Lee Gyu-lee is a business writer at The Korea Times, focusing primarily on IT & telecommunications, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA. Prior to this, she has covered a wide range of cultural news, from film, television and K-pop to lifestyle and fashion.
TWS reflects on debut year, looks forward to continued growth
A concept photo for TWS' recent single "Last Bell" / Courtesy of Pledis Entertainment
By Lee Gyu-lee
Introduced last year as Pledis Entertainment’s first boy group since Seventeen, TWS has had quite the debut year, becoming one of the most sought-after rookies of 2024.
The group, which debuted on Jan. 22, 2024, with “plot twist,” swept 13 trophies, including seven new artist awards. It also topped Melon’s 2024 yearly chart with its first single.
Celebrating its first anniversary on Wednesday, the six members — Shinyu, Dohoon, Youngjae, Hanjin, Jihoon and Kyungmin — expressed gratitude to their fans and excitement for more activities to come this year.
“It feels like it was just yesterday when I was so nervous during my first filming at a music show that I couldn't say anything and felt shy,” Youngjae said in a written interview through the agency.
“In 2024, I thankfully received a lot of love and attention, but I feel that I wasn't able to properly repay the support you've given me, so in 2025 I want to become an artist who can share as much love as I have received.”
Jihoon added, “Thank you for the 365 days that were so happy and felt like a dream. I was happy to make many precious memories with the members I love most and our 42, or SAI, (fandom name) fans, and I'm excited about the new experiences we'll create together in the future.”
A poster celebrating TWS' first anniversary / Courtesy of Pledis Entertainment
Hanjin looked back on the group’s debut album “Sparkling Blue,” noting it was his most special moment of last year.
“(My most memorable moment) is the night our debut album was released. I can't forget the excitement and nervousness when I first saw the fans' reactions,” he said.
“While reading their messages of support, I felt that our music could be a source of strength and comfort for someone. That moment continues to be a huge motivation for me even now.”
The members shared that they particularly felt the fans reactions to their music because they put extra effort into staying true to their craft.
“We sincerely want to repay those who love TWS, and continuously work hard for this. I think people have been impressed by how the members look after each other and move forward together in this process,” Jihoon said.
“TWS is my youth and everyone's youth. That's why I have a strong desire to color (listener's) daily lives with amazing music to make them more vibrant.”
Shinyu added: “Our music, and the members' hearts that love each other (are reasons why we are loved). I think our SAI fans send us endless love because of how close we are to each other.”
The group expressed ambition for this year, showing excitement for the upcoming act.
“(My goal) is surpassing TWS of 2024. Last year, we were thankfully able to receive so much attention and love. Building on this, we'll do our best to receive even more love this year,” Youngjae said.
Dohun added, “My goal this year is creating stages to be proud of'! To keep this goal, I plan to steadily improve my individual skills and work hard to prepare for our comeback. In the long term, I want us to become a group that others look up to.”