This past weekend, Tomorrow X Together (TXT) delivered a sold-out spectacle at Seoul’s Gocheok Sky Dome, with over 33,000 fans gathering to celebrate their fourth world tour. Mid-concert, leader Soobin electrified the crowd with a major revelation: all five members had officially renewed their contracts with HYBE. For MOAs, it was the ultimate reassurance that TXT is here to stay, ready to carve out their “new tomorrow.”
 |
| TXT - @TXT_bighit |
Yet TXT’s heartfelt announcement arrived at a fascinating—and perhaps precarious—moment in K-pop’s shifting landscape. HYBE has just debuted its newest boy group, Cortis, a project widely marketed as the “younger brother of BTS.” The company has poured extraordinary resources into the launch, from lavish showcases to international buzz-building, clearly signaling its ambitions for Cortis to dominate the 5th generation.
Meanwhile, the original “younger brothers of BTS,” TXT, are navigating a year that, while steady, hasn’t been exactly groundbreaking. Compared to their earlier years in the Gen 4 conversation, 2025 hasn’t put TXT at the center of the K-pop narrative. With Cortis stepping onto the stage and attracting massive investment, the competition within HYBE’s own house suddenly feels more intense than ever.
And then there’s BTS themselves—the irreplaceable giant in this family dynamic. Currently working in Los Angeles on what’s described as a “high-profile comeback album” set for release next year, BTS’s return will inevitably reset the global K-pop agenda. When that happens, both TXT and Cortis will be measured against the standard that only BTS can define.
In this light, TXT’s contract renewal feels less like a celebratory milestone and more like a declaration of resilience. They’re committing to a longer game, staking their claim in an industry that can be brutal even within one’s own label. The next few years will reveal whether TXT can rise above a relatively middling 2025, reassert themselves as leaders of their generation, and avoid being overshadowed by the noise surrounding their new “little brother.”