TWS' Jihoon has released a cover of Ruel 's song " Face to Face " on June 15, 2025. Despite just leaving his teenage status, Jihoon shows extraordinary vocal maturity and emotionality in his performance. It's no wonder that this cover immediately stole the hearts of listeners.
The song "Face to Face" itself is a work by Australian singer Ruel, which tells about the longing for real connections in the era of digital relationships. In the original version, this song displays a melancholy and reflective nuance.
However, Jihoon is able to translate this emotion well through strong appreciation and expression. One of Jihoon's strengths in performing this cover is his ability to maintain a balance between his emotional side and his signature bright image.
So even though this song has a sad and quiet vibe, Jihoon still maintains his fresh aura without reducing the depth of the song's message. As a result, the performance feels sincere, warm, and still true to his identity.
In the MV released with this cover, Jihoon's acting also deserves a thumbs up. He managed to present a narrative that is relevant to the song's lyrics, which is about someone who falls in love through social media but has never met in person.
His eye expressions, body gestures, and even his blank stares, all feel natural and touching. Then what made fans even more amazed was the detail behind the MV production. The Instagram account used by Jihoon in the video actually existed.
The name of Jihoon's girlfriend on the account is "Kim Sai"—which is none other than the name of the TWS fandom , which is 42 (read: SAI). This personal touch made many fans feel appreciated and more connected to Jihoon.
Not only that, Jihoon's profile photo on the fictitious Instagram was actually taken by Shinyu, a fellow TWS member. This fact makes the MV feel even more meaningful because it involves real interactions between the members behind the scenes.
Jihoon's vocals in this cover also show impressive development. He sings each verse with clean technique, steady breath control, and the right nuance. Although not trying to imitate Ruel, Jihoon actually brings his own color that makes this cover feel fresh and authentic.
Musically, “Face to Face” is not an easy song. The combination of contemporary R&B and pop with reflective lyrics requires vocals that are full of emotion but not over the top. But Jihoon is able to overcome it.
Meanwhile, in terms of lyrics, parts like " I'm in my bed sitting, talking to screens all day" are very relevant to the lives of today's teenagers, especially the generation that lives in the midst of digital relations. Jihoon managed to convey the anxiety and hope in the lyrics, as if he really felt the contents of the song personally.
Visually, the concept of this MV is simple but full of meaning and easy to understand at first glance. Jihoon appears in a casual style so that emotions become the main focus. This shows that the main strength of this cover lies in the interpretation of the TWS main dancer.
With this cover, Jihoon not only proved his vocal ability after he attracted attention through his dance. He also became the next member to fill "TWS:TUDIO" through this cover. Finally, Jihoon managed to transform “Face to Face” into a more personal and fan-friendly work.
This cover is proof that he has great potential to grow into a quality soloist in the future. With its emotional touch, thoughtful production details, and impressive vocal performance, TWS’ Jihoon’s cover of “Face to Face” is worthy of attention from music lovers, not just K-pop fans.
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