Boy band TWS unapologetically embraces its “overenthusiasm” in its fourth and latest EP, “play hard,” leaving behind its school-days era to delve into what truly drives the group: the sheer thrill of being on stage.

“Our fourth EP centers our enthusiasm and attitude toward what we’re passionate about,” said member Dohoon during a press showcase held in eastern Seoul on Monday.

“Personally, I think I’ve learned what I’m crazy about while preparing for this album,” he added.

According to the members, what the six rookies are most passionate about is, unsurprisingly, being on stage.

“play hard” comes six months after the band released its third EP, “Try With Us.”

The new EP features six tracks: The lead track, “Overdrive,” along with B-sides, “Head Shoulders Knees Toes,” which was pre-released in September, “Hot Blue Shoes,” “Caffeine Rush,” “overthinking,” and “Here For You.” Jihoon took part in writing the lyrics for the lead track, and Dohoon for “Here For You.”

“Overdrive” is marked by its addictive guitar riff and intense drum sounds, with its cheeky lyrics that compare the rush of a crush to the amplified sound of a guitar through an overdrive effect.

TWS — consisting of Shinyu, Dohoon, Youngjae, Hanjin, Jihoon and Kyungmin — debuted with the EP “Sparkling Blue” featuring the lead track “Plot Twist” in January 2024. The band's name, pronounced “Two-us,” is an abbreviation of “Twenty Four Seven With Us.”

Since debut, the sextet has centered its sound and aesthetics on boyish pop and coming-of-age themes, with songs like “Plot Twist” (2024) and “If I'm S Can You Be My N?” (2024) that emphasized a youthful theme with energetic melody and cutesy lyrics.

However, with “play hard” and “Overdrive,” the band is officially leaving its school-days concept behind.

“We used to wear school uniforms a lot on stage so far, but this time, we’re wearing tech wear,” said Kyungmin, nodding to the new chapter the group has entered.

While still rooted in the themes of youth, the latest album centers on what makes those younger years truly burn the brightest — passion.

“There are many moments that define youth,” said Jihoon. “Among those, I believe the hottest time is when you’re completely immersed in what you love. That’s why I’d describe the album with this one word, ‘passion.’”

To showcase the members’ true enthusiasm on stage, the choreography for “Overdrive” highlighted the members’ natural chemistry, featuring moments of genuine interactions with eye contact and high-fives, according to Jihoon, who also participated in creating the choreography.

TWS had a successful year in 2024, racking up honors including Artist of the Year at the Hanteo Music Awards 2024 and Golden Disc and Rookie of the Year at the 39th Golden Disc Awards.

TWS’s previous album, “Try With Us,” sold about 550,000 copies in its first week of release, the group’s highest record yet.

As the group steadily moves beyond its early image of youthful innocence, one thing remains constant: its pure energy on stage.

“We really wanted to once again outdo ourselves with this album,” said Youngjae. “We’ve always tried to expand our spectrum with our previous releases — and this time was no different, as our goal was to surpass our own limits.”

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]