New Horizons for Tomorrow X Together

By Nuerya Nijiati

February 12, 2024

K-pop group Tomorrow X Together continues to rise in popularity as they climb the ladder of fame.

Following the success of internationally acclaimed k-pop group BTS, Big Hit music debuted Tomorrow X Together in March of 2019, earning them the reputation of being BTS’s “little brothers.” The 5-person boy band consists of Soobin, Yeonjun, Hueningkai, Taehyun, and Beomgyu. Each member plays a particular role, with Soobin as the “leader” of the group. 

In August of 2023, TXT announced that their new album, titled “Freefall,” would be released in October 2023, marking the start of a new era for the group. In the K-pop community, the release of a new album is referred to as “comeback,” with groups having as many as one or two comebacks a year. TXT fans (also known as MOA, or “Moments of Alwaysness”) are eagerly anticipating the upcoming album.

So far, TXT has released two full albums and five mini albums, and are the first ever male K-pop group to be on the Billboard Song Breaker Chart. In their four years of existence, TXT had reached tremendous heights. With their 15.4 million followers on Instagram, 22.6 million followers on Tiktok and 11 million monthly listeners on Spotify, they have garnered a large international fan base.

K-pop groups are known for their strenuous training routines prior to debut, and TXT is no exception. Members have shared stories of strict regimens, long working hours, and constant surveillance during the training experience that lasted between 2 and 5 years per person. With the goal of becoming K-pop idols, TXT members said they struggled to make friends in school while also receiving training in vocals and dance.

TXT is the latest example of pop groups that combine music with choreography. According to Mr. Verderber, who teaches chorus at JMS, “It’s not actually something new…In the 80s and 90s, Backstreet Boys and *Nsync, those were like the techno pop boy bands with the dance moves.” The difference, he explains, is that the K-pop music industry focuses slightly more on marketing of the idols so they can sell merchandise made by their companies. He mentioned that this isn’t necessarily negative, though.

Although Mr. Verderber has not heard of TXT before, he is willing to learn more about Korean pop culture and suggestions for how it might be incorporated into the chorus repertoire. He added that although K-pop is usually sung in Korean, its fans come from all over the world. As groups like TXT continue to gain international success, they show that music is not only universal, but also has the power to bring together individuals from many different walks of life.