A day before TOMORROW X TOGETHER unleashed their new The Name Chapter: Temptation EP and officially kickstarted a new musical era, the K-pop boy band met with reporters both in-person in Korea and virtually around the world via a global media showcase on Jan. 26. In the hourlong press conference that included the first look at TXT’s new single, music video and stage performance, youngest member HUENINGKAI shared the group’s bold plan to “work hard to make 2023 the year of TXT.” With their most robust music output in months—not to mention the group’s highest amount of album pre-orders ever hinting at a high Billboard 200 debut—The Name Chapter: Temptation has already set TXT in motion to make that dream a reality.
With six entries on the Billboard 200 (the most of any K-pop group other than their BIGHIT MUSIC labelmates BTS), TOMORROW X TOGETHER have shown how their stylized storytelling targeted for their Generation Z is consistently connecting. But the quintet share that Temptation EP was particularly intentional for including the group’s own stories. The group said HYBE founder Bang Shi-Hyuk (who contributed to two of the EP’s five tracks, including the new single “Sugar Rush Ride”) encouraged them to take a heavier hand on certain songs this time to bring their own stories and lyrics. Not only do SOOBIN, YEONJUN, BEOMGYU, TAEHYUN and HUENINGKAI all boast writing credits, YEONJUN crafted melodies for one of the standout b-side tracks “Happy Fools,” marking his first melody contribution for a TXT album. “It made me so proud,” the 23-year-old remarked, “It was rewarding. It inspired me to write even more.”
With a slew of new genres explored, a significant crossover collaboration alongside Coi Leray and some of their career-best lyrics, The Name Chapter: Temptation is starting an excellent year and new music chapter for TOMORROW X TOGETHER. Read on for Billboard‘s ranking of the new tracks.
“Farewell, Neverland”
When TOMORROW X TOGETHER previewed Temptation at their global media showcase ahead of the EP drop, the guys shared that “Devil by the Window” acted as a “prequel” to their new single “Sugar Rush Ride.” With its shift in sounds and sentiments, “Devil” does set the groundwork for “Sugar Rush Ride” (keep reading to see where it placed in our ranking) but also establishes the tone for a reflective and brooding era for the group. The track also has the same creeping-yet-thrilling charm that made Billie Eilish‘s “Bad Guy” such a refreshing performance for pop radio and marks something that most K-pop groups of TXT’s generation could not pull off so effortlessly.
“Happy Fools” Featuring Coi Leray
Almost four years since its debut and TOMORROW X TOGETHER is famous for delivering some of K-pop’s best b-sides. Yet as strong as their albums tend to be, the true standout on The Name Chapter: Temptation has to be “Sugar Rush Ride.” While the opening’s glittery guitar opening recalls 2020’s “Blue Hour” (one of the group’s best singles), listeners take a true musical “Ride” here. The track flips the racing funk-pop into a slithering, minimalist chorus where the guys hiss how “The devil said: ‘Gimme gimme more, gimme gimme more,’” before a hyped-up, catchy breakdown that grows in intensity after each chorus.
True to TXT form, the single wouldn’t come alive without its accompanying music video and the quintet supplied some of their most impressive choreography for “Sugar Rush Ride.” Beyond the physically demanding high kicks and lifts, the best part of the choreo may be how the guys transform into seductive little devils themselves with bewitching, controlled movements to illustrate the music switch-up physically.
Even more impressively, “Sugar Rush Ride” doesn’t have a traditional bridge but doesn’t feel like it’s missing anything to become an early standout K-pop song for 2023 and a sweet gem in TXT’s impressive singles discography.
