The genuine youth narrative delivered by the group TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT) has struck a chord not only in the music industry but also in the publishing sector. Combining with the emerging ‘Text-Hip’ (Text + Hip) trend among Generation Z, their collaboration has drawn significant attention for creating an innovative cultural crossover.
Publishing house Safehouse is hosting the pop-up event titled ‘What’s Wrong with Reading Randomly?’ from the 12th to the 25th at the Dopamine Station in the IPARK Mall Yongsan branch, Seoul. The core of this pop-up is the ‘TXT Zone,’ which reinterprets the lyrics of TOMORROW X TOGETHER (Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun, Hueningkai) into literary and visual publishing content. This collaboration holds special meaning as the publishing industry deeply resonates with and highlights their narrative.
The pop-up showcases five representative songs by TOMORROW X TOGETHER, including the title track ‘Angel Bite’ from their new album releasing on the 16th. Over the years, the group has gained strong empathy from their peers by honestly capturing the growing pains of teens and the realistic frustrations and concerns of youths in their twenties in their lyrics.
Notable examples include questions about growth like “Do I have to be an adult to be doing fine?” (‘What if I leave the monster alive?’), pandemic-induced loss in “Return my seasons” (‘Lost Summer’), realistic barriers in “Why can’t that life be mine?” (‘Trust Fund Baby’), and precarious solidarity in “Even falling is beautiful together” (‘LO=LOβ‘ER’).
In particular, the lyrics of ‘Angel Bite’βthe title track of their 9th mini-album ‘PERFECT STORM’ set to unveil on the 16thβdirectly capture the helplessness and desperation faced by youths in their twenties with lines like “I have nothing, what can I buy my future with?” and “Even if it’s all ruined, I just want to stay together.” These are expected to deeply captivate visitors.
The venue features immersive zones and tangible goods utilizing these core lyrics. A Zine package consisting of six paper goods and four sticker sheets depicting the lyrics of the five tracks helps visitors create their own artistic outcomes in the ‘Decorating Zone.’ Additionally, NFC keyrings combining the key lyrics of ‘Angel Bite’ with sensory emojis, alongside ‘blind books’ wrapped in custom packaging printed with TXT lyrics and recommended by Safehouse, are available for purchase. Amid the ‘Text-Hip’ trend where Generation Z collects texts and expresses their tastes, this pop-up offers a refreshing stimulus to fans and the general public alike.
Meanwhile, TOMORROW X TOGETHER is gearing up for their official comeback with the release of their 9th mini-album ‘PERFECT STORM’ on November 16 at 6 PM. Their new album has already signaled overwhelming global success by securing the No. 1 spot on Spotify’s pre-save ‘Top 10 Countdown’ for 18 consecutive days from October 26 to November 12. Both the music and publishing industries are keeping a close eye on their upcoming release, which will passionately portray the emotions of youth yearning for change amidst a stagnant reality.
