TWS Continues to Bloom with Japanese Debut Single Album はじめまして
Photo: TWS Japan Official X
As rookies with immense popularity in Asia, it makes sense that TWS has now debuted in Japan. On July 2, the boy group released their Japanese debut single album, はじめまして. Shinyu, Dohoon, Youngjae, Hanjin, Jihoon, and Kyungmin referenced their Korean debut title track “plot twist” for the beginning of their career in Japan.
TRACKLIST:
"はじめまして"
“BLOOM (feat. Ayumu Imazu)”
“plot twist - Japanese ver.”
Welcoming TWS to Japan: “はじめまして”
Sharing the same name as the single album, the title track “はじめまして” (Hajimemashite) brings warm pop tones that match the summer season. Its lyrics portray the joy of bumping into a crush after a long period of time.* The song uses the greeting “はじめまして,” meaning “nice to meet you,” to express this elated feeling. This title track choice feels like a full circle moment as the Korean title for TWS’s debut title track “plot twist” means “first meetings don’t go as planned.” TWS has also included a Japanese version of “plot twist” on this single album.
TWS may not be the new kids in school, but they return to campus for the summer. The music video for “はじめまして” continues their storyline of youth growing up. It includes a scene where a disinterested, daydreaming Youngjae sits in a college lecture hall, rather than a high school classroom. To showcase their growth, the music video also parallels a specific scene from “plot twist”; a confident and excited Dohoon rushes to open a classroom door and his belongings float in the air around him when the door slides open, grabbing his classmates’ attention.
An Animated Collaboration: “BLOOM (feat. Ayumu Imazu)”
“BLOOM (feat. Ayumu Imazu)” is another original song on their Japanese debut single album. Their collaboration with Japanese soloist Ayumu Imazu results in a funky pop song. As the track is also the opening theme for the anime April Showers Bring May Flowers, its lyrics tie into the show’s themes. The song tells of embracing your true colors and having faith in yourself. Since the series stars a girl who believes she “exists as a side character in other people’s stories,” the song hopes to enforce that beauty comes from within.
Early reports on TWS’s Japanese debut already indicate a warm reception. The single has already ranked first on Oricon’s Daily Single Ranking and the single album has already sold “close to 120,000 copies.” This follows a similar trajectory of their Korean EPs reaching high levels of success on both Oricon’s daily and weekly charts. TWS will continue meeting Japanese fans throughout July and into August with their 2025 tour, 24/7:WITH:US IN JAPAN.
*Note: lyrics taken from the English captions in the official music video.
Edited by Sandy Ou