It is time to watch the “Blue Hour” sunset.
On Oct. 26, the Korean pop (K-pop) group TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT) released their new album, Minisode 1: Blue Hour. The long-awaited third mini-album consists of 5 tracks that dive into the journey of TXT’s life during the pandemic.
Similar to their previous tracks, TXT delivers its leading track, “Blue Hour,” with a ton of references and meaningful lyrics. The disco-pop music delivers a relatable message that addresses the current state of quarantine to show listeners that they are not alone.
Ultimately, while the song highlights the importance of change, TXT takes a further step by incorporating that it is also vital to treasure present moments as they can easily slip away.
To begin, the song’s title, “Blue Hour,” is centered around Seoul’s golden hour in October, also known as the sunset at 5:53p.m. TXT describes this period as a gateway to another world with lyrical phrases like “orange magic” and “hour between dog and wolf.”
Essentially, the hour’s description of possessing vibrant, colorful aesthetics represents a time where people can enjoy themselves and daydream despite the difficulties that lingers within them. In a way, the lead single is more like a momentary daydream rather than the group’s usual pop tracks. The group is telling their fans that under stressful times, it is okay to decompress and go off into your own world.
As the song continues, the music creates an illusion of representing itself as an energetic song with its vibrant beats and melody. Yet, when the pop melody aligns with lyrics about marveling at the sky’s beauty while feeling a sense of isolation and unfamiliarity, it appears that the song’s meaning is much more profound than it seems. Essentially, TXT wishes for the beautiful sunset to last forever, regardless of those solitude emotions. However, this impression is not likely going to last forever as the song expresses that these previous times only remain as memories.
When delivering this sense of treasuring the present, the music video also plays a role in conveying the group’s message on the importance of reaching out to loved ones. The colorful and hypnotizing visuals of their album reflect the development of online space being the hub of communication while many are home in quarantine. These elements are meant to represent the happiness and joy that comes from being virtually connected. The glowing color scheme is very effective and gorgeous to look at from a visual perspective. Specifically, when the serene sunset appears at the beginning of the video, it makes you wish you could experience it for yourself.
Notably, as Generation Z artists, TXT recalls experiences that are common within their peers. For example, their previous album, Dream Chapter, produces a story about the beauty of friendships and conflicts that come with it. For example, in their previous song’s music video, “Drama,” there is a heartbreaking story about loneliness that showcases the importance of friendship. There are multiple scenes where TXT promotes the idea of never leaving someone behind. As teens themselves, they strive to be relatable and empathetic artists for their listeners.
Overall, “Blue Hour” is a meaningful track that aims to give fans a sense of relief, as TXT reminds their fandom that they will always be connected regardless of distance. From the profound meaning within the lyrics and music video, the song showcases the group’s relentless journey to connect the world even under these times of uncertainty.
