"Even After Debut, Future Remains Uncertain"... Idol Confesses the Dark Side in 'Die Another Day' [★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

"God is dead," Nietzsche said. "Nietzsche is dead."

Born naked and dying naked again

I do not have the courage to hang myself.

You buy it because jumping down makes your knees ache again.

Just do it for fun

Like a holy knight before the Yodan River

"Not even intimidated before Yama, that's me"

"I could try try try to change my fate

I could die die die another day"

It is a feast of lyrics that are rarely found in idol songs — sharp and biting. The group TNX (TNX, Choi Tae-hoon, Jang Hyun-soo, Cheon Jun-hyeok, Eun Hwi, Oh Sung-jun) has launched a counterattack with a full dose of "venom." Debuting in 2022, TNX is now four years old. Through their activities over the past several years, they have experienced significant pain and anguish. In this new song, they openly confess their true feelings and express their determination to grow more mature.

TNX made their comeback on the afternoon of the 27th with the release of their third digital single "Die Another Day." This comeback comes approximately seven months after the group released their January single "CALL ME BACK." Having previously showcased a refreshing and upbeat image, TNX aims to demonstrate a strong, surprising side this time.

The new song "Die Another Day" features member Eun-hwi in both lyric writing and composition, enhancing its autobiographical elements. Earlier this year, Eun-hwi also demonstrated significant growth by competing on Mnet's "Show Me The Money 12." Additionally, former producer Ryan handled the composition, further elevating the track's quality. Although this poignant song seems to speak of an "end," it actually represents a preparatory stage for a "new beginning" and signifies wrapping up a chapter.

StarNews sat down with TNX to discuss their new song "Die Another Day."

-Ahead of the release of their third digital single 'Die Another Day' on the 27th, what are your thoughts?

▶Choi Tae-hoon: Because we prepared so diligently, we want to make a quick comeback and show our music and stage performances.

Oh Seong-jun: I am currently very confident. My practice is so thorough that I could get up and dance even in my sleep.

Please introduce your new song 'Die Another Day'. What inspired this track?

▶ Eun-hwi: We are making a comeback as a single this time. Although we have previously created music based on rock sounds, this time we used more stimulating sounds, resulting in alternative emo pop characterized by powerful guitar riffs and drum beats. The lyrics reflect the situations we experienced and the difficult times we went through. Through this comeback, we declare that we will face challenges head-on once again.

This song was both written and composed by Eun-hwi. How did the collaboration with former PD Ryan come about?

▶ Eun-hwi: This song began when former PD Ryan first played it for me. The intro immediately stuck in my ears, and the production team was equally captivated. The PD also had deep affection for the track. We received the demo and worked on rap composition and other elements to finalize the song, but along the way we faced many twists and turns. I rewrote the lyrics three times. About 50% of the demo was in English, so there was a process of rewriting it entirely into Korean. Former PD Ryan explained what emotions this song should convey, describing them as turbulent feelings akin to adolescence. He encouraged us not to hide the trials or negative emotions we experienced but to reveal them without reservation. While I felt more concern than burden, there were moments of worry. I tried to walk a fine line while writing it. I also worried that fans might find it hurtful if they heard it. However, I aim to present it effectively on stage. By opening up our behind-the-scenes moments, I wanted to convey a positive message rather than negativity.

▶Choi Tae-hoon: On the contrary, I felt a refreshing sense of relief in resolving it. Since this is a song that shows our will, I felt as though we were releasing it all at once and starting anew.

Oh Sung-jun: "End" does not merely signify an ending; it also marks the beginning that follows. After revealing a dark side, we aim to demonstrate new momentum.

'Die Another Day' appears to be the most philosophical and deep song released by TNX. It seems to contain a self-narrative along with the anguish of youth. What stories did each member want to convey?

▶ Eun-hwi: It was clear what Psy, the CEO, wanted to convey in this song. The CEO called me and shared examples of how difficult it had been for the members, asking me to write about intuitive situations. I wanted each part to reflect their own stories.

What lyrics did you want to emphasize in 'Die Another Day'? What message do you hope to convey through this song?

▶Choi Tae-hoon: The line "I could die die die another day" in the outro stands out to me. It means, "I will change my fate and I will not die." The keyword "fate" resonated deeply with me.

▶Jang Hyun-soo: It was the part of Taehoon where he sang "It's more miserable to be just moderately famous." I could relate to that position of being neither too famous nor not famous at all.

▶Chun Jun-hyuk: I think we approached it with an animation-like mindset. When you watch anime, there are moments that truly move your heart. Even though we don't know what will happen tomorrow, when we consider how to live today, we thought about being willing to give everything for a stage today, even if it meant dying. The lyrics "If today were the last page, I'd put everything into it" resonated deeply. Hui feels like he has developed significantly since appearing on "Show Me the Money." It seems he has found his own position and color.

▶ Eun-hwi: There is a part that says, "It's a race with no end in sight, but I still gotta chase," and I think it is exactly the same as the idol market. Honestly, I don't know if we should stop when things go well or when they don't; we want to keep moving forward while seizing opportunities. There are lyrics that say, "Just Do it just for fun. Like a knight standing before the River of Forgetfulness, unafraid even before Yama," and I wrote this thinking back to the situation where I felt intimidated as an idol while appearing on "Show Me The Money." I wrote these lyrics because I thought I needed to have that kind of spirit to be able to do anything.

▶Oh Sung-jun: I liked the lyrics of Hyung's rap part immediately upon hearing them for the first time. The lines, "Fight one more time right before hanging yourself. Nietzsche said God is dead; Nietzsche himself is dead. We are born naked and die naked too. There isn't enough courage to hang ourselves, yet our knees ache when we try to jump down, so that's why we live," made me take a moment to reflect on myself.

Regarding this activity, what support and advice did P-Nation CEO Psy provide?

▶Choi Tae-hoon: Even before recording this song, you provided many directions during group meetings.

▶Chun Jun-hyeok: There were moments that gave us strength. We worked hard to prepare for the live performance. The CEO expressed a wish for us to do well in this live show, and after we presented it, he said, "You can do it," and "You're doing great." This brought a sense of relief and boosted our confidence, serving as motivation. During this practice session, we had many conversations among ourselves. We discussed the mindset we should adopt as a team, and I believe it was a time of growth for us.

▶ Eun-hwi: The CEO is not the type to show affection openly, but when you support with love, they give a lot of feedback. You can see that they want to be with us. It was hard when I had to write lyrics three times, but I realized the CEO gave advice filled with affection. Even when I appeared on "Show Me the Money," the CEO supported me like a tsundere and sent thumbs-up emojis.

What do you think are the concerns of people in their 20s these days? Stories from friends around them, etc.

▶Jang Hyun-soo: My friends around me were discharged from the military and entered society. Some returned to school while others started working, but since they are still young, they couldn't immediately secure a position yet had concerns about making a living.

▶Chun Jun-hyeok: From what I hear from my hometown friends, their concerns differ from those of industry peers. Industry friends seem to have a clear idea of what they want to do but are struggling with figuring out what they can actually do. My hometown friends, on the other hand, are deeply contemplating what they should even be doing in the first place.

▶ Eun-hwi: It seems she is ultimately conflicted between her dreams and reality. She wants to do what she loves, but at some point, she often hits a wall of reality and lets go.

At this point, more than four years after their debut, what concerns do the members of TNX currently have?

▶Jang Hyun-soo: I have been contemplating my identity and am still thinking about it and researching it. It seems I am struggling with what I like versus what the public can accept. I began to wonder what would best showcase who I am.

▶Choi Tae-hoon: I think we are in the same boat. Although I have the profession of a singer, as an individual, I have many concerns about realistic aspects. I constantly wonder what I can do right now to excel professionally. I worry about becoming famous and creating more. I have had many worries since about two years ago. At one point, I even had a fear of being on stage. Experiencing that made me feel like I was moving further away from my dream. I lacked confidence. I wondered if it was my personality or my approach that was the problem, but as two years passed, my concerns became simpler. Eventually, I think proving my skills and establishing my character will resolve these worries. I believe the timing of this song's release was just right.

▶Chun Jun-hyuk: It seems like an uncertain future. Even just looking at the comeback, we don't know the outcome, so it seems unavoidable to feel anxiety stemming from that uncertainty. While there are things gained over four years of activity, there are also regrets. As these experiences accumulate, I find myself worrying more than when I was excited about challenges in the past. Recently, we have talked a lot among ourselves: while team unity is good, we decided each member should cultivate their own distinct color. It seems that if each person matures individually, synergy will emerge within the team.

▶ Eun-hwi: I was too worried about an uncertain future last year. I struggled with the balance between money, time with family, and my youth. At some point, I started thinking that I should be active to make music. In the end, I decided I had to live by momentum and not be intimidated. I realized how much I wanted to make music. Even without money, I want to share all of my hard work with the public.

▶Oh Sung-jun: I feel that at my age, it is no longer enough to simply do music because I love it; now I must demonstrate my skills. I want to show professionalism. Believing there are things only teenagers can do and others only those in their twenties can do, I aim to deliver an evolved message.

▶ Eun-hwi: Former coach Ryan often told us that "momentum is important." He constantly boosted our self-esteem and provided mental care. He was the only one among our activities who ever used the word "momentum."

▶ Tae-hoon: It wasn't just words; they were genuine, which built trust.

How do the members of -TNX overcome difficulties or tough times, and what methods do they use to stabilize their mental state?

▶Choi Tae-hoon: I prefer not to share the situation and instead reflect on it myself. Our members are so capable that they handle things well on their own.

▶Jang Hyun-soo: I try to show a lot of spirit. Then Taehoon will call me out and catch me once in a while. (laughs)

▶Chun Jun-hyuk: There is nothing better than talking things through and resolving them once in a while. It is not wrong that Taehoon hyung provides feedback. Recently, we practiced quite a bit and there were times when we needed to stabilize our mental state together. Whenever that happened, Taehoon hyung handled it well. He seems to be a truly humble leader.

Oh Sung-jun: Even when I am struggling, I know that the older players beside me are also going through a hard time, so I try to stay strong.

-What is the goal of this activity?

▶Choi Tae-hoon: We hope that those who are seeing us for the first time will regard us as newcomers. When our activities conclude, we would like there to be many tangible achievements, such as topping the charts, securing number one positions on music shows, and having a surge in events.

▶Chun Jun-hyuk: I think the most important thing in this comeback is our 'cohesion' as a group. We have bonded closely while preparing for this, and through many conversations with the company, we found common ground. Although this song has dark content, it also reflects the experiences of fans who have been with us for four years. As you listen to this song, I believe the fans will feel that same cohesion as well. I hope we all become united.

What adjective do you think best fits TNX at this moment, or is there one you would like to have?

▶Choi Tae-hoon: We prepared by setting up a last stand. The chairman said there would be processes and results that time brings, and indeed, the effects have clearly emerged.

▶Chun Jun-hyeok: We prepared for the live performance with great effort. I hope we receive positive reviews for our live show. It was so rewarding to see a general student at a university festival comment on our stage that we "do live well." All the hard practice until dawn was worth it. In the end, you just have to keep going until it becomes yours.

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*This content was translated by AI.