Song Review: TNX – For Real?

It can be difficult to keep all of K-pop’s three-letter-acronym-named boy groups straight, especially when that moniker changes midway through an act’s career. TNX were briefly known as “The New Six,” but have seemed to revert back to the acronym for this new promotion. We last heard from them about a year ago when they released digital single Fuego. Now, they’re back with a new mini album.

Title track For Real? (아 진짜) recaptures the rock sound of 2023’s Love Or Die with added grit. It fits nicely within the “K-pop boys approximate the energy of 2000’s-era pop/punk” realm currently occupied by Just B’s Daddy’s Girl and RIIZE’s Combo on my playlist. It’s not nearly as catchy as either of those songs, but the chugging heft of the chorus gets the job done well enough. And just as you assume the song has deployed all its tricks, the energy ramps up further for its bombastic climax. I would have loved to hear more of this intensity throughout, as it’s easy for this genre to feel staid and safe.

Overall, I think this style is a good match for TNX. However, the way the song is constructed and expressed feels a bit generic. Purely listening to the audio without watching the music video, I’d be hard-pressed to identify the group. I’m not sure what it would take to imbue For Real with more individual character, but that’s definitely a quality TNX could leverage to increase their visibility in this competitive market.

Grade: B-