In the next installation of our MINI MOMENTS series, where the world’s biggest stars give us an exclusive, behind-the-scenes glimpse at their career milestones, MINI V caught up with none other than the boys of TOMORROW X TOGETHER, as YEONJUN, SOOBIN, BEOMGYU, TAEHYUN, AND HUENINGKAI chatted about the world of Neverland, their collaboration with Coi Leray, and their recent tour.
MINI V: After listening to The Name Chapter: Temptation, I realized the EP’s concept seems to revolve around the theme of “Neverland.” How would you define Neverland?
SOOBIN: In theory, Neverland can be a sort of paradise for children, where kids are free from worry and responsibility. But our take on Neverland within our EP takes a different perspective. It says that Neverland stunts your growth and prevents you from following your dreams.
TAEHYUN: Neverland, for us, represents moments of temptation. We’ve all experienced, at one point, the feeling of wanting to prolong our childhood. Growing up comes with great things but also pains, and sometimes we don’t want to worry about all that in the moment. But what we all understand is that we keep going because there is so much more to experience down the road and we’ve still got a long way to go. We’re very eager to live and experience our youth to its full potential.
MV: How does this EP reflect and take inspiration from your own personal lives and individual journeys, especially after being in this industry for a few years?
BEOMGYU: Our music is one continued narrative of growth. We’ve depicted different stages of our youth through each song and album—we’ve discussed friendships, love, and heartbreak, which are all common experiences of our generation. Right now, we’re at the cusp of adulthood, or a much bigger world. We wanted to be genuine about this point in our lives because we know there are many youths who feel something similar and are stepping out into the world.
MV: What inspired you guys to work with Coi Leray on the track “Happy Fools (feat. Coi Leray)”? Can we expect to see some performances with Coi?
YEONJUN: Coi is truly special. We love the bright energy that her voice brings to the track. “Happy Fools (feat. Coi Leray)” is a very special song for me, and I’m very thankful that it came together as it did. I wouldn’t change a thing about it.
HUENING KAI: “Happy Fools (feat. Coi Leray)” is the perfect combination of Coi’s rap lines, YEONJUN’s melody, and all our lyrics. We’d love to have Coi hop on stage with us. Let’s see.
MV: How are you feeling in these moments just before kicking off your second world tour?
H: It’s been a few months [since we last toured] and we know how long our fans have been waiting. We can confidently say that we carry just as much, if not more, excitement. We can’t wait to jump on stage and per- form for our fans all over the world. This second tour is a lot bigger than our first, so I’m glad we can meet up with even more of our lovely MOA.
MV: What can we expect from this tour, especially when it comes to the choreography, stage visuals, or setlist?
Y: Our newest setlist of course includes tracks from our newest EP. The Name Chapter: Temptation has been met with so much love, and I’m really glad we can finally bring the tracks on tour. The EP also definitely carries the group’s unique musical color, and the choreography and stage visuals also strongly reflect our identity.
T: I also want to say the fans can expect the best because that’s what we hope to give them. We want our MOA to have an incredible time and enjoy our music with us. Being on stage is our favorite part [of the process], and I’m very happy we can share such a special thing with so many of our fans.
MV: What advice would you offer MOA, or even youth in general, about how to conquer the challenges of transitioning to adulthood?
S: There’s no one set path and sometimes you may feel like you’re circling around the same place without prevailing. But every step has a piece of thought or effort that counts. It may feel obscure, but you’re already getting there.
B: Also, it may help to know that there are others who feel the same way you do. If you think about the fact that we can all relate to and empathize with one another, maybe it will all feel easier.
This feature appears in the pages of MINI V: Issue Two—now available for purchase!
Photography Courtesy of BIGHIT MUSIC
Interview Melanie Ramirez
Editor Kevin Ponce
