Starting the year off with a no-skip album is “The Name Chapter: Temptation,” by the 5-member K-Pop group, Tomorrow X Together (TXT). From the upbeat instrumentals to the catchy verses, this album will undoubtedly give you an earworm. Upon its release on January 27 in South Korea, the album has indefinitely left fans speechless and has also attracted many newer fans into the fandom as well.

Tomorrow X Together (TXT) is a South Korean boy band consisting of members Choi Yeonjun, Choi Soobin, Choi Beomgyu, Kai Kamal Huening (Huening Kai), and Kang Taehyun. They debuted on March 4, 2019 under Big Hit Entertainment, with the mini album, “The Dream Chapter: Star,” that quickly established their position in the Korean and international music industry; the album hit number one on the Gaon Album Chart and Billboard World Albums Chart, and hit number 140 on the US Billboard 200. Along with TXT’s statistical success, their all-roundedness unites the members together as one cohesive group, while their individuality shines through their iconic one-liners and their own variety show, “TO DO X TXT.” 

“The Name Chapter: Temptation,” contains five songs in total, including their iconic title track, “Sugar Rush Ride,” and four b-sides, “Devil by the Window,” “Happy Fools (feat. Coi Leray),” “Tinnitus (Wanna be a rock),” and “Farewell, Neverland,” running for a total of 14 minutes and 26 seconds. The title of the album alludes to the struggles of transitioning from youth to adulthood. Each track is different and unique in its own way, making the album addicting to listen to. 

Starting off the album with the opening track is “Devil By the Window,” a powerful, bass-boosted song in which the members sing about the temptations of not wanting to grow up. Neverland is a recurring theme in the album, and the members use the fairytale in order to describe their feelings of wanting to stay youthful. The song itself is entirely in English, and it sounds different compared to any other song they’ve made. With the heavy instrumentals and the members’ alluring vocals, the song is definitely a catchy and intriguing song. Not only does the track have a cool beat to it, but the choreography is extremely entertaining to watch as well.

The following track is “Sugar Rush Ride,” the iconic title track. The lyrics of the song revolve around the urge of giving into devilish temptations. In the lyrics “Come here more, Let me give you a piggyback ride, more”, the group referenced lines from the famous Korean pansori (a genre of Korean musical storytelling), Chunhyangga. Chunhyangga highlights human freedom and the denial of social status systems. The song itself starts off with a bubbly, upbeat sound, only to be followed by an anti-drop in the chorus. The song feels like an exciting, dizzying, roller coaster ride, making it extremely addicting to listen to. It became an instant hit, as the track immediately hit No. 1 on both domestic and international charts, including Melon and iTunes in 19 different countries. Along with the choreography, this song is definitely a favorite among fans. 

The third track is “Happy Fools (feat. Coi Leray),” an upbeat, rap-pop track. From beginning to end, listeners feel a rush of serotonin as they sing along. Written by all five members of the group, the lyrics highlight their settlement into ‘Neverland’ and their desire to “live in the moment.” With the song’s hyped, upbeat energy, we personally cannot wait to hear a live version of this song. 

Track 4, “Tinnitus (Wanna be a rock),” takes inspiration from Afro-Pop. It’s immensely popular with fans because of the contrast between the groovy beats and the solemn lyrics. Co-written by Taehyun and Yeonjun, it’s a favorite amongst the former as he wishes fans to give it the love it deserves. Through Taehyun’s participation in composing the lyrics, such as the line that translates to “Rockstar minus star, just a rock, okay,” they are especially personal to him. Connecting with the hardships that he faced at the time, Taehyun expressed a common feeling amongst many artists—the disappointment of not living as a renowned rockstar. 

As a suitable ending to the album, the closing track is “Farewell, Neverland.” Paired with the acoustic strumming of a guitar, it is a melodic ballad with scenic lyrics that is co-written by Yeonjun. Following the bittersweet theme of the previous four songs, “Farewell, Neverland” serves as a parting for the members as they say their goodbyes to the whimsical Neverland, which symbolizes youth and is described as “A paradise, full of lies,” in order to transition into adulthood. The discontentment with having to grow up in a heartbeat that is continuously echoed throughout  the album, and the message in this song perfectly circles back to the motif in the first track,“Devil by the Window.” Counting on the words of Taehyun, “Farewell, Neverland” serves as a hint towards TXT’s next album.

Regarding the physical album, The Name Chapter: Temptation comes in four different versions: Daydream (dark green), Nightmare (pink), Farewell (light green), and Lullaby (white). Each version contains different concepts and includes inclusions, such as a photobook, photocard, postcard, poster, bookmark, and sticker sheet. The Lullaby version is a mini version of the album, similar to the member jewel cases during the Minisode 2: Thursday’s Child era. Each album contains a photobook of one random member, a mini member poster, a name sticker, a photocard, and a postcard. 

With their upcoming tour, Act: Sweet Mirage, starting in March 2023 in Seoul, Korea, there is no doubt that TXT is one of the biggest K-pop boy groups in the world. Creating excitement with every move they make, they are undoubtedly a one-of-a-kind group. From their no-skip discography to their amazing stage presence, we genuinely can’t wait to see what fun stages they decide to do this tour.