K-pop girl group tripleS has made a stunning return to the music scene with their ambitious new album "Beyond Beauty," featuring an unprecedented 24-member lineup organized into four distinct subunits. The group unveiled their latest project during a showcase at BlueSquare SOL Travel Hall in Seoul's Yongsan District, marking one of the most complex and expansive album releases in K-pop history.
The album introduces four new subunits, each themed around different "powers of the universe" - Moon, Sun, Neptune, and Zenith. Each six-member unit pursues its own unique sound and concept while operating under the collective umbrella name tripleS msnz, derived from their intro track "Magic Shine New Zone." This innovative approach allows fans to experience four different musical styles and visual concepts within a single album release.
tripleS continues to operate through their distinctive fan-driven system, where global supporters use the exclusive COSMO app to vote on member lineups for promotion cycles and select lead tracks for albums. This democratic approach means that sometimes only a handful of members participate in promotions, while other times the entire roster takes center stage. For this comeback, voters chose an all-member promotion, showcasing the group's full potential and diversity.
The four subunits each bring their own distinct flavor to the album. The Moon unit, consisting of Sullin, Jiyeon, Sohyun, Kaede, Shion, and Lynn, presents "Cameo Love," a track that explores themes of heartbreak and unrequited romance through driving beats and wistful melodies. The Sun unit features Xinyu, Yooyeon, Mayu, Chaewon, Chaeyeon, and Hyerin performing "Bubble Gum Girl," described as the warmest and most nostalgic track of the collection, wrapped in bright retro textures designed to spark instant joy.
Neptune, comprising Seoyeon, Dahyun, Nakyoung, Nien, Kotone, and Seoah, delivers "Fly Up," an explosive nu-disco anthem with an addictive hook that embodies themes of rising up without hesitation. Meanwhile, Zenith, featuring Hayeon, Yeonji, Jiwoo, Yubin, Joobin, and Soomin, performs "QA," which offers the most wide-eyed narrative of the set, capturing the rush and confusion of first love.
During the media showcase, members expressed their excitement about the unique promotional format. "I'm just so happy that we get to show every side of all of us through this promotion," said Xinyu from the Sun unit. "And it's especially exciting that we get to express the cutesy concept that is unique to our unit." Jiwoo from Zenith added her enthusiasm, stating, "Since each unit has its own track, the album's quality is really strong. Visually, too, we prepared a wide range of concepts, so it'll be really fun to watch."
The album opens with the dreamy "Magic Shine New Zone" before branching into the four unit singles, creating a cohesive yet diverse listening experience. The release concludes with "Christmas Alone," a winter single that brings all 24 members together for a unified performance. This track fuses electropop with Jersey club elements and conveys an uplifting message that solitude during the holidays doesn't necessarily mean a lack of joy.
Regarding their promotional strategy, Sohyun explained the group's plans: "We'll kick off the year-end season by promoting 'Christmas Alone' with all members first. After that, each unit will appear on weekly music shows in turn. You'll be able to see everyone, so please look forward to it." This approach ensures that fans will experience both the collective power of the full group and the individual charms of each subunit.
When asked about potential competition between the units, the members maintained a positive outlook. "There's no way to avoid competition between units, but we want to make it something healthy, where everyone grows together," Sohyun said. Seoyeon echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the challenges while remaining optimistic: "We know the challenge isn't easy, but making it onto local music charts is always a goal for us. With so many members, it's natural that differences in recognition happen, but we want to keep showing a wide variety of albums and reach the public with each of our individual charms."
With "Beyond Beauty," tripleS continues to push the boundaries of what a K-pop group can be, utilizing their massive roster as a strength rather than a limitation. The album represents not just a comeback, but an evolution in how large-scale idol groups can operate, offering fans unprecedented variety and choice in their musical experience. As the group prepares for their multi-faceted promotional campaign, they're poised to demonstrate that bigger can indeed be better when it comes to showcasing diverse talents and concepts within a single artistic vision.
