HYBE Boy Group Sparks Scathing Reactions With Shocking Release

HYBE’s popular boy group TWS has surprised fans with a drastic change in concept, leaving many divided over their latest music direction. The group, best known for their “boyhood pop” style, took a sharp turn with their newest track.

| WeGo

On September 22, TWS dropped their pre-release single “Head Shoulders Knees Toes,” ahead of their upcoming October comeback.

Unlike their usual lighthearted and youthful sound, the new song carries a stronger “boy crush” vibe, paired with a darker and more intense music video. While longtime supporters welcomed the experiment, a wave of international netizens on X expressed shock and frustration at the sudden shift.

Fans argued that TWS’s identity felt inconsistent, pointing out that HYBE groups often face similar accusations of lacking a clear direction. Some felt the new song clashed too heavily with the soft, refreshing image that originally set TWS apart from other groups. Others questioned whether the move was an attempt to follow current trends rather than build on their established concept.

Hybe groups have no identity https://t.co/TX8EjqGgtW

— g (@aejayoon) September 22, 2025

when i said i want the b2p group to have like tws concept i dont mean this btw https://t.co/XtZXLGwp6X

— rei 🐻‍❄️ (@kwoojinsm) September 22, 2025

Sometimes these kinds of songs are why I’ll never take kpop as serious as before-

— Lethal Pain (@PiperAnhedonia) September 22, 2025

On the other hand, many fans defended the group, reminding others that this is a pre-release single meant to showcase variety ahead of their official comeback.

To those who wonder, this is their pre-release song for their Oct comeback

this kind of sound is not a first from them! They have been doing it since their debut (please check it out)

TWS is a versatile group, they can do every genre✨ pic.twitter.com/fI0AGDVvad https://t.co/XrYolShnf6

— 背荒; Ara (@searanettes) September 22, 2025

Many also emphasized that TWS has dabbled in different sounds since debut, arguing that versatility is part of their strength. Beyond the concept debate, fans highlighted the group’s strong vocals and polished performances, urging others to pay more attention to their skills than the surface-level shift in style.

propaganda i’m not falling for:

tws hate
tws ragebait
tws getting impacted by other bgroups https://t.co/ZFP5nuG5XX

— zee 🪼 (@hoonsquared) September 22, 2025

this might be 5th gen best choreography everpic.twitter.com/1mqo4MKeXe https://t.co/GyG7dbhE0j

— drei (@plotwist42) September 22, 2025

i feel like ppl mainly bring up tws' concept or visuals but we need to talk more about their vocal + dancing abilities because theyre truly one of the most talented fifth gen boy groups https://t.co/yTmZV9RHIk

— avior 🪽 (@kyungmiffy) September 22, 2025

As the comeback date approaches, attention is on whether TWS will continue this bold direction or return to the youthful sound that first defined them.