TXT's Road to "PERFECT STORM" Through 5 Career-Defining Music Videos

Ahead of TOMORROW X TOGETHER's Nov. 16 comeback with their ninth mini album, "PERFECT STORM," K-POPIT looks back at five music videos that helped shape the group's career. From the record-breaking debut of "CROWN" to the Billboard 200 success of "Sugar Rush Ride," these releases accompanied TXT's transformation from promising newcomers into internationally established K-POP artists, reflecting changes in their musical identity, storytelling and commercial reach.

TXT's music videos have played an important role in distinguishing the group through narratives centered on adolescence, friendship, heartbreak and self-discovery. As those stories evolved, the group's album sales and international chart performance also grew, making several of their most recognizable videos significant markers of their career progression.

1. CROWN (2019) A Record-Breaking Beginning

"CROWN" established TXT as one of K-POP's most promising newcomers, aside from being the first group to debut under BIGHIT MUSIC in over six years, following BTS, the group combined youthful energy, colorful visuals and playful animation to introduce their identity. Released on March 4, 2019, the debut MV recorded approximately 14.5 million YouTube views within 24 hours, setting a then-record for a K-POP group's debut music video.

The debut era also demonstrated TXT's immediate international appeal. "CROWN" topped Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart, while their first mini album, "The Dream Chapter: STAR," entered the Billboard 200 at No. 140, becoming the highest-charting debut album by a male K-POP group at the time. These early achievements provided TXT with international visibility from the beginning of their career, establishing a foundation for future releases.

2. Run Away (2019) — Building an Identity Beyond Their Debut

"Run Away" helped TXT establish their signature storytelling by exploring the loneliness, uncertainty and desire for escape that often accompany growing up. Released in October 2019, the MV combined school settings, magical imagery and friendship, presenting a more emotionally layered narrative than their debut.

Beyond its fantasy-inspired visuals, the song resonated through lyrics describing the feeling of being unhappy while everyone else seems fine, and struggling to maintain a smile. Its reference to the magical Platform 9¾ symbolizes a place where young people can escape everyday pressures alongside those who understand them. Rather than presenting adolescence as entirely carefree, TXT acknowledged the emotional struggles of growing up while emphasizing friendship as a source of comfort and belonging. This relatable message helped distinguish their storytelling from more conventional youthful concepts.

The accompanying album, "The Dream Chapter: MAGIC," reflected TXT's growing audience, selling approximately 124,000 copies in its first week and topping South Korea's Gaon Album Chart.

3. Blue Hour (2020) — Finding Comfort in a Changing World

"Blue Hour" marked another step in TXT's international growth while capturing the loneliness and uncertainty experienced by young people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Released in October 2020, the MV paired colorful, retro-inspired visuals with a bittersweet message about wanting to hold on to fleeting moments of happiness. Its imagery of sunset, representing the transition between familiarity and uncertainty, reflected the emotions of a generation navigating a rapidly changing world.

The accompanying album, "minisode1: Blue Hour," resonated particularly with teenagers and young adults whose formative years were disrupted by lockdowns, social distancing and missed experiences. The B-side "We Lost the Summer" addressed these struggles more directly, with lyrics reflecting the loss of everyday routines, school friendships and time spent together.

For listeners entering adulthood during the pandemic, the album captured the feeling of losing experiences they could never fully recover, while offering comfort through the recognition that others were facing similar challenges. This balance between nostalgic longing and optimism strengthened TXT's identity as a group whose music reflected the realities of growing up alongside their audience.

The era also brought significant commercial progress as "minisode1: Blue Hour" sold over 303,000 copies in its first week and debuted at No. 25 on the Billboard 200, becoming TXT's first album to enter the chart's top 100.

4. Good Boy Gone Bad (2022) — A Million-Selling Transformation

"Good Boy Gone Bad" marked a major transformation in TXT's identity, replacing their youthful fantasy concepts with darker visuals, rebellious imagery and raw emotions surrounding heartbreak.

Released in May 2022, the MV explored the anger and bitterness that can follow a first breakup, challenging the romanticized portrayal of young love. Rather than focusing solely on sadness, the song reflected how heartbreak can change someone's outlook on relationships and themselves, presenting another difficult but relatable stage of growing up.

The accompanying album, "minisode 2: Thursday's Child," expanded on these emotions through songs exploring loss, disillusionment and eventually moving forward. This more mature direction coincided with TXT's first million-selling album, surpassing one million copies in less than two days and reaching approximately 1.25 million first-week sales. The EP also debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, demonstrating the group's growing international appeal and their audience's willingness to embrace a darker, more emotionally complex sound.

5. Sugar Rush Ride (2023) — Reaching the Top of Billboard

"Sugar Rush Ride" marked a defining moment in TXT's international success, combining their signature fantasy storytelling with more mature themes of temptation and the fear of growing up. Released in January 2023, the MV's dreamlike scenery and references to Neverland symbolized the desire to remain in a carefree world rather than face the responsibilities of adulthood. Its lyrics explored the intoxicating appeal of escaping reality, reflecting the uncertainty many young adults experience when leaving behind the comfort of their teenage years.

The accompanying album, "The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION," expanded on this struggle through tracks which explored the desire to escape life's pressures, and represented the difficult decision to leave childhood behind. These themes strengthened TXT's connection with a generation navigating the transition into adulthood, while their increasingly sophisticated concepts demonstrated their artistic growth.

The era also delivered major commercial milestones. "The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION" became TXT's first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, earning 161,500 equivalent album units in its opening U.S. week, while surpassing 2.18 million first-week sales in South Korea. Meanwhile, "Sugar Rush Ride" became their fastest MV at the time to reach 100 million views, achieving the milestone in under 38 days. These achievements solidified TXT's position as an internationally established K-POP act while demonstrating the growing appeal of their evolving musical identity.

A New Chapter Ahead

From the innocence of "CROWN" and the longing for escape in "Run Away" to the uncertainty of "Blue Hour," the heartbreak of "Good Boy Gone Bad" and the temptation to resist adulthood in "Sugar Rush Ride," TXT have captured the emotions of growing up, one chapter at a time.

Along the way, they have transformed from record-breaking rookies into million-selling artists with a No. 1 album in the United States. Yet beyond these milestones, their music has offered comfort to listeners navigating many of the same experiences, reminding them that growing older does not mean having everything figured out.

For fans who discovered TXT as teenagers in 2019, the past seven years have brought changes of their own. School days have given way to university, careers and the responsibilities of adulthood, while the five members have grown alongside them. With "PERFECT STORM" arriving on November 16, TXT are preparing to tell another story, one that may resonate with a generation still learning to find its place in the world.