The “Trailer Film: Mysterious 20” for BOYNEXTDOOR’s mini album 19.99 begins with a super laptop that is meant for just one nineteen-year-old in the world coming into the hands of WOONHAK. WOONHAK, who will become an adult in real life in a few months, finds himself the lucky winner. However, he seems to be caught in an apocalyptic situation. The information inside the super laptop, which is said to reveal all secrets, is translated into his life after becoming an adult. WOONHAK, now tasked as the representative of 19-year-olds, races relentlessly until he reaches the uncharted world of 20. The trailer film brings BOYNEXTDOOR’s reality - where the team’s only teenager is about to become an adult - into the realm of the album. For WOONHAK, who once said, “I don’t want to let go of being a kid just yet,” '19.99' becomes the final record of his teenage years with the older members.

Gone are the days of “Woonbaby” from “l i f e i s c o o l,” who was forcibly sent home by the older members that stayed up until 4 a.m. debating about youth. In “Dangerous,” WOONHAK responds with a defiant “So what?” to his younger sister’s plea, “Hey, mom’s really mad.” He also shows a bold attitude by saying, “The curfew for tonight is 4 a.m.,” and asking the older members, “Are you ready to roll?” In the second verse, where he sings, “I could be playing, or just lost,” he showcases the robot dance style, and emphasizes the message by varying the strength in his upper body with each word segment, singing, “Please don’t tell my mom and daddy.” The boy from “Serenade,” who passionately sang “I love you baby” in front of the window of someone he loved, intuitively senses the impending separation and declares that he will become a “rock” to break through the window that stands between them. Gone, too, is the passive stance of either pretending he “didn't hear it (“Crying”),” or saying he “won’t try too hard (“Dear. My Darling”)” The “rock” is an intuitive metaphor for overcoming emotional distance and expressing one’s feelings. The powerful chant “hate this word” on the gradually accelerating beat, followed by “Don’t leave me,” reflects the boy’s desperate and honest emotions in the face of love.

In “Nice Guy,” BOYNEXTDOOR, having rebranded themselves from “Boy” to “Guy,” experiences a burst of confidence, reaching a state of self-admiration. Similar to “One and Only,” which captures the excitement of a boy about to confess his love, “Nice Guy” is a song filled with self-love and confidence, but with distinctly different nuances. With its retro synth riffs and rhythmic brass, “Nice Guy” is laid back, complete with motions like running a hand through their hair, and a single gesture that leaves the five members effortlessly falling down like dominoes. The V sign they used to make in the mirror in “One and Only,” singing “Spray cologne, check my teeth,” has transformed into a subtle pose as they ask, “You like me right?” in “Nice Guy”. The boy from “One and Only” who used to say, “Just come over before I leave,” has now developed a relaxed demeanor, waving his index finger and saying, “Don’t think I can be just yours.” Boastful lyrics like “Guess that natural talent’s my fate” in “Nice Guy” reflect both self-admiration and BOYNEXTDOOR’s playful flirting with the audience. And yet, by adorably ending such lines with a question, they reveal an honest desire to gain self-assurance from the other person. They confidently introduce themselves as “Nice guy, fresh guy,” but then ask, “Am I right?” to see what the other person thinks. In the bridge, as they ask, “Please don’t go away, you'll say it right?” and send a meaningful glance, transparently letting their thoughts show (“I want it too”) before they get a response. Starting with the Weverse post from February 26, BOYNEXTDOOR’s definition of a “cool person,” which they have pondered for a long time, is embodied in the relaxed and universally acknowledged “Nice Guy.” However, at 19.99 years old, they are still more focused on wanting to know the other person’s thoughts.

The overarching emotion of 19.99 is honesty. BOYNEXTDOOR expresses even the shadows of youth without any reservations. The age behind the song “Twenty” is often considered “the best time of your life,” but when asked if he was “ready to be twenty,” TAESAN sings, “I don’t think so,” although “twenty’s long gone.” Against the backdrop of an acoustic guitar riff, the lyrics reveal a candid confession. Unlike his easier childhood, he admits to finding this age painful and difficult, openly calling it “ugly twenty” and “bad twenty.” Going through “college, exams, and careers,” one might worry whether they’re falling behind or making mistakes, and sometimes feel intimidated. But BOYNEXTDOOR has a message to everyone who just stepped into their twenties; in “Call Me,” they sing, “No one’s perfect from the start. Let’s not be so timid.” They encourage you to “let it out and just cry,” when feeling lonely, telling you not to “weep in silence all night.” Instead, they urge you to express and embrace your emotions fully without hiding them by saying, “Try shouting when you’re mad.” As SUNGHO said, “It’s natural to put yourself out there and let people see your imperfections when you’re young.” BOYNEXTDOOR, with an average age of 19.5 years old (as of September 9th), reveals the unfiltered aspects of the youth of Generation Z as they transition into adulthood and offers reassurance that it’s okay not to be perfect. The moments of pensiveness about “twenty” pass through the “ugly twenty” and “bad twenty,” eventually ending with “glory twenty.” It reflects BOYNEXTDOOR’s wish for everyone to have a warm youth. At the same time, they themselves are stepping into their “glorious twenty.”