Unpacking How TXT Embraces Both The Past And The Future In minisode 3: TOMORROW

There are very few things that make our hearts happier than a TOMORROW X TOGETHER comeback! TXT, the 4th Gen It Boys, are back with minisode 3: TOMORROW, and they’ve sent our minds and pulses racing! Encapsulating their entire journey so far, the seven-track mini-album has so many twists and turns, that it only seemed fair to break it down for you! From the references to their past to their hopes for the future, here are our thoughts on TXT’s minisode 3: TOMORROW.

We’re trying (very hard, and failing) to not dive too deeply into TXT’s extraordinarily complicated lore here, but with so many overt references, it’s hard not to. Right now, we’ll mostly be looking at the references to TXT’s lyrics and journey, and to the story of The Little Prince, rather than their magic and multiverses. We’ll do our best to save those for another day…

‘I’ll See You There Tomorrow’

minisode 3: TOMORROW starts with a dancey, hopeful banger, which is in complete contrast with the usual hard-hitting, rock-influenced style they usually open with (‘Growing Pains’ and ‘Devil By The Window,’ just to name the most recent). Co-written by Yeonjun, Taehyun, and Huening Kai, and produced by Shift K3Y, ‘ISYTT’ wouldn’t sound out of place in a club, or even a 2000s movie montage. All of this doesn’t mean ‘I’ll See You There Tomorrow’ is any less impactful, though. It’s fun and a total vibe, but it has a much deeper meaning, too, and this juxtaposition is so TXT.

‘ISYTT’ closely follows the story of The Little Prince, which we’d expected to pop up throughout TOMORROW after watching the concept trailer. As well as references to the prince’s golden hair, there are stories of how “we” tamed one another, just like the fox asks the prince to tame him in the tale. Even putting lore aside, opening an album with a declaration of “No more sorrow!” is a solid way to get us on side!

Because of your golden hair, it was like loving a shining wheat field

‘I’ll See You There Tomorrow’ credit TranslatingTXT

‘- — — — ·-· ·-· — ·–’

It’s a testament to both TXT and MOA’s powers that a seven-second morse code track still debuted on the MelOn Chart (unsurprisingly, they are the first act to ever do this). ‘- — — — ·-· ·-· — ·–’ simply means ‘tomorrow’ and is the same as the morse code intro at the start of ‘CROWN,’ their debut single. TOMORROW‘s title track immediately follows this song, and having this full circle moment is so apt for the story they are trying to tell in TOMORROW.

‘Deja Vu’

First things first, we love that all five members split the chorus of this title track, and we’re especially obsessed with Soobin and Beomgyu’s “neon machi deja vu” one-two punch!

‘Deja Vu’ goes against the grain in a lot of ways compared to where K-Pop is currently. For a (literal) start, it has a proper intro, where so many songs don’t anymore in the era of streaming and TikTok. The instrumental breaks are divine and the cut out before the final chorus genuinely left us breathless on first listen. The chic melodrama is reminiscent of late 2nd Gen/early 3rd Gen K-Pop, but it’s still got TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s stamp all over it. When recording the adlibs for ‘Deja Vu,’ Taehyun and producer Slow Rabbit focussed on recreating the vibes from 2015 and 2018 K-Pop, adding to the idea that TXT is building on nostalgia with a 3rd Gen renaissance. Overall, the heady mix of a trap beat, full pop synth, and heavy rock guitars feels so quintessentially TXT, as does the vocal delivery.

TXT have been great vocalists since day one, but in the last couple of comebacks, they have grown so much. Any song where we get to hear Taehyun’s emotional going-through-a-divorce rasp and Soobin’s lower register is a win, and we get both here. It’s also great to hear Huening Kai rapping again, and his and Yeonjun’s verses to open the song are so strong.

‘Deja Vu’ Lyricism

Where ‘ISYTT’ is hopeful for the future, ‘Deja Vu’ is nostalgic for the past. TXT’s title track for minisode 3: TOMORROW essentially has the same arc that the entire album has – TXT’s journey in the last five years. There are just so many references to their back catalog that we’re tempted to write another whole article on it – that’s how much this song has blown our minds. Here are just some of ‘Deja Vu’s lyrical references to TXT’s discography:

• “I ran away countless times” -> ‘Run Away,’ as well as the common motif of running throughout their work, including ‘LO$ER=LOVER’ and ‘CROWN.’
• “The morse code amidst the ruins” -> the morse code from ‘CROWN’ and the ruins in ‘Can’t You See Me’
• “An old promise” -> the promise that the boys made to each other
• “Crowns covered in dust, once again, like the dream carved in my soul” -> The Dream Chapter and title track ‘CROWN’
• “Even when I’m crashing down, you’re all I need” -> Yeonjun’s rap in ‘LO$ER=LOVER’

All of these references are so satisfying to see as MOA, but our favorite has to be “Be my eternity, say my name,” from the ‘Deja Vu’ chorus, which is an exact duplicate of the chorus from ‘Run Away,’ “Please be my eternity, please call my name,” with just the second line switched to English in ‘Deja Vu.’

There are plenty more references we could tell you about, but you get the picture. In short, ‘Deja Vu’ serves as a crescendo of the promises and eternities that have been TXT’s message to date.

‘Deja Vu’ Music Video

TXT is not a group that views their music videos as an afterthought, but rather as an essential art form. ‘Deja Vu’ is no exception and, honestly, might be in the running for our favorite music video yet. It opens with a fox leaping into an eye, with the caption “Since some things are precious but invisible to the eye, we forget them as time passes by,” which mimics one of the most famous quotes from The Little Prince:

It’s only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

The Little Prince

Not only does this quote tie in with this whole era and its references, but choosing this particular line also invokes the specific themes within the ‘Deja Vu’ lyrics and music video: not taking things for granted and keeping promises that were made in the past.

The most impressive aspect of this music video is the members’ acting, which, although it’s always been strong, is extraordinary here. During the filming of the emotional scene where Beomgyu seemingly rescues Yeonjun, Beomgyu was worried he’d break character and laugh. When it came to filming, though, Yeonjun really cried. Beomgyu was so struck by Yeonjun’s acting that he told himself he couldn’t mess this up for them. All in all, the result makes for one of the most heartfelt and tender music video scenes we’ve ever seen.

The ‘Deja Vu’ music video is beautifully cinematic, from the color grading to the special effects, to the flowers that were attached to Taehyun one-by-one for the stop-motion scene. The choreography is drop-dead gorgeous too, and their performance at the Comeback Showcase only made us love it even more. The members have said it’s super difficult, and with moves like Yeonjun’s roundhouse kick, we’re not surprised.

‘Miracle’

In case it wasn’t already obvious: if you loved TXT’s The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE, then you’re gonna love minisode 3: TOMORROW. This is never more clear than in ‘Miracle,’ which is a classically anthemic pop-rock moment. The build-up in this one is so good, and we won’t know peace until we get to shout along to it at ACT: PROMISE. We don’t know about you guys, but we can totally see this being the new tour closer!

‘Miracle’ is also the song for you if you love a sentimental moment. Like the rest of the album, this one tells TXT’s story so far. But unlike the other tracks, rather than being about TXT’s career or musical arc, this one focuses on the members’ relationships with one another.

When writing, Taehyun asked each of the members what the biggest miracle in their daily lives is and [cue our tears] they unanimously said that it was meeting each other. Surprised, this became the basis of ‘Miracle’ whilst Taehyun was writing. Taehyun isn’t the only member with credits on ‘Miracle’ either – Yeonjun, Soobin, and Huening Kai all do too. Soobin wrote the chorus of this track, and it’s a stand out moment for sure.

I’ve been wandering alone in this maze in the mirror

The opening line of ‘Miracle,’ referencing their track ‘Maze In The Mirror,’ which was written pre-debut

TXT performed ‘Miracle’ at the minisode 3: TOMORROW Comeback Showcase, and melted our hearts. Just before the final chorus, the members gathered to shout their team chant “Let’s be together tomorrow as well!”. This is mirrored in the final lyrics of ‘Miracle,’ too, “Let’s be together today and tomorrow.”

‘The Killa (I Belong To You)’

New biggest fear just dropped: what if we get unit stage performances for these b-sides? This hyung line unit is so gorgeous, and is, let’s be honest, a MOA’s dream come true.

The intro starts so gently before growing into a sensual serenade. With an R&B guitar and afrobeat-inspired track, could it be anything other than epicurean? ‘The Killa’ is the perfect softer moment in this high-impact album; where so many artists would go for an obvious, straightforward ballad, this feels like a way more organic ebb and flow. Yeonjun’s fuller voice and Soobin’s dreamlike breathy tone contrast so beautifully, adding to the hedonistic push-and-pull of the track. Overall, ‘The Killa’ feels like a sequel to ‘Tinnitus,’ a true MOA favorite.

‘Quarter Life’

Now here’s the track for the 20-something teenagers! ‘Quarter Life,’ which unpicks the angst and chaos of your twenties, is so quintessential 00/10s pop-punk that we can’t quite believe it’s actually a 2024 K-Pop song. Even right down to the call-and-response structure and the vocal edits on the lyric “Quarter-life crisis,” this track wouldn’t have felt out of place on any of our pop-punk playlists. And speaking of vocals – Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Huening Kai are so, so good at pushing emotion and desperation through their vocals (just listen to Beomgyu at the 2:14 mark). This is literally the perfect sub-unit; and for an album about nostalgia, we couldn’t think of a better sonic direction.

Now, we start manifesting a performance video of ‘Quarter Life’ like these three members gave us for ‘Skipping Stones.’

‘Deja Vu (Anemoia Remix)’

In 2024’s music industry, you basically can’t release a single without releasing at least one (or 20!) remixes. We’ll admit, we’re often a little skeptical as remixes can just feel like a clunky add-on to boost streaming numbers rather than actually serving the art. This one, however, is different! The grunge-influenced ‘Anemoia Remix’ actually really makes sense, and adds a new dimension to the song. We’re never, ever gonna complain about rocker TXT, and honestly? Even if they’d released this as the actual single we would’ve been happy, even though it’s probably not performance-y enough for a K-Pop title track.

So that’s the album track by track, and if it weren’t obvious, we’re completely obsessed. We’re super curious about where we’ll be headed next, though. With minisode 3: TOMORROW summarizing TXT’s journey so far, will we be headed on a new voyage in the next era?

It’s clear that this comeback means a lot to the members, and with how closely linked to their journey it is, we’re not surprised. Their gratitude for each other and their position, as well as their excitement for the future, shine through. Even at the minisode 3: TOMORROW Comeback Showcase, TXT prepared sweet special messages for MOA to celebrate, like Beomgyu declaring “I promise you our eternal tomorrow.”

Luckily, MOA seems to be loving this era as much as TXT is, so we can’t wait to see how things continue and are already dreaming of all the things tubatu will achieve this comeback!

We want to hear from you! What’s your favorite track on minisode 3: TOMORROW? Are you enjoying this era so far? Let us know over on Twitter @TheHoneyPOP! Or, if you’d rather, you can also find us on Facebook and Instagram!

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