coy nature.

The best part of the song though, comes during the ever-so-addictive bridge where the boys dance in the school hall as water sprinkles down.