“May my song reach the deepest corners of your heart,” is the message that BEOMGYU of TOMORROW X TOGETHER shared as he released his first solo mixtape, “Panic.” While BEOMGYU once shared happiness with the brightness of 3 pm, what he truly hoped to convey was comfort and hope for those going through the darkness of 3 am, darker even than the longest tunnel. “Panic” seeks to convey BEOMGYU’s “3 am” emotion not only through its music, but also through album design and promotions in the most effective way. The album package, which feels like receiving a parcel directly from BEOMGYU, features a View-Master that allows fans to look at his photos, enhancing a sense of personal connection. The LP listening zone and the “DIALOGUE IN THE DARK” experiential exhibit were designed to help listeners engage with the music from multiple angles. Additionally, the cover challenge involving renowned artists such as Heo Hoy Kyung, 10CM, YdBB, and ADOY further explored the unique essence of “Panic.” This behind-the-scenes look at the visuals and promotions of “Panic,” as well as BEOMGYU’s personal commentary on the mixtape’s making, is now unveiled.

Since “Panic” is a song that reflects BEOMGYU’s personal experiences and emotions, I imagine conveying his feelings was a top priority when designing the album and setting the promotional direction. What keywords or themes guided the overall concept of “Panic”?
Choi Seayol (Brand Experience Team at BIGHIT MUSIC): At the beginning, we held a meeting with BEOMGYU and the staff, where BEOMGYU shared the background behind creating “Panic” and the message he wanted to convey. The central theme that emerged was “hope.” So, we decided to focus on key concepts like “emotion,” “analogue,” and “hope,” and aimed to visually express BEOMGYU’s signature “3 am” vibe that he often portrays. We wanted to ensure that the visual elements aligned with the raw, honest message in “Panic” and reflect BEOMGYU’s true self.

Son Heeho (Album Marketing Team at BIGHIT MUSIC): As Seayol mentioned, when we asked BEOMGYU how he wanted to explain this song during the promotional planning process, the keyword he mentioned was “comfort.” So, all the elements of the promotion were designed around the central theme of “comfort.”

Looking at the album design, I can see that the analog, emotional visuals really capture BEOMGYU’s unique vibe. What aspects did you focus on to visually bring BEOMGYU’s emotions to life in the album?
Choi Seayol (Brand Experience Team at BIGHIT MUSIC): We wanted to reflect BEOMGYU’s personal style, which he has shown through his preferences and cover songs throughout the album, giving it a “BEOMGYU” vibe while conveying messages of hope and comfort. Although the album is essentially a new product, we aimed for it to feel as natural as if it had always been there. For the album’s packshot, instead of the typical detailed product shot, we used a photo of the album casually placed on a table, trying to evoke the feeling of it just coming out of BEOMGYU’s room. The album packaging was also designed with a handmade touch, such as the stamps and stickers on the box, all crafted manually. The concept photos were designed to look like actual printed photos. Additionally, we included handwritten notes from BEOMGYU in the “Thanks to” and lyrics sections, hoping that MOA would feel as if they were receiving a personal parcel from BEOMGYU himself.

Among the album’s components, the View-Master stands out as particularly unique. The design itself is vintage, but I imagine there’s a deeper meaning behind using the View-Master as an objet. What was the significance behind it?
Choi Seayol (Brand Experience Team at BIGHIT MUSIC): I wanted the song “Panic” to express BEOMGYU’s thoughts through sound, while the album serves as a visual representation of his perspective. To share what BEOMGYU sees with MOA, we thought about incorporating an item that would allow them to experience it too, and we felt that the View-Master was perfect for this. When you insert the album disc into the View-Master, you can see photos, some of which were taken by BEOMGYU himself. It was important for us to connect BEOMGYU’s real vision to the View-Master, letting MOA experience his perspective directly.

If the album design of “Panic” visually conveys BEOMGYU’s emotions, then the LP listening zone and the “DIALOGUE IN THE DARK” collaboration experiential exhibit, where fans could immerse themselves in BEOMGYU’s music in the dark, were promotions that allowed MOA to experience his music in a more sensory way. What was the most important element you focused on during the planning process for the offline events?
Seo Yoo Min (Album Marketing Team at BIGHIT MUSIC): Through this album, BEOMGYU’s message was incredibly clear, and it was fully captured in the music itself. So, we focused on the act of listening to the music, aiming to enhance the immersion in the track as much as possible.

Son Heeho (Album Marketing Team at BIGHIT MUSIC): Just like the album design, the most important aspect of the promotion was conveying BEOMGYU’s emotions and message exactly as they are. Since this was the first opportunity to present BEOMGYU’s emotions, expressed through various channels, as a complete work, we wanted to intuitively show how earnestly he sought to communicate his message by incorporating elements that reflect his tastes and sensibilities. The placement of the LPs curated by BEOMGYU in the listening zone was also part of that approach.

It’s impressive how the space was designed to engage not just hearing but various senses, like placing a perfume personally crafted by BEOMGYU in the LP listening zone or offering the “DIALOGUE IN THE DARK” experience, where fans could listen to BEOMGYU’s music in the dark. What kind of experience did you hope MOA would have through these spaces?
Seo Yoo Min (Album Marketing Team at BIGHIT MUSIC): BEOMGYU wanted to create a sense of direct connection with MOA through this album. That’s why, in the LP listening zone, we placed a perfume BEOMGYU crafted and played a voice message recorded by him, aiming to create an experience where it felt like BEOMGYU was right there, comforting MOA. Particularly, the visual elements of the LP listening zone were developed in collaboration with the Brand Experience Team to convey BEOMGYU’s analog sensibility and enhance the immersion for MOA.

Choi Seayol (Brand Experience Team at BIGHIT MUSIC): We tried to convey the emotions embedded in BEOMGYU’s “Panic” using as many different assets as possible. For example, when creating the LP cover, we used the digital album cover as it is, made slight adjustments to the physical album design, and incorporated insert shots from the official photos that didn’t feature portraits.

The “DIALOGUE IN THE DARK” experience, in particular, offered MOA a unique experience unlike typical listening events. I’m curious to know what inspired you to create an immersive auditory experience in a dark space?
Son Heeho (Album Marketing Team at BIGHIT MUSIC): The “Dialogue in the Dark” immersive experience was inspired by the lyrics from “Panic”: “Beneath the dark night. Let’s not stay here, but move on.” Since the song transitions from “darkness” to “comfort” and “hope,” we wanted to create an experience that could convey these keywords in a sensory way. I thought that through this direct connection, MOA would immediately understand our intention.

Seo Yoo Min (Album Marketing Team at BIGHIT MUSIC): We also had the chance to experience “Dialogue in the Dark” during the planning process. The most significant realization for us was that in complete darkness, where vision is restricted, voices become a powerful source of comfort. We thought that in such an environment, MOA could truly immerse themselves in BEOMGYU’s voice and find great solace. In fact, many of the MOA who participated mentioned that, although they felt tense at first, they found great strength in hearing BEOMGYU’s voice midway through. Many even shed tears upon hearing it. I believe that through this experience, MOA truly felt the comforting message BEOMGYU wanted to convey in “Panic,” that we can face the darkness of the world together.

The “Panic” cover challenge was also a meaningful promotion, as it allowed artists to interpret the emotions of the song in their own ways. I noticed that many artists, such as Heo Hoy Kyung, who participated in the songwriting for “Panic,” and ADOY, a band BEOMGYU mentioned as one of his favorites, took part. Could you share the background behind the planning and selection process for this challenge?
Son Heeho (Album Marketing Team at BIGHIT MUSIC): The most important thing for us was figuring out how to bring out the musical essence of “Panic.” I thought about how MOA could enjoy this track in a fresh and fun way, and since BEOMGYU’s musical taste is closely tied to the indie scene, we believed incorporating that into the promotion would create an interesting chemistry. “Panic” is such an authentic and heartfelt track with a melody and lyrics that anyone can enjoy. That’s why we believed it would be a great track for other artists to reinterpret in their own styles. It would bring out the song’s charm in many different ways. We planned the project with genre diversity in mind, thinking, “Whose cover could make the song feel fresh in a new way?” While reaching out to artists, we introduced them to BEOMGYU’s music and this promotional concept. It was nerve-racking because, in a way, we were asking them to collaborate based solely on the music itself. But in the end, most of the artists we approached agreed to participate. Some of them were extremely busy, but still made time because they truly enjoyed the song. Others said they were excited to work on it because the music made the process enjoyable. Hearing that made us realize once again just how good BEOMGYU’s music is. I heard that BEOMGYU was really happy too, that he had long admired these artists, and seeing his music interpreted in different ways meant a lot to him. It was such a meaningful project for us as well, because it brought together BEOMGYU, MOA, and the participating artists—three different communities who could all genuinely enjoy and connect through this experience.