The "healing-dols," aka "healing idols" are back! That's right—after a four-year wait, BTOB is back with their third full-length studio album, Be Together. Aside from celebrating their tenth anniversary as a group, this album also marks the first official comeback of members Sungjae and Hyunsik after the two were discharged from the military last November 2021.
We got invited to BTOB's media showcase on Monday, February 21, hours ahead of the album's release. The members—Eunkwang, Minhyuk, Changsub, Hyunsik, Peniel, and Sungjae—were sat together in neutral-colored outfits, relaxed and ready to chat about their self-produced album. Their engaging personalities brightened up the atmosphere, and leader Eunkwang had the members (and even the emcee!) bursting out into laughter several times. Just your typical BTOB dynamics!
Be Together has a total of 13 songs on the tracklist, and tbh they all deserve to be in the running for title track because they're just *that* good. Struggling to pick a fave? Here's a quick rundown:
- "Intro: The Trace" is a short but dreamy instrumental that wouldn't sound out of place in a fantasy movie.
- With its lush string instrumental intro, "The Song" sets out to tug at your heartstrings, and its harmonious chorus definitely does that. BTOB's vocals and harmonies definitely take center stage in this title track. Bonus points for including the word "melody" in the lyrics—what a way to honor BTOB's official fandom!
- "Blooming Day" is a more uptempo power ballad, with beautiful adlibs and strong vocalization.
- Just when you think Be Together is a ballad album, BTOB surprises you with "Be Together"—the instrumental switch-ups and each new verse change-up make this worth listening to, I promise you.
- "My Way" is just *groovy*, there's no other word for it. Peniel is a scene-stealer and totally kills his verses in this hip hop-inspired track.
- Starting off with Minhyuk/HUTA's husky rapping, "Whiskey" stands out—in a good way. The members (and this song) go *hard* in this sexy b-side.
- The calming instrumental "Interlude: Re" brings the mood back down to a more mellow place, making sure you keep your energy up for the latter half of the album.
- "Lonely" gets quite intense from the very beginning, and this pop-ballad will definitely have you reaching for your tissues. With lyrics like "I'm so lonely everyday," is this going to be the new heartbreak anthem?
- The strumming guitar intro catches your interest immediately—"Dance With Me" is an *experience*, and the beat will definitely have you on your feet dancing along.
- Have you ever wanted a rock anthem from BTOB? Then "Higher" is the song for you. With its heavy electric guitar and switch-ups into insane high notes, your head will be bopping along till the end.
- "Thank You" is a cute and heartwarming throwback to some of BTOB's earlier, softer-sounding songs. It's perfect if you're in the mood for a sweet listening party!
- In "It's All Good", BTOB do what they do best—sing. The simple background instrumentals really let their vocals shine in this feel-good track.
- What a way to end the album! "Outro: Encore" is a song that deserves a live stage—at BTOB's next concert, perhaps? The flow between the vocals and rapping just make you want to wave your hands in the air and sing along!
Overall, Be Together is definitely a no-skip album, and the members' hard work deserves acknowledgement. Eight songs were composed and arranged by Hyunsik, while 11 songs were penned by Minhyuk and Peniel; Minhyuk also helped compose five songs on the album. The fact that this album was self-produced really highlights the pure 'BTOB sound.'
During their comeback showcase, BTOB answered several questions submitted by various media outlets. Ranging from topics like album preparation to their goals for this comeback, the group said their musical sincerity and hard work helped them reach their 10th anniversary. Eunkwang couldn't help but add, "It’s absolutely clear that we were able to reach 10 years thanks to Melody." After the members echoed their gratitude and thanked their fans, Hyunsik chimed in saying, "our fans are pros now too!"
With a successful start to their latest comeback (their songs were already charting as soon as the album dropped!), where does BTOB go from here? Maknae (youngest member) Sungjae perhaps said it best: "We've been called 'healing idols' in the past, but now we just want to be 'healing.' I want people to think of BTOB when they think of 'healing' and think of 'healing' when they think of BTOB."
If you're a K-pop fan looking for new music to listen to, or a Melody who feels the need to rewatch "The Song" MV for the bajillionth time (we totally get you), check it out here:
READ MORE ON K-POP HERE:
K-Pop Fans React To *Healing-Dol* BTOB's 'The Song': 'BTOB is indeed the genre'
I Got To Talk To BTOB's Peniel And It Was The Best Day Of My Life
We Got Invited To PENTAGON's Media Showcase And Here’s A Closer Look On Their New EP, 'IN:VITE U'
